Here are the goodies I got for my birthday.  My sister and I are planning on hiking the Grand Canyon next year for my 50th birthday.  So we needed backpacks to hold our food, water, clothes etc.  We went down to Castleton Mall and tried on backpacks.  We had a young salesman helping us who had already hiked the Grand Canyon.  He was very informative and helpful but I bet he was thinking there is no way these two old ladies will make it.  We will prove him wrong!  I also bought the hiking shoes there.  I will break them in when we go to Turkey Run hiking in September.  My daughter gave me the cute frog for my collection and my sister gave me a tool for when we go hiking - kinda like a swiss army knife but more useful attachments like scissors.

 This past week I worked on In the Garden.  We had a storm come thru Friday afternoon and we lost our power.  It was out all day Saturday (came back on at 8pm Saturday night).  I spent the day sitting in my backyard in the shade stitching on this.  It was hot and humid but better than being in the house that was hotter.  Below are some pictures I took of the tree limbs that were down from the storm at my father's house.  All over town there was alot of trees down and limbs down.  Power is still out in parts of town and is out for the houses across the street from me.  They are saying total power might not be restored until Wednesday!

My daughter will be in town Monday to go wedding dress shopping.  Time is flying by.