Daffodils and Dragons

Miniature Daffodil

2007-02-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

Miniature daffodils in the garden are now coming out to meet the crocus that have been blooming in the garden for a couple weeks. This daffodil even had a little visitor if you look real close.

Dressed for spring

2007-02-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

Crocus in a lovely fluted skirt of purple!

Little faces of spring

2007-02-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

I love crocus, God's promise to spring! They bloom even before the daffodils and have such pretty faces.

New owners

2007-02-01T06:24:00.000-08:00

Sunday I put a bird house back up after it was knocked down by a winter storm. I went out on Monday morning to clean it up for new ownership but the owners moved in before I was able to do the cleanup, so I didn't charge them with any cleanup fees!

First Color

2007-02-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

Still January and I have the whole garden ready for spring. This is the first color in the garden with more to come. The birds have already picked out their bird houses and are already cleaning them up to get ready for nesting.

Jengibre in the snow

2007-01-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

Jengibre out in the snow. We do not get a lot of snow in the Willamette valley in Oregon, so when we do it is always a big deal. It started snowing here yesterday and is suppose to continue through Friday, just off and on and not a lot but just enough to make everything post card perfect. Below are just a few pictures I took in the garden. Whether you live where you get a lot of snow or where you never get snow, I hope you will like them.

snow

2007-01-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Snow

2007-01-11T10:21:00.000-08:00

Snow

2007-01-11T10:19:00.000-08:00

MyKia birdwatching

2007-01-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

MyKia watching the bird activity at the bird feeeder in the back garden. I had just filled it and went to get my camera as the birds began to feed at the newly filled feeder. But he made the better subject!

Goose

2007-01-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

I got my new 100mm F2.8 Macro lens a couple days ago. I think I will have fun with it this spring and summer. I went out and clicked a couple pictures in between rain showers, but there is not much to see right now, that is still pretty that is. And it is cold out there, ha, ha!
Anyway here is a quick sample photo. But when I set up my monopod or tripod this summer they should be sharper and clearer. Hand held, I never seem to keep my hand steady enough.

Who is that masked --- ?

2007-01-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

This cat has a home and I wish he would use it. He has learned how to use our pet door and makes himself at home sleeping on the couch at night. Eating tuna from my cats bowls and hanging out in the back garden on his off time. He is a nice cat but I wish his owners would take better care of him. They work by day and leave him out in the elements while they are at work and they leave him outside at night when they are home even on the freezing nights we have had. Frankly I don't know why they have him at all.

A touch of summer

2007-01-02T04:09:00.000-08:00

Always at the New Year I am ready for summer! I had a cold for Thanks Giving and another one for Christmas.
Even my cats are coughing and sneezing! About this time of year I am ready to move to a year round warm climate.

So I thought I would post a summer or spring flower a day for awhile. Maybe it will bring a little summer into your cold winter too. And those of you that have summer where you live year round maybe you could share some of your warmth with us to warm up with!!!!
{{{{BRR}}}}, Summer where are you?

Rainy day peanuts

2006-12-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

He comes to the front window everyday and perches on a small metal bird feeder I have there. He bends down to look in the window to see if I have seen him yet. When he sees me start for the front door when I have seen him, he flies over to this feeder and perches on its head while I place his peanuts below. Then I stand-IN THE RAIN- right next to him until he can maneuver 2 peanuts in his beak and fly away. Then he lets me take his pictures while I talk to him from just a foot or two away... that is why I call him my pet Blue Jay.

It has been raining for days, so that is the reason for his bedraggled look! So, is the fate of Oregon Blue Jays!

My pet bluejay again

2006-12-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

He still comes for his peanuts everyday. Never just one peanut but 2 at a time! Got this shot on very frosty, early morning, today.

Wishing you a great Christmas Season!

2006-12-08T04:28:00.000-08:00

We at Daffodils and Dragons wish you a wonderful and safe Christmas season!

Dak-ind, the closest I could come to a "MeMe"

2006-11-29T07:09:00.000-08:00

Sorry, This is the closest I could come to my High School days. I was 5 years old on the left just turned 20 years on the right, with Donnie and our new born, your sister Tamara. The picture on the left was used as a pin up girl for something. You will have to ask Auntie for what, I think it was the Canadian Mounties, but not sure. The other was taken 2 years after High School. And I look the same in this photo as I did in High School only my hair was shorter. Hope these are good enough for your "MeMe" challenge! I added the pin up picture because it was one of your grandmothers favorites and I remember she made me pose for that same picture again when I was seventeen, but I couldn't find it.

OH, Nostalgia!!!

2006-11-29T06:52:00.000-08:00

I know you asked for a picture of me from the past but I couldn't resist adding these pictures. Remember... The Pioneer Picnic. You are riding your Big Wheel, I think you are about 4 years old here. The theme that year for the kidies parade was what you find at a picnic. So I made you a Picnic Ant costume from a couple of old pillow cases I dyed black and some black tights. I used ash from the fireplace on your face. And then I tied picnic plates to your Big Wheel. That is real potato salad and chicken bones on those paper plates. You got first place and a cash price.
I had to walk through the whole parade with you to keep you on course and so you wouldn't mow down the bystanders, ha, ha! What fun it was! It was the same year your sister Tamara was the Queen of the Pioneer Picnic. It was hard to keep up with my two stars!! One my little Queen and one my little piss ant, ha, ha!

Look what Akasha brought home!

2006-11-28T04:53:00.000-08:00

I was amazed to see this baby possum following behind Akasha along the fence top in the middle of the day. Akasha didn't seem to mind. I brought him out a piece of turkey in the Thanks Giving spirit!
After eating some turkey dinner, he left.

Sunflower guarding the gate!

2006-11-19T05:51:00.000-08:00

Just a sunflower I know but I liked how it looked like it was guarding the gate and the Jet stream in the sky.

