Birds, Birds, Birds

cardinal, originally uploaded by Rhonda in TN.

I’ve been enamored with all the birds at my feeder. The first thing I do lately when I get home is grab my camera and head for my back door to watch the birds. This little guy was so pretty and I’ve also seen a cute little woodpecker, a pair of house finches and a cute little sparrow visiting. Would love for the weather to get a bit warmer so that I could shoot from outside the house.

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Sunday Stills: Pets

All I can say is that we love these dogs.  Petey, our Jack Russell, accidentally became part of our lives in August 2001. My mother’s dogs had just had these puppies in July.We had moved back from Germany and were staying with her while we got ourselves settled back into civilian life. She kept asking me if we wanted a puppy and I kept saying no. But we found ourselves everyday visiting this little pup until he just became part of us. He is as smart as they come and as lovable. Petey is everyone’s friend and enemy to none. Jake, our German Shepherd mix, came from a shelter. My youngest daughter desperately wanted another dog. She checked everyday on the Petfinder website and saw him. We later found out that he has just been rescued from an untimely death. He has been more challenging, but he is our protector and a constant nuisance and playmate to Petey.

Petey and Jake

Petey is hard to resist.

Jake's first snow of 2009.

Petey on a hot summer's day.

Jake loves the snow and tries to eat all of it!

Flashback Friday

Most who know us are well aware of our trials and tribulations at home renovation. We have had super people work on our house and then again, we have also had the corrupt who have done crappy work and taken us for a financial joy ride. Our house was built around 1878 and has really stood the test of time. It was built solid as a rock with the many features of a time gone by that we love. Here are a few brief snapshots of a day in the life of a renovation:

When I left for work in the morning, this is what the back hallway looked like. June 2007

When I returned home in the afternoon, it looked like this! New doors, windows, sub-flooring, and walls. This contractor was awesome! June 2007

Moral of this story: Home renovation is not for the faint of heart. But with the right contractor, a little knowledge, and deep pockets it can be a great experience.

Wordless Wednesday

Murfreesboro, TN - Fall 2009

Sunday Stills: The Letter “T”

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We had a great time visiting my husband’s grandmother in Bristol. Bristol is a neat town divided between Virginia and Tennessee. It’s so confusing to me and half the time, I never know which side I’m on. Bristol is also the birthplace of country music and I bet most would think that this honor belonged to Nashville. My daughters and I walked a little in the old downtown area and it is full of eclectic little shops, quaint cafes and restaurants, and the buildings themselves are architecturally beautiful and most still have original neon signs.

Train Station: Bristol TN or VA? I don't really know!

TALL monument!

Sunday Stills: Horses, Horses, Horses

This week’s theme: Horses! For a majority of people who participate in Sunday Stills this will be easy! I’ve never seen so many blogs about horses and ranch life and the such in one place as those who blog for Sunday Stills on a weekly basis. My youngest daughter is in love with horses: any kind, color, age, size. Luckily for her, she has a grandmother who is as equally enamored with this animal and has about ten or so of her own. My mom mostly has Icelandic horses, but like my youngest daughter, isn’t partial to any breed. As for me, I don’t know really anything about them. I can’t differentiate between breeds and can only tell what color they are and if they are big or little. So, without further ado, here are some horses (I told you I don’t know anything about them!):

Sunday Stills: Happy Halloween!!

Every year my girls get together with their best friend, who also happens to be out neighbor, and they dress up and go trick or treating. This has been a tradition for about 6 years now. It’s really cool to look back on all the photos and see how much they have changed and at all the funny, wacky, and cute outfits they wore. This year we also had another friend that went with us so it was pretty wild at my house with 4 teenage girls. But they had a blast watching scary movies and doing whatever it is that teenage girls do.  Here’s a little glimpse and also a fun picture that I played around with in photoshop!

These two had fun although they were too

There's someone in this pic that's not supposed to be there.

Some Halloween photoshop fun!

Sunday Stills: Landscapes (fall foliage)

The leaves here in middle Tennessee are just now starting to change and I expect will be in full force in the next couple of weeks. Yesterday I had the chance to get together with The Nashville Photography Meetup group at Long Hunter State Park.  It started out pretty chilly but ended up being a beautiful day to be at the lake.  As always, it’s a pleasure to meet up with everyone and catch up. They are a talented group of people and I can’t wait to see all their pictures!

As you can see the leaves on the trees are just now beginning to change.

Sorry it's not a landscape, but reflects fall in Tennessee!

Our Courthouse Turns 150!

I love living downtown so close to the Murfreesboro square. I am reminded everyday of the history of my town by the architecture that surrounds me: old homes, remnants of brick sidewalks, carriage stones still taking root in front of homes, and by our beautiful courthouse that presides over the Murfreesboro square. Our courthouse is only one of a six town square courthouses that date back prior to the Civil War still in existence in Tennessee. At one point, Murfreesboro served as the capitol of Tennessee. Next time you visit the town square, take a moment to look at the courthouse and imagine the downtown as a bustling town center or as it was occupied by Union forces. There is a lot of history here!