Greetings to you today! While on a walk on Monday, I happened to see these fungi underneath a tree. Now, we often see mushrooms in the lawn, but I've never seen this site before. In fact, it reminded me of a Fairie garden that many girls and ladies create. I just thought it was enchanting, but not enough to let the dogs near it.

I am aware of how dangerous mushrooms can be to dogs and children, as my oldest daughter scared her momma to death when she was a toddler. I was never sure if she ate the mushroom, but at 2 yrs old, one doesn't take chances. I so remember having to use Syrup of Epapac and trying to get her to vomit. I remember crying and feeling like such a bad mom; I can say that she didn't have any in her stomach thankfully. Even though I admired the uniqueness of this patch of fungi, I do prefer the plastic ones.
On another subject, I wonder if any of you who lose followers to your blog, wonder about those who have left. I have yet to figure out who has left, just see my numbers drop and wish I knew who and why.  Life gets so crazy and I try to get around to visit, but often don't-I'd just hate to lose friends if I could avoid it.  Guess it's just the world of blogging.
I hope you have a wonderful day and have signs of autumn in your area.
Blessings,
Noreen

Tuesday's Thoughts

As the saying goes, this photo is a "day late and a dollar short", since of eclipse happened Sunday night and it's already Tuesday. Within miles of each other, my daughters got clear views of the eclipse and blood Moon, but we had a lot of cloud cover. It was beautiful just the same!

When hubby got up for work this morning at 5:00 a.m., he came back and told me it was raining(raining, we only get rain here in the summer). Rain is in the forecast for the week, but that also tells me many of the colorful leaves at higher elevations are probably on the ground now. Bummer, we were going to drive up on Friday to check out the Elk and also the colors. Speaking of elk, on last nights news they had a photo of a man right up next to two bulls-I couldn't believe how close he was. Well, he probably learned his lessons because he was gored by one of the bulls. He is lucky to be alive!
 Today, I'm off to my study and will have a quiet afternoon-maybe I'll get to the sewing machine. I haven't sat down in front of it for over two weeks, just too many other things going on. I'm thinking once the weather changes, I'll be ready for many days inside.
Have a great day my friends~
Noreen

Pirates and Fairies

Greetings Matey! On Saturday night we celebrated two of our grands who have birthdays within a week of each other. Because Little Man turned three, he wanted a Pirate Party; Miss D turned 7 and she wanted a Fairie party. When you have large families and birthdays close together, you tend to have shared parties. So what were Kim and hubby to do, but combine the parties and it was a big hit.

These signs greeted us at the front door.  We knew they had spent many hours decorating.

The chest with all the bootey-party favors.

Birthday girl with her Papa.

Carrie and her man-they are such blessings. Somehow didn't get a photo of the Kim and her hubby.

Captain America; when little man puts this one, he is Captain America.

Fairie Cupcakes.

Pirate cupcakes.

WE had such a wonderful time celebrating!  We also have another birthday, Carrie's oldest daughter turns 10 on Wednesday and we will have her party next Saturday. 
I hope you had a great weekend and that your week will flow in peace.
Joy~
Noreen

Flashback Friday

Happy Friday to you! Fall is definitely here and although the temps get higher during the day, our mornings are really cool and crisp. I'm in shorts and a top, but while taking Duckie out for his morning bathroom walk, I felt chilly.
Today will be a fun afternoon, for I'm taking our two oldest granddaughters to a quilt show and then we will head to a store to pick out a complete outfit for one who is turning 10 next week.  I decided that this would be a fun tradition with the girls-to have Nana take the birthday girl out shopping.  This includes shoes and a purse,  maybe even a wallet.
So onto today's question-when you were growing up, did you have one dinner per week that was always the same?  For me, Sunday's were a special family dinner~complete with Roast Beef, Gravy, Potatoes and a vegetable.  It never varied and we always looked forward to that day. My dad had the ability to make a inexpensive cut of beef roast taste and look like a prime rib.  It was always perfectly cooked and so delicious.  I think many of us grew up with that type of family tradition. We didn't carry it over with our children; however, when we lived in Silicon Valley there was a little Chinese market near us and on every Friday they got fresh Dim Sum in from San Francisco.  We looked forward to this for Friday night dinners; I do miss those delicacies, but couldn't eat them now either because I am gluten free.  So what meal is stored in your memory bank of your childhood? 
May your day and weekend be filled with memories that make you smile.
Hugs,
Noreen

Touches of Fall

Happy Thursday to you! Here in our area, we are seeing signs of autumn all over and some of them are in my yard. Once our Mums finish blooming, I always plant them and this one was planted last year. I simply love Mums and my love affair with them started when we visited New England many years ago and saw all the front porches lined with them.

