Photo Montage

Well I was going through pictures today and realized I had some good ones that some of you have not seen so I thought I would just make a montage blog of some random photos. (Remember to click on them to see in larger format)  Enjoy!

Mom it is NOT a party hat!!!!! Mokie had a little issue that required him to wear a cone thing on his head, he was none to thrilled about it. But all better now.
Here is a photo of me and E in Jamaica with our friend Gussy at his mother's road side bar, that is the colorful building in the back. These are dotted around Jamaica and are great for spending time with your friends.
All I can say is give E a reason and she will be a ham! Love it! Here she is at Grace Land at the shooting range.
In the gift shop...hamming it up again..with her friend Brad.  giggle
When E and I are bored we get all silly. Here we are at E's company in Nebraska's yearly dinner. Being all silly
Hee, Hee! 
UGH! I could not get this photo to rotate correctly but how cute is this...it's a news clipping from back in the day of Elizabeth's mommie working at the apple orchard in NY filling up bottles with fresh cider. Isn't she so pretty!  : )
What you doing simey guy???? Our Siamese cat Sinatra being all stealth in his basket.
Elizabeth changing our license plate from nebraska to connecticut.  It is funny.. this is a tradition...we have this same photo from every place we have moved in an albumn we keep them all together and it is always funny to look at.
HENRY!! This is the mourning dove that I rescued when it's mommie abandoned it in our front yard. Thanks to my brother (Richard) who is an expert as these things...I learned what to feed it and how to keep it alive...and then it flew away. Helping nature can be so rewarding! (Richard stop rolling your eyes, I know it didn't look back at me and wave goodbye!! but it was still rewarding)
These are taken from the Ziggy Marley concert we went to in Nebraska. It was great!! The above pic is of John Paul White, he is a really talented artist from ALABAMA! When he said his name on stage I laughed so hard because E thought he said his name was Whyett instead of w-h--i-t-e in a long drawn out southern accent! LOL
Okay we were so close I could have touched him! It was one of the best concerts I have been to EVER!


Here are some more pics from Jamaica...no that sun burn did not hurt, but it did leave some major tan lines!
This is the best guy in Jamaica right here and one of the most decent human beings I know!, Steven.  Steven helps us when we are in Jamaica and keeps us safe and sound. He owns his own business helping tourist in this manner that come to the island. If you are ever planning a trip to Jamaica please contact me and I will be happy to put you in touch with him to make sure your stay is as pleasant as it can be. Get off the tourist path and come see the real Jamaica.  Okay that concludes my Jamaica Public Service Announcement LOL
Paradise! That is what Jamaica is....Paradise!
E swinging on a swing on the beach in Jamaica.   ahhhhhhhhh!
ooooh is that a brush with fame!  Elizabeth with Kimberly Caldwell.  We helped our sweet friend Troy out who runs the Diamond Foundation which raises money for  Camp Kindle (E and I's favorite charity!!) and we transported Kimberly around and made sure she was happy while she was in Omaha.


Me getting ready to go out for dinner...being all island like in Jamaica. Mother, do you see yourself in my face in this picture? Elizabeth always says about this picture that it looks like an older photo and that I have my mothers face.  : )
Did you know how Mangos grow?? Now you do. They are so beautiful.  : )  and yummy

Well that does it friends and family....hope you have enjoyed this little trip through time and pics.  Till the next blog....live life with joy!

No Time for the Summer Time Blues!

Well this blog entry takes us to Hammonasset Beach on the Long Island Sound in southern Connecticut. This is our closest and largest beach only an hour and 15 minutes from Enfield.  It is a lovely drive through beautiful rural new england towns....interesting side note, we passed a road on the way called Roast Meat Road. I lie to you not! I mean when people who live there give their address do you think people take them seriously??? Okay on to the days events and pics....
It was a beautiful day with air temps in the 70's (which is cool for us right now) and water temp of about 73 degrees.  I love the above picture. People watching is sooooooo great at the beach and I love to watch children at play on the beach...so sweet!
We got there early and set up our spot.  I laugh when E and I go to the beach because we are veterans. We bring all the gear...food, entertainment and what every smart beach goer knows a mallett! While others struggle to get that beach umbrella far enough in the sand not to blow away in the strong new england beach breeze, E and I make a few quick wacks with the mallett and that beach umbrella isn't going anywhere! A few embarrassing incidents of chasing our beach umbrella down the beach as it pumeled other beach goers on Cape Cod taught us that one!
Ahhhhhhhhh life is good! Notice those binoculars...they are great for "acting" like you are looking at wild life when you are really spying on folks out on the beach. Yea that is the voyeur  in me. giggle
There really is nothing better than eating breakfast on the beach!!

