What's Happening in our Neck of the Woods ...

Hummingbirds everywhere at Paw-In-Law's House . . . we have a few here but good grief what is my father-in-law feeding these guys?  Something good I guess!  We have to keep our eye out for them when we're visiting on the front porch . . . they're little dive bombers.

We have had lots of animal happenings this week . . .

A rogue skunk wandered in during the middle of the day.  He was in bad shape ~ he had very little fur and was blind.   How we knew this was because he was out during the daytime and also he was rolling down steps and running into posts .... poor fella.   But he was sure ready for battle with that tail straight up in the air.  Have you ever coaxed a blind skunk into a trap?  Us either ... and it doesn't work well.  Hubby had to take action on him after being sprayed several times ~ and off to Happy Skunk Heaven he went.  Ugh ....

We are nursing one of our hens back to health ... Lacey, our pup in the picture above, wanted to bring her home for supper ~ fortunately she was stopped before things got too bad.  So a few feathers later along with a slight limp she's coming along.  Lacey is a very sweet pup (even tho she looks like a toughie in this picture) . . . but she is soooo curious about all things around her ~ a nice way of saying she's into everything.

Sunflowers ~ AT LAST!!  Aren't they gorgeous ... love love love all things Sunflower!!!  I changed it up this year and planted smaller varieties and in various colors and I really like it.  A few years ago I planted nothing but the mammoth variety.  They grew to 8 feet tall and the heads were so huge and heavy that they hung straight down ... although they were spectacular you had to stand under them in order to enjoy their beauty.  These I can admire from my kitchen window ... and anywhere in the yard.

I get to be the birthday girl this week!!  So excited ... who knows what's in store but whether there is nothing or something in store, birthdays are always a blessing.

Have a special week .... love one another!!!

Veggies and Craft Room ...

Imagine my surprise . . . every day I check for zucchini and every day I have found nothing but big beautiful blossoms.  So get this, today I had my glasses on ~ haa haa ~ and I found these huge veggies.  Actually it wasn't the glasses so much .. but more where they were .. very well hidden and sitting just on top of the soil.  They might be too big to enjoy ... we'll see!  

Ahhh, time in my craft room!!  I don't know why but I'm not very good at getting in there and having fun ~ always seem to find something else that needs attention I suppose.  Our #2 son (and wifey) found beautiful fabric and asked that I make table runners for them ... I started one of them after doing some long-overdue mending on hubs clothes ... and also found these fun things that I've recently finished.

Roosters Crow .... but the Hens Deliver!!

Halloween Needle-punch

I found this cute pattern at Pine Needles in Gardner Village in the little town of West Jordan, Utah.  I intended to make it as a gift but fell completely in love with it.  So adorable ... You may want to check out the Pine Needles blog or even better ~ visit the shop if you're up that way.  It's one of those shops that you wish wish wish was in your neighborhood.  

The hubby and I were out and about when we saw these Cow Elk ... grazing on the green grass.  I wish I'd had the camera the other day ~ I saw a huge Bull Elk, probably the most magnificent animal I've seen in some time.  He was all alone .. and looking so regal.

Don't take life too seriously,

cuz no one gets out of it alive!

The Big City . . .

Hubby and I went to the "big city" on Thursday ~ I must admit it felt so good to be at the Mall.  It's been nearly 4 months and I was having withdrawals from the hustle and bustle.  We hit a few of our favorite places in addition to the mall ... Bass Pro Shop, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, Kirkland Home ... so much fun!  Cookout with the kids and grandkids Friday evening was a blast.  It's always hard to leave ... but the animals and flowers and veges need us home.

"Ganny" and her girls .... having a fun time with "Ride A Little Pony"!!

Here are the sunflowers!  Pretty soon they will have beautiful yellow blooms to show off.  Can't wait ~

Zucchini plants are looking great ... lots of blossoms!

We have five apple trees with apples galore ... I am excited to make apple butter!  Even the dogs are excited ~ they help themselves to apples off the low hanging branches.  

Doris is enjoying a peaceful nap while the chickens are rooting around.  I tried to get a picture of the chicken standing on her back ~ but she climbed down when she saw me coming with the camera.  The sheep, chickens and wild bunny rabbits have a great camaraderie.  They all play together very well.

Be encouraging!  Happy Sunday to YOU . . .

Happy Birthday America!

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, 

and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all !!!

