from my front porch in the mountains

Old Man Winter Spotted Vacationing in Hawaii!

2012-01-31T11:56:00.000-05:00

Year after year, I never tire of these views...

Band of Brothers

2012-01-30T10:52:00.000-05:00

~ 1,095 Days ~ My Blogversary!

2012-01-29T13:30:00.000-05:00

~Three years~

I have been writing here for 3 years!

Like so many of you, I began this blog for our family.

I was a reader of several blogs at the time

and thought it would be a brilliant way

to share our daily lives with family!

Along the way I began to find more blogs that I loved following.

That you gave me chance to peek into

your daily lives was so fascinating to me!

But, I have to be honest.

I always felt shy about leaving comments!

I wondered what *you* would think of me.

Because all of you seemed to know each other so well!

It was it's own little World,
this Blogland was!

I felt like the new kid in school walking
into the cafeteria for the first time!

One day, I took a Leap of Faith and began to comment.

And as I kept up with my fave blogs,

participated in the conversations, I got to *know*

so many of you.

With each new blog post I read,

I felt a part of something.

As sappy as that may seem, this little blog world

began to mean the world to me!

The day I got my very first comment,

I was on Cloud 9!

The comment was about the horses.

Could I maybe show more pictures of them?

The commenter was a city girl, in a

far~away~country.

She loved horses, but never had seen one

up close and personal!

And then it dawned on me.....

Just because I may think my life is ~~boring~~ quiet and usual,

to someone else, it could be quite interesting!

I never, ever dreamed that anyone would find

my daily world.....

....of mucking stalls,

unloading hay and straw,

cleaning the barn,

dealing with princess Allegra,

living with a Jelly-Belly Klepto Cat,

bathing a very muddy Cadence,
the antics of three dogs and a small herd of cats,

soothing the nerves of old gal Allure,

finding out Miss D was pregnant (Oy),
and dealing with sassy, Little Miss Annie~

interesting!

Why wouldn't it be?
Our differences in living are
what make our lives fascinating!

And after I began writing about

living with chronic illness,

my little blog world expanded even more.

I was able to connect with

other bloggers who were dealing

with the same things I was.

And more than any of you will ever know,

your comments and emails filled my heart.

And made me feel less alone and afraid.

When I shared last year about my sweet Nana being

diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so many of you left comments
and wrote emails about your own family trials in dealing
with this horrid disease.
I couldn't believe how many of us were dealing with this...

A peak into someones life.

A way to connect.

Realizing that everyone has daily trials and tribulations.

You lift my spirits.

You make me laugh and smile.

You make me think.

You introduce me to new things.

The one true thing that I have found,

is that we are more alike than not!

Each of us making our way through this world,

documenting it one post at a time.

And to all the newbie bloggers who

email me to ask how I found my nitch....

Keep posting! Keep commenting!

Finding your *nitch* is right around the corner.

I promise!

To those bloggers who helped me,
so very much, when I was new to Blog World..
thank you, thank you!

To those of us who have been in Blogland for a while now..

remember to support those new bloggers.

We were all standing in the cafeteria line,

alone, at one time too..

Pay it forward!

I really love putting together blog posts!
I love to write.
I adore being able to put pictures
along with the stories.
When you take your time, to stop by,
I never take that for granted.

Thank you so very much for being a part of

From My Front Porch in the Mountains.

It truly means the world to me when you show up here!

xo,

misha

p.s. For all of the Lurkers..

today is the day!

Go ahead :)

Click on "Follow this Site"!

And leave a comment and introduce yourself.

We would love to have you

join us on the Front Porch!

~Days of Cherry Jello and Tea~

2012-01-25T13:48:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday it hit me.

Like a ton of bricks dropped on my body.

Not a Fibro Flare,

but the dreaded Flu.

The "run a temperture of 101 degrees,

shivering in bed, dizzy"

and well, you have been there, too!

So you understand!

I just kept muttering to myself on how

I couldn't believe this!

I was having a great week.

Really feeling good.

And then, Wham!

I thought I was on the upswing this past Monday.

But, no. It was just a little tease.

The Flu is like that.

Sneaky Flu!

I am hoping that today is

"my upswing" day!

So I can back to feeling like

Christopher Robin and taking my morning

walks with all the critters!

What are your "go-to's" when the Flu invades your life?

What home remedies do use?

What food always makes you feel better?

I have been feasting on cherry jello

and Constant Comment tea!

So while I eat my jello and sip my tea,

I will let you entertain me with your comments!

xo,

misha

p.s Yes, I got a Flu shot last Fall!

Here is the CDC's take on why we still get it.

"The flu shot is meant to protect you from the most common strains of virus that can cause the flu.

The companies who make the flu shot rely on the previous year's flu cases to judge what types to include in this year's shot.

Unfortunately, it can't protect you from ALL the viruses that can cause the flu but it does seem to lessen the severity of the flu if you still get it."

~ Guess Who Came to Dinner? ~

2012-01-21T10:09:00.000-05:00

Elvira came calling!

I guess she decided a snack of cat food

sounded delish!

At the end of each day,

the bowl of kitty chow is put on the top of the fridge,

in the little barn office.

The door is let open "just enough" for the

barn cats to squeeze through!
Elvira has never ventured in there!

I guess on this dreary, foggy, rainy day,

Elvira had nothing else to do.

So she decided to pay a visit.

And have a snack!

Elvira has been coming around for about five years now.

Always at the end of the day, after the horses are in,

and the barn is quiet.

I can always continue sweeping while she chomps away!

Any loud noise, such as Annie kicking her wall, sends

Elvira running out of the barn.

She will wait until all is quiet again and slink back in.

The picture below is the closest I have ever been to her.

And I would never, ever attempt to pet her!

A little fear is healthy when it comes to wildlife!

Last fall, the Tennessee Dept. Of Agriculture

distributed "vaccination packets" for thousands

of raccoon's in the state of Tn. and 60 miles

across the border into each neighboring state.

{There is also an "urban program" for you city folks!}

They are dropped by small planes in wooded and desolate

areas in Tennessee.

Like where we live! Ha!

These vaccination packets are wrapped inside fish-meal blocks,

smelling and tasting mighty good to Elvira and her relatives!

This was the tenth year of this very successful program!

I hope that each year, Elvira is fortunate enough

to find one of these packets!

Most of us are worried that our pet will
encounter a raccoon.
But, it is very rare that a raccoon will ever
attack a dog or cat.
More likely, a dog would be the attacker!
This is a good reason to keep our pets
up-to-date on vaccinations!
And what about seeing a nocturnal animal
during the day?
Often people believe that a raccoon
{or any other nocturnal animal}
seen during the day is sick or rabid.
Not so!
Nocturnal animals often come out during the day.
A food source will keep them out and about at 2pm.
Like your bird-feeder!
Or seeing a raccoon cross your yard at 10am may just
mean, he is coming in late from an
all night party!
You would defiantly know if an animal
was sick or rabid!
In that case call local animal control.

via zazzle

~Raccoon Tidbits~

Their sense of touch is acute!
5 times greater than that of a human.

The "washing" behavior they exhibit when

picking up an item to eat, is their need to feel the item.

If water is present, they will wash the food.

Their "cat-like" claws make them awesome climbers!

Both their hearing and vision are acute.

They are avid swimmers, but do not like deep water.

A young raccoon put everything into it's mouth;

just like toddlers!

This is how they learn what is edible!

Raccoon's purr like cats!

They are social animals, hanging out with other raccoon's.

Mama raccoons will often band together, raising their young!

They have the intelligence of both dogs and cats :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Each year, Elvira brings her Kits (her babies)

for a meet and greet!

And several times she also has brought along another

Mama raccoon and her babies!

Single mama's got to stick together!

Spring 2010

Raccoons don't hibernate, but will become dormant

in very cold, consistent weather

where the temps stay 25 degrees or less for

a substantial period of time.
So in places like Tennessee, we continue to
see them throughout the Winter!

via zazzle

They do like to pack on the pounds

in the Fall, to get ready for Winter.

This is the way the raccoon body helps

itself, in case food is sparse for them in the cold months!

So if you have a holiday party with plenty of

yummy left-overs,

button down those trash cans!

Those paws will fling open the lid,

and then Elvira and her friends will have their own party!!
We use bungee cords,
but those rascals have learned how to un-do them!
Now, J is using concrete blocks.
So far, so good!

I need to ask my parents why I never had a raccoon!

Hopefully Elvira will be coming around more.
I know she loves the paparazzi following her every move!

I hope your week was wonderful!
And that some critter from the
wildlife kingdom made you pause for second
and gave you a smile!

Now on to a very, dreary weekend here,
in the mountains of east Tennessee!
Ah, but we have a wood-stove!
To keep the house nice and toasty.
And pups to keep my feet warm
and kitties to warm my lap,
and keep me smiling and laughing
at all their antics!
Life is good....
xo,
misha

Thank you so much for visiting,
From My Front Porch in the Mountains!
Each and every one of you
make my days a little brighter!

