Last weekend we headed out for a hike at Landsford Canal.  Stretched along the Catawba River, this state park is home to the remains of the canal system that was used from 1820 to 1835. Locks, a mill site and the lock-keeper’s home are among the numerous intact structures from that era.

Out in the river is one of the largest known stands of rocky shoals spider lilies, tough plants that hang tight in the swift water and bloom spectacularly in a huge blanket of white in late May and early June. There is a trail along the river that leads to a viewing deck.

So we traipsed through the woods to see the spider lilies.  I knew it would be beautiful, but it took my breath away.  It was as if God took a brush and painted the lilies across the river.  It literally brought tears to my eyes. 

I took a lot of pictures, but they can’t capture the splendor of seeing it in person.  I even rolled up my pants and waded into the river so I could get some closeups.  There was no way I would miss the chance to capture those lilies when they only bloomed once a year.

If you would like to see the rest of my pictures, click here.
All photographs are copyrighted by Kimberly Kaye Photography 2008.

Do you ever feel like you have to get something off your chest or you are going to burst open at the seams?

I stumbled across just the place to do it.  True Mom Confessions is a site of anonymous admissions from moms. Is it yoyeuristic or cathartic? Maybe it is a little of both.

True Mom Confessions is a place where women can confess their fears, frailties and fantasies without any risk of judgment or consequence. Mothers from around the globe add their voices to an ever evolving conversation about what motherhood really is….not what it should be.  So the next time you feel the need to bare your soul, give it a click and confess away.

Five things I am thankful for this week.

1. Great haircuts!

2. Visits from old friends.

3. Family to love.

4. Beautiful flowers.

5. A house to clean.

So what are you thankful for???

I got the coolest set of reusable bags for Christmas last year and I just had to tell you about them.

Envirosax environmentally friendly bags are a designer range of eco-friendly, reusable shopping bags, for spreading the message of environmental sustainability.  I love that they are larger than the other bags I have had, so they hold more.  The handles are large enough that you can slip the bag on your shoulder making it easier to carry your groceries.  To top it off they come in these great graphic styles.  They even have kid friendly designs.

I was blessed to recieve the Monochromatic Pouch set as a gift.  The pouch sets are a great way of purchasing 5 bags at once.  The pouch is small enough to fit into my glove compartment or handbag.  No more excuses for leaving your ‘green bags’ at home!

You can order online or contact Envirosax to find your nearest retailer.  Help spread the environmental message with style!

When my middle son was three years old, he had a habit of just saying whatever came to his mind.  More often than not what came to his mind left us rolling on the floor.

One day he came to me thristy and wanted some juice to drink.  So I headed over to the fridge and started moving things around to retrieve a juice box from the back of the fridge.  He stood behind me waiting impatiently.

“Hurry up! Hurry up, please,”  he implored.

“Please be patient,” I replied.  “I am hunting for it right now.”

In an exasperated voice he said, “Oh Mom! Girls don’t hunt.  They stay in the village!”

He is now twelve years old, and I still have no clue where he got that idea.  It still cracks me up when I think about it.  You can bet I sat him down and let him know that girls could do whatever they wanted, and that included hunting.

I know your kids have come up with some whoppers, too.  Why not leave a comment and share your favorites with us.

This is a shot I took of the lunar eclipse on Feb. 22, 2008.

See more Wordless Wednesday blog posts here.

I learned to French braid my own hair when I was in middle school.  I quickly became the go to for all my friends when they wanted their hair braided.  To this day I am still asked to braid hair for my friends and their children.  Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to do French braids; but what about when I am not around.  So I decided that my Tuesday tips would help all of you who don’t know how to French braid.  It will take some practice, but is it so worth it!

First of all is a step by step video from eHow.

Next I will list step by step how to French braid (provided by eHow).

French Braid Someone Else’s Hair

Step 1

Begin by applying a styling gel, mousse or pomade to clean, damp hair and blow drying the hair as smooth as possible. A French braid in hair that hasn’t been washed that day and already has hair products in it also works well.

Step 2

Remove tangles from hair before beginning the French braid. Take a 3-inch-long by 1-inch-wide section of hair just above the forehead or behind the individual’s bangs.

Step 3

Divide the section into three even pieces. Place the left section between the left index finger and thumb, place the right section between the right index finger and thumb, and let the middle section lie flat against the head. Pull the right section over the middle section and deposit it between the left index and middle fingers. This will begin to form your French braid.

Step 4

Lead with the right middle finger and cut about a 1-inch-wide section of hair straight across the head, starting at the hairline and moving toward the middle section. Collect the middle section and pull all of the hair tight. The line of hair you collected for your French braid should lie flat and smooth.

Step 5 

Twist your left hand clockwise and move the section in between your left index and middle fingers to your right index and middle fingers. Pull the sections in your right hand and let the section in your left hand go.

Step 6

Lead with the left middle finger and cut about a 1-inch-wide section of hair straight across the head, starting at the hairline and moving toward the dangling section. Scoop up the dangling section and pull this now-bigger section to the left, hooking it with your middle finger. Continue to make sure each section of your French braid is smooth and has equal tension on it for a uniform look.

