Bonnie By the Bay

Summer Fun

2011-07-31T16:12:00.000-05:00

He just flung himself out, without fear, fully committed, with abandon. Papa was waiting at the other end, and he trusted. Love it!

Mourning a friend

2011-07-19T11:38:00.003-05:00

"A ship sails and I stand watching til she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says,' She is gone.' Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all; she is just as large as when I saw her.
The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me, not in her, and just at the moment when someone at my side says, “She is gone’, there are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up a glad shout, “There she comes!” And that is dying."

Dedicated to Bob and Shirley and the many great years they had together.

Recipe Review

2011-07-09T16:11:00.003-05:00

I don't usually put recipes on here, even though I love to look at foodie sites on the web. But on the 4th of July I tried a new, so easy, so delicious recipe that I just have to share.

Now, this looks like just a plate of fruit, right? But if you look closely you can see that there is another ingredient peeking out from underneath. One of my new favorite foods, quinoa. Technically it is a seed. It cooks quickly, like cous cous, and is delicious hot or cold, savory or sweet. It comes in a creamy white or this "red" variety that I used. And it is high in protein. Anyway, so simple. Cook your quinoa (don't be afraid). You can buy it in a box in just about any big grocery store. Follow package directions. Dress it with your favorite dressing. I used a sweetish one to go with the fruit. (And actually doubled it because I had used a big portion of quinoa).

Dressing
2T maple syrup
1 t balsamic vinegar
1T lime juice
salt to taste

(optional: sliced toasted almonds, fresh spinach, feta cheese, whatever you can think of...)

Put the quinoa on your serving platter, pour the dressing over it pile on the fruit, almonds, spinach, cheese, and serve to your admiring. What is prettier than a platter of fresh fruit?

Strength

2011-07-06T13:52:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite quotes (well, paraphrased quotes) is ,"I am a woman of strength. I wish I'd known sooner". My daughter and her friend received this "pearl" from me today. Both going through a hard time, both not fully knowing their own strength. The strength to follow through with their convictions. The strength to know what their hearts and minds tell them is right for them. It is harder right now to be strong than to go with the flow and then live with the results. I certainly didn't know how strong I was when I started out. They are way ahead of me. Both of them have shown their strength today. And I'm proud of them!

I love this photo of my daughter. Her face shows confidence and strength. And of course there is a cute head in the sand :o)

Peace

2011-07-03T12:40:00.001-05:00

Yesterday as I was in the middle of my birthday dinner (much noise and chaos) I closed my eyes and said, "Peace". It was what I really wanted. But then I realized that as the old saying goes "Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes he lets it rage and calms the child." That is what he did for me yesterday. I need PEACE so I am grateful.

This photo of my grand-daughter and the swans speaks peace to me.

Birthdays

2011-07-01T11:15:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is my 63rd birthday. We complain about getting old but let me tell you there are some really good things about it. For one thing, it beats the alternative if you know what I mean. There are grandchildren, social security checks, being able to wear purple flip flops with a dress, surprising everyone when you can perform a physical feat, hair dye, and of course the joy of waking up in the morning and realizing you survived the night :o) So, let's celebrate our ages! STAY ACTIVE!

Trying Again

2011-06-27T11:31:00.001-05:00

Hi Everyone
Do we get second chances? I know I'll need to start all over again to get anyone to want to look in on my blog. I got overwhelmed by my busy life. I still have a busy life but am trying to do a few things to slow it down and smell the roses along the way.

Old Stones of Provence

2009-11-16T19:16:00.001-06:00

It is Mosaic Monday once again. Boy, do the weeks go by quickly! Please join Mary at Her Little Red House to see more lovely mosaics.

Pathways

2009-11-11T18:01:00.002-06:00

I guess you are getting tired of postings about France. I have a years worth of photos I could post but will stop soon. Around every corner of the hill villages of Provence there are paths to take and roads to follow. I will never stop being enchanted by the possibilities that are promised by these unknown roads not traveled. They can't possibly all be followed, but they are there and I guess that has to be enough...

Colors of the Earth

2009-11-08T18:53:00.001-06:00

Roussillon is one of my favorite of the French cities I visited. The colors of the earth were amazing. Sometimes it felt almost as beautiful as southern Utah :o)

Mary at Little Red House is hosting Mosaic Monday once again. Check it out.

Joy

2009-11-02T17:38:00.003-06:00

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you've forgotten the words."

