liddle fwowwer
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Just a liddle sumthin' for you! This flower is less than 1 x 1 inch, perfect for a sweet touch to your layout or project.

Ooops... MAJOR APOLOGY here... I was so intent on getting my product to the shop to clear up these next few days, that it was not till yesterday I realized the Grab Bag is for AUGUST and won't come out in the shoppe till this COMING monday. Please forgive me. It WILL be worth the wait!

MY SISTER IS HERE!! *little happy dance*

scene:

We're going to make salsa today, so last night we headed for our local supermarket to pick up a few last minute items on the recipe. While in the store, I decide to buy Mr. Miles some chocolate covered almonds from the bulk section. (thats his love language) I'm going 100 mph because I'm so excited being around my Sis (will have to fit in one year's visit into a 5 day (ok two 1/2 days and three full days) visit. So, ok, frankly I'm hyper.

While I'm getting the bag to fill, my sister is talking to another customer in the aisle. I whip the bag onto the spout and pull that old handle up forcefully and...

And all of a sudden all our feet are awash in a sea of chocolate nuts.

Sister turns a nice shade of fuschia from head to foot. Everyone scrambles to pick up the nuts... quickly. We are QUITE the spectacle.

The customer observes that his shopping experience, till this point, had been rather dull. This was the most exciting thing to happen that day. Glad we have fulfilled some need in his day.

I DID manage to get some nuts in the bag.

I'm not sure if Sis wants to shop with me again. Specially after we had that big fight at the till over who would pay. Prolly the staff is wondering if we will be back too. ROTFL.

Off to make salsa!

I've just COME BACK to EDIT my bloggie, because a miracle has happened... HA,HA my SPECIAL, lovely friend AmyW is NO LONGER AWOL... *giggle* she JUST commented here AND posted too AND has a sweet little kit for YOU! Better run over there right away cuz who knows meybe we won't see her for the next six weeks hay? Her kit is in celebration of her Dadoo's Birthday. Just click HERE to be transported!

By the way, my dear friend Renae has made her first kit - its BEAUTIFUL, and she's giving it away, in bits - you can scoop her 'first bit' at her blog by clicking HERE.

Also, blogger Melanie is a WONDER at making word art - something I can boldly say - I SUCK at... and she had some good quotes happening right now. You can download them for yourself by clicking HERE.

layout by my SWEET friend Valinda
credits:
Olivia Dorazio's (MY) Junkyard Garden Kit

Valinda scooped my hummingbird photo from my blog, to create this pretty layout. I really like how you put this together, Valinda, and I'm especially happy that you used this particular paper - its almost my favorite!

layout by that Rascally South African KimB
credits:
Beth Long's Rainy Daze Kit
Olivia Dorazio's (MY) Tsunami Blue Kit

I am STUNNED by this layout Kim, you captured the BEST of both Beth's and mine kits. I have had such fun using Beth's kit too - and am itching to use it again. Thank you SO much for sharing, I don't know how you find time. I've got plans for your Softly kit, soons as I get some free minutes!

atc by Victoria

credits:

Animals by Barb "Mrs. Miles" - blog

Background paper & bugs by KimB - Bug-ing Samplers 1 & 2 - blog

Font: Teen Light

Monkey at top left is saying, "Hey Bug, Let's see you go through the doorway!"

Isn't this DARLING? I love atc cards - have even made a few for myself a time or two. These animals are some of my favorites and I love to see them used. Thank you Victoria! I didn't have a blog address to publish - if you have one, sorry!

If YOU, my readers, have a layout or project you would like to share - won't you send me a copy to upload here?

A New Kit & Reveal of Pain in our Household.

I’m proud to announce my newest kit – you will find it in the Sophia Sarducci Shop, bright and early on Monday morning! Gotta have something good on Mondays, right?

This kit has been a real LABOR of love, a month in the making. Its actually amazing that I accomplished much in the past month because there was a lot of ‘stuff’ happening in the background, which I was unable to blog about at the time.

Approximately one month ago, Mr. Miles went to the gym – he likes to stay fit, so regularly worked out several times a week. He would alternate the treadmill and other machines and the free weights, to get a complete workout. On a particular day, after lifting weights, he twisted the wrong way while replacing a heavy weight onto the rack. Immediately after doing this he was aware he’d done SOMETHING to himself. It developed over the next day, as leg pain. And got progressively worse.

