Animals ! ? ! ? !

I have 2 cats and a dog. The cats can't stand each other; the dog loves and chases them both. These cats, Maggie & Joey, are always attacking and spitting at each other, but last night I went into the bedroom, and there they both were - curled up on the bed! Not close, mind you, but both on the bed sound asleep. As soon as Joey would think of moving, Maggie will hiss & spit and dive under the bed or dresser. He does not care - he will leisurely jump off the bed right in front of her, sit and stare at her as she creeps deeper under her shelter. He really can be a sh*t!

The dog, SueAnn, is happy no matter which cat she is chasing. Not to harm, but to play. Well, cats chose the time to play, not the dog! SueAnn is getting a bit cold now that the weather is changing despite having a blanket on the floor. I have come around the corner into the living room, and there she is, pretty as you please UP ON THE COUCH! She is not allowed on the furniture, but must think that the rule doesn't apply when I'm not looking. She gives me those really, really sad puppy dog eyes and tries not to move - maybe I won't see her . . . yup, quite obvious when I want to sit - hmmm, what is that lump? She just slithers off the edge when I tell her to get down, and slinks into the bedroom where her nice furry bed is. Until I get up off the couch . . . she watches me . . . then she will slink back on the couch. There's just no reasoning with her! I guess cold is cold.

Joey is a prolific hunter but thank goodness he's given up bringing me his prize - I throw it out - now he just eats it. He's good at catching squirrels, voles and birds. He growls at me when I try to get it away...... he does have a bowl of food in the house (he and Maggie won't share), and the door is usually cracked what we call "kitty width". That way they can still come and go. That will stop soon, it is getting too darn cold to have the door open except for a few hours mid afternoon. Then he'll be able to chow down without my seeing him. Joey will then resort to his antics to get us to let him in - he jumps up on the screen in the living room window! And he will keep doing it until we let him in. Talk about "in your face"! The only time he doesn't do it is if the house is dark - then he goes to my bedroom window and plunks at my screen! At 2 in the morning - I have to let him in, he won't stop otherwise.

Maggie on the other hand is (suppose to be) a little lady. Except when she's hissing and spitting at Joey! She has a very soft meow, but she walks like a trucker! (sorry guys!) It feels like a tidal wave when she walks across the top of my pillow, uhh, excuse me - runs across my pillow. She also kneads like she's baking three years worth of bread! I have to knock her down to get her to quit, and that is no guarantee either.

Just took a look in the kitchen - Joey is eating the dog food. He has food in his dish, he just needed a snack of a different color I guess . . . Maggie won't eat the dog food, but she will snag a piece and chase it across the kitchen until it goes under the stove or fridge! I wonder if there is enough under the appliances to feed the dog for a while - there should be!

Maggie is also a lover of the milk cap rings . . . she will toss and chase them around the kitchen where they slide on the floor. They too disappear under the appliances . . . I wonder how many of those are under there . . . ? I know last time I cleaned under the fridge, I found 9 - and that was quite a while ago. I'd rather give her the cap rings than rubber bands, but they can hurt when stepped on!

Don't get me wrong, all the animals have toys, but I guess they aren't as fun since they were bought specifically for them - they'd rather have the weird stuff! Like kids - they like the box the toy came in better than the toy!

I'm going to leave you with warm fuzzy, animal feelings.

I'm trying to be the person my dog thinks I am.

Seasons are turning

Yesterday, as I took a short walk around the yard, I noticed that the breeze of earlier in the day had gotten stronger. I had noticed the small clusters of dead pine needles on the trees for days, but now they were flying through the air and as they got thicker on the lawn I noticed that I was now minus a "front lawn" but had a "front porcupine" instead. The needles looked like they were sprouting out of the ground in little brown clumps. Just a simple reminder that the summer is fast coming to a close.

There is still our annual deer camp to go to - hmmm, 10-12 days in the woods. The temperature will change a lot during that time - the days will be cooler and the nights will get to be downright cold!

After camp, it will be time to buckle down and get the holiday crafting and baking started. I keep looking at the calendar, but it is not growing longer, it's moving along at it's happy speed towards the days when we meet with family and friends and celebrate the things we are thankful for and gathering for the brightness that is Christmas.

I have a ton of things that I want to get done before it's too late - getting my website up and worth something (a gift to myself), gifts to be thought of and made, winterizing the house for the cold days, and a dozen other things.

