Exhilarating, Exciting, Extraordinary NEWS!!

Well, with a title like THAT, you MUST read this post, right? :D
I am thrilled and delighted to announce that we sold our house.

WE. SOLD. OUR. HOUSE!

(imagine me dancing in circles right now)

We really have been wanting to move for about.... six years now? We've lived in this home for 10 years, and loved it so much, but there are several reasons why we desperately need a change. More on that later.

So where are we moving?

A beautiful little spot between two larger spots about 20 minutes south of Atlanta. :D 'suburbs' of Atlanta are cities in their own right, with actual awesome stores (not just super-Walmart) :D But more on that later...

My plan, honestly, was to do a bunch of sweet and cinnamon-esque fall posts on Julia's Journal during September. That got blown out of the water with all the craziness of a HUGE pre-moving yard sale we did and then the mind-whirling week of sale offers, counter-offers, contract terminology, and finally, sheer and utter bliss. :)

But I have another announcement!

I'm starting a brand-new blog, because:

1. Our new address is so charming, I'm still floating four feet above the ground. Ladies (and gentlemen?), we will be living on... London Lane. *be still my pounding heart*. 
2. Our new house needs some updates. It's a lovely home in great shape but it's been lived in for years by an older couple and it needs a fresh look. That's where I come in. :) I'll be chronicling all my DIY redecorating projects, one-by-one. 
3. I'm really ready for a new chapter in my blogging journey!

Julia's Journal isn't going anywhere, and I'll probably post more personal stories and non house-related things on this blog (including more Singleness Series posts) but my new blog is going to be such fun. In fact, I'm still building it (so pardon the blank corners) but... here it is. 

INTRODUCING:

Life on London Lane.

The address is LifeonLondonLane.Wordpress.com!

I actually have a first post written up for you to read, plus a cute About page --- I can't decide whether it is silly or clever. Probably a combination of the two. But anyway, I just had to let YOU know about it!

Prayers for simple, smooth closings on both our old and new homes would be MOST appreciated!
Love & Blessings,

"And Oh, You Electrify My Soul..."

WARNING: PRETTY FLOWER PICTURES AHEAD ;)

I've begun to not take blog post titles that seriously. :D They don't have to perfectly describe the post like a newspaper headline! :) (FYI: The title is a line from a Natalie Grant song that I got on iTunes recently. The last half of the line is ... "and you're bringing the dead to life!" Love that victorious note in there!

 So yeah! Look at me, coming through on a promise! I did go out and snap some shots of the beautiful spring blooms... it just happened on an unexpected day off instead of Sunday. It was raining so hard on Monday that they canceled all of the events at the Rock Ranch.

On the one hand, I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to go to work, I love that place, but on the other hand... yay for not having to work with muddy ponies!! :D Feels like I dodged a bullet with that one! ;)

 You know... my post title does go with this post. Looking at these pictures electrifies my soul with some sparks of awe at the grandeur and majesty our Creator displays even in the tiny veins of a dogwood blossom petal. My God, how amazing you are!

 I will admit, there is a hint of a photo filter in these pictures, I about gasped when I clicked the button whilst editing them and saw the result. WOWZA.

 My faithful readers are welcome to pin these to Pinterest, but please don't take them for anything else. (You'll notice I actually watermarked them this time!) :)

Noticed this little fellow and got right in his face for a close-up, marveling at how he matched the flower center exactly!

 I hope my grandma Pat is seeing this blog post - wish I could show her our sweet GA spring season in person, she has always had a great appreciation for flowers!

Oh... and we also have azaleas.

I know!! Aaaagh, I love them so much. I will take more pictures as soon as they hit peak bloom, there are only a few at present.

My faves are these "Peppermint Azaleas". They look as if they have a bright brushstroke on each crisp white petal!

Take care, lovelies! I shall write again soon...

How Sweet It Is: {Blooming}

*waves* Hey there!

Hi Everyone!