I will start posting some flowers I took this spring and summer, to bring a little sunshine into this cold winter. As I sort through them I will post one here and there.

I have my new Name Now!!

2006-11-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

Here he is today and if you look down through the 2 pictures of him below he has improved considerably after his ordeal! Finally he has a name and I can't take credit for it because my brother Rick came up with it when he was overseas.
His name is now Meshoo (Me-Shoe)!
I want to thank all of you that offered forth a name for him but I thought this name was pretty and an easy one for him to respond to.

Oh, and those are not fangs you see at his mouth but tuna fish. He had just finished his breakfast and I didn't realize he needed his face washed before I snapped the picture, ha, ha!

I need a name!

2006-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

He still has a long way to go because his neglect, abuse and hunger have really ravaged his mind and body but he is slowly coming around. We let him progress at his own pace without forcing attentions on him he does not want. Now he comes out to us, of his own free will for our attention and when he has had enough he goes back to his security behind the washer and dryer, but he comes out more often now and stays with us for longer periods of time, a little more each day.

He will still duck his head down sometimes when I pet him bringing my hand over his head. He thinks I am going to hit him I guess. Who's to say what he has been through in his previous life. I just know he will find (NO ABUSE) in his next eight lives!

Oh, and I found this Ebay auction on mindypindy's Blog, you will find their Blog in my right hand side bar... to read more, A Husky's life! Not only can you have fun bidding but you can make a difference and have a great gift, too! I think what they are doing is grrrrrrreat!!! Here is the link to the auction...
http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=nbrescue

Jengibre, an Oregon girl

2006-11-07T07:51:00.000-08:00

You can not tell from the picture because it was still dark outside when I took the picture this morning. The sidewalk behind Jengibre has about 4 to 5 inches of rain water on it and it is still pouring buckets out there. In some areas of Oregon there has been thirteen inches of rain in the past few hours. In that case she would have had to swim just to go out and go potty, ha, ha! Oh, Oregon, you either love it or hate it; we love it!

Bird bath

2006-11-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Here we are; Oregon with rain, rain and more rain with flood warnings everywhere but that doesn't stop the birds from having their Daily baths in our garden birdbaths!

I went out in this constant rain storm here... to clean out the birdbath's and to storm block the bird feeders to help block some of the wind that is blowing the rain into their feeders. I put suet blocks out in case the protection I gave their feeders doesn't work as well as I would hope! Below you can check out our flood warnings and a few photos taken in one of our Oregon towns of some of their flooding. I have standing water in the front and back garden but not real bad yet. We run a pump to send it out to the street when flooding gets too bad. At least we are not as bad as Ethiopia right now with (no) Crocodiles and snakes. The United Nations have been making food drops in Ethiopia but it has been hard getting it to the people who need it because of these Crocodiles and snakes and high waters.

http://www.weather.gov/alerts/or.html

http://www.pbase.com/beckchew/060110flood

Fall Coat

2006-11-05T06:44:00.000-08:00

We took a drive yesterday just to see the fall colors and I am glad I thought to take my camera. This makes a beautiful desktop theme and feel free to use it.

Still haven't got a name for the new cat below. He looks much better than the picture below now.

I have thought about the name Tundra, ("Ton"-dra) because he is going to weigh a TON, the way he eats everything in sight, ha, ha!

Help Me! I need a name!

2006-10-29T05:46:00.000-08:00

I have a home now but now I need a name!!!!!
For those of you that know me, you know that, My-Kya, Akasha and Braille (our blind cat)(pictures below)came to us much the way this one did; with no name, no home and starved for food as well a love. I have always strived to keep the number of homeless that we keep at three. But I can never turn away from the needy ones like this one. He came to us on Oct. 9th 2006.

This photo shows him after two weeks with us, eating sometimes 4 cans of food at one time. It was so starved when I found him that he could barely remain standing, just skin and bones he was. And as you can see still is, seen here, even after two weeks of food.
He had also had all the hair shaved off his left and right sides or just fallen out from lack of any type of nutrition. I have had him for three weeks now. He is now able to stand on his own and was for the first time two days ago able to groom himself. My other three cats below have accepted him without question, having been there themselves, before him.
And believe me no matter how healthy in body, My-Kya, Akasha and Braille are now they still even after these years with us have deep emotional scars. My-Kyia and Braille, will not tolerate anyone they do not know and even some they do know. Akasha, goes no where without My-Kya, he is her security in this world. She runs from even me if she is outdoors and only tolerates my touch when she is indoors, which is only to eat or to come in and sleep when the nights are cold.

This new cat also has emotional scars. He has mostly spent his days since being with me here, sleeping next to the water heater, behind the washer, drier. When he comes out to eat, he knows nothing of play or a gentle touch, thinking he is about to be abused he will run for his sleeping space and his security. He is just now letting me pet him and he likes to sit on my lap when I am at the computer or of an evening on the couch. But if I get up for a few minutes, he immediately runs for the security of his sleeping space. I have a pet door for my pets to go out because I have never liked a cat box in the house. But I have had to set one up for him because he is terrified of the outdoors. I take him out once a day but he immediatly runs for cover and I have to bring him back where he runs for his secure sleeping space.

I need a name for him. I have thought of a couple but am not sure yet. I like TryMe, PyWakket The Pie; so far.
But I wondered if any of you can think of an unusual name for him. If you can, please leave a comment with some names you think would be appropriate for a cat who now has love and a home! When I get a name that I like and think would suit him, I will post a picture of how he looks now and his new name!

Braille

2006-10-29T05:43:00.000-08:00

Snuggling in the Garden.

My-Kya and Akasha

2006-10-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

Made for a card

2006-10-24T21:51:00.000-07:00

I loved the shape of this big rose bloom but it was kind of bla and I wanted to use it to print out a card for a friend using card paper. By making the rose seem to glitter it made the rose stand out better on the card paper, once I printed it.

