12/18/13 Wednesday – Circle of Light

Christmas is near.

12/14/13 Saturday – Shhh...

I put googly-eyes on everything that ma ma has in her refrigerator. Do ya think she'll notice? Heh.

12/12/13 Thursday – Friendship Bread

I have Friendship Bread coming out of my heinie!

12/04/13 Wednesday – Wild Heart

The deer come to The Farm often. I love their peaceful ways.

12/01/13 Sunday – Something Sweet

Yogurt ice cream with crushed up cornflakes. Yummy in my tummy!

11/30/13 Saturday – Addictive

Hubby and I are crazy about this bread! Crazy, I tell ya! Crazy!

11/29/13 Friday – Countryside

Today we took a drive around the more rural areas nearby. Pretty.

11/28/13 Thursday – Melting Away

Winter doesn't last long here on The Farm. All of the snow has almost completely melted away. In Alaska we always have snow on the ground from October through April. I love snow.

11/27/13 Wednesday – Deer Winter

I'm so glad it snows here in Tennessee.

11/15/13 Friday – Flower Power

Pretty. Pink. Petunia.

11/14/13 Thursday – Best Friends

Ma ma and her sweet friend Georgia gathered nuts together.

11/13/13 Wednesday – From A Garden

You can't get green onions like this in Alaska. Nope, no, nodda.

10/25/13 Friday – Zebra Donkey

She's pretty.

10/24/13 Thursday – Bones and Banjo

We need this for our front porch...If only we had a front porch...

10/23/13 Wednesday – Soybeans

10/22/13 Tuesday – Our Neighbor

10/21/13 Monday – Quack

Dolly the duck:

10/20/13 Sunday – Ruler

1901

10/19/13 Saturday – Milk and Butter

Locust Ridge Farm

10/18/13 Friday – Pizza Time

Yummy!

10/17/13 Thursday – Farm Life

Image credit goes to Hubby.

10/16/13 Wednesday – Beyond The Wheat

Image credit goes to Hubby.

10/15/13 Tuesday – Where is Home

I miss my kids. I miss Katelyn. I miss Alaska.

10/14/13 Monday – On The Horizon

It's a quiet night.

10/13/13 Sunday – Empty Nest

Nests are fascinating to me. All that work. Bravo, birdie, bravo!

10/12/13 Saturday – Dr. Mills

When you find the right dentist, it's not so bad. Still, I'm glad I have all of my teeth. Floss, people, floss. She says with a smile.

10/11/13 Friday – Pull Up A Chair

Ma ma's wrought iron patio furniture needed to be cleaned up. So today was the day. I washed them, wire-brushed them, and put a fresh coat of spray paint on them. I got done right before sunset. They turned out really nice.

10/10/13 Thursday – Cool Clock

I'd be neat to have a Harvey Water Clock on the farm. Heh.

10/09/13 Wednesday – Play With Me

I miss him.

10/08/13 Tuesday – Stitches In Time

Crocheting to pass the time.

10/07/13 Monday – Kitty Pot

I grew some organic catnip and picked the first batch today. My cats have been busy smokin' doobies, experiencing zero gravity, and eating the last of the Snacks-for-Cats.

10/06/13 Sunday – It's Hot Outside

I picked my first batch of Cayenne Peppers. Ooh, how I love me some heat!

10/05/13 Saturday – Ma Ma's Orchard

Ma ma has nut trees, apple trees, and pear trees. They are all organic; no commercial herbicides are used on them. Amen.

10/04/13 Friday – Bobbin' for Apples

We went to the annual Apple Festival in Unicoi today. There were all kinds of fun things to do and old things to admire, like these vintage wooden spools. Pretty cool!

10/03/13 Thursday – Friendship

Amish Friendship Bread Starter. Let me warn you:
1. Friendship bread is extremely addictive!
2. Beware of The Cycle.
3. It's o.k. to Give-it-Up.
We received a bag of this bread starter from a local Amish girl. I kindly thanked her and then, without any prior knowledge on what to do with it, I got started.
I babysat my starter for the next ten days and following that, all I did was bake bread for the next 4 months. Lots of it! I was hooked. Then of course, by then end of month three, finding someone - anyone - to give a bread starter to was becoming nearly impossible. I finally said to myself enough is enough.

10/02/13 Wednesday – Honk Honk

Our neighbor was honking so I went to visit him. He's sweet.

10/01/13 Tuesday – Pride and Joy

Happy Birthday David! You. Are. Amazing! And Talented. And in many ways you gave me profound purpose in life. I am incredibly proud of you!

Now, go make that wish and have an awesome day!

I love you,

~Mom

Photo credit goes to: Mashaya.

09/30/13 Monday – Ribbit

We have frogs.

09/29/13 Sunday – Red Raindrops

One of my Begonia blooms:

09/28/13 Saturday – A Calm About It

Brick bridge over a creek:

09/27/13 Friday – Wild Berries

You're missing out if you haven't tried wild salmon berries with milk and sugar. What a sweet treat.