I know, right? It's been FOREVER! I haven't blogged in way too long. Mostly because I just kept putting it off, but for a few other personal reasons too. (Since that sounded more mysterious than I planned on - I was thinking that my one previous boyfriend might still be reading this blog, but I've decided I don't care. It's my blog and I'm going to blog on it.) ;)

I've been doing so. much. lately. I don't even know where to start, trying to get caught up on posting about things. Oh well! I'll just keep typing and see how it goes. :) The biggest and most wonderful thing? I'm blooming. Where I'm planted. As in... I'm actually REALLY happy about everything in my life right now. I've been having fun and enjoying my family and friends and reading good books and crocheting soft, gorgeous things and cooking great food and dancing and singing and laughing.

**insert big, huge smile**


AND LOOK AT THIS......!!!!

I had the incredible blessing of walking into a thrift store and finding this gem. Namely: a dress, that will be THE MOST PERFECT THING EVER to wear to the English Country Dance Ball I'm attending the weekend of my birthday. Which is next month. :) 

And it came with a wrap of the same pink satin that my genius mother can whip up some lovely wide straps with (which will be just the thing for my modest tastes).

And it was only $20. 

*SCORE!*

It looks much better ON, btw. Right now it rather resembles a flattened flounder at the top, but I assure you that when I'm wearing it it flatters my figure instead. Lol! 

Le Lace Closeup:

I have actually been really blessed in the area of finding modest, pretty clothes lately. ROSS actually had some gorgeous and modest and inexpensive dresses the last time I looked, and I ended up falling in love with (and buying) three! I think some fashion posts might be in order. ;)

A couple months ago, my family and I discovered IKEA.

*cue screeching tires sound effect*

HOLY MACKEREL. If you have never been inside an IKEA, get thee hither forthwith. Seriously. It is a wondrous land that is full of beautiful and contemporary and imaginative and fairly priced home decor, laced with the delicate scent of Swedish meatballs, cream sauce, and lingonberries.

'Tis where I found my new bookcases. :) (at last, my books breathe a sigh of relief as they no longer have to jostle with each other for elbow room, and get crammed in sideways on each other's ends!)

Yum and yay. I love them. 

I've been trying to earn a little extra money (even as I scatter it hither and yon like some spendthrift, on bookcases and dresses) - so I've been doing some special things like the Sweetheart Sale I did for Valentines' day on my jewelry stand:

Just today, actually, I went and babysat for a precious young couple from our church who have the cutest little one-year-old!! He's got blond hair and blue eyes and the most winning smile I've ever seen on a toddler. Also, their house is just too cute for words. I'll take a house and baby like that anytime you want to bring them along, Lord! ;)

And THIS precious one is Owen James. I had the opportunity to do his newborn photoshoot the week before last and his mommy said I could post photos on my blog. :) (But I didn't have time to watermark it so dude, if you steal it, may God have mercy on your soul.) :P

 And last but possibly most exciting, we started a connect group for the young people in our church called "Faith and Frisbee"! Daddy does a fifteen-minute devotional and then we have a game of Ultimate. It has been a blast, and I'm loving it!! (now to uh, actually get in shape so I can show these whippersnappers a thing or two.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that little glimpse!! Let's see... before I go (and I hope to be back posting soon, but I'm not promising anything) I'm also going to be a bridesmaid in September for the first time ever, for my incredibly sweet and godly and amazing friend McKenzie, and this spring I'll be working the pony rides at the Rock Ranch pretty regularly. And I'm planning to be at the GHEA convention in June, so if you're there, look me up! :D

Oh yeah! Yesterday my brothers, mom and I went to see the movie "God's Not Dead." WOOHOO!! It was totally awesome. God is NOT dead, he's surely alive, and he's the lover of my soul, my closest friend, and the creator of the universe who is completely in control of my destiny and future. Heady stuff. :)

Love & hugs, friends! If you've missed me, drop me a comment and I'll reply! ;)

My New Blog - Resourceful Gals!