A desktop photo

2006-10-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

I made this dektop photo using Paintshop Pro and a photo of some fancy daisies in my garden. I call it, "Three Wishes".

Original flower

2006-10-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is the original flower photo taken in my garden that I altered to make both of the desktop photos below.

Everyday Desktop Photo

2006-10-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

This makes a lovely desktop or a beautiful birthday or get well card.
I love making things like this in my Paint Shop Pro and my Photo Explosion deluxe. I go between those two programs to get the results I want.

Halloween desktop photo

2006-10-23T06:50:00.000-07:00

I made this Halloween desktop from a photo I took in the garden. The flowers were yellow until I turned them the blood red as you can see here. Then I added the blood dripping letters and the grim reaper and the skull candle. I hope you like it.

You are welcome to use this for your own desktop. I also made an everyday desktop from the same blood red flowers I posted it above.

Got my new Macro lenses

2006-09-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

I know it is quite discusting but it does have detail and it is part of having a garden. Sometimes the benifitial garden spider gets a friend instead of a foe. I was too late to save this bee.
I think I will have fun using my new macro lens for my canon eos 20d. I got 4 of them- the +1, +2, +4 & Macro 10, for only $21.95 off of Ebay shipped from the United Kingdom, in just 3 days. They are not top of the line of-course but suite my purposes.

I just bought ink cartridges for my printer off ebay, too. I have a Pixma MP780 and it takes two black cartridges and 3 color cartridges. I bought 4 of each for only 42 dollars for all of them (and that included shipping. I had to pay 12 dollars per cartridge and one of the blacks was even more than that in the stores. I am using my new cartridges now and they are great! I don't know why everyone doesn't shop ebay. I never go to the stores anymore!

From a newly found friend

2006-09-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

I know I have not posted as I should have this summer, but their has been so much to do this summer! All fun for me of-course, but it all has left little time to share with my blogging friends.

I had a garage sale 2 weeks ago and I made a little over 800 dollars in cash and much more than that in new friends. Many just loved the garden and didn't want to leave, ha, ha!
Someone called Mad Dog came back after my sale and gave me two bottles of his homemade wine, Yumm! Another named Jerry came back twice durring my sale just to sit and visit at the picnic table durring my sale but also in the last two weeks jerry has left gifts for my Garden in our driveway. I will tell you a funny story of Jerry in my next post. But for now this was one of the gifts Jerry left in my driveway, just today. How sweet he is!!!!

Cosmos

2006-08-13T13:14:00.000-07:00

Just a photo I took yesterday in the sunny part of the day. I love the summer color of cosmos and the bees seem to, too.

My baby Bluejay

2006-08-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Our garden is a host for many birds and their babies and they are always a joy! The babies at this age even more so because they have no real fear yet and this one is no exception, following me around the garden for treats of peanuts, sunflower seeds and meal worms.

I will post some other baby birds in the garden at a later date. But I had to share this one because he is my favorite.

Bee- utiful

2006-08-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

This bee in my garden made a bee- utiful close- up even though I have not bought any Macro lenses for my new camera yet.

I am looking forward to getting back into blogging again, although it may be awhile before I get back to leaving messages for you all. I did get to keep up on all your blogs though!

I am still busy, with the garden, and Donnie just went back to work yesturday after a month long vacation, he retires next year, heaven help me.

Today I am swamped with zucchini that needs shreaded, blanched and run through my vacuum pack machine and then put in the frozen for future use. Sorry if I have mispelled anything, my spellchecker isn't working and I feel blessed just to be just able to post again to worry about the spellchecker just yet, LOL!

DSL

2006-08-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Mindi, helped me today to get my DSL working. I have had AOL for so long it was like losing an old friend but I really think I will like DSL after we have had it for awhile.

As those who know this blog, know I have not been able to post for the longest time because my connection was so slow.

This picture, hopefully will post with my faster connection and I will be able to post more photos for all of you that love to just relax a little and have a little viewing pleasure. As you know I don't ever write a lot, I just like to share my photos with you all. So this is just a test- here goes!!!

Spring is in the air

2006-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry I have been away so long. I have no real excuse other than busy with other things. I'm afraid I am not as dedicated as many of you are.

I do have my garden almost ready for the spring colors that will be arriving soon. Here are a couple that are showing us their spring beauty all ready. I like to get all the raking and winter debris cleared away before the bulbs bloom so that I do not rake away all the blooms along with the debris.

Soon, I will be bringing spring to all of you that do not have it yet.

My Daughter took me to the Portland, Oregon zoo a couple weeks ago. I may add some of those pictures later.

The Rock Shop

2006-01-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

Oldladyofthehills, Here is a series of photos from the rock shop. You expressed an interest in seeing more, so here it is. I hope you like them!

Yes, it is good to feel better! You sound like you HATE being ill as much as I do. I am not very good at accepting long term illnesses in ...
"Oh, that is just a part of life", philosophy! I can be a real long term B----, about it!

It does rain a lot here in Oregon, as you mentioned. The weather girl made a joke about it on the TV Oregon weather report. She said that, "A lot of people that moved here recently were moving back to where they came from because of our Oregon rain". But she said, "We Oregonians love it here"! Which is true of-course, of any state in the US to live, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else but Oregon. Gene Kelly would have loved it here. He could have sung his heart out here. LOL!

Rock Shop

2006-01-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

I included this photo I took at the Rock shop because I thought it kind of cool that when I took the picture of this rock through the front window of the shop that it also captured our car and the bamboo wind chimes outside the shop.

Rock Shop

2006-01-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

This is a close up of the rock I admired from the case below. This picture does not do it justice because it was quite an impressive piece. You could actually see though the rock to the case mirror behind it. And the turquoise border on the rock was a much brighter turquoise than this photo shows.

