October's Book List

The Correspondent

Even though it might not sound like much, I'm happy to have gotten four books read last month.  One book a week is my general goal.

The Best Things in Life: A Contemporary Socrates Looks at Power, Pleasure, Truth & the Good Life by Peter Kreeft

I noticed this book while salivating over the Veritas Press catalog and was immediately interested in it.  The blurb advertised:

A fictional Socratic dialogue concerning what life, education and thought are all about. Imagine Socrates asking a modern university student, "Why are you studying for that test?" The student replies, "So I can get good grades?" Socrates replies "Why do you want to get good grades?" Student "So I can get a good job?" Socrates "Why do you want a good job?" Student "So I can support a wife and children." Socrates "Why do you want to support a wife and children?" You get the idea. It's a lot of fun and the students love it.

Ordering the book was the easy part.  I had to read it more slowly than I’m accustomed because it took a bit of doing to wrap my brain around these conversations.  They were interesting, and I'd like to learn to use the Socratic method effectively, but I have a considerably long way to go.

In the first half of the book, Socrates debates Peter Pragma on education, technology, artificial intelligence, superstition, and success.  In the second half, Socrates confabulates with Felicia Flake, Pop Syke, and briefly with Karl and Adam.  They discuss drugs, music, fornication, communism, and capitalism.  There’s even an outline of arguments on objective values in the back.

The VP catalog lists this book for use in the seventh grade, but I can’t imagine handing it over to my twelve-year-old or thirteen-year-old due to the mature issues in the second half.  I do want my older high schoolers to read it, and I want to enjoy it myself another time or two to help lift the fog from my addled brain. 

The attraction of this book for me was the Socratic method.  While the author draped a layer of morality over the top of these conversations, they are not expressly from a Christian worldview.  However, the book does a great job poking holes in many contemporary philosophies and helps to sharpen logical thinking.


Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church and What You Can Do To Stop It by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer with Todd Hillard

Ken Ham paired up with a leading market researcher and business analyst expert, Britt Beemer, to survey 1,000 adults between the ages of 20 and 30 who once consistently attended conservative, evangelical churches, but who seldom or never go to church today.  The survey disclosed some interesting (and sometimes shocking) results as to why these folks began forsaking the assembly of believers.

Those surveyed fell into one of two groups:  (1) people who never come to church at all, even on holidays, and who don't plan on ever returning, and (2) people who currently attend Easter and/or Christmas services and who say they will probably resume regular attendance when they have children.  The survey revealed that those in Group One felt the Bible was no longer relevant while those in Group Two found the church to be irrelevant due to hypocrisy.

It was an interesting book, including fourteen pages of survey results in the appendices.  If parents, pastors, church leaders, and everyone in churches apply the solution and its many aspects -- the foundational authority of the Scriptures -- then the tide could turn on this epidemic.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart

Six months have passed since the Mysterious Benedict Society’s first adventures, and Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are reuniting for a surprise that Mr. Benedict created for them.  Unfortunately, things don’t go as Mr. B planned, and the kids end up having to solve a number of puzzles and mysteries to find him and his evil twin, Ledroptha Curtain, who kidnapped him.

This story comes complete with a ship, a desert island, a Salamander (amphibious tank), Mr. Curtain’s henchmen with briefcases (now called Ten Men because they can hurt a person in ten different ways),  Milligan’s impressive moves, and old “friends,” such as Jackson, Jillson, S.Q. Pedalian, and Martina Crowe.

This sequel was as exciting and adventurous as the original book, and I grew to love the Society members even more.  I was excited when I thought I’d correctly guessed the location of “the secret plant,” but alas, I was wrong … again.  I made it through both the first and the second MBS books without solving any of the puzzles or riddles.  What a sad record. 

Something I disliked about this book was that the Society members run away.  I’ve always had a problem with children’s books where children run away to “save the day.”  There are also repeated occasions where the kids blatantly disobey Milligan, and it’s played off as a joke or something they absolutely must do. 

However, I really enjoyed these parts:

Sticky was a skittish and fearful child, yet he always ended up doing the right thing, no matter how frightening it was.  In Reynie’s opinion, this made Sticky one of the bravest people he’d ever met. 

[When Milligan has a clear shot to take out a Ten Man, he and Kate have the following exchange.]

