Begonias

Here is a double study I finished. The painting is from the early 21st century :-) I didn't date it. Always a bad idea if you are an artist. You should keep records of your work, oh well. Then I just finished a book mark that I used my painting as an inspiration piece. The colors are a bit too red/pink in the book mark. But I think the leaves worked. And now, I know how to finish my painting. Those white areas are not really part of my plan that I had sketched out on a yellow post it note. K~

I Love Lucy- Vitameatavegamin

This is just classic! Enjoy. K~

What yummy gifts...I feel so special

I got my birthday gifts from Bobbi when I went to South Dakota last weekend. They were terribly yummy. The purse, hand made by Bob. My favorite colors. I actually was wearing an outfit to match when we went shopping. The necklace was created by Kristi. It has a coveted "W" on it. Her last name starts with a "W" as well. I feel so special. I wear the necklace all the time. The only problem, is I think my dog or cat is always following me. The necklace clinks like their collars do :-)

Where to begin!!

Boy it was fun in South Dakota. It's like going home for me. I love the fields of stinky farms and the view for miles and miles. I just love it down there. Now, the drive could have been 169 miles shorter. I tell ya, when I turned onto I90 or what I like to call the "straight ribbon wind tunnel of flatness", it said Sioux Falls 169 miles!! I just about panicked and turned around. I am so glad I didn't. It was too fun. We ate a delicious yummy gooey pizza, I have never tried before! And get this......I bought Bobbi some monkey slippers and she bought me "socks to stay home in" slippers! TOO Funny! We always seem to have the same brain when it comes to stuff. Bobbi and I chatted and went to bed early :-) Oh boy, I could go to sleep when I wanted to. Just like that!! Then we got up on Friday and "Wasted the whole day!" shopping and shopping oh and did I mention shopping! I did quite well for not having any money! I think I did get a couple of Christmas gifts purchased. We ate the most wonderful taco salad EVER! We watched the only 4 channels Bobbi gets. What were they? 22,33,44,55,66? Too funny. I did like the ridiculous bride show. I must catch that again this Friday. My thumb held out fine. I had recovered nicely for me to finish the 4th strip of my crocheted afghan, my purse, and a book mark. I also did 4 or so rows on the bottom of my cross stitch box. Then Saturday. Bobbi had us up at sunrise to clean her perfectly immaculate house. We had enough yummy food to feed a small army. Oh, Bobbi makes homemade carmel corn the night before, and I tell you. I snacked on that all night and all day. Back to Saturday. Everyone came with piles of more food. I ate and ate and ate. We made these super neat crafts and I met 3 new fantastic women. Casey, Erin, and Sara. After learning that Erin drove 7 days across the Yukon Territory from Alaska to South Dakota with 3 children (6, 2 and 7 months) with her husband I started to think twice about complaining about the 169 miles! Welcome Erin to the Midwest! Sara and Casey were too sweet and too talented! Then there was Kristi.... The crafting maniac!! She can craft. I swear I looked over by her and paper was a flying. Bobbi was looking up phrases from an old children's book. I wish I could remember them all. "Take a look at my donkey?" was one, or something like that. Well needless to say we were very tired that night and were asleep by 9:30. Sunday was relaxing and sad. Time to go back home! It was a super fun weekend! Thanks Bobbi!! K~

Going South!

Off to South Dakota I go!!! I better stop blogging and start packing! I want to leave in about an hour. I need to vacuum, sweep, do the dishes, shower, pack and oh, get some things ready for the kids, because Rick is taking them and the dog camper cabin camping tonight! My thumb is about up to 70% better. Still need to rest it from crafting now and again. So I will be slow but sure for Saturdays craft fest!! Don't have a photo for today, so I will just put something in for all to look at. I hope to blog when I am a Bobbi's, but She has a user friendly Mac and I have the not so user friendly other kind. I am so needing this break!!

K~

Honey....Why is the inside of the refrigerator smoking??