I'm currently knitting a hat for myself just K2, P2 ribbing all the way. I already finished the fingerless gloves and a short scarf, all out of the same yarn. I never was a matchy-matchy type person, but I have sooo much of this yarn that I just kept going . . . what's next? socks? could be! I think that the worsted weight yarn might just be too thick if I want to wear my regular shoes with them. They might be nice with my slippers . . . hmmm, yes, that would work, or I could find some sock yarn. I've thought of making the kind that goes all the way over the knee since that's a part that always seems cold . . . could be useful.

I also need to bead some ornaments for some friends that I have spoiled in past years. I've put them on a "new ornament a year" type schedule, so I also need to get that done. Three of them at least, and maybe four - starting someone new on that. In a way it makes gifting easier since I know what I'm giving them, but finding a pattern or design is another story. In the past, I have just made up the design as I went, and I may continue to do that, but this year I need to WRITE DOWN the instructions in case I want to do it again.

Then there is the sewing I want to do so I can sell online (Etsy) . . . I hope this will come about SOON so I can make holiday things that I just love but just don't fit my house. I want to share with the world, only keep pictures for myself. Big plans, lets see if I can get it together.... maybe by posting about it here, I WILL get off my butt and do it. (ya think?) Procrastination should have been my middle name!

The sun is shining, it's 72 degrees, there is a slight breeze, and I'm going outside!

I leave you with this (mostly for myself!):

What you don't start today will never be finished tomorrow. Goethe

If Fall is not far off, winter is not far behind

As I took my walk this morning I heard the unmistakable sound of Canada Geese. I looked around in the sky and found them in a long 'V' flying over the river. As I watched, about 6-7 broke away and came in for a landing at a wide spot above the dam. The rest continued to circle around with a few breaking away with each turn . . . I love hearing the geese, but it does tell me that Fall is not far away no matter what the calendar says. It just seems so early this year.

I've also watched the deer, they seem to be eating everything in sight, not that they don't do that any way, but there seems to be an urgency to their munching. I'm hoping that the babies that visit will make it through the winter, they seem so fragile still.

The squirrels that do take a chance coming into our 'dog' yard are getting very fat and furry too. I'm thinking that we are going to have an early winter. I hope we get tons of snow instead of very low freezing temperatures. I'd rather shovel the roof than dig out every warm piece of clothing I own (I'll do that anyway!) and have to wear it all at once!

I love winter - there is just something really special about it. I love being outside (as long as I'm warm) and hearing the silence that abounds. There is a peace on the land when it's snowing, and nothing is moving - just the flakes gently falling. Now blizzard conditions has me hugging the wood stove, and having lots and lots of wood to feed the hungry beast! No, seriously - my stove will heat the house nicely, and this year we got a new blower fan to direct a bit of heat down the hallway to the bedrooms (and bathroom!) There are cold spots in the house, but you only need to hug the stove once in a while and things are fine.

I have some very nice clothes for going outside, and boots that are rated to -100 degrees. If my feet or hands are cold, I'm miserable, but these boots are a dream! Toasty toes, happy me!

It's going up to the mid 80's today, so I'm a bit premature in my 'winter wonderings', but cold weather will be here before you know it. Of course, winter means different things in different parts of the country, but it's still winter and probably cold for the folks who have 50's for winter . . .LOL.

We have one more camping trip of the season - deer camp. The first two weeks of October are designated for rifle hunting, and I will be out there in the woods somewhere. With lots of warm clothes, fixings for warm food, and possibly a warm fire. What more can you ask? Snow and not rain. Snow is easier to deal with than mud, and it does get muddy when you are on dirt roads!

Hmmm, back to reality - there are still some warm days between now and camp, so I better get to enjoying since they'll be gone before I know it.

I leave you with thoughts of sunny skies, prayers for upcoming storm victims, and happy thoughts for the weekend.


"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak."

week of remembering

This time of year makes me stop and remember lots from past years.

The Twin Towers come to mind first - I was moving to Oregon from Nebraska, had gone to pick up my moving van and watched the 2nd plane hit on the TV at the van place. I remember being speechless, stunned and utterly frozen in place watching this horrific event take place. It seemed like the whole world was moving in slow motion as I made my way home . . . to load my truck . . . and leave on the 12th.

