Always Pretty Here

Nearly 40 years have gone by, and my Mom & Dad's "back yard"--the "field"--has changed only a little. No ponies, no pool, only one outlining fence. But most things haven't changed: Dad always keeps the acre and a half cut (with a little help from my brother & nephew). They still grill on the car port. They walk the tracks every Sunday. There 's a garden behind the stable. They feed the birds in the winter. And on a warm afternoon, they sit on the swing and reminisce. In the eyes of their children. . . it's always pretty here!

"If nothing ever changed"

I'd already made a 12 X 12 inch page of the "Painted Lady" butterfly, but still had some good photos of other butterflies and embellishments to make another page. I'd seen 12 X 6 inch pages in magazines, and thought that would be a fun size to try. I used a Photoshop filter--the colored pencil--on a closeup of the same photo to make the corner design. The quote "If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies" is printed on a Cosmo Cricket line of fall papers.

Closeup of Stitched Page Protector

I love making unusual size pages, but did not have a sheet protector to match this 12 X 6 inch page. I took a 12 X 8 1/2 inch page protector and pierced it at 6 inches deep. I then hand stitched through the pierced marks prior to cutting the protector to fit the page. I was pleased with the result.

62 Years a Team

My Mom is 83 years old and emails me everyday. I saved one of her emails from October, 2006 and paired it with this photo taken August, 2008. Here are some excerpts: "These are your parents, Jim and June. We are doing fairly well for our age. We as a team can do well. I do well that I can still drive. Dad keeps the dishes done. I keep the washing done and fold the clothes. Some of the blessing with his eyes is I get to drive and he can't see the dirt." Mom and Dad were married 62 years in September.