What happened to Stevie Ray Vaughn? Is this something I have to google?

Boy did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed....everything I look at is just wrong.....I mean I did leave the dishwasher empty so they could put their dirty dishes in, and the clothes hamper has a lid that opens so you can put clothes IN....don't get me started on the wet towel on the floor :)

I guess it's time for a refresher on WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER 101

All the Christmas boxes came down from the attic last night and the kids were bursting at the seems (or were they busting?). They're concerned that my stocking is MIA. I'm sure Santa kept it for a very good reason :)

Sarah is still desperately clinging to Santa and Jake is being good about playing along. I know it's tough when all the kids at school begin their 3rd grade chatter.

Those bad Blue Jays are out there waiting on the ground while the biggest of them all scoops birdseed out with his beak for the masses! I too have wrens. Right now I'm looking at a downy woodpecker on the suet.

OH! and I had a red tail hawk right in the maple in the back yard! He stretched out his wings and took off and it was awesome!

I imagine that in Joe's part of the country it's cat calling time all year 'round. Let's hope he's out foolin' around and will be home for a nap soon.

Kathy, hot and sour soup is my cure all, but do they have it on the west coast? I recall Chinese being decidedly different.

Chelone, I meant to say that I visited with a friend who has that same stove and I couldn't quit admiring it....I must drop in on her soon since we're in the perfect months for backing in to the stove to keep the buns warm, LOL...

Gotta get started a little earlier today....TTYL

Saucy

LOL, Chelone....I just read your post and 'have' to comment on the "little old lady". I am definitely not the sterotypical 'little old lady' driver, in fact I may even be locally considered somewhat of a terror on the road! I do try to not exceed the speed limit, but I HATE being followed too close, and have the tendency to get the guilty party to pass...then I return the 'following' act. I am not only angry, I am also trying to teach them a lesson.
I drove on many an icy road before moving here, but avoid them like the plague now. I try to be well prepared before such weather gets here, so I can set it out. I see no reason to tempt 'fate' and get myself into an accident. Besides, I have enough to cope with, without adding to it.
The bringing in of the firewood regardless of outside conditions is enough 'danger' for me!

I am still chuckling about an editorial about the traffic in "North Harrison". I drive through that part of Harrison everytime I go to town, and have never considered it a 'dangerous' place to drive...but the editor said he avoided that part of town ( and he is much younger than I ). Harrison is only around 10,000 population !

Now, back to matters at hand....it is mighty cold here, but still only mid-20s. I am wondering how I will survive winter?? The house got down to the lower 50s, even though I had the stove full and not turned down too low(?). I was not comfortably warm in bed, but reluctant to attempt to rectify it by either adding more covers or more clothing. Chelone, I think I have become even more wussy ! LOL

Marie, I have a Thanksgiving cactus that is about that same color, but I do not think it has such pretty purple anthers ( not sure I chose the right word). I have checked the only open bloom and it only has one anther . I got pollen on it when trying to decide it's color ( the light isn't good where it is). Mine is one of my hybrids. Your pic is perfectly lovely!

Kathy, I have failed to sympatize with you on your cold in the nose. My silly nose is plagued with chronic rhinitis, so is almost always snuffy and stuffy ! I do hope yours will not become chronic.
I have never been much south of Portland. My DB took me to the ocean a couple of times.I am not sure which location but probably mostly west of Portland. ( I loved it! )

Marie, it is beyond my comprehension to cope with a puppy...or even a kitten, for that matter. If we ever need to replace our present cats, it will be a middle-aged one, so it's life span will not be much longer than mine( what-ever that may be). I am happy that you are so enthused over the prospect. I think those dogs are handsome ( dispite the 'sticky' mouth..lol ).I was espacially partial to Charlotte, but I do develope 'likes' for nice neghbor dogs. Sam the Great Pyrenees is one. He lives next door....very seldom barks at us,( and then only from his front yard) and NEVER chases cars! I HATE the cousin's cur that viciously barks and chases our car almost every time we go out. I don't even like the little dogs ( various breeds) that imitate him from the same location. I don't mind Henry, ( another Great) that belong to the 'goat' people. He likes to 'woof' and run along the side of our car. But is very nice about it.( His face is at the window level.) I usually turn down the window a bit and chide him, and he sheepishly backs off.

V, Shucks, I was hoping to see a nice long post from you! Sorry that it has slipped your mind. I DO know how that is.

Oh my, Denise. I sure hope Joseph shows back up. What a worry!He may have found a safe place to go and nurse his leg. Cate like to get off like that when injured or sick.
The Dorky Dude has not showed for about a week now. We have decided he either found a better home, or met with some disaster. We will probably never know. As tame as he is, someone may have taken him in, or he may be in a warm barn nearby.
LOL about LA computers being "rendered senseless" by wet roads. Many drivers have that problem with a wee bit of snow here.
Great to hear that your DS has arrived sately in NYC. I hope the job finding pans out. It isn't just the young that go off to new territory without a definite goal. When we left Idaho to move to Arkansas, we had no designated home or job to go to! Nolon was 50, and I was 44! It WAS pretty tough for awhile, but all worked out.

Deanne, so 'they' were right... you 'were' out in the blind ( but apparently not 'snowed in', lol ). Great pics. I have not seen a Redpoll here, but they are listed as being here. Without a doubt, that is the same junco. I would have thought it would have molted those feathers by now.

(((Saucy))) I hope the day improves! ( I washed all the towels from the weekend visit yesterday. Some of the GDs like to use the biggest fattest towels! ).
Oh yes...Blue Jays! Not my favorite bird, even though they are handsome, but SO greedy! I love Downys but have never put out suet for them. They work the yard trees constantly.

How I wish I had one of those lovely soapstone stoves, but my income cannot cover one !

Wow ! Am I gabby or what ! I wonder if it's the B 12 shots ????

Marian

Denise...make that "commuters" not " computers" ( I hate when I do that ! ).

Sorry to have not checked in before now. I've not had a chance to read all posts and am horribly behind. I did see Honey and Ei's names as I scrolled to the bottom of this Idyll....so wonderful to see those names pop up. I will (hopefully -- fingers crossed) have time to read and catch up soon.

Storm was impressive.....don't know how else to describe it. We fared okay here......over 5.5" of rain in 48 hours, only lost power for a couple hours (we are thankful and impressed with the tree trimming over the power wires by our utility company in the past few years). We did not lose any big trees that we can tell yet. We logged about 14 years ago and replanted at that time so the majority of our trees aren't 'damaging height'. We did leave 'wildlife trees' and over the years some of those have blown down in these storms, but those left seemed to fare well through the high winds and rain.

All grands have been sick. 4 year old with pneumonia, 7 month old with a horrible cold, twins with vomiting for the last 6 days. The grands' parents have been dealing with tonsillitis, colds and strep throat. There are a ton of viruses going around and we seem to be 'enjoying' quite a few within our family--unfortunately. I've been trying to help take care of grands and now have the twins 3 days a week. Life is busy but not in a way that I would have chosen.

The twins are here today, not feeling their best and are quite demanding of my attention so I need to cut this short.

My best to all,
T.

I'm home, it's pushin' 4 PM and it's plenty clear it will dark soon. And it's cold! Deanne, please let Doug know that the helpmeet and I were wondering if the ground would be bare before April, too! I'm wondering if I'll have to borrow a leaf blower to clean the snow off the holly so I may trim it in relative comfort...

