Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Ruby Tuesday...

Another week has whizzed by, leaving me with no other option than searching through my photo files, looking for a shot for my favorite Ruby Tuesday meme!



When I had taken these photos, I well intended to research the Cowley Line, which obviously has something to do with our local history. And it's also obvious that the owners of this unique set-up are railroad fans like I am!

But, whether I have history facts or not, I'd like to share the sight with all of you on this Ruby Tuesday. Check the many red photos at Work of the Poet for other great shots.

Off and running for another hectic day! Enjoy yours, whatever you have planned.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

A Place in the Sun...

Beyond the sand dunes, a narrow path winds through sea grass and low-lying bushes adorned with tiny yellow blossoms, ending at a secluded place that hardly anyone knows about.


A little beach house is partially hidden among scrub pine, it's clap-board siding weathered from frequent coastal storms.

A white wicker rocker on the front porch is a perfect resting place for any weary soul.

An old-fashioned bicycle, painted a cheery Turquoise, leans against the porch railing.

Pink Bougainvilleas trail wildly up the corner posts.

Inside...
The furnishings are simple: No clutter. No television. No telephone.

Internet Service (which no-one should ever be without!) can be found at a popular down-town coffee shop, where the coffee is superb and the service is friendly. Locals are like that , you know.

A fishing pole stands in a corner near the front door and a straw hat hangs on the back of a small chair.

Sheer curtains, over open windows, flutter in a gentle ocean breeze and the scent of salt air fills every nook and cranny.

If I'm missing, don't look for me here... it's only a figment of my imagination.


... but a good walk on the beach would do much to improve my disposition!

Enjoy your weekend, no matter where your body or spirit is.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Missing friends...

It's amazing how the weeks fly by!

Ruby Tuesday is more than half over and even though I've had my photo ready for several days, time to write a post has eluded me.

At the bottom of the mountain, next to this small pond, sets a cozy little cottage that is only used by it's owners when the weather is warm and balmy. Knowing that no one was around, I couldn't resist stopping along the road and walking across their yard to get this shot. It was such a temptation to linger awhile and enjoy just a moment of quiet time, looking out over the water. My thoughts were on a couple of dear friends whom I've been missing very much lately.


It would be nice to sit in this comfortable red swing with each of them and talk about all that has been going on in our respective lives:

Children. Grandchildren. Travel. Illness. Accomplishments. Hopes and Dreams (yes, even at our age, we have not yet reached all the stars that we want to reach!). Silly things. Serious things. Simple things. Complicated things.

But...
As bad as things may seem to be sometimes, we will always know that we will be there for each other, no matter where we are ~ near or far.

It's what true friendship is all about.

And...
Wouldn't it be wonderful to share an early morning cup of coffee, a mid-afternoon glass of lemonade or an evening glass of wine, swinging the time away in a peaceful setting such as this, getting back in touch with someone you miss and love? I'm more than ready!

Officially...
The last Winter sunset and a photo worthy of Ruby Tuesday. Soon, we'll be enjoying the many beauties of Spring.


Thanks to Mary at Work of the Poet, we get a chance to share our favorite photos featuring all things with a little or a lot of red! Visit here and see for yourself.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Men in trees...

This is why a man with a chain saw should never... I mean NEVER... be trusted!


I don't think I'll see blossoms on this Apple tree for the next ten years!
Thank goodness for my photo file so I can remember what they look like.




...and we don't even burn wood.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

A little green, a lotta red...

G'Day to all ye Irish Lads and Lasses!

It's such a fun day to celebrate, especially if you happen to be behind a camera lens, participating in The Ruby Tuesday meme hosted by Mary at Work of the Poet and are lucky enough to find just the right shot to honor the occasion!

She suggested that we might make green the color of the day... in observance of St. Patrick's Day.

I wasn't sure I could forfeit a Ruby Tuesday shot, even for an Irish event; Ruby Tuesday is, after all, Ruby Tuesday! Check here to see how other participants went green on a red day.

When I spied this along the road, all freshly painted and waiting for a new owner to come along, I felt like I had hit the jack-pot!

I felt a wee bit blessed ~ green for St. Patrick's and red for Ruby Tuesday ~ one subject, one shot.



An Irish Blessing:

May the light always find you on a dreary day.

When you need to be home, may you find your way.

May you always have courage to take a chance,
and...

May you never find frogs in your underpants!

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Barb:-)

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Weekend Sights...

Seeing the first Robin of the season always gives hope that Spring is just a few weeks away.



