hurricane irene

Spent the weekend with Hurricane Irene here in Bear Creek.  I took a walk later in the day after the storm passed to assess the damages.  Not too bad up here...

early morning walk

Woke up earlier than normal today, and decided to grab my camera and go for a walk.  The fog hadn't yet lifted around Bear Creek Lake, so there was all sorts of foggy goodness to see...

kato

Meet Kato, my brother Mikel's cat, otherwise known as Iron Mike Tyson. 

 He's from Brooklyn. 

 Don't mess with him...

jim thorpe

In the ten years we've had a house in Jim Thorpe I never actually went to the Jim Thorpe memorial.  I pass it all the time on my way down the hill but just never stopped. So today I did...

I knew of Jim Thorpe mostly as an Olympic athlete and a football player but some say he was the greatest  athlete of all time...

James Francis Thorpe was born on May 28, 1887 in a one-room cabin near Prague, Oklahoma. Although there is much confusion on Thorpe's date of birth, this is the date according to his estate. He was born to Hiram Thorpe, a farmer, and Mary James, a Pottawatomie Indian and descendant of the last great Sauk and Fox chief Black Hawk, a noted warrior and athlete. Jim was actually born a twin, but his brother Charlie died at the age of nine. His Indian name, Wa-Tho-Huk, translated to "Bright Path", something that Thorpe definitely had ahead of him. 

You can read more about Jim Thorpe here..

http://www.cmgww.com/sports/thorpe/bio/bio.html

The town of Jim Thorpe used to be called Mauch Chunk.

So how did Jim Thorpe get its name?
In the early 1950s, when the place was two adjoining towns, Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk, it was looking for a shot of publicity. It soon heard that the third wife of the late Jim Thorpe, the great Native American athlete, was offering his remains to any place that would build a fitting memorial to him. Mauch Chunk was ready, willing and able. The body arrived on Feb. 8, 1954, and the first monument was built soon after. And on May 18 of the same year, Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk were merged and renamed Jim Thorpe.

spinning

I've only been spinning plain, un-dyed fiber since I got my wheel last December.  I finally decided to splurge on something pretty.  

I found this hand painted BFL roving on etsy.com from this seller:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/GreenwoodFiberworks?ref=seller_info

It is spinning up so nice and is lovely to work with.  I can't wait to see it finished!

cats & chicken bags

Dad's cat Lucy, like most cats I know, love snuggling up into bags even if they belong to somebody else. My cat Callie loves this Vera Bradley chicken bag.  I've had it for years, and every time I unpack it a cat seems to find it's way into it and declares it theirs.

 Mine.

 Mine.

Mine.

Seriously.

And just incase you didn't believe me...

 Mine.

Mine!!!

appletini-time!

I think one of the most refreshing summer martinis has to be the apple-tini.  

I love the bright green color and the way it tastes tart and west like Jolly Rancher candy!

I make mine like this:

Add 2 oz. of DeKuyper's Apple Pucker

2 oz. vodka

and 1/2 oz. of sour mix 

to a shaker with LOTS of ice.

Shake till the shaker is too cold to hold anymore.

Strain into frozen martini glass.

Enjoy.

4h fair

Every year there is a 4H fair right in the park behind my house.  I always want to go, just to see the alpacas.

I can't help it but I just LOVE these animals!

I mean, how cute are they?  Check out the white ones haircut!

Alpacas are super cute and pretty friendly.  They don't like to be touched on top of the head so if you try to pet one touch them on their neck.  Their fleece is really soft and wonderful...

Knitting with alpaca yarn is really nice and makes a very warm garment.  It's one of my favorites.

See you next year you little cuties!!!

cat bed

Our cat Callie is about 15 years old now.  We can't be sure exactly because when I adopted her the man said she was about 9.  I was hesitant to adopt an older cat but she has been a joy in our lives and my husband's best buddy.  

We noticed she wasn't sleeping in her bed anymore so I decided to try getting a her a new one.  Cats are so funny sometimes.  She just looked at it for a few days and now it's her new favorite place to sleep.  At her age there is a lot of sleeping going on...

She's a little stinker.

Who loves her new bed...

                                

it was a dark & stormy night...

Boy did it ever rain hard last night.  I woke up in the middle of the night and found Callie just watching it all out her favorite window...

anna's birthday

Every year Jodi hosts a get-together for our dear friend Anna at her house. 

We always have a special cocktail to start...

This year was Arnold Palmer martinis.

Then we have yummy appetizers...

Followed by great food & wine...

Followed by of course, dessert & presents!!!