The view from here

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deer grazing 

When Jim and I bought our current house — after more than 20 years in a house that afforded us a daily view of Pikes Peak... in the winter when there weren't leaves on the trees to obstruct our view — we lamented the loss of any fantastic views. With this house, we had opted for a magnificent interior over majestic mountain views.

That said, I do regularly wax unapologetically about wanting to raze the house next door. It was built many years after our house, and it completely...

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Another baby announcement, plus GRAND Social No. 89 link party

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link party

Like many grandmas, I love baby announcements. Not just those announcing a new grandbaby headed my way (though I did share that last week), but those that thrill other grandparents-to-be. And those announcements, too, that are just plain unique and creative. Such as this one:...
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Saturday movie review: 'Captain Phillips'

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Sometimes movies based on true stories fail to intrigue viewers because audiences already know the full story, the outcome. Not the case with CAPTAIN PHILLIPS. At all.

Captain Phillips DVD

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS was released on DVD Tuesday, and Jim and I were thrilled to have it in our hands Tuesday afternoon. (Thank you, Netflix!) We watched ...

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On energy and wishing for more

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tired pointer pit dog

I used to have a neighbor on the block where we lived before the nest emptied whose boundless energy rivaled that of the Energizer Bunny. She was continually working on some major home improvement or landscaping project. I'd see her down the street tugging and lugging boulders and boards from the front yard to the back on a fairly regular basis.

When not sawing or painting, she cleaned in ways most might...

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Grandpa Jerry, 1986

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My stepdad, Jerry, would have been 76 years old today if he hadn't passed away May 29, 1995.

I love this photo of him and my mom — whom many of you know here as Ann — from a December 1986 holiday celebration.

my stepdad 1986

He was a good man.

Happy birthday, Grandpa Jerry — as he was (and still is) known to my girls.

Today's fill-in-the-blank:

The thing I loved most about 1986 was _____________.

This is what 100 looks like

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Bubby's kindergarten class recently had its 100th Day Celebration. Under the direction of their fabulously creative teacher — otherwise known as Bubby's mom and my daughter — my eldest grandson and his classmates marked the 100th day of school by attending class dressed as "oldies" (perhaps because they were no longer newbies) and sharing items that represented 100 to them.

I'm not sure what items Bubby shared, but my grandson proved...

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