This is Joy. She and I have been friends for a long time. We like to travel together. We get up at the same time, we like to eat a lot and are always hungry at the same time, and it doesn't take either one of us very long to get ready in the morning. She is my travel companion of choice. She pushes me just a bit to get out of my comfort zone and makes me see things I might be to lazy to make the effort for. I really love her for that. And I just plain love her. She is a woman who knows the song in my heart. And she often sings it back to me.

Halloween Birthday Boy

2009-10-31T16:27:00.006-05:00

Today is our sweet son's birthday. He doesn't like to have his picture taken but I do have a bunch of when he was young. He is a great person and a wonderful son. I just wanted to tell him happy 35th birthday :o) We love you, Mark!

Bee Still...

2009-10-30T08:20:00.006-05:00

While taking photos of these beautiful berries I spied this little guy. He just sat there without moving so much as a wing for the whole time. He never did move. I don't know if bees hibernate or if he was sick or just what his deal was but it gave me a chance to get up close and personal for a clear shot.

Maybe he was just a very trusting bee. But he sat still and sun shone upon him...

Home Again, Home Again

2009-10-28T17:56:00.002-05:00

I'm home from France and needless to say had a wonderful trip. Who cares if the wind blows and the temperature drops. Not me. France is a lovely country with gracious, people. And you know what? They don't hate Americans. They may not like our foreign policy, but they have been nothing but wonderful to me. They want to learn about all kinds of people, just like we do.

I learned something that I have been wondering about. I have tried to drink wine for years now. And I just haven't liked it. I decided to get an expensive glass and see if my opinion was a result of the relatively cheap (I know, I know) wine I have usually chosen. Well I went to a really nice (expensive) restaurant while on my trip and ordered a $20.00 glass of wine. I really did. And guess what. I didn't like it either. So I guess I just don't have the taste buds for it. Give me a bottle of beer any time...

The End is Near

2009-10-22T04:02:00.001-05:00

Only a few days left here in France and we'll be headed home. I am trying to take the advice of my dear friend, Lin, to breathe it all in...

Wish you were here

2009-10-17T05:37:00.003-05:00

We have been having a lot of wind. They call it Le Mistral. It comes in from the northwest and it is said to drive men mad. Since buying two sweaters and a turtleneck or two I am fine with it. Alas, my biggest problem right now is that my pants seem to have shrunk in the suitcase. It has happened to me before... But we are seeing a lot of beautiful sights and eating well :) But then when do not eat well...

Surprise

2009-10-12T04:02:00.000-05:00

Hello from France. This trip has been planned for a long time. I've been here a few times before and am really a Francophile, meaning I love it here! I'm at an internet cafe writing. The keyboard is different so it is slow going. Next time I'm going to figure out how to put a photo on :o) But for now I'll just say bon journee.

Mosaic Monday - Zen

2009-10-05T16:43:00.001-05:00

I'm feeling the need for a bit of zen right now. I'm trying to get ready for a big trip. I'm on my way to France. Can't wait. But Daughter has been sick with the flu for a week, we've been trying to get Son's condo ready for a renter and then there is the day to day stuff that isn't getting done while I have the kids. Not to mention that I am spending large amounts of energy "willing" myself not to get sick too. Since I am the type of person who gets stressed when too much is going on at once I chose to make "zen" the theme of my mosaic this week. These photos make me feel peaceful. If only for a moment...

Head on over to Mary's Little Red House for more Monday Mosaics.

End of Crabiness

2009-10-01T14:21:00.003-05:00

OK, I'm not crabby any more. I found my camera. The thing is , I had asked my husband AND my son to look in a certain place (my son's condo that we are sort of rehabing) and neither one of them could find it. I knew I had looked in every place I could think of and still no camera, so on a hunch went over to the condo and whadayaknow, there it was. It took me less than 10 seconds to spot it. So, I'm happy about that and not happy that I didn't have one in Seaside but the happy outweighs the not happy, so episode over...

And I told you I had a picture of a crab. This is a blue crab in Maryland. We let it go...

Caught in a Web

2009-09-29T17:21:00.004-05:00

I have just come back from a wonderful couple of days in Seaside, FL. It is a lovely place and I spent it with a wonderful long time friend. Thanks so much Debby.

Why am I crabby after such a lovely mini vacation? Well, it has nothing to do with my last, less than sunny post. I actually feel much better now that I've adjusted to my medication. But... I've lost my camera somewhere. Have you seen it? If someone finds it how will they know who it belongs to? I couldn't take any photos in Seaside. And there was plenty of subject matter there! I'm going to France in less than two weeks and I need a camera. It isn't something I want to spend money on right now. Especially since I know that when I get the new one home the old one will magically show up. All I can say is humph!

