Mermaids live in Florida and in the north too!

The pretty heart in my banner was sent to me from Elizabeth. She loves mermaids and has not been to Florida so I thought what better gift to repay her kindness than to send her a little bit of sunshine. I sent her a mermaid. I had to use her photo because I forgot to take one. Thank you E for being such a wonderful new friend.

A pretty heart giveaway

Isn't this pretty?

Crazy Ladies Primitives is giving it away. Head on over and sign up.

A visit to the landfill

When we want to go birdwatching, the Venice landfill is on our list. The Venice Audubon Society has many outings there. Mike and I went Tuesday. There weren't many varieties because it was 3 in the afternoon and hot. It's been so bad here that the lake dried up out there. We used to see Roseate Spoonbills and many different kinds of ducks and birds. Sure hope we get them back. What we did see though was fun.
Thousands of Sea Gulls.

Hundreds of Vultures.

Our favorite, the Eagles (one is the adult and the other is a teen-ager.

Even an alligator. :)

We even saw some wild boars. My pics didn't really turn out of them because they were a little far away.

No Reply

When I get an email of a sweet comment, it's so disappointing not to be able to answer back. chookyblue has a great tutorial on how to change from no reply.

Hummingbird video

When we lived in Georgia we had a lot of hummingbirds coming and going. Even had them follow me in the house one day when I was going to change the feeder!! That was scary. One immediately went back out, but the little girl got scared and was flying around in the window. I was so relieved when she finally went back outside. In the video below, the little boy sat on Mike's finger. He did later for me too. What a doggone thrill!!

I'm closing in on my 100th post already. Time flies when you are having fun. I'm going to have a giveaway but I don't know what yet. Stay tuned!

A sneak peek

It's just a little, tiny box so I hope it doesn't get lost with all those bigs ones on it's way to it's new owner.
♥♥♥Who could it be for?♥♥♥

Anna Bella

This is my latest little one. It's a De Powell pattern from Bowls -n- Annies. My dolls never seem to look like the pattern. In this case, I didn't order enough yarn for the hair and I didn't want to wait to get it. I still think she turned out pretty cute. I just hope the person getting her thinks she cute. Edit: Melinda received her doll. I'm happy she liked her. Thank you Melinda for finding my blog, your acts of kindness and sweet emails.

Diving Pelican

We took a ride to the jetty a little while ago to get Mike out of the house. He's only been out once since he came home from hospital on Jan. 5th. I love watching pelicans dive. It's amazing how they don't break their neck when they hit the water.

On the way home we stopped at Dairy Queen for some ice cream. Shoot! I was going to take a pic and forgot! Well, it was good. :D

Granddaughter Paige

My beautiful granddaughter Paige has started a flickr site. I just love her photography. She's been doing it for years and has a wonderful eye. I love the way she sets up her photos and uses a self timer. I totally love this photo! Selective color is one of my favorite things to do.

Annie Doll Giveaway!!

De (of Bowls -n- Annies) is giving away the most adorable doll designed and made by her! I'd like to tell you not to enter so I would have a better chance but I won't. :) Head on over and sign up!

From caterpillar to butterfly

Have you ever seen a caterpillar and wonder how they turn into butterflies? Have you ever seen a cocoon and wondered what was in it? I saw a Monarch laying eggs one day and started taking photos daily of her and the eggs progress.
The first photo is a collage of the process. What a fascinating experience. I sat outside all day with the camera waiting for the transformation to start. Then took photos as fast as I could for 10 minutes.
When viewed large you can see another egg just above where she is laying in #1.
#2 is what they call the J shape. This lets you know the caterpillar is ready to change. She (as I found out later) hung like this for about 8 hours that I know of before the change.
In #3 the antennae are limp, the change has started and goes very quickly!
#8 was amazing. It rocked and squirmed all different shapes until it settled on the final well-known shape.


In this next photo the Monarch caterpillar is just starting to change to a chrysalis.


I could not for the life of me see what was happening other than the outer skin was being pushed up in the next photo.


Here is the beautiful chrysalis all done. It went so very fast!


Just moments away. The waiting is killing me! The chrysalis is actually clear. You can see the butterfly wings. When it is green, it is really the caterpillar you are seeing. Then when it really turns clear, you see the butterfly inside. I had this chrysalis sitting on a counter next to the computer. I watched for a while, took the photos then turned back to the pc. When I looked again about 5 minutes later, she had come out of the chrysalis! Oh, the excitement.


This is the female that I raised. She emerged and took about 2 hours to dry off. I put her outside on a flower leaf and watched her until she took her first flight. I almost cried when she flew away. She did fly back to me a few times but then she was gone to make her own life.