09/26/13 Thursday – Easy Does It

A surprise for ma ma. No, no, no...not him. The golf cart.

09/25/13 Wednesday – The Monarch

The new flowers we potted are attracting the monarch butterflies. Pretty!

09/24/13 Tuesday – Boy and their Toys

Hubby has a new toy.

09/23/13 Monday – Chestnuts

Oh, I was ever so fascinated by seeing nuts that actually grow on trees. Nuts from a tree. Real nuts!

09/22/13 Sunday – Cop-a-Squat

We're meeting some really nice people down here in Tennessee.

09/21/13 Saturday – Praying

I don't particularly care for insects. At all. But I love the Praying Mantis.

09/20/13 Friday – Acclimating

Tennessee sure is different than Alaska! We've been here three months. So far I have learned three things:
1. The sun sets fast.
2. The sun rises fast.
3. And ma ma drives fast.

09/19/13 Thursday – Feed the Birds

We delivered a bunch of bird feeders today and we met a few nice people too.

09/18/13 Wednesday – Cannonball

Can you find the cannonball? This is the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, built in 1860, located in downtown Greeneville, Tennessee. There is a Civil War cannonball embedded in the brick wall right by the front door.

09/17/13 Tuesday – Burn The Brush

The farmhand is burning the brush pile for ma ma. Hubby is the County Fire Marshal driving his little fire truck:

09/16/13 Monday – Farm View

Sometimes I feel like I am so very very far away from home.

09/15/13 Sunday – Big Tiller

Now that's what you call rototilling!

09/14/13 Saturday – North Neighbor

These are our neighbors to the north of us. They are are as sweet as buttermilk.

09/13/13 Friday – New Paths

Our neighbor owns approximately 67 acres of farmland that is leased out to a farmer who plants rotation crops. We maintain the tree line which naturally divides our property from his. This requires us to mow between his crop and our trees, making a path that also serves as a firebreak.

09/12/13 Thursday – House For A Bird

Stocking up the bird houses.

09/11/13 Wednesday – Noon Hopper

Frog tanning deck:

09/10/13 Tuesday – Midnight Hopper

Frog tanning booth:

09/09/13 Monday – Paws

True.

09/08/13 Sunday – Doughnut Hole

It's not just a pie-hole.

09/07/13 Saturday – Deck Appeal

Hubby and I visited a local nursery to purchase a few flowers and other plants that we potted. We put them on the deck to add a lil' happy-happy to ma ma's view.

09/06/13 Friday – Rolling Hills

People down here in Tennessee actually call these mountains. Uh, No. Nope. Those are not mountains. I think they are more like rolling hills compared to the majestic mountains of Alaska. Pretty though. I couldn't help but to analyze the difference between them of course. In Alaska, at sea level, standing next to a mountain, looking up - yeah, they look huge. The average peak elevation might be between 3 to 4 thousand feet. Now I'm in Tennessee at approximately 1,700 feet elevation level. Hell, in comparison, I'm half way up Thunder Mountain! My conclusion, in Tennessee I'm looking at half mountains, the tops of mountains, rolling hills. Heh.

09/05/13 Thursday – Hog Wild

Hubby is bush-hogging.

09/04/13 Wednesday – Amish Doughnuts

Hubby is in doughnut Heaven!

09/03/13 Tuesday – Hay Hubby

Hubby is having a hay-day:

09/02/13 Monday – A River Runs Through It

The Nolichucky River:

09/01/13 Sunday – Ma Ma Loves Pink

Ma ma has some really pretty flowers that she planted all around her house.

08/31/13 Saturday – Solar Flowers

We added some solar lights to the flowers that we potted for ma ma. They look really pretty at night.

08/30/13 Friday – Yarn Farm

Ma ma and I have been crocheting together lately. It has been fun, really. I've been making pot holders.

08/29/13 Thursday – Imprints

Gosh. I miss them. So much that it hurts.

08/28/13 Wednesday – Leaf

This insect looks just like a leaf. It's pretty cool! It's called a Katydid.

08/27/13 Tuesday – I Live With My Mother

That look you get when you live with your mother:

That look you get when you live with your mother-in-law:

08/26/13 Monday – Mikado Choo Choo

We took a lil' trip to DollyWood. It's only about an hour and a half drive away from where we live; 45 minutes if ma ma is driving. While we were there I constantly wished that all of my kids and granddaughter were with us to share in the adventures. We had a blast! We even rode on a train that is pulled by two steam locomotives which originally traveled the White Pass and Yukon railroad route. Pretty cool!

08/25/13 Sunday – Rock Me

I don't know why it is, but I love rocks. I thought this was pretty:

08/24/13 Saturday – Gettin' Dirty

It's time to shop for some farm equipment. The guy at this place was really nice. I'm sure that we'll be back to shop here again.

08/23/13 Friday – Hide and Seek

Silly frog; he thinks nobody can see him.

08/22/13 Thursday – Butterfly and Buds

Pretty!

08/21/13 Wednesday – Myotonia Congenita

Ooh, ooh, I want one! They're so cute! I was tempted to say BOO to see if they'd faint like the myotonic goats do. But, no, no I didn't.

