Things that make a noise, etc...

Happy Friday all!  Krissy and John ARE COMING HOME !!  They have been gone for nearly two months (or is it over two months??) and now they are coming home!!  I am so excited!!  WELCOME HOME, KRISSY AND JOHN!!  They were allowed to leave this morning but haven't been able to because of all the flooding around Pennsylvania.  My family and I have been lucky in that regard.  We have stayed dry.  Others have not been so lucky.  My heart and prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones in the flooding and to those who are displaced.  May you find comfort soon.

Today is my boyfriend, John's, birthday.  Yes, my boyfriend's name is John.  It gets confusing when I am talking to Krissy and we both talk about our Johns.  So we have affectionately named my boyfriend John2.  LOL  It works.  John2 and I have been dating for 11 months now.  Wow, almost a year!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN2 !!!!!  May you have a wonderful year coming up!  I am so glad you were born!!  I love you !!  Speaking of John2, he is a subject in this week's Scavenger Hunt.  The subject is "things that make a sound".  Normally John2 is very quiet.  He is very laid-back and calm.  When he is most noisy is when he is playing one of his guitars.  Here he is playing hisminiature classical guitar.  My cats love the sound of this guitar and usually gather around when he plays.  They only come running when he plays the acoustic guitars, though.  They hate it when he plays his electric guitars.  It scares them and they hide.  They do love this little classical guitar, though.

                   

The second picture I have is a creek, Spring Creek, in my little town.  It is in Talleyrand Park.  I love to sit and listen to the water falling over this little water fall here.  I like to close my eyes and imagine I am at the beach.  It is so soothing.  On a nice weather weekend you can see the park filled with people, children and couples feeding the ducks and fish in this creek.

        

That's it for today!  I am going to go find my kitty cats.  I need to make sure Honey is in the house.  Honey did a Houdini trick last night.  She opened the screen in the window.  Now mind you, the screen was shut very tightly.  She was able to slide it over about ten inches with her paw or claws (or however she did it?) and hop on out into the night for a few hours.  She ended up back in the front yard.  Naughty girl.  She is very good at opening doors, cabinets, screens, etc.  I need to go make sure she is safe and kitty-proof the screens now.  Have a lovely weekend!  xox

Sitcom fun!...

I wanted to do some TV fun today!  I got this idea from Phil.  Phil made a list of TV sitcoms and male characters on sitcoms and rated them from his least favorite to favorite.  I added four sitcoms to the list.  If you took a crack at this in your journal, come back and leave me your journal URL so I can drop by and give yours a read!  Let's compare!

     Characters from least favorite to favorite:
         
          Frank Burns
          Agent 86
          Hawkeye Pierce
          Herman Munster
          Mork
          Vinnie Barborino
          Beaver
          Ted Baxter
          Gilligan
          Barney Fife
          George Jefferson
          Latka
          Fonzie
          Frazier
          Archie Bunker
          Jack Tripper
            and my favorite all-time character is...
               Cosmo Kramer!

     

     Sitcoms from least favorite to favorite:
         
       Gomer Pyle, USMC
          Beverly Hillbillies
          I Dream of Jeanie
          Bewitched
          Dick Van Dyke Show
          Diff'rent Strokes
          Taxi
          Mork and Mindy
          Mary Tyler Moore Show
          The Cosby Show
          The Jeffersons
          All in the Family
          Welcome Back Kotter
          Family Ties
          Laverne and Shirley
          Cheers
          Happy Days
          Friends
          Everybody Loves Raymond
          That 70's Show
          Frazier
            and my favorite all-time sitcom is...
                       Seinfeld!
  
      
Is your list anything like mine?  This washarder than I thought it would be.  Interesting.  Toodles, all! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #81...

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #81 will be due on Sunday, July 2, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST. 

Category:  "things that make a sound"

Please place your submissions in the comments section by the due date.  No rules and have fun!! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #80...

Entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #80 brought to you by Krissy from Sometimes I Think:

Category:  "out-of-date, old, or antique"

Here are the journals that participated:

Julie Loses It, My Weight Loss Journal
Photo Trek
A little Left of Center
Time Well Wasted
Confessions of An Angel Waitress
JUST FOR FUN
Ye Olde English Posy
Footprints in the Sand
ALMOST Paradise
Northern Trip
and Shana at Photo Blog has caught up and has given us four entries!
Click here for her submission for this week.
Click here for her submission for "black and white".
Click here for her submission for "nature scene".
Click here for her submission for "collection".

