I don’t have much to say lately. Sometimes I think I should just stop blogging. I mean, who reads this anyway? This blog was started three years ago when we first moved to New Jersey as a way of letting friends and family left behind know what was going on in our lives. I think that purpose pretty much failed since I know many of my friends just don’t read it. I can keep it for myself as an online diary but I could do that offline just as easily. I hate spammers leaving links to their websites embedded in comments. Just yesterday I had five; all of them total crap.

Rick is in Las Vegas this week at the trade show. I do miss him when he’s gone. A lot. Thanks goodness he doesn’t have to travel that much anymore. I opted not to join him this time as I preferred to go to Mexico instead and we couldn’t afford to do both. Plus, as much fun as Vegas is there is only just so much to see and do that you haven’t done before.

I always struggle with what to eat by myself. This time I thought I’d give some frozen dinners a try and ended up throwing the first one out last night (yuck) and the second one I tried wasn’t much better. I wonder how people can eat a steady diet of that junk?  Yet I always see people’s shopping carts piled high with just that. I think a grilled cheese sandwich would be much better and just about as easy.

I am so looking forward to our visit to San Miguel de Allende in less than two weeks and seeing my in-laws. It’s exciting to be able to see where they are going to live. When I tell people they are moving to Mexico some look at me blankly and ask me this question that I find hilarious: “What nationality are they?” Maybe it’s because Rick and I have lived as ex-pats in several “foreign” countries (Germany, The Netherlands and France) that I don’t find their move a bit odd. Who knows, in years to come we might find ourselves living in Mexico for the winter and the cabin for the summer.

We had our first thunderstorm of the year last night, and of course it was just as I was going to bed. At first I tried reading but with the light on I couldn’t really see the lightening so I turned it off and enjoyed the storm. By the way, does anyone have any idea why they call them thunderstorms and not lighteningstorms? The thunder was so close and so violent last night (not a word normally used to describe thunder but last night’s thunder can only be described in that way) that it literally rocked the house. It felt like an earthquake! My poor house trembled and shook at the concussive blasts. Wow. Mother Nature was sure having fun with us a couple of times.

I am proud to say that it was Bella’s first thunderstorm and she slept through it. Not really sure how she did because it was enough to wake the extremely dead. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced thunder like that. One strike must have hit on the ridge above my neighbor’s house because the lightening and thunder were pretty much simultaneous. So much so that it made me get up to look out the window to make sure their house hadn’t been blown apart by the blast. I kid you not!

Before the storm the peepers were giving a free concert. I sat in the sunroom with the TV off, door open to the night, reading my book. Their cheery trilling acts like a balm for me. I am always amazed at their froggy musical compositions. How do groups of them stop and start at the same time? Their harmony is spot on with one group carrying the main tune and other groups chiming in as needed.  Then all of sudden they all become quiet like someone turned off a switch.Do they have a frog choral conductor?

The peepers are only one of the things I love about living in New Jersey. (I mentioned above that it’s been three years since we moved here. Three years. Where does the time go?) Colorado was my home for many many years and I did love it but it was, well, kind of boring compared to living here. The seasons are so separate here and we have the fauna to remind us exactly what season it is. We have the peepers in spring. Next come the fireflies which arrive in early summer, June through mid-July. I wish the fireflies would stay longer because I find them so magical. When the fireflies leave it’s time for the cicadas to sing their loud scratchy songs from the trees. It’s the sound of summer.

I did finish my second “Down Mexico Way” dish towel and am onto my third. Here is the lovely señorita. Pollo anyone?

Okay, enough going on and on about not much of anything! On to the rest of the day!

I love the dish towel!  Her face and hair are beautiful!  We have lived in Las Vegas for just three years.  It is beginning to feel - well not ‘home’ like home, exactly, but comfortable.  My BIL and SIL were here last week.  We were on a dead run the entire time, but most of our favorite things are outside the city.  It is kind of a one theme town!

Well, I for one hope you keep blogging for my own selfish reasons—I really love your amazing photos!  I found your blog a while ago, when the mother bear & her five cubs were gamboling about your place and I’ve been a faithful reader ever since.  I have a new appreciation for the beauty of New Jersey; I live on the west coast and had no idea parts of NJ were so rural and beautiful.

OH!! Please don’t go! I understand though. I hate the fact that life keeps me so busy that I can’t write or follow up with my bloggy friends for days/weeks on end. BUT…I also love the fact that the absence just means that I am blessed to have a life!

The dish towels are really cute! I hope you’ll treat us with a picture of the whole set when you get them done.

Thanks all for the kind words. I didn’t say I really was going to stop, just that I do think about it quite often. Christina, thank you, I didn’t even know you were out there reading!
Krista, I’ll visit you again soon. I will take a pic of the threesome before I gift them. I am so enjoying it!

grilled cheese sandwich sounds way better!

if i’m eating/cooking for myself, I veer between doing it very properly and healthily and enjoyably - or just having toast and marmite.  :o/

I hope you keep blogging
and I’m glad Bella wasn’t freaked by the thunder!

I love this embroidery.  But she is carrying a live chicken on her head…not realistic, I feel!

I also love your blog for many reasons.  You know what you need to do for you, but I would miss my friend if you choose to stop.