Friday's Feast

Appetizer
How are you today?

Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.

Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?

Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?

Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?


Fine Art Friday


This lovely painting by Alfred Roll was at the D'Orcy in Paris last spring. I like the composition and the skin tones. Look at her fore arms!

I don't know the name of this piece. And I'm too busy this morning to search for it.

I'll bet Dana can find the name of it for me. Not that she is not busy....but she loves art and is good at this sort of thing :o)

My guess is

Le Milkmaid



Manda Lametrie, fermiere
by Alfred Roll

(Manda Lametrie, Farm Girl)

Update: Thank you to Dana and Teresa for the information about this painting.


*********


I will be gone for a few days. My big sister Nancy is picking me up in an hour or so and we will drive to Missouri where we will celebrate and reminisce and sing and dance with Cindy and Sue.

And paint our toenails bright shades of red.


I doubt I will be able to post while I am away...but....
come back Monday night and again on Tuesday morning for a long winded, photo filled
blog of our sisterly adventure!

Janice and Janet and Jim....you will be missed very much.


***********


And to all of you; faithful commenters, brave delurkers and just stopping by souls;

Thank you for making yesterday a fun and exciting and inspiring 50th birthday for me.

How about a ((((group hug)))) :o)



And if you feel like chatting this weekend and don't know where to go....

Visit Janet.
She is going to be lonely and blue knowing her 'much older' sisters are together.

(Janet, this means you have to put up a new post :o)


Love to all!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Party Time!
Donna's House.


From our birthday, until we die,
Is but the winking of an eye.
- William Butler Yeats



Pictured: Nancy in front, little Sue, me in mom's grasp, and young, young Esther.
I was thinking about this picture and I wondered where Jimmy was? At first, I assumed that Dad took this picture...but ya know what? I think Jimmy got up that lawn chair and took this picutre! Doesn't that seem to make sense?
Our mom was right around 23 in this picture. Isn't that something?



There was a star danced, and under that was I born.
-- William Shakespeare



Perhaps middle-age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of the ego. ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh



Oh! be thou blest with all that Heaven can send, Long health, long youth, long pleasure--and a friend.

~ Alexander Pope



"To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent that is to triumph over old age."
-- Thomas B. Aldrich


Yes. Mr. Aldrich.

I like that very much.

That will be my goal.

To be just so.


:o)



God wants us to live an abundant life.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
~John 10:10

I am so blessed....with an abundance of love and joy and faith and hope.




And comments :o)



I'm just so glad to be here :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. Leave a birthday comment. It's a tradition :o)




Look at this wonderful heart-shaped cake.
What a delightful gift! It's just my size :o)
Thank you, Nancy (and girls)
I love it!

Helio Castroneves.

Who is Helio Castroneves?

He is the finest, smoothest, best-est celebrity/race car driver the stage has ever seen.

I was stunned and thrilled to see this man dance.
Helio has the smooth flow of a Fred Astaire and the playful smile of Gene Kelly.

Really!



Here it is!!! I will keep it up for a day or two so you can watch it here!


As you know, I had VERY low expectations concerning the contestants this year.
But, I was wrong.
There is someone to cheer for on Dancing with the stars and his name is Helio. (silent 'H' please ;o)

Helio and Sabrina. My top two. Yay.

I know some of you can not watch Dancing with the Stars.
Here is a clip to Sabrina (Cheetah Girl) from Monday night.


Sabrina's Great Cha Cha on Youtube

I'm going to link instead of embed because I have heard from a few of you that my page is taking a realllllly long time to load. And we can't have that!

Enjoy!




*******

So House fans. Did you watch? What did you think?

Gosh, I always feel so bad for the families who have to deal with House.
I wait and hope that House will have a kind word, a something, but it is just not in him.


***********

For those of you without a telly....

I have a great story to tell and a not so great story to tell.


Not so great first.

I have tried for two days. Hours and hours. I have been trying to apply the photo shop technique that Ree taught on her blog on Monday.

I have followed her instructions perfectly, one hundred and thirty three times.

I get a blurred image and not blurred edges.
I get a red blurred edge.
I get a blurred edge without a picture.

So then I borrowed a book from the library and I tried their method for blurring the edges of a photograph.

And well.

It's just as bad. Just a dismal failure with this method, too.

So that was just bad for my psyche and ego AND attitude.

Bad. Bad. Very bad.


