#24 Snuggle Bunny!

I recently entered a photo contest. The contest is through Laughing Dog Radio. They are raising money to help animals who would otherwise be euthanized, The animals that have been banned, abused, neglected, and abandoned. Here is a couple paragraphs from their page explaining what they are all about. If you would like to read more click here.

We started this photo contest as a way for us to try to raise money to help our precious pets who are being banned, abused, neglected, and abandoned . There were over 4 million beautiful healthy animals euthanized in the United States alone last year, and cruelty towards animals seem to be at an all time high. I think the most disturbing to me is peoples indifference , their ability to close their eyes and look the other way.

So each month we will be having a contest with a different theme for you to enter a photo of your pet. The image of the grand-prize winner’s will be printed in a 2011 Laughing Dog Radio Calendar. All entrants featured in the calendar will receive a copy of the calendar. All of the proceeds from the sale of the calendar and or from the sale of any greeting cards will be donated to small rescue groups and organizations who are trying to help these animals here in the US, and around the world.

I am entered in this contest with one of my dogs. Her name is Faith! She is the gentlest, most lovable dog you could ever meet. I am so proud of her and the way she has shattered peoples misconceptions of bully breeds, pit bulls in particular. The picture is called Snuggle Bunny! She is #24. We could really use your votes! If you have already voted once, thank you so much! Your vote is very much appreciated ! If you haven’t voted yet I could really use the votes. We were in the lead up until this point. Please help Faith get back into the lead. Voting ends at the end of this month!

       It’s that time of year where everyone is partaking in some form of tradition. Some are making gingerbread houses while others are sitting around a fire sipping hot chocolate and singing Christmas carols. I love traditions. For me, traditions are so much more than the act themselves. They come with a feeling of family and love. It feels familiar and comfortable. So, what is your treasured tradition?

     I have so many traditions that I hold dear. I love decorating our tree together while listening to Christmas music. I love eating our traditional holiday treats, such as pfeffernusse. As a child, we would  purchase a box of pfeffernusse to take to my Grandfather, who was always so willing to share. Last year Katie from Making This Home posted the recipe for pfeffernusse cookies. I will never go back to buying them in the stores. They turned out fantastic! Since being married I have also added new traditions.  We like to purchase one new ornament for the tree every year. We write the date on the back so that we can look back over the years to see what we have accumulated. Another tradition we do as a married couple is our Christmas Craft.

         My husband isn’t normally a crafter but for five years running he has never complained about joining me in a Christmas craft. We have made ornaments, glittered pine cones, cards, candies, and this year we made decorated clothes pins to hang our Christmas Cards.  They are a super cheap way to display all the warm thoughts and well wishes you receive from family and friends over the holiday season.  The supplies are simple, scissors, glue, some holiday paper (this could be gift wrap, old cards, gift bags, etc..), a pencil, and clothes pins. We did not have to purchase anything for this project. The paper is left over form our homemade Christmas cards last year and we had clothes pins already in the house.

    The instructions are also very simple. Trace out the shape of the clothes pin on your paper, cut it out, and glue it to both sides of the clothes pin. Once they are dry they are ready to be used. We use our pins on a pine cone garland but that could work just as well with other variations, such as ribbon, twine, or other garland. These make such a cute addition to your holiday decor and me and my husband enjoyed our time together  making them. One tradition down and many more to go!

Winter Is here! For the past three mornings, I have awaken to snow on the ground. The first day I went out and snapped a few pictures of the first snow accumulation. The weather was pretty mild and there was pretty decent lighting. Today, however, is another story. It is cold, windy, icy, snowy, and gloomy. Even my doggies fear venturing out into what seems like a blizzard. There poor little paws have to be very, very, cold.
On top of the weather being treacherous, our car is in the shop. We originally were going to bring it in to fix our catalytic converter. Our emissions test is due and it can not pass with the check engine light on. The light is on because of the catalytic converter. So we called and made plans to get our car checked out. The very next day we began to hear a whining noise. Never Good! The next day we began to leave for the store and noticed the car wasn’t going into gear right away. We decided to drive it the 15 miles to the mechanic. Half way there, after stopping for gas it decided it wasn’t going any further. So we had it towed to the mechanics. After looking at it they called and gave us the bad news. It is in need of a new transmission and catalytic converter. All and all it will run us about $3000. Ouch!!!
So I have been stuck in the house for the past couple days with nothing to do but read, clean, or craft. I have chosen to craft. I have worked on necklaces, bags, draft stoppers, and holiday decor. Right now I have pictures of the two necklaces and holiday plaque. The necklaces were made from cameo buttons I bought a while ago for about $1 for 2. The plaque was purchased at Good will for $1. It was pretty faded and peeling so I sanded it down and decoupaged it. What do you think?