I've started a fire in our 17 yr. old "Fireview" (sister stove of the one I just ordered). We knew we wanted a stove (NOT a fireplace) when we built this house. Helpmeet figured we'd by a yardsale stove (cheap!). I insisited on something "pretty" (had my eye on a cream colored porcelain enamelled stove). I nagged him endlessly and finally dragged him out to a few stove shops (it was a brutally hot day, lol). He didn't look twice at what I'd had my heart set on... he turned around and spied the stove we eventually bought, "Now THAT'S a good lookin' stove!". I nearly keeled over when I saw the pricetag. We drove home mulling over the superlative specs. and aesthetic of the Woodstock relative to the enamelled Vermont Casting's appeal and price. We decided to save for the Woodstock and we did. I returned home from work on December 23rd. and unbeknownst to me he'd gone to West Lebanon, NH with the trailer and purchased the stove. He had everything required for installation (firepad, permit, etc.). I was stunned. I returned from work on Christmas Eve and it was in place, inspected, and BEAUTIFUL. He handed me a glass of wine and said, "how about we touch this baby off?". In all the years hence we've never regretted our choice of stove or the patience required to attain it. And there was no question about what stove we'd buy for the Salon (a nod to Kathy who has officially christened the space). Woodstoves are essentially pieces of very functional "furniture". They should be attractive as well as SAFE and functional. The old "cookstoves" and parlor stoves were beautiful to look at, only the "modern" appliances have become downright homely (small wonder we throw them away every 10 yrs./so!). I love having "low tech." things in my home: a ROTARY 'phone that works even when the power goes out, a couple of Aladdin oil lamps that provide bright, steady light without electricity, a woodstove that keeps the house cozy no matter what, and a gas stove that can prepare food no matter what. Actually, the only thing we lack is a hand pump for the well... (hmmm, something to ponder!). Yeah... I have decided Luddite leanings, believe it or not. ;)

Time to finish the dishes and bring up wood for tonight and the fire tomorrow. Later, friends.

Marian, you need a couple pairs of polar fleece Dr. Denton's! Maybe there's a "cottage industry" for me in those, you think?! Cracks me up that you're a wild woman behind the wheel. BE CAREFUL, my dear! tailgating is a dangerous practice... anytime you "rear end" someone the odds are stacked against you... most times YOU'RE the one "at fault"; so if the fool that did it to you and passed you hits the brakes while you're "giving a him a dose of his medicine" and you hit him... YOU are going to be tagged with the "fault". Anger has NO place behind the steering wheel of 3K lbs. of steel. Take heed (and stay off the cell phone, will ya?!). ;)

V., you could repeat yourself endlessly (OK, not really) and I'd still be fascinated and chaHmed.

I'm glad to hear from T., too. I have been watching footage of the destruction and am amazed. I now understand that the storm you endured was really rather a "freak" for you area. Fascinating for me on the "right" coast, but no laughing matter for those savaged by it. Wow. And with all its fury it didn't blow all the germs away?!

LOL, Saucy! we undergo periodic bouts of that largesse, too. I get pissy about whiskers and soap scum in the sink. (We've settled the toilet seat thing), but the coffee stained spoon left next to the coffee machine, the lids to catfood cans left on the counter, along with similar food wrappings continue to irritate me. Things tend to "get better" after your's truly erupts in the fashion of Mt. Etna (periodically), but then they do the lava flow thing... accumulate until the next eruption. Trust me, bein' perfect is great. :)

LOL, Chelone...I DO NOT tailgate! I just follow close enough, and long enough, that the other driver gets the message. Actually, I am the one who touches the brakes when being tailgated! I am well aware of the tailgating law, and that the one who does the hitting from behind is held responsible. (And I don't have a cell phone, nor do I want one.)
Polar fleeces sound wonderful,but I can't chance being too comfy while in bed, else I may not get up and check the woodstove for refueling. Believe it or not, having to move around during the night keeps my muscles and joints from 'freezing up'. If I sleep too long, I stiffen up and have difficulty getting around for awhile.
I wish I was comfortable 'erupting' at all the stuff Nolon leaves around the kitchen...but I defer to his age and disabilities. My grumbling generally goes unheard, but seems to be getting louder and louder...:-(

Have you all seen the movie Broken Trail with Robert Duvall ? We watched the first half yesterday, and I could hardly wait to see the second half this afternoon. I consider it a great movie.
My new DVD player works great!

Marian

Starting to be a bit panicky here. Ran errands this afternoon, but the driveway is so icy at the end by the road that I had to wait for DH to go with me. He's a far more experienced driver.

We've begun to receive cards for the season...and I realize that I haven't done that in years. At best I send 4-5 cards to crucial people who are far away. I wish this weren't so, but my energy level is low. I'd need to begin in May! I hate wasting the paper etc...too. Yet I enjoy receiving a personal note. What a contradiction!

We mailed bills etc at the post office, I went to the yarn shop for more supplies (matching hats for the boys), book store for dog training books (which we didn't buy-not the right one there for us), wrapping paper, etc... We had a good time and laughed a lot at the dog books. Some fun stuff there.

Spent a bit of time with Sarah on the phone...discussing puppy names etc. DH spent much time with a PhD student, a tough case. Then more time with environmental discussions. :( Never cheery.

Quiche and salad for dinner. Fed the kitties too, all the while thinking of Dorky Dude, Flo and Joseph. This is not the weather to be a missing critter. This is the season when we must check our rabbit's water to make sure the heat lamp is doing its job. Cricket seems fine and got a big carrot and some timothy today. Sometimes he likes apples.

We need to bring more wood from the barn...but perhaps I'll wait til tomorrow and read some tonight.

Sleep cozy!
Yawn,
'bug

Left coast checking in here, and glad to see that T has stopped by to reassure us that all is well on the storm survival front. Our rain has arrived and had fallen steadily all day-but not pouring by any means. Its cold though-snow level is down to 3500 ft. A point worth noting, here in our area the snow falls usually only in high elevations, rarely at sea level or below 1000ft.
I got my window quote today (there are a few I need to replace to make a good showing) so will get the ball rolling on that tomorrow. DS and I will probably get his bedroom painted in the next several days-an easy task we can do ourselves in a day or so.

Deanne, how spiffy to get to see some new bird pics from you . Your juncos are colored a bit differently from those we have here. The heads are quite dark and the bodies have more brownish tones. They are amoung my favorites.

Saucy, hot and sour soup can definitely be found out here ! We must have about 20 chinese restaurants in Napa. Tonight I will dine on Cuban black beans and rice with some mole sauce and avocado and onion cut up on top. I regret to inform you that Stevie Ray Vaughn perished in a helicopter crash in the early 90s(not sure of the year) .

Denise, I hope you are able to resolve the disappearance of Joe..they do like to hide when they dont feel well, and hope that he is doing just that. I hate the anxiety that uncertainty causes. Well, I must say that I can imagine the turmoil that 2 inches of rain caused in LA. When I was living in San Diego I worked in a garden center and when it rained we might just as well have closed the doors and gone home. Life came to a standstill, venturing forth was unthinkable ! Up here in Norcal , life proceeds rain or not, with appropriate wardrobe items at the ready.

Though I appreciate the invite Chelone, I believe I will wait to visit the Salon until AFTER it has been sanded primed and painted. However I do recall Martie expressed and interest in that sort of chore ??? Think you made the right choice in going for the more attractive, higher end stove those many years ago. Classics always hold up better visually, and one should always purchase that best quality they can afford

This is about all I can manage for tonight.. stay well everyone, and hellos to all..

Kathy in Napa

TGIF!

Hello to all the wayward idyllers! So nice to see Honey and Ei checking in and great to hear from the storm and virus battered T. Ei, I'm so sorry Scout isn't doing well. Maybe he'll surprise you.

Not much going on here. Most of my Christmas decorations are up. Tonight is the annual company Christmas party. Last night I went for my annual manicure. This afternoon the hair is being appropriately styled. My once a year overhaul...lol.

I've been working on training the new boss although I'm happy to report he doesn't need much. This morning he showed up with a stack of Christmas CDs to play on his computer but quickly selected my Jimmy Buffet Christmas Island over all of his and is enjoying it as we speak.

