Wordful Wednesday: Destined to Lead

I am participating in Wordful Wednesday, sponsored by Angie at Seven Clown Circus.

Founded by three Detroit area Lions Clubs members in 1939, Leader Dogs for the Blind provides dog guides to people who are blind and visually impaired to enhance their mobility, independence and quality of life.

Leader dogs are raised by volunteer puppy raisers. Leader Dogs could not be provided without the assistance of volunteer puppy raisers.

There are nearly 400 puppy raisers in 22 states and Canada. Puppy raisers travel to Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, to pick up and return their puppies.

Seventy percent of puppy raisers raise more than one puppy in their lifetime.
Puppy raisers receive their puppies at 7 to 8 weeks of age and return them to Leader Dogs for the Blind between 12 and 15 months of age.

Puppy raisers teach puppies basic obedience, house manners and good etiquette while exposing the puppies to all types of environments, such as:

• Churches, stores, amusement parks, sporting events
• Different types of people
• Different types of floors and stairs
• Different sorts of animals, including squirrels, cats, birds, dogs and farm animals
• Loud sirens
• Busy sidewalks and bicycles.

Some puppy raisers are able to take their puppy to work with them . Puppy raisers are responsible for meeting at least monthly with their puppy counselor. Volunteer puppy counselors are regionally placed. Counselors organize obedience lessons and exposure opportunities for the puppies.

Puppies who see and experience a large variety of environments during the first year of their lives will be more confident when exposed to future experiences .
Raisers provide health care, food and necessary supplies for the puppies.

Raisers have the privilege of naming the puppies.

Puppy raisers follow very specific guidelines, such as:

• When puppies are in public wearing their “Future Leader Dog” bandannas or jackets, they are expected to be clean and well mannered.
• Puppies will be taught to stay off furniture .
• Puppies are expected to lay quietly at meal time and not beg.

Each month, approximately 30, 1-year-old puppies are returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind to begin formal training .

My friend, Kristi, has raised 9 puppies to date. They have all been Yellow Labs up to this point.

Moses, the love of our lives, was her first. He went everywhere with her, restaurants, church, the grocery store. No place is off limits to Future Leader Dogs. Anywhere a blind person would be welcome, these puppies are welcome.

After a year with Kristi, Moses was returned to start training, and Kristi took another puppy home. Not long after, she got a call. One hip was not perfect, and did she want him back? That was easy! So I picked him up part way home, and drove him the rest of the way to her house. Two of my boys rode along, and fell in love. How could you not? But Kristi had plans for him. We bid a tearful goodbye, and I whispered "If your plans fall through, call us." And that's what happened.

Kristi is devoted to raising these wonderful dogs, and giving them a terrific head start for the life they are going to lead. This German Shepherd/Lab mix will be her tenth! Moses was a "Career Change", one is undergoing training now, and 7 have been placed as Leader Dogs.

Which brings us to the puppy at hand.

Your task, privilege, is to come up with a name for this puppy. She will be picked up in Rochester, Michigan on October 3. The name will be decided before then, so that it can be put on the formal documents. (Once she has the puppy home, I'll be able to publish a photo of the actual puppy you have named. The one that has appeared so far is a photo furnished by Leader Dog of a former Shepherd pup).

Tomorrow, check back for names Kristi used for previous puppies. And I'll have info on the prize for this new Great Poprs Giveaway, too!

Wordful Wednesday: What Are the Chances?

Most of you know by now that I'm a quilter. I have always wanted an antique quilt. And an applique quilt, since I don't have the time or talent to make my own, would be my pick. I cut a picture out of a magazine years ago of a family room, with the most wonderful navy and white quilt on the wall. I saved it for years, as the model of the ideal quilt. One I would love to have someday...

Time went on and the little magazine clipping was tucked away and forgotten. Years later, on a very hot summer day, I was going through our little weekly newspaper, The Shopper, scanning the ads: garage sales, pets and household items for sale. Buried in the middle of the last section, was an ad that read:

For sale.
Old magazines, books,
clothing, quilts,
canning jars, postcards etc.
Call 722-xxxx.