He’s pretty stoic about pain, and it took deterioration of his mobility for him to finally agree to go see a doctor. The doctor diagnosed it as a strained leg muscle, and prescribed pain killers and rest. This was on a Friday. We rented crutches.

By Sunday, he was in worse pain than ever.

By Monday morning he thought he’d better go back and see the doctor. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agreed. I tried to be tactful, but not over-react. I bit my fingernails watching him struggle to do the simplest of tasks. After discovering he had NO mobility I wondered how on earth he would be able to GET OUT TO THE VAN, to go to the doctors.

Finally, after finding him face down on the floor, in spasms of pain, I (gently) suggested it was time to call an ambulance, for there was no way he was going to be able to make it on his own. He was in such agony, it did not take a terrible amount of convincing to get him to cave.

Its so hard to see your loved on in such pain. We were very blessed to have very caring and helpful ambulance attendants. I can’t say enough about them. They were terrific. Once we arrived at the Hospital a female doctor (pretty sure she was a doctor) tried to INSIST, in a very forceful manner, that the attendant put Mr. Miles in a wheelchair (even though he could NOT sit up, for the pain) Our attendant defended Mr. Miles condition and stood his ground that he be moved right onto a bed. The female doctor was ‘all business’ to the point of being rude. I only say this, because later on, when her ‘sweetie’ showed up on the ward, she turned from downright mean into a gushing butterfly, fluttering all ‘round him – complete about face from how she treated the patients she was treating...

I’m SO grateful she was not the one who eventually looked at my husband.

It was very busy in emergency so it took quite some time before he got looked at, and all the time in constant pain, as no one could give him anything in the meantime. Eventually the male doctor on call spent some time looking him over, asking many questions and sending him for xrays. This doctor was very thorough and came to the conclusion it was a nerve/sciatica injury. We got a shot for pain. We received a prescription for Naproxin and painkillers. We were given a wheelchair and home we went.

Mr. Miles and I decided, not knowing how this would all turn out, not to blog it.

But, Praise the Lord, after four loooooooooooooong weeks, he is FINALLY able to:

Walk

Sleep through the night

Sit

Be pain-free

Do things for himself.

Sounds like such simple things, but its hard on a man’s pride to have to have someone do the simplest of tasks for you. It sure changes the dynamics of a relationship. Even with all this, we are so grateful for so many things. We’re grateful for his healing. We are grateful this all happened mostly during the summer break (Mr. Miles teaches, so has the summer off) - though he did miss the graduation ceremony for his school, thus missed seeing his students graduate. That was difficult and sad.

But mostly, he’s even glad that because of this experience he has empathy for others who suffer from pain.

So, being Nurse for this past month, I was really concerned I would not be able to get some product out – though Mr. Miles health was always THE most important thing. I just prayed I’d be inspired and I just pecked away at little bits of an idea I had in the back of my head. My newest kit is a result of the time I would take once a day to go for a walk to refresh and clear my head during (and with Mr. Miles blessing) his illness. Each time I’d walk, I’d bring home some little bit of ‘junk’ and I put it all together to make this project. I hope you enjoy! I’ll be offering loads of neat add-ons down the road.

My Newest Kit

Truly, you must see these to be appreciated!

Some bold, some old!
on Monday, get it HERE

Now that he’s all healed up and fwisky – he says its ok to blog his big medical adventure. And yes ROTFL you MUST be wondering what I was doing taking pics of him being wheeled into the ambulance... the AMBULANCE ATTENDENTS suggested it, to my delight, and so Mr. Miles relented....

And here’s some layouts created using the new Junkyard Garden Kit – There’s three created by me, and the first one was made by my DEAR friend KIMB Hers is amazing. Muah!!! - SA digi-designer friend. We manage to ‘visit’ more via email/blog comments than some friends I have in town, how funny is THAT? We keep trying to out-kindness each other, a virtual arm-wrestle of goodness. I’m going to have to design faster to out give her lovely selfs! *wink*

The second one I made using a photo sent to me by my sister in law Judy, of my brother Barry fishing (with cute doggie PeeWee) at Sturgeon Lake, Alberta. Judy has a GORGEOUS slide show of the skies over the lake if you would like to be 'wowwed'

The third layout is one I created for KimB of her with a friend. KimB is so glow-ey it was easy to pick papers and elements to complement.

