My Little Swan

I went to a friend's house the other day and there on her pond...I saw the most beautiful swan!

More Conklin Gully Pictures

The kids skipping stones. I tried to catch a stone in the motion of skipping....but failed to do so. Think back to when you were a kid. What was better than skipping stones in a creek or a pond? Some things are timeless in their entertainment.

Jamie and Audra catch a few minutes of rest at the top. They are sitting just a few yards from a sheer drop off. Hiking at the top of Conklin Gully is a really good work out. Steep climbs on the way up. There are actually two ways of hiking this. Along the top where we went...and through the gully along the creek. There are some impressive waterfalls that can be seen along the creek. I hope to hike that next. I'm not sure what the falls are like being that it has been so dry lately. You can look here to see someone else's pictures of the hike through the gully along the creek.

Another impressive view of the cliffs at the top.

Conklin Gully

We went hiking in the Conklin Gully with some friends last week. Conklin Gully is quite a beautiful place to hike and a workout! Sherman loved the water in the creek.

You can't tell from this photo...but that is a very impressive view of the BIG cliffs at the top. It is kind of scary at the top because there are no guard rails. Just a sheer drop off. Sherman made me nervous because he went right up to the edge! It freaks me out looking at something like that thinking...."Yow! If I fell down there, I would be killed." Not a pleasant thought.

We had a snack and some drinks at the top. It was quite a hot day. Toward the end of the hike, we went down in the gully and it was so pleasantly cool. I'll post more pictures tomorrow. Pictures here from left to right. Allen, Alicia, Elise, Audra, Sherman, and Luc.

Rainy 4th

We had our traditional 4th of July picnic but it was very wet. Taking pictures proved challenging for me without a flash, so I gave up. I know...I need to send in my camera to get fixed, but I'm waiting until after Jamie's Triatholon. I did get a few nice pictures. I just love this one of my niece, Bethany.

I also like the way this one turned out of my nephew, Nathan. That is Beth and Adam's puppy with him. She's so cute. She seemed very timid about all the people at the picnic.

Here's Allen trying out the stilts.

Presenting...Jamie!

I haven't written much about my husband. Saturday was his birthday and I thought I should do a special blog for him. I spent most of the day in the kitchen creating a nice dinner and dessert for him and cleaning the house so we could have friends over for dinner. Our guests left late and I decided that I would rather go to bed a then go on the computer.

Dinner turned out great and we had a lot of fun too!

Here are my belated 16 things about my husband.

1. His name is Jamie.
2. He is 5'6".
3. He is handsome.
4. He is Godly.
5. He bikes, swims and runs very regularly.
6. He is training for a tri-atholon.
7. He's got a good sense of humor.
8. He's got a good singing voice.
9. Shortly after we were married, he tried out for a local musical and got one of the lead parts.
10. He's a great piano player.
11. He knows a lot about fixing bikes and sometimes people drop off their bikes here for help because something is wrong and they can't figure it out.
12. He's been an inspiration to me to get regular exercise.
13. He does a Bible devotional every morning.
14. He went back to college a few years ago and completed a degree.
15. He knows a lot about apples because he had an orchard on his parent's farm.
16. He loves hiking and has gotten our family into hiking. These pictures were taken last week on a family hike.

Alicia is a famous artist...

Alicia's art was chosen by our city to be displayed on a banner which hangs from a street lamp. About 60 students were chosen among all 12 grades for this honor. Alicia was one of 4 2nd graders picked. Her artwork depicts the character trait "Caring".

If you click on the picture you can see it closer.

I'm pretty proud of my little artist. All the banners look really cool when you are driving down along the lake where they are displayed. I took several pictures!

Have you hugged a tree today?

Probably not, but this tree appears to be hugging the fence.

There is a tree here in town that fascinates me...actually there are several of them. This tree and wrought iron fence have been here so long that the tree has grown right through and around the fence posts. I'm always amused by it when I walk by. I try to imagine well over 100 years ago when someone put this fence up. I'm sure they never would have imagined that this would happen some day.

No picture of a tree is complete without showing the top. Here it is waaaayyyy up there!

Speaking of Toenails...

I said I wasn't much of a nail polish fan, but occasionally I indulge in doing up the nails of my daughters. Alicia asked me to do her nails the other day. So what do you think?

And the answer is.....

A clipping from a horse's hoof! This is Flirt. She is a horse who regularly pulls a carriage at a local museum called "Granger Homestead." What you saw yesterday was a piece of her "toenail" or hoof.

