Indian Summer Picnic, September 22, 2008

~~~ You Are Invited To A Party! ~~~

Muse Swings has decided to organise an Indian Summer Picnic, so I am joining them. I would love you all to join me/us.

The plan is simple: decide what you would like to picture on your blog for the picnic on September 22.
Use your imagination - It can be anything you would like to prepare, bring or do at your picnic.
You may want to take a picture of picnic places, picnic things you have, the wonderful foods you will prepare, birds that might visit us, something you might wear, a pet you would like to bring with you, flowers, games to play, books to read, poems to share, anything at all. Anything.

Take a picture that expresses your Indian Summer Picnic. Post it along with whatever you would like to say about your contribution on your post. This is an all day event that transcends time zones.

You may also extend this invitation to all of your readers!

Everyone is invited.

If a friend is not yet a blogger and would like to attend ask them to send you a picture or comments to post on your blog for them.

If you would like to attend. here are the 'rules':
1. RSVP in comments on this post or go to Soulbrush Blog and leave one on her post.
2. Copy the invitation and paste it in the margin of your blog.
3. Check the comments on this blog to see who will be participating.
4. Visit with each other on the 22nd to see what each of us has brought to the picnic.

I would love to see all of you, and all of your friends, on September 22nd, 2008.

Please come! I know this will be lots of fun! ♥ ∞

Dog Day Afternoon

Sam Jr.

Lucy

Maxie

It's definately been a Dog Day Afternoon at our house!
And it's been a day of time wasted and pointless phone calls that nobody returns.
I really do not enjoy playing Phone Tag.
Been watching Hurricane Ike prepare to pound The Florida Keys.
So I escaped outside and played with my little buddies.
♥ ∞

Polyphemus Moth

Even though it's gosh darn hot again, I was able to get in a little yard work today. September has such fickle weather in the southeast. But first I found this lovely Polyphemus Moth (male; Antheraea polyemus) soon after emerging from it's cocoon. It was early morn as he spread his wings slowly on the little green fence next to our carport, then took off to be a part of the landscape and fulfill his destiny.

Thank you "Poly" for letting me witness this miracle of nature, even if only for a moment. ♥ ∞

Trash Day Country Style And Another Tropical Storm

Country Style Litter PickupIt was so beautiful this morning in SE Georgia. The temperature is about 68 degrees, with a light breeze ... could be the approaching TS Hannah? It's off the Orlando, FL coast right now, heading Nawth. Anyway, I try to make it a point to pickup the litter that our neighbors leave by the roadside at least once a month. (I know who you people are, 'k, and we are not amused.) If I don't, it starts to build up and look really bad. I don't understand this lack of enjoyment for nature but they are trailer trash and have no appreciation for beauty. The fall wildflowers are just starting to bloom and they look so lovely. There should be more wild flowers in the coming weeks. Steve was able to ride with me on my one mile sojourn this time (I take the golf cart because the bags get so heavy). He is doing so much better since his shoulder surgery. He even walked for a little ways without hurting his knee. Good show my love!

Wild Daisies
Our little hummingbird friends are starting to leave for the season. It's always so sad when they go. I know they have to winter over in South American though. It gets too cold here for the little guys. We call them Flying Jewels. It's such fun to sit on the front porch with our beer and listen to them twitter and fuss around the feeders. They raised up quite a brood this year. I'll bet we had at least 30 birds, maybe more. Well, I will leave all three feeders up until October for any stragglers heading south. Fly safe little guys.
Tropical Storm Hannah

Looks like the North Carolina coastline will be getting all the fun this time. :o) Wonder where Ike and Josephine will end up?! There'll be more to post later about the storms it appears .....
♥ ∞

The School Bus Incident

The school bus that delivers children home in our neighborhood had a mishap this afternoon. I'm told the bus driver is "sick". I don't know what she is so ill from that required a policeman, a local nurse (a neighbor) and an ambulance but we offer up our prayers for her today. I didn't want to pry too much into her situation. Maybe one of my kindly neighbors will divulge more at a later date. Here's hoping she recovers soon.

Blogging Friends Forever Awards

Greetings Y'all,

I have decided to give my own BFF (Blogging Friends Forever) Awards. Here's one I designed today. I hope to design more over the coming months as time permits.

My Rules: There are none.
I'm not going to have some complicated rules about giving the Awards. Just like true friendship, it's free and unfettered. If I, or a friend, gives one of my awards to you and you wish to share with your other friends, please do so with my blessings.

All I ask is please put a link back to this Blog. I will try to keep my Blog interesting and always kid friendly. I have young relatives and wouldn't want them to see something inappropriate here. :o)

So, if you want one, just holler over the back fence and I'll be happy to send you one full size. Or right click this one, chose 'Save As' and place it on your harddrive.

Enjoy! ♥ ∞

---

03 September 2008

Here's a new Award I designed today.

I have loads of ideas, so, there's no telling where this will stop! I wish I was better at computer graphics.

If y'all have any ideas or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment here. I'm not very creative but sometimes even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.

Enjoy! ♥ ∞

Here's another'n ---

Arts and Crafts of Myra and Dad

It's a rainy day in our Georgia paradise. Hurricane Gustav is playing with Louisianna, hundreds of miles away. Our little area is enjoying some nice, easy rain off of it. Steve is napping in his easy chair, watching TV, and I was strolling around the house looking at all our nice photos, art work, and other 'treasures'. I thought it would be a good idea to share. Above is one of Myra's works: Mabry's Mill in Virginia. I don't know the precise year she painted this one. Myra didn't date her work, but I think it was in the early 1980's (but that could be inaccurate).

These treasures are only treasured by me, I'm sure. They are the works of my now deceased step-mother, Myra Cook Ackman and my adopted father Donald Willard Ackman. Myra was a talented artist.

The one above is her rendition of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral in Titusville, Florida where I grew up. The building is so large it could be easily seen from across Indian River.

Dad found late in life that he could create beautiful woodwork. He had quite a collection of tools in his workshop when he died. These tools were given to his good friend and neighbor Clyde Lovelace. That was OK, since I already have a workshop full of new tools (and prefer them over the old ones). To the right is one of Dad's rocking chairs. It was modeled after Mum Mum's rocker. Mrs. Edna Bella Ehle Ackman, affectionately known as "Mum Mum", was my grandmother and his mother.

Dad also crafted little wallhanging do-dads, like the sconces and clock below that he sold at craft shows. I put the artificial orange flower on the sconces and painted the Southwest art on the clock. :o) Well, I thought they were too plain. I had to trash them up a little.
Well, that's the end of our tour Ladies and Gentleman. I hope you enjoyed my little trip down Memory Lane. Thanks for tagging along. Please file out single file and be sure to sign the Guestbook (leave a comment) on your way out. Friendly Folks are always welcome here!

I miss ya 'Mom'. 'Til we all meet in Heaven. ♥ ∞



Donald Willard Ackman (adopted father)
Born: 02 March 1924 Imperial, Allegheny County, PA
Died: 03 January 2006 Forest City, Rutherford County, NC
Cremated, remains rest in Titusville, Florida

Myra Cook Morgan Ricketts Ackman (step mother)
born: 09 January 1921 Democrat, Letcher County, KY
Died: 18 Janaury 2004 Forest City, Rutherford County, NC
Cremated, remains at lawyer's office in Forest City, NC