Thursday, October 29, 2009

I Found It!!

The little black bird on pumpkins is on Cherry's Jubiliee blog. I was trying once more to locate where I had seen this adorable little pretty!

Ahh - now I can concentrate on other things :)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Does Anybody Know Which Blog?

I'm hoping somebody can tell me where I found this cute little bird on pumpkins. I saved the picture but don't remember which lovely blog I found it on and I want to go back for a visit.

I'm sure one of you knows, because that's probably how I stumbled upon it. :)

I have searched and searched to the point of being obsessive. Thanks so much for helping me keep what sanity I have left!!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Angels and Friends

I met my friend, Alyce, last Friday for lunch. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of months and our schedules finally allowed us a quick visit with each other. I was feeling discouraged again, so it was the perfect thing to lift my spirits. We met at the Cheescake Factory where she treated me to a yummy lunch, and we had a nice visit with each other.

Alyce surprised me with a little gift. She isn't one to go shopping or make frivolous purchases - she's a New Englander through and through! She said she went to HomeGoods and when she spotted this little treasure, she thought of me. How sweet is that? She knows how much I love birds and nests. She said she bought one for herself as well, and another one that is holding a heart (I think). I just love everything about this beautiful angel!





Isn't she beautiful!? I will think of Alyce every time I look at her, and remember how fortunate I am to have her as a friend.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Gray and White

If there is something open, Smudge will jump into it!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Black and White

Princess, Zoe and Topaz always near...

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Pigeon Update and Cameron Purchases

Well, I haven't been able to locate the group that this pigeon belongs to. I've spent hours tracking down different organizations and heard from three different people - all with different opinions about the bird. I've worried about it's safety, and the other bird's that is still hanging around at Gail's store.

One guy told me the birds were racing birds but couldn't identify the group by the band number. Another told me that it looked like a performing bird, not a distance flier. Another one said releasing him wouldn't do any good; that it would still be lost. great.

My reasoning is that since the second bird (the one I caught) appeared a week after the first bird had been hanging around, they must be racing birds and on the same course. These competitions run through October in a lot of states, so it's possible that's what's happened here. It's getting late in the month and the nights are really getting cold. Not to mention predators. White animals stick out like a sore thumb and are such easy targets.

I've learned a fair amount about pigeons, both performing and racing, since catching this guy. I think I'm not liking the "sport" of racing. Basically, the birds have a homing instinct and are released far off somewhere with the task of getting back to their home loft. Sounds like a game of survival to me. I don't think I like it at all.

Anyway, I took the pigeon back to Gail's store this morning and sat him on the ground in the exact spot where I caught him...after giving him three kisses goodbye and telling him I hope he makes it. He didn't fly away - just went up to the top board on a display for the large pots. His friend was there all day yesterday, I was told, so at least they'll keep each other company.

To end on a more cheerful note, here is a picture of my pretty shelf and a better picture of my ladder that I bought at the Cameron sale a couple of weeks ago. I really like them a lot. The shelf is newly made; the ladder has some age to it.





I hope you're having a good day. The weather is gorgeous here today!!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

An Eventful Year With Birds!

Another encounter with a bird! How odd this year has been for me and birds!

Yesterday, I went to Gail's store to pick up a paycheck. While there, she told me that there had been a white dove hanging around all week. At first I thought - oh my gosh, no way could it be my baby dove that I lost over the summer! But Gail said the dove was solid white and mine have salmon patches on them. Well, I hung around for an hour or so but no sighting of the dove, so I went home. I worried about that bird half the night. It's gotten pretty cold at night here and they aren't equipped to survive on their own.

Well today a little after 1 o'clock, Gail's daughter called me to say that the dove was there, and she had brought a friend along. I told Alissa to hurry and get her shoes and coat on and we were going to try to catch these birds. When we got to the store, both birds were sitting together in the area that we keep bags of mulch and flower pots, in a protected area. I had taken my fish net with me (used to catch wayward chickens) and successfully got the "new" bird, who is spotted like mine. The solid white one got spooked and flew onto the top railing of a display. I hoped she would come back down to the ground, but she flew away.

I left the net at the store and gave Gail's daughter a lesson on how to use it if the bird should show up again (which I think it will).

These birds have bands on their legs and I've been trying to track down who they belong to.

Here's a picture of the new guy. I think he's a pigeon, not a dove. He's noticeably larger than my birds. His eyes are very different from my birds' too. His has a very light ring around the iris; my birds'are solid black.


So this summer, I lost one of my baby doves; had an encounter with the baby wren that got stuck on a glue board; an orchard oriole that got caught inside some deer netting that I had over a holly bush, and a poor goldfinch that drowned trying to drink water that was too far down in a big pot I had a goldfish in. I didn't post about the latter two incidents. Oh, and it wasn't an encounter, but I've seen the Pileated Woodpecker twice now - once right beside my property!

On an unrelated note, here's a picture of my old ladder that I bought at the Cameron sale a couple of weeks ago. I have it on my front porch. It looks really cute with the jack-o-lantern plugged in.



I hope you all had a good weekend!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Bloggie Friends Are So Nice!

