It's Been A Long Time

Hello, my two followers, who ever you might be!  It's been years since I've posted, and I just hope I can get in the swing of things again.

In 2009, we moved to Canton, GA.  It's been a long and strange three years, with multiple ups and downs.  We brought our two dogs:  Heidi had 4, for a total of 6.   Dabby, my sweet, old dog died here.  He fell down the basement steps.  It broke my heart.  Heidi talked me into giving a home to Sheba....she's part Pointer. and something else.  She looks like she's smiling.  Of the four dogs she had she took the two little ones -- a Jack Russell terrier and a dachshund, but left Boz, who is a gentle, mild-mannered bear.  Cookie is still with us, and dear to Bob's heart.

When we first moved here, there was a stray cat outside....I call her(him) Cornflake because she is so yellow.  She must have been abused by someone because she is very skittish.  I love her all the same.  Again, Heidi talked me into getting another cat; her name is Dixie.  She's a totally inside cat.  It took her awhile to come out of her hide-y hole,  but now she's king of the mountain...lol!

Well, I guess that's "it" of a day.  Hope you had a great day.

Lee

Is this how it's supposed to go?

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/01/protests/

Saturday Evening

I don't have any new cards to share, but I am working on one with wisteria and hardenbergia. The hardenbergia looks like small wisteria blossoms. Kate C. gave them to me awhile ago, but I am so unorganized, they got lost in a pile of other flowers. I finally found them, and delighted once more in their beauty. When I finish, I will scan it and put it on here -- I just hope I can do justice to the flowers. I'm using a piece of Lynn's handmade papers, so I want to do better just for that....not too great of aspirations, right?

This afternoon, I spent some time in the "Chitty Chat" room, as Bob calls it...lol! I had a wonderful time talking with Carolyn and Deb S. Both of them made me laugh so much that I was embarrassed...Bob was sitting in a chair near me, and I could tell he thought I was off my rocker..lol! Bless his sweet heart, though, he didn't say anything. That's a good thing about him (one of many): he never tells me I am being foolish, even if I am.

It surprises me when I look outside, and then at the clock and realize that it's later than it looks. It's almost 7:30 pm right now, but the sun is still shining. I imagine, though, that the days will get shorter and shorter. In the winter, the sun sets at about 5:00 pm. Those are really depressing days, that's for sure.

Hope everyone is have a great day!

Love to all....
Lee

Blackberry Lily and Morning Glory Vines/Leaves

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday and looking forward to a tremendous weekend.

I haven't written in awhile because I've been busy pressing, and sorting out my dry flowers. These flowers I pressed at Lynn's, and then she put them in the dehydrator. The colors came out really well, but the scan doesn't show it. The petals are actually a bright orange red. I used some morning glory vine and foliage to give it a more (hopefully) light hearted effect.

We've been having some muggy weather here. Yesterday, though, it was cool enough to have the a/c off, and open all the doors and windows. Boy, was that refreshing! This evening, the gloomy clouds have lifted, and the sun is peeping through.

Love to all....

Lee

Thank you, C

I forgot to tell you that Carolyn posted a beautiful card she made for my birthday on her blog site. It is one of her stamped designs.

Also, I got many happy birthday wishes, which I was very touched by.

Birthday Cards from Lynn and Sylvie

I was very pleased and impressed with the two handmade cards that Lynn and Sylvie made for me. It really made my birthday very special.

I had a wonderful time with Lynn. We did a lot of things in the five days I spent with her. I, mostly, just watched as she made handmade paper and her beautiful cards. We went to a garden, and also, went to a historical site, Bishop Hill. She made sure there wasn't many people at either place we went to, so I was comfortable. She is a wonderful cook, too, and made some fabulous meals.

I got home yesterday, but didn't do much except unpack a bit. I was really tired.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Love to all.....

Lavender Larkspur, QAL, Fern & Tendrils

I've spent my Sunday afternoon working on this card. I just felt like cool, peaceful colors. The larkspur is really, really old, but that's OK. Oddly enough, I had put it on a lavender paper, but it doesn't show up. I think I need to get another printer/scanner/copier. Unless it's black and white, printing is bad, too.

The temperatures dropped from 90 to 80. Last night, it got down to 50. I was able to throw open all the doors and windows, and shut off the air, like I've been wanting to do for quite awhile. It's bad enough in the winter with everything closed up, but it's just a shame in the summer.

I've been enjoying C and S's new blogs. I so wish I were as talented as them. It's lovely to hear what's going on in their lives, too.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Love to all.....

Of A Saturday Afternoon

I just finished making a Victorian "tussy mussy," and tried to scan it in. I used a white doily that Sylvie gave me. Unfortunately, except for the arrangement, it didn't show up at all, so I can't show it. Truthfully, it is a little florid and over-done, which is sad because I wasted a lot of flowers. Oh, well....it was fun doing it.

