Yesterday began with a startling blue sky and dollops of clouds.
It didn't last long but at least we didn't have any rain.
I'm so glad to have a break in the weather and the chance to dry out and rake up
all the mess that was around the yard.
I have to admit that Dave and I were pooped from all the hard work.
There is a definite feeling of satisfaction to finishing the job.
Today....
Overcast and only in the low 50'sF.
Wonder what tomorrow will bring?
This is the only photo I took of yesterday's historic Northern California monsoon.
Dave and I were too busy just trying to get the gutters unclogged and the rivers of water
diverted away from the house.
This is a terrible quality photo but it's all I got..
Too bad we don't have a picture of how we both looked after working for more than 2 1/2 hours in the pouring rain...
It would have been good for a few laughs.
Today the sun is shining and everything is dripping and running down the gutters.
Amazing cloud off to the north so I know more is on the way.
We are so thankful for our tiny sump pumps. They kept the flooding rain away from our home.
Today's Photo a Day Challenge is:
THROUGH THE DOOR
Here's my contribution from my archives.
Enlarging the photos will show the detail a whole lot better.
That's what I got for today. 😀
Happy Birthday Mark!!
Celebrating 48 years young.
He's a wonderful, thoughtful and generous man.
He's also a great father, husband and son.
We love him to pieces.
Just minutes old....
1 year old at his Grandma's house.
Mark was blessed to find the love of his life 4 years ago.
God is so good.
I am so grateful for my sons.
Happy Birthday Mark
We love you.
Yesterday was my day for eldercare with my friend, Lynne.
We were sitting in her backyard on her swing for two.
She was snoozing and I was fiddling on my phone.
Something caught my eye and I looked up.
There was this snake slithering about a foot from our feet.
He looked up at me and shook his tail like a rattler would do.
Then he moved a bit away from us and started to coil.
I knew it wasn't a rattle snake but it was a bit unnerving.
He continued to move on under her patio table.
I decided to wake Lynne up and go back inside.
Later when I looked out the window, he was gone..
Sigh
I just don't like these guys, even when I know they aren't poisonous and are good for nature.
I believe this is a California King Snake.
Creepy....
Despite all the craziness in our world today, there is still much to be thankful for.
I am so thankful for the beauty of the seasons.
Fall isn't as brilliant this year but I still love the yellows of the birches and aspens.
One has only to look around to see some masterpieces of God.
Thanks for looking and leaving a comment.
Have a great day!
Yesterday was a great day.
Our son Steve and Daughter in Love, Sigrid invited us to go with them to Lake Tahoe for the day.
Steve needed to scope out some locations for an engagement shoot later this week.
We were so excited to be able to be back up in that area.
Things are finally open again after the horrible wildfires in the area.
Fortunately our favorite places were untouched, but there was so much land and personal property lost.
There wasn't a whole lot of color around. I believe the fires and heavy smoke plus the drought have
much to do with things.
Just wanted to share my hubby and I in front of that beautiful lake.
I'm so happy Dave is pretty much mobile again. We just have to take it slower but...
You can't keep a good man down!!
I hope everyone has a great week.
I have another busy Saturday today, so I'm going to post another sunset scene taken a few nights ago.
The weather is really changing for us in the greater Sacramento Valley.
Last night our heater came on for the first time in months.
I know a lot of people will think we are wimpy to need heat already, but after months of 100+F degrees...
69F feels downright chilly.
Enjoy your weekend.
Several nights ago I could tell that there was going to be some color in the sky.
So I grabbed my phone and headed out the door.
I was not disappointed.
The clouds overhead looked like a rainbow.
I snapped a whole bunch of photos since the colors were changing rapidly.
This one was my favorite.
Yay...Go God!!!!
Today's photo challenge is Back Alley Ways...
Here are my contributions for the day.
1. New York City... always the perpetual plastic bags of garbage ...
2. Sun and Shadows on the alley street
3. Wonder who lives here?
4. A bit too dark and mysterious for me
And now I need to quite playing around on my computer and get some housework done!
Today's photo challenge is all about cars and car parts..
Enjoy...
As always, enlarging the photos will give you a better view of the details.
I don't have a whole lot to say today.
It's just one of those days.
The phone rang very early this morning before we were awake.
Picked it up and they hung up.... happened exactly one hour later...same thing...
I am not a happy camper!!!
So...
I'll just post a pretty photo from my archives and call it done..
Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
Where in the world has September gone?
It seems I just changed my calendar and it's almost time to do it again.
No rain coming our way...but, actually it feels a bit more like Fall today.
The slant of the sun is different and a few leaves are turning color.
Dave went out yesterday and picked several pomegranates.
Such a dismal crop this year. The weather and fires everywhere have played havoc on everything.
These guys sitting on my kitchen counter have no color to speak of....
I wonder if they will even taste good.
