Sunday September 10th...

Participants:

• Meena
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira
• Susan

Sweet Meena started this Sunday off with a little kitty meditation under the windchimes in the front yard. As you can see, the weather is drying out a bit (which is good for the water problem I've been having...At least) so...The kitty girl took advantage of this by playing with Rozzilyn in the front yard!

Mama and Rozzie worked on a little doll that Rozzilyn had been excited about all week! His name is Harry, and he is from this book:

They worked on making him out of felt...And almost finished him by the time they left...

Mama and I stopped half way through Creative Sunday, right after we stuffed ourselves with cashew hummus and guacamole to watch the very end of um...Project Runway Season One...You see, we both came by this show only this year, and it's already in it's third season...And since everyone (my sister) says that the first season is the best...We had to watch it! We were, ahhh, a little obsessed with watching it this past week (ok, most of our conversations revolved around it) it is so amazing and inspiring! Jay's collection was incredible, and he made me laugh out loud all through the whole season...I am enjoying this season as well, don't get me wrong, it just seems like everyone takes themselves a little too serious. And Jay is showing his actual ready-to-wear collection at Olympus Fashion Week on the 15th in New York this week...I would love to be able to see it, and I wish that Bravo was showing it...Sigh.

So, I am feeling a little "reality TV let-down"...But I did manage to make a quilted bag...


It is quite large...Because I made it to carry stuff to work in. Since I have been walking to work almost daily, there is a lot for me to carry...All my "supplies" including my salad for lunch, my purse...All sorts of stuff....This is going to be the perfect size!


This consists of fabric squares I picked up with a patchwork unfinished quilt at a yard sale (a HUGE box of fabric scraps...All vintage)
The liner is yellow gingham checks...Although I did not put in a pocket...







Each square had a different pattern on it...the yellow and green floral squares have a circle, the dots have stripes, and the green and blue floral has just a square... I am excited to carry it tomorrow!








Now I'm off to watch Cold Feet Season 2...one of my favorite BBC series (the other one being Coupling!) Is it me or do the British have much better comedy shows?!

The Last Pie...

Well, perhaps not the last one, but you see, I've come to the end of my apples (yes that's my mom chuckling in the background...Because with apple trees there's always more) So, I actually made this pie for my friend Keith that works at the shop next to mine, but decided to take the weekend off (sorry Keith the other boys got the pie...That's what happens when you take a weekend off!) As you can see, the pie looks a little broken up...I almost dropped it when I was taking it out of the oven. Instead, I spilled a lot of the pie juice on the oven door.




And look what was waiting for me when I got home~



A ginormous package from my dad! Seriously, this thing has soooo much stuff in it, that I could barely lift it. I am really excited to go through it and see what treasures are within. That's oilcloth on the top...And there's the same pattern in there with a yellow background as well. Thank you dad!!!

The gutter guy was here...So that's a go. I will take some before and after pictures for everyone to enjoy (did you know September is National Preparadness Month? I'll say...there's a lot of $ being spent around here on home improvements!) As soon as I get the treasures unloaded from the box, I'll post pictures of that as well!

Rain Rain...Go Away...

OK...Purely for selfish reasons. I did get the bid in for the first landscaper that I talked to and the savings of going with him will be about $1,200. So, I'm treating myself to new gutters as well (yay) The gutters have been on the house since I've owned it, and they're not doing that well...So the gutter guys are coming tomorrow.

It started hailing/raining again earlier and I rushed home from my mom's to preliminary flooding down in the "problem area" So, I got out there in the pond that was happening, with a metal hoe...And dug up some more trenches...Yes, with lightning all around. I felt like Captain Dan (from Forrest Gump) I know, probably not the safest plan (other than some sandbags and some ducks!) but I had to do something because the water was pooling up by the back door again...I may have solved a little of the problem...Time will tell

Keep your fingers crossed.