It left me with the same feeling of disbelief as when I heard that President Kennedy had been shot. Lost and in shock. The world was never the same again then either . . .

The smaller remembered moments seem trivial compared to either of the above events, but are still a part of my progression in life. On 9-9-1999, I put a bid on the house I'm currently living in - BIG step in getting to where I wanted to be - OREGON!!! The following day we, my Mom, Donavan and I left on a whirlwind trip to Colorado to see D's family. My Mom was visiting from Denmark and was amazed at the speed in which we traveled the 600 miles in one day. We did the touristy thing, saw Garden of the Gods, took the tram up Pikes Peak, and went shopping. ALL in 3 days!

My drive across the country in 2001 was done in silence as I could not listen to the radio broadcasts telling the story over and over and over . . . and over some more. I knew that by my tuning it out it hadn't gone away, but I didn't need to hear it on my 3 day journey across the western part of the country. I was driving one of the largest rental trucks available, pulling a car dolly and had my house on my back like a snail. It was an un-eventful journey, but long and tiring. Not only did I have my house 'on my back' I had 3 cats with me. I'm not sure I could do the trip now, but I was determined to be in Oregon one way or the other.

Daily life since then has been pretty peaceful, with small ups and downs, but nothing major. I think that I was meant to be here. I'm home, and AT home. I'm following one blog, gipsy life, and can definitely relate to Kerstin and the need to be in a specific place.

As I reflect on the above, I'm grateful to be happy, healthy and at home in my skin.

Just so that this post doesn't leave everyone with a 'down' feeling, I'm leaving you with this:

Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me! I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.

. . . ok, alrighty . . .

Talk about going into a panic over worry of did I and where is the registration & tags for my truck . . . I've been worrying about this for a week and I haven't been able to find any paperwork for the truck. Hmmm, even if I did not put the tags on the truck plates, I would have thrown them in the truck . . . I do that with the insurance card, and it was there.

Called the OR DMV to double check that the registration was paid . . . the lady told me that I was paid up to November 30, 2008, and that the notice had not been sent yet. As soon as she said it I knew I was going NUTS. I kept thinking that it had been due last year, 2007! and that I had lost my registration & tags. I tore this house apart looking for the notice to PAY . . . looking for the tags, looking for anything that would keep me legal. I have been driving the rig around with my camper on it, but thankfully (even if I'm legal) off road most of the time! I have 3 different registrations to keep track of and they all come due at different times. As soon as I pay and receive the tags, I DO take them out and put them on the rig. Loosing it . . . BIG TIME!!

Phew, not a good day - it hasn't been a good week, or month for that matter. There is so much left to do on my website to start making some money, and there is so little money left in the bank account to keep going, that I'm really hitting panic mode. I know what I need to do, but I hit a brick wall when I start trying to do it. Not a good thing. I am getting traffic, and clicks, but it seems to fizzle from there. (I need my daughter to keep after me for a bit until I can get on a roll in fixing the whole thing.....) I need someone to be interested in what I'm doing (see my whiney post) to make it real. Right now it's still a strange world out there, but with no one that I know that is really familiar with making a living online, it will remain so.

OK, enough of that - - it is a really beautiful day here in Southern Oregon, low 70's, clear sky, no wind just a breeze, and the deer so at home that I literally have to squirt them with water to get them to leave the yard. There is a momma deer with 2 babies that likes to eat the clover patches in our yard, the only problem is that the patch is 12-15 feet from our front door and she is very protective of her babies - she will stomp her feet to warn us to keep away . . . "HEY - this is MY yard and you need to keep your distance!" is what I tell her every time she is there, but she stands her ground and stomps her feet. Water hose, here I come.

Three and a half weeks, starting October 1st, I will be gone for 12 days, at least, for deer hunting. The deer we hunt are not the mothers and babies, but the bucks. We did not get our usual tags this year for hunting close to home, but for ones that will take us 25 miles from the house, not that it's far, but we usually only have to go about 8-12 miles. Maybe this is a sign that we will do better ? ? ? I love venison steaks, venison anything! I guess I have a switch in my brain that works for seeing nice little "bambis" during the rest of the year, and FOOD during the first part of October. You have to have had venison to understand . . . yum, yum.

We have two direct neighbors that have dogs, and when we are outside in either the front or the back yards, all these dogs do is BARK. Now, I have a dog too, but she just doesn't bark at every move the neighbors make. These dogs seem starved for someone to play with them..... wish I could, but it really does get annoying. Am I just an old B*tch? Hmmm . . .

