My tulips are starting to get a bit droopy.  The stems are growing too long and the heads are getting weak. I trimmed a good amount off the stems tonight and pulled off the lower leaves.  Once in a narrower vase, they're back to looking fresh and lovely. See Full Entry »

Once last week's daffodils started to wilt, I bought a 10-stem bunch of tulips.  I was going to put them in with the daffodils, but something made me decide to Google "cut tulip care" first.  It was a good thing I did! The first result I went to mentions specifically not to put tulips in ... See Full Entry »

After 11 days, I finished A Dance with Dragons this weekend.  It's the 5th book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. (The first book was A Game of Thrones.) I read the previous 4 books for the first time this past summer and was hooked.  Fortunately, unlike established fans of the ... See Full Entry »

The irises have wilted but lasted almost an entire week. This week's bundle has bloomed so fast. From yesterday: To today: See Full Entry »

Flowers always put me in a good mood. Yesterday's $2.99 purchase: Today's happy greeting: See Full Entry »

I just absolutely love our simply decorated, fresh green Christmas tree. Looking at it always puts me in a good mood, plus, it smells so nice! Yes, that is all. :-) See Full Entry »

Last year, I tried and failed miserably at getting the dogs to sit still for an "official" Christmas photo.  This evening, the results were pretty much the same. After a gazillion photos, this one was the best of the lot (and that's not saying much): Later on in the evening, when the dogs were tired and sleepy, ... See Full Entry »

After seeing the new Beadaholique project, "A Charming Read Bookmark," I knew it would make a great gift for a few young (and young at heart) people in my life. It's a very simple project and the tutorial is super easy to follow.  I chose to work in silver instead of gold.  The end result is ... See Full Entry »

Penny is 9.  She'll be 10 in November.  Jesse will be 14 in January.  Aside from the recent chest lump, Jesse is very healthy.  She has a lot of energy and is just as alert as ever. Penny is an entirely different story. When she was younger, Penny would pull so hard during her walk.  I have ... See Full Entry »