Day 514: Winter Begins

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, First Dusting

It's flying in late this year. It arrived tonight. Our first snowfall has reached the valley floor.

It was only a light dusting when I went out on our deck to be a part of the magic. So pristine, my shoes made a clear imprint in the crystals.

It's pretty like this. But it's only the beginning. The forecast is for 4 - 7 inches by morning. That ought to make for some interesting traveling weather as my husband and I head across state to celebrate my birthday.

It's like being on a ship and getting your sea legs. Northwest drivers lose their minds during the year and forget how to drive in the snow. Takes the first week of sliding around in the slick stuff to get steady on the road again.

Day 513: Color My World

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Pencil Bouquet

When I stitch, I usually make a working copy of the chart and mark it off as I go in colored pencil. I have a soup can filled with lots of colored pencils sitting next to my "stitching nest" in our TV room.

Looks like a yummy bouquet of possibilities to me!

Blog Addiction

I usually don't succumb to memes ...

60%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

But this little test intrigued me so I had to go check it out.
:)

WIP: Jodie's Ornament

Each year I like to make a special Christmas ornament for each member of my immediate family. Sometimes they are "crafty." Other times they are stitched.

This year I'll be stitching ornaments. This is an Ursula Michael design that I stitched up for my youngest daughter, Jodie. The stitching is done. I'll post another photo when I get to the finishing work so that it's ready to hang on the tree.

Sunday Secrets: Nov 25, 2007

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. Here are the new secrets that resonate with me:


When I moved to Lewiston, Idaho 27 years ago, I lived on a street lined with oak trees. The street went from the front of my apartment to the back side of the college I attended. That first semester was extremely lonely since I didn't know anyone and was unfamiliar with the area.

But late in the fall, the oak leaves fell leaving piles and piles of leaves on the street. I had the best time rustling through the leaves all the way home from school each day! It made me feel alive.

Last week I was in Lewiston to visit my favorite college English professor. After our lunch together, I drove down to Normal Hill to roam my old neighborhood. I drove along the street I used to walk down. The leaves were piled high. I was sorely tempted to jump out of the car and rustle through them once more.

I'll be 50 years old this week, too.

Thanksgiving was just a few days ago. It was SO GREAT to celebrate the day with just the four of us ... and my oldest daughter on the phone. Relaxing. Enjoyable. No extended family to appease or contend with.

Day 512: A First Attempt

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Makiki

It's getting late. I was at a loss of what photo to post today. So I wondered into my daughter's [messy] room and started snappin' shots of this and that.

In peeking behind the curtains that cover her shelves, I found her stash of stuffed animals.

Little Makiki caught my eye.

A few years back, my oldest daughter, Jeanne, got on a kick of making stuffed animals and beaded animals. She called them Jeannie Babies.

My youngest daughter, Jodie, liked the idea. She wanted to make a special gift for one of her online friends. This little cat was her first attempt.

Jodie wasn't sure it cut the muster for sending to her friend Maki. But I think it's a cute and motley little fella, and an excellent first attempt at hand sewing.

Day 511: Frost Shadows

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Frosty Morning

Snow is predicted for this coming weekend. In the mean time, we've had a lot of hard frosts during the nights.

Yesterday morning, there was a layer of frost on the neighbor's roof. The car windows needed scraping. And the air was so cold that you could feel the ice crystals form on your eyelashes and nose hairs.

As the sun rose through the nippy air, the frost on the back deck melted, leaving the deck wet and slick. But where the shadows of the railing fell, the the white crust of frost remained.

Day 510: Happy Thanksgiving!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, We've Got Game

We're having a very nice relaxing day today. We're celebrating in a small way. Just my husband, my two youngest daughters and me.

We've had phone calls with our best friends and our eldest daughter. We've eaten lots of veggies for snacks. We worked together to make a very simple turkey dinner starting with a special blessing cup prayer and ending with warm cherry pie for dessert.

We've watched a Harry Potter movie and the Top Chef marathon. And we played a game of Scrabble.

Julie is now off to a movie with her friend. Dale is sleeping off the turkey. Jodie and I are catching up on some computer time.

