I Love No Rules Linkies!!

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Again today I am linking to the No Rules Linky Party over at "Wit Behind the Ears".

Unfortunately, I'm coming real LATE to the party - - - but then, you know who you're dealing with here.

A while back, I noticed a "Show Us Your Rooster" Linky party.

At first I though, "Man, I WANT to play, but I don't even HAVE a rooster!"

Then, in a flash of brilliant revelation, I realized I not only HAVE a rooster, but I have the QUINTESSENTIAL DEFINITIVE rooster.

As I went about the process of thinking through this post (oh yes, my dear bloggy friends, much as it may not SEEM like it, I ABSOLUTELY think through my posts) I realized I do have a more traditional style rooster in my home. This rooster:



The chair cushions on our little Seller's Table set boast roosters.


However, these are simply too banal to even display on a blog, much less a post for the purpose of SHOWING OFF roosters!

No, mes amies, the rooster I wish to highlight is the most perfect strutting fowl stud to ever grace the face of this planet!

He has feathers galore.

His comb simply glistens like a crown atop his banty little head.

And his wattle, well - - - I doubt you've ever seen a wattle anywhere to compare.

When he crows, it wakes the neighborhood, as should the cock-a-doodle-do of any upstanding rooster.

I give you, rooster specimen "A" - - -

Fisherhubby Rooster Cogburn
In his natural habitat
Doing what he does best!
(Besides fishing, of course.)

(Did you say
"get his permission???"
I say NO! Asking forgiveness is
far easier than asking permission.)

I only HOPE this makes you snort and spit!!!

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Signs of Spring in Central Wisconsin

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Of late I have seen many "signs of spring" posts out there in the blogosphere. Most of them are redolent with daffodils, tulips, and flowering trees.

With the first day of spring just days away, both by the calendar and the tilt of the Earth upon its axis, even those of us who reside on the frozen tundra are beginning to see signs that spring is coming.

I thought I'd share some of OUR signs with you.


We have begun to notice some patches of bare ground in our yards, which lets us know there truly IS grass under that snow somewhere - - - having not seen it since the first week in December, we had begun to wonder.


I found Waldo. I didn't even have to search - - - when the snow receded, THERE HE WAS!


I spied the tops of our shrubbery.

If you don't think this looks like spring progress, just look here for a comparison.


Most of the snow has melted off of our roofs.


Our street is dry and clear of all evidence of snow or ice.


I can now find a strip of lawn between the driveway and the snow.


The mailboxes are no longer playing hide-and-go-seek in the snowbanks.


The trees are beginning to THINK about budding.


All of the ice fishing villages have disappeared from the lakes, though SOME of the shanties still remain, unused and forgotten in the parking lot.


The ice on the lakes is beginning to melt - - - looking spongy and thin in places.

All of the approaches to the ice are muddy messes.


The mighty workin' Wisconsin River is ice free and rising.


And last but not least, parking lots are filled with rivulets - - -


Of melted snow running into the nearest storm drain.

Oh - - - but never fear - - - one day we too shall have signs of new growth, about the time it is all OLD HAT to the rest of you.

And just so you know I "ain't" exaggeratin' - - - I took all these pictures THIS WEEK.

:-)

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Surrogate Grandchild

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This is my sister, Pam. She is one year younger than me.

She would want me to tell you that.

She would want me to HIGHLIGHT the younger part.


These are her two grans, Cohan and Carson.


They are beautiful, adorable,


Cuddly little grans.


So WHY, one might well ask, is Pam holding,


Yea, even cuddling a GATOR instead of her grans???? I believe she even has a BURP CLOTH on her shoulder!

Evidently her grandmotherly instincts need an outlet and in the absence of her own grans, she has adopted someone (something???) else's.

Cohan and Carson - - - HURRY BACK TO FLORIDA before your grandma finds even stranger and more deadly surrogate grans!!!

How would you like that THING to nibble on your ear????

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Sunday Reruns - Out of the Northwoods

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It's Sunday again, and you know what THAT means!?! It's time for Sunday Favorites!!!

Sunday Favorites are RERUNS, not current posts - - - if you want to participate, just repost something you previously posted "back in the day."

Thanks so much to Chari over at Happy to Design for hosting this meme, "Sunday Favorites." You may click on the link to find the rules and see more favorite posts.

I have been reposting favorites in order from the beginning of my blogging experience back in June of 2006 and moving toward "now." I have reached our Wisconsin vacation posts from the summer of 2008. Since we have just recently moved to Wisconsin I have decided to repost some of those posts that honor and highlight my beloved Badger State.

This is the SEVENTH and LAST of those Wisconsin Northwoods reposts.

Last Northwoods Day
(First posted on July 26, 2008)

On our way into town on Friday, we ran into this traffic jam on County "F." Honestly, how do the folks up here cope with such busy roads????


And we were forced to drive past this eyesore. Just look at those white birch trunks against that green pine background - - - hideous!!!

Hope you know facetious, or is that sarcastic, when you see it. :-)


Meet Rosie. One of my blogging friends, Heather, left me a comment saying her M-I-L works across the street from West's Dairy.