Crystal 1

2006-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

My brother is back in the US visiting from the Philippines and he is staying with friends that have a rock shop. I went to visit him yesterday and loved these Crystals from Africa. I took Jengibre's picture inside of one to give you an idea how big they are. Aren't they beautiful! I just wish I could afford one! They are really heavy!

I took lots of pictures inside the rock shop. If you want to see more, I will post a few more things if you like.

Crystal 2

2006-01-23T09:48:00.001-08:00

Jengibre is not sure she likes sitting on crystal spikes but was a good sport and let me take a second picture in these beautiful crystals!

20 inches of RAIN in one month

2006-01-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

I must apologize for not posting or reading any of my friends posts for so long. We have been very sick. Donnie first and then me for almost three weeks now. I have never been so sick ever in my life before, and thank you, amstaffie, for asking about me. I am still not up to par but I am feeling better.
These photo's are from our Albany newspaper, the Democrat Herald. I have not taken any pictures as most of my time has been spent in bed. But these will give you an idea of what our weather is like here in Albany and the Willamette valley right now.
I think it was Sam I Am that asked me once how come my lawn was so green. Now you know Sam. We are known for our rain here in Oregon, some people joke and call us the rusty state, but I like to think of ourselves as the green state.

Crystal Kaleidoscope

2005-12-31T06:37:00.000-08:00

This dappled willow in the winter months has no leaves but it is just as beautiful in the winter with its pink branches as it is when it has it beautiful dappled pink and white leaves. When the ice came and added its crystals to its branches it became alive with a Kaleidoscope of colors! A real night time wonder!

Ice Queen

2005-12-31T06:07:00.000-08:00

Frozen Bird bath in the front garden, guarded by an Ice Queen!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours ( o :

2005-12-25T04:05:00.000-08:00

Jengibre opening her Christmas stocking at Mindi's house. It was a great! Got tons of great pictures too. I posted pictures of Jengibre's Christmas ... If you want to see the rest of the pictures of Mindi, Chris, Indiana's and my Christmas Eve, you need to go to her site listed on the right side bar under Indiana. Mindi and I agreed when we both started our Blogs. She would post , THE FAMILY ... Photos and I would do flowers, pets, nature and so forth. That is why you never find pictures of my family on my Blog, Mindi has the exclusive rights to those postings. And she does a great job, too!
I got a picture of Jengibre opening the squirrel house I bought her from, The Chocolate Dog (Bosco's) Blog site (on my right side bar), but it was a blur . She loved it. And was tearing those toy squirrels out of their house right and left, LOL! A great toy for her. Opening her stocking is a little blurry too, because she is motion the whole time rooting in her Christmas stocking to find the toys and goodies. We should have used the movie camera, but I didn't think of it until I got home.

MyKia still healing

2005-12-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve, MyKia is still healing from his attack from a mean cat and Akasha is still giving comfort and aid. Her love for him is so sweet.

From my Garden at Christmas

2005-12-21T08:23:00.000-08:00

I can almost hear the sleigh bells when I look at this photo of my garden. No snow here but the frost gives that snowy Christmas feeling. I thought it would make a perfect Christmas card to all my family and friends this year! I hope you get a little tingle of Christmas when you see it especially Conner and all of you that told me you are late with that good feeling of Christmas in the air!

These feeders feed many of our bird friends throughout the winter season filled with peanuts, sunflower seeds and millet seeds!
Everywhere else in the garden they get suet blocks. Please don't forget to feed our feathered friends this Christmas season!

MyKia's Boo Boo

2005-12-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

MyKia had a run in with another cat that didn't have much of a Christmas spirit at all. He bit into MyKia's upper side pretty bad. It swelled up to the size of a baseball 3 days ago and I had to lance it. I am glad I confined ourselves to the bathroom when I did it because at least a cup of the vilest toxins I had ever seen or smelled poured out of the wound. Afterwards, I cut all the hair from around his wound & cleaned it out with warm water & peroxide. Then I made a poultice with a cream with antibiotics in it. Now I am giving him oral antibiotics and then baby Bayer aspirin for the pain. Today is the first day he was actually up and wanting to go outside.
Akasha never once left his side. They are so attached to each other, I have never seen that kind of love in any of my pets for each other. Not since PyWakkete and AbaSara, two chocolate Siamese I had years ago. PyWakkette mourned her for month's when she passed away before he did.
Be assured that MyKia is well onto the road to recovery.

Jengibre, in the snow

2005-12-19T10:09:00.000-08:00

Jengibre enjoying the snow?

Akasha's Christmas Gifts

2005-12-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

Akasha checking out her Christmas gifts. A little catnip, gets her every time!
All my posts will be short, I am just posting pictures of our Christmas spirit to add to yours. Because I know this is a busy time for us all, (that celebrate Christmas) with family, friends and all the many things that need to be done before Christmas!

Christmas Elf riding in Santa's Sleigh

2005-12-17T15:24:00.000-08:00

MyKia, Helping Santa deliver his presents, holding on for dear life!
Damn it Rudolph, slow this sleigh down!!! LOL

Little Snow Drop!

2005-12-17T14:29:00.000-08:00

I love the snow, and we do not get it very often in Albany (a part of the Willamette Valley in Oregon). This snow was two years ago and we had it for almost a whole week! A real treat for us. I envy the snowy states and my friend Hasse's Sweden! Anyone of you that has some snowy pictures to post on their Blog let me know I would love to come visit and see them.

Ride along on Jengibre's Christmas lights ride!

2005-12-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

Jengibre's ride through the Christmas lights that we have taken ever since she was a baby. This first ride is through the Pepsi Cola bottling plant's light show! I tried to get some good shots for you of the beauty of the lights while holding onto the tail of her Santa suit, so she didn't fall from the car window and keep her head out of all the shots so that you could see the lights. I hope you like the show. Go down through them all and comment on your favorites. I will dump the ones with no comments in a week or so.
Enjoy the show!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

2005-12-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

Jengibre's favorite of the whole Light show ride is the twelve days of Christmas. Each day is lighted and sings the verse for that day, she always hangs out the window in fascination every year as we stop at each day, to let her hear each verse. It takes us a little while to get to the other end, ha, ha!