Later? Karaoke! And, yes. We'll even watch some Tivo'd programs. I'll likely throw in a bit of stitching, too.

I'm thankful for my little family and the ease of this day. I'm thankful for being a Thanksgiving baby. I'm thankful for far-away friends and my sister and niece that stay in touch every holiday.

I'm thankful for the freedoms this country offers — like the freedom of self-expression that allows me to share my thoughts through this blog.

Wednesday Secrets: Nov 21, 2007

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. The post cards were uploaded late this week, and I was eagerly anticipating them today. Here are the new secrets that resonate with me:

This fit me to a 'T' when I was in my 20s! Well ... maybe not "more powerful" than God, but I sure did like to tempt the boys with my flirtations. I particularly liked to go after the guys that wore their religion on their sleeves or the ones in the seminary. They were nice guys with good morals. But oh, so human! They usually had very little experience with girls, so I could teach them a thing or two about what they'd be missing if they kept on their current path.

My husband was seriously thinking of becoming a priest when we met.
We've now been married for over 16 years.

One of my hot buttons is folks that think it's their duty to tell me that I'm going to hell because I don't believe the way they do. Those kinds of comments usually get me hopping mad. This week I was given TWO examples of other ways to handle the situation.

My daughter was told this very thing by a kid in her English class. Her disarming response?
"Gee. Thanks so much for sharing that with me."
Then she went on her merry way.

My former college professor says he just busts out laughing when he's damned.
He says that it's usually enough to make the judgmental person so flustered they don't know what to say next.

I need to try one of those approaches. It's no fun getting all riled up by close-minded folks that are sure they have ALL the answers and the ULTIMATE TRUTH in their pocket.


ROFL. This isn't so far from the truth!

Actually, sharing some DVDs and shows we enjoy with one another and laughing together is just a whole lot less stressful than making small talk or listening to the gossip of extended family. I need less stress this holiday. Plus, I get to prepare a menu that fits with our weight loss program.

Besides, we're planning on singing Karaoke on Thanksgiving ... and our extended family would be too self-conscious to get in on that fun. We don't mind making fools of ourselves.

Day 509: Road to Lewiston

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Rest Stop

Don't we have lovely rest stops in Idaho?

This walkway leads from the trucker's parking lot to the restrooms. That's Hwy 95 there on the other side of the bridge.

The ride south was so pretty. The forest was frosted with the new snow. But the roads were relatively free of the icy stuff, so it was an easy drive. Surely, a winter wonderland.

Finishing Techniques: Clean Corners

A question was posed in the needlework finishing group that I lead about how to make nice clean corners on ornaments.

I figured it would be easier to show one process than try to just explain it in words. Click each image for a closer look.






Another way to make corners easier is to not have a 90 degree corner.

Instead, round off the corner so that it's more of a curve than an angle. I sometimes use a small coin or sewing machine bobbin to trace around so that all 4 corners come out with the same curve.


Then you can baste around the perimeter of the ornament and draw up the
fabric ... sort of like what you do when making a fabric yo-yo.

If you look on Step 7 of the directions for my Basic Padded Ornament,
you'll see what I mean. It's not a rectangular ornament that's shown, but
the ornament does have rounded corners on the bottom.

Day 508: First Snow

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Nature Trail

We're in the third week of November, and still no snow has fallen in Post Falls.

The mountains surrounding our valley were dusted with the confection, yet none has fallen on our streets.

Believe me, I'm not complaining. It's just fairly unusual. It's common to have our first snow before Halloween. There are some winters where the snow falls and sticks from mid-November through the end of April! That's enough to drive a California-grown girl a bit nuts.

Today I drove 100 miles south to pick my daughter up from college so she could celebrate the Thanksgiving holidays with us at home. Before I left, she called to warn me that they got snow and it's sticking. I was glad for the report because we haven't gotten around to having our snow tires put on the car.

Turned out to be a pretty nice day for a drive. I started out around 8:30 am, and needed sunglasses to cut the morning glare. By the time I'd driven an hour south, the snow was flying. The wheat and pea and lentil fields of the Palouse were sculpted in white and black. Shadows falling in the furrows of the plowed fields reveal artistically textured landscapes.

This country is gorgeous in every season!

