My Mind's Eye

Remember your Angels are Watching

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Saturday This and That

Back porch ~6:30 am same day photo on the right with flash
Personally I love the reflections on the left





Our neighbor has ligustrum planted along his fence.
Someone (here) loves playing with their extension clippers when they hang over 
into our yard.  And for fun the frame is because he loves anything with wheels.


We DO NOT LIKE the look or smell of Ligustrum hedges.
It smells horrible when in bloom
Ligustrum lucidum is a species of privet, a flowering plant in the olive family,

Friday, February 22, 2019

Final Friday Fiction and Nature Friday


Today I found my 3 lines from
The Family Lawyer
by James Patterson with  Robert Rotstein

line 8:  was just a small child
line 12:  you could interpret it 
line 16:  Correct


Toto the mighty mini Dachshund who COULD..... 


Toto was our first family pet, we brought him home in 1974.
Life as we knew it changed. My daughter was just a small child, age 3.
She was about 4 in this photo and Toto was 1.



My daughter loved her Barbies.  They all had names and she was very
careful with them.  When her friends came to play, she had one rule and one rule only.  Don't pull the legs apart or stretch them. 
You would be correct if you thought Toto was a chewer.
We made sure he had proper things to chew on like this bone. 
However, his all time most favorite thing in the entire world to chew on was......
Barbie legs.  Yep never heads or arms just LEGS
My husband called Toto a 'leg man'!  
Once my daughter caught him chewing on her newest Barbie.  One leg was missing a foot.  The Barbie had extremely long hair.
 Toto came running up the hall at Mach dach speed.  His human sis was chasing him, holding the Barbie by the one good leg it had.  She  trying to swat him with the Barbie hair.  I opened the patio door so Toto could get into the yard.  You could interpret it as interference on my part; however, his sis was on a mission.  He needed a head start.  Toto might have been vertically challenged but he could run like the wind.  He ran around the outside of the house.  The patio door was still open he ran and back inside. His Sis was still running trying to catch him.
She ran around the house one more time
 finally realized he was not in the yard. When she came back inside Toto
was sitting by the patio door as if to say hey sis what took so long...and of course
looking very innocent. 
We all loved this crazy, determined, strong willed Dachshund and still
tell Toto stories to this day.

Final Friday Fiction is a blog hop...click here to read others.

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Hosted by my Niece Rosy, and her 2 brudders Arty and Jakey HERE


Cammie our Ruby Red Camellia continues to delight us with her 
cheery red face.  As of Friday February 15, we had about 6 Daffies blooming and many more popping up all over.  Due to very wet forecast for the first part of this week, I took the photos early for this post.
We planted several with orange throats last fall.  
We are so happy to see them.





Nothing short of a miracle occurred yesterday, Feb 21 2019

WE SAW BLUE SKIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN six (6) days
and I noticed a the maple trees have a wee bit of red on them
Thank you Mother Nature!!


Thursday, February 21, 2019

Thoroughly Poetic Pictorial Thursday


Today we join Two  SPOILED CATS 
Angel Sammy and Teddy for their poetic pictorial poem.

Here is today's pictorial inspiration


Norman Rockwell 


Come quick Ceal *
this time it is for real
We got a daffie 
right here where we tilled!!
Yep this happened here!!😄
Each year we are thrilled
to see our daffies escaped
the rodents grill.


My version of that same event!!!
We get so excited when our daffies pop up and start showing yellow


*that is what my hubby calls me

Yes it is true Hu-Mum has a kidney stone and it is giving her a fit!!!

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

MyMe story...#1 of 3 Tigger

On Saturday February 16th, Sister Dolly over at Brian's Home had up a funny post about everyone getting a taste of HAM.  Thank you Dolly for reminding My Mind's Eye of  four feline stories
from long ago.

My Mind's Eye has lots of storage space

No photos I'm sorry to say 'cause it was hilarious.

In case I haven't told you, I really and truly loved working at N C State University.  I met so many wonderful students, undergrads,grads and post docs.  I worked with the most amazing Professors and staff in, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Chemistry and Physics over my 25 year career there.  Along the way I was a cat sitter to four cats belonging to graduate students.
Tigger, Jackson and Nala and Simba. 

Story of Tigger the H A M slayer

Tigger was a big Ginger boy. He was always glad to see me when I sat for him.
He loved his food.  

