Christmas In Farrr North Idaho

 This wreath was a gift and came from The Wreath Farm.

 Hootie in his Christmas sweater he got from Jessica and David. 

Oh, and his snowman headband. He he.

 This is the manger from when I was a little kid in Pennsylvania.
 Joyeux Noël, Emmanuel!  That means Merry Christmas, God With Us!

 Patrick played ball with the dogs after our first big snow this week.

 This measurement was taken after we had shoveled the deck a few times!

Patrick has a hat that matches mine. They were gifts from Jessica & David.

 Our deck.

 The river.

 Baby Rocket Dog on our night time walk.

The cabin from a distance.

 These 2 photos are of Patrick clearing the snow off of our deck roof.

There were areas that had 4 feet of snow!

 He had a rope around his waist in case he started to fall.  

That didn't happen, thank goodness.

I want to wish all my friends in the blogisphere a 

Very Blessed Christmas!!

lots of love,

Cassie

Stones, Stones and More Stones!

 

Well, it's been a long time since I've posted here.  Summer has come and gone.  We had 'Part 1' of our landscaping done in July and it's amazing what a bunch of dump-truck loads of stones can do!  Horizon Landscaping and their designer, Jim, are the ones who came up with our forest-lawn makeover.  We have at least 4 more installments to go, which will stretch out for several more years, but I am soooo loving the way the stones look.

The inspiration for getting back to my blog was a visit I made to an old, dear friend's son's blog.  He is a stone artist and specializes in dry stack stone work.  Sure wish he wasn't 2000 miles from here, as I'd love to have at least a small section of stone wall fence at our place.  If you want to see some amazing stone work, go visit Mark Jurus at Rockin Walls.

I hope that a few of my blog friends have a chance to stop by & let me know what they think of our latest home improvement.  Blessings to all who pass this way.

love,
Cassie

Memories of Daddy

 I took this photo of my daddy in the summer of '93, before we left for the airport.  The next time I saw him, April 1994, he lay in a hospital room with a massive stroke and aphasia. He passed away five days after I arrived at his beside.

 These 2 photos were taken in December of 1992.

 This is Daddy with his great grandmother, mother and grandmother,ca 1925.

My father was very intelligent, and an excellent entrepreneur, evolving his father's farm equipment business into a thriving hardware store and lumber yard over time. He also was a savvy real estate investor and the vice president & director of a regional bank. A forward thinker, Daddy believed in caring for the land, he planted thousands of acres of evergreen trees and we sold Christmas trees each December.  He even shipped a 6 foot Scotch Pine tree to me when I first got married and lived in Alabama, where the Christmas trees looked like scrub brush! My father was also an avid fisherman and hunter.  Hunting probably being the one point that we had a major difference of opinion on, since I was a vegetarian (since age 14) by choice and he loved his meat! Daddy was also a civic leader, accomplishing more for our town and county than I care to elaborate on at this time. He had his flaws like any other man, but suffice it to say, in my eyes, he was quite wonderful. He died way too early.  Rest in peace Daddy.

   

My father was born May 3rd, 1922. ~ He went to be with the Lord April 21, 1994.

 

Oh Mein Papa in English & Yiddish by Connie Francis

Shadow Shot Sunday2 ~ Just Outside

Found some Shadow Shots a few steps outside our door!  For more shadows from around the world, please visit our host blog HERE.  If you want to join us, it's easy as 1-2-3.  Have a blessed weekend!
love,
Cassie

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 ~ More Arizona Biltmore Shadows

Part II of my Arizona Biltmore shadows. To view more Shadow Shot Sunday 2 players and their shots from around the world, just click HERE.  Blessings to all who stop by!
love,
Cassie 

Shadow Shot Sunday2 ~ At The Arizona Biltmore

Patrick & I had our Easter meal at the Arizona Biltmore this year.  This is the first series of shadow shots that I took. Since it was a bright, sunny day there were a ton of shadows, so I will post more next week.  If you would like to join us in shadow shooting, or just want to view other shadow shots, just click HERE.   Hoping you have a great weekend.

love,
Cassie

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Good Friday

It's Saturday morning here in Phoenix, Arizona.  The Friday night Bible study that we attend had this life size crown of thorns and nail as a visual reminder of some of what our Lord endured on Good Friday.  (I immediately saw the shadows awaiting my capture.)  It was a night of reflection, sadness, praise and thankfulness.  Without Good Friday there would be no Resurrection Sunday.

To visit others who participate in Shadow Shot Sunday2, just click HERE. 

Happy Easter to those friends who are already celebrating the risen Christ.  He is risen indeed!  And to my Jewish friends, Happy Pesach. 

Blessings to all who pass this way.
love,
Cassie

Pulled Squash BBQ From Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek

                                                                                                                                                                                 
Several folks have asked, "What is a pulled squash barbecue sandwich?"  Well, the top photo here is the pulled squash sandwich that I had at Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue 2 weeks ago when I went with our godson.  It is made with spaghetti squash, which isn't like normal squash, as it is in long strands very much like spaghetti.  I really have no idea how they get the pulled squash to be so delicious, but it is soaked in their signature sauce and for folks who don't eat meat, it is the best!  The BBQ sauce at Bryan's is SO yummy and they have a BBQ bar where you can get yourself a little cup of extra sauce to dip your fries in too.  HERE is a link I found online for how to barbecue spaghetti squash.  I hope this has helped clear up what the pulled squash sandwich is.  If you ever get to the Phoenix area, a ride out to Bryan's BBQ in Cave Creek is worth the drive!

Shadow Shot Sunday 2 ~ Godson Shadows

Our godson was home from Stanford for a few days so we got to spend some time with him.  Patrick gave him a tour of his Power Generating Station and I got to go out to lunch with him at Bryan's  Black Mountain BBQ in Cave Creek.  I had my first pulled squash barbeque sandwich and it was yummy!  Our godson just turned 20 the day before, yet he still doesn't mind spending time with a couple old fogies. What a refreshing young man he is.  And very bright too.  I'm not biased or anything either. 

To view more Shadow Shots, or to join in the fun, just go to http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.com.  (I had to come back in and delete the "HERE link" normally provided, as every time it was clicked upon it would take one to a stupid survey  ---  with no way out!!  Not sure what that was all about. )   

Anywhoooooo....Blessings to all who pass this way.
love,
Cassie

Computer Free Saturday

No computer for me today. 24 hours without contact.  Hope you all have a great weekend.  God bless you!
love,
Cassie

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ Shadow Dogs

Hootie, our Welsh Terrier, is playing with his little, squeaky ball while Miss Baby Rocket Dog, our Airedale Terrier,  lurks close by.  Baby is waiting for the right moment to steal his ball from him.  Watch out Hootie!!

To join us for Shadow Shot Sunday, or just to see what or who else is lurking in the shadows, go on over to ShadowShotSunday2.blogspot.com.  Blessings to all who pass this way, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
love,
Cassie