See her winking at you! Carmel is ready for the rain!

(Still need to change the time stamp on this camera!)

For more wordless wednesdays, see 5 Minutes for Mom and WW HQ!

These cookies were one of those in a pinch moments! My daughter, knowing about her project for two months, decided the day before that her shadow box just wasn't working and that we needed to make roll out/cut out sugar cookies from scratch. Trying to avoid a trip to the grocery store, we eeked out just enough for the class with none to spare.

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out the WW HQ and 5 Minutes for Mom.

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out the WW HQ and 5 Minutes for Mom! AND Three Peas in a Pod!

 Want great Halloween decorations? Carve a few apples now and let them sit out to dry. For embellishments, add raisins, etc. By Halloween, you will have some interesting decor for the home! (Try dipping in lemon juice when first cut to reduce browning.)

(On that note, I will be blogging today from Martha Stewart's audience, who is certain to have more fall tips! Stay tuned!) For more Wordless Wednesdays, see 5 Minutes for Mom and the Office Wordless Wednesday HQ! Also check out Rocks in My Dryer for tons of great Works for Me Wednesdays!

What to do when your car battery dies: Cancel your plans and do some summer photo snappin.' Lots of inspiration out there from flowering mint covered with bees & a wasp looking for nectar to hydrangeas (did I spell that right?) to Sponge Bob out of water. For more Wordless Wednesday, see 5 minutes for Mom WW HQ. 

I know, I need a better camera but Lindsey and I had fun and that was the best part – spontaneous mom-daughter time! (She is getting so tall this summer. I can't stand it. She's growing up.)

Blueberries for Sal (my all time favorite children's book) became "Blackberries for Lindsey" over vacation near Grandpa's pond except that we didn't run into any bears – just fire ants and deer. There weren't too many berries to be had and not many made it back to the house for the blackberry jelly Lindsey wanted to make since we could tell there wouldn't be enough anyway. Sorry, sweetie. But they did taste good with fresh ice cream, didn't they?!

For more Wordless Wednesdays, see WW HQ and 5 Minutes for Mom.

Thank you everyone for your advice about bats and their importance in our ecosystem last week when I shared about bat repellent. Lots of good thoughts there. Apparently, someone did make a little bat house for my parents that I missed last week and it is getting some use but it is not really big enough as you can see and so I actually got a picture of a lazy bat who, in a rare occasion, hung around all day as if waiting for me to take its picture. And then I had to add this fun sign from the farm. Go check out more Wordless Wednesdays at 5 Minutes for Mom and the WW HQ.

It's the Wordy Wordless Works for Me Wednesday and my pictures and tip relate to ridding your garage of bats, so here's a solution my parents have tried — moth balls to deter bats from roosting.

The theory is that you either tie the mothballs in an old stocking or in bags and hang them across the area where the bats come.

Below, behold the gauno or bat poop that is evidence that the mothballs aren't 100% effective. But, the numbers have reduced significantly here at Grandma's farm. 

Before I leave here, I will capture the little creatures on film. I have not been able to stay awake long enough or get up early enough here on the farm to catch the buggers. After spending a fortune in mothballs, perhaps I can convince my parents of the benefits of a garage door. Or maybe not.

For more wordless wednesdays, see WW HQ or 5 Minutes for Mom and for more tips around the house check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

The end of the school year is today and here are some highlights from the last week:

Lindsey turns eleven and we went to celebrate with Aunt Michele:

Laura wins some scholastic awards including most likely to be an author! She also finished her year in gymnastics, thus the medal.

For more Wordless Wednesdays, check out 5 Minutes for Mom and the WW HQ!

She's done it! My sister Michele finished a 8K (or 5 miles) race last Saturday despite shins that had to be iced all week before and after. Next she will prepare for the half-marathon (13 miles) in the Fall through Team in Training who is donating the funds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She is two-thirds through her $2500 fundraising and heading into the summer stretch of training and getting ready for the big day!

For more Wordless Wednesdays, check out 5 Minutes for Mom and the WW HQ!

Sorry this is late! I didn't get it in yesterday because I have been without internet access for two days now and am going absolutely crazy!! Fortunately, I have good friends willing to let me borrow their computer but I am really hoping mine is up when I get home today. You might as well have cut my right arm off! I should be grateful because several piles have disappeared since being cut off but I am going nuts! Much to say, little time to say it. Will be back when possible.