Somewhere over the rainbow......

It's rained here all day, but around 6:30 this evening the sun came out and being the scrapbooker I am with my camera always handy, I ran outside and behold...a beautiful rainbow!

Beautiful new WTA ATC I received yesterday from Melissa Huber. How sweet!

Wanted to share a new picture of my son, James, and his girlfriend, Jessica. The hospital I work for offered a free picture taking session with a free framed 8 x 10 and a CD with all the pics on it. So I let them get their picture taken since they didn't have a professional one together. Turned out quite nice.

Thought for the day....

When I hear somebody sigh, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?"
- Sydney J. Harris

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

SIGNS OF SPRING

Starting to look like spring and feel like it too outside. Yes, there's and end to this coldness!!!! Here's one of my trustworthy daffodils.

Hyacinth...and oooohh the wonderful scent!

Butterfly Bush

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Spent the afternoon in Alton, Illinois on Friday. Had heard about Fast Eddie's Bon Air for years, but never had eaten there. Quite good and cheap. Was originally owned and started in 1921 by Anheuser Busch. Food is the same price as it was 15 years ago. 99 cent hamburgers and fries, Big Elwood on a stick, which is steak and green pepper shish-k-bobs for $2.99, Chick on a Stick, Pork K-bobs and peel-n-eat shrimp, 29 cents each and they're huge and oh so good!! On weekends standing room only is at a minimum here.
Was second day without crutches, so was good to be out "walking" around and did very well. Was a little sore and tired by the end of the trip, but great exercise! Getting better every day.

I just love primitive!!!

These stone walls run up and down almost every road in historic downtown Alton and many homes are made of the stone....it is natural to the area. Someone has set a stone rabbit on top.....just love it!

Okay, they're not kidding here......LOL.....that would be the mighty Mississippi in the background. It can look quite serene on a clear, nice day! Don't let the look fool you, it can be quite mighty at times!

Found this in the cemetery.....fascinating....this old tree has engulfed some of the old stone fence that runs alongside the road.

Beautiful statuary in a cemetery.

Love the clock in this church steeple.

All the stone homes in Alton just intrigue me.....I love stone houses! And here's a stone church steeple.

Hope is the companion of power, and mother of success; for who so hopes strongly has within him the gift of miracles.
- Samuel Smiles

I can't change the direction of the wind. But I can adjust my sails.

A beautiful ATC received yesterday for the WTA from Teri Chinen. Gorgeous colors....

Was such a beautiful evening, daytime temp was 74 today, I couldn't resist going out and sitting on the deck in the springlike, cool evening air. Here are a few pics of the wonderful sky I viewed. What a beautiful moon!

Another view of the moon.

Tree off our deck with almost invisible star left side.

The tree of our deck.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties. --Erich Fromm

Vintage Ledger Swap

The Vintage Ledger Swap Atc's arrived! The theme was to have some vintage ledger paper as the background. They are just beautiful! This one is from Barbara Dunford; lovely colors with some "bling" (gotta love it) and a cute pink flower up in the corner.

This is Heather Bloom's and has a cute little vintage button at the top with a little "bling" on the heart. You know I love that bling! It also has a metal corner at the top and german scrap along the bottom.

April Dudko's with a copy of actual vintage paper from a Philadelphia mechants Ledger date 1862 in the background! I just love the garter fastener...very cool.

Here is Janet Cassady's...the flash didn't do it justice. It's awesome and what a cute saying.

Another wonderul ATC from Teri Chinen, hostess of the swap. It's titled "The Big One". Such a cute little boy image with a metal crown and german scrap along the left side.

Here is Kris Dickinson's "Captain of Industry"....love those dunce caps! They add such a whimsical look to any ATC.

And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

Sharing some information today of a friend of mine's website. I used to work with Andy at Sears and became good friends; he's a wonderful christian man. He moved to Florida and married Gail, seen here in the picture. He was diagnosed with cancer recently and has gone through some rough surgeries and now radiation and then chemo when his wrist heals from where they took the graft for his tongue. He did have lymph node involvement and the borders didn't turn out "clean" after surgery. So he has a long road ahead of him. His friends, family and God continue to be his strength through all of this. Please keep my friend Andy in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you! Visit him at www.mylifeline.org/andyweisenborn/
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph" -- Thomas Paine

Happy 18th Birthday, again, Dad!

Yes, my dad was born in a leap year.....he's a big 'ol 18 years old. Yesteday or today, whichever you like, is is non-birthday! Happy Birthday, Dad!!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Mahatma Gandhi