But you all and your funny and clever comments lifted me right out of my deep dark pit.

Seriously.

But here is a good story. You will all like this one.


On Friday night, I went to a Tastefully Simple party.

I didn't really want to go...but I was being nice.

What is two hours of my life...I can go fill a chair for that long...and maybe I can leave early.

Amy and Lynn said...there will be food. They told me their favorites.
Lynn likes the Almond Pound Cake and Amy likes the Beer Bread.

They were encouraging me to go...but were both,clearly, NOT interesting in coming along :o)

So I went alone in the rain and a stormy night....

The hostess had the table full of yummy products.
There were friendly, familiar people there.

I sampled and decided to break the bank and order three things; with shipping it came to a whopping $29.00.

It should be called Tastefully Simple and Expensive.

The hostess explained that someone from the party would be considered the 'hostess' and would get the free products that the hostess usually earns.

We placed our names in a basket.

Just as I was leaving. (first and 8:30) Kimberly chose the name from the basket.

It was me! I won. I will get products equal to %10 of the party sales.

I shout with glee as I depart for the door. "Buy, a lot!"

Classy, huh?

The next morning I got word that my gift was worth....$30.00!!!!

How fun is that!!!




Life.

You've got to take the bitter with the sweet.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Wow!
Wow!

Just....Wow!!!

That "feisty kitten", Cheetah girl, stole my dance-lovin' heart last night on Dancing with the Stars last night.

Her name is Sabrina Bryan and she is in a created for television girl-band.

Or something like that....

What a delightful surprise!

AS you know I wasn't expecting much for this group.
And now I have a female dancer to look forward to each week.

I also loved her young and spicy partner. I love his personality.

No really. He has a great personality.



MelB aka Spice Girl is really very good too!


Tonight the men will dance on ABC.

Tomorrow will be the results show.

And.
then.
on.
Thursday.....


Grey's Anatomy returns!

Yup. Wasn't that nice to have the season premiere on my birthday?

I thought so :o)


**********


Did you enjoy Dancing with the Stars?

Did anyone else notice the large number of capped teeth on the men?
Must have been the lighting cause they all looked like they had Chiclets for teeth!

(I suppose with that comment I will be forever off everyone's Nice List!)

They really weren't THAT bad....I'm just trying to make you laugh.

*******




Picture time with my poor unfortunate over photographed Katie.

Guess what I gave her as a bribe to sit for me?



Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. Thank you for sharing your Best books!

Does Favre still have it?



You betcha!!!


"The record would have meant nothing if we had lost this game," said Favre, who engineered his 38th career fourth-quarter comeback. "I am so glad we won, that I could care less about the record."

What record you ask.

Brett Favre just tied Dan Marino for all time career touchdown passes.
They both have 420.

But, he really isn't motivated by records.

He just loves to win football games.

And we love to watch him win football games!

It's like he has a little bit of Vince Lombardi in his soul.

"If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?"

"Winning is not a sometime thing: it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do the right thing once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing."


"Winning isn't everything--but wanting to win is."
~Vince Lombardi, legendary football coach

It has been a delight watching that boy/man play for seventeen years!

Pure gridiron delight.


**************


Hello.

You still there?

he he

You'll have to excuse me....sometimes football is the most exciting thing to happen around here :o)

************




Yesterday on The Well Trained Mind board someone asked;

What is the best book you have ever read?

I couldn't write just one down.

So I wrote down five.

These are the five books that I have in my long, long life....
shoved at my family and friends and said, "This is such a great book, you have to read it!!"

My books are:

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Exodus by Leon Uris


(The best book, in all the world of course, is the Bible.
But it is in a category all by itself.)

Tell us.

What books do you consider to be your top five books?

I can't wait to see your favorites!


Encourage one another,
Donna

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer.
-Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885






“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.”
~Proverbs


Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics, when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew; especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts than while so occupied.
~Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859


Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage. ~Elizabeth Zimmerman



Happy Fall Ya'll :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite type of art?

Soup
When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it?

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you?

Main Course
Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to emails?

Dessert
To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat?


Answers in the comments!


*****************



Let the partying begin!!!



Look what I got in the mail yesterday from Dana @ Hiddenart!!!

Besides being the most excellent commenter, Southern Belle, and Sister in Christ,
she remembers my birthday!!!

Thank you, Dana!

