Garden

Even though we have been in a drought in our area I have watched our neighbors garden flourish.
Her sunflowers are delightful.

Many different kinds in a bunch.

They always bring a smile.

Come in so many colors

A brown one getting eaten by the finches.

Pretty little zinnia

Food for the birds and probably raccoons at night.

Lovely cutting flowers

Bird houses and feeders by the flowers.  When I look over I do see lots of activity in this area.

So green and full.  The corn may have taken the biggest hit.  Like all the other corn in the fields.  Maybe it will catch up since it is only July.  

Raspberries

Tomato plants, we have been lucky to be the recipient of a few of these.  There is nothing like a home grown tomato on your hamburger.  

Here is the full view...beautiful to look at.  May we keep having some rain to keep it growing on it's own.  

Hope you are having a great summer too!

Book Review-All the Living

At the time this book was written in 2009 this was a new author.  In this book the scene is set in Kentucky.  The girl, Aloma, lost her parents when she was 3 years old.  She went to stay with an Aunt and Uncle and when she was 12 years old she was sent to a boarding school in the hills where the sun doesn't hit the school until 10 o'clock in the morning.  Her main accomplishment was that she learned how to play the piano beautifully.  When she graduated she was offered a job to stay on and teach.  One day she met Orren who came to the school.  They started dating and the relationship progressed for months, then Orrens family were killed in an accident and he inherited the tobacco farm.  He asked Aloma to come and live with him, which she did.  He worked hard at this farm and put his whole heart into it.  He was mourning his family and really couldn't give his heart at the time to Aloma.  She was lonely on the desolate farm and wanted to play the piano and Orren suggested that she go down to the church and see if they needed a piano player.  Eventually she did get to play there and became acquainted with the single minister.  They became attracted to each other and she never gave up the information where she lived because she knew that would be frowned on since she was not married to Orren. 
I zipped through this book as it was an easy read.  When I read I don't like to look for hidden meanings and anything deeper than being entertained.  I like to go with gut feelings, did it give me thrills, excitement, interest, laughter.  This book I felt a straight line like on the heart monitor in the hospital when someone dies.  The characters went through their lives with not a lot of emotion.  When thinking about it though, maybe that is what the author was looking for since there was a tragedy with the loss of his family.  If that was what the authors goal was, she did a good job.  Finally the end provided some good feelings.

Bloomin

Here it is in full glory, so beautiful yet so strange.  It is shiny like plastic, my angel plant.

The first blooming nasturtium that are planted around my patio tomatos.  Nasturtiums are so easy to grow, in just a few days from planting seeds they sprout.  It is almost instant gratification for impatient people. 

Nasturtiums have many different shades in their repertoire, another reason they are so fantastic. See that little yellow one about ready to bloom? 

This is my bodyguard Stonewall Jackson.  I have my journals and paper supply stored here and he has made that "his spot".  It's perfect because there is no room for anybody else, he can look out the window and also keep an eye on my activites.  He is a jelous fellow...I can't give any love to the youngest cat, he goes over and smacks him when I am done.  I found his papers the other day, he was born in 1999.  He is a feisty, bossy 13 year old. 

Stamping Spotlight-Darcies

Why do I love stamping?  Many reasons......
1.  I love to make things and cards with rubberstamps don't take as long as other things.  It's all what you put into it.
2. The images can be stamped over and over again colored in with many different mediums.
3.  The possibilities are endless with the cardstock, colors, ephemera.
4.  I love the feel of the wooden blocks, the acrylic blocks, the rubber unmounted, and the acrylic stamps. 

Here are cards I made from the Darcies  stamps that I have.
It has been really fun making them and I hope you equally enjoy  viewing them. 
I now have a stash to put away when I need them.
The first picture is the card, the second picture is the inside of the card and the envelope.

Hint....I also love getting handmade cards.....if you want to send me one, drop me an email and I will give you my address plus I will send you one back. 

Don't Stop Believing

This song gets played at the Detroit Tigers games.  My husband Tom and I love this...it mentions Detroit in the lyrics and also "You Don't Stop Believing" that your favorite team will win. 

While looking today on You Tube he found a very fun video made by the PS22 chorus in New York. These kids are great....I love their faces...you can see who puts their heart and soul into it and who is the aspiring class clown.  PS22-Don't Stop Believing

Since the tragic event of the Colorado Theater Shootings-Don't Stop Believing that there is still more good in the world than bad. 

My heart goes out to all the victims.

I am so sorry for the families.