Good Morning, I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Ours was good, but hubby had to work late Saturday night due to a big golf tournament. I spent the afternoon sewing and reading, so felt like I accomplished a lot. Though I did decide that I need more light fabric for my quilt. The tans are just too dark and won't make the contrast I need. Live and learn. These are pics that hubby took Saturday night-the colors are due to the haze we still have lingering, from all the fires in the west.

Yesterday, we went up to RMNP and had lunch and a short hike. We saw a huge herd of Elk and were able to get some great shots-I'll post them tomorrow. It was fun just to get up there. Later on, a couple at the end of our cul-de-sac hosted a party to get to know the new families. Today, I'm taking Hunter to the groomer and then will head down to a big mall near Denver with my other neighbors. This week should be pretty relaxed, but bible study and sewing start next week. I hope you have a day filled with vivid and beautiful colors.
Hugs,
Noreen

Lunch With Friends

Happy Friday to you! I know you must be excited for the weekend, I am and it is the start of football season. I can hardly believe those words are out of my mouth; when we moved here I rarely watched football on t.v. Didn't mind seeing a game in person, but never could get into televised games. I didn't grow up watching games and it was difficult for me to understand. So Saturday, when the Broncos play the 49er's, we'll be watching and hollering.
Yesterday, I took my neighbor Pat to lunch to meet another neighbor and her best friend. We went to a wonderful restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I had the grilled Chicken salad, Pat had a pasta dish, Patty had the quiche and Sandi had the Salmon salad. To say they were delicious is almost an understatement. Here they are; I felt a bit like a "foodie" wanting to take photos of the dishes.

After a nice lunch, we walked over to a gallery that has incredible works of art-from pottery to enlarged photographs of the Rockies. This store is one of my favorites; I often buy greeting cards there because they are works of art and cheaper than other commercialized cards.
On the way home, I stopped at my favorite nursery, where they are selling Palisade Peaches and bought more; initially I only intended to buy one bag of 5-6 to slice and freeze, but ended up buying two bags.
Today is a somewhat quiet day; Lily is settling in with Hunter and they are so happy together.
I will be sewing more today and enjoying a more relaxed day.
Blessings,
Noreen

It's Thursday and I've got a full day ahead of me.  I've already walked, next is a haircut and then shortly before noon, I'm taking one neighbor up to a wonderful restaurant, to meet the new neighbor with her best friend, for lunch.  One the way back, I'm planning on stopping and getting 10 lbs of Palisade Peaches; we absolutely loved these peaches and think they're the best we've ever tasted-so I will be slicing up the peaches and freezing them for winter. Not sure how well they'll freeze, but I can use them for smoothies. 
This afternoon I will be down in the sewing room and later Lily will come over for the next week. Our daughter's family will be heading to the Islands for the week.  Our air is finally clear of all the haze from the fires in the west; I'm thankful!
I hope you find some time to do something you enjoy today.  Remember the weekend is almost here.
Joy to you!
Noreen

National Dog Day

Every dog has its day and it’s August 26th~ National Dog Day!

National Dog Day was founded in 2004 by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Colleen Paige. It’s celebrated August 26th every year to encourage dog ownership of all breeds, mixed and pure, and embraces the opportunity for all dogs to live a happy, safe and “abuse-free life”.

Our Hunter has brought so much joy and love into our lives, I just can't fathom my life without him.  I am pleased to say that a new box from Mr. Chewy arrived today~I order three new treats/mixers for his kibble.  Mr. Chewy makes it easy and reasonable to spoil our beloved companion.  If you have a pup in your life, make sure to give him some extra loving today.

I hope you have a day filled with lots of love!

Noreen & Hunter

 

 

Outdoor Tuesday

Good Morning Friends, How is your summer winding down? Most children are back in school and the days are showing signs of fall. I think Fall is my favorite season-because of the beauty of the changing colors and the crisp cool air, as well as all the scented candles I bring out with my other decorations. The other day hubby was at the golf course and took these two photos. He said they were the same hawk, but the coloring looks different to me(maybe it's just the shading). We love seeing the wildlife here; the Pelicans will be departing soon and the geese are here, but more will arrive.

