Ginger Cat Appreciation Day (Sunday Selfies)

My two Ginger boys (brothers), Charlie in the front laying on Freckles.  When we first discovered these boys ten years ago this month they were running around our house, climbing trees, and running across our roof. Charlie even fell down our chimney. The flue was thankfully closed but it was extremely difficult to finally extricate him. He came out into our house and scattered soot everywhere. He has always been the rowdy one. Freckles has always been the laid back kitty. And both are just big cuddle-bugs!

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Fire Trucks, Fire Houses, Fire Hydrants

This week the topic is Fire Trucks, Fire Houses, Fire Hydrants.  Basically anything to do with putting fires out. These were all taken with my iPhone5.

Our little rural hydrant just across the lane from our house. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a skinny little hydrant. Let’s hope we never need it. But, should we ever need it, let’s hope this little guy is surprisingly stout!

Took this one from our backyard in Winter Garden some time ago. Not sure what they were doing as I could not spot any smoke or fires in the area (thank goodness!)

Old fire truck on display in downtown Winter Garden.

 

A Memorial Day Tribute

I’m reblogging one of my Memorial Day tributes. Just because time has gotten away from me, I could not let this day pass without giving honor to those who have given or are giving me my freedom. God Bless you all.

LIVING WITH MY ANCESTORS

I just want to pay homage this Memorial Day weekend to all of the men and women, past, present and future, wherever and however they have sacrificed or will sacrifice in giving service to this great country and the freedoms I enjoy. God Bless each and every one of you and your families.

The true meaning of Memorial Day.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.

I heard…

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Color Your World – Banana Mania

 

 

 

 

Seven Day Nature Challenge – 1

I have been nominated by my fellow blogger, Joanne at Coffee Fuels My Photography! to participate in the Seven Day Nature Photo Challenge.  I love Joanne’s beautiful photography and I really enjoy her sense of humor! I recommend and hope that you will check out her blog.

This will be my first time presenting daily posts, but I gladly accept Joanne’s nomination to continue the series. 

To take part in the challenge, I’m supposed to post at least one photo per day for seven days, focusing on anything from the natural world.

Each day I should nominate a new member. Please note there is no obligation on anyone’s part to participate. For this post, I would like to nominate Yvette at In the Zone.

If anyone who follows me would like to be nominated to participate in this challenge, please leave a message in the comments …  I would be more than happy to nominate you. I know so many of you have already participated!

I hope you enjoy my nature choices! Okay, it’s TIME to begin! Here is DAY 1:

Taken with my iPhone5 at Leu Gardens in Winter Park, Florida last year. Not the best or clearest photo but I liked that it was a working clock in the ground. But the rest of the week comes from our new hometown! Y’all come back now, ya hear?!

 

WPC: Dinnertime

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge

This week, share an image inspired by dinnertime — whether you take a photo of food or simply shoot during the evening hours is up to you!

When we lived in Florida, we used to enjoy having an occasional lunch at Mimi’s Cafe located about 10 minutes from our house. Now, the nearest one is 77 miles. Not happenin’!

I usually ordered quiche but, at the time of this picture, I had their Roast Beef Au Jus. It was yummy. But, if there’s one thing I learned, I will never be a food photographer! Let’s just say it tasted better than it looks here!

Now, these guys, on the other hand, don’t care who’s around. They just dig in and help themselves! I think these are white herons or white egrets in Florida. If I’m wrong, please feel free to correct me!

One Word Photo Challenge: Bed

This week’s word is BED!

I posted this picture once before quite some time ago but wasn’t focused on the bed so much! Okay, maybe it’s still not focused on the bed so much!

This next picture is not focused so much on the bed either! A few years ago, I began teaching myself how to crochet. The blanket in this photo was my third crochet project (and to date, my last). I’m hoping to get back to it. Since we now live in an area that has a winter with cold weather, there are numerous items that could be made and soon time to make them!

This picture is just to show my muse for the colors for the blanket.

And last but not least, we have one of our winter flower beds. This is along a walkway from the drive to the porch. Maybe some of you plant people might recognize something and be able to enlighten me! There is a green bush in the bottom corner, followed by a rose bush (which looks completely dead to me but that may just be what they do), followed by a different green bush, followed by some kind of dormant (hopefully not dead) large curving branches bush, followed by what was a small strawberry patch. I’m anxious to see what, if any, blooms come out this spring. I’m probably repeating myself here, but I’ve been told that the flowers and trees are just gorgeous around here in the spring. So, come on spring! Bring on those colors!

 

DP Weekly Photo Challenge: State of Mind

Oh, boy. What a state of mind! Here I am just sitting at my desk this morning trying to catch up on a few things. I’ve just been moping around feeling sorry for myself because it’s cold out and I miss my Florida home, family and friends. Moving away from all of this and out of my comfort zone (not speaking of the weather on this one…well, maybe a bit) was not an easy thing for me.

Walking from house to town. 

Walking from house to Lake

I’ve been wanting to post more about our new surroundings but haven’t braved the cold new world. So I’ve been pretty much staying inside going through and catching up on my emails, some Facebook and trying to figure out when I’m ever going to get consistent again on my posts. Waaahhhh! Big baby.  When lo and behold! What to my wondering eyes should appear out my window?  It’s too late for reindeer! But wait, there’s a whole herd of gorgeous deer (that I have yet to get any pictures of).

