just pink

i must admit, lately i've been about with my camera a bit trying to get the last of color that remains.  this was peaking out from some bushes and with pink being one of my favorite colors, well.... who can just pass it by... 

it kind of looks like a sweet pea but i'm no flower expert.  i just like to enjoy and do the ooh and aah thing.  i'm of the impression that anything that you find growing in open is worth taking a moment for....

isn't it lovely?

happy day.....

hanging on

it's getting to be that time of year already when flowers begin to fade off.  there are some varieties, though, that only blossom in the spring with the bushes green and hardy for the rest of the summer.  one of those is the bridal wreath.  this is a lovely bush that has a delicate white flower.  when it blossoms, it doesn't last long.  in fact if a strong wind happens to blow, it can sometimes be enough to blow all the petals off the bush at once leaving me sad...  for it is one of my very favorite spring time flowers.

imagine my pleasant surprise, then, as i was walking around the house today and saw this lone small cluster hanging on the bridal wreath.  i have no idea how it has survived the whole summer....through rain, wind, hail, heat...  but there it was for my pure enjoyment - and now yours...

perhaps the other leaves and branches have protected it just for this moment.  yay!  it's a simple moment i'm soaking up...

happy day.....

tune-up

who knew that you can now purchase a car tune-up in a bottle.  yup!  a bottle.  pour it into a full tank of gas when you fill up.  it'll act as an injector cleaner and eliminate the need for higher octane gas.  huh...anything to enhance to power and fuel economy, right?  you bet! 

for only $5.99 this special tune-up treat can be yours without the hassle of making an appointment with your usual mechanic.  i can't claim how well it works since i just poured a bottle into my vehicle the other day with my fill up.  but so far, so good.  sure beats upwards of the typical high cost which pleases me.

happy day.....

cat-i-tude

sometimes we all have those days.  you know of what i speak.  you either wake up and don't want to roll out bed...wanting to hit the snooze button over and over until the day is done and a "do over" is proclaimed.  or the day starts out well enough and something happens that maybe isn't very fabulous, and everything goes downhill from there. 

do you ever wonder what your face looks like during these times?  what your body language is saying?  what your posture looks like?  i have often times had individuals say to me, "you have that look on your face again" and truly i don't quite know what that look is.  well, i know a cat can't capture a human look but if a cat can have attitude, gracie caught it quite well.  she was clearly having "one of those days" like we have all had.

i took one look at gracie's face and after snapping the shot, which also annoyed her, said "i'm with ya" and walked quickly away....out of sight... to have a private laugh.  i am not normally so insensitive but really - look at that face!  what could have caused her to have had such a bad day?  too much litter in her box?  water not cold enough in her bowl?  oops, wait...i hadn't put her tiara on yet. 

a cat's life is so tough...  yes, i'm playing around here.  though it's obviously nothing like what we deal with day in and day out, right?  i think it's very important for all of us to do a self-check every now and then to see how we're doing.  where's our own attitude?  how are we feeling about things?  are we on track or do we need to do a little bit of self care?  it's so easy to get wrapped up in all the minute details of our every day lives that we forget to sit back and breathe for a moment.  i'm suggesting, based on how gracie looked today, that we don't neglect ourselves.  go have an ice cream cone, take a walk in the park,  play with a balloon or a kite with your child....your loved ones will appreciate you for it.

happy day.....

interesting sign #3

hard to say if it's more artwork or sign... colorful, action, drama, movement, story captured...mesmerizing...don'tcha love it? all in a new york subway station.

happy day.....

home renovations

i found another house that just needs a few little touch ups to be perfect.  it's in the woods... in the quiet of the forest, away from the busy city life.  yes, some would say it's a bit run down, but they would fail to see the potential it has...the beauty in the roughness of its exterior.  after all, no diamond just shines on its own.  it must go through the fire first and this house is no exception.  in fact, it appears that maybe it's gone through a fire already.

but i'd say that only adds to the charm of its existence.  i could be wrong though since the whole house is still standing; the roof is still on and overall it's in decent condition.  really, considering....minor renovations completed with a little elbow grease are called for and i'll have a dream home in a great secluded setting.