I paused at a rest stop to grab a new stick of gum, stretch my legs, and snap some photos of the first snow of the season. Here's the first.

Day 507: Don't Forget To ...

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Floss Every Day

This is what keeps me sane. Keeps me centered. If I don't get a bit of stitching time in, I can feel the agitation grow.

I highly recommend engaging in a rhythmic activity. Stitching puts me in touch with my heartbeats and my breathing. It slows me down and allows me to spread my creative wings.

Playing with color and fabric and fibers and form allows me to spread my wings and fly, even while sitting in my favorite chair with my legs curled beneath me.

Day 506: Canadians Beware!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Unwelcome Guests

Ahhhhh! So here's the answer to yesterday's question.

Seems our Canadian birds guests are welcome to swim and wonder around, but not be fed!

Hrumpf!

Some nice neighbors we are!

Guess I'd be lookin' over my shoulder, too, if I encountered a sign like this.

Day 505: I Spy

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
What You Lookin' At?

Mighty skitterish birds, I'd say.

Wonder why?

Happy Dance: Caterpillar

I finished stitching the last quilt square for charity that I plan to do this year. It's a caterpillar for a Black & White quilt for babies in Germany.

I adapted this pattern from a Gloria & Pat (Precious Moments) design.

You can read more about the details in my Stitcher's Studio in Cameo's Corner.

Feels So Good!

MORE PROGRESS!

If it's Saturday ...

must be Jenny!

I hit another 5 lbs goal!
It's official ... I've now lost 25 pounds since August!

Go Margaret! Go Margaret! Go Margaret! Go Margaret!

Day 504: And Away They Go ...

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
Quilting 101

OK ... so this is not an exciting image. But it represents one of the best days I've had in months. Give Away Day!

For the last several months, the St. George's Quilters have been working diligently to create as many quilts as possible. We are a group of 20 to 25 women, ranging in age from 49 (me!) to 93 years old. We gather once a week at St. George's church to make quilts.

Our local food bank asked us to donate as many quilts as possible to their cause. They are hoping to give away one warm quilt with each Thanksgiving food basket this year. The need here is great. We were not sure we could fill their request. But then we learned we were the only church group donating quilts to the food bank Thanksgiving baskets this year.

We pulled out all the stops.

We met for an extra two hours each week for the last two months. And in the final two weeks, we met twice a week instead of just once a week. Some of these wonderful women even took stacks of fabric home to sew together on their own time. Others took quilts and yarn home to tie.

Last Wednesday, almost every member of our group was present — even those who have had surgery recently, those whose chronic illnesses have been acting up, and those who are employed came for a few hours.

We sewed and laughed and tied and laughed and checked for stray pins and laughed and ate lunch together and laughed and packaged up the quilts.

Did I mention that we laughed?

By the time the folks from the food bank arrived, our back room was literally stacked with quilts from floor to ceiling!

Photos were taken. The local paper sent a reporter to capture our story. And then the migration began.

We each grabbed some of the packages and made trip after trip out to the empty van.

We completely filled it up!

So this Thanksgiving, 101 families will be a bit better fed and a bit more warm due to the generosity of these wonderful women who I call my friends. They are a prime example of how women working in cooperation can set a goal and move mountains.

In this case, a mountain of quilts.

Day 503: Hot Stuff!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Pepper Quilt Redux

The journey of this quilt creation continues!

After I finished stitching the Pepper Quilt top together, it moved on to another station at St. George's Quilters. The team chose this great orange fabric for the backing. Isn't it splendid? Really makes those colors pop!

Then the quilt moved on to the gals that tie. They picked this vibrant orange yarn to tie the top, batting and backing together.

In this photo, the yarn is stitched through each intersection. Next, the yarn will be snipped between each intersection and the ends tied into square knots and trimmed.

Soon the completed quilt will be packaged and given to the Food Bank. From there it will be distributed with the Thanksgiving baskets — ready to wrap a family in our love.

Day 502: The Lowering Sun

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
Leaf Shimmer

As I was driving to the post office late yesterday afternoon, I glanced up at the trees over the school yard and found this bit of glory.

