Again-Again? Really, Jen?

Sooooo... I couldn't quite pull off the pre-holiday post or the post-holiday post, (ha) for that matter. Actually, if I'm going to be completely honest, I didn't even come close (although I thought about you often!). Since we're already well into the new year, I thought I should probably at least attempt to say something. You know, lest you all think I tumbled off the proverbial cliff, or - more likely - ran screaming into the hills to hide from the overwhelming number of unfinished Projects (excuse me for swearing ;o) towering stacks of [unpacked/unsorted] boxes, and [unfiled] paper piles hills mountains that have haunted me for the past several years. What I always find surprising [okay, annoying] is how incredibly difficult it is to get things to "line up" in a way that is conducive to any kind of serious productivity when you're finally on the upswing. [Photo inset: I varnished and added a shelf I uncovered Er, we had laying around, to the Family Room half bath with some things from my overcrowded bookshelves: A really [really-really] old prescription box and a hand-painted chair from Spain that was my grandmothers (because the colors worked). Then I printed and framed a vintage toilet water advertisement from my collection that had nicely coordinating colors (plus, it seemed apropos ;o) I found the family sign for half price at Hobby Lobby - love that store! - and put it there because it covered up the two anchors from the towel bar that hung there when it was a full bath.]

Over the past couple of years, since my health has started improving, it's seemed more likely to negotiate a succinct document out of a bunch of Louisiana lawyers - or attain complete compromise amidst a boatload of Washington politicians - than be able to find the time (and have enough energy) to get anything done on the home front. I always thought I had trouble keeping up with those things before I got sick; after? Well it just got ridiculous. And, to complete this towering challenge, we'll toss in a handful of inconsiderate individuals who were happy to compound the issue. Nobody can stick it to you quite as well as family can, right? Shockingly, however, the planets lined up, the stars sparkled, and Jen had an actual energy spurt over the Christmas holidays. I took a page out of my dad's book to make it happen (finding myself "limit up" over his constant criticism at the clean-but-cluttered state of my house), so I ignored everyone and everything in favor of my own agenda during the break. Even the evil 'Itis twins managed to toe the line for the most part (To wit: Arthur and Bursa), leaving me physically able to rise to the challenge. Though I think that was more compliments of the weirdly warm temperatures, than anything else. I'll take what I can get though, you know? ;o)

In addition to barreling through box loads and filing more papers than aforementioned attorneys, I've somehow managed to simultaneously catch the Pinterest bug and have also found myself subject to some [super simple] DIY-on-a-budget fits. Necessary? Pretty much, since we were suddenly interrupted by life before we could completely finish our remodel/redecorating (and as I mentioned, that part goes back to waaaay before I got sick *insert eyeroll here*). Fun? Definitely. Though I'm not sure I needed any more "P-words" floating around in various stages of completion. *sigh* There are an amazing number of fantastic ideas out there in cyberspace, and I've got to admit that Pinterest is probably the best bang for your buck (so to speak, anyway, since it's free to see for you and me *laugh* ;o) I'm posting some pictures of my DIY's so far (although the one at the very beginning of the post was home grown).

I have a large framed puzzle DD and I did together (which desperately needs glass) in the Family Room half bath that makes the colors all blend beautifully. The lightswitch in there, though practical, was a cheesy plastic one and I hated it. Since it was fitted inside the paneling, I couldn't easily replace it. Too bad I had no clue at the time that the electrical box could actually be brought forward to the edge of the paneling so I wouldn't have had to do it the way I did. Oh well. Enter Pinterest, and the cover your ugly switchplate with scrapbook paper idea. WOO-HOO! and Perfectomundo! It's very heavy paper and I sprayed the mess out of it with clear coat on top of the Mod Podge, so here's hoping for a long and happy life....

Below is the last puzzle DD and I put together before she left us (there are several we've done over the years in different frames scattered throughout the house). Since there was a rather annoying blank wall in the hallway-wannabee area on the way out to the tacky room, I thought this might spice it up a bit. I couldn't get a straight on shot, as there is a wall in the way. Oh! and a huge thank you to Lori, who gave me the "rustic-ready" frame instead of tossing it in the trash ;o) I had to trim the top and sides of the puzzle to make it fit - which took forever - but I love it! Do you ever decorate with puzzles?

