Ridin'

So if we never had anything to save for in the past (yea right...), we now might have something to save for for the future!  Like way in the future - like after the kids have left, and we have retired, and need a new way to spend money in the future.  Maybe by then we could really do this!

We found ourselves at the Harley dealership up in Cartersville today.  The benefit ride for Cruise was happening, and after all of the bikers left, we took our time and made our way inside to look at all of the fun stuff.  And, of course, we couldn't help but check out the bikes.  And we found a few that we liked!  My favorite was of the tricycle variety.  It wasn't all decked out and super chunky looking, and had a vintage feel that I loved!  There's even a trunk on the back that would be great for carrying home groceries, going camping, or going cross country!  That would be such an experience, and that is the end goal now, I suppose!  :)

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The ride went well!  There was a good turnout and lots of fellowship among friends!
All of the goodies were raffled off, and some were traded, and in the end, everyone walked away with a smile!  It was a great time for a great cause!  Cruise and family, we are praying for you daily, and are sending love and good tidings your way!!

An Elephant

They were having a yard sale sort of thing at the VFW tonight. 
I love stuff like this!  Getting to look through random stuff, and finding some gems - awesome! 
I picked out an amber bottle, and an elephant.  I collect both, and think that they will make an excellent addition to the collection! 
The elephant is pretty unique.  If you look at it, you can tell that it was carved from a limb because it is done on a vertical, and not much wider in circumference than about 4 inches.  It stands nice and tall though, and is quite organic feeling.  And although the details are subtle, I love it!

Here are some shadow pics featuring said elephant.  And the last, showing it laying on it's side, gives a little more feel for the details.

Love to all!

Love is in the Air

While I was out watering the front flower bed, Gary came out and noticed this pair praying mantis' hanging from the front lantern.  They are just hanging there, with it's arms wrapped around the other, watching the worlld up-side-down, and swaying in the wind.

I think it's safe to say that "love is in the air".  :)
Or hanging from the sky at the very least.

The weird/ creepy part is when you would move, they would watch you... their heads following your motion, and their eyes aimed right at you.  I had the strangest feeling that they were going to leap off of the lantern, and go flying through the air, at which point they would land on me and attack!  Scary...  I was hesitant to get too close.  But glad that I got close enough..

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Happy September! 
This promises to be a very busy month, but a very very good month.
And with fall just around the corner, all of the fall festivals are going to be in full bloom, camping is going to be "in season", and family and friends will be bountiful! 
The benefit rise for Cruise is happening this Saturday.
Next weekend is the Yellow Daisy Festival!
Gary and I are celebrating our 3rd anniversary on the 13th! 
We are going to see "Wicked" on the 15th!
And there's even the potential for a camping weekend towards the end of the month.
I'm so excited, and super ready for the chill in the air.

Sleep well dears, and have a great Friday!

Harley Book Purse

I decided to put the sewing machine to the test, and thought I would try sewing fabric to a piece of chipboard.
At first it was going great!!
The lines were clean, the fabric was taut, and everything was still intact...
But then I decided to try sewing through the fabric, the chipboard, AND the piece of elastic.
The first side went fine. The second side didn't. I got a few stitches done, and then there was a loud snap as the needle broke. Yikes!
Luckily, I'm not easily scathed, and I scrounged around for another needle - luckily I had one, and will put a "pack of sewing machine needles" on my list of things to invest in. So, for this project, a minor casualty.

In other news, the project turned out fabulous!
This is seriously one of the best book purses I have ever completed. I feel like it is the most ::structurally sound::, and that it is so coordinated. It's got the edge, it's got the fluff, and it has a book wallet to match! I heart it, and I hope whoever wins it at the raffle on Saturday does too!

Squishing of the Cardboard

I imagine this is good practice for the day when one would actually squish grapes beneath one's feet to make wine.  Somewhat the same idea here, except without the inebriating by-product.  The purpose of this is simply to make room in the already full recycling bin for the rest of our boxes and such.  And so, in he went!  Our faithful box-squisher climbed into the bin without hesitation and without fail, began squishing.  Twas great!

And nevermind the silly sign that says "do not climb on"...
What would life be without breaking the rules every now and then??

Garden Update

I took the majority of the garden down about a month ago.  The heat was sweltering, and it was taking a toll on the poor little plants, so I called them "done" and trimmed them all back except for the pepper plants, who were still bearing fruit.  Low-and-behold, the tomato plant that was in the middle of all of the peppers (that I had trimmed back like the rest of them) decided to come back.  It started growing, slowly and first, but then shot up, and roughly a week later, is almost as tall at the cage - a good 30 inches!  And I think I've created a hybrid.  The leaves are a lighter green, with a darker green lacing on top - very pretty, andd very different.  I wonder if it's going to be a tomato-pepper.  And the reason I say this is because I am convinced that the "hybrid" part is it's mingling with the pepper plants.  I have  a few banana peppers left on the plant, and the very top one is starting to turn red... like a tomato.  I do believe I have created a new species of plant!!  :D  Or perhaps, it's just a normal thing that I stumbled upon, that is very exciting to my novice gardening attempts!  At any rate, I am excited about my creation.  As a matter of  fact, there are even blooms of the little plant, so that means that we might even have little tomato babies soon!  ::big smile::

That's all I have in terms of edible things.  I picked up a few plants to decorate the backporch with for the party, and they seem to be happy too.  I'm trying to be really good about watering daily because I definitely started slacking there towards the end of the veggies...  and we've had very little rain, so I feel bad for all of the plants.  They are hanging in there though, and should prosper at least for a little while longer!

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With that being siad, I'm off to start a project!
We are having a benefit ride for my bosses' son who has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.  He'll be 2 years old in October.  This event is a benefit ride that will raise money to go to the doctor who is doing some reasearch.  It's for a great cause!  At any rate, there's going to be food, fellowship, motorcycles, raffles, and a silent auction.  And so far, we have 3 $100 tattoo gift certificates, a Cracker Barrel gift certificate, a Texas Roadhouse dinner, a big basket of goodies, a motorcycle-themed bird house, and I'm making a motorcycle-themed book purse and wallet.  It's going to be a great event! 

And I best get busy, so I bid you all good night and sweet dreams!  :)

3D Glasses

Tonight, Gary and I went to the movies. 
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  3D!
It was our first 3D movie experience, aside from those over-sensationalized short films at Disney World and other theme parks.  They provide you with the 3D glasses, you provide them with the $2 surcharge, and call it even.
It was a nice experience.  Aside from having to wear glasses, and trying to get used to it when I don't usually have to, it was cool seeing a foreground, mid-ground, and back-ground on the screen.  It added an extra element to the movie, that I hadn't been sure what to expect from it, and it wasn't horribly distracting.  The movie was good!  No where near as good as the first, and I was confused timeline-wise where in fact the movie fit in with the other films, but it was good and interesting enough.  And then there was the whole dialect/language thing, and the fact that Orlando and Kiera weren't there... but I did like it.  I found myself chuckling every now and then and finding comfort in the random pleasantries.  I do wish there was more character development though - especially with the Missionary and the Mermaid.  I would've liked to see more of them, and their story.  It ended whompy-like, and it's not sticking with me entirely, even though I just saw it.  But, it was in no way bad or worthless.  It was enjoyable, and it was a pleasant way to spend our Sunday afternoon, made even more so that the movie cost us $3.75 a person.  :) 

Cheers to a new week!
Hope you had a nice weekend too.
Adieu.