Milligan shook his head.  “It’s more complicated than that.  See how close he’s standing to the edge of the dock?  I can’t risk it.  He might fall into the water and drown.”

Kate looked at him cockeyed.  “Are you kidding?  These guys are monsters!  If that one fell into the water it would serve him right!”

“You might think you mean that,” said Milligan.  “But you’d feel differently if it were to happen and you were responsible.  We’re not like them, Kate.  That’s the entire point of trying to stop them.”

[And then later, when Kate has an opportunity to blow up a whole bunch of Ten Men …]

If anyone deserved to be sent sky-high with their own evil contraption, it was these men, and no doubt about it.

Kate saw Garrotte flick his wrist.  She leaped to the left – a razor-sharp pencil whistled past her shoulder.  You just made it even easier, she thought, cocking her arm to throw.  The men in the Salamander, powerless to do anything else, bent down and shielded their heads with their arms.  They were sitting ducks.  This would be the easiest thing in the world …

Except that Milligan was right.

Kate was not like Mr. Curtain and his nasty associates.  Not at all … Seeing those men there, helpless to stop her from doing what they themselves would never hesitate to do, Kate realized – with a certain degree of disappointment but also a degree of pride – that she could never do it, could never do something that would make her more like her enemy and less like her father.  And so, instead of throwing the [bomb] into the Salamander’s path, she flung it out over the bay, where it splashed into the water. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

This tale begins with The Mysterious Benedict Society sequestered in Mr. Benedict’s house with their families for everyone’s safety.  Mr. Curtain and his goons are still on the loose, and there’s no telling what evil he’ll attempt next. 

While the action felt a bit predictable to me in this third installment (maybe I shouldn’t have read all three books back to back), the characters were braver, wittier, and more lovable than ever.  Annnnnd … I finally solved an MBS puzzle (it was probably the easiest one, but still)!  It’s in the chapter entitled, “What May Be Perceived.” 

In the second book – The MBS and the Perilous Journey – the author introduced the idea that Constance had a highly developed sense of unconscious pattern recognition, so she could tell when something was about to happen – someone entering a room, Reynie coming up with a plan, etc. – by noticing changes in patterns.   But in this third book, it is revealed that Constance also has mental telepathy.  She can not only read people’s thoughts, but she can put thoughts into their minds as well as communicate from her mind to another person’s.  This crossed a line for me, and I wasn’t comfortable with that aspect of the story at all.

By the end of the book, many changes had taken place, but I'll eschew spoilers.  I will say, however, that the mystery of Constance’s background was solved, and Number Two’s real name was revealed (it’s quite clever and humorous).

Here is a peek at some memorable moments:

"Tell me about it,” said Kate, already raising the window.  “Why didn’t you two open this?  Oh, I see, it won’t stay up.  Well, we can just prop it with a book.”  She reached toward the nearest shelf.

“Please don’t,” said Reynie, who was very protective of books.

Of a rich and odious character, Mr. Benedict remarks:

 “His understanding of children seems to be as poor as he is rich.”

In a moment of peril, Reynie says to Kate:

“Okay, but please be careful,” he said at last.  “I mean extra careful.  Like if you were me and not you.”

How about you?  Read any good books lately?

All That ... and This, Too!

The Correspondent

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe -- Hebrews 12:28

If all we had in this life was the kingdom that cannot be shaken, that alone would be worth our continual thanks and worship during these remaining days on earth.  How blessed I am to be receiving that ... and all this, too.

1.  Saturday Scene - Mr. Knightley, Rocko, Christiana, and I cleaned the garage last weekend, and it looks so much better now!  It only took us two hours, and to keep things moving, I programmed 30 appropriate garage-cleaning songs into a playlist on my iPod and plugged it into a battery-operated speaker.  I'm sure that made all the difference.

 2.  Teachable Moments - As Rocko and Mr. Knightley were hauling storable items into the attic, I overhead Rocko asking what all the machines were up there, and Mr K began pointing out and explaining the workings of the ac/heating unit, the duct work, the insulation, and the hot water heater as well as where each room was located.  I love the way my husband imparts knowledge so naturally and patiently.

3.  My Inspiration - Inspired by Mr. Knightley's example, I took the opportunity to teach Elinor Jane and Mockingbird what to do with a perpetually running toilet when one was brought to my attention last weekend.  It's much easier just to do the work myself rather than gather the troops together for a housekeeping lesson, but in the long run, when my daughters have their own homes, I want them to know how to fix a problem like this one.

