Tennessee Color and Happy Halloween!

Good morning and Happy Halloween!

We recently came home to Cincinnati from Florida and enjoyed the color all the way home.  Although we had rain part of the way, we saw some beautiful colors in Tennessee.

Even this oversize load passing through a very narrow barricade on a ridge under repair was colorful, but...

these last two images...

win the prize for color!

Happy Halloween!  Let's keep it safe for the kids.  :)

All the best,
Lois

Welcome Home Committee

Good morning,

Our welcome home committee certainly made us...

 ...feel welcome!

Yes, it is good to be home.  :)

All the best,
Lois

MACH II Penelope T. Labrador

Good  morning,

Congratulations to our daughter Catherine (left) and our Yellow Lab, Penny.  Together this month this fabulous team has achieved another American Kennel Club title:  Master Agility Champion II. 

They are shown above in Louisville, Kentucky, with the AKC judge who presented the ribbon and that wonderfully decorated and signed agility bar.  The formal certificate will arrive in the mail from the AKC. 

Dad and I are SO very PROUD!

All the best,
Lois

Working Cows and Leisure Cows

Good morning,

Above are working cows, below are leisure cows. 

Ah, yes, it is good to be back on solid ground. 

;),
Lois

IHop - Exit 3 - Kingsland, Georgia

Good morning,

It has become tradition for us to stop at IHop at Exit 3 in Kingsland, GA, when we are driving to and from the ship in Port Canaveral.

What makes it fun is that we have been there often enough that they remember us when we come in, even though our visits are about ten weeks apart.

Being on the road again feels so good!

All the best,
Lois

Living High - Viera Wetlands, Florida

Good morning,

I took today's images while we were visiting Viera Wetlands near Melbourne, Florida.

Every time we stop here at the Wetlands we see something different. 

In real time we are on the road again.  Soon we'll be home in Ohio enjoying the crisp Autumn weather. 

All the best,
Lois

Needlework Update - October, 2013

Good morning,

It is Needlework Update time again.  Another month has passed and I have been busy with the needles and hooks that call to me every time I sit down. 

The pumpkin sweater above is in child size 4-5...

 ...and this origami candy corn toy comes with it.  At this writing, they are available in my shop, EvensensProductions.com.

This Christmas Tree is on the front of a special order sweater.  There is a children's version in the shop, but the one above has already been delivered to the lady who will wear it this holiday season.  This one was so much fun to make!

This cardigan and hat set in size 12 months is perfect for Baby's First Christmas...

...and this toddler size 4 is perfect for big sister.  Both outfits are available in the shop.

This is a table runner with eight matching napkin rings in red, green, and gold.

I absolutely love this lavender poncho.  It was such fun to design and make.  The popcorn design pattern stitch produces a fabric that drapes beautifully. 

This is a knit neck scarf that I will take home to block.  I love the way the pattern in the yarn is created by the way the scarf is knit.

This is a shoulder warming shawl crocheted with the same type of yarn as the knit scarf above.  It is fun to work up the yarn in both knit and crochet. 

Of course, a couple more turtles...

...were hatched this month, too.

 A dozen starfish also crawled onto my finished items shelf, too.  ;)

I made several sets of ...

...luggage identifiers this month, too.   :)

Many of the items you see here are available in our on line shop, EvensensProductions.com. 

I often surprise myself when I see the collection in one place of what I have made in one month.  It has been a good month of doing what I love to do!

What are you making this month?  Have you started making your holiday items yet?  Or, are you already finished and just have to gift wrap them?

All the very best,
Lois

Return to the Mother Ship

Good morning,

While sitting on our tender at Coco Cay, Bahamas, waiting to return to our mother ship, Freedom of the Seas, I took this image of the tender off loading guests next to us.

Reflections of the sun on the water danced on the other tender.

I leaned over the side to see people taking pictures next to the Coco Cay sign.  :)  There have to be millions of these pictures that have been taken over the years.

As we pulled out of our slip at the dock we got a gorgeous view of our mother ship.

We pulled out of the narrow channel...

 ...and were soon on our way "home."

 Almost everyone with a camera took advantage of the photo opportunity.

 Soon we were back aboard Freedom and her wonderful air conditioning!

Enjoy,
Lois

St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. - Harbor Images

Good morning,

As I listened to the announcements about the regularly scheduled life boat drill taking place on board Freedom of the Seas, I took some pictures out of our stateroom window.  Above you see one of the rescue boats that has been lowered into the water for a practice run.

Way over there is a tour boat passing by.

And, a sailboat...

...or two.  *sigh*  How pretty!

Those yellow "pods" are life boats from our ship...

 ...out there looking like alien pods on the water.

 After a run around to test all systems and practice for life boat commanders, they will be raised back up on the ship and shore leave granted.

All the best,
Lois

Towel Bear and Yellow Rose

Good morning,

This cuddly towel bear was made by the attendant for our daughter Catherine's stateroom on board Freedom of the Seas.

And, totally unrelated, here is another gorgeous rose from the on board florist. 

I miss gardening at home and it is so nice to be able to have these gorgeous flowers while we are here.

Enjoy,
Lois

U.S. Coast Guard Medical Evacuation

Good morning,

We live in a wonderful time when we can get medical care even when taking a trip to a small tropical island.

We had a medical emergency on board Freedom of the Seas and the U.S. Coast Guard responded.

Although our ship has a helipad on the bow of the ship, it is safer for the helicopter to land near the ship when possible to evacuate the critically ill patient since we were at anchor.  The patient was tendered ashore and quickly evacuated safely.

All the best,
Lois

Happy Birthday to Catherine!

Good morning,

Happy Birthday to our daughter, Catherine!  She's above on the left with Aunt Carol on the right and our friends Chris and Patti Thielen in the center. 

Our Cincinnati Gang all sailed together and celebrated on Formal Night aboard Freedom of the Seas.

;),
Lois

Happy Sweetest Day to My Honey

Good morning,

A Happy Sweetest Day to My Honey who is also my husband and the love of my life.

I hope you are all celebrating and enjoying this day with those you love, too. 

All the very best,
Lois

The View From My Beach Chair

Good morning,

Just looking at these pictures is relaxing. 

These are views from my beach chair on Coco Cay, Bahamas, during my palm tree inspection for a few hours here.  (see yesterday's post)

I must admit I fell asleep on the job.

First, though, I made careful note of these coconuts to be sure I was not directly under them.

 Then, just before I took a little snooze break from my palm tree inspection work, I rolled on my side and took this shot.  You can see our mother ship, Freedom of the Seas, on the left side of the image.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,
Lois