~ A Little Tuesday Love ~

2012-01-17T10:37:00.000-05:00

Me-Did you notice I have little red dots all over my face?

J-Yeah, I saw that.

Me-And you didn't say anything?

J-I didn't want to hurt your feelings!

Ahhhh. It's true love, I have with my guy!

And later that same day,
to cheer me up,

J gave me a little more true love.

A little Chipmunk love, in the form of
Alvin and Brittney!

Love me some chipmunks!

And the red dots all over my face?
The went away as fast as they appeared.
{just a little add-on in my world of chronic illness}

Or maybe....

Chipmunk Love was the cure!

Here is hoping your day is full of love.

No matter what form it comes in!

xo,

misha

~Why Children Need Pets! ~

2012-01-12T17:10:00.001-05:00

What was your childhood pet?

Cat, dog, pig, spider monkey?

{I had all four!}

Tell me!

xo,

misha

~A Blast from the Past! And a little bit of now!~ And a Happy Anniversary ~

2012-01-10T06:51:00.000-05:00

Isn't this picture great!

It was taken at a New Years Eve party my parents threw.

It must have been the early seventies.

(That is my "childhood" dog, Bourbon, looking up at my Mom!)

I would have been shipped (happily!!) to stay with my Nana.

Where I got to eat potato chips and drink Pepsi :)

Something I did not get to have at home!

And she let my Aunt Debbie and me sleep on the pull-out sofa!!

I thought that pull-out sofa was the neatest thing in the world...

********************************************

I think my Mom must have been channeling Priscilla Presley!

That hair is too cool!

And she is wearing Palazzo pants and a tunic, in purple!

With that long strand of chunky pearls,

she was rockin' that night!

My Dad is the guy on the far left...with the BIG grin!

He looks mighty proud of His Woman.

(And he wasn't tipsy, 'cause the man does not drink!)

I do believe he was channeling Elvis!

Of course my mother is always making the Best Dressed List.

And here they are..at our home
over the Christmas holiday.
Still in love after all these years!

Happy Anniversary!
We Love You,
m and J

~ Playing and Waiting ~

2012-01-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

And where was Zeke?

Waiting on the front porch for J.

Because each day at the same time,

Zeke's internal clock tells him it's almost time

for J to come rolling down our little

one-lane road.

And I become chopped liver!

I hope your day had a little fun in it!

xo,

misha

~Brutus Tells a Tail~

2012-01-05T22:58:00.000-05:00

The other day,

Brutus went for his daily romp.

His usual 2 hour, out-and-about to check

out all things interesting to a cat.

Brutus usually stays within the perimeter of our house.

But mostly,

he hangs out in the

woods right behind our home.

When the trees are missing all their leaves,

I can always spot the blob,

of Jelly-Belly Brutus,

in all his glory of black and white fluffiness,
as he makes his way through the jungle.

After he had been gone a few hours,
I spotted him by the wood pile and went out to get him.

He walked towards me, looking a little beat-up,

dragging his fluffy tail behind him.

Not the usual bounding back-to-the-house,

as full of himself or more, than when he left!

And then I saw all the little wounds on his face, nose, and ears.
Battle scars.
The true marks of being Knighted as a King Cat
in the Feline World!

And as his feline brother's and sister's

gathered around him,

this is the Tail he told....

i was walkin' through the forest like i does everyday.
making sure the all the forest-critters know
i's on patrol.
brother Bo asked me to scout out some catnip
on my travels.

so i strapped on my ski's.
my little mousey friend led the way!
i may be a cat but thems little mice's are my friends!
{besides, they ain't that tasty..burp}
i walked and i walked until my paws was
a hurtin' lookin' for that catnip for brother Bo!
and then i see's it.
a big sign.
i knows i walked way, way too far!
all the way into the little town.

i membered the last time i was in town.
it was for surgery.
you knows..that surgery!
*GULP*
************

"Forget about that", Bo shouted!
"Get on with the adventure!"
"Yeah!" all the cats said in unison.
**************

Brutus smiled a sly smile.
so i see's the big sign!
Walmart!
i knows mama shops there!
i knows they gots lots of kitty food.
treats and toys and catnip for brother bo!

so's i make my way in,
slinkin between aisles so nots to be noticed.
i slip into the girls department
and gets me a little girly purse ,
'cause i can't put all the loot i wants into
my jelly-belly tummy rolls!

and then i find it.
i thoughts i heard the Angels Singing!
two whole aisles of Feline Heaven!

"Tell Us!" shouted the whiskered audience!

i fills my bag up with
jingle balls
little fuzzy mice
toys, toys, toys,
and cat nip for Brother Bo!

i wants to look around more.
i bet they got fishies in there!
but i knowin' mama probably lookin' for me
in the forest by now.
i makes my way to big scary doors that
open and close like magic!

and then it happened.
a big man in a blue outfit,
with a shiny star on his chest
nabbed me by the scruff of my neck!
i screamed so loud there was people
running to the magic doors to see
what the Feline Fuss was all about!

People shouted,
"Put him down",
"Yeah, he ain't hurting anything",
"FREE the Fat Feline!"
Free Jelly-Belly Brutus!
Fat Cats have rights too!
Free Brutus!
wally world was havin' a feline riot!

i's a smilin under my whiskers
and my fat feet were runnin' in the air,
as that mean man helded me up in the air,
tellin' me to drop my loot!
instead, he dropped me.
i took off runnin' out the magic doors and to the side
of the building.
all i kepts thinking was,
"oooh, my mama is gonna be mad!"

i found an old pile of almost dead Christmas trees.
i climbed in the pile to hide.
let me tell you, i was scratched all over.
blood was a drippin' down my nose and chin.
those trees hurt like a dickins'
i's kept thinkin' 'bout my poor handsome face...

then i hear it.
the four-legged sound like Zeke.
all huffin' and puffin' and whinin'.
i hears the man in the blue uniform, with the shiny star,
say, "Get the cat, Igor!"

now i lives with 3 canines.
they ain't the sharpest tools in the shed.
so i takes one of them jingle balls,
and use my big, fat paw to launch it!
and that drooling police dog, Igor..
well, he runs after it like a puppy chasin' a squirrel!

i laughed and laughed and laughed!
until i feels the man with the shiny star on his chest,
nab me on the neck and throws me in the back
of that scary car with cage separating the front seat and backseat.
and he runs off to get stupid, igor the police mutt!

i may be a jell-belly,
but it comes in handy when i needin'
to hide sumthpin'.
i tucked that bag in my belly roll and sats in the car waitin'.

then that man with the shiny badge and Igor
gets in car.
me and Igor ridin' in the back.
let me tell you all,
that dog had some stinky breath when he licked
all the Christmas tree wounds on my furry face!

we wents to an office filled with lots of people
wearin' shiny badges and filled out
lots of forms.
i gots to have my picture taken!
and answer lot's of questions!
thems 2 things i loves.
havin' my picture made and
talkin' 'bout me!

then the man says he take me home!
thats i going to be released on my own promise
that i won't do nuttin' like this again.
i puts my paw on some ink and stamp it
on them important papers!
i's some feline!

i asked mister policeman to drop me off by the forest,
so i's can walk home.
i sats in wood pile for a while.
thinkin' 'bout my trip to the little city
and lickin' my wounds.
i smilin a lot 'bout my day!
i had what they call
an adventure!

then mama came out and got me!

***************
"i wanna go to town with brutus!"
yeah, and get more loot?"
"you are a King Feline, Brutus!"
The feline peanut gallery shouted!
And Brutus grinned from whisker to whisker!
***************
And then I watched Brutus walk off
with a swagger in his step
and a grin on that whiskered face.
Brutus slept all the rest of Monday.
Tuckered out from his big day in the little town!

Of course, Brutus always tells Tall Tails!
The other felines look up to him.
That night, I whispered in his ear that he
needed to tell the Felines about his
Tall Tail being just that.

He just kept snoozing.
With a wry whiskered grin.

And later that night, as I picked up the house,
I decided to check the little spot where
Brutus stashes all things important to him.

To my surprise and amazement, I found this...
Evidence of his Tall Tail!

thanx for readin'
'bout my adventure!
i gots lots more tails to tell.

and let me know if you
would sign my petition for
wally-world to start lettin' in
Fat-footed,

Jelly-belly Kleptco cats!
that just ain't right.
skinny cats get all the breaks!

love and whiskered kisses!
your good friend,
brutus

*disclaimer
in no way do we condone
shoplifting from wally-world
or discriminating against
Fat or Skinny Felines.

all pictures courtesy of wallco.net

The one thing I could say that would strike giddy terror in my family!