08/20/13 Tuesday – Turkey Tuesday

There are wild turkey on The Farm.

08/19/13 Monday – Camouflage

This frog almost matches the deck that he sits on.

08/18/13 Sunday – Natures Candy

Ma ma has a fig tree. Oh, how I love figs. They are naturally sweet with a flavor that only nature can produce. M'm, m'm, m'm.

08/17/13 Saturday – Dahlia

08/16/13 Friday – Wings

This ain't no butterfly!

08/15/13 Thursday – George W. G. Ferris

We spent the better part of the evening hours at the Greene County Fair. We had fun.

08/14/13 Wednesday – Sun Go Down

It sure seems like the days are short here compared to the amount of daylight hours Alaska gets in the summertime.

08/13/13 Tuesday – Italian Cuisine

We were in the mood to eat out so we went to an Italian restaurant located in Greeneville. After reading through a gazillion items they had to offer on their menu, we opted for the chicken and spinach pizza. Not too bad.

08/12/13 Monday – Friends

They look alike.

08/11/13 Sunday – Head Popped Off

Yesterday we were busy cleaning up ma ma's flower beds. While Hubby was rototilling the blades of it nearly chopped the head off of a big, ugly, mean-ass snake. And, I kid you not! I saw that big, ugly, mean-ass snake reattach his head and slither off. REATTACH IT!

I did not sleep well last night.

08/10/13 Saturday – Rustic Decor

I think I'll decorate our new house with a rustic-antique theme. I thought this was cute:

08/09/13 Friday – Rockin' on the Porch

Not far from our farm is a small mom-and-pop grocery store. We enjoy shopping there. Sometimes we'll get a cold sandwich from the deli to eat while we sit in the shade on the front porch.

08/08/13 Thursday – Forever Flowers

These are cute! Simple, rustic, summer-like pretty.

08/07/13 Wednesday – Drippin' Wet

My sweat even sweats here. Non-stop sweat.

08/06/13 Tuesday – Monkey Butts

The squirrels here are HUGE! They're like orangutans jumping from one tree to the other. We're gonna have a lil' problem if one of them baboons land on my head!

08/05/13 Monday – Ma Ma's Bloom

08/04/13 Sunday – Track Me

Follow the train tracks.

08/03/13 Saturday – Caramel

Cute.

08/02/13 Friday – What Bunnies Do

Interesting...Don't they mean Speed Bump?

08/01/13 Thursday – Farm Land

Rolling hills and rolling bales.

07/31/13 Wednesday – Southern Doll

Adorable!

07/30/13 Tuesday – Playmates

Cornhusk dolls.

07/29/13 Monday – After Noon

Downtown Jonesborough...

07/28/13 Sunday – Purveyors

Time for a lil' sightseeing...

07/27/13 Saturday – The Hog

Bush-hoggin' time!

07/26/13 Friday – Quad Dude

Horse power, baby ... Horse Power!

07/25/13 Thursday – Farm Equipment

Time for some big boy toys.

07/24/13 Wednesday – New Ground

O.k. Just one more picture of my flowers from the past then I'll try to ground myself in Tennessee. Double Petunia:

07/23/13 Tuesday – Coral Red

Flowers and the soil they grow in make me smile. Hubby and I are both Alaska Certified Master Gardeners. For years, we sowed seeds and nurtured plants that grew into these lovely flowers that you see posted all over my Website. It was a very beautiful part of my life. I cherish those years.

07/22/13 Monday – Lupin

This flower grows wild in Alaska. A beautiful flower.

07/21/13 Sunday – Saxifrage

07/20/13 Saturday – A Garden Past

07/19/13 Friday – Poppy

07/18/13 Thursday – Happy Flower

07/17/13 Wednesday – Tree Trimmer

Hubby has been busy trimming ma ma's trees in her orchard.

07/16/13 Tuesday – Climber

This plant has been climbing ma ma's power pole, so her and I spent the afternoon cutting all of it off.

07/15/13 Monday – Light The Way

07/14/13 Sunday – Bug Dope

Citronella:

07/13/13 Saturday – Fly Alaska

You know it! Hubby added the Alaska flag to the flag pole on The Farm in Tennessee. Heh.

07/12/13 Friday – A Mother's Love

Bleeding Heart:

07/11/13 Thursday – Aquilegia. Granny's Bonnet. Columbine.

It's hot here in Tennessee. Very very hot!

07/10/13 Wednesday – Adjustments

I'm working on Happy.

07/09/13 Tuesday – Busy Hands Are Happy Hands

Thoughts of my children continue to flood my mind, but I'm trying to find ways to keep busy - even if we are plumb worn out.

07/08/13 Monday – Busy Thoughts

Although we are having fun in Tennessee, my mind is consumed with thoughts of all my children back in Alaska. Ugh! I miss them!

07/07/13 Sunday – Tobacco

07/06/13 Saturday – Storm Shutters

07/05/13 Friday – Wanna Quickie?

