Shirt Pockets

Riding the train

2011-10-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last week Troy was on fall break and we took Brayden up to Van Buren to ride the train. Troy, Ann, Brayden, and I left Bismarck on Thursday morning and traveled north to Van Buren. We spent the day checking out the park and town.
We walked through the park down from Main Street. There was a nice wide walkway through the park and a mural painted along the wall.

One of Brayden's favorite things right now is railroad crossings. He was very excited to see this one.

Van Buren's Main Street.

Brayden wasn't too sure he wanted up close to the scarecrows but we finally got him to stand up next to one.

The train station.

Waiting for the train. All dressed up with his hat on and his train whistle. The train had a senior tour group there that day and he was a big hit.

First look at the train.

The train pulled into the station getting ready for the trip to Winslow.

We had to get a picture of the caboose. Brayden really wanted to ride in it, but when I found out there was no heat or air conditioning I decided we wanted in the dome car. After we were seated I found out the air conditioning wasn't working up in the dome of the car we were in.

Waiting to depart. We sat up in the dome on the way to Winslow. The air condition wasn't working in this part of the car, but they had a fan up there and the view was great.

Departing the station. Brayden was very excited to be on a real train. He was seriously taking it all in ( at least for the first 5 minutes).

Ann waiting for the train to depart.

About 5 minutes into the train ride Brayden fell asleep. He had worked himself up so much he was exhausted by the time the actual ride began. He slept most of the way to Winslow. He woke up right as we were entering the tunnel outside of Winslow.

Even though we were a little early for the fall colors the mountains were still beautiful.

Getting ready to enter the tunnel. Since we were seated up in the dome there were windows all along the sides and up above us also. The view was great.

On the trip back to Van Buren from Winslow we went down to the lower part of the car where it was much cooler. Here Brayden and Pappa are checking out the second set of tracks.

Our little engineer, he really seemed to enjoy the trip. I know we all did.

Pigeon Forge

2011-08-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ripley's Aquarium, Pigeon Forge

2011-08-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

During our trip to Pigeon Forge we spent one morning at the Aquarium. It was amazing and everyone had a wonderful time. We saw all kinds of sea creatures.

There was a moving walkway thru the main tank.

There was a play area for the children. Brayden checks out the large oyster.

Brody and Adam pose in the diver's suit.

The boys went up into the center of one of the tanks. They even found Nemo.

Playing in the Penguin tunnel.

Casey Jones Museum

2011-08-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

On the way to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee we stopped in Jackson and spent the night. We got up on Saturday morning and visited Casey Jones Museum. Brayden loves trains and he was very excited to be there. We toured the museum, a train replica, and Casey Jones house.

Casey Jones was killed in a train collision in April of 1900, something common for that day.

Casey Jones had a nice house for that day. This is a picture of the children's room with their toy train in the floor.

I guess they were just glad to have indoor plumbing, but it didn't look to inviting to me. Gotta love a shower.

Brayden's favorite place was the train table they had set up in the gift shop. He was not happy when we had to leave to get back in the car again.

Flower within a Flower

2011-06-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

I will definitely be saving the seed from this sunflower and planting them next year to determine if this "flower-within-a-flower" is genetic. Such an abnormality could be the result of a bacterium, virus, or fungus, in which case the chances of it appearing in the offspring will be slim. However, if it does appear in the next generation, it is genetic (a freak mutation) and could be of commercial value as a great novelty plant. What did I do with that Burpee phone number?

Home made quilts

2011-06-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

My mother has made quilts for the kids. I put them on my bed to get pictures of them. The pictures are not very good and the bed is not the right side but you get the general idea. I wish I had just a small portion of the talent she has. Thanks mom for all your hard work!

Tabitha & Sean's quilt

Adam & Justine's quilt

Alex & Kayla's quilt

Dad

2011-06-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

No card to pick out, no phone call to make, no visit to plan, no deciding between the handkerchiefs or the work gloves; there are alot of things you no longer have to do on Father's Day when your dad has passed away. What you will have on Father's Day is alot more time to wonder why you ever found such things to be a chore. Wish you were here, Dad.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T04:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all those great dads I have the pleasure of knowing. I thank God for you all. My dad and Troy's have gone on to be with the Lord and we miss them dearly. They were a great example of love to us both.

Decoration Day

2011-05-30T01:50:00.000-07:00

A little weed pulling, a few squirts of Roundup here and there, a bouquet of flowers, and a new American flag made Debbie's Dad's grave standout this decoration day at the Prairie Bayou Cemetery. The brick pavers and large white gravel with the weed guard fabric beneath that Debbie and I added to the grave shortly after George's burial, make his grave easy to maintain and looking good all year round. The Prarie Bayou Cemetery, like most country cemeteries, relies solely on the donations of family members to maintain and mow the grounds. So, Debbie and I made sure to donate to the Cemetery fund as well. Both of our Dads served this country for over 20 years of their lives and to maintain and decorate their graves is a way to continue to show our respect and gratitude for what they did for us and our country.

2011-05-29T18:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday Troy and I went to Brayden's Little Gym class for his final class and open house. I ran off and forgot the camera so I had to use the camera on my iphone. I am still trying to get the hang of it and Brayden did not make this an easy task. These pictures are so blurry, but whether it was trying to capture a moving target or my serious lack of photography skills who can tell? Anyway we had a great time and hopefully the blurry pictures emphasize the energy this young man has. He was all over the room. He had a blast.

He bounced..
He jumped..

He balanced..

He climbed..

He balanced some more..

Finishing off by awarding hisself a medal and turning his back on me and the metal before I could snap the picture.

Afterwards we went out for brunch at a local restaurant and he was still wanting to climb.

The pictures may be blurry but the memory will be all too clear in our hearts and our minds for all time.

My Photo Book May 09 2011

2011-05-22T03:02:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Serpents

2011-05-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

Cottonmouth

Broad-banded and Yellow-bellied water snakes in an epic battle over territory

Just a few of the snakes we ran into while on field trips with my class to different state parks around the state.

Future Entomologist

2011-04-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

We found a nest of tent caterpillars and I just had to show Brayden these little guys. After a few minutes of studying them and seeing that they didn't hurt me, he was ready to enjoy the feel of a caterpillar crawling up his arm.

Future Herpetologist

2011-04-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Brayden took to tadpole collecting like a duck to water. We had a blast collecting these tadpoles and putting them in the aquarium I have set up on my back porch. Now Brayden can keep up with how much they have grown each visit he makes.

