Happy Halloween

In our area Lincoln Caverns hosts a Ghosts and Goblins tour each year. Costumed guides explain the wonders and highlights of a haunted Lincoln Caverns while supporting characters provide humor and horror along the way. The caverns are wonders of nature. This is a great fun activity for children and adults. I think that the cave it a little eerie anyway with so many bats and the unusual rock formations. During the Halloween season, it can be very frightening.

These are rock formations in the cave.

We are on our way to Colonial Williamsburg for a few days. I hope that you all have a Happy Halloween.

Our Grandchildren - Segment 4

Kristen is Michele and Joe's daughter. Although she was on the cheer leading squad and active in high school, she was very quiet and shy. She was also an honor student. Kristen didn't even like to get her picture taken when she was in high school.

Kristen's family has two dogs, Bosley (a pug) and Otis (a Sheltie). Kristen's favorite dog is Bosley. Here she and Bosley are shown celebrating Christmas together.

Kristen is now a sophomore in college. She is studying to be a Physician's Assistant and takes her studies very seriously. Kristen is no longer shy. She is very talkative and animated. She loves shopping and especially likes to shop for designer handbags. She now has a part-time job. She loves her SUV. Kristen is a wonderful young woman.

Bloomin' Tuesday

On Monday I said "Good Bye" to my five beautiful ferns. They were loaded in the truck and made a journey to the Career and Technology Center. The students in the horticulture/florticulture program will keep them alive over the winter. How sad, the only flowers that are still blooming are the baskets of mums on the front porch.

I think "flowers" all year round. Now I am preparing to plant tulip bulbs for beautiful blooms in the spring. Why don't you join me and plant tulip bulbs in your garden?

About Tulips

Once you have decided on a location for your tulip bed, prepare the soil well. If possible, spade the area to several inches below the depth of the bulb. Bone meal and wood ashes are the usual fertilizers and are adequate. Use three to four pounds of each per 100 square feet of soil. Use two to three pounds of a 5-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. The depth of the planting will vary with the bulb you are planting. A general guide is two to three times the length or width of the bulbs. If in doubt, go deeper. Plant the bulbs slightly further apart than they are deep. When digging a hole for the bulb, be certain the hole has a flat bottom. Put your fertilizer in the bottom of the hole first and stir it in well. After the ground is frozen in the fall, mulch your bulbs with evergreen boughs or coarse straw. This is to prevent freezing, thawing, and premature growth in the spring. Follow these instructions and you'll have beautiful tulips in the spring.

Happy Planting!

Thank you, Jean of http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/ for hosting Bloomin' Tuesday. To see some beautiful blooms, visit Jean. She's a wonderful hostess!!

Blue Monday

This storage box was available in several colors. Of course, blue was my choice. My husband collects gold stamps which come in boxes. This blue box will provide a good place for storage until he inserts the stamps into the books.

My granddaughter, Mallory, made this pot holder for me. She didn't have many blue loops but knows that blue is my favorite color so used all of her blue loops in my pot holder. Do you remember making potholders?

I really like this primitive porcelain pitcher. It looks like it was well used as some of the blue trim is wearing away.

My husband grew up in rural Hill Valley. Hill Valley isn't even on the map. Imagine my elation when I found this crock to add to my collection that is inscribed in blue with "Hill Valley."

Blue is my favorite color and each Monday I look forward to seeing so many beautiful blues. I'd like to thank Sallie at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ for hosting Blue Monday. Please visit Sallie and find your way to some wonderful Blue Monday posts

My Hope - Skateboard Park Small Town, PA, USA

Skateboarding - In Another Town

Tyler (my grandson) on His Skateboard

Many of the youth in our small town participate in skateboarding. However, it is illegal to skateboard in our community. The kids have to travel either 12 miles or 23 miles to a skate board park. I am on our small community's borough council. One of my goals is to develop a skate park in our community. There are now several interested adults and youth, along with the backing of the Parks and Recreation Committee (on which I am a member), commencing on this worthwhile project. We know that we have a tough road ahead of us which will involve grant writing, fund raisers a lot of hard work.

I think that many of our town's residents do not see skate boarding as a sport that requires skill. Some of the wealthier school districts have actually incorporated skate boarding into their curriculum. I understand that this is a difficult time to be a kid especially in today's world. I really think that some of our residents forget what it is like to be young.

As part of this skate park endeavor, 800 surveys were distributed in the junior-senior high school to learn the level of interest, location, etc. for a park. As a result, I am entering the information from the surveys into a data base and compiling a report to present at our next borough council meeting.

Alas, I need to concentrate on the survey and report and will not be posting again until Monday. If any of you have had any experience with endeavors such as this, please share your experiences with me.

I hope that you all have a good weekend.

