Mary and Jake

I just LOVE this picture I am using for my background. I created it with a program I have here called Bryce 5, and it represents my family circle.

Here's a picture of the kids in my immediate life. This is Hannah at her basic training graduation, with Jacob giving his support. Hannah holds my grandson Zayre. Okay, he's not really my grandson, but for all practical purposes, he loves his Grandma Mary (he's the son of my adopted daughter Amber), and that's good enough for me! Here's the newest pic we have of us, and I think it's really a good one.

This is what Jake feels the best picture of him that we have. He's agreed to try to take some newer, better shots, but until then, this is what you get. He's going into his junior year in high school, and he has plans to join the Navy when he graduates. After the military experience, he plans to attend college for the culinary arts, probably Sullivan (where Emeril sits on the board). It's interesting that at 18, he still has his whole life ahead of him, but now he has the maturity to realize his full potential, so I'm glad he's taken his time to get to where he is. He spends his free time playing games on the computer and his PS2 (his favorite is Morrowind, but he likes a few others, too). He has an awesome sense of humor, he's a very laid back individual, and quite the complement to his sister Hannah. I'm proud of them both.

This is a very good picture of Hannah and myself. I'm here at the old "homestead" with mom, to help her out with her health and diet, things like that. My hobbies include all kinds of things, like digital artwork (I made my background here), reading, music, making websites (obviously), and gardening. I'm also undertaking the task of making our "orchard" into a real orchard, finally. Up to this point, it's had a pear tree and a dead apple tree in it. Right now, it has 4 pear trees, 2 apple trees (one Winesap and one Macintosh), a nectarine tree and a peach tree, and all are doing wonderfully - I think it's the acidic content of the soil that contributes (note, mom's always had great luck with growing tomatoes and cabbage - I think that's why). I'm cultivating some plum trees (the red kind they call "sand cherries"), and I have a lot of seedlings of these, so if you want any, please let me know. I'm also trying to work with some blackberries to get them manageable, but damn, they're hard to work with. I will be turning the land immediately behind the house into another orchard, as it already has 7 mulberry trees growing in it (I'll be smoothing it out, taming it down and moving the trees to where they have their own space to grow). It's kinda fun to look at this place where I grew up and see all of the potential that it truly has - something I've never seen before. It's fun, and as I go along, I'll try to get some pictures for those who want to see it's changes. :)

Please check out Hannah's index by clicking HERE.

IMPORTANT - Hey, I want to tell you all about this site I found that's WONDERFUL. If you do a lot of gardening, or want to do some landscaping, check out Freetreesandplants.com. You know about those Sheltered Workshops that provide employment for the mentally challenged? Okay, that's what this is. When you send an order to them, you provide them with work (more specifically, you create a demand so the state has to keep them employed). The best part of this is - the plants and trees are free - you only pay for shipping, which is $7.95 per plant. Period. (compare that to the prices of plants ~then shipping~ at Gurney or Burpee!) I have bought a few things from these guys and I can say this: Not only are they trustworthy, but if an order gets messed up, be sure to let them know. They will not only replace what you ordered, for free, but will send a complementary plant. I thought this was very generous and good business sense - it definitely ensures that I will return with my business, and try to bring them new customers. It's quite a deal for you, it's a big help to them, and the feeling of helping out those who need it, while you get something too, is just a very nice thing to experience. Thanks for reading!