Oliver

Say hello to Oliver... Oliver T. Kitty.(The T. stands for The.)  Oliver lives with my son and daughter-in-law as well as with Copper and Chewy.

Living with these two happy, happy dogs can get a little much for this kitty, so he needed his own little private get away.  My daughter-in-law got creative with a piece of furniture and built him condo.  Only he can fit in the door she cut on the side. His food is in there, and no one else can get in to eat it.  She says sometimes he goes in and just hangs out.  The dogs can only look in the door and wish they could pester him. 
She cut another door leading to his bathroom.  He can go on into his litter box, and the dogs can't get into that either.   On the shelf above his living/dining space is his pantry where she stores his cat supplies.

This is what you'd see if you walked into their den.

This is what you'd see if you looked at the side of it.

This is what it looks like when she opens the doors.

I think it's genius!

Introducing the Chickens

No artwork today, but let me introduce you to our chickens.

Miranda

Miranda has a brown head and a whitish coat.  She's the bossiest one of all. (I named her after Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy.)

She's is brave enough to eat from my hand.

And she lays the most beautiful little pinkish tan eggs.

Dolly

Dolly is a pretty big chested blonde.  

She recently discovered the wood kindling box that had some leaves in it.  She decided that was a good place to lay her pretty tan eggs with small speckles.

Mabeline

Mabeline has the biggest red floppy comb. She's a little... slow, bless her heart.

She's also a free-loader.  I don't know if she's too young or too old to lay, if she's laying somewhere in the woods, if she's just lazy, or if she's a he... yikes!

Fancy

Fancy is white with feathers on her feet.
She's very shy and usually at the back of the crowd.

I think she's also a free-loader.  Although someone has started laying that hasn't previously.  I'm not sure which one.

Sylvia

Sylvia looks like a hawk.  She's gorgeous.

She has been the funniest to deal with.  She has a mind of her own and and attitude!

Her eggs are beautiful and blue.

But.... recently...





ME: Cheri, I think one of my hens is broody.  She just wants to sit in the nesting box.
CHERI: She wants to be a mama.  You should get her a couple of fertilized eggs and let her raise a chick or two.

         ... Hmmm...

ME: Mary, do you know where I could get a couple of fertilized eggs?
MARY:  I'll bring you six tomorrow.
         ... Hmmm...
RON: I like that you always have projects going on.
ME: Speaking of projects... I think I might get some eggs for Sylvia to sit on. 
RON: You've already done it, haven't you. 
ME: (grin)

 

She's been sitting on these for a week now.  Two weeks to go! (The white ones are the fake eggs.  I tried to take them out, but Sylvia wouldn't have it.)

Copper

Copper is my grand-dog.
His portrait will go beside his sister-dog, Chewy.  
Next up... their cat.

Good dog.

Bad dog..

Sweet dog.

Original Oil Painting on 10"x 10" Wrapped Canvas.

Beside Still Waters

And so... it begins.... retirement...

Teachers spent the weekend preparing their classrooms, set their alarms again, then started the week of professional development classes before the students arrive.

I know that routine so well, have never known any other... until now.

So, what have I done these last few days?

I spent Saturday with my beautiful nieces Kelsey and Karly and taught them to paint a landscape. We talked, painted, laughed, snacked, and had a lovely day.(And aren't their autumn landscapes gorgeous!)  Sunday was rainy; I took a nap. Since then I've been available to be with my dad for a heart check up, take dinner to another niece Erica (a teacher) with a new baby, gone to Pilates, spent a day with my Aunt Anita at her home, visited the farmers' market, done yoga, refilled the hummingbird feeders, made peach ice cream... 

I am so happy.

Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside still waters,

He refreshes my soul.

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
Click "Beside Still Waters" if you'd like to purchase this painting.

Lake Ouachita 2017

My family spent the end of July at Lake Ouachita for the 28th time.  

We love these days so much.

My family - The Powells

Lake Ouachita - View from The Point

Lake Ouachita - View from our cabins

Silly!

With Dad and my brothers and sisters.

Lake Bags filled with fun things for all the girls.

Lake Bags filled with fun things for all the boys!

Big kids helping little kids.

Pretty sure this one will become a painting soon.

One of three quilts my nieces made from their mother's t-shirts.
What a flood of memories! 

Celebrating the newest little Powell.

The best part of a boat ride is jumping out.

Jumping out never gets old.

Watching swimmers means counting heads again and again.

Cutie!

Every family member age 6-91 is responsible for helping to prepare one meal.

Yum!

Men cooking steaks!
That's my son Andrew, my dad, and my brother Anthony.

The younger kids made jello and punch for a lunch.

Great work, kids!.

The big boys make banana pudding for another lunch.

Food prep is serious business.

I love that EVERYone does his/her part.

The big girls make lunch.

It takes a lot of sandwiches to feed 25 kids and 25 adults.

He can still toss a horse shoe at 91!

I love that all ages enjoyed the horse shoes.

I look like I know what I'm doing. HA!

My daughter-in-law's the bowler... works for horseshoes too.

Woo Hoo!  A ringer for Tom!

Woo Hoo for the little guys!

We tried to find a level place, but...

My husband & son...
Skipping rocks off The Point is a long-time tradition for them.

Who put squirt guns in the Lake Bags?
Oh... I guess it was me!

And some of the Lake Bags had nail polish! Pretty!

Ron has been playing catch with that particular nephew since... forever.

These girls are about ready to learn to ski.

Aunt Kittie brought things to make custom hair bows!

Beautiful!

Must have been pretty serious... "No, you may not go to the pool alone" or "Yes, you must wear a life jacket" or No, you may not have 5 dumb dumbs in your mouth at once" or "Yes, you'll get to help with a meal after you go to kindergarten."

Little boys + a mud hole + a little freedom = ???

Happy cousins!

Pizza on the night before The Lake officially began.

Uncle Curt always has a board game going.

Ahhh... favorite spot.

I can only imagine the conversation between these little cousins.

He's probably saying, "Look. People are always going to
tell you how beautiful your hair is.  You'll get used to it."

Special time together.

Love being at this place with this guy!

There was a difference for me this time. 
Since I've retired, I didn't need to think about getting ready for the school year as I returned home.

... Happy...