Texas Field Trip

2011-03-27T14:25:00.000-07:00

Another Seaweed Collection Trip to Texas. Yes, I got soaked on more than one occasion, but the water was not really cold

I love live oaks. I wish we had them around here.

Debbie standing in front of a 44' tall, 1,000 year old live oak measuring 35' in circumference with a crown spread of 89'. Simple called "The Tree" located on Goose Island just outside of Corpus Christi. Naturally, I had to pick up a few acorns from this tree that fallen to the ground.

I got lots of pics of this Inca Dove among the blue bonnets which were in full bloom all over Texas.

While hunting for my seaweed look what I nearly stepped on. . . a Portuguese man of war (YIKES!). Beautiful, but painful.

Blue Bonnets

Garvin Woodland Gardens

2011-03-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

Marvin Woodland Garden

2011-03-22T03:21:00.000-07:00

The reports were true, the daffodils had come and gone two weeks earlier than usual along with the hyacinths. Many tulips were in the process of dropping their petals as well. The weather in Arkansas is always the wildcard. Fortunately, we did find a few vantage points from which to take some pics, but Brayden was not very cooperative. Nevertheless, with all odds against us we did get off a few good shots and these were a few.

Nature Calls

2011-03-21T19:20:00.001-07:00

Potty training Arkansas style.

A Boy and his Coy

2011-03-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

As much as Brayden likes feeding my fish each morning in the aquarium, you can just imagine how much he went nuts for this pond of coy at Garvin Woodland Garden. We almost could not get him to leave.

Feeding the Fish

2011-03-21T14:50:00.001-07:00

Things Little Boys Do

2011-03-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

Bug touching and Rock hopping. What else would you expect from a boy?

Occasion Trees

2011-03-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

Sean and Tabitha's Tulip Tree (in honor of their wedding that took place under a much larger Tulip tree in Hot Springs)
Crabapple tree planted in honor of Brody's birth

Brayden's Redbud tree

Every momentous occasion in our family, I plant a tree or bush to mark the occasion. So far all of the trees are doing well and looking very good. I still have to pick out a tree to plant in honor of Alex and Kayla's wedding.

Birds Moving In

2011-03-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

Brayden and I were delighted to learn that the bird boxes we put up this winter already have residence. I know the box with the pine needles are bluebirds, but the box with the moss I am not sure just who is building that nest. We will have to keep our eyes open. The two boxes on my storage building have no nests in them yet.

Brayden's Bird Boxes

2011-02-27T13:04:00.000-08:00

Brayden enjoyed checking-in on the bluebird box so much last summer (3 clutches raised in it) that he insisted we build more bird boxes for this summer. So we worked one day over my winter break building these boxes. We built one more bluebird box and put it on this fence post in the backyard because bluebirds like open spaces. We also built two bird boxes and attached them to different sides of my storage building. These should attract some wrens or sparrows, I would think. The wood came from a student of mine who brought me a truckload of various lengths of rough-sawn lumber. It had boards of cedar, cypress, hickory, and pine. We also have one bird box made from an apple-shaped gourd, but we will wait to put it out until later.

Strange Moon

2011-02-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

Brayden turns 2

2011-02-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

Brayden turned 2 on January 30th, we really do love this little guy. The time has passed so quickly. He spent the Sunday before his birthday at our house and we decided to give him his birthday present. We got him a bull to ride on. It took him a little while to warm up to it. He is still a little small for it, but that will change all too soon.

Saturday was his birthday party at Party Central in Benton. There were several people who came to celebrate with us. We got a chance to visit with Frankie and her daughter Reese.

Brayden seem to really enjoy himself. He played in all of the blow-up toys. Sean and Brayden played basketball.

Sean's dad and mom along with his sister and her husband came down from Rhode Island to join the fun. Heather and John went down the slide together.

There were plenty of large blow-up toys to play in. I think this is a train station. It has a small obstacle course in it. Brayden didn't stay in any one place for too long. He was very excited.

The theme of the party was Yo Gabba Gabba. Brayden really likes this show. Tabitha made a cake and some decorations for the party room.

We sang happy birthday and Brayden actually blew out his own candle!

Everyone enjoyed cake and ice cream. Yum!

Now for the presents ....

Happy birthday little man, we love you lots!

Feed the Birds

2011-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Tabitha and Sean told us it was coming days before it hit, so I made sure to get extra sunflower seeds because I knew the birds would be especially hungry. However, I have had to constantly take out boiling hot water to pour in the bird bath to keep the birds with plenty of water as well. I have had mostly goldfinches, cardinals, and a whole gaggle of crackles with a few redwing blackbirds. I just hope we don't have a Bebe bird death incident in our backyard. Oh by the way, we got up to 8" in a few places in the yard.

Lousiana Purchase State Park

2011-01-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

On the way to the state Park we were all amazed at the sheer number of migratory birds that filled the skies and fields. Not being from this part of Arkansas, it was a real treat to see all the birds including the Canadian Geese, a large variety of ducks, meadow larks, and lots of hawks.

Well, here we are at another Arkansas State Park and Brayden was up for the adventure. This park is really neat, especially if you would like the opportunity to explore a swamp without getting your feet wet. Located just 20 miles south of Brinkley, the Louisiana Purchase State Park features a short, nicely maintained, boardwalk trail into a cypress, water tupelo swamp. The boardwalk was a couple of feet above the ground that was only partially underwater the day we were there. The trail ends at the famous marker from which all the initial surveys were taken of the 900,000 sq. mi. Louisiana Purchase. Although President Jefferson made the $15 million dollar purchase in 1803, it was President Madison who ordered its survey to begin here in Arkansas in 1815. I guess I had forgotten just how big a purchase this really was with land stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.

Brayden loves bridges, so this was right up his alley.

Cypress "knees" as they are called around here are actually part of the root system that allows these trees to get air even when growing underwater. While we can't see it here, these knees have tiny tubes for the air to pass to the roots. Sort of like a snorkel for the tree roots.

The wide bases of these trunks allow the trees to have as much stability in these soggy soils as possible. Some call these specialized structures "prop" roots because of this stabilizing action. I just think it looks neat.

Feel free to click on the pics to enlarge the image in order to read the writing for yourself. Below is the original western baseline still visibly cut through the swamp forest. The red at the end of the line is our car in the parking lot.

Crowley's Ridge

2011-01-04T04:36:00.000-08:00

Mississippi River State Park is just outside of Marianna, AR on the southern most tip of Crowley's ridge. The ridge was originally an island 50 million years ago between the Ohio River on the west and Mississippi River on the east.

