Rubber Ducky? Or not.

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When I was in Staunton last weekend, these charming little characters were flaunting their personalities through a closed shop window. Thank God, or I may have spent a lot of money on a whim. At least now, if I go back, I’ll have had more time to choose the ones I really ‘can’t’ live without. These guys give the little yellow rubber duck a run for his money.

The reflections from across the street make these a little hard to see, but here’s the overview of the lot of them.

Here’s a closer look at what’s in the barrel. That one of Obama will probably become a collector’s item one day. Probably, infamously, I might add.

This provides a better peek at the selection on the ledge. If I had money, oh how I could waste it on fun stuff like this. I wonder if they sell bubble bath in this little shop too?

Sunday Photo Challenge . Pets

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Magi gets the Top spot. He was/is (28 + years old,now … he was about 23 in the photo ) my number one. He was a wonderful friend, my fourth child, and the best trail partner a girl could ask for. He’d ride roadside at night, with lights blaring, or deep in the woods. We were trail mates for 19 years. You could pack this fine stead to the hilt, or double if the need arose, and Magi would carry the load.  Magi owns a piece of my heart and I hope if there is truly a heaven, Magi and I will meet again. I had to give Magi up due to the economy and for his better interest. He is in a happy, loving home with other horses to hang out with. I am sure his new owners love him as he deserves to be loved.

Beatrice Bunny (may she RIP) and Chicky Monster checking each other out. These are two of my adoptive critters, courtesy of my youngest son, when his ship sailed to answer the call of “Freedom Endurance”. At the time, it was a noble deed. Eventually, I set Beatrice free and she hung out with the gang, outdoors, for thirteen months thereafter, answering to the call of ‘kitty,kitty’. She died at about 5 years old. Something bit her, I think. Chicky Monster is old now. I’ve had him for 10 years … more of him to come. 🙂

This is Chicky Monster when I lived in Danville. He was so kind to pose for the photo, I had to post it. 🙂 At that point Monster was about 5. I still have this cat, although he is getting old … like everybody else, I know. LOL.

Stray (may he RIP) asleep with Jacob.

I did a post about Stray already and used this same photograph, so it may look familiar.  I wish I’d taken more photos of Stray.

Abby … aka “Aaaa baaaaaah gail” .

At one point I owned a little horse property in Dinwiddie Country, Virginia.   Abby was my house warming gift from my son, Brice, when I first started setting up house/farmette keeping.   Abby was supposed to eat brush, but preferred horse feed and hay, so she ended up being a loved yard ornament.  Abby loved the horses, and managed to break her hind leg getting under them, so I had to have her leg set (a story in itself), then separate her from her friends.  She was not a happy Camperette at all.

April and Trixy

For those of you who have followed my blog for while, Trixy may be a familiar face already.  If you don’t recognize her, I did a post featuring Trixy.  I also gave her a spot in my orples books.   April was bought to be a companion goat for Abby.  April thought she was a dog and would not hesitate to jump up in your lap.  She was so funny, but a little terror, too.  With those sharp hoofs, she could tear things up.  As time went on, I built a sizable pen for Abby and April to run around freely in.

These are but a few of the many pets I’ve had throughout my life.

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If you, too, would care to spread the word, please do so from the orginial source. This is a message worth spreading. Together, we might be able to make a difference. 🙂 Thanks.

bulldog's avatarThe Photographic Journey of bulldog.

Please consider re blogging this post to make the world aware of an injustice to animals for having a horn…………..

An injustice taking place in Southern Africa at the moment, is the unprecedented slaughter of the Rhinoceros. Why, so that someone can say he has a rhino horn medicine that can cure him of his ailments.. The truth being that he may as well crush his own finger nails, as that is what the horn consists of..

These poor animals, killed, their horn removed and they left to waste where they were shot. A case has just been heard in the courts of so called justice, where the accused found guilty, he had to be guilty, his fine a mere R200 000 or $25 000, where the law allows for a R10 000 000 fine and 10 years in jail.

This is not a deterrent to the poachers, they are…

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Weekly Photo Challenge . Hands

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This is one of Richmond’s Murals. I passed it on my way to Staunton. When I first saw it, instead of turning back and snapping a photo, knowing this week’s challenge, and knowing I was ignoring my inner voice, I kept going. Since Friday, I’ve been thinking of this Mural and the challenge on ‘hand’. Therefore, I made a special trip back to the mural and took the photo that has been haunting me all weekend. Please enjoy.

Close up view of two hands.

The full Mural covers the entire side of the building.

Two more hands.

P.S. When that little voice speaks, listen.

The Shenandoah Valley . Views from Afton Mountain

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The Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia surround the valley below

Another view of the valley below.

Another beautiful view taken from the overlook on Interstate 64.