sweetly singing

Cameo single strand

Cameo Double Strand

I am part of a contest on flickr. I am so lucky to be in the top 25 picked. Please come check it out and vote. My picture is called Snuggle Bunny.

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Aunt Nancy's Iris

Summer is ending. The days are warm and breezy, perfect for reading a book in the sun. The cool evening air is a perfect accoutrement to those beautiful starry nights. I find myself challenged to find those hidden leaves that are beginning to change to the wonderfully warm fall colors. I can almost smell mulled cider wafting through the house. It is time to pull out those sweaters from storage and freshen up our favorite throws.

These are just a few of the simple realities that I find so beautiful. I have recently started a new photo group on flickr for just this kind of Simple Reality.  I recently read,”Everyday might not be good, but there is good in everyday.”(author unknown) I couldn’t agree more! This is my motivation for this group. Personally I am challenging myself to find the beauty in every day. I think it’s time to bring this trend of simplistic living into our personal lives. It is a way to remind ourselves to stop and breath. Stop and enjoy! Cherish these moments!

Please come check us out! We would love to see you join the group. The parameters are easy. Photograph what you fin beautifully simple or even simply beautiful. Hope to see you there!

The flickr group is called  Simple Reality

Come Again?

I planted beans, zucchini, tomatoes, cantaloupe, broccoli, peas, and lettuce. Out of those we lost peas and broccoli to rabbits and birds. The most rewarding have been the tomatoes and zucchini. The zucchini has decided to come in all at once and while I love it there is such a thing as to much. I have given many away and now I am trying to find different recipes to use them all up.

I found this recipe for zucchini cake at Pioneer Women’s blog. It is fantastic. It tastes just like carrot cake and in fact can be used to make carrot cake. All you have to do is use carrots instead of zucchini. The recipe for the cream cheese frosting was my favorite.  Many times the frosting is way to much for me but this recipe allows you to thin it out to your liking with pineapple juice. This cake disappeared quickly.

Zucchini Cake

I volunteered to watch/train my Dad’s new puppy. She was two months when he picked her up from the Humane Society. We kind of have our doubts that she was actually that old. She has been a handful! She has challenged me more then any other puppy I have ever had. I have three girls of my own, two of which I have raised since they were puppies. Both of them were so easy and calm. This puppy is the total opposite. She is teaching me all new levels of patience. 

 We have now had her about a month and a half and she is coming along nicely. She loves my girls and is just down right adorable. My girls on the other hand love her in small doses. They wear out easily around her and resort to jumping on the bed to get away from her.Don’t get me wrong, all three love her and have so much patience with her but they are not puppies any more.  All three of my dogs have taken different mothering responsibilities with her which has helped out a great deal. Below are some shots of Gracie (my Dad’s puppy) with my girls.

Relaxin!

Playing with the basketball!

Looks innocent, doesn't it?

Mexican Sunflower

This beauty is planted in my front yard. It attracts butterflies and has beautifully vibrant colors.

Cosmos

This flower is blooming right next to my sunflowers. For a free packet of seeds it is the strongest flower I have this year.

Rose

This was taken in the spring. It was one of many blooms that graced us with their beauty this year.

Below are a couple more that I found at the houses of our family and friends.

Iris'

Daffodil

hyacinth

We have had one of the coolest summers on record. July passed us by without one 90° day. My dad decided to come up for a visit this past weekend and wouldn’t you know it, we hit our first set of 90° days. Saturday was about 92° but it felt like 100°. Sunday was even worse! The temperature read about 94° but with the humidity it was unbearable. We stayed in for most of the weekend or enjoyed indoor activities. One of the times we ventured out we found a little visitor lounging in the yard.

He was enjoying the shade!