My mom and I were working on hanging the dining room wallpaper when the first big life interruption occurred: her breast cancer diagnosis at age 65 (mom's now 80, so that should give you a pretty good idea of just how long all of this has dragged out *wince*). Things kind of spiraled (downward) from there when my grandmother came to live with us. Hopefully, I'll be able to find somebody, somewhere, who is incredibly bored and might be willing to help me finish it next summer. That's the plan anyway, but I digress. Although I already had a wide rod, I had no curtain. Can't say I care for the mini-blind look (it's very.... Meh). Found tons of good ideas for "no-sew curtains", but was ecstatic when I came across one using cloth napkins. How awesome is that? And who'd-a thunk it? (not me, that's for sure). Happily, I had some beautiful blue embroidered napkins that belonged to my grandmother tucked away in a drawer. I love the matching tablecloth [Photo inset] and use it all the time, just not the napkins which have to be washed and ironed after use (and are you kidding me?). The tablecloth is not actually shiny; I covered it with clear vinyl. It was done in self-defense (Mom spills a LOT of stuff). Check it out (please ignore the area that shouts "screeching halt" on the wallpaper above the window):

Ta Da! Like it? Unfortunately, both of the little plastic thinga-ma-bob-its broke when I put the rod up, so it's barely hanging up there (as in...nobody breathe!). Can you say marginal, defective, weak and cheap? It was brand new! *snarl* Wasn't too keen on the exposed ends though; really ugly.Took me awhile to figure out what to do about it, but I finally came up with a plan (which I will share in a future post). I've already bought the things I need to "fix" it, but now that school's back in I don't have the time I need to do it. Hmmm...isn't this exactly where we came in?!? Yeesh. *facepalm*

The one that had me turning cartwheels, however, was the switch plate frame it fix. I love, Love, LOVE, those fancy-schmancy decorative light switch covers. Unfortunately they can be extremely expensive (though if you have a Hobby Lobby anywhere near you, they do 50% off sales on switch plate covers periodically :o) I also happen to be a serious frame addict, and have picture frames of all shapes and sizes I've bought for next to nothing at flea markets and second-hand shops all over everywhere. One of my favorites? A 5" x 7" frame with a fabulous vine-like border of metal leaves and acorns. It cost me a whopping .50¢ (don'tcha just love those??). I also had an old wooden light switch cover in my "electrical stuff" box. Never would have thought of this one on my own either!

DH got into the spirit of things right along with me and cut the wooden switchplate to fit inside the frame. I re-glued the metal piece on the back, glued the seam and covered it with electrical tape, and then painted it a [rather poopy] shade of brown to match the frame:

After it dried, I took a fan brush and some antique bronze craft paint and dry brushed it (well, I tried to anyway) and... Viola!

So? What do you think? I even painted the plain mission-style cover on the other side of the living room next - it's by the fireplace - to jazz it up a bit.  I hit with Rustoleum's Hammered Copper. Looks absolutely perfect underneath the Psalm 40:2 tile my friend Lori gave me :o) My only issue with the whole switchplate cover thing has been that Joe Contractor (whoever built the house) clearly had a crick in his neck when he installed the electrical boxes; I'm guessing he opted out on the whole "Is it level" thing, too because they're all crooked. Sadly, the framing really makes it show. Raspberries!
On top of all the cleaning and DIY-ing, I've also been working on lesson plans for the farm programs (betcha everyone thinks I've forgotten all about the point and purpose of the farm, but I'm still working away on things there as well!). I think, though, I'll save the rest of what I have to share for later ('cause boy-oh-boy did this post get long - ACK!)

Have a blessed week everyone!!

IDGIs and Issues

Clearly, my plans are nothing if not flawed (to the nth degree, I might add ;oP My grand (-ish?) plans for the first one or two or three November and/or December posts didn't quite go as I imagined them. Actually, as you probably noticed, they didn't go anywhere at all (outside of my own head, that is). *Insert self-deprecating eyeroll here* Mmmmph. Profound apologies; though I'll hereby solemnly promise not to promise that it won't ever happen again ('cause it probably will). Ha.

In any event, I will - I hope I hope - pick up where I left off in my posting next week. In the meantime, this video clip sums my current reality up quite well (not to mention in a far more adorable manner than I could pull off on my own ;o)



Yep, that about sums it up all right. Email friends can click here to watch.

Hugs to all, and to all a good night!

Watch the Birdie!