Time will tell.
Enjoy your day..
Thanks everyone for your kind and encouraging comments on my last post.
Yes, it's a New Day today...
I finished my 3 day stint doing eldercare... slept well and ready to face today.
Things went pretty good. Alzheimer's is such a horrible disease.
Lynne is still in the beginning stages but each time I'm with her there is a bit less of the friend I have known for over 60 years.
Her memory is going rapidly and it makes me so sad. That causes the everyday routine things more difficult too.
Since she has 20% vision in one eye and NO vision in the other I have begun to notice that there is getting to be more of a disconnect between what she "sees" and what her brain tells her to see and do.
I feel like I have to have 360* awareness to keep her safe and secure.
I know she and I have Guardian Angels there with us as I go through the day.
Changing the subject... here are a few photos for my Photo Challenge from my club.
You may have seen these before but it's all I've got for today.
The challenge was "BACKLIGHTING"
Enjoy your day
Everyone was so happy that rain was in the forecast ....
It didn't happen!
I have been off line for the last 2 days and today also.
I'm doing 10 hour days of eldercare for my friend Lynne.
The lady that usually comes for those long days is sick and I am the last minute replacement.
Things are going pretty well but they are very long days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner prep included.
I have to admit I will be glad when today is done and I can get back to my regular schedule.
Happy to have a good paycheck but This old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be..😀
Happy Wednesday...
This Saturday was a really good day.
Dave and I had a chance to go to an annual event.
It was cancelled last year because of Covid .
We love supporting our Law Enforcement and First Responders.
This year we went as attendees...not working a food booth as we have in past years.
It was so nice to talk to all the Officers.
A few photos from a few years ago and 2 from today.
Enjoy what's left of your weekend.
Boy, does the week go so fast!
Here it is again...Wednesday...
Hump Day....
Wednesday Wisdom
So there you go...
😀
Feelin' kind of Dopey today !!
This weekend had both its ups and downs...
Mostly ups but I am sort of tired today.
My Eldercare time was more difficult than usual. Lynne was having some health issues.
The emotional drain can take it's toll. All is better now ... PTL ...
Dave and I also help out a gentleman by doing a lot of his paperwork and typing long email letters.
He has some big time tremors from a brain injury. Many times he can't control his arm movements to accomplish simple things.
He is a very negative and deep down inside angry person. I do a lot of praying before going over there.
The UP side is he buys us groceries as a thank you for helping him.
I've learned so much about myself doing this...
The UP part of the weekend was attending a pancake breakfast. It was put on at the fire station by our local firemen. They sure can cook up a storm.
Fun times and I like supporting our local people. The best part was the 2 young guys we sat across from while eating. The 17 year old young man and his younger brother were so interesting to talk to.
We found out we had much in common .. Both Dave and I said later that hearing him talk gave us the first real hope for future generations.
I can't believe I never took a photo or asked their names. The older kid wants to join the Air Force and do humanitarian work like disaster recovery.
Last night our older son Steve and his wife took us out for supper. We talked ninety miles an hour.
It was so fun to just sit and eat and visit.. Yummm.
If you have made it this far with my chattiness ... I will end with a few photos.
These are from the Photo a Day Challenges of the past week.
MONO COLOR
Thanks for looking and leaving a comment.
There is so much to be thankful for and today is no exception.
Our sons and their families have been so good to us and helped us in so many ways,
especially during Dave's fractured leg time...it's been 6 months already!
Our lawn guy which we have had for 14 years had to increase his prices and wasn't willing to work with us.
So,
We cancelled the yard care and thought what do we do now...we had no equipment since moving here.
Our wonderful next door neighbor cut the grass for us the last few months for which we are eternally
grateful.
Our son Mark ordered an electric lawnmower and now we are the proud owners of this great piece of equipment.
It's easy to push and I get my steps in since the lawn part is about a quarter acre.
THANKFUL....
Last month I posted a photo of the pears I had picked from our tree.
Now they have been transformed into a spice bread...kind of like coffee cake.
This is so dangerous for my diet
But...
Boy is it tasty.
I simmered the cut up pears with spices until they were pretty soft and then added them to a carrot cake batter.
The house smelled so good.
Dave and I had a tiny slice last night and I give myself a pat on the back.
Can you say YUM?
This is such a dangerous thing to have in the house.
I made another one to give to our next door neighbors.
Mike has been so wonderful. He has been cutting our lawn while Dave has been out of commission.
We are so fortunate to have such great people in our neighborhood.
I am posting these mostly for me and my annual journal book.
But
These are just too wonderful to not share with you.
My son Steve is a professional photographer and loves to photograph his daughter Amanda.
This was a photoshoot last week.
The theme was the Disney Pixar movie "BRAVE", featuring Princess Merida aka...Amanda.
" Our fate lives within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it."
