Girls & Their Dolls - Freebies

I love that they have on matching dresses.

The little girl looks like a little doll

Someone thought Big was Better here

Absolutely Precious!

A beautiful doll and a precious little girl

It looks like she got hold of some scissors and decided to give haircuts to her and her doll. Too funny.


This week I have decided to get my freebies
out before the week takes over. I have recovered 
from my trips and have quite a
bit of work to do around here. I have a
generous pickup truck load of lilies, iris,
ferns, and hostas to divide and plant from
my good friend in Alabama. Some of the iris
were my grandmother's. I am so happy to have
them here. It is always nice to have plants
from friends. They make your garden that much
more special.

I hope you enjoy this weeks freebies. There is 
something so sweet about little girls and
their dolls. I never really played with dolls
for any amount of time. Although I have my doll collection from all over the world. Gifts from my parent's friends who traveled and my own parents. They would sit on shelves in my room, all elegant in their dresses. I saw them as angels looking out for me. I spent most of my childhood outside, riding bikes, playing in the creek, or reading on rainy days. I played most of the time with Petey my green parakeet. Teaching him to talk and ride on my shoulder, or sit on my book while I read. I hope you enjoy these freebies. I hope they stir some memories for you.

Digital Photograph - A Red Barn

A Red Barn

Quote Book #9 - Hope

Four Letter Words - Hope

Digital Photograph - The Mountains of Tennessee

The Mountains of Tennessee

Thought I would share this photograph of the

mountains of Tennessee I captured last week.

They are so beautiful. They are the same range of 

mountains that I live in - The Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The day was perfect. The views were magnificent!

Digital Photograph - The Tracks

The Tracks

It has been a really fun, but long couple

of weeks. I found this train track in Alabama.

As I took the picture and then edited it I

realized I am very tired. I need a few days

at home. I need a good book and some "quiet

time". Don't we all? Then another adventure!

The Doors to the Red Barn - Digital Photograph

Doors to the Red Barn

Freebies - Mother's

Wonderful picture of Mother and Child

What a darling photograph

Beautiful mother and pouty child

Quite a brood!

Mother and son. Love her hat!

Today I am posting some Mother and child and Mother and children photographs for you. I thought with Mother's Day approaching this weekend they would be very appropriate. 

I happen to love these type of photographs. They show so much love. In many you can see the struggles these mother's have keeping the children together, clean, dressed and fed. The love still seems to shine through.

I am also reminded that Mother's are so important to the general health of the family. A good mother makes a healthy family. I am especially lucky to have a wonderful mother. I also had a very fantastic grandmother. Today we have many children being raised by their grandmothers. I think these "mothers" should also be recognized for their sacrifice and love. Please take the time to recognize these very special ladies in your family.

Birthday Freebies in Honor of My Son's Birthday!

Today is my baby's birthday. My fifth son's special day. I remember it like it was yesterday. He was so sweet and easy. With four older brothers to mimic, watch, and grow up with he is wise beyond his years. Happy Birthday Big Guy! 

I am visiting friends in Alabama this week. So I cannot be with him to celebrate this special day. However, when I get back a nice dinner will be made and a big cake will be eaten. In his honor I thought I would share a few vintage Birthday cards. Hope you enjoy them!

Digital Photograph - Trees in Fog

Trees in Fog

It has been a rainy and foggy weekend. These are a couple of trees I took off the Blue Ridge Parkway around 4:00 in the afternoon at the Eastern Continental Divide. It was so foggy you could only see about 50 feet in front of you. There is a giant forest behind these trees that you can't see. It is so mystical. I keep waiting for something incredible to emerge from the fog. 

Quote Book #8 - Be True

Four Letter Words - True

Digital Photograph - The Brown Barn

The Brown Barn

This barn is right around the corner from my house. I like how they have prepared the soil for their garden. Come Summer you will hardly be able to see the barn for the vegetables.

The Bears are Back...

Black Bear

The bears are back. They have woken up and are very hungry this Spring. There have been several "sightings" in the neighborhood. My neighbor had several bird feeders broken into and damaged. On Saturday afternoon a very large bear came to visit my back yard. Tried out my thistle feeder, pulled it way down. Decided the pickings were not that good so began to play with one of my big black rain barrels. I think he thought it was a trash can. I had not hooked it up to my gutter yet. It was just sitting upside down next to my gutter. He turned it over then when he realized it was empty he began to roll it down the hill with him on top. It was very funny. At the bottom of the hill he just shook himself off and lumbered up the hill to my neighbors. I think I will rethink my bird feeders for awhile. They are all inside now. 

Last Spring I had a large bear sleeping in the pine tree outside my front door for a few days. It looked like this when you walked out my front walkway and looked up. He was very messy and left lots of little branches and debris. I was very glad he left. I like to sit outside and look at the stars and I was not real comfortable doing that with him around.

Last Friday I got up very early and went into town to take some pictures. It was cool and foggy. As I drove along our little outer belt line I happened to notice a very large bear and a cub climbing up a tree. Right there near the downtown area. I almost wrecked the car I was so shocked. I quickly got off on the next exit and circled back. The trees were starting to leaf out and made it difficult to take a picture, but they were there. Momma bear did not like me walking around her tree. 

I did not plan to live so close to bears. I know there are bears in the mountains. We actually had a huge population of them along the Inter Coastal Waterway. I had one in my back yard at the beach. Somehow it never occurred to me that I would have them in my backyard here. I am just going to have to figure out a way that the bears and I can live happily together. They are just really big! 

Digital Photograph - Pansies

Thought I would share this beautiful photograph of some pansies I took. It has been a busy Spring. I spent the last week visiting a friend and one of my boys at the beach. The week before my cousins came and helped me with a bunch of projects around the house. I am so lucky to have such good family and friends. Unfortunately, I have not had a lot of time to blog. I have so many things I want to share and so little time. Soon...

Cinco de Mayo Poster - Freebie

Here is a poster for Cinco de Mayo. A revolution in Pueblo. An important day for the country of Mexico. Celebrated here as more of a day we get to enjoy Mexican food and refreshments. After many visits to Mexico I have come to love their food, the way they love their families, and their craftsmanship. 

Gaucamole for Cinco de Mayo

Gaucamole

Today I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes for Gaucamole. I am eating it with chips today. However, you can use it on tacos and it is delicious.

3 ripe avocados - peeled pitted, mashed

1 lime - juiced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup diced onion[I like red onion]

1 teaspoon minced garlic [around 1 clove]

2 roma [plum] tomatoes - diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro [optional]

In a medium bowl add avocados and lime juice.

Mash with a potato masher till avocados are

mashed together. Add salt, cumin, cayenne

pepper, and garlic. Mash again till mixture is mixed. Add onion and tomatoes. With a large spoon fold in. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. Serve immediately. Yum!

Freebies - Families

Families. Families come in all shapes and

sizes. Families with both Mom and Dad.

Families with Fathers and Mothers, sisters

and brothers. Families with all boys or

all girls, families with just mothers or

just fathers. We do not pick these families

they are given to us. Families are a gift.

In hard times we turn to family, in good

times we turn to families. Celebrate your

family. 

I know that all families are not like my family.

However, I like to think that most families

are happy, loving, and take care of each other.

When our families don't I like to think that

we make new families with our friends 

and the people we love. 

Families are complicated. Very Complicated.

We all need a family to love us and support

us in the things we do. I have found that I

am blessed with the people in my family.

Please take a moment to appreciate

and tell those who make up your

family that you love them. 

Digital Photograph - Still Standing

Still Standing

Quote Book #7 - I Choose Life

Digital Collage - Choose Life

The background for this digital collage came

from a challenge from the blog Mind Wide Open.

She has a monthly challenge and provides 

these backgrounds. I altered a photograph of

a young Appalachian girl. She reminds me that

the world is full of hope and promise, pain

and despair all rolled into one. 

The events of the last 24 hours in Boston

have once again pointed out to the world

the evil in man's heart and the good in

his soul. People running to help, shedding

their clothes to stop the bleeding, risking

their lives to help strangers, human

beings. 

We are a strong nation. We are willing to go

that extra mile for our fellow man. We feel

love, joy, peace in our hearts. Others can

not erase it with their terror and hate.

We are Americans - proud and strong. Standing

together through thick and thin. We will

survive and grow only stronger. I am so proud

that I am an American.

On a side note - I just received an email asking if I thought people in other countries would nor stop and help. Of course they would, in fact many of the people running this marathon were from other countries. I am sure that there are people in every corner of this world that would run toward the chaos to help. We have seen it happen before, all over the globe. 

Today I speak of the courage and strength of those in Boston. When something like this happens we need to find the good. It is comforting to realize that basically most people are just going about their lives trying to love and do the best for those they care about. Whether it is here in the United States or somewhere else on this planet.

We have seen a lot of tragedy/terror in the past. Tragedy/terror caused by people who do not understand or care about our way of life , who we are, and that we are Americans. Terror events are about trying to create terror and crushing our spirit. Yesterday did not accomplish that. Our spirit is strong.