*

"...she came walking in with a very queer expression of countenance, for there was a mixture of fun and fear, satisfaction and regret in it, which puzzled the family as much as did the roll of bills she laid before her mother, saying with a little choke in her voice, 'That's my contribution toward making Father comfortable and bringing him home!'
'My dear, where did you get it? Twenty-five dollars! Jo, I hope you haven't done anything rash?'
'No, it's mine honestly. I didn't beg, borrow, or steal it. I earned it, and I don't think you'll blame me, for I only sold what was my own.'
As she spoke, Jo took off her bonnet, and a general outcry arose, for all her abundant hair was cut short." ~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Please pardon the pj's; I had to do this early before I chickened out!

Here it goes!

Yes, it's messy and asymmetrical. But that's what I was going for! I'll have my friend clean it up for me tonight...if I've left her anything to work with. I've never been too terribly sentimental with my hair. I really like to do fun and wacky things with it. For the last six years, though, I let it grow to see just how long I could get it ~ I got a little "attached". So I nearly fainted halfway through cutting the ponytail. Oh, silliness!

I'm better now. =D What do you think?

Tiny Bubbles

This bathtub makes the BEST bubbles!

I May Have Gone A Little Crazy With The Fruit

Lunch Time

"I want milk"

"Please."

"PLEASE!"

"Purrrrrrr, purrrrrrr..."

Just A Couple Of Pumpkins

Raegan counted 53 pumpkins from our picking on Saturday. That includes the jack~be~littles on the step; can you see them in the background? We have about that many more in the garden left to gather!

A couple of crooknecks.

Most of our pumpkins didn't turn orange completely, but that's ok because we really like green anyway. =)

They make great seats!

Help with our pumpkin picking: Miss Grey Showed Up One Day Probably Our Kitten's Mother Very Sweet But Did We Really Need A FOURTH Cat!?

Something's Missing

Raegan's first contribution to the tooth fairy's stash. And the sneaky ol' sprite left her a present in exchange: Toy Story 2!

Now we run around the house shouting, "There's a sssnake in my boot!"

Run, Percy, Run!

Eleven Glorious Years

"...for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God" Ruth 1:16b

Zucchini Harvest

And scarlet runner beans...

"Mmm..."

...and cosmos and chrysanthemums.

Note

Oh, and we took our wee kitten with us. Heated his milk on the camp stove, he played in the grass, and slept in his box in the car...with his girls.

October Camping

We like to do everything outdoors in the fall: camping, hiking, picnicing...we even had our wedding outside in October. We live on the edge.

A car seat makes a nice improv camp chair.

Our tent has had an epiphany. =)

On our way home we stopped at the steel bridge. It's been a long time since I've seen it, and the rest of the family had never been there. We drove slowly across the old one-lane trestle to the other side, and then got out to walk along the edge with the entirely too-skimpy railing (in my opinion) to throw some (natural) objects over the edge. Daddy found a rock, Pea grabbed a nice stick, and Rae chose a lovely leaf...which refused to fall because of the air current above the gorge. I think she was a little disappointed.

The actual height is much greater than this picture would have you believe. Those are tall trees, and a big river!

Announcing Our Newest Arrival!

The sleepless nights, the bottle-feedings every few hours, the constant crying, the potty-training...



You mothers know what I'm talking about. It's tough work, but what are ya gonna do?! I mean, just look at this face...

We discovered our "unexpected blessing" in the flower bed under the hollyhocks and lupine. We were on our way to the trail for an evening walk when we were distracted by a mournful cry. I picked up the cold little puff ball, and we decided that a trip to the pet store was in order, and I came home stocked with tiny bottle and milk replacer for our week-old baby.


If he was a girl, we would have named him Holly, short for hollyhock, but I think he's a boy. (Just how does one know for sure?) So we're considering Persimmon. He's the right color, and born in the beautiful russet fall.


He prefers to sleep bundled up warm in a towel in our arms. And he thinks the girls are his littermates; he runs to catch up to them.