The fourth layout is the one of my sweetie in agony - enjoy (sorta, you know?) Enjoy the layout, not my honey's pain.





Olivia Dorazio’s Junkyard Garden

I’ve made you a 12 x 12 Quick Page, using some of the items from Olivia Dorazio’s (my) new Junkyard Garden Kit.

I hope you like!
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Ah, and even MORE good news – Its will be Monday Madness at the Sophia Sarducci Shop, which means you'll save 20%... AND we will have more of our FANTASTIC GRAB BAGS. Oh – lala, you’re going to LOVE what I’ve prepared for you. I made both a personal use item (actually one item with three different looks, and HIGHLY VERSATILE) and then I put together a must-have commercial use item too. GREAT DESIGNER RESOURCE – you DON’T want to miss this. For... $2 bucks. Right, less than a good cuppa coffee. Honestly, I’ve not seen anything like I made specially for you!

Rush over the the SHOP first thing Monday a.m.!

Everybody loves to play in the sprinkler in this hot summer weather... appears critters kinda like the idea too. My Sister sent me the link for this cute video.

I've featured some photos in the past taken by our friends Roger and Marie. Roger, in particular, has a keen eye and a dry and quirky sense of humor, and he always manages to capture some delightful bits of his environment. You may recognize the alpaca's - they keep a few on their small hobby farm. They have all sorts of critters at their place, so they get to observe the antics that go on. Roger has given me permission to share some of his latest photos with you. I really like how he adds little funny 'quips' to some photos!

I'm not sure if I will be able to type in between seperate photos, so I will tell you ahead of time that the one photo of the white alpaca was taken during a rain - the alpaca is DRINKING! The last photo is TOO FUNNY... a hummer seems big - bigger than say your average car, but he saw THIS huge truck parked next to it - you can see HOW much bigger it is than that! I wonder if one needs a step-ladder to get in!

With no further ado, and thanking you VERY much, Roger - your photos are welcome here anytime! Here's ROGERS OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE: (click to see each a bit bigger)

sigh!

Use it as you will, with my blessings!
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Sigh, another beeee-uteeful flower, but with no real purpose. Just me playing around and learning new techiques. So, I'm releasing it to you - to see what ways you can use it. Puh-leese, if you use it, won't you share with me & I can feature your creative ways with the the rest of my blog readers? Just email me at lalalime(at)hotmail(dot)com

I am campaigning today for you to visit Jazzy's blog. I'm sure you all know about her recent loss of her nephew, as KimB published it a few days ago, but I've found that people are often wandering about in fresh grief, fresh pain - shock, really, no matter how prepared they may have seemed for the inevitable... and its like a physical wound. Its after a few days, when your mind allows you absorb it - and the ramifications of it all come to roost, that recieving extra comfort at this time, might even mean more. See, when something bad happens, its natural we should all REACT - our bodies even do that without us even giving it a thought... so thats why it means so much more when we make an extra, conscious effort to bring a gift of a few kind words. And what, it will take you 5 mins out of your busy day. And that 5 mins, I guarantee, will be of more value than most of your other 5 minutes-es in your day. Forgo any comment here, just reach out to Jazzy by clicking HERE.

Please also pray for my dear friend Becky, who is expecting ANY DAY now. (Perhaps any minute - according to the email she sent me this a.m. Hoping its not 'false' pains!) May you have a safe delivery, and know we are thinking of you!

A Day of Swimming Layout by Valinda
credits: Olivia Dorazio's (thats ME) Tsunami Blue Kit
available HERE

How CLEVER - my dear friend Valinda used my Tsunami Kit to make a watery, shimmery layout of her grandkids. It never ceases to delight me to see how my elements get put together to come up with amazing layouts like these! Valinda makes some lovely, LOVELY giveaways herself, and you can pick them up at her blog by clicking HERE.

If you have a layout using my kits you would like to share, just send me a pic, or point me to your gallery and I'll feature you here.

I have been working on a kit for nearly a month now (I'm sure Sophia is wringing her hands by now) but it will be well worth the wait. This one will be huge - mainly because I just CAN'T STOP... haha, I wake up in the middle of the night and get up and design like mad for 2 hours at a shot. Mr. Miles lifts an eyelid and says "Whaaa? Are you at it AGAIN?" Haha, I feel like a mad scientist. But its GOOD. Some of my best designs come to me in the middle of the night, and if I don't go and get them down on (digi) paper, then I am tortured all night long and don't get any real rest. This ever happen to you?