UPDATE: It was just raining like a mutha' and no more water pooling up by the back door (phew...for now) I need to go rescue Ms. Meena from under the bed...she seems to be deathly afraid of thunder...poor sweet baby kitty.

...Bought Logo!

Here it is, the signed copy of the contract for the buy-out of the "I know about me." logo...Which I officially own now (and Rozzilyn officially sold me...her first idea...a 9 year-old, no less...these homeschoolers are amazing people) on Sunday! Not bad for a little sentence she left me on the counter of my shop one day...The girl is a genius!

I am excited to be related to her!

Now, this doesn't mean if I become some wonderfully famous fashion person that I would indeed leave my family out of it...They're coming too!

No news on the water situation yet...I do have one bid for what I think is a little high, and a lot of work...And someone else who doesn't seem too concerned with the amount of work it will take to do the job, but no bid from him yet...So, I will let you know how it all works out.

Thanks to my wonderful mother, I am feeling better about having to make this decision...She helpfully pointed out that I may just not want to be making this decision (after 2 marathon phone sessions...Thanks mom)

And I don't, not alone, not by myself.

Yet, I realize something needs to be done, and I am the one who needs to make the decision right now...So I will. No matter how hard it seems (and there is a sense of pride in me when I decide to do something now, and work to get it done...different than before) I suppose while this decision will not bring about the end of the world, it is what this decision is bringing up in me right now, what it is representing. Since the divorce all sorts of "stuff" has been coming up, things I've been trying to ignore for years (go figure...although, I feel like I'm going crazy most of the time now...yes, even more than before) I know I don't mention a lot on the blog about the divorce and my feelings about that...I have journals full of that "stuff", but sometimes, I need to share a little observation here and there. Because sometimes I struggle with my life.

So, here's to a good night's sleep (I hope)

(I've got enough Valerian, Rescue Remedy and Kava-Kava in me that I'm just wanting to sit and stare...)

Happy Little Mushroom...

Sometime in the last week, I threw out some rose petals my mom gave me from her roses (only because they were getting dusty) And the fact that I stumbled out the door and deposited them not on the walk way, but in the flower garden was nothing short of a miracle (sometimes it's an effort to get off the chair...tee-hee) And look what I found this morning...a sweet little mushroom (or is it a toadstool?) The fairies must have been excited that I littered their flower bed with rose petals!

It was a lovely start to a day that was a little stressful for me. On Sunday, Rozzie was downstairs and said she smelled something, and we brushed her off...No more! I walked down there last afternoon (after a otherwise blissful day of relaxing) to the unmistakable smell of mildew. Which could only mean one thing in a basement area...Water. Yes, I took on water after the HUGE storm (buckets of rain and hail) on Saturday. So, after some preliminary digging around and sucking up water and cleaning the carpets...I've decided to call someone in to give me an estimate. This time I do not feel confident enough to tackle this problem. I'm feeling a little guilty like I could do this project if I really wanted to...But at the same time it's extremely overwhelming. This time I need some help...And while the water coming in the back door hasn't been a huge problem in the past, I don't want it to become one in the future. So, the carpet is air drying tonight with the door open...And I have an appointment with my first landscaper in the morning

(wish me luck, I'm feeling a little scared)

Sunday September 3rd...

Participants:

• Mama
• Rozzilyn
• Me...Sadira

Ahhh...The day before I stay home all day and relax...No leaving the property...Movies (I got the first season of Project Runway since I missed it the first time around) Naps...Perhaps crafting...Definitely eating...WHAT A DAY! But, before that...Creative Sunday!

Mama's Project:

Spinning...Yes, she "hauled out" her wonderful spinning wheel, set it up, with a little help from Google (it's been 2 years since she has spun anything!) She's taking a "little break" from knitting. The large ball next to her, that she is feeding into the spinning wheel is prepared and readied Wool (from a sheep...Yes, she can spin other fibers...I believe the little pink spool to the right on the wheel is soy silk!)is called Roving.