The sun was lowering in the southwest sky, but was not yet close enough to the horizon to shift the light into the sunset hues.

Instead, it lit up these two deciduous autumn trees amid the shadows of the surrounding evergreens and neighborhood homes. The leaves danced in the chilly breeze. The setting sun glinted from their yellow and red faces.

Glad I didn't cause an accident by quickly pulling up to the curb! I tried, but I just couldn't get a good angle.

So I drove around the corner, rolled my window down, and snapped a few shots.

Carrying my camera with me at all times is starting to pay off!

Happy Dance: More Preemie Hats

I finished up the last six preemie hats for the year. With these done, I have completed one hat, one bookmark, one ornament and one quilt square per month, all of which are donated to charity.

I need to figure out just what to stitch as a December quilt square, then I'll be done for the year!

There is a bit more information about these preemie hats in my Stitcher's Studio in Cameo's Corner.

Happy Dance: Jodie's Bookmark

My daughter Jodie asked me to stitch a special bookmark for her.

This is the design I chose. It was a freebie chart by Handblessings.

You can read more about it in my Stitcher's Studio in Cameo's Corner.

Charity Sewing: The Pepper Quilt

I finished stitching my 4th quilt top yesterday. This is another double/queen size top. I think the design is splendid. Very graphic! At St. George's, we do our quilts assembly line style. So I didn't pick the fabrics for this, but did do the sewing.


Last week I got to help Pat with layout. We managed to get two figured out before the end of the session. One of the leaders liked the way we worked together — both in the way we related to each other and the fabric combinations we came up with — so at tomorrow's regular meeting, I may get to do more layout with Pat.

Here are close-up images of the four fabrics used in this quilt top.


Very graphic when used together!



I really like the looks of this quilt ... but I'm glad I don't need to find a place to use it in my own home. Not exactly my color pallet!



We've been working overtime to try and get a lot of quilts done. As of Monday at 3pm, we have 61 large quilts and 11 lap quilts completed. We hope to finish up about six more tomorrow.

All of these will go to our local food bank and be distributed with the Thanksgiving baskets. Unfortunately, the food bank needs about 120 quilts and we are the only local church group donating this year. That's why we're pushing so hard to get as many done as possible. The Food Bank will pick up the quilts tomorrow afternoon.

I love being a part of this kind of giving. It wasn't so long ago when I was on the receiving end of this kind of generosity.

(OK, maybe it was ... it was 20 years ago when I was homeless and in desperate need) .

Day 501: My Kind of Stampin'

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,

Mud Puddle Stamp

theme this week: "Stamp"

Seems I haven't done much with the MacroDay challenges for a while. But this week's theme seemed interesting ... or at least I had an idea for unique twist on the idea.

This is actually a close-up image from a favorite childhood hardbound book, If Everybody Did by Jo Ann Stover, copyright 1960. I looked for a copy off and on for years. In checking Amazon.com, I see it is back in print as a soft cover book!

Hooray! RUN! Get this one!

Oh, my gosh, this book makes me laugh! The premise is that if only one person did a *bad* thing ... like jump in the mud ... that could be fun. No big deal, right?

But what would our world look like if EVERYBODY did the same bad thing? Our world would be one heck of a mess!

You've really got to keep your eye on the cat in each illustration. That poor animal seems to get the brunt of all the bad stuff that happens.

Every house with a child needs a copy of this book.
Every grandparent needs a copy of this book.

Ah, heck. Let's get in the spirit ..
Buy this book?
This is what would happen if everybody did!

World Beach Project

I recently learned about this photography challenge,
the World Beach Project
which is sponsored by the
V&A Museums.

Here's the description:

The World Beach Project is a global art project open to anybody, anywhere, of any age. Building on the experience many of us have of making patterns on beaches and shorelines, this project combines the simplicity of making patterns with stones with the complexities of shape, size, colour, tone, composition, similarity and difference.

It seems like an easy project.

1. Find a beach and take a photo of the entire area
2. Start collecting your stones or found objects and arranging them in a design. Take some photos of the process.
3. Take a photo of your finished artwork
4. Post the images to the V&A website and put your beach on the map.