Old things and antiques are rich in history, so I found these pictures very intriguing!  Hope you enjoy them!  Thanks for playing!

I wanted to let you all know that Krissy has posted a Monday Morning Question if you would like to go say hello and answer it!!  Have a lovely Monday, everyone! xox

German barn...

   

         


This week's hunt subject is "out-of-date, old, or antique".  This is a photo of a German barn.  They are also called  Pennsylvania or Sweitzer barns.   Their building tradition was imported by German settlers in the 1800's.  What makes them different from other barns is that they are quite massive and were designed to centralize operations into one barn instead of scattering them into multiple ones.  Also, they have a cantilevered floor, called a forebay, that extends over the feedlot above the basement level.  In other words, the second level extends over the first.  I have gone past these barns at times and have seen hay being dropped from the second level into the first to feed the animals.  The second level can be accessed easily from the ground at the back of the barn because these barns are actually built into the side of a hill.   Alot of times you will see hex signs on the side of them.  I live near Amish country and have seen some of these barns still in use.  This barn is about eight miles from my home.  I don't think it is in use.  Perhaps a family even lives in it.  It just looks too well-kept.

I will post all of the submissions tomorrow morning for "out-of-date, old, or antique".  If you want to participate, please leave your link by sun-up tomorrow!  Thanks and have a lovely day! xox

"Wordplay" Wednesday! Happy Summer!...

Happy first day of SUMMER everyone!!   It seems like just yesterday it was cold and wintery.  Yay, summer!!  I wanted to wish a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Deborah!!  Go visit her and wish her a happy one if you can!!  Have a good one, Deborah!!

                                       

It's time for "Wordplay"!!  I wanted to do a simple installment today because last week's was very difficult and hardly anyone took a crack at it.  If anyone has an idea about a "Wordplay" game send it to valphish@aol.com or leave your idea in the comments section.  I will give you credit!!  I wanted to discuss today what words and/or phrases we commonly used.  What are some commonly used words and/or phrases in your vocabulary?  Are there some words and/or phrases that come out of your mouth many times during the day?  Are you guilty of over-using certain words and/or phrases?

I wasn't sure about what I said alot so I asked my boyfriend this morning.  He said that I used the words cool and right alot.  When I say them I drag out the vowel sounds.  They sound more like keeeewl and riiiight.    I also say that's crazy alot.  I drag out the "a" in crazy, too.  I am not sure why I drag out the vowels in these words or other words.  Now my boyfriend has started dragging out his vowels.  LOL  Krissy, do you ever drag out your vowels?  I wonder if it is a VA thing (where I grew up).  What about you?

Hope everyone is having a nice first day of summer! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #80...

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #80 will be due on Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST.  Wow, Krissy, you have done 80 of these!!  Congratulations, honey!! 

Category:  out-of date, old, or antique

Please place your submissions in the comments section by the due date.  No rules and have fun!! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #79 entries...

Entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #79 brought to you by Krissy from Sometimes I Think:

Category:  collection

Here are the journals that participated:

ALMOST Paradise
A Little Left of Center
Confessions of an Angel Waitress
Ye Olde English Posy
Northern Trip
Footprints in the Sand
The Light's On... But No One's Home
JUST FOR FUN

These are great!!  You get a glimpse into these journalers' personalities!  Thanks for participating!! xox

Monday Morning Question...

Good Monday morning everyone!  Krissy is hosting the Monday Morning Question this morning, so please pop over and give it a whirl!!  I will be back later today to post the Photo Scavenger Hunt entries and next week's subject.  If you have an entry for "collection" send it in quickly!   Make it over to Krissy's if you can!  Toodles! xox

Happy Father's Day!, etc...

I wanted to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there in J-Land!!  I also wanted to wish a special Happy Father's Day to my Daddy!!  Happy Father's Day, Daddeeoo!!!  I love you!!!

                                        

My best friend from middle school and high school got married yesterday.  I wish you a long, joyful life with Doug, Jennifer!!  Congratulations, you two!!