Not taken on our property but in Blairsville (give me time)

They’re so beautiful! And I watched about seven or eight of them just dilly-dallying on the hillside down from my window. Of course, I tried to sneak out to snap some group pics but, no matter how quiet I was, I think my black jacket gave me away! So off they went on their merry way. Well, all in due time. Now, can someone here in North Georgia please tell me when hunting season is over? We’ve heard shots (albeit in the distance but still sounds too close for comfort) since we arrived in the middle of December. I’m nervous for my new friends because I’ve been hearing shots all afternoon. If I could just explain to the deer that if they hung around our house, they’d be safe. We’re not hunters; we’re feeders.

At the closing on our house, the previous owners told us about how in the spring it becomes so beautiful around here with all kinds of flowers and plants, etc. I can’t wait (but I guess I have to).

But looky, looky!! 

I’m thinking daffodils? I don’t know my flowers at all but I suppose it’s time I started learning! Are they usually early bloomers? I know the weather has been absolutely crazy.

And what wonderful new friends we’re making here. I’m just loving the people we have met here. All of our new friends at church — I just love them to pieces already! And this week, we’re going out to lunch with two of our neighbors. We’ve been emailing but because the weather has been so off-putting, we haven’t met face-to-face yet. Well, we’re going to change that! I’m excited! The good Lord has sent us here for a reason. One of these days, I’ll find it out! I still don’t like the cold one bit but this too shall pass! Right?!

The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: State of Mind

Now where was I?!

Oh, yes, I was talking about getting moved into our new home here in North Georgia. Omigosh, that was such a while ago! Where does the time go? We had some pretty decent weather in between then and now and we did manage to get a few things done. Still lots to go. But I’ve let so much time go by, I’ve forgotten all the fun stuff I was going to write.

 So moving on!

The day the moving company brought our stuff was a nice day. But major glitch.  They couldn’t get their truck up our driveway!  So, they ended up parking the truck at the base of the drive. These two young guys were going to have to haul all of our stuff up that hill. The driveway is probably at least a couple hundred feet and about a 25-30 degree angle (mostly 30 towards the top!). Then Tom had a great idea. We have the pickup, so he told them to take the truck, load what they could and bring it up that way. It probably took them a lot longer than they anticipated, but at least they didn’t have to walk all that way. I’m afraid I didn’t take pictures of them moving stuff, but here’s the driveway. Well, at least I told them I changed my mind about having the piano go to the second floor!

  They did such a great job and were wonderful to work with. It was O’Neill Transport out of Orlando and they do long distance moves. Yep, it’s a plug for them!

View from the bottom up

View from the top down

So, between this driveway and the stairs that run from the basement to the second floor, I have no need of a treadmill ever again! HA!

To this day, we are still trying to find places for things. I know, I know, we probably still have too much stuff.  But, hey, ya gotta keep some stuff! And one of these days I’ll get back to more inside pictures as we go along. There is so much beauty up here. This winter anyway, I’m still too much of a wimp to go gallivanting around sightseeing. By next year, I hope to get some real winter clothes and it won’t matter (as much)! Hey, can I help it if my body is still programmed for a Florida winter??

And, coming up shortly, what you’ve all been waiting for. The finished CATIO! Yay! Well, the catio itself is finished. I still have things I want to do inside the catio, but all in good time. And, yes, I have some brave kitties who like going out in the cold!

Life is full of surprises

I know better. I know one should never say “never”! But I did. At least twice. I said I would never sell my Florida house. I like the bird in hand. I also said I would never move north to a colder climate. 😛  Hubby talked me into listing the house for sale — just to see what might happen! Of course, it would be logical if we could get a certain price and find a smaller house we liked. 😛 Never thought it would happen. And we did like north Georgia (the Smoky Mountains) and had often talked about scaling down to a place in that area. Yeh, but, I meant I wanted to keep my Florida house AND have a summer home in the Smoky Mountains. Phhhht! 😛  Well, the lesson here is do not tempt God. He apparently has other plans than what I had. For he sent a buyer who really wanted our house. They made us an offer we realistically could not say no to. So, we immediately made plans to go house hunting in north Georgia. We went for five days and, lo and behold, we found a beautiful home in our price range, made an offer, and they immediately accepted it. Whoo, boy, we’re not in charge here. For whatever reason, the Lord wants us in north Georgia. So, we’re back in Florida now. We’re trying desperately to sort through 20 years of accumulation! The funny thing is, there’s not that much stuff that matters whether it goes with us or not (except, of course, our seven cats and one dog!). So, this coming weekend, we’re having a blow-out moving sale!

If any of you out there know a decent route from Orlando, Florida to north Georgia that completely bypasses Atlanta, please let me know. We will be transporting the animals with us and I don’t know if I can take the strain of Atlanta traffic again! It was a freakin’ nightmare!

So that’s my explanation of why I have not been posting! And that is why it will probably be a while before I get back into posting again. I will try to visit as I catch some time. By Christmas, we will be in our new home.

Out with the old:

In with the new:

If I’m not back here posting before the Christmas holidays, let me take this time to wish each and every one of you a beautiful and blessed Christmas holiday for you and  yours! And if it takes me even longer to get back in the swing of things — HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😀