Serene Scenery Saturday!!!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  And yes, it's Saturday, but we sure have some serene scenery for you!  Check out the scene as we walked down our street:

"Wowzers, Cam!"
"What a Winter wonderland!"

Is that great or what?!?

We walked up to one of the entrances to Hudson Trail and I had a look around:

"Oooh!  No one's been down the trail yet!"

It was so beautiful - and we were the first ones to see it!

"It's all ours!"

Actually it wasn't all ours -- there were about 7 million squirrels dancing around in the treetops, chattering away and teasing us!  Maggie got into a staring contest with one of them:

"Oh, yeah?  Come down here and say that!"

A side benefit to being on the trail, as you may notice in that photo of Mags, is that the trees caught a lot of the snow -- so it wasn't real deep AND we had mud.  Awesome!

"Slushy patch coming up!"
"Cool!"

We let Maggie get ahead of us so Mom could take this shot:

Maggie!

Such beauty, everywhere we looked!

"Hey, Cam, is this great or what?!?"
"It's very great!"

The trees were filled with snow:

Me and a pine tree

It was the BEST!

"This is so peaceful, Cam!"
"So totally beautiful!"

Did you get snow, too?  If so, we hope you're enjoying it as much as we are!

Cammie!

Fired Up!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cam.  Yesterday morning, we went on a really nice all-family walk, just like usual.  Only ...

"OK, Cam.  As soon as we get to the top of this hill ... Crazed River Otters!  Ready?"
"Ready!"

We were both TOTALLY fired up!  TOTALLY!  It was great!

After lunch, Mom was going to head downstairs to the Studio, but we were still pretty fired up from the morning.  She decided we should go outside and play for a bit.  Maybe do some posing.  The first part sounded better than the second part, so ...

"C'mere, you Crazed River Otter!"
"Ha ROO!"

It was GREAT!  We were both still firing on all cylinders!

"You're about to be BOOMed!"
"Not if I BOOM you first!"

We had a crazy, wild time!

Mom thought that might buy her some quiet time in the Studio, but when we got down there ...

"BOOM!"
"URFFF!"

We weren't quite ready to settle down.  We.  Were.  Wild!!!!!

She just watched us for a bit, then ...

"I think that might be enough for now, Mags."
"Yeah.  I think for now."

We needed to catch our breath.  Breaths?  Collective breath.

"I think you can get some quilting in now, Mom."
"Better work quickly; I'm getting my second wind."

Mom says these are the good times and she loves seeing us like this.  Even if she didn't get much quilting in!

Cammie!

Helping

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  I've been helping Mom in the Studio a lot and so ...

"Zzz ..."

Yeah. That happens a lot down there.

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

Wordless Wednesday

Mags and Cam

What Fun!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Thank you so much to all of you for the wonderful happy birthday wishes yesterday!  It was a GREAT day, packed full of fun!

After the walk I told you about, Mags and I hung out until lunchtime.  While Mom made lunch, I helped out a bit and was rewarded for my efforts:

"Oh, wow!  A great big piece of carrot!!!"

I didn't like carrots a couple years ago, but I do now.  A lot!

For the record, I loved my friend Molly's idea about the grocery stores carrying Cantaloupes in January!!! Carrots will do, though. Or apples. Or pears.

Anyway ...

After lunch, we went out for a bit, then headed down to work in the Studio. There, Mom surprised us with stuffed KONG bones!

"Happy birthday, Cammie!"
"Oooh, I smell the crunchy Zuke's!!!"
"Treats AND an 'under supervision only' toy!  This is so awesome!"

After we played with those, Maggie suggested a round of CROG (Crazed River Otter Games):

"Ready set, Cam?!?"
"Let's GO!!!"

We had so much fun! After a bit, I thought a nap was in order.  Maggie wanted to do some more chewing.

"You don't mind if I take yours, too, do you?  I'll just ... reach in ... and ... zzz ..."
"Knock yourself out, Magzzzz ..."

Sometimes she doesn't realize how tired she is.

What a great day! Being eleven is so much fun so far!!!

Cammie!

ELEVEN!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Guess what?!?!  Today, I am ELEVEN!!!

So far, it's been very fun!  Maggie and I had breakfast, then we tooled Mom out of a Shredded Wheat square (I love those things!), then we went on a very fun walk!  We even got to go up my favorite hill to climb!

"Happy birthday, Cam!"
"Thank you, Maggie!"

Later on today, I'm sure we'll head down to the Studio to help Mom.

"BOOM!"
"Argh!  A Crazed River Otter's got me!!!"

Umm ... I mean ...

"How can we help, Mom?"
"Yeah.  Need us to press anything for you?  Do some rotary cutting?"

Actually, I think ALL of us know what Maggie and I plan to do down there!

"And you're all invited over to join the fun!"

And afterwards ...

"How about some birthday snuggles, Cam?  I love you!"
"Just what I wanted, Maggie!!!  And I love you, too."

By the way, that's my leg/paw she's got her snooter resting on.  ❤❤❤

I'm not sure what all else Mom, Dad, and Mags have planned, but it sure has been a great day so far!!!

Cammie!

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Today we went on a really fun walk; I got to choose the route!

"Heading south first, Cam!"
"Yep.  That sounds good."

We took a couple OK turns, but then we turned one way and I didn't want to go.  I put on the brakes.  Mom and Dad thought I was tired and wanted to go home, so we turned around.  Only at the corner ... I pulled to go the long way.

