Watch PS22





....skip Glee.



Thank you.


****

The big volleyball tournament for Katie's team is this morning.

Cross your fingers for a win.

The are 0-10 this year. It would be a little boost to win one game today.






Go Friars.

Go! Fight! Win!



Encourage one another,
Donna

Go thou and maketh a calendar!



Really cute calendar designs at Minted.com



******


A parade of self striping yarn thru the years:

Self striping yarn is made to stripe all by itself. You do not have to cut and join the new colors.
It's my most favorite kind of yarn to knit with.






Can you believe we can NOT find these socks!!!?

Julia Vesper @ Knitterly Things hand dyes these wonderful yarns.
They are hard to get as she is a one woman shop and they sell out in just two or three hours.
Really. I don't even want to tell you about her.

So forget what I just said.

Thanks.




Here is a little stocking ornament I made with a bit of self-striping yarn.




This is Noro Kureyon.



This is the first picture I ever put on my blog. Seven years ago.

I don't think I took it, but I made this felted bag with this exact yarn. I didn't even have a digital camera yet!




More Noro.

I love Noro.

You can find it anywhere. It is perfect for hats and mittens.





These look super complicated don't they? They are not. Some genius figured out how to die the yarn so it just goes like this all by itself.




Love these super fun colors.




No. Cindy.

These are not my legs.




My favorite mittens I ever knit.

This yarn is from Sunshine yarns. She does not make the stripes so much any more.

I hope I have not lost these mittens.
It is very easy to lose your mittens.





Lest you think I have always know what I was doing...well...here is the proof.

My first attempt to knit socks was within the last seven years. I know because I was blogging and I remember showing my big Frankenstein sock.

Yes. That big sock was my first attempt.

Holy cow! I got off to a rough start but I kept at it.
Now I love to knit socks now. They are the perfect little project.


*****



Wishing you a great end to your week.


The heat it running.
The crows are cawing.
I have a few sips of my Chai left.

It's a good life.



Encourage one another,
Donna

When I am with her, I don't really realize how beautiful her skin is....but it really is gorgeous.
Her hair and her eyes, these are the first things you notice....and her spunky personality.

She's the kind of four year old who helps coach the volleyball team,
and carries all the balls in a sack over her shoulder.








*****


When I take Katie to school in the morning the sun is rising. It is the most lovely time of day.
I Oo and Ah the whole way to school, pointing out the colors to Katie.

It is fleeting. Really. By the time I drop her off and head back home the colors have lightened, the sun has risen.
Twenty minutes of pink tinged, orange streaked skies a day.

I'll take it.

I'll remember it.

I'll treasure it.


*****

My friend Karen L. knit this darling hat for Asher.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!



Perfect for a snooze....

Karen, would you please share which pattern you used and the yarn?
Is it self striping? I love self striping yarn.

I need to make a few of these hats.

I feel some snowflakes coming on.



Wishing you warm memories and beautiful sunrises on this November day.



Encourage one another,
Donna


p.s. Anyone watching Survivor?
p.p.s. How do you write Oo? I don't what to say Oh. I want to say Oo.

How could I forget?
Well. I was in a big hurry when I posted the videos this morning.

Thank you so much for going over to Patrick Jr's blog and leaving such informed and interesting comments!

You made this blogger proud.

Of course we all know the Quiet Life readers and commenters are kind and wise....
but who knew you all knew so much about sports!

Well done ladies.

Thank you for encouraging my big boy!!!

Love
Donna



now...on to the show....

If you are feeling blue....

watch somebody....





DANCE








(the under appreciated sluefoot)

The hold at :52 is too cool.
The lift at 1:33 is ....oh wow.....


And then watch this....it is the sweetest most lovely little song...

How charming is Grace Kelly?




Now watch for the hilarious Bikers dance to Bieber commercial for the American Music Awards....it is super cute and funny.

(I would put that video right here if I could. I just can't find it yet.)


I love to watch people dance...
It doesn't hurt to get up and boogie...





Donna

After two months of adjusting to life on earth, babies start to get the hang of it.
They start making eye contact and they start to coo.

It's fascinating to me that they want to copy us. That they want to move their little mouths and makes noises like we make noises.
Isn't that amazing?

