More Fourth

Cora can attest to my fascination with strange clouds...the doctor says it's completely normal.

Cora took this one of me and the sparkler.  I like it.

Why I Love This Town

It isn't hard to explain.  We like our small town.  Sure, we'd like to have a grocery store closer.  But, really, I like the small town.  I like that the kids know me.  I like the fact that we have very few cops and we usually know where he is.  But the best part is what you see here.  Our little bitty town and its inhabitants are really quite proud of the fact that, despite a county-wide ban on fireworks, we have the right to say, as a city, that we like them.  And BOY DO WE!  Listen to that video and look at these pictures!

Whenever I look at Cora, well, Sparks fly!

If I had a better camera, this shot of the flag and some fireworks would have been much better!

Below, is a sparkler...awesome, huh?
and of course my truck fire!  The sparks flew out of the hood!

Weekend Day 2

We worked our bottoms off! I mowed the yard. I fertilized it. I took the picnic table apart and changed the tire on the Buick. I also charged the battery. I managed to do a number of other things, but the one that I think will have the most effect on us is this:

Yes, I put the AC in the bedroom. It is on the south side of the house and gets really hot during he summer.

Cora and I played a couple games of croquet. We made hamburger and, a piece of genius on my part, we made s'mores...with a minor defect. I accidentally boughtthe cinnamin graham crakers...0oops!

Cora is forgiving, though...here she is beginning to post.

So, it has been a good weekend!

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Good morning! Happy Birthday to my Mother! She is now somewhere between young and old, and I am certain she would rather me not get too specific. (Does the Egyptian sarcophagus give any hints, though? Mom, do you remember when these were all the vogue?)

We had a great day yesterday. I worked on finishing the sarcophagus...probably should have been reading for the graduate degree...but, it was a holiday...right? Cora worked on sewing. Here is the finished product, what do you think? Looks pathetic, an ancient Egyptian artisan I am not...but sould be ok for the daycare kids. The curse on the side with the spider means (according to the hieroglyphic dictionary I made) "danger/curse- protects -royal- jewels/treasure." Doesn't look to bad or being from ancient Egypt and sitting in a Washington desert for 160 years, huh?



Oh, and the jackal on the end of the box stands for guard, dog, or jackal...go figure, nice statement of the obvious, huh? Sorry.


I would have posted again last nigt, but the card reader (no, my computer was made BEFORE such things were standard equipment on laptops) was having issues. I had to wait for this morning to surprise my computer and trick it into downloading the pictures. So, anything in the brackets was written last night, before I realized the computer was going to have a hissy fit about reading the card.


this is a blurry picture because I was experimenting with exposure...

Our nieghbors across the street were setting off several canon at once...one (or more) tipped and sent some blazing balls of fire in our general direction...I am afraid I don't have any pictures of that OR our startled expressions when we saw it happen.


[It was a good day. Even now (mid-night) the explosions and detonations report. It sounds like a battlefield. The change this year is that we could sit on the front porch and see the fireworks. The new development has allowed this. Used to be we had to sit in the backyard to see the fireworks.

Tonight, after burgers, we took the dogs for a walk. Several people asked whether the noise bothered the dogs. Gypsy was somewhat nervous at times, but otherwise both handled the fireworks like they did that everyday. I was proud. They are such good dogs. Toby and Gypsy have both been exposed to gunfire, so loud noises are not new. Gypsy would usually rather hide, but Toby does not even appear to notice.

Here are a few pictures we managed to capture.]
Ha, I caught her while she wasn't looking...

Cora, you have sparks coming off your shoulders and head...did you just think of something?

We were having difficulty timing the photos to get fireworks and us in the pictures...I think I did ok with these two...

celebrating!

Of the two, I think she is the better looking...don't you agree? I hope everyone had a safe fourth!

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Independence Day! I trust everyone is observing it because we are no longer a colony of Britain and not just having fun because they got a day off. Well, I am JUST HAPPY TO HAVE A DAY OFF! Ha, you thought I was going to berate you for not observing the holiday! Well, you can do that from your front porch…see, there’s fireworks!

How would they say it in Mexico? Feliz Quatro de Julio? Well, Iam unsure of how to write or say July in spanish...I guess that's as good as it gets!

It has been hot all week. This morning…it rains. Even now, the rain is coming down. I like it. I have the windows open and am enjoying the rainy smelling breeze. The dog does not enjoy it so much, he poked his head out the dog door and then looked at me as if to say “Can’t I pee inside today?” I told him to go on out. He did, but you could tell he doesn’t enjoy getting wet, unless it’s under his terms.

I have been meaning to share some pictures of my perfect little niece and nephews. First, I have to show you all one of my favorite pictures of her…showing her in my jacket and with an angelic little halo. It has been a few years since I took it, but isn’t she darling?

And then, one day last fall, my sister and brother-in-law decided to buy a van. They asked if we would mind watching the kids for a while…Well, I have a hard time turning down a chance to see my favorite niece and nephew any day, so OF COURSE! We took the kids to the park…I got these excellent pictures. And, because of the colors, I think they are perfect for the Fourth of July. Happy Independence Day!

My Niece could not decide which direction to fly, so she went both ways in turn...I think she was a little wound up...

Cora liked this one so much she used Adobe Photoshop on it, I think it turned out well!