We heard Coyotes the other night, it has been quite awhile since we heard them.  It was nice because they weren't too close.
Today is going to be a warm day and I'm heading out to walk and then will start sewing. 
I hope you find joy in your day!
Hugs,
Noreen

Weekend Happenings

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a fun weekend and got to spend some time outdoors. Our weather here is definitely feeling like fall; the nights are cool and the mornings very cool. I've got my autumn candles out and I'm enjoying the prospect of a slower season. A girl can hope can't she?! On Saturday, hubby and I went to the U.S.Pro Challenge Bike Race; it's been going on for the last week and we were thrilled that it would be going through our town. We picked an area that would give us good visibility as they came down a steep hill; in the past, we've seen a group of riders out in front taking the lead. However, this part of the race, the riders were all together. It was still very fun to see, especially since the riders were fighting a wind at their face.

After they passed this area, we drove over to our daughter's house and made it in time to see them pass by again. 
We had friends over for dinner in the evening and enjoyed getting to know them.  Yesterday, we went and picked the majority of our basil that is left and made more pesto.  We ended up with 12 additional small containers and are hoping that these will carry us through the year.  Next project will be getting the corn fresh at the farmers and putting that up. We used all of our ups this year, so need another years worth-to hold us off during winter.
Today, I'm walking first thing with Kam and hoping to spend more time downstairs starting on my quilt.
I  hope you have a fantastic day and find something to smile about.
Hugs,
Noreen

Happy Friday

Greetings from hot Colorado.  Our weather has been so  up and down, it's hard to know what to expect.  I had planned on jumping on the computer first thing this morning, but hubby and I ended up running all our errands instead.  I finally got a humming bird feeder up and hope the little guys notice and enjoy the sugar water I made. I have always been concerned about them being to dependent on the feeders, so planted lots of flowers instead.  This year though, I discovered that they migrate through for about a month and don't winter here-smart birds!  I happened to find a cute feeder yesterday so filled it today.  I've got to run back out and get the remainder of the food I need for the weekend.
Yesterday, I had a fun visit with my girlfriend; however I did learn that even while taking 24 hour allergy meds, I still have an awful time at the house.  So for now I will limit my visits to outside time and lunches.  Not sure what this means for her future winter trips, except that she'll need to come to me.
She only had 12 dogs(plus her long haired Chihuahua and it was fun seeing all the dogs again.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy some time doing what makes you happy.
Joy to you!
Noreen

It's Thursday and our weather is supposed to turn back to being more like summer than fall.  I got candles out yesterday and am in the mood to start sewing daily.  I'm headed down to Longmont to spend the day with my girlfriend who comes out to dog sit her brother's pack.  Should be a wonderful day outside.  Last time I was there, I had bad allergies from the dog hair and dust inside, so thinking we won't spend a lot of time inside today. Of course, I did take a 24 hr allergy pill too.
Hope your day is filled with all that makes you happy!
Blessings,
Noreen

Judith Miller's "A Potter's Lady" Review

"When Rose McKay convinces her brother, Ewan, to invest in a pottery business, she’s determined to assist him in making the venture a success. Having just graduated from the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, she believes she can design pieces that will sell well. In her efforts to help the pottery flourish, Rose reconnects with Joshua Harkness, who oversees his own family’s pottery works in a nearby town. Rylan Campbell has never liked change, but the new owners of the pottery seem to be the decent sort. He just wishes Rose wouldn’t insist on cleaning and moving everything. But when McKay Pottery starts losing business to the Harkness company, Rylan realizes Joshua might be taking advantage of Rose.
Then Franklin Hotels announces a design contest. Winning the Franklin contract would be exactly the boost McKay Pottery needs, so Rose and Rylan work closely together to create something magnificent. With Joshua’s company as their main competition, can Rylan convince Rose her trust in Joshua may be misplaced?"