We found that after we broke for lunch, she was having a hard time getting back into the rhythm...So, I realized that I forgot to put the music back on...And although she's spun in silence before...Today she needed the techno beat to spin!

Rozzilyn:

Worked on learning how to use a typewriter...Practicing her fingering placement. I remember how important this class was for me when I learned (I swear it was the best class I took in high school)
She wrote a short story.

And lunch today consisted of all these yummy organic veggies with guacamole (my special...throw everything in it...olive and tomatoes...garlic...yummmm!) With the star veggie being that amazing purple bell pepper!

Not only was it beautiful to look at...light green in the inside, but really tasty!

My Projects:

I managed to whip up 3 more bags, as I noticed that I was down to 2 in the shop...And I can't have that!
2 have kind of fallish colors (not intentional...weird) and were made from various thrifted sheets...and the plaid lining was a piece of linen which I realized I may need to make a pair of fall capris out of...

And, one bag that is very colorful, but the fabric is so wonderful.
A pink day of the dead pattern with gold...

AND...
ta-dah...

drum roll please...

Quilt Update...

DONE!



I was so proud of myself, I almost cried...I really love the way it turned out! I had to modify the way I did the border (that showed up on the back) because if I continued to quilt it out to the edges...the red thread showed up on the white polk-a-dot and looked quite awful!

And, this is a little more detail of the binding on the front. I wasn't sure how it would look all together, as that particular material wasn't "officially" from the same collection....But it all looks so amazing.

(sniff-sniff)

I am feeling so accomplished.

So, we ate a dessert picnic on it...

with the monkeys!

Who ate and played nicely...

But...I think the sugar got to them...

Because, they got a little out of control!

So, we made them go inside...

All except this one, because he was OK...

AND, if anyone wants to come over for a picnic, let me know...

I'm ready now!

Randomness...

Well...I'm Starving (funny, at the end of the day I can usually make it home just fine...But today, I almost didn't) which is a little odd, as I brought the regular amount of food to work. The only thing I can attribute it to is the fact that I got up this morning and hiked up Thumb Butte with my mom. We've been hiking Thumb Butte on Saturdays after yard sales, as the yard sales here lately have been a little ho-hum. It takes us about an hour, and is a pretty challenging trail for us...And a great way to start the day!






I also had a bit of a late night as my good friend Dina and I went out for coffee and talkies at The Raven Cafe...This new really great wine/beer/coffee bar in town that also happens to make the most outrageous sweet potato fries! We've actually been friends for almost 26 years...And it was wonderful to reconnect with her.

She has a gorgeous son, and is wanting to re-do his bedroom for him in a cowboy theme...So, I volunteered my services...And a feather comforter and iron bed that I happen to have laying around the house! I love that I can find good homes for these things...Because they need to be with someone else now, and I know that they'll appreciate them.



The monkey quilt is almost done...Well, with the quilting part anyway...And I am anticipating finishing it up tonight (we'll see)

I'm working on special "No Leaving the Property" Labor day Monday...Which will consist of me watching movies or programs all day preferably in my PJ's...Eating yummy snacks and just totally relaxing. Which, as I can tell, is going to take quite a bit of preparation on my part, and running to various stores to set it all up before Monday actually arrives.






I'll keep you posted, because I really think all the planning will be worth it!

I have nothing to wear...

Ok...Anyone who knows me, knows that's not entirely true! Since I own a resale clothing store, I ususally have something to wear. But, as I walked into the craft room this morning, I glanced upon the pile of tees with designs that need to be collaged and sewn on them...And since I have the red thread in the machine because of all the quilting that is being done around here, I whipped this top up really quick...

This design isn't as detailed as the other tees I made...Because I really enjoy the simplicity. I love that both the top is striped, and the "serenity" bird design has stripes behind it as well! And, I decided to sew my tag on top of the striped fabric, since I thought they compliment each other so very well!