Happy Friday!

Sue

Good Morning Sue... ;-) You there yet?

We have snow! It sure is pretty, but I am a coward about driving in it with ice underneath!

Rotten sleep for me last night, nightmares too. UGH. Today DH has his voice lesson. His recital is Sunday. I will have Book Club dinner and chat here on Tuesday, so need to buy food goodies and tidy up the homestead for the occasion. Food has to be vegetarian. Fortunately I have one dish that everyone loves that doesn't actually taste vegetarian, if you understand what I mean! We have a funny idea too. At our first gathering the hosts served a lemon tart from "President's Choice". It was so good that we decided that lemon tart once a month would be great...and a kind of fun tradition to begin. So I've already bought that! Linda made her own raspberry puree to pour over the top of it. Perhaps I'll do blueberry or Cassis or something else to vary it a bit.

I wish the cleaning fairy were coming today! Ah well. Maybe we'll hear about kitties returning to the warmth of the fire?

Later!
'bug

Happy Friday!

Twins are napping so I have a short bit of time for myself. I've done some laundry shuffling and now can try to catch up on some emails and maybe even some Idyll reading.

A photo from this morning...
{{gwi:190284}}

This is the 'reading area'. It is a 'floorless' tent made to go over a twin sized mattress (held onto the mattress with elastic straps). I bought it a few months ago (at wally world--$14 in the kids' bedding department if anyone out there is interested in one for their little ones) and James loves to sleep inside it when he spends the night. I set the twins' sofas inside of it and, as you can see, they were enjoying the cozy atmosphere. ;o) The metal 'fencing' in the background is one of the many barricades I have up---this one is keeping the twins from hurting themselves on the brick hearth and woodstove---all my barricades are this attractive or much worse. I will be truly thankful when all grands are old enough to take the safety barriers down and have 'my house' back.

They've been here since yesterday morning about 6:30 and will go home in approximately another 7 hours....but I'm not counting. :oD Tomorrow DH & I have babysitting duty from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. for James & Thomas while their parents attend an annual holiday party. Then we are 'off-duty' babysitters until Tuesday. Ahhhhh, freedom.

I'm going to go now and hopefully spend some time going back to read what I've missed.....I hope all are well.

T.

Between Chelone's thems-the-facts, Marian's seen-it-all wisdom, Deanne, Saucy, Kathy and 'bug, you have really helped the situation, and thanks for that. Joseph did return this morning. I coaxed him down from a roof a couple houses back. He's now at the vet, just out of x-ray exam. No broken bones but a couple of bites, one very close to the nerve. By the way the paw is curled in, I have a bad feeling the nerve is damaged, but the doc says wait and see until the bites are healed. Possibly inflammation from the bite is impinging on the nerve...I'm hoping, and when the swelling goes down maybe all will be well. Very similar scenario occured with our current tripod cat, but she had no pain at all when injured, and Joseph has been yowling, so I hope that's a good sign. It's turning into The house of peg-legged pirate cats. Gotta get back to a rush job. Joseph comes home later today.

Good luck Joseph! Do you have a bed of many colours? Welcome home!

Love the reading nook T!!! Welcome back to you too!

Yeah for Joseph! Shouting it from the rooftops was he? Just like an old tom to have to be fetched for a trip to the vet :)

Marcy sends her best....Zeus is indifferent on cat issues.

Saucy

NanaMarie showoff time once again:

Reed and Indy enjoying all 3 degrees (F)together.
{{gwi:190286}}

I love the pic, Marie. I was much older when I rode a dog drawn sled, and it was a much larger sled pulled by a team of dogs! (It was the mailman's that delivered the mail to my childhood home town.)

Denise, I'm so glad Joseph is safely back home. LOL on my "seen it all wisdom". I 'do' try to be observing......;-)

T, I can certainly understand your situation, and I do sympathize with you. But rest assured, this too shall pass ,and in the long run you will be happy that you could do it. I wish I could have had my GDs with me more,during their growing up. It won't be long til they are all teens, and have very little time for grandma. But who knows...maybe they will be caring for me in my really old age!?

Awright! baby pictures. Even if we can't see their faces we can see they are enjoying themselves.

Looks like one twin is reading to the other.

What a cool little sled Reed has. Did daddy build it?

Good to hear Tuna Joe is back home. Hope he heals fast.

Hi Sue, I'm happy to hear your boss is an ok guy. I'm thinking you are party bound by now.

I cleaned the pigsty today. It really wasn't to cluttered just dust and inch thick. I swear I don't know where it comes from. My back is very sore. I don't know what it is about vacumning and mopping but it is the hardest thing on my back. I just have papers on my desk to file and that can just wait till morning.
I'm having a glass of wine to relax. Something my DDIL pawned off on me, but its quite tasty. Something about pear and other fruits on the label (to lazy to go see) and I can taste the pear.

There was a frosting of snow last night but it has been raining off and on all day. Looks like the system is going to sit and spin over us all week.
Not much else going on here. Sleep well.
No nightmares Bug!

Norma

Friday Greetings, not much action in Idyll-land today-but good to hear that Tuna Joe has returned from his rooftop visit. This reminds me of a cat my BILs had when they lived in Huntington Beach who was every indignant when they aquired a dog and spent months up on their roof. They put her food up on top of the patio cover . Eventually she came down and bonded with her doggie family. Tuna probably decided that roof was the safest port if his run-in was with one of the canine persuasion.

T , what a hoot that pic of the twins in their tent is ! The left twin just looks like a mini adult reading to the right twin ! At least you managed to catch them sitting still !

bug, cute pic !

Party on Sue !

Ok , see yall later

Kathy in Napa

Marian, I have such good intentions of doing a long, chatty post, but then I start reading the idylls and in the process:

1. play Christmas hangman
2. listen to Terry Fator
3. Google Terry Fator to find out if he won the million dollars (he did!)
4. Google free tetris
5. play free tetris
6. discover that sound effects of free tetris cause the older lab to shake
7. check out Denise's portrait as well as other amazing photos by her talented son
8. check out the web page of Carl Larsson
9. Teach myself Swedish so I can read about Carl

So maybe I was exaggerating on #9, but do you see how it goes?

Now for some sundry unrelated comments.

Very happy to see Ei, Honey and T check in, and glad to see that Joseph made a safe return.

Saucy, Stevie Ray's helicopter went down at an outdoor concert venue not very far from me, a place called Alpine Valley (when you live in the flat, flat, flat Midwest, you get very excited about hills of any size). It was very sad and shocking.

My boss fessed up to everyone that he helped his wife out last week and watered the Christmas tree. He noticed dropped needles, felt the tree and noticed how dry it seemed. It's an artificial tree. Yes, he is a horticulturist by training. Wait till you seen our new "plastic perennials" this spring!

Speaking of trees, one of my coworkers is going to put my tree lights up on Sunday! My tree has been up but bare nekkid since Thanksgiving weekend. DH did not have time (travel, deer season, travel) and he is gone until NEXT Friday, and since I still haven't taught the dogs to dial 911, I wasn't going to climb up the 12' ladder by myself. The coworker used to light all display trees when she worked at a garden center and offered to help me out. I am thrilled!

Deanne, we hit minus 5 on Thursday morning! The dogs were out for literally two minutes (i ran the microwave for 90 seconds and then went back to the door) and they were falling over each other to be the first one back in.

We had another inch of snow last night and more predicted for the weekend. I will need to call tomorrow to get someone to plow the driveway. It's passable in my small SUV but a regular car would be a little dicey.

That reminds me - Fedex left a package by the garage that I missed. i must go explore...

V.