ResourcefulGals.blogspot.com 

I am beyond excited to announce the birth of a brand-new blog, Resourceful Gals! Written by my mother and I, it is an endeavor to share basically anything and everything we know about crafts, cooking and baking, DIY, managing a home efficiently, home decor, finding free stuff, and much more. :)

You're going to want to follow it, I just know it. (Besides, I'll be thrilled if you do!) Even if it's just for the absolutely AWESOME recipes. Because we're the best cooks I've ever seen, if I do say so myself. :D

So what are you waiting for? Hop on over there and take a look! (Oh, and do you like the design I created for it?) I think it looks fresh and happy, but calming. :D

Dear You...

Dear Blog...
You are looking so pretty right now. I think this is the loveliest I've ever seen you and I think this look is around to stay... at least for a good long while. :D

Dear Spring...
Please come soon. I'm languishing here and in need of warm breezes and fresh flowers!

Dear age 22...
Goodness. You're just around the bend and I don't know if I even got used to 21 yet.

Dear Driveway...
You know, you've come in really handy the past few months and I'm thrilled with myself for working up to being able to walk up and down you eight times in a row.

Dear Future Home Buyer...
You're just going to love our beautiful log home. I'm so excited for you and can't wait to finally meet you at last, to see who will carry on the process of filling this place with love and laughter.

Dear Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and Hydrogenated Oils,
I am not missin' you one bit and I feel better and healthier than I have in years, I haven't been this slim since I was eighteen and I'm not planning on going back... those fourteen pounds I shed are gone for good and I couldn't be happier about that.

Dear Netflix...
I think you're my new favorite time vacuum. *sigh* I just need to practice some moderation in regards to all you have to offer! ;) Although I'm supremely grateful for all the great family entertainment you're providing.

Dear Jewelry Supplies...
I am really looking forward to hauling you back out and whipping up some delightful, daring, demure, and dazzling new pieces to sell in the shop this Spring! Wheeeee! This'll be so fun! :D

Dear Digital Scrapbooking Elements...
You have no idea, but many of you are about to be utilized in creating some happy-dance-inducing "I Love It!" Free blog backgrounds just in time for all the bloggers out there about to give their beloved sites a makeover. Just wait and see!

And Dear You...
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I love my followers and feel blessed to be able to share bits and pieces of my little life with you. And I always love hearing back from you in return! *big wink* The comment section is now open!

Toodles!

Just Fine, and How Are You?

Hey Gang! That is, readers. Friends, followers, and lurkers, I greet you all!

Life has been pretty humdrum-ho-hum for me the past few weeks. After the crazy rush of prepping the house, traveling to Alabama for the Lego Brickfair convention, and a few sporadic, frenetic "QUICK-CLEAN THE HOUSE-WE HAVE A SHOWING!!!" sessions, I haven't actually had much going on.

Me? NOT busy? What is this world coming to? ;)

It got to the point where I started feeling crabby after a few sweet people asked me "So what are you doing/what have you been up to?" (not crabby while I was talking to them. I'm always nice when I talk to people.) *grin* - and it shocked me. Why was I so annoyed that I didn't have some smooth answer to give them?

I am not justified by what I'm doing. My busy schedule (or lack thereof) doesn't make me any more of a person than someone who has less things on their to-do list and calendar. I am not a more valuable human if I can rattle off an impressive number of extremely interesting activities I've been involved with lately.

That being said, once I sat down to think about it, I have been doing some neat stuff. :) Besides the usual routine of cooking our delicious meals, washing the dishes and laundry that five adults generate, and keeping the house bee-yoo-ti-ful (or at least cleanable-within-fifteen-minutes) I...

I changed my profile picture on facebook! WHEW! Huge accomplishment there! *wipes sweat from brow*
(hahahahaha...)

I painted my fingernails silver... (The reason you only see two is because the others were chipped by the time I got around to taking a picture of them) 

I have been enjoying the GORGEOUS winter sunsets we've had while the leaves are bare outside our back porch that faces west.

