all I want...

for Christmas is a steam engine.

Family Thanksgiving

We were fortunate to have Ryan's parents, Norman and Joyce Schrock, for the Thanksgiving feast, along with other family. The weather was mild enough to do our photo without coats.

milkweed filaments

Since I have the camera pointed to the earth, I'll snap this weed--milkweed. It's in our butterfly garden and is the required plant for the monarch butterfly to get from one creepy crawly stage to another.

dogwood leaves

From my office window I see the Della Dogwood, the tree planted in memory of Grandma Miller. We've got blue skies this morning and beautiful leaves.

fodder's not in the shock

There's this poem I'm learning, "When the Frost is on the Punkin and the Fodder's in the Shock." Outside my window, still tons of fodder, but shocks are out, bales are in. I still like the James Whitcomb Riley lines.

cat wheels of Monterey

At dawn it may look as innocent as a vegetarian behemoth waking up, but this cat eats gas, spews fumes, and pushes dirt that took millennia for nature to create. These are not local wheels, but a neighbor hired them yesterday to start construction.

Millers in Maryland

Dorcas grew up in Maryland, 40 minutes west of Cumberland. So it was a nice surprise to visit many of her family Saturday just over the line in Bel Air, Maryland, at the ocassion of her sister Miriam's grandson Dayne's marriage to Amanda. The wedding was in the bride's Wisconsin. Dayne's area reception is what we enjoyed. The food theme was "our favorite things." Add to that goldfish in goblets, a chocolate fountain with fixin's, deep fried dill pickles and you've got a memorable array of food. Such a good time! Thanks to all!