Oops...

We’re tucked into our lovely cottage this Thanksgiving weekend. No shopping madness for us! Taking advantage of a quiet and restful weekend, I decided to begin an easy craft project.

I soon discovered that it wasn’t easy enough for me! I think all of my crafting skills have departed from lack of use over the past couple of years. The old adage is correct: use it or lose it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo of the Week - Turkey Time

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

This past April, we got early one morning and drove over to Cades Cove as dawn was breaking. We even packed a delicious picnic lunch for our jaunt! It is so restful to meander through the Cove, stopping every now and then for a photo shoot.

At the Primitive Baptist Church, I had my camera on a tripod to take to take some HDR photos of the church building. While Mr. Jim was checking out the various gravestones, a flock of turkeys momentarily came out of the woods near him. I quickly disengaged my camera from the tripod, changed the settings, and tiptoed over to the area. I had just enough time to get off one good shot before the flock scattered back into the woods, gobbling all the way.

Wacky Gift Suggestions - Part 2

Are you ready for some more wacky gift ideas to add to your Christmas shopping list?  Okay, here goes!

If you get the kids these wearable play balls, be sure to videotape the action for later blackmail material.

Wacky Gift Suggestions - Part 1

The madness of the Christmas shopping season has begun! There’s no need to join the unruly crowds and brave the crazy traffic at the shopping centers. Just stay in your warm robe and slippers, grab your credit/debit card, and shop online. I’ve put together a convenient list of wacky gifts that would please those family members and friends who possesses a high degree of quirkiness!

Here’s a gift for an electronics fanatic who likes to multi-task. Disinfectant not included.

The Hobbit...

It’s no secret that we are huge fans of the timeless stories written by J.R.R. Tolkein. Our home is named “Grey Havens,” and we also live on a street that bears the name of another geographical location in Tolkein’s fantasy world. And we’re excited that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be playing next month at our local movie theater!

Photo of the Week - November Sunrise

For the past several weeks, we’ve been getting up early for Mr. Jim’s radiation treatment appointments. Though we tend to be sleepyheads at the crack of dawn, at least we get to witness some beautiful sunrises. Risking an eccentric reputation by neighbors, I briefly popped out on our front porch while wearing a robe yesterday morning and took this sunrise photo.

Glorious!

Vee's Note Card Party - Hummingbird Summer

Once again, it’s time for Vee’s monthly note card party!

As most of you know, it wasn’t the best of summers for us and we stayed home instead of traveling. As a result, my camera equipment didn’t get much of a workout. But I rallied a bit out of my doldrums when I devised a hummingbird perch right outside my office windows. To quote the Field of Dreams movie: “Build it and they will come.” Of course, the feeder located above the perch provided suitable incentive for their visits.

Links for Birdseed Hanger Tutorials

In case you are interested in making some birdseed hangers, I have pinned a couple of tutorials. Here are the links:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/134545107589393474/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/134545107587752104/

It would be a fun project to do with kids and grandkids. And the birdseed hangers would also make nice gifts for this time of year.

If you want to buy birdseed hangers ready-made, like the ones I have, you can order them online from Gardener's Supply Company.

For the Birds (and My Amusement)

Mr. Jim surprised me with a little gift this week. I guess he knew that I’ve been going through hummingbird withdrawal, now that they have gone south for the winter.

Photo of the Week - Fall Colors at Maroon Bells

Maroon Bells, near Aspen, Colorado

I was going through some of my archived photos recently, looking at those that include fall colors. And I fondly reminisced when I looked at some older ones taken back in 2008. This time period was not long after my retirement and it was near the beginning of my digital photography journey.

Gosh, I’m come a long way in knowledge since then. I also smile at the thought of how much more I can learn in another five years, the good Lord willing.

I remember the glorious weather that day, and the excitement of seeing the Maroon Bells again, almost 35 years after seeing them initially during my college years. And I was visiting this beautiful mountain vista with Mr. Jim and some dear friends. My bad left knee was very swollen at the time and giving me lots of pain on the trip. So I couldn’t walk around very much. I pushed aside the pain long enough so that I could try to capture some of the magic.

My digital camera at the time was very modest, and I only owned one lens. The captured jpeg images are less than 3 MB each, quite laughable with today’s digital camera capabilities. But a fresh edit of those precious pixels mentally transports me right back to the scene, surrounded by the golden glow of quaking aspen leaves in the Colorado mountains.

Goodbye, Wordless Wednesday - Hello, Photo of the Week

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

I’ve decided to do a breakaway and take a different road. I’m quitting the Wordless Wednesday theme.

Ah, don’t be sad. It’s all good! I love the idea of a weekly post that features a gallery-type photo that I want to share with my readers. It’s a regular task that helps to hone my skills. I also love to publish an easy, quick post, without a lot of writing effort.

But sometimes I have a few words that really need to be said about my image. And there’s also a desire for me to be an individual, without relying upon an established blogging meme.

Veteran's Day - 11.11.13

We are a grateful nation for the valor, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who protect us.

Photo Challenge - Layering Textures

It’s time for A Personal Photo Challenge! “Layering Textures” is the theme this month. And I am sharing two images with you today that have been transformed with textured layers.

I have dabbled with applying textures for the past few years and find that it is a great technique to add a little extra zip to a photo. My digital inventory includes a couple hundred different texture files, and interesting new ones get added on a regular basis.

Blogging Tip - Open Link in New Window

I don’t know about you, but I frequently visit hyperlinks in blog posts. And, like following most rabbit trails, sometimes I have trouble getting back to where I started! So please do yourself and your readers a favor by making sure that all of your links open up in new windows. It’s easy! Just click the first box in the lower left of the “Edit Link” popup window. 

Wordless Wednesday - Cloud Watching on the Skyway

Cherohala Skyway, Tennessee

A Special (Surprise) Giveaway for My Friends

I can't begin to tell you how much we appreciate all of the support and prayers you have given us throughout the past five months, ever since we found out Mr. Jim’s cancer diagnosis.  So I recently put on my thinking cap and decided to have a special surprise giveaway to show my appreciation.  

A Personal Photo Challenge - Reminder

The monthly photo challenge will be this Saturday, November 9, on my other blog! “Applying Textures” is the theme. Please click on the photo link below for details and instructions. The linkup gadget will be available on Friday, November 8, in case you wish to publish your challenge post a day early.  

I hope you will be able to participate!

P.S. Please let me know if you need my assistance, and I will do my best to help.

November - A Look Ahead

This month’s calendar is filled with doctor appointments and radiation/chemo treatments. Everything else is secondary. Our normal, everyday life has been preempted by another, foreign one ever since we got the news in early June. But we will be counting our blessings as Mr. Jim continues to fight and win his cancer battle. Undoubtedly, the Thanksgiving holiday will hold special meaning for us this year.

Cooler temperatures have prevailed in the past couple of weeks. The gas furnaces have been called into service once again. Soon we will be breaking out the cozy flannel sheets for nighttime comfort.