Angels Appear...

in the places you'd least expect them sometimes. Can you see her?

I took this photo of two of my favorite perfume bottles to draw, because I didn't have time to capture all the reflections and refractions in pencil, and I thought they were so pretty. I was awed to find a tiny angel hiding among them.
I did not minipulate this in any way. It is the way the light shone through the perfume (a full bottle). Isn't she beautiful?

There isn't really a story to go with these, except that my only sister-in-law, Kay, gave me the perfume on the left and Mama gave me the one on the right. Two weeks after I made these photos, right before Christmas, Kay passed away suddenly and became an angel in Heaven herself. Life is sure not the same without her, and we miss her so much.

I just wanted to share my tiny angel with you and to also let you know that I'm still out here. Hopefully, I'll do better at posting on this blog too this year, as most of my posting was done on my Moxie Blue blog this past year.

Thank you for visiting. :)

The Ghost of Great-Grandma?

Look at the pictures below. Do you see her? The lady with the black braids and the white dress? In the background?

Now do you see her? I think it's the ghost of my Great-Grandma, Melinda Lucinda Valentine Sanders Prater. She died way before I was born, but she was a full blooded Cherokee Indian, and I've always been fascinated by her. When I was little, I would ask my grandmother what her mother-in-law's name was, just to hear her sing it off. She would tell me in a little sing-song voice with her eyes twinkling and then chuckle at the end.

The other morning I was sitting at the dining room table and I happened to look out the kitchen door window. I saw a woman wearing a white dress, just standing across from the house. My heart kind of jumped, and I got up to take a closer look.

The dress was long and she was leaning on the diesel barrel, her black braids shining in the morning light. I could see her sun-dappled facial features plain as could be. She was young and beautiful and looked like she might be waiting on someone special. Great-Grandpa, perhaps?

I'm just playing with you! :)

I couldn't resist getting my camera and capturing the image. I thought the barrels, hose, the camper top, and the foliage all conspired to make a little Halloween ghost story image of someone I hold dear, even if I never met her, except through my granny's sing-song recounting of her name.

By the way, she's still standing there...waiting. :)

T-Biscuit in the Jungle

T-Biscuit relaxing on the fountain in the shade of the Mini-Jungle (see story below). T is a runt and as an adult is only about half the size she should be, and she is as quick as lightening. Has been since she was a tiny kitten. I tell her she's half chipmunk. She darts between Sammie-dog and the other cats and a food morsel and is gone with it before they know what happened. She will stand on her back legs and rub her head on my hand and loves for me to pet her, but she doesn't allow me to pick her up. Affection is strictly on her terms. She is so funny.

T-Biscuit

These are heart-shaped leaves on a small tree like bush in the jungle. They start out red, turn green, then yellow before they die. I don't know what kind of bush it is, but the cats like to play on it and I like to see it when I look out the window.

Kitty Mini-Jungle

Once upon a time we had huge pine trees in the back yard, which made it very shady. Jim helped me make a small flower bed, approximately 8' x 10', just outside the dining room windows. I could also see it through the window over the sink in the kitchen when I was cooking or washing dishes, and through the utility room window when I was doing laundry.

Kibbles, my Pekingese dog companion at the time, and I worked diligently planting seeds, watching them grow, and weeding every summer. It was filled with snapdragons, hollyhocks, zinnias, marigolds, sunflowers, red and yellow, flowering moss, impatients, petunias, poppies, pink mums, a white peony, and assorted other flowers at one time or another. Many of the plants were given to me by my mother-in-law, mama, and friends, which made them extra special. I thought about each of the people who contributed every time I tended the plants.

A running water fountain with three children sculpted onto it sat in the center, and bird feeders and hummingbird nector surrounded the bed. Squirrels, birds of all kinds, chipmunks, and butterflies abounded, as well as other wildlife, some welcome, some not. :)

It was a delight to sit out by the flower bed in the shade, listening to the fountain, hearing and watching the birds sing and chirp, as they fluttered about eating or bathing in the cool water. The hummingbirds flying around sounded like tiny airplanes as they zipped about drinking the cool red liquid hanging in feeders nearby.