We've got lake and river beaches nearby. And I've got a tripod so I can take a photo of the process if I do the project alone ... or maybe I can get one of my family members to play along with me.

How many of you want to join me in this challenge?

Day 500: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my
Photography section, Glass Blocks

Well, this is a milestone. My 500th daily photo!

Kind of an odd one, yes?

As I took a walk around the neighborhood, I decided to go on another slightly different route. This time I went by a couple houses that are going through some renovations. The first house enclosed the front porch, added a beautiful cove window, new siding, and paint. It's looking marvelous!

The second house must be having a bathroom redone, or maybe a back porch. Who knows. I can only guess by a nondescript company sign in the front yard and this pile of glass blocks that was sitting by a fence. It looks like the wall was carefully removed because all the blocks in the pile appear to be intact.

My guess is that the blocks will be used again, or maybe donated to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It also looks like they've been sitting in the autumn elements for a while. Moss is starting to grow. And they are covered by all kinds of interesting debris.

I liked the way the late afternoon sun was reflecting off the faces of the block and the ruggedness of the edges where the mortar had been removed.

Day 499: Texture of the Fall

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
Fallen Leaf

Tomorrow is a milestone day for my Creative Journey ... 500 days.

So I've been asking family and friends for ideas of what the subject of my photo should be.

One of the suggestions was to look at Day 1 and recreate it ... but improve on it by using some of the techniques I've learned over the last 500 days. Using the core of that idea, I went out for a walk, looking for an interesting leaf.

I found this one in the street. I liked the shape. The color. The veining. The water marks. The bits of debris that had accumulated on it since it fell.

But I'm using it today ... and hoping the new day brings me an extraordinary find. Tune in tomorrow to find out what my lens spies.

Don't forget to bring the party hats, pinata, fruit punch and balloons. I want to Celebrate!

Sunday Secrets: Nov 11, 2007

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I find it to be an amazing sociological experiment. Here are the secrets shared this week that resonated with me:

This one reminds me of my husband, Dale. He has a big brain and a big heart. He has great ideas. He believes he can make a difference. He'd love to work with others with vision.

When I went through the time of being separated and divorced from my alcoholic first husband, I was a single mom of two little girls who still wore diapers. Some people called me brave. I thought I was just hanging on by my fingernails. What other choice did I have? Give up? Where would we have gone? I didn't see myself as brave — just doin' what needed doin'. And scared shitless.

Today a well-meaning friend encouraged me to get off medication as soon as possible and allow my brain to heal itself. He didn't want me to be dependent on drugs. Would he tell a diabetic to stop taking insulin? Prayer, meditation, changing one's behavior ... all can help. But not if my brain isn't connecting synapses correctly. I believe God inspires those who make the medications as a way to help others. I'm glad I get the help I need. "Finding God" is not a magic trick that cures all ills.

Day 498: A Proud Mommy Look

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
Writer Jo

My daughters say I get this certain look on my face when they've had an accomplishment that they demonstrate to me or the world.

They call it "The Proud Mommy Look."

I get it when I watch Jeanne or Jodie perform in band. I get it when Julie shows me her latest non-fiction writing. I got it when they "became women" and got their first periods ... their first kisses. (Stop groaning, girls).

Moms are weird that way. We like to see our kids in their milestones. We like to express our joy in what they can do.

Jodie said that in their 8th grade band concert, she and her best friend were sitting next to each other in the flute section. When they looked up and saw their respective moms, each of us had the same Proud Mommy Look on our face. They cracked up ... but I secretly think they were looking for it.

The other day, I popped over to Jodie's blog, A Lotta Waffle, to see what she's been writing. Imagine my Proud Mommy Look when I read her Halloween entry: My Mom is Awesome

Day 497: Chicks 'n Ducks 'n Geese Better Scurry

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section,
Stroll Through the Park

For the first time in months, I met Dale at his office in the Spokane Valley and we went out for lunch together. It was a brisk and breezy fall day. We enjoyed each other's company, then I headed home while he went back to work.

Since I had the day to myself and didn't have any pressing obligations, I took the scenic ride home on the country road that runs south of the Spokane River instead of the usual quick trip down I-90. The country is so pretty this time of year. The horses roamed in the meadows. The trees gently released their leaves. The haze of wood fires hung over the valley floor.