a wonderful weekend getaway up in the mountains...something i've always wanted.  can you stand it?  flowers planted outside, deer wandering around, bunnies hopping by, birds chirping outside the windows, a breeze blowing the curtains.  what a pretty picture for relaxing...

happy day.....

hugs

have you had your hug today?


hugs are known to have many benefits.  they can reduce blood pressure, increase levels of oxytocin, show love and affection, give support and comfort.  hugs are given to humans and animals without limit, although i wonder where the phrase "tree hugging" came from.  depending on culture, hugs are given either in private or public, as a form of greeting, departure or both.


i must admit, hugs are simply great and when i've had a bad day or a good day, to share a hug with someone is an idea that frequently comes to mind.  so it was with an individual by the name of juan mann.  he hit a rough patch in his life when living in london and had to head back to his homeland of australia.  but when he landed in sydney, he had no one.  no one to greet him, welcome him home...to say hello, to hug him.  he felt all alone, in a sea of other people who had people to greet them and hug them.  imagine that.  


haven't you been there, too?  in that same place, feeling those same things?  he so wanted that for himself - someone to say hi to him and hug him - he found some cardboard and made a sign that said "free hugs" on it.  then he found a very busy intersection in the city to hold the sign and stood there with people passing him by, staring at him.  uh-huh!  but he still stood there until one lady came up telling him how her dog had died that morning and she could use a hug.  and from there it dominoed.  then he made this video...see if it doesn't make you smile and want to go running into the streets hugging people.




happy day.....

secret agents

i have always wanted to be a secret agent.  it sounds cool, they get to play with gadgets, have an alias, sneak around, do things without others knowing, travel the world, live a secret life.

it started with bond.... james bond. i mean, come on! who could resist sean connery? and those toys he got to play with only added to the allure, right?

then came "get smart"... and the blundering maxwell. he got to play with all kinds of gadgets, too, and again i was sold on the desire to be an agent of some kind.

agent 99 solidified the fact that "girls" could also be secret agents in a world of men that had heretofore dominated the field. thus making my dream a reality now if only on tv.  that was key for a little girl.

secret agents have evolved quite a bit since bond first came on the scene with their purposes varying greatly as well.  take for instance secret agent l.  her real name is laura and she lives in pittsburgh.  laura has started a movement of kindness by being a secret agent and engaging what she calls affiliated agents.  her belief is that everyone could use a little kindness no matter who they are or where they come from.  so secret agent l goes around performing random acts of kindness along with her affiliated agents on a weekly basis.  they are done anonymously on unsuspecting subjects.  how fun does that sound?  and so these acts inject a bit of sunshine into the lives of people everywhere. 

secret agent l mentions that she has about 80 agents world-wide assisting her now.  i think this is a wonderfully awesome project....good for everyone involved.  we all know that when we do something good for someone else, the payoff for ourselves is usually much more than for that individual - don't you think?  and to do it in secret where there is no glory or thanks except for the "feel good" you get deep down, makes it extra special.

would you like to fill your need and desire to be a secret agent?  do you want to perform random acts of kindness for perfect strangers?  want to work with secret agent l?  then just check out her affiliated agent page.  maybe i'll run into you....maybe not, since it's secret.

happy day.....

cloud dreaming

what do you see?

do you remember as a kid...maybe now even as an adult...laying in a field, or the backyard, looking up at the sky and dreaming at the clouds?  imagining what they all looked like?  different animals, or people, places, foods even?  or you may have made things up like in a rorschach test. 

i always think of clouds as a great play world where you can spend time; day dreaming, experimenting, creating, exploring...a lot of fun.

clouds bring back memories.  they remind me of marshmallows; they are billowy and soft.  they make me want to spend time outside, make me want to take a nap, make me want to take a walk, too.  it's amazing how something so simple can spur one to want to do so many different things.

happy day.....

interesting sign #2

okay so you now know i like signs and have begun to share them with you.  don't groan or roll your eyes.  we all know that there are a myriad of signs in the world today that are fun, confusing, bewildering, flabbergasting, shocking and must be shared.  so you might as well resign yourself to the fact that i will be passing along some of the ones i have come across along my journeys.  yay! 

so...here is a fun sign that always cracks me up. i found it in new york... 