The gullies of Bear Creek Trail were great for ferns and mosses. Brayden and I examed a moss growing on this fallen tree.

Christmas ferns were everywhere.

There were vines hanging over the trail in multiple spots, but Brayden is going to have to grow just a little bit more before he gets to do some swinging.

Brayden loves bridges.

My hiking buddy needed a break from walking.

Brayden charged the hills with great determination.

By far this has been one of my favorite hiking trips yet, although it may have been at the current limits of Brayden's walking range because I had to carry him the last few hundred yards. Crowley's ridge is a must see. The ridge is 11 miles wide x 150m long and ~300' high. It is really amazing to see this hill country which reminds me of home (Bismarck, Ouachita Mtns) right in the middle of the flat delta. The plants and animals resemble the flora and fauna of the hills of TN or the Ozarks/Ouachitas of AR. but are separated from these other hill countries by miles of flat, swampy delta land. It is really amazing that in a matter of minutes we went from flatland to hill country.

Towering Pines Trail

2010-12-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

The hike begins!

Brayden is being pursued by Sasquatch (and a dog). Run Brayden, Run!

Nana, the baby herder. This is no ordinary sheep, Bo Peep.

Little bit cool today (30's), but we just had to get in some hiking. I bought a book at the visitor's center at Pinnacle Mountain State Park called Arkansas Dayhikes for Kids & Families (105 Easy Trails in the Natural State) and it seems that we have about 100 trails left to do with Brayden. The book listed "Towering Pines Trail" at Lake DeGray, so we thought we would go out today and hike it. Now we only have 99 trails left to do; I just hope the weather doesn't get much colder.

The pictures below is what Brayden does on a hike when there are no rocks to throw into a body of water. . . he kicks pine cones. Yes, another gene found on the Y-chromosome.

Pinnacle Mountain

2010-12-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

Pinnacle mountain is going to be one of my biogeography field trips this spring semester. I was even able to make arrangements for a short float trip on a small river that empties into the Arkansas River. We should be able to see some aquatic animals and plants. Pinnacle mountain is actually part of the Ouachita mountains, but I am going there to show the students the Arkansas River Valley region. As you can see, Brayden seemed to enjoy the trip as much as we did and I am looking forward to him getting to go on many more field trips with me and I hope some day Brody will live close enough to us that I can take him with me as well.

Low Water

2010-12-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a bay that we use to fish on Lake DeGray. I have never seen the lake so low. The bay is on your left across from the golf course as you enter the state park. Notice the trees with the blocks attached to them; you can see them all over the shore of the lake. For those who don't fish, these are sank to give fish a place to hang out and create a good fishing spot for those who know their location.

Chalk it up to fun!

2010-12-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I am out for Christmas break and that means I can spend some time with my little buddy. I knew the chalk was going to be a big hit ever since Nana bought it for him. We just kept forgetting to give it to him and when we did remember it the weather would be bad. But even though it was a little chilly today, we gave the chalk to Brayden and we all had a blast coloring and drawing all over the back patio. I am looking forward to spending a few days with my buddy, so I will keep you all posted on what we do next. Right now he is napping.

Trip to the Ouachitas

2010-11-27T15:02:00.000-08:00

The stuff hanging from the tree is a lichen (algae/fungi hybrid) appropriately called "old man's beard"

Fossil field near Waldron a few miles from Oklahoma

An old school house just outside Waldron

I am scheduled to teach a course in biogeography in the the spring and plan to incorporate field trips to all six regions of Arkansas. I really need to visit those sites I plan to take the students to during the course, so I started this week by visiting one of those regions called the Ouachita mountains. Bismarck is actually in the foothills of the Ouachita mountains, but Debbie and I went to the heart of the Ouachitas on Friday. I wanted to check out a fossil site I was at two years ago to be sure the fossils were still unburied. The fossils were unearthed by an open-pit coal mining company and just spread all over the ground. However, the company has moved on and most of the area is now covered in topsoil and grass, but a few bare places remain and a small pit. Debbie and I were able to find a few fossils in a matter of minutes so the trip will be on for the spring. We plan on making trips to the other 5 regions over the Christmas break. The other regions include the Ozarks, the West Gulf Coastal Plain, the Arkansas River Valley, the Delta, and Crowley's Ridge. This is the reason it was so difficult to describe this state to non-Arkansans. It really just depends upon where you are in the state.

Hiking with Brayden

2010-11-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

We took full advantage of a nice cool fall day and Brayden's visit. Lake Catherine is less than an hour away and the State Park had some hiking trails we had never been on before. Brayden really likes the outdoors and especially enjoyed crossing the many bridges on this trail.

Rock Thrower

2010-11-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

There must be a rock-throwing gene on the "Y" chromosome. Every boy I have ever known could entertain himself for hours with rocks and some body of water into which to throw them. Our two mile hike on Saturday turned into a 3 hour excursion due to all the pools of water along the trail. Brayden threw and threw and threw-- left-handed, right-handed, both-handed --big rocks, small rocks-- it didn't matter. So much for all those expensive toys, remember the best things in life are free!

Brayden

2010-11-07T06:26:00.001-08:00

No, we didn't let him eat the rocks. But we did give him chocolate pop tarts for breakfast.

Survived

2010-10-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

Well, mine wasn't golfball-sized, but a kidney stone gave me a stormy two weeks. After Wednesday's surgery to remove it, I am finally on the mend (I hope). Although, the several attacks of excruciating pain (have to have had one to fully appreciate the adjective) I have been left with a mouthful of canker sores that are a result of the stress caused by the pain (I was told). It was difficult to teach on my first day back to work yesterday because of the nearly dozen sores on my lips and tongue; it may be a real trick trying to preach tomorrow without sounding like I am drunk or making fun of the speech impaired. Nevertheless, I am thankful to God, Dr. Woodward, inventors of pain medication, and my wife for pulling me through yet another kidney stone.

Lake Missing!

2010-10-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hot and dry. We took Brayden to the lake, but it was gone! Instead of water all we found was dirt, grass, and an old armadillo. Brayden didn't seem to mind too much; he just splashed around in the grass. Such a happy, easy to please boy. I hope he stays that way forever.

