Sun Cats

The light in our house is terrible because we have a lot of mature trees. The best time however is in the morning, in the dining room. The cats love to lie on the table or floor and bathe in the warm rays. Some days I wish I was a cat because it looks so very relaxing. I love how it lights up their ears and whiskers.





"Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!"
- Theophile Gautier


Forgot to mention that I painted another horsey Christmas sign. This one is a snowman with a Quarter Horse. It ends today if you're interested!
Auction Link
Today I'm working on finishing a Gypsy Vanner Christmas sign that I should have up on ebay in a day or two!


Happy Monday!

Weekend Adventure

I took my mom with me for a weekend adventure carving Ice Age 3 pumpkins for the dvd promo (see post below). We travelled to beautiful Bucks County, PA and since the weather was so rainy, we decided to spend the night. I was so glad that we did. We awoke this morning to brilliant blue skies and gorgeous fall foliage in Doylestown. What a lovely town! We found out that a castle called Fonthill and the Moravian Tile Works was right behind the hotel so we decided to check it out even though it wasn't open yet. Close by we found a beautiful cemetery to take some photos in as well. It was a really wonderful weekend of pumpkin carving, meeting new people and taking in the wonderful autumn landscape. I think next year we will come back for the pumpkin carve at the Moravian Tile Works!

If you like cemetery photos, check out my other blog, The Night Mare, I'm going to put some more on there.


St. Francis, my favorite saint. This statue was part of an old grave and someone actually put bird seed in the bowl he was holding. This leaf just flew in too.


An angel in the cemetery.


I loved the dove on this old tombstone.


Another grave with a finger.


Gorgeous yellow trees really brighten up a graveyard.


The Moravian Tile Works. The gift shop was open and full of gorgeous tiles to buy. I bought one of Fonthill.


A handmade tile cornerstone.


Fonthill, home of Henry Mercer. I'm dying to go inside someday.


Some pumpkins at the Ice Age promo event.



One of the coolest home & garden shops I've ever been to. They had SO MANY great Halloween decorations. I had to buy some things here. It's called Buckman's Garden Works - well worth the trip!

The Laurels at Landhope

This weekend we went to The Laurels, a big combined driving event held minutes away from where I grew up. For some strange reason I had never gone there before, perhaps because I didn't have much interest in driving. Maybe if I had gone before I would have known that 2 days of rain equals an incredibly muddy mess and I should just stay home. A combined driving event is much like a 3-day event with a dressage phase the first day, a cross county marathon the second and cones the third day which is the driving equivalent of stadium jumping except you get penalties from knocking the little balls off the cones the driver must maneuver around. I wanted to go for the more exciting marathon phase but it was raining. So we schlepped through the mud to watch a few people compete, checked out some really gorgeous, and I'm guessing by the lack of attendees, under appreciated art. For $5 a car it wasn't bad. I would definately go again if it wasn't muddy.











This weekend I also finished my Appy Halloween sign and a new Headless Horseman sign. Finished 6 pendants, two larger ones feature the Headless Horseman. All will be on Ebay this week!

My friend the wren...

I have the cutest little wren in my garden singing his heart out all day. I just learned that they make a bunch of nests to woo their female and she gets to choose which one she wants. This little guy has been filling this white birdhouse up for the last 2 springs but his lady friend never chooses it to have her babies. I was happy I was able to get a few photos of him today - one in flight, one with a bug and one singing. I learned that wrens aren't very interested in feeders but they are really good to have in your yard because they love to catch insects.





Also saw this gorgeous black dragonfly/damsel fly type critter. So glad I was able to take a photo!



And I know you would enjoy seeing that I captured my most recent nemesis - groundhog #2. This one was much smaller than the last, must be the female. She moved in two weeks after I caught the last one and has since eaten two bachelor's buttons, sugar baby watermelon plant, gladiolas, several lettuce plants, a hot pepper plant, 3 broccoli plants, a baby blueberry bush and the tops all almost all my zinnias. Of course the rabbit in the last post may have been her partner in crime. We shall see!

Zebras Frolic

To celebrate my husband's birthday yesterday we went to the Philadelphia Zoo. It was a nice day, warm but a bit blustery. One of my favorite animals to watch are the zebras. They're usually quite calm, munching hay or snoozing under a tree. I guess the wind and warmer temps had them feeling a bit frisky because they were putting on quite a show (click on each image for a larger, more detailed, picture) .

Chasing each other, round and round their pen...



Biting legs and necks...






Bucking and rearing...





I just want to thank everyone for their kind comments about losing my Grandparents. It really means a lot to me. It will be a hard week.
Getting lost on the internet is my great escape today.

All the pretty horses...

I love looking at people's photos on their blogs. A moment in time frozen forever.
Thought I would post some horse photos I've taken over the years.
I really miss my horse and being around horses.



This first picture is actually of me when I was a little kid.
"Hey, where'd my tack go?"


My friend Karen and her MOOSE of a Percheron mare, Prissy. I love that she's feeding her critters with a vintage 40's/50's apron on:)