And I know this isn't a crab. I have crab pictures, but I just loved this spider and wanted to show it off :o)

If you want sunny, don't read...

2009-09-25T15:32:00.003-05:00

This week has been sort of weird. I started a new medication and just haven't felt myself. I feel like the fly whose wings are tiring. I'm sure it will pass. It always does. But hovering is hard...

Happiness

2009-09-22T16:31:00.002-05:00

"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Mosaic Monday with Bees

2009-09-21T12:58:00.000-05:00

I have been noticing the bees. I love to watch them work away, oblivious to the watcher. Unless you get too close and then they dive bomb you. I don't think they mean anything by it. Just a little warning. "I'm busy here. Get that camera out of my face." Hmmm. Come to think about it, not unlike my human subjects...

It is Mosaic Monday once again. Thank you to Mary at Little Red House for hosting. Go on over to see some beautiful photography and creativity.

Signs of Age

2009-09-19T18:02:00.001-05:00

I'm out in the sun a lot. Do you think I need a little wrinkle cream?

Role Playing

2009-09-16T18:23:00.001-05:00

I have had a lot of "titles" in my life. Daughter, student, nurse, wife, mother, partner, artist, friend.... But far and away my favorite title of all is grandma. The kids call me "Rosie" (it came to us in a dream, but that's another story).Where else in your life can you have this (which just happens to be toast cutouts with Nutella and strawberries along with a refreshing Shirley Temple) for dinner and then maybe if you are still hungry you can have apple slices with cheese cut in the shape of butterflies...

Focus

2009-09-15T13:40:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the picture seems out of focus. Maybe there is a tiny bit of what is going on that we can see clearly at any given moment. But I just have to remember that even the parts we can't see clearly have meaning and beauty. I have to have faith that the picture will sharpen again or I'll see another part of the scene because of something as slight as a passing breeze.

Maryland Mosaic

2009-09-13T19:16:00.009-05:00

I took so many photos during my week in southern Maryland. It is so beautiful there, mere minutes (well 60, but relatively mere...) from two major big cities. And while the cities are exciting and beautiful in their own way, give me the peaceful countryside any time...

Mary, at Little Red House, is hosting Mosaic Monday again. Go there for some lovely photo collages.

I Was Born a Traveling Man..er, Woman

2009-09-12T20:56:00.007-05:00

Lin wouldn't hold still while I took her picture so I had to grab hold of her. I always tell people," I am going to take your picture. It can be good or bad, your choice..." I had taken another one of her right before this but I promised I wouldn't post that one :o)

I had a wonderful trip to Southern Maryland. My dear friends Suzi and Lin showed me a wonderful time. I felt pampered. And yes, Suzi and I are holding hands. At the last minute I thought you should see the little stream that is flowing down the middle of the National Botanical Gardens in Washington DC. It is a DO NOT MISS if you ever go there.

Remembering

2009-09-10T21:50:00.000-05:00

My sister is trying to get everyone to fly their flags tomorrow I don't have one right now so I am "flying" it here. Let us all remember...

Brunch

2009-09-05T14:40:00.000-05:00

One thing about going on a trip is that I don't feel any guilt about over eating. I'm not sure why this is but I guess it's just part of really enjoying yourself. So, I've been exploiting my "trip" status to the max and have overeaten a bunch. This morning it was brunch at another friend's house. These were friends from our early Navy days in Puerto Rico. How wonderful to rehash old times. And it goes without saying that the food was superb and we, well, you know... overate!

On Vacation

2009-09-04T14:23:00.003-05:00

I am in Maryland. We lived here for a few years, many years ago. I made some dear friends here and love to come back to see them. We have been to Baltimore and Washington DC the last two days and today are resting and just catching up. My friend has a sweet life here. She and her husband have a lovely home on Solomons Island, in southern MD. So beautiful. Her son lives next door and her mother behind. They all get along. We spent a while today picking tomatoes from her son's plants. We don't get good ones in Florida for some reason so I have been eating them like apples with plenty of salt. Mostly over the kitchen sink.

I'll be here until next week so may not get another chance to blog, but I am having a restful time and hope to be refreshed when I get home.

Shade

2009-08-31T18:53:00.004-05:00

It is pretty sunny here. We get some afternoon rain but almost every day we get sun. It is nice to have colorful umbrellas around.

Good News and Bad News

2009-08-28T15:51:00.004-05:00

The good news is I finally captured one of these little guys. And the best part is it was on the tennis court, a place where I spend a lot of time. So, I was able to combine two of my great loves, tennis and photography. The bad news in that the poor little guy (and others like him) hang around the tennis courts hoping to snag a meal. But they just keep coming up dry (so to speak). They are SO frustrated! But they don't give up. That will be my tennis goal as well. I may become frustrated, but I won't give up!