4.  Since the Garage is Clean Now ... - Mr. Knightley backed the cars out of the garage and invited me for a dancing date in our makeshift dancing studio.  I strung some red heart-shaped lights for decoration and atmosphere, and my trusty iPod and speaker provided the music.  We lasted for six songs before the burn began this time (progress!), then we went inside and watched some of our dance DVDs so we can expand our repertoire.   

5.  Nice Break -- I took a nice blogging break this week.  Since I'm addicted to digitizing my thoughts, however, I inundated some very forbearing friends with miscellaneous e-mails and goofy text messages throughout the week.  Thank you, my patient pals, for putting up with me.  :-)

We Interrupt This Blog

The Correspondent

I wanted to post October's Book List today, but as it happens, life's been comin' at me fast, and I need a bit of a break from something. Yesterday I discovered that every single weekend in November already has an event scheduled, and I'm tired just thinking about it.

Maybe I can return on the fifth for Amy's Read-Aloud Thursday, but I'll have to play that by ear.

Have a great week!

Watchful and Thankful

The Correspondent

Colossians 4:2 says, "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."

There's that Greek word grēgoreō again.  Watchfulness and thankfulness go hand-in-hand, for if we are watching, we will surely find things to be thankful for.  Here's a smattering of what I found this week ...

1.  Cruisin' -- We enjoyed a family outing Saturday morning as we drove through a nearby national park (of sorts), stopping to walk some trails, gaze across the water, and take pictures.  We picked up a take-out lunch and even popped into Mr. Knightley's office.  We had a fun time!

2.  How Catty ... And Humorous -- During our visit to Mr. K's office, we saw this sign at a secretary's desk:

3.  Off Week -- It was that time again ... time for the students at Barchester to take a weekly break from their routine studies and read a book for sheer pleasure, sculpt some polymer figurines, sew a brand new outfit, write another chapter or two in their novel, catch up on some rest.

During the last week of almost every month, we put our regular schedule on hold and shelve our typical school books for a breather. By the end of the week, we're more rested and refreshed and actually looking forward to the next three weeks of school. For us, Off Weeks prevent burnout, offer blocks of free time, and encourage us to love home education as much as we do.

4.  Cherubic Children -- Initiative was at an all-time high this week as Elinor Jane tackled the dejunking, disinfecting, and reorganization of the kitchen cabinets of her own accord.  EJ filled three boxes with superfluous culinary items to send to our favorite charity plus she found some old baby bottles to store in the attic.  Likewise and in the same spirit, Mockingbird swabbed down our crown molding and ceiling fan blades and also gave The Honorable Judge a bath.  Christiana spent time playing with and taking care of THJ to free me up to tackle some projects of my own.  Rocko disinfected the doorknobs, light switches, and telephones throughout the house.  How in the world did I get such good kids?

5.  Over the State Lines and Through the 'Burbs -- This year, the fam is coming to Barchester to celebrate Thanksgiving, and I've begun baby stepping the preparations.  I cleaned the oven in anticipation of the massive amounts of food I plan to cook and bake, and I also cleaned the whirlpool tub jets (without incident, I might add).

Five children and one husband ago, I did my best work under pressure.  Nowadays, I just do the bulk of my work under pressure.  So, in an attempt to focus on the people, I'm attacking the projects in advance.  I don't want a repeat of one visit in particular when my brother arrived from far away, but I wasn't finished with my preparations yet, so I actually vacuumed the floor beneath his feet as he was settling into the recliner.  As a Christian, he had to forgive me, so I knew it would all be okay (Oh, don't fret y'self ... I know that's a violation of Romans 6.  I'm just joshin' about that last part [snicker, snort]).   

Then there was the time that I didn't finish mopping the kitchen floor until the moment our bestest friends (who live 250 miles away) rang the doorbell.  One of my sock-clad children ran through the kitchen to greet our visitors, slid on the wet floor, and crashed into the bar stools.  I felt terrible.  

And pretty much all of our overnight guests end up standing in the doorway of the bedroom they'll be using, heavy laden with suitcases and hang-up bags and pillows and stuffed animals as they watch me feverishly put sheets on their bed.  I used to be a scheduler for a living ... can you believe it?  

