This is one of my Christmas presents!! I really have to read the instructions before I use it! It even came with a DVD !!! It is a portable so I can take it to GA when we go. (that is if I want to sew up there!) Suze has my other machine that is in a cabinet.

Dec. 29 Happy 6th Anniversary to us!!
Keith arrived yesterday. We went down to Suze/Jon's house for the day and tried out the double kayak. F U N.................ate "dinner" at the Hurricane Restaurant on the beach. Was a beautiful, warm day. And much to our surprise.......here sits that kayak in our own backyard!! Another beautiful day......and out onto "our" waters in back. Rock stopped at a kayak place and bought 2 paddles.....I knew he wouldn't wait to order some! Calm water is much easier to paddle in!
Keith and Rock checking the crab traps. We put out 5 of them. The water is shallow here on the end except for in front of the "pipe"......where the BIG BASS hang out.
Here they are, cooked and ready to eat. Just like Dungeness crab, sweet meat, but I have to admit, I like Dungeness MUCH BETTER......as they are so much sweeter! The blues pinch just as hard though.
David, this water is much warmer than yours!!

We took son, Keith, down to Suze/Jonathons home today. Went kayaking! and took her my sewing machine. (I got a new portable one) Brought 2 seater kayak to new home out back. Need to buy paddles though. Think the boat oars would be a bit heavy! haha
We had late lunch at "The Hurricane" down on Passe a Grille Beach. Fish and Chips. Suze's for key lime and pumpkin pie and coffee. Gee, Jannie, wish you were here! :*) It was beautiful out.

Julie and Rachel on Christmas Day at their home in Palmetto. Dinner was delicious. We fooled Rachel with this box! Her birthday the Dec. 20. We drove down and celebrated that last Friday.
I finally finished our bedroom. Suze's painting on the wall. Isn't it beautiful? The other walls are light gray.........I LOVE this room. (that's a Santa on the bed)

Christmas Eve at the Rockeys. Granddaughter, Rachel, Julie and John on couch, Alice, my sister at table. MJ behind Rachel and Ken peeking through her raised arm! We had a great dinner and evening opening presents. My see'ster, Alice. She lives in Tampa and stayed all night. We went to Mass Christmas morning.

Ken crabbed this afternoon. Got 3 males. We ate them Wed. night. NOT anything like Dungeness crab we get in WA. I always thought blues were sweet.........till I tasted Dungeness!! Will melt the butter for blues!!
Our neighbors, Bob and Ester, came over for dinner. We all had such a good time.

I have a collection of Santas. I have fun putting them in different places every year. Family and friends will be here for Christmas Eve dinner.

I haven't named my cat yet.....he sure keeps me smiling!

Here are a couple of pics of Christmas at the Rockeys.

I thought I would put a pic of our homes in Florida, and Georgia. Rock still trims the palms, they get such big bunches of heavy "berries" on them......green first, then turn to golden and smelly before they drop to the ground, ending up in a big mess!You can't see the water behind the house. In front is a Key lime tree. I have trimmed it short! Pappas grass in front. Never water it. Am trying to zeroscape the yard. This is cabin......deck goes all the way around......out 12 ft. on the other side that Rock added a couple years ago. We use it all the time. Is COLD there now......that's why we are in Florida!!!!!!

We went to a wine and cheese "party" at the Cadillac dealer last Friday evening. There were 6 XLR's there, all different colors. There is a "club" of XLR owners they wanted us to join. Don't need that! DID take some pics though......all cars were a different color!

Dec. 12 Sorry I haven't added to the blog. No "real" excuse.

Rock's surgeries are over.....he is 5 wks. postop. Doing real well if he would just do as I say!!

Garden is beautiful....picking fresh broccoli, various lettuces, tomatoes, arugala! herbs, ruby red grapefruit!

Planted an avocado tree and Mineola tangeloe tree 3 days ago.

Spent 2 days with Suze baking Christmas cookies!! Boy, were we tired!

Is very warm here for this time of year......that's why garden is doing so well. The fish are jumping....(mullet). Ken got a 24 in. large mouth bass last evening! WOW. Eating it tonight!

Nov. 16 Today it turned "cold"................got up to 56 degrees this afternoon!
I will be so happy when Rock is feeling better. I look forward to going to Kelly and Lisa's for Thanksgiving. Need to call them and find out what I can bring. Most of the Christmas presents are wrapped. Want to go and check out any sales this week!! It has been easy "cooking" this week....I don't!! Rock doesn't eat much at a time......I bought some SlimFast to drink....he likes that. Doctor appt. this Monday.

This is my POT garden.....basil, parslies, chives, rosemary and "bee" attractors! This is major garden, 9 broccoli plants doing very well. Spinach up, lots of mesclun, dill, peppers, 2 tomatoes that are doing better than those in pots! Strawberry jar has tarragon, stevia and thyme. Will buy strawberries by the flat in Plant City in Feb. or later. Some romaine doing well..... So far the ducks have left all alone!

Tiny yellow breasted birds jump around the garden daily and eat all the bugs. I have never had to spray for anything! Therefore, I am completely organic!! This is the arugula......it is soooooo good.
We have scads of ruby red grapefruit this year. Soooo tasty and sweet.