The Mum on my entryway hasn't had enough sun unfortunately, but I've already figured out where I'll plant it.

This vine comes up in the fall and I have no idea what it is, so I'm asking you, my blogger friends and gardeners, to identify it please.  I'm concerned because it overtakes many of the plants; it looks nice here but I also don't want it to grow into a huge problem.

A close up of the leaves.

The decorations are out in the house and I will share more after I finish fluffing my nest.  You can't see the writing on the orange pumpkin but it says "Faith, Family and Friends" and I love it!  I've already moved it to our island on top of a quilted runner. 
I'm off to walk with a friend and then have sewing with two grands this afternoon. I'm hoping they complete their skirts today; the other two did yesterday and I just realized I didn't get photos-I'm bad!
Have a blessed day and enjoy Fall.
Noreen

Happy Birthday Little Man

It is hard to believe that three years ago today our Little Man was born. Where have the years gone? Even looking at the first photo makes it seem like it was more than three years.

Little Man is all boy~laughter, rough and tumble, smiles and hugs. He is extremely bright and even before he was talking, he had a unusual comprehension of what was being said. He makes life exciting for all of us, challenging as well at certain times. I see a Warrior in this little one and we love him so much, thankful to call him Grandson. Happy Birthday! May the Lord bless and keep you, may His face smile upon you today and for your entire life.
He is Joy!
Nana and Papa

A Day In The Life Of Duckie

As many of you know, we've had Duckie with us for the last week or so.  Last Wednesday, our neighbors daughter came from New York to spend a couple of days with her parents dog.  Sueanne gave Duckie to her parents because they were always asking about grandchildren.  After she returned home, she sent her parents an email about one day spent with their beloved companion.  Here it is as told by Duckie:
"Dear Mom and Dad, I slept super late this morning and skipped breakfast but made it out for a walk to the clubhouse where as you know I'm a local celebrity. Too bad though, none of my favorite ladies were working today so we took a break on the patio and returned home.

After a short break, I got in the car and rode shotgun on the HIGHWAY with the sunroof open and the windows down and wind blowing in my face and this was super EXCITING - what a great ride. Then we arrived in Fort Collins' old town square, and as Sue took me out of the car I saw a LADY who reminded me of one of my favorites and I took off in hot pursuit with my leash dragging behind! I ran after her into a store complex and into Suehiro Japanese restaurant, through both dining rooms and past the sushi bar, the hostess and a whole bunch of people having lunch and laughing as Sue was trying to catch me. Turned out the lady wasn't who I thought it was, OOPS...my bad!

Then we left and went to a bakery cafe for lunch. I was really good and patient waiting outside by myself while Sue went in to order. We both sat at a sidewalk table and I wasn't hungry for Sue's spinach salad or dog treats, but I did enjoy watching all the passersby and some of them stopped to say hello to me. One guy was really fascinating because he was a really good whistler!

After lunch we went walking around old town square, where there were lots of interesting scents near the store windows and by garbage cans. I followed Sue into some shops and I was careful to listen and not cause any trouble. The best shop was Wagz, where I met some other dogs, tried on some fall jackets, got a new harness, and helped pick out a couple of new toys. Plus the store manager gave me a tasty little treat.

Then we hit the road again and stopped at a big wine shop - I didn't mind because it was nice and cool in there, but after following Sue around and around in circles I thought I would PASS OUT. I was glad to get back in the car and lay down. On the way home, Sue decided to stop at the grocery to get a newspaper (and a little surprise for me) and I was happy to wait in the car with the windows open.

FINALLY we were home and I was just laying around when Sue called me over for a treat. Must be my LUCKY DAY, because there were cucumber chunks and sliced strawberries...mmm mmm. When I was all finished I grabbed my new toy and went over to play on my beach towel and...SNNNOOORRRE...I'll get back to you later...SNNNOOORRRE...


Love,
Duckie

I told Sueanne that she really needed to blog, because she has a natural writing ability.  I told her my readers and dog bloggers would love this, so she kindly sent it to me.
I'm off to my study this morning, while the dogs laze around in our warm sunshine.  It's hard to believe we've had such wonderful weather, so late in September.  Maybe our winter will be just as mild.  Have a great day!
Noreen, Hunter and Duckie

A Sunday Drive

Happy Monday to you! If you are of a certain age, you may remember your family going out for a 'Sunday drive'. I think this particular phrase is lost of many younger people today, but it certainly brings back memories for hubby and me. So that is what we did yesterday; we decided to head to the mountains to see if the colors were changing. There were patches of yellow Aspens in the Rockies, but generally speaking it was pretty disappointing. However, we did stop at one of my favorite photo spots, enjoy.