Judith Miller again has weaved a wonderful tale of romance and suspense.  I have always loved pottery and this story grabbed my heart.  Set in historic West Virginia in the 1870's, the tale evokes the time and difficulty of business, especially for a woman.  This book was a quick read and captivated me.  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Judith Miller's writing.  I have not read any other in this series, Refined By Love.
Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing, provided this book for my honest review, without any compensation.

Keep reading!
Noreen

 

Outdoor Tuesday

Another beautiful day and a great reason to celebrate life! My friend Aletha is very into clouds and often was heard to say "Colorado has incredible clouds", so thought I'd share some scenes.  This was taken on Friday, loved the formation.

Somewhere driving through Utah or Wyoming on our trip home.

It is hard to believe that fall is almost here and from what we hear, California is going to get hit with lots of rain due to Godzilla El Nino, the USATODAY reported.  If this forecast is correct, they will receive as much rain as they did in 1997-98.  They certainly need the rain, but don't need the flooding.
I haven't checked the Farmer's Almanac yet to see what Colorado's forecast is.
I hope you get outside today and enjoy your area, even if just for a quick walk.
Hugs,
Noreen

Miscellaneous Monday

Good Morning to you! I began clearing out the photos on my IPhone and wanted to share a few miscellaneous photos with you. The first picture is on my very first Hydrangea blossom from one plant here. I love Hydrangeas and this bloom is beautiful.

Lily came and spent two nights with us this weekend-aren't Hunter and Lily just the cutest pair.

They even sleep on one another.  So cute. You may notice Hunter has a new collar(and matching leash)that I got in Ca.  I love the bright collars but got a 6' leash and should have gotten a shorter one. 

One of the dinners that we made for Dave and Aletha(excuse the paper towel in the upper middle)~it was bbq'd Salmon with an Avocado Salsa and fresh Asparagus with a hollandaise sauce. So yummy!

I am still trying to kick this cough I got from my allergies, so our weekend was low key.  I am starting to glean the directions for my quilt project.  Our weather was in the 90's over the weekend and we had one heck of a lightning storm Saturday evening; it was so close with heavy rains and I watched the sky-the clouds were different looking. 
Many kids, including my grands, start school today~I'm praying they all have a successful year.
Joy to  you!
Noreen

Another Great Product from Mr. Chewy

Happy Friday to you! I hope you've had a splendid week and gotten things accomplished so that you can rest and relax this weekend. Once again, Sydney at Mr. Chewy has provided us with a fantastic product, free of charge for our testing and review. You all know how picky Hunter is and often we get treats and he'll eat it at first, but later refuses. However, this months treat was different; Hunter loves it as a treat or a supplement to his kibble. It seems dogs all over blogland feel the same way about these treats, as I've read several other reviews.

Wellness Pure Rewards, Chicken and Lamb Jerky

Product Description

Mighty meaty treats perfect for training! Pure Rewards Grain-Free Chicken and Lamb Jerky Dog Treats from Wellness are made with more than 90% meat and contain no wheat or other grains, giving pups with food sensitivities or allergies a perfect reason to "Roll over," "High-five," or even "Go clean the carpet and do the dishes" any time you ask. Pure Rewards contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives - just pure, all-natural ingredients that are sure to satisfy.
Key Benefits

• Mixed tocopherols protect against eye disease
• Chicory root extract reduces the risk of worms
• Made without grains, a common allergy trigger for dogs
• Perfect size dog treats for training
  
  Hunter now recognizes the box when it is delivered; he is always eager to see what's inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  These treats are the perfect size for a small dog and they are soft and easily broken up.
  
