Stick to It

With the May showers come lots of fallen branches - some of which have fallen on our house.

  So... what to do -  what to do!    We've hauled truck loads to the recycle center  

(after I've picked through them of course -

 to pull out the best pieces) 

There are so many things you can make with branches and sticks....

Like these trellis-fences to hold up our lily's

It doesn't look like it in this picture - but the lilys will grow really tall - and then fall over, which makes it hard to mow.... these stick trellisses are just enough to keep them from laying flat on the ground  - or breaking off altogether. 

I made this free-form trellis after I got my nail gun for my birthday - - - wow what a difference it made as far as construction ease!   Night and day I tell you!  Night and Day!!  (I LOVE my nail gun.... I'm just saying!)

In this picture you can start to  see how the lillys grow - and these haven't reached full size yet.  They are especially pretty when they bloom!  Please imagine these carefully weeded....

thank you!

 My rosebush really loves this trellis - although I think I needed to make it about twice as big!

I wanted a split rail fence next to my shed so I could grow some climbing roses to spruce up the empty wood side...

My first attempt turned out more like a headboard than a fence.... I'll have to find a place in the back yard to put that.....

My second attempt - much better - turned out more like what I had in mind... and the best part...... it only cost me the price of some nails for my nail gun!  I can't wait to plant my rose bush!

more stick ideas to come.....

You're as Good Lookin as you Feel!

There are some days, when I get up, that I just can't pull it all together.  My hair won't go the right way - my scale says I've gained a few pounds and I can't find anything to wear.  I hate the way my makeup looks and I just leave the house feeling less than pretty.    It's hard to get my head in the game when I start the day that way.  But at the park the other day - I saw this little guy and realized - - - it's all a mind game....

This guy, amongst all the beautiful black and white ducks and canada geese,

Sat there - like a movie star... with his red,

lumpy face....

Rockin his Elvis hair!

Accomplished-ment!

ConGRAD-ulations to our Graduate..... AGAIN!

 This time she has MASTERED teaching... can you believe it?    Just a few more summer classes and she'll be out in the "real" world with a class of her own.. I just know she can't wait! 

 Graduation was amazing - The hooding ceremony was crazy - each doctor brought a doctor of their own to do the honors.... I've never seen anything like it. That's next on Jessica's list!  : )  

Jessica's friend Kati (sp?)  was introducing her family to her fiance's family for the first time....aren't they both so cute? 

Linda took everyone to lunch at silver spoon - yum!  Katie actually got to see her sister graduate... and is trying to narrow down her field of study as we speak.   

 All in all it was a wonderful day!  I am so proud of Jess - she has set her sights on her goals and never waivered. 

 The sky is the limit and nothing she wants to do is out of reach!

All the little birdies....

It's amazing to me how nature is so trusting. Outside our front door... about thigh high is this evergreen bush - and inside it's prickly branches we happened to see....

such delicate beauty and so within reach of the crazy - murderous cat that lives next door and stalks the wildlife in my yard! (no bad feelings there on my part... remind me to tell you the story about me... that darn cat... and the chipmunk) Anyway.... I've been keeping an eye on the bush - sneaking a peak to make sure everything is ok...

and two of the eggs have hatched

aren't they... um..... cute?

I think they look just like their mother

Little Fur Man

I was out on the porch today - and this little brave soul came right up to me

He was trying to tell me that the branch that had fallen earlier had knocked down the corn cob holder....

and there was no corn on his branch..... I was so surprised to see his cute little furry face, however, that I just kept snapping pictures of him - while he flipped his tail in agitation - and flapped his arms around and got closer and closer to me....

Til he looked me straight in the eye in disgust... and then I realized... No corn! What was I thinking!

Yes - I have a problem... I love squirrels!! There's just something about those funny furry feet that make me smile!

My Birthday - The Denial Years!

My beautiful daughters and loving husband celebrated my birthday with me yesterday! We had a delicious dinner at Hidalgo's - my favorite mexican restaurant... then came home for cake... which my husband loaded with trick candles... accidentally.... mmm hmmmmmm!

He did, however, do me the favor of NOT placing the entire number of candles on my cake to match the number of years I am celebrating...... something I stopped doing several years ago for fear I'd burn the house down!

But he's got to work on his

"You're HOW OLD?"

 face... dont' you think?

My birthday flowers
make up for it though!

Flowers - a new nail gun, mexican food, cake and family time!  It was a really good birthday!

A Whole Latta Regatta!