I love my gifts! The house smells better already, the pecans are delicious...and those napkins! So cute. I think I will start saying that....

Happy Fall Ya'll :o)



*********


Prelude to an embrace

Totally spontaneous. I like how similar their body language is.
Click on this one...it looks cuter, bigger.

Look who came out to help her mom.





Katie thought this would make a lovely bouquet.
Once she found this corncob, her modeling was o-ver.


Girl needs a manicure.


See you in the comments!!

Happy Fall Ya'll :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna

Katie is our fourth child.

Two boy first.
Busy, typical boys.
Then Emma.
Quiet, serious, calm Emma.

And along came Katie.
When I was 42.

As a gift to my middle age, God gave me a

spunky
thoughtful
silly
inquisitive
enthusiastic
dramatic
child.

She is totally delighted and thrilled to be reading.

Her Awana book has come alive.

Last year at this time, she could not read her own lessons.
Yesterday, she read everything in sight, twice.

Last night, she showed me with glee that she had completed the entire first section.
Signed and dated by the Awana leader.
She had memorized the first six pages which contained eleven Bible verses!

She came home overjoyed.



And yesterday,
after we read the story of Enoch.

The one where Enoch loves God so much he does not die but goes right to heaven....

She declared, "I want to do that right now!"

And her very immature mother said, "Really, you want to leave?"

So I wrapped my arms around her tummy with a big bear hug and said,

"I'm going with you!!!!"


Oh Lord.
I am so thankful for her.






So when I crop her out of a picture...it doesn't mean I don't love her any less :o)

Carrie just looked so pretty without that ham next to her!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Sis Cindy




She is a pretty amazing girl.
(Still a girl to me. Always will be.)

Although teaching is in her blood, teaching at Field Elementary is her "mission." Boyer is a cheerleader for the school and praises the staff for working together to help boost student achievement.

"Field is just a group of teachers and administrators who are here for one purpose: for those children. Any one of us would stop at nothing," she said. "Our No. 1 mission is the children."

On a personal note, Boyer said it is rewarding to watch the students progress throughout the school year.

"Every morning is joyful to see the smiles on those faces, teeth or without teeth," she said. "I am a public school teacher. I am a servant, and my service is here."

Read the whole article here:

Cindy in the News

Cindy Lou!
I am so proud of you!

First the Weinermoblie story...and now Featured Teacher.

I think we have a celebrity in our midst!!!


************

School is going great for both Katie and Emma.
Katie likes her science book.
I do too.

It is easy and clear and there are no phylum's to memorize.

We are currently in the middle of an experiment.
Salt water and fresh water.
What will happen if you leave them on the counter for a day or so?

Katie has hypothesized that the salt water will not evaporate since it is so thick.

************

The plumber has come and gone.
The carpet is slowly drying...and it smells a little.
The wet spot only covered about a tenth of the floor....so it should be okay, eventually.

**********

Patrick is home from his trip to Dallas.
It's very good to have him home.

He was happy to come home to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some chips and a big glass of cold milk.

There's no place like home.




Encourage one another,
Donna

My favorite things.

Oprah has a list of her favorite things.
She and her audience Oh and Ah over soaps and soups, linens and lingerie.
And then she gives her audience one of everything.
And everyone goes wild.

Well my favorite thing.
Can't be given.
You can't hold it or tie it with a bow.

But I know you love it too.

My favorite thing is great customer service.

I love it so much.


Yesterday at almost five o'clock Katie came up from the basement.

"Mommy, when I step on the basement floor, (carpeted)
it is wet."

Down I run to check it out.
And yes, the carpet is wet.
Water soaking through.

The water is not running down a wall, it is not coming from an appliance, and it is not raining. The water seems to be coming from underneath the house. Soaking up thru the cement and carpet.

Just as I'm discovering this mess, Patrick calls from Dallas.

(Yes. Something must go haywire when hubby is away. It's a rule)

He tells me to call the place in town.

Plumbing and Glass Something.

And so I do.

At 5:04 I call, expecting to get a machine.

"Plumbing and Glass Something", says a poised and professional voice.

I pause. I think this is a recording.

"Is this a real person?", I query.

"Yes it is." She says with a smile.

"Oh, I thought you were the machine." giggle, giggle.

And then I go on to tell her my soggy carpet tale.

She gets my information and says they will send someone over tomorrow.
But then she pauses and asks if I can hold a moment.

