My first blog award

I would like to thank Nicole for awarding me with my very first blog award! Nicole first received the award and then passed it on to me. Her blog is looking great and she is a great writer, too- often sharing the antics of her dog, Luffy, as she says..."rhymes with goofy." You know anyone who is a dog lover is o.k. in my book! Is there anything better than peer recognition? I don't think so.

I would like to pass this blog award on two of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer and Mindy. Jennifer and Mindy are both dog moms, too. Jennifer is dog mom to a Standard Poodle named Lucy. Mindy is dog mom to a Corgi named Gingerbeans.

Jennifer pours her heart out in nearly every post. She is as giving in person and the sunshine of my life. (Yes, we often talk in songs. Well, actually, Jennifer just sings them.)

Mindy is someone I've met through blogging. We are now facebook friends, too. She lives in Texas and I'm in Indiana, but we are determined to get together in person, one of these days. Mindy is a crazy, crazy girl and could be my best friend if it weren't for her "I live in Texas" thing. Sometimes when I'm conveying something to the duggles that Mindy and I have talked about via facebook or something she has written about, I'll say "you know, my friend Mindy in Texas," and the duggles says "the friend you've never met?" HMPF! As if that makes a difference. Men. They just don't understand sometimes.

Altered book

I've made altered books for the shop, and I made an altered book for a friend, but this is the first one that I've made for myself. I absolutely fell in love with Graphic 45.I used a crackle glaze on the clock.I used diamond glaze on the eyeglasses.

and the camera lens.

Because this book was for myself, I felt a bit more freedom to do whatever I wanted to do.

I bought my old ribbons from this shop. (My favorite shop in Bloomington.) I'll buy more.

I love the look of old.
People say "what will you do with it now and what is it for?" They are fun to make, a work of art, an expression of self. For more info on altered books, read here.

Why we love...

I've written about Clear Creek trail several times before, and I decided to show you why Chelsea and I enjoy walking there.
Like a dancer en pointe, Chelsea strains, standing on her short hind legs at the edge of the seat, stretching her body as long as she possibly can, wanting to catch every fragrance that is carried in the wind. Lest she fall out of the window, I hold onto her leash with my right hand.

From the bridge. I like the way that you can tell Fall is on its way by the fallen leaves. I watched from above.
I was convinced he was going to fall in and I was determined to capture it.

His arms flailed and circled like twin helicopter rotors, but he did not fall in.
She taunted "you are going to fall in!"
He made it all of the way across without falling in. I was amazed.

The entire length of the trail is 2.5 miles out and 2.5 back.

Beautiful.

Edging the entire trail - many different varieties and colors.
In storage - to keep it dry.

I call this one "bales and lines."

Brilliant
Weathered

Do you see the birds?

And back to the bridge. These evenings, I am struggling to finish before dark.
Now, you understand why we love to walk this beautiful farmland trail.