And the sounds. Oh the sounds babies make. To me, those sounds are more wonderful than just about any other sounds in the world.



I can't think of one that I like more.






This mouth slays me.



******



Katie got lots of candy.
I didn't eat any of it.

I hear the San Francisco Giants won the World Series.

My son writes a sports blog. No one reads it but me.

I like reading his blog.

He is coming home for Christmas. It is going to be a GREAT Christmas this year!






Sports Plus

Check out Patrick's blog. Surprise him with a comment :o)



Anyone else out there freezing?
Burr. Better turn on the heat or get a sweater asap!


Love ya!

Donna

This was the most beautiful day to visit the largest pumpkin patch in the world.



Asher slept.



Melinda loves motherhood. She handles it all with such ease.

I was a nut case with my first child. So uptight.

So sorry to everyone who knew me then.




We all enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and fresh air.




And the hayrack ride.











Matthew is so casual and comfortable with Asher. It's a beautiful sight to see your boy with his boy.





precious
precious
baby
boy





Encourage one another,
Donna

This morning...a quick picture of Asher.

In camera edit.

***

Asher is starting to make sounds.
He oohs and ahs and coos.

It is very cute.
He seems to like to have his diaper changed and likes lying flat on his back.
And he likes to look around.


A perfect two month old, in every way :o)


*****


Your children will become what you are; so be what you want them to be. ~ David Bly


Encourage one antoher,
Donna

The folks at Cougar Town had no idea that we would be having windy conditions....






so when Bobby walked out in this Halloween costume and declared,

"I'm Windy guy!"

I was blown over!!!



So clever.
So funny.


My favorite kind of Halloween costume.

Remember those ladies on Regis and Kelly who were the women on the roller coaster?
I looked for the clip of that and couldn't find it. It was hilarious!!! They won a big prize too.

My favorite costume last night at Katie's Halloween party was the boy dressed as Clay Matthews.
All you need is Packer gear and and blond wig. Easy and fun!

You betcha.

I wore the cat ears.
Everyone looks fabulous in our cat ears.
Don't ask me why.

Wish I had a picture to show you. :o)


Blogging will be sketchy as we are headed to Omaha.

Home of Matthew, Melinda, Asher and absolutely no service.


Love ya like a friend!

Donna

Brooms
By
Dorothy Aldis

On stormy days
When the wind is high
Tall trees are brooms
Sweeping the sky

They swish their branches
In buckets of rain,
And swash and sweep it
Blue again

.

The Leaves


The leaves had a wonderful frolic.
They danced to the wind's loud song.
They whirled, and they floated, and scampered.
They circled and flew along.
The moon saw the little leaves dancing.
Each looked like a small brown bird.
The man in the moon smiled and listened.
And this is the song he heard.

The North Wind is calling, is calling,
And we must whirl round and round,
And then, when our dancing is ended,
We'll make a warm quilt for the ground.

Anonymous

Autumn Wind

When autumn wind goes running
It does some magic things.
It gives the shadows dancing shoes,
It gives the bright leaves wings -
When autumn wind goes running.

It curls the bonfire's tail of smoke
And shares a little whispered joke
With cornstalks who delight to prattle,
It turns a seed pod into a rattle -
When autumn wind goes running.

~anon








okay this is random....

but I adore this scene from The Holiday.

It is eight minutes long, so don't feel obligated to watch it,
but I promise if you do you will be enchanted.

"you look like my Barbie" is a total favorite movie line of mine.

These little girls are the most precious little actresses I have ever seen.
Is it their accents or their unaffected sweetness?

I think both.

Grab a blanket, and some tea, and watch a little Holiday.

(It's the good parts version)


Have a lovely Windsday!

Donna


p.s. the color block pictures are made using Jodi's MCP Finish it actions.

In which I get to have a voice.


Dancing with the Stars really irritated me last night.

Carrianninabba was just rude. She came down hard on many of the dancers and was insulting and unkind.

I thought many of the tangos looked choppy and I hated the costuming in general.

They were again especially unkind to Kurt Warner. I don't know what their beef is about him. I think he and Rick Fox (really hated his look last night) and Kyle and Bristol and the Hills girl are all about even.

