in a childs eyes

So I have decided that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than a childs eyes when he sees something he likes. Perrin loves a lot of things in this world so far and this year he is so excited about Chris chris as he calls it. I love the way his face lights up and the amusing way he has of expressing his joy. But most of all I just love him. He always asks "are you happy" and especially when he has done something good. I hope he never becomes greedy or self centered and is always blessed with the happy disposition he has so far in this world showed me.

which is more important -tacky lights or cows ?

mmmm I need new direction for getting my creativity going again. Right now all my brain can think about is why doesnt Al Gore talk about all the holiday lights using up our natural resources... He seems to think cows are unnecessary so what about the lights ?

Petersburg Art

Recently I went to Old Street in Petersburg and enjoyed some new art that I found there. I went to see the Art Underfoot Project and what a fun idea for the sidewalks. I am sure that will bring me back to this part of town again. Another place I visited for the first time was the Petersburg Art League (free of course) and was completely amazed at what is here. This part of town is really coming alive again and Mr Howard Mann was extremely nice and helpful during our visit. I love how they have used some older buildings here to show off talent in our area and other places. The art will change each month and they have a 2nd Friday at the Arts which I would hope many will come to see each month. You never know what little treasures for the mind you will find.

manatee in James River

manatees and sturgeon

Just a short little blog today and a pic on the manatee in the James River. A long time ago, in the 80s the mayor of Hopewell placed a wreath in Appomatox River because someone thought they had seen one. A lot of people thought all of them were crazy but I kept in my memory of it because in the early 60s, someone found a whale that had beached itself along that same river. I hate it when people look at you like you have lost your mind. So now I have this picture of the manatee and also of the sturgeon that are coming up the river too this fall. I find it interesting and in a sweet way pleasing that they are here in my area.
So I am still working on the Halloween yard but dont like to put my creatures outside when it is going to rain. Please let there be no rain til after Halloween next week. I want a super haunted yard for me and my little grandson Perrin.
Hope you have a good day.

Graveyard at our home

getting ready

Whew havent wrote anything for awhile now. Been busy remodeling home inside and out. But have been enjoying reading Carolina Bikers blog for some time now on his visits to Richmond and around our area. I have been here for a long time now and am finding out things I didnt know about in my own backyard. But it is my favorite time of the year now and so have been getting ready for Halloween. Worked on the graveyard and still have to finish the pipe organ I have been trying to put together. My reaper should look cool sitting at the keyboard.
Got lots of new additions to the Haunt this year and my first mummy. We are having a party on the 30th and lots of friends coming. I will do a few readings that night along with some ghost stories from around the area. . stay tuned for more pics and stories

ups and downs this week

Problems problems ugh ugh ! my wireless is messed up so cant access my stuff on here. children running loose in the area - parents not watching them. roof being put on the house so noise and people running about. another day and no dollars haha
On the sunny side of things - the roof looks good now that it is almost done. the little girl running around the neighborhood was reunited with her dad because we have such good neighbors here. and for now I do have some communciation on another pc.
Finally got a little rain so things are not so dry out there. Wishing I could go caching a little, but am waiting on the Small Art League to place their new caches. I read about them in a blog and am excited to wait for their small act of kindness to be placed in some local caches. So I wrote them and they were happy too that we noticed them.
Wish I could have seen the C17 being brought down the river or moved to the nearby fort. but i did get a nice pic of it from the local newspaper. and maybe i will get to go on the base soon and see it there.
Wishing I could get motivated to work on my books. just got the blahs so maybe someday soon. I am behind on a lot of things. glad fall is almost here so want to work on that pipe organ for halloween. I think it will be the best display on the block this year.
Have a happy day and count your blessings !

so whats your funeral music ?