The back road ends at Spokane Street in Post Falls, which then crosses over the Spokane River right next to Q'melin Park — our main city park that lines the river just east of the falls. As I started crossing the river, I peeked down into the park. The site captured my attention!

There along the shore were about 200 sea gulls hunkered down in the sand and gravel. In separate quarters on the lawns were several flocks of Canadian geese, taking a breather before heading further south for the winter. I was struck by how they'd segregated themselves on the beach. It looked like a photo to me, so I turned around and headed down into the park.

The birds were not too thrilled to have human company, so it was tough to get a photo of them doing anything but waddle away from me, tails in the air. So I took a different tactic and walked toward the bridge just outside the park. From that vantage point, I could focus down the river and catch the flocks from a more interesting angle.

I loved how just as I took this shot, something startled about half of the gulls, and they started flying off the beach and swirling over the river. At the same time, some of the geese paraded in a straight line down to the shore, the leader honking out orders. All the while, the birds in the center of the beach huddled close to the sand, trying to lie low against the autumn breeze.

The seasons, they are a-changin'. So glad I get to be a witness to these small wonders.

Book Review: I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream

Here's an oldie title that I was recently introduced to. The genre is out of my usual scope of reading, so I didn't quite know what to make of the book.

That may be because I don't quite know what to make of this flamboyant and outspoken author!

I ended up giving the book 3 stars ... out of pure indecisiveness!

If you'd like to read my complete review, pop on over to The Bookshelf.

Day 496: Going Nuts

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Nuts for Nuts

This photo has a humorous story behind it.

Once upon a time there lived three squirrels, Joey, Billy and Andy. These lively rodents dwell in our backyard and were named by my daughter Jodie.

Joey, Billy and Andy are frisky and fun and have kept us entertained all year. We watch them play tag in the grass, scurry along the tops of fences, and jump like Tarzan from tree to tree, swinging on the pine boughs. My favorite trick is when they hang upside down by their toes, looking for all the world like furry pinatas.

Last fall, the three thought it might be great fun to dig up my newly planted tulip bulbs and keep them as their winter food source. I had to go to extraordinary lengths to protect the bulbs so as to enjoy the spring flowers.

This fall, my mother-in-law gave us a big bag full of acorns that she had collected in her yard. We put the bag out on the back deck so they'd be handy for feeding our little squirrel friends.

Those squirrels got wise to what was in the bag! A few days later, we found a 5 inch rip in the side of the bag. We spied the critters scurrying off the deck, across the concrete blocks and into their hidey holes, nuts in their mouths.

Well, Joey, Billy and Andy have been quite industrious. Guess they figured out snow is in the forecast this weekend.

When I went out on the back deck this afternoon, this is the picture that greeted me. The paper bag was completely flattened. The acorn tops were scattered nearby.

Glad our little friends will have plenty to eat this winter. It's the least we can do as payment for the vaudeville show they enact all year.

Day 495: At Quilters

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Quilter's Store Room

I spent the morning with the St. George's Quilters yesterday. Will go again this afternoon. We are making great progress on getting lots of quilts done to donate to the food bank next week.

The food bank needs as many as possible. They hope to include one quilt with each food basket they deliver for Thanksgiving.

So far, we have about 70 quilts completed. The need is great, though. We hope to get even more done before the deadline, so we're working overtime.

This is our small store room at St. George's. What's pictured are some quilts that are all put together, ready to tie. A variety of yarn colors is available for color coordination. On the adjoining wall are the completed quilts — literally stacked to the ceiling.

Day 494: Quick! Before it Rains!

I added this new photograph to Creative Journey in my Photography section, Fall Clean-up Begins

A big storm will be rolling in this coming weekend. It will surely bring rain. May even bring snow.

So there are only a few days to get the back yard in shape.

I'm going to do the FlyLady thing ... clean it up in baby steps. I worked on the back yard for just 1/2 hour this afternoon and made a nice dent with the pine cones, pine needles and in the flower beds.

Tomorrow I'll work on the leaves under that tree in the background.

If I'm real lucky, I'll get someone to help me bag up the piles.