PS...YAY about Project Runway!!

Worn out...

absolutely and entirely ...
YAWN ...
After coming home today, I thought I'd try to put the banner on the blog. Well, you know how you can sit in front of the computer for hours and loose time?
Time flew by...
In between the designing and layout of the banner ...And the attempt at putting it into the Html format, it got quite dark outside. And I still couldn't make it the right size, or put it in the right spot...Someone's going to have to give me a tutorial on this one... Is there anyone out there who can help?

Also, my MSM glass vitamin bottle came flying out of the cupboard for no reason whatsoever, and fell on to two of my sweet French fruit drinking glasses...Shattering them into pieces.

sigh

I can't replace these because I bought them so long ago. So, I guess it's new glasses for me. I think I'll take my time, and get some fun ones to replace these!

As you can see by the picture above...Guess what I started?
Yes, the quilting of the quilt! (This morning, even before I read the comment that my mom left yesterday) It is going quite well...I've got about 3/4 of the thing done, and I'm going to sit and clip thread during Project Runway tonight. I am also going to enjoy some Junior Mints because I have been looking forward to eating them all day...
And now's my chance!

Good Morning...

After quite a bit of blog tweaking (and re-publishing about...a million times) I'm mostly pleased with the results. And now for the banner (eeekkk...I'm taking it slow on that one!)

As a little reward, I decided to eat up a little more of the apple cake my mom brought over on Sunday for breakfast (because I certainly don't want it to go bad!) and have it with my "morning version" of the Hazelnut Romance...No blending, just the whole mix over ice! And, I wanted to mention that I found some really wonderful Whipped Topping...Using only SOY! I am really excited about this, the taste is nice...Not too sweet (like real whipped cream) so, it's a wonderful alternative, especially if you have a bit of a dairy allergy...

plus, you get to squirt it out of a can!
Always a lovely day to start the day...

A little bit of change...

...Never hurt anyone right? So, as you can see, I am changing the blog around and tweaking it a bit here and there. I was really feeling the need to stretch myself a little creatively and make a my own banner...And I thought this would be the perfect template to use! So, bear with me as I change this about...Breathe, breathe (for my benefit!)

Sunday August 28th...

Participants:

• Kate
• Megan
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira
• Susan

Yipee!! Wonderful fun Creative Sunday...All the girls, lots of inspiration, and some actual creating! Megan and Kate joined in today, and we all sat about and talked and got on the computer and shared all the things we've been doing and seeing around the world lately! I made Hazelnut Romances for the group...






and inbetween everything, we managed to make and eat a delicious lunch...Salad, veggies with guacamole and tortillas with hummus... My mom and I both made desserts (one to eat then and one for me to take to Kate's that night for Cribbage) I made the apple pie to take-away, and Mom made the apple cake...a French recipe from Joy of Cooking without eggs...Super healthy, and really rich and yummy! We both used...You guessed it...her apples, however, she climbed up in the accidental apple tree in my yard (one that sits in the back in a weird spot, and is watered by my grey water from the washing machine...Don't worry, I only use organic detergent) and got quite a few apples as well, so...I think something apple-ie is still on it's way!

I made this hoodie for Kate (as she requested it a long time ago, although it took me all this time to find a good hoodie for her) It is perfect because she lives in a warmer part of the state...and not only does it look good with a tank...but, I think it would look devine with long sleeves under it as well!












And, for whatever reason...this painting was so fast and fun, I really did more flowy things with it this time...and it really helped me fulfill Rhonna's challenge of the day for speed!





Rozzilyn worked on a family photo album she's putting together (she may be the only one in the family that is into organizing photos...you go girlie!)










And, at some point, I wandered into the living room and found my mom under her embroidery project...







I found the time to whip up this bag also in the later part of the afternoon...I adore the Day Of The Dead material, and I actually found it at JoAnn's...this bag is for a member of my family who shall remain nameless...but will probably read the blog before I get it sent off...but you know who you are!!!


