The Glory of Friendship!

Fisherman's Village, Punta Gorda, Florida 
"The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when they discover that someone else believes in them and is willing to trust them."~Ralph Waldo Emerson~ 
Such an inspirational quote today, mindful of the fact that I am so fortunate to have such wonderful friends! 
A great lunch was enjoyed at a funky little restaurant, then off to Punta Gorda, enjoyed by some retail therapy later on at Fisherman's Village! Laughs, giggles and great conversation was the theme of the day. 
It's so nice to just be yourself and the bonus, they still like you at the end of the day! 
Life certainly has it's blessings!

Clouds Add Texture!

Clouds
"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky."~Rabindranath Tagore~ 

We were sitting on a bench appreciating the beauty of the Caloosahatchee River the other evening, enjoying the cloud formations and all that Mother Nature had to offer! Spending time with her seems to be an addiction I have developed of late. I have learned to love clouds and cloudy days. Finding familiar objects in their formations is a fun game to play. Cloudy days are best for photographing, allowing one to rest from the sometimes, blistering sunshine! 
Clear blue skies are wonderful to witness but clouds build character, adding interest to nature's canvas and character to one's soul. Another layer of texture in the fabric of life!
No man is beyond a little rainfall, it's how we weather the drops that matter! 
Examine the clouds as they are sure to clear leaving one wiser to truly enjoy the blissful sunshine!

The Water Caught Fire!

Silence 
"The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire."~Pamela Hansford Johnson~  
The silence was so loud one could hear the grass grow! Last evening our golf cart expedition set out a bit late around 7:15PM. We only had a short period of time to capture the quiet. It was as though the earth took a deep breath and held it the entire time we were about. No breeze to be had, yet warm and comfortable. Many homes scattered about the golf course, not a sound to be heard. The insects held off on their evening melody, croaking frogs lay silent, chirping birds home in their nests! A feather falling may have been detected! Mother Nature was taking a nap! Eerie but very beautiful we forged ahead. Hubby at the helm!
No wildlife to capture and a bit disappointed, when suddenly the sun saved the day and bid us a fond farewell in very grand style. 
It is wonderful how it happens day after day, repetitious yet unique each and every time if we only take a moment to notice. 
Have a wonderful day! 
Posted to:
http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/texture-tuesday 
Kim Klassen's texture, Scratched Magic July.

A Place Where Art Grows!

Transpire 
"Art is a human activity which has as its purpose the transmission to others of the highest and best feelings to which men have risen."~Leo Tolstoy~
If herein lie the gates of heaven count me in! Yesterday we visited Matlacha, Florida. The home of many fishermen, artists, galleries and shops, a place of true local color in it's purest form. Built in old Florida style long before concrete became king, one can stroll along viewing purple, orange, yellow and hot pink structures of architecture, it is a feast for the color craving eye.
The garden pictured above lives in the back of one of my best loved galleries. Matlacha a favorite place of which I never tire of it's creativity no matter how many times I visit.
A Garden of Eden, unspoiled so to speak, that leaves one inspired, to transpire their own best feelings! 
Have a wonderful day! 
Posted to:
http://www.lgordonphotography.com/

Twilight!

Twilight
"Nature is painting for us...day after day... pictures of infinite beauty."~John Ruskin~
The dictionary defines twilight: 
twilight |ˈtwīˌlīt| noun
The soft glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon, caused by the refraction and scattering of the sun's rays from the atmosphere.The period of the evening during which this takes place, between daylight and darkness. Twilight such a pretty time of day, the sun gently kissing the day farewell, resting a while, embarking on the dawn of new possibilities. Enjoy the twilight as there is only a short period of time to embrace it's subtle glow! Have a wonderful day!

Shy & Demure! Right?