Sweetie

Our Grandchildren - Segment 3

Dustin is our oldest grandson. He is Sherry's son and brother to Erin, Ashley, Kellie, and Brooke. Dustin is employed as a welder and is really good at his job. He has trained company employees at locations outside of Pennsylvania. Dustin is very, very close to his sisters. He really looks out for them and his sisters look out for him. Just ask his girl friends!!Dustin likes to lift weights and his truck is his pride and joy. He is an avid hunter and nature lover. We were elated when Dustin sold his motorcycle! He is shown here on his friend's motorcycle. When he pulled up in it we thought that it was his. Needless to say, we were relieved when we learned that it was his friend's.

Bloomin Tuesday

The beautiful leaves are the flowers of autumn.
We live in a small town but are fortunate to have this view from our front porch.
Even after last night's heavy frost, I still have my ferns and a few mums. I also have a lot of raking to do. We have two huge maple trees in front of our house. The smallest tree sheds its leaves first.

"In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail.
Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The gray smoke towers.
Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all,

Flowers in the summer

Fires in the fall!"-

Robert Louis Stevenson, Autumn Fires

Thank you, Jean of http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/ for hosting Bloomin' Tuesday. To see some beautiful blooms, visit Jean. She's a wonderful hostess!!

Blue Monday

Happy Blue Monday!
This week I'd like to show you some of my recent blue finds. I bought the first two plates at a small shop that sells vintage and antiques. The plates are by Taylor, Smith, and Taylor.

This plate is the English Abbey by Taylor, Smith & Taylor.
This plate was in a box lot at a sale. I could not find any markings on it. The design is blue and gold and the edging is gold.
I love this blue hobnail candy dish. I bought it at a flea market.

Blue is my favorite color and each Monday I look forward to seeing so many beautiful blues. I'd like to thank Sallie at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ for hosting Blue Monday. Please visit Sallie and find your way to some wonderful Blue Monday posts

Happy Pink Saturday

These are the two pieces of Depression Glass that I bought at the Family Estate auction. I love the glow cast when the light hits them.

I love candles and have them all over the house although I only burn them in the kitchen. The candles have such a nice scent that there is a hint of the fragrance is in the air even when they are not burning. I do like to burn tarts in a tart burner in the great room. My favorite tarts are McCalls and they have just recently been sold locally. This cake candle smells like cranberries.
This is one of the angels in my collection.
This is one of the bears in my Boyd's collection.

Thank you Beverly for again hosting wonderful Pink Saturday. Please join Beverly at http://howsweetthesound

Our Grandchildren - Segment 2

I'd like to introduce you to our second oldest grandchild, Ashley Dawn. Ashley is Sherry's daughter. She is married to Justin and they have a son, Mason. Ashley and Justin are having a baby girl in February and we are all thrilled. Ashley is employed as a web designer and customer service representative at a real estate agency. She also has her license as a cosmetologist.

This is Mason eating a bowl of tomatoes (have you ever seen a two year old do that?). Mason usually has his glasses on. He has a eye problem that the opthamologist thinks can be corrected with glasses. He is a good humored little guy. Mason loves his cousins, Jocelyn and Jacob.

This is Ashley, Justin, and Mason last Christmas. This year they will be celebrating Christmas in their new home.

Thank You Nancy!

I would like to thank Nancy of Knitting Paths of Life for presenting this award to me. Nancy and I share a very similar heartache and have a special friendship. I will always be thankful to her for giving me such a warm welcome to Blogland.



I'd like to give this award to Heidi of Celebrate the Seasons. Heidi is Nancy's daughter and their relationship with each other warms my heart. Heidi is multi-talented. Please stop by and visit her.

The Estate Auction

For weeks and weeks we prepared for my husband's parents' estate auction. The auction was sad for our family. It was amazing some of the things on which we bid. There were some items that had very special meanings - especially for our daughters. I was the high bidder on several things. I bought the crocks and jewelry display case that I really wanted. However, was outbid on a candy display case and bedroom suit.

This first thing treasure is this plate that was in a box lot.

These are two of the crocks that I bought.

This is the ten gallon crock that I really wanted. I'm not sure how I'll use it. I was thinking of having a special dried arrangement made for it that I can change with the seasons. This is the antique jewelry display case that I really wanted. My father-in-law was in business for over 65 years and he bought this used when he first started in business. The curved glass was broken. In this photo the jewelry case is at the sale on top of one of the candy cases.
We had the curved glass replaced. The person that replaced the glass did not replace the mirrors. He said that it would take away from the case. I am going to buy a piece of fabric, probably velour or velvet to put in the bottom of the case and display some of my collections. We're not sure exactly how or where we will display the jewelry case. You can see the old mirror in the back of the case.
There were several pieces of pink depression glass but I only bought two pieces. I am saving those for another posting.
I bought several other pieces of glassware, old service station advertising signs, linen, and some small items that have a special meaning. I'll share those with you another time.