Thursday, March 31, 2011

Connect the Shots

Each of the following photos have been posted before, at different times but together they work as a bit of a theme. The lyrical quotes beneath each one do not match very well with the images but they do relate to the theme. Can you figure it out?



curious cardinal
"Come and sit by my side, if you love me. Do not hasten to bid me adieu."
A curious but wary Cardinal watching me from the branch of a newly-budding tree. He sure seems to have personality, doesn't he? He looked into my camera in May/2010.




24 - SettingSunOnBottleAndGlass
"I was walking along, minding my business, when love came and hit me in the eye."
A cold drink... one summer evening... on the dock... as the sun set. Need I say more?




b-misttrail2
"Look at the stars. Look how they shine for you."
One afternoon, back in October, 2008, the air temperature dropped slightly. Walking away from the creek, a fine mist began to form, and drift over the path up ahead. By the time we reached the path just a few meters away, the air was filled with this golden cloud. Here two people, one on bike and one on foot break through the haze.




droplets2
"I threw a pebble in a brook and watched the ripples run away."
I knelt down to take this photograph of water droplets weighing heavily on an aging blade of grass in July/2009.




damheron6
"I feel so bad I've got a worried mind. I'm so lonesome all the time."
Walking around my local pond, one July day in 2008, I saw this handsome fellow hanging around the dam. He seemed quite unconcerned with my presence and allowed me to photograph him in all his majestic beauty. I hope I'll see a lot of him this year.




fw2
"That feeling goes stealing down to my shoes while I just sit here and sigh."
Celebratory fireworks ended an event-filled weekend in Kingston at Royal Military College on the occasion of my older son's graduation and commissioning last May.




bloom
"Sweeter than the roses, covered all over from head to toe."
A tiny, delicate bloom, simple and pretty, caught on my camera last August.

So tell me, how do my photos and quotes relate?

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Frozen Beauty and Posts of the Week.

This image was taken earlier in the winter. It was a rather close up view of a frozen droplet clinging to a pine tree.


frozen drip


And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.


You may or may not have noticed but I didn't get around to as many blogs as usual this week, which means that there are fewer Posts of the Week than I normally list. For that reason, I haven't selected one as the top post, this week. Consider them all winners!




Wonderful posts are categorized below in no particular order (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):







You're on Speaker Phone
by Unknown Mami
at Unknown Mami

Just a Story
by Hilary
at Crazy as a Loom






Lessons Given, Lessons Learned
by Betty
at Bossy Betty

My Mother Was a Dancer
by Moannie
at The View From This End

Places of Tranquility
by Zuzana
at Life Through Reflections







Something Fishy Going On
by Ellen
at Stuff From Ellen's Head

Dog Sled Races: Part 3
by The Retired One
at The Retirement Chronicles

Transition
by Twain12
at Through the Lense






Flaunt Your True Colors
by Barb
at One Good Thing
Recommended by: Lady Fi

Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Faceless Portraits

I have a few photos taken at different times, of various people which focus on something other than their faces. Some have been posted before. Others have not. I thought they might make an interesting collection. Of course, that's all in the eye of the beholder, so I hope YOU enjoy them.


sweet2
"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven." Henry Ward Beecher
My beautiful little neighbour - only days old.




little feet
"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?" Frida Kahlo
These darling feet belong to her, too.




getting G2
"When you step on the brakes, your life is in your foot's hands." George Carlin
This is my son driving home from acquiring his G2 license earlier this month.




ring
"And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world it is best to hold hands and stick together." Robert Fulghum
This lovely hand and ring modeled by my newly-engaged young cousin.




lilytoes
"It's a pleasant thing to be young, and have ten toes." Robert Louis Stevenson
These cute little toes belong to another, younger cousin.



hey
"In times of joy, all of us wished we possessed a tail we could wag." W. H. Auden
The tail is attached to Binky. Half wild, half pet, totally adorable.




FourForFishing
"Why do you always wear a hat?" " 'Cause it fits my head." Nicholas Evans
One summer evening, a few years back, I was walking around a local park and spotted this group fishing off of the dock. I couldn't resist snapping a shot. It's still a favourite of mine.