Brown Pelican
Don't let this sweet little face fool you! 
I have photographed Herron, Blue Herron, Great Egrets, Egrets, Wood Stork, Ibis, Anhingas, Spoonbills, Flamingo, Sandhill Crane, Frigatebird, Ducks, Geese, Swans, Turkey, Vultures, Eagles, Pelicans, Chickens, Hawks, Osprey, Kites, Caracara, Gulls, Pigeons, Owls, Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers, Parrots, etc., etc. It is fair to say that anything my camera can capture with wings in their natural state is a love of mine. 
The state of Florida has an abundance of wildlife and I really never have very far to go in order to capture it's beauty!
There is no bird that amuses me more than the common Pelican, however! Watching them mull around fishing piers especially, can be quite entertaining. Really quite goofy looking to begin with, waddles like a duck, keen like scavengers and hunters they never miss an opportunity to dine and delight. Cleaning a fish on deck or dock, there is sure to be a pelican close by to collect the remnants. I highly recommend keeping your bait under lock and key! An unattended bucket of temptation is a full course dinner waiting to be served!
Flying gracefully and swiftly scanning the ocean for a morsel, when spotted they dive down suddenly like a ton of bricks creating quite the event. SPLASH!!! If you did not witness the intense capture you have surly heard it! 
I love these pesky waddling darlings, maybe I'll just have to go to the ocean and capture me a few more photos! 
Ahhh! Mother Nature, the best show in town! 
Have a wonderful day!

Hawk Eye!

Red Tailed or Shouldered?
So is this bird a Red-Tailed Hawk or a Red-Shouldered Hawk? On a recent golf cart expedition around the community golf course the other evening, Hubby spotted this very large hawk. At first he thought it a Red-Tailed Hawk and on second glance he wasn't sure. We looked up the species in our, Birds of Florida Book, only to discover there is a hawk called a Red-Shouldered Hawk. 
We both now think that he is the latter of the two.
Even though there is no obvious red shoulders here, the tail is black and white horizontal stripe, visible in the photo below.
He was pretty high and I wish I had a better lens to have captured more detail. Which ever he is I find him a very regal looking bird. 
I think this particular bird also looks very young as well! Below is a rear shot. 

Do you think these stripes make me look fat? 
Have a wonderful day!!!

Such A Doll!

Charlotte Rose 
This is Charlotte Rose, my great-niece, she is my sister's first grandchild. My sister has four daughters so you can only imagine the attention this precious baby gets. It was her Christening last Sunday and regretfully I could not attend. I asked Kristen, her mom, to send me some photos and the above are her captures. I enhanced them with old fashioned photo frames from, TheCoffeeShopBlog.com. 
I was thrilled to learn that I had a small part in the selection of this beautiful dress. I had a bag of old linens that included four antique christening gowns that I gave to my sister Terry, when we moved to Florida. Terry and Kristen selected the above gown and gave it to my mom, Charlotte's great-grand-mother, to wash, starch and press, it needed only a couple of small repairs. So now there are four generations involved with the wearing of this garment. Terry also solved the bonnet dilemma, as no mall had anything to match. She went to an antique store and found an elaborate old pillow case along with three yards of antique lace, that matched perfectly and made the bonnet herself. 
Wow, when things are just meant to be! 
Kristen, recently graduated from nursing school and has chosen to stay at home with her precious new baby, she is such a wonderful new mom. 
Everything Kristen touches seems to turn to gold, she made the christening cake too, her first attempt at cake decorating. So much talent!
Wouldn't you love to know who first wore that christening gown and how many years ago it was. If linens could only talk! 
Coincidentally, four gowns, four daughters, hmmm, I think I see a tradition starting here! 
Posted to:
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Face the Sunshine!

Gifts of The Day
"If you always face the sunshine, the shadows will always fall behind you." ~Walt Whitman~ 
Always look on the bright side, would be the easiest way to interrupt this quote, wouldn't you say? 
The funny thing about shadows is that they are always cast when there is sunshine. Sometimes we notice them, children play childlike games with them, and sometimes we live in a shadow, cast by one! 
I captured this photo the other day, loving the way this lonely beach chair blatantly faced the sunshine displaying her vibrant colors against the paled sand. 
Her shadow cast well behind, determined to enjoy the gifts of the day! 
So much to learn from this solitary place of rest, a place in the sunshine!
 Have a wonderful day!

