The Fruit of my Looms

We're off to Philadelphia this weekend, where the Hairy One currently resides, to visit colleges with the Freckled One.  Wish us luck!

My Favorite Color

Can you guess what my favorite color is?  ;)

The Kindness of Strangers

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me about blogging is the "kindness of strangers," to borrow a phrase from Blanche DuBois.  I have been the recipient of prayers, good wishes, votes in the photo contest, and even gifts from people I have never met.  And that is something I never would have expected when I began this blog almost a year ago.

I wanted to show you two wonderful paintings I was given by Lynn, who I "met" through flickr, the photo sharing site where I post a lot of the pictures I use for my blog.  Lynn is an artist who lives in Colorado.  She contacted me a few months ago, to ask if she could use some of my photos as subjects for her paintings.  As a thank you, she sent me the two paintings you see above.  The first is a portrait of our cat, Jordan, painted from this photograph.  The other is a beautiful landscape.  Both will look marvelous in our family room -- thank you so much, Lynn!

My Thank-You Giveaway

OK, here's the swag (loot?) for my "Thank- You Giveaway."  Two gently used decorating books, a thrifted needlepoint picture, an embroidered bureau scarf (also thrifted), and two of my photo notecards.

The random number generator thingy chose #5.

And that is Tara, of Days Missed on a Hammock.  Congratulations, Tara!  And thank you, one and all, for your votes and your support.  You are all terrific blogging friends.  :)

Tunis-Ellicks House

This is one of my favorite spots to visit.  The historic Tunis-Ellicks House is a c. 1800 farmhouse preserved by the Harding Township Historical Society.  

It is about 20 minutes from my home, and houses a museum of early American life, as well as archives pertaining to the history of the surrounding area.

There is a charming "parlor garden" filled with  flowers and herbs that would have been used by a nineteenth-century family, and surrounded by a picket fence.  Espaliered apple trees are planted near the stone chimney. 

There is also a historic 19th century "tramp house," pictured below.

The Tunis-Ellicks House is a wonderful example of New Jersey history, and a great place to slow down and contemplate life in an earlier time.

*****

Thank you all for entering my giveaway.  I will use a random number generator to draw the winner later today, and announce in tomorrow's post.  Good luck to everyone who entered, and thanks again for your votes in the photo contest.  

If you have not had a chance to vote yet, the contest is open till August 31st.  :)   Many thanks!

I Heart You

Well, it sorta looks like a heart, doesn't it?  Anyway, I just wanted to let you  know how very much I appreciate the time you took yesterday to vote in the photo contest for me.  You are all such wonderful blogging friends!  

So, to say "thank you,"  I am putting together a special giveaway.  It will include some decorating books (gently used), some thrifted treasures, and some photo notecards made by yours truly.  :)  Just leave a comment on this post between now and Monday 6:30 am Eastern time, and you will be entered.  If you are not a blogger, you may still enter.  Just leave me your email address so I can reach you if you win.

Thank you so much, and have a wonderful weekend, dear friends!

*****

Voting is open in the contest until August 31st, and there are some really wonderful photos there.  If your only experience of New Jersey is the Turnpike, or The Sopranos, I urge you to go and take a look.  It is a beautiful state.  :)

Please Vote For Me!

As you probably know, I LOVE to take photographs.  My family looks upon this obsession with a collective shake of the head.  My husband now reminds me to take my camera along on our walks.  My daughter calls my camera a "fifth limb."  

But I'm used to embarrassing my kids, and my husband is the one who gave me my camera!  And I get the last laugh because I have actually had a photo published in a national magazine.  

And now I have entered several photos in a contest called Great Destinations/NJ.  The contest is sponsored by our local newspaper, The Star-Ledger, and P.C. Richards, an electronics store.  Winners will have their photos published in a coffee table book, and are also eligible to win some neat prizes.  I'm really excited about this contest, and as of right now, I have three photos that they say may be published!

Can I ask you all a big favor?  Could you possibly sign up at the website and vote for my photos?  I hesitate to ask, because they require you to give your email address, which means you will probably be getting email from the electronics store.  But if you don't mind that, I would really appreciate it if you could vote.  Click on the widget at the upper right hand corner of my blog where you can sign up and vote.  The contest ends August 31st.  I'll let you know how I do.  Keep your fingers crossed!

(The widget has been up on my blog since yesterday, and I think some of you may have already voted.  If you have, thank you SO MUCH!!!)