On one of the blogs I view they took photos of their furry cats fuzzy backsides. They called it tonkers I think, so I decided to take a photo of Stuey's tonks!!! Are they not the fuzziest! I call them feathers though. Smile And JC if you know who shows they cats backsides let them know about Stuey's.

Do you know what type of plant this is? Well My sis - Kareen gave me these from her trip to Florida. They are mangrove trees. Started out as these dry pods which she told me to place in water. And lo and behold they grew. They are kept in water with the stones to anchor them. They have so far required nothing more then my adding water when needed. I looked up some sites and people keep them in fish tanks etc with other types of plants. So far they are holding their own.

Hey Kareen what do you think of cartoon!!!

Everyone here at the Rustic hope you are your old self soon. Hugs and kisses from Gizzie-Stuey-Simba-Kia-Java and Zero =^..^=

Another year of wedded bliss****

Good times, bad times, in between times...

Hard to believe it is anniversary number 31!

We are soul-mates, lovers, and most important best friends.

There a days when I say enough, never again! But they are few, I wouldn't trade our years together for anything.

Here is to many more years to come together, more good times then bed.

I love you with all my heart and soul.

DAR!

Smile and the world smiles along!!!!

Wordless Weds.

Indian Summer you just gotta love it. We have managed to get the leave off the grass, George helped my cleaned up the front two gardens by the house, and he even cut grass today. I finished the cleaning of the side garden and one small one by the wood shed. So more or less we have managed to get things done before the snow flies. And they say the rest of the week will be mild, with only a slight chance tomorrow so we should be able to get the backyard free of leaves. I may also cut the grass in the dog pen one more time with the push mower. I am reading alot, and even working on some puzzle. The last one I finished again is missing a piece, I think kitties are messing with my mind and taking them!!! Smile

I want to talk about friends!
Some are friends in name only, they only get ahold of you by phone, e-mail or even snail mail, but only when they need a friend. God forbid if it was you who needed an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or even a hug.
Then there are those who you can count on in a pinch, ready to go places, visit, play catch-up. Some one who is there for you and visa-versa.
But my dearest and closest friends are those who even though you may have not kept in contact for five, ten, twenty, thirty and even forty years and counting, you can connect like it was yesterday. Whether by phone, letter or e-mail, it is just like you talk the day before. You can pick-up as if time has not flown by. You are still close. They are the ones who know how you are feeling or doing just by the sound of your voice. Always there for each other.
To those of you I say Thank You so very much, I love you for who you are. May God bless you and allow us to stay in touch as olny dear friends can.

Well this is an early night, I need to be able to get up at 6:30 am. Which if you know me is not something I can do easily. Need to be up so we can take Gizzie to the vet, will get his little nutters chopped. Ouch! Will make for a better kitty but try telling him that. Hardest thing is picking up the food so no one can eat until after we get home in the morning. No one will be happy.

A friend sent me an e-mail with a bunch of Huge dogs. Will be showing a few. Kill two birds with one stone(dog). Have a dog and also a horse you could ride lol.

Here is my darling niece "Corrie" this past Halloween. Doesn't she make an adorable kittie-kat? Miss seeing you and I love you very much. Auntie DAR!

I love you dear sister of mine... You are such a good friend..... Can't wait til you are living down the road from me........ DAR

Wordless Weds. on Thurs.

Shower Time

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Originally uploaded by darlene_ruda

Saw this poor kittie and thought it looked alittle like Stuey. I just don't think he would stand still for a shower! Smile =^..^=

I was asked by a follower how I wintered my canna tubers. I have tried many times each different with no luck. Tried leaving in the ground, nothing, tried digging-up and putting in a cool spot, turned to mush, tried drying then putting into peat moss which I read was how to store them, again mush. So this year I dug them up, am letting them dry, then bringing them inside and putting into a mesh bag and letting them hang in a cool, dry, dark spot. So hopefully I will have some next spring, but I won't count on it. I have a green thumb and can grow almost anything. But when it comes to bulbs or tubers no such luck for more then one season. Oh and I love orchids, got one and killed it! Would love a greenhouse, but not in the cards anytime soon. So everything is in the house. Even brought in a few petunias, pampas grass, geraniums and a pampas grass., also heliotrope and gerba daisies. So we shall see. Smile

Wordless Wednsday

Well summer is gone , fall is heading downhill so I thought I would post a pic of one of the cannas that actually bloomed for me. It didn't bloom until late Sept. into early Oct. I have had bad luck with them, so I saved the tubers and will try one more year. But will not buy those or elephant ears next year. Have managed between the rainy, crappy days and the warm, sunny days to get everything done outside. Today I finished up the last few things. I just want to collect a few more seeds, and store them.

Now I turn to all the plants inside. Yesterday I took potting soil and went around adding to which ever pot needed it. Gizzie follwed behind and helped by playing in the dirt, sending it all over the place! Atleast he doesn't use them as litter boxes, just slepps in the larger ones.