I (and Mama, we make a great team) successfully made the most delicious, healthy, scrumptious, 100% whole-wheat bagels you've ever seen. I very much enjoyed learning the secret to these yummy baked goods and have savored having one for breakfast every day, generously spread with cream cheese. ;)

Besides these fun things, I've been working on some blog and graphic design for two good friends that happen to contribute to the devotional blog I wrote for. And I've been brainstorming some new free backgrounds to put on my blog backgrounds site! Hint.... they will look something like this:

http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com

And this:

http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com

And last but DEFINITELY not least, I have been trying some new workout routines! Which are working fabulously and are oh-so-fun into the bargain. But more on that in my next post. Stay tuned! :)

When Life Gives Ya Lemons...

... simply make lemonade and sell it for $1.50 a glass, quickly becoming a Lemonade Millionaire. ;)

Feeling a little crazy this evening... I'm ill with a horrid-feeling throat. It's not 'sore' exactly but it feels tight and  swollen and I've been coughing like mad all day long, causing my left ear to feel as if someone is turning a screw winding tighter and tighter into my head. :P Also, my lower back hurts from all the heavy lifting and cleaning I've been doing and for some inexplicable reason, my left hand feels as if the fingers have been bent backwards, all strained and painful. In short, I'm not doing so well! 

However, despite feeling the worst I have in months, I got nearly half of our house photographed for the website! Progress! Our realtor is coming on Friday to meet with us for the first time and see the house, so we've been putting the finishing touches on it. :D 

While taking a break in between dragging myself around with camera in hand, and watching episodes of Scarecrow and Mrs. King, I spent a couple minutes on Pinterest.

That was my day, in a nutshell. Despite feeling rotten, I am so, so blessed, and things are most definitely looking up. I've been house-hunting online and made a secret pinboard of options... I'm excited about touring some of these places in person! There is a lot to choose from but we are searching for just the right one that I am certain God has set aside just for us, that fits all our needs and is the right price for our budget.

Daddy started his first day at work today and said it was great. We are so thankful.

How's 2013 treating you so far?

Good Morning, January!

Well, what a wonderful year this looks to be. :) 2013 is filled with promise!

2012 was over too fast, it seems to me. I blinked and it switched from 2011 to 2013. How exactly does that happen? ;)

Of course, when I stop and think about it, a lot happened this year. I wasn't a very good blogger for most of it... but I lived it to the fullest. I had a blast. It was exhilarating, and wonderful, and heartbreaking, and joyous, and sobering, and just plain awesome.

A few highlights. (Not in perfect chronological order.)

~ I finished my novel Lissie a few minutes before midnight on December 31, 2011.
~ I wrote ASHBURN, the first story in my agents series
~ I started book 2 of my agents series.
~ I gave my cousin Katie a crocheted afghan for her wedding present
~ I passed my driver's license test with flying colors.
~ I went to see Courageous with my dad and brothers, which was amazing.
~ I discovered the old TV show Scarecrow and Mrs. King (Wow, has it only been a year?)
~ I traveled to South Carolina to go to the Teach Them Diligently Convention and sold jewelry and ebooks while my brothers sold swords and ebooks.
~ I went to the GHEA convention in Atlanta, GA and also the NCHE convention in North Carolina, selling jewelry and ebooks again!
~ We began hosting Ultimate Frisbee at the field near our house
~ We went to Florida for a week with another family and stayed at my grandmother's house near the beach, and had an absolutely wonderful time!
~ We watched the 2012 Olympics and saw the USA creaming everybody else (Lol!)
~ I got a Kindle Touch and and iPhone (which us kids will share).
~ I learned how to play the Bass guitar and played it in the church we visited for several months
~ I started selling jewelry in the Rescue Me Market store in town on the square
~ We started going to the English country dances up in McDonough every month (SO FUN)
~ I tried Wordpress and decided to stick with Blogger.
~ I discovered Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, and was completely captivated... and I totally cannot wait until they film and release season three
~ I took a month off the computer - and I did not expect this to be a good thing - but it really was. I was amazed.
~ I started reading my Bible and praying every single morning. WOW. I am so glad I've done this.
~ I stopped eating sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils, and began exercising regularly in various ways, and, as a result...
~ I lost fourteen pounds.
~ We thought we might be moving to Virginia... but then Daddy got a job an hour north of here, so now we're moving a little farther north but still in Georgia. (I'm so excited!!)
~ I voted for the first time, ever, in my first presidential election, ever... even though my candidate did not win.
~ We celebrated Thanksgiving all alone, and it was the most peaceful, joyful day I've ever spent with my family.
~ We went to Florida again to go to my cousin Denise's wedding and to see my grandma, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at the beach... warm, salty breezes and abundant sunshine in the middle of December. :D