Step 7

Twist your right hand counterclockwise. Extend the left index finger and hook the section of hair between the right index and middle fingers. Pull it to the left and let the section in your right hand dangle.

Step 8

Continue the slice, twist and shift process until the entire French braid is complete. Remember to always hook the section of hair between the index and middle fingers, not the thumb and index finger. Keep the tension taut but not too tight.

How to French Braid Your Own Hair

Additional Tips:

There you go, all the steps you need to French braid hair.  Thanks eHow for this wonderful guide.

This is just a quick slide-show I put together of some of my flower photographs. Hope you like them.

Here is a fun way to explore websites!

This is how it works:   Type each letter in the address bar of your browser and list what the auto-complete function jumps to first.

A - ACI Lab                                                           B - Britneys Back in Baby’s Arms

C - Carolina Kids                                                  D - Daily Blog Tips

E - Ear Sucker                                                       F - Facebook

G - Game Giveaway of the Day                             H - Harper Collins:  Book in a Bag

I - I Love Bento                                                     J - Jenny Up The Hill

K - KatieCarson.com                                            L - Lake Shore Christian

M - Madame Rubies                                             N - Naturally Centsable

O - Oh My Baby Gifts                                           P - Paid Twice

Q - QSR Magazine                                                R - Radio Station Guide

S - Salon                                                              T - Table For Five

U - Ultimate Life Ministries                                  V - VCTech Network

W - Weather.com                                                  X - Nothing came up!

Y - York County Library                                        Z - Zefty.com

If you would like to join in, please do an alphabet post on your blog and link back.  Be sure to leave a comment!

Today is a holiday here in the USA so I was a little slow getting my menu together. Last week was so busy I hardly got to make any of the things on my menu. So some of these will be carry overs. This week should be a lot less hectic, thank goodness.

Here is my menu for this week:

• Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken with rice pilaf and green beans

• Real English Fish and Chips With Yorkshire Beer Batter and salad

• Good Ol’ Southern Soup Beans for Pressure Cooker with corn bread

• The Blue Mill Tavern Loosemeat Sandwich with potato salad and apples

• Chicken Paprikash with spaetzle and peas

• Old Fashioned Corn and Potato Chowder

• Breakfast for Dinner:  Curried Poached Eggs on buttered toast with fruit and bacon

I have a bread craving, so I think I will also be making Beer Bread this week.

Head on over to Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans.

We have all read about Jiang Xiaojuan, the Chinese police officer who became a wet nurse for up to nine babies who were orphaned by the massive quake on May 12th.  It is such a selfless act to nurture someone else’s baby.  I have read about this remarkable woman many times, but had yet to find a picture.  When I came across this photograph on a Chinese website, I knew I had to share it with you.  Amid all the devastation, this is just beautiful.

The Norm creator Michael Jantze has a new animated short, “Mr. Lux: At Your Service.” The extraordinary Mr. Lux always provides the guests of his hotel with dazzling, five-star service. I think I’d like to stay at his hotel.

You can watch the Mr. Lux short by clicking the Play button below.

Visit TheNorm.com to read the official press release.

Recently I checked out some books from the library that I thought the boys would enjoy.  Of course, once you get to know me you will realize that I usually end up reading them as well.  I am a sucker for a good read, not matter who the intended audience.  That is how it was when one morning I picked up Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society.

After Reynie follows his tutors advice and responds to an ad recruiting “gifted children looking for special opportunities,”  he finds himself wrapped up in a mysterious adventure involving three other gifted students and the odd Mr. Benedict.  Stewart’s unusual characters, threatening villains, and dramatic plot twists will grab and hold readers’ attention, young and old alike. 

Having two sons in the GT program, I appreciate that fact that Stewart has made an effort to encourage children to use their brains to solve the puzzles along with his characters.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable read and you can bet I will be reading his next book, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey.

Has anyone else read this book?  What did you think?  Have any other’s to recommend?

Okay, you Know how this works.  Put your mp3 player on shuffle and write down the first five songs that play, no skipping!

1. As Long As Your Mine (Wicked Cast Album)
2. It Ends Tonight (The All American Rejects)
3. I Can Hear The Bells (Hairspray Soundtrack)
4. 4 In The Morning (Gwen Stefani)
5. Something So Right (Paul Simon)

So, what is on your mp3 player?

I have been trying to decide all week what to do for our Family Night tonight.  It has been such a hectic week and I can’t make up my mind as to what I’d like to do. 

I have it narrowed down to three choices:

1.  Making the No Bake cookies from Menu Plan Monday and playing The Game of Life Twists and Turns.  This would be the cheapest option.

2.  Heading to the Drive-In to see The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and Speed Racer.  This option would cost money, but it is still affordable.

3.  Heading to the movie theater and seeing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  This would be the most expensive option, but it is Indiana Jones!

I am leaning towards seeing Indiana Jones, but it certainly isn’t the frugal thing to do.  Ugh, why does everything have to cost so much?

So what would you pick for your Family Night???