We had a bad rain, thunder and lightning storm last night (in spite of the weather forecaster saying there was no clouds in sight...lol). It didn't do any damage, but I guess it was quite noisy. It woke poor Bob and the dogs up from sleep. Dabby tries to crawl on Bob's head when he's scared by thunder. He's done that to me, as well, and it isn't a pleasant position to sleep...lol!

Bob is doing a lot better with his hand. He's still has some pain with his hand being crushed and bruised, but it's not as bad as it was before. At least, he didn't break anything so it will eventually heal.

Even though there is a bit of sunshine showing, and it's a little cooler, it looks like the sky is clouding up for more rain. That's all we need. There have been flash flood warnings in the past couple of days, so that's not good.

Other than that, not much else is new. I think my depression is finally lifting...I can tell when I have a little creativity, and I think on doing more.

It was so nice to see C, S, and B posting on their blog. They all are such wonderful friends. I sure wish we all lived closer so that we could get together once in awhile.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend (and I'm praying, C, that you have a little sunshine and warmth.)

Love to all......

Fuschia Falls

A little bit about nothing...

It's been some time since I posted, and I am sorry. I've just been in one of those non-communicative moods I get into. It may be a form of depression, most likely.
It's a hot and humid day here...up to 90 degrees. Fortunately, we'll be going into a cooler zone for a few days, so that will be refreshing. I so long to open up all the doors and windows, and shut off the air.
We've had a good deal of rain and windstorms. I may have posted here about the 100 year old walnut tree in front of our neighbor's house, that came crashing down on their garage. That was a couple of weeks ago. Well, it was our turn a couple of days ago. Even though we had called the city that our tree on the parkade was drastically split, it came down. Fortunately, there wasn't any damage to us or our neighbors, but both trees are being brought down as I type. It's going to be pretty bare looking. It used to be that every street had trees up and down on the block. Now, the city isn't replacing any of them, and don't want any others put in. Sad, how neighborhoods deteriorate.
As usual, not much is new with me. I've been having problems with my side. It's probably my gall bladder and stones, but I was told by my doctor that they won't do anything until I am in excruciating pain, and then it (them?) will be removed. Ha....something to look forward to, no doubt...lol!
L'IL has invited me down for to spend some time with her. I always enjoy visiting her. I will be going down from the 15th to the 19th of this month. It is always so much fun getting together. I hope she inspires me to creativity.
Hope everyone is doing well, and has a great weekend!
Love to all.....

Dahlia and Bridal Wreath Card Topper

I did this yesterday, I think. I can't remember. I've been trying to do little arrangements, and then laminate them and adhere them to cardstock. I meant them to be vertical, but as you can see, I put my name in the wrong place...lol!

Not much is new with with, so I don't have much to say.

Hope everyone has had a great weekend!

Love to all....

White Lilacs On Blue

This is another card I made only with white lilacs. Carolyn, I didn't press them flower by flower...lol. I press them in little clumps, and then rearrange them on paper. It isn't very hard. Actually, the blue card makes them look quite a bit whiter than they really are...they are sort of an off-white. Still and all, it's the first time I've had white lilacs since we sold our farm.

I haven't been out to pick anything in the past couple of days. We've had rain showers quite a bit. I need to get out when the sun is shining. Some of my roses are in bloom and I need to get them pressed.

Bob came home early today. He came in the kitchen and his hand was all wrapped up. He had gouged his hand open while at work. It was pretty icky, and so he went to the E.R. to have stitches. As long as that takes, he probably won't be home for awhile. I offered to go with him, but he knows that's a strain on me....but I would if he'd wanted me to, that's for sure. I would do anything for him. He's the love of my life.

I guess we had some excitement in the neighborhood this morning. Our neighbor across the alley had police cars, the FBI, reporters and drug-snifing dogs at his home. He is a really nice guy, and I'd lay a bet that a lying neighbor, who has reported him before for noise disturbance set this whole thing up. It is so ugly when people don't get along, and the two have almost built up a war between themselves.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Love to all....

Lavender Blue Lilacs

This spring, I finally had all my lilacs bloom. It's taken years for the three in the front to come to life. I had this lavender-blue, a white, and a pink. The pink hardly ever press well, but the lavender-blue and the white did. It's too bad that I didn't get too many of them before the rains came because they were shredded by it, and the wind. Oh, well....such is life, I guess.

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. I couldn't get any images to upload. I don't know if it was a Google glitch, or if my pictures were too large.

Not much going on with me. I've been really been tired, for some reason. I have hardly been able to do a thing. I took naps during the day, which is really unlike me.

I hope everyone has had a good day!

Love to all.....

Hydrangea and Astrantia Wreath Card Topper

I finished this yesterday. I hope it isn't too thick to be laminated, as I do the rest. I completed a full 5.5 x 8.5 card, as well, and will probably show it tomorrow.

Haven't heard a lot from C or S. I know C is visiting her son. Wonder how S is doing?

Today is the first day of summer....or, at least, at 6:59 pm. It's going to be pretty hot at almost 90, and with uncomfortable humidity. The rest of the weekend is going to be cooler, and just in the 80's.

