It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

Saturday, I made a wreath for my door and one for a friend too. The one with the white bow and snowflakes is mine and the red and white bow is on Roberta's door. They came out really different as the people at church who gathered the different greens got some unusual ones this year. . . so I experimented.CLICK on to see details -- especially the snowflakes on my wreath's ribbon.

Note:

Soon as I can figure out how to get the photos I took with camera turned sideways to display on blog correctly, I will have a Christmas post up. I should have just rotated them before I had the CDs made, I guess. . . sigh IF anyone knows how to accomplish rotating photos already uploaded, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Giving thanks for my country on this special fall day. No matter how the flag flies in the wind, it is something I am proud of and give thanks for daily!

"Map on the wall " . . .

The branches of the plant look like roads to me. . . I like the look with the leaves gone. . .

Rainy Autumn

I had to do a bit of walking in the rain so I made "lemonade". . . in other words, I took advantage of the pouring down rain I had to walk in to my meeting.(When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.)

Christmas cactus is a bloomin'

This sad Christmas cactus was given to me about 2 years ago just before Christmas. It was in a smaller pot and would not bloom for the lady who gave it to me. That year, it bloomed just three tiny blossoms and quit. This past December, it bloomed only one blossom so I changed it into a bigger pot and thus, the cactus leaves look sparse . . . I put it outside all summer and just brought it in the house earlier this month. I had forgotten about it and then I spied the red blossoms and got most excited even tho it is just a small plant yet, it keeps blooming! Maybe next year, it will be even better.

Graciously accepted!

Martha Z. passed this award on to me while I was sick and I am finally getting around to sharing it with others and listing 7 things about myself that maybe everyone doesn’t know:
1. I graduated from college when I was 40.
2. My twin sister and I only had 33 years together.
3. There’s only one thing I love as much as snow and that is the ocean.
4. I enjoy taking long hikes by myself.
5. I walked and finished the Portland Marathon in 2005.
6. Out of 7 siblings, I have only one,my youngest sister, left.
7. I have a pen pal in France.

Martha Z. lives in California and she and her hubby joined Katney and her hubby and I camping on Mt. Ranier this past summer. It was fun to meet someone (Martha) from the blog world that I didn’t already know in person. I had met Katney back in 2004. Martha loves hiking too as you will find out IF you visit her blog. She shares some great photos of her hikes and camping adventures.

Anyone that reads this and would enjoy having it may grab the logo and rules and publish it on their own blog. Just let me know so I can come and read it if I am not a regular reader of your blog. Otherwise, I will see it as I drop by.


The guidelines for accepting this award are:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4. List 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5. If you wish, pass this award to other Kreative Bloggers.

I am not feeling up to par yet so won't blog regularly for a bit yet but wanted to get this going in case anyone is interested in participating.Hopefully, by Wednesday, I will have a surprise to show everyone!

Long may she wave no matter the weather. . .

Today we will begin our Veterans Day celebration with a parade, followed by a special ceremony at the VA cemetary. I hope to attend both. The weather is not going to be suitable for the parade but it will go on rain or shine just as the Veterans served our country and deserve this recognition. November 11th will officially be Veterans Day.

Cactus on fence corner

I was out on a walk and spotted this in a neighbor's yard. Nice decorative corner -- I am just wondering how it manages in the snow when winter comes. . .

Silhouettes in the sky . . .

It was a beautiful day last week when I captured these tall trees.

Growing an Avocado plant . . .

When Katney and Martha and their hubbies and I went camping last summer, they had an avocado for part of the recipe in one of our cookouts. I had heard of people rooting the big seed for a plant so I asked to keep it which they gladly gave me. After another day of camping, I brought it home and rigged up a glass to hold part of the big seed immersed in water and the rest in the air. I used a couple items I found in my utensil drawer including a Easter egg dipper (used when coloring eggs for Easter) and a flat green plastic item I have no idea what use it might be for -- I probably got it at a Tupperware party or something. Anyway, it worked holding the seed half in the water and half above it.

I left it there for what seemed forever, and kept refilling the water in the glass to the top. One day, the seed split on the bottom and roots started to grow! They got very long. YES, I forgot to take a photo of them! Then I transferred the plant to a tall glass vase. After awhile, the seed started sprouting on the top and that's when I knew I had something serious in front of me actually growing into a beautiful plant.

I guess I should look it up on the internet and see if I am supposed to plant it or if it will keep growing in just water. Isn't it pretty?


If you are wondering why the stem is so crooked it is because the plant was looking for light. I have no windows in my kitchen where I started rooting this BUT finally got wise and moved it closer to the window in my living room.

NOTE: I just found out on Google that my plant has to be planted out of doors in the spring!!!!!!! I am so disappointed. I was hoping for another house plant. I will be able to plant it and keep it indoors in a big pot until then. I hope it doesn't die on me. Maybe it will look nice in a big pot on our single balcony on the 8th floor where I have an apartment?

This is my life as I see it this week. Please join Gypsy Lala at "Life as I see it."for her weekly meme.

Halloween clouds . . .

I had a funeral service to go to on Halloween and then ran to the store and when I came out of the store, these "ghost whisper" clouds met my view so of course I had to capture them with my camera. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. The funeral had nothing to do with Halloween -- the oldest member of our church died and was being buried on Reformation Day which was pretty appropriate for a Lutheran!

I just CLICKED on the photo to enlarge it and I was surprised with such detail of the tree branches and clouds! You might enjoy it also.

Autumn still using her paintbrush . . .

We continue to be blessed with an Autumn palette. . .

Flowers hanging around in Autumn . . .