I heard the soft fluttering of a butterfly's wings once, as it flew swiftly by my ear. Amazing!

The squirrels would come and sit in the trees chattering, preaching I called it, trying to run us off so they could run the birds off and get the seed. It was like a small piece of heaven to sit out there and talk...or daydream.

We also loved sitting at the dining room table sipping coffee and watching the activity. Dishwashing was more pleasureable watching the activity outside. It was a time before digital cameras, and I made tons of photos through the windows using a telephoto lens on a 35mm camera. Wonderful times.

But then Kibbles got so old and sick that she had to be euthanized. It broke my heart. I started community college. Blight hit the pine trees and they all had to be cut, taking the shade with them. Life and various other traumatic events that changed my life took over and I no longer had the heart to have a flower bed.

Some of the flowers came back for a few years, but were eventually smothered out by weeds, vines, sage grass, and assorted other natural plants. A couple of stray cats adopted us. They and my dad's cat ended the bird, butterfly, chipmunk, and squirrel population in the yard, as well as, most other small wildlife that dared to enter. Well, the drought a few years ago helped.

The fountain hasn't been hooked up in years now. It sits there waiting to come to life again, to give pleasure and nourishment. All it needs is a little attention.

Because the bed was surrounded by a foot wide concrete border and a little fence, I couldn't mow it, so I used a weed-eater to keep it neat. I've done that every year up until this past fall. It was overgrown a little and I just left it.

I noticed during the fall and winter how much the cats enjoyed hiding and playing in the bed around the fountain and among the turned over flower pots and bird feeders. They often seek shelter during light rain or snow in one of the bigger open feeders that my dad built. Climbing on the fountain is like Disneyland to the kittens.

This spring I have not touched the garden. It has become a mini-jungle for the cats and kittens to play in. Sammidog also likes to lay in the coolness of the shady leaves. Nature has planted a variety of wonderful plants for us to enjoy.

While the kitty jungle looks like a mess that needs cleaning up to family and friends, it's a wonderful tiny piece of heaven again to me and my pets. There's a whole fascinating world of activity going on in the jungle among the leaves and vines. The cats aren't the only inhabitants if one looks closely.

It's not just weeds and such either. There's a bush with heart-shaped smooth leaves. When the leaves are new they are gorgeous reddish colors. They get green as they get larger and yellow as they die. There's also a vine of some sort with heart shaped rough leaves that resemble grape vine leaves climbing all over the feeder. Honeysuckle and blue morning glory vines climb the surrounding fence. Queen Anne's lace is beginning to bloom and the volunteer pink hollyhock is blooming since I took the pictures.

If, when I'm walking around it, I keep my eyes and ears open, I can see and hear a whole little world busy going about it's daily business of surviving. If I quietly stoop down, I can see the nooks and crannies under the vines with kittens sleeping or scuffling in the cool shade.

These cats are skittish though and often hide where they think I can't see them and watch me. It's when they don't know I'm watching from inside the house that the real action takes place. Right outside my windows there's a virtual circus, and it is such fun to watch.

The kittens chase each other around in the jungle, wrestling around in the vegetation. They climb and swing from the dis-assembled fountain and the feeder. They hide in the overturned flower pots and jump out on one another. It's so funny to see a kitten face under a leaf hat. They chase each other from the jungle, across a small distance in the yard to a tree, and back. Their antics are neverending and funny, and laughter is always good medicine.

Sometimes there's a kitten pile on the concrete rabbit bench, all napping (I love kitten piles), or a lone kitten curled up in a pot or on the cow skull that Sammidog hasn't destroyed yet. He completely pulverized the deer head skull I had in the bed, antlers and all.

