Happy Ground Hog Day!

Punxsutawney Phil
"And a bright sky above me

Showed my shadow beside me.

So 6 more weeks of winter it will be."

Art Video

The New Heater

Here's a shot of out new gas wood stove in action. It is the Champlain model.
And it is "Lucy approved."

Ah, Winter...

We had temperatures below zero this weekend- if only some snow had come our way as well!!
But it has been a great weekend to snuggle on the sofa with your BFF.

Fall Kayak Trip

The last kayak trip of the year, Bass River State Park in October. We decided to get a cabin- it was much too cold at night for tent camping.
Here's my brand new pink Schwinn Bike outside the back door of our cabin.
The cabins at Bass River were a nice surprise- large enough to sleep six, a nice little kitchen, a wonderful fireplace, and best of all: an indoor bathroom and hot and cold running water!!!

Fall Foilage

The weather was chilly, downright cold at night. But we could set out onto the lake right from our campsite. Most of the trees around the lake are pines at Bass River State Park but the colors of fall were all around us.

Bas River Camping Trip

It was too cold to go out on the lake our first day there. Ray drove up from Atlantic City and the three of us biked around the lake. The lovely thing about renting a cabin in the fall: the park provides you with a good supply of fire wood. It was so cold we started a fire each day by 4:oo pm. We brought a litle extra wood with us, so we had plenty to last, even stoking the fire all night the last night there.

Sunset

This is the view of our campsite from across the lake.
And of course, sunset on the lake taken from the water's edge right behind our cabin.

Pet-A-Palooza

Our local shelter holds an annual fund raiser and fun fair called "Pet-a-palooza."
There are vendors, rescue groups, food, and a chinese auction. To enter you make a donation of cash or pet food. They have fun contests like the longest tail, the smallest paw, and a pie eating contest. Even a pet psychic.
The dogs here are getting a quick drink of water as we gather for the Blessing of the Pets. (That is not Lucy in the front, but a younger look-a-like. It is hard to take pictures and hold leashes at the same time!)
Lucy and Ya Ya each won a new pet bed in the chinese auction.

SPCA Alumni Parade

Once again, Lucy walked proudly in the SPCA Parade of shelter alumni- dogs that have been adopted from the shelter. But she was not the oldest dog in the parade. The Pastor who gave the Pet Blessing walked in front of Ray and Lucy and his dog (age 16) held that honor.

Nicole successfully puts Gypsy (the cutest little teacup chihuahua and winner of the "smallest paw" contest) through her paces running the poles.
Nico decides jumping over the bar is not his style. He got into the spirit of the day later that afternoon by beating all the other dogs in the pie eating contest paws down.

Obstacle Course

The ramp was the most unpopular event at the Pet-a-palooza. Suzette and Nicole try to get Nico to give it a try without success.
Ray gets some help from a bystander when Ya Ya decides the ramp is not for her either.

Both girls snuggled together to enjoy a well deserved snooze after a busy day.

Election Day

After voting, DH and I stopped by our local farm market, "Lillians."
They always have creative displays and 'Joe the Plumber" was no exception.

New Hope (and a puppy!!!!)

"I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure."

Kayak Trip

Here are a few shots I took during my first trip down the Great Egg Harbor River.
The water was clear and cool and lots of different wildflowers were blooming along the banks. I would love to do this trip again, but make more frequent stops and take more pictures. It took us 6 hours but the water was very low in places. At one point I even had to get out and pull my kayak over a fallen tree (and get back in without tipping over!!)

Summer Ending?

Can it be?? Evenings cool enough to sit out in the backyard around a blazing fire? I've taken so many pictures this summer I intended to post.
It's time for me to catch up, before I start taking fall shots of the yard & neighborhood.
This is Lucy in front of the chimenea on an evening when we came home unexpectedly early due to car trouble.

Sunflowers

The little Teddy Bear Sunflowers have bloomed and faded but these beautiful red ones are just getting started. This is the first flower from a plant given to me by one of my gardening friends (Thank you, Wanda!)
I love these late summer bloomers - this one is right across from our picnic table. But you can see what a poor job of weeding I do this late in the season. Those morning glories pop up everywhere.

Bountiful Harvest

Here's a close up of our little baby pumkins.

We put this trellis in front of the entrance to the vegetable garden and this white pumkin vine really took it over. Looks like we'll have a nice crop of Lumina Pumkins this year.

We've got a pretty crop of Chihuahuas coming up too....

Birthday Lilly

These are the first 2 blooms on my "Lilly Tree."

This was a gift for my 50th birthday from my dear friend Barbara. It is lovely, and the color has deepened after a couple of days.

You can see the Montauk Daisies behind it- crowding a little, and the gray object in the corner is one ear of my bunny statue.