New Top

I just put it on.  It's a striking, royal blue.  Except for the places where the coffee dribbled, as I sorta missed my mouth with the mug.

Can't take me anywhere.
Gotta watch me like a hawk at home.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  ~Ephesians 2:8, 9

Pond Scum

Pretend it's lily pads.


Can't the girls just have some fun?  The scum wasn't the worst of it.

For starters, I came perilously close to providing a funniest home videos moment, as I boarded the YachtNot and was immediately -- and quite unbecomingly -- stretched between a dock post and the rapidly departing craft.  I hurled myself backward and landed most unceremoniously in my seat, which was embarrassing but preferred above landing face-first in the pond.

I was pedaling, and the plum was steering, when I heard "the 'S' word" being bandied about on the bank.  Nuh-uh.  Say it ain't so.  It was so, and that vile creature was headed straight for the YachtNot.  I didn't know this old nana had that sort of strength left in her decrepit body, but I wrenched that little kid out of her seat and onto my lap so fast, it's a wonder I didn't fully fling her overboard.  Within 3 feet of our craft now, all that commotion hadn't deterred the 'nake from its path, so I pedaled for all I was worth.

Manlikind was now running willy-nilly around the pond with sticks, a golf club, and a rake, having the time of their lives, as they positioned themselves to beat the life out of the invader, when it banked itself.  I, still drifting apond, was neither exhilarated nor amused.  There had gone my dreamy plan of pedaling around the pond in solitude every morning, listening to Alexander Scourby. 

Three more 'nakes were spotted, the YachtNot was moored, SugarPlum went to the woods to ride the tire horse, and I perched myself on a bench, where I'd have a good view of when to run from the scene.  A chair at the kitchen table was sounding awfully inviting to this girl who's not so keen on the greatNot outdoors anyway. When I commented on how odd it was for 'nakes to be in the pond, I learned it's not odd at all.  Last year they managed to dispose of them all without me ever knowing a thing about them.  Comforting.  NOT.

Well, get to it!  I'll be in the kitchen.

Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.  ~Psalm 56:2, 3

Postscript:  (from the Comments box)  "My favorite picture was Dad smackin' the snake with the golf club." =) ~ Andie

Would that be this one?


Or what he did to himself in the smackin' process?

Caption Contest

I sat looking at this photo taken yesterday, wondering what could be said about the silly thing, when my peabrain decided to just let you say it.  You write the caption for the photo, we'll hold a vote, and there will be a prize for the winner: an ugly little knitted dishcloth/washcloth.  Now Joycie and Brenda are going to wonder about this, since they're both still waiting for the ones I said would be theirs 8 and 4 months ago respectively.  You know, I generally whip through the knitting part lickety-split.  It's the weaving-in of the beginning and ending tails that eludes me.  Worse, you'd think a trip to the post office was a deftly avoided death march.  Sad but true.  (Are ya gettin' all pumped for the contest?)

Ready?

Caption this photo:

Submit as many entries as you like.  And if you don't want the ugly little dishcloth, don't let that stifle your creative thoughts. 

O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.  Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.  ~Psalm 139:1-6

Poor Mrs. Piecrust

One of Mrs. Piecrust's sons is an adventuresome fellow.  He's been backpacking through Europe.  This is not an easy thing for a mama in Arizona to endure.  Are his socks clean?  Where did he sleep last night? 

She received these photos from Switzerland, and they depict a mountain scene which hadn't crossed her mind...until she got the photos:





Boy, should this kid ever be grounded!  And I do mean grounded.  I don't care if he is a grown man.  You're in trouble, boy.  Big trouble.

Poor Mrs. Piecrust.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  ~Isaiah 40:31

Thy Name Is Iris

ALL CLICKABLE FOR ENLARGEMENTS














I did choose only a few to poke here.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.  ~Revelation 3:12

Chief Furonhead

Should one's husband return from work looking like this?