Prim & Proper

Bromeliad
"Every time you eat a pineapple, you are eating a bromeliad!  There are approximately 2,877 different species of bromeliads divided into 56 genera. All bromeliads except for one species are native to the New World tropics and sub tropics. Their center of distribution is Brazil. The pineapple was the first bromeliad to be widely cultivated in horticulture. Christopher Columbus brought the plants to Europe from Guadeloupe in 1493. Because of their unique, water holding shapes, bromeliads growing in their native habitats often serve as drinking fountains or swimming pools for small animals living high in the treetops."~Google Search~ 
This magnificent beauty was growing proudly near a path leading to the beach! I loved it's towering structure, so very prim and proper. Not sure I've ever seen one growing by the beach before but it was Naples after all. The colors subtle against the rustic fence lent themselves to a perfect, harmonious capture.
Not sure which species or genera the above bromeliad belongs to, and did not realize the pineapple was part of the bromeliad family! Love learning something new everyday! 
Photo is posted to: 

Used KimKlassen texture: Word.

Drink The Wild Air!

Drink the Wild Air
"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air."~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
I know I've written about my love for the ocean before but I think it deserves repeating here!
Standing on the Naples Pier, I couldn't help notice how the waves were forming. Shooting from the same spot, each of the dozen or so photos I captured displayed a different personality. 
Waves rolled in gently creating a subtle bulge on the ocean surface ending effortlessly on the sandy shore. While others crested high creating foamy peaks falling shy of a musical crescendo. With a fury, some crashed all the way to shore swallowing all that lay in their path, creeping higher and higher. All so captivating and mesmerizing, Mother Nature's calming elixir for all that ails the soul. A lullaby so to speak, a gentle whisper to cradle us in the moment, if only for just a short while! 
When I found this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson I was surprised to read his more than enthusiastic words. Do you think maybe he was a surfer dude? Read the quote again!!!
Have a wonderful day!

Another Adventure!

Come Sail With Me click on photo for larger view
Ships sail East and Ships sail West
And the selfsame breezes blow;
It's the set of the sail and not the gale
That determines the way they go.
 As the ways of the sea are the ways of the world
As we travel along through life:
It's the set of the soul that determines the goal.
And never the storm of strife. 
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox~ 
This photo was taken yesterday in Naples, Florida. Naples is a place of vast abundance, where beauty and opulence are easy to find. Along with some friends we enjoyed a great lunch, shopping on 5th Avenue and a visit later to Naples Pier. Some of the shops were offering 50% off, which made the clothing almost affordable, somewhere in the price range of Bealls before the coupons! Love those coupons!
Visiting the pier gave me the greatest joy, watching families enjoy the outdoors, fishing, just strolling along, enjoying the gorgeous weather! 
A very tattered dolphin graced us with her playful antics! Such a joy to watch but difficult to photograph. The sailboat, however, was easier to capture and kind of summed up the day! 
The poem above was sent to me by my cousin Joanne. I loved it from the moment I read it and thought you would enjoy it too! Have a wonderful day! 
Darn those friends, still have to clean and do a large grocery order, not to mention working in the yard! Somehow I know I have my priorities straight though! Life is just to darn short!

Say Meow For Grandma!

Say Meow!
This is Penelope one of my three grand-kitties! I took this photo a couple of days before we left for Florida, while visiting with Chris and Allicyn. There was no posing for Rocky and Roger, hiding in their new home and unfamiliar surroundings.
Penelope, however, decided she would sit for me, perched on a window sill, although just for a short while.
The kitties three, are full of mischief and have the run of the house while their parents are at work! They get themselves into all sorts of trouble! All is forgiven and they are usually scolded with the phrase, naughty, naughty, kitties! Better watch out! Santa Claus is coming to town!
Look at those eyes, I'll bet if you stare at them long enough they will follow you around the room! 
Kind of looks like she has a cat-aract or two doesn't it! 
Bad, grand-ma, so, so bad!
Have a wonderful day!

A Few of My Favorites!

