Mystery question...

Okay, who mentioned a book called The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery?!? LOL. I've been skimming through everyone's blogs trying to find the answer to this question. Anyway, someone mentioned liking it, so I got a copy on my Kindle. I'm a third of the way through it and still don't like the main character. Does she get better? She seems to begin by having a lifelong pity party and then goes on to be insufferably judgmental. I'm hoping there will be further change in the right direction. Hope, hope. :)

I'm still finishing up the Dutch Sheets book on intercessory prayer, but I also received this one in the mail. I've been watching some videos on YouTube from Alisa Childers channel. It's mostly on Christian apologetics, and the author of this book was on. It should be good!

In Real Life it's a good time for making hay! The farmer who owns the neighboring field is getting it done. These were taken yesterday. He's back today finishing up. I love to watch. Brings back good memories of baling and loading hay with Bob.

 I thought these ferns and the painting I received from one of my art pals, looked good together.

 I'm still reading The Business of Heaven, which is a collection of excerpts by C.S. Lewis. I thought this one was good. Lots of them are good!

I've been doing lots of ATCs and APCs lately. I'm scheduled for 2 cataract surgeries in August, two weeks apart. I'm not sure how this might limit me as far as making art and reading, so I'm doing a lot while I can! Have any of you had cataract surgery? I'd love to hear about your experience!

These 7 cards are for a Free Themed swap, so they could be any theme we felt like making. I just tried to use up some of my scraps!

These two with the old cars were my favorites.

These are for an APC swap called Flowers and Something Else. So, they had to have flowers and something else...right. We'll go through the entire deck. Kings next month!

These are for a monthly series with postage stamps. This month's theme was Land Animals.

The last month's theme was Sea Life.

Sorry, just trying to catch up on pics of my cards, just for the record.

About a week and a half ago I went for a walk down the county road in front of my house. This little river and marshy area are on my route. They looked so pretty in the early morning, but I hadn't brought my camera. SO, when I got home I grabbed it and jumped in my car to go back and take pictures before the light changed too much. :) (It's less than half a mile away.)

These were on the west side of the road...

Out my side window from my parking place.

And these were on the east.

As usual, photos don't do it justice and I miss the twang of the bullfrogs. I think I might need to take a walk down that way right now before it gets too dark! (Update: I did.)

And when I returned I saw that the farmer had finished up the hay. The grand girls had visited with the farmer and he reported that he had made 117 bales on this field! It looks impressive, but doesn't show up well in this photo.

Long shadows are making a beautiful evening. The girls are making "kites" out of plastic grocery bags tied onto a long string, which is then attached to a stick. They kind of work. But they're having lots of fun.

I've been painting some rocks to hide on the hiking trail. I gave three of them to the girls to keep, and now I need to make one for Sully. He requested that it be red with a LION on it! We'll see what I can come up with. I'll have to take photos of some of the finished rocks.

That's all for now. I hope you're all well, out there. We're doing fine here. Keep enjoying the simple pleasures!

Love and shalom!

Audrey's birthday!

Happy 9th birthday, Audrey! It's amazing how old these kiddos are getting! Her main gift was a compound bow. She's looking forward to a lesson this afternoon with her dad. She wants to be in Shooting Sports in 4-H next year. I'll take my little gifts over later today when it's cake time! :)

We've had a couple of monster thunder and lightning storms in the past couple of weeks. Last night was another. I could have gone next door, but by the time I considered this option the rain, hail, and lightning were at such a level that it would have been stupid to venture out. So, I prayed and wasn't really nervous. One thunderclap was so loud it felt like a giant stomped on my house, but I think everybody probably felt that. All's well this morning!

The only storm picture I got. Can't tell much, lol. 

I've gotten a few thrift items lately. The little fishing themed thingy in my header photo was one of them. I'll have to correct the punctuation on that, lol. It's bothering me. I pick up various "lake themed" items.

I'll give this to Audrey at Christmas. It's excerpted from The Wind in the Willows. Maybe she'll become a fan!

I've long been a fan of Gwen Frostic's block print art, but I didn't realize what this little packet was when I first picked it up off the thrift store shelf.

 It was full of little note cards decorated with her block print nature art! She may have passed on by now, but I think you can still purchase her art at her website. (Update: I visited her site. She died in 2001, but her site is alive and well. They have some really gorgeous notecards, calendars and the like. Worth a look!)

More thrift store note cards. I use these for mailing  my ATCs. Gives them a little extra protection.

Yesterday Della (age 5) saw that I was donating my teapot to the local thrift store which benefits the Developmental Achievement Center. She asked wistfully, "Grandma, why don't you keep it so I can have tea parties?" Who can resist such a request? I did end up donating it because I found a better one! I picked up an assortment of teacups and saucers (50 cents each). She stipulated that she needed five. Here's what I found.

GOLD!

Alice in Wonderland!

Fancy! This one was actually in my donation pile, but I saved it for her.

Kind of small, but ADORABLE! May need to make a couple of batches of tea with this little pot.

I see some broken dishes in my future, but at 50 cents a pop, we can afford to replace them. She'll have tons of fun!

Audrey and Hazel set up a table for studying and washing rocks.

 The girls decided to paint the Himalayas. They must have watched a documentary. ;)

I'm guessing this is Della's.

Hazel?

Pretty sure this is Audrey's. More detail.

Probably another Hazel creation. She's a fast painter.

 Adam finally had time to finish this gable end. There will be a garage at the other end of the house, so it will wait for now.

RUST-ic.
The white patch on the lower right is where the rock work will begin. It will wrap around and go all across the front of the house. A stone mason can't have a house without stone on it!

Adam is also running next door to help his dad build a new house for his sister and her family. These guys don't do much lounging around!

The girls found this footprint and wondered who made it. I thought it was probably the local guinea hens, but they hoped it was a sandhill crane. Their tracks are very similar, but I don't think the cranes would land this close to the house. Adam later weighed in with a vote for turkeys. We may never know.

I still think it was these guys or girls.

And this little fella showed up on my front door the other day right before one of those storms. I checked on him during the storm and he was flattened out with his arms over his head and his legs stretched out behind. It was hilarious! I hope he made it okay.

Well, I think I've exhausted the contents of my memory card for now. I hope you're all doing well. I'll be around to check on you!
Keep on enjoying your summer!
Love and shalom to all.