Me And My Shadow....

This is a portrait taken by a local studio during the Christmas season as a kind of "give back to the community " program. It is me and my son, Jonathan. We also got individual ones; though I have no idea what to do with them. I don't know why anyone I know would want a picture of me, except my daughter and maybe my mom; and my son doesn't have any friends. I went to get the portraits done because of a lost dream of a family portrait I wanted done ever since the kids were in high school. So now I have these pictures and I had this idea for a post to use with this one. You see,J is my son and I love him dearly; he is one of the greatest blessing in my life; but he is also one of my greatest challenges . He has P.D.N.O.S. (Psychotic Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) find out more here if you care to. He was diagnosed when he was about 6 years old. Of course you ought to know I am mentally ill myself. Turns out the communication problems he has due his mental illness, and the communication problems I have due to my mental illness have us at odds a good part of the time.
I digress; what prompted this blog post was scanning the pictures and remembering that my daughter left a comment that demanded pictures soon after I told her I had some done. This in turn inspired the title because the main thing that makes my son such a challenge to me but also such a blessing is that he has an unusually strong attachment to me. I could go on and on about that but for his sake I won't. Suffice it to say, thus the title of this post.
I love you, son; please don't ever doubt that.

My dear sweet daughter has informed me that I let her readers down by not posting a picture. I apologise and will try to remedy that now.

Last week I dog sat for a friend;



Perhaps herd sat would be more appropriate. The black blob at the back that looks like nothing is actually a curled up and laid upon dachshund puppy. I have two, a German Shepard mix not pictured and a Dorkie, and she has three, the bed they are all sacked out on is the German Shepard's bed! You can find more pics of mine in past posts but I will also publish more of them later on.
Sorry for the long absence; again. Thanks for the nudge Sweetpea!

That Dog Stole My Underwear!

The above is one of the many shouts to be heard in this house over the last couple of months as we have a new addition to the household; Dharma.

Dharma is a Dorkie ( a Yorkie, Dachshund mix) I found on this website at the first of the year. I had to have them hold her for me until I had the money; which they were nice to do with a small deposit. They had already named her, I would not have chosen her name but it's OK. I would have named her Gobo or Wembley which don't mean much to anyone who is not a fan of Fraggle Rock . She really does resemble a Fraggle which my daughter was the first to notice by sayi8ng she looked like a Jim Henson character. It wasn't until I took her to get shots and the vet called her Fraggle that we made the connection to the show we used to watch when she and her brother were toddlers.


She is now 5 months old and at last weigh in about 3 weeks ago she was 5.5 lbs. A real porker eh? She is not at all spoiled or anything ;)
Maria is great with her, very gentle and patient. Of course Betty doesn't like her but we were planning on giving up Betty anyway, we just haven't found her a home yet. Betty has done better with her than expected though. So far she has not even come close to hurting her, only growled at her for getting to close. I make sure and praise her well for this.
I have tons of pics and will be posting them as well as video. It has been interesting around here for sure. She steals anything she can get her teeth on, even things bigger than she is! When she as just 3 and half months old and all of 3 pounds,I had my vacuum cleaner taken apart and she took the dirt catcher and took off with it. She steals socks, shoes, trash, pens, pill bottles, books, toilet brushes (yuck) and more. If something hits the floor it's a race to get it picked up before she comes and grabs it.
More later. Have great week!



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A Jane Kirkpatrick Duet Blog Tour

Check out these books, I haven't had time to read lately but here are the summaries from the publisher.

The perfect pairing of a heart retrenching tale and a real life view of a Utopian community, both set in the1800s, any fan of Jane will be sure to love! Even if you are new to Kirkpatrick’s work, you can certainly expect to be captivated and longing for more while discovering new fascinations you never knew you had. Her extraordinary experiences mixed with her rich history have given her the ability to draw you in and make you feel like you are experiencing her unique stories as they happen. This rare gift has helped her to become one of today’s best selling authors. Be prepared to be blown away by her words as you get a glimpse into an entirely new world.


Returning to her Midwest roots, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick draws a page from her grandmother’s photo album to capture the interplay between shadow and light, temptation and faith that marks a woman’s pursuit of her dreams.

She took exquisite photographs,

but her heart was the true image exposed.


Fifteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele loves nothing more than capturing a gorgeous Minnesota landscape when the sunlight casts its most mesmerizing shadows. So when F.J. Bauer hires her in 1907 to assist in his studio and darkroom, her dreams for a career in photography appear to find root in reality.

With the infamous hazards of the explosive powder used for lighting and the toxic darkroom chemicals, photography is considered a man’s profession. Yet Jessie shows remarkable talent in both the artistry and business of running a studio. She proves less skillful, however, at managing her growing attraction to the very married Mr. Bauer.

This luminous coming-of-age tale deftly exposes the intricate shadows that play across every dream worth pursuing—and the irresistible light that beckons the dreamer on.




Wrap yourself in a fantastic journey,
a remarkable commitment, and a spare and splendid story

Master storyteller Jane Kirkpatrick extols the beautiful treasures, unknown to a wider public, rediscovered in the Old Aurora Colony of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. The people and legacy of Aurora, a utopian community founded in the mid-1800s, will stir your imagination, hopes, and dreams; and remind you that every life matters—that our lives are the stories other people read first.

~Featuring~

Unique and treasured quilt pattern variations

More than 100 photographs, many never-before published, from 1850 to today

Cherished stories from Aurora descendants

Rich images of fine crafts from the Aurora Colony and private collections

An introduction by renowned American artist John Houser

Aurora is about the difference every ordinary life can make—and a beautiful celebration of a time and place in which people expressed their most cherished beliefs through the work of their imagination and hands.

Author Bio:
Jane Kirkpatrick is a best-selling, award-winning author whose previous historical novels include All Together in One Place and Christy Award finalist A Tendering in the Storm. An international keynote speaker, she has earned regional and national recognition for her stories based on the lives of actual people, including the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Hall of Fame. Jane is a Wisconsin native who since 1974 has lived in Eastern Oregon, where she and her husband, Jerry, ranch 160 rugged acres.