Imperfections

2009-08-26T20:22:00.000-05:00

At first glance this is a gorgeous butterfly. But if you'll notice, there is a hole in her wing. She still does her job, she can fly just fine and look at those legs. You know what? I still think she is gorgeous. Hole and all...

A Sign

2009-08-25T17:54:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I lost my team tennis match. I was the only one on the team who lost and I was really bummed out. Well, after all, we all want to win. Anyway, I was sitting there on the bench watching the last team finish with a win and I looked up and saw this cloud. I thought "Someone" knew that right then I needed a little love. I quickly pointed it out to a friend by which time it had morphed into a duck. So I know it was meant just for me... You'll notice that there is a little chunk out of the heart. I guess we all have those, don't we...

Critters

2009-08-24T15:20:00.004-05:00

In the grand scheme of things, they all have their part to play and are beautiful in their own way. Please drop by and have a walk in the woods with Mary at The Little Red House. You'll see some gorgeous mosaics for Mosaic Monday there.

Some Days

2009-08-23T18:05:00.002-05:00

Some days I feel like this....

Some days I feel like this... And that's life!

Color

2009-08-22T19:08:00.002-05:00

My daughter has been through an unhappy marriage and divorce. She still struggles quite a bit with the whole thing. It hasn't been that long. One of the things she has done to make herself feel better is to make her home as homey as she could get it. And for her that meant to make it the happiest colors she could think of. I think she has done a wonderful job. You can't help but be in a more cheerful mood when you go into her house. This is just a tiny piece of it...

ABCD

2009-08-20T20:10:00.003-05:00

It has been a busy couple of days for us here at the homestead. The kids are spending the night with us tonight. But the exciting news is that Natalie came home with homework today (kindergarten) and is really starting the process of learning to read. She has been trying to sound out the words and read to Nick, who really isn't interested in listening to her. But I'm listening! She can't know, at this time, how much reading has meant to me in my life. I will be so excited to share my favorite books with her. A new adventure is beginning...

Monday Mosaic

2009-08-17T10:18:00.007-05:00

I just don't think you can miss with daisies. They are the commonest of flowers, and flowers that are often overlooked. But every time I see daisies, I SEE daisies. Don't know why really. They just make me happy...

For some beautiful mosaics go on over to Little Red House.

Playing Around

2009-08-16T20:08:00.003-05:00

I played in a tennis tournament yesterday. We played a LOT of tennis. The equivalent of three matches in one day. For an old lady like me that is a lot. But I can mostly keep up with the young girls... They may be better but I never give up and go for everything. My partner and I didn't win but we had a lot of fun. Stacey is one of a kind. She works hard and I don't see her very much but there is some kind of connection there. I am old enough to be her mother so it is amazing to me that we are kindred spirits. And I consider myself very lucky. She's a peach!

Breakfast

2009-08-15T18:44:00.001-05:00

I can't think of a better way to start my day. Unless someone had fixed my cheerios for me...

Bad Hair Week

2009-08-14T18:53:00.003-05:00

This reminds me of my hair lately...

Suffering For My Art

2009-08-12T12:12:00.003-05:00

The weekly challenge on Flickr is "Wildflowers". Well, we have quite a few roadside wildflowers around here. So, after tennis today I'm out with my camera squatting down to get close-ups of these little beauties. All of a sudden I get this stinging on my ankle. Ants! And not only on my ankle but while I was in my squat position they marched up my tennis skirt and under and... well, you've heard the expression "ants in your pants". I'm here to testify that it does happen. I will spare you the details and a photo of my behind, covered with itchy, stingy ant bites.

Monday Mosaic on Tuesday

2009-08-11T19:18:00.002-05:00

I forgot to do the mosaic on Monday so I'll do it today. I really don't want to miss a week.

Go to Little Red House to see more awesome mosaics.

I Don't Like It

2009-08-11T18:58:00.000-05:00

I really don't. I never even saw okra until I marrried my husband. It is a mainstay at meal time in Oklahoma. I usually just avoid it. If Steve wants some he has to go to a restaurant . Too slimy for me. And then the other day I saw a row of flowering bushes. When I got close to them I could see that they were okra plants. The flowers were delicate and beautiful. I guess the good often comes with the bad :o)

Sweetest Flower

2009-08-10T18:28:00.000-05:00

I have been absent this weekend. Mark moved to Gulf Shores and it was a tiring ordeal. We had two strong friends to help, though, and that made it much easier than it might have been. The new job started today and I am waiting to hear from him. I kind of have to go on the premise that no news is good news and that it went o.k.