Sometimes I have thoughts; lots and lots of thoughts. I have been told (are you listening Karen? ;o) that I have far too many of them for one person. Most of the time they are bouncing around my brain in a jumbled mess, though I have been known to form a coherent one periodically. I can't help but laugh when I see all of those "Ideas for Blog Posts" pins on Pinterest. I have enough post ideas running around in my head for 47 different people. What I DON'T have, is the time to sit down and bang them all out. Rampant running ideas aside, many other thoughts are questions. Lots and lots of questions. Some days (like today) I wonder if other people wonder the same things I do; particularly those niggling little things that you never can quite puzzle out. Since I am a total acronym junkie (which is often a self-entertaining pastime), it seemed only fair that I should come up with a suitable acronym in order to share them with you. IDGI = "I Don't Get It". Maybe I'm not alone in some of the things I just don't understand. Then again, it could be just me...
Photo Inset: One of the Mums I planted in the whiskey barrel planter in the visitor area (I was experimenting with erasing backgrounds and in a hurry to finish this post. I freely admit it has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the subject in this paragraph, and I almost don't care (provided I don't think about it too hard, that is ;o)

A few of my IDGIs (not too many - I don't want to scare you ;o)

- Why is it socially acceptable for a 30-something (adult?!?) to wear their Batman jammies to the grocery store?*

- Why do we need attorneys to slap legalese all over everything? My personal favorite is, "Void where prohibited." Translation: It's no good where it's not allowed. Wow. Really?

- How do people on food stamps get to buy steak and lobster at the grocery store? I have a full-time job, and (with rare celebrational exception) I don't get to eat that stuff.

- Why do manufacturers put sweepstakes and/or prize labels on their packaging that say things like, "No purchase necessary, details inside"? Now I'm not the brightest bulb on the porch, but I'm pretty darn sure somebody's gonna make me buy it if I rip it open to check out those details.

- If I am inconsistent all the time, am I not therefore by definition consistent?

- How can it still be Black Friday now that it starts on Thursdays?

AND - as long as we're on the seasonal subject - when did Christmas start arriving before Halloween?

* Upon further consideration: Why does a 30-something guy even own a pair of Batman pajamas?

Do you have things like that running through your head? Or are you slowly backing away from your screen and reaching for a phone because you think I need professional help? (I probably do ;o)

Here, HEAR!

**A Picture Happy Post**

Because Jen couldn't finish her intended post. Again. I didn't even get a chance to visit all my favorite blogs or even answer anyone's comments this week; I hope you will all forgive me.

I put up a cedarwood bird feeder awhile back. It took the little birdies about a month to discover it, but when they did it was like grand central station. The first two photos are not so great; I was in the tacky room and shot them through the [dirty] glass, so they're pretty awful. I was extremely excited to see a [tiny] Tufted Titmouse there:

He was followed by Mr. and Mrs. Finch. Anni I could use your expertise here: House Finch or Purple Finch? She looks House, but he looks Purple. Do the two mix and match?

This next one is clearer, since I was outside. I caught this Crow hollering near the very top of a pine tree; probably warning everybody else about the female stalker on the loose down below ;o)

That afternoon, DH came to get me so I could (hopefully) catch a shot or two of a pair of squirrels who were zipping around the pecan trees in the front yard. See him?

AHA! So that's where all the pecans are disappearing to:

I guess he felt like he was being watched, because I only got one more shot of this little guy before he shot down the trunk and scampered off into the sunset. Well, so to speak anyway ;o)

His little partner in crime, however, did not seem to be the least bit concerned and remained in the tree just long enough for me to get one last photo:

Several days later, I managed to get a number of shots of a White Egret (gorgeous fellow!) as he hung out by a neighbor's pond. Even though I was a fair distance away, they still turned out pretty well. I think it's so neat that there is a hint of green near his eyes that almost perfectly matches the grass:

He sure was beautiful! His left foot almost looks like a skeleton's hand though, doesn't it? Kinda creepy, yet cool ;o)

Have a bountiful and blessed week, y'all!

