Sunday, August 30, 2009
Owl Sighting!
Bad Quilting Grammy
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| Sheep Quilt for a Shepherd Baby |
I'm so far behind in the quilting projects I'd like to do. Caleb is 5 months old and his quilt, though nearly finished, should've shipped with his cradle back in March. Poor little Peter doesn't even have a scrap cut out for his quilt, though a nice robot quilt for his big boy room is shaping up in my head. Our newest, about-to-be-born grandson might have something by the time he is a month old. I'd better get to my sewing room and quit this blogging stuff!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sick Day
Today was one of those rare cloudy days in the desert. Pleasantly warm, but very gray. Actually, it was a perfect day to recuperate from a bout of influenza. When Tom left for work this morning, his orders were, "No housework or gardening today. Do something like sorting papers." What kind of medical advice is that? It didn't sound like much fun, so in-between naps and glugging lemon water, I've been poking around on the computer instead. Then I remembered...hey, I have a blog!!
It seems that NONE of the family is blogging these days. Guess we are too busy. Maybe it's time we all called it quits. If no one's paying attention and no one's putting up any new news, what's the point? But today, it seems more fun than 'sorting papers'.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Grandpa gettin' down with the Peetster
A Whirlwind Fall
Time to catch up with the Sheps in AZ....
Wow, it's been a busy fall!! Since last blog we have met our 3rd grandchild via ultrasound pictures, entertained guests from Texas, traveled twice to the Midwest, celebrated 3 holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) AND grandson Peter's 1st birthday. We've "remodeled" a linen closet (more work than you'd think!), tried to make space for a car in the garage (impossible dream) and attempted to grow a "winter lawn" (not too successfully). We've shopped for, wrapped, and shipped or personally given all our Christmas gifts. Now it's time to think about wrapping up the year 2008.
One of my New Year's resolves will be to blog monthly, which will be a major increase from my not quite quarterly postings. PapaShep has worked hard at getting our photos better organized at the computer. He's also been working on the computer to make it a little faster and less prone to crashing (yea!). I've de - cluttered our office niche so it's more pleasant to work in the small space. Hopefully, all that will help make blog posting easier. If Emily and Andrea can be current with their news while working/raising babies, well, I should be able to do it, too, right? We'll see!
Wow, it's been a busy fall!! Since last blog we have met our 3rd grandchild via ultrasound pictures, entertained guests from Texas, traveled twice to the Midwest, celebrated 3 holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) AND grandson Peter's 1st birthday. We've "remodeled" a linen closet (more work than you'd think!), tried to make space for a car in the garage (impossible dream) and attempted to grow a "winter lawn" (not too successfully). We've shopped for, wrapped, and shipped or personally given all our Christmas gifts. Now it's time to think about wrapping up the year 2008.
One of my New Year's resolves will be to blog monthly, which will be a major increase from my not quite quarterly postings. PapaShep has worked hard at getting our photos better organized at the computer. He's also been working on the computer to make it a little faster and less prone to crashing (yea!). I've de - cluttered our office niche so it's more pleasant to work in the small space. Hopefully, all that will help make blog posting easier. If Emily and Andrea can be current with their news while working/raising babies, well, I should be able to do it, too, right? We'll see!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Javelinas, Scorpions, Lizards and Snakes
Javelinas
This morning has been pleasant as I caught up on several blogs I enjoy reading. I need to spend some quality time with my own blog, however. There is plenty of "Life in Arizona" news to report, not the least of which is JAVELINAS!!! Nature in this place is wonderful and weird, to say the least. As if it isn't enough to have fascinating (and scary) bugs learn about, we also have to be on the lookout for these big ol' wild boars that roam the neighborhood. LBK and I were enjoying an evening walk last Sunday when we spotted two large four-legged creatures down the road ahead of us. "Odd looking dogs," I thought....and then realized what they really were. Javelinas can be aggressive, so we turned around and headed home another way.
Scorpions
That same night, I spied a small scorpion skittering across our sidewalk. It was curling and uncurling his "tail" (the stinger!), which was how I recognized what he was. This one was small, but PapaShep saw a much bigger one crossing the street near LBK's house last week. They're intriguing creatures - from a distance - but I don't desire to ever have a close encounter with one. KK's secretary was stung by one a couple weeks ago while walking barefoot. Don't forget to slip on those flip-flops if you're going outside in the dark!