07/04/13 Thursday – White Wash

07/03/13 Wednesday – Tree Bench

Root shadows.

07/02/13 Tuesday – Tea Cart Plants

07/01/13 Monday – She Weeps

06/30/13 Sunday – Left My Heart

I forgot to pack my heart. It's back in Alaska where all my kids are.

06/29/13 Saturday – Settle Down

I sure hope the kids jumped into those boxes that I shipped. I miss them!

06/28/13 Friday – New Soil

Hello Tennessee. I hope I didn't just make one hell of a huge mistake.

06/27/13 Thursday – Astilbe Bee

Goodbye Alaska. I. Will. Return.

06/26/13 Wednesday – New Bloom

Sitka Rose:

06/25/13 Tuesday – Planted and Bloomed

I was planted in Alaska and I bloomed in Alaska.

06/24/13 Monday – Countdown

Ugh.

06/23/13 Sunday – Precious

My Sweet Pea.

06/22/13 Saturday – Moving Away

My skin is ready, but my heart struggles.

06/21/13 Friday – New Life

Peony bud.

06/20/13 Thursday – Special Boxes

O.k. kids, everyone get in your box. I'm taking you with me.

06/19/13 Wednesday – Kick the Ice

06/18/13 Tuesday – Ice

How many people can actually say that they have held a piece of glacier ice in their hand?

06/17/13 Monday – Pretty In Pink

One of my many favorite flowers, Peonies.

06/16/13 Sunday – Mendenhall Glacier

Beautiful!

06/15/13 Saturday – Pretty Blues

I absolutely love the color of the glacier!

06/14/13 Friday – Fish On

David and Derik spending quality time together. Makes me happy.

Image Credit: Deck Hand

06/13/13 Thursday – Peckerhead

He's back!

06/12/13 Wednesday – Hubby Hike

We hiked to Nugget Falls today.

06/11/13 Tuesday – Mendenhall Glacier

Hubby is playing with pieces of ice that broke off of the glacier and floated close to shore.

06/10/13 Monday – More Ice

Iceberg

06/09/13 Sunday – Ice

Iceberg

06/08/13 Saturday – Sweet Tooth

Berry cobbler, yum!

06/07/13 Friday – Seeds

Blow on it! Ahh, ya know ya want to!

06/06/13 Thursday – Canceled

The Engineer's reinspection was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Our Realtor is working with a new Engineer so hopefully the reinspection will be rescheduled soon. Instead of letting this slow me down, I got busy calling all of our home utility services to schedule cancellation dates. I also called the moving company and the manager stopped by the house for a final review of what will be packed. We also scheduled a firm date to load our belongings into a shipping container. It is hard to believe that we have less than 20 days left here in this house. Wow.

06/05/13 Wednesday – Whispers of White

06/04/13 Tuesday – Destination Known

06/03/13 Monday – Value

The Appraiser came to evaluate our house so that he could estimate how much it is worth. It is strange for me to imagine someone actually putting an official price tag on our house. To me ... to me this seems impossible. Odd. Our house is filled with so many years of great joy; putting a value on it seems debasing. If only these walls could talk - they would share countless treasured memories, endless laughter, and rooms full of immeasurable love. Priceless.

06/02/13 Sunday – One Step. Two Steps.

I challenge you ... Ah, heck, I challenge anyone to put on a white glove and try ... just try to find one speck of dust or dirt in my house. Gone are the days when mopping, dusting, and deep cleaning could be put off until tomorrow. I was busier than a cat buryin' turds on a marble floor! This house is clean! Spotless, I tell ya!

This coming week we will mark another milestone. The Appraiser and the Engineer are on the docket.

06/01/13 Saturday – Lost the Sun

Where did the sun go?

05/31/13 Friday – Someone Dear To Me

Happy Birthday Shayla! We love you so much!

05/30/13 Thursday – Pilots

Hubby took this picture:

05/29/13 Wednesday – Million Dollar View

Our two older boys have awesome views from their own living rooms. David, our oldest son, has a view of the Gastineau Channel and of the Juneau International Airport. Derik has a view of the ocean and the surrounding mountains, including the Mount Edgecumbe volcano. He often sends me pictures of it.

Lucky ducks.

05/28/13 Tuesday – Sweetness

We have had some really nice weather lately. I love it!

05/27/13 Monday – Quiet in the Sun

05/26/13 Sunday – A Flight For Dad

Hubby's cousin, Jacques, is a pilot. When Hubby's dad recently passed away, Jacques offered to take Hubby in his airplane to spread dad's ashes. It was my father-in-law's wish to have his ashes spread over a specific mountaintop here in Alaska. So we did. It was not emotionally easy, but I was proud of how well Hubby did. Our son JC went along for the ride too; he flew the airplane most of the time and did a great job. After Hubby scattered his dad's ashes from the plane over the mountaintop, Jacques flew us over the Mendenhall Glacier and the sled dog camp that is up there as well. It was a spectacular flight! Sunny. Beautiful. Perfect. My father-in-law would have been proud.

Rest in peace.

