Today...

Today I am going to count my chickens after they hatch.

Actually, I'm not sure how many chickens I'm going to count today, but I am going to smile every time I think about this picture of my aunt.

A Second Look--September 18, 2013

Tonight there's a nip in the air and a full moon shining. A perfect evening to sit with Ward and talk. This afternoon the air was warm and the sun was shining.  A perfect day to do a Second Look.

Here are some things I saw this week during a Second Look.

The Gerber Daisy is going to bloom one last time.

This is one of two Blackeyed Susans still in bloom.

The sedum is turning a darker pink.

The milkweed pods are opening.

Coreopsis--Yet another flower that only has a couple left blooming.

This spider is snacking on the grasshopper that it caught in its web.

I added some pansies to my front flower beds.

By the light of the silvery moon...

Over or Under

or How do you hang your toilet paper?

Does it matter to you how your toilet paper is hung? Does it matter whether it unrolls from the top or from the bottom? Apparently it does to many people. Advice columnist, Ann Landers, said the toilet paper debate was one her biggest topics over the years. I, on the other hand, never paid much attention to the way toilet paper was hung until I met Ward. After a couple of years of me and my willy-nilly ways of hanging, he asked if I could hang it so it would unroll from the top. That seemed like a small enough request, so I tried to comply. Eventually, I got the hang of it (pun attended) and over the top became my preferred way also. He gave several reasons of why over the top was the superior method--none of which I can remember now. However, I have learned that always having it hung the same way makes it easier to unroll it in the dark. No guessing if its over or under. We have passed this method onto Wally and Theo also.

So all was right with the world until this weekend when someone else was in the house and just happened to install a new roll in our guest bathroom. And guess what? They put it on so the tissue unrolled from the bottom! Oh no. What to do? I decided to sit back and watch what was going to happen next. Would we be able to use up this roll without changing it? Or would one of us not be able to help ourselves and fix it? Well, it took about eight hours until I noticed that it had been changed. I'm not sure who did it, but my bets are on the person who taught me the over the top method in the first place. And if the truth be told, I also felt a lot better when it was "fixed".

Do you have a preferred way of hanging your toilet paper?

Thankful Sunday--September 15, 2013

I am thankful that Ward and Wally fixed our fence.

We have a 30 year old split rail fence around our yard that has seen better days. What hasn't fallen down from rotten wood is being knocked down by the deer. However, Ward and Wally have been working on repairs. Not easy work, but one I am thankful they are doing.

Magic Show

or Kids will be kids--no matter how old they are.

Recently at a festival we attended, we watched a magic show. The magician was Rodney The Younger (not to be confused with Rodney the Elder.) and even though he did only simple tricks, he was still a crowd  pleaser.  He was really more like a stand up comedian with his humorous patter while he was pulling things out of his sleeves.

The first member of the audience he pulled up on stage was a little curly haired boy who was totally awed by the "magic" Rodney was doing. He was adorable to watch with his big eyes and gasps as tricks were preformed around him. He truly believed in the magic.

Next Rodney asked who was there with their parents. Wally promptly raised his hand high. I scolded him and said that he wasn't eight years old and to put his hand down. And then Theo raised his hand which was totally out of character. He usually doesn't want to do anything to draw attention to himself. However,  I guess the possibility of getting his parents on stage overrode his shyness. And you know where this is going. In no time, Ward and I were both on stage for the next 10 minutes of the act.

While Rodney did some good-natured teasing and jokes, Ward and I and the audience watched as he did many tricks with Chinese Linking Rings. And, yes, it was both embarrassing and fun. But mostly it was fun for Wally and Theo. I guess it doesn't matter how old you get, it is still fun to see your parents look silly.