Time-Lapse Sequencing

 

 Photographer Matt Molloy has began experimenting with time-lapse sequences by taking hundreds of images as the sun set and the clouds moved through the sky. Isn't this beautiful?  It would to frame this and hang it in my living room!

That Incredible Moment

This is one of the main reasons I love storytelling - to take the reader away from reality for just a moment is the greatest accomplishment in writing that I can have.  It doesn't matter who the writer is, if you are transported into the pages, then you have been truly blessed by the creative process.

Honk!!!

Amen!

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni

"Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn t believe that Edmund House a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah s murder is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers.

When Sarah s remains are finally discovered near their hometown in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington State, Tracy is determined to get the answers she s been seeking. As she searches for the real killer, she unearths dark, long-kept secrets that will forever change her relationship to her past and open the door to deadly danger."


Move over Grisham, there is a not-so-new legal thrill writer in town.  I have never read any of Robert Dugoni's books before but found that I couldn't put this one down.  His writing style flows easily and the story moves quickly.  I can't wait to run out and pick up another selection by this talented writer!

A Child Who Reads

I wholly agree with this.  I read as a child and fell in love with the process so that I am an avid reader today which keeps my mind alert and full of creative flow.  My husband read as well...all of the Britannica Encyclopedia's...of which he has retained a lot of, but no longer reads (at least for fun).  However, if a technical book finds its way into his grasp, he will read and study it.  At least it proves that as adults, we are both thinkers! 
    

Celebrating Memorial Day

One Nation under God.

My heart goes out to all soldiers.

Giving thanks is simply not enough for all they have given and endured.

Meredith & Abbey

This is a story that filled my heart and I could not pass up sharing:

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so, and she dictated these words:

Dear God,

Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to swim and play with balls. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her. 

Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope.
On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I recognized her right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your
picture in so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I'm easy to find. I am wherever there is love.

Love, God

The Yard Train

I love this!  It's so creative.  I wish I had at least one green thumb.  Instead, I inherited thumbs that look like toes!  Dang that gene pool!  I may have to ask my son to make this for me and hire a lawn man to keep it alive! 

Arguing with Your Spouse

Now, this is something to stop and really think about, huh? 

Comparing a Book to it's Movie

Thank you Miss Groves (my favorite high school English teacher) for posting this on Facebook.  I have to agree that most books are better than their film adaptations.  However, I have found a few movies that far exceeded my expectations regarding the books they were created from.

Do You Remember?

I do.  I do.  I do!  I checked out books from the school library during the school year and from the city library during the summer.  The city library always had a summer reading program that I would sign up for.  My problem was that I would find one book that I really liked and would keep checking it out to read over and over!  It was not a very productive way to reach my the number of books I signed up to read for the summer program!  That's okay.  There are still some books that I read over and over! 

Chili Relleno Casserole

This sounds awesome!!!

Ingredients:

2 (7 ounce) cans whole green chile peppers, drained

8 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

8 ounces Longhorn or Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 eggs, beaten

1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.Lay half of the chilies evenly in bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and cover with remaining chilies. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and flour, and pour over the top of the chilies.

3.Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, pour tomato sauce evenly over the top, and continue baking another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and serve.

Notes:

Add ground turkey for sausage. Cook thoroughly, place a layer of pepper then the meat, the Monterrey Jack cheese, Peppers, cheddar then egg mixture. 

It Begins With Attitude

Amen!

Love Notes

"Love Notes" is one of the products featured in my craft store.  It's a glass bottle with a blank sheet of paper, a glass beaded elastic band with metal charm to slip around the paper after the note is written, and a cork top to close it.  I have several different types on my Esty store:  thecrafterswheel.  If you like this one, be sure to check them out.  Thanks!

Tan Lines

This is sad but true.  I can't go anywhere and not witness our younger generation completely immersed in a mobile device no matter where they are.  The more technology helps improve our daily lives, it also sets us back.  I have an old soul, I guess.  I would prefer sitting on my front porch catching up with the lives of my neighbors, friends and family than connecting with them through a computer screen.  I was thankful for Skype when my oldest son was in the Army and stationed overseas or connecting with my younger son who is halfway across the country.  I am thankful a few texts back and forth help me stay connected to those I know across the country when I don't have the time to sit down and make a phone call.  However, I am fully capable of turning off the ringer on my cell phone when I am in church, a meeting, a movie, or go out for a meal.  I can leave the phone lying on the kitchen counter when I go to bed.  My husband and I love cruise boats because turning off the phone and stowing it away in the safe is the first thing we do when entering our cabin.  It brings us peace and quiet and alone time to enjoy together.  If connecting through a mobile device is the only way our younger generation can connect, we are raising an anti-social society with unhealthy habits.  It is sad and I fear that it is only the beginning of future problems that will soon surface for our children.

Love Does Conquer All...

What an awesome story...

EMT Proposes To Woman Two Years After Saving Her From Violent Ex-Boyfriend

On January 24, 2012, Melissa Dohme’s life changed forever: She was stabbed 32 times in the face and neck by her ex-boyfriend, Robert Lee Burton Jr.

She was 20 at the time.

Dohme spent the next three weeks in the hospital; her heart stopped four times, but staff brought her back each time.

Now, more than two years later, she’s marrying the first responder, Cameron Hill, who helped save her life.

Hill said,  “It was so bad. You couldn’t tell she was blonde… for some reason, I didn’t think it would be the last time I was going to see her.”

He was right: That fall, she spoke in church and he attended. They soon began dating.

After she recovered, Dohme made it her mission to be a domestic violence advocate in her Tampa, Florida hometown. She’s become so established, the Tampa Bay Rays recently invited her to throw the first pitch for a game.

On Monday night of this past week, the survivor stepped to the home plate, prepared to throw. But before she could, Hill ran out onto the field and gave her a ball to throw.

On the ball, he had written, “Will you marry me?”

 She said “yes.”

 Back in 2013, when speaking about her traumatic experience, Dohme said, “If you believe there’s good in the world then you’ll find it.”  She was right.

 

Drum Roll Please....

Actually, it's two girls!  Both of my son's families are expanding this fall (a week apart) and much to our delight, they are both having girls.  Mom and I can't wait to start shopping for frilly little dresses!  Congratulations to both of you.  I knew that 2015 was going to be a great year! 

The Best Thing You'll Ever Wear

May you have the opportunity to hug your children and grandchildren often!

Happy Mother's Day

If I Could Build A Friend

If I were able to build a friend,

I'd choose the qualities on which I could depend.

Her eyes would tell me how much she cared,

And relieve my hurt when I felt alone and scared.

She'd smile that smile that says it'll be okay,

I'm always here for you night and day.

She'd cry with me when my world fell apart,

And I'd know the tears were from her heart.

She'd make me feel like a V.I.P.,

And no one could ever be dearer to me.

So where should my search begin,

For this special lifetime friend?

There's only one person I trust for advice,

So I reach over to pick up my phoning device.

It occurred to me as I dialed the number,

This extraordinary friend is my very own Mother.

As you say, "Hello," I get chills down my spine.

You're my very best friend dear Mother of mine.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!  

*Author unknown,  however,  the words say everything that are in my heart.

Mexican Stuffed Shells

A little something to make for your next get together!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 package low-sodium taco seasoning

4 ounces cream cheese

16 jumbo pasta shells

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 cup taco sauce

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup Monterrey jack cheese

For toppings:

3 green onions

Sour cream

Black Olives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a pan brown the ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Stir together and mix well. Set aside and cool completely.

While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Evenly cover shells with taco sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed. Top with green onions or olives if desired. Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

Yield: 16 shells