When she returns she asks if a fellow can come right over to look at it.

I say yes, if there isn't an overtime charge.

No charge. It's better to come now than get a call at midnight she says.

And so Josh comes to the rescue.

He checks things out, and turns off one little hissing valve and says he will come back tomorrow.

He is nice and young and hardworking. He had tacked on this little jaunt to his full day of plumbing.

He told me to run the humidifier and get a fan blowing on it.

Okay.

What is better than having costly problems solved with grace and competence and speed?

It is my favorite thing.


********

I have another photography job today.
Yes, Lynn, I'm going to shoot more teens.

Today it will be the homeschool high school volleyball team.

I took the junior varsity pictures last week.

Sweet, polite, darling little girls.

Here is Nancy's (you know her from the comments) littlest girl, Tricia.


She reminds me of a colt, with those long legs.


With skin like this...who needs photoshop?



Such skin! Those eyes!
I really love brown eyes.


**********

Do you have a favorite thing, that isn't really a thing, but something that just makes your day?


I better get dressed.
No telling when the plumber will arrive!


Encourage one another,
Donna

What would you wear?

The Emmy's were on last night.
Gee, it was dull.

The pre-shows were b.a.d.

And the hosts were two of my favorite yackers. Lisa Rhinna and Joey Fatone.
But they just didn't do well.

The actual show had some bright moments with nice acceptance speeches and funny, funnymen.

The red carpet, before the show was not filmed well.

Yes. Little ole me, in po-dunk Wisconsin, thinks I can produce and direct the Emmy's better than the Hollywood types.

Perhaps not.

But come on. We want to see a long shot. We want to see the pretty people walk a little bit in their dresses.
Neck up shots just don't show off those glorious gowns....and that is what it's all about, no?



What a pretty color on Vanessa Williams.
Vanessa is on Ugly Betty.
She plays a mean, mean magazine exec.




Jamielynn (from the Sopranos) looks just lovely to me.
The color, the bodice, the fit, they feminine style.
Yay, Jamielynn.
And it's modest.




This is Sarah, she is a goof ball on Scrubs.
I love this dress.
I love ruffles.
This is my favorite.


Which do you like the best?


Encourge one another,
Donna




UPDATE

Quiet Life Readers Prefer



Gorgeous up close!

The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.
- September, John Updike

Holding the camera at arms length.
I finally got one, in focus.
I'm sure this is the earliest in the season we have ever worn jackets and hats.
Can you imagine, we had a hard time finding a matched pair of mittens for Katie?



I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy...
down in my heart.



Wishing you a weekend full of caramel apples and kisses and joy.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday's Feast



Appetizer
When was the last time you visited a hospital?

I think it was to visit Jeaneen. (Hi Jeaneen!)
Jeaneen is doing well since her surgery.
But could you continue to lift her up in prayer?

Lynn needs prayer too.

Could you lift her up in prayer also.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how ambitious are you?

Generally...a 1.
But if I am going to be serious about a photography business...I better learn to be a ten.


Salad
Make a sentence using the letters of a body part. (Example: (mouth) My other ukelele tings healthily.)

Ten Old Elephants Sang.



Main Course
If you were to start a club, what would the subject matter be, and what would you name it?

I would love to meet regularly with some women again...like when I was a part of a quilting group in Marinette. I loved meeting every week and sharing our quilting.

We tried this here with knitting and it lost steam.

Lynn and I still meet once in a while to "knit".
And if it was just Lynn and me....I would be happy.

But we just haven't been able to make it...regularly.
And that's what I long for.

I think with a larger group. No more than seven, if one or two ladies can't make it, you can still meet and have coffee and tea and pop and a delicious sour cream coffee cake.
You still have someone to share your good news with.

I loved being a part of this kind of group.

The company of women. That's all I want.

Have I rambled sufficiently???

Yikes.


Dessert
What color is the carpet/flooring in your home?

beige. blah. and it's dirty again. ugh.



***************


Oh! The exciting news.

I hesitate to tell this because I'm not really believing that it's going to happen....

But I am going to an Audrey Woulard workshop in Chicago.

The workshop is a business and natural light workshop.

So I have an opportunity to go and learn from someone I consider to be one of the very best in the business. I am very, very excited to attend this workshop in October!


*********





My wonderful, silly, helpful muse.


