Surprise

Marty was running the lawn mower around the yard  picking up leaves with the bagger last week.  He stopped to dump the bags down over the bank out back and look what he found.  We live on 10 acres, our house is surrounded by trees/woods on 3 sides and most of the 4th and we do not have close neighbors.  Where did these balloons come from, what celebration were they a part of and how long have they been out back???  One of the most unusual things we've "found" out here in the sticks! 

Perspective

We were out at a dump site looking for rocks to use for our walkway a couple of weeks ago when I took this picture.  When I downloaded it from my camera and viewed it full screen, the first thing I thought was, wow, that picture looks weird.  It made me feel like I was standing at the bottom of a valley, looking up at mountain peaks, when really, the rock pile was just a couple of feet taller than either one of us and the trees were just regular trees in the background.

The view isn't always what it seems; it's out of focus or at a funny angle or maybe purposely deceptive.  We can't always take things at face value but I tend to, about 99 percent of the time.  We laugh together often, Marty & I, joking we are the perfect pair, you know, opposites attract; I see the good and he sees the bad, half full versus half empty.
Marty says I'm easily fooled and perhaps he's right because I do get hurt.  But I would rather be disappointed in my judgement or shed a tear or two as opposed to not giving someone or something the opportunity to prove that they are as good or better than I believe.
I think living life is all about perspective, don't you?

To Do....DONE

I've been saving pictures until I had time to post.  I'm in York, PA at a Greenways & Trails Conference, I've finished my work, have one ear on the World Series and my eyes on this screen.  A little catch up tonight...

We are working on a stone walk way from the upper deck to the  basement door entryway.  I planted this row of little violas this summer for some color and interest in this area.  They didn't burst into color all summer as I had hoped but they were bright spots now and then when I was walking by on my way to do something.

I had alternate purples & yellows; the purples are my favorites.

Got the windows cleaned and put in place in the potting shed.   This potting shed brings me so much joy.  Every day I  look out my kitchen window and smile.  When I"m down there puttering, I remember being a little girl playing house, I always imagined a little place to call my own, a place just for me....now I have it!

I planted my purple clematis (on the trellis, it's hard to see) and two low level ground covers.  This is a problem area for me  as far as gardening, so I hope these plants will grow & flourish.

Exciting event for my project

I am actively involved in a local historical awareness project, Pennsylvania Kinzua Pathways (PKP) and we just had our name (webpage) show up in a You Tube video promoting the PA Wilds!!  I know, if you blink, you'll miss it but check out the video anyway, it is awesome!

http://youtu.be/wMXEJU5pt0Q

Look for the turquoise and brown colored webpage at the 4:44 mark and if you would like to learn more about the project, check out the webpage

http://www.pennsylvaniakinzuapathways.com/

Yahoo!!!

The box is off!

Ah, Dish Rag Tag!  Brings back such good memories of the outstanding team and wonderful experience we had last year, doesn't it?  I thought I'd pop in and post because I just knit my bit for Team 6, Purls Gone Wild, and will mail out the box tomorrow.

Coralee, Diane, Leah, Latina, Gayle ... I miss you all!
My team is wonderful but there will never be anything like the camaraderie we developed in Five Alarm Fire. Never, I say!  Good luck to everyone in the race (but better luck to my team!) and I hope your memories are as fond as mine.

Waiting to be.....

It's cold in PA this evening, 47, our first frost is a real possibility.  The cool air caused me to look around when I drove up the driveway tonight.  The clematis I bought two weeks ago is still waiting to be planted in it's new home.  The windows that I finally painted for my potting shed are still waiting to be washed and installed.  The 8 bags of mulch under the deck are waiting to be allocated and emptied on the appropriate areas.  Waiting to be, waiting to be, waiting to be.........holy cow, that's a lot waiting to be done.  This happens every year round this time, always think you'll get to it, we'll finish that tomorrow or that won't take long and before you know it, it is scramble time.  I have "HOME" noted on the calendar for this entire weekend.  Since I was away (perhaps that's part of the waiting backup:)) last weekend, it appears I'll have plenty to do this weekend.  Nothing really overwhelming, just lots of little, "gotta get this finished before winter" projects.  I work better under pressure, my planning & organizing self kicks in and I get things........well, written down at least!!  Kidding, have a positive outlook for the weekend, maybe even pictures by Monday.  Keep warm ya'll!

#3 :)

The remainder of today at retreat was interesting.  A few times I had tears in my eyes for others, well, maybe some for me too, but mostly others.  Sharing feels good in the right environment.  What you see below is my Interior Self as a SoulCollage.  This activity hit me hard, I can't take my eyes off it.  Not sure if it's because

1. I created something

2. It really speaks to me, even though I'm not exactly sure what it says

3. I want to know what it means; what made me choose these pictures.

I'm an artist....NOT, but it was an amazing experience!

Our facilitator, Sr. Carolyn, provided a piece of cardstock, scissors, glue sticks and a table full of images.  Images of anything and everything cut from magazines, greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc. along with extra magazines, store sale flyers, anything with words and images, black & white and color.  We were asked to summon your Interior Self, approach the table and take anything that appealed to you.  The only instructions NO THINKING or planning or organizing allowed---just do it!  Let your Interior Self take over, free yourself of control.
Most likely you do not know me, so let me assure you, those few words strike fear in this girl's heart!!  I am a planner to the nth degree, so much so that I often fail to accomplish my tasks because I spend so much time planning and organizing.  But in my own defense, when I do get it done, it's permanent.
As I looked around the room at 19 other "Interiors" the results were amazing to see. I looked at each one individually, found some that felt like me and others that made me wonder....  Sr. Carolyn said it might be years before we know what spoke to us in each image or we may feel the connection right now.  As time passes, these same images may represent something completely different to us.
Either way, right now, all I know for sure, I'm framing it when I get home.