Do Follow

I am a DO Follow Blog, and I'm thrilled to have this fabulous list of other DO Follow Blogs:
You'll notice I've started deleting blogs from the list (where the blank spaces are). Some of these blogs are no longer do follow, some blogs aren't there anymore, some are re-directs, some are horribly outdated with no new blog posts. Others have comments closed, which certainly defeats the spirit of do follow. I do not wish to give dead blogs, or blogs not really sharing a link. They certainly aren't sharing if comments are closed, or if you have to subscribe before you can leave a comment. As of today, June 12, 2010 I've moved the first 2 groups of blogs to the bottom of the list to give others a chance at the top. I will do this routinely and will note it here by changing the date.

Blank Canvas
She Rambles On
FullosseousFlaps Dental Blog
gone shopping!

My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings
As the Garden Grows
Sysadmin News
Guitar Licks and Tips
You are in my world now

La Vie de Laurie
go get global news & views
gimme a break
Bisnis-Net.info
My Opinion Counts

House of Freebies
The Pond
By the Sea
Winding Threads
The Other End of the Internet

girls day out
Colloquium
Odd Planet
Flos Place
Eastwood Zhao dot COM

Recipes
Web Tools and Tips
The Den of Iniquity
the so called me
Delightful Work

Lisa Reviews
Dilithium Crystalworks
Breath of Life Photography
Guitar Licks
Craft Blog

Gothic-Peach.Net
On the Horizon

From Emily to You

BlogU
Step Into the Nexus
Dorannes

Im Blogging That!
Erns World
pamibe

Sebastien Page
WeirdInter.net
Flight of The Eaglehawk
Celebrity Scoop
A Saxy Girl

Journal of My Simple Life
No Average Mom
ForumFinderBlog
Tinas Treasured Thoughts
Just for Today

Gadget Girl Accessories
The Loquacious Curmudgeon
krissy.nu - life.unscripted
Skeets Stuff
Inside My Head

Pointless Drivel
Focus Organic.com
The Wired Kayaker
Mslovelys Blog Palace
Daisy the Curly Cat

MissMeliss: Escribition
The Aroengbinang Project
Big Bucks Blogger
cyberst0rm
The Knitting Fiend

Ask Jason Marketing
NickQueen.com
ToastTheTrends- Electronics and Gadgets
Bonnie Writes
Buy better - Have a Better Life

Laura Lohr
Good Enough Mom
Tip Tail - From Agility to Zen!
***JOIN - DO FOLLOW BLOGGERS ***
My Wanderings

Laane on the World
ShowMeHealthBiz
Wannabe Writer
Eliots slant on technology
Chimeric Daydreams

Chanceless
Intellectual Idiots
Another Blogista on the Spot
Her Gardening Blog
Starryskye.org

twogirlsoneblog.com
PAULA NEAL MOONEY
Table for Five
Healing Yourself Naturally
Lifeslackers

SEO Expert - Adam Ok
Aylee bits
www.sandrafirebird.com
An Unschooling Life
Simplify Every Obstacle

RetroMental: Time Capsules
Reality Wired
e_Marketing
Muffin Mumblings
Home of the Decorating Princess

BloggerVention.com
Selenas Musings About Travel and Culture
The Raw & The Cooked
ToastTheTrends- Financial
Debt Free Living

The Fibromyalgia Experiment
Its Write Now
pinay.ws
My Home Recipe
Info4BeingRich

TodayGadgets
Public Speecher
Blogozine
Welcome to Beautiful British Columbia!
My Road Less Traveled By

David Leonhardts SEO Marketing Express
OnTheWebEd.com
Call Me When You Get There
Silver Melody
Kooks In Suits

Wampago - Music Videos and Entertainment Database
Not just any ordinary blog
Crabbie Tail
Off The Cuff
The Ruff Draft

Musings at Windyridge
Learn Spanish Now
New Century Politics
Mom's Chatterbox
Total Web Review

Beautiful British Columbia
Todays Gizmos
lifepassedby.com
Infektia.net
Computer Chit Chat

chilli***body
Brilliant Photography by Richard X. Thripp
Selenas Musings About Raising Children
The Chronicles of My Life
PBriscoe.com

ah ok lah - the blogosphere and life
The Sewing Mom
Pegs AZ Life
Income Opportunities and Website Reviews
MomReviews.net