I have been working hard, for sure, but I'm also allowing myself some downtime too. I try to take some quiet time out through the days - time for rest and reflection. Funny, but our Pastor spoke on this very thing last Sunday - and it just resonated with me.

I think I mentioned we have a hanging hummingbird feeder - its right outside our kitchen window. One afternoon recently, I went and sat outside in the cool of the evening, letting the cool breeze wash over me, and letting the stresses of the day flow out of me. This is the time that I feel closest to God, when I make myself sit still - quieten my thinking, push away all the troubles and niggles in my mind.

As I sat, I watched the hummingbirds come and feed. We've had quite a few of them this year, sometimes, as many as 5 at a time! The feeder is a little beehive of activity.

As I was sitting fairly close to the feeder, I noticed that though the hummers checked me out pretty good, if I sat still for long enough, they took no notice of me and braved the feeder. So, I got the idea to put the feeder in the flat of my hand, and balance it there to see what would happen.



Well, nothing happened - for 5 minutes. 5 minutes can seem like an eternity when you're holding your arm out midair with no support. But, my patience paid off. A hummer buzzed in, not realizing I was there at first, then, once it did realize I was there, it pulled up short and hovered.

Isn't that the coolest thing about hummingbirds - the hovering thing?

Then, it gently hovered down, till it sat on the feeder, in my hand, and delicately fed.

(no, I have not got a photo of this, but my brother Dave did, and I'll publish it when he sends me a copy)



And THATS where I meet God.

Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10 (kjv)

When I am obedient to find an quiet place and SEEK HIM. These times are the most frequent that He is revealed to me. God knocks, but he does not force His presence in your life. He wants to be invited. We need to leave, or create some space for this to happen. In this day and age of being continuously bombarded with information its harder and harder to get alone with our Creator.

You must learn to be still in the midst of
activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.

~ Indira Ghandi

We can and will be busy, but its healthy to REST. Rest allows us to recuperate from the buffeting our bodies, minds and spirits take from all the frantic activity of just living in this age. The enemy works very efficiently in keeping us so busy that we often don't even realize it. If we are so focussed on the endless tasks and stimulations around us, we can miss subtle clues that we are doing ourselves harm. This is why so many people are finding themselves SICK from it all, without knowing how they actually got there. REST is designed to give us time to reflect - to put perspective on whats happening in our lives. We CAN be so busy living, that we are not REALLY LIVING. Its possible to be merely reacting to our environment, rather than being in control of it. And often times God WHISPERS, and unless one is listening - we miss His gentle call.

Think about it - ANIMALS react - God created us as humans, to knowingly make choices, according the the wisdom and discernment he's given us.

I also liken rest and work to sweet and sour, hot and cold - unless we contrast one against the other, they lose their value, thus, taking a short time to rest, often refreshes me to enjoy work all the much more. No matter how much you might enjoy whatever your work is, that enjoyment is that much increased upon a time away. And if you don't enjoy your work, it seems a bit more bearable for a rest. The rest becomes not a force of habit, but a reward.

When we are obedient to take the rest that God prompts us to, good comes of it.

What happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives,
much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard -
things like affection for others, exuberence about life, serenity.
We develop a willingness to stick with things,
a sense of compassion in the heart,
and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.
We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments.

Galations 5:22 (The Message)

for personal use
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Well, this little goodie just does not fit in with any project I am working on at the moment so I'm giving it to you. If you have purchased my Digital Dad Kit from the SophiaSarducci Shop - it would go perfect with that!

I'd like to take a moment here to acknowledge and say thank you to the ladies who promote my blog and giveaways. I am so grateful. I wish I were more diligent to let you know. Just off the top of my head I have to say that Maria at Digi Free tirelessly promotes my freebies and I still get a total thrill every time I see my items listed. Next would come IkeaGoddess, AmyW, Shirley, Valinda, my sister in law Judy and of COURSE KimB who brags me up all the time too - and I just want to make sure that you each know how much I appreciate it. I am sure there are very many more of you out there and its a big reminder to me that my blog is so much more rewarding because of you. I've had so many emails thanking me for some encouragement I may have posted etc, but it goes both ways! I can't tell you how many times a comment or thought or suggestion has lifted up the corners of my mouth, put a glimmer in my day and joy in my heart. Thank you all so much.