2011-12-31T16:08:00.000-05:00

Of course, we already have a mini zoo.
But, if I could add a few creatures,
I would!

I usually do not watch movies
where the main character is an animal.
Being such an all-out animal lover,
I know that sounds strange
But I cannot handle it when the plot
centers on a beautiful creature
enduring something terrible
only to have the ending be happy.
Like it is a "happy animal" movie.

"The Black Stallion".
Oy.
I know the story.
I won't read the book.
I will not see the movie.
Ever.

Old Yeller
'nuf said!

i hate that green-faced wicked witch!

Wizard of Oz
Oh my,
when the Wicked Witch steals Toto..
I bawl my eyes out every time!
{don't get me started on those monkey's
made out to be wicked creatures!}

And, Bambi?
Well, after the shot rang out
that would kill Bambi's mother,
I passed out cold.
I have never seen the movie again
past this scene..
{my poor mother!}
Oy, again.

It is in my best interest not to watch
movies with animals as the main characters.
J heartily agrees!
And if I do?
I totally make sure there are no scenes

with gratuitous acts against animals.

I have been told no such scenes inhabit this movie.
A sweet animal movie made for me :)
Hooray!

This is a terrific piece on the site of the

Humane Society.

It explains how all scenes with animals were filmed,

and what precautions were taken to

protect the humans and animals.
For all you animal lovers, just click to read. Loved this piece!

The real zoo is in England

Dartmoor Zoo.

Let me know if you have seen this movie :)

And tell me what are
scariest children's movies you have ever seen.

This chickie wants to know!
xo,
misha

Perspective-The Capacity to View Things in Their Relative Importance

2011-12-28T10:47:00.000-05:00

~ Christmas Eve ~

Late Friday evening,
my parents arrived in Tennessee!

Saturday found them spending the day at Nana's,
leaving shortly before Nana had
Christmas Eve
dinner with all her friends!

J worked in the barn all day and I stayed
home with the intention of saving my body
for Christmas Day.

My parents came to our house for Christmas Eve!

We had a fab evening.

We snacked, ate a delish meal,

and watched the movie, "The Help".

J and I had already seen it,

but happily watched it again!

It was a late evening.

They left around midnight

to make their way back to their hotel

near Nana's home.

~ Christmas Day ~

Our plan for Christmas Day
was to meet at Nana's at noon,
so all of us could head to
a restaurant on the Tennessee River
that was having a
beautiful Christmas buffet.
This way, Nana could join us since her
lunch time each day is at noon!
And early in the day is good for
her mood, body, and spirit!

Christmas morning came,
and I knew.
That I wouldn't be leaving the house,
much less the sofa for the day.

After J called, as they were on their way
to eat glorious food and enjoy the holiday,
I felt sorry for myself.
I was missing out on yet another day
full of family and love.

Over the years, I have spent many
a Christmas alone.
Living and working in other states,
hundreds of miles away from family.

In the horse business,
someone always has to be on call.
Horses still have to be cared for.
Fed, watered, given medicines, doctored..

Even on a holiday!

But this year,
knowing my parents, Nana, and J
were celebrating so close by and I couldn't
be there~
well, it just felt
so downright sad, lonely, and dark.

I layed on the sofa with Zeke.
He was in all his glory to have
someone to snuggle with!
Something so simple,
is so very wonderful to Zeke!

I watched the kitties play
and chase one another.
And when they finally used up all of their
feline energy, they plopped in
front of the wood stove.
A big heap of paws, furry bodies and whiskers.
Snoozing and basking in the warmth.
Loving their little kitty lives!

I suddenly felt so grateful.

In this old farmhouse,
I love that I am never alone.
I have all my Kids to tend to.
To care for.

Without them,
there would be days I wouldn't
have a reason to get out of bed.
No matter how icky, fatigued,
or how much pain I may feel,
making sure they are cared for
keeps me going.

And then I began to think.
About how lucky I am.
How fortunate J and I are!

We have heat.
{some people don't}
We have clean water.
{some people don't}
We have access to good medical care.
{even if i don't have insurance!}
{some people don't}
We have food in my fridge.
{some people don't}
We have a washer and dryer.
{some people don't}
We have great vehicles.
{some people don't}
We have a bed with warm blankets.
{some people don't}
We have family.
{some people don't}

And on and on...

I guess sometimes you just have
to take a step back and get a little perspective.
And I did just that.

Christmas turned out to be just grand.
In it's own little way!

I hope your holiday was grand, too!
xo,
misha

p.s. And now I will be skipping
down the sidewalk of
Blogland,
to knock on your virtual doors
and catch up with all of you!

2011-12-24T12:44:00.001-05:00

~Nana and The Christmas Elves~

2011-12-23T14:41:00.000-05:00

Things have been busy at Nana's house.
The Christmas season is in full swing over there!
From little pint-sized carolers
to Christmas concerts of beautiful music.
Christmas treats to be snacked on each day.
Christmas movies being shown in the family room!

Decorating Christmas trees was happily done

by Nana and her friends!

Nana has made a lovely new friend!

A lady who moved onto Nana's floor

a couple of months ago.

Now they are inseparable :)

I adore this group pic!
Can you see Nana and her bestie holding hands
behind the staffer?
How precious is that?!
~ ~ ~ ~
Yesterday when J and I arrived at Nana's,
we found her in the family room.
She was watching a Christmas movie with her BFF.
And they were looking at 4 Christmas cards Nana
had received that day!

After visiting for a while with all the ladies,
we retreated to Nana's apartment to drink
our caramel McFrappe's and look at Christmas cards!

Good golly Miss Molly!
Nana has stacks of glorious cards!
We looked at each one and commented on
how pretty they all are.
Nana said there were a few that she didn't
remember the person who sent them.
I told her they were from my friends who wanted
to spread Christmas magic!
And Nana said,
"Like Elves! All these cards are from little Christmas Elves!"

72 Christmas cards were sent to my sweet Nana!
I think she has a card from just
about every state in U.S.!
And one from Canada!
{Thank you, Andrea!}

I cannot thank you all enough.
Each one of you brought so much joy to her.

I will be saving these and putting them in a photo album.
This way she can browse them whenever her heart desires,
after the holidays are long gone.

All of you did such an awesome thing!
You Payed it Forward.
Since so many of you took your time
and precious dollars to do so,
J and I payed it forward also.

We purchased a few boxes of Christmas cards,
and made a card for each resident where Nana lives.
Perhaps a few residents had already received a card or two.
And maybe some received none at all....
This way, every resident has a Christmas card
to display in their room!

In my original post, asking if anyone
was willing to send Nana a card,
I said this was all I wanted for Christmas.
So, thank you!
From the bottom of my Heart!
You each gave me the best gift ever...

As Christmas Elves, you all Rock!

~Merry Christmas~
xo,
misha

Throughout the year, should any of you
wish to drop Nana a card,
please do so!
It makes her day to get a sweet, friendly hello
in the mail :)

~The Christmas Wish List of Annie and Her family~

2011-12-22T12:11:00.000-05:00

A certain kitty told me that one night Santa came to visit. Hmm. I was skeptical.
But, here is the picture to prove it!

Cadence
the very Debonair and very Handsome Stallion
is asking Santa for~

Cadence wants you to know he isn't a total snob!
He likes to read Shakespeare and eat junk food!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Allure
the Grande Dame of the Barn
and Miss D
the Beautiful Mama of Annie
are asking Santa for~

The fave snack of Miss D and Allure!

They love these so much :)

Because they put up with so much!

Between Allegra the Princess and Annie,

Allure and Miss D spend their days hollering,

"No"

"Stop that"

"Act your age, Allegra"

"Get that board out of your mouth, young lady!"
"Oh, Annie!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Allegra the Princess
and the Paris Hilton in the Equine World,
who is always muttering,
"Don't hate me because I am beautiful!"
is asking Santa for~

Allegra and her boy-toys!
Sheesh..

Geez. She is such a princess!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Annie
the always will be the baby in the barn and she knows it
is asking Santa for~

She also wants a scoreboard
in the pasture.
{J says it ain't happening! It would just encourage her!
I say, "Bah Humbug", to J!}

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And for all the good horses {even Miss Annie}
sugar cubes in each stocking!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I had fun thinking of all the things
these equine kids might ask Santa for!
Things that fit each personality.

Even if they don't find treadmills and gold-gilded mirrors
wrapped and waiting outside the stall doors of each,
I do know that Annie and her family
know how much they are loved.

On Christmas morning, as usual,
the stockings hung on each door will be filled
with treats for each one of them.

And their gifts to me?
Warm nuzzles,
sweet hugs,
making me smile,
silliness that makes me bust out laughing,
and a whole lot of love shown in a lot of
different ways :)

Animals show such love, gratitude, and thanks
in many simple ways.
I like to think that as so many of us move
forward in finding new ways of giving in a simplistic
manner, we recognize that sometimes
Family and Love are the Gift!