I thought about preparing and planting the bed in all kinds of flowers this spring. I kind of wanted to, after all these years, but with Sammidog and the cats, there's no way it would survive. I can't even keep potted plants outside.

But that's okay.

I've found that often to have one thing we have to give up another, and I enjoy my pets. Besides God has given me a garden of a different kind. It may not have a lot of multi-colored flowers in it, but natural plants in a tiny jungle can be just as wonderful. The cats love having it and we enjoy the cats so it's relaxing, peaceful, and healing in a natural way, plus there's no weeding. That's a good thing. :)

The end--pictures follow...

The dis-assembled fountain. I mentioned the other day that we should hook it back up. The cats would love the running water. Jim, who used to not tolerate cats at all, was afraid they'd chew on the cord and get electrocuted, so I guess it will stay like it is for now.



A glass gazing ball. If you look close, behind and just a little to the right, you can see Sammidog's face. He's a camera hog and when he saw me making pictures of the bed he jumped over in it and posed.

It doesn't show up much, but the honeysuckle is blooming and smells so good. It's all along this side and one end. You can also see the wooden bird feeder under the other vine, Rabbit Hop Cafe painted on the roof. The kittens climb these vines like they were ropes.

One end, behind the fountain. See the orange and white cat enjoying her jungle. She resented my intrusion on her nap. :)

The front of the bed with the concrete rabbit bench. The pink hollyhock on the left is blooming now, and the Queen Anne's Lace is beginning to.

You can't see the overturned pots, etc in the pictures, and I know it just looks awful and like a snake den to some of you, but it isn't. It's our own tiny jungle, complete with jungle cats, and fascinating adventures just waiting to be had. :)

IMT Challenge-Ghost

This weeks challenge on Inspire Me Thursday is ghost. I posted a photo and a little written story to go with it on Moxie Blue under the same title as this post if you'd like to read it. Thanks so much for visiting and a new tale or two is on the way for Scribbles!

Gift of Roses

These roses were given to me by Mama after Valentine's Day and were wrapped in yellow tissue paper and cellophane, all tied up with a golden ribbon. They are made of very thin wood. The pink ones are pretty, but yellow roses are my favorites. I haven't tried to arrange them yet. I just let them fall naturally. I kind of like them that way though.

Mama's friend, Wilma, who picked up the roses for her, gave us the vases to put them in. Mama's was similar to mine, but more of a fan shape. Isn't it pretty? I like it because it's old timey looking. I love old things. I'm very sentimental.

They looked so pretty with the sunlight streaming in through the window on them this morning that I though I'd share them with you. Have a blessed day. :)

IMT Challenge-Lace/ Sara's Dress

This weeks challenge at Inspire Me Thursday is lace. I immediately thought of one of my favorite dolls in my collection and her dress. I'm posting Sara's photo on my Scribbles blog, because there is a story behind the dress, which I would like to share with you.


I rescued this hard plastic doll from the 50's at a flea market for very little money. She was dressed in a one-piece white satin underwear romper-type thing with lace around the arms and legs and had on nothing else. I just fell for her blue eyes, the tiny white teeth in the open mouth, and the long mohair wig that hangs below her derriere.

She got a new home and the other dolls got a new sister called Sara. They all loved her immediately, as I did. Sara had such a sweet personality, who wouldn't?

I didn't have anything at home for Sara to wear that was becoming to her and didn't get around to sewing her a new dress for the first several months she lived with us. She didn't complain though.

One Sunday at church one of the ladies, who knew that I collected dolls, handed me bag. She was grinning from ear to ear, as I pulled out one of those little "dress me" dolls, about 6" tall, that mama used to crochet outfits for in the 50's. She had a pattern book with storybook outfits to crochet for the dolls. She made several really pretty ones. I don't know what happened to them. Uh-oh, I'm off track. Sorry!

The little doll had on a really heavy, bulky white lace dress that she was just lost in. She looked so pitiful with the brown mohair locks glued to her head and the large brown eyes peering up at me; drowning in a sea of wadded lace and satin.