If you have promoted me, and I might not be aware of it - why not leave me a comment so I can say thank you, personally?

Another SSR (Simple Summer Recipe)

This recipe was created out of a need to use up some ingredients in my pantry. I admit that Mr. Miles is not crazy on it, but not because its not delicious, for it IS. Its something to do with the bread/egg thing. He can eat scrambled and hard-over, but not soft boiled, over easy or poached. He can eat an egg and toast, but not egg cooked with toast. He can eat Quiche, or a fritatta with a crust, but not this. He gave it an honest effort tho.

Bacon and Egg Strata

8 eggs
1/4 cup mayo
6 tbsp water
dash mustard
1/2 lb bacon
2 tomatoes
2 cups fresh herbs
1/2 inch slices of french bread
2 cups feta cheese
pepper
butter

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13" glass baking dish. (well it COULD be a metal one, only its prettier this way) Layer the bottom with bread slices. Beat the eggs, water, mustard and mayo together. Pour 1/2 mixture over the bread. Layer the herbs ontop of this. Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices and layer. Crumble feta and spread over this. Pour the remaining egg mixture overtop. Place another layer of bread slices. Arrange bacon slices over the entire top, to cover. PEPPER the bacon with fresh ground pepper (ok, I am a pepper-aholic, I admit it) Pop in a 400 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. If bacon edges start browning too much during cooking, lay strips of tin foil over them.

This dish is best hot - either right when you make it, or reheated.

You could also assemble this the night before, and put it in the fridge, baking it in the morning.

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I hope you can find use for this line drawing - I've created it on a transparent background, and saved it in PNG format, so you can 'fill' the fruit and veg with whatever you wish. I would love to see what you make - just send me a small photo to lalaime(at)hotmail(dot)com I'm starting to get the hankering for canning meself, and Mr. Miles loves canned peaches with fresh ginger strips in the syrup.

(click to see a bit larger)
SUMMER FUN - layout by meself
credits:
Rainy Daze Kit by Beth Long
Sand Alpha by Mrs Miles (ya, me)

Don't you just LOVE this kit? It's Beth Long's new RAINY DAZE KIT which you can find by visiting her blog and there are links galore to the shop etc! I KNOW, I Know, its a RAINY daze kit, but I saw the SUN in there, and figured by turning her raindrops upside down I could draw attention to the BIG SPLASH our brother made in the lake! Your kit is WONDERFUL Beth, and there's so much more in there I'm longing to use in the future!!!

Our brother Dave and Sister in Law Neti just stopped in for a quick surprise visit this week, so we took a day out to enjoy their company. They arrived on their motorcycle, all hot and sticky from the combination of the hot weather and wearing proper motorcycle gear, including entire black from head to toe - pants, jackets and helmets. (I think the black helmets look like beetle heads) It was sure good to spend some time together.

Dave to the Rescue!

Though they were only here for a day, we decided to take them up to the top of a local mountain which affords a great view. We set off early in the morning with the whole day laying ahead of us. The peak of the mountain is 20 km up a gravel road - we made it to 17 km. Thats when I (of all things) SMELLED something - like oil, or hot engine, and I mentioned it to the guys in the front. Dave poked his head out his window, looked back and informed us we had a FLAT! Back Right. Same tire I'd mentioned looked a bit low the previous week. Same tire I kept mentioning sounded like it had a small rock lodged in it each time we went to town, and kept reminding myself to take a look at when we arrived home (but forgot) Besides, the tires are only 2 months old!

Sigh.

Flatter'n'apancake.

So Dave offers to change it out - Miles has had a sore back lately, don't want to fool with that! THANKS DAVE!

And guess what - we have no air pump. And the spare is flat too. The spare is the newest of our 'old' tires - which the guy at the garage musta forgot to check it out too closely, as it was his suggestion to use that one. Double sigh.

Small blessing - the cell phone actually was in range and we were able to call down to our friend Rogers and he came to our rescue too. And he roars up on a white steed - well, a white truck, driving like a real rally driver, could see him coming for MILES off in the distance, setting up a a rooster tail of dust for several km behind him. He comes bearing a compressor and all sorts of goodies. But to no avail. The tires are just BAD, so he and Miles head to town where (to the tune of over $100) a new tire is purchased.

