Day 345 - Saturday, December 11, 2010

Day 345 - Saturday, December 11, 2010 – The lake was frozen on both sides of the lake but not the middle! Enough for some swans to take a swim.

Day 285 - Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Day 285 - Tuesday, October 12, 2010 – After living in this house for 3.5 years, not only is this the first squirrel I've ever seen in my neighborhood, but the squirrel also found it's way onto my bird feeder!!

Day 253 - Friday, September 10, 2010

Day 253 - Friday, September 10, 2010 – I can not get over this gorgeous bouquet brought to my parents' house by one of my mom's co-workers. Absolutely stunning, hairy balls and all.

Day 231 - Thursday, August 19, 2010

Day 231 - Thursday, August 19, 2010 – While, and I quote from the Oakland Press "the National Weather Service storm survey team concluded that the damage observed in and around the Lake Orion, Oxford, and Metamora areas was consistent with thunderstorm straight line winds with speeds up to 70 mph", I beg to differ. They did not see the rain and lake water swirling in several spirals during this half hour ordeal. I've never seen anything like it. And, even though there is a tornado siren directly across the street (I can see the siren from my front porch), there was no alarm being sounded. Really? Obviously, the kids and I took cover in the basement, but not until the storm was literally right on top of us. If these were straight line winds, how did a piece of patio furniture get sucked from the middle of our backyard patio and get twisted up like a pretzel landing in the front yard of the empty lot next door to us. I'm no meteorologist, but, I'll tell ya, THAT was a freaking tornado.

Day 184 - Saturday, July 3, 2010

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

Day 184 - Saturday, July 3, 2010 - Three ground hogs took up residence underneath our deck and had been decimating my wave petunias. They became quite familiar with our house, even scratching at the front door's window at one point. Obviously, these critters had to go. The first ground hog that Kevin shot with his pellet gun was hit in the back. Kevin wasn't sure if he had killed him until it became very clear that it had gone back into its hole and died because there was a rancid smell that lingered for more than a week. The second one was a more direct hit to the head. He fell from the rock wall into my friendship garden where the kids gathered to watch it take its last breaths from afar. We pointed out the big teeth to the kids as a lesson as to why they should never approach a wild animal, no matter how "cute" they might seem. Liam suggested that we get rid of the ground hogs another way next time. Whereas Jordyn and Owen were un-fazed by the extermination.

Day 173 - Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Day 173 - Tuesday, June 22, 2010 - Day lilies that were given to me from my good friend Natalie Arnold, that I divided today from the Cotts Way house and planted at this house. I'm looking forward to them growing in fully next year.

Day 100 - Saturday, April 10, 2010

Day 100 - Saturday, April 10, 2010 – Ahhhh, Spring. I love daffodils.

Day 67 - Monday, March 8, 2010

Day 67 - Monday, March 8, 2010 - Sprouts of green from the thawing earth. And sunshine. YAY!