Nov. 14, 2007 Time seems to be going slowly. Rock is still recouping.....we will both be glad when he is feeling up to par!!

The weather here has been beautiful, but is dry.

We have been very busy with Rock's surgery, and he has another one Wed. No pictures of this! My garden is growing well. Have tomatoes almost golf ball size on a couple. Mesclun lettuce is doing well, and romaine. Broccoli plants are GROWING..............Can't wait to pick that!

THIS IS BLUE Below is a Snook that was thrown back, of course.

The extra small fish Ken caught were give to the "shore birds"........"Blue" comes every day to eat but I have stopped feeding them all. They would walk into the house if you let them! Rock gets tired of "hosing down the patio" from their "gifts". Blue has a fish so big he is having a problem getting it down!

Julie and Rachel came up Sat. to see Rock before surgery. My, how she has grown! Rach will be 11 on Dec. 21
Ken and Jacob over too. We grilled this fish tonight, Sun. for din. Delicious!! I keep trying to get Ken to let his hair grow....he absolutely refuses, so I keep calling him "Howie". He is doing so well!!!!!!!!!!
Jake has bad sinus problems. I used the Neti pot on him, boy, what a difference that made..........AND.............he is shown here with the RIFE machine hooked up for his sinuses. He is taller than me now............he turned 12 in Aug. and is in 8th grade. A smartie pants!! The Neti pot was shown on Oprah's show by Dr. Oz. It works wonders!! I love it. Even Rock uses it. Check it out on the net.

Forgot to tell everyone......Rock has surgery next Monday. Outpatient at hospital I worked at for 10 yrs. in Tarpon Springs. Great doctor.....know him well.

His favorite..............carrot cake!! Not as good as mine or Publix's!!!!!
Ready to plant........3 kinds of tomatoes (7 plants), one sweet red pepper and herbs, 9, yes 9 broccoli!! Will put in Mesclun and arugala......our favorite. Funny for you northern people, huh? That is one benefit of living in Florida...........garden anytime!
Had to add fresh Miracle Grow DIRT, of all things. Soil here just disappears somewhere every year. This planter is only one in the winter that has sun, since it faces north.....and the water. The walkway is crushed shell.........good for all walkways here in the yard. When it FREEZES, I have 2 old glass windows from the house that Rock replaced last year and I cover the plants. Use blankets, etc. for the tomato plants that are in separate pots.

Monday was Rock's birthday!! This is what he wanted, so we "shopped" and ended up at Lowe's. Used it the same night for his favorite, a pork loin.
Just checking it out.......discovered he had one empty bottle and one 1/2 full! Was enough for the pork loin though.

Rock saw the doc Thurs. and sees the surgeon Tues. He's doing well. Can't keep him down!
These are ruby red grapefruit and they are getting sweeter every day!
I planted the grasses only a year ago! Florida rain is really good for them!

We arrived FL Wednesday evening. One blown tire on trailer....Rock changed it along interstate. I had horrid migraine all the way till today...SAT. Everything overgrown, loads of grapefruit on tree and key limes. Our resident osprey continues to give us joy with his chirps. All the sea birds around. So different than Georgia.

Our Florida home! Leaving GA Wed. Rock's hernia. Doctor on Thurs. The weather in GA is really nice now. Still no turning of leaves here.
FISH.......here we come. This is side of house as we have water in back and side. Love it here.

This is our "fall" sunset.....blinking through the trees.
Rock mixing up more cement for basement wall today. He put in the kitchen skylight yesterday.
This is the biggest leaf I have seen here. We are still walking every morning, looking for deer. Saw one doe today.

4 trees in one !
A double tree.
Rock leading the way, we both carry "walking sticks".
A pretty fungus on dead trunk.
These weeds are blooming everywhere now.

We walk in the woods every morning now that it is a bit cooler. It takes about 45 min. to cover the area, even going a different route each time. Up and down hills, I am soaking wet by the time we get back to the cabin. Took some interesting shots today. I always follow Rock as he "clears" the way. (I do the same on the motorcycle)

There is still just a tinge of color on the leaves except for the dogwood-they are getting redder.

Sept. 22 WE went to the Saddle Club today just down the road from us. Some pretty horses, all ranking today. Could they ever lift those front legs us!
Even the "old guy" did his thing.
This flower, Mandeville, was at Dollywood. Camera did a good job! Want to plant a couple of these in Florida. They are climbers, like the yellow Alamanda, and smell so sweet.

We went to Dollywood this week. A beautiful, homey, down to earth place. Good food, beautiful flowers, extremely hospitable/pleasant staff. We didn't go on any rides! Several "shows"..........Saw the "little guy on the end" of the Statler Brothers. (they are planning a reunion this year). He gave a good show.
There is a water shortage in Tennessee also, but a couple of places did have water running. The streams are low.
This pig did not look real!! I wonder how long it took to roast. I had chicken for lunch!
We found this on our walk in the woods this morning. What is it?? I have never seen a dog skeleton, but maybe this is it? We found deer skulls a couple of years ago.