So It's rowing season and weekends mean Regattas! 

Warm days, friends and races in the sun!

Winning always makes the day more fun!

And having family there to cheer you on is vital to victory - of course!

Go Katie Go!

ATOMI-CCC!    Even the wild life enjoys rowing....  (ha - well - maybe not so much)

Scrap Wood Thingies....

The good thing about renovating a house is he piles and piles of wood scraps that are left behind... and being the recycler that I am - I can't just throw any of them away until I determine that they are just too small to make something out of.

Even the smallest scraps of wood can become a little bench. 

An old kitchen cabinet door - a funky table....

Shutters and a square of wood could be a plant stand

and all those scraps that are left.... make into a shelf to hold your knick knacks.... like we ALL need one of those!

I have decided that all I need to be happy is some wood, paint and tools...!

Life is good!

Just Hanging Out

At the lake the other day I saw this guy - hanging out on this log.... minding his own business

And as he turned around and watched Katie row by  I realised - he had the  Best Seat in the House!

Heading North for the Winter!!?

They're off  - my nephews are off to be with their dad in Alaska!  A whole country away!  

 It's going to be very strange not to have them here... although we didn't get to see them very much with school and work and everything keeping us apart during the week....

Just knowing they were here, close - where we could get together for a special occasion - like a birthday party - or christmas, thanksgiving, halloween... you know - all those family times when you usually see each other.... made it ok!

Needless to say - the boys were really excited to see their dad...... and those of us left behind will be ok..... eventually!

Puppy sitting Casualty

So last weekend we puppysat my sister in laws adorable... energetic corgi puppies so she could attend the UT football game....

They absolutely LOVE to play with our dogs and the four fluffer-butts run in and out of the house ALL DAY LONG!!  Which is great for them.... and works to keep the activity in the house down while they race around the back yard then come into the house to cool off for a bit - then do it all over again.

The next day, however, when I was outside feeding the squirrels - I happened to look back over my shoulder and saw THIS backing itself down our tree.....right off of our deck...

 My guess is that with all the wild furball activity the night before... our nightly masked visitor (who comes to finish off whatever the squirrels don't eat during the day) probably got treed and never had the opportunity to leave... then fell asleep in the tree when it got too late.... He was trying to sneak away when I caught sight of him.....

When I started talking to him, however... he quickly reversed direction - going back up the tree and started circling towards the back of  the tree to try to get out of sight.... but - it was bright out and he was tired... so I think he thought he was invisible... when really - - - I could see him quite clearly!

Even the branches really didn't really help hide him since I knew where he was - but after taking a few pictures - I left him to exit gracefully and just enjoyed the moment I'd had with this furry visitor!

Squeeker, Squiggles, Squigbert, Benny and.... Barbara?

We've had an invasion of cuteness at our house.......

 Not IN our house exactly.... in our back yard.... we had a visitor a while back - and apparently - she had a family.... and... well - you know.....

Our family being the pet rat owning type... we've had a little trouble knowing what to do with them..... but when one  turned into two then three then five - we decided we'd better make some choices before they decided to move INTO our house this winter.  And, as much as I love our domesticated pets... the thought of a non-domesticated rat in my house (cute as they may be) really icks me out!!

 So - we have been trying the Haveaheart - catch and release trap... in hopes of catching the whole family and relocating them to the woods away from peoples homes..... so far, however, these little critters have outwitted us - taken the bait and run laughing into their holes....

life is but a dream...

Katies new Passion ... rowing .....katie has been practicing with the oak ridge rowing team the last week in hopes that she'll get to be a young 7th grade rower on this years team! And finally - yesterday - we got the news.....

She made it!! She'll be a reserve this season but the coach assured us that everyone would get to race. Plus.... Next year she'll be one year more seasoned and a year ahead of the other 8th graders that will be just starting!

So - now - it's daily practices on the lake - with blisters and sunburns - and a lot of smiles and camaraderie! Can't wait to watch those long boats fly!

DJ

Graduation number two last weekend - my nephew

DJ - Devin Jack Sherwood.....

Not only did he graduate but he played an integral

 part in the entire graduation ceremony....

Devin also put together a video that ran - with a

commemoration of several important people that could

not be there on this special day.....

 The ceremony was short but meaningful - and Kelli would

have been so proud of her son!

I know his dad was proud - and drove a very long

way to be here to see him graduate!

Nana and Pawpaw were there to cheer!

And baby Nana - so very sweet!

Overall - it was a very special day!!