Happy Thursday!  It's time for "I like Thursdays" sponsored by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

*This week's likes include getting back my sewing machine and finishing one quilt top (no photo, sorry).  Yippee!

*The weather is cool in the morning and Lucky and I are enjoying our walks these days!

**The Phillies continue to do well!**

*I saw a wonderful documentary this week called "Name Me Lawand" on PBS.  It was a wonderful and touching story about a young deaf boy and his life in the U.K.  It was touching and inspiring!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: September 5, 2024

 

Hello and welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays" sponsored by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

I love my goofball kid brother.  He sent me this photo:

With the line:

ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLAY BASEBALL!

The Phillies had a slump but they are back proving that they are the fighting Phils!

***

I like the BBC show "Death in Paradise" and this past week, I watched a spin-off called, "Beyond Paradise".  It was good and I enjoyed it.  What's even better--another season has been booked!

***

LeeAnna's prompt this week is what calming exercises have you used in the past to maintain a level mood?

I walk.   I walk a lot as a matter of fact and even more so when I'm stressed.  I also sew but a more physical thing I do to keep equilibrium is garden.  There is nothing like whacking back bushes or attacking weeds to soothe my restless soul.  Plus, gardening has instant results; you can see immediately how much better things look!

***

Lastly, I have to share some dog humor!  Lucky is only 25-26 lbs and he fits nicely on my lap for his naps.  I now try to put all I will need around me...phones, tablet, etc.  

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: August 29, 2024

 

It's I like Thursday!  Sponsored by Lee Anna at Not Afraid of Color, we express happiness and gratitude!

I've been absent because I've been caring for my brother.  First it was kidney problems and then as he was recuperating, he fractured his back.  The back fracture was most likely due to osteoporosis.  

This is the same brother who lost his wife in March so I've been extra worried about him being alone when he was out of the hospital.  Fortunately, he lives down the street which made it easier to care for him.  And of course, I'm still caring for my mother.  It was a little crazy.

But I'm happy to report that he had an epidural last week and it seems to have provided him with some relief.  It's terrible to see loved ones suffering and I'm just grateful he can move a little easier now.

I love my dog and he has provided some really fun entertainment when I've actually been home.  The goofball feigns like he's really tough but he's actually afraid of odd things like:

wash baskets

buckets

acorns falling to the ground

and this pillow:

It fell to the floor while he was getting a toy and he spent about 20 minutes smelling it and then running away and jumping onto the couch.  😂  He's my little goofball!

When one doesn't have time to sew, one orders a lot of fabric.  Happily (for my wallet) I'm back in the sewing room finally!

I still need to catch up on all the blogs I follow because I hadn't had time for that lately.  Hoping you all are okay and having a great end-of-August!

Have a safe and happy day!

I like Thursdays: August 8, 2024

 

Greetings!  It's time for "I like Thursday" again and hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color.

Things I like this week:

RAIN!!!

We are finally getting rain and hopefully it will continue.  I lost many plants that literally got burnt in the heat this season.  Later this week, we are even supposed to get regular rain (versus the thunderstorms we've been getting).  I can't wait!

New FABRIC!!!

New fabric.  I wrote about this on my other blog but there is something wonderful about ordering some fabric to enhance your stash....or because you just like it.  😀

Lana's prompt this week is about the Olympics.  I've never been and to be honest, I haven't watched it that much this year because of caregiving.  But in light of my new fabric, I found this meme to be funny:

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: July 25, 2024

 

Good morning and welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color!

I like the t-shirt I purchased earlier this summer:

I like keeping my sense of humor these days.

And I like finding solutions to some of the challenges that occur with old age.  Recently, I purchased a digital clock with BIG numbers and my husband and I are really happy with it!

I do this a lot these days:

My hearing is not well.  I have an appointment in the fall to see how it is doing.  This is a common ailment on both sides of my family so I'm not that surprised by it.  One solution I found that helps is the closed caption on tv.  It means my neighbor doesn't have to listen to my Phillies games and Masterpiece Theatre at her home because of my volume.

Anyway, this week Lana's prompt is do you like to travel in the summer?  Yes when I was younger I enjoyed traveling by car to the shore or up to Canada for a few weeks.  But these days a real vacation for me is being able to spend time at home.  This never happens as I care for my mother and now my brother.  What about you?  

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: July 18, 2024

 

It's time for "I like Thursday" hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

We've been getting rain in the form of storms but some rain is better than none.  Tuesday's storms left our neighborhood a mess.  Many trees fell (some on houses) and our street was blocked by a tree until yesterday morning.  I think the trees are just bone tired.  Too much dryness and heat has left the trees vulnerable.  It's disheartening to see the trees like this but we do desperately need the rain.

I like that the temperatures are lower today and will be for a few days!  

I like taking Lucky for walks at various parks.  The other day we were at a local park that has a walking path outside the playground and sports courts.  This part of the park is fenced in.  Dogs are not allowed in the interior but welcomed at the walking path that surrounds it.

I didn't get a photo of this but I have to tell you that on Tuesday it was a fun walk.  There were two fawn and a mama inside the park.  All along the fence that surrounds the park, dogs stopped to watch the fawns who appeared completely unafraid of the dogs.  The dogs didn't bark at the animals--although their noses were madly sniffing.  It amused the heck out of me but surprised me that none of the dogs barked.  It was like the dogs were going to a special dog zoo and observing wildlife!  

Eventually, Mama deer collected her young-uns and left the park.

House sparrows are a real nuisance bird.  They chase other birds from the feeders and can be aggressive as well.  