2005-12-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "Catechism Songs" to help secret young Roman Catholics learn the tenets of their faith. The poem was a memory aid for those unenlightened times when to be caught with anything in writing indicating adherence to the Roman Catholic faith could not only get you transported to a nasty place such as America, but also imprisoned, beheaded or hanged.

The song's gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptised person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ and the two turtle doves are the old and new Testaments.

The other verses represent the following:

3 French Hens are Faith, Hope and Charity,

4 Calling Bird are The Four Gospels,

5 Golden Rings are the first five books of the Old Testament,

6 Geese A-Laying are the six days of creation,

7 Swans A-Swimming are the seven gifts of The Holy Spirit,

8 Maids A-Milking are the eight beatitudes,

9 Ladies Dancing are the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit,

10 Lords A-Leaping are the Ten Commandments,

11 Pipers Piping are the eleven faithful apostles,

12 Drummers Drumming are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed.
twelve days of Christmas.

Christmas Lights

2005-12-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas Lights

2005-12-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas Lights

2005-12-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas Lights

2005-12-14T11:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas Lights

2005-12-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

Inside, my Christmas light display

2005-12-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Not room for a big Christmas tree, I wonder why, LOL!
The Christmas tree curtains also light up, they are beautiful when seen from outdoors.

Another view of our garden Christmas display

2005-12-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

You can not tell because of the darkness of the image but Santa's sleigh is lodged on top of the arbor, with poor Santa hanging upside down from it. The reindeer are coming down from over the top of the arbor. There are gifts in the sleigh and falling from the arbor and scattered on the ground.
I had a couple little girls come knock on my door the other day. I did not know them and they looked to be about ten and twelve years old. And they said they just wanted to tell me that they thought our Christmas display was just awesome. That makes the extra time it takes to decorate worth all the extra time and effort!

Our little Christmas tree

2005-12-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

The last couple years I have only put a small tree up, there is just not room in this house for a bigger one as in past years.

A part of the Christmas lights in the front garden

2005-12-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

I am trying not to get behind as I did during the Thanksgiving season. But I am afraid that it is almost a losing battle! LOL! So much to do and so little time until Christmas to do it. I apologize if I haven't gotten to comment on many of my friends Blogs, I hope you will forgive me. I will try to make up for that after Christmas when things slow down somewhat. I do come by and check out what you all have been doing and what you have been posting but haven't had the time to comment, all I would have time to say anyway would be Hi, bye ... So I will wait.
This picture is of part of the Christmas display in our garden. I have many other Christmas photos to post but just as I haven't had much time for your Blog, I haven't for mine, either.
Please, be patient with me!!!! (:

Posted for Chen's, Ah Boy!

2005-12-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

"Ah Boy", This is Jengibre's favorite "bear" blanket to sleep with. The one I warm in the drier for her, it makes her feel warm and cozy, like you feel with your favorite sleeping pillow.
I loved all the pictures of you on you mammas Blog "Ramblings"!
If anyone wants to see a black and tan brother to Jengibre ( named, Ah Boy) you will have to check out Ah Boy's pictures on "Chen's" Blog site "Ramblings"! He is a real charmer just like Jengibre!! You will see Chen's site listed in my right side bar. And Chen also put a link to Ah Boys pictures, under comments under one of Jengibres pictures posted here. I hope you will take the time, he is worth the look and Chen's Blog is worth the read!

Look out Rudolph!

2005-12-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

The Santa suit further down, I made for Jengibre a few years ago, but the Frosty the snow man coat and this Reindeer coat, here, I made for Jen last year. Although the Santa suit is my favorite, the reindeer one is a close runner up. MinPins kind of elegantly prance(like a deer) when they walk and play, making Jen look like she is actually a miniature Reindeer!! I laugh and hug her tight every time she wears this because she is just too precious. When we walk down town near the Malls and shopping, people come out from every nook and cranny to see her. Around the beauty parlors women flock out to see her, with their hair only half done.
Donnie of-course loves this, when he has Jengibre with him and the women swarm out all over him, LOL, and I am shopping inside a store at the time. I told him to try it again later without Jengibre at his side and see what happens. That burst his bubble a little!!!!!

Frosty

2005-12-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Jengibre in her frosty the snow man Christmas outfit. She is watching the light twinke on the Christmas tree!

Jengibre and Santa

2005-12-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

Jengibre with big singing Santa Clause. I made Jengibre this Santa suit a couple of years ago. Since then I have made her a frosty snow man w/ a carrot nose and a brown leather reindeer jacket with red antlers. I will post them too, during this month. I want to make her a couple more Christmas coats this year. Any ideas?!

Here is where I would like to add a touching story about a little girl from a poor family who loved attending Sunday school ... And the Philadelphia, Temple Baptist church. I hope you will take the time to read it!!
There were so many children and the Temple Babtist church was so small that sometimes this little girl could not get in.
The little girls name was Hattie May Wiatt. She lived near this Philadelphia church where the Sunday school was so crowded and and the Reverend told her that one day they would have buildings big enough to allow every one of God's children to attend who wanted to. Later Hattie May Wiatt became sick an died. Reverend Conwell was asked to arrange the funeral and the little girls Mother told the Reverend that Hattie May had been saving money to help build a bigger church and Hattie's mother gave the Reverend the purse in which Hattie May had saved 57 cents for the church. Reverend Conwell had Hattie May's 57 cents turned into 57 pennies, and told the congregation the story of little Hattie May and then the Reverend sold the pennies for a return of about 250 dollars. In addition, 54 of the original pennies were returned to Reverend Conwell and he later put them on display. This was in 1856 when 57 cents was no small savings for a little girl from a poor family! Some of the members of the church formed what was called the Wiatt Mite society which was dedicated to making Hattie May's 57 cents grow as much as possible and to buy the property for the Primary Department of the Sunday school. A house nearby was purchased with the 250 dollars that Hattie May's 57 cents had produced and the rest is history. The first classes of the Temple College, later Temple University, were held in that house. It was later sold to allow Temple College to move and the growth of the Temple along with the founding of the Good Samaritan Hospital (Now the Temple University Hospital) ... it all shows the power of a little girls unselfish dreams and her 57 cents!!!

