A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter B

BOOTS!!!

I love footwear of any kind, but I did not realize that I own 10 pair of boots until deciding to take these pics! Yikes! And the crazy thing is I wear (most of ) them quite frequently once the weather turns cold. I’ll wear my fuzzy Uggs in the car trip back to Phoenix then stow them away until we return to farrr North Idaho. (Unlike some of the movie stars I don’t wear them with shorts when the temperature is in the 90’s.) The grey and purple hiking boots are my oldest and have gotten tons of use over the past 15 years. Jessica & I purchased matching hiking boots for our first trip to Glacier National Park in NW Montana. Yes, faithful old boots they are…pretty comfortable too.

For more B words go see buddy Jen. Have a good week all.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter G

The Letter G.

Garrison…as in Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion fame. Garrison created A Prairie Home Companion which I try to listen to every weekend. It’s on National Public Radio on Saturday and then repeated again on Sunday evening. The 2 hour show goes by so quickly that I’m always disappointed when it’s over. Garrison’s show has a little bit of everything. All different types of music: country, bluegrass, occasional classical, just about every kind! This week he had an artist on Nellie McKay from Great Britain who was really good. She said Doris Day was her idol…but she actually had a way better voice than Doris.

(If you click on Nellie's picture it'll take you to her website.)

Garrison plays several parts on his show, my favorite being Guy Noir, Private Eye. There is so much tongue in cheek and corny humor, but I sure do enjoy it. I have always loved radio shows like this because they allow a person to stretch the imagination. When I was a young girl there was a radio show called Radio Mystery Theatre that I used to love to listen to. Golly, I’m rambling. Gonna go now. If you get a chance, listen to Garrison’s show sometime. Let me know what you think of it.

Thanks Garrison Keillor for the many hours of listen pleasure you have afforded me!

Jen, the genius behind A to Z Mondays, has a list of other A to Z bloggers on her sidebar. Go on over to check ‘em out! Have a great day.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter H

HEART!!

Isn't the heart a miraculous muscle??

Patrick holds my heart in his hand.

And of course, you all know that Jesus holds the key to my heart!

To finish my heart post off here's a clip from a really fun old musical called Damn Yankees. My parents saw the original on Broadway so us kids got to listen to the record from the show as youngsters, so we knew all the songs. You Gotta Have Heart was one of my favorites (I regret that the coach in this clip takes God's name in vain, and apologize for it. I doubt that the original play did that.)

Have a great Monday and don't forget to go visit Jen's blog for more A to Z bloggers. Love and blessings to all who read this blog! Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter I

The letter I.

ILSA.

Ilsa is originally from the Rhineland of Germany. She has the cutest little accent that she never lost after many years living in the USA. Everybody in her city in Montana seems to know her, as she is probably one of the friendliest people in existence! We try to visit Ilse at least once a year. Oh, and Ilse is also the BEST cook I know. She has the gift of hospitality and loves to make people feel welcomed...she can lay out a spread on the table to make Martha Stewart jealous...and she does it without any to-do. Amazing woman.

Ilsa is one of my dearest friends in the whole world. She is like a second mother to me...only nicer! Jessica and I met Ilsa about 15 years ago while fly fishing on a river in Montana. Ilsa was walking her dogs at the time and we struck up a conversation. The rest is history. She has taught me so many things. LIKE: How to keep my Revere Ware copper bottoms shiny at all times. How to keep my linens smelling sweet in the closet. She taught me how to make yummy huckleberry jam. I just love the lady! So, my one and only "I" is Ilse.

For more I's go see Jen's blog. Have a good week.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter J

These photos are in Seattle, 2007 when Pat and I spent Christmas with Jessica & David.

Jessica Rose, Queen of the Nile! Jess played 2nd violin in the (City of Phoenix) Desert Strings Youth Orchestra for 3 years.

Not sure, but I think this is when Jessica was in 5th grade at Madison Simis Elementary School. This is Jessica at Christmas at my Mom and Dad's home in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The letter J.

Jessica Rose, my kiddo!

