ME? STYLISH?

A belated thanks to Candice Ransom who recently passed the Stylish Blogger Award torch to me.  I'm a fairly new blogger, but I do enjoy working with pictures and words.  I'm thrilled to receive such an unexpected compliment!

Stylish Blogger etiquette requires that I reveal 7 random things about myself, and then pass the torch to five more stylish bloggers.

Hmmm . . .

1. When it comes to clothes, stylish I'm not!  My daughter  has threatened on many occasions to beg Stacey, from What Not to Wear, to do a clothes intervention (especially when I'm wearing my favorite shirt given to me by my daughter, who in turn received it from her friend—IN SEVENTH GRADE).  I must clarify–my daughter is now 30.  Here is the shirt of shame!

Now, what's wrong with it?  All comfy and blue!

  2.  I'm a REALLY early riser.  So are my dad and my brother.  Must be the genes handed down by Grandma and Grandpa Rhodes.  Here's a picture of them taking a break from a hard day's work on their New London, Missouri dairy farm. Like them, up at 4:30 a.m., a hearty breakfast by 6 a.m., and incoherent by 8 p.m.  Many evenings my husband is a very lonely man!

3. I'm deathly afraid of mice.  Last week I was happily sitting at my computer and I felt this gentle tug on my bare foot.  I looked down and there was a rodent trying to make friends with my big toe.  I ran upstairs to my husband, wailing like a banshee.  Not a pretty sight.  

I purposely chose an picture that doesn't include his WHOLE  tail.  eeek!

4.  I haven't eaten a Krispy Kreme Donut in years. 

But, I really want to.

5.  I love dogs almost as much as I love people. (Who am I kidding?  Actually, more than some people.) Here's my Airedale terrier, Scarlett.  Oh, yes, I love Elvis too.

6.  I love reading mysteries.

7.  I don't like to wear high heels.  

ouch!

Now, I'm honored to pass the torch to these stylish bloggers.

Leslie Pietrzyk  

Craig Orback 

Madelyn Rosenberg

Martha Ackmann

Lisette Fee

Thanks again, Candice!

A PRECIOUS MOMENT IN TIME

I noticed that my daughter has this photo in her Facebook collection.  I couldn't resist downloading it.  The image reveals a pure, distilled moment of truth that is sometimes offered up as a precious gift in the form of a candid photo.  My mother has been absent from this earth for over a year.  My daughter is now a vibrant young professional and dedicated mother, living in Brooklyn, New York.

This photo heartened me.  The circle of life goes on.  My mother shared a few joyous moments with her granddaughter by reading her a book.  Although Mom is gone,  I can admire this picture and use it as an inspiration—and a reminder of the value of grandparents, grandchildren, and books.