OMIGOD! I didn't realize I'd put off doing this for _so_ long! Well, back to school year craziness I guess!
So, the Harvest Festival we go to every year, is cheezy, and campy, but a great place to catch up with your neighbors and do silly things in an acceptable venue.

That first pic is the hay ride, a big ole tractor pulling along a flat bed with a bunch of hay bales on it. _Always_ do this last, or you'll have perfect strangers trying to pick pieces of hay off your butt for you!

And the cake wheel of course! they nail down numbered paper plates, you put a quarter or $.50 (depending on what they tell you) and if the wheel lands on your number, you win your choice of donated baked goods from a certain shelf. Silly, but an effective way to get money for your charity.

And the biggest charity money comes from the quilt raffle, and silent auction. I dunno why, but people feel the need to pay good money for a quilt. I just wait for crafty friends to make them for me. (Yes, we've covered this, I don't sew well.) Okay, I've held your attention long enough, once again,
Thanks for Noticing me!

Look at this little beauty.

This is a blue heron. We first saw it last year, it was hanging out in a pond down the road, but this year he decided to grace our creek. Sorry about the quality, but there is a window screen between it, and the camera.

We've decided to name him Henry.

Yes, that is a tree stump painted bright blue. And that is a butterfly house on top of it, although it ended up housing snails, and bees instead.

The tree came down the first year we lived on the property. It was early spring, and there was still snow on the ground, but, it was warm enough to hang clothes on the line, (LOVE that smell!) All around the base of the tree were these pocks in the snow... and after a bit of investigation, we saw bees committing suicide, flinging themselves from somewhere. The very next day we had a tree removal service there! Then the most amazing thing happened. When the tree fell over, it split in half and the entire middle part of the trunk, was completely hollow of what was supposed to be there, and was _filled_ with honey, and honeycomb.. POUNDS and pounds of it!
Sadly most of it was old and nasty, but there was enough of the golden tasty stuff to let the workers take as much as they wanted, and for us to collect, and give away a bunch, and keep a bunch too.

That's one of my favorite memories of this place!

So, loooong enough, and as usual... Have fun, and
Thanks for Noticing me!

Oy! It has been _seriously_ manic here lately! But, I finally managed to download my pics, and well, starting from the beginning...


So these are my "very excited about school" kids, LMAO! Okay, so they weren't. But, they go, and wonder upon wonders, not even 2 full weeks into the school year and the little one already got an ET.

An ET (as in ET phone home?) is exactly what it sounds like, you get in trouble, and have to phone home to tell on yourself. *Sigh* Homework issues already!

My Son #1, picked out his outfit all on his own! We were so proud! He picked nice clothes without being beaten into it! And I must say, he looks SO awesome in it!

The little one was _dying_ to wear that tie, My poor, poor, twisted Mets fan. He also wanted to wear it with a T-shirt, that one had to be inspected before leaving to be sure he wasn't hiding one in his bag!

Well, First day of school covered, Have fun! and ...
Thanks for Noticing me!

Ahhhh, the cooler weather has returned, with a sad goodbye to my sandals, and ponytail holders, I squeal with happiness at the sight of my fuzzy Eeyore pj's, and thick sweaters and sweatshirts.

And why is it, that knitting always seems to go faster when I'm not steaming to death in the summer humidity? And that's a good thing! I have _lots_ of projects to finish off! I'm looking forward to showing off pics of said projects as the weeks go by, including one that I was actually commissioned to do!

But first, the next real project is my hair. After all but ignoring it all summer, it's time to pamper the poor mane! Women are nuts. Can anyone else imagine a man caring at all about any of this?

So girls, now that the kids are in school, go give yourself a moment to primp and pamper, and dig out the warm and cozies!

And as usual...

Thanks for Noticing me!

My Girls

I love my girls. I actually have 3, well, our little family does anyway. So far the kitten, has mysteriously managed to avoid the lens. Both older girls are shelter cats, The baby was the result of a successful mating ritual, between my sisters cat, and her friends cat.

The first one is my favorite picture, The orange one is Mona, so named because she doesn't so much "meow" as moan. For a while, I could even get her to say it! She's the submissive one of the clan, which is why this picture tickles me so... imagine using the queen as a pillow!

And my "Yin-Yang" pic.... in their defense, it was mighty chilly this day!

And Dasha Darlin... (not a typo) This is the queen of the clan. Head S@#t! She rules the roost and knows it, and all must bow to "Her Highnie" But right now, it's nap time, and we must hide our face from the world....

Next time, I'm gonna have to have pics of "Princess in training" Mystique, (Myste for short).
My girls... Awwww! once again,


Thanks for Noticing me!

The Finger Lakes Ducks

We have the _greediest_ ducks in this lake!

My kids recently took an environmental boat tour, a 4 day activity, and it was so amusing to see the little buggers realize that the boat was coming back and the kids would give them half their lunches!





By the time the boat showed up we had a count of 27 with more coming!

Aren't these 2 cute!

All those dots in the distance are ducks!
Greedy little suckers! I wish I hadn't been too busy laughing to take pics of them all fighting for the bread crumbs!


Everyone deserves the chance to see such a sight, and _often_!

There's my giggle of the day...
Thanks for Noticing me!

Big Softie

Okay, so I'm a great big mush. But some things just go straight to my heart... I know, they're kinda corny, but true.

Been feeling very nostalgic lately, my Son #1 is starting 10th grade this year, TENTH! I remember 10th grade, and he's just Not Allowed! Creeps me out to even think about it! And it's worse now, because we just had our 20th High School reunion this summer, so I'm kinda stuck on that...

I have great sympathy for those of my classmates with kids who have gone to their Prom, or worse, Graduated! But I guess we manage, with shaky hands and pounding heart! Had I known what my parents were going through at the time, I might have been nicer to them, but as a teenager, probably not!

Well, that's my neurosis for today! Have fun everyday, and as usual,
Thanks for Noticing me!