She has always been a joy to me. We have the same sense of humor so she really makes me laugh. Jess will be 29 on December 12th & I'll post lots more photos of present day Jessica then. Hope you're not too bored!

Happy A to Z Monday friends!! Please visit buddy Jen for more A to Z bloggers. love, Cassie

PS-Today is my 59th birthday & Patrick's and my 21st anniversary. Right now we are celebrating at the Bread Basket with homemade scones, donuts, sticky buns and fancy coffee. Burp!! Yummy stuff. Tonight we'll dine at Papa Byrd's, the best eatery in Idaho!!

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter K

The letter K. KIN.

Top photo is my dad, Leslie, and his only sibling, Auntie Vi probably ca. 1930. Middle photo is (L to R) my oldest sibling, Harley, me and my younger brother, Wayne around 1955. Bottom photo is (R to L) Harley and me about 24 years ago on Zuma Beach.

Yes, now that Patrick bought me the scanner I can thrill you with pictures from yesteryear of my KIN!! Now all I have to do is dig through the 10 boxes of loose, framed and albumed photos to find some good ones. Here are a few that I have managed to dig up.

Happy A to Z Monday! Jen has more on her blog sidebar.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ the Letter L ~ Дорогой длинною

LONGING

n. A strong persistent yearning or desire, especially one that cannot be fulfilled.

I was over at friend John's blog the other day and he had a video of Bonnie Tyler with Only Men Aloud singing "Total Eclipse of the Sun". Sure enjoyed that blast from the past. I ventured back over to John's blog today and ended up on YouTube listening to the longer version, then I started listening to a bunch of other Bonnie Tyler videos and ended up with "Those Were The Days" (the version most Americans are familiar with was recorded in the 60's by Mary Hopkins)and from there---listened to all sorts of versions of that song! Leningrad Cowboys visuals were pretty edgy and fun, but decided to go with what is probably closest to the original Russian folk song: Дорогой длинною (pronounced: Dorogoi Dlinnoyu) . Oh yes, back to the letter L : this is probably one of the coolest songs ever written about LONGING. Enjoy.

For more A to Z Monday bloggers go visit Jen!

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter M ~ Part 1 ~ LOTS more photos in part 2 just below this post

(Just double click on collages to bigify.)

MURDER MYSTERY!!

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter M ~ Part 2

MURDER MYSTERY DINNER

Saturday evening I attended a Murder Mystery Dinner to benefit Second Chance Animal Shelter (the local no-kill shelter). I had never attended one of these Murder Mysteries before, but thought it sounded like fun. I was not disappointed...it was a blast!! Set in the Roaring 20's on a cruise liner, The SS Canine Queen, we all attended an elite (yummy) dinner that was supposed to be put on by the Captain. Well, it turns out the Captain was murdered!! Clues flew around the cabin left and right and at the end of the evening we were told who the culprit was. I'm not going to reveal that, just in case someone else attends a similar Murder Mystery Dinner. To use a cliche', "a good time was had by all." Such fun, and for a worthy cause too. Hope you enjoy the photos.

For more A to Z fun why not visit Jen's blog? Just click HERE. Happy Monday! love, Cassie

A to Z Monday ~ The Letter N

NAPPING

(Yes, I'm a day late...napping all day Monday!!)

For more A to Z bloggers go visit Jen. Have a great week.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter O

Oboe (ō'bō) n.

A slender woodwind instrument with a conical bore and a double-reed mouthpiece, having a range of three octaves and a penetrating, poignant sound. (the above definition was taken from Answers.com) My cousin Mary's daughter, Kayla is an oboist. While she was in high school she played in the orchestra and even traveled to New York City to perform a couple years ago. She was offered some music scholarships but decided to attend the University of Wyoming on an academic scholarship. The oboe is the instrument in the orchestra that all the rest of the instruments must tune to. That's because it is the most difficult instrument to tune! I sometimes get the oboe's sound mixed up with the bassoon, but they are really very different. The bassoon is deeper, lower I think. The following video is from The Mission (which was one of Jessica's favorite movies) and features the oboe ~ "Gabriel's Oboe". I hope you can listen to it all the way through. It is truly lovely.