Wait a minute. Quilts. Hmmmmmmm. Well, it couldn't hurt to call. So I called the number. A man answered. He sounded elderly. I asked about his ad, and wondered if the quilts were still available. "Oh, honey, you don't want those old things!" We talked for quite a while, and I said I'd really like to come and see them. He gave me directions to the house, and I told him I'd be right over.

When I pulled up to his little house, I could not believe my eyes. He'd hung the quilts on the line. There were three of them. One was a Grandmother's Flower Garden. It was from the '20's, made of tiny little hexagons. Another was a Log Cabin. The blocks are made of strips, in a pattern of dark and light. And in the middle of the two very average quilts, hung this...

My ideal! The quilt from the magazine.

I remember getting goose bumps on a 90-degree summer day. Unbelievable! It was fluttering in the breeze, in all its glory. I got out of the car to meet my host. He was, indeed, an elderly man. We walked over to the line and I asked him if he knew where the quilts originated. He wasn't sure, but thought maybe Pensylvania. He said the one on the right would be the best for picnics. I told him I was kind of fond of the little one in the middle. He thought I was nuts. Why, with the sun shining through it, you could even see the cotton seeds in the batting! And the old gent was right, the quilt was old. Not a bad thing, for someone looking for an antique.

To make a long story short, I bought all three quilts. I tried to take them to an antique shop for him, to see how much money I could get him for them. He wouldn't hear of it. He never dreamed they were worth anything, he just wanted to get rid of them. He was thrilled that I thought "those old rags" were worth keeping.

And I think I paid $85 for all three. The lovely hand-appliqued and quilted Oak Leaf quilt, from the mid 1800's, periodically graces the wall of my family room. And look closely. The dots on the navy fabric are tiny stars. Love it!





This incredible story is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday. You should stop by and see her today!

Wordful Wednesday: Topsy Turvy Tomato Tragedy

As many of you know by now, I was "experimenting" with Topsy Turvy Tomatoes. Well, turns out I am the Tomato Torturer. Plants that come home with me are marching toward certain death. You can almost hear them at the garden center, saying "Take him! He's much nicer than I am..." Pleading to be spared.

It's not that I don't try. I plant them with the best of intentions. Water them. Pinch off the suckers. Fertilize. Hope.

I've tried several different locations in the yard, looking for the place with just the right amount of sunshine. I've amended the soil. I've planted in pots and in half whiskey barrels. I 've doused them with Miracle Grow for Tomatoes. Bought young plants and plants that already have little green tomatoes on them. I've sought advice from experts.

This year, in my never-ending quest for the perfect home-grown tomato, I've spared no expense. I spent lots of $$ on the project. Huge 8 X 8 cedar timbers with copper tops, wrought iron hooks, and the infomercial-touted suspended planters. I planted them with fertilizer-enhanced, moisture-controlled soil. Placed them in a sunny locale. Watered daily.

And this is the result...

Our pal Jerry, who supplies us with his home-grown delights, diagnosed the problem as blossom end rot. Too much water. Too much love. Too funny! To him, that is.

They hang on the "Tomato Gallows" (thanks, kids), blow in the wind, and wilt. So I water them. Every day. It's a vicious cycle of wilt and water. The more they wilt, the more I water.

He's seen the struggles. It cracks him up. Thinks all you have to do is buy some plants and plant 'em. Yeah, right. Says his grow like weeds, and not to worry. They'll have enough in his garden to eat their fill, can salsa, and still be able to feed my BLT cravings.

Good! 'Cause I love home-grown tomatoes! I just can't home-grow 'em.

BTW, this tragedy is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday. Well, she sponsors this weekly gathering. Today, I'm supplying the drama.

Wordful Wednesday: The Cornflake Monster

When we left off, we were talking about family vacations. I was telling you about ours, at the beach in North Carolina. I told you stories, but saved this one for last.