Xillys Blog
Women Mumbles
AskaX World
Prudence and Madness
Flatwater Tech

Monomuse
A Mothers Horizon
My memoirs
The Web 2.0 Directory
Christy's Coffee Break

The Official Mrs. Rugged
Marisas Dandelion Patch
RoCaBaP
Ask Laane
Wanders World

Surviving NJ
sweet and spicy life
Molly-Coddled.com
ShowMeMoneyBiz.com
I Was Born2Cree8

Chief Prognosticator 2
chilli*movies
Bull3ts Blog
Ultimate Destinations
Listening..Learning..Living

Picture Clusters
Fun, Crafts and Recipes
chilli***philosophy
The passionate ailurophile
Luna Tail

Texas RV Travel blog
Lep's Lair
Down Memory Lanes
Pipsnet Entertainment
RavensBarrow.com

Open Road Biker
Slightly Mordant
my daily snippets
Writers Bloggage
Chris Ns Thoughts and Rants

The Talking Fingers on the Web
Blog Avenues
TechieMinds
Her Home Blog
Successful Blogging With Random Shock

ToastTheTrends- Home Decor
How Can I Do That?
The Sun-Flower Family
Whats All This Then!
The Article Writer

Baby First Year
Healthy Living
Pink Poison Store
Telling It Like It Is
Eliots slant on entertainment

Ask Jason Business
Pixie Tail
Bakkouz
Married With Children
Ferrets Haven

33 is the new 23
Suzanne Says
Musings of a Learning Wife and Mother
The Way It Is
Endangered Spaces

Vegan Videos
A Strange Life
Midlife Musings
Mexico Musings
A Problogger Mom

The Sassy Southerner
MomCooks
Pencil Thin
TinselTown Trash
That Bitchy Chick

Up Scheidt Creek
Cats and Coupons by valmg
Life in General
The Birds & The Beads
Xplicit Gemini

Technology Princess
Night Clicks
Forever Parents
Ask Jason Personal Tech
The Raw Review

ToastTheTrends- Life
My Happy Place
ONwebCHECK
Dragonhearts Domain
Ordinary Folk

In A Class By Itself
Raw Vegan Momma
Rebas Run
What a bald guy told me about technology
Rinsems Rink

Thoughts Out of My Head
Hugo Says...
Its My Imagination
Self-Help Happiness Blog
chonksworld

Roxiticus Desperate Housewives
The Alligator Pit
Casual Blogging
www.IT-Everyday.com
Weight Loss Divas

Learn Spanish fast: vocabulary tricks and visualization
LittleAmerica.us
be my accountant
StandAlone
Movies of My Life

Simple PC Talk
My Happy Place
The Tech Inspector
pinay g-spot
Cheys Place

Polliwogs Pond
Los Angeles Blog: LA Snark
Accentuate the Positive
I know EVERYTHING, just ask my hubby
Kitnets Ponderings

Selenas Musings About Life
Into the Bit
Ravens Roads
Opinionated
Life in the Fast Lane

Adventures in Hong Kong
Twas Brillig
My Road
JT Music Review
SQKIKs Simple Tech

HOTOs BUSINESS SPOT
homemadehealthypetfood.com
BenSpark 2: Electric Boogaloo
Agents Heaven - Real Estate Blog
ToastTheTrends- Fashion

A Prairie View
Hi Guyz and Galz
The Internet Sidestreet
Musings Of A Manic Mom
Blogging made devilishly simple

Candid Quips
Bits Of Dust
TutorialsPortal - Photoshop Tutorials ...
Elements of Fishing
Ramblings Of An Undisturbed Mind

Google Adsense Article
Window Shopper
Confessions of an Everyday housewife
Free For All
Miles Business Blog

Chief Prognosticator
chilli*music
Is It So?
Mo Mhile Gra
Renaissance Culinaire

Up the Hill Gang
Cactuus
Not Much More Than This
chilli***faith
Pounding Heartbeat

tales from the ballpark: 2007
Laurigami.com
CoolAdzine for Marketers
Pfunksfoolosophy
High Strangeness Altoona

Pipsnet Technology
Beautiful Minds
My Muddled Mind
I am Who I am
Shopping Flavor

Scented Soy Candle Making
Silkenhuts World
catsynth.com
Hot Chick Writer
Fanaticspace - Blog

Live From Allied Drive
chilli*technology
ToastTheTrends- Entertainment
The Millionaire Secrets
Scribble On The Wall

Talk Of
My Adventures into The Street
Adapt, Adopt, and Improve
Aaron Roselo
Raspberry Patch Soapworks

Yourmoneyinfo.com
Eco Shopper
THE THINK LINK
Ask Jason
Bloggers for Dollars

The Other Side of New York
Karebear Central
Just My Opinion
Advanced Wellness Solutions
DRiNK . a . MOChA !

