Family Picnic

I know after all the complaining Ive done about how hot it is...you're not gonna believe how COLD it is right now...Last evening it was 39 degrees! We had to put the heat on...ONE thing about the weather here if you dont like it, just wait it will change!! AND FAST...but I think this is only a passing front.

Over the weekend we ALL (me, my mom, both my sisters and our 4 dogs) jumped in the DLE (Dixxeland Express) and went on a Birthday Picnic...3 of us had birthdays only days apart so we normally celebrate all together..( I had my 58th last thrusday, my Mom has her 87th on Tuesday, and my "baby" sister had her 55th on Saturday)

That's my visiting sister Em  exiting the van...she returns to Colorado this weekend...AND my MOM is planning to go with her...SO a big trip for MOM!! I dont know how long she plans to stay, as long as she wants since my sis retired this year!

                 so....It was a drive up to my favorite wildlife refuge, Sandhills...

We had a nice picnic although it was cool n windy...this sky was dotted with huge puffy white clouds and it was super for a nice walk to admire the wildflowers, which to me is more beautiful in fall than in spring!

We saw some great ones like the blanket flower up there...
and we saw some  critters...it is hunting season but I dont think its turkey hunting YET..

The water was really beautiful...

                                             

sisters

                                               A great weekend now its back to work!!!

PEACE

Ive neglected the blog and sorry bout that..I will visit soon as I can...Im so busy these days not much time for internet...But I did want to post this before it got to be old news...

MY sister is here visiting from Colorado and we wanted to MUCH to get in a waterfall hike while she is here and this past weekend we went upstate and stayed with our Other sister!! YES the Sister Act together again...

                                                       My Sisters and Besties

We had a great Sister visit..and it was SO nice to get to be with 2 of my favorite people and their dogs...
We hiked to Station Cove Falls at Oconee Station and near Oconee State Park...

The falls didnt have much water since we had such a dry summer but the moss and trickle made a really great impression on us!!

                Along with us came Jimmy he traveled all the way from Colorado by car to be with us...

AND INDY..who you've seen on my blog before...

ITs that time of year when lots of yellow are blooming like this one--

And this I have no clue what it is...

WE had a wonderful day for a hike too....My spirits were soaring!!

PEACE

FRIDAY--yippie.

A few days off, but not off Monday will be off Thrusday! I am working toward a goal--yes I have plan and a goal!! My goal is to work until I can be financially independent (notice I didnt say well off) Thats at least 4 yrs from now...so WHY not get a head start? 

There are LOTS of adventures on my bucket list. For now I have to work...so I recently purchased this which although it will use more gas than my Blazer I can sleep in it so that saves in the long run....and there is room to travel with  a friend and both my dogs!! Its a Dodge Ram Van 1500- 8 cylinder 5.2 litre its a 2001 model and its been taken very good care of for the most part--

It needs some TLC as most used vehicles do..like the windshield has a crack and the brakes need to be serviced...and the carpet needs to be cleaned or maybe replaced (I can do that myself)  the previous owner was a SMOKER YUK so gotta fumigate it....once its ready its going to be fine for my plans I HOPE--I also plan to add (at some point ) a small (possibly vintage camp trailer) to the "Locomotive" for those trips when I plan to take more time--such as an entire summer. 

 So a peek in my plan.  I call my "dream life" DixxeLand, so this is the
Dixxeland Express it takes me OUT of Dixie, and into the real world...

This is the 2 rear passenger seats which can be removed when I want...

and this is the bench seat that folds down into a single bed.

All the windows have some really great blinds that raise and lower for privacy

it has a TV and VCR in the back and rear AC- Of course when I take it camping I would bring along a fan to keep me cool at night.

I want to be very mobile and not have any size restrictions so this should be the ticket...and when I plan a trip of a week or less the van is great for a campground situation like when I get back to my waterfall hikes... or for Boondocking too-When I desire!  A campground with a picnic table and some electric hook ups possibly a tent or awning would be nice too!



Ive ordered this really cool personalized plate for the front bumper in SC we dont have to have front Bumper plates so we get to be creative!

I have some great ideas for making a portable kitchen -- all one needs is a small fridge or electric cooler, a hot plate, a coffee maker, and MAYBE a small Microwave--A small Ultra Lite utility trailer may also be in my future to carry all my Camp Stuff- until I get the camper.....