I open our refrigerator last week. Smoke comes billowing out. I see that an egg carton is aglow with embers. I quickly take the carton out of the fridge and put it on the counter. Run water over it, and put the embers out. I ask Rick, "Honey, why was there a burning egg carton in the refrigerator?" His reply, "Oh, it started on fire when I was boiling eggs. I thought that would go out." Now, of all things, I have a burn mark inside my new refrigerator. Not everyone can say that!!

K~

Happy Birthday Bing!

Bing is one!

He got groomed on Thursday TOTALLY SHAVED.

We now call him Bi-Bo-Hi-Po. His face still looks like Bing, His head, ears and legs look like my moms recently passed dog Buttons. His neck looks like my moms new dog Heidi, very Giraffe like. And Lastly his body looks like Ricks mom's dog that has since passed, Polly.

There for Bi-Bo-Hi-Po!!

I think he looks like Mr. Peabody from Sherman and Mr. Peabody. I am not sure if anyone remembers this cartoon. I am old now :-)

You be the judge.

K~

better today...thanks

Hi All. Thanks so much for your kind words.

I am much better today. The thumb is still infected, but the big white thing is off, I am off the codeine (darn) and am doing fine. I can kind of use it now and again. I doesn't look bad at all. I had my toe done 5 years ago. Still remember it like it was yesterday. If anyone says they need to trim out your nail, just cut your finger off with a knife. It would hurt less.

Oh Susan, OUCH!! Having it done 2 times is 2 times too many for me.

Last night, I had to take a fish hook that was deeply lodged in my husbands finger, out with a pliers. That was GROSS!! it hurt a lot, but he was just fine 10 minutes later!

Not a good week for the Walshes.

K~

Yeeeeouch!!!

Well...never carve and gut 9 pumpkins. Yeeeouch. I had the most blinding screaming painful night I can almost ever remember, last night.

I had an infected thumb. I tried to ignore it, but when I accidentally tapped it on the target cart handle, I almost fainted. I am not one to faint.

At 8 PM I couldn't take it anymore. I called my sister and asked her to come over. The kids were sucked into a movie, and I said "Mommies going to the doctor now, Marsha will be here soon, Dad has the cell phone, bye" I left.

I sat in the Urgent care lobby, wiggling and moaning for 45 minutes. Luckily the Doctor must have been a huge ex biker. He needed to be to hold my thumb still enough to do the procedure. The lobby was privy to my screaming pain. The nurse couldn't even hide her horror. Then as I left then check in girl had a look of fear on her face.

OK, that SUCKED!!

I got to Walgreen's. The pharmacy tech asked when I needed these prescriptions. I said, not so nicely, "NOW, I just had a needle stuck up my infected thumbnail." Which grossed out the other pharmacy tech standing next to him.

I stood not so still trying to look at some star gossip magazines through my pain. When I finally got my codeine from the pharmacists, I was shaking to get my water bottle open, that I had yet paid for. Ripped the bag open with meds in it, that had yet been payed for, looked for the word codeine, opened it an took two. Never checked the name on the bottle!! I believe I paid for everything. I tossed him my card and got it back. Grabbed the rest of my antibiotics, etc. and screamed all the way home. WOW!! I finally had to convince Rick to get me a 3rd codeine an hour later. I think I then fainted from pain or fell asleep. I am now drugged up and have figured out how to crochet, write, and type without a right thumb. THE END!

K~

The Gang!

C is a ghost pirate,

D is a Karate person,

S is a baseball player

and Bing is a mop!!

K~

Not 3 Not 6 But 9 Pumpkins carved!!

Well we had a nice Halloween. My hands, however, hurt a little from carving out 9 pumpkins. 3 large, one for each child, 3 medium, one for each build a bear, and 3 small squash, one for each webkinz. I used 7 band aids last night on my aching fingers. We have enough candy to sink a ship! I don't know what to do with it all. I AM NOT EATING IT....I AM NOT EATING IT....I AM NOT EATING IT!! K~

Back to School I Need to Go!!!