Fall Gardening

2010-09-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

With Fall temperatures finally arriving, I couldn't wait to get my hands dirty. The strawberry beds needed thinning and weeding. Alex and I had extended the bed by half this summer, so I had more room to plant the extra plants from the thinning process. I made 5 rows that are 10' long and I still had extra plants. So I planted some more plants in pots and placed them on the back patio; the rest of the plants I just threw in the flower bed and covered with the extra dirt. I am hoping for a bumper crop this spring so Brayden can pick and eat till his belly nearly pops. And after the strawberry harvest is over, the blackberry vines (along the fence) will be loaded with big, juicy berries ready for Brayden to pick. This is why I use no pesticides or herbicides, because we like to eat what we pick right there in the garden.

While working in the strawberry bed, I could enjoy the sights of all my other backyard favorites: morning glories, canna lillies, lantana and sweet potato vines.

Brayden, the gardener

2010-09-18T03:19:00.000-07:00

Future garden enthusiast? Brayden loves picking flowers and studying them. Here the lantana is in full bloom and the little bright red and orange blossoms were just to pretty to resist.

Going Green & Deer Friends

2010-09-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is our redneck neighbor's attempt at going "green"; the engine runs on photosynthesis! But these guys who have been sneaking into my backyard along with an army of armadillos by night, run on flower power. Yes, they have been taking bites out of my lantanna and morning glories.

Brayden spends the weekend

2010-09-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

Tabitha and Sean bought me a video recorder for my birthday. I just had to try it out. I took this video last night when Troy, Brayden, and Candy were playing around on our bed. They were really having a good time. It looks like I will have to work a little bit on my video skills :)

Fun at the Zoo

2010-09-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of the animals we saw with our two grandsons a few weeks ago (see Debbie's entry below). I was pleasantly surprised with the improvements that had been made to the Little Rock Zoo since last time we visited. The animals have new open air compounds instead of cages. There seems to be more animals and exhibits. The grounds seemed cleaner and better kept. All in all we had a good time except of the stifling hot weather and the sudden thunderstorm, but who do you blame for the weather? Can you guess which animal reminds me most of Debbie?

Fun at the Zoo cont.

2010-09-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

Adam comes for a visit

2010-08-21T19:48:00.001-07:00

This week Adam, Justine, and Brody came down for a visit. We started out the day with Brody driving the lawn mower. He seemed to like it. He wasn't scared of the motor and he really was doing some of the steering. We enjoyed their visit very much and hope to see them again soon. We really have missed them and Brody is getting so grown up. He hasn't gotten much bigger. He still is very small for his age (just like his dad was). It was especially nice to see Brody and Brayden together. There isn't a lot of difference in the age and they are pretty much the same size. We had a terrific week.

Trip to Mid America Museum

2010-08-21T19:35:00.001-07:00

Tuesday we all went out to eat and then to Mid America Museum. We really had a good time. It was nice and air conditioned. My kind of place :) The boys seemed to enjoy everything except the dinosaurs. They weren't too happy about the monsters in the dark.

We really enjoyed having everybody together and hope to get them together again soon.

Trip to the Zoo

2010-08-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the zoo on Thursday. They really seemed to have a good time even though it was REALLY hot!! Brody was very excited and jumped out of the wagon at every chance to see a new animal. Brayden took things a little more relaxed and sat back and enjoyed the ride and the sites.

Adam took the boys through the sprinkler to cool off just a little.

Vegas

2010-08-20T01:32:00.000-07:00

We had nice accommodations while exploring the desert sites. We stayed at the Venetian Hotel on the Vegas strip. A knock off of the city of Venice, it came complete with indoor and outdoor gondola rides along canals lined with shops. There had to be a lot of losers to pay for this place.

One morning Debbie and I got up at 5 a.m. and explored our hotel and even ventured outside to explore our temporary neighborhood (Treasure Island, Caesar's Palace, Flamigo, Luxor, Balagio, etc.). The fountain show was neat at the Balagio. We did see one show while we were here, The Blue Man group, which was great! We also got the chance to see the pawn shop from the TV show, "Pawn Stars" if you are into watching the History Channel you know what I am talking about.

However, by day three everything in Vegas started to look the same. Sensory overload was definitely stuck in overdrive. Every hotel looked like the one we just left. The strip became one long continuous stream of flickering lights with all the same sounds and smells. I was glad we didn't stay any longer than 3 days, which was enough time to see what we really came to see (the Grand Canyon and desert). Things had really changed since I was here 25 years ago. Even the locals I talked to agreed. Everything was so very expensive including the meals; it was like being stuck in an amusment park having to pay amusment park prices for everything you eat and drink. I know Vegas has tried to become more "family" friendly or more of a vacation destination for the whole family, but personally I don't get it. There are things even on the street I wouldn't want my teenager or adolescent to see or hear. And then there is the cost; I could easily see an ordinary meal running a family of four well over $150.

This was just half of our room on the 22nd floor. What is not shown in the picture is our king size bed and a bathroom with a glass, walk-in shower, huge tub, double sinks, and toilet in its own room with a telephone.

This was inside the hotel which has a ceiling painted like the evening sky. You really do feel like you are strolling the streets of Venice (I guess because I have never been to Venice).

Desert Garden

2010-08-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Another highlight of our vacation was a visit to a cactus garden. It was here that I got the pics of the roadrunner (see Bismarck Birding blog). The sheer variety of desert plants was amazing. While the barrel cacti are still my personal favorites, there are many other succulents and woody plants that are adapted to the desert. And if climate change continues, who knows we might all need to start becoming proficient at growing desert plants in our gardens in Arkansas. I know these guys would be right at home in my backyard this week.

The old familiar "prickly pears." I can remember fighting these guys in the DeRoche church yard. A needle through the sneakers and into the foot was a constant reminder of their presences while I was mowing sections of the yard.

I didn't get the name of this species, but judging from the flower I would say it is a close relative of our Silk (a.k.a Mimosa) tree.

What crazy shapes these cacti take! They almost look like human sculptures.

The Mesquite trees were the largests plants in the garden. However, by comparison to our pines and oaks, these mesquites can look like bushes. The truly amazing thing about these trees is their ability to find water. Mequite trees can put down roots more than 100' deep in order to find water. No other plant comes close to that root depth.

This pot full of "mother-in-law's tongue" was actually on the street rather than in the garden. But just the huge size of the plant caught my eye (4' tall). If you ever saw or felt the serrated edge of its leaf and you are married, then you know how it got its name.

Here is an Ephedra plant. Extracts from this plant have been used and are still being used today for many different things. Ephedrine and psuedoephedrine are the active constituents of this plant.