05/25/13 Saturday – Mendenhall Glacier

JC, Hubby, and I hiked to the Mendenhall Glacier today. Here are some of the reasons why I have loved living in Alaska:

05/24/13 Friday – Good Company

05/23/13 Thursday – Hike It

It's hotter than a billy goat's ass in a pepper patch! Whewee!

05/22/13 Wednesday – Burn It

While Brian was here for a visit he and Hubby fixed the very last item on the Engineer's List. We are done! This is one list that I have felt like throwing into the fire simply because this particular Engineer cost us a lot of unnecessary expenses due to a couple of very unnecessary suggested improvements. I am SO glad that this chapter is over with!

05/21/13 Tuesday – Busy Lives

The kids are gone and the house feels empty once again.

05/20/13 Monday – Open Doors

Brian went back to Sitka and then Derik and Saphy arrived. Our doors are always open. Makes me smile.

05/19/13 Sunday – Grilled Pork Stir-fry

Yummy!

05/18/13 Saturday – Guacamole

05/17/13 Friday – Blooms

05/16/13 Thursday – Big Pancakes

Brian is here! Whoop! Whoop!

05/15/13 Wednesday – Work It

You might be asking yourself why we are still in Alaska and not in Tennessee since we have sold our house. The answer ... we are still working on the Engineer's List repairing things and making suggested improvements.

Um. Yeah.

05/14/13 Tuesday – Crow Cart

05/13/13 Monday – Yum

05/12/13 Sunday – Prize Ticket

Today we went to the antique car show. I am not too crazy about crowds, so I cruised through the cars fairly quickly to see if there were any cars that were different from the last car show that we went to. There were a couple of them. Tow Mater from the cartoon movie Cars was a new addition to the car show this year. It was so cute to see the excitement in the children's faces as they climbed onto it to get their picture taken. I watched them for a bit then I boogied on outside after feeling like I got lovingly ambushed by a tribe of local Alaskans. And Hubby stayed at the car show long enough to win a prize.

05/11/13 Saturday – Alaska Airlines

Yes, it was that close! It is cool.

05/10/13 Friday – God's Grace

We have been hiking a lot lately because the weather has been so nice. I sure hope the sun stays out for a while!

05/09/13 Thursday – Life ... and ... Death

One of the hardest things about getting older is accepting the death of loved ones. And ... receiving the box marked, "Human Remains."

05/08/13 Wednesday – Sunrays

I am working on tan lines today. And. Nothing more.

05/07/13 Tuesday – Blue Sky. Blue Water.

It was a beautiful day!

05/06/13 Monday – Antsy

Hubby has been busy carving wood ducks with his buddies lately. I still have the urge to get a few things checked off of our Get 'Er Done list. So I got some major chores done, put the tractor trailer on Craig's List, and asked Hubby to pack up his helicopters. But before he packed up the toys, Hubby had to have some fun flying his 'copters around the house. It reminded me of those huge flying bugs that they have down there in Tennessee. And as Hubby hovered his heli-bug around my head I realized that I had to resist the urge to reach up and smack it away. Maybe he should stick with carving ducks.

05/05/13 Sunday – Question

Where is the sun?

05/04/13 Saturday – Cobbler

My rhubarb is coming up and it looks like I may get two more batches of it before we move! Sweet!

05/03/13 Friday – Feathered Friends

I'm speechless.

05/02/13 Thursday – Pan Dog

It snowed again today. Yeah! It did! I'm so tired of winter. To warm things up I decided to cook all day. I made banana bread and I tried a new recipe that I found on the Internet. Basically you just add chopped up hotdogs to cornbread and it tastes like a corndog. I call it, "Pan Dog."

05/01/13 Wednesday – Looking Up

04/30/13 Tuesday – The Day After

Yesterday was filled with so much joy; I look back on it and smile. My Hubby went out of his way to make my birthday as perfect as possible. And it was just that ... perfect. Thank you, Baby!

04/29/13 Monday – Smile

"Me-Day!" That's what I call a day that I take time for myself to do whatever it is that I may want to do. It's a healthy choice for me. Without Me-Day there might be "Bitch-Day". Nobody wants that. So today is Me-Day!

04/28/13 Sunday – Singing A Song

It was so nice to get a phone call from my mom and dad today! I love to hear them sing to me the Happy Birthday song. It was so cute! And it made me smile - even though they were a day early.

04/27/13 Saturday – Hub Duck

Hubby has been busy painting the wood duck that he carved. Way cool!

04/26/13 Friday – Let There Be Warmth

The new oil tank is now hooked up and we are slowly unthawing.

04/25/13 Thursday – Install

One of the items on the Engineer's Findings List was to decommission our underground oil tank and replace it with a new above ground oil tank. This is one very expensive finding and one that was not necessary at all but nonetheless, we had to get it done. Contractor number 1 out of 3 ... digging the hole to expose old oil tank:

After a lot of work and a lot of rain, the new oil tank in now in place:

Tomorrow it will get hooked up. In the meantime, we are freezing!

