An Announcement

I am sick of snow!

That is all.

Peepul R Dumm

When on vacation last week my glass of iced tea was placed upon this cocktail napkin depicting the southern coast of Maine.


A closer look at the napkin reveals this important warning: "Not to be used for navigation"


It reminds me of the therapeutic whirlpool at a clinic I used to work at. On the side of the tub it said, "WARNING: DO NOT HOLD THE PATIENT'S HEAD UNDER WATER WHILE IN WHIRLPOOL."


Of course, it's probably better to be stupid enough to try to navigate from a napkin or hold your patient's head under water than to be a PLANT KILLER! This is what I came home from vacation to:

I've been watering them hoping they bounce back. But, it doesn't look good :( (especially the middle one)

Vacationland

Maine, that is.

Old Orchard Beach with it's cool tidal pools and patterns in the sand

Portland in the fog

Orr's Island

Lands End

Bailey's Island Bridge, the world's only granite cribstone bridge being repaired

Random vacation thoughts:

- One of these days I am going to learn to take pictures of water with the horizon actually horizontal.

- Boston drivers = crazy

- Connecticut waiters = rude

- Maine = beautiful, but rainy

- Me = Had fun and glad to be home :)

So far, so good

They aren't dead yet.

The next victims

We'll see how long they last...heh heh heh.

Sideling Hill

I went to meet with a friend today, and on the way I passed Sideling Hill in Maryland. You can see some pretty cool strata in the rock where they cut through Sidling Hill for the highway. There is a pedestrian bridge over the highway that I wanted to go across to get some better pictures. But, the wind was blowing so hard it felt like the loose fitting top I was wearing would get blown away if I even raised my arms over my head. So.....these pictures will have to do.

The view the other way was pretty nice too.

By request

It was recently suggested to me that I post more pictures of flowers. That has been difficult due to the buckets full of rain falling.



But here are a few, including honeysucle....one of my favorite scents. These grow all along the roads here so that you can smell them as you are driving.



Dogwood



Lilacs



Tulip



Lilly of the Valley

More signs...

...of Spring.

Signs

No, I don't mean the movie Signs, though I love that movie. I mean signs of Spring.


Here are some of the crocus from my parent's front garden. There were also pretty white, yellow, and paler lavender ones but my camera battery chose that moment to die on me so I was unable to take more pictures.

I successfully defended my dissertation proposal yesterday. A big thank you to those of you who were aware that was happening and were praying for me.

Blue skies

It has been pretty cold here lately, but the sky has also been a beautiful blue. Maybe Spring is not too far away.

Wow

Wow, a laptop with actual visible letters on the keys! And a power cord that doesn't need to be held very gingerly and at a specific yet ever changing angle in order to work! WooHoo! (and a thank you to my parents for their contribution toward this for Christmas).


While I'm posting photos, here's one of my niece opening a gift from my brother and his girlfriend.

And here's one of my "other niece" (my brother's great dane) playing with my gift to her. She is getting even bigger. She jumped up on me and with her paws on my shoulders her head is above mine.

More Snow...

It seems that it is going to be a heavy winter for snow. This is what I woke up to this morning.

Christmas is Coming....

Time to bake!

Saturday evening I was supposed to go to a Christmas decorating party at a friend's house, so I made some mini cheesecakes. They have Oreo cookie crusts and I mixed Oreo bits into some of the cheesecakes. Some also got topped with toffee and chocolate bits right out of the oven. I topped the rest with cherry or raspberry filling. Unfortunately the party was cancelled due to bad road conditions. So, I gave the cheesecakes to my Dad and Mom when I went to visit Sunday.

Out of the oven

Help, I'm falling!

Ready to serve

Sunday evening I made banana chocolate chunk and pumpkin mini-muffins for my co-workers for Christmas.

A sea of mini-muffins

Thanksgiving

I meant to post this yesterday, but I got home too late. I wanted to take a minute to be thankful to God.

-I am thankful for His grace and mercy, and for sending Jesus to save me.

-I am thankful that He is faithful and has always made a way for me.

-I am thankful for a loving family and friends.

-I am thankful for my home and all that He has provided for me.

Yesterday, I went to my brother's house for Thanksgiving dinner with my parents, my sister, brother-in-law, niece, an aunt, my brother's girlfriend, and my brother's 70lb great dane "puppy" (referred to as the "grand-doggy" by my father). We had a lovely time. The meal was wonderful (my little brother is a fabulous cook) and the fellowship was even better.

A self portrait by my niece

More photographic stylings by my niece....isn't she talented?

The "puppy"