Here is agave plant is also known as a century plant because it only blooms once in its lifetime, which was believed to be 100 years, but is actually about 25 years. So I guess it should be called a "quarter of a century" plant. When it does bloom the flower is full of very sweet nectar and companies are manufacturing a sugar substitute from the bloom and flesh of this plant.

Aloe is a genus that contains over 400 species. We are most familiar with the species Aloe vera. Here is a field full of what they call "medical" Aloe or Aloe vera.

Hoover or Boulder Dam?

2010-08-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

As you can see, we did not spend all of our time in the air. One day we took a bus tour of the Hoover Dam (a.k.a. Boulder Dam) located in the black canyon of the Colorado River. But first, notice the new US93 bridge located 1,600' downstream of the Hoover Dam crossing the Colorado River from Nevada to Arizona. Once complete in November, there will be no more traffic across Hoover Dam. With security checkpoints, you should have seen the traffic backed up trying to cross the dam; luckily our bus got there early enough to avoid all the congestion. This bridge is suppose to end all this traffic problem. The name of the bridge is the O'Callaghan-Tillman Memorial Bridge. O'Callaghan, I don't know anything about, but Pat Tillman was the Arizona Cardinal NFL player who was killed in Afghanistan serving this country.

Due to my fear of heights, Debbie did all the picture taking from the edge looking down. I stayed well away from the rail. We did not go down into the dam due to both of our claustrophobic condition; to hear some tour guide tell me how much water was pressing against the dam while I was down in it would be too much for me.

According to the information signs, Hoover Dam was constructed with 6.6 million tons of cement, which is enough to pour a 3" thick, 4' wide side walk around the equator! The dam is 726' tall, which makes it taller than the Washington monument, Gateway Arch, and the Pyramids.

The white line above Lake Mead behind the dam and all around the lake is called the "bathtub ring" and shows how severely water levels have been dropping. Currently, the lake is at 39% of its capacity and levels have been dropping steadily since 2000 due to higher than average evaporation rates and less than average snowfall in the Rockies (the Colorado River owes most of its existence to spring snow melt). Entire, multi-million dollar marinas have had to relocate due to the dropping water levels. The latest estimates project that by 2017 the lake will fall below minimum power level elevations (1050') and the lake's live storage ability will vanish by 2021, if global climate change continues and strict water conservation laws are not passed. So if you are going to see this lake, you better not put a trip off for too long.

Monument to the men who risked their life to build this dam during the depression years.

Thank you Japanese tourists for taking our picture and not running off with our camera.

I am glad Debbie got this shot. It makes me nervous just looking at these pictures. Yikes!

No Fear

2010-08-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Without a doubt the highlight of our vacation was the helicopter ride out over the Grand Canyon. I was a little apprehensive at first (fear of heights), but soon became engrossed by the view. This area is so different from Arkansas; it almost looked like the surface of some other planet. I am still trying to figure out how anyone could live in this area or even travel through it. It is so barren.

Does my initial fear show? I had come this far and was not going to chicken out now. Let's go!

Debbie had no problem with the heights even though this was the first time either of us have flown in a helicopter. Of course, she loves riding roller coaster and anything else that goes fast and high.

We lifted off from the Boulder City Airport which was about 30 minutes from our hotel, but they ran a shuttle from our hotel in Las Vegas to the airport. Best thing about Boulder City. . . NO GAMBLING and NO DRINKING!

Above is the Muddy River, which is one of three rivers that now empty into Lake Mead; the Virgin River and Colorado River are the other two rivers. Before Hoover Dam made Lake Mead, the Muddy River ran into the Virgin River before emptying into the Colorado.

The texture of the mountains and hills were constantly changing. Here is a section that is laid on its side relative to the Grand Canyon. This area must be a geologists dream come true. All I can say was there were some major forces at work (wind, water, earth, etc.) here.

Now I know and can envision what is meant by the "painted" desert. The colors from the different minerals in the soil are just amazing.

Roads looked like they went to nowhere. I will ask it again, how did people survive the trip to California? How did they make it across places like this especially without GPS, Google Earth, or even a detailed map?

Boulder City on the left. The town started as dormitories for the hundreds of workers who were constructing the dam. Now it is a very clean, well-maintained town of mostly artists who have shops up and down main street.

This small landing strip was used in WWII as a training field for Navy pilots who were learning how to land on air craft carriers at sea.

A Grand Canyon, indeed.

2010-08-18T04:19:00.000-07:00

A helicopter ride was the best way to see the western end of the Grand Canyon. We were in a position to at least see more of it at a time. However, to try to absorb the sight mentally was impossible; it was so magnificent.

This glass deck built out from the canyon wall called the "skywalk" is owned by the Hualapai Indian Nation. This glass deck sticks out 70' from the side of the canyon and 4000' above the canyon floor. Standard price is $90 per person and no refunds for those who chicken out. We didn't go to the skywalk but we took some pics from our chopper. See the pic above for a closeup and the pic below for an idea of the scale of things.

Colorado River

2010-08-17T10:50:00.001-07:00

The Colorado River (meaning "Red" River) is approximately 1,500 miles long and has a watershed that covers parts of 7 different U.S. states and 2 Mexican states. Unfortunately, it no longer makes it to the Sea of Cortez due to irrigation and human consumption of the river. I know it is the life's blood of this arid region and little or no life could exist in this area without it. Note all the green around it's edges. We flew over the last stretch of the river before it emptied into Lake Mead.

Lake Mead

2010-08-17T10:28:00.001-07:00

We were amazed at the variety of colors that could be seen in Lake Mead. We were told the blue-green color was due to copper and of course, all the sediment being washed into the lake accounts for the chocolate color where the Colorado River enters the lake. This is truly a sight to see-- a lake in the middle of the desert! We flew . . .

from one end of the Lake (Colorado River entering the lake) to . . .

the Hoover Dam at the other end of the lake.

Shock and Awe

2010-08-09T02:20:00.001-07:00

Yes, Tabitha pulled one over on us on Saturday. A surprise 30th Anniversary Party (and we thought we were going to a photo shoot)! I am just amazed at how many of our friends and family were able to keep this a secret from us because we honestly had no idea until we pulled up to the DeRoche church house. We really want to thank all our friends and family for sharing in this experience with us. Many guests who were there saturday attended or were part of our original wedding party, which took place at DeRoche church. And of course, there were also many guests who were not even born yet. Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye for me; they were very busy years. But Debbie and I have emptied the nest and are enjoying the grandkids and our time together. Lord willing, we might even see our 50th if we keep this up. Thanks Tabitha and Sean; we enjoyed the afternoon.