Dave and Neti were very gracious and patient about the wait, even took a nap under some trees for a while and I took advantage of the spare block of time and completely turned out the van and cleaned it from head to toe. It's needed it for a very long time!

We never did go to the top - will save that for another visit.

And thanks Roger - you are ALWAYS there for us, and we REALLY appreciate all you and Marie do for us.

Simple Summer Supper

I served my own little recipe for supper. I've been experimenting with dishes I can cook OUTSIDE using our little toaster oven. This way I don't have to heat up the house. The toaster oven just fits these four foil packet portions I made up. This recipe is super simple - and almost any type of ground meat could be used instead of the sausage, if you would like.

Barb's Simple Summer Foil Packs

4 hot italian sausages
1 small onion, 1/2 inch thick rings
sliced red, yellow and green peppers
butter

Cut 4 pieces of tin foil. Lightly butter the center - about 6 inches long, 3 inches wide. Layer some onion slices on butter. Layer a few slices of each red, yellow and green peppers. Using a sharp (filet is ideal) knife, slice the casing of an italian sausage and remove the meat. Flatten the meat into a patty which covers the onion and peppers (aprox 6 inches long x 3 inches wide. Cover the veg. Repeat with the remaining three sausages. Place on the cook tray for the toaster oven. Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. To serve, lift each foil pack out of the tray, hold over something to catch the juice, and poke a hole underneath the foil pack, allowing the liquid to drain. Next, simply slide the veg and meat onto a plate! Voila, all you need is your side-dishes, and its DELISH!

Chill!

Rest

Take some time away from the world...

and pray



Ere thou sleepest, gentle lay
Every troubled thought away;
Put off worry and distress
As thou puttest off thy dress.
Drop thy burden and thy care
In the quiet arms of prayer...

-by Henry Van Dyke

PEPPERMINT AND POLKA DOTS QP
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Here’s another QuickPage made from my latest kit, Peppermint and Polka Dots. I’d planned this one for the blog at the Sophia Shop, but it never made it there... I kept looking and looking – so I’ve decided to launch it here instead. You can still pick my kit up, and being tomorrow is Monday, (Monday Madness, we’ve got to give you something to look forward to!) it’s offered at a reduced price. Just click HERE.

Happy Graduation Melissa!

My Sister In Law Judy created this lovely layout using my P&P Kit.

THANK YOU so much for sharing Judy!

I'm so proud to see how you use my 'stuff'!

I’ve been busy helping clean up after the recent windstorm. A fully grown Ponderosa Pine had crashed into the orchard, wiping out a half dozen apple trees. The orchardists are having their share of trials this year – many lost much of their fruit two weeks ago in the lightening storm. There is evidence of this last windstorm everywhere. I spent a good hour washing up our back porch and windows. I have a hummingbird feeder hanging just outside, and the wind set it to swinging violently. By the time Miles reached it, there was sugar water EVERYWHERE. It had glazed the windows, table, siding – even the clothes I’d had hanging on the rack. I had ants trying to visit BEFORE this, well, now it was smorgasbord. So, I attacked it with a bucket of water and vinegar. There was tree debris all over in the carpet, so it got a good vacuum. Well at least everything is nice and sparkling clean now.

As we drive to town I see an entire plastic greenhouse flattened, branches lying on the sides of the road and generally things where they should not be. I hear tell of fences of beachside houses being destroyed and of boats flipping and sinking. Boats which were firmly anchored have found themselves migrated several hundred feet down the lakeshore. There was much damage at some local parks too. I’m sure we will be seeing sign for quite a while.

So my hummingbirds were disrupted for a while. There have been so many this year. I sometimes have five birds fighting at one time to get at the feeder. I’m considering putting up a second one to lessen the ‘road rage’ happening. It was so amazing, the other day I saw one perched on the feeder and it was flicking its tongue in and out. Have you ever seen this? Their tongues are really long!

flick'r photo by joeysplanting

We have a new addition to our little natural micro-community on our patio – a baby praying mantis. I saw two cocoons hidden underneath the handrail by the steps last fall – shortly after a large mantis had taken up residence in a Cedar. Then, just the other day, we were greeted by the cutest little brilliant green, inch-long baby mantis. Its incredible how alert they are, and sensitive to movement. It’s trusting enough to crawl on me. I’ll have to try to capture a photo or two here to share. This does mean though, we have to be careful when entering and exiting the house, as I’ve caught it hanging out right in the middle of the doorway.