When Mom wants to travel with me its roomy enough for her Yugo walker and the dogs and we can do a motel room on those occassions! I think it will fit my needs perfectly.  IT may be a while before I get in a trip since my Boss said
"When do you think you're getting time off to travel?    ;=0(

PEACE

Simple Sunday?

Just a simple weekend here in my world...chores etc...
Irene brushed by us and headed northward--glad she didnt hit us..been there done that and dont want to do it again thank you!..

SHE pushed some cool clouds into our area..

That made for a more dramatic sunset

Last night it was so clear the stars were out in force... so I crept out to try and get a long exposure...my Kodak doesnt have anything longer than 20 seconds..so this is what I got--

Last week on a cooler day I took a walk around my area checking for signs of fall--- I FOUND it!

Polk

                                                                              Goldenrod


                                                                            

    WE NEED SOME RAIN !!

 

PEACE



WBW-40 Humming along...

No new birds to report so Ill share some of the recent hummer shots I managed to get...They are very busy getting fattened up for the long journey in about 45 or so days...we have many young ones feeding along with the adults....stay tuned all the way to the bottom for a bonus shot, 

I like this shot cause this bird was on sentry duty guarding one of the feeders and she is exercising that long tongue!!!

Here she is again check out the tiny dainty lady feet!  These feet are no good for walking...only for perching!

This is a defensive maneuver...

                                 One of the young...I think a female--but the ruby throat develops slowly...

MY SHUTTER speed was not fast enough to stop the action on the wings but you can see the blur created by this female with her beautiful speckled throat...

This male is showing off his throat-and fanning the tail in warning..Not the best photo --he is so FAST! HE flashed me and then ZOOMED away--

Time to enjoy lots of great birds shared by bird lovers the world over..at World Bird Wednesdays and the Pine River Review..ENJOY
and in the words of Doug Gardner..its not just the photography its the outdoor experience!

PEACE

 here's a bonus do you see what I see?  I didnt see it till I pulled it up on my computer screen!

State of me...

My Blog has really suffered since I went back to work...Well not that it was ever much of a blog/life anyways...Someone asked me why I call my blog My Life My Art...well to me its like My Life is my Creation and when you create thats art---kinda korny I know but it seemed to work well at the time...Before the re-entry I did have some time for day trips etc...now I have weekends and there are those chores and errands that have to be done! EKK...So Im sweating it out --not just the working bit but the summer heat...sultry heat..if thats a word that doesn't seem to have an end in sight...

The economy is taking yet another dive and today I got this 1/2 inch thick introduction to Wells Fargo Bank..they bought out Wachovia  Bank where I keep my little dab of the good life--NOW the big change is in..I have free Checking...OH let me say I HAD FREE checking..I didn't see one  single Free Checking acct in their 300 page introduction booklet...Like I'm gonna read all that--FOR heavens sake, I don't think so! I am thinking I'm gonna need a day off work to go shopping for a new bank--or better yet under the mattress is starting to sound better and better to me..

They keep saying things are going to look up....

 

Annie Say Yada Yada Yada-

The World has watched the US govt show its butt and the rest of the World has summed us up as unreliable Cant say as I blame them...lets see

•  CUT taxes in 2001 
• Keep 2 Multi Million Dollar a Month Wars going since then -
• Run out of Money 10 yrs later.
• Seems pretty logical to me that we ended up with
• Nada in the Knox.
  
                    
  
                                                Flossie what about Wall Street?

Well I'm happy that I am back in the ranks of the employed, just wish it wasn't so hard physically...
I did no less than 50 deep knee bends/squatts  today...(oh my aching buttocks)  Upholstery is a very physical and strenuous job.  I did it for 30 yrs so I know!

I ended up moving to a Credit Union and it's GOOD there!

PEACE

WBW 37-ITs a Long Story!

OK Im not going to complain about the heat anymore...I went through some of my photos from last yrs trip to the Western US and found some interesting birds to share--And whats special about them is they have something LONG...like this black billed magpie...check out the longgg tail.

And look at these Boat Tailed Grackles..showing off those beautiful tails and glossy black feathers!!

And the Scissor Tailed Flycatcher has a REALLY long tail and if you catch him in flight you can see why its called Scissor Tailed! V

This Stellers Jay has a long tail and a LONG TUFT on his head he looks Punked!

And the Scrub Jay...this one came to beg at our picnic and we shared...HE has a really long tail and a beautiful mix of blue and grey feathers.

AND last but not least this NON native bird he has BIG eyelashes....

Check out other birds from around the world at Springmans Meme and add your to the mix too!! World Bird Wednesday.



PEACE