*********


See you in the comments with you Friday Five answers :o)

By the way, this blog fills the company of women need of mine to a good extent.
And that's why I like the comments so well.
I like to know about you too.
Not just always about me.

And I get awfully chubby eating that sour cream coffee cake all by myself.


Encourage one another,
Donna

As Promised.



Wheaton Central High School
Class of 1975


I had more eyelashes and I had rounder teeth.

(Unknowingly I have ground my teeth flat and picked at my eyelashes)

I am sporting a hand-me-down sweater. I think it was Sue's.

My hair looks redder in that picture than I have ever seen it.
And my hair, is a little wet; from getting rained on as I entered the school on a Saturday morning to have this picture taken. Root Photography set up a studio right in the auditorium, we made our appointments and showed up for our two to four shots.

I must have bought the featured package, cause I have a whole bunch of 5 x 7's and wallets still in my drawer.

We did not order 80 wallets to hand out to friends.

It was not a special event like it is for so many seniors now.

But, there it is.

I weighed 132 then.

And I thought I was a fat cow.

For shame.
For shame.


You'd never guess....



Okay that little round part on the front of my chin.
It's still there.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Ah!
Fresh.

How much do you LOVE sleeping when the temperature's drop into the 40's and you get to pile on a few extra blankets?

I love it a lot!

Add to that, a fan.

I love the blowing cool breeze on my face.

I like to lean my head out of the window when we drive along in the car.

I'm a bit of a mutt.

And those long time readers my remember this. It's one of my better blogs.

Mutts


********

Did you know my birthday was coming up? Well, it is. And it's a biggie.
My sister Nancy, has something fun in the works for me.

She is going to pick me up and we will drive to Missouri together to visit Sue and Cindy. Doesn't that sound like fun!!! It sounds like a wonderful birthday extravaganza to me.

I think there will be pampering....and lots of talking and eating and love.

What a terrific birthday surprise!


About middle age, Edward Albee says,

"It's the only time you get a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view-- see in all directions. Wow! What a view!"

***********

Yesterday I shot another senior!

he he he

Lynn likes it when I say that :o)

I have known Danielle's family for a few years now. Danielle recently found my pictures on Flickr and shared her love of photography with me.
She wanted to have me take her senior pictures so her mom gave me a call.

We went to a pretty park near her home and shot a load of pictures....and fought with mosquitoes.

Again I had the fortune of working with a lovely and beautiful girl.




Here is where I need work. The focus at this distance is not right.
But, I sure like this photo.



Tell me honestly. Would you get rid of that yellow flower?


Danielle was a natural model.




And just two more I was fussing with this morning.






Hey!!!! How about we put up our senior portraits.

Let's do that tomorrow!

Tell me if that yellow should stay?

Encourage one another,
Donna

Taking Katie's pictures in the rain on Manual was the most exciting thing that happened yesterday.

Well.

Something extremely exciting is in the works. But I have to be patient to see if it is really going to happen. And if it does....you will be the first to know.

And, no, I'm not pregnant.

My sister Sue went to the Doctor and she was told she has the homorne levels of a 17 year old. She is one year older than me.

That is just wild.

"You can still have a baby", I told her with glee.

I can't remember her reply :o)

Do you think that story will get her to comment on my stinkin' blog?


*********


No. These pictures will get Sue to reply.
She likes the wildlife :o)



Look! We have a praying mantis in our yard!!!
My husband spotted it and called for Katie.
Then he called for me.
Then I grabbed my camera and called for Emma.

Now this. This a bug.


"You talkin' to me?
You talkin' to me?"

It was as long as my hand.

We did not know there were praying mantis in Wisconsin?

The Praying Mantis
Ogden Nash

From whence arrived the praying mantis?
From outer space, or lost Atlantis?
glimpse the grin, green metal mug
at masks the pseudo-saintly bug,
Orthopterous, also carnivorous,
And faintly whisper, Lord deliver us.

Have you ever seen one of these in person?

Encourage one another,
Donna

I'm it!

I was tagged for the "8 Random Facts Meme"

Funny thing is....Ms. Kathy doesn't know me. One teeny little bit.

Here is her blog:
Kathy Wolf Photography

But she sees my name in her comments, gushing over her photography, and asking a question now and then...and well...I think I have her as a flicker contact....
but other than that....I'm basically her lurker extraordinaire.
But I don't really lurk. I get right in there with happy comments and questions.
So what am I?