I expressed my gratitude to the lady, whom I love dearly. I was touched that she saw this little urchin at a yard sale and rescued her just for me. I brought her home, and after lunch took her out of the bag and pulled the wad of material off her. I found a cute little pink lace dress in my stash of extra clothes that just fit her and she loved it. It had a small gold heart button on the bodice, and she refused to take the dress off. I didn't argue with her. She looked so much better. She looked like a Flora to me, and since she couldn't remember her name, she agreed to answer to it.
.
I introduced Flora to the others and left her to get acquainted as I picked up the wad of lace. It had a beautiful design pattern on it, and when I turned it inside out I found that the skirt and sleeves had been pulled up, folded, and tacked into place to cover the little doll. After all, it would have been indecent to have her in a yard sale in her birthday suit.

I took the tacking loose, letting the skirt and sleeves fall to their real length. It was a lace dress, with a satin lining, designed to fit a much, much larger doll and was in perfect condition, though old and kind of yellowed with age.

It fit 20" Sara perfectly, as you can see in the photo.

I couldn't believe it! I couldn't have found or sewn a dress more befitting for her. I added the aqua ribbon to the waist and found a tiny pendant necklace with an aqua stone in it. Sara was gorgeous as she was, but she didn't like being barefoot and shyly asked if she might have some boots with tiny pearl buttons.

I found those and a lace parasol just her size in a doll supply catalog. Sara looked like a princess in her new/old ensemble and her new siblings could not believe their eyes when she rejoined them. They insisted on having a tea party to celebrate, which lasted into the wee hours, leaving them all exhausted, but happy. Flora and Sara became the best of friends. After all, they shared a secret about a dress.

And that is how a dress that was forced to hang on a 6" doll, embarrassing her to no end, came to make a 20" doll look like a princess. What are the odds?



Sara insisted that I show you her pearl-buttoned boots. She loves them so. Flora sends her apologies that she wasn't available for the photograph. She is in the hospital awaiting new rubber band surgery. ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Writing a Novel and The Happy Dance!

First 3 completed chapters of my novel

I didn't tell y'all that I just finished a two year course on novel writing with Long Ridge Writers Group. This last assignment was actually way late and was really a challenge to get myself to do.

It was the business part of the course and included a query letter, a cover letter, a synopsis of the whole novel, a publisher's form, a revision of one of the chapters that I had already written and sent in to the instructor, plus a letter to the instructor. This part was not fun and I kept procrastinating. I finally got tired of it hanging over me, hoisted up my bloomers, and got it done and emailed to my instructor, who nearly died of a heart attack because he finally got an assignment from me. :) I started not to finish it, but now I'm so proud of myself for doing it and am awaiting my diploma.

This will be my second diploma from LRWG. I took the Breaking Into Print course on writing short stories and articles a few years ago, and it was worth every penny.

I really enjoyed writing the short stories and articles, and actually got a few of them published online. I found out early on in the novel writing course that I'm not sure that I have the patience to write a whole novel. Maybe if I'd written the rough draft of the whole novel to start with I'd feel differently.

For the novel writing course I only had to complete the first three chapters, plus plot lines, outlines, etc. I had to present two ideas and get the instructor's input, which was that he thought they were both good ideas with good characterization, and that either would be marketable. He left it up to me to pick one.

I chose to base the novel on a short story that I had written for the first course. The working title is "DANCING A DREAM." It is about an obese, thirty year old woman, named Fedora Isabella Quintana, nicknamed Fizzy, who lives to dance and still dreams of being a professional dancer.

I don't want to tell too much about it here, because I might decide to finish the whole novel and don't want to give away anything, but it is about five years of Fizzy and her best friend's lives. There is a little mystery, romance, setbacks, adventure, humor, and a lot of dream chasing in it.

I actually have written two short stories with these two characters, and everyone who has read them has enjoyed them. They have both almost been published. I would love to post them here, but that might hamper them ever getting published when I start submitting again. I haven't submitted anything in a while, but I plan on starting again soon.