It was an amazing year. I hope 2013 is even better, and by God's grace, I believe it will be.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

An Apricot-Vanilla Day

Today was one of those days you just sit back and smile about.

The morning was spent peacefully... I made scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast and we did all our usual household chores. Mama helped Daddy process a few chickens.

I worked on my story and smoothed over some plot holes while listening to vibrant Owl City music. 

This afternoon, Steven and I played one of the most demanding games of Ultimate Frisbee I've ever witnessed, and had loads of fun. The best part - I walked away from the field feeling fresh, instead of bone-weary. My long walks up and down our gravel driveway are paying off, big time. :D

I drove us home after the game and we returned to find that while we were away, Mama and Daddy and Mark - who felt too ill to play Ultimate, poor soul - had prepared a delicious dinner of ground-venison tacos that were just. too. good.

I munched down my soft-shell taco and stepped into the shower, choosing one of my favorite scented shower gels. Apricot Vanilla.

I smiled to myself and thought - It's an Apricot-Vanilla kind of day.

Tangy, fun, with a hint of softness and home.

Then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which didn't really go with the mood, but it was wildly entertaining. ;) (I can't decide if I liked it or not. I did like Jack Sparrow, he was hilarious.)

What is your favorite kind of day?

The Best Ham and Potato Soup In The World

I could eat this soup by the pot-ful If I had an ounce less of self-restraint. It is seriously that good. I crave it if we haven't had it at least once a month.

I'm going to be really nice and actually share with you the amazing, super-easy, (hey, if I can do it, you can do it) wonderful recipe for this creamy potatoey goodness.

Delicious Creamy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe:



Originally found on Allrecipes.com, modified to fit our tastes. :)



Ingredients:
- 7 cups of peeled, diced potatoes
- 2/3 cup chopped celery (about 2 large stalks)
- 2/3 cup finely chopped onion (About 1/2 an onion)
- 1 and 1/2 cups diced ham chunks
- 6 and 1/2 cups of cooked ham broth ...

You see, instead of water, we fill up a huge pot of water ahead of time and boil the ham bone from our spiral-cut ham. It makes a savory broth full of healthy stuff that cooks out of the bone. It's also the secret ingredient for making a perfect pot of soup.

If you don't have ham broth, you can substitute water and 2 Tablespoons of chicken bouillion granules. But only if you're desperate.

Back to the ingredients!

- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- A dash of garlic powder to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground white or black pepper, or to taste (We usually use 1 teaspoon of black pepper. But I prefer 2.) ;)
- 10 Tablespoons butter
- 10 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups of milk


Directions:
(The soup base)
1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and broth in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, and garlic.

(The white sauce)
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat (we usually do medium-high on our stove, seems to work more accurately). Whisk in flour and cook, stirring constantly until thick, for about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk so as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-ish (or medium-high) heat until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.

(The grand combining)
3. Stir the milk mixture (white sauce) into the stockpot (with the soup base) and cook soup for a weensy bit until it's all mixed together nicely. Serve immediately.

It's even better left over. I could eat it cold, it's so good. Mmmmmmmmm.

I hope you enjoy this soup! It's perfect for these right-before-spring, sort-of-chilly evenings. :)

I went somewhere with a friend my age this past Saturday, and she and I had such a wonderful time! I am still editing the pictures from our excursion, but once I get a nice collection I'll share them and tell you about what fun we had. :D Sound good? Okay. I'll see you then. :)

I'm Thankful for... My Home

I'm having so much fun participating in the 30 Days of Thankfulness Challenge hosted by one of my absolute best friends on the web, Miss Rachel! :)

I'm thankful for my home.

