Happy Thanksgiving to everyone tonight! I hope you had a lovely day full of blessings and abundance. (this is what the mutant squirrels did to my autumn decorations) Where is my squirrel gun!

Poodle Priorities...squirrel watch before potty time!

I am feeling very fortunate tonight. xo

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Just one more reason to hate the "now" chubby squirrels of NJ. uugggh

Sign of 'my' times.

Well the crunch has begun. To save money and cut back, I cancelled my telephone and my TV cable today. I have internet only.

So Sue and Julie were nice enough to give me a box that lets you get some basic channels......but I cant get it to work. (of course)

Today.........with all that was mentally tossed at me, my brain feels like its gonna explode. Its so overwhelming.

Today, for the first time, I feel like I am behind everyone in knowledge. I have been pretty computer savvy, but today....it felt as if I was a beginner.

Now trying to hook up this box to watch a little TV, or just keep it on like I usually do, I cant do it. I tried my best, taxed my knowledge all its worth and I cant do it.

I am going to open a bottle of wine and have a glass.

California

I miss my California so very much.

Snowtober

I dont need to say much.........just look at the pics. Lordy.

Omg the smell is so wonderful! This is the very last of my own garden tomatos. Yum. Making great salad with them...english cucumbers and feta. Happy sunday all!

The cart before the horse i dont have!

Yeah, the subject line is right. I bought the cart and the harness adn even teh snacks for teh travel before I had a horse to take me there. 

Let me explain. I use photo shop 6. I use it at home and I use it for work. I use it to do all the production, filing and sorting for all the pictures I take and all the post work as well. Yes for all the things that go into the magazine too. Have been using it since I taught myself how to about 4 years ago.

I have a camera that is a Canon Mark 11. I am not able to shoot in the highest resolution/raw because I don't have photo shop bigger than 6 so I have to shoot in the highest jpeg format I can. Yes I am doing this for the magazine pages.

The cog in the wheel is, my computer doesn't have a processor big enough to use a photo shop version higher than that.  

So the other day, I have the wonderful opportunity to purchase photo shop CS4 from someone. Not at full price, but at a reduced cost that I am paying off in payments. I have about $60 to go. I will pay more on it tomorrow. And just like the camera, I still dont have a computer that can support it! (yes I tried) However, since I dont see how in the world I could pay full price for photoshop cs4 in my life, I still need this.

Now let me introduce Creative Live! 
http://www.creativelive.com/

I got hooked on it by accident a while back. Not sure how long. And they are in Seattle Washington. They do these online classes for photographers and video people. That is a portion of the classes as they are vast to be sure. At first I saw the classes adn didnt get it.
It didnt take long to see the potential. While they are taping the class, with a small student/audience on the set, the consumer (me) can go online to the website and watch the taping LIVE for FREE!  Yup you heard it, free. When I first discovered this, I watched or listened to all I could while I was working, even if it didnt pertain to the work I did. It was just so informative and cool! To hear all of these famous people with ooooodles of talent, doing what I am doing by accident, and its free.
While they are taping the course can be purchased for a reduced price, but after its taped and processed then it is full price.

So they had Lesa Snyder on this past week.
Photoshop CS5 Intensive with Lesa Snider

OMG I didnt listen to but a hour or so and realized it was exactly what I needed! Although she was doing CS5, she kept indicating if that same process could be done in versions 3 or 4 and so much of it was in 4 I just had to purchase it. So yes, I paid $79.00 for the course. I am still downloading it to my machine too. It was 4 days long!!!!!!  And I have already learned so much.

However.........yeah laugh..........I do not have a computer that I can put my CS4 on, so I can practice the course. Lordy.

Its ok though.......I will figure out how to get a computer that can handle it. I will. I will. Dangit I will.

Sometimes things just work out backwards for a reason. Not sure what that darn reason is but I am sure its good!

Have a great day all!
p.hawkins

HURRICANE relaxation...baking some butternut squash with a drizzle of Nocello (

HURRICANE relaxation...baking some butternut squash with a drizzle of Nocello (walnut liqour) over the top with crack pepper and sea salt. 350 degrees for 40 min or till tender...YUM?

NEW NYLABONE!

NEW NYLABONE!

The heat is just doing me in. The heat + humidity of the noerth east is debilitating enough, but it makes me home bound. However the heat with a tiny hot breeze is delightful when it comes to hanging out laundry. I love that. Have a great sunday! p.hawkins.

Awe momma this heat is so tiring! Yup ahe is fast asleep in front of the airconditioning. I am ready to nap too! Keep cool everyone. p.hawkins

This USED to be an $8.00 ball just a few days ago! Yup the Pearlinator has it just about trashed. But she had a great time doing it! p.hawkins

Good Sunday morning all! Pearlie and me have had a good morning and now she needs a snuggle nap! p.hawkins.

Ok then...i have three empty suitcases all nested again! Yay! Now to put away all the piles of crap that came out of them from 1.5 weeks of traveling! HAHAH p.hawkins

OMG i am in foodie heaven! Got this Pure Maple Cream in Rochester when at my sisters...this is heaven on toast! p.hawkins

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The reason you dont let the DOG help you MOW THW LAWN!!!!!

Home from the groomer...miss Pearlie is growing up!

Sue*Julie*Lilly

Sue out with a beer looking over what we had done...mowing, raking, shoveling, nailing and hanging a clothes line!

Sue and Julies new car. Its so cool!

Pearlie on the run through the house with a new toy!!!!

I shall post more pics from our Easter weekend in Jersey tomorrow.

With Love
p.hawkins

What a dork dog...Pearls favorite toy is the bottom half of a cleaned out milk carton!?!?!

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It urks me to no end that I have to go to a laundry mat! Grrrr. Almost done...then take Pearlie to Petsmart for a bath. then get doggie things.

My first red bird

I saw my first Cardinal yesterday. I have waited and hoped on that one since I have been here in the east.

I had just drove into the driveway, parked and got out...and what caught my attention was the song. What I heard when I got out of the car was heavenly! I cant describe it but it was so beautiful to listen to.

I looked up to find where the sound was coming from, and high up in a dead old tall tree was this bright spot of red.

My first Cardinal!

Now that the snow is melting a little, I will be able to get to the bird feeder and fill it more and even put another one out maybe. The birds have finally found it so now to give them more to eat will be fun.

I am still sick.........this particular flu has had me down for a whole week. Wow how incapacitated a germ can make you.......its incredible.
I mean its 4 am. I am up writing this while I drink some Earl Grey Green tea and guzzle Robitussin. hahahah

Have a great Friday everyone!

p.hawkins

Well I have officially CROSSED the line into a delightful place!

Sour dough English muffins...FROM SCRATCH!!!