Whomever you call Family and share love with~
blood relatives,
close friends,
and even those four-leggers
that we share our lives with;
these are the Gifts that keep the
Spirit of Christmas in our hearts
365 days a year.

Priceless.

Merry, merry!
xo,
misha

~Glorious Cherries on a Cold, December Day~

2011-12-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

I believe the most treasured gifts

are the ones that take us by surprise.

Little acts of kindness,

when we are least expecting it.

And this morning,

a treasured gift was waiting for me

when I opened up my mail!

A sweet woman named Carrie

and her 11 year old daughter sent

me something totally unexpected,

but-oh-so

treasured!

Carrie and Gracie have been following

From My Front Porch,

since right before Annie was born.

Even though Carrie is not a blogger,

she and Gracie always make sure they zip

off an email for each post I write.

And as you can imagine, 11 year old Gracie

adores Annie and all of her antics :)

{Gracie even calls herself and her mom,

"Team Brutus"!

They really love all the trouble

that fat-footed cat gets himself into!}

Not quite 3 years ago, Carrie's husband and Gracie's father

very unexpectedly died at age 43.

And in searching for help with grief,

Carrie found herself reading the blogs of

other women who had walked the same road.

One night while blog-hopping, Carrie found a blog

with a story about a horse who was about

give birth.

And that horse was, Miss D!

Together, Carrie and Gracie began to read the

adventures of Annie and her family.

And through email, the 3 of us became friends!

So today I present to you,

my Christmas gifts from Carrie and Gracie.

A beautiful drawing of Annie!

Annie and me!

A big smile lit up on my face when I opened these

adorable pictures this morning!

I do believe I will be printing them,

so they can be framed :)

And of course, my sidebar will happily accommodate them!

Carrie and Gracie are an awesome duo.

Mother-daughter/best-friends.

Finding their way in the world after a life-altering change.

Each time Carrie and Gracie comment on a post,

they always sign off with,

"Thanks for making us smile and giggle".

I so appreciate

both of you,

Carrie and Gracie!

And thank you,

from the bottom of my heart for the gorgeous

drawings you made!

It was like being handed

a big bowl full of glorious cherries

on a cold, December day!

Today, you each made me smile and giggle :)

Merry, merry!

xo,

misha

p.s. Gracie asked that I tell all of you,

that this past summer, she and her mom

began taking riding lessons!

Hooray!

And one day, Gracie hopes to have her

very own "Annie"!
Oy!
{*giggle*}

~Days in December~

2011-12-15T09:31:00.000-05:00

Cold,

frosty,

and crispy.

And then I got to see the sun rise.

All while the kids munched their breakfast.

I added this one to my list.

What is on your list of simple blessings?

xo,

misha

p.s. And Annie?

Been a complete Angel :)

~The One Where Annie Decides On Her Christmas Gift~

2011-12-12T15:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes,

a Christmas present is chosen out of necessity.

As in yesterday,

in the case of our

sweet fence-board-kicking Annie!

Who became a

window-shattering banshee as soon as the barn doors

were opened!

Oy.

Miss Annie is now the proud owner

of a new shatter-proof plexi-glass window!

What every 2 year old Arabian has on

their Christmas list for 2011!

One that cannot shatter when she

is irritated that breakfast isn't being served as fast

as she would prefer.

Or perhaps she was just miffed

that her window has not been washed in a while!

Whatever was going on in that little pea-brain

of Annie, I have no idea.

But, lumps of coal are sounding favorable

for Santa to drop in her stocking on Christmas Eve!

Merry, merry!
xo,
misha

2011-12-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

Thank you so much!

For your comments and emails

asking for Nana's address,

so a bit of old -fashioned

Christmas Cheer could be sent her way!

Hopefully next week, I will be able to visit her :)

This week my body has just not cooperated,

but I hope to spend time with her in the coming days.

And look through the cards

I know she is thrilled

to be receiving!

My family so appreciates each and every one of you!

Bloggers ROCK!

Merry, merry!

misha

~Would You? Could you? A Favor for My Nana!~You are all awesome!

2011-12-03T07:30:00.000-05:00

My Nana taught me the value

of a hand-written note.

A thank-you,

a birthday greeting,

a get-well

or a just

"How are you?"

Nana has been a life-long letter writer

and card sender.

But, sadly in the past few years her ability

to remember to send letters and cards

has diminished.

She does, however, LOVE to still receive cards!

Mail is a fave thing of Nana's!

So I have a favor.

Would you send my Nana a Christmas card?

It would mean the World to her!!

And me :)

It will not matter that she does not "know" you.

What will matter, is that someone sent love her way!

If you are so inclined,

please leave a comment that you would like her address.

Make sure your email is attached!

Or email me at

1missmisha@gmail.com

This is all I want for Christmas.

Honest.

much love and peace to each and everyone of you!

xo,

misha

What Transpired Since June. The Power of Blogging ~drops of jupiter for my little soul sister~

2011-12-02T08:22:00.000-05:00

My post below did seem to be showing up,

so this is the step I have taken to get it to you

It means a lot to three of us,
{that you read what has transpired since June!}
Me, Yancey and X.

Read previous post below this.

What Transpired Since June. The Power of Blogging. ~drops of jupiter for my little soul sister~

2011-12-01T01:22:00.001-05:00

You may have read this post from last June.

Since then, much has transpired in my

story of Yancey.

You can read again or

scan down to my

post of today,

November 30, 2011.

I chose to post Yancey's story in one writing,

to keep it all together.

I think when you read what has

transpired since June,

you will agree....

there is such power in blogging!

Yes, it is long.

But it is so very important to each one of us.

I thank you for reading on.....

Each summer I think of her.
The young girl, who was introduced to me by a friend.
When I met Yancey, she was 17.
17 and a mess.
Through no fault of her own
Although I was not that much older than Yancey,
she seemed years younger. Child-like.
She was the girl who flew through friends because.
Life had handed her a plate filled with sexual, physical, and emotional
abuse when she was little more than six years of age
and it had continued for her whole 17 years that she spent with her father.
Abuse from family members, strangers,
and yes even at times, friends.
When you have no boundaries, friends are hard to keep.
Unscrupulous people will prey on you
And although over a ten year period I hung in there
with Yancey, I have to admit.
At times,
She. wore. me. out.
I can't begin to remember how many times over those years
I was startled out of a dead sleep at 3am
to hear Yancey on the other end of the phone
begging for me to come get her.

I lived in north Georgia.
She was in Atlanta.
A good hours drive to get my girl,
who had become like a little sister.

You see, Yancey was a heroin addict.
Since the age of 13, she had been using drugs
to try and stop the demons.
Three months on.
Six months off. Three months on...
Well, you get the idea.
When she was using I wouldn't hear from her.

I always knew it was a matter of time before ~

A. She called at 3am-ready to be done with it. Again.
B. It would be the morgue. As I was listed as her "next of Kin".

I cannot remember how many detox centers she went through
Or 30 day, 60 day, 120 day impatient programs she
committed herself to.
I do remember having conversations with the doctors
and counselors, that Yancey's demons were so
deep seeded, so full of family venom, and life shaping forces,
they were unsure of what the future could or would
hold for her.

Yancey had so many suicide attempts in her brief life,
that many programs just didn't want to deal with her.
That's right.
They felt this Human Being was so far gone,
she most certainly would not shine as an
outstanding graduate from their elite
Treatment Program.

In1996, Yancey was living with me~
staying clean, and working a job at a local
pizzeria in my little north Ga. town....

But, I knew it was only a matter of time
before Yancey would once again leave
in the middle of the night.
Hitch her way back to the big city,
because those demons that continued to spew such venom
in her mind and spirit just wouldn't ever quit.

And somehow, Yancey had to make them stop.

I found a place for her.
A place very far away from her demons.
A place that I would only provide a
on-way bus ticket.
And she accepted.

A one year program in the deep woods of Minnesota.
In fact, the little town bordered on Canada.
Within hours of arriving, she used her one
phone call to let me know she had arrived safe.
And she was ready to return.
You can bet Yancey was not a happy camper.
I held my ground.

I wrote her letters of love and encouragement.
She would write me back.
In LARGE print, how this was an awful place,
and I needed to send her a bus ticket home.
And so it went.

Until about 6 months later, Yancey had finally committed to
doing the therapy needed to understand that what happened
to her as a child, as a teenager,was wrong.
That those persons who preyed on her,
were hideous monsters.
That not every child has a sexual relationship with
their father and brother.
And their Mother consents to it.

The year went by fast for me.
And Yancey decided to stay in Mn. and enrolled
in the halfway house program offered to her.
I was over-joyed!
She stayed for the full year of that program, too!