This photo was taken last week in Wal-Mart. I took Little Missy to get her school suppplies. She saw the flowers and had to smell each bunch. She commented after each sniff saying that these were the sweetest ones. Of course, they really didn't have much smell at all, as these kinds of bunches don't, but I just kept thinking that I was the one beholding the sweetest flower of them all.

Come On Down

2009-08-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

"The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach-waiting for a gift from the sea." Ann Morrow Lindbergh

Now you all can see what I get to look at whenever I want. Why don't you come on down and have a sit by the sea. It is dynamic, moving, mysterious. It's hot too! But coming up is my favorite season at the beach. The vacationers will have gone home, the parking lots will have spaces empty, and the sand won't burn your feet. I still have to wait for a couple of months but I can start looking forward to the weather we love in Florida. I take a little folding chair, my camera and a book to read. Mostly though, I just look out at the blue, waiting for my gift from the sea.

Trust

2009-08-05T18:56:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely morning for swimming. Nick and I went over to Uncle's pool and we had the pool all to ourselves. Nick hasn't gone swimming enough to be really comfortable in the water so he has to trust us a lot. He trusts me...

Uncle, not so much. I keep telling him that I have earned the trust and if he wants it he has to quit teasing the kids. But then he is an Uncle and that is what his Uncles did to him. And really, the kids will love him for it someday. But they don't love it now...

Space Girl

2009-08-04T21:05:00.000-05:00

Reach for the stars little girl!

Rose Mosaic

2009-08-03T12:29:00.000-05:00

It is Mosaic Monday. I am going to try to do this every week. I think they are really pretty. I could never do this on my own. The computer does it for me of course. Nice to have a servant of sorts.Want to see more of these beautiful mosaics? Go to Little Red House

Shells

2009-08-02T19:24:00.000-05:00

I am copying this idea from a fellow, albeit much more advanced and experienced than I, blogger. I loved the quote so much and I did read the book, after all. A couple of times even.

"Perhaps middle age is, or should be, a period of shedding shells; the shell of ambition, the shell of material accumulations and possessions, the shell of the ego." Anne Morrow Lindbergh

This is a thought I often have. That it is time to divest ourselves of stuff. Just helping our son to pack his small place is a chore. I can't imagine trying to pack up all the stuff we've accumulated in 38 years. I think I will stay in this house and let my kids deal with it after we pass on to greener pastures.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-08-01T20:21:00.000-05:00

I really had planned to write at least a little something every day. But life gets busy and best of intentions get left by the wayside. Our son, Mark, got the job he has been waiting for. And he has to move. It is only an hour away but he still has to have a new place and get all his stuff ready to move. That's where I come in. We've been busy this weekend getting an apartment and packing and stuff. Well, it does make for some together time. And that is good... I'm going to miss him a lot!

Wednesday Night Market

2009-07-29T21:22:00.000-05:00

We went downtown to a little night market this evening. We bought some local honey for our son. He has allergies and I read that a couple of teaspoons a day of local honey will help desensitize allergies. Might help, can't hurt. That's my philosophy. I've been pretty interested lately in eating meat and milk without added growth hormones or antibiotics. There was a farmer who had eggs from free range chickens who eat bugs and grain from plants they find in their foraging. I was going to buy some of those eggs until he said that the yolks were really bright yellow because they were fertilized eggs. Oh no! Too much information there. I'm not sure why that made a difference to me. I eat chicken and steak so rare it's practically mooing. But I could not go back and buy those eggs. Maybe I'll get over it. If only he hadn't told me...

Fresh flowers and produce from the farmer's market.

Go Towards the Light

2009-07-28T18:40:00.000-05:00

I love this photo. My sister thinks morning glories are weeds but I sowed the seeds into a big pot on my porch and used the trellis I got for Christmas to support them and water them faithfully. The color alone makes me happy. I guess the difference between a weed and not a weed is love. I love them. But what I was going to say is that I wonder if this little ant (see him in there?) is hearing in his head, "Go Towards the Light." Is he having a near death experience? Given the length of an ants life I would have to say, probably... As for the morning glory, it is having a near death experience for sure, but I love it even in this phase. Though it is old and almost gone (hours away from the end), it has a different kind of beauty. I love how it is folding in on itself and displaying a side of itself most of us haven't noticed until now, its once hidden stripes.

Day in the Sun

2009-07-27T21:20:00.002-05:00

Today was Natalie's day to spend with me. Once a week it is just the two of us. Today we went swimming. She has learned this summer. Great!