A Very Special Collage
September 2011, came and will leave today! It seems like we waited so long for that very special day to come! It came and it went, memories made, with so much love and happiness to share!
Thought I would bring you a few of my favorites in an old fashioned sort of way! 
Time for new beginnings, such wonderful memories to cherish! 
Frame courtesy of:
TheCoffeeShopBlog.com

Peace Out Mama!!!

Photo Taken at Chris & Allicyn's Wedding, 2011
Recently I received several comments and emails complementing me on my sense of humor!
Making people laugh? Wow, that makes me really happy knowing that I gave someone a really good chuckle! I used to think that it came from my dad but I have to tell you that the vehicle of my birth pictured above is a real character as well! Lately she uses the, old card, when she gets herself in to deep. She is 87 after all!
Let me xplain Lucy!!! Just a few of many short incidents:
Mom went to visit a relative in a psych ward last week. She comes from a generation where if you just feed someone they will get better! So of course she had my brother carry in a large brown bag filled with food. She never made it past security, however, as they found a hammer in the bag! Yes, a hammer, now think about that for a moment...hammer/psych ward! Why a hammer you ask? She was going to have my brother hang a picture later that afternoon! I asked her if there was an empty bed near the patient?
We flew her down to Florida for a visit last winter, she wanted to bring me kale soup on the plane and was sure the pilot would understand!!! NOT!
She called me all excited one day! Rose, Rose, Obama called me! Deep breath, let's just go with it I thought! What did he want Ma? I'm not sure, I think it has to do with my medications! "Call this number right away" she said, and sooooo I did! Are you ready for this one...... Humana Prescription Services, how may I help you? OK, OK, Obama, Humana, they both have two a's! I can almost understand her confusion!  
During a pelvic exam she asked the doctor if she found any cob webs you know where! 
She refuses to wear glasses because she says she will see it when she gets there!
She stopped taking her heart medication because the bottle said no refills and the pharmacist should have called her! Her meds are now closely monitored. Thank God!
She said my brother went to buy a bureau when in fact he went to a store called Euro! 
At my dad's funeral mass we were at the back of the church standing behind the casket, the priest in front, facing us! Wouldn't you know it, she let one rip!!! We were hysterical as my husband standing behind her gasped out loud. "Put your hands over your face and pretend your crying," I said! Father, had a look of horror on his face. Not sure he knew what was going on. I swear dad gave her a gas pain to help her thru the mass. He always knew how to make her laugh!!! 
She lives in an addition on the side of my sister's house! My sister will be canonized soon, 
I am sure of it!
Yes folks that's my mama! On a daily basis you just never know what you're going to get! 
At 87 I hope I have half her energy, she still cooks up a storm, a gene I did not inherit, she is just so darn cute and would never hurt a fly! 
 My only hope is that the tears she sheds today are those from laughter rolling down her legs!
Her six children, grand-children and great-grand-children love her so! 
Peace Out Mama! From whence I came!

Emotional Transition!

Alderbrook Farm 
We left Kingsland, Georgia, just north side of Jacksonville, around 7AM yesterday morning with three hundred eighty two miles to go. A torrential rain fall, southern style enticed us to stop on the second day of our journey! It was good to get off the road and enjoy a nice dinner, covering over five hundred miles earlier. 
The state of Florida greeted us with an abundance of sunshine and warm temps. Arrived home around one, having made a couple of brief stops! Coffee, bathroom, coffee, bathroom!
It's good to be home and almost organized. Hubby playing golf this morning and I'm off with the girls on a shopping expedition and lunch later. No rest for the weary. 
So much for groceries and cleaning! 
I'm still in northern mode and it will take me a few days to adjust. Still missing the kids!!! Hence a picture of a northern farm stand that I took earlier in the month. 
Really need to get those groceries! Darn those friends of mine!
This adjusting stuff can be tough but somebody's got to do it! How fortunate am I?
Have a wonderful day!

Crossing Over!