End of the Rainbow

2010-07-25T06:47:00.001-07:00

I finally found the end of a rainbow and right on my back porch. So I looked for the pot of gold and there she was!!!! Our nest may be empty now, but we are finding more and more things to do together around the house and elsewhere. I really love her and am enjoying our new found time together. She is my red-headed leprechaun.

HOT!

2010-07-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

I really dislike this time of year with its constant heat and humidity. The ground simply becomes baked and hard as a rock. Few plants can thrive under such conditions. The only plants left in my backyard are the sweet potato vines, lantana, morning glories (which retreat by 9:00), and crape myrtles. It is really sad. Amazingly though, the bluebirds don't seem to mind the heat; they are on their 3rd clutch this year. I will try to make a few more boxes for next year.

Volunteer Army

2010-07-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

These are my backyard volunteers. The birdseed I put out not only feed my birds but fill our backyard with dozens of these bright single & multi-headed sunflowers. Notice the ring of flowers around the tree stump (counted 61 flowers). These all came up because I used the stump for a feeder for a couple of weeks. The bumble bees just love these sunflowers as do we. Debbie and I harvest the heads to use as birdseed for this winter; all except those I cut for flower arrangements (see blog below). So it is a win-win situation.

Too Cheap to Buy Flowers

2010-07-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have tried to keep Debbie and my mom supplied with bouquets of flowers this summer from my garden. Here are a few of my more recent cuttings. Sorry about the arrangements, but I just don't know much about that kind of stuff.

Annoying Little Chore

2010-07-02T02:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it is 4:00am and I am awaiting sunrise (~5:30am). A normal night's sleep is no more than 5 or 6 hours (back problems), but I enjoy my early morning walks in the garden. However, what awaits me today is no stroll through the roses, but rather some hand digging through 2 feet of dirt baked so hard by the sun that shovels recoil in fear at the sight (or site). No, I don't own a pick, but oh how I wished I owned a pick (or dynamite)!

You see my pressure regulator is out and the water pressure in the house has been sporadic to say the least. So, I must dig down a couple of feet to find the water pipe and then begin the search for the annoying little (bleep), which could be anywhere between the meter and the cutoff valve to my house (a distance of only 30 measly, little ole yards). And as an added bonus, all this work will be done in full sun (not a single tree in sight) during July in Arkansas.

For those not familiar with Arkansas weather, an Arkansan can tell what month it is by how many times we have to change our clothes each day. July is a definite 2x/day-month or 3x/day-month if you work outside. Also, it is this time of year when the phrase "wringing wet" is heard repeatedly, but it has nothing to do with falling into the lake or getting caught in the rain. Oh well, the sun is rising and I must prepare myself for the challenge before me and the backache to follow.

Troy's Flowers

2010-06-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

It has been so HOT here! Troy has had to water his plants every night. He does a good job keeping up with them. I have really enjoyed the ones he has picked for me. Here is a picture of some of the ones he has cut lately. The pictures really doesn't do the flowers justice and my sink in the background doesn't help either, but the flowers are beautiful just the same.

Lichen Bug

2010-06-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Talk about your camouflage expert, this is a green lacewing larva that my mom found. I don't know how she spotted it in all the lichens on her trees; I assume it was moving. I have read reports of these little guys pinching people, but I can't confirm because she gave it to me in a jar (and it will remain in the jar). Also a few bee pics.

Brayden's Backyard Surprise

2010-06-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

The strawberry plants are finished for the year (Brayden loved the strawberries), but look at what berries are just now getting ripe. I told Brayden before he left that when he got back the blackberries would be ripe and the plants are cooperating nicely. I already have a bowl full of juicy berries waiting for him and there are more on the way.

There will be even more surprises for Brayden in the backyard. Many of my plants are just starting to flower.

Canna lilies

Day lilies

Hen and Chicks (well they don't flower, but they are neat plants)

Hydrangea

Lantana

Morning Glory

Zinna

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

2010-06-01T14:53:00.000-07:00

Spectacular! Gorgeous! Can you believe these flowers were all cut from a single plant? It took a couple of years and a little TLC, but the hydrangea that Sean and Tabitha bought me on Father's Day 2008 is putting on a floral exhibition. It is like candy for the eyes.

Celebrations!

2010-05-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

This is a big week for Adam and Justine. Today they have been married 4 years. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago. We want to wish them a happy anniversay and we hope they have many happy years together. We miss you both very much.

This week was also Brody's birthday. He turned two on Monday. We really miss seeing this little guy and we hope he had a great day. He got a chance to visit with his cousin Brayden yesterday and we heard they had a good time together. We wish we could have been there with you and hope you have a great year. Love you lots!

Enjoying The Natural State

2010-05-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

With my summer classes set to begin next week, Debbie and I thought we would sneak off today and just enjoy the great outdoors. We decided to go to the Little Missouri Falls located about an hour and half from our house. Debbie and I had not been to the Falls since we returned from NH. Wow, things had really changed. The last time we were at the Falls, things were very inaccessible and required a bit of a hike to see the series of stair-stepped falls. Now there is a semi-paved trail, a bridge, picnic tables, a paved parking lot, and even restrooms. However, the roads leading to this site are still very, very rough; so if you plan on visiting the falls, drive a vehicle with plenty of ground clearance.

Tending the Roots of My Family Tree

2010-05-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Someone once defined the word genealogy as "tracing yourself back to better people" and that is certainly true in my case. I took my mother out to decorate the graves of her family in the Cunningham cemetery. This yearly outing gives her a chance to remind me of my roots from her side of the family. The Rowlands were from Montgomery county, Arkansas (Bear and Mt. Ida) and were almost to a person connected with construction (carpenters, brick layers, sheet rockers, etc.). I can just barely remember my grandfather, but my grandmother lived with us until I married and moved away from home. They were a hardworking people who survived many tragedies and obstacles in the backwoods of rural Arkansas. Had they not been so resourceful and determined, I would not be here today. I only wished they had been around longer and I would have paid more attention to their stories. However, as Thomas Jefferson said, our ancestors possessed a right, that nature has given to all men, of departing from the country in which chance, not choice placed them.

Mom looking over her parent's freshly cleaned tombstone.

We hung the wreath mom made for the occasion.

Mom had three brothers that were born dead. They could not afford tombstones and the graves are only marked by stones, but Mom's crosses look nice.