Boys Will Be Boys

2009-07-26T17:35:00.001-05:00

We took the grandkids to breakfast this weekend. All I can say about this picture is that I guess he has his Papa's genes in him...

At least it wasn't crayons.Maybe he has more sense :o)

Crabby

2009-07-24T16:43:00.000-05:00

We went to the beach the other night to be with some cousins who were in from out of town. The kids wanted to catch crabs (and then release, of course). Most of the crabs were about 2 inches across but many of them were this small. They were the exact color of the sand. I was amazed the kids could even see them. But the chase was what was so great to watch. A crab spotted would raise an alarm and then everyone would scramble to make sure it didn't run over their feet. A bit of screaming and a lot of running around later, the net would go down and the crab would be caught. This small one caused a bit of ruckus but then one of the older girls caught it in her hand and declared it harmless. I don't know, it just made me laugh...

God's Gift to Us

2009-07-23T17:00:00.000-05:00

I am overwhelmed and amazed at the beauty of the smallest of things. I have one new rose on my bush. But it is the loveliest rose I think I've ever seen. I wonder if I would think it so beautiful if I had a whole bush full of them...

My City

2009-07-22T11:20:00.000-05:00

Pensacola is a beautiful small city. We have much in the way of the arts. Ballet, symphony, theater, great restaurants, concerts, and much more. But right along side of that is the confederate flag proudly flying, young men with mullets (I know!), and people standing on the street corners screaming at the cars going by with their Bibles looking like billy clubs, so stridently are they swinging through the air. But do love it here. Along with the Bible ranters comes young people saying yes ma'am at the grocery store and people holding doors open for you. There is a lot of civility here. I guess we really do have the best of both worlds. The "country" and the "city". I'm happy with that. I can ignore the rest...

Tomorrow

2009-07-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

Still feeling a bit yucky. I'm hoping tomorrow I'll feel like getting out of bed and playing with the kids. I even went to my tennis lesson this morning and had to leave. Sure makes me appreciate it when I feel great. And I feel great most of the time. I'm so lucky, really...

Little Critter

2009-07-19T17:24:00.000-05:00

I know this is a weird photo to be posting on my blog, but I just had to tell this little guy's story. He hitchhiked into our car riding on my husband's shirt. I got him off with this green piece of paper that I had directions written on. He was so disoriented and lost. He tried to inch along, like little inchworms do, but he would hesitate before he put down his little front feet (or whatever they are). I could just hear him thinking to himself in his tiny brain, wondering what strange landscape he had suddenly happened upon. He probably thought he was in the inchworms version of "The Wizard of Oz". In a strange land, he inched bravely onward. I have to admire him for that... What fate befell him? Wouldn't you like to know...

Yucky

2009-07-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. The girls in my family haven't been feeling well this week. Maybe I've got it now. Hope not!

The Jungle

2009-07-17T19:24:00.000-05:00

This is one of the flowers that pops up in our jungle every summer. Our jungle is full of fern, ginger, and vines of all sorts. It's not really a jungle, of course, but don't tell the mosquitos. They are the predators and I am the prey. They win...

Obsession

2009-07-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

My obsession this year has been taking pictures of flowers. There is a never ending variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Mostly I take close-ups. Some of the most beautiful aspects of flowers are the teeny ones we really don' t see. So, while I am focusing on the details of the flowers I think I have been opened up to the larger picture as well. Being constantly on the lookout for subject matter makes me notice how the light is hitting the trees and where a dark shape is adjacent to a light shape, or even how the shapes fit together. Beauty is all around us!

Trust

2009-07-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

We went tubing with our friend Bob (thanks AGAIN, Bob) today. Little Missy has been asking to go for the longest time. But of course when we got there she was a bit scared since she hadn't gone since last summer. That's a long time for a 5 year old. But even though she was scared she hopped right in the tube with Eden. She didn't remember Eden either. That was a year ago too. But this young lady had such a calm, confident manner that it made Little Missy feel comfortable right away. I love the expressions on their faces. LM has just discovered that it is more fun than scary, and Eden's one of serenity that made LM feel that way. I love it when I see a bond of trust spring up between girls. It is one of the foundations of human life. Makes me feel hopeful...

Butterfly

2009-07-14T14:59:00.000-05:00

I was walking around at the garden center today and saw this little butterfly. I wouldn't have seen him had he not been flitting from one flower to another. But then he found one he liked and just sat there. After several tries I finally got him in focus and got it right. It's too bad life won't just sit there sometimes, while we try to get it right. But life just flits along it's merry way whether we get it right or not. And sometimes things just don't seem to be in focus...

