No paparazzi....

Our pond has several inhabitants

throughout the year.

In the past week the mallards have moved in.

Every year they come to lay their eggs

on the little "island" in the center of the pond.

There must be 6 or 8 couples this year.

The mallards were enjoying the weather today,

(water on the back of a duck!)

swimming around the pond.

So I stopped the car to take a picture

and as I approached

they all took off, leaving a beautiful

pattern on the water.

All but one couple flew away.

Who knew ducks were camera shy?

Seeing them paddling around

as we drive by every day

makes me think of my dad

and how he would have enjoyed seeing them.

And that makes me smile.............

This place is going to the dogs!

Is it my imagination

or does Chum look awfully guilty?

You see, Bentley never used to sit on the furniture.

But Chum, who wouldn't be caught dead

on it during the day,

sleeps there at night.

I know, because lately, he doesn't even wait

for us to go upstairs

before he makes himself comfortable.

(usually with his head on the pillow)

So when I saw that he was being

a bad influence on Bentley,

I had to ask myself......

Is he doing this because it's nice and comfy

and he wanted to share with his friend

or is he trying to get the annoying

newcomer in trouble

so we will finally come to our senses

and get rid of him?

The look suggests the later,

don't you think?

Either way, seeing them side by side

on the couch like two old pals

made me smile..........................

And they're off.....

The title today is in reference

to the pounds I'm hoping

will just be falling off,

now that I am starting

my low carb. diet.

Since the induction phase

of the low carb. diet

can be a little monotonous,

I have been looking for

new and exciting recipes

to help me stay the course.

Breakfast is usually

when I have a hard time

finding something that

will satisfy me and

will be quick and easy.

I found this recipe for Scottish eggs.

It's a homemade sausage mixture

wrapped around a hard boiled egg.

The "meatballs" smelled delicious

as they were cooking

and I had one for lunch

and found it succulent and filling.

This recipe is a keeper.

Each "meatball" only contains

1.7 grams of carb.!

Something that good

will help me start my day

with a smile..............

today was not so "springy"......

Today was one of those days where
I have to dig really deep
to find something that made me smile.
Not that anything terrible happened....
and for that, I am grateful.
But there wasn't anything
that made an impression either.
The one thing that I think
we would all agree on,
is that we (well mostly everyone else
in the family) got to sleep in.

Bentley and I were up early
but EVERYONE else slept peacefully.
Sitting in the family room,
before the sun came up
(hard to tell today, it seemed like it never came up)
listening to complete silence.....
and knowing everyone
was getting the rest they so badly needed
made me smile..................

Spring in January

Although it was gray and cloudy all day

it felt like spring.

The thermometer in the car

registered 58 degrees.

So it seemed like a good day

to do some housecleaning.

Now cleaning isn't my favorite thing to do

but being helped by my daughters,

almost willingly......,

and the end results

really make me smile

A gift from the heart

Kayla has been planning her

best friend Megan's birthday present

for months now.

Tonight she worked on

the finishing touches

and she let me help.

I can't show you any part of it

because Megan's party is tomorrow.

You will have to go to Kayla's blog -

A picture a day -

Sunday or Monday to see pictures of it.

All I can show you is the wrapping.

This present was conceived and executed

from Kayla's heart.

She poured love and creativity into it.

And the fact that she let me share,

even a little bit, in the making of it

Made me smile................

Here comes the sun.....

What a glorious day

we were blessed with today.

On the way to school this morning

we were greeted by the most beautiful,

colorful sunrise we've seen in a while

Then it got better.

The thermometer slowly rose

all the way to 48 degrees by 3 P.M.

It was hard to believe,

yet real easy to take, for mid-January.

After so many gray, cold, dreary days,

having blue skies and warmer weather

sure made me smile............