Home. It's a word that could bring many things to your mind. Whether you have a happy home or not, there are always going to be memories and recollections associated with it. Thankfully, I have a most happy home. It's almost too good to be true - but it is. :D

My home is not just a house. A house is not automatically a home. A home requires some effort. It has to be made by somebody. It's creating a space and environment and atmosphere that is full of love, teaching, patience, training, grace, joy, and peace.

 It's a full-time job, making and keeping a home. There are the practical things like cooking and cleaning, but there's the other side too. The one that is maintained valiantly with prayer, love, forgiveness, and lots of effort. :)

 This is one of the reasons why I want to be a homemaker someday. :) I want to help make a home for me and my husband and our children someday. Not just a pretty, clean, well-fed house. A home.

Thanks, Lord, for my home! :)

It Was a Great Success!

A heartfelt "Thank You!" to all of you who actually and sincerely said a prayer for our Yard Sale! It was an immense success and we sold lots and lots of our junk (A-HEM,) I mean, extra and unwanted items. :D We had almost nothing left at the end of the sale... and lots of cash rustling and clinking in our pockets. :D Hurray! God is SoooooOOOOOO good.
Just so you have some small clue as to how much we actually got rid of, here are some pictures!

 Yup. Too much stuff. :) We had mostly clothes but lots of other things as well. And I added two stands of my handmade earrings to the array of available things to buy. We had a huge rack of clothes hanging along one whole wall of the carport and by the end of the garage sale it was almost EMPTY! Whew!

We cut some pretty great bargains for people and met some very interesting folks. ;)
I think I've heard enough twangy southern accents to last me for a while! :D Lol!

Our poor gravel driveway got all torn up with people trying to drive the wrong way up the hill in light little trucks or back out the wrong way with huge suburbans... *cringe* But everybody was ok and nothing too terrible happened that can't be fixed with a little raking smooth again. :D

 I was surprised that my Meow-Chi toys sold! :D Nobody knew what they were... I had to explain several times to clueless shoppers what the little robotic cats actually 'did'. They sing and dance and meow in cute robotic tones, people. How hard is that to understand? Haha!

In this picture you can see how tightly packed the clothes were on this rack (Later they looked a lot better because I color-coordinated them) ;) At the end of the sale we only had about 20 things hanging on it instead of the however many we started with! Yay! :)

We only had about 30 books or so but they all sold, even some old, dusty, piano music books!

All my Bath & Body Works perfume sold, thanks in part to the help of my sweet Mennonite friends. And most of the nail polish was bought. I was astonished! :)

Well, I hope you have a wonderful week! If you have nothing to do... you could go on over and see the newest batch of backgrounds at "I Love it!" Blog Designs. :D I love hearing which are your favorites!
Blessings,

Gettin' Ready

Hey Ya'll!

This is a notice that all my blogging will be put on hold indefinitely (HAH, just kidding... not indefinitely) ;) ... until our YARD SALE is done on Saturday afternoon.

Hey, if you know our family in real life and are going to be in the area tomorrow (Friday the 16th) or Saturday (the 17th) come on over! We'd love to see you, and we'd love it even more if you leave with some of our stuff in hand. Lol!

Really though, we have TONS of AWESOME stuff. I'll post pictures of it all later so that you people who can't come won't miss out on the beauteous sight! :D I'm selling high-quality handmade earrings for only $1.00 a pair (a rare occurence!) And I'm also parting with many lovely treasures (including a really big wooden dollhouse...) that someone surely will be delighted to discover! :D

I'm afraid some of us who will *cough* remain unnamed *cough*-parents-*cough* have caught "Get-ridda-it" fever and have frenetically turned the house upside down, searching for any loose objects they can find to sell with a manaical gleam in their eye. I've tried to rescue a few things from this frenzied pilfering but with little success. Do you think we all have a little pack-rat inside us somewhere? I think I must. ;)

The reason I have not posted at all on here this week is because we've been running around like ... well, never mind what like... we've been extremely busy this week sorting out lots of things that we no longer want, that OTHER people will hopefully want and pay for with cold hard cash! (Every little bit helps, and the electric bill isn't getting any prettier any time soon!) :D lol! That's why I've been so scarce in bloggy-land.