I have moments of overwhelming pride about the blessing of living in America.  Sometimes it's the simplest things that bring on these feelings ... from the wide open beauty of our land to our privilege of free speech.  Hubs and I have the gift of traveling to other countries with his work and it's always a surprise and a wake~up~call for me when I see how different life is in other places ... some live in very confined quarters where life is more complicated, where a garden is one pot with one tomato plant, where transportation is a motor scooter come rain or shine and yet they are very happy and content folks.  I enjoy experiencing cultures that are different than ours ... it helps me to be even more thankful for all that we have here in our piece of heaven in northern AZ ~ and we LOVE coming home to our America.

This nation will remain the Land of the Free only 

so long as it is the Home of the Brave !!!

We went fishing a few days ago.  I came up lucky that day and out-fished hubby ~ this is

always a sore spot for him.  Even worse when Grandson #1 said "Papa, I think Granny is the

master now".  Oh well ... He was busy getting ALL my fish off the hook and driving the

boat!  They were beautiful Rainbow Trout!  

This pretty fella paid no mind to us as we cruised by in the boat.  He's a Great Blue Heron ... I think he was eyeballing my fish for supper.

Be silly .. be honest .. be kind!

Dad-In-Law's Birthday Party!

We had a down home celebration for Dad-In-Law's 82nd birthday this week!  I found a really cute card with a silly looking couple . .  both with big buggy eyes and teeth in need of a dentist.  As we wandered around the store I also found these beauties ~ such purdy smiles!  We had a great time and lots of laughs.

Rain O' Rain ~ ~ We are praying for much needed rain for this dry, parched land ~ and also to cool things off a little bit.  We so enjoy the monsoon season with the loud cracks of thunder that come along with the afternoon showers . . . You can almost see the plants and animals breathing a sigh of relief when the stormy days begin!  Our grandbabies never met a rainstorm they didn't like . . .

Some people walk in the rain ...

Others just get wet.

                       ~ Roger Miller

Hoping you have a sweet weekend . . . 

Summer ~ Fishing ~ Homemade Bread

There is so much pretty-ness this time of year.  Our flowers are all enjoying the bright sun and the cool breeze.  Hollyhocks ~ Clematis ~ Roses and the Sunflowers are growing so fast you can almost stand there and watch them getting taller .... I know why they are called Sunflowers.  The top leaves of the plants face the sun all day long ~ in the morning they are facing East and by evening they are facing West.  Such smart little fellers . . .

Some of the original seeds didn't want to come up so the smaller plants were replanted a few weeks ago.

We are enjoying our grandkiddos for two weeks and as always we went to the lake and the park for some play time.  Papa and Grandson #1 were skipping rocks until this cute little family swam by . . . we watched them for the longest time.  It seems that mama was showing off her brood to all the visitors at the lake.  She made sure to swim right along the shore line ~ the fishermen reeled in their line, the walkers stopped to look ~ everyone was interested in her little family.  So Cute!

Hubby and I had a hankerin' for Sourdough Bread.  So I went shopping online at The King Arthur Flour Company and decided to order the sourdough starter, both kinds ~ the quick easy starter and the slow-feed-me-every-day-make-a-commitment-to-me starter.  A dear friend agreed to make the quick starter and I made the slow starter bread and then we compared loaves.  The flavor and texture of both loaves were wonderful, almost identical!!!   But we both kinda like the slow starter so that we can share starter with friends and family.  It only lasted for two days here at home ~ nothing better than fresh baked bread.

More About Feathered Friends ~

I found this birdhouse at a country gift shop . . . it's a little rough around the edges but fits in quite nicely around home.  I like anything handmade!

Posing for this picture is one of our Acorn Woodpeckers and it's our first year having them.  As their name implies .. they depend on acorns and other nuts for survival.  We have several oak trees in our yard which explains why they like us!  They live in small colonies which consist of up to five males, one or two females and up to a dozen juveniles from previous years with all members helping to raise the new babies.  They are very vocal, giving a loud, nasal "wheka-wheka-wheka" call.  

Granddaughter #2 catching her very first fish . . . all by herself . . . no help from Papa.  She actually caught two on this fishing trip.  Her big brother caught five but even so ~ she was tough to live with after that.  We are so proud of them both!

What good is the warmth of summer,

without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.

                                                                                                ~  John Steinbeck

Bathing Beauty

Our bathing beauty ... granddaughter #2.  When you live where it's hot and I mean today it was around 105 ... you tend to frolic around the swimming pool as much as possible.  Love this picture!!

Her blessed parents!!

There is something about Audrey Hepburn that will live on forever in the hearts and minds of beautiful women ~ When I need inspiration I look to her words of wisdom for that little pick-me-up ... 

 Be Silly ~ Be Kind ~ Be Honest . . .