Today's Favorite Pic

I change my favorite pic often these days with the many bump and sonogram updates I receive. (For some amazing 3D pics of our little man, check out Kristiina's blog).

This is my new favorite picture.



Doesn't it just scream Vermont?! It was taken the day after Thanksgiving when Kristiina and Nic went to the tree farm to choose their Christmas tree. The one pictured here is the lucky winner. It's now standing in their cozy living room, strung with lights, and awaiting adornment.

This bump update marks 34 weeks. They had a doctor's appointment yesterday and all is well.


I said I'd share some pics from the baby shower... my perspective of it. I'm only posting two because our connection was lousy and they're both very blurry. But I was there, anyway!






There I am in the lower left-hand corner. ;-)



And here's a recent sunrise. See the leafless trees in the foreground... it's beginning to look a lot like winter. Our weathermen say we can expect snow on Saturday!



Ciao-Happy Wednesday.

Look Familiar?

(

No?




How about this? ... it's the ears!

He's our handsome Jake, the O'Brien Family's first dog. We loved him... he was soooo good. He passed away almost 3 years ago. Still miss him.




This little girl, whom we found at the job site across the street, is about 1/5 Jake's size - but those ears immediately made me think of him! (You're right, Kristiina. They're opposite Jake's.)




We're fostering her until we can find the PERFECT home. She deserves a perfect home (where she'll be utterly spoiled and pampered), as she is beyond precious, lovable, loyal, trained, well-behaved, and is a very manageable 15-ish pounds.

Until then, we're calling her Ada (eighta! wink, wink!!)

Major Rock Slide

We had one just up the road from me today!

It's one of my favorite scenic routes along the Ocoee River on Highway 64 (yup, like I said, just up the road from me), and I'm now blocked (for at least three weeks) from gaining access to my beloved Goforth Creek.

It's the route I take to Cleveland, TN, which is where I have to go if I need (want) something other than Walmart... which isn't near me either, actually, but is 25 miles in the opposite direction! Anyway. I don't need anything at the store and I was just at Goforth Creek a little over a week ago, so... I guess three weeks will be okay for me. But not for some! It's a major thoroughfare 'round here!

Check out this video. Someone actually caught the slide on camera! (The latter of the two that occurred in the same location... one at 6 am, and one at 1 pm.)

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/10/video-second-slide-keeps-ocoee-gorge-blocked/?localvideo-news

For those of you that have been to visit me, you'll recognize this spot. It's at dam 2 which is the drop-in for rafters and has that major waterfall over the dam, and just 2 miles from Goforth. I was just there a few days ago taking pictures... walking on that same walkway where you see the TDOT crewman walking.

Here's one I was able to embed, not as informative as the link, but you can see the slide:



Thankfully, no one was hurt.

Technology

I'm thankful for it today.

Though Kristiina is a thousand miles away... I'll participate in her baby shower today via Skype.com... online video. Hooray!

I would prefer to be there in person, but I've chosen to save up my dollars for the arrival of our little man in January! This will be the next best thing to being there...

Do you Skype? You should... when you can't be there in person, it's a pretty nifty substitute. Plus, it's free!



Here's a pretty autumn picture for ya...




I'll let you know how the shower goes... maybe I'll even post pictures!



Caveat: It's a nifty substitute when the computer/internet works properly. I was only "present" for some of the shower and stomping, huffing, and shaking my fists at the computer the rest of the time. Waaa!

Textures

Sunday I went on an outing with a photography club out of Blue Ridge, GA. It was a fun day and we saw some beautiful sights!

I took two of the shots (not necessarily the best ones... just random) and played around with textures in Photoshop.

Here's the original photo of the road leading to Bald River Falls (I kept them really big so you can see the textures):



And here it is with the pencil texture added to it:



This one has the watercolor feature:



And this one is sponge:


Do you have a favorite?


This is the original photo of Tellico River (near the falls):


And here it is with the watercolor feature added:


For this shot, watercolor is the only one I played with.

What do you think... do we like textures?

Then and Now

Well...


Then as in "last August" and


now as in "last week."



Check it out...



Remember this?



It was taken last August when my girl came for a visit.



Here's that same overlook taken last week. I wish my punkin' were standing there rubbing her baby bump.

And there was this.

I was shocked that the leaves were starting to turn in August!

Here's that same row of trees... at the same overlook, taken last week.

Yes, the red really is that red. I did not photoshop enhance these!

And just because I mentioned The Bump... here's an update on that as well!

28 weeks.

Ta-da! Happy Day.

Seven for Sunday

... even though it's Monday.

I took a long drive yesterday after lunch along winding country roads dotted with little white churches. The sun shown intermittently through the trees while the breeze blew spent, though colorful, leaves from the trees. It was kinda dreamy.

