Trying to figure out how to embed a youtube video.....

Happy Monday, everyone. (Is there anyone out there, I wonder?) I am trying to figure out how to embed a lovely youtube video here. It is of the song playing on my playlist, with pretty lovely pictures accompanying. Now if only I could figure out how to show it here.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1D3ejwQiVg

Try the hyperlink.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the pretty picture above, from my lovely memories of gorgeous California.....

A spot in the sun.....

Topaz, enjoying a spot in the sun, interrupted by the camera, in the middle of his ablutions, on a lazy weekend day at home with Mom.

Speaking of lazy, I've been playing around all morning, and have some reading for school to do. Have a lovely week. :-)

Oh, and I'm starting a playlist. The song I'm starting with is hijacked from a blog called, "Labyrinth studio." I'd never heard the song before, and really like it. Enjoy!

Did You Know Cows Like to Eat Pumpkins?

I didn't know cows like to eat pumpkins until I saw these two cuties enjoying them, on a gorgeous October evening in New England. This is at a newly opened farm store in Hadley, MA. It is a dairy farm, and they sell only local products. It is a scenic location, and a nice place to visit. I buy their home-made cookies just about every week these days. I love the cows, and I loved seeing them enjoy their pumkins. :-)

Train Travel

One of the best parts of train travel was my attendant from Chicago to L.A., the longest leg of the journey. His name is Vincent. He was sweet and attentive throughout the trip. Sadly, he was not my attendant on the way back, though he was on the train, and I did get to see him now and then, including right before boarding, when I got overcome for a few minutes with sadness about leaving beautiful California and my brother and niece, with whom I had been having such a wonderful time. He was a sweetheart. I would love to do it all again next year, and if I do, I would love to have Vincent as my attendant.

Also above are my brother, Ed, and niece, Erica, she in her "Hooters" shirt. :-)

Purple Flower, Bumblebee, and Abby Dabby Do!

This beautiful flower and bumblebee I found outside the home of my yoga teacher. Inside, lives Abby Dabby Do, otherwise known as "yoga dog." Abby is a great big love of a dog, who sometimes snores loudly with us and once even cuddled with me during "shivasana" (relaxation).

Topaz.....

Here he is, in all his glory, my one and only remaining cat, once number three of three and now king of the hill, as it were, which he really fancied himself to be all along. I started off with two kitties, Amber and Chloe. Amber, Chloe, and I moved to a condominium in June, 2000. Soon after, this guy started appearing on our deck and I started giving him food and water, as he was kind of scrawny and scrappy looking. Once or twice, I brought him in, thinking he might stay, but he would howl so loudly at night, that I would end up getting up and letting him out. And so, he had the best of both worlds, the outdoors to roam and a place to go for food and water when he chose to do so. One day, my come-to-the-house vet was coming by to see one or both of the other kitties, and I decided IF HE CAME on that day, I would bring him in and have her check him out. He did come that day, and I did bring him in. He checked out fine. No outdoor-cat diseases, and that was that. He got neutered that day and became my, indoor, third cat. Sadly, I have lost the other two, Amber, some years ago, and Chloe, this summer. We are down to me and him, probably for the duration. He's earned his time as my one and only, and again, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we may just keep it that way. Isn't he lovely? :-)

Mom's Big Birthday Weekend

Happy Birthday, Mom! (Mom still hasn't been able to see my blog yet, as she has Webtv, an email system for the t.v., and no computer.) It is not clear if she will be able to access the blog. So far, she has not been able to. For her birthday weekend, we went to MGM Grand at Foxwoods Casino in CT yesterday, a frequent destination for her and her friend, Jeanne. Though I have been to Foxwoods many times over the years, I had not been there in quite some time and not since the arrival of the MGM Grand, which is grand indeed. We had a lovely lunch and then hung out while Jeanne played the slots for awhile. I looked in some very expensive shops, and Mom lounged by the pool. Then Mom and I went to the Gelato Cafe, where Mom enjoyed a coffee gelato. Today, we had brunch at a remodeled train station, called, appropriately enough, "Union Station." It was yum, delicious, and Mom enjoyed her gifts. (She is fun and easy to buy for; likes all sorts of pretty and cute things.)