Callias Corner
Work At Home Musings
Wild in London
Advertising for Success
Dons Theatre

Losing It
Magical Rose Garden
Bibliotica
Dew Knight
Culture Shiok!

A Writers Words, An Editors Eye
Slobokans Site O Schtuff
Just A Touch of Sweetness

Blacksheep Speaks

Step away from the cake
Learning Curve Coaching

Life With Heathens
Stacys Book Reviews
Organic Gardening Tips
Traveling Suitcase
Amphibian Care

*Living Life Abundantly at Marenda.Biz
*Tricia's Musings

*Home and Garden Diva
*Get WebStyle

*The Web Files
*WebStyle
*Shopping Maniac
*Truly Odd Planet
The BenSpark


Thanks!

Happy Birthday America

This picture is Mom and Dad back in 2004 at the 4th of July gathering at their house. Mom always wore something Red, White, and Blue. The 4th of July was Mom's favorite holiday. When we were young, she often made us "special" outfits to wear on this holiday. I can even remember a few Mother and Daughter 4th of July tops she made us to wear. I'll be remembering you today Mom.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

Be safe in your travels if you're on the road for the holiday.

I'm revisiting a post on Williamsburg, Colonial Williamsburg and Ford's Colony in Colonial Williamsburg, please join me over at Traveling Suitcase.

Happy 4th of July one and all.

Chugging along TooT-Toot

Thomas The Train, hooks together with magnets. How cool is that? New stuff I guess. This little guy, my pseudo grandson and hubby are playing trains on the deck. He's 2 1/2, very physically capable for a child his age.



The concentration in play is something to watch. It's been a very busy and hectic week for us. Hubby's had one of his long multi-day convention type work activities and so being able to spend some down time like this was perfect. He's worked all wkend from early am til well past 8 most nights. Fingers and toes crossed tonight should be earlier.



I've had a couple of almost regular days at work, which is odd for me. Spent extra time with Daddy this week, we even went out one night to dinner which was nice. Did boring necessary things like running errands, got my hair done (you know out with the grey), did laundry, mowed, cleaned, shopped for groceries. Blah blah blah.




Looking forward to a visit from our daughter this evening. She's driving in from Baltimore. The visit will be super short, as she'll be heading back to Baltimore tomorrow am. She's got a car load. You might remember we brought back a car load when we joined her there for her hooding about a month ago. This 2nd load has been delayed due to car troubles. She still has odds and ends to take care of there in Baltimore ...and another car load needing to be transported, thus her quick turn around back to Baltimore. In a few weeks she'll return with the 3rd load and spend some time with us here before heading out to St. Louis. She's moving back to St. Louis. She loves it there and will be rooming with a good friend. She's job hunting and we're hoping she hears something positive soon. Hard to know, with all the cut backs, even good school teachers aren't guaranteed a job. But, she's very reliable and I know of no one that works harder or is more dedicated then she. She teaches, she tutors, she helps kids before and after school as well as during lunches. She attends their ball games, their skating performances, their family funerals and more. She is a teacher that children and their families long to have. And...I'm just a wee bit proud.

You might also this swinging post.

Selecting a Gravestone, Emotional Day

The Yucca's are starting to bloom. This year 5 are opening up. It seems to change each year which ones develop blossoms. I love these plants. You can almost see them open. Not quite like time lapse photography, but close. These plants got their starts in my parents yard, and so naturally is another connection to Mom.