Mountains in the background of our lush spring foliage.

Staunton Virginia . Historic Street Scenes

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I just got back from Staunton, which is a lovely little town in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. I took oodles of pictures this morning.  Being Sunday, the streets were a bit empty. Most of the stores were closed, and I suspect most people were either at home or in church, thus it was quite.  These are some of the street scenes of the historic part of downtown.  I will no doubt add other posts here and there of some of the store windows and more detailed shots of doorways, etc.   So many pictures, so little time.  Enjoy please

Proud Mom, here! Check this out !!

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You guys need to check out my son and his fiancee’s web business! Those two make me so proud! The young man speaking on the video is my youngest child, Brice. And YES! I am extremely proud of them both. The young lady in the photo (follow link)  is my soon to be daughter-in-law … they are set to tie the knot in July. Anyway, I just had to share this. You know how us proud Mom’s love to brag!

QTOFFICE  is an inventory management service for Mary Kaye Cosmetic’s salespersons. The kids started this business about 7 years ago and have been working side jobs while designing the platform behind their business and waiting for it to take off … it’s called burning the candle at both ends, I think.  It appears, they’re really picking up speed … hopefully, one day soon, this will be the only business they will have to focus on. I suspect, though, they’ll continue to branch out. Brice and Jamie are both bubbling over with ambition. That is the first ingredient in any successful venture.

By the way, I wanted to mention the fact that this has been an extremely busy week and I will be away this upcoming weekend, so if I’ve not visited your blog as often as usual, please forgive me, for the time being. I hope to circle back on each of you.  I do enjoy your contributions, as I hope you do mine, to the blogging environment.  Blessings to all! 🙂  Marcy

Weekly Photo Challenge. Reflections

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There was an alternative challenge this past week, which I am just now getting to.  Even though there are a gazillion photos of buildings reflecting back in the water, all of them are different. Thus, I offer yet another building admiring its own reflection, as it shares its double vision with the world. This photo was taken in Danville, Virginia.

Looking across the Dan River.

Weekly Topic Challenge . blue

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Yeah, I’m cheating a little, presenting a video instead of a photo. Sorry, but my mind keeps straying to this song, so why fight it?  If you’re not familiar with it already, I think you’ll like it … Linda has a beautiful voice! Or if you are an old foggie, like me, this will no doubt be a blast from the past. Either way … enjoy!

😉

Sunday Photo Challenge . Work 2

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Painting the Kitchen

Yesterday, my post on work was based on installing new windows in the main level of this same house. When I lived in Danville, I spent quite a bit of time and money renovating this old house. The house oozed with the charm of yesteryear. It was originally built in 1947. The existing wood floors were beautiful and the joists were laid diagonally, which is not a feature you often see in newer houses today. There was also a considerable amount of cross bracing throughout the house, which was a pain to deal with where plumbing was concerned, but it made for a structurally sound house. Structure always wins in my book. The Kitchen was originally off-white. Blah. I decided to dress it up a bit,adding a little color, to create a unique kitchen with a personality all its own.

I left the outside of the door white, although I did prime and repaint it, so the paint was fresh. Since this is early on in the project, I’d only primed the inside wood work at this point.

I was in the middle of priming the kitchen here. The old AC unit was still in the old window. The windows had not arrived for replacement at this point. This is the right rear view.

Here, I was moving along nicely, playing with the features in the wood work, and using my paint to add interest. I was winging it, so to speak and of course, hoping for the best. 🙂 Of course Chicky Monster had to stop for lunch.  Supervising is hard work.

Here we are at that right rear view again, beginning to add red trim. I was trying to stretch my painter’s tape by reusing it until it was useless. I’m frugal. Note the use of old plans for drop cloths … after they were used here, they were recycled.  Waste not, want not.

Again, we have the right rear corner it view. It’s beginning to take on some personality now. Who wants the same old kitchen that everyone else has anyway?

Switching over to the left rear corner, you can see that I didn’t totally dismantle the kitchen to paint. Some stuff got shoved to the side and draped with plastic. After all, I still needed to eat while I worked. This project took me about 3 weeks to finish, since I was working some drafting jobs at the same time I was renovating the house.

Still looking at the left rear view, you can see the kitchen is now put back together for the time being. The light overhead messed this shot up a little.

Okay, now we’re back at the right rear corner. By now you can get a feel for the finished project. Note that the windows are opened, so the grills aren’t apparent.

Again, not the best photograph … sorry about that, but this shot gives a somewhat 3-D effect of the finished project. The pantry and backdoor are behind me of course, but I’m sure if you use your imagination you can visualize the final outcome.

Okay, now comes the day of reckoning … Good, bad, or indifferent, how do you like my updated kitchen?  If you don’t like it, please say so. You won’t  hurt my feelings any.