What is it?

 I took lots and lots of photos at the March birthday bash with
the Husband's side of the family.  We have a dozen birthdays to celebrate from
late February through the month of March.  We celebrate in a bunch. 
Going through the pictures I discovered this floating green thing
passing by my nephew, who was flying a kite with all the little ones. 

It's not on any of the other photos...just these two. 
Nothing on the lens.  It's geometric. 

If it's a bug, it's so big it should have certainly
been seen by the naked eye.

So what do you think?  Is the a case for the X Files?

Ancestry...DNA

 When I started to see the ads on tv about Ancestry.com  DNA testing
to find where ones ancestors came from,
I mentioned to my daughter that I would love to do that. 
She didn't forget what I had said and gave me the kit as a Christmas gift. 

 I finally put my saliva in the test tube last week and shipped it off to the Ancestry lab. 
It will be 6-8 weeks for the results to come in. 
I waited because I needed to open an Ancestry account for the test
and wanted to make the most of my free 2 weeks.  I rarely have a whole day
or two to spend working on the family search.

 Last weekend I started searching and putting together a family tree
for both my family and Lou's family.  I do know quite a bit about
my Mom and Dad's parents.  I was blessed to have both my Grandmothers
in my life until I was in my 40's. 

I am lucky to have many old family photographs.
The photo below is of my paternal Grandmother Lillian and her sister Edna. 
The one on the right is my Grandmother and the necklace
she is wearing was worn by
both myself and my daughters on our wedding days.

Below is the 1900 Census with the Ostertag family. 
My Great Grandparents George and Fredericka and Lillian and Edna.

Found so much information I didn't know, 
but I'm also surprised by some things I haven't found. 
I'm guessing I'll be keeping the account for more than 2 weeks.

I'll let you know when my DNA results come back and
tell you if I'm descended from Vikings .

Our Sweet Lucy...

An unscheduled trip to the vet today.

Lucy was having a problem with her hind legs seeming weak and her back seemed to be humped a bit.  This happened overnight. No falls or accidents

The X rays and blood work showed nothing.  At least no ruptured disks.  The doctor said it could be her age (11) and something as simple as her sitting up for a treat.  She'll be on steroids and pepcid for 15 days .
The hard part will be keeping her from jumping and running and going up and down stairs.
Oh and picking her up to put her on the bed and taking her off the bed.  I placed folded quilts on the floor next to the bed for her to lay on because I'm afraid I may fall asleep and she will jump off the bed. But she's sitting there staring at me.
Goodnight Lucy




Also thanks Ladies for all your suggestions on coffee makers...
need to hit the mall to take a look at them.

Rise and Grind...

 Time to kick start your day...

 

New Coffee Design on the Website

Unfortunately, I am using my little ruby red coffee maker
from the Workshop this morning, as I have buried another Cuisinart
...that was not even a year old.
Does anyone a a recommendation for a coffee maker?

Opening Day...No Zoo for You!

Yesterday was the Baltimore Orioles opening day. 
We had the grandlittles for the day
as our daughter was going to the game with her cousin. 
Our plans were to take the children to the zoo like we did last year.
However the weather was cold and drizzly off and on...
not the greatest day for strolling through the zoo.

So we bounced instead....

After that we went to DQ for ice cream...

Unfortunately, The Birds lost the game...big time.

Don't think the Bouncy Place or the Dairy Queen could have made
the players feel better after that game.

Have lots to do today...
Lucy needs a bath and a haircut
and it may be warm enough to get some yard work done.

Happy Saturday!

Remember to "Count Your Blessings"

 Sometimes each of us need to be reminded to
"Count Your Blessings"
This is hanging over the windows in our kitchen
and the 4x30 inch size would also fit perfectly over a door or mantle.
We will be adding more of these family/inspirational saying signs on the website.

 

The Country Workshop

What if I fall?

 What if I fall?

Oh, but my darling what if you fly?

The Country Workshop

The Weekend...

Did you know if you plant jellybeans...

you grow Poofy Pops?

 We had fun with our darlin' grands...
coloring eggs 

 and having an Easter Egg hunt.

We decided on dinner at Friendly Farms,
a local family style restaurant,
with 20+ family members.
A good decision...I didn't have to cook.

Happy Easter Wishes to You!

Wishing you a beautiful Easter Sunday .
We'll be celebrating with our favorite bunnies!

Life is What Happens...

 Life is what happens

 between Coffee and Wine

New on the website.
The Country Workshop

Jury Duty...Again and Again

 January 12th of 2012
I had to report for jury duty for Baltimore County. 
The beginning of February of this year, 
I received a summons again to do my civic duty.
I had to report on 3/26.
If you fill the requirement of one day/one trial you aren't supposed
to be called for 3 years...but 3 years one month???
Come on!
In the past 15 years, I have been called 4 times and every time,
my call in number is a number that has to report to the courthouse.

  I have been asking folks who also live in Baltimore County
how often they have been called.  Only one I asked has had to report
in the last 3 years. 
The rest have answered  5 years, 10 years, 30 years, never. 

 I did a bit of research and found 100,000 people a year are
called as jurors in Baltimore County. 
There are over 950,000 people living in Baltimore County. 
I think that maybe some of those other folks
should be given a chance to do their civic duty also. 
(I do realize that some are children and some over 70)
It can't be possible that the rest of the population
are not US citizens or felons.
As a self employed person, and the nature of my business,
one day is not a hardship. 
But a trial of a week or more certainly could be. 

I did get chosen as an alternate juror for a civil case this time.
As an alternate, I only had to be there one day.
The rest of the chosen jurors had to return for a second day. 

So...Baltimore County...It's time to find all those other folks
who haven't had a turn at being called for jury duty for years or ever,
and give them a chance to do their civic duty also.

I'm beginning to feel discriminated against.