I Won A Giveaway!

A few weeks ago, Mary, over at Home is Where The Boat Is offered the cutest giveaway and it was all about reading, flip flops and fun in the sun, and since those are some of my favorite things I entered.  Sand Pail Selections and Flip Flops! is such a colorful, fun post and I quickly fell in love with the book selections, sand castles, flip flops and of course, the sangria! Here is a photo of Mary's delightful giveaway prizes.

When my box of goodies arrived I could barely contain my excitement! I've never won anything, EVER!!

Isn't this exciting? I almost forgot to take pictures, but came to my senses before I ripped into this wonderful box of goodness! 

As I gently unpacked the box taking care not to tear anything, I cherished every little item. I'm corny like that. Having never won anything before I didn't want the moment to end!

I couldn't stand it any longer, so the tissue started flying! Keeper, my Bichon, thought Mama was going crazy! She looked at me as if to say, "One more squeal and I'm outta here!" She's pretty camera shy so I told her that Mary's Bichons, Chloe and Gracie, pose all the time for pictures and are featured regularly in Mary's posts. She reluctantly gave in. Okay, I bribed her, but then she must have sniffed that a Bichon had been near the gifts, so she began to sit and pose and I went to town taking her picture. My girl will not be outdone!

I absolutely love the goodies I received! As a reader I'm always on the lookout for new and different books and the two books included, Chasing Fireflies and Amaryllis in Blueberry, are next on my reading list. This was such a wonderful gift to receive during these end of Summer days and I couldn't be more pleased.

Thank you so very much, Mary, Chloe and Gracie! We love our gifts!

Hugs,

Susan and Keeper

Our Flag

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.

I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.

Abraham Lincoln



Have You Crossed Anything Off Your Bucket List?

For many years, and I'm getting to be pretty old, I dreamed of things I wanted to do and places I wanted to go and thought that's what they were...DREAMS, but as I've gotten older some of them have been realized. Now, I'm not one to sit around and think about what I want to do before I die, rather I dream of things in a more thoughtful, romantic way AND I don't necessarily plan any of them, I just let them happen naturally, in the course of life.

Now, let me make a few things real clear...I ain't one to go jumpin' outta no airplane! I feel just fine riding in coach and see no reason to change that. I also don't see any reason to go swimming with sharks or any other sea creatures that want to kill me.

But, I have accomplished a few things that I really never thought I would and I guess now that I'm OLDER it's called a Bucket List.

I've been on a Hot Air Balloon Ride

I've flown over The Grand Canyon

I've been to Alaska

Twice

I've been on many Cruises

I've been to Foreign Countries

Sunset Beach, St. Maarten

Where the jets come in for landing right over the beach...FUN

 The Yukon, Canada

St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

And Many Other Places

I've Met Some Famous People

Charles Barkley

Coach Jeff Fisher

There are some other famous athletes I call my friends and when I'm around them I don't see them as celebrities, but just plain old people who laugh at my jokes, love my cooking and are content to sleep on a queen size bed even though they are VERY TALL and HUGE people.

I've danced in the rain, stood on a mountain, sung with a choir, held my nieces and nephews minutes after their births, been deep sea fishing, snuck into a concert, been on a movie set while they were filming Jaws II, did the flowers and some of the food for my wedding, touched a shark, ridden on a glass bottom boat, wrote a fan letter to James Stewart (my favorite actor of all time) and received a reply and a photograph and

 ROLLED TOOMER"S CORNER many, many times.

There are so many other things I've done, but quite a few I've yet to do. I'll just continue on this journey and in due time I'll be able to put a check mark next to many other things on my Bucket List.

Memorial Day

It is important that we honor those who serve and protect us.

And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me. ~  Lee Greenwood

For love of country

they accepted death. ~ James A. Garfield

Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory,

nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds,

yet will their remembrance be as lasting

as the land they honored. ~ Daniel Webster

With the tears a Land hath shed

Their graves should ever be green. ~ Thomas B. Aldrich

And they who for their country die

shall fill an honored grave,

for glory lights the soldiers' tomb

and beauty weeps the brave. ~ Joseph Drake

But the freedom that they fought for,

and the country grand they wrought for,

is their monument today and for aye. ~ Thomas Dunn English

Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes-

Remember there is an army of defense and advance

that never dies and never surrenders,

but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources

of the American spirit and from

the generations of American youth. ~ W.J. Cameron

Never Forget, Ever Honor.

Spring in Our Yard

I love Spring! I love the beauty of the sky, the new growth and colors and Easter. Sunday I decided to take some pictures of our side yard and breezeway. I love to decorate our breezeway. I think it makes a guest feel welcome and it's so inviting to drive up to our home and see a pretty entryway.

This is the view you see as you drive down our driveway.

We live in the country and are surrounded by pastures and beautiful trees.

We are slowly relandscaping the perimeter of the house beginning with the side entrance. Our Knockout Roses are absolutely gorgeous this year.

I decorate the French doors, the breezeway and the small baker's rack I found at a local antique mall. I just love this baker's rack, it fits perfectly beside my storage room and next to the walkway to the patio.

I also adore Mexican Heather and garden flags. I think the flags let a guest know when they drive up that they are always welcome and to come on in. I've collected small garden flags for quite some time and I'm always on the lookout for new ones. This Easter flag is one of my favorites.

One last look at a beautiful rose.

I hope you've enjoyed the pictures of my side yard and breezeway. I love my home and I'm always decorating something in the house or in the yard.

Happy Easter from our home to yours.

My New Camera

The day after Christmas Darrel and I were out riding around and decided to go to a local electronics store nearby. Lo and behold there was the camera of my dreams ON SALE with an added zoom lens and bag! Now, I'm not the best photographer, but with this little beauty I think I'll be on my way.

It's a Nikon D3100 and I'm in love! Of course, Darrel loves it, too. One of our dearest friends, Nickey, is a fabulous photographer and today they've gone fishing and the camera went, too. I can't wait to see the wildlife shots they capture.

This is the zoom lens.

Oh, the limitless possibilities! With football games, bridal showers and the wedding in March along with various other events I'll be a picture taking maniac!  I love my other Nikon and Canon, but this is a fabulous camera. Now all I need is some time to get to know my new camera and some pointers on "fancy cameras for dummies".