My Garden Tour... Colors Of Summer

Thank you Susan from A Southern Daydreamer for hosting this Outdoor Wednesday.

Please take a stroll through my garden. The colors are just perfect this summer. A lot of rain and not overly hot days have given me vibrant flowers. I hope you enjoy the tour! ~amy

I Had A Feeling I Would Like This

Kurt agreed to go to the movies with me last Saturday to see Julie & Julia. Leaving the house to go to the movies he comments to our neighbor across the way...that he was going to a "chick flick". Although...I think he would agree after watching this movie he found it amusing and some what inspirational...at least I did. I'm not a great cook but I want to explore more recipes now. I'm a blogger and I can appreciate Julie's enthusiasm played by Amy Adam's when she receives her first comment on her blog. I love the trip down memory lane. Meryl Streep and Amy Adam's what a combo! When I got home...I had to go on to ebay and see what Julia Child's first cook book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) first edition" was being auctioned for? Lets put it this way...a lot of other people that saw this movie were inspired too. For now....I'll just have to hope that someday I'll find this 1st edition cookbook at a garage sale...then I'll think I won the lottery! Something to search for!! ~amy

Not The Kind Of Pothole That You Think

Thank you Susan from A Southern Daydreamer for hosting this Outdoor Wednesday. Below are a few pictures from our visit to High Falls Gorge in Wilmington, NY. While on our hike along the gorge we saw beautiful trees, flowers, wildlife and rock. We even saw potholes. Not the kind of potholes we are accustom to in the Northeast from plows and salt trucks removing snow off the roads. The potholes at the gorge were formed over long periods of time by a whirlpool along the shore of a fast flowing stream. At first...the sand carried by the water will slowly grind away the rock until a small hole is formed. As the hole grows in depth and size...it is able to trap larger pebbles. These in turn continue to grind away at the rock. Eventually...the hole is big enough to trap larger stones. If the water flow is fast enough these will swirl around until they also become round as they grind away at the sides and the bottom of these holes. Click on the images to get a closer look.

Maddie, Christina and me on the trails. Notice we have our jackets on. It has been a cool and wet summer in the East. Can you see the moss on the walls and the cedar tree branches?

Over 600 feet of fierce falls. Notice the trails extends over and from the sides of the gorge.

A visual on how a pothole is formed.

Some of the potholes I took a picture of. Look how round they are. Click on to the picture to get a closer look.

This Is My Town

Last evening I took a leisurely stroll through town and took some pictures. I had so much fun snapping pictures of spots that I admire and talking to old and new friends along the way. I'd like to show you some pieces from my town. ~amy

Shutters With Fabric Inserts

This is what Kurt and I have been working on. I wanted shutters with fabric inserts for my studio. I found out pricing them was not an easy task. I guess there is not a huge demand for shutters with fabric inserts these days, but I have always liked the look. I decided after getting several estimates...that they were way to expensive for someone else to make. I thought I bet I can design these. Actually...constructing them is a different matter though. I am not good with a hammer and nails. I mentioned to my husband what I was planning and he kind of looked at me confused...bewildered and certainly was wondering what I was getting him into. He eventually caved. He made the frames, did all the staining and hinged them together and hinged them on to the window frame...and I like. I also put a shelf above the window for my knick knacks.

Here are the finished shutters. I really liked how they came out. ~amy

Lake Placid Pictures

Here are some pictures I shot of our trip to the Adirondacks last week. We had a wonderful time as usual. The weather on the other hand could of been a little bit more cooperative but it wasn't a complete wash...as you can tell by the pictures. We had more overcast than rain. None the less...you can get a sense of how pretty Lake Placid is. The mountains surrounding the lake are just spectacular. I hope you enjoy the images. So tranquil. Click on to them for a larger view. Have a warm and sunny day! ~amy

A view of Whiteface Mt. from the lake.

Boat houses on the lake.






A beautiful Chris Craft boat. I love those boats. My grandfather used to have one years ago.

Pretty ducks. See how clear the water is.

Outdoor Wednesday & This Is What I Imagine

Thank you Susan from A Southern Day Dreamer for hosting Outdoor Wednesday! Please view the pictures I took from our yard. There is always so much activity going on in our yards and we're not even aware of it at the time. I hope you have a warm and sunny day!

This is how I imagine what this mama robin was thinking....

She was thinking how much she loves this sunrise and how she would love to build a nest that had this particular view. So she looked and looked until she found ...

this Clematis.

She thought...this will do. It is so beautiful and it will be safe. From here...she could see that same sunrise each morning.

So she built a nest and...

lay 2 lovely eggs.

That is right...two very, very, lovely eggs. That is how I imagine how this mama robin found this place to nest. The End. ~amy