One night after dinner, when the kids were a lot younger and the first time we were at the beach, Uncle Moker took Uncle Lynn aside and told him he was going to tell the kids a story, and to just "play along." Lynn was supposed to operate the lights, and turn them off when he got the signal. So Uncle Lynn agreed, and launched into an elaborate story about the trolls that lived under the bridges over the dune, which lead to the beach.

Mr. Pops had a rapt audience. He explained how children should not dawdle when crossing the dunes, and to be sure to hold hands and to NEVER go across the bridges alone in the dark. Lynn was giving Uncle Moker enough time to get ready, and when the story was long enough, and scary enough, the signal came, the lights went down and THIS...

jumped out of the dark!

The little ones were crying and holding their mamas. Even the big ones weren't acting all that big. It took quite a while for them to settle down.

Even the oldest of the cousins still asks for a reappearance of Cornflake Monster. Soccer Boy missed it, since he hadn't come into the world yet. Should have had a repeat performance years ago. Don't think the Cornflake Monster would have the same effect on a 13-year-old. He's waaaaaaay too cool now!

Until it gets dark.

Well, this is the first year in a very long time that we aren't having Beach Week. My two oldest boys have full-time jobs now and have not earned vacation time. College Boy is working 60 or more hours a week, so he won't have to work during the school year. And the girls have their obligations, too.

Maybe they'll sneak a week in, maybe not. Summer is fading fast. The kids have mostly grown up. Soon there will be careers, weddings, and families of their own. No matter how many more beach weeks we have together, or whether there are no more, one thing is certain...

...I wouldn't have missed it for the world! This memory brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.

Wordful Wednesday: Let's Throw a Block Party

Don't forget my New POPrs Giveaway...Click here to find out the details!

What a GREAT idea! Someone should get in Block Party Mode...Well, why not you? It's not hard, and you'll have so much fun, it will become an annual event. Here's how to get started.

Enlist help. Another mom or two and you're on your way.

Call the city. You need permission to block off the street, and the fire department needs to know about any barricades. Where we live, city workers delivered the barricades early the morning of the party.

Make flyers. Give people enough notice so they can plan ahead. Games on a Saturday afternoon and grilling at 5-6 p.m. works great. Ask people to bring a dish to share. The planners can provide hot dogs & burgers. Ask everyone to call to rsvp, and ask them what they are able to bring.

Have a list kind of ready-paper plates, condiments, buns, chips, salads, desserts, drinks, etc. And you could even make Summer Block Party Chicken Salad, since you know my recipe and all!

Have the neighborhood kids help with games. If they are part of the planning, you won't believe how much help they will be!

Put enough garbage cans out! And ask your neighbors to bring chairs, too.

Have name tags, and make it a point to speak to as many people as possible. Pull up a chair next to some of the older folks and really get to know them. You'll make someone's day.

Tune in tomorrow for some game ideas. Some you will no doubt have thought of, but I'll bet there is a new idea there for you, too!

And don't forget to comment about why you want to win the 10 pack of POPrs.

These great summer block party ideas are brought to you by Angie, and her Wordful Wednesday.

Wordful/Wordless Wednesday: Grandmother Willow?

We're celebrating a birthday today. To honor the Birthday Girl, we'd like to tell a little story, first.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who loved flowers. Her mother, who loved to garden, wanted to foster this love, so that it would grow...

...so the mother gave her daughter a small asparagus fern. The little girl named the tiny plant "Lacy," because of her delicate fronds.

Lacy shot up like a weed. And as children are wont to do, the little girl grew up, too, and moved away.

The mother nurtured Lacy. She transplanted the lovely fern more than a dozen times. When she gave Lacy her regular "hair cut," she rooted the fronds and propagated new plants, which she gave to her friends, neighbors, and the little old ladies at church.

As she nears middle age, Lacy wants you to know that she's healthy, and still growing strong, in the new pot she received to commemorate her birthday. She just turned 37. Hardly as old as Grandmother Willow, but all the wiser, nonetheless.

This Veggie Tale is brought to you by Angie's Wordful Wednesday, and Wordless Wednesday, c/o 5 Minutes for Mom.