The friendly ghost?

But Kathy noticed.

And when she had to pick names.

She thought of little ole me.

Now, Kathy doesn't like to talk about herself.
I learned this from her meme.

I on the other hand.....


Eight Random Facts

1. At the Packer's game, I cheer louder and more often than my husband.

2. I Tivo America's Next Top Model. (don't hate me)

3. The words 'challenge' and 'calendar' trip me up every time.

4. My Senior Thesis at Hillsdale College was on .....Photography as an Art Form.

5. I was a late bloomer.



6. "Where the Red Fern Grows" and "Seventeenth Summer" taught me to love reading.

7. I thought I would marry a minister....or a hockey player.

8. I snore.


About that report card.
I was a happy little girl who loved going to school.
I just didn't have a clue.

My daddy told me, "D" is for dandy!"

There is hope for your little late bloomers folks.


********


The Packer game was great.
They won with a extra point in the last two seconds.

It was raining and we did not bring any rain gear OR coats.
And I didn't bring my camera into the stadium because of the rain.
So I'm sorry I don't have any fun and festive pictures of Lambeau field.

Something very unusual happened at the game.

At six minutes to kick off, an alarm sounded.

A loud, buzzing, jarring, wail.

Then the recorded announcement stated.

"This is an emergency. Leave your seats and go to the stairwell. Do not take the elevators."

Everyone just stood and gaped.

"This is an emergency. Leave your seats and go to the stairwell. Do not take the elevators."

Still everyone stood and looked around.

"This is an emergency. Leave your seats and go to the stairwell. Do not take the elevators."

We are not moving. The game is about to start.
And no one is leaving the field.
But we are starting to think Lambeau has had a bomb threat.

"This is an emergency. Leave your seats and go to the stairwell. Do not take the elevators."

Patrick and I take a few steps toward the aisle.

Over the loud speaker we hear,

"There is no emergency.
Return to your seats.
There is no emergency."

Really. They were talking to the wrong folks.
We were all standing firm in our disbelief that something horrid could be happening at Lambeau.
That the game could be delayed.
Unthinkable.
Inconceivable.

I'll betcha in New York folks would have moved a little faster.
And felt more fear.

One thing I know for sure, seventy thousand Packer fans are not going to miss opening day kick off! No matter what!

Oh! And the flyover.

Four F-16's.

Majestic, powerful and LOUD!!!

WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!

*********


Oh yeah. Part of doing the 8 Random Facts Meme is choosing more victims...er...
participants.

Here are a few friends I think would like to try this;

Janet

Dana

Tammy

Mere

And if you have done it recently, don't bother.
And if you would like to do it. Please do.
And if you would like to answer in the comments...
Go right ahead.

And this picture.

Is for my boys.




They know right were this is.


Encourage one another,
Donna

This and That.



Comic for knitters


***********


And speaking of Dancing with the Stars; have you seen the list of "celebrities" who will participate in Dancing with the Stars this fall?

Now, I know my television and movie stars. Pretty well.
Too well, some may say.

When I saw the list of 'stars'...my heart sank.

(I just won my third Nice Award this morning...so I can't tell you what I really think.)

Here they are in all their D-list glory.

Jane Seymour- yes, Dr. Quinn, we know her and she is pretty and nice and....older.
Melanie Brown- Scary Spice from the Spice girls.
Sabrina Bryan- The Cheetah Girls. Huh? I know who they are...because of Katie.
Helio Castroneves- Indy Racer. I know him as Ashley Judd's husband.
Mark Cuban- Dallas Mavs owner. snoooze.
Jennie Garth- 90210. Never watched it.
Josie Moran- model. Never ever heard of her.
Cameron Mathison- It's Ryan from All My Children. He's a nice guy.
Floyd Mayweather- Boxer. Never heard of him. Hope he can float like a butterfly.
WAYNE NEWTON- ewwwww. That tan. That hair. Danke Schoen, darling, Danke Schoen.
and
Marie Osmond- Seller of QVC dolls and mother of many. She's a little bit country.

I don't know if I can watch it.
It's like Dancing with the Stars wants to fail.
It's like they think their audience is the Lawrence Welk set.

Is it?


*********

Packer Game tomorrow!
We will be there.

I'm pretty excited to go.

I haven't been to Lambeau since the remodel.