04/24/13 Wednesday – Get It!

Hubby discovered this live Webcam stream of Phoebe the Channel Island Allen hummingbird. You can watch it here: Phoebe. Our cat, Pooh, likes to watch it too.

04/23/13 Tuesday – Sand and Sunshine

Even though it is still bone chilling cold outside - JC, Hubby, and I spent some quality time at the beach this past weekend. I love spending time as a family like that. It makes me so happy.

04/22/13 Monday – Confused Feathers

This is not good ... Frozen hummingbird feeder:

04/21/13 Sunday – Cookies And Candles

Today we play.

04/20/13 Saturday – Caught it!

04/19/13 Friday – Gardens

Today I played in my flower gardens. I added more rock around the beds too. I think the flower beds look a lot nicer now.

04/18/13 Thursday – A Walk In The Park

I call this Sandpiper Trail. It's not the official name of it though, but I don't care. Sandpiper Trail is more appropriate.

04/17/13 Wednesday – Hummers

The hummingbirds arrived!

04/16/13 Tuesday – Round it Up

Lately I have been going around the house making a mental note of what I have yet to pack before we move. There isn't much left.

04/15/13 Monday – IRS

Taxes are done! Whoop whoop!

04/14/13 Sunday – Catawampus

I cringe at the thought of having to fly my two cats almost 4,000 miles. This is not going to be easy.

04/13/13 Saturday – Yahoo!

I played in my flower garden all day long. Sweet!

04/12/13 Friday – Melting

It has warmed up and the snow is melting. Finally!

04/11/13 Thursday – Itch

I'm getting the itch to play in my flower gardens. There is still snow on the ground. Err.

04/10/13 Wednesday – Line 'em Up

Lining up three different contractors to coincide with work that has to be done on the boiler and the oil tank is about as easy as putting my cat in a pink tutu and expecting her to like it. It is not easy!

04/09/13 Tuesday – Jack Frost

If any of you know where spring is, please send me some.

04/08/13 Monday – Sign This. Sign That.

We have been busy signing papers with the Realtor. Preparing for taxes. And getting my Living Will done.

04/07/13 Sunday – Truckin' On Down The Road

04/06/13 Saturday – Never-Ending Winter

Psst! Ya! You, Ms. Mother Nature! It is April! Put your winter wand away!

04/05/13 Friday – Hanging On

Winter keeps hanging on here. We had a frosty fog that reminded me of the weather that we have in October.

04/04/13 Thursday – Signs of Spring

My rhubarb is coming up! I sure hope I get at least one more batch of it before we move! Yum!

04/03/13 Wednesday – Brother Brad

Happy Birthday Brad!
I love you.

04/02/13 Tuesday – Celebrate

We rarely go out to eat, but today we celebrated the sell of our house by treating ourselves to a fish and chips lunch at the Sandbar. Halibut. Cooked to perfection! Yum!

04/01/13 Monday – Fix It

Today we did boiler work.

03/31/13 Sunday – Easter Bunny

03/30/13 Saturday – Sticky Rice

I spent the day making Easter goodies. I made Rice Krispies Easter eggs drizzled with homemade fudge.

03/29/13 Friday – Time Flies

So far this year has been crazy! Busy! Nuts! My head is about ready to pop off!

03/28/13 Thursday – Ouch

We got the quote on how much it is going to cost us to move. Ouch! I say it is time to get rid of even more stuff!

03/27/13 Wednesday – Put it in the Bucket

This was fun! I hope Katelyn loves it!

03/26/13 Tuesday – A Mile Long

It seems like our list of things to get done keeps on growing.

03/25/13 Monday – Clock Tock

Sometimes I wish that there were 72 hours in one day so that we'd have more time to get things done. Yeah, sounds good to me.

03/24/13 Sunday – Take a Break

We decided to take a break today even though we have a lot more to get done before our big move to Tennessee. It is hard to rest knowing that we have so much to do yet. My body isn't moving today, but my brain is going 500 miles per hour.
Note to self: Breathe, Wendy, breathe!

03/23/13 Saturday – Spring

It doesn't seem like springtime here because we still have plenty of snow on the ground, but today I noticed that my Bleeding Hearts and Peonies are popping up out of the ground. It is always so exciting for me to see them come up every year!

03/22/13 Friday – Great Find

I found a killer good recipe on the Internet; chicken lasagna with homemade alfredo sauce. It's SO easy to make and it is a meal that is to die for! Here, I wrote it down for you:

Yum!

03/21/13 Thursday – Chop Chop

We have been working on lining things up for the big move to Tennessee.

03/20/13 Wednesday – Taco Salad

We can't enjoy our meals at the kitchen table anymore because we haven't owned one for over a year now, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this delicious taco salad! Yum!

03/19/13 Tuesday – More snow

Looking out my kitchen window ... more snow:

03/18/13 Monday – The List

When push comes to shove, we get busier. Our list of things to get done has now become a priority once again.

03/17/13 Sunday – SOLD!

We sold the house!