This is the ferrier who cares for the horse's hooves. In this picture he is cleaning Flirt's hoof out. He has some tools next to him. See the big file? Next to it on the left is the tool he uses to clip the horse's hooves. He placed several clippings from Flirt and her son, Pete (who also pulls the carriage) on top of the fence so the visitors could look at them.

Just 2 weeks ago, I went with Alicia's second grade class to the museum to learm all about life in colonial times. The children were fascinated by the horses.

Great guesses and some of you even got it!

Can you guess what this is?

Summer's here

It's been hot here lately. I haven't posted much either...and I probably will be slowing down a bit for the summer. Once in a while I promise to pop in. I probably will still be reading and commenting regularly. Tomorrow is the last day of school and it is a half day. The kids are excited to be out. I will be pretty "tied down" this summer as I have agreed to babysit a few kids for the summer. It's only for a few days a week...but I will also still be cleaning 2 places a week. I'm wondering what I have gotten myself into. I'm a little selfish with my time and space.

Other than Allen going to camp for a week and a quick jaunt to Long Island this summer, we will be staying around here. On my way to Long Island in late July, I am hoping to stop and visit Dunja.

I also have been procrastinating sending my camera to Kodak to be fixed. I dropped it some time ago and the flash doesn't work. Everything else works fine...but not having a flash has been limiting. There really is no good time to send it in as there is always a photographical event just around the corner. So I may as well just do it and get it over with! It still takes great outdoor pictures...as you can see by this wonderful picture of my feet. Do you like my new sandals?

Father's Day

In honor of my father...I have posted a harmonica. Martha already said it all in regard to Dad on her blog. I was not able to be with my father today because we spent the day with Jamie's father. Incidently he also plays the harmonica. So this one's for him too!

Anyway..."Happy Father's Day" to all the dads out there!

My Girls Again

Here are my girls again. This was taken on Mother's Day, just before leaving for church. They looked so sweet I just had to get the camera. Allen had stayed over night at a friend's house and was to see us at church (his friend attends our church as well). So it was just the girls that morning. Whenever one stays over night somewhere, it just doesn't seem right in the morning. But I am glad that they have good friends...especially ones who are Christians. (Do you like Audra's clothes, Gudl and Mellimouse?)

Animals at the GCM

Thought I'd post a few more pictures from the Genesee Country Museum. We have the Gander family.

Mrs. Henny Penny.

And the twins. One big happy farm family. There were also pigs, but the pictures of them turned out too dark.

Wild Flowers

These are wild flowers that grow everywhere. I see them along side of the road as I drive. I pulled off and had Allen take some pictures for me.

Aren't they beautiful?

Ironically, these particular ones are located along one of the ugliest roads around here. Directly across the road there is a dump, junk yard and town transfer station. That's what's nice about blogging...you can choose to not display the not so beautiful.

Lovers...and a History Lesson

Here are my parents in the early 50's. I'm thinking they were engaged to be married...making it 1953. I was going to crop the picture...but decided not to because of my love of history. In the background is a picture of a grist flour mill located on Irondequoit Creek. It dates back to 1848 when the city of Rochester was quite well know for it's export of flour. My grandparents helped the owner run the mill and they also lived on it's premises.

Now this same mill is a fancy restaurant in the rochester area called The Daisy Flour Mill restaurant. I've never eaten there, but my parents did once and they got a complimentary tour of it (including the kitchen) because my father mentioned to the waiter that he had worked and lived there in his younger years. Nowadays Rochester is called The Flower City...but it once was The Flour City.

Genesee Country Museum

Yesterday I went with my daughter on her field trip to a Museum. It's several historic buildings put together to form a village that you can walk through. The people working there dress in period costumes and talk to the visitors about what life was like in colonial times. Of course this type of museum is right up my alley as far as my interests go. Above is an ox on one of the farms in the village. The log structure is an actual barn that was moved to the premises. The log house is a one room structure built in 1806 where a family raised 10 children.

Here's Audra looking out the window of the log farmhouse.

Here is a picture of one of the rooms in another village home. I believe this room would have been called the "keeping room" rather than a dining room. This particular house was built in 1797 by Amhurst Humphrey.

It was a fun day, but very hot. Take your own tour here .

Success!!!!

