Thank You

Monday, 3:30pm update...

Spc. Perez was rightly honored:

~~~

Monday, 12:00am:

Army Spc. Wilfredo Perez, Jr.

You gave the ultimate sacrifice.
To say thank you seems so inadequate.
But thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Rest in peace.

~~~

xoabb
From the bottom of my heart
Thank you to every American
That has is or will serve and protect
Our great nation.

*Norwalk CT's loss. Please go here if you would like to know more about our fallen hero.

Sunday Serenity...Hard Labor...

Our garden plot

Rich earth mixed with

Other good stuff

That will grow

Good things we'll eat

YUM!

~~~

xoabb

expect good flavors!

Photo: Remy & Solomon (Who supplied the labor to fill our garden plot with soil. Organic of course.)

Fowl Language

DO Something!

Well, there goes the Gulf as we've always known it. I wonder how many years it's going to take for the shores and all the sea life to recover.

What the hell is the successful next step toward ending this horror?

Buy this as a tee-shirt here. All proceeds go to Gulf cleanup!

~~~

The above painting is by Paul Jackson.
I love his work. Enjoy it here.

~~~

xoabb

expect me to be worrying!

~~~

Sky Watch Friday

Do join us!

My Baby Girl

Our baby turns 25 today! No, I can't believe it either! Where o where did the years go?

Brynnlee, the happiest of days and year to you my most beloved girl! You are adored by your dad and me more than you can ever realize.

See those lilies? You and your sibs gave those to me my last birthday. They didn't do spit that year. Look how beautiful they are this year!

Bloom, my girl, you are just a beautiful human being!

And we love you forever and ever!

Happy Birthday!

xomom&dadxo

Sunday Serenity - Accomplishments

Georgetown graduate, Lauren, with her very proud parents, Andy & Julie
5/22/10

"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children:
One is roots, the other is wings."

This wonderful young woman has successfully been given both.

And has made all of us so very proud of her!
(Yes, of course, copious amounts of tears were shed.)

Now, Miss Lauren, be off to discover your very own path in this wonderful world!
(And don't forget to come back for Sunday Fambly Dinner, ok?!?)

~

Window over the holy water in the beautiful Georgetown University chapel.

Of course, a guardian angel or two is always nice to have, as well.
One to look ahead and keep you safe,
One to look behind to be sure nothing is sneaking up on you.

Strawberry Flower

strawberry flower

Hard to imagine this tiny flower will become a big fat juicy delicious strawberry!

~~~

xoabb

To DC for a Very WONDEFUL Event

We're back in DC this weekend for our most loverly niece Lauren's graduation from Georgetown University. Proud? You think?!? Oh yes!

The skies are going to be a lot clearer than they were the last time we were here, but DC is always just sublime whatever the weather. (I'm told I'll be needing sunblock for the graduation on the lawn! YIPPEE!) So, this weekend will be wonderful - good times shared by family - what could possibly be better?

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Sky Watch Friday

do join us!

O Dear GOD!

I am old...very very very old. That's a fact. And that fact was brought home quite resoundingly last Tuesday night. As you might know, it was our Remy's 30th birthday that day. She requested an early dinner here, and then she and her all legal friends would be going to SONO (yup, Norwalk, CT's equivalent of NYC's SOHO - and Columbia, MO's equivalent of COMO, but that's another tale) to really celebrate.
Fast forward to 12 midnight. Everyone was still here. Celebrating in 30 year oldish style. Unfortunately I was celebrating right along with them. (So was GB.) 30 year oldish style means that those young whipper-snappers can handle the lack of sleep along with a bit too much partying and having to go to work the next morning quite well. We old folks? Not so much. (sigh)

(BTW - I went to bed at midnight...those young whipper-snappers? MUCH much later!)
(Did I tell you my youngest, Brynnly's birthday is the 26th? I'm in trouble...again!)

~~~

xoabb

:)

P.S. Photo was taken in Missouri this past April. It has nothing to do with this post. (Really??)

Happy Happy Happy!

A girl's gotta kiss a lot of frogs...

The happiest of birthdays to you, our dear Remy. 30...wow! Can you believe you've left your 20's behind? I certainly can't! The years have flown! Dad and I just want to thank you for all the happiness and joy you've brought to us and our family. Such a treasure you are!