Making the Most of An Almost Post

WOW! It has been one crazybusy week around here - how about yours? Much to DH's delight, I lost my voice (stupid sinus infection) for an entire week; though I am finally getting it back again. Ugh. Sooo, this week is the post that I had planned to do last week. *Mmmph*. Well, at least it was last week's plan until everything went Kaflooey. (that's a technical term, and gesundheit, right?) *snicker* Shadow is, in case you're wondering, back to his egotistical and sassy self :o) I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before but on the off chance I haven't: One Sunday a month I try to go to "Deaf Church" with DD. I really enjoy the message, its format, and (of course!) the socializing. This month brought a very exciting guest to deaf church. Ronaldo Feliciano, who is deaf, is a pastor at Grace Bible Church in Tampa, Florida and performs a concert called "Music in Motion" in addition to preaching. Ronaldo's performance was on Saturday, and he also delivered the sermon Sunday morning. I've put one of his YouTube videos on here for you to see (below), but it is nowhere near as powerful as it is to see him in person. Very intense and passionate; simply awe-inspiring to watch. Outside of some very cold, wet, and windy temperatures, I don't think I've ever had so many goosebumps (the live performance is awesome ;o) The best part? He was extremely humble, and made it quite clear that any and all glory/admiration for his performance on Saturday and his teachings on Sunday belonged to God alone. What a neat guy; I sure hope he'll come bless us all again next year!

I was tickled to see the pint sized version of "Bella" seated in front of me for the concert. She's an awful lot smaller than our Bella is, that's for sure (click here to see our much bigger version). Isn't she adorable? Her "mom", Leslie, gave me permission to include her in this post. Bella is a hearing dog. Have you heard of them? Though nearly everyone is familiar with guide dogs for the blind, few are aware of hearing dogs for the deaf. Hearing dogs are also considered service dogs and function as ears for the deaf, just as seeing eye dogs function as eyes for the blind. Because the concert was so loud, Leslie was careful to cover Bella's ears to protect her hearing (photo below). The lighting was pretty dim, so my photos are nowhere near as clear as I would like (profound apologies there). I was even more tickled that my friend Kimby was able to make it to the concert; I hadn't seen her since school started (and I was waaay overdue for that particular friend fix!)

A little grainy perhaps, but still awfully doggone cute ;o)

Since we're on the subject of hearing, I have to show you what a friend of mind posted on Facebook the other day. Hearing aid decorating kits!  Isn't that the coolest thing ever? Karen, who is a teacher of the deaf and who also taught DD many years ago, posted them and tagged me because she remembered me meticulously painting DD's aids and adding some sparkly bling to up their "fun" factor. Back in the day, hearing aids were pretty much beige and BORING. Based in the U.K., My Lugs offers themed kits for both hearing aids (found here) and Cochlear Implants (found here). Like so many other family businesses, My Lugs grew out of personal experience. When the Ivermee's young son Freddie was diagnosed with a hearing loss (profound on one side and moderate to severe on the other) My Lugs was born out of the desire to make those oh-so-unappealing devices more appealing to a little boy (read the full story here). They even have a Captain America Minion kit - no way! What a hoot, right? There are photos of some of their kits "in action" here. Brilliant... just brilliant! If you know anybody with a child that wears a hearing aid or has a Cochlear Implant, please pass this information on.

Well, I suppose I'd better get a move on lest I find myself late for church (seeing as how this post spilled from Saturday right on over into Sunday morning - and Ack!). As always, thank you so much for reading this far and have a beautifully blessed week y'all!

Red Book, Blue Book, Old Book, New Book

Clearly I have had a boatload of fun this week because I am now sitting here scratching my head wondering where on earth the whole thing went. How can it possibly be Saturday? Yeesh. Shadow colicked on Tuesday afternoon (defined here for my non-horsey friends), and the week kind of went downhill from there. I was, however, extremely blessed to have had Kimby with me when I found our poor boy laid out by the water trough. Not everyone in your life would be overly keen on helping you push shove drag lug lead (a reluctant 1,100lb drama queen 'round and 'round the pasture for hours on end waiting for him to "go". She was a tremendous help in nudging him forward; all while keeping an eagle eye out for signs of impending poop from inside the danger zone (to the uninitiated: horse toots are toxic ;o) Brave girl.
Long story short: The colic turned out to be the byproduct of an abcess in Shadow's throat that had left him unable to properly swallow. He probably swallowed either a small stick or large, stiff piece of hay which scratched his throat. The inability to swallow properly likely caused him to panic, which led to the colic. DH gave him a shot of Banamine (which I hate using) for pain, and I put some DMSO on the abscess I'd [eventually] found in his throat latch. We left him resting fairly comfortably around 11p.m. He seemed to be feeling a bit better Wednesday morning, and a couple of hours after a second application of DMSO he was [finally!] able to swallow properly on his own. Of course all that stumbling around in the pasture half the night (for an early bird like me, anyway ;o) was apparently all it took for me to come down with a lovely sinus infection. half of Thursday was, most unhappily, spent at the doctor's office. And raspberries to that! :oP
[Photo inset: Shadow and I in shadow (hee) standing by the almost pond bright and early on Wednesday morning. We look weird, don't we?]