1. I am 40 years old.
2. My birthday is in December.
3. I am quite artistic.
4. I'm not very self motivated (atleast not all the time).
5. I'm not extraverted.
6. Sometimes I wish I were...but most of the time I'm ok with it.
7. I can play the piano.
8. I can "spot compose" pieces of music.
9. I cannot read music very well.
10. I play a lot using chords and my own ear for music.
11. I'm not a city girl.
12. I don't like large crowds.
13. I prefer peace and quiet.
14. My neighborhood is a bit too noisy for my liking.
15. I dream of having my own art studio in my home.
16. I've sold some artwork.
17. I've painted 2 different murals.
18. I decided that I prefer smaller pieces of artwork.
19. I wish I had someone to do artwork with on a regular basis.
20. I used to take a painting class.
21. I'd like to again some time.
22. My friend Claudia has given me some watercolor lessons.
23. I think I really could do well at it.
24. I've been very busy lately.
25. I don't care to be too busy.
26. Down time is very important to me.
27. I'm a home body.
28. I don't plan ahead very well.
29. I am very forgetful at times.
30. I must keep lists and pay close attention to my calendar.
31. My house is cluttered and I hate it.
32. Deep down inside, I know I'm really a neat and tidy person.
33. I don't care for asparagus.
34. I like most other vegetables.
35. I'm willing to try new foods.
36. I try to be polite.
37. Quite often, I root for the underdog.
38. I hate to see people being picked on.
39. I tried to be nice to the very unpopular kids when I was a school kid.
40. Sometimes this made me very unpopular.
41. Looking back, I think I could have done more than I did.
42. I'd like to be fluent in another language.
43. I studied Spanish for 4 years and German for 1 college semester.
44. I did well at both of them...but was never immersed in using the languages, which is key to fluency.
45. Someday I will go on a mission trip. Probably to a Spanish speaking country.
46. I am very contemplative.
47. Sometimes my heart rules my head...but not always.
48. I am a melancholic.
49. Sometimes I embarrass my children.
50. I feel that this is my job as a parent.
51. Sometimes I make up silly songs or rhymes to make my children laugh.
52. I am pretty conservative.
53. Strong perfumes really bother me.
54. This past Sunday, I changed my seat in church because someone's perfume was bothering me.
55. Modesty is important to me.
56. I am trying to instill this in my children.
57. Sometimes I still miss my brother. He passed away in 1983.
58. I was 16 when he died.
59. I would have like to get to know him as an adult.
60. I don't feel like we knew each other very well.
61. I was 9 years younger than him.
62. I have another brother who has severe autism.
63. I've never been able to really get to know him either.
64. I am so thankful for the Christian sisters I have (both blood and not).
65. I enjoy watching "Little House on the Prarie" episodes.
66. I especially like the funny ones with Nellie Olson in them. (and Mrs. Olson)
67. I have absolutely no desire to get a tattoo.
68. Multiple body piercings really gross me out.
69. I enjoy studying history.
70. I just finished reading "Foxe's Book of Martyrs." A difficult read, but very powerful.
71. I just checked out a book on local history from my library yesterday.
72. It is probably the 3rd or 4th time I have checked this book out in the 14 years I've lived here.
73. I wish I knew the history of this house. Like who lived here in the 1860's when it was built?
74. I do know that a family from Italy lived here at one time and raised a family of 4 children.
75. I wish the walls could speak (not really...that would be a little scary). Maybe they would speak in Italian and I wouldn't understand anyway.
76. I stay up too late.
77. I prefer dogs over cats.
78. I do like cats though.
79. I've only ridden a horse a few times.
80. The last time I rode one I was 17 years old.
81. Sometimes I create pieces of art and then have no idea what to do with them...but I can't get rid of them.
82. I sometimes make up recipes.
83. They usually turn out pretty good (just a few blunders).
84. One of my recipes was published in a magazine (County Extra) and later it was put into a book (The Best of Country Cooking 2001, pg 61)
85. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist.
86. This causes some problems in doing artwork. I need to losen up!
87. Sometimes I lack confidence.
88. I don't like doing major construction-like sanding, staining, drywalling, etc.
89. In fact I just groan at the mere thought of it. Ugh!!!!
90. I day dream about hiring someone just to come and do all of the construction work on my house...and having an unlimited budget with it!
91. I hate grocery shopping.
92. If I have extra money, I'm more likely to blow it on art supplies than clothing.
93. I've been spendig too much money lately and need to stay way from Michael's.
94. I think Heberews 13:5 was written just for me. Go ahead and look it up!
95. I enjoy taking a good nap now and again.
96. I once had an opportunity to be an exchange student to Australia. (Rockhampton, QD)
97. I still regret that I didn't do it.
98. I'm not sure what the abbreviation for Queensland is.
99. I've never been much of a risk taker and I've shortchanged myself because of it.
100. I did it...and now I need to go to bed because I am going on a field trip with my daughter's class tomorrow! (I need adequate sleep to function well)

wheeeeeeeeeeee!