Bob has today off because the shop he works at is closed for the day. His bosses decided to go to the races...where ever that might be. Still and all, it's good to have him home.

Not too much else is new, as usual.

Hope everyone has a good Friday, and a wonderful weekend.

Love to all...

Just Another Day

Thursday Afternoon....

I don't know what these flowers are, but I have to thank Sue Morris for sending them to me. She lives in MN, and is the nicest person. Anyway, I did this arrangement a few days ago, but forgot what I had named it. I know now I called it "Wildflowers." They sort of look like a form of Salvia, I think.

Yesterday, I worked on two cards. One, I finished and will show tomorrow, probably; the other one is still in a working stage.

I guess I'm sort of starting from scratch in making these little card toppers. I had that long dry spell, so I'm just doing designs that come easiest to me. I still haven't figured out what to do with the giraffes I worked so long and hard on. I hope something comes to me...and, sometimes, it never does.

There's a chance of showers for the next three days. The percentages are low, but every time they forecast that, we have storms with a vengeance. This will put a further burden on those south of us who are being flooded. My heart goes out to them.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Love to all....

Fish School

Wednesday afternoon:

Here is a card topper I finished yesterday. I think it's rather unimaginative, but what the heck, right? Anyway, it was just an urge I had, and they come few and far between.

Yesterday, I went out and picked and pressed the small amount of flowers that survived the deluge of water. Pressing is really tedious, however, I'd rather not have to buy flowers. I just don't have the money for that, anymore.

I've, also, been working on three giraffes that I made from fungus (bought on KC's site). I haven't figured out any backgrounds, yet, although I've looked at enough pictures.

I went to S's blog site and saw two really gorgeous cards she made. Wow, she is so talented! I'd like to be her when I grow up. She has such imagination and creativity.

Tomorrow, we have our first garbage pick-up in about three weeks. It will be such a relief. Bob and I are "paper" people, and thus, accumulate a lot of that type of crap. Needless to say, things have really been piling up.

We're finally having a dry-out period. It's been three of the first days this week. It's been lovely, with the sun shining and everything. The rivers and streams are still out of their banks, and it will be awhile before everything is back in order. I so pity and pray for the people that lost everything. While their immediate needs are being taken care of...food and water....there will be no money to repair or replace everything they lost, despite being declared FEMA disaster areas. If I ever hit the lottery, I would help those people out.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

Love to all....

Iowa Flooding of 2008

I just saw the news at noon, and they said that 83 counties out of 99 have been declared state disaster areas. That is so not surprising. I'm sure it will be more since the rivers in Southern Iowa haven't crested. It's going to be declared a FEMA emergency. I can only hope that they don't handle Iowa like they did in New Orleans. Of course, this is a state rather than a city.

The Waterloo/Cedar Falls rivers have gone down a little, so that is a relief. Today...for a big change...it's not raining, and, hopefully, we will have a dry spell.

Yesterday, I spent some time going through my presses. I had flowers from last year that were still in there. I was so disappointed that so many of my roses were discolored. Of course, they were moisture saturated last year, too. There doesn't seem a way to do anything about it, unless I color enhance them. I don't think they are worth the effort, though.

Today, we have to take the dogs to the vet so they can get booster shots. Even if we don't get medical treatment, we make sure the dogs do. Bob gave them haircuts, and we both gave them baths, so they are fresh and clean. Dabby, our oldest dog, hates being clipped, and bathed so it's a real struggle to do him. Cookie has a more nonchalant attitude about it, thank goodness.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Love to all......

The Floods of 2008

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080611/ap_on_re_us/severe_weather

Bob turned on the washing machine to do some laundry, and the water was black. Obviously, the water system is bad. They haven't put any announcement on the news, yet, but we won't be using tap water for awhile.

It's been raining all day, and the forecast looks like more heavy rain for the days to come. The whole of Waterloo zone...City Hall, and many more blocks...has been evacuated. The loss of our storage shed is so small compared to what the rest of Waterloo/Cedar Falls is going through. Please keep the people who have lost homes in your thoughts and prayers.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Love to all....

Zinnias and Montebretia

This is a picture I just finished. I started it as the first quilt patch. Unfortunately, I ran out of zinnia and noticed it was getting way too thick. I really didn't do a good job with this.

We just got some bad news. As you know, there is major flooding here, and in surrounding areas. We had a storage shed, which held all our furniture and antiques from my grandmother, mother and step-father's mother. The shed is completely underwater. We had all that stuff up at the farm, but had no room here when we moved. I am really devastated. We didn't have any insurance on the storage shed, either....so it looks like we'll have to take a total loss. Who would have thought that the waters would get this high? Flood stage for the river in our town is 99 feet. It's predicted to crest (if we get no more rain, and that isn't likely) at 103.5 feet. No one around here has ever seen it get this bad...it's broken all records.

Well, isn't that dismal news? Wish I could think of a happier topic, but basically, I write whatever is going on at the time.

Hope you're having a good Tuesday!

Love to all....