Wordful Wednesday: Intercourse is Lovely!

OK, before you go and label Eat Your Veggies! as an R-rated blog, take a look at this lovely quilt. It was hand-sewn in Amish Country~that would be Intercourse, Pennsylvania, right outside of Lancaster.

When College Girl was a high school junior, she got it in her head that she'd like to attend a small college. Well, PA is full of 'em and we visited a number, including Gettysburg, Dickinson and Franklin & Marshall, which is in the heart of Lancaster.

Neither one of us had ever been to this part of PA before, and we spent one long afternoon exploring. The Amish all live out beyond the city limits. It's a real thowback to simpler times, with rolling farmland, buggies, bonnets and little towns with names like Bird-in-Hand and, of course, Intercourse.

I shot the snap above in my living room. My Amish quilt from that college visit of long ago is draped over the chair we inherited from Aunt Julie and Moker's grandmother, Hilda. I'd just finished washing the quilt, and thought the setting would be perfect for a classic shot.

When you purchase a quilt from the Amish, you get the history behind it, too. This Double Wedding Ring Quilt was made by Rose Stoltzfus of Lancaster County, PA, in 2003. I purchased it at Christy's Quilt Shoppe on Center Street in Intercourse, PA.

College Girl, of course, decided on a small college~in Wisconsin. But I got a beautiful family heirloom out of the bargin.

I'm sharing this special shot as part of Angie's Wordful Wednesday. Do stop by, if you have a chance!

Wordful Wednesday: The Gal with the Green Thumb

I think we established a long time ago that Aunt Julie is the Gal with the Green Thumb. Well, June is bustin' out all over right about now at her place.

"This is my newest baby," Julie Eliz enthuses. "It is a tree peony. The petals look just like crepe paper. They are about 8 inches across. Just beautiful!

"It's just finished blooming, and won't flower again until next year at this time," Julie says. "Bummer."

What isn't a bummer is those Topsy Turvy Tomatoes of hers. I saw them just the other day. They've got blooms already, so we'll see what happens when those crazy, upside-down things start to bear fruit. I promise to keep you updated.

Thanks so much to the winners of our POPrs Giveaway, and to everyone who stopped by yesterday to help me celebrate my First Blogoversary. Tons o' Fun, huh?

Today's post is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.

Wordful Wednesday: Topsy Turvy Tomatoes

I think we've already established the fact that my SIL, Aunt Julie, has a pretty green thumb. She had the kids out in the garden just a couple of weeks ago--digging, pulling, hauling, grading. The result? This lovely area for hanging her Topsy Turvy Tomatoes.

I did a speck of research on these amazing gizmos, and they've got a pretty interesting history. These upside-down planters are actually based on the original plans from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. According to Jill M. on eHow, these gardens were one of the original Seven Wonders of the World.

Topsy Turvy Tomatoes are also known by some as a Tomato Swingset, Tomato Gallows (I really like that one!) and a Wall of Tomatoes.

Hanging these babies upside down, apparently, solves lots of tomato-type problems, such as fruit rot and bugs. Julie Eliz has planted Big Boy, Better Boy, Big Beef and Roma varieties.

Will she have a better tomato harvest this season?

"We'll see, " she says. Ever the optimist!

For a look at the rest of the Wordful Wednesday Harvest, please visit Angie, OK?

Weekly Winners: On the Road Again

I've written in this space before about the ups & the downs of teaching a child how to drive. Well, here is the genesis of that story: I couldn't even go near my kid and her bicycle, for fear of World War 3 errupting.

She was 6; I was a little older. I know, I was the adult, but still a young adult. My position was that Mommy Knew Best-about everything, including getting the training wheels off and going for a solo spin.

College Girl was having none of that hoo-haw. She was gonna ride when she felt like riding. And her Mommy wasn't going to be part of that equation.

One weekend, CG asked her Dad to take the training wheels off. Then she asked for a push. KER-PLOP! She fell on the driveway, and skinned her knee.