Toadstools

2009-07-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

I really don't know if these are toadstools or mushrooms. Or if there is any difference. Guess I should look it up. But in any case, this was a lucky find. I was on my way home from a local photography exhibit and saw all of these huge mushrooms in a median downtown. So there I was, down on my stomach, in the median of a busy street, taking photos. I especially like how this one turned out. Who cares if they think I'm crazy!

The Sea

2009-07-11T15:56:00.000-05:00

"Hard indeed is the heart from which the balmy air of the sea cannot banish sorrow and grief."

Last But Not Least

2009-07-10T15:41:00.000-05:00

Mark is beloved by his niece and nephew. He has a different take on the world than the rest of us. He is very tech savy and knows a lot about what the rest of us in the family only marvel at. I'm sure the little ones will grow up with some of his skills. It will be second nature to them. But he is for sure my go to guy for machines (my computer, cell phone, remote, etc.). Aren't I lucky!!! He has a sweet heart too. He just doesn't know it...

Jedi in Training

2009-07-09T20:20:00.001-05:00

We have had the grandkids for the past few days. They are wonderful, but all I can say tonight is WHEW! They wear me out. I tell my daughter what a great job she does as a single mother, but at times like this it is so much more apparent. Way to go Wendy. Glad you had a great trip. This little guy is more like a wild man at this age but I'm hoping that as he gets older he'll take on more of the traits of a Jedi Knight :o)

Kumquats

2009-07-08T19:08:00.000-05:00

They're back. I tried to lure them (yes, a pair) into my photo trap but just as I got there with my camera one of them was taking off with another blossom and the other one just looked at me as if to say, Kumquats? No thanks. WE WANT THE SUNFLOWERS! And the kumquats are still there. The racoons don't even want them...

Pink Parasol

2009-07-07T14:23:00.000-05:00

It has been raining off and on for the last two days and I am still thinking about our weekend at the beach. We really need the rain and it cools things down a bit. But the blue skies at the beach are beyond compare in the beautiful scenery department. And Natalie just got a sweet new pink parasol. I couldn't resist combining those two beautiful things.

The Beach

2009-07-06T11:21:00.000-05:00

For some reason I don't feel very serene at the beach. To get to serene I would have to go to a quiet, still place like a stream or lake (notice it is always water), and the beach is full of noise and motion. I'm usually with the grand-kids and your eye has to be on them constantly. No waves carrying children out to sea for me! And it is so HOT! out there. And windy. It was fun, just not peaceful. But this photo gives me the feeling of serenity and zen when I look at it. Not at all like the day really was...

4th of July at the Beach

2009-07-05T14:04:00.000-05:00

What a great holiday we had. Our cousins asked us to spend the night at their beach house on Pensacola Beach, and so of course we did. We all pitched in food, put on our bathing suits and relaxed. The weather was perfect and the fireworks beautiful. Thanks, Debby and Alan!

One Rose

2009-07-04T06:52:00.001-05:00

I have a rose bush in my yard that produces one, maybe two, roses at a time and at sometimes weeks long intervals between roses. It could possibly be because I don't fertilize it. Well, not much anyway. Uncle Lee says that the smell will come back into our roses if we would stop using so much artificial fertilizer. That we try to make things grow too fast. The funny thing is that some of the roses on this bush are fragrant and some are not. Go figure... Anyway, I love the color and it is worth keeping this bush just for the occasional rose if it looks like this one.

Happy Birthday America. We will be at the beach celebrating.

Bad Squirrel

2009-07-03T21:09:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend, Tammy, gave me potted sunflower today for my birthday. It wasn't in the back yard for an hour when I noticed that one of the biggest blooms was missing. You can see the offending empty flower stalk if you look closely. Upon investigation, I deduced that I have a bad squirrel in my yard. The flower is safely in the house for the night but now where am I going to keep it???

Birthday

2009-07-02T20:17:00.000-05:00

Today is my 61st birthday. This is the sight I saw this morning at 8 when my doorbell rang. The sweetest sight in the world! We went to Krispy Kreme for a birthday donut.

Boat Ride

2009-07-01T21:58:00.000-05:00

Our friend Bob took us for a boat ride of Bayou Texar this evening. It was so beautiful, not too hot and a lot of fun.

Angels

2009-06-30T12:43:00.001-05:00

They came over for a nap. I stayed and watched them for a while. I didn't want the first waker to wake up the late sleeper. It worked out and they both had a great nap. Too bad I didn't...