03/16/13 Saturday – A Possible Winner

We are down to two different couples that want to buy the house. We have submitted our counter offer. Now we wait.

03/15/13 Friday – Counter Offers

We despise haggling. We even hate it more than our cat's hairballs. So, a tip to those of you who are out and about looking at houses in hopes to buy one. Don't piss off the owners of the house by expecting too much.
It felt so damn good to write the word "REJECTED" on that piece of paper today at the Realtor's office.
One down. Two to go.

03/14/13 Thursday – The Battle

We have had a lot of bites on the house lately. Currently we have three different couples making us offers left and right. Makes my head spin.

03/13/13 Wednesday – Snow Prints

03/12/13 Tuesday – Um

Sometimes ya just don't ask why ...

03/11/13 Monday – Go Away Winter

03/10/13 Sunday – Around The Block

Sunday drive ...

03/09/13 Saturday – At The Gym

We continue to have house showings and continue to go to the gym. It's been a long long winter.

03/08/13 Friday – Derik's View

Sitka is so pretty!

03/07/13 Thursday – Fly

03/06/13 Wednesday – The View

Our son, Derik, has a breathtaking view. He lives right on the ocean and he often sends me absolutely beautiful pictures of Sitka by the sea. I thought this one in particular was a spectacular shot ... One side of the picture has blue hues - the other side pink. Cool!

03/05/13 Tuesday – Easter Shopping

Easter is coming up soon and even though I hate to shop, I had a blast hopping around looking for some Easter goodies for Katelyn's basket!

03/04/13 Monday – Rain Forrest

03/03/13 Sunday – Where The Beavers Roam

03/02/13 Saturday – Alaska

03/01/13 Friday – Kitchen Cabinets Continued

I'm still working on improving the inside of the kitchen cabinets.

02/28/13 Thursday – Before And After

The cabinet on the right-hand side is a before picture of the kitchen cabinets and on the left-hand side of the picture is after I got done. Not perfect, but not too bad either.

02/27/13 Wednesday – Next on the List

Next on my list of things to get done is to work to improve the inside of my kitchen cabinets. Oh goodie.

02/26/13 Tuesday – Tracy's Crab Shack

Hey Sis! Look what I found!

I'd ask ya to come on back and have some crab, but they are closed for the winter (giggling). I miss you.

02/25/13 Monday – Left Behind

Hey Sis! Look what you forgot to take back home with you...

02/24/13 Sunday – Another Goodbye

I hate goodbyes. And. Today I have to say goodbye to my sweet Sis, once again.

02/23/13 Saturday – Last Hurrah

Our visit is coming to an end. Even though it is colder than belly-blue hell, Sis and I went for a walk around the neighborhood and warmed our hearts with each other's company.

02/22/13 Friday – One Last Visit

Sis wanted to see the Mendenhall Glacier one last time, so we headed out there to have a little fun ...

02/21/13 Thursday – Katelyn's Play House

Sis and I built Katelyn a playhouse with the cardboard box that the new dryer came in.

02/20/13 Wednesday – Tourist Meets Bear

02/19/13 Tuesday – Cell Hell

My cellular phone died so we headed to get a new one. Sis was not happy about this. It seems like every time she comes to Alaska we are guaranteed a trip to cell phone hell.

02/18/13 Monday – Chi-Ching

Hubby got me a new dryer and Sis helped him install it. After that, Sis and I walked around the neighborhood. Brr! It is still very cold outside. I wish winter would go away.

02/17/13 Sunday – Lazy

We did absolutely nothing today. Not. A. Thing.

02/16/13 Saturday – Sis

Sis is here! Finally! So I picked her up from the airport and went directly to the laundromat to do some laundry because the dryer broke yesterday.

02/15/13 Friday – Garden's Edge

02/14/13 Thursday – Star

02/13/13 Wednesday – Begin to Bloom

02/12/13 Tuesday – Petunia

02/11/13 Monday – Daisy Do

02/10/13 Sunday – Bells and Bugs

02/09/13 Saturday – Red

One of my favorite flowers ... Giant Red Peony Poppy:

02/08/13 Friday – Schizanthus

If I would have had a daughter, I would have named her Schizanthus.

02/07/13 Thursday – One Lonely Duck

02/06/13 Wednesday – Black-Eyed Susan

02/05/13 Tuesday – Seedlings

02/04/13 Monday – Thunder Mountain

02/03/13 Sunday – The Gardener

Back in 2005...

02/02/13 Saturday – Nostalgia

Since there is nothing new to report - nothing exciting that is happening in our lives right now, I thought that I'd take a trip down memory lane and post some old pictures in the next few posts ...

02/01/13 Friday – Same Ole. Same Ole.

There really isn't anything new to report. We clean the house. We go to the gym. We occupy ourselves during house showings.

01/31/13 Thursday – Dots

01/30/13 Wednesday – Smile

01/29/13 Tuesday – Lil' Birdie

01/28/13 Monday – Horizon

There is a storm brewing. We are suppose to get up to 10 inches of snow today. So far it is sunny, blue sky, extremely cold, and absolutely beautiful outside. I'm not going to place any bets on Mr. Weather Man's prediction.

