It's 'TOO MUCH SNOW' For The Backyard!!!!!!

     This is what it looks like outside my window right now...*sigh*...There's snow EVERYWHERE!!! And it's still coming down in a steady pace!!
 

      Don't look too closely at my fuzzy pictures. I didn't really wanna get all of that 'white stuff' in focus anyway!! LOL
 

      Hubby felt that there should be at least one good shot of the backyard though, so he took the camera from me and took the rest of them! ^_^
 

      It's a wonder he found the time, between watching tv and baking! :-) Yes, I said baking!...but I didn't say it was 'good' baking! LOL He's experimenting again!...*blink! blink!*
 

      He mixed some 'Bisquick' batter mix with two cans of soup...*blink! blink!*...chicken noodle soup and cream of mushroom...*blink! blink!...Uhhhhh.....yeah!! LOL He 'excitedly' brought one of his 'biscuits'...O_O...in here a couple of minutes ago for me to dry...I mean try. ^_^ I had to honestly tell him that it needed something....like ummmmm......a steak or a huge saugage wrapped around it!! LOL
       Whatever! ^_^ "Experiment away, Baby!!"......*smiling until he leaves the room, and then yelling at the computer screen*..."STORM LINUS, I HATE YOU!!!!" LOL
      

      Hopefully the snow will stop falling soon and we can shovel our way outta here!...and, as quickly as we can, find the first pizza joint, or Chinese food restaurant, or fish and chip place, and get some real food!!!! ^_^
 

      Have a good week, Y'all!! ♥ :-]

All The Things I Love 

If I listed all the things I've loved
I could rattle on forever!
Whether by 'order of importance'
or by a poeticly quick endeavor.

Right now it's Tennis...Well, all sports,
and reading informative magazines.
And crocheting, food and music.
Well..that might be in my genes!

I've loved teaching and line dancing,
So many things in my short life.
But I've never jumped from a plane,
or wittled anything with a knife!

With every passing moon
I find some other thing I love.
Whether grassy patterns on my lawn,
or phenomenal skies above.

Yes, if I listed all the things I loved
my words could fill all space,
It comes from curiosity,
and an Ooo-ing Awww-ing place!

     ...BUT SNOW WOULD NEVER MAKE THE LIST!!!! ^_^

Sisters And Backyards!

      In the photo above is the look of my backyard before the new 'improvements' over the last couple of days. Actually this is a photo from last year, I think!...If you'll notice, the flowers in the little garden were in full bloom. As was the tree where my birds...hummingbirds, robins, cardinals, blue jays, etc...hung out.
      The main difference to the backyard right now is the tree. It no longer exists...*sigh*...It seemed like a good idea at the moment, to cut it down I mean. But now that I'm looking out into the backyard, without any view-blocker, I'm not so sure.
      I'm feeling nostalgic already for the white blossoms that would appear on the tree for a short period of time every Spring, and for the birdie noise-makers waaaay too early in the morning!...Not to mention the wind whipping the limbs around during storms, and the edging of 'the white stuff' on the bare limbs in the winter...

      But on a good note, after yesterday's 'haul-away' of old foliage and branches, weeds and dead leaves, the backyard won't need hubby's attention for quite a while!...

      But the bad side of that is that there's nothing much out there to get 'anybody's' attention right now anyway! O_O ...
 

      I pulled my blinds up so that you can see what I see now when I look out the window.......NOT MUCH, right?!...
 

      It's gonna take some getting use to, for sure!!!

      But wait!...'what light through yonder window breaks?' :-)) ... Is that some color in 'them there' woods?!!!! :-) ...

      Yes!...I believe it is!! ^_^
  

      Thank You!!! :-) Something of interest 'IS' still out there!!...And the part of the garden below the window has signs of growth too!...
 

      But the poor tree......*sigh*.....is but a distant 'stumpy' memory! LOL...
 

      And now that there's no tree to cling too, I'm getting visitors clinging to my window screens! O_O ...
 