Recently, there was a virtual quilt show in blogland. I didn't get to visit all the participants but stopped clicking and froze when I came across Rose Marie's entry. It is absolutely drop dead gorgeous! I love leaves and bright colors and she incorporated both in this beauty.



I left Rose Marie a comment on how pretty it was and she wrote me back. I then asked her who the designer was and where she got the pattern so I could buy one for myself. Well, turns out she got the pattern from an old 2002 magazine. She looked for it but said she must have tossed it out ages ago. Disappointed, I started studying her quilt thinking I could figure out the design myself. When I wrote her again asking the size of the blocks, she told me that she looked again and found the old magazine with the pattern! And even better, she's making a copy and mailing it to me. How sweet is that???

Thank you so much, Rose Marie! I can't wait to start on this after the holidays are over with. I'll post my progress when I get going on it.

Yes, bloggie friends are really nice!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Fall/Halloween Decorations

Well, I've got most of my fall decorating finished, but still adding little touches here and there. I thought I'd share some pictures with you.


This is a long shelf above my sliding glass door in the kitchen:

A plate I painted years ago on the long shelf:

The fireplace in my den:

A little side table in the living room...this is so pretty; the picture doesn't do it justice:

Here it is with the flash on:


And my wreath on the front door with the cute little witch sign. I love this! I'll be painting my front door and shutters a new color within the next few weeks.


I finished the little wall hanging for my sister's grandson and it will be mailed tomorrow. He'll get to enjoy it for a while before Halloween :) Now I want to make a couple of fall wall hangings out of a beautiful panel fabric I got at JoAnn's a while back for Thanksgiving.

My first day on the new temp job was easy. The software isn't difficult; just has lots of little boxes to pay attention to. I have a lot to learn but it won't be a stressful job. It's too quiet in there though; nobody visits with each other; no soft music; no official breaks; and I punch a time clock....and actual time clock. I can't remember when I've ever done that as an adult. But...it's a job and who knows what it might lead to!

It's getting late and I need to get things ready for the morning now that I'm back in an early morning schedule!

I hope you have a good day tomorrow!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Halloween Wall Hanging

Hey everybody,

I still haven't taken pics of my goodies from the Cameron sale last weekend, but hope to this week. I've been trying to get my mums and violas planted so they can get established before the ground gets too cold for them to grow any more.

I've been working on my Christmas swap and like it so far, and sewing winter rye seed so the geese will have something to eat this winter besides expensive grain. Plus Alissa and I are making things for her little Halloween party in a couple of weeks.

Here is a picture of the wall hanging I made her - nothing fancy, but cute. I'm working on one just like it for my sister's little grandson.

I start my temporary position tomorrow and am quite excited about it. I hope you all have a good day tomorrow!
ttfn...

Thursday, October 8, 2009

A Peek at My Christmas Swap

I went in a completely different direction with my Christmas swap...

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Smudge

....and no sooner did I post this than Smudge decided the little bench looked like a good place to jump onto as well! Funny kitties...

Baby Steps

I have hope now; I'm starting a long-term temporary assignment Monday. The pay is low but the job will be right up my alley and I'm really excited about getting started. My leaving Gail's store puts her in a little bit of a dilema but she understands that I don't have a choice. I'll still be helping her out here and there as I can. The Employment Security Commission won't give me a straight answer as to whether or not my benefits will be extended, so I'm hoping they will while preparing for the opposite. One of the mottos I live by is always have a Plan B and a Plan C when possible, because Plan A doesn't work out a lot of times.

I'll leave you with a cute picture of Topaz. He decided to hop up onto the small bench I purchased at the Cameron festival Saturday. It isn't old, but I love it. It's made from 2 inch thich, rough hewn lumber. This thing will never rot! I've temporarily placed it in my living room beside an antique drop leaf table. Topaz made the perfect Halloween setting for me all by himself! He's such a sweet kitty :) On the floor is a glimpse of a pretty shelf I also bought Saturday, but haven't hung it up yet.

I hope you all are having a good week!

ttfn....

Monday, October 5, 2009

Cameron Antique Festival

What a beautiful day Saturday turned out to be! I enjoyed walking down the main street of Cameron and looking at all the stuff folks had for sale. I haven't gone to an outdoor antique show (or indoor for that matter) in years!! None of my friends could make it, so I took my time and looked at what interested me and then left.

I did buy three items with my house cleaning money - one old, and two new. I'll show pictures of them later. For now, I'll leave you with a few pictures of an absolutely gorgeous historic home. The pictures don't do it justice!


I loved the way they decorated their porch...quite simple, but so perfect for the house!






I have an interview for another temp assignment tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me; my unemployment just ran out!!!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Table Runner Completed

Well, I got it finished and I'm quite pleased with the way it looks on my table.

I've got a busy weekend ahead of me. Tomorrow I'm going to an outdoor antique show in a small, country town just south of me. I'm dying to do something fun. I know I can't spend much money - shouldn't spend any at all - but I'm sure I'll see something that I just can't live without! :)

Then here at home, Alissa and I are going to make some Halloween party invitations and make some decorations - in addition to my usual chores of course. And I've got to make a small Halloween wall hanging for Alissa, plus get started on my Christmas swap. It will be November before I can blink twice!



So what are you doing this weekend??

ttfn...