TGIF.......

...... Good Morning....Tennessee!!!!How are things on your side of the Blue Ridge today.....?

Still nice and rainy here with ...... lots of humidity......

Seems to be coming from the west-northwest......hummmmm.....are you guys sending it this way!!??

Just kidding.......City Boy and i have often commented that TN would have been our choice for retirement .... if we had not had friends and family in NC......

"You are sooooo beautiful...."

Uck Oh....i'm channeling some rock singer again........better go to work!!!

Enjoy!!!

An Oldie.......

.....but, a Goodie!!!

Pulled this little lap quilt out of the Quilt Cabinet yesterday....

thought the colors would be just perfect for summer moving into fall.....

It's an oldie.....i think this was the very first "kit" i bought.....

If i remember correctly it was a new line of 1800 French reproductions...

Anyway....i love the pattern and the colors.....they sort'a "fit- right- in" this time of the year.

Cause.......believe it or not.....we're starting to see a red or gold leaf on the hard woods.....

Wordless Wednesday.......

Rainy Ridges

The Committee.....

Had a few questions on the Committee...............

Yep...they are still a Community Watch......the birds, bunnies, chipmunks, groundhogs, deer and now fawns...........have learned to pay "no" attention to them....

So.....we have lots of barking and very little action in the yard.....

For some reason......in these pictures ...... we have a role reversal......

Mia with a smile and Max with a sad face.......

What gives???......Don't know........need to check this out.........

Miss Kitty......she's about the same.......

Still anti-social...

Have a great day.......Enjoy!!

This is.......

.......what my world looks like today......

Monday......my favorite day of the week......??!!

Am I nuts!!!!

Anyway....hope you have a good one........i'm hoping the sun appears before i have to drive down the mountain......

Got Nothing.......

.....really don't have much of anything to blog about this AM.....

It's another beautiful morning here in the Blue Ridge and i'm gonna spend the day catching-up....you know........the food shopping.....the laundry......the cleaning of the house....etc. etc.

The food shopping should take me a little time.....it's back to reading labels......

That blood work last week showed i'm borderline diabetic......

Knew this was coming......before City Boy had his GBS...we lived with his diabetes for many years and the signs were there.......ugh!!!....Just when i thought i could give up label reading as a hobby!!!

Also....need to lose this 20 pounds i've packed on with all this "Good ..... Mountain Food"......who knew ....Hushpuppies were a food group and should be served at every meal.......??!!

Well....anyway....that's the plan.....

But....i hear the sewing machine calling.....and that fabric i laid out last night......it's screaming...."Cut me in little pieces and sew me back together.......make me into something!!"

Hummmmmmm....big choices here......i'll have to check with the Community Watch Committee!

Enjoy your Sunday......

We're Off.......

......to the airport in Charlotte......

Time for SIL to head back to FL......and after looking at today's temps on the AM TV shows.....she thinks she might want to stay......!!

Can't blame her....who would want to fly back to 97* and 100% humidity...???!!

Have a great Saturday......i'm gonna spend my day riding....up and down......left then right......straight then curves......more up and down with curves......it's 2 hours one-way.....ugh!!

Fields of.........

...no wait!!!...this picture loaded first...sooo......

Could it be "Fields of Gorilla Glue?"....good ole' City Boy....he's a modern day McGyver that thinks gorilla glue and duct tape can fix anything..........

Soooo....the chinking on my bird feeder is a little much...but....he glued it back together and replanted it in the front yard......hope the bear has left the neighborhood ...... and no birds were harmed in this process....

I had visions of glued beaks and flapping wings!

Ahhhhh....here's my Fields.......Fields of Queen Anne's Lacy....

the 27 acres across the road is abundant with it this year.....

I've heard of fields of daisys....roses....sunflowers.....dreams.....

but....never Queen Anne's Lacy.....

Kind'a Neat...

Enjoy your Friday.....

Thankful Thursday....

.....thankful for this view.......

Enjoy your Thursday!

#10.....

When this picture was taken i had not sewn on the binding yet....but.....it's complete this morning!!!........yeah!!!

Used that fantastic pattern "Square in a square" over on Moda Bake Shop......

Soooooooo easy!!!! ..... and uses only one charm pack to make this 17"x48" table runner....

I'm using this pattern again and again and again!!

The tablerunner stash is building!!!

Enjoy your Wednesday....raining here....ugh!!!

Thank You.........

Today a big Thank You goes out to my two co-workers....Barb and Mary.....

Two of the greatest ladies you would ever meet.......with the sweetest spirits and most giving hearts....

Like the clouds ....ever changing and always there for me.....

Thanks girls for putting up with my crazy changing life and covering for me.....

Hugs and gifts forth coming.......




ps....Barb this picture reminded me of you........."Cloud Lady"

Introducing...........

......This years set of twins.....!!!!

Momma brought them by to visit yesterday afternoon......they strolled across the side yard.....we stared at them and they stared at us.......The male child got a few pictures.....


Then they flicked their tails and calmly walked into the tall grass......