Just a week after my first female flew, this guy decided to make a break for freedom. This guy is less than an hour old. The 2 dark spots on each side of the wing show it's a male.


I hope you enjoyed this little show. Maybe it answered a few of your questions. :)

A picture meme challenge

Elizabeth has challenged me to a picture meme. While I really don't know what that is, I'm game. It's a very hard one for me though. You have to go to your documents, then to the sixth folder and use the sixth photo. Well, I have no photos in my documents. LOL Most of my photos are off the pc on cd's or in my Kodak program by day and not folder.
Nice challenge Elizabeth!! LOL So, I went to my pictures, then the sixth folder which happened to be an old Kodak folder with 2 more folders in that! The first folder is May 27, 2006. So, here ya go! A Halloween Pennant dragonfly.

Wallet class is done

What fun!! My first real class and the time just flew by. It was supposed to be 10 to 3 but we went over. It was at Deborah's Quilt Basket. I got all the way there, parked the car, got out, went to get my bag and it wasn't there! Oh, for crying out loud! I had set it down to write the phone number down for Mike and walked out of the house without it. Had to drive home again. Luckily I only live about 7 minutes away.
It was a very relaxing day and I just can't wait to do it again. The designer and instructor Jaye West was fabulous. I really enjoyed her. The other gals were great too. It was so wonderful to meet them all and enjoy their company. There was a little groaning and a lot of laughing. 2 of us (and I won't mention names) really messed up our zippers. Thank goodness Jaye had a spare. :D
Here are a few pics. This first one is Jaye (on the right) helping Barbara. Take a look at that machine on the left side of the photo. I was salivating. It was gorgeous and so automatic! No foot pedal needed. More about that later.

This next photo is our wallets almost done. Mine is the top left dragonflies. We just have to finish the outer binding.

Group photo that Jaye took, left to right Rita, Me, Bobby and Barbara

The last photo is Rita, Jaye the instructor, Bobby and Barbara

Now, for that machine. Oh, only in my dreams. Brother Innovis QC 1000

Sewing Class

I've taken loads of online doll classes. They were a lot of fun but pretty lonely LOL Tomorrow I do my first class that involves being with people! Yay me! I'm going to make this neat wallet. I even found the exact fabric online. Can't wait! Next month I'm taking a heart wallhanging. If you look at the photo down aways of Deborah it is hanging right behind her.

On the way home stopped at a red light this guy on his motorcycle pulled up in the next lane. When he put his foot down he had the neatest boots! My camera was already on so I got a quick pic.

I usually leave the camera on for awhile after I've been somewhere taking photos. This time I had just left the Venice Rookery where I got this photo of a Damselfly.

Great cat blog!

If you like cats you just have to see this blog! It's called Daisy The Curly Cat and is about the cutest thing you will ever see. Be sure to watch the last movie about the catnip. It's priceless.

Singing in Germany

There has been a singing discussion on my Yahoo bag group. Everyone saying how they can't sing. My thoughts on this are if you like to sing, why not? Doesn't matter how good a voice you don't or do have! Let it gooooooo. It makes you feel good. I feel wonderful when I sing. I've been a professional for over 40 years. One of these days I'll put a new video up of me singing.
I usually don't talk about it because it feels like bragging or Mom used to say "blowing your own horn". I don't mean to. I still perform once a month with the kids. Once a performer, always a performer. I love the spotlight and applause. I'm an Aries. I was born to be in the spotlight. LOL

This photo is of a country group I sang with (me with red scarf) while I was stationed in Augsburg, Germany in 1984. We (Country Fever) had been invited to sing on Augsburg's cable tv show. It was a thrill. I was told that I was the first American female to do so. My husband took the photo. It was blurry already so didn't scan very well. Boy do I miss Germany. What fun!

Pink things giveaway from Clare

To celebrate her 50th post Clare is giving away pretty pink things! Her name is the link. Go over and take a look and enter!

The post looked so lonely without a pic I thought I'd give it a pretty pink rose.

Birds and Bugs

A few years ago we were having a good time at the beach. My daughter Rhonda bent over to get a better look at something in the sand and these two Florida Scrub Jays decided to use her as a perch. These birds are way too friendly. They are also protected. It's against the law to feed them or mess with them but people do all the time.

I love my birds and bugs. All nature really. It excites me to find a new bug to photograph. Many a time I've been on my belly or hands and knees to get a macro close-up of a minute (teeny-tiny) bug.
This next one is called a Leaffooted Bug. They are true bugs and come in all colors and sizes. This one is fairly large, about an inch maybe.

The next bug is really small. It's called a Rainbow Planthopper and is about a quarter inch long.

I could go on and on but I won't bore you. I'll leave you with a beautiful butterfly called an American Lady.

My kit came!

My new project came in the mail today from the Fat Quarter Shop! It didn't take that long to get it either.