Gerbera

2009-06-29T14:00:00.000-05:00

The kids are napping and I think I have just enough time to add another flower. The visit with Uncle Lee is going well. He is 89 years old and can't hear but I think he is enjoying himself. Maybe the fact that he can't hear helps. The grand-kids get a bit loud at times :o)

Relatives

2009-06-28T11:09:00.001-05:00

This will be a busy week. Hubby's elderly Uncle Lee is coming in to visit. I hope to post a photo each day even if I don't have time to write.

And the little guy

2009-06-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

This is Little Missy's brother. He is a pistol so I'm just going to call him Cowboy. He really relates better to the current day Superheroes, like Spiderman and his Superhero buddies. He never sits still for a minute. Never. Well, unless he is watching a video that is. But in spite of his rambunctious nature, he has a sweet heart and is a cuddler (but only for a short time and if you are tickling his back or bribe him somehow). And what would his Papa do without Cowboy to help him drill holes, pound nails and measure stuff? He's a lovely, sweet mess :o)

My Little Gem

2009-06-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

As I introduce my family, I'll start with Little Missy. She is smart, funny, and has a very big heart. She spends every Monday night with me. Sometimes we go play tennis, do an art project or just hang out at the ice cream store. She has learned to swim this summer so we go to Uncle's pool when we have the time. I say she is my heart...

Sanctuary and chaos

2009-06-25T08:48:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite room in our house. It is calm and serene. I used to listen to the radio all day long but now I like to listen to silence and the thoughts in my head. Peace! The atmosphere can change in an instant...

To chaos. I prefer the chaos!

Wildlife

2009-06-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have been watching these dragonflies in my yard for weeks now and this is the first good shot I have gotten of one. Normally they are too quick for me.. But this one seemed to know I wasn't giving up until he sat still for a moment...

Caterpillars Part 2

2009-06-23T14:11:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling a little less benevolent towards the caterpillars today. It's not bad enough that they have eaten all of the parsley (I guess the chlorophyll has turned them green), but now they have moved on to the impatiens. I wonder how long they continue to eat before they begin to make the change that will make me feel more kindly toward them again...

Caterpillars need love too

2009-06-22T15:43:00.000-05:00

I went out to get some parsley for a garnish yesterday and found these little fellows had all but finished it off. I just left them to enjoy their buffet. They will make wonderful butterflies. This will be a Black Swallowtail.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

I really miss my father. He was a great daddy to us when we were younger children. He had his issues as he, and we, aged, but all in all I was very lucky to have had him as my dad. He died young, at the age of 69, from lymphoma. I was able to be there with him when he died. It was my honor to be there at that part of his life.

I wish I had a scanner so I could put an old photo of him in here. I would put the photo in of him standing on the edge of Yellowstone Lake with my son, Mark, 4 or so at the time, "fishing" with grandpa Robbie. Dad had a fishing pole and Mark had a stick with some string tied to it. Mark was in heaven and I think grandpa even managed to figure out a way for Mark to catch a fish on his stick with string :o)

My husband has been a great dad to our two kids too and is the best grandpa. Who knew that he would be even better at that! So this is to all the dads out there. Happy Father's Day!

This is a picture of my husband, a father of only a few weeks and our infant son. A looooong time ago!

Glorious

2009-06-20T08:03:00.000-05:00

Did I mention that I love my yard and especially the flowers. I have sort of gone crazy taking pictures of the flowers. I even go down to the garden center and snap away. I asked permission the first time but now I just go do it. Most stores won't let you take photos. Spring is the best time for flowers here in the panhandle. We have LOTS of green stuff but not as many flowers as say, Seattle. You'd think with all this sunshine... It just gets too blasted hot! But even having said all that, there is always something blooming.

This is my favorite thing in my yard right now. Beautiful Morning Glories I have in a pot on my deck.

First Blog Post Ever!

2009-06-19T08:49:00.000-05:00

Well, this is a first for me. I have been reading the blogs of others for a few years now and lurking all over the whole blogosphere so decided it was time to add my two cents worth. And that may be all it is worth...

I am a 60ish grandma with two children and two wonderful (the best ones in the world, really) grandchildren. I live in Florida where I play tennis, play with the kids and play with my camera. What a life! My husband mostly stays out of my way, so he doesn't get bowled over, and once in a while joins in the adventure. He plays at his job as an instructor at our local university.

I have tried over the years to keep a journal and always failed after the first few months. So, now that I am accountable to an audience ( if I'm lucky), maybe I'll keep it up. I just know I want a place to share my photos and life here in sunny Florida with my friends (old and hopefully new) and family.

So, good luck to me and here goes...