Ok..Karen replied to one of my blogs regarding my friend going to Arkansas all the time. She lives in Alabama. So I was going to reply to here regarding a visit. And I knew that they were close to each other, but, I actually had to pull out a map of the US to actually see where they were in relation to each other. Sad Sad Sad. I should have at least known where the states are. ANYWAY. There is the state of Mississippi to go through. Then it depends on where my friends friend lives and where Karen lives. Phew... I never knew a quick visit would be so complicated to coordinate. Maybe someday Karen :-).. K~

"Vacation"

Now that I am going down memory lane from the "Vacations" of my youth. There was this time that I will never forget. My dad was able to collect a rare find! An albino rattlesnake. Oh... did I mention that is was apparently a pregnant albino rattlesnake? But what to put it in.....Oh yes. An ice cream pail. That will do just fine. No matter that it hardly fits into the pail. Last problem....Where to put the pail with the pregnant albino rattlesnake...obviously.... in the back of the van with my 3 precious girls. Needless to say we got about 3 miles and that was the end of that. Mama snake was set free and no snake bite kits were taken out......OH.... we didn't have one of those.

K~

Ahhhh, Good Times....Good Times........

My Dad can be googled:



Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Presidio Canyon Lizard Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Suborder: Sauria Family: Phrynosomatidae Genus: Sceloporus Species: S. merriami Subspecies: S. m. longipunctatus Trinomial name Sceloporus merriami longipunctatusOlson, 1973 The Presidio Canyon Lizard (Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus) is a subspecies of the Canyon Lizard native to a narrow range in the Big Bend region of the US state of Texas and into adjacent states northern Mexico. It is unknown if it interbreeds with the other subspecies of Canyon Lizard found in the same region, but it is likely. The epithet longipunctatus is a combination of the Latin words long meaning "long", punctum meaning "spot", and suffix -atus meaning "pertaining to", which literally describes the elongated spots on the lizard's back which are a diagnostic of the subspecies. The first specimen was collected in 1971 by R. Earl Olson in Presidio County, Texas.

Presidio Canyon "Vacation spot"

Sceloporus merriami longipunctatus

The distinct blue belly of the male.

My dad can be googled for his research on a specific lizard. If is funny that I know a lot about this lizard too. I heard the name about a million times growing up. We spent many a "vacation" in the deserts of the South Western US and Mexico, looking for and collecting these lizards. I was looking up how to spell Sceloporus Merriami, so I googled it. Then my dad came up on several sites.

neat.

K~

bing

Bing in the tub......Do I get a drink this time, or do I pee??

Bing eating my small boys head.....

Here is little Bing next to his "mom". I think he is part alligator, basset, buffalo, poodle, and mop. He is such a puppy still. Kind of bad all the time. But cute! I do love him. K~

Chmurka's depression...

I really love this video. It is so sweet. I have watched many of them and enjoy them. K~

Pregnant Onion

Since it has been raining since I don't remember, I have been trying to photograph some of my more unusual plants that are indoors. This is a plant called a Pregnant Onion. I was given one of the babies (as you can see on the mama) from a neighbor of my sister - in - law when I went to New York. Ok that was a looong sentence. Anyway.... that was in June 2004. I planted the baby. Nothing. One year later, I found it while replanting other plants. I thought, what the heck, and replanted it. Vwala!! It started to grow. I started to look just like an onion. Then babies appeared just like the one I planted. Now that's cool. So here it is. I am going to soon plant another baby and see how it goes.

K~

Sensitive Plant

This Plant is very unusual. It is lanky. It has small spike on its stem. It opens up as you see it for the sun and closes at night. If you touch it's leaves, the leaves closes up tight. If you touch it's stem, the stem collapses at "joints".

K~

Hmmmm

I suppose the guys I like do look all the same. This is Rick about 11 years ago in the BWCA. I have this photo up next to my "work" space.

K~

Turtle CPR

A friend sent this to me! FUNNY! and perfect!!

K~

Coachsaidnotto

I really love this band.

I heard their music at my favorite coffee shop - Isles Bun and Coffee.

I liked the song I heard so much, that I had to ask them who it was.