I only had a couple takers on this week's "Wordplay".  I'm not sure what went wrong.  Were there too many of them?  Did they take too long to figure out?  Let me know in the comments section.   Congratulations to Chuck who figured out 14 of them!!  Krissy was the only other player.   Thanks for trying, hon!   Here are the answers...

     1.       7 = Wonders of the Ancient World
     2.      12 = Signs of the Zodiac
     3.      54 = Cards in a Deck (with the Joker)
     4.       9 = Planets in the Solar System
     5.      88 = Keys on a Piano
     6.      13 = Stripes on the American Flag
     7.      32 = Degrees at Which Water Freezes
     8.      18 = Holes on a Golf Course
     9.      90 = Degrees in a Right Angle
    10.       9 = Justices on the Supreme Court
    11.       3 = Strikes You're Out at the Old Ball Game
    12. 4 + 20 = Black Birds Baked in a Pie
    13.    200 = Dollars for Passing Go in Monopoly
    14.       8 = Sides on a Stop Sign
    15.       3 = Blind Mice (See How They Run!!)
    16.       4 = Quarts in a Gallon
    17.      24 = Hours in a Day
    18.       1 = Giant Leap for Mankind
    19.       9 = Lives for a Cat
    20.      50 = Ways to Leave Your Lover

Again, Happy Father's Day and as a reminder, Photo Hunt submissions are due tonight!  Hope you can join us!  Toodles! xox

A Rainbow!

     "And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.
      Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."
                                                                         - Jerry Chin



The sun was shining brightly through my living room window, a few days ago, when I heard thunder booms and strong rain on the roof.  "Interesting,"  I thought, "you can't have rain AND bright sun at the same time without a rainbow!"

Instinctively, I grabbed my camera and my boyfriend and I ran out the front door.  It was sunny in my front yard, but as we rounded the corner into the backyard we saw the clouds and storm approaching and walked into the heavy rain.  Here is the rainbow we saw.   How lucky!  It's actually a double rainbow, but it's hard to tell on these photographs.  Hope everyone is enjoying their weekends!

         

         

         

         

         

 

"Wordplay" Wednesday!...

Good morning word wizards!!  I have something for you this morning that I think will be alot of fun!  I found these teasers on Just Riddles and More.  Let's see who can get the most correct!!   Come back more than once if you want to and feel free to copy them and work on them at your own pace (but please don't go back to the site and copy down all the answers and post them so others can play)!  Here is how you play...  Each equation below is comprised of initials that you must replace with words which make the equation correct.  For example, 26 = L. of the A. would be 26 = Letters of the Alphabet.  Put your guesses in the comments section or do this as an entry in your journal and come back and leave your entry URL so I can go view your entry!  Have fun and send a reader or two my way, if you would like, to see if they can solve some that you can't!!  I will post the answers in a few days.  Enjoy!!


       1.        7 = W. of the A. W.
     2.      12 = S. of the Z.
     3.      54 = C. in a D. (with the J.)
     4.       9 = P. in the S. S.
     5.      88 = K. on a P.
     6.      13 = S. on the A. F.
     7.      32 = D. at which W. F.
     8.      18 = H. on a G. C.
     9.      90 = D. in a R. A.
    10.       9 = J. on the S. C.
    11.       3 = S. Y. O. at the O. B. G.
    12. 4 + 20 = B. B. B. in a P.
    13.    200 = D. for passing G. in M.
    14.       8 = S. on a S. S.
    15.       3 = B. M. (S. H. T. R.!!)
    16.       4 = Q. in a G.
    17.      24 = H. in a D.
    18.       1 = G. L. for M.
    19.       9 = L. for a C.
    20       50 = W. T. L. Y. L.


Have a good rest of the week everyone and take care of yourself and one another! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #79

I want to apologize to those of you who were waiting for the subject of the Scavenger Hunt.  Seems I got very busy with appointments and then forgot to post it.  Goodness, so sorry everyone!  Am I fired, Krissy?

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #79 will be due on Sunday, June 18, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  collection

This could be a picture or two of something you collect, or perhaps something you find in a collection or group.  No rules!  Have fun!!

Have a super day, all! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #78 Entries...

Entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #78 brought to you by Krissy from Sometimes I Think

Category:  Black and White

Here are the journals that participated:

Confessions of an Angel Waitress
Northern Trip
Photo Trek
Faith in Roman Catholicism
My Day, My Interests, Photo Blog
Throw Me a Bone
Holiday Photos
ALMOST Paradise
This Momma's Drama
Linda's World
JUST FOR FUN
A Little Left of Center
Footprints in the Sand
There is a Season
Ye Olde English Posy
My Spot

And from last week, here is a submission from Noelle of "Nature Scene":

The Ways of Rayne

Please take time to view these.  They really are worth your time!!  I will be back soon with next week's subject!  Have a super day! xox

Monday Morning Question...

Happy Monday morning!  I hope everyone had a very nice weekend!  Since Krissy handed me the Monday Morning Question I have struggled with it at times.  It should be easy, but it really isn't.  I don't know why.  Maybe it's because there really isn't a theme for it.  I have had an easier time coming up with "Wordplay" questions and themes for the Scavenger Hunt, but come Monday morning my mind runs blank.  What general question do I want to ask everyone?   Is there a question you want to ask everyone?  If there is, put it in the comments section.  I have a silly question for you all today for lack of a better one.

Monday Morning Question

If you had to morph into a cartoon/comic strip character today who would you want to morph into?  What cartoon/comic strip character are you like?

my answer:  I think I am Pooh at times - lovable and optimistic.  I think I may be a bit of Roo, too, who is childlike and joyful.  There is a day thrown in when I am Ziggy, too.  I know, I can't come up with one answer.  LOL  What about you?

I will be back a little later with the entries for The Photo Scavenger Hunt (and next week's subject).  You will want to view these because they are spectacular!  We had alot of participants this week!  Toodles! xox

Black and White, etc...

Happy Lord's Day everyone!  Hope you are having a nice weekend.  The weather here in central PA is gloriously beautiful - sunny and in the 60's and low 70's and breezy.  It is my very favorite weather.   I see there is a hurricane brewing and heading toward Florida right now.  My daughter told me this last night when I was talking to her on the phone.  Chelsea just got her very first apartment with her boyfriend and the father of her baby, Desi.  The moving went smoothly, thank goodness.  She lost her house two years ago in Hurricane Charlie, so every time I hear about a hurricane I get nervous.  I hope her new apartment has very strong walls :-o !!  Chelsea is doing very well and her baby is due in about ten weeks.  I am so excited!!!  They picked out a name and shook on it - Josiah Anthony.  I love the name!!  I am hoping to be able to go down to Florida with my boyfriend for a couple of weeks when she has her baby.  I am trying to get enough funds together right now.   If you are the praying type, keep us in your prayers as I want this to come through without a hitch.  I am very low-income and this won't be easy.  Now on to the Photo Scavenger Hunt this week...

The subject for the hunt is "black and white".  I hope you enjoy my photos!

The first picture is one I shared with you before only in color and not cropped.  It is Chelsea and her two best girlfriends in PA.  This is one of my very favorite photos.  I see the true joy and friendship shared among them.

              

The second picture was also shared over a year ago.  I love the shadows in this photo.   I preferred this shot in black and white so much more than in color.  It is a pink rose.

              

The third shot here is of my son, Matt.  I played around with the photograph and turned it into a line drawing...

                 

Finally, the last two pictures are my two favorite, little, furry friends to photograph.  They keep me smiling and give me many opportunities for pictures!!...

              

              

If you want to join in on the Photo Scavenger Hunt we would love to have you!!  Just take a shot or two or three (or more!) of the subject posted in my journal (or Krissy's when she returns) and come back to my journal with your entry URL and post it in the comments section of the entry that has the subject announced.  A new subject will be announced tomorrow.  The hunt is usually led by my sister, Krissy, but she is away taking care of her husband who had a bone marrow transplant.  Get better soon, John!!  Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the day!! xox

"Wordplay" Wednesday!...