I've not quilted much at all let alone try a kit but I'm very excited about this. It's not as bright as the photo but I'm sure it will be pretty if I don't mess it up. LOL The kit includes a Moda Candy Kisses charm pack, rick rack, backing and binding. All very lovely. I will have 14 charms left over! I'm going to put them in a tote bag. Wish I could afford a yard of each of these, they are so pretty!

Alpaca Beauty

Taken at Chehaw Park in Albany, Georgia

The public restroom

I took this photo in a ladies room. :D

This was sent in one of my Yahoo groups. Love it!

It's a long read, but so funny and true.

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place. Once it's your turn, you check for feet under
the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.

Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall. You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been
so long you are about to wet your pants! The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty. You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one, but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, (Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR!), yank down your pants, and assume "The Stance."

In this position your aging, toneless thigh muscles begin to shake. You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance." To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse. (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold
up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That would have to do. You crumple it in the puffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work. The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest, and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet. "Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny, crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT. It is wet of course. You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late. Your bare
bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try. You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom never touched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear, "You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get."

By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes. The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you
grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too.

At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat. You're exhausted. You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.

You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still
waiting.

You are no longer able to smile politely to them. A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that
when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from your shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly, "Here, you just might need this."

As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom. Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse
hanging around your neck?"

This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the &nb sp;door, hang onto your
purse and hand you Kleenex under the door!

This HAD to be written by a woman! No one else could describe it so accurately!

Here's looking at you..kid

The camera was so close his wing was touching it. Very friendly little guy.

Full Wolf Moon

Full Wolf Moon, Jan. 10: The Indians gave this name to January's full moon because wolf packs howled hungrily outside their villages during that time of year. According to NASA, tonight's moon will appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons this year.

WooHoo! Presents and a Doll

Remember just a couple of posts ago I showed you a couple of nesting bags and the cutest pin cushion I received from Melinda? Well, I told her I loved the fabric and was going to search for some more. That sweet gal sent it to me!! Just how great is that I ask ya?
AND THEN......Elizabeth from Creative Breathing sent me the most adorable heart! I just can't tell you how cute because pictures don't do it justice. I never have been able to embroider. There is the cutest little flamingo for the L, the O is an orange, an alligator for the R, a beach flag at the top of the D and the last a is a beach ball. HOW CUTE IS THAT!! I'm so honored to be a recipient of one of her beautiful hearts.

Then, Edna from Plum Thicket was sweet enough to ask me to test a pattern for her. It's the nicest wall angel. I'm afraid I didn't do very well on this one and don't have any greenery to put behind the little banner. I just didn't do well on the face. It's been awhile. I plan on doing another soon.

And hubby is home. I feel very blessed today.

Hubby's Home!

Michael is home and we are both very happy. He is in considerable pain. I hope it goes away soon. He'll be off his feet for a couple of weeks but I don't mind waiting on him. I'm just so happy to have him home. Thank you all so very much for your well wishes and great thoughts.
I thought I'd leave you with this photo of an Osprey couple. One of my favorite, large birds.

I think I'll finish finally

I started sewing in 2000. I started out making dolls. In 2004 I wanted to try quilting. I never made much. I did a few wall hangings, table runners and a lap quilt for mom. Then I went back to dolls. Now I'm back to quilting and making handbags too. Can't make up my mind. LOL
This first wall hanging I designed for my daughter Rhonda. At that time she had a jungle themed home. I never did get it finished and hope to get off my duff now and do it.


This next one is a wall hanging I made for my granddaughter, also 2004, when she was 11. Now going on 17, I don't know if she would like it. I'm going to finish it anyway. My problem is the quilting part. I really mess it up. This twisted tail pattern can still be found here.


At the bottom of the first page of directions for twisted tails is a link for "find your lucky star quilt". It looks like twisted ribbons to me and looks like it would be beautiful made up. *sigh* someday.
Here is the link to the drawing of that one.

One of these days I hope I can figure out this html stuff. It wouldn't let me add anything to the slideshow so here it is:
I went to visit Michael this afternoon and coming across that big bridge I saw a kite boarder so I stopped to take pics. His name is Patrick and it was just fascinating to watch him. Down the road at the next rest stop there were 10 more.

Patrick Kite Boarding

Meet Deborah

I see many blogs with photos of their favorite quilt shop so while shopping yesterday I asked Deborah if I could take a photo of her and she obliged! :) I love this place. It's pretty hard to go in and not get something! Deborah has been so very helpful and is always answering my questions. Have I told you yet how much I like her and her shop? LOL

Her shop is called Deborah's Quilt Basket in downtown Venice, FL
That pretty pink in front of her is mine. She had just gotten done cutting it.