I made a mental note to teach her how to ride alongside the lawn, and fall on the grass.

After that First Fall, the bike stayed garaged for a week. She hit me up after school one day. Wanted to try out that two-wheeler again.

KER-PLOP! She rode alongside the lawn, and aimed her fall perfectly-but tumbled off the wrong side, and skinned her other knee.

The bike went back in the garage again. For the next several weeks, I'd steal a peek at it when I went to wheel the trash down to the curb on Garbage Eve. I mentioned once or twice that I thought the bike was getting lonely.

College Girl was having none of that. She went back to her American Girl Doll books and even volunteered to practice the piano.

I figured if the child had turned to the piano as a refuge, then bike-riding was a lost cause.

Until Aunt Julie showed up.

College Girl and Julie Eliz put the bike in the car and headed for the nearest large parking lot. Within 30 minutes, the kiddo was burning rubber like she was Danica Patrick.

Danica Patrick on a pink Huffy bike with a pink-and-white basket centered on the handlebars. Oh, and pink leggings, too. The quintessential Haute Couture of the 6-and-under set.

This tale is sponsored by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.

Wordful Wednesday: Grillin' & Chillin'

We live on a cul-de-sac. Some of us call it a "court." Four other families live on the court with us. We decided to do something festive for Memorial Day, so we did a 5-family bar-be-que.


My Philly looks festive, doesn't it?

No, not a wine-tasting. Just some good cheer in front of the garage.

The peonies dressed up for the occasion.

Well, not all the kiddos were home for the weekend, but we drew a pretty good crowd. And we got the whole thing in before Mother Nature threw a wet blanket, so to speak, on the proceedings. We'd been anticipating rain all day, but the skies didn't open up until we'd finished with dessert.

The message is brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday. Enjoy!

Wordful Wednesday: Girl Power

Here's to Rachel Alexandra, the filly who won the Preakness Stakes last weekend. Her victory in the second leg of the Triple Crown shows just how tenacious and tough we women can be, huh?

Speaking from a female point-of-view, it's hard not to root for a good-looking gal who has the smarts, too.

So, on behalf of women who rock everywhere, I give you these famous ladies, brought to you by Angie and her Wordful Wednesday:

Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. ~Harriet Beecher Stowe, Author

Toughness doesn't have to come in a pinstripe suit. ~Dianne Feinstein, US Senator

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. ~Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady and Philanthropist

Have a Wordful Wednesday!

Wordful Wednesday: Festival Foods Welcomes POPrs!

First things first. Please vote for Kathleen and Veronica. They're headed for the Winner's Circle, I just KNOW it!

No, you're not seeing things, POPrs Fans! Your favorite fun AND nutritious seasoning is now on grocery store shelves. Specifially, in Festival Foods stores in Wisconsin!

Uncle Lynn's introduction of the new retail version of POPrs is designed for yogurt, though it of course tastes just as delish on pudding, applesauce, etc. Uncle Lynn has put together seven demo teams, which go into the stores Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Sundays to entice shoppers with this awesome product. So if you're a Wisconsinite, journey out to Festival Foods soon and get your POPrs fix!

And if you're not from Wisconsin? Well, I just think you should march down to your local grocery store and DEMAND that they include POPrs in their yogurt aisle. Tell 'em you want to make your food sing, too, and that Veggie sent ya!

Let me let Uncle Lynn explain a little bit: "Our POPrs retail roll-out has been going over VERY well," he explains. "We are also planning some radio spots to support the introduction, and hope we can get enough people to know about it that we can expand out from here. From 13 local Festival stores to 2,500 Krogers, perhaps?"

Uncle Lynn says you can still buy POPrs online, and he's also now offering the new logo POPrs hats and shirts as well. And tune in to his POPrs Web site to watch a new video, too!

Of course, Uncle Lynn wouldn't be where he is today without the continuing support of all his POPrs Pals, who continue to come back and visit Eat Your Veggies! and keep rooting for this thing to take off in a big way. Our unofficial, but nevertheless quite enthusiastic POPrs "PR" gal and Previous POPrs Winner (that would be Lula, natch!) says we should aim for QVC now. Whaddaya think?

