The continuing duck stories?

I've written about these guys a few times already so I hope you aren't bored reading about them. They are a never-ending source of entertainment for our office, the other offices in the building, for our clients, and even visitors from nearby businesses. They're demanding and noisy and funny and charming and lovable - each with their own unique personality - seriously! And I won't even start on the various quacks they have.

We have a new girl who shows up at feeding time whom we've affectionately named Pocahontas. Bet you can't guess why.

This is how we do the daily feeing: Walk out the back door, clap your hands a few times and wait. The ducks come quacking and running (or swimming or flying) from all over. They have learned what clapping means. It turns into a feeding frenzy and you better be quick about giving out the food or they'll peck at your hands and your pants to make you notice them.

They used to be afraid of the camera. Not anymore. Now, I think they expect it to spit out food or something. These two certainly seemed to be expecting something.
Many of them can be hand fed and today, while I was passing out pieces of food I felt a duck pushing between my legs from the back. It was Dolores barging in for her 'preordained' portion. She's so funny now. She'll drive the other ducks back so she can get her food and sometimes, if she feels like it, she'll even let us pet her.

It just puts me in the mood.

It's happening all around me, subtle changes happening seemingly overnight. There's a different scent to the air, the garden is winding down, I swept colorful leaves off the front walk yesterday and the Asters are blooming in profusion. The temperature still manages to climb into the high 70's during the day, but it cools down very quickly in the evening so I get to wear my beloved sweaters. I'm not ready to light a fire, but all these changes put me in the mood for some fall decor and yummy baking.

I took another walk in the woods and found these little lovelies. Just a few snips of orange berries scrounged from the abundance I found and a bit of dried Queen Anne's Lace. No clue what the orange berries are, but they've found a happy home in my kitchen window.

This was a new recipe for me last year, Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were so tasty I made them a half-dozen times. This is the first time this year - I'm sure I'll make lots more.

I have to enjoy the moment....

because it doesn't last long. The problem, which is not what I really call it, is that I have a variety of crafts that I'm always dabbling in but the sewing and scrapbooking are the messiest. I have to be diligent about cleaning up after each project or the pieces/parts take over my space. I swear they jump into the first available clean space and literally shout, "play with me, play with me!" I know, I know, there are pieces on the table, but that's exactly what I'm talking about. They jumped there after I cleaned up the space.

I swapped a spare bed for some shelves that I intend to paint and hang. That should help with the piles that accumulate on the floor, but I'm thinking I need something with doors and drawers to stop all those pieces from jumping into my clean spaces. It's not like they have bitty fingers or opposable thumbs to open doors.

How did they keep it a secret?

Paula told me a few weeks prior to my birthday that they had come up with the most amazing gift for me and she could hardly keep it a secret. What I want to know is how my grandkids could keep it a secret? Because they have the typical busy family life, they went in shifts to the ceramic store to work on my gift, each child taking a different turn over a period of days. I've seen them off and on over the last few weeks and none of them, not one, ever spilled the beans. How could they keep this a secret?

It's a platter...with our family motto. How cool is that? Everyone chose different colors and stamps and added hand drawings on the platter. I love it! It's the perfect gift. My family rocks!

And then there's got to be cake...and a little help with blowing out the candles.

Family Motto

"Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story."

Megan's post on her blog today had me laughing so hard I had tears streaming. She is currently living and teaching in Taiwan (as is my son) and she tells a hilarious story to her students about a shark. Here it is.
I laughed so hard because my entire family is prone to embellishment of this same sort! In fact, my son phoned me a couple weeks ago and the conversation went like this:
Ring, ring.....(F.O.S. on the phone)
Me: Hi Honey!
Son: Hi mom. Listen, did my great great grandfather die of an Anaconda bite?
Me: (completely baffled with this question out of nowhere) Huh?
Son: Yeah, Sir S (who is 5) was just telling me that he misses his great great great grandfather and when I asked him why, he said it was because he died from an Anaconda bite. Did that really happen?
Me: Ohhhh, yes, he did. (I know the start of a good story when I hear it) He was living on the island of Bora Bora and one day he was walking through the jungle when an Anaconda reached out and bit him. Sad to say, he died.

Son: Uh huh....(turns to Sir S and says,) you were right. (Then he starts to laugh and tells me Sir S  just pumped his fist in the air in victory.)

Yeah, we do love an outrageous story. We just can't help ourselves from telling them either. I think it's genetic. You go, Megan!

It will crest tonight.

A week ago it started raining on Thursday and didn't stop until Sunday evening. Crazy! We live 1234 miles from the Gulf and the hurricanes still manage to dump on us. Still, I love the rain and it does make for some interesting walks along the river. JV and I went to investigate on Wednesday evening and we weren't disappointed. The river will be cresting tonight so I'm heading back down.

This is the path I always (usually) walk along the river. At one point I walked down the sidewalk into the water to take pictures and I'll be darned if a fish didn't swim by, on the sidewalk.

The stairs to nowhere?

A sign at the top of the boardwalk said, "Closed for the season. Come back next year to enjoy the water." Ha! Will the water still be there in the spring and what if I want to enjoy it now?

You could wonder why I love to walk along the river, but I'm hoping you're getting an idea in spite of the flooding. I love my city.

Take a look at the Sycamore Tree and tell me what's wrong with this picture? It's clever, but easily explained.

The dam is a popular place to fish and to watch the fisherman. Dim lighting made for great water shots. I love the reflection and how the water looks so calm and serene above the dam, but the water is boiling and churning as it goes over.

Grosgrain: Make Believe Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Grosgrain: Make Believe Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!
What an adorable frock. I happen to know someone who would love this!