View from my window

This is the view from my bedroom window today. No need to go to Washington DC for the Cherry Blossom Festival.....I've got my own right here.

Work or play?

How in the world could I possibly finish folding that laundry with my new camera staring me in the face? Here's my "self-portrait Thursday" from the outside looking in.

Blog Book

So what does one do with a blog? What if my computer crashes (gasp!) or if computers are obsolete in the future? How will I preserve my postcards for my grandbabies to see?
I am a scrapbooker, or, as Ali http://aliedwards.typepad.com/ has coined it, "a life artist". One day it hit me that some of my blog entries should be an actual layout. I'm not the best at journaling, but here I have it done. I use some of my fav pics as postcards, so why wouldn't I want them in an album? Since there is no real theme or flow to all of this I decided that creating a Blog Book was the only way to go. Using one of Heidi's http://www.heidiswapp.com/ 9x9 albums, glitter iron ons, and other HKS goodies this is what I created. No doubt about what's inside this one, huh?
So there you have it, Ngai http://scrapblogmebaby.typepad.com/blog_me_baby/ . This is what a Blog Book is.
Book and inside pages can be viewed at http://pp.cropperscottage.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1048

Along the way

Along the way you meet some of the most interesting people. Here is one that I've had the good fortune to get to know. He is helping me with a big project I am working on with my photo club. Today he came out in the cold and rain to help me out again. Thanks, Mr. J. Here's the photo I promised you.

Happy Birthday Joey

This photo was taken 21 years ago, just one day after Joey's first birthday. Today he turned 22. He's much taller now, but he's still my boy.
Happy birthday, Joey. Love you.

What happened?????

First of all I know I didn't follow the "rule of thirds" on this photo, but sometimes you just have to break the rules.
So what happened to our Spring? Woke up this morning to find an icy snow blanket covering all the promising buds. It's not nice to fool Mother Nature.

First day of Spring

On the first day of Spring I was to shoot some photos at a nursing home. It turned out that a group of ladies from a local garden club came to help the residents make a little bird's nest as their craft project. Watching them decorate their nests and listening to them recall stories of gardens they had tended made me especially grateful for this particular first day of Spring.
I will think of them and mind their advice as I tend my own garden this year.

Season Opener cont'd...

.....and this one, Tommy, comes with his own cheering section.

Season Opener

I went to watch my nephews in their season opener high school baseball games today. Eric is as cool as a cucumber when he is pitching, and he's a very good pitcher. And a good pitcher always makes sure of the score.

Luck of the Irish

This is my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Kiss Me?

Where did this saying come from?

I think the Germans coined the phrase.
They seem to be fond of we Irish lassies.

{Note to self: Buy Ireland track jacket for middle daughter.}

Sand Cake

I was the "people" for a cooking show on my deck Saturday. The dish? Sand Cake, of course!

Creative eye

My two little buddies were playing with their canine litter when they came to me and asked if they could borrow my camera. They know to put the strap around their neck as soon as I hand it to them. Peyton even figured out that he needed a flash for this shot. They posed the pooches, did the little entertaining act to get them to "smile" and shot their little family portrait.
I think they have a very creative eye, don't you?

And here are the other kids.......Lindsay is so pretty in this shot, but she hates it. That's why I'm putting it up here. LOL! Joey & Tinney here at my birthday party. He's coming home tomorrow night also, from a Spring Break (his last one!) golf trip.
I'll be glad to have them all here this weekend. It is too quiet with them away.

Homecoming

My daughter is coming home tomorrow! Isn't she lovely?????
We are going to have our King Cake tomorrow evening to celebrate, thanks to my friends at the French Gourmet Bakery! They are the best!!!!!

A little recognition please

A man works hard (or at least he claims he does) for the past 41 years he deserves a little recognition. Here you go, John. Your retirement is being posted for all my blog readers to see.
I must admit that I have mixed feelings about this guy not having to report anywhere on a daily basis. He's married to one of my bumming buddies and I'm afraid he'll be cutting into our time. On the flip side, he's pretty handy and came over today with this awesome shelf unit for my scrap room to organize all of my ribbons. Even threw in a few jars for the bottom shelf. So, tonight I'm feeling generous towards him and hope that the Labor Tribune gives him the credit he has coming to him for all those years he worked to earn his retirement.
Congratulations, John!

Not so Cool

SOMEBODY has reached the age where he thinks it's not so cool to give his Grandma a kiss goodbye in front of his little friends. He's pretty smart though. I'll give him a week or two to think this over. I'm sure he'll realize that all he has to do is follow me out to the car. Maybe I'll just have to give him a hint.......