I need Love too!

2005-12-03T06:22:00.000-08:00

This Christmas season, Jengibre,
would like to dedicate this photo and the Poem below it, to all her Pit Bull friends that she has met
on this Blog (and to any and all the unloved and unwanted Pets in this world) Merry Christmas!
Maybe we can make a difference one day!!!!!!!!!

Emily looks through the plane window

2005-12-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Emily leaves France in more comfort than she arrived in. She flies back in Continental Airlines business class rather than the cargo container she arrived in.
The airline offered to fly Emily home from Paris after her story was heard around the world and after she cleared her month of quarantine.
A full fare ticket for Emily's seat would normally cost about $6,000.00 & the airline provided a company escort so that she wouldn't decide to see a little more of the world!
Looks to me like she is contemplating her next trip, LOL!

2005-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

Hey! Clyde here says for everyone to have a Wonderful Thanksgiving ... America ... Where ever you all might be this year! Clyde is just thankful he won't be on anyone's dinner table and wants to let you know that he will not be attending.

I will be attending to the thanksgiving holiday ... So just to let anyone know, that might drop by, I won't be attending to my Blog until after the holidays. I hope everyone has a warm, safe, and truly spectacular holiday gathering with your friends and loved ones this Thanksgiving!
Anyone from another country, can read about America's Thanksgiving Day, at the links below. I believe Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving, only I think theirs is always on the second Monday of November of each year(correct me if I am wrong) !
Americans celebrates on the Forth Thursday of November of each year.
The Thanksgiving Story

The True Thanksgiving Story

Check out this new Blog I found

2005-11-19T15:41:00.000-08:00

I put this Blog in my side bar, because the costumes and dogs are so cute.
I wanted to share this new site I found with all my Pet friends!
Big Paw Designs!
And I did not realize when I added Casper as one of my friends a couple weeks ago, it wasn't working, I fixed that. Here is Caspers Blog, Oh, Soooo cute!Casper D Dog - Hi! My name is Casper. I am a mini American Eskimo Dog(Eskie).
Signed, Jengibre

Who is it?

2005-11-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

A rare time when I took a picture of one of my Paintings or drawings.
I was disappointed that this didn't turn out too well in a post but I remember when I painted it and then took this photo, the paint was still wet and as any of you that oil paint know, when oils are still wet they reflect the light and distort the painting. But I know I had no choice on this one because it was a rush order. And I only took the picture because my father was a great John Wayne fan and I wanted to share what I had painted with him even though we lived a distance apart at the time.
I painted and drew and sold all of it all off as if it were nothing, now I wish I had kept a portfolio of everything I had done. The reason ...
I am thinking of taking painting and drawing up again, and this time not for profit. I had quit my art because I moved to this little house and I felt I no longer had the space to paint. But I have talked to my daughter Mindi, that always gives me encouragement! And well ... I am going to do it!

Mt St. Helens/May 18,1980/Harry Truman

2005-11-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

When Mt. St. Helen erupted in 1980 my husband and I and my two girls packed off to Northwestern, Washington to live because my husband worked in the Red Zone.
He often took us up into the Red Zone and I can't tell you the devastation we saw!
I was so fascinated by it all that I painted and drew a lot of the eruption and the area around it and nothing fascinated me more than Harry Truman, the old man of the mountain ... He refused to leave and he is buried up there today with his many cats under all that ash and lava. My drawings and paintings were displayed in the Mt. Saint Helen's museum for two years until I started having too many offers to buy them, to turn down. So I am afraid I took them all out and sold them. Today I regret that! I wish now, that I had donated them all to the museum! I only know where two of those paintings are today. One my parents bought, that my daughter now has and (my favorite) went to North Bend, Oregon. The others I have no idea. The picture above is a lithograph that I had done of my original drawing that I sold. I then sold these lithographs un-mounted and unframed for about 20 dollars each (and I had a ton of them). I wish had taken photos of all those paintings, at the very least.

Rebel

2005-11-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

This is a drawing of my Parent's Dog Rebel, that I drew for my fathers Birthday one year. Rebel and my Parents are gone now but I still had this old drawing tucked away

Christmas Sales

2005-11-18T18:15:00.000-08:00

I was thinking this when I saw Christmas being displayed and advertised last month (October) and I thought this cartoon cut from my local paper gave a funny twist to it!

Diane Sawyer Look Alike

2005-11-18T16:34:00.000-08:00

I am posting this picture for Cube

You have to check out his Blog

(edit: You can now click on the name CUBE... i put the link in the post -dakind)

Cube posted a picture of a MinPin that is a look alike for Jengibre. And of-course he has other great stuff, too. So check him out!
I have never seen another MinPin as small as Jengibre is before.

Who's sleeping in mummy's bed!

2005-11-18T05:19:00.000-08:00

Actually, I was going to post something different today, my flowers at the rose show or something along those lines.
I started my Blog back in July and I got my first negative post today. Not really a big deal, huh? But I couldn't believe why! If you would like to read, (you guessed it, anonymous)
comment scroll down to MyKia's (watercolor) picture in the Birdbath. Leave a comment of your own and wipe the bad taste for his comment out of my mouth!