I'm so glad the Tuna Boy has returned, Denise! At least you have only to worry about his injured leg now. ;) . Did the vet. offer any thoughts as to whether or not it was another kitty that did the damage? I know the bite Spencer sustained some weeks ago managed to fester up nicely over the course of 2 days in spite of his regular "care". Evidently, cat saliva is nicely loaded with bacteria, and their teeth leave very neat puntures that heal over quickly, allowing the bacteria a lovely place to "do their thing" in peace. I did laugh at the image of peg-legged pirate kitties; nice visual.

T., those kids in the tent are just priceless; they DO look like little grampies reading the stock exchange reports, lol. I can only imagine how nice it will be to have your home returned to what you know it can be... you're a good sport to do so much baby-sitting!

V., I have to drop it down a gear and get honkin' on the Christmas decorations, too. I've picked away on them sort of half-heartedly, but Sue's announcement that her's are all done has provided a certain impetus. I'm looking forward to seeing Deanne's decorations, too.

I am truly wussy, compared to V. and 'bug. It's been nowhere near that cold, but after a nice, warm November it's been a shocker. Our driveway is slippery, too... it will take a stretch of sunny, mid-high thirties to melt the ice. And I'm definitely on "winter duty" now with repsect to the cats. In and out, in and out... and 3 litter pan minings daily. Mummy's precious babies need a clean toidy, you know.

I shortened a canvas for a restaurant yesterday; filthy and big (30'+l x 12'projection). Then I addressed another deck canopy that needed a zipper inserted in it to make installation easier. And lastly, a restitch on one of those quonset hut jobs that are used for temporary storage. The zippers were coming unstitched. So I was definitely "supersized" yesterday. I found myself daydreaming of clear, bright pastels, crisp white trimwork, and an improved level of cleanliness...

Sheetrock to be delivered next Friday, drywallers to begin their chore on the 17th.. It will be interesting to see how long it takes them to get the job finished. I recall being amazed at how quickly the guys who did the house managed to do it.

OK, time to look creatively at the "simulated fruit inventory".

Inspired by a story on NPR this morning, here's today's trivia question. Did any of you ever meet a Munchkin from Wizard of Oz?

When I was a kid, my grandmother took me to The Midget Club, a Chicago tavern near our house, to meet the owner, Parnell St. Aubin, who had been one of the Munchkins. There's a link below to an interview with his wife.

V.

Good Morning Idylls!

Im so glad T popped in to say all are safe and sound from the storms. After hearing you describe your property, I guess I just didnt realize how big it was and how many trees you have...it must be beautiful! Sorry that all the little ones are sick. I hope they are all feeling in the pink soon. How clever to get that tent....I bet the little ones *love* playing in it. Brings back lots of memories of my childhood. I use to pull to folding chairs opposite each other and then my mom would throw a sheet over the whole thing so that I had my own little *private* getaway. I loved to spend hours in it, playing house & eating lunch there. Sometimes I was a princess trapped in the tower, and sometimes I was a stowaway on a sailing ship; a camper in the dark woods, a mother with lots of children in a teeny, tiny house...LOL...LOL! Lots of fun!

Denisez...glad Tuna Joe is home. I *love* his name! :-) I hope he makes a speedy and uneventful recovery. Did they give him antibiotics for the bite? I wonder why cats go off when theyre hurt? You would think they would want you to help them? My dog Willie was like that near the end when he was dying. He always was a snuggler, but in his last days he would push me away with his paws when I would lay on the floor next to him and he would even go off and hide in the house. I understood he felt lousy, but I felt bad that he didnt want me to "be there" or to comfort him. Just wondering why some animals do that?

Kathy...no I dont have those fairy pictures...I just ran across a picture just like those at an antique store once and was wondering what that "white fluff" was in the back of the pic and how they were made. When I found out the "fluff" was from milkweed seed and how the whole picture was made...I found it fascinating. It was a cottage industry that started during the Arts & Crafts period (I think) and I always picture these ladies gathered together in someones library putting these pictures together. But I guess the cottage industry started *way* before then and goes back to the 1800's!. I know thats how a lot of the fine painted porcelain pieces (such as Limoges) first got started, and of course, pottery, quilting bees, etc. I just think its neat to think about. I am thinking it would be fun though...just to try my hand at making one of those fairies...I certainly have plenty of milkweed fluff to gather here in fall. :-) And it might make for cute decorations in the babys nursery...if I ever become a grandma! :-)

Anyway, I use to be a collector, but as Im getting older, Ive kind of let a lot of that go...I dont have the space and I just dont want to dust it all. Ive kept all my Nippon pieces; my small collection of Josef pixies; & another collection of old porcelain birds. But the rest Ive given away to friends and family who I thought would enjoy them. Oh, I *do* still collect antique garden books though! :-) And I *do* still love going to antique shows, flea markets, resale shops, etc...if nothing else, just to admire & learn. I love history.

Chelone...I have to admit, I know nothing about Neoclassical interiors...but am anxious to learn. Thats one of the things I love about the Idylls...so many interesting things to learn about that I never knew anything about! I too have developed a fondness for clean, uncluttered looks. I think thats why Im drawn to the Arts & Crafts style. Not to say I dont *love* victorian and antiques, etc. My friend Dottys home is filled with the most beautiful antiques; stained glass, porcelain, grandfather clocks, persian rugs...she has about 6 old German cuckoo clocks which are a blast when they all start cuckooing at the same time along with the grandfather clocks chiming...LOL! :-) I *love* going into her home and just admiring all her beautiful things I just dont want to clean them...LOL! Im anxious to find out if Neoclassical interiors are at all like Arts & Craft interiors. My dream home would be a Frank Lloyd Wright home...LOL! But seriously, someday I would just love to have a small little bungalow and design an Arts & Craft garden to go with it.

Love the pic of the snowbaby; Bug...fun, fun, fun! :-)

Deanne...Im sure youve explained before and I probably missed it...but what exactly is a "blind"? What does it look like and what does it do for you?

Marian...love that you are feeling better...I hope those B12s keep doing their trick! Youre a hoot..."the here after" and the "dial up"...LOL! Yea, well dont feel too bad...Im a "dial up" too and Ive still got a few years before I catch up to you in age! :-)

Hi Sue, Norma & V and anybody else I missed. Well, I have to be going I have one of those lousy sinus infections, you know, the kind that even make your *front* teeth hurt! Off to snort some salt water....TTYL! Eileen

P.S. We cut our Christmas tree the other day (Paul had a day off)...isnt she a beaut? The pic didnt come out to great, due to the window light, but take my word for it...she has beautiful form! :-)

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I think she may be our prettiest Christmas tree yet. When we came back with it the guy who owns the farm said "How did you pick one that fast?" I told him it wasnt hard, there wasnt a misshaped tree on his whole farm. Boy, did a proud smile come across his face. "Thanks" he said...I spend all the growing season pruning and trimming my trees...glad you think they are so nice." What a nice man and I admire him greatly. His family has owned that farm for over 50 years and has 35 acres of property. I admire the fact that he takes such pride in his roots and that they have hung on all these years. It takes 8-10 years for one of his trees to be ready for sale and Im sure the Christmas trees only pay for his taxes, if that. In this area his property would surely go for several million dollars if you were a developer. I got a big kick out of his dad too (who is in his 80s) and surveys all the goings on in a little heated house they have near the drive! :-) Anyway, it was lots of fun to chat with them....Bye now!

V, that's gotta be pre-political correctness, "The Midget Club," lol.

Joseph appreciates all the well wishes and is recovering nicely, eating like a horse, and handling the clown collar with much dignity. Still not sure of the use of that leg, and we've had to do the...well, what's necessary before with Newt and she's done well as a 3-legger. I asked the vet, when I thought it was still a break, How the heck does a natural acrobat like a cat break a leg? Vet: Well, my cat thinks it can fly and has jumped off a height as much as three stories -- he's broken his back femur three times. The vet did say Joe's injuries were cat bites, not dog. Joseph makes much use of the rooftops as highways. Makes me quite jealous actually. I used to do a lot of rooftop sitting as a kid.