My instructor encouraged me to finish the novel and submit it. He thinks it has a good plot line, interesting characters, and a good chance at getting published. Right now I don't think I have the patience for all the reivisions of that many chapters. I almost got burned out on the first three. I prefer short stories or personal experience pieces, but who knows, I already have a good start on the novel, so when I've rested a while on it I may just finish it...or maybe I'll write one on the other idea I had about the cat lady. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm proud of me for finishing the course. I have too many other works in progress going on as it is. Trust me, I did the happy dance as soon as I finished. :)

Play-fulness In Art & Writing

I find myself having a hard time getting started back to writing or drawing in the new year. I had the habit of drawing/writing something every morning while I had my first cup of coffee. The holidays have thrown that off a bit it seems. I've gone from "couldn't wait to get started" to "finding it difficult or downright impossible to start."

This brings me to a question Leah asked in a post, and since I'm participating in her Creative Every Day Challenge this year I thought I'd share my answer here.

The question was, "How do you return to playfulness when your creations are getting stiff?"

Instead of having a chance for my work to get stiff, I tend to get blocked. Sometimes I get stuck before I even start and sometimes it's half way through the project.

I love to do stream of consciousness writing, and if I do it a couple of days in a row that usually unlocks my writing and gets me going again.

Tammy in the Mojoart group introduced me to touch drawing the winter my dad died, four years ago. She shared her story about a technique that she had learned in art therapy. I looked it up on the net and tried it. I was hooked. I made dozens of drawings over the next couple of years. It not only helped my art, it helped me survive those years when we were hit with one trauma after another.

Touch drawing only requires your fingers, ink, thin paper, and an inking board. It helps if you meditate and center yourself first. You spread a very thin layer of printers ink over your board with a brayer, lay your paper down gently over the ink, and tapping into your inner self, let your feelings come out through your fingers and hands onto the back of the paper. You can use both hands at once if you want.

It's amazing what images come out when you pull the paper up and turn it over. Each drawing tells a story, which you can write out if you want. You can also add color to them. Each drawing is numbered in the order you drew them during your session. I can line all of mine up in order from all of my sessions and see a progression from grief and anger to acceptance and healing.

I haven't done any for a while, but they sure did help my creativity and my sanity during a rough time. The Center for Touch Drawing has a website with a demo if you're interested.

Another thing I learned this past year was from Judi Russell's website. She shares her art journaling technique, where you center yourself, close your eyes, try not to think about what your pencil is doing, and let it glide lightly over the paper making different shapes, lines, circles, etc.

When you're done, you open your eyes and study the shapes until an image emerges that means something to you. When it does, you darken the lines of the image, add lines, words/phrases, faces, enhancements, etc. to bring it out as far as you want to. Go over the image lines with an ultra fine black sharpie. Then you can color it if you like. You can also journal about what the image means to you.

Judi does have a gallery of her art journal drawings and some of her paintings that derived from the drawings. I have a tutorial of sorts on my Moxie Blue website under the label "quirky art journal instructions." However, my images look nothing like hers. :)

I've been doing at least one of these a day since last April and I have over 325 now. I am constantly amazed at the images I pull out of a bunch of shapes and lines, but they have inspired dozens of ideas for paintings and stories for writing for me.

I tend to take everything waaaaaay too seriously and these techniques are a lot of fun to me because I don't worry about everything being perfect or good enough. I just relax and let things flow. I always come away from these "play" times feeling more relaxed and confident about my art and writing.

As a matter of fact, writing about play time with art/writing has put me in the mood to do some. See you later! Have a creative day!

Bobbie Tail & Nacho Say...

For some reason the font letters wouldn't go any larger. Sorry! It says, "Happy MoooooooYear From Rabbit Hop."

Wishing you all the best year ever!

