It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

I love fall and winter. The changing leaves, the cooler weather and of course the snow makes for the most beautiful time of the year. We had our first snowfall this past week and yesterday a hard frost that made for a gorgeous morning.

Picture Perfect!

This picture was featured on WTHR 13 news at 5:30 p.m. on 12-1-11!!!

Photo shoot at the Reservoir

As long as you have fun you will have good pictures!!! Enjoy!

Picture Perfect!

Our newest addition Lily and a PSA

Today marks one week since we rescued a precious blue point Siamese kitten we have named Lily! Lily was found in an air duct and found herself at the animal shelter. She is the most gorgeous, laid back and easy going cat I have ever met in my life. Now for the PSA - I am horrified that after reading about the declawing process on cats and kittens that they actually amputate part of the bone attached to the nail. It would be like us getting our fingers cut off down to our first knuckles. Can you imagine how painful that would be on one finger let alone 10 if you are only having the front claws removed? The longer I kept reading I eventually came across photos of the surgery and my mind was completely made up. They have come out with these things called Kitty Kaps (found at your local Petsmart) they are plastic nail caps that you glue onto the kitten or cat nails and it prevents them from destroying your furniture and house. This is a special glue that is included in the package when you purchase the kitty kaps. They even come in various sizes and colors! Unfortunately for our girl there was no pink so I had to make due. They were very easy to apply and she didn't fight me one bit...even when I glued one of my fingers to her paw! You will see the finished product below as well as the gorgeous model Lily.

Her first night home

I will not look at you lady!

OK I will look at you but I will not open my eyes

Kitty Kaps

Look what she has done to me now!

Shhhh don't tell Lily I caught her with her eyes open!

Happy Halloween!!!

Halloween time is here again. For the first time ever I decided to smoke a brisket. Conveniently I had 2 briskets and 2 recipes so I decided to try them both!

Our smoker box with Apple and Cherry Wood (Cherry Wood was donated by the one and only Doc Shirley!)

Our little smoker

The 2 briskets placed on the smoker ready to cook!

Briskets cooked half way! Is your mouth watering???

The finished product! They turned out fantastic with an insane smoke flavor!

This did not go as planned! Perhaps a better trained dog human would work better!

Have a great Halloween and keep those little trick-or-treaters safe!

The ultimate fail

Apparently last night there was something spectacular that occurred here in Indiana. The northern lights were very active and able to be seen in Indiana...a very RARE occasion and a photographers dream.  Late last year meteorologists all over Indiana told of the slight possibility of seeing the northern lights. I headed north way out in the country away from lights and sat and waited only to be disappointed to see nothing. Yesterday there was absolutely no mention from any meteorologist of the fact that there may be a possibility of viewing the northern lights. Late last night into the early morning they were said to be the best showing since 2004, very colorful, vivid, vibrant and beautiful along with a perfectly clear sky and bright stars. I follow several meteorologists from all areas and yesterday nothing....nada....zip resulting in the ultimate fail of a picture perfect opportunity.

A beautiful fall day

The colors of fall consume me

Grasshopper

Kitty Bravo trying to capture the grasshopper...

Preying Mantis...the smartest species on earth!

Leaves the size of a certain 8 year old's head!

Beautiful Border Collie Joy

Faith always smiling

 

Faith with her "ball"...a hedge apple!

So peaceful...

So pretty...

Sap burning out of the logs...

A little peace of heaven on earth!