Lizards
We have recently been developing techniques to chase lizards out of the house. Last month, on two separate occasions, we had to herd a little critter out of the living room after leaving the patio or laundry room doors propped while making repeated trips in and out of the house. It was hilarious and I think we could have won a prize on America's Funniest Videos, if only someone had been there with a camcorder. Some of you may remember the reputation we earned back in Michigan for our amazing ability to remove bats from our house and camper. In many respects, herding lizards is easier, and not as noisy since I don't scream as much while chasing lizards as I do while dodging bats in a pop-up camper. However you look at it, it's an adventure and now we have a new skill we didn't know we'd need when we packed up headed to the beautiful southwest.
Snakes
"Snakes? Snakes.....I don't know no snakes." Remember that line from Home Alone? I'm not a fan of snakes, though I understand that they have a purpose in this world. We had a lesson in snakes last month that was amazingly interesting. After meeting a pretty little snake (yes, I said "pretty") slithering across the sidewalk at LBK's house, I decided to try to identify it. He was quite small, shiny, and almost "silvery." I found some info which seems to identify the snake I saw: http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Sonora+semiannulata&guide=Snakes
What was so interesting was the number of color variations found in the same snake. Who knew?? I surely didn't, but now you do, too! They are supposedly frequent "visitors" to Phoenix suburban yards, and hey, guess what - they eat scorpions, so LB and I decided we were happy to have them in the 'hood.
This morning has been pleasant as I caught up on several blogs I enjoy reading. I need to spend some quality time with my own blog, however. There is plenty of "Life in Arizona" news to report, not the least of which is JAVELINAS!!! Nature in this place is wonderful and weird, to say the least. As if it isn't enough to have fascinating (and scary) bugs learn about, we also have to be on the lookout for these big ol' wild boars that roam the neighborhood. LBK and I were enjoying an evening walk last Sunday when we spotted two large four-legged creatures down the road ahead of us. "Odd looking dogs," I thought....and then realized what they really were. Javelinas can be aggressive, so we turned around and headed home another way.
Scorpions
That same night, I spied a small scorpion skittering across our sidewalk. It was curling and uncurling his "tail" (the stinger!), which was how I recognized what he was. This one was small, but PapaShep saw a much bigger one crossing the street near LBK's house last week. They're intriguing creatures - from a distance - but I don't desire to ever have a close encounter with one. KK's secretary was stung by one a couple weeks ago while walking barefoot. Don't forget to slip on those flip-flops if you're going outside in the dark!
Lizards
We have recently been developing techniques to chase lizards out of the house. Last month, on two separate occasions, we had to herd a little critter out of the living room after leaving the patio or laundry room doors propped while making repeated trips in and out of the house. It was hilarious and I think we could have won a prize on America's Funniest Videos, if only someone had been there with a camcorder. Some of you may remember the reputation we earned back in Michigan for our amazing ability to remove bats from our house and camper. In many respects, herding lizards is easier, and not as noisy since I don't scream as much while chasing lizards as I do while dodging bats in a pop-up camper. However you look at it, it's an adventure and now we have a new skill we didn't know we'd need when we packed up headed to the beautiful southwest.
Snakes
"Snakes? Snakes.....I don't know no snakes." Remember that line from Home Alone? I'm not a fan of snakes, though I understand that they have a purpose in this world. We had a lesson in snakes last month that was amazingly interesting. After meeting a pretty little snake (yes, I said "pretty") slithering across the sidewalk at LBK's house, I decided to try to identify it. He was quite small, shiny, and almost "silvery." I found some info which seems to identify the snake I saw: http://pick4.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?search=Sonora+semiannulata&guide=Snakes
What was so interesting was the number of color variations found in the same snake. Who knew?? I surely didn't, but now you do, too! They are supposedly frequent "visitors" to Phoenix suburban yards, and hey, guess what - they eat scorpions, so LB and I decided we were happy to have them in the 'hood.
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