I hope you enjoyed my faceless portraits.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Fine Feathers - Fine Birds

“It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.” Aesop


feathers in morning sun
“I am a feather for each wind that blows” William Shakespeare
I have small collections of feathers here and there throughout the house. This grouping sits upon a table in my front hall. The morning sunlight was streaming though the front door, highlighting their colours and markings.




gull perched
"Seagulls... slim yachts of the element." Robinson Jeffers
This lovely creature posed nicely for me before taking off to soar overhead, circling the pond.




mocking
"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." Harper Lee
My friend, the Northern Mockingbird. I don't see him often but he has a way of appearing just when I expect him to. Isn't that accommodating of him?




mourning doves
There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. ~Robert Lynd
Looking up, as I often do, I saw these mourning doves peering back down at me. They're not the brightest birds in the flock but they sure are lovely.




sparrow egg3
“The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell.” Zora Neale Hurston
I came home from my walk around the pond and glanced at a low branch of the pine tree which overpowers my small front yard. Perched ever so delicately was this small, vacated sparrow egg. It seems early for new hatchlings and I wonder if it's a leftover from last year.




sparrow egg5
“When arguing with a stone an egg is always wrong” African Proverb
Turning it over, you can see where the wee sparrow made its exit.

These photos were taken a few days ago when spring was in full swing. If you'd look outside my door today, you'd see a fresh blanket of snow covering the previously thawed earth. It fell all day long. Enough!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

An Inspiring Video and Posts of the Week

No photos today but I do have an incredibly touching, heart-tugging and inspiring video for you. You might want to grab a tissue first. Thanks, Frank for sending it my way.




More inspiring posts can be found under the appropriate header below.

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.


Today's POTW would be classified as funny crazy hilarious. Heed the warning that the title suggests, guys - lest you blush. Enter at your own risk.

This week's POTW goes to..







No Boys Allowed!
by EthelMaePotter
at The Adventures of Fred and Ethel


More wonderful posts are categorized below (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):






Guilty
by Susan
at Wild Life in the Woods







It's Wednesday
by Brian
at WaystationOne

Is Crises a Catalyst
by Nancy
at Life in the Second Half

Have You Felt It?
by Bonnie
at Original Art Studio

We're Changed
by Rosaira
at Sixtyfivewhatnow






A Scene to End the Day
by Robin
at Madder in Mada

Pendulum and Penduline
by Adrian
at Adrian's Images

Prayers
by Thrviewfinder
at Photographs: Digital Imprints of Life


Photobucket


Volunteer Courage
by Cheryl
at Lake Mary Musings

"What If" Up and Down
by Cloudia
at Comfort Spiral

My Husband, the Paper Doll
by VM Sehy
at Nature's Details

Over 90
by TechnoBabe
at Technobabe's Adventures







1000 Cranes for Japan
by MaggieGem
at This Life Through the Lens

One Day
by Tabor
at One Day at a Time







Bound by the Same Humanity
by Marion
at Joy and Wonder
Recommended by:Dianne

The Immigrant Experience
by Lynette
at Immigration Lane
Recommended by: Jillsy

Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

With the Moon in Her Hand

"The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand." Frederic Lawrence Knowles

Last night's full moon was a super perigee moon. It appeared bigger and brighter as it traveled closer to Earth than usual. If you're interested in reading about this event which last happened in 1993, you can find some information here. If you just want to see some photos, read some quotes and a bit of my blather, skip that link and just scroll down.




awaiting the moon6
"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." Vincent Van Gogh
Awaiting the full moon, I sat atop a picnic table in the park and snapped a few photos of my surroundings. The view is of my local pond. To the right is the dock, well lit by lamp posts all along the path.




moon trees2
"I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it." Albert Einstein
When the moon did rise, my view from just about anywhere in the park was obstructed by trees. They made for some interesting images though.




moonbuds
"There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon." Matsuo Basho
You can see that the trees are beginning to bud.




moontwigs
"The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to." Carl Sandburg
The moon is totally out of focus here, but I thought the budding twigs looked elegant.




moonbranch2
"Moonlight is sculpture." Nathaniel Hawthorne
My son liked this one and said he could see putting it on a metal music album cover.




fullmoon2
"The moon's an arrant thief, and her pale fire she snatches from the sun." William Shakespeare
After making my way around the pond, trying to get a clear shot at the moon, I finally went home and took this one from my upstairs balcony. I would have liked a photo of a night scene, complete with the moon but that just didn't work out...




fake
"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door."
Irish Blessings

... except in Photoshop. It's fun to play with the moon in my hand.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Newer Every Day

"We turn not older with years, but newer every day." ~ Emily Dickinson


phone call afterglow
This beautiful face belongs to my sons' Great Aunt Lois. She's their father's late mother's sister. The faraway look in her eye reflects the bewildered pleasure she felt at having received a special phone call just moments earlier.