i had to laugh when i saw it.  i thought, does this mean i can't stand here...my person...between these hours?  only vehicles can be here?  i know logically what they are saying, but the wording is just too funny, isn't it?  it's so one of those signs that you see and then do a double take on.  i found myself staring, then re-reading it several times.

i knew it had to be captured and shared because there is no way to explain it without showing it, too.  i hope you find the humor in it and smile.

happy day.....

fences

fences are designed to keep things out right?  or to keep things in.  perhaps, they are for decoration... you know, the people who only want to have a house with the little white picket fence out front.  it's really not meant for anything other than to look pretty is it?  i always wonder when i'm driving seemingly out in the middle of nowhere and all of a sudden, there's a fence.  what?  there are no cattle around, no other animals.  you don't see any kind of reason for a fence but there it is... right smack in the middle of the field.  just like here...

it's certainly not an ugly fence by any means.  i rather like it...the design is out of the ordinary, not just straight across and you can tell it was made with care.  but why is it here?  what is its purpose?  especially if there are no animals around, is it to keep something out?  makes you wonder...

it's difficult to tell how far the fence goes on or if it's only standing for a short stretch. i don't know if it really matters though. because it got me to thinking about the fences that we all might have in our own lives.

do you put up fences?  to guard yourself or for protection?  for security?  out of fear?  are they there to keep things or people out?  to keep yourself in?  what would it take to knock them down?  i think as humans we have a tendency towards self-preservation, so it's second nature almost to want to put up those fences if we feel we might be in danger or trouble of some sort.  but at the same time, aren't we preventing ourselves from excelling; reaching the potential of what could be?  something to think about.  of course, the other side to the picture is that fences are positive and good for us; protecting us from harm.  when we sense things are going awry, the fence slams up...wham-o...we feel safe, secure and the world is right again. 

whew...all this and more went screaming through my head when i saw this fence...out in the field...in the middle of nowhere...on a clear, sunny afternoon.

happy day.....

sandcastles

building sandcastles.... by the side of the road.  isn't this cool?  and yes, it's really by the side of the road.  one of those interesting pictures when you're on a road trip that finds you gawking and yelling "pull over, pull over.  look at that.  look at that!."  like you're an idiot and have never seen a sand sculpture before. 

but it always take me by surprise, leaving me with an admiration for what nature can create.  making me grateful that within only hours and a simple drive, i can be enfolded by magnificent beauty...

happy day.....

kitty flash, part 2

so you remember how i shared in "kitty flash" that gracie was in the tub cooling herself off?  well, now she has found the bathroom sink and is not ashamed with her discovery.  in fact, she has taken to playing with the water...i kid you not.  splashing around like a kid.  i didn't know that cats would do such a thing.  i was laughing so hard it's a miracle i was able to capture these pictures.  at first i thought she was just going to stand there.

she was looking all innocent, looking around forever with her tail swishing back and forth.  i just waited....

suddenly gracie reached out her paw to the faucet. i was like, "huh? how can she possibly know that?"  but with a little help, water started coming out for her.  i thought for sure she'd jump down.

but out went her paw....under the water.  is that not the cutest thing ever?  i swear i have never seen anything like it.

once done, gracie settled in....wet bowl and all.  she didn't seem to care.

this is gracie smiling.... i think she finally got relief from that kitty flash!  if only it were so easy for all of us with hot flashes...

happy day.....

desert creature

desert lizard. can you see him?

all creatures, big and small intrigue me. as long as they aren't always in my house.

this little guy was just sunning himself... and practically escapes into his natural surroundings, which is the point i guess.

once he knew i was interested in him, he scampered away very quickly... moving so fast i lost track of him in almost the blink of an eye. at least i was able to get this shot first.

happy day.....

gathering wood

seeing this woman, up close and personal, greatly disturbed me. i couldn't wrap my mind around the fact... that in some parts of the world, in this case ghana, africa, people still have to gather wood by hand and foot to cook and stay warm. sometimes having to walk miles.

it took some convincing for this woman to even allow me to snap her picture and she only stopped for the briefest of moments. clearly she was on a mission to get to her destination.

i am grateful i live in a place where i do not have to undertake this task every day. or endure the hardship it presents. i hope i will remember how i felt because i have the advantage of modern amenities at my disposal. i hope you recognize your good fortune when you view this picture.

happy day.....

peach progress

take a look...we have significant growth with the peaches! it's going to be an actual peach crop year. i can hardly wait. the peach fuzz has progressed well into round peaches that will be able to be harvested. it is so exciting. you can see here in these shots that there will be quite an abundance.

it will be so much fun to share the bounty with friends and neighbors...and, yes the squirrels, too. and while it will be work and hot, hot, hot in the kitchen, i am looking forward to dusting off my canning utensils and stirring up some butters, salsas and jams. yummy....

happy day.....

flower or weed

how do you determine if a flower is a flower or a flowering weed? is it up to you? do you just decide if you like it, that it's a flower, flower? if it's out in the wild, is it merely called a "wild" flower? or is that still just a weed then, too? does it really matter?

i came across these pretty little blueish, purple bell shaped flowers. they were in a jumble mixed in with grasses. i have no idea what they're called but thought they were delicate looking and started snapping away with my camera. the wind was blowing like crazy and it was difficult to get a clear picture.

here is a small strand that seems to be floating in air...by themselves above the ground... swaying in the breeze.

this strand looked at first as though they were trying to hide something, tucked away, closing in and pointing down towards the ground... all of them protective.

and then, suddenly my eye caught this tiny, little snap dragon all by itself... bright yellow standing firm and strong. not at all intimidated being surrounded by all the others. it was a brave flower and such a bit of color amidst the purple. i felt like cheering for it.

do you ever feel like that...all alone among strangers or maybe with your perspective or viewpoint? stand firm, stand strong like this little flower. don't be swayed by others around you...be steadfast.

we never know who really has the final say with definitions do we? sure there are dictionary's and we rely on them, on the internet and other resources for information. but in my mind with nature especially, i rely on me. i like to make up my own mind with flowers. if i say these are flowers, then so be it. who is going to question me? no one will change my mind. it is done.

happy day.....

camera fascination

different cultures are interesting. the people are just like everyone else but if they haven't been exposed to those things that i have been exposed to or take for granted, they have a reaction unlike mine and unexpected.

when i visited africa, i took my camera because i wanted to capture the country and the differences that i was going to experience. i knew i was going to see a myriad of plants, animals, and foods that don't exist in america. and i was going to meet people, too, that i would never again have the opportunity to befriend. during exploration, kids were especially open in their curiosity. mostly i think because i am so fair in complexion and they'd probably never seen someone quite so white. additionally, they were taken by the camera. everywhere i went, children wanted their pictures taken. i happily obliged.

these are school boys that stopped on the road to chat with us. they were immediately intrigued with the idea of having their picture taken, wanted to play with the camera and were all giggles seeing the digital shot afterwards.

these two cuties would pose, run away, come back and pose again and again. they said they'd been friends forever.

here are more school boys who were very shy, not letting me get out of the car so i had to snap the shot very quickly through the window. they didn't stop to talk although intrigued by the white lady and her camera. as i thanked them, they went running down the road. once i got the picture developed, i was so grateful. with the sun setting behind them and the expressions on their faces, they are so precious.

these are memories i will never forget, experiences i will forever cherish. people are people. we are all one... no matter our make up, no matter where we live. we are created equal, loved by god.

happy day.....

hula hoop

do you remember those big plastic hoops we used to fling around our waists as kids? we'd shimmy and shake 'em with ease? laughing and giggling... trying to see who could keep them going the longest. it was like a race around our mid-sections. and the thing was, it seemed so very easy. those were the days. hula hoops were fun and easy breezy. colorful and lightweight plastic.

hooping has come back today in a big way. for adults, though, they are no longer lightweight plastic. now they are weighted. the better for maneuvering and assisting the user with keeping it in rotation. the longer you can keep it going, the greater the benefits. in fact, dr. edward laskowski of the mayo clinic says that as little as 10 minutes of continuous rotation can deliver aerobic and calorie burning benefit. isn't that amazing?

i had to get in on the fun so i ordered a weighted hoop. it came in this box.

i thought, "a box? i have to put it together? i can do this." and i did. it now looks like this.

pink, of course, is one of my favorite colors so i assumed that this would be a piece of cake. but color isn't everything, people. try twirling this baby around your tummy and you will see. add so many extra years to those of the old plastic hoops and, well.... let's just say it's very different. i am no longer 12.

the idea, though, that using a weighted hoop can massage my internal organs as it circles my tummy. it will increase my energy, strengthen my torso muscles, improve my coordination and spinal flexibility, and increase my blood flow....these are all reasons to learn and do it.

so for now, i warm up on the treadmill for a while and then have at it. i find myself laughing, cracking myself up while trying to balance the hoop. it is such a riot. all i can say is it's a good thing there are no hidden cameras in my house. and it's a good thing i have a sense of humor.

hooping is fun and engaging. get one. have fun. bring your childhood back. maybe you will find yourself hooping down the road in your neighborhood. maybe we'll hoop into each other.

happy day.....

kinetic wave sculptures

what makes an artist? how creative can an artist be? are there limits? should there be limits? have you ever given thought to this? for anyone can call themselves an artist, right? haven't we all seen the canvas with a squiggly line selling for a lot of money and thought, "well, i could've done that!" or some other abstract painting and we wonder about it? perhaps it's a piece of pottery in a strange form or shape that has you shaking your head. on the other end of the spectrum, of course, are the renderings that people believe are sheer genius. it's all perspective, isn't it? i might think that squiggly line is the genius piece. who's to say? that's what makes it art; keeps it creative in my mind. and because we keep talking about it.

meet a sculptor, reuben margolin. he is not your ordinary, everyday sculptor. uh-uh. he creates kinetic wave sculptures. these are moving sculptures that are made out of materials like wood, metal, cardboard and other found objects he has scavenged. they are amazing and look like they float in and through the air.

watch him here at work and learn about his incredible art.

Maker Profile - Kinetic Wave Sculptures on MAKE: television from make magazine on Vimeo.

i think we'll keep talking about reuben for some time. i find his work fascinating. i found myself captivated during this clip....that he could take such raw material and make it come to life the way he has. truly amazing....wonderfully refreshing for the world of art.

happy day.....

blueberry salsa

salsa. not the dance. but to eat. i have had many salsas in my time. bland, spicy, spicy hot, spicy bland. tomato salsa, fruit salsa. i have my favorites...yes i do. i am partial to peach salsa only because there is a peach tree in the backyard and i can make it fresh. however i do not recommend using tomatoes with the peaches. i don't believe that's a great combination. pineapple salsa is yummy, too. with grilled salmon it can't be beat.

well, that is until i discovered the blueberry. that's right. the other day i got some blueberries.... a huge box of them from a friend and i thought "what am i going to do with all of these so they don't spoil?" and i immediately wondered about trying a blueberry salsa. so i headed to the store and gathered up some ingredients. here is the result of my labor...

it is divine! you can see i didn't shy away from using tomatoes. i decided to go full out and give the combination a chance.... see what happened. and i was not disappointed. keeping the ingredient list very simple, i threw everything in at once and then let it sit overnight in the 'fridge to meld all the flavors together. let me tell you, it is not going to take long to make my way through this batch of salsa. it is light, refreshing, crisp and juicy. the blueberries and tomatoes work well together...a perfect marriage of flavors. i also mixed both flat parsley and cilantro together and that works, too. yay! this, my friends, is a perfect summer time treat for lunch, dinner, snack that is healthy and tasty.

in case you want to give it a try, here's what i combined:

1 and a half cups of blueberries, 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 medium sweet onion chopped, 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 2 tbls rice vinegar, 2 tbls olive oil, 2 tbls or so flat leaf parsley, 2 tbls or so cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. mix it all together in a bowl carefully and leave in refrigerator overnight or at least several hours for everything to blend well. you might want to drain prior to serving. so good. you could probably get your kids to help you with prep on this one it's so easy and have some fun in the kitchen.

happy day.....

africa plant

no matter where we travel, beauty is around us. in plants, flowers, people, architecture.

i noticed this plant outside a house i was staying at in africa. i was taken by the bright pink of the leaves.

i have no name for it but in the hot, humid air amidst everything else that was green or brown, to see this one bit of color struck me.

happy day.....

calla lily

i just about jumped out of my skin today. my calla lily bloomed! no kidding... almost over night, a bloom appeared. glorious in its white majesty.

of course, i couldn't let it be to show it off with only one picture. so take a journey with a variety of views....

what a beauty...the calla lily. from the outside white, those delicate folds, the gentle purple floating around the petal enclosing that yellow and then bright green leaves balancing it all.... my oh my.

happy day.....

signs

i am totally fascinated by signs. don't know why...just 'cuz. all kinds, too. high signs. low signs. wood signs. metal signs. concrete signs. home made signs. sometimes they are silly. or funny. at times they make absolutely no sense; make you tilt your head and go "huh?" like this one:

does this mean that only in the years of 1982 and 1986 the flood level was 1 foot? or was it 1 foot between 1982 and 86? is it still 1 foot today? what? or is the flood level only 1 foot in this specific location? who knows? there was no indication around. neither above or around the vicinity at all to indicate or give further information. it so cracked me up. maybe no one else would have this kind of reaction. maybe, in fact, no one would even have noticed this notice since it's on the side of a very low wall. but i did and was intrigued.

would you have noticed? what do you think it means?

happy day.....

butterflies forever

did you ever run through a meadow with a net trying to capture a butterfly? when you were a kid perhaps? or as an "older" kid? always fun no matter the age.

butterflies are amazing. they are colorful, fly with ease, are harmless, fascinating to watch, fun to play with, graceful.

there are so many varieties of butterflies as well. they can be found around the world, too. this special one was located on a walk in kansas.

can you believe these colors? the aqua blue mixed with black is to die for especially with the sun striking its wings...oh my. i was with a friend and we followed this baby for quite some time doing the standard "oohing" and "ahhing" over the course of our wandering.

for me, chasing this butterfly was a little bit like running through heaven. just for a moment... because of the gloriousness of it... knowing that only god could have created such magnificent beauty for me to enjoy.

happy day.....

stand by me

music. it can do many things: act as a balm, bring people together, soothe your spirit, give you energy, bring you to tears, make you smile, make you dance... need i go on? because there are just too many to list in my mind. i love music.

and when i heard of playing for change i was intrigued. they are a collaboration of people. i always love it when i hear that people are working together, especially for the betterment of others or our world. this group is a multimedia project brought together to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world using music. how cool is that? there is the common belief that the power of music can break down boundaries and overcome distances between people; music has the ability to unite us as one in the human race. i say amen to that! we all see how fans come together at concerts and they are from all walks of life. there is an incredible amount of music on the shelves; all kinds, all sounds that is for sale.

so playing for change has gone around the world gathering artists to contribute to making music. one of the songs they've covered is "stand by me," which happens to be a favorite of mine.

the thing i love about this song is that it points out that we need to stand by each other. how apropos that playing for change chose a song that speaks to being there for our fellow man when they are promoting peace and unity. plus this is one of those songs that gets your toes to tapping, isn't it? weren't your toes tapping, just now as you were listening? and you were humming along, weren't you? i was. i was belting it out. in fact, i found myself doing a little air guitar and a bit of drumming on my computer. it's a catchy tune but very meaningful.

by the way, playing for change has now formed a foundation to help give back to the musicians who have been helping with this project. they are playing benefit concerts as well. it's a worthy cause. can music change the world?

happy day.....

life of a flower

remember when i talked about the african violet that i was babying because i hadn't given it the "kiss of death" yet? well low and behold, with my talking to it every day and telling it how awesome it was doing it really did do very well. within several weeks, i noticed a bud. i was doing the dance of joy. look at that baby here.

and then within about a week, that bud was opening up into a wonderful little pink flower. pink is one of my favorite colors. here it's looking like a small umbrella barely open to the world yet.

in another few days, the flower was unfolding into this gorgeous little thing that almost appear artificial. if i didn't know better, upon close examination it had a sort of fabric-like texture to it. so delicate...truly amazing in its beauty.

just for fun, i tried a black and white shot. the petals of the plant seem kind of velvety don't they? i am always fascinated how different the perspective is with the simplicity of a pure shot like this.

and here is the african violet in its full bloom. truly beautiful, amazing and perfect.

happy day.....