  
  
  
  

I've given him several each day; I've varied the timing-it is either just as a treat or mixed in with his kibble. Now that Lily is here with us for the weekend, she'll be getting them too. I'm just about ready to place a new order to Mr. Chewy and will definitely add these in; they come in different flavors too~another bonus.
I have found that Mr. Chewy's prices are good and I prefer to order from them instead of paying extra at the big box pet stores.  They also carry products that I couldn't find at the stores locally.  If you haven't checked out Mr. Chewy yet, here's the link so you can stop by.
http://www.chewy.com/?gclid=CPGl-vD6p8cCFQooaQod6kYEEg
Have a fantastic weekend friends!

Noreen & Hunter

Parting Is Hard

It's Thankful Thursday and today I am so thankful for our friends and the time they were able to spend with us. Twelve days just flew by, especially since one was on the road driving home. On Monday evening we took them to our favorite little Mexican restaurant, where the food is so good, but the cost reasonable. Here hubby and I are just enjoying them.

My Shrimp salad-I love this dish and it is so light; I ate really well while they were here, so need to cut back a bit.

I meant to get photos of everyone's dinner, but wasn't quick enough. 

Here are our friends; Aletha and I have been friends since we were 14 yrs old, that's a lot of life under the bridge.  Dave and hubby are two peas in a pod, they had such fun hanging out together.  I'm hoping this trip will be the start of some new adventures with them. 
We are missing them already and the house seems really quiet. 
I hope your day is a good one, filled with smiles and love.
Noreen

Happy Wednesday friends, I hope you had a great Tuesday! It was a bit sad for us as we took our dear friends to the airport so they could go home to beautiful Carmel Valley, Ca. Our time together went too fast and we had a ball. The guys golfed, Aletha and I shopped and we ate well and played games each night. In the midst of this, the daughter of my bff got married. Here are some pics from her wedding; it was a sweet celebration, but we didn't get to stay as long as we wanted. The groom walking Kam down the isle; mother of the bride looked so beautiful!

Maid of Honor and sister of the bride.  Gorgeous.

Cousin of the bride.

What an incredibly beautiful bride; how proud her family was!

We haven't seen this done before, but the bride and groom did this sand jar instead of a unity candle.  It was so striking. 
We loved being a part of this celebration, but would have loved to help more and stay longer.
I hope you have a fantastic day!
Noreen

Breckenridge

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed some time outside. We are still loving having our friends here, but the time is passing so quickly and the hours ticking down. On Friday, we took them to Breckenridge; we hadn't been there either and it was such a fun day. The only drawback is that the highway getting there can be so backed up with traffic, but we choose the correct time to go and return. For those friends who don't like tourist areas, this might not appeal to you; we fell in love with the town and hope to go back to spend a few days possibly in the fall.

We had  a great lunch at a burger place and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  We cut our day short for fear of Friday traffic, but made it back without too many issues. 
There were many activities we didn't get to do, because of weather or the fact that my allergies started acting up and I developed a cough.  We are hoping that we won't have to wait for so many years before our dear friends come back, so we can show them more of our state. 
Blessings on your day~
Noreen

Happy Thursday to you!  We have been so busy with our guests that I've had a hard time finding minutes to be on here.  Yesterday we had a grand day; I took Aletha to some of favorite stores in Fort Collins.
We had lunch at a new restaurant for me in Old Town, called The Kitchen.  This salad was incredible!

I couldn't let lunch go by without a getting a photo of the birthday girl.
After lunch we wandered through some shops and helped the economy,  but mainly enjoyed being together.  We talked about all of our years together and our adventures, though since we've moved out of California our times have been few and far between.  The other day we watched a PBS special on John Denver; for those of you who are relatively new here you may not know that Aletha and I played guitar and sang together in high school-at a local coffee house.  We loved John Denver's music and played much of it.  We still love it and will sing together if we hear a song.  What was interesting in the story of his life and music is that, contrary to my family's thoughts on these lyrics, they were not about the drugs during the 70's.  Actually, John Denver went camping in Aspen Colorado and they experienced seeing a meteor shower; afterwards he wrote this song.  He also then moved to Aspen.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

He was born in the summer of his 27th year, coming home to a place he'd never been before.
He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again,
you might say he found a key for every door.
When he first came to the mountains, his life was far away on the road and hanging by a song.
But the strings already broken and he doesn't really care,
it keeps changing fast, and it don't last for long.