Kate worked on some new socks she's knitting (which I did not take a picture of...boo!) And Megan came to check everything out, connect and inspire! I am certainly hoping she'll find her way back as well...She is an extremely talented jewelry maker, and I have always been inspired by her continuous creative work...Anyway, she'd better come back, especially if she wants to learn how to embroider!

I ended the day by dragging myself off the bed where I was laying giggling with Mom and Rozzie...And heading to Kate's for dinner, a walk and cribbage. I love cribbage, and, I was just saying the other day, how much I really wanted to play again...and here was my opportunity! I also got to play with Zora...who is teething with those nasty 2 year molars...poor baby, but it didn't stop her from giggling and having fun!

Today I was up early hiking my 4 miles on Peavine (as a treat for myself) then in for an eye exam...where my eyes, are actually doing better (odd)...and as another treat for myself...new glasses! I can't wait to get them (14 days...sigh)...and now I'm off to Kate's for the afternoon with more food and hazelnut romances!

PHEW...I love this!

Friday's WIP

Well...here it is...the picnic quilt...
basted...
still...
ready... and waiting...
like it has been...
all
week
long.

I guess I'm a little um...Intimidated to start on this thing. Plus, it's been a little hectic this week for me, emotionally, and I'm still nursing the sniffles a little bit...And feeling much better today.
Rhona's challenge for today is repetition. I think the quilt would be the perfect thing to practice repitition on...Quilting each of these squares. And something that I will commit to starting on this weekend (I promise)
My weekend is shaping up to be fun and busy. Sat. Night out with the Amy's and perhaps Kate will join us too. She's visiting, and planning on coming on Sunday for Creative Sunday as well (with ms. baby girl...who said "bye-bye Sadie" today to me, and wanted me to pick her up...swoon my heart sweet girl!) Plus, we may get together with Megan (who um...needs to get her own blog thank you!)

wo-hoo...I love weekends like this!

Corners of my home

I love this little corner, it's right by my front window...next to the armoire that houses the TV. The Largest Sock Monkey in the World sits holding his two little compadres (no, he's not strangling them) Behind them on the window, sits an old wooden corbel from a home which is painted (peeling too...yum) black, red, white and green. And on the other side of them is the little CD tower that has my wooden hat form on it. I love this wooden hat form...and I really wish that I had some more! I remember seeing a whole collection in a Mary Engelbreit magazine that some woman has back east who actually makes hats and uses them (lucky her)


Today I had great hopes for myself...I didn't take my morning walk thinking that I would go to Peavine tonight after work...and the heavens opened up and it rained and rained...seriously, I thought I was going to have to grow webbed feet to walk home! Needless to say, I won't be wattering the yard tonight.

Also...I woke up with a stuffy nose and a little scritchy in the throat...so, after sneezing several times today, and feeling a bit more fatigued than normal, I am giving myself some time off tonight. I am going to sit here, drinking my Emer'gen-C (and tea...in my "It's good to be queen" mug) wearing my new vintage inspired cherry and blue-bird PJ's with the..um...really involved kneeding kitty on my lap.



So, for Rhonna's excersise today...the theme is inspriation...and as you can see...I will be inspired to just relax (something that I have a hard time doing) and feel better...so I can be even more creative tomorrow!


Sweet...Sweet life
sniff...
sniff...

Creativity Exercise-a-Day (2)

Ok...It's beat the clock time, because the countdown to project runway has started (half an hour!) but, I need to post (don't I?)

For today's Creative Excercise-a-Day I was really excited because upon visiting Amazon.com's home page, there was a little blurb about Zach Braff, and his new movie The Last Kiss...and even more importantly the soundtrack! Which is already out, with the movie following next month. I have a serious crush on this guy Zach...Yes, I know he's only 31, but that's not too far off my age (and the crush is somewhat rivaling the crush I've had on John Cusak...I know, more my age...sigh) The thing about Zach is that he plays these really just weird characters...something I have been known to be attracted to, but since I don't seem to be living in Hollywood, I'll support his career by far and buy his soundtracks and see his movies instead. And, since today's challenge was to crank up the tunes and create, I bought this soundtrack from iTunes as a treat for myself, downloaded it onto the Nano...and burned a CD for myself. It is amazingly wonderful!! Just as good as Garden State, I think...I turned it up in the store and re-did the window (I also cried a little bit, because I've been doing that a lot lately...and the songs are just so good) I did not happen to have the camera with me...so you'll have to believe me when I say that it's inspired...in fact, I already sold something out of it...the true test!

I also carried my creativity farther and went to Amy's house tonight and cooked dinner for the family. The menu was: Summer spaghetti (spaghetti with olive oil, Parmesan, fresh garlic, basil and tomatoes...Served at room temperature for a nice summertime pasta) A lovely salad, some garlic bread, and The Hazelnut Romance (of course)

And...


fresh apple pie!
(yes that's Ellen's amazing harp in the background!)
sigh...I don't look as though I should be eating any of that pie, bleah pictures of me!

OH...sign update...I hung my new blingy signs today at the shop and I heard a little girl say, "wow...Look at her new sign...I love it!"
I'm a hit.

Creativity Exercise-a-Day

In the beginning...

Day One

Ok...So, Rhonna has a new challenge up...One that I definitely want to give a go! It is a Creativity Exercise-a-Day, which consists of (as far as I can tell) 10 days of creative challenges and to start it off was the challenge of using materials you wouldn't normaly use to be creative.

This really reminds me of a class I took in college to complete my degree (yes, I have a Creative Arts Advertising Degree, with a Psychology minor) When I switched my degree from psychology to Advertising...More importantly Creative Arts, I had to do a lot of art classes. There was a huge wall I had put up about art classes during and after high school, because I was so upset about having to do things the "right" way, and really leaving no room for my own creativity...Yes, the basics...But no room for me in them. So, I stopped being creative for quite a while there. Needless to say, I was really trying to take it slow and gentle with this art stuff...Sort of easing myself back into it...So to speak. I "accidentally" took a class with an amazing woman who recognized that I knew the basics and told me, and the 2 other students that I sat with "I trust you know what you're doing already...Do whatever you want, just make it fit with the assignments"

Yay!

Later, I took a 3-D art class with her. In this class we had to stretch our creativity into things we may have never done before...Explore our creativity. She encouraged us instead of buying our supplies, to dig in the trash and use found objects...And I really was surprised with what I came up with! I don't have anything I made for that class anymore, but I remember all the projects. I felt sorry for the people who just turned in the same types of things over and over, because I was getting so much out of what I was doing. (there was this one pottery major that kept turning in these headless, armless, legless torsos...it was disturbing)

So, tonight at Oh Knit...We did glitter...

Something I haven't done in a long while. Mama and Rozzie helped me glitter and glue these frighteningly blingy Open and Closed signs for the shop:





And while they may be WHOA-BOY...I am already thinking of a whole slew of things I can glitter-up in my life...By the way, the skull fabric is for another project I'm working on...It's not part of the signs (that may just be too much!)

Sunday August 20th...

Busy Busy Day...

Participants:

• Mr. Wyndham
• Mama
• Rozzilyn
• Sadira

This day started off with me baking...

a lovely apple pie! Yes, I have bags of yummy organic apples from my mother's trees...And finding stuff to make and bake with them is going to be a fun, and appetizing challenge...So, I started off with an apple pie, which both my mother and I (not Rozzie because she didn't try it) decided was very yummy, mostly because I am lazy and don't take the peels off the apples before I put them in the pie, but it turns out that it makes the pie have that wonderful tart taste...Plus, I use unrefined Sugar In The Raw, and I think that it gives it a taste between brown sugar and regular sugar! (and I cheat and use the Pillsbury crust, which is very good too...Probably not very healthy, but tasty!) I don't actually like crust, but I tend to spend a lot of time on crusts when I make a pie, either making them lattice, or using my canape cutters to cut out little shapes (this one had apples...Obviously) and putting them on the pies (wait till' you see my pumpkin pie!) Since I don't make pies all the time, I enjoy making them a little special.