May this day be wonderful and this new decade full of only good things for you.

xoxoxo
Mom & Dad

~~~

On the Up & Up!

The pond on my cousin's farm

There wasn't a ripple to be seen

This past Saturday I posted a photo for ~Weekend Reflections~ and asked which was was up! This is the same photo, only this time it's orientation is correct. Saturday's photo was upside down.

~~~

xoabb
(personally I think Saturday's upside-down photo is better!)

Master Griller With the Melted Cup*

My dad...

Campfire Cooker Extraordinare

*cup warped by coming too close to the fire...hmmm

A photo from our Missourahhh picnic - a simple campfire with a makeshift grill. We brought brats, there was saurkraut warming in the pot, buns off to the side - good eats eaten by all of us!

As an aside from the food,

the fambly company,

with all the good times & laughs shared

was simply wonderful!

A True Sunday Serenity

~~~

xoabb

Upside Rightside Upside Down

Which way
Is the right way?

A new thing, for me (at least), it's called ~Weekend Reflections~.
Enjoy!

~~~

xoabb
expect anything!

Missouri Farm Sunset

From our Missouri farm picnic this past April. The sky and the reflections on the pond were just magnificent! It was a slice of heaven to sit around a toasty fire, roasting hot dogs and watching the changing sky as the sun set. A memory worth keeping!

On another note, I would like a camera that can take an exact replica of what my eyes see. Beautiful as any landscape may be in a photograph, it is always more gorgeous in person - well, at least to me. It has nothing to do with the camera; point and shoot (mine) or big fancy-schmancy ones, eyes can always see the nuances no camera can pick up. What and how my eyes can see I find to be one of the greatest mysteries. And miracles. What a gift*!

~~~

xoabb
expect anything!

Sky Watch Friday
do join us!

*(And yes, I know not everyone has been blessed with being able to see well - or at all. I am only speaking of me, myself and I and mean no disrespect.)

Remnants of a Bridge

While traveling the roads of the area I live in, there are instances when the "old" will suddenly be glimpsed out the corner of my eye. If it's at all feasible, I always stop and explore. Curiosity. It's a good thing. I spotted the remnants of this old bridge as I was driving along the highway toward Bethel (in search of native asparagus, sigh...).

The trestles look like they're in much newer and better condition than the old road bed does, but what do I know, I wasn't around to see it built. I wonder how long it will take nature to completely obliterate this old road bed.

Stream flowing into and through the Saugatuck Falls Natural Area
Click here for more information

Underneath the old bridge was a most gorgeous waterfall. So even though I didn't get my garden-grown asparagus, I did get my nature-made beautiful waterfall. A good trade if I don't say so myself!

~~~

xoabb
expect anything!

P.S. Pardon the fuzziness of the last two photos. I'm not sure why they are as I did nothing different as far as uploading them. Click on the photo and it opens in another window in focus (go figure) or if you are so inclined, click on the changing photo up there on the right and you can see the images on my flickr page. They aren't fuzzy there either!

Beauty is Where it's Planted

More than once I've come upon a tiny area of ground that's been claimed by some soul and then planted with flowers. The last two I've discovered have obviously not been owned by the folks that planted the area. However, their need to create a growing beauty outweighs the fact that the property isn't theirs.

Every single time I discover such an area, my heart swells.

Bless the planters who must nurture their souls.

