Take some time ...

Summer is upon us, yippee! I do hope you all are enjoying a wonderful three day holiday.

I also hope you will take some time this weekend to remember those who have served for us and died for our great country. Tell their stories around your campfires and on the front porch while you drink your lemonade. While you're at it, pray for those who are in our services now - that their work and sacrifices will not be in vain. Pray for our country. With elections ahead, I think we are in deep bleep.

My two cents ...

 

Fig and a poke

Fig on the left, Poke on the right

Getting deep

The yard hasn't been mowed for almost 3 weeks. It's getting pretty high. Will probably need a bushhog before long!

Security, no place to hide.

How many of you remember when a security question for an online account was, "What is your mother's maiden name?" I was looking for something the other day and did a search of my name. The info popped up and literally scared me. 

I blame this whole mess on Ancestry dot com. (almost kidding) It started an avalanche of familial information for everyone to find their roots. Lots of free sites out there - yep. I found my first marriage license - and thankfully they don't have my age right, but I'm sure another site has it. My life and yours is now being broadcast to whoever wants to know where we've been and what we've done and who we did it with. It would seem that our family members are unwittingly adding to our outbreak of information on the www.

The thing is - this information is open to anyone, no matter where they live and what they do for a living. It isn't any wonder why our accounts get hacked. How much of your familial and financial information is out there - if you look, you will be surprised and disgusted.

I can be just as stubborn ...

They still need a little coaxing, but it's working - mostly. Last night, I thought I smelled PePe Le Phew and had to do a search of the house, thought he may have snuck in. Luckily - he did not. So -  the big door will have to be shut as soon as the sun goes down ...

Neighborhood problem

The neighbor's dogs

Common scene - sometimes with the addition of his Great Pyrenees. (SP?) Each of these dogs has been hit by a car at least once. They chase the cars that turn onto this street and drive everyone nuts. I worry that somebody is going to throw poisoned meat into my yard, trying to get rid of this nuisance and kill off my dogs. Jack and Jill wear electronic collars and know how far they can go. If not for the collars, I believe they would be big chasers as well. (Or dead)
Our area is a major dumping ground for unwanted animals. Personally, we cannot take any more in and I wish the neighbor wouldn't. Jack and Tacky were dump offs. I just wish people would take care of their problems and not shove them off on others. 

Rainy Day Feeling

Cold, rainy day and I'm feeling rough. The dogs are hiding and I hurt more than usual. Going back to bed - don't panic.

Wordless Wednesday

Blueberries in progress ...

Flowering crab mess.

Jack and Minnie Pearl (neighbor dog)

There is a Jack in the weeds.

Lots thinner than I thought ...

Reason I haven't washed the windows.

Entertainment for the rest of the week.

My Old Friend

On Mother's Day, J came up for a visit (bearing Chinese food) to help me with a question about the computer. My problem? I didn't have a clue as to how to download music. I missed the Simon & Garfunkel music he had installed on my old computer and I hated to ask him for another CD. (I'd misplaced it during the bed moving mess) He showed me and then he walked me through a couple times to make sure I could download whatever and it would work.

After taking out the garbage (it is Monday) I sat down and downloaded for almost 2 hours. Music, youtube videos etc.I guess I have a handle on it. 

Hard to believe I had to turn the heat back on! It has been downright chilly in here. Jack was curled up so tightly next to me, I couldn't move him to get out of bed this morning. 

Update on the doggy door - I managed to con Jack in by giving him a generous peek space and sniff under the flap (doggy bone in hand) and Jill was interested, but Jack got through and the flap hit her in the face. Back to square one with her. Think I made it to second with Jack - maybe.

 

They don't "Get" the dog door ...

Last year, DH installed a doggy door in the screen door. We hoped to just leave the front door open and let the dogs go in and out through the flap during the day. The concept was a good one, but they refuse to use it with the flap on. They act as if it is a barrier the same as the door is. I honestly thought that once they tried it that they would get the hang of it.  

I stupidly thought that if we took the flap off they would realize it was indeed a portal to the outside. They do love the giant hole in the door. Jack goes in and out as if it's a game. Put the flap on and he is whining at the door for me to let him out. We have tried treats, going for the mail, calling for them - nothing seems to compel them to push that lightweight flap.

Meanwhile, we have every type of flying critter coming for a visit while the flap is off. It's taking a toll on me to constantly have to let them in and out on the sunny days. (My nerves, anyway) Summer with its wasps and hornets will be here soon. I am tired of playing doorman, you know? Jill will stay out for hours, but just let me shut the big front door and she is whining to get in. I guess I did this mess myself. Now, how do I train these spoiled animals to use the flap?

Friday the thirteenth

It's almost the middle of May already. Time is moving so fast now, I almost long for the days that used to stretch on endlessly when I was a kid during a long, hot summer. I noticed where the sun rose this morning and realized that in another short month or so, the sun would be preparing to track from a different part of the horizon again.

I don't think that I'm all that superstitious, after all, I own a black cat and she crosses my path daily. Somehow, I feel a tad more aware that something bad could happen today. Silly, right?

DH came home and left again about twelve hours later. Jill has finally gotten over her snit and is eating again. Both dogs were up at the crack of 'Go back to sleep, it's not even dawn yet!' Naturally, I let them out and they are back in their beds - and I have been up reading for two hours already. I'll need a nap for sure.