He makes another comment under his first ... "You don't know who I am, HA, HA HA ....... HA ! But I think I do, if not his name, at least I do by the quality he shows in his character! And "Anonymous" is a good name for him because he has probably been anonymous his whole life. Certainly no stars added to his name in God's judgment book!

Above ... A picture of a cat that came to me a few years ago. I named him Washeme. He wrapped himself around my heart immediately, but I promised myself only three cats at a time, so I knew I could not keep him. But I was leaning that way anyway, when a friend of my daughters (he is, American Indian) fell in love with Washeme at first site and he liked his Indian name of, Washeme, too, which I am sure I miss spelled. But he didn't care. He took Washeme to the Indian Reservation with him and I later heard that he had moved to his grandmothers in another state and Washeme went with him, a still much loved cat.

When I find kittens or puppies that need homes I make Birth Certificates for them and I place their paw on an ink pad and place it on the certificate, and a baby picture is also printed on the certificate. Then I leave a place for their new mom and dad to sign, like creams Mom and dad, or Storms, etc. And there is a place for the little ones new name, and a little history of where he was found and any traumas he or she might have gone through. The last two kittens I placed went to their new homes with their birth certificate and whole folders of baby pictures. One was named by her Elderly mommy, Bobbie, and the other was named, Astro, by his new young dad. Both had tears in their eyes after reading the Birth Certificates and seeing all the baby pictures.

It is always worth a little extra effort, and not unhealthy at all. If you can reach out your hand and help just one living breathing being ... Well let God's light shine on you because God will remember your name and it won't be, Anonymous!

Mine, when she first came to me

2005-11-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

This is "Mine" as she came to me and "Sabara" beside her. I know this is rather graphic but sometimes that is what it takes to see a problem. There are so many abandoned and unloved and unprotected pets in the world. I wish people would take the money and the time to spade or neuter their pets if they do not want the offspring. And if you say you can't afford it ... You can't afford a pet!
I guess what set me off (again) was a couple days ago I talked to someone that has a male cat that wanders the neighborhood. I asked if he was neutered and she said no, she didn't feel she needed to because he was a male. A female she said would be different, babies you know!
I had to rattle my head a moment! What?
Those of you that can tell me what was wrong with that scenario ... ARE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS! Those of you that are still scratching your head, I have only one word for you!
It all reminds me of a friend I had years ago that had 4 boys, "on the pregnancy issue" ... She said she was glad she had only boys and NO girls! And what is sad is that their are many people who think like this neighbor and my past friend! No wonder we can't solve the problems of unwanted pregnancies ... With attitudes like that!
Mark Twain once said, Quote,"God has put something noble and good into every heart his hand created," Unquote.
But I think many have forgotten how to use it!

MyKia as a baby and first arrived

2005-11-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

This is MyKia when he first came to me. I do most all of the Doctoring of my cats and dog. I always have antibiotics on hand for emergencies.
I also give them all of their shots. Distemper, Leukemia, Parvo and all the others except Rabies.
That I have to have done (the law) with a Vet. I buy their shots at Coastal Farm, but their are many such places to buy them from.You can get them in combination shot form. They cost only about ten dollars each instead of the staggering amount a Vet charges. So for about forty dollars a year my four pets are protected from most of the worst diseases. Anyone wanting to know more about giving your pet shots, just ask!

Baby MyKia

2005-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

When MyKia was a baby and he was feeling better! For some reason, all my cats past and present have drank water from this fountain. They have their own water dish but the only one that drinks from that is Jengibre.

My old Rat Pack

2005-11-17T05:08:00.000-08:00

Many of you have wondered about how long I have taken in abandoned pets and that was easy to answer, all my life. Here is the Rat Pack I had before the Rat Pack I have living with me now. Boozer is in the middle, she had ear mites so bad when she was brought to me as a kitten that it messed up her inner ears and she was unable to walk without a wobbly gait, therefore her name. She lived with me 18 precious years. On the left is Sabara, love flowed from her and everyone who came to visit me, fell instantly in love with her. She lived with me for 15 years. On the right is Mine, she was brought to me in worse shape than Boozer, with part of her scalp missing. She loved me but was skittish of strangers, like Akasha is today. She lived with me for 12 years. All passed with age. I will post a picture above of what (my then) Mine and (my now)Mykia looked like when they came to live with us. Hopefully it will encourage some of you to give a hand out when you see a pet that needs a home. I only keep three at a time, but I have found homes for many, many more! Sometimes it just takes a little of your time, and you will get the love back for your good deed, ten fold!

Brook

2005-11-17T04:29:00.000-08:00

This is Brook! The guys at work (Northwest Irrigation) always liked to use a felt pen on a Styrofoam cup and then give it to Brook, who would gladly carry it around all day! She was so funny and loved to get loves and pets from everyone ... Without dropping her pig snout, cup! She belonged to Ray, one of our Welders and came to work with him everyday. When she got too old to come anymore it was like a part of our crew died. Ray was worried that she would not be able to get out of the way of the big Pipe trucks that came in. So it was for the best, but it sure hurt! She had made all our lives richer when she was there!

Fall Cleanup

2005-11-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

Saying goodbye to the colors of summer is always hard. If it wasn't for the new colors of Fall it would be much harder!
I fill this grey dumpster probably a hundred times over with so many spent colors in the garden ... that which sadly I won't see again until the spring and summer of next year comes!
But then I look around and, Oh, what lovely, reds, yellows, browns, oranges and burgundies of Fall there are!

Braille helping in, Fall Cleanup

2005-11-13T05:19:00.000-08:00

As soon as I pulled the flowers from this pot, Braille a beautiful Black and white Fall Flower planted himself there. I never lack for help during fall clean up in the garden, whether it be chasing a few fall leaves into my rake or just giving encouragement from the side lines, all help is welcomed!