We have all our wood split and stacked for I hope will not be a long hard winter. Last year was hard with 142 inches of snow...They say it should be milder here, one can only hope.

So for all of you out there enjoy what nice days are left, soon we will be house bond!!! More tim for blogging Smile

Just love using Picnik on my photos! I hope you all are enjoying them.

Stuey just loves his grass!!! I played around and gave it more color, like his pink little nose! =^..^=

I took this picture because the fog coming off the field was so spooky! Perfect for halloween. I added some pink for breast cancer awareness month too. I only wish it was alittle sharper but the blurriness adds to the feel of the season. Enjoy

This is one of the few times ALL the kitties are together and actually peaceful. Each one has his own corner of the bed. So I just had to snap a picture of my quiet little angels. =^..^=

When I saw this I thought of my hubby! For those who know him, you know he obsesses about his lawn, plus he is going slightly bald. So I saw this and told him he should get one like it on top of his head. He didn't think it was funny. But I did he has o.c.d. when it comes to mowing the grass ans keeping snow off the driveway. Smile

Being creative again, these where burgandy mums, usually they are three huge bushes full. This year all I had in the way of flowers was this little clump. All my mums except one never really bloomed! Weird.

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is what I thought the boys would be saying lol.

Just playing around with some of my pictures with Picnik. I really am enjoying it, may upgrade to premium for 24.95 a year. But if some are alittle odd please forgive, just seeing what I can create. Flowers are the ones left hanging-on in the gardens. But they are calling for wet snow/rain, so pretty much that will end things.

Lovie enjoying one of the far and few between sunny days left to us. Can you believe, summer is gone and it feels like fall is too! All I can hope for is a longer then a day indian summer. A week would be nice, but I kinda doubt it.

A big bowl of loaded chicken soup with dumplings, with a slice of fresh, buttered, Italian bread - yummy. This is what I made when my sister came up for a visit. She asked me to make it for her, which I did. Guess mine tastes better then hers.

Gizzie & Toys

Gizzie & Toys
Originally uploaded by darlene_ruda

Gizzie is so happy being here. He has never seen or had this many toys. So he is taking out as many as he can from the toy box. The leopard bone belongs to the dogs.

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Originally uploaded by darlene_ruda

3:17am. Can not sleep so I am learning to use picnik, flickr and then posting to my blog. With dial-up it is slow but so far I am enjoying the results. Best part it is free!!!!!! SMILE

Anyone who would like the award on my last post, just do what I did and list five things that make you happy. Then click on the award and add to your computer or pictures and then post on your blog. I have sometimers disease as I forgot to mention that bit of info. Smile

I picked-up this award from NollsNip. All I have to do is list five things that make me happy. What makes Stuey happy--- 1. Being able to eat when ever I want (which explains why I am such a big boy). 2. Soaking-up the sunshine, either outside or inside. 3. Rolling in the catnip, uuuummmmmm!

4. Rolling and tumbling, and running through the house with my new baby brother Gizzie.

5. Being loved by Mom and Dad.

What makes Dar happy. 1. Being able to garden, inside and out.

2. Having a wonderful husband, who I can count on.

3. Reading a great book.

4. Sitting outside watching the sunset and then the stars.

5. Watching a roaring fire on a cold winter's day.

Here is Gizzie ready for Halloween! My sis and I finally got picnik to work so now my photes will have alittle zing!!!! I can not wait for her to send me photos that she took while here. We had a short but very nice visit. Too bad they are so far and few. But one day I hope she will live just down the road from me.

Weather has changed, the last of the plants come in tomorrow. We are also cleaning up the grain and tack rooms where kitties spend the colder nights. They even get the propane heater turned for them, spoiled, I think not! Smile

Right before I brought in my asparagus fern, I saw it was blooming. It is hard to believe that these tiny flowers have a strong, unusual scent. But alas the flowers were gone in a few days. So the plant is inside getting ready for the long winter.

For the month of Sept. we were over 3" of rain below normal and in the last four days we have made it up. Rain, yup we have had enough now, it can STOP! Atleast it has turned the fields green, watered what plants are left blooming in the gardens and has filled our wells.

It has been cool enough at night to also start the wood stove, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

The last tree days I have busted my butt and back moving indoors about 70% of the plants. But today we are having rain and high winds so my back gets a break. We took down the awning over the deck, wouldn't want it to blow away! Packed up all the garden knick-knacks, candles and gazing balls. Tomorrow if the weather is nice enough I will try and dig-up my five geraniums, to bring them inside. What ever winters for me I won't have to buy in the spring. Which I am afraid is soooooooooooooo far away. With this high winds with gusts upto 50 mph. the leaves in the trees will not have a chance to turn. And I was hoping for a colorful Fall! Well like everyone says there is always next year. SMILE

Wow can you believe cute little Tweetie-Bird turns 60!!! I think he is aging pretty good. TWEET-TWEET

This one is so precious I wish everyone and everything could get along like this. SMILE

Not too much to blog, so just posting pics that I have been sent.

Who could ever hate a panda!