These leaves were the brightest color patches we found. 

It was a lovely day for a drive and we both really enjoyed it.  However, we did not venture up towards Nederland even though we've never been there; maybe on another day.  Our weekend was fun and we spent time with dear friends from California; cards, good food and time together made the two days fly by. 
Today will be busy as always~walks with the dogs, a carpet to clean due to a doggy accident, sewing and housecleaning.  I hope that whatever is on your agenda gives you some time outside. 
Blessings,
Noreen

Happy Thursday to you all. It definitely feels like fall is here and I'm fondly remembering fall in northern Ca. If I could choose one place to spend time in the fall and experience the grandeur of the colors, it would be in New England-Vermont, New Hampshire, upstate New York and Maine. Oh how we loved Maine! In fact, we hope to get back there next year and spend several weeks enjoying the beauty of the state. These photos were taken here in Colorado last year; as I've said our colors haven't changed much yet, but I'm hoping that we will be taking a drive over the weekend to see if the colors have a beginning tinge of gold and orange.

I just got back from taking Hunter for a walk and now have to hit the grocery store-we have friend coming tomorrow to spend the night with us and I want to make sure I have all our food stocked up.
My days seem to be filling up and on one hand it's good to be productive, but on the other hand I love slower days.  Maybe this weekend; I just realized that I missed the first show of the Voice last night and that I will miss the football game tonight as I have a ladies meeting.  I'm thankful we have DVR so I can record the shows I'll miss.
I hope your day is filled with the promise of blessings.
Joy to you~
Noreen & Hunter

Fall

It's Outdoor Wednesday and I've started my day outside~walking the dogs first thing and then watering.  Our weather is a mixture of warm days and fall weather with winds and cloudy skies; yesterday we had more clouds, cool temps and high winds until a bit a sunshine peeked through in the afternoon.  Hubby went golfing in the Rockies yesterday and he said the colors aren't turning yet, but we've heard they may not be vibrant this year because of the weird weather last November.  Our neighbors daughter is coming today for two days to watch the dog and give us a little break. She's flying in from NYC and we just hope that Duckie will continue to know our rules when he comes back. 
For all of you friends who pray, I want to share a need that I received this week from friends in Ca.  There is a young woman-maybe in her late 40's early 50's I worked with named Tara, she has two children ages 18 and 13 and Tara collapsed on Sunday at home.  She has a seizure and they took her to the ER where an MRI determined she had a brain tumor.  She has been sent to a hospital about 1.5 hrs away from her home and today they discovered another tumor on her brain. Tomorrow they will do a biopsy to determine whether or not it is cancer.  Tara is a wonderful gal and I loved working with her.  My heart is heavy for her family right now.  It also brings home the realization that each day is a gift and we need to cherish every one.
So go hug someone you love and let them know.  Life is short and so very precious.
Noreen

Good morning to you. As I mentioned yesterday, I snuck over to our neighbors house and took some photos of her lovely flowers~here are the rest of them. I love Zinnias and Dahlia's, so her garden just makes me smile. We are being inundated with smoke from the California fire and our sky is so hazy.

I'm off to bible study this morning and then going to a friend's house afterward to look at a computer program she has.  I'm tired today as we had coyotes in our area during the night that kept howling and there was someones small dog barking, which made me concerned for it's safety.  Today all is well.
I hope you have a day filled with gratitude.
Noreen

Happy Monday to you! Well with the start of football season, you would have thought I'd be glued to the tv all yesterday afternoon. I only got to watch part of the game, real time. We had a busy weekend, but it was a fun one. Our house guest Dukie is still adjusting to life with us, while his parents(aka owners) are traveling. He has been a good dog and had so much fun on Saturday evening with Hunter and Lily. They ran around Carrie's yard for hours and wrestled; we brought home two tired dogs. Yesterday afternoon I decided to take some photos of Dukie's garden and it was fun; I never seem to have luck getting bees on flowers but I did this time.

Cosmos are one of my hubby's favorite flowers and these are so tall. I used to love them, but then they self seed and hundreds come back(which meant pulling them when they died off)-so now I am content to admire them in others yards.