You know, I was just looking at the picture above - not bad at all. Too bad my camera (or me) doesn't take really good close ups of my crafts. I also have a dark house with mobile home panelling in it - nothing in here is light and airy. I think maybe I need to make a light box where I can put things that need to show sparkle and shine . . . would an old cardboard box work, or do I need to have something better? I'll have to look around. I will also need lights coming from at least 2 sides to be able to photograph without BIG shadows . . . something to get thinking about.

I have a 50th wedding anniversary party to go to tomorrow! WOW 50 years! I'm really, really impressed. Knowing the couple is a great priviledge, and if I was married, they would be an inspiration. Four children, 3 of whom I know, is a great task. Their faith, I'm sure, had a lot to do with them coping. One of the kids I know very well, one of my best friends, and he is NO ANGEL! I'm know he's was a trial growing up, and he does march to his own drummer even now, much to the chagrin of his family. But he is an honest man, says what he means and means what he says. He is of the old fashioned world - his handshake is good and the deal made is final - no problems, he does not forget and will not do you wrong. The two other kids that I know are good people, will honor their parents on this special day, and are folks that I'm glad to have in my life. The fourth child does not live close by so I have no real knowledge of him.

It's Friday, I'm going to enjoy the weekend and knucle and buckle down come Monday to solve my $$$ problem. May be a tough one, but it will be solved.

I leave you with a bit of wisdom that I need to take seriously myself . . .

"Obstacles are the things we see when we take our eyes off our goals!"

Happy sunshine to you all.

Fall is in the air

It's hard to believe that it's September 1st already. We have had several frost warnings but they are now changing to freeze warnings. I'm just not ready - and the temps are due to go up again.

Last night I forgot to cover my zucchini plant and some of the leaves were frost bitten this morning. I cut off the one zucchini that had been allowed to grow to eatable size, about 8-9 inches, and am saving it for fried zucchini with onions and mushrooms - yum, yum. The rest that started growing either withered and died, or were eaten by rodents.... not sure what, but there were little teeth marks on one that was about 3 inches long. I think I've gotten what I'm going to get from the plant. This year was just an experiment - next year I'd like to get a raised bed put together and have some tomatoes & pepper too. I also have some cantaloupe seeds saved and would like to try them too.

I got out my knitting needles and some light blue heather yarn to knit some fingerless gloves. I usually do dishes to warm up my hands & fingers, but there are times that they stay sooo cold that I run out of dishes. I have neighbors and friends telling me that they will be happy to let me do their dishes, but I'm not quite that desperate. I finished one last night and am working on the other one (after I get off the computer!) - I should finish it tonight before bed. I hate having cold hands and I'm hoping that gloves will help. I can already see where I'll knit more; these just cover a bit of the wrist, which is nice, but I'd like them a little longer up the arm - I'll wait until I finish some Christmas presents since these will work.

I told you about the package to my Mom for her birthday - she loved everything she got! She told me that until she asks for more stuff - DON'T send anymore! She says she has plenty for now. I had sent her 3 pairs of decorative edging scissors and a small heart shaped punch - she was sooo funny when she realized that she could decorate lots of her card stuff with those..... just amazed at the possibilities. It is fun sharing crafting ideas with my Mom; she's 81, but very young in some things. It is wonderful.

This weekend just past, we put in enough wood to last through the winter with what was leftover from last year. That's a great feeling - now I'll be warm twice from the wood...... I didn't split or stack, but I will be bringing it in daily to the wood box and those trips warm me up, then again when it burns. My room mate can run me out of the house sometimes with all the wood he puts into the stove - I've looked at the inside thermometer and he has it up to 90 degrees! WOW - time to open some windows so I can breathe! I left both Southern California and Nebraska because of the hot, hot, hot summers - I surely don't need HOT winters here.

I need to get my 'stuff' together and start all my Christmas gifts. I really need to figure out what I'm giving to who. There are 3 lady friends who always get beaded Christmas balls, so that's a given, but there are more folks than those three. I guess a list with names and gifts listed by year so I don't duplicate.

I need to go get into my warm fuzzies, curl up on the couch and finish my other glove so I can wear them in the morning when it will be sooo cold.

Wishing you warm (not hot) sunshine days.

"Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance."