Waiting for the Blue Bell truck

Sunflowers & Super Moon

A Vintage View

This photo was taken with my new toy . . . well, sorta . . . it was actually taken with my trusty Canon . . . but it was taken thru the viewfinder of my $11 Kodak Duaflex II Camera . . . the "new" Kodak is shown below . . .

I have seen it said that this is the same style of vintage camera that was used by Sandra Bullock in the movie Hope Floats . . .

Zipper Spider

 

This is what I almost walked into on my way to the mailbox!!!

Fairy Rose in Autumn

A Rose Blooming Late in Autumn

Rose, fair rose! why dost thou bloom
So lonely here? The garden's drear,
And thou dost give thy sweet perfume
But to the unconscious air.
Veil, then, thy bloom, and guard thy sweets
Till the bright hours of spring,
For now thy blush no Philomela greets,
Nor at thy closing hour thy dirge will sing.

---

My Own World

I live in a dear little world of my own,
Where hope ever smiles and griefs never come;
And vines are enwreathing my own little bow'r,
That blossom and bud and are ever in flow'r.

When the wind whistles low and bright stars are shining,
'Mong roses and myrtles I soft lay reclining,
And phantoms of bliss around me then hover,
And, smiling, comes joy, and dimpled all over.

When the moon looks down through the leaves of the trees,
And the sweet breath of zephyr comes on the breeze,
Such whisp'rings of music steal through my bower,
As lightly it wooes the buds and the flow'r.

I dream that bright spirits from some far sphere
Have come in their love to visit me here;
My soul bursts its fetters and throws off its care,
To hold in the converse of spirits a share.

When morning, bright-gemm'd, through the gray dawn is stealing,
And the slumber of birds and of flow'rs is unsealing;
When the ripple of waters runs sparkling and clear,
And fresh opens the rose in the coppice-wood near;

My spirit goes forth all joyous and bright,
While the glory of day, in its splendor of light,
Bears it onward and on through the blue vault of heav'n,
Till it joins the mild hours that herald the even.

Then softly it seeks the horizon's pale verge,
Where Venus, soft pillow'd, reclines on the surge,
And, nestling 'raid rose-tints and dew-gems till dawn,
Rises buoyant and fresh with the bright coming morn.

from
Autumn musings, and other poems
by
Elizabeth Hazard
J.B. Lippincott & co., 1874

OOB Memories

I took this photo four weeks ago today . . . on the 6th day of October . . . which was the first day we arrived at our temporary home away from home (for two weeks) at Old Orchard Beach in Maine . . . that's my Mom standing at the water's edge . . . and I am standing on the balcony of our beach house . . .

Blue Damselflies

I think mayhaps I captured images of both the Common Blue Damselfly . . . as well as the Azure Damselfly . . . they were swarming around some white-flowering weeds in my yard (similar to baby's breath) . . . such a nice unexpected surprise!

UV Protector

Bricolage :: Unidentified Tweeter

Bricolage :: Cat Portrait

Clicking on the oil portrait of Cisco the six-toed cat will open an online Picasa album containing the photo I created this portrait from . . . as well as a mother and daughter portrait . . . and the original photo for that image . . . I finally captured a family photo of Momma Kitty and her babies, but it is not very good . . . unfortunately, they did not give me a choice of location when they lined up for me today . . .

Happy Birthday, Riley

This is Riley watching the news on TV . . . there was a story today about a puppy falling into a three foot deep crack in the backyard where it lived . . . lots of cracked yards around here, caused by the severe drought conditions here in Texas . . . anyway . . . the puppy did a lot of yelping as it was being rescued . . . and Riley ran for the TV every time he heard it . . .

Clicking on the photo will take you to an online Picasa album containing today's photos of Riley which were taken for his 4th birthday . . . he is spoiled rotten as it is . . . but he got special treatment today, including extra chicken jerky treats (he always says please and thank you) . . . and a serving of his favorite Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream . . .

Pensive Mitten Kitten

Clicking on the photo will take you to an online Picasa photo album containing assorted mitten kitten photos taken today.

Lost Beauty

Twilight is the loveliest time of the day,
Viewed from my open window.
One dusk the sun was a ball of fire,
Softened by thin layers of pearl.
Once opal strands stretched across the sky,
A necklace ready for the moon to wear.
Some times the world's gold is hoarded in the west,
Reflected on roofs and panes far below.
When I am not at my window at twilight
I am lonely, longing for lost beauty.

Nancy Richey Ranson

Happy Feet!

Solitaire

Today I went shopping for a gift for a three-year-old . . . and while looking at all the neat toys, I picked up this one for myself . . . Bennie wore out three or four of these games . . . and the buttons are starting to get persnickety on the last one he had . . . so time to break in a new one . . .

Paris to Rockdale

One hundred and one years ago . . . in September of 1910 . . . this century-old letter was mailed from Paris, France to Rockdale, Texas . . . I posted about my acquisition of these letters back in March of this year . . . and now I'm delighted to say that, as of early this a.m., digital copies of all of the letters have found their way into the hands of the descendants of the recipients of some of these missives . . .

Do the Hokey-Pokey

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out;
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

FYI . . . clicking on the photo will take you to a Picasa album containing several mitten kitten photos taken today . . .

Riley Avoiding the Camera

Chatterbox

Good Night, Moon

Thankful I am . . . for this smoke-free view of the waxing gibbous moon . . . and for the lives spared so far in those areas that did not have this clear view of the evening sky on this fiery night in Texas . . .