our molly girl sleeps like this. it's pretty funny but also not a rarity for welsh corgis...most of them sleep like this.
and like most living things that sleep on their back, she snores too.

here's the legend of the corgi and how they came to be.

queen mab clapped her hands, "I am bored" she cried. "Let us take our steeds and go for a ride."

Instantly before the fairy queen, appeared a small red and white dog wearing a gold collar and bell. on his back was a tiny saddle made of the finest leather and chased in silver. similar dogs appeared to the other members of the fairy court. they each mounted their enchanted dogs, and led by queen mab, they rode out of the hollow hills. by the light of the moon, they flew through the forests of wales.

suddenly, one of the fairies gave a cry. his steed had brushed against a trap that was set by poachers. made of iron, its touch was deadly to fairy folk, and the little dog and his courtier were laid low by its power. "what shall we do?" said queen mab.

a small voice broke the silence and a human boy peered from behind a tree. "if you please your majesty, i can move the trap away so that it won't be touching them anymore and my sister knows herbs. she may be able to ease their pain."

"what are you doing out at this time of night, boy?" the queen demanded. "do you not know that the night holds many dangers for mortals?"

"my father is a shepherd and our best ewe is lost and without her we will surely starve."

"heal my friends and i shall repay you many times over." queen mab replied.

the boy tugged at the heavy trap and his sister made a soothing compress of blackberry leaves. with their rapid healing powers, the fairy and his dog were soon well again.

"i promised you a reward, boy" queen mab said. twice she rang the golden bell that hung around her dog's neck. two red and white puppies appeared. "these are fairy dogs" queen mab said. they are swift and clever and true, and they can herd cattle as well as sheep. treat them well, and you shall never lose your livestock again."

the shepherd's family prospered and the fairy dogs gave birth to puppies. the corgis as they became known-from the welsh words cor meaning "dwarf" and gi meaning "dog" were highly prized for their herding ability.

as a mark of their fairy steed origin, they all bore saddle or harness marks behind their shoulders. and on midsummer's day if the dogs were a little tired for once- the shepherds simply nodded their heads wisely. they knew that every midsummer's eve the fairies returned to ride the corgis so they would never forget their heritage.

i think christmas tree lots for christmas trees are like runway shows for fashion.

p.s. does anyone know some serious interventions for people like me who are compulsive blog header changers?

blessings to...

the people in my life whom i love.
you nurture me.

the people in my life who i have lost.
you have taught me.

the sun upon my face.
you soothe me.

laughter.
you ease me.

good health.
you keep me independent.

my eyes.
you allow me to see beauty.

this day.
you offer me something new to experience.

the divine in me.
it keeps me purposeful.

and thank you for reading this. your support strengthens me.

i wish you a very happy thanksgiving.

self portrait tuesday

november's challenge is "upside down"



i loved this month's challenge, but i'll be glad to give up the acrobatics i think.
i almost tossed my cookies more than once this month trying to stand on my stupid head!

see more self portraits here

creatively speaking

my friend jenica suggested to me that we each document our creative weekends and post them today. a brilliant idea and honored that she asked me.

here's my creative weekend countdown:

1. because i'm one who can't leave well enough alone, i had to change my blog header yet again (see above). i'm certain that this is probably the 53rd time i've changed it, but i could have worse obsessions. right?

2. i am hosting thanksgiving dinner at my house this year (how did that happen?) and i was trying to figure out centerpieces for the table. i think i will be settling on this one. any other suggestions will be gratefully appreciated...



3. and then i had to take mr. camera out for a little spin seeing as how i have been neglecting him lately. he was appreciative of the fresh air and chance to exercise his shutter blades.




jenica, i think we should do this on a regular basis. it was fun!

feeling existential today

how do we know we're in the present?
and just what is the future anyhow?
how can two people grow up in the same house with the same people and have two completely different perceptions of that experience?
do you believe that our greatest lessons come from the relationships we have in our lives?

i wish

i could wear a hat like this.

close your eyes

now what do you see?

happy friday!

the local fire department has been holding out on me.
they never told me that their fire trucks were so interesting to explore with a camera.

i'm not even believing that these flowers in my garden are still blooming this late in the season.

mother nature impresses me.
human nature interests me.

and although mother and human have the same last name, i am not so sure they are related.
could it be that human is mother's unruly child?

at any rate, to me they are both fascinating.
different from one another, but both resilient.

always entertaining, and i am constantly surprised by them both.

self portrait tuesday

this month's challenge is "upside down"



you can see more self portraits here.

look closely

this little wasp found the most perfect place to take a nap. wouldn't you just love to curl up in a flower and take a little snooze in the afternoon sun?
i can't think of anything better.

happy monday

we had dinner at the home of another couple and after dinner, the guys decided to go and play some music together. i watched them as they walked into the other room and each picked up a guitar. the minute they began to play, they became oblivious to everything around them...they went to another world. they became transcended. it was a place where no one else could go and only they knew how to get there. musicians are like that. all artists and creatives are like that.
it's being in the moment.

should i throw these leaves up in the air?

yes.

uh-oh

my warning light is on....

fortune cookie thursday

with your bare foot.

ask me how i know this....

an afternoon game of chess on these red chairs could actually entice me. unfortunately to mr. ntm's dismay, i don't have the brain power for chess.

but i certainly have enough brain power to sit on these cute red chairs. especially if the sun comes with the deal.

and a soy latte.

happy clothes

don't necessarily make a happy person.

maybe she wasn't happy because she didn't get to do what she expected to be doing that day.
or maybe she had a fight with a friend, or maybe it was because she didn't feel good.
maybe she was happy, but just not happy at that particular moment.
or maybe she had had the best day of her entire life, until i asked to take her picture, and then her entire day was ruined.
all because i asked to take her picture.

who knows?

we never know what people carry around with them, do we?
but she was rocking those orange corduroy pants and bright pink scarf.
from the neck down... to me, she looked happy.

opening the door

to a new week.

what does yours look like so far?

sometimes it's necessary that we look at things in black and white.
or at least try to look at things in black and white.
i'm one who's always concentrating on the grays,
i have to try to remember that i wouldn't even be able to see those grays if it weren't for the black and whites.

sad that i have to wait another year before i get to see sweet little people in costumes again.

have a happy friday!

fortune cookie thursday

sometimes i wish it were. but then again, that's the trick isn't it?
and the fun.

i'm still learning, learning learning all i can about this camera of mine. trying to make it do what i want it to do. exploring all i can find. trying to magically absorb it into my brain. taking it all in.

i stumbled upon this food for the photographer's soul. go down their list of blogs that speak photography and be amazed at what you find.
also being a fan of these guys, they will email you a daily photo from their collection. it's been one of the nicer things waiting for me in my inbox.

enjoy!

dance

as if no one is watching

light bulbs looking for something to do

they may be unemployed right now, but in a few short weeks, these bulbs will be shining on future christmas trees in the lot near our house.

i'm not even believing that the holiday season is practically here.

hay!

look at these SO clever hay bale masterpieces!
these are nothing to sneeze at....

mr. ntm and i went back to our alma mater in athens, georgia this weekend to visit some friends. and even though the town was mourning the fact that the dawgs were handed their butts on a silver platter by florida state, we still had a lot of fun.

thanks kt and tim for a great weekend.