Blue

2010-05-11T10:56:00.000-07:00

The word "blue" has always been a bit confusing to me. It certainly can be used to symbolize sadness as in "he or she is feeling blue" or in the brand of music this part of the South is famous for, "the Blues." But then again, there is its connection with happiness such as "blue skies" or the "bluebird of happiness." Despite its ambiguity, blue is a handsome color on birds and this family of bluebirds in our backyard has been a source of joy and entertainment for us this spring. Debbie and I have sat in the hot tub each morning and watched this family grow. Mom and Dad have both been very much involved in raising their young family. Taking turns bringing worms and caterpillars to the nest, these dedicated parents made us tired just watching them. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and the babies are almost grown and ready to leave the nest. It must be a happy and sad time for these feathered parents; I know it was for us.

Mom checking on the kids.
Dad doing his part.

Dad watching over the family.

Where's the folks!

What are you looking at?

At the Lake with Brayden

2010-05-07T06:43:00.001-07:00

We took Brayden to the lake to throw rocks in the water. He had a good afternoon and was not ready to leave when it was time to go. He wanted to stay and I had a hard time getting him in his car seat. I think he will really like the water when he gets a little older.

Playing with Brayden

2010-05-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

We took Brayden to the playground down at one of the camping areas on Lake DeGray. He really seemed to enjoy himself. He played with the giant abacus.

He examined a tree closely

He played with Troy in the tunnel. We really enjoyed having him for a couple days.

Brayden helps plant tomatoes

2010-04-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

Brayden went with me and PawPaw over to Granny's to help plant tomatoes. He had a great time out in the yard. The wind was blowing and he had a little trouble walking over the ground because it was so uneven in places (especially the garden), but it didn't seem to slow him down at all.

He found leaves

He tried to feed Candy dandilions

He helped Pawpaw plant tomatoes

At the end of the day he was worn out, but not quite ready to go back to Nanna and Pawpaw's yet. Do I see the beginnings of a little pout? My little grinch is so absolutely adorable.

black-n-blue

2010-04-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

The brown-headed cowbirds and red-winged blackbirds have taken over my feeders, but I don't have the heart to run them off. The red-winged males are especially handsome with their colorful shoulder patches.
This is why I have to constantly refill my satellite dish feeders. These guys make a really big mess, but nothing goes to waste because a lot of birds like to feed on the ground. The mourning doves are especially fond of feeding on the ground below these feeders.
The indigo buntings like to hop around below the dish feeders as well. These guys really standout when feeding in a flock of blackbirds. There must have been 6 or 7 in my backyard today. But that is not to say buntings are opposed to eating at the feeders. They were all over the place today--on the ground and at the feeders.

New Craft Blog

2010-04-23T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start a blog for my craft blog entries. I will be updating the blog with other craft sites and doing more on the layout as time permits, but as for now you can view my craft blog entries at My Craft Shelf

Spring Cutie

2010-04-16T10:27:00.001-07:00

I created this card using Paisley Cartridge and the sentiment was a sticker I had in my stash. The paper for this card is DCWV and I really love their paper. I have been wanting to make something combining these colors for a while, but just couldn't decide on what. This card will be entered in several challenges for this week.

Sassy Lil' Sketches -- http://sassylilsketches.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-14th-card-sketch.html
Practical Scrappers -- http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2010/04/this-weeks-challenge-is-glitter-bling.html
Crictters Anonymous -- http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/

Hello Kitty Get Well Card

2010-04-16T10:12:00.001-07:00

I created this card using Hello Kitty Greetings Cartridge too. I think I got a little carried away with Hello Kitty this week, but it was fun! The sentiment is from Stamabilities and the ribbon was some ribbon left over from Tabitha's wedding programs. The ribbon didn't show up very well in the picture, it looks better on the card itself. I will be entering this card in several challenges for this week.

Cricut Cardz Challenge -- http://cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/04/cricut-cardz-challenge-21.html
Practical Scrappers -- http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2010/04/this-weeks-challenge-is-glittler-bling.html
The Cuttlebug Spot -- http://thecuttlebugspot.blogspot.com/2010/04/welcome-to-spring-challenge-blog-hop.html

Miss You Card

2010-04-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

I created this card using Hello Kitty Greetings cartridge and the sentiment is a Stampabilities stamp. You can't tell in the picture but I used beads for the ends of the umbrella. I also outlined the clouds using Stickles. The ribbon is just regular white craft ribbon I don't remember where it came from, it was just part of my never ending stash. I will be entering this card in several challenges for this week.

SPCC Color Challenge -- http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2010/04/sp-color-combo-43.html
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #5 -- http://fantabulouscricut.blogspot.com/2010/04/challenge-005.html
Practical Scrappers -- http://practicalscrappers.com/2010/04/this-weeks-challenge-is-glitter-bling.html

scrap time

2010-04-14T15:27:00.001-07:00

I took the time to do a few scrapbook pages today. The pictures are not very good. I am still having a little problem getting the lighting just right. You can't tell on this page of Brody but the background paper is actually embossed.

After adjusting the lighting on this page of Brayden the picture itself seems a little off. I will have to come up with a better lighting scheme.

This page of Brayden is a very simple page, but I wanted the picture to be the focal point so I kept it simple.

So Cute!

2010-04-11T08:25:00.001-07:00

I created this card for My Pink Stamper challenge. She is giving away a Cricut cartridge I would love to have. Creating this card was so much fun. Having two grandsons I don't get the chance to think "girly" too much, but these colors screamed girly. Take a look at her website, it is great!
http://www.mypinkstamper.com

A Card for Mom

2010-04-10T10:21:00.001-07:00

Mom's birthday is usually on Mother's Day so I make her a general card letting her know how much I love her. Her favorite color combination is purple and black so I decided to leave the inside of this card black. I used Wild Card to cut the spiral for the front of the card and Beyond Birthdays for the sentiment on the inside of the card. This card seemed to fit into several card challenges this week. The challenges are Mojo Monday at - http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2010/04/mojo-monday-133-contest.html , SPCC Color Combo at - http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2010/04/sp-color-combo-42.html , and Cricutters Anonymous #32 - http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com Be sure and check out the other entries in these challenges.

Brody's Tree

2010-04-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

While it saddens me because I seldom see my grandson Brody and I know he will grow up not really knowing his grandfather, I do look out from time to time at his tree and think about him growing up. I just pray that he will somehow blossom into a young, strong Christian man who understands that all life and beauty come from God.

