Open Road

I am late posting, I didn't go anywhere this week so I thought maybe I wouldn't post at all. Then decided to share some vacation pictures.




This is a shot of entering Zion National Park. My sister's family and I went out West 2 years ago spent time in the Grand Canyon. Bryce and Zion absolutely stunning country. I love this shot the mountain looks like it is cake icing dripping off the hill.

Going through a tunnel on the way to Zion.

This summer my niece and I took a trip to Atlanta and South Carolina. We had a great time however managed to get lost with a GPS even. My great nephew thought he would help us out a little!!! Kelly's Grandfather likes the road less traveled and we sure did see a lot of less traveld road that day. As you can tell from the bottom picture, trying to tell us where to turn is exhausting!

Macro Monday

Bumble Bee taken at sunflower patch.

One of the reasons I grow dill is to use the leaves in salads, however the real reason is these great caterpillars always raise on them. I think it is a swallowtail butterfly that is laying eggs but not sure.

It looks like there are little painted toe nails doesn't it?

Everyone have a Blessed week.

Clouds

This was taken early in the morning looking out my front yard. Still after more than 30 years I am amazed at how beautiful Kentucky is.

Taken at dusk in my backyard after violent storms passed through the area.

A friends silo and sunflower fields. I missed their peak but still took some great pictures. We were once again being threatened by storms.

To see more great photos of clouds check out Sunday Stills

Monday Macro

This is Addie, the newest addition to the zoo! I think this picture makes her look like those big headed critters on the Hallmark cards!! She is standing in the flowers basket about 5 feet up.

Last Tuesday the neighbors and I were sitting outside and suddenly the cries of a frantic kitten could be heard. Michaela scooped up Buster just as a small kitten with tail straight up barreled into my arms!! The question arises "Where did she come from?"

The neighbor's son had surgery Tuesday in Louisville (he is fine) and they said people were chasing a kitten in the parking garage. I think Ms. Addie hitched a ride (60+ miles) in the engine compartment of their car. Well wherever she came from I am Blessed to have her come into my life. Dennis is still holding out commitment.


To see more Macro shots click here

Peace and Love

The Garden Guest

Yesterday Michaela and I were sitting in the part of the yard we all fondly call "The Veranda". We had been there for about 10 minutes talking when suddenly I focused on my flowers behind her. First thought what trash blew into my cone flowers. It took me seconds to comprehend in was a snake nestled high above the ground among the stalks of the flowers. Michaela ran inside to get my cameras (I think it was more because she didn't want to be left alone with it) and we started taking pictures. She was very brave and held back flowers so I could get closer.

He was back in his canopy home again this afternoon so I guess I have a permanent guest.

Texture

This week's challenge is Textures it seemed to really be a challenge for me. I thought all week long and just could not come up with an idea. Today is Saturday at the wire I am so here is what I decided on.

The beautiful spiky eye of the cone flower caught my attention. What a great color combination these flowers are. At one time I had white cone flowers also, but over the years they have all turned into these pink beauties.

The soft down of lamb's ear.......

And finally one of my passions, glass. I love the way glass reacts to light the smoothness of it's texture. These beads are handmade melting glass rods over a torch onto a mandrel. It is an art called "Lampworking". I am fortunate to have my best friend Jill Symons be a well known artist in this ancient craft. I have a large collection of beads and find myself many winter nights sorting beads. I love making unique one of a kind pieces of jewelry with them.

Thunder over the Pond

This is the first year I had the pleasure to attend "Thunder over the Pond", for all you Kentuckians you know it is a jest for Thunder over Louisville. I cannot tell you what a wonderful time we all had. There were 500 friends and neighbors on a farm field just looking for a great time. Here are a few shots of the evening hope you all enjoy.