Ever since then, I have purchased 2 of there 3 cd's and am looking for their 3rd. They are a local all girl band.

The lyrics are creative and odd.

Their music is refreshing, fun and very fun to sing with!

It's nice to find something totally brand new at 40.

Here is a link to their web site.

You can hear the 3 songs that won me over.

"Words that I employ" was the song playing at the coffee shop.

K~

http://www.coachsaidnotto.com/index.html

doggy has been found!!!

Oh My..... The long lost "doggy" has been found! The blue dog on the left (junior) is D's. The brown and light brown dog on the right (doggy) is C's. The one in the center (heart) is S's. C's doggy has been missing for over 1 year. D's and C's were given to us by a close friend the week S was born over 5 years ago. The middle one was gotten for S a few years ago. They are all back together again. It was such a happy moment when Rick found "doggy" on a heat vent when putting in lighting in the basement. Hmmm..... I wonder how it got there? K~

boys will be boys

We left them alone outside.......nuff said! K~

Still buried

This is my rose inspired book mark. I did it for a dear person who loves red.

I am still deep under the avalanche and don't see being dug out anytime soon. I do my crafting a stop lights, waiting rooms, sporting events and any other time I find myself unable to leave and don't have to participate much, myself.

My mom and dad moved (permanently) to Arizona on Monday 10/1. My sister in law, brother in law and nephew came into town for the week last Saturday. They are moving here in December. S, D and C have been trading off being sick this last week. I had 3 doctors appointments. this week. I had 3 major projects that I need to follow up with and am still working on. I also have stuff that is needing to be fixed like my scanner. I have a house full of my mom and dads stuff. And I have 3 PC shows to close!!!!

But in a nut shell, we are all hanging in there pretty well.

K~

swamped

I am so swamped, up over my head! I have not been able to keep up with the blog posting or reading others. I miss you all. I hope to be back soon. K~

Funky little plants

I saw these plants on a show called "Private Life Of Plants."

Later, I was at plant store buying dirt and saw them for sale. They are called Rock plants. They are succulents. One is even flowering.

K~

Trying to "weave"

This is a piece that I have been working on for a while now. I was hoping to get it to appear as if I weaved it. I am not quite sure that it worked out like I had planned, but, it kind of turned out interesting.

I have had such a full plate these last 2 weeks. I finally had a day "off" yesterday, and alas, I accidentally picked up the phone. After that, I had a stressful, wasteful day. I just hate when I do that. I don't normally screen my calls. I like when people answer me, so, I answer them, usually happily. But this person and I are not friends, we are school acquaintances at best. Long Long Long story filled with being broadsided and dumb struck (not an uncommon occurrence these days, short, I ended up making her very mad by the end of the day. After 2 conversations with the school principal and 3 conversations with a good friend of mine, now, I find myself searching for the rock I just crawled out from under.

It is odd that my life used to be filled with confrontation. I was actually "good" at it. It was part of my every day life. I put my gloves on every morning, along with my matching shirt and socks. Now, I usually run as fast as I can from it. I change my agenda to avoid it. I am not as efficient to say the least, with out it, and yet, I, for the most part embrace my new found inefficiency. Even if the service in the restaurant sucks, I just tip them 10% instead of 20%.

Now as I sit here with another sleepless night under my belt, I will be reaching for my coffee, stare into the distance for a bit, and then get the kids up for another round, we call a day. DING DING.... come out fighting.

K~

I feel this way somedays

This is Nala. She can be a challenge to photograph. She spends most of her time out doors. Here she is getting sustenance before a long prowl. I feel like her some days. But mostly, because, I like to bury my face in a food bowl.

She looks a bit crazed, and.......well, so do I!! K~

1st week of school

We made it!!

The first week of school has come and gone..... And we are still standing (or really sitting). C - 5th grade, D- 3rd grade started on Tuesday.

S - Kindergarten (all day) started on Thursday. They all seemed like they really had a nice transition. YEAH!! Me..... Well, I was unsure of what to do with myself on Thursday. Today, Rick and I hung out for the day.

K~