My youngest daughter is very timid and cautious. She was always too afraid to try the zip line at Rachel's house...until last week. She did it (with a little help and encouragement from Uncle James).

My Girls

This was taken a couple of weeks ago at the primary school playground. We had gone to see Alicia's class play. Afterwards, the girls wanted to play on the playground for a little while. Alicia played the part of a mouse in her play (thus the whiskers on her face). They obviously posed for this picture. I like how it turned out.

School Days

I just thought this picture of Alicia with a little friend from next door was so sweet. I had to post it.

Walking Home From School

After Sherman and I drop the kids off at school, we usually take a different route home. Here are some of the sights we see.

Here is a historic church. It was built in 1812. I know this doesn't sound very old to some of my European friends...but for the USA, that is old. Interstingly enough, I read a diary exerpt at our library...written by a teenage girl, who's father was the pastor of this church. It was a fun read. She sounded similar to a typical teenage girl of today...except for she and her friends were working on a friendship quilt together.
Here is the county court house. I've never been inside of it. I've heard that it is beautiful. It has a lot of history too. If you ever visit my town, you can't miss this building. I didn't grow up in this town, but as a kid I remember driving by this building. It was always what I thought of when someone mentioned this town.

Here is a stretch of some of the shops and a bank in our town. We have a very nice down town area. Almost everyone we meet is very friendly. Sherman and I almost always meet a dog or two walking along with their owner. This town seems to have quite a few dog lovers!

Walking to School

On nice days in the fall and spring, we choose to walk to school. Today was cool, so everyone needed a light jacket or sweater...but the sun was shining brilliantly! Who could complain? Occasionally our neighbors join us. This morning the little boy and girl from next door walked with us.

We always take the dog along. He feels that it is his personal responsibility to deliver the children safely to school. After we walk them to the door and we say good-bye and the kids go in, Sherman always looks up at me and I say, "You did a very good job." And then I pat him on the head and we go merrily on our way home.

Here's Irene, the crossing guard. She knows my dog by name (but not my kids) and he is always happy to see her.

She's always pretty cheerful...even on the more frigid days.

Strike Up the Band

The elementary school's band concert was the other night. Audra is seen here in the white dress. The pictures are blurry because I had the camera on museum mode. (no sound or flash) On that setting you either need a tripod...or else hold the picture absolutely still...which is humanly impossible. (especially when zooming in)

Blossoms

There are blossoms on my crabapple tree now. A robin has made a nest there. I attempted to take a picture and she scolded me severely. I apologized to her, telling her that I would never hurt her or her family. She didn't believe me. She is suspicious of everyone who comes near. Sherman and I were on the porch. I was working on my Bible study homework and Sherm was laying at my feet. Suddenly we heard a ruckus! Sherm jumped up with all the hairs on his back bristling. He began barking...but neither of us were exactly sure what it was he was barking at. Then I saw it. Two squirrels running for cover. Mrs Robin was dive-bombing them and flapping her wings like mad!

Down Memory Lane

A few years ago I made scrapbook pages for a calendar for my mother in law. This was January's page. Alicia was small enough to take a bath in our kitchen sink. We lived in a 2 bedroom apartment back then. All 3 kids shared a room. We had a living room, eat-in-kitchen, a bathroom and 2 bedrooms. On Alicia's first birthday, we closed on a new house. Tomorrow I will try to post pictures from 'closing day'.

My Version

I was standing next to Gudrun when Sherman was flying through her woods towards us. I got a shot too. Mine shows more teeth. We had fun!

Happy Birthday Alicia (yesterday)!

Yesterday was Alicia's 8th birthday. Her daddy took her out for breakfast before school. That is a tradition in our house. A friend came home from school with her and stayed overnight. Alicia picked tacos for dinner...and brownie sundaes for her birthday treat. I got the Charlotte's Web movie for her and her friend to watch. It was a nice birthday.

We are certainly blessed by having all of our children. We love them very much.

Old Barn

I took this picture last week...originally planning on painting it for the "draw this" blog...but never got to it. I took it through the window of my car. At the time, I wasn't worried about quality. Just clear enough for a photo reference. I thought it was a nice looking barn. It was taken in a town just south of this one. The owners do a nice job keeping it up. I always think it is a shame when an old barn with lot's of history is just left to fall apart and rot.

My house in the watercolor

I've recently decided to learn watercolor. This is my rendition of my house. Someday when I'm a well-known accomplished watercolorist you can say..."I knew her when she was first learning it..."