Since the post I had originally planned for today did not get written, I'm leaving you here (so to speak, anyway ;o) with an almost [finished] page of my joy journal. Everyone is blessed with gifts and talents from God (1Peter4:10 on the left side of the journal page), for her - or his - own. What's funny is that we don't tend to see and appreciate those things in ourselves; we often seem to focus on someone else's gift that we wish we had instead. To me? The neatest part is the way God often puts people in our lives who share our interests yet come with their own special set of gifts to help round us out better. Example: My friend Lori is gifted with the most marvelous outgoing and friendly nature - something I definitely wish I had. Friendly? Yes, mostly, though I tend toward reserved. Outgoing? Not at all. I am a terrible introvert (though sometimes I hide it well). I have a really hard time walking up to someone I don't know (like new people at church) and introducing myself, so God gave me Lori (though I'm betting this is all news to her *laugh*). All I have to do is follow her around on a given Sunday, and I wind up meeting everyone I don't know "safely". Betcha didn't even know you were being a blessing in that particular direction, did you chickie? :o)
Likewise, Kimby, who is gifted with that wonderful peace I know I've mentioned before. The kind of peace that puts you at immediate ease and always makes you feel like everything will be all right. The perfect complement to my tends to panic spaz-queen self. She also seem to always know just the right thing to say, too (the heifer); and for someone who is constantly eating her own foot, I'm telling you straight up that is a GIFT and then some! And quit rolling your eyes at me too, sistafriend. Heh Heh Heh. Sandy, with her warm fuzzy heart for critters and crazy sense of humor has an altogether different set of blessings that complete our friendship and brighten my day. There are, of course, many others. All of these remarkable people that the Lord has put in my life. What would I do without them? But I digress...
[Photo inset: My almost finished journal page borrowing some of Joanne Fink's Zenspiration with some scripture verses "dangling" down the left-hand side]

Since I'm obviously headed for "short story long" here, *snicker* I'll add that this journal page is about the things that I have a love and/or propensity for and what I'm supposed to be doing with them. A reminder to self, if you will. The right side of the page looks like a scarf, which is something I have been known to crochet. Speaking of... Do you like the yarn ball "o" and hook "t"? I was pretty excited when I saw that the idea actually worked and you can [mostly] tell what they are. The word Art is only partially visible, and horses is right above that. What? You were expecting something else to top the list? (well silly you ;o) They're not necessarily in order of preference, but more how they fit best in the space. Everything gets done in pencil first, then it's made permanent with Staedtler pens. My hand-lettering still needs lots more practice. I haven't decided whether or not to add color to it yet - the scarf, perhaps? Or maybe I should just leave this page in black and white. What do you think?

Have a blessed week everyone, and thanks so much for reading this far!

**Coffee and a Donut Post**

Since it's [almost] National Book Week, I thought I'd make books the subject of this week's post. As a self-confessed bibliophile, I readily admit to having no less than eight (yes, 8) bookcases scattered throughout the house literally brimming with books (I suppose one might say I've got a home full of tomes *snicker*). This includes - as indicated by the post title - books by Dr. Seuss. I mean, what self-respecting book-a-holic could miss out on that marvelous cadence of his? Anytime I find a topic I am interested in pursuing, the first thing I do is look for a book or two (maybe three) depending on the subject. I have books on drawing, painting, crocheting, tatting, various crafts (I'd bet Ann's got more), gardening, animals, birds (though probably not as many as Anni), nature, and using essential oils and herbs, and a bazillion other subjects. When we remodeled our house, my dad and I made three 7' built-in bookcases [pictured] for the master bedroom, where I keep most of my fictional reading.  Believe it or not, we used 5" baseboard molding for the shelves. It has a marvelous finished edge and it's the perfect width for paperbacks (in the event that there are any other DIY bibliophiles out there ;o)

I have multiple dictionaries from the picture kind to unabridged. I've hung on to them, even though I tend to use my phone most of the time these days. Then there is the recreational reading for all ages, as well as a plethora of horse books; big shocker there, right? (ummm..... maybe not so much). Thankfully, there is a terrific used bookstore located a few miles away that takes trades (barring that, Ebay is a great used book resource). The store is actually an old house, and they have books piled to the ceiling in every room. Love it! I often walk (sometimes skip) away with a great big stack of books for $5.  I think that's a good thing. Well, most of the time anyway; except when it comes time to dust. Then I might not be quite so excited (although I must say that a super duper shop vac with a brush attachment is a wondermous thing ;o) 

