Tracey is busy being inspiring as ever over at Mother May I. For this week's 'My Best Shot Monday', she got me thinking about spring, and things in bloom. Though we're just a hair too cold to really start feeling like it's spring around these parts, I do feel like my creativity has been in bloom. It seems like winter -- more than any other season -- brings it out in me.

Thought I would share this old hydrant this week. Right now its pipes are frozen and no water is to be had, but that's gonna change soon. It's old. It probably has a few cracks in its pipe. My father-in-law put a mass of some sort of sealant caulk on it that keeps it from leaking.

When the right time comes, the time for it to be productive, it will.

What's your best shot this week? Head over to Tracey's to share, and/or join the 'Photo of the Week!' group right here with moi.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, or if you know me, you've probably seen this photo before. It is of my mom, sisters and I. How we got the cockamamie idea of getting up on that trampoline is beyond me. But I'm so glad we did, because it resulted in a very treasured photo. It hangs on the wall in all of our houses.

For some reason, my mom has ended up in my I ♥ Faces photo challenges for the last three weeks in a row now! Just thought it was interesting that the last three themes have fit really well with photos that she happened to be in. Last week was Outtakes, and the week before was Hands. Thanks for being so photogenic, Mom!

To see more jumps for joy, visit I ♥ Faces...

To share a non-jumping photo (or I guess it could be a jumping photo, if you really want) join my 'Photo of the Week!' group this week!

I know, I know... I'm WAY late today.

I'm sure you're thinking, "Pffft... That Farmer Gal... Starts a 'photo of the week' group and then doesn't even host it properly. How rude."

In my defense, I have two sickling children, am a sickling myself, and somehow lost myself in all the nose wiping and thermometer weilding.

Oh, and I got distracted by once again tweaking the look of my site. It sucks me in. I have a love/hate relationship with graphic design.

But I won't bore you with all of that.

This week, my photo of the week just HAD to be one of my kids... Why?

Because they are terribly sick. And I just can't hardly take it anymore. Their little bodies are just too small and vulnerable. This mother's heart hurts. The good news is that Little Blue Eyes seems to be on the upswing after four full days of having a fever, cough, and feeling generally miserable. The bad news is that Miss Peaches is on the downswing.

By the way, can I just say, "THANK YOU!" to those of you who have left nice messages in the comments? Your kind words really do help.

So, with that, I bring to you........ (drumroll)........... my photo of the week!

My sweet babies.

I took this photo last fall on a unseasonably nice day, when we were out on a walk. When I'm paging through photos, this one always pops out at me... Not sure why. I think it makes remember what a pleasant day it was, and it also kind of speaks to their personalities... Miss Peaches hanging out the front, pulling a Titanic (think, "I'm the king of the world!"), and Little Blue Eyes, hanging back a bit, curious and thoughtful.

And now, I have something fun to share... My first email submission for 'Photo of the Week!'

This was emailed to me by a new friend, we'll call her '80'. She is Flying Jae's mama. She is also a budding photography enthusiast.

These are her cutie petutie little boys. They have the best dimples! They are about the same ages as our kids, and Little Blue Eyes has really taken to Flying Jae as his new friend.

'80' has turned me on to some lovely photography sites. And not that I don't love all of you who stop in and read, but it is kind of nice to have a photography friend who exists for me other than in cyberland!

So, what's your photo of the week?

If you're not familiar with the process of how to be part of the group, read here.

Please join in!!! And don't forget to grab my new button...

I wasn't quite happy with the other one... Part of my graphic design rampage. I won't change it again, I promise!