For more A to Z Mondays please visit Jen's blog...just click HERE!! Hope you have a great week.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter Q

Don't you think Freddie looked way cuter with the mustache?? Queen (band) (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Queen were an English rock band. Formed in London in 1970 following the demise of the band Smile, Queen consisted of vocalist Freddie Mercury, guitarist Brian May, bassist John Deacon and drummer Roger Taylor. The band became popular with audiences via their hit songs, live performances, originality and showmanship.[2] Their 1985 Live Aid performance was voted the best live rock performance of all time in an industry poll.[3] Queen enjoyed success in the UK in the early 1970s with the albums Queen and Queen II, but it was with the release of Sheer Heart Attack in 1974 and A Night at the Opera the following year that the band gained international success. They have released fifteen studio albums, five live albums and numerous compilation albums. Since Mercury's death and Deacon's retirement, May and Taylor have performed infrequently together at special events and programmes as members of other ensembles. Between 2004 to 2009 the duo collaborated with Paul Rodgers, under the moniker Queen + Paul Rodgers. Okay, I must admit We Will Rock You was one of my faves when I was a youngster. If you want to check it out, just click HERE! (Oh my now I'm thinking of H.S. & when I was a cheer leader! We used to cheer to the beginning beat even though Queen wasn't even a band yet!!) Happy Monday. Go see Jen. love,Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter Z

Zepher. A gentle breeze.

Ruach haKodesh is the Hebrew for the Holy Spirit and means Divine Spirit or Divine Inspiration. I may be stretching things a bit here, but I think it has been loosely translated to mean holy wind or gentle breeze. You can’t see Him, but He is there. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come as His representative when He was no longer on earth. (John 14:26) The Holy Spirit is a gentleman…a gentle breeze…He doesn’t force anyone to come to salvation. He points us in the right direction. He whispers God’s truth in our ear. He is available 24/7 as our comforter, counselor and teacher. But He never forces Himself on anyone. As the third person of the Trinity, I believe the Holy Spirit is quite shy. (My spouse doesn’t quite agree with me on this---Patrick doesn’t think the Holy Spirit is shy. Oh well.) He doesn’t want recognition; He wants only to counsel and make God known to us. If you are reading this and don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, you can ask the Holy Spirit to help you get to know Him. All you have to do is ask, and He will guide you!

So, I’m thinking that the Holy Spirit is very much a Zepher. What do you think?

If you haven't already, now blow on over to Jen's to check out the other A to Z folks on her side bar! love, Cassie

ps-I'm not a theologian, so please feel free to correct or challenge me on this!

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter Z

ZAPOTEC COLLECTION

The Zapotec Collection is the finest weaving available from the master weavers of the ancient village of Teotitlan del Valle in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico.

Patrick and I purchased 2 Zapotec (100% wool) rugs while we were in Prescott, Arizona for Valentines day this year. We left one on my sweater chest down in Phoenix, and he just brought the other up here when he flew up last week. They were all so pretty I had a hard time choosing just two, but I couldn’t be a greedy guts. The green one in this picture---with the lovely Vanna Rocket Dog---is my favorite.

Please go to Jen’s for more A to Z bloggers. Happy A to Z Monday friends!!

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter Y

Yip! Yap! Yelp!

Take a look...

Yes, now wasn't that fun?? If you go over to Jen's blog she has more A to Z bloggers listed on her sidebar. Blessings to all who view this! Have a good day.

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter X

These are 2 polycystic kidneys. Note the size in comparison to the hands. A normal kidney is the size of a persons clenched fist.

This is a pkd kidney vs. a normal, healthy kidney. Lovely isn't it?