Thanks for everything, friends, and just so ya know: I'm participating in Angie's Wordful Wednesday today. You should, too!

Wordful Wednesday: And the Winner Is...

Well, that's grammatically incorrect. I should say, "And the Winners Are..."

And the Winners Are...

Marrdy, who is One Krazy Kat Lady, and happens also to be a Past POPrs Winner!

Rhonda, she of Rhonda's Rants,

and

Jessie, from Muthering Heights.

Ladies, please send me your contact info, and we'll get those POPrs Prizes out to you ASAP. Send your info, plus a contact phone for the FedEx if you please, to veggiemom@poprs.com ~ Thanks!

Yesterday's Birthday Bash was my 15th POPrs Giveaway, and I'm not tired yet. Thanks so very much to everyone who made Uncle Lynn's day so special!

I'd like to close my Wordful Wednesday post on this note: The awesome POPrs infomercial above is brought to you by Hanna. Her Mommy, Heather, is a Past POPrs Winner, too. Little "H" loves POPrs on her applesauce. Isn't that sweet?

Wordful Wednesday: A Warm and Fuzzy Tale

First of all, in the interest of full disclosure, this isn't my photo. I acquired it from Funniest Pets, a blog that features All Things Crazy about critters and their humans. I'm not posting my own pix today, and I have a really good reason.

On Sunday, while I was hauling mulch (22 bags, grand total!), my new neighbor came over. Seems she had been gardening as well (like minds think alike!), and when a commotion errupted from her basement window well.

I went back over next door to see what I could see. And I saw three practically brand-new kittens ~ two black and one white. They must have been hungry, 'cause they sure were raising a ruckus!

Turns out Mama Cat had been dragging those poor little critters hither and yon, as new mothers tend to do. MC is a feral cat, and has been hanging around the neighborhood for a good little bit, defying all our efforts to give her shelter or at least a free meal.

My neighbor, though, said Mama Cat had not been seen for at least 24 hours. So, naturally, this kind woman was worried about the kittens.

The shelters were closed (remember, it was Sunday), the pound was shuttered (Sunday, again) and the only people answering their phones were the Animal Control people. They said that if MC didn't come back in another 24, they'd come pick up the kittens and take them out of harm's way. In the meantime, they recommended that my neighbor let Mother Nature work her will on the situation.

So the neighbors spent the night listening to persistent mewing, and I worried myself sick over raccoons, foxes, even deer, although I know they just eat mostly tulips this time of year. I checked in later, though, to find out that this story has a happy ending after all.

It rained cats and dogs Sunday night (OK, I know, cheesy, but still...), but when we checked the window well the next day, Mama Cat was back at her post and the kittens were exhibiting voracious appetites, all!

We inquired of my vet, who adopts out foundlings. He said to put a cover, of sorts, over the window well, with just enough room for MC to get in and out, wait a few weeks, and call him in the morning.

So that's my Warm and Fuzzy tale for today. Brought to you by Angie's Wordful Wednesday. And when I can get a closer look, I'll bring you a real picture of my new neighbors, OK?

Wordful Wednesday: Spring Snowstorm

If you think snow isn't possible in April, think again. While I was visiting my peeps last week, we had a crazy, blowing, ice-snow mix that went on for a couple of hours. In April. The official Month of Spring.

Of course, last week's precipitation was just like spitting in the ocean compared to the Spring Storm of '96. Here are College Boy (holding the sign), Shark Boy (holding the baby) and Soccer Boy (in his warm and cuddly snowsuit) standing on Aunt Julie's back deck.

Yes, you read the sign correctly. Snow. On April 15th. Must have been a present from Uncle Sam, huh?

As Moker always says, "Wisconsin has two seasons: Nine months of winter, and three months of tough sledding!"

Participating in Angie's Wordful Wednesday. Come join the fun!