      My husband calls this one (above) a 'stink-bug'. I don't know if that's his official name, but, if so, it's certainly an appropriate name for the bug, and for the scenery!...because.....at the moment, they both stink!! LOL

      Any way!...Moving on!! ^_^ I have some good news to share! I found out yesterday that one of my sisters...{a fleshy sister....not a spiritual sister.}...has taken up the crocheting bug along with me! ^_^ She, along with a group of friends of hers, is making large blankets though. The type you put on your bed!!
      She's not doing them to sell. She just likes to give them away. Hmmm...she sounds a lot like I did back when I first starting making my 'ugly wuglyee' scarves! ^_^ I just wanted to use up the yarn I had laying around, so that it wouldn't go to waste. And make some 'love gifts' along the way. No obligations. Nobody waiting for me to make a particular thing, in a particular time period.
      Of course, my 'stash of handmade stuff' started piling up!! ^_^ Then a friend suggested that maybe I should try to sell some of it...you know...to make room for hubby's stuff to survive in our house! LOL And so it began!!...Wuglyees was born! :-) Now I can't sell it fast enough!...No, really...it's not selling fast enough!....HELP!! LOL
       The other part of the sister news is that I'm sending her the beginnings of the book I wrote about fifteen years ago...to read...and...*gulp!*...critique!! O_O What am I, CRAZY?!!!! LOL There aren't but a handful of people who I've even let touch the cover of my book!! It's like a mother's newborn to me! I mean, you know it's not the cutest thing you've ever seen in your life, but your love for it abounds beyond measure!!! :-)
      Add to this the fact that the part of the book my sister is gonna read is my deepest feelings about her herself and WOW!!!!....Yep!....CRAZY!!!!! That's me alright! LOL I hope she doesn't get upset! O_O Although my love for my sister is beyond my crazy writing, for sure!!...And I've sworn her to secrecy as far as anybody else's eyes being put on it!...*gulp!*...She can be trusted, right?!.....RIGHT?!!!! O_O ....Ha! Ha! I'll take my chances.

      Okay...I'm off to do a little crocheting, have some lunch, take a nap, and then get ready for my meeting...in that order. ^_^ What are you doing this fine bare-backyard Sunday?!! ^_^ Whatever it is, Have a good one!! ♥

Sisters

Sisters-on the family curve
sometimes just get on your nerve;
But, sisters will a purpose serve,
they will your life preserve.

Sisters-sometimes they're at war;
and sometimes they "do" go to far.
All sisters want to be the star-
not follow where you are!

Sisters-they don't care a bit!
When fighting they will never quit!
But, sisters, all your jokes they get;
and, when with you, they fit!

Sisters-are your family.
Sisters, see the things you see;
Sisters, knew the girl you'd be,
and set your spirit free.

Sisters-beside you they live;
and sometimes drain you, like a sieve;
But sisters, their last dime will give,
and will your bad forgive.

Sisters-no one else can knock;
and wow!-the memories they unlock.
A sisters smile can stop the clock-
'cause sisters "They Just Rock!"

Parents-with the seasons flow.
Boyfriends-they will come and go.
Brothers-by your side will grow.
But, sisters ease your woe;
and one shared heart you know.

Is This Weather The Last Push Of The Season?!

     The weather today was just beautiful!!! Sun...not much wind...no rain...and no thunderstorms on the horizon! :-] It almost could've been perfect, except for the fact that there also were no hummingbirds at the feeder, and the 'weeds' decided they wanted to grow like crazy today!!!...
 

     Well...maybe they didn't all grow today, but it hasn't been more than a week! They just shot up from the grown, got higher than the hanging feeder, and started sprouting white and yellow flowers! The white ones (dandelion puffs I call them! ^_^) got caught by the wind yesterday and started blowing all over the backyard!!