I'm calling them .....Jack & Jill......

They'll be back.....


Enjoy your Monday!!

# 9 and a half.......

Here's the half........got the top of "Devonshire Cream" finished last weekend.....

Its. made with the Moda...Portebella Market....fabrics, and a few fat quarters of coordinating colors thrown in....

It's going to Atlanta with me in August for a session on the long-arm quilter......and then i'm gifting it as a wedding present....both Tim & Angie are very traditional home-bodies......sooooo.......i think they'll enjoy it.....plus, what do you get a couple that has everything??/!!!.......

And this is the tablerunner i finished this week.........i'm building up a stash of table runners......they make quick and thoughtful gifts........

This little guy is made with Moda.....1930's Feed Sack reproductions......

Fits right in...up here in the mountains.....

Moda....Moda.....Moda....there seems to be Moda everywhere in my sewing room.....

Maybe it keeps my "Moda" running.....

Ohhhhhh.....Ahhhhhh....... i crack myself up!!!!!

Enjoy your Sunday!!



ps.......no Bear last night......hope it was just passing thru......

Whoa......

......Remember my bird feeder.... the one that took "City Boy" 2.6 years to plant in the front yard.........

Well...............at approximately 4:15 AM this morning it bit the dust.....!!!

The dogs were hysterical......the cat was screaming on the front porch.....City Boy was sleeping and i was stumbling around without my glasses on......

Outside lights were on ..... but.....without glasses.....lets face it....i'm blind!!
Opened the door for the cat and chased the dogs back to bed......

Then this morning i found it.......smashed off it's pole......what ever hit it and knocked it to the ground was big and strong.....cause..... the little cabin had metal rods thru the sides holding it together and then it was screwed to the base.....

We're thinking maybe....gulp........BEAR!!!

Hey Smokey!!!!....welcome to the neighborhood....!!!!?????

TGIF.....

Thank Goodness it's Friday.....

It's been a really "Blah" week around the old cabin.....

None of us has felt very well......tired..... sleepy....no energy.....
you know that feeling......

Soooooo....yesterday i bought extra strenght, multi-purpose vitamins.....

now.....if we can remember to take them....maybe it will help!!

or maybe we just need a vacation ...... ??!!

Enjoy your day.....i'm of to the hospital for bloodwork......ouch!!!!

Thursday.....

......don't know why i think this picture is "way cool"......

but.... i do!!

It sort'a sums up this morning here in the Blue Ridge.....

Rainy.......sort'a

Humid......sort'a

Cool....... sort'a

A good morning to bundle up and drink coffee on the front porch......ya!!

A good morning to finish some of those WIP's hanging around in the sewing room....

I'm even taking one to work for the "down" time.....

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday.......

.......nothing better than the dogs pillow......

Surprise.......!!

This is the view for the late afternoon deer watch......this is the norm....

But last night.......about 9:45 pm......the dogs went ballistic!!!!

When we flipped on the flood lights......

Surprise!!!........COWS!!!

My brain immediately went to the movie "Twister".....

"cows.......we've got cows...."

There they were munching away on the deer corn and apples......they were even eating the birdseed that was on the ground......

Well.....Mia and Max have never seen cows this close before .... they were barking and backing-up....wish we had remembered to take some pictures!!!

Well.......maybe the "big" deer will be back tonight....

Enjoy your Tuesday.....i'm canning tomatoes....another "City Boy" bargain box!!

We haven't........

......talked weather in a while....

During the last of May and the beginning of June it was all anyone up here in our little corner of the Blue Ridge was talking about.......days and days of rain.....flash floods.....roads and bridges closing........

Well the first picture is what it looks like today up here in my section of the high country......

Which is OK with me ...... we can use the rain .....now ......

But ....it leads to this lush-green, very thick foliage.....that's OK too....
except when my small dogs get out of the house or the dog run and we are chasing them down , lots of yelling and running around by the humans.........Do you know what kind'a monsters live in the 12 acre woods ?......they must to be hunted down...at full speed.......it's not a pretty picture!!!

Still .... it's better than this .....took this picture on April 7, 2009!!

We've come a long way.......in a short time!!

Enjoy your Monday!

Mountain Morning......

Early this morning ...as i was drinking coffee on the front porch....sort'a getting ready to go to work....... I realized.....

I "uset'a " endure mornings......there was the mad rush, on work days, cause i'd hit the "snooze alarm" twice ...sometimes three times.....

The dash to the shower.....the layer of makeup......the blow dryer, curling iron and hurricane strength hair spray.......the professional clothes and (ugh) shoes!!!!

The grab for coffee and breakfast......searching the refrig for "lunch"......ugh...nothing....guess it's the cafeteria again today......

The hassle of getting the dogs in and out......forget the cat!!

Well.......you know how mornings are...???!!!!

.........Now.....

No "snooze alarm" i'm up with the birds......the shower, it's the same, but no dashing.....no blow dryer, curling iron or hair spray....and makeup..??...i think i still own some....

