Christmas In July

I'm listening to Christmas music while it's ninety-five degrees outside. It's not a cheap mental way to keep cool--I'm digitizing some of the Queen Mother's 1940's albums and the Christmas albums are "up".

I'm finding that I love Christmas music ANY time of the year, LOL!

Wild Life

I love my garden and I love taking photos of my flowers. Sometimes I have unintended subjects in the frame. Like this hard worker...You'd think she was impossible to miss but I didn't know she was there 'cause I wasn't wearing my glasses.

Flies of course are always where you don't want them:I know the photo is topsy-turvy; it's just the way I was holding the camera and forgot to correct the orientation after I downloaded it. Mea culpa (that's Latin for "my bad").

I just downloaded some photos and found that bugs had snuck into my pictures yet again:I had a good excuse on this shot though. This hollyhock is a good two feet taller than me and I was holding my camera above my head.

This little ladybug was residing on my Moonstone rose:She's welcome there as long as she feasts on any aphids she finds (I haven't seen even one sucking the lifeblood out of this rosebush so she must be doing a good job).

Swallowtails just love purple flowers, I've observed--my Dame's Rocket, purple coneflower and even little violas all attract them:He's one visitor that I intentionally took a photo of.

Leap of Faith

The Traceys (otherwise known as Tracey and The Other Tracey) treated us at the grand opening of their new venture at 41 Taylor, called...yep, 41 Taylor! At last, a business with an easy-to-remember address. Honestly, using a headboard to make the perfect sign for your business is sheer genius. I admit that's me making bunny ears on Walking Partner's head. I'm not trying to detract from the fab sign; I just get silly sometimes.

The cottage looks even better in person than it does on Tracey's blog, Notes from a Cottage Industry where she's been sharing the remodeling process with us. The fireplace mantle is imposing. Their color palette is wonderful and I suspect I'll be asking for the name of the wall color sometime soon. The teensy bath is perfectly appointed. I loved the lacy curtains and windows shaded by ivy.

What's an Open House without food? Tracey's cupcake frosting is faaab-u-lous (I chose the baby cupcake like a good girl) and The Other Tracey's fruit, cheese and cracker platter was a work of art (we forced ourselves to nibble on the strawberries and dig into the hummus, yummy). Yes, they are not only creative and artistic, but these gals can cook!

41 Taylor is the perfect location for a celebration when a busy restaurant won't fit the ticket. Two tasteful and spacious rooms open to each other--perfect for parties, reunions, get-togethers--with room for plenty of party seating and a buffet. The gals can decorate and cater one's event, or one can BYO food--isn't it nice they have the flexibility to accommodate their customers' needs!


Before today, I've only known the Traceys online and through their booth at Junkee. It was a total pleasure to meet these two gracious and talented ladies in person. I love that they have enough faith in themselves to open a new business right now. I love that their families came from near and far to support them this weekend. Their multipurpose cottage (party central/Tumbleweed Cotillion Faire/vintage lovelies) is something I'll be sharing with friends, neighbors and co-workers!
At least Walking Partner has a mommy with self-control during our photo shoot.

Fireworks Lament

I love fireworks!

No, I really really really love'em. I do.

I love to be as close as possible to them. Close enough to see the mortars in which they are loaded. Close enough to get ash in my eyes if the wind changes direction. Close enough that the big ones, you know, the ones that expand enormously, seem like they are coming to get me.

I just love the whoosh when they fire off, the bang when they explode. Nothing can compare to the fireworks displays we attended when the boys were little. They'd start things off with one hundred thousand firecrackers. Yep, firecrackers no fireworks. That was serious noise.

Fireworks get me going. They make me laugh with delight. Everyone else oohs and aahs and I laugh. Once friends get used to me, I think my laughter is as much a part of the Fourth as homemade vanilla ice cream and the Jimi Hendrix version of the Star-Spangled Banner.

This year, we watched the fireworks from a park on a distant hill. Because the Biggest Little City did NOT have the usual display so we had to strain our eyes to see the ones ten miles east. No one told us we should have taken binoculars. There were no whooshes or booms. There was no laughter. That the dogs were totally cool with it was some consolation.

Let freedom ring and next year I'm buying sparklers and a Piccolo Pete and some groundflowers. Just saying.

Independence Weekend

I have four words for you: Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!

And since we had extra ice...well, just hadta make a second batch and have an ice cream tasting.

Our traditional Fourth of July bouquet of gloriosa daisies in my favorite summer vase--a blue enameled coffeepot. Sigh, I love summer!

Happy Birthday, America!

Copper Ducks

The highlight of our morning walk: a Common Merganser mother and her brood.

They were swimming in the river at our turn-around point, a cottonwood-shaded park nearby. This is the first time I've seen them here, although I know they do frequent some Sierra lakes and streams.

We camped near French Reservoir years ago and loved the showy "copper ducks" around our campsite. The bird book called them Common Mergansers, but I don't think there's anything common about these showy waterfowl!

What a nice way to start a summer day.

Temporarily Stymied

I want to catch up with my endless list of fun projects--specifically I want to get this year's Christmas scrapping done and off our guest bed. NOW. But I need more album pages. And there are no Michaels 40% off coupons this week.

Michaels, what are you thinking?

The economy is shaky, three people on our little cul-de-sac are out of work (us included), money is tight, businesses are still failing. There is no way in aitch-ee-double-toothpicks that I am going to pay full price for those album pages. If you want my business, tempt me with a coupon.

Apparently "now" is being revised to "before next December." I'll just find something else to work on while I wait for the coupon fairy to reappear.