Way back in 1998,  M and his wife came to NCSU shortly after finishing their B.S. at Florida State University.  Go Seminoles.   November 2001, they had their first child. Both sets of grandparents were in Florida. Maternal grandparents were due up the following weekend.    What an honor it was, when they called me to invite me to come see them at the hospital.
Emily was born on a Saturday, I went to see them the next day.  M was now a new Dad and  also in the middle of writing his PhD Thesis. He had not had time to buy groceries before he brought his wife and daughter home.  They asked me if I could sit with Emily one evening that week so that they could go to the grocery store, in preparation for the maternal grandparent's visit. I said Y E S.  When I arrived, Mom told me Emily would probably sleep while they were gone.  Just a few minutes before they returned, Emily woke up.  I had her bottle ready.
When Emily's parents arrived, Tigger (asleep) and I were sitting on the couch feeding Emily.
Mom and Dad were bringing in enough food to feed a small army.  All of a sudden Tigger awoke,
ears alert, tail swishing and his nose was on alert.  Unbeknownst to all of us, he  sashayed into the kitchen.  Humans were busy putting up groceries, I was in another room.  Tigger jumped up on to the table where he found, what his nose had detected.  A deli bag full of ham. I really don't know how he went about getting into it because all I heard was TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGER No. Then I heard Emily's mom say that was not for YOU.  Seems Tigger had managed to get his paws, nose,teeth and cat slobber all over the HAM.  It was no secret that he liked ham.  But the kicker was
he was now sharing his peeps with a wee one, and he to his delight, he was no longer the center of attention.   Spring of 2002 Tigger's dad successfully defended his PhD Thesis. They moved to
Maryland for his Dad's post doc and finally settled in Arkansas where is Dad a Professor.
Two more daughters joined the family, along with several  more pets.
Emily volunteers with at a pet shelter too.
I still hear from the family several times a year.


Stay Tuned
Story of Jackson who was lost and then found next week...


Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Tidying Up Tuesday

We don't subscribe to Netflix but I've been told by 
reliable dogs (Murphy and Stanley) that there is an incredible program all about
getting organized.  They know this because their Mom's body and mind has
been taken over by the program.  She is organizing everything. They told me
if you have something you want to keep you must sit on it and refused to move.
In 2006. we had our 23 year old kitchen gutted and remodel.  At that time
I purged and merged.  I decided it was time for a do over.
I was amazed at how many duplicates I had of certain kitchen necessities.
I am not giving you a before and after.....WHY
My silver wear drawer is always organized and clean so I'm not showing that.

B E C A U S E they were a disaster....here is the 
AFTER
There are 3 drawers to the left of the stove:

1. Trivets, hot pads, manual can opener in case the power is out and I'm hungry,
The rolled up green is slip proof drawer liners.  
red disk is one of the many little handy dandy grippers to get tops off jars
clean cuisine gloves BECAUSE I DO NOT PUT MY BARE hands on any raw meat...PERIOD



Our cabinets did not come with drawer inserts.  I bought all of them at 
The Container Store.

 Next two drawers miscellaneous things, bottom tray left to right
ice pick, knives, coffee scoop, honey wand, ice cream scoop,
zester, pizza slicer, cheese grater, meat tenderizer (under grater) or implement of torture
glass measuring spoons,plastic clips and the lavender things are sentimental.
Dog biscuit forms that I won early in my blogging from Olive a darling Boxer Mix.
Top tray: left to right sentimental compartment too: my daughter and husband's baby spoons and
the spoon I used for 30 years for cat food, various measuring spoons.  I discarded 2 partial sets of spoons and I had 2 corers and peelers.
I kept the ergonomically correct corer, peeler.  Two cheese knives, 
same drawer as above with smaller tray in place

Miscellaneous: measuring cups, whisker, hand chopper, tongs,
brush is for cleaning out baster, baster is has the red bulb on it
bottle stoppers, wine bottle opener. The white handed is for my very very
ancient Corning ware bowls that w rec'd for wedding presents 50 years ago.
Meat thermometer, two basting brushes and two plastic spatulas




Next is one of the drawers in my island.
Drawer on the left has is my silverware
Drawer on the right is another 2 tray insert
It was in the absolute WORST condition.
Office supplies.   I took out the trays washed them all and then reorganized

This is what is under the small tray in above photo.
FYI:  If you need push pins or paper clips give me a HOLLER
I'm your gal!!

I have a bag full of duplicate tools that will be taking to North Raleigh Mission.


I also greatly improved my candle drawer.  For the last 33+ years they have been stored in this drawer...
BUT wrapped up in tissue paper so they would not be damaged.
However, finding one particular color/candle was impossible. NOT ANY MORE
No before photos
but let me just say all the tissue paper nearly filled up our indoor recycling bin.
trays were purchased at WalMart.



Once I catch my breath I'll be merging and purging the pantry.

Monday, February 18, 2019

Sparks and Awww Monday

Sparks
are all about spreading cheer and positive vibes via quotes.



Today I am pawticipating in
adorable Awww

Not only is my Nephew Kat handsome...he sends me emails and is funny
Most recent email:

I was playing hide and seek with Hu-Mum today. I assumed if I couldn’t see her, she couldn’t see me, but I was wrong. 😹  I also made some amazing nose art on the window....

I’ll have to find a better hiding place next time. 😻






Sunday, February 17, 2019

Historic Oakwood 2019 Part 2 and Seuss PSA

Oakwood is known for vibrant colors.....




 and homes with amazing roof lines same home different angles


I think it is a bike or scooter rack...spotted on our tour of Historic Oakwood  2019


Did you hear about Dr. Seuss Day on March 2nd?

Yes it is true
no need to be blue
Dr. Seuss is coming to see you!


Feel free to snag a badge




There are multiple hostesses and hosts

CHIMERA

MOLLY

JAKEY