Jeans, staff t-shirt and sandals......

Coffee and oatmeal on the front porch .... with the little critters perched on the telephone wires...

Dogs and cat....sleeping in the early morning sunshine.....

Yep!! ....i "uset'a endure....now i enjoy!!!

Back at the river......

......being the mountain oriented person that i am......sometimes i forget the peacefulness of the New River......

I look at it ... as one of nature's amusment parks......camping, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, fishing....ya!!....good times!!!

But....early in the morning in the park .... down by the river.... as the sun peaks over the horizon........the peacefulnes.....

......Beyond words......

This is it........

.....this is yesterday's photo that City Boy moved.........!!

This pix just screams........"1940's movie poster" to me.....

Can't you just see this on the wall of a movie theater....

with the wording....

"Coming to a theater near you"

Mystery of Mulch Mountain

starring

Miss Kitty LaCat

or

Return to the Tara Barn

feathering.....the greatest mouser of all time...

Miss Kitty

Sometimes my train of thought amazes me!!

Enjoy..

Love this......

.......Grrrrrrrrrr!!

As a rule i download the pictures for my blog the night before and place them on the desktop for quick reference..............now for some reason this bothers City Boy!!

He doesn't like to see my little copies of the pictures i'm gonna use mixed among his "icons"....

My pictures rarely stay on the desktop any longer than 24 hrs.........

All this to tell you that this morning as i staggered to the computer and started to compose my daily ramblings........My pictures from last night ....... "were gone!!!"

Yes, campers!!!....he's moved them somewhere!!!!

Could not find the one i really wanted to use today.........don't know where they are!!......and he's on his way to Salem,Virginia...... driving the VA van............!!

Grrrrrrr...............

anyway.....these day lillies are still colorful, cheerful and very summerish........i love the raindrops!!

the male child's been at it again
He does take some great pix!!

Enjoy your day...............!!

Grrrr.........!

Wordless Wednesday......

....drool much.....?

Sticky.....

........ is this a sticky situation or what.....??

Yes...folkes.....those are little black bugs stuck to flowers!!

These are some more of the flowers that grow around the Ranger Station on the mountain......they have a very sweet smell....and....as you can see they're very sticky......

the best....is watching the birds and spiders trying to pick off the bugs without getting stuck themselves!!

We're always hearing bumps and thumps from the front door area......it's the birds....they hang onto the window screens.....and make passes over the flowers....skimming for bugs......

The "Daddy-Long-Legs" are all over the side of the building...

Is this what people did for entertainment before TV........!!??

Monday......

.....today in the Blue Ridge.........got some rainy, misty weather moving thru ....

Should look like this all day......but.....

the birds are singing.....the chipmunks are chipping......the beagles are baying......the rabbits are hopping..... and i'm on the way to work on the mountain......

Enjoy your Monday.....

ps....saw the fawn on Saturday......couldn't tell if it was male or female......we'll just call it "Baby."

Day After.......

.......time for a Community Watch meeting.....
Gotta' discuss all those strange noises last night....

Misty rain and very low temps here on the Blue Ridge today......yikes!!

Enjoy your Sunday.....

Happy July 4th.......

....and Happy Birthday...little Brother!!!

Enjoy....

TGIF.......

Had several comments asking the name of this flower.....well....it's a white Rhododendron.....

usually you see these flowers a bright pinky-red color.....but there is a white or some people call them light pink that blooms in the early summer....

This little guy lives outside the front door of the Ranger Station at the mountain park....

Here's the little daisy that lives outside the backdoor.....didn't want it to feel slighted....

And this is the multi-flora (wild) rose that lives on the fence going down the mountain .... outside the park boundaries....

Can you believe that this plant is not native to this area and is considered invasive...!!??

Well.....i like these roses....they come in red, pink, white and can come live at my house anytime...

Have a great Friday......

Thankful Thursday.......

......today i'm thankful to Hollie over at www.lifeinasmalltown.blogspot.com

for the Honest Blogger AwardNow the rules state that i need to post 10 honest things about me and then pass the award on to 7 other people.......well......here goes.....

1. I don't own a dress, skirt or power suit....gave them all away when we moved to the mountains.

2. Only wear Birkenstock clogs and/or sandals...due to nerve damage in my right foot and ankle.

3. Love to learn new things....always doing Internet research at work.

4. I enjoy all type of music...but....can't carry a tune in a bucket.

5. I have always had and will always have a pet of some sort.

6. I enjoy "just sitting" on my front porch.

7. I'm proud of the male child for returning to school and finishing his degree.

8. I drive a 4x4 Ford truck....City Boy drives the "family" SUV.

9. Sometimes I don't turn on the TV until the 6:30 pm national news.

10. I'm in the process of making a "Bucket List." It will include things like hot air balloons and traveling to Alaska, winning the lottery...etc.....etc..LOL.......One can dream!!!

Thanks again Hollie......i'll pass the award on at a later date......

Enjoy your day!!

Wordless Wednesday.......

.....Third Shift.....