[Photo Inset: A few of my dictionaries - can't have too many, don'tcha know]

A Kindle for Christmas several years ago added a whole new dimension to my library. Crazy to think you can fit somewhere in the neighborhood of 2,500 books in something that is less than half an inch thick and fits neatly in your purse, isn't it? Toss in an app for my phone and I suddenly no longer cared about having to stand in line anywhere. Why should I? I've got a book to read while I wait. One of the best things I discovered was earlier this year: Book Bub. Have you heard of it? For those of you who haven't, it is AWESOME. Book Bub puts out a daily email containing a list of free and reduced price books in a variety of genres. Maybe about ten at a time? Never counted. Anyhoo, most of them are for a limited time only (so get 'em while the gettin's good!). I have found a number of books by my favorite authors (usually the first in a series) as well as tons of new authors that I had never heard of for free. Free! For someone who cannot afford to fully fund her voracious reading habit - I have been known to blow through an entire series in one week when school is out - this is very exciting stuff. Plus, I'm not much of a gambler when it comes to test driving new authors with my money. It only took a couple of truly terrible reads - that had great sounding "blurbs" on the cover - to discourage me from buying unknown authors in the future. Did I mention that some of the books were free? Throw in the ability to "shelve" the books on Amazon when my phone library is full, and I wind up with digital shelf space akin to that of the New York City Library; AND it all fits in my pocket! *squeeee*
[Photo Inset: Part of my Karen Kingsbury collection - she is one of my favorite authors; even if she does make me cry.]

Of course one of my favorite topics to read both recreationally AND for research is horses, of courses! Although there are a number of excellent training resources out there for working with horses, I think my favorite "go to" thought provoking people for training (though I much prefer to call it "playing with purpose" ;o) are Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling and Mark Rachid. Before I stumbled upon their writings, I had been pulling a little of this and a little of that from various trainers and making my own little pot luck version. The one thing that really bugged me, however, was the cookie cutter methods used in horse training; the "one size fits all" approach. Yes, some things do remain constant in training, but all of them? Surely not. Maybe because I viewed our horses as a collection of individuals, rather than a "herd" of horses. Individuals with their own unique personalities and interests. I'm sure the same is true for dogs and other animals as well. Right?
Both men push you to think about things that most horse people never stop to consider. Hempfling pointed out that the traditional round pen led to disoriention (page 69 Dancing with Horses), just as staying in a round room for an extended period of time would ultimately disorient us. This made total sense to me and is the reason we built square and rectangular training areas. Rachid introduced the concept of "Passive Leadership" (Horses Never Lie) which placed emphasis on becoming your horse's chosen leader as opposed to their alpha. Revolutionary stuff to someone who was raised on the "show 'em who's boss" method of riding (a role I was never comfortable in). Though I've read all his books, Rachid doesn't come this far east to do clinics. Kate at A Year with Horses has been kind enough to share her own experiences at his clinics with those of us less fortunate; she has a whole list of them on the right-hand side of the blog (the lucky heifer ;o)
[Photo Inset: One of several horsey shelves; complete with childhood Breyer #68 Legionario III]

Wondering how I became such a big reader? Aside from genetics which predisposed me toward right brain-ism (mom was an English major and dad a Journalism major; they met working at a newspaper - he was her editor) growing up we spent five weeks out of each summer at the beach; our annual family vacation. Believe it or not, there was no T.V. - at all - for five whole weeks. Shocking, but true and possibly the best thing my parents ever did for me. Once the sun went down there wasn't a whole lot do there (one small store and an ice cream parlor), and you can only play so many board games. *laugh* DH, who is a total news and reality TV junkie, cannot fathom why I readily ignore the tube in favor a good read  - poor guy ;o) This photo is of one of my childhood books (published in 1964). It is "Alice's Adventures Underground" and is a facsimile of Carroll's original manuscript complete with illustrations and slipcover. Yes, the pages shown below really are yellowed with age (and let's not even go there). Pretty neat, eh? I always loved the silly poem about Father William. Of course now I wonder what his teachers had to say about his penmanship. *laugh* (control+ will make it larger if you need to):

How about you? Are you a big reader too? Thank you so much for sticking with me and reading this far! *wink* Have a blessed week y'all!