French Foliage – Paper Players 120 – Ann’s Theme Challenge

Jen Arkfeld
Dawn Easton
Helen Heil

LeAnne Pugliese

Ann Schach

Amy White

On a personal note:

Lou is outside prepping the outside of the house for winter.  He’s bringing in all of the outdoor furniture, etc.  It seems to have been such a short summer.  It’s also hard to believe that it’s a year since we signed the papers for the purchase of our new house.  This time last year, we were still at the plan stage – and here we are, having spent our first full season (Summer) in our new house.  We are so looking forward to the rest of fall and winter.

Most of the summer birds have gone.  There are one or two stragglers left, but the Junco’s have returned.  We know winter is on her way when we see our first Juncos.  I must admit that the woodpeckers have become my favorite birds.  In our new house we get to see them on three different levels and they really have the most amazing personalities.  From the woodpecker who loves sugar, to the woodpecker who loves to hang out on our fly screen on the dinette window.  I think he does it just to drive the cats crazy!

Talking about hanging around on the screen!  I was on one of my interminable conference calls in the middle of the week.  I was camped out in Lou’s office – everything seems to happen when I am there!!!!  I heard this click on the window and looked up to see a rat hanging upside down on the top of the screen on the window.  What the heck – I said – outloud, actually, and I wasn’t on mute!  It took a couple of seconds for my brain to compute that it couldn’t possibly be a rat – and that rats don’t hang upside down – or have such large, strange shaped ears!  He was big…. about 5 or 6 inches in length and I couldn’t believe the size of his wings when he stretched them out.

Well, slowly, he stretched out a leg – and Dracula style – his scalloped wing expanded and stretched out to the side.  Then, I realized it was a bat!  What on earth was a bat doing out in the middle of the day?  I have no idea.  He didn’t hang around – literally – for long!  He stretched out his other wing and exited stage right!  It was a very Dracula-ish moment.   Now… I LOVE bats.  They are amazing creatures and so misunderstood.  So many people kill bats because they think they are carrying rabies.  The truth is that less than 1% of bats carry rabies.  That’s a very small number.   However, they eat lots of insects that we don’t want around – especially mosquitoes.  A little google research showed me that it was the Hoary Bat.  He must have been migrating and my guess is that he saw a moth roosting and decided to have a little snack on the way.  It was a thrilling sight and I was so happy that he had blessed my day!

My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those who have been affected by the devastating storm that was Sandy.  Warm hugs and prayers for those who need a little lift tonight.

Hugs

Jaydee

Card recipe – all ingredients Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted:

• Card stock:  Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, More Mustard
• Stamps:  French Foliage.   Sentiment:  Charming Gardners (Amuse Studio)
• Inks:  Versamark.  Early Espresso. More Mustard.  Cajun Craze.
• Accessories:  Buttons (bag ‘o buttons).  Sew Easy Floss.  Pearls and rhinestones (Hero Arts)
• Tools:  Big Shot.  Clear Embossing Powder.  Inksentials blending tool.  Stampin’ Dimensionals.  Nestabilities Matting Basics dies (Spellbinders).   Apothecary Frames (for the sentiment)