     They're actually very pretty, but only from inside!! ^_^ I'd be an achooing mess if I was out THERE!!! LOL
 

     Some air was made to be seen and not inhaled! ^_^ That's my story and I'm sticking with it!! :-))

     I'm thankful for the beauty of nature these days. I'm trying to process some pretty heady news I got a few days ago. No matter how much I try to compartmentalize it...it keeps coming back to the forefront of my mind, trying to distract me away from my smiles. But...even though it's really not good news I'm trying to process and put in it's mental place...I will find things to smile about though...because I must!!
     One of my smiles was this fun hat...
 

     I finally finished it and listed it in my Wuglyees shop HERE! :-) 
 

     I took some pictures with Shequita (my head model) wearing it, but I sewed the flower on it, and added the drawstring to it, afterward! :-] ...
 

     And in case anybody is wondering, it's not real fur! It's called 'fun fur' and it's 100% polyester. :-] It's washable and dryable, just like the yarn! I think it's a pretty fun combination! :-)
     By the way, I finished an autumn red hat too! Not this same design though. It's my flip up hat. Hopefully I'll get some photos of it tomorrow...maybe! In the meantime I'm crocheting two more flip up hats right now...at the same time! ^_^ I'm alternating between them. :-)) They won't be done for a couple of days though.
     In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not online as much these days. I'm spending a lot more time crocheting. I'm trying to get some product built up for a big Fall season. I'm gonna be focusing more on my hats and 'Ugly Wuglyee' scarves. It's TIME!! ^_^
     I'm also gonna be getting rid of my 'Free Shipping' mid-September. I hear that the post office is upping their prices again! Ugh! I can't compete if I don't add the shipping prices back...Sooooo if you're interested in anything from my shop (those of you in the U.S.) now would be the time to get it...before the shipping price gets added back to my shop! That 'will' happen on September 16th, 2014!!!
     Enough about me and my shop! What's going on with you guys?!! ^_^

I Wish I Could Wave Off The Time

I wish I could wave off the time
the way you wave off a fly about to land.
Just 'poo poo' appointments I'm dreading
with a flick and a wave of the hand.

If only the time went unnoticed,
like 'extras' on some movie set.
One shot it's as if they were coming,
the next shot they've not gotten there yet.

I'm dreading the phone calls and chatting,
as if time has somehow just stood still.
I wish I could wave off the ticking,
and hours of quiet to fill.

I know soon the day will be over.
The consciousness is in this rhyme.
Still I'm dreading the fact that it's coming,
and I wish I could wave off the time.

Veni, Vidi, Vici.........Sorta!

      If you don't know the quote, Veni, Vidi, Vici, let me translate. It literally means: "I came, I saw, I conquered"......I decided to apply it to storm Nika! ^_^ 'It came.....I saw it!.....but it WILL NOT conquer!! LOL

         The Header photo is what the backyard looked like just as the sun rose this morning....Pretty, right?! :-) But what you can't see...because I'm not going out there to get the cold, wet, frozen photos. NO!!!...is that we got about 10 inches of 'the white stuff'!!...Not the most we've ever gotten, but...trust me!...it's enough!! ^_^

        During the day yesterday, as the snow was falling fast and furious, it looked so peaceful...calm....almost 'Disney cartoon movie' like!...especially with the birds flitting between the snowflakes on occasion. ^_^

     

     Then, later in the day, a trench needed to be plowed!! O_O ...
 

     This morning...the trench is still there...but with some snow in the bottom of it! LOL...

      Hubby is outside shoveling...and helping other neighbors to shovel. He's gonna need a big hug and a kiss, hot apple cider, and a nice warm bath too maybe, when he gets back in here!...And he may also need some quiet time, so that he can thaw out in private! LOL I'm gonna talk 'YOUR' heads off...so that I can be 'tick-a-lock' lip girl for him when he comes back in. ^_^ ....................... Yeah....right!! ^_^

     I never saw a word I didn't wanna manipulate! LOL I come....I see it.....I conquer!!! LOL

     Other than snow, I wanna share a couple of videos I came across this morning....Actually, I saw them referenced on television this morning. :-) They're well worth sharing!...A bicycle guard dog (don't miss the ending)...and a fantastic mother/son wedding dance (don't miss the ending). ^_^ Enjoy, Y'all!!...And have a great day!! :-)



Snow TRAPPED!