The things that cross your mind when you wake up in the middle of the night can sometimes be a bit scary. I woke up around 3:30 AM and my first thought was the music I wanted played at my funeral. I dont expect to be kicking the bucket anytime soon but I do like to hang out at cemetaries a lot. Maybe one of those souls attached itself to me and has implanted funeral thoughts in my head. Of course, not being able to shake the music thought, I started thinking about what I wanted. My favorite all time song is Louis Armstrongs Wonderful World. I do like a lot of music but which ones say me and when my kids hear it will they say mom liked this one. They all know I like ZZ Top but how about some of that bubblegum music from the 60's, or some Canned Heat which was my first concert at the Mosque in Richmond. But I also like classical music and sing with gusto with my grandson even though we dont know the words- Figgaro or what ever it is called. I also like the Flight of the Bumblebee because it brings back memories of my grandmothers house in a snowstorm with my aunt as we raced in the parlor doing the bee dance. Then there are only a few country songs I like, mostly Brooks & Dunn. Mainly because I dont like to be so sad.
I guess if they will be playing music at my wake then it best be a long one with the list I will surely make up for it.
I once again failed in my attempt to see any meteors this morning. Way too cloudy so I hope one morning this week I will see at least one fireball. A few years ago when the Leonids had the big show, I told my family and coworkers about seeing it. It sort of warmed my ole heart that so many went out under the stars and seen this wonderful site from the Universe. Natures own firework show. Those meteors were coming along so fast and just streaking across the sky that night. My youngest daughter went to the river with her friends to view it, and they all had a great time that night. At my home it was foggy so I almost gave up seeing any, but then like a miracle an opening came shaped like a ring so I could peer those falling stars and enjoy its own beauty.
So my picture today is a sort of collage of some of the places we cached at. From Hollywood Cemetary to the shiplocks in Richmond. It was fun finding the caches but even more fun to learn a lot of the history that I never knew about my adopted home.
Peace be with you and enjoy what good things are in this world.

bone for the collection

A bone to add to the collection ! We found this one day while caching and thought we would just bring it home for a few laughs. We ended up finding several kinds of animal/fish bones in our travels. More posts on those coming.

Its a gloomy day here today and I am a bit down cuz I didnt get to catch any of the meteor shower this morning other than a few shooting stars at 3:30 AM. Too cloudy and the moon was too bright. Oh well maybe tonite. have a great day

I left home without it

I havent posted in a long time other than a brief message that I was going to post the next day. mmm Life has a way of putting things off.
So today I will post about my camera and why I get so mad at myself for leaving it at home even when I am just going down the street.
I am not a photographer by any means but I do like to take pics of things that I find interesting or amusing. And lately I have found that I am seeing more things that I would like to remember, so it must be my old age catching up to me.
My daughter wanted me to go to the store with her as my little grandson wanted a WALL-E. Being only 3 years old and my daughters only child, he usually gets what he asks for if we can find it. Tonight was not the night for the robot, but we got lucky and found Mater ( the metal one in matchbox size) that he has been missing for many months now since it went down the potty and the plumber had to come rescue us but not Mater !
Getting offtrack here, so we were off to the big toy store when we decided on the way to stop and have dinner. A nearby Italian restaurant that we had not been in since they remodeled was the choice of the evening for us. Ahhh what a sweet little Roman waterfall they had at the entry way. It would have made a nice background for a pic of my grandson. But no camera !!! So we were seated and while waiting I noticed a group of older ladies known as the Red Hatters having dinner there tonight and how bright and fun looking their red hats with feathers, flowers and sparkles looked with their purple clothes. and once again I had no camera. I surely would have went over and complimented the ladies for giving me some fun memories if only I had my camera, so if you know a Red Hatter, please tell them I am a fan and I love to see them out and about having fun.
Simple things that give me a moment of enjoyment in times such as this.
Not the first time I have left home without a camera that I have been regretting. A few weeks ago, I had my camera and started taking some pics of buildings with old advertisements or store names on them. Some buildings were very old - like when they had a poultry store. Whoever heard of that in this day and age. Last week I went again with my daughter to her studio, thinking I was only going to be gone for a moment or two, left the camera at home and seen an old building advertising Billiards from way long ago. darn darn darn. and then there was some young men skateboarding doing some fancy work on them and I missed that too. although I did chat with them for a few moments and found they own their own shop.
Tonight I am going to find a way to permanently attach my simple Nikon to my body so I never leave home without it again.

Tomorrow is the day

I will start writing on here tomorrow about the adventures I have had since mmm I last wrote a lonnnngggggg time ago, I have missed writing my tales of odd and unusual things. Peace to you all !