                                      

Happy Wednesday everyone!  It's time for "Wordplay"!  I was sitting up late Saturday night watching The National Spelling Bee.  I fell asleep before I found out who won or what the winning word was.  Speaking of spelling bees, I was in a county spelling bee when I was in 7th grade.  I missed my first word.  It was terrible.  I got up to the microphone and I blacked out.  I was hideously nervous.  I was literally shaking and sweating and my brain turned blank.  Letters and words meant nothing.  I had stage fright.  It was awful.  It is NOT a happy memory for me.  That's a shame.  Oh well.  On the subject of spelling, I thought we could go to this site and see how many words you could spell correctly.  How many words did you spell correctly?  What words did you have trouble with?  Go to this site and see the most frequently misspelled words, and misspelled is, by the way, a commonly misspelled word.  Are there any words that have tripped you up over the years- words that you have commonly misspelled?

Leave your replies in the comments section or do this as an entry and come back and leave your URL so I can read your entry!  Thanks for playing and have a good day everyone! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt #78...

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #78 will be due on Sunday, June 11, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST

Category:  Black and white

Your subject(s) can be black and white or your photo(s) can be black and white.  No rules!!  Place the link to your entry in the comments section below.  Thanks for playing!  Have fun! xox

Photo Scavenger Hunt Entries and My Entry...

I also wanted to wish my sister, Grace, a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!  She had her birthday yesterday.  I was out of town and couldn't post, Gracie.  Happy birthday, honey!!!!

Now on to the entries for the Photo Scavenger Hunt this week.  My submissions are posted at the end of this entry.  I hope you enjoy them!


Entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #77 brought to you by Krissy from Sometimes I Think

Category:  Nature Scene

Here are the journals that participated:


Northern Trip
Holiday Photos
Linda's World
Photo Trek
Footprints in the Sand
JUST FOR FUN
Steel Magnolia
Ye Olde English Posy
Lost in my own Thoughts


These submissions are really beautiful!  I hope you all take the time out to view them!  We had two new players, too!  Below are my nature shots.

The first three are from a trip to the beach I took a little over a year ago.  The last picture is a flower I played with a little bit.

    

    

It was getting ready to storm.

    

         

I will be back soon with the Photo Scavenger Hunt subject soon!  Toodles! xox

Monday Morning Question...

I wanted to wish Mark from Mark's Daily Journal a very, very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  Have a blast today, Mark!!!  Which leads me into today's Monday Morning Question usually sponsored by Krissy, but she is still away.  Come back soon Krissy and John!  Wishing you two the best!!

Monday Morning Question

What is your earliest (or an early) birthday memory?  What is a present you received, if you can recall?

My answer:  I remember my 4th birthday.  I think this was actually as far back as my memory goes.  I was playing in my back yard with plastic, interlocking, colorful clowns I had received for my birthday as a present.  I loved them so much!!  I remember thinking they were so much fun and so wonderful!!  What about you?

I will be back soon with entries for the Photo Scavenger Hunt along with my own entry and next week's subject.  Sorry that I have three entries today.  I am condensing them as best I can =).  Have a wonderful start of the week everyone and Happy Birthday again, Mark!! xox

"Wordplay"!...

I wanted to congratulate two lovely ladies in J-Land who are getting married this weekend!  Congratulations Tammy and Nancy!!  May you have long, loving and wonderful marriages!!  How exciting for them!!  I also wanted to congratulate Greg who does excellent photography and has a journal here.  He is being considered for publication!!  Oh, good luck Greg!  You really should go see his fabulous photos that he sells.  The prices are very reasonable, too!  Now on to "Wordplay"!  I thought we could do something fun and laid-back and easy.  This will be kind of silly and everyone can play!

                                       

Take the first letters of your first name (if you are feeling daring, do your last name as well) and, using these letters, let us know who you are using verbs, adjectives and nouns, etc.  What is the essence of you?   No rules to this one.   Let's have fun and get to know one another!  Put your submission in the comments section or do it as an entry in your journal and come back and leave the URL to your entry so I can post it.  I will be posting these in a few days.  Don't forget to leave your URLs for easy posting!  Thanks, and have fun!!

          Voluptuous
          Animated
          Low-energy
          Eleven-fingered
          Romantic
          Iguana-lover
          Eyeball-wiggler

Did you learn anything new about me?  My older readers may remember that I was born with eleven fingers.  I'm polydactyl.  I had the extra finger taken off when I was an infant.  You may also remember that I can wiggle my eyeballs.  What about you?  Give it a go!

Hope everyone is having a nice day!  Take care all! xox