Patrick usually takes one of the children or we let the boys go.

But tomorrow I will venture North to the land of Cheeseheads and Green and Gold.

The weather should be perfect. 75 degrees.
And I'll bet there is a flyover!!!
First game of the season and all.

First game of Brett Favre's last season.
(my guess)
First game in the march to the Superbowl.
(oh yeah)

(I'm trying to make my boys jealous...and regret their decisions to live outside of the great state of Wisconsin.)

Go Pack Go!


********


And one more thing.
One really little and special and long awaited thing....



Houston. We have a hummingbird.

For two years, I have had a hummingbird feeder outside the kitchen window.
for two years, I have waited.

Two weeks ago, it was empty and I was going to take it down.
Cause no hummingbird was ever going to find our feeder.

I don't know why or how....
But two sweet hummingbirds have found us.
And they dart in for a quick sip.
And zoom away just as quickly.

I love them.

I'm glad they found us.

I think I will name them...

Patrick and Matthew.


he he


Encourage one another,
Donna

Before we start the feast, I would love to say how much fun I had in the comments yesterday.
You all are quick with a compliment,
always kind to one another,
smart,
and hilarious.

Every comment is a gift.

Thank you.





Friday's Feast



Appetizer
Using only one word, how does grocery shopping make you feel?

Soup
What is your favorite part about the season of Autumn?

Salad
Have you ever had any bad experiences online?

Main Course
Name three things that make you happy daily.

Dessert
What one household cleansing or organizing item would you not want to be without?


****

grocery shopping: It makes me feel pretty....great.

favorite part: All of it. I can't choose between the sounds and the smells and the tastes and the colors and the fresh breezes. Can't pick a favorite part.


Bad experience: Yes. I am banned from a cool knitting site.
I know you can't believe it. I can't either.
The woman just didn't like me I guess.

Happy daily: My husband and children, your comments, taking pictures.

Household cleanser: Dish washing soap.


Please add your answers to the comments :o)


*******

Flame starts today.
(Homeschool choir and art.)

Katie woke me up at 7:15.
Dressed, hair brushed, shoes on....and ready to go!!!
She loves it!



Her notebook is for names and phone numbers of her friends.
It will be cute to see if she gathers any today :o)

Her style is all her own.
Her skirt is short. But there are shorts under that skirt....and well...she can carry it off with those slim little legs :o)

Fun times!


Happy Friday All!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Cross.

In Katie's Reader, Busy Times, they use the word 'cross'.
It's either archaic or regional.

Do you use the word 'cross' for angry or upset?

I get cross when I am frustrated.
When I can not find what I am looking for....and we are late,
I get cross.

Unfortunately, I get cross at anyone who asks me a question when I am in my little tizzy. (Usually Katie)

Then I am cross and gruff.


Do you get cross?
What makes you cross?

How do you snap out of it?


**********


If you are a very, very attentive comment reader, you will remember that Kris (P)
asked me if I would take her girls' school pictures this year. She usually goes to Sears every fall but thought this would be fun for a change.

I thought it would be fun and challenging too.

So, Tuesday afternoon, Kris and her girls came over.

I had scouted a few locations that I thought would make nice backdrops, but, Kris thought of an even better idea. Quivey's Grove has an old stone building and a barn.
So we headed there first. It was a great place to shoot.

Here are Kris' beautiful girls.


Kris wanted to see those missing teeth :o)
Adorable.


I was looking for a door...and here it was.
I like her hands in this picture.








Isn't she lovely! She is sitting on a basketball.
We call these, the basketball shots :o)
Beautiful Leah.




The girls are genteel and sweet and beautiful in real life.
And they have gorgeous skin and eyes too!

Perfect for a photographer with very limited photo shop skills :o)

But the funniest thing of all, was the viewing.

I had never done this before. So everyone gathered around right after our little shoot...and we looked at one hundred and fourteen pictures....sideways.
Yep. They were mostly horizontal pictures and my computer will not rotate them without a very long pause or ending the task completely.

So the four of us sat before the computer with craned necks and tried to pick our favorites!

It was very goofy.

I don't think this is how Audrey Woulard does it, do you?


*********

Now don't forget to tell me how you get uncross!
Cause you know it's possible to turn it off...
just how do you do it before you solve your problem.

(If the phone rings when I am cross....I can snap out of it quite easily :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna