What a change of weather!!!! It cooled down dramatically last Friday.  On Saturday I had to close all the windows........it seemed like a dreary Fall day.  Which we liked!   We were able to get outdoors and start on that new flower bed (not much will be going on right now but next Spring, watch out) we'd been wanting to get to.  Pete's had the idea in his head for sometime and I'm going with it.  Once we get the surrounding area cleaned out (i.e. old truck-out) it should show up nicely (that's next Spring).
Poor Pete still thinks he's in his 30's..............we have a huge pile of rock and some of it big and he was moving it around, he sure was feeling it last night!
He wants a bunch of sunflowers in there and I'm thinking nice bulbs under those sunflowers so I'm off to Walmart to buy bulbs to tuck away for fall planting.  I know it's early but last year I didn't buy them when I saw them and when I went back they were almost gone. 
Of course I would love TULIPS........but so would the deer.......so I will have to resort to deer resistant bulbs, which there are many.  

(p.s. those really 2 big boulders were already sitting there, pretty much his inspiration......also plans for filling in the area under that poor tree that looks like it will topple over)

Happy Birthday to GF and Vegas Babe Eileen!

Many, many more, enjoy!!!!

Thinking about getting a laptop in the near future, actually 2 since Rocky is going to need one, any suggestions? 

Someone has told me "no" to Acer.  Not sure I want a 17" since I would like to carry it around occasionally and the 17" are pretty big.

Looking for insight from all of you that already have one.

Thanks!

During the holidays I usually host a party for the scrapbooker gals.  It's a pot luck and we do an ornament exchange (no scrapbooking going on).  I thought it would be great to do something in the summer.  Since a friend was selling Cookie Lee, I combined it with a "Cookie Lee" jewelry party.  There were about 10 of us.  We had a fun time.  Last year for Pete's big birthday party I made a yummy White Sangria punch that everyone loved.  FYI.....when I told Pete I was making a punch he said "why, no-one will ever drink it", he-he, I proved him wrong everyone loved it and so did the girls. 
My house was oh, so clean so on Sunday I got to relax, sew and bake for the "Daedalus Project" at the Festival (AIDS fundraiser).  A very relaxing Saturday afternoon and Sunday. 
Oh, and did I tell you how PERFECT the weather was!!!!!! Both days in the 70's! 

p.s. the flowers were one big bunch from Laura, guess I need to buy a BIG vase because I didn't have anything big enough to put them in and I had to break them up. 

Done and up!!!!!

Started in 2006 and (finally) finished 2010!  I just love finishing something I started years ago.  I had all the fabric cut and only one block put together so it really was a big project. I have a few more sitting in my closet, that I just need to put together (all the blocks are made) but there is always another quilt to make.  Right now I'm hot and heavy on getting one done for a wedding gift and it has to be in Florida by the 3rd week of October, so some of those scrapbooking projects are just going to have to wait!

When I was living in Las Vegas and all those Home Dec shows started getting popular, i.e. Lynette Jennings, Christopher Lowell, occasionally they would say "just go outside in your yard/property and find".............I always thought it would be so wonderful to go outside and find anything, but I was living in the city and it was the desert.

Now, I'm living the dream.  Last week while Annie and I were on our walk, I picked the above ?, don't know what they are but they were pretty and I also found some holly bushes along the side of these.  They were up the hill behind the house.  I picked enough for two vases, they were only growing in one particular area and thank goodness not near any poison oak, because lord knows we have plenty of that!

Last weekend was busy and so was the beginning of this week.  I did bake birthday boy an orange cake (his request) but had a little cake wreck, so I had to slice some of the orange layer off and make the buttercream when I got home, lucky he was still golfing. Soooo, he got an orange/white cake with buttercream frosting and orange cake crumbs on top. 

Birthday boy was golfing all day, 9 holes with Rocky and 18 holes with Bob.  I picked up dinner at Bento Terriyaki and when he got home we did the birthday thing.  Needless to say I didn't even have any proper gifts for him.  Buying nice gifts is very limited here in town (unless you want artwork from nice galleries).  I had an errand to run for work at BiMart: not much there for golfers soooooo, I got him a sunflower plant (he's been wanting to plant some) and a new pill case for his vitamins (the old one is smashed).  Pitiful isn't it, needless to say I will make it to Medford and get him something nice and golfy........

(Laurie/Tim, he loved the golf shirt and it FITS great)

300 pounds of Golden going up I-5 to Portland, yesterday morning, retriever that is.........

A big call out to volunteers in Southern Oregon and heading up the I-5 corridor.  4 Goldens were being given up (thank god) to the rescue: 2 males and 2 females.  I don't know the whole story but these poor guys originated in Missouri, went on to Arizona and ended up in Oregon. 

Lithia Springs Veterinarian Clinic has always been the Ashland vet contact for Golden Bond Rescue (I recently did a Adoption Home Visit for the vet and her hubby, the manager, they recently lost their 14 year old golden, Rex and want to adopt in the future).

The pack was transported to the clinic from Lakeview, OR.  The two females had ear infections, one had a bad eye infection, Shenia had a huge hot spot on her lower back, their coats were terrible, very dry, coarse.   One of the males, whose testicles never dropped, was being neutered.  There would only be enough time to do one neutering before the transport up North. 

Vet and hubby kept the 2 boys and I picked up the girls after work.  The girls were Melanie and Shenia, both 8 years old, sisters, very bonded.  

They both were breeding females, and the boys were studs (very handsome guys, I might add).  I don't know why they were given up, the girls I suspect were getting too old, the boys ?

I got the better end of the overnight stay since the girls at least understood some commands and were very good on the leash. 

As with every foster dog it is a challenge.  Many people thought "oh, how great Annie is having a play date", not the case.  The dogs are displaced, they don't know what's going on and they're a bundle of nerves: lots of heavy panting, and pacing.  I don't think they were inside dogs but hard to tell.  Had to watch them constantly and take them out often since I wasn't sure about their bathroom habits.  Annie was trying to play with them but they would just look at her and come to me since they needed love and assurance that everything was going to be alright.  Went into the bedroom around 10:30ish after I took them out and I was up at 5:45am since I could hear them pacing.  Of course I was also awake a few times in the middle of the night because I could hear them either pacing or panting or someone growling at someone else (probably Annie).  Annie did not sleep in the bed with us but down on the floor (like a dog - lol). 

These girls will be kept together and hopefully adopted, however long that takes(the rescue is good about that).

All in all, I got them fed in the morning, brushed, a vitamin and headed out to the vet's office to get them ready for their next transport (9:30am) :( .  When we arrived I could see the boys in the room where they were being kept, it had floor to ceiling glass wall and door (easy access in and out).  We got the girls in and all I can remember is poor Melanie turning around and waiting for me to get her out.......very sad.  She was bonding with me almost immediately. 

I have the foster mom's email and will keep in contact since I really would like to know where they end up. 

A big happy birthday to my dear hubby, Pete!

I am loving the chair!!!!!! It is 90% done, I still need to do the cording.  Tonight I hope to get the fabric cut for the other chair (twin) and see how much I have left to make the cording, if not I will be buying something.

DH helped big time and if it wasn't for him I would have let a couple of little things just do, but oh no, he bought out the ole level so we are straight as can be.  I (we) are so happy with the results.  Actually DH picked out the fabric too:I didn't have any idea what I wanted.

When our favorite scrapbook store closed 2-3 years ago, our "group" was a little displaced.  You see we loved the "crops" at No Bare Pages and the owners of the store.  It was a great space and now we were out in the cold.  We did try one of the older stores and then it went out of business (hard times right now).  After looking around Audrey found that we could have one of the rooms in the library for free, woo-hoo!  So we decided on the second Saturday of the month. I booked well in advance for the year so that we could get the "big" room.  There is even a fridge and we can bring food. 

In the photo is the original library, there has been an addition since this was taken. 

We love our space, and you can't beat the price :)

Is she cute or what?  She will be making her debut with "the girls" on the 21st:  I'm hosting a little porch party coupled with a "Cookie Lee" jewelry party.

46 years since they've seen each other, Pete and Steve Rand.

Pete had recently gotten in touch with an old schoolmate, Judy, who happens to be married to Steve's dad (??)  Judy gave Pete, Steve's email and they made arrangements to see each other while he was visiting his dad in Klamath.

After changing the day they were coming out (a couple of times), they called Monday morning at 7am (yes, 7am, don't people know the rule you don't call before 9am)  I didn't have anything prepared since Pete had no idea what time they would show up.  Oh, well coffee was it.  I did have a few cheeses and a spread and crackers but it turned out to be a morning visit.  I visited a little but I had to go off to work. 

All in all they had a great visit.

(Jen)(Anita)

Girlfriend Anita and I are on our way to Jen's today for a day full of scrapbooking fun!  You know what that means, eating, scrapping, eating, scrapping, chatting, more chatting.  I just might get a little something done, considering I am WAY behind.

Oh, and a big, big Happy Birthday to my dear, dear friend, Bertie!  Looking good babe!

Life in the country................

Mornings we're up and at-em!  I throw on my shorts, sunblock, hat, hiking shoes and Annie and I are off.  When we return, this is what I am faced with, a bad case of the burrs!  Ugh, just a little rain, please!  It is so dry right now that we are restricted from using weedwackers, etc. after 7am - 8pm.  

I have a regular path that I walk, and of course she is all over the place.  When we return, I have to get her combed out before we can go in the house and I can have my latte :(  (insert boo-hoo here)

Oh, and since she does run around a few times a day, the combing out thing is......a few times a day. This is our life now, and when the rainy season is upon us, it will be muddy feet and of course, foot baths.  It's a toss up which one is worst.  One big dog is enough right now.

Puppy School Dropout...............well I we did it, we dropped out from Dog Obedience 101.  I hesitated in signing up for this class because Annie knew everything they would be teaching except leash training and the "Leash" class (another class) recommended you take 101 first.  I was bored so I imagine she was bored also. 

Annie's one flaw.......... she can't walk on a leash and she growls at other dogs, only on the leash, off the leash, she's great.  Of course there were many dogs at this class and the class really was for dogs that did not know sit, stand, down, stay, etc.  We had to sit a little separated because of the growly thing.  Last week she was great, one little growl and she was done.  This week the big dogs were back and the assistant and it was a packed class. 

She stopped the growly thing, but decided she wanted to get out of the harness and she did, I put it back on and she was trying it again.  The class was getting ready to do something and I was banished to the hall.  After waiting a long while the teacher came out and said, "okay, Annie can come in and we can work on "walking".  I said I don't think so, first of all, I don't feel this is the class for me and how much can we learn if we have to keep going to the hallway, I am really disappointed in this class and I don't appreciate this.  I told her I took the class because it was required, all we really needed was the leash class.  We discussed it further (I was steaming a little) and to make it good she will give me a free private lesson on leash walking. 

It was definitely not the class for the poor little girl.  During lesson #2 we sat there for over 10 minutes while she tried to get a Chihuahua to do "down" and it never happened!
Besides all that, isn't this a sweet photo of her :)

A view from the porch (trees) for my sis-in-law Laurie.......

The haul this past Saturday.......we stopped at the Lake to let Annie tire herself out and then home to make pancakes - YUM!

FYI- the freezing process continues!