dancing the academic decathlon

Congratulations David on a job well done!
May God bless you and keep you and lead you
as you develop the gift the He has given you.

chicken dance

Our chicks from the local hatchery will not be ready to be picked up for another couple of weeks, but the chicken coup is nearly done and we decided to go ahead and get a couple of chicks from the local feed store.

I went down this morning and picked out four fluffy, cheeping babies and brought them home in a cardboard box. On the drive home I couldn't help but remember the day my dad let me get baby ducks at the farmers market.


Lily was understandably very interested in the chicks....we thought maybe having them in a secure cage in the house for a week or so would help her accept them as mates rather than meats.

We have yet to decide a name theme although we are considering the following:
Storybook chicken characters: Henny Penny, Chicken Licken, Little Red Hen
Chicken dishes: Nugget, Cordon Blue, Gumbo, General Tso
Chicken Restaurants: Ya Ya, McNugget, Colonel Sanders

Your suggestions are welcome.

Lily wasn't the only one wanting an up close and personal look at the new babies.

Time for a cat-nap....I mean a chick-nap. Night night baby chicks.

Happy Birtheday Silly Lily

Today is Lily's 2nd birthday....or so I've decided. We really don't know the date of her birth since she is a recycled pound puppy but we were told she was one year old when she arrived at our home on November 15 of last year. Lily has been such a blessing...she has a wonderful personality....loves to play but needs regular snuggle time. She is entertaining to watch a she makes graceful leaps over low brush in the wash or award winning belly slides under the truck in an effort to catch a trespassing bird. She is a great help in the kitchen, willing to clean up almost any leftover food. She loves broccoli, green beans, and cucumbers but will turn all those down if there is a chance for musk melon. She loves going for rides in the truck, catching bug and then playing with them and being out in the yard when Jay is working. God knew just the perfect dog for us when he sent us Lily. Happy Birthday Lily-girl!

go dog go

When our friends stopped by on their way home from buying a go cart Keith and Lily checked it out while it was still on the trailer.

a good teddy...

can double as a pillow

dancing into autum

The 27th of October I flew to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to visit with my nephew, Joel, his wife, Judith, and their 15 month old daughter, Kaelyn.

As we landed in Ohio to change planes I was delighted to view the patchwork of fall colors from air.

Although the majority of the time I was in Pennsylvania the sun stayed hidden behind gray clouds there were a few sunny spots that drew me outdoor with my camera. The area around Joel and Judith's home has lovely rolling hills dotted with barns and silos.

After exchanging fall, winter, and spring for perpetual summertime in Arizona I enjoyed seeing the changing colors of the leaves.


One of the topics of discussion, when we ventured out on excursions, was the lack on straight roads in Pennsylvania. The roads cure and twist back and forth with no apparent reason.

When leaving Lancaster I took special note of the farmlands and chuckled when I noticed that even the farmers field had strange and unusual shapes and lines.

By the time I landed in New York to change planes night had fallen and the city lights produced an interesting photo opportunity. Straight lines were more evident in New York, however, later when I landed in Phoenix it was evident that civil engineers had designed the roadways that lit up the night in a orderly checkerboard pattern.

Thanks Joel and Judith for your hospitality!

from aunt 2 aunt

Dearest Amy,

May your year be filled with treasured moments...

creative adventures....

unexpected surprises....

and God's blessing beyond your wildest imagination!

Happy prime Birthday! I Love You!