Poor Jennifer is pushed into extremely hard choreography and she messes up.
The judges didn't say, Wow, that was challenging choreography. They just slash.

One more thing, as much as I like Lacy, I don't think she is a very good choreographer. I think it's a little unfair if you get a pro with lesser skills.

The judges have turned mean and
they are turning me off.

Carrieanninabba= 3
Len=6
Bruno=5


******


From the mixed up files of Miz Booshay




This is a cute little neighbor of my friend Katie D.
Katie has a new camera and we were practicing out in front of her house.

This little gal came by with her momma.

We asked if we could take a few pictures.

She said sure.





You know who.




unedited
underexposed

It's Itchy!




Beautiful Cindy.




Volleyball Jones.

She's got a Volleyball Jones.




Interesting to look at





Peek.





Going to school this morning.




At home.



Today I will listen to the wind roar and tomorrow the trees will be bare.


November is near.




Encourage one another,
Donna

Sue's Risky Business pic.




It's Sue's birthday today!

I always knew I loved her.
I never imaged she would be gone.
I miss her like crazy.
She was my funny, loving, generous, brilliant, Irish twin.

Love you.
Mean it.


My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world.
~Billy Graham


Beth: I know I shall be homesick for you even in Heaven.
~L.M. Alcott



*****



I'm going to make Katie a quilt.

These are flannels....I love the colors!
Katie adores polka dots.

Hope I remember how to quilt :o)



*****


I don't think I have shared this video on my blog...

It's Asher. One hour old.




See you soon, honey.

Love,
Your daddy's mom.


Encourage one another.
What happens matters.
Learn God's truth and pass it on.
Love you.
Mean it.

Donna

There is patience and there is PATIENCE.


From what I have learned from the wildlife photographers, it's all about learning the animals habits and sitting and waiting for them to show up. (Waiting with the right lens on your camera of course. A long one.)


People tell me all the time that I have patience,
but I promise you that I don't have this kind of patience.


When I am trying to get the shot with children or families I don't feel like I am being patient.

I am busy thinking and adjusting and moving and persevering.

But to sit quietly in a field and wait for a fox to appear or a hawk to come near...

Oh. That's a different thing altogether.

The waiting. It is not for me.

Just drive with me some time. You will see.


So I guess I will never be a wildlife photographer.

But I sure admire those have mastered it. I think they are a different breed.
A truly, wonderfully patient breed.






p.s. I have also learned that pictures taken in zoos are not considered wildlife photography.
I suppose farms don't count either.



****





And for those who asked.

Here are the stats for the silhouette pictures.


Camera Nikon D700
Exposure 1/6400 sec
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 85 mm


That is not the idea aperture but it's the one I landed on.
If the aperture had been 8 or 11 I would have gotten that cool star flare.

But it is what it is....


You meter the light in the sky. Set that up.
Bring the camera back down to your subject and shoot.

The more lighted area behind the person the better.
I had to squat and aim up at the little girls to avoid the barn behind them.



I sure hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Love ya lots,
Donna

Being a photographer is work.
But it sure is fun and challenging.

How I loved driving out to shoot this family on their farm.

Walking around on the hilly property looking for pretty light was pure bliss....

The girls were delightful and sweet and their parents were adorable and great sports to put up with me and my ideas!



I was especially happy when I got home and saw this picture. Everyone looks wonderful!
Those cattle are very special...well...and so is the family :o)

It was about ten after five and I was all hope with this shot.
I was afraid the Scottish Highland cattle would be blown out. But instead they are fine...and they were in-between the fencing.

Woohoo!






The sun was dipping low but I found a nice spot for some pretty pictures.

The girls were itching to go play with their horses!









Their lovely mom wondered how they should dress....I told her..."You have great style, L., whatever you choose will be great!"





And she did beautifully! Here color and style choices were perfect and they all looked pretty and natural!




We were so excited to see this in the LCD screen.

Couple pictures rock!!!





Katie loved this one of little G.

Me too.




I adore this shot!!!

What is it about children and rocks?

I love that I had nothing to do with the hay or the pose.

"Do something with your hands." I yelled.


Man! My trip to the family farm was a blast!!! Thank you K. Fam for letting me come and take your pictures!!!


Encourage one another,
Donna