Norma, I'm with you on the sinister effects of housecleaning on the back. Heavy garden work, no problem, but the pre-Thanksgiving cleaning brought my back as close to being a problem as it's ever been. Of course using a shop vac on hands and knees can't help but it's the only way to get the fur and dander out of the rugs. Rowing has helped. I've dragged my youngest son's rowing machine into the bathroom and used it 3 NIGHTS IN A ROW. Kinda proud of that, 20 min. each. Lots of space where the clawfoot tub used to be. Dim the lights, plug earphones to the shuffle. I exercise like a savage and am not fit for the gentility of a public gym. No one seems to be sweating on those machines stationed in front of the plate glass windows to be ogled by passersby, and their gym clothes are actual outfits, that match, lol. Youngest DS used to row on local Naples Bay in high school. What a lovely but grueling sport. When the oar slaps the water ineffectively or out of rhythm, it's called "catching a crab." Push-off is mostly in the legs.

I'm wondering what the farms are doing in winter, Michelle's and others.

Baby Bouvier countdown. Ein was a December puppy too.

Glad to hear T weathered that storm up there beyond the Redwood Curtain.

Chelone, DH captains the boat that takes the pilots to the ships, and the wintertime seas and storms add a bit of excitement to the timing of going alongside those giant ships. Winter seas not too bad here in LA harbor, but Columbia river pilots up near T, wow. Pilots can and do get seriously injured, sometimes caught and squeezed between the pilot boat and the ship when there's heavy seas.

Here's some leaves. The agave in the pot is desmettiana, one of the few I have that snails love, poor thing. The variegated lvs behind are a furcraea, darkish lvs belong to an oxalis that was planted last winter, sulked all summer, and has taken off again. Pale clump in the left background is a euphorbia, as is the little clump in the foreground, peeking behind the potted agave, a dwarf 'Tiny Tim.' The euphorbs love this cool weather, but I've run out of that self-seeding population too and will have to bring more in.

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Our neighbors are engaging in a spirited holiday oneupmanship involving the most garishly decorated house, up on roofs, pounding away with hammers. Around the week before the 25th, we may or may not put up the single strand of lights around the front porch, which looks more and more absurd and underachieving each year. Does this go on in your neighborhoods?
Enjoying all the posts, the salon taking on shape and now neoclassical Scandinavian colors in my mind, but must practice some brevity. Ei, I'm curious what you conceive your future Arts & Crafts garden to look like?

A day off work gave me the opportunity to look for the AWOL mailbox. There it was, right at the edge of the ditch, and completely undamaged! The across the road neighbors were just pulling out of their driveway, and I'm sure they thought I was just a tad touched as I stood knee-deep in snow but grinning from ear to ear.

One problem down, plus I had the driveway plowed. Bring on the next round of storms!

A small herd of juncos are feasting in the front perennial bed at the moment. They're fun to watch!

V.

As of yet no one has inspired me to decorate for Christmas. I have been playing my way through the Big book of Cristmas songs. Wish I could say I was good at it. LOL
I play for my own pleasure anyway.

Denise, I could get hooked on your leaves. Nice arrangement.

Not much happening here again today. Still raining lightly. Been to the library, so plan on veging out the rest of the day. Ta Norma.
(just spied the pile of paperwork to be filed, not gonna happen LOL)

I've been a very good "do bee" today! I plopped a variety of Christmas cds into the "Victrola", cranked her up and made the 8 plaques for the fronts of the windowboxes today. I used boxwood and white pine as a softening "filler" for the area immediately behind and below the fruit. I like them better than last year's iteration; more interesting in composition and proportion. Tomorrow I'll tackle the pediments and stew about the greenery for the windowboxes themselves. I had a good time!

It's too dark to take a picture of them now. I did take some shots of the "fabrication" but I desperately need some techinical pointers from those of you who excel at photography. I don't understand lighting at all! Where does the light want to be relative to the photographer and the material to get a clear, clean shot that will demonstrate a technical operation? You know, the sort of shot you'd find in an "owner's manual" or a "how to" book.

The guy who cleans and tunes up the boiler came today. His son was with him (20-ish). Multiple ear piercings, one of those very hip beard/moustache combos, and the same direct manner as his parents. He had a good, firm handshake, looked me right in the eyes with a genuine smile, and commented on the Christmas music. (Blind Boys of Alabama, Ella Fitzgerald, and a couple of "Twisted Christmas" cds for laughs). We laughed about people who are Christmas killjoys, remarking that it's more fun to "get into it" and enjoy the process instead of letting it drag you down by allowing the image of a "Perfect Christmas" to color everything. What a charming young man.

Denise, I know all the harbor pilots, most of the tugboat captains, and the guys on the DES boats. They're regulars in the shop along with area fishermen. It's interesting to note the difference between them and the recreational boating crowd. There are occasional emergencies with their gear, but by and large it's maintained well and small repairs are done before they become major "issues" involving major blocks of time on short notice. The unspoken rule is that anyone who makes their living on the water goes to the head of list. One particularly stingy "blowboater" grumbled about it one day and was reminded that his livelihood didn't involve his long neglected dodger... . I hope Joseph continues to mend nicely. Spencer was noticeably "under the weather" for a couple of days when his bites were at their angriest.

Every single one of you has a pretty good notion of "Scandinavian neo-classical" style, even if you aren't sure you do! If you think about the clean, neat, trim lines of Regency (British), Empire (French), Federal (American) furniture and look at Hepplewhite, Sheraton, and Phyfe closely you will note immediately the use of Classical Grecian forms. The furniture is clean, neat, but discreetly decorated, getting more ornate as heavier carving came into vogue in a transition to Victorian tastes. The Scandinavian countries and other areas where winter sunlight is diminished, are notable in their use of very clear, bright colors. This was also common in America (an earlier use of bright "chrome" colors is noted in the Governor's mansion in Colonial Williamsburg); the use of them was a visible sign of wealth, too, as those paints were expensive. Our White House is a notable example, as are Mt. Vernon and Monticello. I like the Scandinavian use of "pickling" wood to take the edge off yellowing with time. I also like the use of painted furniture very much. And I have several pieces of reproduction furniture with those lines that will work nicely in the space.

Aren't people funny about picking out a Christmas tree?! Helpmeet hates this time of year; the unhappy kids, the Golden/Lab./dog du jour in his car crate, admonishments from the father to be careful about scratching the top of the new Escalade, ... but WAIT! he has to answer his cell phone... and expects my helpmeet to stand by patiently while he blabs and there are 3 more families waiting for my helpmeet to put a tree on top of their car, too. The continual hoisting and tree twirling for inspection is taking a toll on his back, and his normally sunny disposition too. ILt's hard to "get into it" when faced with stressed customers who are still in search of the
"Perfect Christmas". Naturally, I have not asked about the arrival of our tree. :)

I have to go get some wood and get a fire going. And then pick at the nasty splinter on my middle finger that's been irritating me for going on 24 hrs. now. I think it's time for the magnifying light and a fine needle. I think it's fibreglass (the WORST) left over from working on a batten pocket...

Well Ive been in the decorating mood the last couple days and thought Id post a few pics of the results. Ill drop by later to comment to one and all but I wanted to get these photos up before I had to break for dinner.

Here is our entrance room and of course the Rahjii has his nose into everything as usual. When I was decorating the tree he attacked the garland the instant I had it out of the storage box. I painted the large box on the left of the dresser in the late 1980s and it has Santas Elves making toys on the lid.
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A close up of the top of the dresser.
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The kitchen wall. I didnt do the embroidery or needlepoint (they were gifts) but I did paint the two plates.
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I thought this Santa is cute throwing a stick for his dog.
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The diningroom table with its Christmas runner and centerpiece. I put some bows and greenery on the chandelier too.
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My computer corner. Normally my lap top is on that table but I removed for the pic.
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One of the vignettes on the wall.
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OK Ill check in later to have a chat with everyone. Im off to fix some dinner. Have a great evening all.
Deanne

Hiya Idyll folkjeesh, so many are in a flurry of Christmas décor and Ive yet to do a thing ! I think maybe Ill go get the tree tomorrow and put up a few items. Since we are Christmas-ing in Oregon this year I dont have my usual schedule of prepping for the guests that will be arriving here. Ill do a toned-down version and whatever I dont use, Ill pack for the move. This holiday season sure snuck up on me, in spite of the fact that Ive got 95 percent of my shopping done.

Wow Deanne, you dont mess around girl ! Displays a plenty ..love your Santa collection on the table and the cardinal painting is very cool !

Denise, nice to see some plants that arent frostbitten or mouldy . As usual your foliage and succulent vignettes are very pleasing . We have not had much exterior house decorating in the neighborhood this year- There is a retired CHP down the street who used to do major lights on his house no twinkly or marquee stuff , just zillions of the mini- multi colored lights. He hasnt done it the last couple of years.
Get well wishes to Tuna Joe . and hey, what is the correct pronunciation of His Corginesses name ? Meant to ask this a couple hundred years ago .

Cmon Norma, you and me will do our decorating tomorrow and you can play us a congratulatory anthem on your guitar ..these other Idyllers are leaving us in the dust !

V, you are too funny with your list of distractions I had a Munchkin near-miss. When I worked in the garden center in San Diego, one of our regular customers was Mr Beals who was I think about 47 and was actually a voice actor who did Speedy Alka Selzters voice among others. Rumor had it that he was a Munchkin, but it proved to be false. He drove a giant Lincoln Towncar that had special controls fitted out for him.

Eileen, you and I are in the same boat, Im trying to purge as much as possible before moving next year, keeping only what is important to me. Its quite a process, and one has to be dispassionate and practical. Some of the stuff was really easy to let go.
Your tree is lovely as soon as I saw it I remembered the elf pics from last year..

Chelone, I send my simpatico greetings to helpmeet ..I did time for 10 years selling Christmas trees at a garden center , seeing my beloved bedding tables dismantled in favor of the tree fences and holding the tree at attention while the family bickered.

I must be off to cook dinner, and will watch Waitress tonight.

I hope Cindy will check in this weekend to tell us that shes single again, and that Cynthia might stop by to give us an update on Ms Katie.

Yoo-hoo Brenda ? Babs ?

Kathy in Napa

Well I guess Chelone and Deanne are trying to inspire me. Good work girls!

I have just spent some enjoyable time goofing off. I borrowed a cd from the library today(Gershwin on guitar with Jack Jezzro)it is so pleasant to listen to. Then I put my file of garden pictures from the Idylls on slide show mode and the two things blended so nicely. I was impressed by the beauty of both. Norma

Evening all,

Well we had a lovely grilled boneless pork chop for dinner with salad and baked sweet potato. Yum! Were now tucked in upstairs with our lap tops watching a bit of TV before turning in. Tomorrow were going with one of my sisters and brother to take our mom out for dinner for her birthday. Ive got to get a magazine article out to Tokyo for the Japan Decorative Artists Assn. next week and then my slate is clean until after Christmas. Ive got a ton of wrapping to take care of and Im hoping to get that finished by the end of the week next week.

Saucy there have been times here when Ive needed to send Doug to WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER 101. I had to have a couple discussions about removing shoes when entering the house after walking outside on the snow and salt in parking lots. ~~~ Neat that youve had a Red-tailed Hawk in the yard, they are some impressive birds.

Marian, my friend who is an ornithologist said that she believes the Junco with the odd feathers has had some damage to the area of the wing that grows the feathers so even after they molt the new feathers would still grow in at that odd angle.

T. Glad to hear you are OK after that storm. ~~ I dont know how you deal with all that babysitting. Id be crazed.

V. Good grief! Minus 5! Yikes! Thats too cold for this time of the year. ~~ Hows the job situation going?

Denise, Im so happy to hear that Tuna Joe came home and that hes been treated. I sure hope he gets back 100% use of that leg. ~~ I just love your foliage photograph. Incredible to see all that lovely green this time of the year.

Eileen what a beautiful tree! How tall is it? I cant wait to see a pic of it when its all decorated. ~~ RE the blind, its just a little camouflage tent that has zip down openings so that I can observe and photograph the birds. Ill get a photograph of it for you.

Norma, play a few songs for me! How neat you played music with a slide show of Idyll garden pictures.

Kathy, thanks! Glad you like the displays and the cardinal painting. I did that one about twenty years ago now.

Hello to Bug, Sue, and all the Idyllers.

OK Im yawning and getting ready to hit the sack. Have a great evening all.

Deanne

I have the 3 small pediments ready for "assembly" and am a bit dismayed that at how much stuff I'll have to move to get at the big one that goes over the front entry. Ugh (I am certain there will be at least one mouse nest involved and it makes me a bit sad). I'm nervous about whether or not I have enough boxwood to finish the entry topper, so I figure I'll do the 3 small ones first and then reassess the "materials list", moving to "wing it" mode if I have to.

Deanne, I love the little junco with the crooked feather. Larry used to get downright "mental" when one of his primaries was out of kilter (usually when molting). He'd scream, fuss, and pick away until he managed to extract the offender. I had forgotten that until I saw your photograph. It hardly seems he's been gone nearly a year now. Your decorating is so pretty. I love Santa, the dog, and the stick. (and Rahji, lol). I hope you can give me a quick bit of advice with respect to photography and lighting... maybe?

It's either shower time or dishwashing time... I gotta pick one.

If you want to laugh.... (start with #1)

1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3U0udLH974&NR=1

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JynBEX_kg8&NR=1

Normally, I never bother to turn on the speakers of my computer. But whenever someone links YouTube I do. And it took about 20 seconds of the first link to bring Vera to the top the desk. She was very interested in the speakers! The sort of chirping and trilling the kitties exhibit is precisely HER mode of communication. Our other three use it OCCASIONALLY, but it's not commonplace, by a long shot.

Vera trills, chirps, and chirrups! every single time you interact with her. I AM CHARMED and have been since she first began doing it in kittenhood. I mentioned her vocal nature to my brother who remarked none of his cats are "chirpers", either. Watching my brother chirp and trill to her and HER response to him is really priceless.

Ummm... we sing, "Little Chirper Girl" to her periodically. Yeah, to the tune of "Little Surfer Girl".

I'm certifiable. I know it. I'm even proud of it.

And laugh I did. Our grey, Felony, is the chirper. Evie, the white, could more truthfully be described as a whiner. Joseph mainly purrs, which encourages me to purr in response. I have a pretty good purr. What I don't have is any decorations up or shopping done, but I did find this neat wreath

Food shopping done, glitter affixed to many stick stars to hang on the patio amongst the lit angel up and flying, front shrubs bedecked with simple white lights. Wreaths in the front panorama windows decending down on each side, in the middle of which will be a SMALL!!!!!! tree.

Most loved ones gifted, menu for dinner planned, a few Village pieces out and about.

We've taken to putting something up for each day of advent, and eventually everything gets done. It's also a nice surprise for folks who come over, think we're "done" and find we're not!