There were beautiful little girls walking up the hill for smores

This is part of my crew: Neil's hand to the left, Logan (my wonderful neighbor) and her cousin Jamie. The rest included me, Dennis and Evelyn(Logan Mom). As you can see we played cards waiting for the BIG event. Yep played Slap Scrabble and I lost again, just don't understand why I like that game so much.
I love this picture. There were two tractors for the hayride one with two trailers. I choose not to go I am still a little odd about my shoulder. They were gone for almost an hour and everyone had a grand time.
This is James driving the 4-wheeler, he graciously hosted the party. Dalton is on the front I think that is where Dalton spent the whole evening. you can see people fishing behind the 4 wheeler we actually saw a fish caught.

This was the Big event of the evening. James it was amazing Thank YOU. The fireworks were some of the best I have seen in a long time. How many more days till 4th of July again?

Sunday Stills "Wildflowers"

Chicory we find it growing along the road sides I find it to be a lovely shade of blue.

Morning Glories, a bane to my husband a joy for me. SHHH I actually planted some this year in a side garden!! My will be blue and pink.

Queen Anne's Lace or "Chigger Weed" if you have every walked through a patch of this beautiful flower you will know why the second name is fitting.

This is my all time favorite wild flower, Passion Flower. I spent many years trying to cultivate them to get some started in my gardens. I confess Ed this is from my garden but it is a wildflower that grows along the roadsides in Kentucky. Back to the cultivating it. it took several years to get them to grow for me and now they certainly add character to my gardens. They are vines and I have it all over and can't bring myself to pull them out.

For those of you that haven't read post about the "gardens" I will explain. My garden is as far from manicured and possible it is kinda "God Planted". At one time I had planned clumps of flowers in my beds. Now I wait till late spring to weed just so I can tell what is 'flowers" and what is really weeds. I have an abundance of coneflower, lilies, and where ever the birds dropped sunflower seeds and many flowers we Kentuckians find on the side of the road. I love the willy nilly look and look forward every spring to see what else will be there.

Thanks Ed for another great challenge.

Sunsets, Sand and Kitties

This is the most beautiful sunset I have seen in many years. The sky seemed as if it were on fire.
I am so Blessed to have wonderful friends, tow of my neighbors took me to Destin FL last week. We did nothing but play on the beach lounge in the pool and well really what else do you need in life? I had never been to the Gulf Coast (sorry still the ocean in my book!) so it was a real treat. It took me awhile but I learned how to walk with the waves pounding at you. the sand was white and the water so blue it was just beautiful.

How cute is this? Logan found a litter of kittens by the lake. We felt the need to rescue them. I dug out the old dog kennel and they are all in their barn. We have all spent many hours sitting and playing with them. Shhhh..... don't tell Dennis but guess what we are getting.

Things with Wings

This was taken this week in Destin Florida. This guy was waiting for someone to make a mistake with their catch. Guess it is an easier way to get his supper.
This eagle spent part of last year fishing the lakes by our home. What a magnificent creature they are.
I had lots of time last year while mending my broken shoulder to sit outside and watch the hummers. The became very use to my company and would perch on the flowers next to me.
I grew up calling these bugs Steady Bees.

To see more great shots of Things with Wings click here
http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

The Visit

This past week I had one of the best times in a long time. My niece Kelly and her son Ethan and niece Dayna came to visit on their way to South Carolina. I need to thank the neighborhood for all their kindness extended to us.
We took the kids to the Wilmoth's Farm and went horse riding, a first for Ethan. He was a little scared at first but after he warmed up had a great time. Dayna has been to horse camps so it was a treat for her to be able to ride again.
The highlight of the trip for both kids was feeding the calves. We got to hear about that all weekend long. Ethan said it was the best zoo he had ever been at!!!
As you can tell he is such a somber child!! He has a smile and laugh that could melt the coldest heart. The joy he finds in life is amazing and I enjoyed being with him more than I can say. He takes pleasure in making others laugh and it is a gift that comes natural.
This is a picture of Kelly and Ethan on the "Blanket Ride". We couldn't call it a hay ride for lack of hay! Donnie rode us all over Wilmoth's farm with the four wheeler and a wagon. The kids got to see a 2 day old calf and cows. Funny they were so amazed at the cows and mooed every time they saw some. I forget "city folk" don't get to see what I see every day.