6.  Time for Bed -- Speaking of schedules and going to bed, I happened upon a new bedtime routine for The Honorable Judge that has made everyone's lives happier, including THJ himself.  Hallelujah!



Have you been watching?  What are you thankful for?


 

 

Read-Aloud Thursday

The Correspondent

I am enjoying participating in Amy's Read-Aloud Thursdays at Hope is the Word. I am still focusing on some of our favorite Thanksgiving picture books, but the titles I am highlighting today are not specifically Thanksgiving-themed.  We always read them around this time of year, however, because they depict an average day in the life of the Pilgrims.  

Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl

and

Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy

both by Kate Waters

Photographs by Russ Kendall

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

1989, 1993

Set in July of 1627, these books contain very brief backgrounds on the actual Pilgrims who are represented by modern-day children.  Sarah Morton is nine, and Samuel Eaton is seven.  Each of them lost a parent as the result of the trip across the sea.  I love that Sarah makes a cameo appearance in Samuel's book.

The color photographs on each page illustrate how these people dressed, cooked, ate, tended to their animals, undertook their chores, played games, learned their school lessons, brought in the harvest, and worshipped.  The text is written in Early Modern English (King James-ish) as the Pilgrims would have talked.  There are also several textbooky pages at the end that give additional information, including a glossary.

When Elinor Jane and Mockingbird read these books in their elementary years, they became Sarah Morton for days on end, complete with makeshift Pilgrimware.  I hope my youngest three children enjoy them as much as my oldest two have.

Fare thee well.  God be with thee.

Pooh Bear's Breakfast and Devotions

Random Dozen

The Correspondent

I saw this meme several weeks ago on Janet's blog, and it looked like fun, so here goes ...

1. Tell me the absolute best way to watch a movie.

It depends on the movie.

I occasionally enjoy the whole theater experience, so on the rare occasion when something worthy is showing, I like watching stuff on the big screen.

I dig Brit flicks and Bananas comedy DVDs at home with my family.

Action/war movies are fun to watch with Mr. Knightley.

When we watch DVDs, we use TV-Guardian to edit offensive language, and we also fast forward inappropriate scenes.  My brother has been touting the advantages of Clearplay, but we're still movie-watching dinosaurs for now (at least we've switched from VHS to DVD, for the most part).

2. Do you ever think about your own funeral? If so, do you have specific ideas about how you would like it to be?

Funerals are for the living, not the dead.  I'd prefer not to even have a funeral (throw a party and celebrate my eternity with Christ!), but I understand some folks need them for closure or something.  I won't be there anyway, so it really doesn't matter to me. 

3. Are you more of a giver or a taker?

I liked Janet's answer -- "That’s a question better answered by those who live with me! I try to find a balance between the two."

4. Vacations: planned activities and schedules, or play it by ear?

What's a vacation?

5. What is one often overlooked item in your home that needs to be cleaned regularly?

Our window sills.  Ick.

6. Name a cause that means a lot to you.

Again, Janet gave great answers, and I agree with this one -- "The great commission — knowing Jesus and spreading His love."

7. Do you eat a regular old peanut butter jelly sandwich, or do you customize it? And by the way, jelly or no jelly?

When I eat PB&J (which isn't often), I like natural peanut butter and Just Fruit jelly or lemon curd on the homemade whole wheat bread that Mockingbird makes.  Sometimes I'll substitute honey for jelly and add sliced bananas, making it a PBH&B.  :-)

8. If we were having a conversation in person, how would I know if you were nervous?

I think I tend to avoid eye contact when I'm nervous.

9. Do you have an elaborate bedtime routine, or just the basics of tooth brushing and jammies?

Elaborate.  Very elaborate.  I would offer more details, but then you'd have to be exterminated.

10. Have you ever regretted something you wrote on your blog?

Yes.

11. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a famous person or celebrity? Did you agree?

My wonderful hairdresser, who I love to pieces (despite the failed Katie Holmes cut), tells me I have a Sandra Bullock face, so I can wear any haircut Sandra does.  I want to believe her, but I'm skeptical.  I'll leave it to you to decide ...

One thing is certain:  Sandra's nose is more defined than mine.  In poetical terms, her nose is verse while I have a prose nose.