Sunday when Greg and I accidentally were at cross purposes (surprise, surprise) I stopped in at Rosie's shop and introduced myself. She was absolutely lovely in every way and took pity on me, a poor "street walker" at that time. ;-)

Friday on our last trip into town I went by to chat with her one more time, snap this picture, and say good-bye.

BTW - - - isn't that picture of the red Wisconsin barn in the background AWESOME??? I really wanted to buy it, but managed to resist the temptation.

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Are You Kidding Me???

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One hundred ninety-nine followers.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

Who'll step up and be #200?????

I'm begging.

Shamelessly

Thank You Very Much.

The shameless begging paid off!!! Thank you to Carolyn at Adrift on the Lake for becoming my 200th follower. Please go give her a visit, you will be very glad you did.

(photo credit: en.wikipedia.org)

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No Reply Bloggers

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I have my blogger "inner workings" set to send me an e-mail every time someone leaves a comment on my blog.

I LOVE this little feature for SOOOOOO many reasons - - - the first being I know right away where to go look for the comments, yes I'm THAT kinda gal that likes to read them RIGHT ON MY BLOG. The SECOND being that it is super easy to RESPOND to the commenter from the e-mail.

Well - - - SOMETIMES it is super easy. It's super easy if the commenter's e-mail has their reply e-mail address on it.

Many do not, and instead it says "no reply comment."

GRRRRRRRR - - - I HATE that 'cause then I can't TALK to you!!!!

I Googled for the graphic on this post and while doing so, I stumbled onto this WONDERFUL blog post at Pleasant Home where she explains EXACTLY how to make sure you aren't a No Reply. So go here please - - - go right now - - - and make sure you AREN'T a no reply blogger 'cause I want to TALK to you!!!!

Oh - - - and if you're a regular here, and you get e-mail answers from me about your comments on my blog, then chances are you AREN'T a no reply blogger unless of course you've sent me your e-mail and I've squirreled it away in my files - - - -

Remember, I'm pullin' for ya - - - we're all in this together! (Thanks for the line, Red Green.)

(Photo credit: sodahead.com)

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"No Rules" Linky Repost

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Linking up today at the "No Rules Linky Party" over at Wit Behind the Ears. No rules - - - how lovely!!

I have chosen to repost a little "group effort" story that ran on my blog just about a year ago.

I had used a photo in my header of a lovely lady - - - a life size rag doll lady - - - who lives on Main Street in Hayward, Wisconsin. When I began to get comments about her I decided to run a little contest to NAME her.

I got MORE than name suggestions. Many of you, my dear bloggy readers, gave me story lines too. By compiling and editing them and even adding a little bit of my own "stuff" the legend of Lady Catherine Rose was born.

Enjoy!

Number One Cherry Blossom Lane

If you happen to be walking past Number One, Cherry Blossom Lane in Somewhere Special, USA you just might see her, for occasionally she sits in the shade on the wide veranda of her immaculate Victorian home.


Something about her will capture your imagination. She isn't beautiful, as some may count beauty, and yet - - - and yet - - - there is something, some je ne sais quoi. Perhaps it is the way she holds her head, or her air of grace, or even the pearls she wears with her lace. Whatever it is, you will not soon forget this rather eccentric little lady with a heart of pure gold.


Her name is Lady Catherine Rose Sitzalone, but she was known to her friends simply as Miss Kitty Rose. I say "was known to her friends" because you see, she is the last of her ilk, having survived all her friends. A lone rose drooping on the vine.


Folks who know Miss Kitty Rose say she is a proper Southern Belle, in an age when far too few of those remain. She gets her hair done each Saturday, goes to church every Sunday, dresses to the nines in her lace and pearls - - - even for lunch, uses a tall umbrella instead of a cane, and wouldn't be seen - - - even on her veranda - - - without her rose-red lipstick and orchid-pink cheek rouge. There are those who say her long lost twin was once the Prime Minister of England - - - but that is a mystery to be solved in another tale.

When she was just a girl, her parents gave her everything money could buy which might spoil some, but not Miss Kitty Rose. She gave teas in her lovely flower garden for those less fortunate than herself, worked tirelessly volunteering at the Children's Hospital and organized ladies' luncheons at her church. She spoke with authority, but in such a gentle tone that not a soul thought her unkind.

Her money is all gone now. A scoundrel investor made off with her fortune and left her barely able to care for her day to day needs. But somehow, chin held high, she carries on.

With her friends all dead and gone, she has plenty of time to sit alone on her veranda. She invites the neighborhood children to join her there and serves them a proper English tea. They are delighted with Miss Rose and never does she let them suspect that she misses the days gone by when she was needed, useful, and surrounded by her friends.

She remembers all that was, and hopes for more to come.

And sometimes, just sometimes, she allows herself to take her most treasured memory out of its safe place in her heart and look back on it with tears in her eyes. She remembers the one and only love of her life, her dear sweet Arthur who used to take her dancing on Saturday nights.