This is really pushing it, but my ‘word’ for today’s letter is Xplant (pronounced transplant). Okay, I know it’s not really a legitimate spelling, but this shortened version is used Xtensivley on Xplant forums and as shorthand in some medical groups! I know this, as several years ago I was the coordinator of the Arizona Friends for the PKRF (Polycystic Kidney Research Foundation*)and the founder and moderator of the first PKD (polycystic kidney disease) patient/friend email forum. Toot - toot. (That’s my own horn. hehe.) Anywhooooo, PKD has no known cure and kidney dialysis or Xplant are the only things that can be done to prolong life, once the disease has destroyed the kidneys. Obviously Xplant is most desirable, but unfortunately there are many more people who need Xplants then there are donors. In recent years live donor Xplants have become more common since we all have 2 kidneys and this has helped a bit. There is still a very urgent need for folks to mark the organ donor box on their drivers license or fill out an organ donor card. Kidneys are not the only organs that are in short supply for Xplant. The heart, lung, liver and even corneas and skin can be Xplanted in this day of modern medicine. Quite amazing. So friends, I urge you to sign a donor card and perhaps some day give someone else the gift of life!

God bless you richly. Love, Cassie

PS- Patrick is feeling a little better and awaiting his next ortho. visit. Thanks for your continued prayers.

PSS-Jen's blog has more A to Z Mondays listed on her sidebar. *the name has since changed to PKD Foundation

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter W

Western Tanager.

This morning I was awakened by a loud [[thud]] that came from downstairs. Unfortunately I have come to recognize this sound and knew that another bird had most probably bit the dust by flying into our bay window. Sure enough, there on the deck lay an adult breeding male Western Tanager. (I looked him up in Patrick’s Birds of the Inland Northwest and Northern Rockies.) He didn’t just have the wind knocked out of him; he was dead. What a shame too. He had a beautiful orange-red head and bright yellow body…just a lovely specimen of a bird. After reading about him I felt even worse, as these little guys not only are song birds, but they really help us out. Here’s what the book said about their behavior: “Gleans insects with sluggish movements through foliage, often high in trees; also sallies after flying insects.” I picked him up and he’s now in the back of the car going to a burial sight at the local landfill. Glad Hootie didn’t see him first, or I’d be running around in the rain trying to get him out of the little poop’s mouth!

My second W word for today is Wellness. Patrick was in an accident down in Phoenix with his motor scooter last Friday and dislocated and broke his R. collar bone. They scheduled an OR for him for tomorrow to get it set. They needed to wait until the swelling went down. His oldest sister (who is a nurse) went over yesterday and took the dressing off his back (road burn) and said he didn’t need that. Ginny called me from our place and said he was doing well, all things considered. Pat told me not to come down there (when it happened), as all he is doing is taking pain meds and sleeping. Ginny agreed and said I can baby him when he gets up here. I’ll let you all know how he’s doing, as I find out myself. Will appreciate your prayers for his wellness. Thanks all.

love, Cassie

ps-Don’t forget to check out Jen’s blog for more A to Z Mondays!!

pss-I'll post about the run at a little later date. We did better this year than last!

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter V

First of all, my favorite V is my granddaughter, Viola Avery. Viola is Teddy’s daughter and lives in a small town in Arizona with her folks and younger brother, Leslie Andrew. I don’t have a photo of Viola on my digital camera so you just have to take my word for it that she is adorable!! She is a sweetie too. I hadn’t heard her voice in a very long time, and was surprised by her on Mother’s Day with a telephone call. Viola is 12 years old now, and sounded so grown up. I miss my grandkids. If you are a praying person, please pray that my grandkids know how much I love them and that their mom’s heart will soften towards me. Thanks.

Secondly, my next V word is Violetta the Garden Fairy. Here is a picture of Violetta in my tiny little garden: Third V word: Vicious, Villainous, criminal Dog --- Beware!!! This dog can not be trusted. He is now wanted for bunny-slaughter.

[Since these photos vere taken the Villainous Dog has been Vindicated. Seems he just vanted to play vith the bunny, not hurt him.]

For more V words on A to Z Mondays check out buddy Jen's blog!

love, Cassie

A to Z Mondays ~ The Letter T

These are my odd shaped Tulips! I planted the bulbs last Fall and was so happy to see them waiting for me when we arrived here last Monday. My computer is running out of juice now, so I have to come back on a later date to read all my buddies blogs.

Go to Jen's blog for more A to Z Mondays.