I find it fitting that during this Season of Peace, Kyle was asked to be an Assistant English Language Mentor at a symposium that teaches English to those involved with decomissioning nuclear weapons. His job, as he has put it, will be mostly "pointing the aides to the bathroom and coffee, and running paper around" but he is justifiably proud to be asked to participate. I'm still not sure when he's going to get to Paris and Amsterdam without missing classes, but "it's under control." Ugh! LOL

The feeling of the season permeates throughout house and beyond!! And it is wonderful ....

Ei, I'd never seen nor heard of that fairy art, but my good girlfriend (the auction and ebay queen) will be on the lookout. She explained that those in non-pristine condition are actually somewhat affordable and that oftimes folks don't know what they have.

Having moved so much in the past seven years (four 'permanent' times but who's counting ;-) most of my "tired" stuff is gone. Every time I open a box, I find something that means a lot, and am glad that I probably won't have to go through the process again.

The advise and wisdom about my Mom is so appreciated. I agree, Marian, that there is a normal progression of forgetfulness, etc. But when my Dad, who has ministered to thousands over his lifetime, is at a loss for how to help in some situations, I know it's time to act.

Since writing, my Dad and sister sat down and came up with a plan to involve my Mom's (same as my Dad's) doctor. All business affairs are well in order, and have been for some time given the inability of my brothers to handle those types of decisions. I'm grateful every day for my parents' foresight.

So now it's a matter of watching and making every moment count even more than before. Though Mom is 90% "there", the other 10% is pretty frightening to us, but we will get through it with humor and love intact.

Good to hear that Joe is home. Kyle once had a cat named Hardy. Why??? Because we found him way up in a tree where he stayed for three days before inching down for food left on a roof. Cats and roofs. Hmmmmmmmmm

There are days I want to be Reed :-)

Love that the twins have a tent, which is a favored two-year-old birthday gift from Rich and Martie to various littles.

Deanne, your decorations are outstanding and I wish I had your display sense.

There's much, much more, probably, but it's a lazy kinda day and a nap under something down sounds just right.

Best to all -

Martie

Ho Ho Ho.

Just a quick check in to admire the photos and read the short posts. I was frozen in fear for Katie until Friday when I finally felt good enough about her situation to put the candles in the windows. (Well 30 candles are in. I left the back of the first floor of the house dark as outlets are spare there and I didn't feel like wrestling with extension cords.) All of my candles are 'cat proofed' with suction cups but Audrey tossed a 3-light candle in dining room 3 times before I got tired of vacuuming shattered bulbs and decided museum putty was in order. And tape on top of that. She NEVER sits in that window. So I looked out this morning to see what the draw was and the dogwood is full of cardinals eating the berries:) If I were Deanne there would be a picture. (Your decorations are gorgeous by the way!)

Katie's meds have been doubled. I won't explain what we went through, but she is much better now with more reasonable level of meds. She can stand up without screaming now and has not tried to bite me since Tuesday! Another Ho Ho Ho! Thanks for thinking of her and for all your good wishes. Denise, I will save 'how to express urine' for another crisis :). Thank you for that research. And glad Tuna Joe is home. Hope he's in better shape now and stays home like a good boy.

We have had snow, ice, rain, fog, cold, high winds, everything winter in the last week, and I've had to drive somewhere in all of it! Today I am hunkered in and doing some cleanup around here.

Nice to see Ei and other lost idyllers. Very sorry that Scout is getting old. All dogs and kitties should be young forever. Speaking of 'young' that Missy is a cutie! And Honey, positive training is an option for those behaviors she needs to change. There are positive trainers who will come to your home and help without the shock collar,which can teach fear and create other issues.

I want a tent to curl up in like T's grandkids. There would be books and chocolate and a cat or two. Maybe I'll move to California and buy Kathy's old house once she's spiffed it up to perfection. Problem is that it would be off of the market by the time I had my own house in order.

Norma you're way ahead of me and at least you're making music. No decorating here and the Christmas music (CD based here) isn't playing. Maybe I'll haul that out this afternoon and have a fire while I dust and tidy that part of the house.

Peace and good weather to all!

Cynthia

Hi Cynthia,Thanks for the update on Katie. I can only imagine how hard its been. Its been so dry here this year I haven't even noticed any berries on the dogwoods. Of course the one that was outside my bay window died out. The birds loved that one. Here they clean up on the cedar berries too.
Today it looks a little surreal out there. Ice on the trees but the grass is still green.

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I spent the morning in my jammies putting my cds on the computer so I can make playlists and enjoy them more.
I know... I know... I should be doing something more productive.. But somedays you gotta dance. LOL Norma

Hey do those photos show up blurry for you people? I had my accelerated dial up set for low image quality to speed up my download times, and I see them as blurry. I don't know if its because thats they were on my computer or not.
Somebody let me know OK?

Elvis is singing Christmas! Not blurry at the moment Norma, (beautiful!) but in an hour I'll add some wine to the mix and check again.

Nice and clear photos here, Norma, and gorgeous to boot. Martie, that's so cool about Kyle assisting with the decommissioning nukes symposium. Apart from the sheer enjoyment he'll get, interesting people he'll meet, that's also the kind of experience that makes a resume really stand out from others. My oldest never wanted to leave Amsterdam, so beware! DS wrote this on a journal site: "It is so cold in new york city that my ipod headphone cables froze stiff and then broke."

Hooray for Katie not biting since Tues, that's gotta mean improvement, and SO glad to hear manual expression was not required, whatever it is.

Idyll observation: Michelle's holiday decorations feature mostly angels and Deanne's St. Nicks. Wondering about any other themes out there...

In my tent would be of course the chocolate, some red wine, the two new garden books, Christopher Lloyd & Helen Dillon, and a flashlight with extra batteries because I'd mean to stay there a very long time. But back to this lousy job on asbestos-injured workers. Didn't know that asbestos still isn't banned in the U.S.

Thanks for the feedback Cynthia and Denise. N

Cynthia, SO nice to finally hear from you. I was getting worried about and "that fool dog of your's". I can't even begin to contemplate how hard this must be. At least with Rex he still had 3 legs left to hop around on... and while he may've been sore for some time he could at least move around and shift position without yelping. I really would like to see a picture if you're up to shooting it and then posting it. Hang tough!

I love candles in the windows of a home (pictures? look who's talkin'). The only reason I don't do it here is that there are windowboxes under the roadside window and I fill them with greens that would hide the candles. But when I was a kid we used them. And, MARTIE, we added one for every Sunday in Advent! All the decorations were left up until the Epiphany (Twelfth Night) and they came down the next day.

I finished the 3 pediments this afternoon and put them up. I like them. But need to add something pale/bright to the lower edge to keeping them from "oozing" visually into the window below... . Shoulda bought more .99 lemons at Wallyworld, damnit. I have the big pediment on the dining room table right now and am about to embark on that. Boxwood is holding up, and I'm a whiz at making white pine swags now. :) (smells really good in here and the cats are having a total blast... in and out, in and out, doing their wonderful kitty routines. (thinking of Cynthia and the candles).

Norma, your photographs are lovely (no "blurries" here, either)! I see a lot more color than just green grass in those shots. I love the way Mother Nature changes the palette over the course of the seasons but gives us the shimmer of rain and snow, instead.

Martie, Kyle should be excited about his position. He must be having the time of his life. I'm a bit envious, frankly! :) I'm still struggling with how Mum's life ended, Martie. Not that I think I could have done more (aside from the ususal regrets you feel when someone you love dies), but there are several things I would love the opportunity to go back and "fine tune". I've thought about your question repeatedly over the past few days and still don't really have what I want to say completely figured out. It's such a huge thing to face and I still feel the full force of the wave that overtook me and hurled me onto the beach. I'm still shaking my head and trying to "collect myself"; checking again and again to make sure "everything is here". A good, family plan is the perfect place to start and having the doctor know you is KEY. IF you're able, make sure your Mom's doctor "follows" her if she ends up living with her children or enters a nursing home. That's one of the things I most regret... I loved her doctor when she was with me. He was young, hip, and all about minimizing medications and keeping her ACTIVE. I deeply regret the loss of that when Mum entered that awful place.

Many, many thoughts and reminiscences today... alone with my thoughts, the animals and my final project (helmeet working AND going out with his buddy tonight). Some tears, a lot of "singing along", and the appreciation that the decorations are really ALL Mum. I learned it somewhere, afterall!

Thinking of my friends tonight and still hoping for some basic pointers on how to "light" a basic TECHINICAL shot with my camera. Please?

(MY tent would have a perpetually warm hot water bottle, blue cheese and pate. A cat, a good biography... want to know more about Martin Luther and Abraham Lincoln. Sparkling water with lemon, and Pinot Grigio or a nice red wine. Clementines, olives, and almonds. It would smell like evergreens, too).

Chelone, I'm such a lazy photographer these days...I usually have the light behind me, some room lights on as well. I use a close up setting if need be. I also use the flash attached to my camera. When I use the flash, a must remove the extension on the front of the camera so that I don't get a shadow at the base of each photo. Much of the time I end up using Photoshop to sharpen pictures. That's all such "photos for dummies" stuff that I hope someone answers your question properly!

DH survived his concert this afternoon. He was the only male, and the only one over 35 as well. Young ladies sure have gorgeous voices, especially when they are trained a bit! The cookies and punch were fine too.

Katie, I'm so glad things are improving! What a time you and Cynthia have had...Hugs.

Cindy? How is Dad doing? Tell me you are home alone with a mug of something wonderful and your puppy to cuddle. Call in a cleaning crew to reclaim your home. That could be your Christmas gift to yourself.

My tent would have a puppy in it! (We're still working on names. It's as bad as naming your child. Two weeks 'til baby pups are to be born.) I'd also add a warm blanket & pillow, reading material, my knitting, hot soup, and access to email to see recent pictures of the grandkids. Once in a while I'd like the phone too, but not too often.

OK, back to the kitchen.
'bug

Im just in from a walk, enjoying a cappichino, Lorie Line Christmas CD and the Idylls.

The majority of the Christmas shopping was wrapped up this weekend. We spent the night at a motel, had a leisurely breakfast and hit the stores. We needed to be back early as Ricks company party was last night. The party was ok, there have been ones at nicer places.

I spent part of the afternoon wrapping. I like to do it right away so I dont misplace any of the gifts or end up wrapping them all the last minute.

We received more snow last evening, so we have snow with ice underneath. I did take Jaden for a walk but had to be extremely careful. I spent a little time photographing the black capped chickadees eating off the sundial. My poor attempts cant be posted here ;o) they are really quite brave and allow me to hunch near them while they feed. Lots of juncos and bluejays as well as a bird that I didnt recognize and will have to check the reference books for.

The tent is cool, but I dont have enough sit in me to spend much time in one ;o)

Denise, I have an area of snowmen and St. Nicks together. What a relief to have Tuna Joe home. You have some of the most interesting foliage combos.

Ei, your tree is perfect. Its hard to find those.

Reed in his dog sled would make a wonderful Christmas card.

Norma, interesting shots with the green grass, orange leaves and ice. Your pond is a wonderful size.

Good to hear that Katies pain is somewhat under control. We have candles in some of our windows too.

Deanne, your decorations are wonderful! The Santas are all so interesting and the cardinal is gorgeous. Neat that you can incorporate your art into your holiday decorating.

Chelone, thinking of you as you go through this holiday season without your Mum Your Mum left you with some very specials memories.

The shooting in Omaha has hit just a little too close to home. Ive shopped that mall many times and my sister or other family members could have easily been there that day.

Michelle

Chelone, in order to give you some advice I need to know what is it you want to photogaph? Is it inside or outside? Will you be needing a flash if its inside? What does your camera allow you for settings? Does it have any manual settings on it?

If you are taking photographs of something that is outside the very BEST light is noon time on a lightly overcast day. That way you get very flat, even light and don't lose any detail to harsh shadows or lose anything from the high light ares getting 'blown' out. If you do this and your camera has the option use the setting for a cloudy day. Even thought you don't have as much light as on a sunny day if you can set your ISO setting at 200 with a shutter speed of around 60 that should be OK. You need to shoot several photographs at different settings to see what will give the best results. If you need a long depth of field so that you nee a large area in focus you'll probably need to use a higher ISO setting or a slower shutter speed with a tripod.

Shooting indoors with a flash is an entirely different kettle of fish. I have a separate flash attachment that allows me to 'bounce' the flash off the ceiling which again gives me a more even distribution of light.

OK I've got to get some dinner and get the kitty in the house but I'll be back to comment more later.

Deanne

Inside.

Don't know enough to know if flash is required or not. I really DON'T understand lighting, Deanne!

I don't know about optional settings. I "aim and shoot", and "damn the torpedoes"! (Quit rolling your eyes).

All settings are "automatic" as far as I'm concerned, Deanne. Let's start with a basic primer on light and where it ought to "be" relative to the "shooter" (sorry, Michelle). I want to be able to take OK pictures of things I'm working on. Nothing "arty", just good, basic shots in the "how to" category. Most of what frustrates me most is the INSIDE aspect. I tried to get some basic, step-by-step shots of my Christmas decorations and some were OK, but most were a total bust. :( I don't understand light and how it affects a shot. AT ALL.

My tent would have some nice red wine, lots of dark chocolate, some candles and two stacks of books - good fiction in one stack and gardening books in another. Don't forget the pile of cozy pillows for napping! and a nice soft blankie to stay warm. Crusty bread and cheese for meals.

Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe when everyone is gone my entire house is my tent?

My tree has lights! I need to get one more string for the bottom, because one string shorted out (think bzz-snap-burning smell!) when we tested them. So that's why you test them first! I will wait on the ornaments until DD gets home because I think she would enjoy doing that.

Chelone, I also am not an expert but I will echo 'bug's advice to have the light behind you. If your camera has an automatic setting, you might want to experiment with taking it off auto to avoid an automatic flash. I've been playing with the different settings on my camera and have been much happier with the results. And my camera is nothing fancy.

Deanne, I love your decorations. I'm particularly taken with the painted sled in the last picture - incredible! (Do all the idylls realize that is a trompe l'oeil painting?)

No main theme here, although there are a lot of snowmen clustered on the mantle.

There's a great Christmas program on the radio right now - Heartland Holiday from Minnesota. Just lovely! The musicians are regulars from A Prairie Home Companion. I could listen to this all night, but it only lasts an hour.

Hmm, yes, add some music to my tent...

Last night I had a lovely fire (I was quite proud of myself for building such a nice fire all by myself!) and tonight the mood is candlelight. Dinner should be done, so I shall sign off.

V.

Cool Salon, the one I have in my mind's eye... (karaoke).

I would prefer the radio, but the helpmeet is sowing down ice cream and torturing me with 60 Minutes. :( Before that it was the Patriots, so I probably shouldn't complain.

I'm picturing the Salon... a veritable "Santa's workshop". A place where whatever I want to listen to reigns. A place where my "mess" can be left until I chose to readdress it (the way it is now). A place where I can crank the music and not "bother" someone else.

I hope Chelone points that camera at what she's been working on and clicks because I honestly can't visualize these holiday decorations. Since I just saw the movie again, I'm stuck at the visual of Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters building a replica of the Devil's Tower in his living room, surrounded by branches and mud, except the tv's on in the background playing 60 Minutes. What on earth can these decorations be? They ooze, have lemons, boxwood, go over doors, windowboxes. Is there carpentry involved too or just greenery?....I'm stumped.

And Joseph started moving his toes today. He'll be back up on the roof with the cockerel in no time.

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