This past Sunday was a special occasion - Aunt Lois' 95th birthday. Go on, you can say it. She looks much younger than that. She's young at heart, mind and spirit too.

In earlier years, Lois was a public health nurse right here in Mississauga, and among her duties were postnatal visits to mothers and their babies in the home. One such visit was to a woman just five years her junior, a new mother named Hazel McCallion who has since held the title of Mayor of Mississauga for the last 32 years.

talking to Hazel
Well, I'm sure you've guessed by now that it was Mayor Hazel on the other end of that phone, calling to congratulate her on her birthday. As it turned out, it was supposed to be an in-person visit, arranged by Lois' granddaughter Amanda and grandson-in-law Colin who were hosting the party. Hazel was planning to attend but was detained at an earlier commitment and opted to call and arrange an afternoon tea at Lois' retirement home sometime this week instead.

Aunt Lois was delightfully stunned by the incident. I'm not sure if the mayor actually remembers Lois - it's not like they've ever been in touch since they met over 50 years ago, but Hazel was touched by Amanda and Colin's desire to do something memorable for Aunt Lois and excitedly agreed to meet with her. It's unfortunate that she wasn't able to make it to the party as it would have been a wonderful surprise, but it's nice to know that she cared to make the phone call and plan an an afternoon tea with her.

When the brief phone call was over, Aunt Lois was so pleased, and she expressed how much she was looking forward to meeting with the mayor. What I found to be particularly touching was how Aunt Lois immediately thought about her late husband. "Reg would have just loved this."

The party was a fine celebration as most birthdays are.

gifts
There were gifts.




flowers
Beautiful flowers.




yum
Delicious cake.




icing roses
And flowers on the cake.




Lois 95 Maeve 3 months
And there was lots of love. This is Aunt Lois with her youngest great granddaughter, Maeve. Aren't they a beautiful pair?

Thanks for joining the party.

The mystery image in yesterday's post was of Venetian blinds seen at a restaurant. All comments have now been posted so you can see how everyone did. The full image appears below. All of you who guessed had clever answers but the correct ones were give by Glo, Zuzana, June, Sandra, Daryl, Fragrant Liar, Steve (Out on the Prairie), Kat, Reb and Cricket.

blinds

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Mystery Image and Posts of the Week


whatisit
The mystery image above was taken a few days ago. It's either going to be really obvious or it might possibly have you stumped. I'm going to moderate comments just for today. See if you can guess what the mystery image is. I'll post the answer tomorrow.

And now, without further delay, here are the Posts of the Week. The icon below is yours for the taking if if your blog post is named as a Post of the Week - either as top post or as a runner up.


This week's POTW goes to..



12 Ways My Dog Outsmarts Me
by TattyTiara
at Tattytiara



More wonderful posts are categorized below (they may well fit into more than one category but I'm only selecting one for each):






Sock it to Me
by Betty
at Bossy Betty

Great British Advertising: CATS
by Imbeingheldhostage
at In the Gutter

Repopping
by Travis
at One Word, One Rung, One Day

Wee Wisdom
by Fragrant Liar
at Fragrant Liar







F is for...
by Ellen
at Stuff From Ellen's Head

My Kind of Town
by Moannie
at The View from This End

Destiny
by Zuzana
at Life Through Reflections

Why I Won't Be Catholic - One Reason, At Least
by Wide Lawns
at Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds

Proof of Time
by Kat
at Seeking Sanity






Sea Eagle
by Bob
at Birds and Nature in the Forest of Dean

Silhouettes
by Daryl
at Through My Eyes

No Messing With This Character
by Sandy
at Writing in Faith

Passion
by Tammie Lee
at Spirithelpers







Guitars Bigger Than the Players
by TechnoBabe
at TechnoBabe's Adventures

Snow Sculptures
by The Retired One
at The Retirement Chronicles






In Silence
by Cricket
at Cricket and Porcupine
Recommended by: DS

Who Knew?
by Deb
at Talk at the Table
Recommended by: DS

The Day Mother Nature Made Me Smile
by Beth
at Be Yourself
Recommended by: Teri


Please drop by their blogs for a visit and leave a kind comment if you have the time. Also, please feel free to add your own choices (for any blog except this one) for a specific blog post in the comments section below, where others can see them.

Thank you.