Brayden's Tree

2010-04-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the Redbud I planted the year Brayden was born. It has a nice bunch of blooms this year and, like Brayden, should continue to get bigger and more beautiful with age.

Bonsai

2010-04-04T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of the Bonsai tree Sean and Tabitha gave me on Father's day. I have enjoyed caring for it. I also put a hen-and-chicks plant in the pot as well along with a few rocks from the New England coast.

Get Well Card

2010-03-31T06:53:00.001-07:00

I made this card for a friend who just got out of the hospital. I also made it with Fantabulous challenge in mind. This week's challenge is "bling it on". For this card I used paper from DCWV. It has glitter on the paper. The butterfly was cut out using Home Decor. I used pearls for the center and antenna on the butterfly. The ribbon and sentiment stamp are from Paper Studio. I don't remember exactly where the flowers with the rhinestone centers came from, just part of my never ending stash. Be sure and check out the other projects at http://fantabulouscricut.blogspot.com/2010/03/challenge-003.html

Sing Spring

2010-03-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

This spring card was made using Stretch Your Imagination. I love the time of spring and the wonderfull colors. This card is entered into the Charisma Cardz Challenge at http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/2010/03/charisma-cardz-12.html and the Cricutters Anonymous Challenge #31 at http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/2010/03/challenge-31-eggcellent.html

Easter Card for Brody

2010-03-29T19:33:00.000-07:00

I created this Easter Card for my grandson. The bunny on the egg is from Stretch Your Imagination, the paint wheel is from Locker Talk, and the sentiment on the inside of the card is from Base Camp. Be sure and check out the other projects at http://cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/03/cricut-cardz-challenge-18.html and Cricutters Anonymous Challenge #31 at http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/2010/03/challenge-31-eggcellent.html

Easter Paper Cutz Challenge #34

2010-03-29T19:16:00.001-07:00

I made this card for the Easter Challenge from Paper Cutz where the specifications are no bunnies or chicks. The wheel barrow is from Walk in My Garden, the Easter eggs from A Child's Year, the grass from Every Day Paperdolls, and the sentiment from Base Camp. Be sure and check out the other projects at http://papercutzchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/03/paper-cutz-challenge-34.html

A Special Hi Card

2010-03-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

I created this card for the Cricutters Anonymous woman's challenge and to send a special hello this spring to a good friend of mine. I used Walk in My Garden for the vase and flowers and Wild Card for the sentiment. Be sure and check out the other projects for this challenge at http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com

SPCC Color Challenge #40

2010-03-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

I created this card for this week's SPCC challenge color combo. This color combo gave me a little bit of a "challenge", but it was fun creating. I hope you like it. Be sure and check out the other entries in this challenge at http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2010/03/spcc-40.html

Flash!

2010-03-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get some action pictures of Brayden, so I went to the top of the hill to start taking the pics. Unfortunately, my camera couldn't keep up with the "assault on Daffodil Hill." Now I know how the Spaniards felt when Teddy Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill. Before I could get reset, Brayden had blown past me and left me in the dust. I was lucky enough to get one last shot before he disappeared over the hill.

Spring!

2010-03-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

My Future Botanist

2010-03-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Brayden's Spring Pictures

2010-03-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

More to come. Stay tuned.

Spring Card

2010-03-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

I created this spring card for several challenges. I used A Child's Year for the bunnies, Everyday Paperdolls for the grass, and Stretch Your Imagination for the fourishes. This card is for the following challenges

Charisma Cardz -- http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/ -- something for the kids
Papertake Weekly -- http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ -- lilac and lemon
Pile it on challenge -- http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/ -- pastel colors
Bitten by the Bug 2 -- http://heather-bittenbythebug2.blogspot.com/ -- stamps and cricut cut.

Man's Birthday Card

2010-03-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

I made this card for the "Just Buggin'" challenge. This challenge gave me a little trouble. It is harder for me to come up with men's projects, but here goes. I need a man's birthday card for next month so I thought I would give it a try. The blog hop starts at http://justbugginchallenges.blogspot.com/2010/03/challenge-29-man-challenge.html . Be sure and check out all the designers work for this challenge.

Monkey Birthday Card

2010-03-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

I made this card for two challenges. One is for Fantabulous Cricut where the challenge was to use balloons and the word "birthday". The other is for the Cricut Cardz Challenge where the challenge was to create a child's birthday card. The two seemed to go together. I made all the cuts using Everyday Paperdolls. I love this cartridge. The "Happy Birthday" does not show up very well in the picture, but it is a slightly darker shade of blue than the chalked edges of the clouds. Be sure and follow the Blog Hops for these challenges. Fantabulous Cricut starts at http://fantabulouscricut.blogspot.com/2010/03/challenge-001.html and the Cricut Cardz Challenge starts at http://cricutcardzchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/03/cricut-cardz-challenge-17.html

SPCC Challenge Color Combo #39

2010-03-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed creating cards this week. I really like this particular color combo. The paisley cut was done using Stretch Your Imagination. The Blog Hop starts at http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2010/03/sp-color-combo-39.html . Be sure and take time to visit the other entries in this Blog Hop.

Playing with Brayden

2010-03-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tabitha and Sean bought Troy a wagon for his birthday. He loves it. He couldn't wait to get Brayden here so he could pull him around the yard in it. I think he enjoyed it more than Brayden did. He also made Brayden a "walking stick" to take with them when they hike?! You can see Brayden with his stick in the wagon.

Brayden loves the dog's leash. He is not to crazy about the dog being on the other end of it, but he really likes carrying the leash around. I don't know who was doing the leading Brayden or Candy.

SPCC Blog Hop Combo

2010-03-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

I am attempting to enter my first Blog Hop. I have followed many before but never participated, so here goes. This is a simple card, but the color combo made me think of argyle so that's what I chose. My "green" item is the recycled white cardstock I had left over from some fans we made for my sons wedding. I hope you enjoy the Blog Hop. The Blog Hop starts at
http://spcolorcombos.blogspot.com/2010/03/blog-hop-and-guest-designer-call.html

Happy Birthday, Adam!

2010-03-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late post, we have been without electricity since before 5:00 am this morning. You never really appreciate it until you don't have it and then it is "impossible" to do anything. I find myself walking into rooms and flipping switches knowing full good and well nothing will happen. Anyway...... I wish Adam the best day ever! We really miss you around here, your charismatic personality and comical attitude toward life is infectious to all who are around you. We really hope we will be able to come up and see you in May. We look forward to being with you and your family again soon. Until then may all your days be happy ones. God bless you, son. We love you!