Yesterday Daddy and I selected the gravestone. Such mixed emotions. On one had it was good to have things settled, taken care off...one more item off the to do list. On the other doing so not only brought back the loss of losing Mom (2 months ago), but the reality that we would lose Daddy too. Daddy is 83 and seems quite healthy and active. But, their plan has always been to be buried together in a double Urn. And so yesterday he and I selected the stone and secured it's placement in a family plot. The two of them will be surrounded by other family members. His parents, his grandparents, and his father's sister's and their husbands. A nice large family plot. I like that everyone is there together. People don't do that much these days. Families live far apart and when someone passes they're buried, but not much thought or planning for those that might follow.........thus families aren't together. This particular cemetery is beautiful. It's high on a hill overlooking Chillicothe, Ohio. I've always thought it the prettiest cemetery I've ever been in. AND, for those of you who know me well; you know how many cemeteries I've been in, how many gravestones I've photographed etc, so........that statement is significant. The lady at the monument company was nice, helpful and used humor to help us through the ordeal. She is 76 and has been doing this a very long time. She told us she hopped to work until she was 80.



These bright cheerful orange Tiger Lillies are in full bloom right now and are gorgeous. They're on the side of the garage. I wished they bloomed longer. They grow easily, often you see them along railroads. These starts also came from Mommy and Daddy's yard. So many of my flowers did, it's like my yard is a memorial to them both.



These pinkish-purplish lillies don't spread as easily as other varieties and are more fragile; have a heavenly scent. These are some of the very few I didn't get from my folks yard, I actually purchased these a few years back. Just wanted to share their beauty with you all.

These beautiful flowers make me smile and feel better inside. It was an emotional day.

Spend time with your parents, make yourself memories. The memories can make you smile on a cloudy day.

(These off and on posts here about My Mother, are like journal writing for me)

Did you know?

Did you know when you leave comments on others blogs it helps your page rank? I didn't know that until today. I read a couple of interesting articles. Actually had to read them several times, cause I didn't completely understand initially. I knew I like to read blogs, and always always leave comments. How else is someone to know I was there. Or that I had an opinion of whatever it was they blogged about? Or that I liked their project, or their photo etc. etc. etc.

AND....don't we all love it when people leave us comments, and isn't it the back and forth part that makes blogging interactive and fun, and more than just a webpage? Well, yes I imagine everyone is nodding their heads in agreement on this.

Anyway, the articles went onto explain how bots, crawlers, spiders pick up on the comments, just as they do the content of the page; and that is another component of the google page rank. I never knew that, maybe you all did. However, pages often have blockers in them in the html blog page codes/templates that prevent them from being scanned by the blots, crawlers, and spiders. This was apparently initially done with the idea it would help people fight spam. But, it didn't-- so people have the option as to how open they make their blogs, whether or not they want those type these letters in (which I always have trouble seeing and have to type twice) anti spam thing with comments, or moderate their comments etc.

So, when you see one of these logo's/widgets or some such wording (which I've seen alot and never really understood), it means people have gone to the trouble of changing their html so when you leave comments it matters, not only to them; but to you. Nice hun! Ok, I successfully did it today on one blog; my traveling suitcase blog. Whew...it was a bit tedious. Tomorrow I'll have a look at the coding here and see how this one is set up. As I understand it, having them blocked is often the default setting. My eyes are sorta glazed over at the moment, and we're heading out to dinner to celebrate our 37th Wedding Anniversary at our favorite Italian place.

Please let me know if you knew this, I really found the articles facinating.

Happy Father's Day tomorrow to all the Dads that might be visiting.

Memories, Like The Corners of My Mind

Can you hear Barbara singing? It's Monday, time to share another memory with you. The letter F....not the easiest to think of a word; but it hit me. Friday.

When I was in junior high (what people today call middle school), we often had school dances on Friday night. I loved going and would talk about them the week before. Who was going with whom, what dresses people were wearing etc. Definately girl talk. Mom sometimes had fabric tucked away and would wake me earlier than I wanted to get up on a Sat the week before the dance. "You know, I've got this fabric and could probably make you a new dress for the dance; if I didn't have to spend time ironing or cleaning."

Hook....lol, yep. I'd get up and do the cleaning or ironing she needed done so she could sit at the sewing machine. Crafty wasn't she?

**It occurs to me this ongoing ABC memorial I'm doing for my Mother is something you could all do with your children. It might help them if you've lost a family member (pet or person). It's a nice way to remember the good times and not focus on the ending of things, which is rarely the part of someone's life we want to remember.