While Out Walking

Saw this lovely hawk while out walking my dog yesterday. No doubt wondering what I was up to. Fortunately I don't resemble any prey. I think this is a red-tailed hawk.



Flooding at Cranes Roost Park

Just going through some old photos and found some of Cranes Roost Park when it flooded in summer of 2008 due to a very bad tropical storm (not even a hurricane!)

The water level is up the first flight of stairs at the entrance to the park.

The walkway cannot even be seen under the white sail rooftop across the water.

Anyone care for a dip?

 The stage stayed above water, but the walkway in front was not so fortunate.

The top of the hand railing can be seen along the front.

S

Steven loves life, apparently. :-) This was "graffiti" written on the flooded steps in front of the stage. 

M

More "graffiti" written on the flooded steps in front of the stage.

I think it says "Peace, Seize the Mom(?) or maybe Moon?

Also, Beto loves himself. Isn't that wonderful?

Someone else is drowning...

Who can resist leaving their footie prints behind?

Looks like Fido may have also left some footie prints behind.

T

The flooding came up to about the 3rd step of the seating area in front of the stage.

*

*Sigh* More flooding...but...

 It wasn't all bad. The hibiscus flowers were still lovely, and for this bee it was business as usual. Two years later the park is back to normal, and hopefully updated with a better system for draining water.

Up, Up and Away!

Just reliving my first (and only, so far) hot air balloon flight. Can't wait to go again! It is such an amazing and spiritual experience!

Here we are all loaded up and ready for lift-off! We enjoyed a lovely one hour flight, followed by a champagne toast and the balloonist's prayer:

The winds have welcomed you with softness,

The sun has blessed you with his warm hands

You have flown so high and so free,

That God has joined you in laughter, 

And set you gently again,

Into the loving arms of mother earth.

 More in another post on another day... (ha-ha!) No, I actually need time to recollect some memories from the experience.

Green Thumb

Since I am eating more veggies in my diet now, I thought I would try my hand at growing some food on my own. I'm starting out with one of my favorite herbs, cilantro, and sweet bell peppers.

 Here's the cilantro just starting out. It's a little more robust now, but still far from being mature enough to harvest.

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...and here are the sweet bell peppers...or, at least they will be one day. :-) I did cheat a bit and buy this plant already started, but it's in my care now. 

Bonsai!

I purchased this little bonsai plant recently to add some greenery and zen to my life. Haven't pruned or trimmed it as yet. I'm terrified of scalping it, so I'm choosing instead to let it be and then prune as I feel guided to do so.

My latest jewelry creations

Have gotten into beading and jewelry making of late. One of my many interests as a scanner. Hope you enjoy!

Still need to work on the clasp for this one, but it's done otherwise.

My most complicated piece to date. :-)

Love the colors in this one! Turquoise is one of my absolute favorite colors!

It was fun to put together, too!

Sweet Deal of the Day

Was out browsing at Pier One this past weekend and found a lovely display plate on sale that I just couldn't resist. The original price was $27, marked down to $14, and then when I got to the register, it rang up at $7! Sa-weet!

I just love all the happy and cheerful colors in it and the butterflies and wildflowers! Makes me think of spring and warm, breezy days. Take a look below. You can click on the picture for a larger image.

Journaling for Inspiration

 

Been feeling out of sorts in my life lately, so I'm going to try my hand at journalling for the first time in a long time. I picked up several journal books this at the bookstore this weekend. Included above are: You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise L. Hay; Attitudes of Gratitude (a guided journal,) by M.J. Ryan, The Woman's Book of Confidence (also a guided journal,) by Sue Patton Thoele, Wreck This Journal, by Keri Smith, and some of the index cards I made containing some of my favorite inspirational quotes.

I began wrecking the journal yesterday by cracking its spine. You have no idea how hard that is for a bookworm to do. I was raised to love books, and never to abuse them. I do have to say, however, it felt positively liberating to crack the spine. I think it has forgiven me, though. I hope it forgives me for the rest of the things I'm supposed to do to it. A word to the wise, never crack a book's spine in a bookstore. They're not prepared for that. In case you're wondering, I had already purchased the book.