In the meantime, I had taken a Equine position in south Florida.
Yancey and I kept in touch.
Eventually she moved back to Georgia.
She stayed clean.
She got a job.
She continued therapy.
She was enrolled in college at the age 27!
She was leading a good, healthy, happy life.

That same year I moved back to Georgia.
Montezuma !
(My Eat, Pray, Love year!)

Yancey and I spoke a couple times a month.
I always felt so much peace after our phone calls.
She was a grown lady now.
Not the 17 year old kid who needed rescuing.
How proud I was of her for all the
gut-wrenching work she had taken on
to conquer those demons.

And then one afternoon, as I sat at my desk in the office
of the Good Doc, eating lunch
and reading the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper
I saw this~

PTC Flight Ends in Disaster for 3 Summer 2000
Tuesday morning, investigators were closely examining the wreckage from the fatal plane crash at Falcon Field Saturday that claimed the lives of three area residents.
They were looking for any clues of mechanical problems that could have occurred before the crash, said Phil Powell, an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board.
“There was quite a lot of displacement with the engine and propeller,” Powell said near the crash scene Saturday afternoon. But he saw nothing out of the ordinary, comparing the scene to other crashes he has investigated.
The plane, a 1967 Cessna 172 model, had taken off from the airstrip moments before crashing into a wooded area next to the runway, Powell said. The aircraft, which was rented from Peachtree Flight Center, came to rest near the Planterra Ridge golf course.
Witnesses saw the plane begin to spin after it took flight, Powell said. During the spin, the aircraft's nose aimed downward before the plane hit the ground nose-first, he added.
The force of the crash immediately killed the pilot, ********. of Atlanta, said Fayette County Coroner C.J. Mowell.
Both of the passengers, ******** of Atlanta and Yancey ***** of Tucker, were flown by helicopter to Atlanta-area hospitals, Mowell said. Senft died at Grady Hospital during surgery Saturday afternoon and Yancey ***** died Saturday evening at Atlanta Medical Center, the coroner added.
Emergency crews from Peachtree City's Fire and Rescue Department had difficulty extricating the passengers because the passenger compartment was severely compacted, Lohr said.
Despite those challenges, Yancey ***** was in flight after 34 minutes while **** was on his way after an hour, the chief said.

Yancey was taken off life support the next day.

~
How ironic the a person can put themselves
in harms way over and over for so many years.

How ironic that Yancey had tried to to take her own life so many times....

How ironic that she lost her life in a small plane crash,
when life was finally smiling back at her. And she was in love.....
He died also in the crash.

I remember feeling as if the wind had been knocked out of me.

Literally.
Because the obit did not include her unusual middle
name, I called the funeral home.
The woman on the other end of the phone line was so calm. So kind.
I explained my reason for the call.

Was her middle name *****? I asked.
Yes, honey. It was.
Said the kind woman.

I didn't go to the funeral.
Instead I went to a Memorial that friends of
Yancey's and I did for her.
I just could not stand to look in the faces of the family
who had robbed that girl of her first 25 years.
Took away the little girl she was supposed to have been....

~

I think of Yancy all the time.
She spent holidays with me.
Got to pet her first horse.
See a foal being born.
Snuggle with my kitties and pups when she stayed with me.
And some times she irked the heck out of me, wandering the house
with headphones on so she could tune out me the world.
We grocery shopped.
Looked through fashion magazines.
We cooked.
We sat on my front porch.
We did normal stuff
She got to be normal, for the first time in her life.....

Yancey made a lasting impression on my life
of how a person can overcome such
atrocities committed by those who are supposed to
love us, and protect us.

How wonderful it is that Yancey had two awesome years of life well lived.
Free of demons.
Knowing God.

I think of you often Little Soul Sister.
Especially when I hear this song~
I hope you got to touch the Milky Way, sweet Yancey.

Make sure you watch this full screen.
How beautiful it is.

xo,
misha
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Anneewakee Treatment center
When Louis Poetter and nine employees of his Douglas County psychiatric center were arrested in 1986 for the sexual molestings of hundreds of young boys and girls, it was revealed that state authorities had allowed many suspected pedophiles to slip through the cracks since 1970.
Anneewakee is a part of Yancey's story.
If you live or lived in Ga. during the 1980's you most certainly know about this scandal.
It also made national headlines.
There is much available within the internet on the
Anneewakee Scandal.

November 30, 2011

I wrote about Yancey, my little soul sister last June!

Never in a million years did I have any inkling how much

email I would receive from writing that post.

402 emails flooded my inbox. As you imagine, I was quite overwhelmed.

I guess through search engines, survivors of the Anneewakee

scandal found the post about my sweet Yancey.

There are still so many lost souls from this heinous tragedy.

People who walk along side us each day feeling grief and pain

from a childhood stripped away from them.

This place, that was supposed to help "troubled youth",

involved using these children as forced laborers, and committing

sexual, physical, and emotional abuse was a part of that program.

Education was supposed to be provided at Anneewakee.

It was not.

Many of the emails that were sent to me had no reply address, so I was unable to thank them

for reaching out. Most just wanted to tell "their story". So if you are one those email senders,

know just how much I treasure that you confided in me.

Many were letters thanking me for helping Yancey.

Please know that I have guarded Yancey as closely in death as I did in her short life.

But, one email touched my heart and my soul.

And I felt Yancey say, "Yes, it's OK. Tell!"

The following is the first email I received from this awesome girl!

Begin email

I read your blog about Yancey. A beautiful and tragic story. I too went to Anneewakee and through some sort of unexpected fate have become time and history keeper of a group of survivors. I do not remember a girl named Yancey who went there. Do you know what years she attended? Do you feel comfortable divulging her proper first and last name (or even the middle name you mentioned in the blog)?

We are a strong group (dispite being slightly damaged) and would like to offer up prayers/positive energy to ease her travels in the after life. Thank you for all you did for her. It looks as if in her last years she found peace. So many of us still struggle. If only there had been more people like you when we left ATC, we all would have peace. Thank you again,.X

end of email

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At the end of my original story about Yancey, I wrote that Anneewakee was part of Yancey's story. What I didn't say was that Yancey never attended Anneewakee herself. Her father was a psychiatrist there.

Because there were so many doctor's (do we even dare call them that?) who worked with the program,

I have no qualms about writing this.

And after much investigating over the last few months, I found that he has died. There was no funeral for him.

I know in my heart, that he did not cross through the same gates Yancey did when she left this World.

He was not welcomed into that universe.

He was a monster.

He experimented on her like a lab rat. And later used used those techniques on the victims of Anneewakee.

He did things to six year old Yancey that no one should have survived. And continued until she had herself declared an emancipated minor. And legally changed her name to not be associated with him.

Yet, she did survive.

For years now I have been keeper of a box that Yancey left with me. Documents, letters, photographs,

all things of an admission from a man who was supposed to be a father. Not a demon in a parental position.

A box full of things given to the judge at the time of her emancipation. And did the judge strip her father's license? No. Because years later, it came out, that judge also was somehow involved in Anneewakee.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Part of my email back to X

Even though Yancey was never a "student" at Anneewakee, is there any way her name could be added as one of those who suffered at the hands of those who preyed on all of you? It would mean a lot to me to have Yancey's name somewhere, in print, forever.

As a survivor!

Feel free to contact me again.

Best Regards and I wish you nothing but peace, my friend!

xo, misha

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Email from X

Thank you so much contacting me. My heart is broken for your dear friend. I will approach my Anneewakee brothers and sisters about adding her name to our Survivors Roster. I am positive that there will be no problem with her name being listed with ours. It is an informal list and no one other than us will probably ever see it, but to us it is important to have our names all together in a list and I personally would be honored to add Yancey's name . May I ask her father's name? We have several names of former ATC employees that are on our radar, which sadly includes obituary watch.We do not wish anyone's death, but some of us will find closure only in knowing that no other child will be hurt. Thank you for your beautiful words about Yancey and for all you did for her, X

end of email

I really have felt the need to document everything that has come my way since June when I first wrote of Yancey. I asked permission of X and this was her response-

.......middle of email from X Of course you can publish our emails. Many of the survivors, including myself feel forgotten, so I personally welcome the reminder to whomever will hear our story. end of email

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

.......Middle of my email to x- Stay in touch!. I will update about Yancey soon on the blog. I will be honest-when I found out her "so-called father" was dead, the song from the Wizard of Oz played in my head. "Ding-dong, the *%@% is DEAD!"

Much grace and love being sent to you~

xo, misha

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Middle of email from X.....Do not feel guilt in the pleasure you have taken from this mans death. Knowing that he will hurt no other child is an allowed pleasure. At least in my mind. There is, I am convinced, a section of hell (or whatever place the evil spend eternity) where those involved in the ATC abuse will reside.

I will certainly keep in touch.

Fate brought us together and I never argue with fate.

Best regards, x

I cannot thank this brave woman enough!

Much of her writings that I did not share

brought me to tears.