12. If you were going to dedicate a song to a loved one or friend, what would the song be and to whom would it be dedicated?

I'm a real music lover, so this will be my longest answer yet.

To Mr. Knightley:

I Just Want To Hang Around You sung by George Benson

Anyone At All sung by Carole King

Cherish the Treasure sung by Steve Green

To my kids:

The Sunrise of Your Smile sung by Michael Card

To my brother Jay:

So Far Away sung by Carole King

To my mom:

Beneath the Cross of Jesus
(I don't know if this is her favorite hymn or not, but I have memories of her singing it)

To my dad:

Brethren, We Have Met To Worship

(He often requests this hymn before he preaches; it always reminds me of him)

To my best buddy Tracey:

Thank You For Being a Friend sung by Andrew Gold

What would your answers look like?

Fall-ish Favorites

The Correspondent

Here are some happy highlights from the past week.

1.  It's a Marshmallow World in the Autumn -- We had our first autumn fire (I wish I'd taken a picture of it blazing in the fireplace), and we roasted marshmallows as well.  Oh, how I love this season!

2.  Seasonal Music -- I took time to rip the bulk of our Christmas CDs to my laptop and then sync the music to my iPod.  I now have two gigs of Christmas music on my iPod.  What do you mean, "Who needs two gigs of Christmas music?"  Are you serious?! 

3.  Successful Surgery ... Again -- Elinor Jane had to have another underarm abscess drained.  She has Neutropenia (chronic low white blood cells), and when bacteria enter her system, she just doesn't have the neutrophils to fight them.  I haven't said a lot about her condition because it's not really a big deal unless bacteria happen to work their way in.  She doesn't look like she has a health issue, and I don't want it to define her. But I am thankful the outpatient surgery went well.

4.  House Call -- Since EJ's surgery caused the other two girls to miss piano lessons this week, our teacher -- who is wonderful anyway -- came to our house and gave Mockingbird and Christiana their lessons here.

5.  Subway Substitution -- I recently discovered Subway's sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich/salad and can't seem to get enough of it.  Since we really don't have the resources for daily Subway runs, I searched the Internet for the recipe and found a suitable substitution.  It's not an exact taste-a-like, but it's close enough, and I can make adjustments.  I'm happy.

Have a great weekend!

Read-Aloud Thursday

The Correspondent

I finally got my ducks in enough of a row to participate in Amy's Read-Aloud Thursday over at Hope is the Word!

Since I'm already thinking, planning, listing, plotting, and buying for the Thanksgiving holidays, I decided to focus on some of our favorite Thanksgiving books between now and that wonderful holiday which is only five weeks away.

At the top of our list of faves is this:

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving

By Eric Metaxas

Illustrated by Shannon Stirnweis

Tommy Nelson, Inc.

1999

It was the year of our Lord 1608.  Few white men had ever seen North America.  But everywhere there were various tribes of natives, some who were friendly and trusting, others who were fierce and cruel.

On the chilly, gray coast of what is today called Massachusetts, there lived a tribe called the Patuxets, who were as friendly and trusting as any that lived.  One of them, a boy of about twelve, was called Tisquantum, or Squanto.

So begins this delightfully written, beautifully illustrated, and historically illuminating account.  It goes on to explain how Squanto was kidnapped by men "from the world across the water" who came every few years to trade with the Indians.

These men sailed with their human cargo to Spain and sold the Indians as slaves.  Squanto was bought by kind monks who taught him their language, their faith, and the sovereignty of God.  After five years, the monks helped Squanto return home by first sailing him to England where he stayed with John Slanie and his family as he waited for an available ship.  It was here that he learned the English language.

After five years of waiting, Squanto finally made his way home, only to find his entire village had been wiped out by a terrible illness.

God allowed tragedy in Squanto's life so he could help the Pilgrims through their difficulties in The New World.  It wasn't until I read this picture book that I learned the back story.

The age recommendation for this book says, "Children, Ages 5-10."  However, I agree with whomever it was (C.S. Lewis?) who said a good book can be enjoyed by an eight-year-old as well as an eighty-year-old, or something like that.  Does anyone know the quote I'm thinking of?

What have you been reading aloud?

