The sock dolls find a home!

This year some of the kids dropped off the dolls at a nursing home down the street from the school. The other dolls went to a homeless shelter in New Bedford. This is the group of kids I took to the nursing home. 120 dolls in all!! Next trimester the dolls will be going to an orphanage in Honduras.

A good match

One more happy recipient.

A kiss for your doll!

This lady planted a big wet one on Will as soon as she got her doll. Fortunatly he wants to be a Dr. when he grows up and so her toothless smooch did not phase him!

A Happy recipient!

Most of the residents just loved the dolls and the visit from the kids.

Sock doll pile up!

Here they are on my couch after a fun trip through the washer and dryer. Getting ready for their new homes.

Who knew socks could be so cute?

It is hard for me not to just keep them myself! The personalities are so funny!

Not Santa...just some dazed blonde lady

So here I am dropping of the dolls to the homeless shelter, my last run. Looking dazed from helping my students thread needles....the eyes just aren't what they used to be!

Halloween weekend

A trip down the Westport river. Saw a lot of birds, like this swan that wouldn't let me get too close!

More rock disguises

rock witch

Even the rocks looked decked out for Halloween!

Fall fishing and kayaking

No fish, but nice peaceful ride and walk on the beach with only the birds to keep us company

It is that time again!

Opening day and he got another one. He eats, sleeps and breaths hunting. This year he is taking the goods to a butcher who just does venison. He makes all sorts of sausages and what have you. Just don't think you are going to fool me looking all anonymous in that butcher paper in the freezer! I won't be partaking. I asked him if he could just shoot them with paint ball guns or something....you know the thrill of the chase and all with out the killing part......didn't seem to intrigue him. I apologize to those whom this picture offends, but this is his passion and I love to see him so focused and happy and successful...so I'm always conflicted when it comes to congratulating him...good shot, sorry deer.

The Dress

Have been doing nothing but sewing and beading! It will be lovely on her though. This is the little jacket with pink beads and sequins. I am working on the dress now. It will have silver beads and sequins, white applique.

Growing things

I am not a great gardener. I can't claim to have any real knowledge or even pretend I get satisfaction from weeding, and yet my flowers rise up each year and try and make me look good. I thank them for their efforts. Usually I just go to the plant store and buy up whatever looks good and plop it in the ground. It is Fall now of course and most of these lovely blooms have gone buy. I will let the weeds take over for a bit and then I will swoop in and clear them all out. Winter is good for that sort of cleaning house and dreaming of how next year , yes next year it will all be different.

Dinner

I might not appriciate the deer hunting but I do appriciate his fishing skills!

Out door shower!

I have been wanting an outdoor shower for a while. Chuck bought a little shower unit for the trailer and then built this shower stall around it so when not in the trailer we can use it at home. There is nothing like a day at the beach, an out door shower then some food on the grill! When we were small we would go to Grammy's house and hit the beach and then go to the showers in the garage, good memories. Luckily our neighbors views are blocked by trees and distance, although they are bound to catch Chuck eventually.....now that the kids have moved out he claims our house to be "clothing optional"

Space to breath

Chuck and I finally (after 5 years!) got out of town and headed to the White Mts. for a week of hiking and R+R. Hiked 4 out of the 6 days and dragged Chuck to some outlets on the other days. Really beautiful, nice people on the trail and peaceful nights on the deck cooking and reading....I did manage to talk him into giving me a foot massage one night! We hope to return this fall....imagine the above done up in orange yellow and red!

Cold at the top

Heading across the ridge.

At the second summit

On this particular day we crossed three summits, you can see the ridge path behind Chuck that we are heading to. 10 miles total.

View

This is a large slab of wet rock that you can see from the road below. Gorgeous views.

The falling waters trail

apptly named! We scrambled over rocks and up the side. I was feeling pretty fit but tired when a yellow lab bounded by and then some .....lets just say more senior folks passed me by, you should have seen their calves!. Better get back to the P90x.

Trailside

This is just one of many waterfalls we passed on the trail.

Dear Mother Nature

And when it was all done some how you knew when I needed a soft place to lay down before heading home.......heaven!

Weeding

It is messy, sweaty but somebody has to do it!

Still life......literally

So this is Anthony's deer skull that he had buried over the winter and now has dug up to bleach in the sun. Trophies.....guys always need a trophy! That next to it is my bougainvillea that I love....no! it is not a trophy, it is a pet plant, get it straight!

He's a triple threat

Yes folks he runs on the land, flys through the air on his bike and now kayaking down the river. What can I say..we had a lovely day, ended up at the beach for a bit of picnic and then back. I will not be showing photos of myself in a bathing suit!