Can't wait to see what I learn from the other journals!

Green Eggs and Hamadeus

 

This CD caught my eye while browsing at Best Buy this past weekend. I loved the Dr. Suess books while I was growing up, and I'm a classical music fan, so I just had to check it out! Rob Kapilow is an educator of classical music, as well as a composer. In this CD he explains how Mozart was telling a story, using only notes, as a writer would tell a story using words. He then proceeds to break down Mozart's "A Little Night Music" into manageable chunks that most classical music laymen can understand and appreciate, although the CD is primarily aimed at a much younger audience. You can learn more about Rob Kapilow and his work on his website at http://www.robkapilow.com/

The Touch of the Master's Hand

I came across this lovely poem by Myra Brooks Welch yesterday for the first time in years. Hope you enjoy it!

Photo found at http://www.mystudios.com/manet/1860/musician/violin.html

 The Touch of the Master's Hand

 "Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar - now who'll make it two
Two dollars, and who'll make it three? 

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three". . . but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bidden for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow;
"A thousand dollars - and who'll make it two?
Two thousand - and who'll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going - and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand -
What changed its worth?" The man replied:
"The touch of the masters hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd.
Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He's going once, and going twice -
He's going - and almost gone!
But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the MASTER'S hand.

~Myra B. Welch

Guess?

Can you guess what I photographed this leg through? Put on those thinking caps!

Childhood Pics

Well, slow news day, but I found some old pics from my childhood and thought I'd share.

I used to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to ride this bouncy horse. I'd ride it until someone made me get off and go do something else. Still love horses to this day, and used to ride in rodeos and gymkhanas when we lived in Spain. *Sigh* I miss it!

Here I am at about 14 months old. It wasn't actually Halloween at the time, but I guess I liked to play with that pumpkin!

 

I was born in Paris, France, and here I am, half asleep, with a Paris doll that I received one Christmas. I still have that doll, although she's missing many of her accessories, and shoes, and socks, and jacket...

Dueling Dragons

Just looking through some photos and found these screen shots  from a video I took while riding the Dueling Dragons roller coaster at Universal Studios. Enjoy the "ride!"

Here we are just getting started...

About to take the first big drop of the ride...

 

Shadows...

 

A topsy turvy view of the world at high speed

 

Here they come--right at us!

 
 

A drunk bird's eye view...

 

The last thing we remember seeing...

(kidding, of course)

 

Here's a shot I took of the coaster from the ground. You can see where the coasters meet and look as if they are going to crash into one another. Always gets a lot of screams!

Photos! (and Art)

This very large, friendly butterfly was flying around my house one day last June and I couldn't resist taking its picture. Not sure what kind it is.

I saw this unusual-looking (to me) grasshopper at a rest stop on the way to my mom's house last year.

This, I believe, is a Cuban Tree frog. He hung out in this plant outside my living room window for days.

This is my attempt at art for today. It started out as a diamond and began to take on 3-dimensional characteristics, so I decided to put a "picture" in the center and tried to make the outside diamonds a picture frame. Bear with me, I'm still learning. ;-)

My Artistic Bone Revisited

Good evening, and Happy New Year 2010! One of the things I intend to pursue this year is exploring my creativity. As a child I used to draw all the time. I don't know why I ever stopped. Maybe it was one of those things that gets put aside for the serious business of being an adult. Whatever the reason, it saddens me now that I did not stay with it because I always feel more relaxed and at peace when I am creating something, whether it is something I'm drawing, painting, or writing. So, with that said, here are a few of my recent attempts at drawing. It's been forever and a day it seems since I did anything, so it's pretty basic, but still not bad considering how long its been. Hope you enjoy them. I seem to be in a flower/plant mood...

January 1, 2010

December 30, 2009 - The Punk Palm

December 30, 2009 - Sunflower