Sheep

 Our last beautiful sunflower of the year.  Goodness knows, we had zillions.  Farewell sunflowers, til next year!

Meet Sheep!  This most adorable little guy was born at Jerry & Sandy Gwynn's house (across the street).  He's chosen us as his adopta-home.  He is the sweetest little fella, loves to be stroked and loved on and would give ANYTHING to get inside and play with Artemis and Spartacus.  And I would let him inside but I'm afraid they might tear him apart.  They talk to each other through the screen door for hours.  I'm working on something to solve this because I sure don't want this little guy outside in the brutal winter.  Currently he is an unnuetered male (tom cat).  So we'll have to "fix" him to bring him inside.  Apparently he was named "Sheep" because he looked like a baby sheep when he was born.  And according to Jerry, he gets fed because the Sunday school lesson was about Jesus feeding (always) his sheep.  Jerry sees this little guy as his sheep, so he feeds him.  We feed him too sometimes.  And he's finds his own meals, mostly butterflies and moths.  SO ... there you have it!  (We can't name him Ninja Kitty, Nina. sorry. He already has his name!)

Fall is settling in fast and furious.  The leaves are rapidly turning now.  The weather is turning to cooler and the rain is on its way.  Dadgummit! I was having such a lovely time with blue skies, milder temps and lovely days.  Oh well ... guess I'll just have to put on my big girl panties and get on with it!  Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50's and rainy ALL DAY.  Shoot!

We have a couple of projects going on:  kitchen floor poly coating, dining room wall paper, finishing the studio, and some other piddly things too numerous to mention.  As the restaurant hours decrease, the projects will get checked off (I hope) before the winter is firmly set in.  My fingers are crossed anyway!  We are very close to pouring the concrete pad on the block for the building.  THAT will be a good day!  We apparently like to stretch things out around here!  REALLY enjoy the process and study each level of progress.  I bet our neighbors think we're nuts, but ... if they only knew!

The Periwinkle Pass Studio is moving in to the Mother's Nature's space in downtown Elk Park.  Mother Nature's is moving down to Roan Mountain.  When Periwinkle Pass moves, I'll be working in there some.  Much closer to home for the winter!  YAY!  PLUS, it will give me a place to display my art work and a network outside of the house.  The Avery Arts Council has invited me to display some of my stuff in their gallery too. (so excited!) Shannon and I are going to do another art show in October (the 9th) in Tennessee at some Festival.  One more opportunity to make a few dollars and meet some more people before the weather is too cold to do it!

Sweet Hugh has been sent to Bowman Grey in Winston-Salem for some intensive treatment.  If you can, please send him some good thoughts and strong prayers.  I know he'd appreciate that.  As of yesterday, he was tired but in good spirits and resting well.

Little Italy has changed its hours.  That means a couple of things:

1. The summer residents and tourists are headed back to where ever it is they came from and,

2. Paul & I will be working at the restaurant less.

This will allow us to do a bit of visiting, socializing, traveling, resting and home work. It's been fun this summer meeting all those folks and pouring all those glasses of wine.  But I'll be VERY glad to get a break and rest up ... and get to visit the kids and etc.  You just never know what adventure you're going to get to have in life, huh?

Well, that's about all I can think of to document this morning.  AND my coffee cup is empty so ...

must go ... work to do! Places to go! People to see!  Coffee cup to refill!

Happy Weekend to all ....

Paul & Cheri