My next installment of Weeds will be here today. I swear, it's worse than reading a book series, and a whole lot more expensive! I am going to have to budget myself, ordering DVDs is a lot more money going down the tubes than my book habit. I don't think I will get another series, unless I can get the complete series at a reasonable price! I watched The Dead Zone to the end after I ordered the final year, but the rest of the DVDs were my son's. DH is going to be sorry he bought me the TV with the player inside.

I'm sure everyone is ramping up for a busy weekend. Have a good one! 
 

Where's my dad?

DH has been out looking for work, leaving me and the 'Kids' home alone. Today is day 3 and Jill is still uncooperative about going outside. She's pouting, I guess. I'm seriously thinking about putting loops on that mattress to hang it on the wall during the day. She lies there, eyes open, staring into that corner.  She's hardly eating, doesn't want to play. I would think she was sick if I didn't know that this is what she does when he's not home. She doesn't understand anything about money, work or any of the necessities in life. All she knows is that she wants him home.

If you're wondering why I allow her to sleep in that hole in the mattress - I have rearranged the foam inside to make it flat again. She digs at it until she has the hole again - takes her less than half an hour. She's going to go ape ---- when he shows up again this afternoon!

At the Printer's

So much for resting today - I guess I will do that tomorrow. I spent all day getting that picture book for myself to look at when I go to Shady Pines. I suppose I will need to laminate the pages to keep the pictures dry for when I drool ...

 That stuff on  the edge will come off when they trim it - at least that's what they said. Man, I am so tired tonight ...

Remembering Mother

Saturday Silliness

 Strange moth on the screen also shows a perfect example of what happens when a person tries to 'power wash' their nylon screens. I would not advise this. DH sprayed most of them before I got him to stop.

 That squirrel! DH let him have his fun, and then he took off the bungee cord he had attached to keep it from swinging wildly. The birds don't seem to mind and now the pesky squirrel has a lot more trouble getting into the feeder.

When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? Obviously not, I didn't hear a thing. Such a shame, think there was a family setting up housekeeping in it. Guess it's better to fall now than once the eggs hatched. 

Yesterday, I was going to make a practice book of my dad's art to make sure the pictures were clear enough, but I need more ink in the printer. I spent the afternoon surfing the web for old mansions and I was surprised to find some real dandies that I really could live in. Then last night I watched TV with DH. There is a show about 3 friends ghost hunting in an old mansion. Laughed until my lungs hurt! All in all, I would not want a mansion that was reported to have ghosts, just sayin'.
 

This and That

Back to the drawing board - At least everything is sorted. I have decided that the book would be too floppy with the larger pages and multiple pic on each page. I will have to make it smaller and pay the $ for more pages. 

You know, it could be interesting if your computer spit out a 'ticket' every day as to how many hours were spent on various venues and how many on actual work.

The wind was so strong yesterday, one of the trees across the road lost about a quarter of its height.

My son J gave me a 'Make-over' the other day - for those who didn't see it on Fb - here it is. I'll have to get hold of his program and swap out some of their baby faces with them now.

He looks just like me, LOL!

 We have a squirrel again. He opened up the top of the feeder to help himself. Smart little fellow!

I was so tired yesterday (sans nap) that I fell asleep around 9:00. I woke up at 4:00, the stars were shining brightly. Went back to bed and slept until 7:00. Maybe I won't need a nap today.

Have a good one!

Sidetracked - Waylaid - Oops!

A while back, maybe a year ago or more I think, I sent an email to the Minnesota Historical Society to ask about my dad's artwork. I was given permission to use what they had, but not for monetary gain, only for my personal use, and I had to say it was copyrighted to the MNHS. I decided to make a small book for myself and at least one of my sons. (Whoever showed an interest - that son would also inherit a lot of physical artwork - IF nobody does - I think it should go to the MNHS - right? There is no money in it ...) 

Well, anyway, the photographs will be on hold for a while - while I sort through the thumbnails and straighten them out into categories. I will see if the Book Patch will make me a couple of spiral books in color. I think that would be a nice way to view them instead of on the computer. I certainly couldn't afford to buy all the full-sized jpgs from the MNHS. That would cost a bundle. I think I will take pictures of what I have here and add them to the book. 

The thumbnail files are quite small - so the pages will be small in order for the pictures to be as clear as possible. Might be nice for me to look at when I am sitting in Shady Pines, you know?

SO, GOOGLE HAS OUSTED PICASA - WHY CAN'T THEY STOP MESSING WITH THINGS THAT WORK? Sorry, no pics until I figure out this new mess ... Talk about ruining my day ...

 Maybe, just maybe it works now ...

May Flowers

Yesterday, DH went shopping for ink and a memory stick and came home with these lovely flowers. (Besides the BestBuy stuff) Don't you just love the colors? April showers seem to have paid off, now all we need is for them to slow down, right?

It's foggy this morning. Monday is grinding away. Garbage has been hauled. Birds have been fed. I finished the 5th season of Dead Zone and have to wait for delivery of the 6th and final year. Sigh ... My printer is going to be busy - I will be working on my dad's artwork. Have a most lovely and productive week!