01/27/13 Sunday – Pancakes

01/26/13 Saturday – No Marathon

I'm not running in a marathon anytime soon, but my knee is slowly getting a better. The brace that Hubby bought for me is like my binky. I don't go far without it.

01/25/13 Friday – Open House

Our Realtor suggested looking at competing houses. These are the houses that are for sale at the same price range as ours, similar in size, etc. So today we went and looked at one. I highly recommend this exercise if you are selling your home. It gave me perspective, hands-on comparisons, and even some ideas. It also gave me the urge to improve a couple of other things in the house.

01/24/13 Thursday – On A Roll

Hubby is now painting the inside of the double-car garage door. You go for it, Hubby! You go for it!

01/23/13 Wednesday – Passing Time

If you are interested in good gardening information, I recommend the Mother Earth News magazine. Plus, this magazine is full of more than just gardening tips. It also has information on farming; practical, simple how-to living; alternative energy; recycling; and useful tips and tricks. I can sit and read it for a good long spell. I love it!

01/22/13 Tuesday – Tap Tap Tap

Drumming fingers.

01/21/13 Monday – Get In Get Out

We've had a lot of house showings lately! Today we had another one. There is not much else to report. It's not like we can plan to do a whole lot of fun retirement activities. Our lives revolve around this house, keeping it shipshape and spotless, and providing the new Realtor with anything she needs at any given moment.
We clean. We go. We come home.
We clean. We go. We come home.

01/20/13 Sunday – Cookie

Sweet as sugar:

01/19/13 Saturday – Be Still

I am usually the type of person that likes to get things done. I don't like to sit much and do nothing. I like to go here, go there, do this, and do that. Even if I am just fiddle-farting around, I'm doing something and that works for me. What doesn't work for me is sitting here waiting on my knee to mend. It is driving me batty, I tell ya! My brain is telling me to, "Go, go, go!" And my knee is telling me, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

01/18/13 Friday – I Am Not An Ostrich

I have never had a broken bone in my life or any significant injuries. I've been pretty lucky ... until yesterday. While rushing to get out of the house and off to the gym, I fell fast, hard, and double-time. Why? Because our driveway is like an ice skating rink. I have always been extremely careful when walking on ice. But yesterday, I went to jump out of the "Beast" and down I went. Boom! I landed on my heinie but my knee went in a totally different and almost ostrich-like position. And people ... I kid you not! The whole neighborhood heard me yell this one but very powerful dirty little word. The pain was excruciating!
Now I hobble.

01/17/13 Thursday – Repeat

House showing. Check.
Gym. Check.

01/16/13 Wednesday – Hairball

Sometimes ya just have to hang tight or hang loose.

01/15/13 Tuesday – More Painting

Hubby decided to paint the inside of the single-car garage door. Wow! It looks so much nicer!
Me? I'm so sick of painting that I don't even want to paint my toenails!

01/14/13 Monday – Out House

We had another house showing today, so we went to the gym. I don't know where we get the most results from ... in the gym or preparing our home for showings. I know one thing! It sure is nice to have Hubby's help with the house and it is also nice having his company at the gym.

01/13/13 Sunday – Honey Bee

There is no honey in the pot yet. We are still waiting for that special family to buy our house.

01/12/13 Saturday – Pretty In Pink

I miss the sweet smell of summer.

01/11/13 Friday – Nature Star

01/10/13 Thursday – Trapped

Do you ever feel booby trapped? I do ... every single time I have to wear a bra. I went to exercise today and I wanted to fling that sports bra clear across the gym!

Oh, and another thought! Happy Birthday, Sis!

01/09/13 Wednesday – Schedule

Our day-to-day plans are unpredictable since the house is back on the market. Today we have a house showing so we are going to the gym while the house is being shown.

01/08/13 Tuesday – This And That

The house is back on the market!

01/07/13 Monday – Bundle of Joy

Sweet Katelyn:

01/06/13 Sunday – Hush lil Baby

Last night, I slept as though there was a brand new baby in the house. I probably could have heard a pin drop if it landed on the carpet. After getting out of bed we immediately checked out the house, surrounding area, and the news for any damages due to the earthquake. There were none. Whew.

01/05/13 Saturday – Shake, Rattle, and Roll

We had an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the richter scale! It struck right at midnight and lasted for quite a while! At first the earth rolled and it felt as if we were in a seiner fishing in high seas. Then the earthquake swirled the earth beneath us, as though we were on a huge merry-go-round. I thought the earthquake would never end. The aftershocks were significant in size as well. What a ride!

01/04/13 Friday – Scale

I need a new scale for weighing myself. Every time I step on it, it says, "Ouch."

01/03/13 Thursday – Pro vs. Novice

The difference between our old Realtor and our new Realtor is like night and day. The new Realtor insists on taking new pictures of the inside of the house because she is very particular. I love it!

01/02/13 Wednesday – Zen

...

01/01/13 Tuesday – Ring It In

Happy New Year!