Well, I’m heading to Church this morning. We’ve been unable to attend for the past few weeks, so this will be like coming home. I hope you have a good Sunday. I’m going to put my nose down this week to design so come back to see what I’ve been up to! I may re-post some of my old goodies here during the week for giveaway.

If God can send a storm through space;
And dot with trees the mountain's face,
If He the sparrow's course can trace,
What can He do for you?

If God can hang the stars on high,
Can paint the clouds that drift on by,
Can send the sun across the sky,
What can He do for you?

If God can send us sunny days,
And nature from her slumber raise
Till song birds lift their notes of praise,
What can He do for you?

If God can do these many things,
Can count each little bird that sings,
Control the universe that swings,
What can He do for you?

If God can bring sweet peace to me
And to my soul bring liberty.
By Christ who hung upon the tree,
This He can do for you.

by G.E. Wagoner


Where you'll find me in the long afternoon hours...

THE WINDSTORM

I was having coffee uptown with my friend Elaine, mid-afternoon on July 10th when we were hit with a sudden (and violent) windstorm. She took me down to the bridge, located in the center of our community, where I snapped these photos.

It was all I could to to stand up straight and keep my lens clean. Kinda frightening, actually.

While I was taking pictures, Elaine rescued a woman who was clinging fearfully to a telephone pole. She drove up beside her and opened the car door. The woman got in and Elaine drove her home.

I sent these photos up to the local tv station and they used them in the news (yes, thats TWICE this month!) If you would like to hear more about the storm, you can watch the news. Just go to www.chbcnews.ca and look for the articles on Windstorm. The aftermath is... amazing.

This storm only lasted about an hour...

I can't believe these people were in their boat in this storm...
not only that, though the child has a life jacket on, Mom and the guys don't.
Thats just PLAIN SILLINESS folks!

The folks at the Marina at the Holiday Inn
had their hands full trying to 'tame' the boats!

I'm sure they never dreamed this would be part of thier day.

As the winds picked up, it sent everyone scrambling!

Oh MY!

The bit of orange, just right off center,
on the beach, is the dingy....
read next post!

If you look in the distance you can see a rubber dinghy being blown ...
its right in the middle




Its blowing to the left. The winds were somewhere between 90 to 100 mph!


There's a bridge in the middle of town, the wind picked that dinghy up
and tossed it RIGHT OVER the highway!


After it landed on the other side, it kept on skipping off,
over the water's surface.

And there it goes!
That's Hayne's Point Provincial Park in the distance,
I wonder if someone there wound up with it!

VALINDA AND BARB'S (OLIVIA DORAZIO'S)
QUICK PAGE #4

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Isn’t this QP amazing? THANKS to my dear friend Valinda who so generously created it using my Peppermints and Polka Dots kit, which you can purchase in FULL by clicking HERE. Valinda always has wonderful giveaways on her blog too. Won’t you stop by and check her out? Just click HERE.

the CHERRIES are ripe!

did I mention the CHERRIES are RIPE?

like, did we buy a 20lb box three days ago and they're almost gone?

Hmmpf! AmyW and I are thinking on the same track – Good Summer Reads! Part of our day now consists of taking a few hours out of the hottest time of the day, sitting down on the beach and when I’m not in the water, burying my nose in a good book. WHAT have I read? WHAT am I currently reading?

JUST READ:

The Omnivore's Dilemma
a natural history of four meals
by Michael Pollan

This book was the ‘MEAL’. It was good food for my brain, being educational and fascinating all at the same time. Once I cracked the cover, I could not put it down. My time is so valuable, that it has to be a VERY good book for me to read it cover to cover, if its non-fiction. This book fulfilled my curiosity and interest in every way.

I heard the author, Michael Pollan being interviewed on NPR radio. You can listen to the audio article by clicking HERE. Michael’s book opened my eyes and mind to examine what I’m putting in my stomach, and how it is produced. His book has some good answers some of the very questions I’ve always had regarding whether its more ethical to be a vegetarian or not. He follows food from the fields (and feedlot) to your table. He explores foraging, hunting and preparing your own food. He examines whether its reasonable and even wise to eat food grown local etc.