"See, Maggie!  Isn't this way more fun?"
"This is awesome!  New smells EVERYwhere!"

It was great fun.  I chose a route with lots of uphills -- Mom always likes that.  Or at least she always seems to mention it.

Near the top of the hill, there is a lot of road deconstruction going on.

"Wow!  Look at all this cool stuff we could get into!"
"I don't know why we don't get to come up here during the week!"

After we walked some more, Mom asked us to pose on some rocks.  Even though she did NOT have cookies (note:  she owes us), we did a nice pose for her:

Mags and me, posing nicely!

It was a wonderfully serene walk.  And a long one!

Cammie!

Working It!

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie!  Yesterday, Cam and I were a tremendous help to our mom in the Studio.  We just relaxed very quietly like this:

Cam and me

See?  Perfect bookends.  I even had my legs crossed like the sweet lady that I am:

Pure innocence

We were like that the whole time down there!

LOOK AT HOW INNOCENT WE ARE!!!

I mean seriously!  Cam curled into a Siberian Cinnamon Bun, I was doing my "I'm so relaxed, I've melted" look.  What good girls!

The whole time.

....

....

....

Is any-buddy buying that?

No?

OK ... previously, at Ao4 Headquarters ...

"Great Dane in the morning, that was fun, Cam!"
"The BEST, Mags!  Whew, that was a wild round of CROG!"

I did have you going for a minute there, though ... didn't I?

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Sometimes

Greetings to all! It's me, Maggie! Sometimes Mom works Cam and me so hard in the Studio that I have to come in here to regroup.

"Zzz..."

I just need a minute or two, then I'll be ready to entertain Mom again!

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Thatcher

It's Mine!

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Mom has been working in the Studio a lot lately, trying to finish up old projects, use up scraps, that sort of thing.  And as we've shown you, Maggie and I have been a tremendous help.

We also try very hard to leave whatever she's working on alone.  But the other day, she finished quilting this really big scrap quilt, and put it on the floor to take a picture.  I REALLY like it!  I mean REALLY!  So as soon as she set it out ...

"Ooooh, yes!  I like it!"

She pieced this back in 2009, and my great-brother Davy and great-sister Ammy were very helpful to her.  Mom loved that I was so interested in it, too!

"I just LOVE this quilt!!!"
"Cam!  Mom should let you have that!"

I thought Maggie had a great idea there.  Mom asked if she could flip the quilt over, to show the back.

"Sure.  I don't have to move, though - do I?"
"No, you're perfect, Cam."

We're sewing the binding on now.  Maggie has really taken to the last one Mom finished, so I'm sure there is no problem deeming this one mine!

Cammie!

Wordless Wednesday

Cam and Mags

2019

From our house to yours -

"You do have cookies, don't you, Mom?"
"Of course she has cooki--Mom?  You do, don't you?"

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Cam and Mags

Sock Monkey Update

Greetings to all!  It's me, Maggie.  When I last mentioned Sock Monkey, it was merely to let you know I hadn't seen him yet this year.  Now that Mom has started packing things away, however ...

"Ooooh, look who I found!"
"Uhh ..... hello."

Yep.  Sock Monkey!  And do you know ... I have decided to be friends!  I mean, come on!  I'm FIVE now.  I can be friends with Sock Monkey!

Mom asked us to pose together and I showed her I put all that "I'd love to rip Sock Monkey apart" stuff behind me!

"Seriously.  You can leave the room and everything, Mom.  We're FRIENDS!"
"Ummm ..."

"Oh, sure!  I might grab my best friend and sister Cam by the neck and throw her around a bit,
but that's just playing!!!"
"Help me ..."

I don't think I convinced Mom.  Or Sock Monkey.  I REALLY tried to look innocent and snuggly and stuff, too, but Mom wouldn't turn her back on us.  Or get much further than 6 feet away.

Next year, Sock Monkey.  NEXT YEAR, you'll be mine!

Yours sincerely,

Margaret Thatcher

Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  Remember last weekend, we told you we went on a really cool adventure?  We showed you the Gingerbread Village, and said there would be more of our trip to come!  Mom finally finished processing everything, so we thought we'd share a handful of the photos with you today!

The most abundant birdies were Red-Tailed Hawks, like this handsome fellow:

They were all over the place, but don't sit still very long.

We also saw a lot of Northern Harriers, but only in flight:

Mostly what we saw at the refuge was this:

Gorgeous, but where are the birdies?!? So ... we decided to take the long way home and see what we could see!

After our stop at the Gingerbread Village, we were headed to a lookout by Cheyenne Bottoms - another wildlife refuge. We stopped in the small town of Claflin -- as one of the signs for their town reads, "Claflin. If you can't stop, smile as you go by." That always does make us smile!

Here's what we found in Claflin!

It was really a fun step back in time - and a great place to explore!

The scenic overlook gave us a really cool vantage point to see Cheyenne Bottoms -- WAY out in the distance:

It was a very fun, different trip!

In unrelated news, since Mom forgot to get pictures of us girls (I know -- what was she thinking?!?!), here we are, helping down in Mom's Studio:

"Cammie!  Cammie!  Cammie!  Are you done with your Pickle?  Can I have it?"
"Pickle?  What Pickle?!?"

I hope you enjoyed a look at our trip!  For more photos, please visit our album on FlickR.

Cammie!