TRAPPED! Another snow storm!
Will this "STUFF" never end?!
We've be wolloped, punched, and socked,
and now?! Another one on the chin!

'Adding insult to the injury',
there will be an inch of ice!
I guess winter thought we needed
just a little 'SCARY' spice!

Do I sound bitter? Sick of it?
About to lose my snowed-in mind?!
Well, that would be correct!
That is, the brain cells I can find!

TRAPPED! Sick of snow,
and it's icicles everywhere!
Good thing I have crochet!
It will replace my pulled out hair!
 
     (This poem was from a storm we had LAST year!...But some parts of it applied!! ^_^)

'White Stuff'...And Reality...Always Here!

      Yes...that is snow!...alias, 'the white stuff'! O_O It started falling again yesterday afternoon, and it kept on falling all evening!...In fact, "let me look again", yep! It's falling still this morning!...
 

     In fact, just standing in the backyard, and looking upward, you get a face full of the 'white stuff'...in big flake-fuls!!...
 

      I know, I know!...I complain entirely too much about it!...especially considering that I really don't 'hate' it 'that' much. I mean, it has its good points...like, for instance, how pretty it looks on top of the flowers, plants, and trees after it lands on them in the backyard. :-]
 

      It truly makes for calmness...outside, and in my mind. :-) Both of which I'm thankful for these days...
 

      It's been an emotionally tough couple of days...but I'm starting to recover a bit. I know I am because I find myself wanting to take care of mundane day-to-day things again, like balancing the checkbook, making a grocery list, and updating a few things in my Wuglyees Etsy shop.
      Other than eating, sleeping, and watching tennis, I haven't wanted to do anything the last two days or so.....Thus, I think I'm coming around. :-]
 

      Is the world gonna stop because I don't feel like playing?!...or because one of my best friends died?!....No! So I just have to find something to smile about...like a peacefully calm snow-covered backyard...and get on with it! :-]
 

      Other good things include the fact that it's 'pancake Sunday'!...even if I'm not eating pancakes this morning, that's a good thing. :-) It made me wanna eat something comforting. So I did!! :-) Hubby made me fried chicken and grits for breakfast!...And yes, I've already eaten it!! LOL
      I woke up hungry this morning...surprisingly!...and hubby was 'all over it'!! He made me a smile-able meal, with green tea, honey, and lemon following it! :-) And....uhhhh...a honey-dipped, warm donut too!! ^_^ Sooooooooooo GOOD!!
      Tennis News?!...Congrats to Li Na, Flavia Pennetta, Eugenie Bouchard, Novak Djokovic, and Stan Wawrinka in their Australian Open wins yesterday...And especially to Ana Ivanovic, for taking out Serena Williams!! WOW! What a surprise that was!!...and a really enjoyable match to watch!
      Okay...I have a meeting today...and some other mundane things to get back to as well. Life!...it's always right there to smack you back into reality, isn't it?! :-] Well, reality...here I come!! ^_^ Have a good day, Everybody!

Benches

Wooden, with an indent.
Sturdy, aged by the sun.
A place to rest when you are tired.
A stop when you are on the run.

A slatted back, for resting shoulders,
and cemented to the ground.
A wrought-iron rusted swirly arm-rest,
and a place to put bags down.

A place for you to catch a bus,
or to feed a hungry squirrel.
Where good friends can stop and chat
about the big news of the world.

Alone and beaten by the weather,
chipping paint, long past brand new.
Almost like some people we know,
who are inconspicuous too.

So reliably unnoticed,
all the benches that we pass.
Sitting there, just waiting for us,
if we too run out of gas.