Wordful Wednesday: Playing Dress-Up

All I need to tell you is that even College Kids play Dress-Up. Especially in the dorm, when one wants to find something else to do besides study!

Here we have two lovely examples of Study Fever at its pitch. Danny is from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Many around those parts call residents "Youpers," for short.

College Girl, let's just say, is from more moderate climes.

In this priceless snap, snagged during Freshman Year at Larry U., the gals decided to dress up as each other's "climate."

CG, you see, is pretending to be a "Youper." Danny, oh,butofcourse, is going for the Beach Baby look. Enjoy Angie's Wordful Wednesday ~ I know I will!

Don't Be Shy!

I, like many of my Bloggy Brethren, have a stat counter, which spews data at me every week. Since I'm not much of an expert, I really don't know what to make of all the referrals, entry clicks and exit clicks, but I do know page views. And I average, in any given week, about 96 page views a day; close to 700 in any given week.

Whew! To hear the experts tell it, that's a lot of traffic! But one thing I don't really understand...why would someone visit a site like mine, digest its content, then slink away without commenting?

If my stat counter is to be believed, oodles of people visit Eat Your Veggies! So, I have a pretty basic question: Why all the "lurkers" out there?

As you probably know, a lurker is one who hangs out at a blog, but doesn't comment. I'm not sure how the "professional" blogging world views lurking, but I guess I just don't understand the need for anonymity.

OK, I understand if my posts are tedious; if they're silly; if they're just plain uninteresting. But I'd like to think I create posts that are at least mildy bright, if not downright sparkling.

But the comments? They're just not coming. A recent snapshot proves my point. Monday: 9 comments; Tuesday: 9 comments; Wednesday (A "theme" day, with Angie's Wordful Wednesday): 19 comments; Thursday: 8 comments.

During that same time period, I had visitors from Oregon, Indiana, California, Arkansas, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Nevada, Virginia and Florida, to name a few. And don't forget the international traffic: Canada, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Mexico, Germany and, of course, Unknown. But I guess we don't know if Unknown is an international or a domestic visitor, do we?

My questions to you are these: Am I doing something wrong, or are bloggers basically shy people at heart? Is there something else I should be doing that I'm not? Why are all these visitors lurking in the shadows of cyberspace?

Hey, I'm a friendly gal. And I'm still pretty new at this Blogging Business. So, please ~ suggest, offer, push and insist with me. I won't take offense. If there's one thing I've learned in my life, I'm really good at responding to constructive criticism.

My Nana taught me that it's impolite not to have a "welcoming" atmosphere in one's home. Well, my red (cyber) carpet is out. I'd love for you to leave a comment. Pretty please?

Wordful Wednesday: Color Me Sleepy

I love this photo for a number of reasons. The colorful sleeping bags. The two little dirty-blond heads peeking out. The slumbering swimmers.

Those who are regular readers know that my children are competitive swimmers. Sometimes, while on a road trip, they have to wrestle a few winks in between sessions; sometimes even in between events. They know from 30 combined years of hanging around the pool deck that food and sleep are the fuel that makes those pistons hit at the proper intervals for elite college competition.

Michael Phelps they're not; they're oh-so-much-smarter than that!

So they snag some sleep when they can. It's not always this colorful, nor peaceful, but every so often they paint a pretty picture, don't they?

I thought about engineering an April Fool's Day post, but decided to use this sweet snap instead. Please join us for Wordful Wednesday, over at Angie's Place. You'll be glad you did!

Wordful Wednesday: Twists and Turns

A friend at work was talking about teaching her daughter how to drive. That conversation brought back tons of memories...not all of them of the delightful variety. But I did start thinking about the day we "conquered" Lombard Street~the shortest distance ever with eight sharp switchbacks~in San Francisco.

The kids didn't even want to attempt the descent, so they left it up to Dear Ol' Mom. My Sis got out and took the photo. You can see one kiddo in the shot, but not the driver~probably because I was white-knuckling it all the way down!

"To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first."

William Shakespeare

I would say that about driving down Lombard Street, too! Playing along today with Angie and her Wordful Wednesday.