Hey little birdie   : )
The beach is located on a state park. The property is soooooo nice. They really do a great job of keeping it looking very clean and well manicured.
I love dune grass...it is so pretty.
Lots of little trails from the beach led to various areas of the park. 
They also have  a great board walk going all the way down the beach with places like above to stop and "sit a spell".  
Hey E!!
We watched the news the night before so we knew that a storm would roll in at some point in the afternoon so we watched the skies for indication on when to leave.
The coast is dark sand with rocks...I always make note of this when I am on the East coast beaches because where I come from in the south our beaches are so much different.  In the gulf the sand is sugar white and soft. Feels like confectioners sugar, so at some point I usually make the comment.  "Ugh my feet hurt!!"  lol
Okay how lucky are those people living in those houses!!
When we first arrived we almost had the beach to our selves....that did not last too long as the closer we got to noon the beach became full.
I do not know what these beach flowers are called. They look like little crabapples.  They are so pretty and I have noticed them on almost every East Coast beach I have ever been to. They have prickly branches but have such beautiful fruit and blossoms.
That's me (kristi) swimming out in the ocean...having a great time....until......
I had a brush with the dreaded Jelly Fish. I felt something sting my leg so I brushed my arm along my leg in  the water and that's when the damage was done and I was stung lightly on my arm.  Thank god I didn't really get into the guy too much I think I just brushed him because it wasn't bad at all really. You know what the cure for a jelly fish sting is right????? Gotta pee on it. I swear , I am not making that up!!!


So as our day at the beach came to a close, we were so glad we got there early because right like clock work noon came and a lightening strike struck over the water and the life guards closed the beach.  Some people were so mad "we just got here!" you could hear all along the beach. Well you gotta watch the weather when you plan to go to the beach people.  We did and we had a great time getting all morning to bask in natures beach beauty.

Until the next adventure......

Peace Pagoda in Leverette, MA

This was a really pleasant trip about 35 minutes from Enfield to see the Peace Pagoda. When we were in Northampton a local had told us about this place, said it was a beautiful spot to hang out and enjoy nature. Known to be a favorite among photographers in the area.  It was a great trip so allow us to show you the Peace Pagoda in Leverette, MA.
The directions were real sketchy on both mapquest and the Peace Pagoda's website which looked as though it had not been updated in 10 years! But we found it following hand painting signs such as this one.
Once we arrived we had to park the car and walk as no cars were allowed on the premises.  The walk was a real work out let me tell ya...all up hill!
All along the way were these little stone stupas erected by passerby's or maybe by the monks who tend the grounds.

Finally after much effort we see the Pagoda!! It is very beautiful set in a picturesque natural surroundings. We learned that the person who built this Pagoda had in his heart a wish for peace and nuclear disarmament. He vowed to raise money and build these Pagodas all over the world  as a place for people to come and contemplate peace.

Elizabeth is wearing the cool shirt she got in Northampton the week before at the Tibet store. Fierce! Goes well with the surroundings E.  :  )
I take a minute to sit on the rock bridge and enjoy the sun....hey,that was before I got my hair cut...drum roll please....I cut my hair!
I think it is much more me...here it is slick and sassy but I also can wear it curly and with clips all fun and cutesy. I am liking it very much and it is sooooo much cooler for the summer, summer time!
Okay back to the story....the Japanese style gardens surrounding the Pagoda structure were breath taking. Lots of beautiful flowers of every color broke through the sun drench pond surface.
Prayer flags swayed in the summer wind across the pond....
Life was just every where....a little birds' nest in a shade gazebo near the pond.
Such a tranquil place! I could see why photogs like the place too.
There were some of the biggest tadpoles I had ever seen...and I'm a country girl! Look at those babies!
Sparkly! Sparkly! Pretty.
Can a say it was a gorgeous sunny day!
Flowers were all around the pond along side stones and decorative grasses.
Ahhhhh!
The top of the Pagoda looked very nice against the striking blue sky of the day.
The walk ways and relief works were really incredible.
Praying monks relief.
These stones lined the pathways around the Pagoda...they looked like the lotus blossoms in the pond!
Dragon flies! I love those guys...they were every where!
I love pictures that have reflections in them....so cool!
The stone walk way around the Pagoda.
Just thought I would throw this photo in to show the scale of the structure itself...see Elizabeth in the bottom of the frame! It was huge!

The ponds had many stone structures and bridges...lots of little alcoves you could loose yourself in.
It was such a nice day trip. Well we  enjoyed sharing the photos from our little trip to the peace Pagoda. Hope you did too.

PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!!  : )