I then scooted over to my mother's where she also had baking on the mind as she made these yummy apple turnovers using her biscuit recipe...Which were very good, not too sweet, perfect to have with a meal, or even for breakfast or a snack...Not too much sugar...Which I love! (especially for breakfast) We both used recipes from The Joy of Cooking...Which lead to a lengthy discussion entitled "what would we do without that cookbook?" It is just priceless, full of the most perfect basic recipes, I can't even tell you how many times I have consulted that book...Plus, most of the recipes are so simple, they easily adapt into our no wheat, no dairy, no refined sugar favorites!

We then moved on to making some curtains for my mother's living room...

this is the most beautiful fabric (at almost $30/yard...It's well worth it!) Kind of like taffeta, tanish with light pink stripes and embroidered flowers all over it. There are 3 or 4 different designs in this fabric series at JoAnn's and while we coveted all of them, my mother was able to choose just 2...One for her living room, and one for the parlor.

We finished these today for the living room, and hung them up using wire stretched between the window sash...a very good idea that she's already utilized in her kitchen using vintage inspired embroidered dish towels for curtains! All of the curtains will be half window curtains (probably because of the expense of the fabric) The other fabric is beautiful too, embroidered flowers on striped silk...Wait till' you see them!

And then we got to laying my quilt out on the floor, where upon my mother taught me how to baste...And then helped me baste the quilt back, batting and front together...It's all ready to quilt now! So, you can probably guess what my project for this next week will be. (Sorry, I do not have a picture of us crawling around on the floor with our hieners up in the air...Something I'm sure you're sorry you missed) Rozzilyn spent this time practicing sewing with thread on paper, and I am telling you now, she's a mean needle threader! As I was tying the ends of her thread into knots, I remembered how many times I had to ask my mom to do that for me, even though I could embroider and sew and thread a needle...I could not figure out how to tie a knot...It's really a special feeling to do this now for Rozzilyn.

Then Rozzie and I played a board game together, and we all had our afternoon tea/snack accompanied by a wonderful downpour of rain...And some thunder and lightning. We packed it up and went over to my grandmother's house to deliver some pie and turnovers...And Rozz decided to stay with her for the rest of the afternoon while my mother and I escaped to the Peavine trail for a 3 mile hike.

This trail was once part of the extensive railroad system we had up here in the north country, but has since been abandoned...And incidentally made into a non-motorized hiking trail. There are lots of flat parts of the trail that follow along the water...And then you just come upon the most amazing rock canyons you've ever seen and get to hike among them for quite a while.




I told my mom that since it's such a nice flat trail, with some little hills, I feel like I can walk and walk for hours. Plus, the miles are well marked, and there are all sorts of little side trails up into the boulders of Granite Dells...And paths down to the water, bridges and little benches all along the way! There is also tons of wildlife, including (but not limited to...And some things we saw today): Herons, Hawks, birds of all kinds...a baby bunny...And lots of lizards, and some rattlesnakes, and other snakes.

I'm really wanting to pack in a lunch some day soon, and see how far I can go on this trail...It is just beautiful. There are parts of Arizona that can just take your breath away...Water and trees, huge rocks and rainbows:



All dramatic in their own way, and all beautiful! I am lucky to have lived here for so long, and now fortunate that I am out hiking and enjoying the country side even more than before. I heard we have the most beautiful sunsets in the world here...I've been a lot of places, and find that I like the sunsets over the ocean maybe a little more beautiful (the waves and whatnot)

...But this will do in a pinch won't it?