Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

August 31, 2015

Summer Draws to a Close

While fall doesn't technically start for another 23 days, the end of August is pretty much the end of summer with all the kids going back to school and the traffic loosening up just a little.  Pretty soon I can resume my beach combing endeavors without having to share the beach with a ton of people or paying to park.  

This summer went by just way, way too fast.  I can't think of anything I did at all either, except for a few things.  Life & humidity really got in the way of all the stuff I intended to do.  So I stayed in and cross stitched.  Last summer, 2014, seemed to go by really slowly.  For one thing, the weather was perfect last year.  That enabled me to get out of the house almost daily for walks and day trips.  I've found that time slows down when you are doing stuff but goes by wicked fast when you are doing nothing. 

Finished wine project for Mary's housewarming gift.  This took less than a week to do.  I could've done it in a day or two tops but I kept getting interrupted.


Still working on the shells.  Both the instructions/pattern and the photo on the package show the word 'sundial' off center.  I stitched it that way but it's reeeeeeeally messing with my OCD.  I will probably go back and center it.

Here's another simple craft project that serves no real purpose except look really pretty when you shake it up.  It's just water & glycerin with glitter.  I used a small Sutter Homes wine bottle.  I still need to do something for the cap.  I've noticed that the water has turned pink over the past few days too (these were taken the day after I made it).

If you are going to do this project, put the glitter and stuff in the bottle first.  Mix the water and glycerin in a measuring cup and then pour it in.  If you try putting the water/glycerin in first the glitter will never sink to the bottom when you add it in.  


My sweetie and I were out and about doing some errands and stopped in Benny's.  They have the best craft kits and stuff.  I spied this kit and had to have it.  Russell was over in the automotive department and I met up with him there with a big grin on my face.  He saw the box and started to laugh, and he bought it for me.  

I just finished reading my friend Robyn's book, Woman on the Verge of Paradise.  It's an excellent read, very funny and poignant at the same time.  I highly recommend it....it's a great read.  Please visit her blog too, Life by Chocolate.  Tell her JoJo sent ya.  

The fuzzies on National Dog Day (August 26th).  Of course every day is 'National Dog Day' in this house.


Maxfield Parrish skies.


Pretty clouds.






Unusual clouds


I shot this with my zoom lens, from my chair on the deck.  That's why you can't see my reflection.  

I really enjoy autumn, but I am in no hurry for the winter months.  I am in denial about the Farmer's Almanac prediction that the northeast is going to have an even worse winter than last, which is really hard to imagine.  I hope that it's not true and the El Nino building in the Pacific gives us a milder and rainier winter.  

August 23, 2015

Pirates Cove Mini Golf!

We took the kids minigolfing this past week at Pirates Cove in South Yarmouth.  I only recently found out that this is a chain, with Pirates Cove locations all over the country.  This one opened in 1984, which was the first and last time I played (only because in those days I preferred the course in Mashpee, Dick & Ellie's, which has long since closed).

There are 2 courses and if it hadn't been 6 trillion degrees with high humidity, we might have done the second course.  We were hot, sweating and dehydrated after the first 18 holes so we decided to go to lunch instead.  

There is a lot to see at this place, and I didn't even take pictures of all the pirate trivia bits on the sides of each hole.









There are 2 holes that go through caves.

Looking inside the closed jail door inside the tunnel.  His head moved too.







View from the top.





We had to split up into 2 groups.  Me, Russell, Jeff & Casi, and Nick, Sam & Val.

Of our group, Jeff won with a score of 40.  Russell & I each got 48.

Dad is hot, but happy.

Sent Casi & Jeff to the stocks.

My amazing man, his children & their SOs.

And the only reason I am in this is Russell threatened to toss my camera into the water.


Great time had by all, fabulous post putt putt lunch at 99 and more memories made.  

August 21, 2015

One Done, Three Started

Here is the final Hummel cross stitch project that I was commissioned to do.  I got it done one day before she arrived in Massachusetts for a two week visit and I was so pleased to be able to give it to her in person.  To say she was thrilled is an understatement, and that made me feel so good.  


I immediately jumped into some new cross stitches.  This one is beyond difficult, despite the fact that it's being done solely in black thread.  It's really hard to count the stitches on the pattern and I have to use a white pencil to cross out each row as I go along.  The first row was the worst but I think I can work off of it OK.  


Another sea-themed project by the now defunct Bucilla brand.  I hope I have enough of each colour floss in this kit.  My goal was a shell a day but I think we can all agree that's not gonna happen.  

This project has been moved to the front of the line because it's going to be a housewarming gift for one of my best friends who is moving this week.  She loves her wine. I hope she's too busy packing to check my blog!  

The weather's been too hot and humid to do anything fun.  Nothing has gelled this summer to allow me to go on any day trips.  I was about to leave for Newport, RI a week or so ago, when I discovered I'd forgotten to charge my camera battery.  By the time it was charged, it was too late & too hot.  The days I'm free, it's raining or humid.  The days I'm busy, it's nice.  Summer's nearly over; it went by way too fast.  

August 19, 2015

Because Blogger Made Me Do This

I got the following message on my Blogger Dashboard in the Overview section, and apparently I am, and other bloggers are, being forced to let people know about cookies.  I have no idea what it means, but consider yourselves informed.  If they want to put this disclaimer on my blog that's fine but the part about 'you are responsible....' is bullshit.  Or what? They will delete my blog?  Why does the EU even give a shit about cookies on blogs?  How does that affect anyone?  I didn't enable anything that allows cookies.  And I have to obtain consent?  WTF?  Screw you EU.  Seriously.  

European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent. 

As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies. 

You are responsible for confirming this notice actually works for your blog, and that it displays. If you employ other cookies, for example by adding third party features, this notice may not work for you. Learn more about this notice and your responsibilities.    


There.  Happy now, Blogger?  

August 17, 2015

One Year Already!!!!

(No trees were harmed, it's computer generated and was made by my friend Lisa).

Celebrating one year of wedded bliss with the love of my life.  

August 15, 2015

The View from Right Here

Couldn't resist sitting on the deck one cool, dry Saturday afternoon for a bit.  I really do love where we live.  I wish we could buy this house.  


 If you sit on the deck and look at these branches, it looks like a heart!




Queen Anne's Lace has virtually taken over my yard.  I know it's a weed but I love it.

I thought it looked like this bush was starting to turn red.  Russell thought it was starting to die.  lol






We saw this cool cloud and to me, I first saw the Ravenclaw eagle.  Both wings spread upward, the beak/head looking down and the legs/feet under the body.

As the cloud moved, we got one of those rainbow iridescent clouds.

But to Russell, this cloud looked like a huge dragon.  The head with open mouth is on the far left, with one wing flapped up and the body and tail behind it and to the tree, and with the fore- and rear legs.  

I wish we'd had more days like these this summer.