Bella the Tennis Ball Destroyer

My lab/boxer mix Bella found Titans' (my chihuahua mix) tennis ball.   Needless to say, while Titan can keep a ball around for a LONG time...Bella cannot.

Look Who Came Out to Play

Meet Iskybibble (Is-key-bib-le)

Our 10 year old Ball Python

Let's Celebrate!!

When it Rains it Pours

Oh my...when life throws you a curve, it really knows what its doing.  

Unfortunately, we have been thrown quite a few lately...but we are finally getting through them all and everything is getting sorted out.

With things getting back to normal, I am ready (and able) to resume my daily postings.

Day 20 - Taking a Break

Drove by a local field this morning and saw these two hanging out...since they were gone later, I am thinking they were just taking a break to some place a little bit more suitable.  :)

Day 19 - First Day of Snow

It would seem that Mother Nature meant some serious business for our first snow of the year.   It came down pretty hard at times and even managed to stick around for the next morning.

LOVE the first snow...its all the ones that come after that I can usually do without.

Day 18 - Good Luck Lady Bug

Little lady bug looking for a nice warm winter home... unfortunately, so far, she has only found my cement gooses nose.

Good luck lady bug.

Back on Track...

So...the last time I posted, I was feeling pretty OK...unfortunately, that was not long lived.

I have suffered the last several days with the flu...YUCK!  

However, my truly WONDERFUL daughter, left me this on my pillow.  Isn't it amazing how something as simple as this can really lift your spirits???   :)

Day 16 - A Different Perspective

Stopped by a corn field to get a few shots of a barn today...I liked this one the best. 

Day 15 - Feeling Under The Weather

However...a turtle smile always makes me feel a little bit better.

:)

Day 14 - Shouldn't This Guy Be Sleeping????

Its November 2, and I see this as I was walking in my front door.  I don't particularly care for bugs...but, I will admit that I would rather see him than a pile of snow.   

Day 13 - Pumpkin Destruction!

Remember those jack-o-lanterns that my kids wanted to carve so badly?   Well...here they are, just one day later...turned gleefully into pumpkin mush on my sidewalk.

I think the kids were more excited to smash the pumpkins than they were to carve them.  :)

Day 12 - Jack - O - Lantern Creations

We don't do jack-o-lanterns every year...but this year, the kids would NOT leave us alone about it...so they won.  :)

Day 11 - Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Not too much happening today...actually, LOTS of napping was happening today.

I hope your day was more productive than ours.

Day 10 - More Barnyard Friends

While at the petting zoo portion of the ice cream shop (from yesterdays post),  I got some great shots of some of the animals that bring the kids back time after time.

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Day 9 - Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!!

We stopped at a local ice cream shop, which happens to be on a working farm.   Attached to the ice cream shop is a petting zoo...and a little barn shed where the barn cats hang out.   

Normally, these cats are used to people and kids petting them, picking them up and generally loving on them pretty hard.  I am beginning to think that, with the onset of fall, the ice cream business is beginning to wane off, because these cats did NOT want to be messed with...like at all.

This little kitten, who I personally think will be stunning as an adult, was not too crazy about being touched.   He did let my daughter pet him a little bit, but when she tried to pick him up, growls could be heard, fur started to rise and claws came out...needless to say, this little kitty won and my daughter did not press the issue.

The older cats, who can't be much more than kittens themselves also allowed the occasional stroking, but clearly let everyone know that they were not to be picked up and carried around.

On a side note, this is the same place where we got one of our cats...Tommy.   My daughter saw him and instantly fell in love.   I am happy to say that 2 years later, Tommy is still being loved on.

Just so everyone knows, this picture was taken on an occasional outing in the backyard where Tommy (as well as my other 2 cats) were strictly supervised and then brought back in where they are safe and warm.

Day 8 - Sometimes It Pays To Look In The Rear-view Mirror

My daughter and I were out for a little drive, enjoying a magnificent fall day, taking a few pictures, when I happened to look in my mirror.   Look what I saw....

LOVE IT!!!

Day 7 - In Memory

In September 2005, we got each of the kids a baby bearded dragon.   As luck would have it, we ended up with 1 male and 1 female dragon (no, we never did breed them).

My son named his dragon Jesse and my daughter named hers Jasmine.   The dragons are pretty good pets for the kids...not cuddly like the kittens, but not as strong willed either.  

Unfortunately, lately Jesse had not been normal.  He had gone off of his food and was very lethargic and listless...this morning, he looked really bad and this afternoon, we found that he had passed away on his basking rock.

It was very sad for the kids, my son especially...Jesse was a good dragon and will be missed. 

Jesse, not too long after we got him...and his sister.

Enjoying the sun and warm summer weather.

Day 6 - Unexpected Guest

My daughter was taking our little dog for a short walk...when all of a sudden she RUNS back to the house yelling "Come look what I found! Come look what I found!"  

Upon closer inspection, I found out that she had discovered a lat summer tree frog.  I have no idea what he is still doing 'up'...but we spent a few minutes with him and then sent him on his froggy little way.

Day 5 - Reflections

I was trying to get a good picture of our Florida Softshell turtle, Lois...but she was not exactly cooperating...she kept swimming and wouldn't sit still.  ;)

I did catch this one though, she looks like she is meeting a new friend...everyone likes to meet new friends.   :)

Day 4 - Pure Determination

This photo was actually take a few days ago at the end of a 5K that was ran by my daughter and my niece.   They were the last two girls to finish...and it was by pure determination that they did so.

They are being led in by two of their fit-girl coaches and my nephew.   You can see the look of elation from my niece as her brother gets closer to greeting them...and the look of complete exhaustion on my daughter.

I am so proud of both girls, a 5K is not easy...and they have every reason to be proud of themselves...especially at 7 and 9.

GO GIRLS!!!

Day 3 - Protectors

I caught these little guys while I was leaving the grocery store this morning.   They were serious about protecting that truck.   Even though I didn't have my good camera with me, I could not resist the opportunity to snap this shot.  :)

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Day 2 - New Friends

Let me preface this post by stating that I know this isn't a very good picture, but it is so much fun and has a great story behind it.

We had new neighbors move in this last week and they brought a new dog with them.   This was VERY exciting for my dog, Bella.    Our previous neighbors had a dog too, but he was older and was not so inclined to play.

The dogs played and played and played the first day, this photo was today (the second day), Bella waited  for the new dog (we still don't know her name) to come outside...you could see the anticipation on Bella's face.   FINALLY, the new dog came out to play...and I snapped this picture.

They are SO funny to watch, like mirror images of each other.  Not only are they fun to watch...but Bella sleeps so well at night.  :)   

Day 1

Here we go...the first day of my big (almost to big to accomplish) project.  Is it weird that I have been thinking about this on and off all day???  Probably, but I'm OK with that. :)

I am just now starting to dabble in photo editing that goes beyond removing red-eye, or turning the occasional picture from color to black and white.   However, I am having fun with some basic types of editing, it never ceases to amaze me how much a picture can be changed with just a few clicks of a mouse.

So, without further ado....

This is the original photo of a barn set against some nice Autumn color.   I rather like this photo...it seems peaceful...

A few clicks in Picnik later...and we have a stunning photograph.

I hope you enjoyed Day 1