Last night we went down to the garden and Ethan yelled out " I want to pick food!" . So he picked strawberries, radishes and onions for us. First time he was ever in a food garden. I think if Kelly planted a small garden he would learn to eat more veggies.

It was an amazing visit, and I will blog all week long so all my family can enjoy the special time we all shared. Peace and Love to you all.

Strawberries

I planted strawberries last year, I had a great patch going then I broke my shoulder. The strawberries became overrun with weeds. Dennis then tilled part of them this spring. ( A fact he will not admit too) So this year the berries are few and far between. I was wondering why I would wee some coming on but never had red ones.
It looks as if Buster likes strawberries also!!! He is going down to the garden and eating my berries.

I was pulling up Forget-me-nots, (they really become weeds quickly). As I finished the long bed I looked back and Buster had literally hog tied himself up in the pulled weeds. His ears were together on top of his head and his legs were tied together. his muzzle was shut. He was laying in the yard waiting for me to save him. I didn't even take a picture! It did take me 45 minutes to get everything out of his coat. Note to self from now on put weeds in bucket as you pull them.

Yellow

This weeks challenge was yellow. I had a lot on my plate this week so didn't stray far for yellow.
Love these little guys, I always make sure I get a couple of them every year. Doesn't it looks like little faces? They come in red and purple too. I plant them with an upright Fuchsia and the hummingbirds go wild over the pot every year.
Clover yes another weed, but still a beautiful dainty flower all the same. I am that person you see digging daisies, chicory and passion flowers up on the side of the road!! My gardens are wild and almost unkempt just the way I love them.

The Eyes have it

This weeks SundayStills was Eyes. I attended a Graduation party last week and of course my camera came with me. This is a niece of our neighbors and I was trying to make her talk to me. I love the ways her eyes sparkle with mischief. I came that evening loaded my pictures to the computer then went to see what the challenge was!! Bingo I thought the perfect shot.

This is Chub it is not the best picture of him, but I needed to put in here for this week's challenge. Chub is somewhere around 16 years old an amazing age for a golden. He looks like he is smiling with contentment doesn't he?


It has come time for me to make a difficult choice and I am afraid this is my valiant friends last week. It has become so difficult for him to get up and walk but I just cannot bring myself to do it. I keep praying he will just pass away in his sleep. I still remember the all the times he drug the boys out of the lake by life jackets (he never understood the swimming for pleasure thing) , the time he ate all the minnows out of my minnow bucket. All the hours he sat on the pontoon with me while I night fished. We never hunted him all he ever retrieved was tennis balls and they just don't come in season.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. I sure did. We all went to a neighbors for a graduation/Mother's Day party. I got to watch baby boy play corn hole with his dad ad Neil and Donny. The old men beat the young one 2 to 1. It was so much fun meeting all of my neighbors relatives and it was just one happy family.

I went to the Dr's today, and received difficult news. It looks as if I will never be able to return to my job. They all feel I have reached my apex and there will be little improvement. Today I had a evaluation done for Workman Comp. which is the next step on the road. I am having a difficult time admitting I am disabled. I did enjoy my job and wasn't ready to leave.

Black and White with a Twist

There may be a groan on this one but whats a challenge with a twist???? First think back or look back at past challenges here and pick 2 subjects, then shoot them in Black and white or in color and convert them, pretty simple except no repeat pics from old challenges… This first one is the Challenge "Pets" this in Buster running in the snow. Buster is already B&W and his sweater is also

This is a old barn on a friends farm

This I think is my favorite(don't tell Buster!) I shot it with my night setting this week after all the heavy rains we had. I very rarely use this setting, but thought it would be fun to try for this challenge.

To see more Challenge picture click here

Ed thanks again for making me expand my comfort zone.

These are two of the beautiful pictures Don and Kate took for their engagement pictures. I love the top picture it makes me smile every time I look at it. They make each other smile and laugh and are devoted to each other. When you are raising your children you pray that they find Love. Donald is so Blessed that he and Kate have found each other.

I really am not losing a son, but gaining a much loved daughter. Kate I love you as if yo were my child always. Thank You for loving my son.

Mumm Monday