Wild Kingdom...

We've seen an increase in wildlife around the old homestead lately.  In the past couple of weeks we've had bunnies in our backyard, a guinea bird in our front yard and today I found a 'possum outside in our recycle bin.  Crazy.

Self Expression Through Art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCXMq4B8VU

 

Maybe I should have had a hot pocket instead of taking pottery classes.  LOL.

 

(got this link from Ron Philbeck’s blog).

 

Amelia (a butterfly) in Hansel & Gretel

Mother's Day with the Joneses

Amelia's Puppy Party

Neighborrow

Doesn’t seem to have caught on just yet, but it’s an interesting concept.

http://neighborrow.com/

 

Kentucky Derby In The Mountains

Here are a few images from our weekend trip to the mountains to see the Races. The Lembergers were there too. The pretext for the get-together was to watch the Kentucky Derby (which we did). We had good food and drinks (some more than others) and we had a fine time. Amelia even picked the winner of the Derby, Mine That Bird. At 50:1, it's too bad we didn't put some money on that horse. If you're interested there are a few more photos of the weekend posted at http://www.oursmithhill.shutterfly.com/.

Went to a croquet tournament yesterday, hosted by Jason & Sarah Lane. It was quite warm early in the day, but with a spot of shade and an occasional breeze it turned out to be quite a nice day to be outside. The gin & tonic might’ve helped to relieve the heat of the day too.

This being my first croquet tournament, I had no idea what to expect. There were ladies with big hats, gentlemen with bow ties, and there was even a seersucker suit. The food was was delicious and the bar was well-stocked (did I mention the gin & tonics?). The croquet lawn was perfectly manicured and the court set.

All of the Lane's careful preparations were secondary to the rivalry. Would the Bradfords win for the 4th straight year? Could the participants conspire to keep them from the victory? The early rounds were civil at least, but the final was filled with adrenaline, trash-talking and debates over rules.

The reigning champs were out in the semi-final round. The final consisted of the Lanes, the other Bradfords and the Roberts. The Lanes got off to a strong start, then faltered and fell behind. The Bradfords were playing the strong & steady game, while the newcomer Roberts took an early lead. In the end, the Lanes made an incredible comeback but ultimately it would not be enough. The Roberts of Charlotte stole the victory and the right to wear the Pink Jacket and wield the Golden Mallet for the coming year.

It was a load of fun and great to visit with friends, old and new.

Below are a few of my favorite images from the event. Here is a link to all of the photos (all 193 of them) for those who are really interested… http://yorkcroquet2009.shutterfly.com/

Rock Hill School District Challenger Program

The Challenger after school program has been cut from the budget as of June 4, 2009. This program serves all children in the Rock Hill school district but Rosewood Elementary International School has one of the largest student enrollments. Without this program, parents will have to find alternative programs for their children. It’s a decision that will have a big impact on OUR community.

Here are some links to the Herald Reports:
http://www.heraldonline.com/front/story/1288708.html
http://www.heraldonline.com/front/story/1285235.html

How you can get involved: You can attend the District Board Meeting to voice your opinion.

The Rock Hill District Three Board meeting is Monday, April 27th at 6:00pm at the District office, located at 660 N. Anderson Road, Rock Hill, SC 29731. This meeting is open to the public. Business meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. on the fourth Monday of each month, January through November, in the district office. Citizens are always welcome to attend, but for those who can't attend, a tape of the meeting is shown on Cable 18 at 6:00 p.m. on the first two Tuesdays and Thursdays following the meeting.

You can respond to the Herald poll at www.heraldonline.com. The Challenger poll is on the right side, about ½ way down the page. The question is “Should Rock Hill schools eliminate the Challenger after-school program as a cost-cutting measure?”

Please attend the meeting and voice your support of the Challenger Program. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion!!

Isabel's Art

The hand represents the people of the world, grasping for the secret to achieving happiness and equality. The squiggly lines represent the long and sometimes tangled history that each person brings to bear upon the world in which we live. And the circles represent the outside influences in the world, constantly tugging at our hearts and minds. The black and white symbolize man’s eternal struggle between good and evil. The purple represents the magical hope of a child that all people can come together and join hands in peace and unity.

Ok, so I just made that up – but that might be what she was thinking when she drew this.

Work

Funny how important the topic of work becomes when the economy is bad. In good times, we take them for granted, but now they are prized. I have a pal who has been out of work for about 5 months who was offered ( and accepted) a job today. In a perfect world it's probably not the perfect job but my pal is happy to have found one. Here's hoping that it turns out to be the perfect job and good luck to all my other pals who are still looking!

Horoscope

I don't often read my horoscope, but I just happened on today's. Wish I'd read it before leaving the house this morning. It said:

You may be working extra hard today, yet to no apparent avail. It's possible to become so discouraged that you even consider giving up. But this is not the best time to quit, for you are probably closer to the finish line than you realize. And once you cross it, others will acknowledge the valuable contributions you have made all along the way.

A tiny ray of light on the horizon...

http://obssqueeze.blogspot.com/2009/03/breaking-news-theres-good-news.html

Hope it sticks. Looks like the DOW is off to a good start this morning.

Letter to President Obama from the AH&LA

http://www.ahla.com/uploadedFiles/AHLA/government_affairs/Letters/AHLA_Letter_to_President_Obama_3-09.pdf

Send Rush a message

I got an email from the DNC saying that they're going to put up a billboard in Rush Limbaugh's hometown in response to his comments that he wants our President to fail. They are solicting ideas for slogans for the billboard.

Here are a couple off the top of my head:
Don’t RUSH to judge; give our country a chance.
Don’t RUSH to hate; give hope a chance.
Ring around the rosie… Rush says we ALL fall down.
Suck it Limbaugh!

Here's the link if you'd like to share your suggestions:
http://www.democrats.org/rushbillboard

Frosty

Snow Day

Our Snowman

Smile!

Mad Science Night was a BLAST!