Here's some of what I encountered...


We still have a way to go before we reach peak color...



These four horses were happily grazing, though all were interested in what I was up to.



A bit of sunshine and blue sky could have made this a "Wow" shot, in my opinion.



I ended up all the way to Monroe County, TN, traveling the Cherohala Skyway. I believe this is the Tellico River.



This is Bald River Falls. A 100 foot drop.



The bridge where the peepers are located is from where you view the waterfall.



And this is 10-week old Marley with his human, Lucas.
"Aw." I said. "Named after the dog in Marley and Me?"
His response, "No, named after Bob Marley." Oh.

It was a nice day... and now we're back to rain, rain, rain!

Beautiful Skies

I'm drawn to them. I love them. I have dozens... hundreds of pictures of them.

Misty, muted morning skies... bright blue daytime skies... colorful, vivid evening skies...



This is a sunrise from my balcony.



Another sunrise from the same balcony a few weeks later.




Was on a hike and the bright puff of white cloud caught my eye.




A sunset from Lot 51 at Wilderness Creek Falls.




Another sunset from Wilderness Creek Falls... this one is Lot 53.




Driving home from Blue Ridge, GA, this sight kept capturing my attention in the rearview mirror. Finally, I had to just pull over a get a shot of it!

Happy Friday!

Should I Be Afraid?

I'm not the kind of girl that squeals and flails and flees in terror at the sight of a bug. But then, I've posted enough bug photos on here that you probably already knew that.

I'm wondering, however, just how much respect I should give to these furry creatures...


For the last two weeks, I've seen them all over my house... OUTSIDE, thankfully.



It must be furry spider season! They're in the corners of my doorways; their webs cross and block my stairway leading down to the office (and I gently remove it with a long stick so I can pass, while the spider panics and crawls furiously to the rhododendron bush); the other morning, there were even two webs (and two fat spiders in the center of them) on my car - bumper to rear windshield!



Okay, so I don't squeal, flail and flee... but I do shiver a little at the sight of them. Icky - Eeeew.

Any insights on what kind of spider this is? ... and should I be afraid?

Sweet Baby

She's my homeless friend. She resides, so to speak, at one of the local beer joints and is there every day, rain or shine.

I pass by every Sunday on my way to church and have taken to stopping and giving her some lovin'. She likes it! She nuzzles my legs with her head and talks to me if I stop!



She has the potential to be a beauty, but is in desperate need of a makeover... or just a bath would do wonders!

She looks like a golden to me... you think?




Would you look at that face? When I pet her, I can only touch the white fur on her face because she is smelly! Oh, but she loves it so much!




If only I had room for one more. Then again, what's one more when you already have seven?! But then I'd see another one and say what's one more when you already have eight... and on it would go.

She seems content, actually, living at the beer store. By the looks of her, she gets plenty to eat. The merchants and patrons must be feeding her... if it weren't satisfying her needs, she wouldn't stay there, right?




"Wait. Where you goin'? You'll be back next Sunday, right?"

"Yes, Sweet Baby. I'll be back next Sunday ...and I'll bring treats."

My Emma Girl

The other day... last week, I decided I wanted to take a walk after dinner. I thought it would be a good idea to head up to the spec house and check on the progress. I was curious to see how far the framers had gotten.

I also thought it would be a good idea to take one of the dogs with me. I didn't care which one, so I decided the first one to respond to, "Who wants to go for a walk?" would be the one that got to go.

Turns out it was Emma. Not surprising.





The next time I get a good idea... remind me to think again.




Oh, it was beautiful. A lovely evening for a walk.




It was also 10.4 miles, one way, mostly up hill! Okay, it's not that far, but it felt like it. Whew!



As we approached the house (though, actually it was still out of sight...)




(...as we only made it as far as the fire pit),


we both discovered that the guys hadn't left yet; we could hear their air guns echoing off the mountains.




At first Emma was curious.


She slowed her pace... then she stopped. She stood tall and her ears perked up.


Then in a flash she turned and lunged toward me. She stood on her hind legs, with her front paws digging into my shoulders (she's that tall when she stands on her hind legs) and attempted to climb me with her back legs, as if to say, "Pick me up! Pick me up, mama, I'm scared!!"


Poor girl (I had to laugh, though, she was so funny!). I settled her down and we abruptly turned and headed in the opposite direction.




When we were far enough away from the scary noise, I had her rest for a bit.

She was tired and panting, and probably wishing I had brought some water.

"I'm still a little nervous, mom."

"Can we go home now?"

Well, that was fun. I wonder if she'll be as eager to go next time?! (Of course she will.)