I think the bees are working over time with the changing season. Unfortunately, the only shots I got of bees on flowers were with wilted flowers next to them. 
Today I  will be walking both dogs and then letting them play with Odie.  This week is another busy week and I'm trying to squeeze in sewing whenever possible.  I hope you had a great weekend and if you are a football fan, I hope your team won. 
Joy to you~
Noreen

A Cute Houseguest

Happy Friday to you! The week flew by and I'm definitely going to have to work on pacing myself. About a month or two ago, our next door neighbors approached us about dog sitting for their Dukie. They are headed to the Soviet Republic and other countries for two weeks. Dukie is their "grandpup"-their daughter got tired of them asking when she was going to have a family and bought them a puppy. Dukie is a little over a year and a bundle of fun. When they explained that there was no one, but me, who they trusted with their beloved companion and would we consider having him while they were gone. Let me tell you friends, that we often trade with our daughters, but I haven't done that for anyone else before. These neighbors have been so good to us and we appreciate their gracious hospitality(even inviting us to join them in Arizone next winter for a week), how could I say anything but yes. Dukie is small and he and Hunter play well together so it should be an easy vacation for him.

I can tell you already that Hunter has run him around the house and is saved by the fact that Dukie doesn't/can't climb on furniture-there by letting Hunter get away from him when he's done.
Their daughter is flying in from New York next week to have him for a few days, giving us a bit of a break. I'm sure once Dukie settles into our routine and home, the time will be easy. Hunter will be disappointed when he is alone after Dukie goes home.  Tomorrow night we are taking both dogs to Lily's house; we will have a cook out and the dogs will have a great time with their acreage and all the kids.  Lily has also had play time when she's been here with us and Dukie has come over.

I can't let today pass without remembering that horrific day so many years ago when America fell under attack and so many lost their lives so needlessly.  May we never forget and may our country stay united as the attack joined all Americans in a united front.

Have a fantastic weekend!
Noreen, Hunter and Dukie

Happy Wednesday to you!  It is a bright, sunny morning here in Colorado; the temp is 72 right now but I know it will get warmer this afternoon.  Yesterday was a fantastic day as my ladies bible study started up again. Not only is the study wonderful, but this group of ladies are so loving and fun.  Yes, we do laugh a lot as we share; I'm sure through the weeks there will be tears as well.
In the afternoon, I finished clearing out my Echinecia from the  back yard and then worked on sewing. I'm finally got the fabric the squares were missing and now they are looking like I wanted and expected them to look. I seem to have misplaced one of my pressure feet for the machine, so now I'm on a search-I know I probably stuck it somewhere that I thought was smart.  Today, Hunter and I are walking with my neighbor and then tiding up my sewing baskets before my  two granddaughters come over for sewing this afternoon.  Tonight hubby and I are having dinner with some good friends. 
I hope you get some time to spend outside today.
Blessings,
Noreen

Merrick Backcountry Treats

Fed-Ex had a delivery for our house on Saturday and both Hunter and Lily seemed to know it was for them; rather for Hunter. Each month Sydney, at Mr. Chewy, gives us a wide variety to choose from and this months treats were no different. We've given Hunter products by Merrick in the past and he always loves them. Here's Hunter smelling the box and bag of treats.

Here's Lily really wanting to investigate.

Wild Prairie Real Chicken Jerky.  It smelled so good, just like real bacon.

Hunter is actually standing tall for this treat.

He is very excited about getting the whole piece.
I love Merrick because:
Merrick Backcountry Wild Prairie Real Chicken Jerky Dog Treats are hearty jerky strips with a wood-smoked taste dogs go wild for. These treats are grain-free with no gluten ingredients and have real chicken as the first ingredient. Specially formulated to mimic the ancestral canine diet, Merrick’s Chicken Jerky Dog Treats are all-natural and packed with the meaty protein your dog craves.
Key Benefits

• Hearty jerky strips with a wood-smoked taste
• Grain-free with no gluten ingredients
• Real chicken is the first ingredient
• All-natural and packed with protein
• Made in the USA

In the morning, I give Hunter his dry kibble but add in extras such as pieces of this jerky and other goodies to it. We want to thank Chewy.com,especially Sydney, for this program. This review are out opinions and we were not paid for it. We would rate this dog treat with a Diamond rating which equals four paws up.
Thank  you Sydney and Mr. Chewy for your excellent help and customer service.
Noreen & Hunter

In past years, our entire family has gone to our town Parade and it has been such fun. For some reason this year, I doubt any of us will be going.  I hope that whatever you do today will bring you some joy!
Noreen