We are a World that abhors any kind of

child abuse.

But, so much of it happened long before

it became "socially acceptable"

to speak about.

This summer after writing about Yancey

and having so many people contact me about

her and sharing there own stories,

my heart was so very heavy.

Heavy from feeling how much pain

so many souls carry each day,

yet trying to survive this world each day.

My hope in sharing Yancey with you

and my new wonderful friend,

is that you will keep them in your thoughts.

Ending abuse begins with each one of us.

Thank you for sharing in my update about Yancey.

I am forever grateful to have been her friend.

I have been missing her so very much...

xo,

misha

p.s.
To X,

{A quote from one of X's many emails to me}
"Anneewakee has fallen, and those who caused us pain as children are dying, but unfortunately the pain lives on in our hearts. For some of us it was worse than others. Most of us are just trying to survive on a daily basis."

Thank you for trusting me with your story, X.
I admire you. You are a hero to me!
I wish you nothing but peace....
misha
~ ~ ~

The first 22 comments are from the first post in June, 2011
Please feel free to comment now in December, 2011
I am sure that X would appreciate any kind words that should come her way!.

~This Yankee Chick~

2011-11-29T11:26:00.001-05:00

Yes.

They did.

They set up a "Deer Camp".
On our property

Then they shot and slaughtered the beautiful animal,

gutting it and only taking only the parts 'they'

wanted.

J took care of burying the rest of the carcass.

And pouring gasoline on top of the grave,

to ward off potential coyotes who may be enticed to dig it up.
Our coyote problem is bad enough.

No worries of fire here.

We have had days and days of pouring rain.

Seven years ago, when we first moved on this

150 acres of land,

we made sure that we were well "posted".

Meaning, by law, it was our responsibility

to hike the property and nail up

"No Hunting"

"No Trespassing"

signs.

And we did.

Not long after moving here,

J had to make a trip to Dallas.

And one night at about 3am,

I could heard men's voices under my bedroom

window.

That part of our house sets up high, almost like a second story.

And a creek runs a few feet from the house.

The dogs still had not heard anything, but as I lay low

in bed, watching out the window,
I could hear them and see they had flashlights.

I dialed 911.

Then I set off my car alarm.

Then the dogs went crazy.

My adrenaline was so crazy at that very point,

I opened our front door and let Zeke out.

Zeke ain't gonna let anything happen to Mama!

I ran out behind Zeke, with my cordless phone

in my hand, in case the sheriff's office called back.

The four men had jumped the creek and were

being held at bay by a bad-ass 150lb.

growling, snarling, drooling dog,
and a really p*ssed-off Yankee Chick!

I asked them to stand right there.
And wait for the Law.
(That's what they call the cops here in Tennessee,
"The Law"!)

I yelled and screamed.

They were speechless.

They were poaching on our land.

Spotlighting deer.

Illegal on both counts.

My adrenaline just kept escalating,

as I screamed that were on private property.

In hindsight, I know it was not the smartest thing to do.

A couple of the men wanted to justify that they had hunted on

this land since childhood.
Say what???
If you don't own it,
it ain't yours!

When the four sheriff's cars finally came down

our little one-lane road...

pure relief on my part.

The men were well known by the sheriff's department.

I am sure they were either "kin"

or went to school together,

or had been in the pokey at the same time!

The deputies asked me to put Zeke in the house

and asked each of us to drop our weapons.

Weapons?

The four men threw down shotguns.

And me?

I threw down my cordless phone that I had been hanging

onto, since calling 911.

You never saw a bunch of cops laugh so hard that

a woman held four men in her driveway, hostage,

with a cordless phone, until the cops

were able to get there!

They thought I had a pistol.

In regards to my safety,

I should never have left the confines of my home.

But, adrenaline is a crazy thing!

And in recent years, J has taught me to shoot.

We do keep firearms in our home and have permits.

Now, even 7 years later, the story still

circulates about this little mountain town~

The night the Crazy Yankee B*tch who held four good 'ol boys

hostage in her driveway for poaching and trespassing!

With a phone!

And that is all good with me..

xo,
misha
aka Crazy Yankee Chick

Also, did you know the locals call us
"Half-backs"
Both J and I are originally from Ohio.
We moved to Florida.
(not together, of course!)
And then to Tennessee!
Yes, we are "Half-backs!"
Sometimes living here has been like
living in a different country!But, I do love it!

~If These Boots Could Talk~The Bucket List of My Past Life!

2011-11-28T07:55:00.000-05:00

It has been one of those weeks.

It has been a while since I went into

a Flare of this magnitude.

My regular days are bad enough of late.
One thing I do know~

I sure do not have the

Grace and Joy of my Gitz Girl, Sara!

While the world around me has buzzed about

upcoming holidays,

I just plain ignore it.

Sometimes, I find it unimaginable

that I can never again plan simple things,

because I don't know where my body will be

at any given time!

So yesterday I chicken scratched on paper

{I have horrible hand-writing!}

a list of things I have already done in life!

A kind of already done,

bucket list that I need to remember.

Not a braggy list.

Just a simple list for me,

that reminds me this life has given me

a full ride already.

And if my place is in this cottage farmhouse,

with J and all the critters,

'til the end of time...

So be it.

It is what it is.

So here we go, for a start~

I have floated down the River Seine

on a Bateaux Mouche in Paris, France.
And had a 13 year old declare his love for me.
I bet he turned out to be a heart-breaker!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Piccadilly Circus in London

I sold all my Levi's jeans when I was in London because
the Punkers paid big bucks for them!
They want American, broken-in jeans :)
Funny thing is....
now I order my Levi's jeans off Ebay!
Because I want broken-in well-worn jeans!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I almost got arrested for taking pictures at the Eiffel Tower.
A famous photographer was snapping away
for a French Vogue magazine layout.
He kept yelling at the Police in French as I snapped pics of him
snapping pics of the models.
The French police approached me,
demanding my camera or the paddy wagon!

In what little French I knew,
I babbled. I cried.
And I got to keep my camera.
{I did understand the policeman saying,
"Stupid American Girl!"}

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I sat on a balcony one evening with Gregg Allman,
and shared an entire, HUGE, bag of Halloween candy with him.
I don't particularly care for candy,
but hey..
it was Gregg Allman!
He was quiet, soft spoken.
{way, way, way, way, post Cher}
{Did you know he has raised Arabian horses for years? And lives not far from Montezuma!
He played a few shows in Atlanta after that and I had ticket's waiting for me!}

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the mid 80's I did three commercials
for Sebastian International
and a few other print ads.
At 5'10 inches, I was a wanna-be model.
After working days from 6am 'til 2am,
it kind of killed the desire.
There was nothing more boring than standing
around and waiting, waiting, waiting.
{But, I did meet a lovely girl who became a tragic story
all her own.
More about her on my next Bucket List.}

If I ever have the VHS "model"tapes turned into DVD's.
I will surly post them! And you can laugh!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hmmm...

Don't even know how to explain this one.
Tucson, Arizona

I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner with Slash

from Guns n' Roses.
Several times.

He wore his top-hat.

Always.

And no shirt.

Just a leather vest.

Incredibly intelligent, nice, well-spoken.

Rolling Stone placed him at No. 65 on their list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2011.

Even if you were never a fan
or did love you some Slash,
{and I still do}
you cannot deny the man has a gift!
Married now, with children.
And clean and sober.
So take a listen, and really watch, full-screen!
{filmed in Tucson, AZ.}

So far, my "already-done-did-that" bucket list made me feel a little bit better!

I have a part two coming soon!
Know I need to figure out how to get to Kenya!

What is on your Bucket List?
xo,
misha

To those who came by to give Thanksgiving wishes;
Thank you!
I was pretty much out of commission yesterday.
In fact, it took me 4 days to complete this post.
Hooray!
I finished it :)

2011-11-24T06:58:00.000-05:00

xo,

misha

~Do You Dremel With Your Pups?~

2011-11-17T16:24:00.000-05:00

In a home filled with a herd of felines
and three canines,
pet nail grooming is done by us!
I take care of all the kitties.
About every two weeks I clip all their nails.
That's a lot of nails to clip!
Because I always start clipping when they are young
enough to have it done,
these felines are used to it.
No fighting me.
No running off to hide.
Heck, I can trim Bo while he sleeps!
The only cat in our home who
detests having his nails done is..
You guessed it!
Brutus.
And with those fat, furry feet,
{Yes, Auntie Andie~they are fat feet!}
it is hard to find his daggers in all that fluff!
So, J helps with Brutus.
He wraps him up in towel, like a burrito,
and with his two front ~~fat~~ feet sticking out,
I clip away!

If the Pet Police were outside our home,
they surly break down our door
to rescue this poor wailing cat
who can scream like a banshee!