Four Things About Me

I found this little meme on Pattie's blog, and since she left an open invitation at the end to play along, I thought I'd share a little more about me. I hope I can make it, at least, a little interesting.
"Krisket's Rose"

Four Things I Did Today

1. A loose pen & ink sketch of a woman on TV, which looked nothing like her, by the way

2. Rode the ATV to the mailbox and then down in the fields to check the cattle and make sure they have enough to eat-They do.

3. Wormed a kitten and got a flea collar on the dog that adopted us, then played with them. I've been trying to teach the dog to bring his rawhide bone back to me when I throw it. Every time I throw it the dog and all the cats run to it-Very funny, but nobody brings it back to me.

4. Mailed one of my best friends a BD card, visited with another on the phone, and spent time with my mom--That's more than 4 isn't it? But that's ok!



Four Things On My To Do List

1. Address Christmas cards and do my Christmas shopping

2. Finish the last assignment in my novel writing course--The biggest thing I learned is that I don't have the patience to write a novel-I'll stick with short stories, thank you. :)

3. Finish the myriad art and craft projects that I have in progress

4. Catch up my ironing and de-clutter the house


Four Of My Guilty Pleasures

1. I love art museums. I just feel in awe every time I go in one.

2. Books and rock/blues music--I often wish I'd get locked in a bookstore for the night-

3. Painting and Writing--I always think I should be cleaning or something

4. ICE CREAM/YOGURT and TV--and my body shows it



Four Random Facts About Me

1. I loved to play teacher to my dolls & stuffed animals when I was little. I wish I had the courage to do it for real now. I would love to share what little I know about writing & art.

2. I had polio and was totally paralyzed for a few days when I was two years old. I was left with a permanant limp, but I was still lucky. I could always do anything that I wanted to.

3. I've always been a tomboy. Sometimes I like girly-girl things, like makeup and jewelry, but jeans and shirts are my outfits of choice, at least they were until I got so fluffy...

4. I went to college for the first time at age 47, and I lack about 6 credits having a BS degree. It's now 12 years later and I'm still thinking about finishing it.

Enough about me. You're welcome to share four things about you. Please let me know if you play. I'd love to read it. :)

Thanksgiving

This is TT (Tiny Target because the markings on her side look like a bullseye, like her dad (Target) and her mom (Little Target). She is small for her age and darts around like a chipmunk. She's a hoot and I'm thankful for her too. :)

I would like to list all of the people and things I am thankful for, not just today, but every day, however, it would take forever, so here are just a few:

I am thankful for God, my friends and family (both mine and my husband's), that I love and am loved, my new friends in blog land, my cats, cows, Sammidog, the passion for art and writing that I have, and all of the lovely people I've met through those and other hobbies, a warm, comfortable house, art supplies, the 4-wheeler, Sammidog's new insulated house that Spotty-Butt (the kitten) shares with him, the military that are away from their families trying to keep us free and safe, and the list goes on..............

Take time to stop and count your blessings. What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that are celebrating Thanksgiving. Have a safe and happy weekend.

Sammie-Dog Finds a Home

Meet Sammi-Dog...He arrived on Rabbit Hop last week.

Mama, who lives next door, saw him coming up through the garden the middle of last week with his chin and tail dragging the ground. She happened to be feeding her cats and dog at the time, so that's where he went first. He was so starved that he could barely walk and his head and ears were covered in big ticks. She felt sorry for him and fed him and picked some of the ticks off, but her dog, Auger (another stray in bad shape that found a home), who has been around a long time, let him know quickly that he wasn't welcome there.

This is not an uncommon occurrance. We live in a rural area out in the country, so dropped/stray animals are always showing up. Over the years a number of them have become pets. Others just pass through and keep going.

Neither of us wanted another dog. I haven't wanted another one since I had to have the last one euthanized, eleven years ago. I still haven't gotten over that one.

The next day he followed her to my house, barely able to walk, his eyes very dull and lifeless. It's hard to tell from the pictures, but his sides were sunk in as far as they could sink, his backbone and ribs were sticking out. None of us thought he would live through the night.

