Hello everyone and welcome.

This post features some everyday, though not necessarily normal, events in our family. I suppose every family has its quirks and odd things it does. Probably, most of you don't have siblings that feel at home in a dumpster. I, personally, do not find it my favorite environment, but, on the particular evening that I will be covering, I subjected myself to a close brush with it in order to get some photos. A little background information to help you understand the circumstances might be in order. In our back yard, there is a dumpster that the folks who rent our barn dump trash in. This is the scene of the next few pictures. The rest of the pictures are from another evening in which my youngest sister was reading the newspaper. Once again, that is probably something that your little sister does not do as a rule. To tell the truth, Mercy does not make a regular habit of it either, which is why I got my camera out when I saw her doing it.

Templeton, his Relatives, and their Native Environment

The scroungers. The dumpster in our back yard

provides many useful articles to those who care to

search! Wood for forts, old soda cans, you name it...

Looks as if the scroungers have reinforcements
on the way.

More packrats!

Candace and Conrad are "friendly" rivals in a competition
to see who can collect the most soda cans for recycling.
On this particular evening, Candace has the initial victory.

To Candace's great chagrin, Conrad soon follows it
up by finding a can of his own.

Conrad nearly splits his face with a grin when he

discovers another can.

(My brothers and sisters are good actors- I know,

by saying that, I am admitting that some of
these pictures were staged. Notice Candace's

great expression of dismay!)

Friends once again.

Unfortunately, the peace is only temporary and,

when another can is spotted, a frantic skirmish breaks out.

Though appearances may be deceiving (especially
as I told you that some of the animosity was staged),
these two really are best of friends!

Mercy, the Newspaper, and the Camera

Yes, even my two year old sister keeps

up with current events. :-)

On to the next page.

" No! I am not keeping up this sham for you
or for the camera"

The photographer ambles off, leaving her camera
ungaurded. Woe to the camera!

"So that's how I look when I'm reading the newspaper."
She doesn't even look guilty!

Discovered! (I admit that my dismay is

somewhat feigned. After all, I couldn't be very

upset when I had left the camera sit there as bait,

while I used the other to photograph her.)

Mercy receives a lecture from the other camera owner in our
house, whose camera case has also been tampered with.

Can't you just see that "NO!" formed expressively on Candace's lips?

Mercy receives lessons on the proper (meaning "supervised")
use of that revered instrument, the camera.

Mercy's 1st photo!

The above photo just makes me feel good.
Doesn't she look so happy?

Farewell!

~Carmen~