After the clipping is completed,
Brutus will actually snivel a little,
like a child after a crying fit, act like he can't catch his breath!
With piercing eyes, he will stare us down.
And then he flips that fluffy tail up and walks off,
only to ignore us for the rest of the evening.
He becomes one pouty, fat boy!
Oh, the abuse of it all!

When it comes to the nail maintenance
of the pups, that is J's domain.
A few years ago, my Uncle John gave us a Dremel tool,
for Canine nails!
And ever since, our pups have perfectly manicured nails :)

Zeke intently watches the whole process.
{Hey, dude. You missed a rough spot!}
Baby Girl looks away.
{Lalalalalalalala}
But, Sadie Louise?
She is a giggler.
Really!

To her it is all a game.
The buzzy noise and feeling on her nails
just makes her turn into Jello!
And with her jet-black nails it is so much
easier for J, rather than clipping them,
and perhaps hitting the edge of the vein he cannot see!
Eventually Sadie settles down and closes her eyes.
Ah, nothing like an evening at the pooch spa!

With a small herd of Felines as a captive audience!

Do you clip your own pup and kitty nails?
Or does a groomer do it for you?
Tell me!
'Cause this girl is always interested in how other
people care for their pets!

Sometimes I wish I was a pampered pet :)
Have a lovely day!
xo,
misha

*I didn't get the $big bucks$ to write about Dremel.
We just love our Dremel tool!
Here is the link!

~The Nana Chronicles~A certain Someone Turns 89!

2011-11-15T07:00:00.003-05:00

This past Friday on

11/11/11

my Nana turned 89!

Pretty darn special, I think!

And how wonderfully blessed am I

that I still have her here with me.

A few years ago after Nana turned 80,

she would often remark that

it was her 80th year that she really

felt her body had slowed down.

That she *felt*her age.

"Oh, kid",

she would say to me,

"I just don't have the same zip anymore!"

And then 3 years later,

our family began to notice the subtle changes.

First diagnosed as depression.

And then after countless specialists,

it was confirmed as Alzheimer's.

Like so many other thousands of families

dealing with this,

we asked,

"Why her?"

But, as a family, you have to quickly move past that.

Because time to wallow isn't on your side.

My grandmother's name is Mona, pronounced like "sauna"!

Nana has settled into her new home.

A place filled with people walking the same road.

Only they don't know it.

A family of sorts

all connected by the same awful disease.

Nana loves her caretakers.

And they adore her.
She is easy-going. Quick to giggle. Compliant.
Unlike many Alzheimer's patients
who can be combative and filled with anger.
{and who wouldn't be angry!}

Although she does have episodes with
Sundowning.
She will stand by the elevator,
purse in hand, saying it's time for her to leave.
She gets a little snippy with the staff!
Usually the best way they calm her down,
is to ask for her help.
We have a large laundry basket filled
with baby clothes that she enjoys folding.
It is soothing to her.
And she usually forgets about leaving...
{Some doctors believe "Sundowners" is an accumulation of all of the
sensory stimulation from the day
which begins to overwhelm and cause stress in late afternoon and evening}

Her caretakers let her help out with many small tasks.
Setting the table.
Folding laundry.
Helping the other residents at meal-time.
Little things that boost one's self-esteem of being needed.

When the staff comes to check on her
she loves to feel the touch of their hands

and a simple kiss on the cheek.

The warmth of the human beings

who care for her and many others

in the most difficult of situations is

above and beyond good service to other's.

There are Angels who walk amongst us,

and these caretakers are them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This past Friday,

my family filled a table at the
Carmichael Inn

restaurant, just minutes from

River Oaks Place,

where Nana lives.

The staff was great!

With greetings of

"Happy Birthday" to her,

she was all smiles.

My family is fortunate that

Nana is able to make small outings like this.

And on Friday, she was very much

*in the moment*!

After our lunch,

we all went back to the hotel

where my family was staying.

We hung out in the lobby and

Nana opened her birthday gifts.

It was nice.
It was almost like it used to be.

If I had closed my eyes,

while listening to the chit-chat of everyone,

I would have swore that we were sitting in my parent's

family-room at their home in Ohio.

My mom helping Nana open her gifts!

Not the lobby of a hotel in east Tennessee,

minutes from where my grandmother lives,

in assisted living because she has Alzheimer's.

This is one of those moments where you ask yourself,

"Why her?".

"Why us?"

But lingering on that fact takes too much energy.

Energy that should be spent on the

~In the moment~

Just like how Nana is living her life.

Saturday found me home
recooperating from Friday.
Chronic fatigue has me hit me hard.
It's like having the Flu 24/7.
I am trying not to spend too much energy
in the sadness of this.
And learn to live in the moment.
Like my grandmother.

Sunday,

my mom and I spent the afternoon

with Nana at her place.

We watched a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Nana and I cuddled on the love-seat,

holding hands, eating jelly beans,

and slurping McD's frappes!
The movie had an easy-to-follow plot,
that made it enjoyable for her!

As always, Nana will ask where we all live.
This question is one she will ask over and over at each visit.
"I live here in Tennessee", I tell her.
"Mom and Daddy live in Ohio, but when
their home sells they will move here!"

At the end of our afternoon,
it was time for Nana to join "her other family"
for the evening meal in the small dining room.
My mom had packed up a few throw rugs
from Nana's bathroom
for me to bring home and wash.
Nana was confused by this.
I let her know I would bring them back on my next visit.
"Do you live in Tennessee too?", she asked.
"I do!" I told her.
And right here, also.
I pointed to her heart.
"I live in there, too".
And she gave me that sweet giggle.

A really good *in the moment* afternoon we had.

Thank you for sharing in my grandmother's birthday.
Thank you for always asking about her.
My family and I appreciate all of you
so very much!

I hope you each have a wonderful
in-the-moment day!
xo,
misha

Other posts about my sweet Nana!
The Nana Chronicles~Alzheimer's has Touched My Family

~The Teachings of Brutus~

2011-11-14T13:27:00.000-05:00

~Wonderful day to you all~
{and don't forget to take a cat-nap,
so you can dream of fishies too!}
xo,
misha

~The One Where Misha and J Travel to the Big City~

2011-11-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

Our date night was spectacular!
Thanks to a local radio station,
J won tickets to see
Mel Brook's
"Young Frankenstein"!
At the
Historic Tennessee Theatre!

I am just sure that no matter where you live,
you heard me shriek when I found out
we were going to the Historic Tennessee Theatre!
The tickets could have just been
for me to sit in the silent theatre for two hours,
and I would have been happy!
That is just how much I have been longing to go there...

And Being able to see "Young Frankenstein"?

Geez-Louise what a bonus!

The play was incredible!

Hilarious!

And the audience was so involved!

The theatre opened in 1928.

A total renovation was completed in 2005,

to restore it to it's original grandeur.

A cost of 25 million dollars.

Grant monies from various historic preservation

organizations and private donors made this possible!

It is now on the

Historic Registry.

Up the grand staircase to the theatre.

The landing.
On the left are the doors into the theatre.
The "up" staircase goes to the balcony.

Three years ago we attended a festival
in downtown Knoxville.
Everything was open to the public for free.
(They hold this once a year!)
Several museums,
the Knoxville Sphere (built for the "World's Fair")
and the HTT!
We were able to tour the theatre then.
Ever since, I have been pining away for
a chance to see a show there!

"Rolling Stone" magazine said, "Being able to perform here
is like performing inside a "Faberge Egg"!
I agree!
During the performance, when I would scan the ceiling,
the beauty of this theatre was just over-whelming!

~This is a very cool time-line
of the history of Tennessee Theatre~

Each seat is engraved on the arm-rest with
a name of person who donated towards the
renovation of the velvet seats.

Since downtown Knoxville
(or "K-Town", as the locals call it!)
is home to the
University of Tennessee,
it pretty much is a city that always has
something going on.
Lot's of foot traffic and bike riders.
Great for people watching.
Even late at night!

On our drive home, I thought of all
the people, over the years,
who have been to this beautiful place.
Movie Stars
{real movie stars like Cary Grant!}
who came to the opening
for their newest hit in the 1940's.
Children in the 1930's who came on Saturdays
to watch the newest "Shirley Temple" movie.
The opera's, the Broadway plays,
the "Rodgers & Hammerstein" musicals.
I think it is historic for more than just
the grand renovations.
Don't you?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was so nice to dress up!
And do my hair and makeup.
Be a girlie-girl for a night!
And have date-night with my guy :)
But, it's funny.
I was ready to return home to all the kids!
We left Zeke in charge, although Brutus campaigned
all day to be the baby-sitter!
{in your dreams, Jelly-belly klepto cat!}

As we rounded the curve on our little
one-lane road, and could see the front porch light on,
J commented, "Well, the house is still standing!"
"That's because Brutus wasn't in charge!" I said.