Everyone said they made the handsomest pair on the ballroom floor. Arthur would twirl her in a gentle spin and dip her until her long golden curls nearly dragged the floor. Folks would come from miles around just to watch them waltz. Miss Kitty was a graceful dancer, beautiful to behold. She floated across the floor on long slender legs that seemed to go on forever.

Arthur asked for her hand, and she smiled a shy "yes." Her father said he would give her "half the kingdom" for her wedding, but she said all she wanted was a simple ceremony in the flower garden beside their lovely Victorian home. So arches were built, and chairs were arranged, and folks were invited from all over Somewhere Special.

But fate was not kind to Catherine, for on their wedding eve, poor Arthur was thrown from his horse surviving just long enough to whisper one last time, "I love you my own dear Rose." So instead of a wedding, Miss Kitty sat very alone under the marriage arch and bid her sweet Arthur adieu.

Though the people of Somewhere Special have long since forgotten, or have never heard the tale of Miss Kitty's lost love, they will tell you that - - -

If you should pass by Number One, Cherry Blossom Lane on a dark, quiet, Saturday night you just might hear the faint notes of a waltz floating on the air. And if you look up through the veranda, and if you are very fortunate indeed, you just might see on the drawn window shades, the graceful silhoutte of a lovely lady gliding across the floor on long slender legs that seem to go on forever - - -

The End


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Credits:

"Catherine" - submitted by LaVoice

"Kitty" - submitted by Leigh
and chosen by me in memory of my beloved Aunt Kitty

"Rose" - Dictated by her lovely red lips

"Sitzalone" - well, she does, doesn't she?

Story Line: Amy, Rita, Patti, Brenda, Angie, and Groovy


A big huge THANK YOU to all contributors, you made Lady Catherine Rose Sitzalone come alive.

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Turning Point

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"Thinking about it, she decided that perhaps yesterday had been the turning point, although she had not recognized it as such."

- - - Elfrida
in Winter Solstice
by Rosamunde Pilcher

Turning points.

Sometimes I rush to meet them with eager and hopeful gaze.

Sometimes, like Elfrida, I fail to recognize them until I'm safely on the other side.

Sometimes I try to ignore their existence, I'm rather comfortable with my head in the sand.

And sometimes, I know they are coming and that they will be very painful and I pray that there will be another way.

(This pensive post was inspired by the quote, fed by past life experiences, and not written in dread of any turning point looming on the horizon - - - that I'm aware of YET.)

(Graphic from tickledbylife.com)

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Sunday Reruns - Wisconsin Northwoods

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It's Sunday again, and you know what THAT means!?! It's time for Sunday Favorites!!!

Sunday Favorites are RERUNS, not current posts - - - if you want to participate, just repost something you previously posted "back in the day."

Thanks so much to Chari over at Happy to Design for hosting this meme, "Sunday Favorites." You may click on the link to find the rules and see more favorite posts.

I have been reposting favorites in order from the beginning of my blogging experience back in June of 2006 and moving toward "now." I have reached our Wisconsin vacation posts from the summer of 2008. Since we have just recently moved to Wisconsin I have decided to repost some of those posts that honor and highlight my beloved Badger State.

This is the SIXTH of those reposts, and takes you on a little tour of our favorite corner of the Wisconsin Northwoods.

There will be at least one more Wisconsin rerun.

You Know You're in the Northwoods When - - -
(first posted on July 23, 2008)

In order to travel from point "A" to point "B" you drive through a lot of this - - -


And then some of this - - -


And finish off the trip with some of this!!!


You see plenty of these, paper birches.


The lakes are natural and look like this.


McDonalds and - - -


Subway, and LOTS of other places are made of logs!!


You see trucks like this rolling through town multiple times every day - - -


All those logs in all those buildings have to come from SOMEWHERE ya know!!! And also - - - all that paper you use has to come from somewhere too!! NOT TO WORRY - - - trees are renewable.


The water towers still look like this.


You run across displays like this, and see these chairs in nearly every yard.


And LAST BUT NOT LEAST - - - you KNOW you're in the Northwoods when you can find THESE for sale!!!!

:-)

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What's in a Pedigree Afterall?

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A few years ago this sweet, delicate, little tea cup was given to me


By my friend, Vangie. Vangie has a darling little antique shop, so when she gave me the tea cup she was very careful to tell me it was NOT an antique, that it was just something that caught her eye and she thought I'd like.

It is just a generic, nameless, pedigree-less, little waif.


In fact, it has no markings of any kind on its back. (You know - - - all tea cups who are anybody in Tea Cup Land have markings!)


I don't CARE that it is markingless. I LOVE it and keep it in a prominent place where I will see it EVERY day and think of my friend Vangie - - - who lives far away in Indiana.


Vangie also gave me two other small tea cups, seen here trying very hard to upstage my little waif.


These two are beautiful proud antiques WITH "good" markings. The one on the left is Haviland from France and the one on the right is RS (Reinhold Schlegelmilch) from Germany - - - both very collectable.

But you know, for all their pedigree, swagger, and down right snobbiness - - -


I still love my little nameless generic waif the best!

Thank you, Vangie!

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