If he works with a trapper, it could happen.

I think the Irishman is jealous of my Indian heritage.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  ~Ephesians 6:13

Gone Fishin'

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  ~Matthew 4:19

He's an Angel

...when he's sleeping.

Angel, Mothuh!

'xcuse me.  Had a little Miss Bates thing going on there again.


Okay, okay, I haven't planted any flowers in the baskets or planters yet, so I faked 'em.

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  ~Matthew 16:27

FunnyNot Flowers

Okay, you remembering that rant I did recently about the combination of red and gumball purple flowers?  I said I'd do my best to abide the purple throats on the white ... on the white what?  I think it's phlox, and if you know better, go ahead and laugh.  Remember, I'd been stuck with those purple throats, because they were in a 4-pack with white and red.  What you're about to learn, though, is the joke some seed-sifter-sorter-poker played on me.  Look what was on that extra stem in the cell containing the red flowers:

Don't think I didn't do a double-take
when these presented themselves.
To salve this terrible affront to my floral beauty sensibilities, note the gorgeous new Calla lilies, compliments of Son2 and his wife.  Something is thriving in the pitiful new flower bed.


This next one I can take credit for buying ... and managing to keep alive for nearly two weeks now.  Pretty little specimen.  ºÜº

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?  ~Luke 12:27, 28

That Purrley Cat

"Boys!  Purrle ripped the dogfood bag, and he's dining out of the hole!"

Charles had brought home a bagillion pounds of dog and cat food the night before, and it hadn't made it past the entry.  I dunno, I guess Purrle thought the dog food whiffed better than the cat food, and any food tastes best fresh from the bag.  He saw his chance, and he took it.


He's all done eatin' now.
Time for a little cat nap.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.  ~Philippians 2:14, 15

Sacagawea and the YachtNot

[photo files clickable for enlargement]

I thought I saw the statue in Lake Sacajawea Park, Longview, Washington, when we lived in the Longview-Kelso area, but a web search leads me to believe that wasn't "the one."  We weren't often in Portland, but a statue there matches the hazy image in my mind — the one responsible for me saying, "Sacagawea!" when this was the scene:


Considering all the things I can't remember, why I remember a statue with an outstretched arm and the correct pronunciation of her name (sä-cä' gä-we´-ä) is beyond me.  All the more perplexing is the fact that her name came flying out of my mouth, referencing Son2's posture in the YachtNot. 

In case you've noticed the conflict in spelling, Clark's maps and journal, as well as the writings of journalists at the time, consistently employed a hard "g" in the Indian maid's name.  A number of noted historians, organizations, and encyclopedias have adopted "g" as the standard.

Finished with Sacagawea (and I'm sorry all over myself that I dragged you through it), here are a couple more photos from the day.  Charles and Sons 3 and 4 had un-wintered and cleaned my YachtNot just the day before this surprise visit by Son2's family.  They'd also captured the runaway dock for the umpty-dumpth time, given it floats away with every 2" rain, and we'd gotten a 6-incher.  I've suggested actually anchoring it to the bank.  Wouldn't that be novel.  But then, this little anomaly results in the dock being situated at various positions around the pond.  Mayhap the fellows need this break in monotony.



One more thing: my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. White, carefully instructed us in the correct pronunciation of Ponce de Leon, although her take — I've since learned — was a little wanky, itself.  Thought you should know.

Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.  ~Psalms 86:11, 12

Fish

Since we lost most of our fish in the duckweed eradication debacle (boy, was that ever a mouthful) last year, we restocked the pond this past weekend.  We.  We?  Okay, all I did was stand there taking photos and slowing things down:  Wait!  ...Hold still!  ...Did I get those?  ...Let me get a picture of those.


Grass Carp


Bass & Bluegill


Fish Faces


Channel Cats


Oops, someone missed.


Son4 hit the spot.


I'm all done talkin' about fish now.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.  ~Hebrews 11:3