Hi everyone, HOORAY!!!!! The STEELERS brought home one for the thumb! Thanks Semper! You are so wonderful to do this for all us ponders. It was great fun! And thank you for the win. I asked Semper to donate my winnings to The National Aviary right here in Pittsburgh, PA. It is a wonderful place that is close to my heart. Here is a pic of the Bald Eagles that reside there. Notice the one flapping only has one wing. Poor thing had been shot by some @#$&*!*....... And this is a picture of me the last time I was there..... Thanks for helping take care of the birds Semper. Hi Comet! Thanks! Well, it's been a great season. I'm already looking forward to training camp. And the next pool...........: ) ~Dawn (mamabirrd)

Happy Monday all! Although I am sending a hug to Norma, who is not having a particularly happy Monday...my condolences on the loss of your friend, Norma. Kathy, that Iochroma is fantastic! Likely not hardy for me though....although you said that your gardens are looking a bit bedraggled at this time of year, they look about 100 times better than mine do just now! Our temps. are falling, with -1C (30 F) with rain and wind this week....I'll be raking and seeding the back lawn for about the tenth time since we did our backyard "renovation". Once the leaves are down in the park, and therefore on my lawn, I will do the final cut for the season, chopping up the leaves and leaving (ha, ha!) them to compost over the winter. Gee Saucy, I'm with you - I really wouldn't want to bring DS or TCS to an Idyll Union. But DD might have and be fun. After, V's daughter was a hoot at IU VI! And belated birthday greetings to you Norma, and to Wendy also. I apologize for being such a slacker in the photo department...Wendy, was it you who provided the delicious lemon pound cake at Chelone's? If yes, would you, or anyone else, like a recipe for a killer chocolate pound cake? It's almost the only cake I make here now. Today I finally got the gumption to start painting the guest room. I first tried the cutting in of the ceiling without taping. Just in case anybody wants to ask the question "Can you do that?" the answer is "NO!". So now it is taped and the first cut is done. I realize that the previous owner who did the work himself would not make it as a professional drywaller. When they decided to sell this house I think they were in a hurry to finish the basement. The walls and ceilings were all painted a kind of mocha colour - a nice colour but dark for a basement, and especially on the ceilings. I surmise that maybe they didn't want to spend a lot of time or money finishing things up - hence cheap crummy quality paint, and one colour in all rooms and ceilings. As I worked I was thinking that I don't remember the huge family room being such a chore to paint - and then I also remembered that DS was on unemployment last winter and living here, and he did the family room - three coats of white on the ceiling and three coats of pale yellow on the walls - took him three weeks. I hope to be done the smaller room in two weeks. I think I will dedicate the whole winter to this dumb basement. Especially to sorting and chucking out the boxes of stuff that we shouldn't have bothered to bring here when we moved. Never unpacked some if it. Yes, TCS has been minding his P's and Q's as promised. He is going through a rough patch just now....getting heck at school, getting tossed from music, and his Cub troupe is not getting off the ground as there is not enough interest. So just now he has no extra-curricular activites. A good opportunity for we adults to give him a little more attention - just when he probably needs it most. Have to sign off now - I have pickles sitting on ice in the sink and cookie dough to make before the school bus arrives in half an hour! Have a bon voyage, Marie! Cheers, Julie

I picked up a book from "New Arrivals" shelf titled Palace Circle by Rebecca Dean (I confess because I liked the cover and the setting --pre WWI) and it is rather awful. One-dimensional characters and plots that seem inspired by daytime soaps. I stopped reading around half-way. On a happier note I discovered a new (to me) historical author: Jude Morgan. Very impressed with her writing and comand of the period. Just read Indiscretion and An Accomplished Woman which are both obviously Austen-inspired, and I'm starting on Passion, which seems like a "heavier" book, the main characters being the women in Byron, Shelley, & Keats' lives.

So many great looking meals. 2ManyDiversions. Your smoked cheese turned out great. I showed it to my son, who is the one the loves any kind of cheese but especially smoked. I like the idea of smoking a number of cheeses at the same time. Neely, as much as I love all your meals, I honestly could make a meal of your perfect potatoes. Sleevendog, good choice on the muffin pan. And the cornbread fish are adorable. Shirl, nice flaky crust on your pie. Jasdip, that cake is loaded with apples. Would love a piece for dinner. I can almost taste it. I made smoked chicken sandwiches topped with lettuce, tomatoes and sliced avocado with a garlic mayonnaise from the chicken I smoked last week.