I have never been fond of any kind of hound, and, as I said, I didn't want a dog of any kind. I have cats and cows. I sure didn't want another house dog. But there was something about this pup and those eyes that just melted me, and I was a goner. Jim and mama too.

I gave him a bowl of warm milk and fixed him a warm bed on the back porch. He was never afraid of us or the cats, though if he got too close to the older ones he would get slapped and made to yelp. Needless to say, I had to stay with him to keep the cats back. They like milk too, but they're not starving.

He lapped up the milk and crawled right into the bed. For a couple of days he only got out of bed if I went out, to eat, or take a bathroom break. He looked like a Sammie to me, so that became his name.

Due to malnutrition he had no winter coat or fat on his body, and one day it was cool and damp. He shook a lot, some from cold or shock, even with cover, and some from nerves. This day I happened to remember that I still had my last dog's (a Pekingese) sweater, so I put that on him. He didn't mind a bit. You would have thought he'd worn one his whole life. Maybe he had. I don't know. No idea where he came from.

Anyway he has continually gained strength and is now literally bouncing around like a rubber ball, tripping all over himself and any cat or person that happens to be near. He gallops now instead of weaving when he walks. His eyes are bright and sparkly. He and the cats get along good. He has a great personality, is very smart, and he's really funny, and expressive, if he is a little undisciplined.

Of course Jim is working so it's up to me to train him. At least he's old enough that he's not going to tear up everything...I think.

Yesterday when I went on the four-wheeler to check the cows I got him to follow me part of the way, but either he didn't understand what I was asking him to do, or he wanted to ride. I saw it as a way for him to work off some energy. He decided not and came back to the house. When I got back I walked him and the cats around our acre yard a couple of times. They loved it. Sammie-Dog had his nose to the ground trailing everything, including the cats. Wore me out.

Sammie-Dog was still bouncing. I have been needing to start exercising. Maybe he is the prod I needed to get started.

The grey and white spotted kitten, whose name is Spotty-Butt, and who carries her fuzzy tail laying flat on her back, has taken to Sammie-Dog too and rubs on him and sits with him or by his bed. He, for the most part, ignores her. I keep expecting to find her in bed with him one morning. She's a character too, but that's another story.

He's a great little dog, at least I hope he's about grown. I prefer small dogs. I noticed this morning that his fur is getting thicker and you can hardly see his ribs now that he's getting some fat on his bones. He doesn't care for dog food much though since he's not starving now. He apparently had been used to table scraps. That's what he prefers, but we don't have many, so he's going to have to get used to dog food.

I catch him standing in the driveway sometimes looking back over his shoulder like he wants to stay, but feels he should go. Maybe he's remembering his other family. Maybe they lost him and are looking for him too. Meanwhile we'll try to nourish him with food and attention. See the the pink dog food all over his chin.

I had a very hard time getting these pictures. Either Sammie-Dog would sit down right under the camera and pose, smiling, or he was against the back of my legs. I turned around so many times trying to catch him still long enough to snap the picture that I nearly got dizzy. He's an energetic goofball. Maybe it'll rub off on the rest of us. :)

Mama and Jim say I'll have him in the house before long. I don't think so, but we'll see. Will keep you posted.

Remembering Daddy

Tulips were one of daddy's favorite flowers, so this little watercolor painting is for him. He left us unexpectedly on Nov. 11, 2004, four years ago, and not a day goes by that I don't miss sharing my life with him. All the little day to day things. He is always in my heart and I feel his presence around me continually. He was a good dad, and though I'm a senior citizen now, I'm still his "Baby Girl." Always will be.

This picture was taken when we lived on the river bank, and could actually see the river, not long before we moved to Rabbit Hop, where we're still on the river bank, but can't actually see the river. It's just a short walk away though and beautiful when you get there. The house in the photo has been long gone, but we pass where it sat every time we go to, or come from, town. Also part of my roots. :)