New Web Design Concept

I am redesigning the look of this site. The first concept was not very fetching... I hope this one is much more visually appealing as well as a lot more user friendly. I rushed through the first time, really because we just needed to get something up and running... I had all these cool ideas, but we really had a lot of things going on at the end of the year. I promised to revise the site, and so here is the new concept for the design. I really had to think carefully about the logo placement. One of the stipulations was that it needed to be on a white background. I had to challenge myself to find a way to integrate it into the design so as to make it a much more prominent and interesting feature so that it didn't just get lost on the page. The new look will be up sometime this coming week.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf...

How's this for wildlife conservation:
The Federal Endangered Species status of the gray wolves of the Northern Rockies was lifted on Friday, and there are already plans in the works by state wildlife agencies for organized hunts.

I don't understand things like this, how many tax dollars were spent to save the wolves in the first place with all the re-introductions of wolves to places they were almost extinct. Now, that the populations that we painstakingly re-introduced are flourishing, it's okay to do "controlled" hunts... Oh well, I am just a little sensitive about the issue because I happen to actually like wolves, and I like the idea of having creatures like this still running around in our American forests. Living so long in the urban lifestyle, it's nice to know so much of our wonderful wildlife is still out there. My hubby and I had the privilege of staying at a chalet in the Smokies for our honeymoon, and next door lived a couple of captive born wolves that had been rescued from inappropriate homes. We were able to hear them calling at night, it's just so beautiful, peaceful, and haunting. We even got to meet them, and Steve Irwin was right -when you get to see and experience an animal up close, you become passionate about it, and suddenly you become interested in its welfare. I never forgot the experience... then again, I'm not a rancher, or livestock owner whose herd animals are being preyed upon. I am just a city girl with a love for these beings, high ideals, and a 'can't we all just get a long' wildlife philosophy...

Anyway, this is just food for thought - Read more about the issue here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23856723/

New Stuff

Fun With Filters

Domino Sugar Factory At Sunset

Erin's Meadow Herb Farm

I love things like this... We have a local business here called Erin's Meadow Herb Farm. Every Saturday, they have wonderful classes that you can take, many of them related to gardening and cooking, and some are even free to attend. Tomorrow they will have a workshop to make a 'tobacco commitment pouch' and later this month they will be featuring an “Eat Green” Vegetarian cooking class, “An Introduction to Feng Shui for Homes and Garden” Demo/Class, and a “Plant a Patio Tea Garden” Gardening Workshop. I just received the April class schedule, and the new line-up has some interesting workshops as well. Check them out at erin's meadow herb farm.

Creative School Projects

Yesterday, I received a notebook that originally came from a 4th grader in PA. It arrived to me via my sis-in-law in Maryland. It is a traveling school project! The accompanying note requests that we write something about our state. You can include pics, maps, postcards, or anything else that might be related and of interest. How fun! I am the 3rd person to receive it. It started out in Pennsylvania and so far it has traveled to people in Virginia and Maryland, and now it is with me in Tennessee. Who knows, maybe something like this will be traveling your way! I wish that teachers had come up with these kinds of projects when I was in school.

My daughter goes to a wonderful little pre-school. Today, we were given the charge of one Mr. Chappy Bear. He comes to us complete with a diary of his travels. He goes home with each one of the kids for a few days. We then get to write about everything Chappy gets to do with us while he's here in his little journal, and they read about it in class. Hopefully, there won't be too much mischief involved...

When I'm really feeling spunky...

I love to crochet quick pieces when I find the time. It really relaxes me, and is another mode where you can be as creative as you want to be. I love to find cute simple patterns that I can do in a fairly short time. I just finished this little project today. It is a baby sweater made all in one piece... I followed a fairly simple pattern I found on crochetme.com and it's turned out lovely! I added the cute little button flower as an additional accent. I really love this pattern because I have really wanted to do a sweater for a long time but was intimidated by the idea. This one called 'baby it's cold outside' is fun and really easy to manage.