So much to show, still no way to get the pictures!

The latest saga in the camera fiasco: We bought an external USB drive to connect the camera card to the PC. Great promises from the folks at Wolff Camera, but as luck would have it, the PC doesn't recognize the device! The guy at the camera shop said this is our last ditch effort, and even if it worked, the camera is so old they don't sell the memory cards anymore. Oh well. Maybe a new camera in our future?

In the meantime, I have lots of great pics, including my latest foray into crocheting a cool (but easy!) ruffled scarf. I got the easy pattern from Lion Brand Yarn's Web site.



I've also been on a jewelry-making rush. Seems to be my nesting instinct to make jewelry this time of year. A couple of the pieces have turned out well--one to go with an eclectic quilted vest I've never had a proper necklace to go with.

And then there's the garden! Frank made his famous chili and used the last of the chili peppers from the garden. They're gone until next year! We pulled up everything to plant all varieties of greens--turnip, mustard, kale, collard. Last night, near dusk, we were planting garlic. It'll be ready to harvest early next summer. We even hired some young boys in the neighborhood to lug the mushroom compost from the front yard to the garden. It was loaded with worms!

I really need a camera!

Cabin in the Woods

We stayed at an adorable cabin at Shenandoah Crossings Resort in Gordonsville, VA last week. The countryside was simply beautiful, and we had lots of good days for sightseeing. We visited the downtown Charlottesville pedestrian mall on our first day there. On Monday (a federal holiday) we visited Frank's daughter and her family in Fredricksburg, VA. It turned out to be about an hours' drive from where we were staying. Tuesday we went to Michie Tavern and Carter Orchards to pick apples. (I plan to make apple butter this weekend.)

One of our favorite outings was the trip to Culpeper, VA. We loved the little shop called The Cameleer in the main downtown shopping district. We bought an unusual Talavera piece from Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato. I visited the town in person several years ago and bought a beautiful crackled fruit bowl (hand-carried on the flight back!) and a tissue box cover. Since the "home" camera is still out of commission, I don't have a picture yet, and I've looked everywhere online with no luck finding one that looks like it. It's shaped like a half-bowl, and it can sit on a flat surface or be mounted on the wall.

The lady who helped us pick out the piece highly recommended the restaurant across the street It's about Thyme, and she was so right. It was the most delicious meal either of us have had in who knows when.

I had pork with scalloped potatoes, sauerkraut, and a roasted red pepper (out of this world!), and Frank had grilled chicken, fries, and a Greek salad. The aroma of spices wafted through the air from the moment we opened the door--rosemary, thyme, roasted red pepper--all used in their own baked bread. It was a truly gastronomic experience!

Rain was forecast for Thursday, and Frank wanted to make sure he at least got to dip his fishing pole into the lake. It was a gorgeous, warm evening, and we got to chat with lots of folks who came down to the pier just to enjoy.
We had such a wonderful time! And when we got back home, the turnip greens were ready to pick! I put four bags in the freezer and saved one batch for dinner last night. Yummy!

Wedding Photo Collage

Our Wedding Day-October 3, 2009

Nearly thirty family members joined us for our wedding at Covenant Church in Soddy Daisy on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. The ceremony was so beautiful, and our daughters created a gorgeous reception.

We leave for our honeymoon on Saturday for a small resort near Charlottesville, Virginia, where we hope to take in Skyline Drive, Monticello, and apple picking!

Six Days!

... until our wedding. Family is coming in from Michigan and Virginia, and we are all getting so excited! This is the first church wedding for both me and Frank ... very special. And here's something special that seems to fit right in with a book I'm reading now called The Biology of Belief. The book is written by a scientist who talks about how we are all (man, animal, plant) meant to cooperate, not compete, and that cooperation is the key to survival of our planet. This video about the Orangutan and the Hound Dog is amazing.



It's going to be a busy week!

Our Wedding is Less than Two Weeks Away!

Frank and I have been together for four years, and we are getting married on Saturday, October 3! Two months ago we announced that we were going to have a VERY SMALL wedding--just eight people attending the ceremony in our living room. Two weeks ago, we decided that we would move to the church across the street. Frank's granddaughter is married to the assistant preacher, and the preacher is his father. They are all dear friends, and that will make the occasion even that much sweeter. And now we have nearly 30 people attending! And we hired a photographer. My son-in-law was going to do it, but we went to a wedding Friday night at the same church and met a photographer who is available. Now our son-in-law can enjoy the festivities with the rest of us!

Here's a tip for those of you who may plan a wedding in the future and want to keep down costs. Don't tell the baker you want a wedding cake! That will nearly triple the cost! I shouldn't name names of stores, but our newest neighborhood grocery store has a wonderful bakery with delicious cakes. When I changed my story from a wedding cake to a "special occasion" cake, the price went from $150 to $44. Our cake will look something like this only without the red. Frank's daughter is a florist, so she will do a small fresh arrangement in the center with my wedding colors, and the cake will be 14" in diameter (photos after October 3!)

They say that the two months that are the busiest in Chattanooga for weddings are May and October, and thankfully Hobby Lobby had a 50% off sale on wedding supplies that expired on Saturday. We lucked into the sale late on Saturday afternoon. So now we've gone from a very small wedding, to one with a flower girl (my cutie granddaughter)and a ring bearer.

And what about this rain??? I have no idea what our current accumulation amounts to now, it must be over ten inches with no end in sight. They are predicting rain through next Tuesday! Here's a great pic from a couple local fast food joints (borrowed from The Chattanoogan):

Drat

I've been searching high and low for my missing camera cable that connects the camera to my computer. My computer is over five years old (camera is six years old!), but I bought a very high-end computer (and camera), so they still holds their own, but I don't have a slot for my camera's disc in the PC.

I went to the Web site for my camera, only to find out that the cable is "out of stock." I may have hesitated anyway, because the replacement is $40.00!!! My printer does have a slot, so I guess I need to figure out how to get to the printer drive from my PC. It's got me stymied, but I'll figure it out eventually!