Ok, I must run for now. The shower is now open and we have a BIG day tomorrow!

Please Pray for a successful sale for us! Your prayers are very much appreciated. :)

Blessings,



P.S. What do you think of my absolutely gorgeous new blog makeover? I did it all myself and I'm thrilled top to bottom with how it came out!! :) Want a new background yourself? Click Here.

A Country Girl at Heart

Lately, I've blogged mostly about the more cosmopolitan side of me.
(Cosmopolitan: adj, 1. Well traveled, cultured, sophisticated, urbane, etc...) The part of my personality that enjoys black & white photography, ultra-cute technology, poems, chic interior decor, and shopping trips.

But there's a whole other side of me too. I'm not all girly-girl, photographer extraordinare, and stylish interior designer.

I live in the country on 13 acres of woods tumbling down a rocky hill, in a log home. We raise chickens for their eggs and are considering raising up a batch for meat. We hang our laundry on the line. We've harvested basket after basket of three kinds of lettuce, tons of tomatoes, oodles of onions, and bunches of beans from our garden already, along with a nice amount of green peppers, a pumpkin, and a few squashes.
We can't even see our neighbors through the woods when the leaves are on the trees (about three seasons out of four).
The loudest things we hear are the cicadas buzzing in the woods at night and our roosters crowing in the morning. No road noise or traffic to speak of.

Here are the little darlings... some of our Buff Orphington hens and our 'extra' rooster, Constantine. (Named by my history-loving brother Mark after the great emperor himself) We think he's a Partridge Cochin... he has feathers on his feet. :D

We have another rooster that's a Buff Orphington who isn't in this shot. We called him "Oddly", because we only ordered hens, and oddly enough, he's a rooster. :D

The buffs are known for being 'broody'. They're grumpy wanna-be-mommies and they sit on the nests waiting to peck any hand that tries to steal the precious eggs below them... but we've found that if you grab them from behind you can lift them off with not much trouble. So I wrangle chickens with the best of them. ;)

My brothers Mark and Steven have the main care of the chickens, and go to work landscaping with Dad, while I do the bulk of the housecleaning and helping out with the dishes & laundry and all the cooking. They do the outdoor, I do the indoor. It's a nice division of labor. :)

Our garden is Daddy's paradise.

 He has done an amazing job this year raising up beautiful plants that give off bountiful produce. The tomatoes, especially, have been incredibly fruitful, and the green beans were (and continue to be) great! :) What's coming on now is a jungle of lush squash plants spreading out their broad-leafed vines in a wild ramble across the garden paths. Daddy loves plants, and there is ample evidence of his green thumb in our garden. :)

 Today, we plan on going up to play Ultimate Frisbee with a big group of our friends that play every Friday during the warmer months. It'll be a lot of fun. Frisbee is one of the games that gets me all pumped up and excited ... and oh, dear, very competitive. :D I was super-athletic when I was younger (not as much now) and still enjoy a close game of Ultimate Frisbee. I'll see if I can get one of my parents to take pictures of the game today so I can give you all a glimpse of how much fun it is! :)


And lately, my brothers and I have been highly enjoying this guy:

 Perry Mason! He's a defense attorney in L.A. in the late 50's - early 60's. There are complete videos of almost the whole first season of Perry Mason on IMDB.com (internet movie database) that you can watch for free online with only a few interruptions from commercials. We've been loving it. Perry Mason always manages to pull out a victory over his arch-nemesis, prosecuting attorney Hamilton Burger, and his sidekick Lieutenant Tragg.

My favorite character in the show is Della Street, Perry Mason's secretary. My youngest brother and I think she and Perry Mason should have gotten married, they make such a cute couple! :D But apparently they were just good friends in the series.

Well, I hope you all have a great weekend! I'm off to bake a tasty treat to bring as an after-game snack to Ultimate Frisbee.