He’s opened my eyes to the fact that corn is in almost all of the prepared foods (and drinks too) we consume. We rely on corn so much that the whole system has created a monopoly with corn production – because, we also need it for fuel now too. So farmers are producing HUGE amounts of corn, and NOTHING else. Along with this, they need fertilizers and pesticides. So what Michael does is compares this with the other type of farmer. The one who works a smaller farm, and is very diverse in both the animals sustained, along with fruits and vegetables, and how its all a symbiotic relationship – a circle of plant and animal life. The point is, if we do not become self sustaining, then we rely on ONE thing, and if that ONE THING goes wrong, we will all be in trouble. You know the old saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” – he’s saying that literally about the way we grow and produce our food.

Do you know that McDonalds is allowed to spray Chicken McNuggets with the substance tertiary butylhydroquinone, or TBHQ, which is an antioxidant made from petroleum? Its sprayed right on the nugget or on the box it comes in, supposedly to ‘help preserve freshness’ Michael goes on to tell us that the Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives indicates TBHQ is a form of BUTANE – ya, LIGHTER FLUID. The FDA lets processers use it (sparingly) in our food. In the case of a McD’s Nugget, thats no more than 0.02 percent in each nugget. Good thing – for if you ingested a mere single gram of TBHQ you could experience ‘ vomiting, nausea, delirium, ringing in the ears, the sense you are suffocating, or even collapse!’ If THATS not scary enough for you, ingesting five grams can KILL.

I think what most impressed me, is that the author followed EVERY avenue of the food, personally. He walks us through the system and explains it all in language even I could follow along easily. I would say this is a MUST READ. If not for anything more than being more conscious of where our food really comes from and how we can make wise choices in our own lives in how and what we eat.

Sidenote: There are a few swearwords in the book. Very few, (like one or two instances in the entire 450 page book) and I don’t believe they were used to glorify cursing itself. Because I’ve made the choice to have a ‘Family Friendly’ Blog I think it best to tell you ahead of time.

So this book was my MEAL, but the following book was definitely DESSERT!

Daring Chloe

by Laura Jensen Walker

Arriving in the mail a mere week or so ago, Laura Jensen Walker’s DARING CHLOE is a must-read for lovers of a good Chic-Lit. Daring Chloe begins with us feeling the sting of being left at the alter – well, just BEFORE the alter, but ya know! Talk about having all your eggs in a basket, I think (being a former runner) it would be like spending months upon months preparing to run a marathon, only to injure yourself before the big day, or have the race cancelled – only this is x100, as its life-changing.

Poor Chloe, methinks. But, though she’s ‘stinging’, she’a a spunky gal, surrounded by a loving (ok, sometimes she can feel they’re a tad smothering) family, and her friends, who all happen to be in a book-reading group together. Everyone bands together to try to help Chloe move on (even her co-workers unknowingly ‘help’ her move forward when they have a gossip session in the work washroom not knowing she’s in a cubicle... *angst for HER*)

There’s also the best guy friend of her ex-fiance, who she wants to hate, but he’s so darn NICE...

The story just gets better and better as the book-club girlfriends decide to each choose their favorite book and LIVE the storyline in some way. Ultimately, this fun group of young women wind up in *sigh* PARIS, France. (JanMary, you would LOVE this book, having just spent some time in Paris with your husband!) (and Becks, its read now, so I’ll find a way to get it to you – a good read when you’re resting up after baby’s arrival!)

PURE DESSERT, Daring Chloe is a ‘vacation in your mind’ book. I see there’s to be another coming in the series – I know for one I’ll be lining up for that one too! To visit Laura Jensen Walker's website to get your own copy, just click HERE.

CURRENTLY READING:

I’ve JUST started these two books – I like to have one that feeds my wisdom and one that feeds my imagination.

He Speaks to Me
by Priscilla Shirer

He Speaks to Me – Preparing to Hear from God by Priscilla Shirer (daughter of Dr. Tony Evans) and published by Moody Publishers.

A Thousand Voices
by Lisa Wingate

A Thousand Voices by Lisa Wingate, published by Penguin

where I'm headed!

With no further adooo – I’m off to read! Have a wonderful day!