Orange Lily

2005-11-13T04:56:00.000-08:00

This photo of the last lily to hang on in the garden as fall approached. Lovely against the pink shrub rose. The rose is still hanging onto many of its roses even though we are well into the fall, with cold and rain.

Climbing trees in the park

2005-11-13T04:04:00.000-08:00

Jengibre, on a rainy day at the park. This is her favorite tree. This picture doesn't show the raincoat I made her as well as I would have liked. The light was hitting it at a bad angle. But it is really hot pink and a hot yellow. She shows up like Yellow Jacket bee, at a picnic, ha, ha!

Jengibre's Biker Cap

2005-11-12T05:21:00.000-08:00

Jengibre, wearing her Harley Davidson Cap. And, although her Mom doesn't have a new Bike like Storm's Mom, I think she looks pretty snazzy, ha,ha!
I got this cap for Jengibre at the Harley Davidson dealer, they have all sorts of cool biker stuff for dogs, including a leather Harley Davidson jacket, in lots of different sizes, from the small dog to the big dog.

2005-11-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

www.canvasondemand.com can turn your photo into a brush stroke master piece, like this one (you can see this photo in color on their site). It is all done by computer. They do pet pictures but they will also do family, wedding, baby, vacation, graduation and most any kind of photo ... For a price. An 11" by 14" with just light brush strokes costs you about $105.00.

I do the same thing, if you will check out MyKia's masterpiece made by me and the Photo explosion software, below. It cost me under 10 dollars to make my brush stroke masterpiece. And I can go light brush strokes or heavy at the click of my mouse, without it costing me a dime more!
It is best to invest in a really good photo program, that allows you to make masterpieces from your photos, first. I like Paint Shop Pro and Photo Explosion Deluxe. I waited to buy these two photo programs until my local computer store (Staples) had in store and mail in rebates for them. Then you get them if not free, its so close ... Not to notice!

You compare ... a hundred and five dollars for this masterpiece or under ten dollars for mine. And you can easily do the same for your beloved pet or any other beloved if you get the proper program! And have a good printer. It is fun, and it makes a great gift for your family and friends!

MyKia in watercolors

2005-11-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

MyKia, in the Birdbath. I took this photo to Photo explosion and turned this photo into a watercolor masterpiece.

I then can take the picture to my printer and print it onto an 8" by 10" or 11"by14" canvas. You can buy the printable canvas for your printer at most computer stores.
I purchase wooden stretcher bars at a hobby or art store for an 8"by 10" or 11"by 14" canvas. They are about a dollar each for each of the 4 sides of your canvas. After locking the connecting 4 sides together you just stretch on your masterpiece over the sides (evenly) to your connected wooden stretcher bars and staple the edges to the sides as you go until you have a tight even fit. Then you are ready to frame it! And it sure costs a FRACTION of the cost of the service that I told you about in the above post.

Problem Solved!

2005-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

After fighting it out I finally fixed the problem of not being able to post my photos. My daughter, Mindi, tried a couple of things for me but still no luck. Then she suggested changing the format of my photos and then trying to post them again. So simple! And it worked! I still don't know why it stopped posting my old format after all this time. But as long as it works now, I guess I won't lose sleep over it!

Family and Friends

2005-11-09T05:52:00.000-08:00

I am sorry I haven't posted anything new for awhile as many of you know I was sick for a time
(and many thanks to all of you, for all the get wells). I started feeling much better yesterday. I never work on my Blog when I am not feeling well because if I am going to mess it all up, that's the time.

Yesterday and today I have tried Posting to my Blog but the pictures end up posting the size of a postage stamp inside a large grainy square. I tried going through Hello but my AOL for some reason isn't opening that either. So until I can talk to my Blogger Guru, my daughter, I am at a stand still.

I think I am going to drop AOL and go to a high speed internet. My daughter has been after me for a long time to do just that. I have dropped two 512 memory chips into my Dell and I have a 200 GB hard drive in it now. All wasted on AOL!

Meanwhile, until I get to posting photos again, I hope you will check out some of the Blog sites I added to my side bar and some of the fun sites I also added to my side bar. Some of the fun sites have things to spice up your Blog, that I have found while checking out things, for my own Blog and I just want to share them with you and other Bloggers!
Oh, and check out the great music videos and I will add more from time to time. If you wish to add any videos to your own Blog, you will find probably the easiest codes, I have ever found to use for that, at pcplanets to add to your template. You will find pcplanets on my side bar. And Jengibre would like all her friends to check out ... I love Dogs, under her favorite blogs and sites.

My Sick Bed Pals

2005-11-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Jengibre and Braille, both sleep on the bed with me and sympathize with my being sick, miserable and feeling sorry for myself. I am sorry I haven't posted much lately but I have a fall cold, and nothing is much fun right now. If I have not visited my friends Blogs lately, that also is the reason.
My daughter did some things for me, I wanted to do on my side bar, that I didn't feel up to tackling and she did a great job. Thank you, Mindi! When I feel better I want to add a fun sites area, some more music and a few more Blogs, that I like and would like to share.

2005-11-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Akasha, spending the day in the window bed, beside my bed while I am sick!

Novel

2005-11-04T05:49:00.000-08:00

This photo was in my local newspaper, The Democrat Herald. I thought this was really a Novel way for a Mother and baby to spend their first Halloween together.
I know Halloween is over but I thought it was worth posting. So many people came up with such great ideas this year for Halloween. I loved going to all the Blogs that sported their Halloween "Magictry" (is that a word, it should be) because I saw it on a lot of Blog pages this year and I squirreled a lot of that "Magictry" away for myself for next year. (<:

My Two Favorite Pumpkins!

2005-10-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

Two Candy napers in disguise! Mindi and Indy just before they were going out to do Indiana's very first Halloween caper. Oh, he is pretending to yawn but he can't wait to pull off his very first candy heist and my Daughter is his ring leader!