Even when the ground is not their own.

~~~

xoabb

expect unexpected beauty!

The Very Best...

MOM

The best...that's what I've been blessed with.

Such a Happy Mother's Day!
Love love love you mither dear!

xoxoox

xoabb

Yup, I am so very fortunate! 

Loverly Lilacs

When the hubs GB and I first moved in to our present home 30 years ago, there was a deep deep purple, very old and oh so exquisitely beautiful lilac bush planted to the side of our front walk. Though the trunk was rotting out (as lilacs are wont to do) that baby had thrived there for many many years.
And then...we were having yard work done and my lilac was removed...to the side yard. My lilac didn't like that move much, so she up and died. I was not at all happy about that, and believe me, the hubs found out about that as he was the one who ordered the yard work done - so in my mind, it was his fault! Even after all these years I know how to hold a grudge. Just sayin'. Much to his credit, he felt so bad he planted an entire new row of lilacs for me and that has made me quite happy! OK, not really, I'm not that happy. None of the new ones are my deep purple French lilac, dammit!

That confessed, sigh the first time I've ever seen a lilac as deeply colored as the one that was ripped from my heart was just the other day when I saw this beauty. It's on an old farm property, now annexed, and is just a gorgeous deep deep old fashioned purple. (The photo really doesn't do it justice.)
I wonder what the folks will think when I knock on their door and ask if I can take a cutting or two.

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Right Time Wrong Place...and Vice Versa

This past Wednesday we had typical Connecticut spring weather - sunny one minute, rainy the next. I, of course, chose "rainy the next" to go to the grocery store. It was still raining when I came out of the market, but the sun was shining brightly. Couldn't spot the rainbow at first, but then I drove over the I-95 overpass and nearly wrecked the car! Never have I seen a wider, more beautiful rainbow! There were cars behind me. And nowhere to pull over. DAMMIT! I had to let the moment go! No photo!

I rushed to Saugatuck Shore, above, which is a wide open photographic kind of area as you can see, to try to capture that magnificent sight. Sad to say, it wasn't to be. Though the sky was still just loverly, only a fragment of the rainbow remained. (If you look really hard, you can see its remanent in the center, above.)

Twice now I've had simply incredible/impossible photo opportunities presented to me that have proved impossible to capture, and it's frustrated me to no end! But the wonderful thing about this life is that there will always be another incredible/impossible moment to be experienced. I just hope I'm there. With my camera. And I can conveniently stop the car. (Third time's the charm, right??)

Right Time, Wrong Place

Wrong Time, Right Place

Story of my Photographing Life

O Joy

~~~

xoabb

expect anything!

Sky Watch Friday

do join us!

A Good Day to Duck Hunt!

Do you know how hard it is to catch 12 ducklings that are darting in all directions under the cover of pacasandra? Their coloring doesn't help much either. 

Though I'm sad mama never came back for her babies, I'm very pleased to let you know that all 12 duckies are now safe and sound in their new home for the next nine weeks!

Dear Duck Lovers,

RaeAnn has made contact with a licensed "duck rehabilitator" who is willing to take our brood and raise them in comfort and safety. The little peepers will be gathered up after school today and taken to EarthPlace for the hand off. 

Thanks for all the help, suggestions, and good wishes that you all have supplied during this event. It takes a whole school to raise a batch of ducklings!

Kathie

~~~

xoabb

it's a good day for baby ducks!

O Mama, Where Are You??

We have a MAJOR delimma...

Mama duck hasn't come back...not good...not at all good!

What's our next step??

xoabb

really worried!

Wednesday morning update: Mama still hasn't returned. 

I should have told you that the ducklings are well protected in the completely enclosed courtyard of our school - flying is the only way in or out, unless humans intervene. This isn't the first time a duck family has inhatibed our courtyard, but it is the first time a mama has abandoned her babies. In previous years, when it was time, mama and her babies were led through the school to the stream that's close by. 

There's a big cement area in the middle of the courtyard, but all around the edges there are extensive gardens with plenty of pacasandra and shade for them to hide and find bugs in. The ducklings are also stuffing themselves with the duck food and chopped veggies that are being provided. The gal that's in charge of the ducks has called every imaginable place she can think of - the Nature Center, the zoo in Bridgeport, wildlife rehabbers, etc. - and has gotten a different answer from each of them. I think what will happen is when the Nature Center's wildlife rehabber/rescuer returns from her vacation, she will come get the ducklings. I'll certainly let you know what happens. And thanks for all the suggestions!

Sunday Serenity - I am Loved!

And so the story goes...

My parents neighbor's blue eyed muttley dog that looks like he's made up of left-over parts.

Such a sweetheart!

A young kid was traveling from Texas to Missouri (his home state) when his car broke down somewhere in between.  Young kid had little money and really didn't know what to do. Luck would have it he happened upon a man that, for his own reasons, was open to helping a kid down on his cash flow. But...there was a catch (isn't there always?). The man said he would get the kid's car up and running...only if the kid would take a puppy. A deal was made. Off the kid eventually drove toward home once again, but this time with puppy in tow.

Oh, did I mention the kid was in college and couldn't keep a puppy? 

Fast forward five years. Puppy is now a dog and happily and permanently ensconced in his forever home that's just down the road from my parents. 

With the kid's mom.

~~~

xoabb

a mom saves the day once again - (surprise surprise!) 

:)