I'm Really Drawn To These Books

The Correspondent

The Honorable Judge loves to hold up his chubby toddler arms in my direction and plead, "Sit me! Sit me!" This means he wants to sit with me and usually have me read or play or [GULP] draw.  He'll sweetly ask, "Mommy dwaw Thomas [the Tank Engine]?  Mommy dwaw Thomas?"  When I don't start sketching, his voice rises an octave and his bottom lip begins to quiver.

Then my bottom lip begins to quiver as I helplessly wail, "Honey, MOMMY CAN'T DRAW!"

I've always been artistically challenged.  I've embarrassed myself more than once during games of Pictionary and Cranium with images such as these:

That is my all-purpose animal.  It can represent a dog, a cat, a lion, or a sheep, depending on the circumstances.

I know, I know.  It's pitiful.  But drawing simply isn't one of my gifts, and it has never been high on my priority list.

But then, a while back, Pioneer Woman highlighted these books on her website:

I was intrigued because the instructions at the beginning of each book said something like this:

And it worked ... it really worked!  So now -- thanks to Ed Emberely and his books -- I can draw a more recognizable (albeit out of focus) dog ...

... and cat ...

... and lion ...

... and sheep.

And here's the pièce de résistance:

Drawing is no longer challenging, frustrating, and awkward.  It's actually enjoyable and relaxing.  While I wait in doctors' offices or drive-thru lines, I do this:

 

If your drawing is delinquent, I'm confident that Ed Emberely can help you, too. 

 

 

Blessings, Blasts, and Brocards

The Correspondent

This week there were blessings, fun, and humor.  Here's a peek:

1.  They're Baaaaack -- A friend from church recovered the documents, pictures, and music from my crashed hard drive.  He's officially the best computer fix-it guy ever, and we've written him into our will. 

2.  Techno Tip -- Our friend (the best computer fix-it guy ever) recommended backing up data with flash drives rather than external hard drives since flash drives don't have any moving parts that could crash and burn.  When I went looking for some eight gigs, I found some on sale for 50% off.  So I bought four.

3.  Matinee Madness -- I took the kids to see The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry on Friday afternoon.  Then Jeff and I went to see it on Saturday.  We all enjoyed it very much (although, personally, I would've liked it better if they had given a clearer gospel presentation).  We also enjoyed Timechanger, one of Rich Christiano's previous films which we own on DVD.

4.  Amen, Brother! -- Mr. Knightley did a(nother) marvelous job preaching on Sunday.  His topic was Portrait of a Living Sacrifice from Romans 12.

5.  Sign o' the Times -- My Favorite Corner Coffee Shop has this in sign form hanging on the front door:

6.  The Better to See You With -- The strength of my reading glasses recently increased .50 diopters.  While this means I'm aging, and my vision is worsening, I'm thankful I can still see!

7.  Conferment for The Correspondent -- Diane from Cabin in the Woods generously gave me a blog award.

To accept the award, I must answer the following questions with one-word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone?  Purse

2. Your hair?  Darkening

3. Your mother?  Giving

4. Your father?  Generous

5. Your favorite food?  Numerous

6. Your dream last night?  Weird

7. Your favorite drink?  Coffee

8. Your dream/goal?  Heaven

9. What room are you in?  Bedroom

10. Your hobby?  Reading

11. Your fear?  Sharks

12. Where do you want to be in six years?  Wherever 

13. Where were you last night?  Hospital

14. Something you aren't?  Literatus

15. Muffins?  Applesauce

16. Wish list item?  Music

17. Where did you grow up?  Everywhere

18. Last thing you did?  Dinner

19. What are you wearing?  Capris

20. Your TV?  Hazardous

21. Your pets?  Nonexistent

22. Your friend?  Many

23. Your life?  Blessed

24. Your mood?  Grateful

25. Missing someone?  Usually

26. Vehicle?  Dodge

27. Something you're not wearing?  Tie

28. Your favorite store?  Coffeehouse

29. Your favorite color?  Maroon

30. When was the last time you laughed?  Minutes  

31. Last time you cried?  Days

32. Your best friend?  Husband

33. One place that you go over and over?  Bathroom

34. One person who emails you regularly?  Dictionary.com

35. Favorite place to eat?  Romano's

Many thanks, Diane!


Have a wonderful, autumn-y weekend, everyone!

Mockingbird Has Phun Photoshopping Phlowers

Here are some more pictures of Elinor Jane’s flowers. This time I have put special effects in with Photoshop.