Saffron's Special Day

The weather forecast says only a 20% chance of rain tonight and it should be cool and windy. Perfect Halloween weather! (You know you're from Michigan if you've ever gone trick-or-treating in the snow, wearing your winter coat over your costume.)

Best of all, today is Saffron's special day. We found her 12 years ago today and, despite her liver disease, she's still with us and doing OK. We are so happy she's here to celebrate her special day with us! Here's a recent photo of us together (don't you hate it when you're sleeping and someone starts taking your picture?):




















And here are a couple of Halloween pics from last year. (She no longer climbs onto the table with the village.)








































Happy Halloween birthday, sweet girl!

Happy Halloween!

It's the second most wonderful time of the year: Happy Halloween! I stitched this for my friend Nathan (click to enlarge):

Beautiful October

After killing frosts on Oct. 9 and 10, temps have stayed in the 50s F (some days going up to 60!). Apparently these conditions, coupled with our cooler than usual summer, have led to a long, beautiful autumn. Even at the end of October, we still have leaves on the trees.

For my fellow Tolkien geeks: it's like spring in Lothlorien! For everyone else, here's the quote:

"There are no trees like the trees of that land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring comes and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers; and the floor of the wood is golden, and golden is the roof, and its pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey. So still our songs in Mirkwood say. My heart would be glad if I were beneath the eaves of that wood, and it were springtime!" (Legolas, The Fellowship of the Ring).

I took this photo in Davison Regional Park, Fall 2005. It looks about like this now, too!

RIP, Milvina

A memorial service was held Saturday for Millvina Dean, the last Titanic survivor. She was 97. The BBC story includes a short video with highlights from the service and her partner Bruno Nordmanis scattering her ashes "from a small launch on the water of berth 43/44 at Southampton Docks, the terminal from which the ship set sail."

God bless you, dear lady. I pray you are with your parents now and this time you all complete your voyage together. Rest in Peace.

Scream Theatre

I had a blast at the show tonight! The should cell CDs so we can enjoy the Halloween radio show again and again. If you're in the Flint area and not busy tomorrow, catch the show at 8pm at The Good Beans Cafe (810-237-4663). Tickets are only $7 for 1.5 hours of fun Halloween entertainment.

October, at Last

It's Friday, it's October, AND I have a new Ray Bradbury book to read. Life is good.