BLOG ANNIVERSARY - 1 YEAR

It was November 2008 I started down this path...so my blog celebrates it's first Birthday.

A neat shot I got using the macro setting on my camera today...see the bee?

Here are some more photos I took on my hike this morning with the girls; at the local golf course trails:

Francie now 9 month, Kerry 8 yrs.

She's a Star (well locally anyway)

In August I took both Kerry and Francie to Cardiff by the Sea for the annual Dogs Days of Summer festival.

I entered Francie in the costume contest and she modeled Irma's old Tango outfit -the one I sewed for the Canine Companions Benefit "Tails and Tango" back in 2003. Francie was a Spanish Belle. I thought she looked stunning! At only 6 months old, Francie was just the sweetest about donning the outfit.

But after all our effort she didn't even place... I thought she would maybe take 3rd place. But some big dog with a lazy costume, consisting of board shorts and an aloha shirt won 3rd place.

And of course 1st and 2nd places went to the little dogs pulling wagons or something. One can NEVER compete with those little dogs. They're just too darn cute. But really, not even 3rd place for darling Francie in her pain stakingly hand-made outfit!?

Come now.

Well, turns out we got the last laugh -as when I opened the November issue of Encinitas Magazine there is Francie! Page 2 as soon as you open the magazine. And in good company too with our local skate boarding legend, world renown Tony Hawk!

See for yourself here: http://www.encinitasmag.com/ then you'll need to enter an email address to flip the pages and see this issue - but there she is, a candid of little Miss Francie, black hat with red ball fringe and all! Be sure to turn a few pages forward to read the whole story on the dog festival.

Here's a shot a friend took of me taking a rest with the girls.

Francie naps while Kerry smiles for the camera. And another pup also rests from the heat.

A Birthday on NOVEMBER 8

A birthday celebrates the completion of one year, and offers a fresh beginning for starting another year.

It was a sweet start to my day, my Mom phoning me at 6:30am out of a deep sleep (stayed up late watching SNL after my party last night). She sang me happy birthday and was quite proud to be the first to reach me...Natalie later bragged she loved me enough to NOT wake me that early- actually she wouldn't be up that early to be able to, but all the same she made me laugh.

My nephew Bobby texted me from his own phone...then Eric text me but also later phoned me to chat too which was so very sweet -I was really touched...we had a nice talk as I was driving up Palomar Mountain.

As the day broke with me in a mood to get out, take a trip, see a change of scenery. But where? Well by the time I dropped Kerry at Grandpa's for the day and got on the road I didn't want to go far...or else it would be dark when I got home. So Palomar Mt was perfect. Only 70 miles from my house but at 5000 feet elevation, the trees were changing against the evergreens so it was just lovely. The air crisp and cool. Francie slept most of the way and then at the top we got out to take a brief tour of the Observatory and the Hale telescope.

Isn't this a lovely picnic spot? Franice would have voted for a meal I know!

The mountains we're heading toward....the golden trees ...the Observatory.

Watch for rattle snakes many signs warned...approaching the Observatory...some posters in the visitor center, of what can be viewed in our universe - how remarkable!

A favorite stop for travelers.... ..and these guys boast a mean apple pie.

The motorcycle of choice are these mean "road rockets" where the rider almost seems sideways when they take a sharp curve.

Francie and me in front of the US Post Office of Palomar Mountain


I took this shot over my shoulder as Francie was just fascinated by the cycles behind us.

...and back down the mountain heading for home. Happy Birthday to me :)

click this link for cool info about this neat place:

http://www.astro.caltech.edu/observatories/palomar/