Hughie loves watching the birds and feeding the birds but he's having a problem with the sparrows.  One day while he was at a grandchild's game, the sparrows did a number on his bird feeder.  He came home to find the above nest complete with some eggs.  I guess this is one way the sparrows will keep other birds from the feeder...but Hughie will NOT feed the birds again until he can dispose of the nest.  😂😂

This week's prompt is do we like to go to outdoor performances like concerts or plays.  When we were young, we would attend outside band concerts near my Nana's house.  Some local parks still sponsor concerts with local musicians.  I don't really care for going outside anymore.  Perhaps it's the heat this summer.  I just want to stay cool!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: July 11, 2024

 

Good morning and welcome to another addition of "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color.

Well we got rain last night and that is something we are grateful for today.  It wasn't a whole lot of rain but it was enough.  Down at the park this morning, some of the paths are still full of water!

Lately a mother duck has been bringing her babies to the pond we walk by.  The ducklings love to play on the waterlilies and I get such a kick watching them! 

It's not a great photo but I was trying to be respectful.  Mother Duck was sitting on the side of the pond keeping an eye on everything.  Then we realized this is what she watching:

Blue Heron

Even Lucky was apprehensive about that big feller!

He decided to watch him from afar!

This week's prompt is what kind of beverage we like during the summer.  I drink water and occasionally lemonade.  I don't make my own lemonade anymore but I found one that is tart enough  and that is called Lively Lemonade by Tropicana.  

The temperature is pretty good right now so I'm off to the garden to weed.  

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Happy Fourth!

 

Have a safe and happy day!

I Like Thursday: June 20, 2024

 

Happy Thursday!

Well, it's "I like Thursday" again and time to express all that is right in our world.  For more posts, visit Lana at  Not Afraid of Color and check out all the participants.

This week we have a heat wave.  But fortunately, the mornings are tolerable in the shade and Lucky is enjoying his sprinkler pool most mornings.  He wasn't sure of it at first but now he loves the pool.  All our activities begin at daybreak (long walk) and then breakfast, visiting mom (we put the pool at her house) and she sits outside in the shade laughing at the dog.  Home before noon and time to hibernate.

I like that our Phillies are winning again!

This week's prompt from Lana is about camping.  Well I did plenty of camping growing up.  So did my husband.  That's why we prefer hotel accommodations! 

We were both members of the scouts.  I attended G.S. camp every summer, sometimes the overnight variety (2 weeks away from home).  Mostly I attended day camp (Monday through Thursday).  When I was a teenager, I worked at camp as young teenager.  My pay was $1/day.

On the weekends or when camp was over, my brother and I spent most of our time at our grandparents.

Anyway, it was fun but I don't miss it now.  I'd rather be comfortable 

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I like Thursday: June 13, 2024

 

Good morning and welcome to this week's version of "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

What are you grateful for this week?

I'm happy that Lucky is well on the road to recovery and even likes his prescription dog food.  It seems to be helping him.  He's even taking time to smell the flowers!

I like that the weather has been cool.  We haven't need to put on the a/c and I've gotten a lot of things done in the garden!  In the backyard, my trusty partner keeps the chipmunks and squirrels at bay.

I also finished reading this book:

I enjoyed parts of this book and other parts were just too detailed.  Anyway, I'm glad I finished it.

I haven't done much sewing this spring but I did work out the layout of the quilt I'm making for my neighbor!  It's a relief to know the set up of the quilt so I can finish the top (more on that later).

Lana's prompt for this week was do remember the beginning of the summer?  The best of the summer for my brother and I was being sent to my grandmother's for longer than a weekend.  Nana and Pop had 3 kids our age and lived in a nice neighborhood in a small nearby city.  Lots of kids, lots of games, and my sister-aunt was my best friend growing up.  We had carefree times there like kids should!

There was no structure to our days there.  No one had air conditioning and we could stay up as late as we wanted on the front porch.  One of my favorite things was swaying on the glider with my Nana.  Neighbors visited the front porch in the cool of the evenings and occasionally in the late hours, something exciting would happen.  Occasionally we would hear an accident on the main boulevard and once someone even drove into the drugstore around the corner (the driver was fine and I think he was drunk).

We didn't need much to make us happy back then.  They were great times!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

Hello Again

 

Happy "I like Thursdays" to you!

It's been a long blog break due to family deaths, illness and other things that needed to be addressed.  I'm back and hope to visit all my favorite blogs now that things are slowing down.

I like Lucky.  We adopted a puppy from the local shelter.  He's a miniature poodle.  My husband named him "Lucky" because no one can believe he survived in our city without being hit by a car or attacked by another dog.  He's a handful and a little wild but during the last nine months, he's been a real comfort to the family.  I adore him and love being able to pick him up and pet him on my lap.  My mother and brother also love him and are always asking to babysit him.

Lucky at the pound, matted and underweight.

Lucky, master of the garden and anything else he wants.

Lucky's favorite person is my brother Jim who taught him how to play with toys.  Once Jim is around, Lucky ignores everyone and follows Jim everywhere--always prancing as he walks with a big smile on his face.

It's funny how such a little puppy can bring so much joy to an entire family.

Now for other things...

LeeAnna's prompt this week is do I feel as if I have to do anything all the time.  Do I have a problem relaxing?  

Well I'm older now.  The energy isn't what it once was and I've learned to let some of my standards slide as I get older.  The house is still acceptably clean and the garden chores are getting done.  But I'm taking things slower these days and giving myself more leeway.  

I like naps and Lucky tend to take one each day around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.  All I need is 30 minutes of a nap and I'm ready to go again.

Here is a saying I like very much these days:

Have a safe and restful weekend!