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I've seen it raining fire in the sky.
The shadows from the starlight are softer than a lullaby.
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado. Rocky Mountain high.

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below,
he saw everything as far as you can see.
And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun,
and he lost a friend, but kept the memory.
Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forest and the streams, seeking grace in every step he takes.
His sight is turned inside himself, to try and understand
the serenity of a clear blue mountain lake.

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I've seen it raining fire in the sky.
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply.
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado. Rocky Mountain high.

Now his life is full of wonder, but his heart still knows some fear,
of a simple thing he can not comprehend.
Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more,
more people, more scars upon the land.

And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I've seen it raining fire in the sky.
I know he'd be a poor man if he never saw an eagle fly,
Rocky Mountain high, the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I've seen it raining fire in the sky.
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado. Rocky Mountain high.
Rocky Mountain high, Colorado. Rocky Mountain high. 

 

This was always a favorite song of mine and still is; I hope this sheds some light on the lyrics for those who thought he might have been doing drugs when he wrote it.  

I hope you all have a great day; we are off to run to a few more stores.  

Joy to you!

Noreen

For the Love of Fabric

Happy Wednesday to you! I mentioned that Aletha and I drove down to a couple of my favorite quilt stores yesterday; I was needing more fabric in order to start the quilt. I did get the second bundle of fabrics that matched the first one I had found.  Initially, I thought my colors would be red, a tan/light color and blue, but it ends up that the three predominant colors will be red, tan and brown. I do have some blue I may use in the border.   It was successful and I was happy to be able to say I believe I have enough fabric now. Here are the fabrics I came away with.

The two books I was looking for were not available, so I ended up with Eleanor Burns book.  I would still like the other book that I was really searching for, but think I've spent enough money on fabric.
Today is Aletha's birthday~we went out to dinner last night to celebrate.  The guys have golf and  I am taking her to several really fun shops as well as out to lunch.  Happy Birthday Aletha; we've shared 48 birthdays, where has the time gone.  You are such an incredible friend, wife, mom, teacher and woman.  I'm proud to call  you friend!!! Love you so much.
Our days and years pass so quickly, we must embrace and cherish every day. 
I hope your day is filled with blessings and love!
Noreen

Happy Tuesday to you.  The weather in Breckenridge yesterday was so rainy that we choose to have a relaxed morning and then head up to Rocky Mountain National Park.  It was a cloudy day, but we were able to walk around a lake and then walk in town.  There were so many wild flowers blooming, so I couldn't resist taking at few photos with my IPhone.  In the afternoon hubby and Dave went to the golf course for a meeting and Aletha and I watched a PBS special on John Denver.  You will recall that I was and am a still a fan.  It was a great video and brought back many memories for us.
Today we are heading south to go to a few quilt stores.  We are having so much fun together and the days are flying.
I hope you have a fantastic day!
Joy to you,
Noreen

Happy Monday friends, it is so good to be back in our home, with our friends here. Last week flew by for a variety of reason-first the fires in Ca., having our dear friend Jim dealing with a health issue and then spending time with my brother and sister of my heart. I meant to post but just stayed busy. I also meant to get around to you all, but didn't have the time. On Thursday we drove out to the Google campus and also saw the new and huge Apple campus under construction. In the afternoon we drove to Half Moon Bay for a fantastic dinner at Sam's Chowder House, I would rate it five star!
We left Palo Alto at 6:30 a.m. Friday morning and drove for 11 hrs before stopping in Salt Lake City.
We left Saturdsy morning and arrived at home by 3:30. Was I glad to pick up my Hunter! Aletha and I went to the grocery store and stocked up.  Today we are supposed to go to Breckenridge, but rain is forecast so we may put it off for another day.
I am missing all of you and hope to visit soon.
Hugs,