A Gift - Bandit - the Cedar Waxwing

Here is the gift that was in my back yard today - a very hungry, very beautiful cedar waxwing. I am so thrilled that I saw him in the nandina bush having quite a new year's feast! He took plenty of time to pose for me but I won't bother you with all 100 pictures...I remember when Kathy and I would ride around in her old Volvo following flocks of cedar waxwings as they flew from holly to holly around Newnan. It was usually in February that we caught up with them. I know Kathy was smiling down from heaven as I took these pictures of this wonderful little bird today! By the way, Kathy, I named him Bandit.

Ever Wonder What's in Your Heart?

Happy New Year!

From a friend:
After serious & cautious consideration . . .
Your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2009!
It was a very hard decision to make. So try not to screw it up!!!
My Wish for You in 2009 -
May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.
May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet of $100 bills. May love stick to
your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes
smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face
and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home
address! In simple words . . . May 2009 be the best year of your life!!!

When the Calm Returns

I love Christmas. I really do. I also enjoy when things get quiet again and I return to the sunroom with my camera. Here's a wee sample of the good life from my sunroom.

Christmas Wishes 2008

May your Christmas be especially happy this year. May you be surrounded with love and happiness, family and friends. May your days be blessed and every moment treasured! Thank you for the love you have given to me this year! It is the greatest gift of all! Love, Susan

Wrapping Day

For the last three days, I have been wrapping gifts. Raymond is my elfish inspiration who has kept me going.

Hope your wrapping is going well and your Christmas is merry!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

My New Favorite Movie

I LOVE Australia! Everything about this movie is fantastic! If you need someone to see it with, call me! You will laugh, cry, and fall in love - with all of them and the place! Wow!

The acting is remarkable and the movie is perfectly cast. You will love hard and hate hard - because the good guys are SO good and the bad guys are SO bad!

I don't own this image so if you do, and you don't want me to use it, just let me know.

As Thanksgiving Approaches...

...I realize how truly thankful I am. For:

• a special family. I couldn't be more loved.


• Mom and Dad's new home. They are happy.


• my boy who is so small and fragile - he's an aging teacup Yorkie for those who don't know.


• health and happiness. Some take these for granted -maybe I used to.


• close friends who know me so well and love me anyway.


• the children in my life - reminders that life goes on...


• my home that I now have time to enjoy.


• the wildlife that call my backyard home. They wow me with their beauty, antics, and ability to eats many pounds of expensive seed, suet, and critter munchies.


• even the chipmunks who take many pounds of safflower seeds underground for the long winter's nap.


• America - even in the tough times - but my generation has never seen REAL tough times - and I hope we never will.


• God's love for me and for all of us. I list this last because it is the one that I want to dwell on as I go through my day. Such undeserved love, mercy, and goodness - what all I could do so much better.

Happy Thanksgiving. May this season be filled with happiness and love!

And, did I mention that I am very thankful for smiling horses? I am!

For Camryn and Andrew

If you go to my YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/stwalraven, you can watch this video in high quality. It really is much better that way!

Licklog Creek - Cartecay River

What a beautiful sight to behold is north Georgia in November! This year we stayed in a beautiful cabin on Licklog Creek of the Cartecay River just outside of Ellijay! The beauty is indescribable and is very difficult to capture in photos! Here are a few of my feable attempts. Enjoy! BTW, this area is known for its kayaking, rafting, and year-round trout fishing. We, of course, did none of that instead supporting the local economy with our shopping adventures.

Harry Potter and the Jogger

We can't let the kiddies have ALL the fun! Happy Halloween 08!