Thanks for letting me share our evening with all of you.
Now I am resting up for my family to arrive!
And to celebrate the 89th birthday of Nana on Friday.
Just think, Nana was only 6 years old when
the Tennessee Theatre was built!
That is a lot of incredible history
she has witnessed in her life!

Have a lovely week, friends!
xo,
misha

~Comical Critters~ Caption This

2011-11-08T00:29:00.000-05:00

"Thanks for bringing home your extra nuts, Son!"

"OK, OK! So your tongue is bigger than mine!"

"Human's are really goofy lookin', aren't they?"

{Our cat's love to check out Zeke's mouth!}

You come up with the caption for this one!!

{Or any of them!!}

I am looking forward to reading them :)

+++++++++++++++++++

Tonight is our fun event!

Together.

Just me and J.

A real date!

I am so excited, I am just bursting.

{Can you tell I don't get out much anymore!}

Have a fab Tuesday!

xo,

misha

~A Birthday, A lovely Week, and a Little Thank You~

2011-11-06T15:21:00.000-05:00

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
We have a busy week ahead of us.
My family will be arriving mid-week.
My parents and Aunt Louise {my Dad's sister} from Ohio.
My Aunt and Uncle from North Carolina.
To come together and celebrate
Nana's 89th birthday!
Hooray!

I hope to take a gazillion pictures!
And be able to enjoy it all while they are visiting.
When my family was here in September,
I only saw my parents twice..
It was a rotten week for me.
So I am holding onto good thoughts,
and resting my body.
We also have a big event coming up Tuesday evening!
But, that is a whole post in itself!
Last night, J ~~ordered~~ told me
that my only job for the next
few days, is to rest.
And so I am.
{gotta love that guy!}
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I so appreciate all the kind words
you have left for Sandra,
after reading last night's post.
The Blogging community is made up
of so many wonderful and kind souls.
I know Sandra is looking towards this group
of lovelies to help her cope with this great loss
as time goes on...

Always remember how much
I appreciate each one of you for
coming by.
Lately, my comments are sparse.
But, I do keep up with all your posts!

I do hope your day was lovely~
xo,
misha

~Words of Comfort for Sandra~

2011-11-06T11:44:00.000-05:00

At 6:30p.m. this evening,

I received an email from my

dear, sweet friend.

Sandra of Thistle Cove Farm

Her husband, Dave, passed away today.

Not quite a year ago, Dave was diagnosed with cancer.

There were months of treatment which

kept Sandra and Dave away from their beloved

Thistle Cove Farm.

And when they returned,

Sandra tried to instill a sense of normalcy

to their lives.

A *new normal*,

that she often wrote about.

~The view from Thistle Cove Farm~

I met Sandra as soon as I began blogging.

We became fast friends.

Chatty emails about our

menageries,

the love of all things *farm*,

love, life, politics, illness, parents~

We chatted it all.

Sandra is a person who seems to intuitively

know when I am having a bad day.

An email will appear saying all the things I need to hear

at.that.very.moment.

Over the past few years,

she has given me many words woven together

that somehow made my days better.

When I wrote Sandra back this evening,

I tried my very best to convey

comforting words to her.

If you would be so inclined,

please visit this dear friend of mine.

Gentle words in a time great sorrow

mean the world.

And she needs these gentle words

as she walks into another

*new normal*.

xo,

misha

Thistle Cove Farm

~Why Zeke Loves The Kitchen Window~

2011-11-05T17:18:00.000-04:00

A perfect day here in the mountains

of east Tennessee.

A little chilly.

A little breezy.

A lot sunny.

Oh, how I have waited for these days to arrive!

The pups,

Sadie Louise and Baby Girl,

are enjoying their back-yard, laying in the grass.

Barking at at squirrels and our resident groundhog

in-between snoozing.

And since I can watch it all from my kitchen window,

the toddler kitties and Brutus

also went out to play in the sunshine!

Their antics are hilarious :)

Stalking each the other, blades of breezy grass,

and chattering to the birds.

I keep a good eye out the window.

Brutus like to make a "fence jump" for the woods!

The wood stove is on low.

I throw an occasional log in,

to keep it going.

As the afternoon winds down,

and as the chill of evening sets in,

the wood stove will be packed full to keep

us warm tonight.

Where is Zeke, you may be wondering~

This happy pupster is snoozing.

On his bed.

Which usually has a small herd of felines

passed out on it,

because the lull of a warm fire and giant cozy bed

is just too much for a sleepy cat to pass up!

It is not often that Zeke gets his bed,

all to himself.

So when I asked him if he wanted to join

the family outside

for romps and sunshine,

he lifted his head and gave me "the look"!

The one that implies,

"Seriously?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Then he plopped his head back down.

And continued onto dream-land.

Where steak grows on trees,

squeaker toys never lose their "squeak",

and felines abide by the one cardinal rule-

~Thou shall not lay upon the giant Canine bed~

Yep.

Zeke and I both love that kitchen window!

It has been a glorious day for

humans, canines, and felines alike!

Tell me~

What was your November day like?

xo,

misha

Be back tomorrow

with a birthday,

and a request!

~Let Sleeping Dogs {and Felines} Lie~ and a giveaway winner!

2011-11-02T22:36:00.000-04:00

Our evening after a big day out

of playing on this

gorgeous Autumn day!

Everyone is snoozing!

The winner of

Annie's birthday giveaway is

Julie from The Harwards!!!!

Please pay a visit to Julie,

who shares her wonderful family

and the incredible beauty of Utah!

What a sweetheart she is...

Thank you to everyone who participated

in Annie's Birthday Giveaway!

~Wonderful day to you all~

xo,

misha

The One Where Brutus Dreams of Fishies

2011-11-01T13:21:00.000-04:00

For I know it shall be me,
Mama, who cleans the bowl
and feeds the fish!
Brutus can't even remember to clean
his litter box each day.
Sheesh.

If you have not entered
Annie's birthday giveaway yet,
there is still time!
Just click here!

It's the Second Birthday of Annie! And a Giveaway! Hooray!

2011-10-30T13:46:00.001-04:00

Starting from the time I announced
Miss D was in foal,
until now
it has been almost three years
11 months of pregnancy and two years of Annie!

Thank you for coming along on this journey.
Being able to share
Annie and her family
has been a huge joy for me!
When someone comments how much they love
reading about this horsey family,
it thrills me to no end.
So, thank you!

With every fence post and board she kicks out,
you all laugh along with me as we all sing a chorus of,
"Oh, Annie!"

This past summer when Annie was
gravely ill, you all sent so much love.
Wrapped in so many good thoughts and prayer,
Annie pulled through!

Many of you may not know that
Annie's given name is not Annie!
It is Andalucia!
Chosen for a beautiful part of Spain,
to honor her Spanish roots deep within
her lineage!
And in keeping with the letter 'A' to honor
her Grandmother, Allure!
Andalucia was quite a mouthful for
such a little Arabian foal at the time.
As her personality emerged, so did the name, Annie!
It fits her so perfectly!

Annie celebrated her birthday yesterday
by sharing Popsicles
with her family!
Plopped right in their feeders and slurped by all :)
She got to eat mucho hay right out of the cart!

And at 11:50 pm,
the time of her birth two years ago,
I fed her sugar cubes.
The birthday cake of the equine set!
{And I ate a few myself!}
Then she sniffed my hair all over,
gave me a few sloppy licks on my face,
and I whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

Happy Birthday, Andalucia.
You Rock my world, little girl!

And in honor of Annie's birthday,
we want you to all share in the happiness too!
So we are having a giveaway.
Hooray!

Something different that I think is pretty cool.
An Hour-glass!
When turned over it times one full hour.
Maybe you can use it on your desk,
to time yourself for the amount
of visiting you do in Blog-land!

Wherever it sits, I hope you will think
of me and Annie when you look at it!
We also thought you might like a few
Autumn candles!
Scented to make you feel as if you were
in the mountains with us :)
And one of my favorite things ever~
A beautiful teacup and saucer
by Johnson Brothers
in the
Indian Tree pattern.
I have gifted an identical cup and saucer
several times in giveaways
because it is too beautiful not to share!
{i actually have two full sets of this gorgeous china and then some!!}

From me and Annie,
to you!

~To enter the Giveaway~

1. Be a Friend of this Blog!
2. Leave a comment
3. For a second entry tell your friends
by blogging about it!
Then come back here,
leave a second comment letting us know you did so!

*If you don't wish to be entered,
just write that in your comment!
But, we hope you do :)

*And if you have won a Giveaway here before,
PLEASE feel free to enter again :)
Annie likes to spread the love!

We will use the random number picker,
and the giveaway giftee will be
announced next week!

Thanks again,
for following our adventures.
Me and Annie?
Well, we Heart each and every one of you
just bunches!
xo,
misha and Little Miss Andalucia

p.s. Please make sure your email is
attached to your comment :)