New outdoor furniture...our home...

"You see... I do look out of my window a lot." -Quentin Blake

We are almost completely settled in.   Our outdoor furniture finally arrived.  In boxes.  Warren spent 2 days putting it all together.  Our screened in porch has now become our favorite room, and where we spend a lot of our time...

Here in NC, the porch is an extension of your living space, because the weather is temperate, and mild.  I now find Warren out on the porch eating, reading, or relaxing.  Something he never did in Roswell unless he was forced to.  The porch really is divine.  Warren, also, got a grill for the unscreened porch that is connected to our gas line from our fireplace.  No more running out of propane while grilling.  We have a very nice table, and 6 chairs.  Pictures of our other porch will be in another post.

And here is our living room with all the wonderful light flooding the room.   I just threw these pictures in because I liked the light.

I have been painting more furniture...my armoire, and a clock.  Both were dark wood, which did not go well with our light colored furniture in our bedroom.  So I painted them...rather brightly, just like I did the table on our porch.

table on the porch

Top view...

large view of the heart...

Another view of the top

This is my armoire...the beige color is the color on our bedroom walls.

And here is the clock with a photo of Warren and I taken a long time ago...

Maggie spends much of her time gazing out our bedroom window, making sounds that sound like a machine gun when she sees some critter out there.  I know she'd like to be outside trying out her hunting skills, but we are more afraid that she will soon become the hunted.  She is strictly an indoor cat now, but is a keen observer...

She's sitting on my night stand on top of my YMCA exercise schedule...

I've been trying to take photos of all the critters that visit outside our bedroom window.  The one that is the most annoying is a gray squirrel.  He robs the birdseed from my feeder.  And he eats my bird feeder roof.

Looking innocent

Notice the tape on the top of the bird-feeder.  He chewed a hole in the roof, and almost through the wire.  I had to use a twisty to keep the feeder hanging.  I thought about shooting this fellow, but opted to buy a squirrel proof feeding instead.  It seems to be working.  He can't get the feed anymore.

But he's not innocent...he's guilty...caught in the act...

I do like the white squirrels though... they have never bothered my bird feeder.  They have more manners.

Recently, a chipmunk showed up... I think it's pretty cute.

And of course, the many birds...

This is a woodpecker...there are some beautiful red-headed ones I have yet to get a photo of...

That's a picture of our world, and our home...and I love it!  I hope you do too!

Twins...Awana's...and another attempted photo shoot...

"Children make your life important." -Erma Bombeck

The boys have been attending Awana's every Wednesday at church.  They are "cubbies".  What is Awana's?  It is a Bible based program to teach children about the Lord, His Word, and His Way.  They have stories, learn songs, and memorize scripture.  They have a variety of activities so they can earn badges for completing a project, or saying their memory verse.  The boys each have a Cubbie book that has great hands on projects, and stories that teach Biblical values, and character.  We do the activities, but what they like the most, is the CD with the stories, and Bible verses.  They ask to listen to it during nap time, and bedtime.  One day I heard Tate playing, and he was quoting one of his scriptures.  It was very nice to hear.

Last Wednesday was the award program for the kids.  They performed their songs, said their memory verses, and got their ribbons.

Sawyer third from the left (first row)...he's sticking out his tongue.  Tate second from the right (first row) next to the girl on the end.  Notice their cubbie vests:  they each have earned an apple badge.  It's at the top of the "A" on the left side of the vest.  

Hmmm.  Somehow they are all singing a song, but each one seems to be doing a different hand gesture.  

Sawyer always has his cars with him.  See them in his hands?

Gini gives Sawyer his ribbon.
Tate was too fast for me to take a picture.  He was up and down in no time.

It goes without saying that I love taking photographs.  Nothing brings me more joy than taking pictures of my grandkids...or my own kids (even though they are all grown now).  I like to look at other photographers to try to make my photos better.  There is one photographer that I adore her work.  Her name is Elena Shumilova.  She lives in Russia, and is self-taught.  I have never seen photos like the ones she gets...they are breath taking.  I've read all I can about her, and even had my name on the waiting list for her workshops she was offering in the USA. (I did not get in...Rats).  Anyway, she says to photograph your kids everyday doing everyday things to get them used to the camera.  That way, they will learn to ignore it.  Well, I have been trying to do that, but these photos were staged...and you can tell by their silly faces.  What can I say...it was pouring rain outside, and I thought it would be a fun time to snap a few photos.  It was something to do.

That's my photo shoot of the twins.  Stay tuned for more...one of these days.  And hopefully doing everyday things.

Fun Adventures...Tyron Equestrian Center...

"A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves-strong, powerful, beautiful-and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence." -Pam Brown

"I've often said there's nothing better for the inside of man than the outside of a horse." -Ronald Reagan

Out in the middle of nowhere, and outside the city of Tryon (about 20 miles away), there is the most amazing equestrian center.  We had no idea it existed until a couple from our church called to ask if we wanted to go watch "Saturday night lights" at this center.  Saturday night lights is not like "Friday Night Lights"...which is football.  This is a horse jumping competition held every Saturday night during spring, and summer months.  I immediately wanted to go since I have had a love of horses since I was a little girl.  Warren was not too sure he wanted to go, but he did change his mind, and he is glad he did.  We had the most wonderful time.  When we drove in, we were in awe at the size, and beauty of the place.

There was housing for staff, restaurants, shops, corrals, barns, and many training and competition fields...and tons of parking.  Along the side of the roads, there were tons pots containing many different kinds of plants.  I guess at some point someone is going to plant these for landscaping.  It literally looked like a nursery.  Since the competition had not started when we arrived, we took the opportunity to look around.

This is one of the many shops...

There was not one boot under $1000 in this shop...

I am not sure, but I think this is VIP seating, and it maybe part of a dining experience...

There was activities galore for all ages...

As the competition was about to start, and we were walking to find a perfect seat, this dog was performing tricks of his own.  The owners were seated behind him, and they had no idea his dog was focused on a group of ladies seated at a table not far from him eating hamburgers.  I think he wanted one of their burgers, and was doing his best to impress them in hopes of getting some pieces of meat flung his way.

This guy was on the practice field before the competition started.  I thought it was interesting that all of the horses wore these little "hats" over their ears.

The riders were from all over the world, as were the horses.  The competition begins.  The winner will receive a $25, 000 in prize money.  

The event was divided into two sections with about 20 riders in each.  In between the two groups, maintenance crews came out to wet down, and drag the field...and throw T-shirts to the crowd.

Round two begins...

There was a lady rider from Santa Fe that I was hoping would win, but she did not.  This guy here had the best ride, and ultimately won the competition.

We were told the center, as we saw it, was only half completed.  There were plans for a full resort and spa.  I found out there is a weekly farmer's market there as well.  I shall have to check it out.    

There was only one bad accident when a horse did not make it over a double poled jump, stumbled, and landed on its knees, and throwing the rider off.  Both were visibly shaken, but neither hurt very badly.  Warren reminded me that it was doing this sport that "Superman", Christopher Reeves, was injured and paralyzed.  I was very glad that neither horse or rider were hurt, and both walked off the field.  We definitely plan to go back, and maybe...one day or night...we will stay there just for the fun of it.