North to South
This photo was taken yesterday morning somewhere in Virginia, outside of our hotel. It was around 7AM, muggy with a heavy fog blanketing the air. Hubby is a retired railroad engineer and without knowing it we usually find a hotel close to railroad tracks. Had no idea the night before because it was dark, luckily we never heard a train thru the night, thank goodness for that. Kind of says a lot about our hotel budget, doesn't it!
For me the rail crossing symbolizes our crossing over from north to south. Yes, still on this planet, not that kind of crossing over!
This Fall I will miss selecting just the right pumpkin, picking ripened apples, falling leaves and most of all my Mom's delicious Kale Soup. Relying on photos via email or cell phone of the children at Halloween! Old memories etched forever in my heart!
The trade off, warm and sunny days thru winter, no ice nor snow, bobbing in the pool with my colorful noodle, golf, fishing, palm trees, blooming annual flowers around Christmas and full watermelons in January! 
My brain still not totally wrapped around all of these sweet southern changes.
Our beautiful grand-daughter, Sophia is already counting down the days until Christmas when we shall meet again!
Guess we have the best of both worlds and so fortunate to have the health and marginal wealth to enjoy them all! Have a wonderful day!

On The Road Again!

Life Is Good
Took this photo leaving a townie coffee shop with my friends on Saturday. It was taken with my cell phone. Sometimes I wonder why I have such an elaborate camera???
We traveled six hundred miles yesterday and were ready for a good meal and some rest. Will, has a theory that it takes less time to get to Florida from Massachusetts because we are going down hill! Think he may just be excited to get back home. 
As usual he did an awesome job driving while I sat there suffering from passenger tourettes. Driving the Northeast Corridor is not for the faint of heart. Sunday in our opinion is the best day to travel, especially thru New York and DC.
Missing my children already but looking forward to meeting with all of our southern friends and many good times ahead! 
Yes, Life Is Good! Have a wonderful day!

Grasshopper!

Symbolic Words
"Art finds kingdoms in a foot of ground."~Stephen Benet~ 
Here are just a few words of which the grasshopper is symbolic: luck, stable, virtue, vibrant, content, intuitive, fertility, patient, peaceful, creativity, abundance, insightful, messenger, connected, courageous, resourceful, forward thinking.~google search~ 
Take your pick every word listed above is a good one to own! The photo not so good as I took it with my cell phone. Leaving a coffee shop with my two friends yesterday we came upon this very large grasshopper. He was sitting right on the hood of Mary's car. Rather comfortable, there was no moving him!  Mary, extremely protective of all of God's creatures gently moved him with an envelope from a greeting card she had just purchased. Startled he jumped high into the air onto a branch of a waiting Russian Sage. 
It was funny how we all saw him at the same time. 
 Luck, stable, virtue, vibrant, content, intuitive, fertility, patient, peaceful, creativity, abundance, insightful, messenger, connected, courageous, resourceful, forward thinking. 
Just a few words to symbolize my friendship with these two wonderful ladies. Yes, Mr.Grasshopper you are very wise! It's funny how this all happens sometimes! 
Just a little message sent by the Universe! I will miss my northern friends! 
Hope they come to visit as promised!

Things I Will Miss!

Until We Meet Again
Is there anything dearer to a mother's heart than to celebrate round the dinner table with all of her family? Last night along with the newlyweds, we feasted on lobster, clam boil and stuffed quahogs.  
All New England style of course! No bibs in place we all wore a little bit of our dinner. The sounds of lobster being cracked, music to my ears. Simply can't watch them going for a steam bath though, just feel their pain. Seem to get over it when dipping that first chunk in melted butter, however!
Why the celebration? We are heading south tomorrow! Our journey will take about three days with no specific itinerary in place. We stop when Will is tired. My guess would be somewhere in Virginia on the first night. The second night around Savannah, GA. On to Fort Myers, Fl, on the third day. No little side trips planned this year. Think we have had all the excitement we can possibly handle for a while. 
The wedding such a beautiful highlight of our summer!
I will miss my children most, they have such busy lives and we were so glad to care for our grandchildren this summer. They have grown so big and are needing us less and less. 
I guess independence is what we strive for in our children and they are all doing so well.
 So it's time for old Mother Goose and PAPA, job well done, to hit the road once again!!! 
I have spent most of the week saying goodbye to extended family and friends and having coffee with a couple later this morning. 
Goodbye dear family and friends we love you all! 
Until we meet again!