But... A small ice formation at the end of the hollowed log between my ponds soon lets you know that Old Man Winter is still leaving evidence that he's lurking close by!



An Amish buggy that didn't quite make it to the Sunday Gathering.


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Fog and Flakes...

Imagine the mysteries that will unfold as the early morning fog rises above the smallest of creatures, away from the lofty pine.


Come sit with me and imagine the wonders of the upcoming day.


Fleeting, fluffy flakes greeting the early morning, disappearing nearly as quickly as they came. Which is a good thing!


Monday, March 9, 2009

A walk in the cold...

Wet. Wind. Cold.

...but I was determined to find a Ruby Tuesday subject to photograph.

It didn't happen! Everything outside is still dreary and gray, no matter where you look. My walk only produced wet feet and jeans, cold ears, runny nose and watery eyes.

So, from my photo file, I give to you the best I could come up with for this Tuesday.

A candle looses nothing by lighting another candle.



There are some of my readers who know how crazy I am for all-things-railroad, so it's easy to understand why I just had to stop next to this siding to catch a shot of an old boxcar! Lined it up pretty darn good to catch the reflection in the sunroof of my little red car, if I don't mind saying so myself!



Hop on over to The Work of the Poet to check out other Ruby Tuesday entries. You'll find some pretty amazing photos from many other bloggers.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Little Hints...

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." ~Charles Dickens

...and so it was, a couple of days ago.

I was thrilled to find that my Pussy Willow Tree was sporting it's very first Spring buds!



And these little green buds popping up from a plant of which I do not know it's name.
All I know is that things are beginning to show teeny tiny hints of nicer days to come... and that's all that really matters!


Have a great day and keep your eyes open for that little hint of Spring.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Sap Tap...

When should a sap bucket not be a sap bucket???


When it was a kitty litter box in it's previous life!

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to re-using things and making do with what's at hand, but I think this is just a little too weird! I'm sure they were all sanitized... but still...

I will have to admit, at least the Tidy Cat buckets do have lids to keep debris from falling into the sap. That's more than I can say about the old fashioned galvanized pails pictured below.


If you think about it long enough, there is a mirage of slogans rising from the event of sap gathering with Tidy Cat equipment:

"Tidy up your breakfast pancakes with our very own homemade Maple Syrup."

"Our Maple Syrup is the cat's meow."

"Even Miss Kitty is impressed with our homemade Maple Syrup."

"This Syrup sticks to your pancakes like kitty litter sticks to a cat's butt."

Ohhhh... This could go on and on, but it would only get worse from this point.

Eating pancakes will never be the same!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Yesterday's Treasures...

Without a doubt, I had a hard time getting in gear yesterday.

It wasn't as if the weather was all that bad, but I just didn't seem to have the energy to move. I wallowed around in my misery for most of the morning and then decided it was time to build that proverbial bridge and get over it!

Off I went... of course, with camera slung over my shoulder. It was amazing how many photographic opportunities presented themselves along the way and the sun did a lot to boost my morale.

The moon visible at 1:30 in the afternoon...
Check my side bar to see what it looks like right at this very moment!


There's a mountain spring, not far from here.
It's water flowing, cold and clear.
(rhyming words intended ~ just for the heck of it!)


Icy bits of winter are still hanging on.


Enough already!
The sun is beckoning...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

He said, She said...

While sitting in line at the drive-up window of the bank:

She removed the lens cap from the camera, pressed the on button of said camera and hit the down button for the car window ~ all in one easy motion.

He said, "Now what are you taking a picture of?"

(The question is always the same and sometimes it's hard to explain.)

She said, "I just caught sight of something that would be a nice shot for the Ruby Tuesday meme."

He said, "Well, there's a red pick-up truck right in front of us. Why do you want to take a picture of an old building?"


Hmmmmmm!

Funny thing... She didn't even see the truck, but did think the red painted boarded up windows added a little class to an unused brick building. And, the lamp post framed the Ruby Tuesday subject just right!

It's all in what you see when you look.

What truck????????

Check on what others are seeing on this Ruby Tuesday.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Make do and mend...

Over the years, I've become quite adept in the art of mending:

* Little Girl's dress hems.
* Broken doll arms.
* Ripped blue jeans.
* Belt loops.
* Chair cushions.
* Snowmobile covers.
* and even fences... yep... the honest-to-goodness-barbed-wire-post-hole-digger-fence-stretcher-staples-bigger-than-your-thumb kinda fence!

That was then.

This is now:

* The girls are grown and have kids of their own. And besides, who wears dresses today, anyway??
* Dolls have been replaced with complicated technical thingys.
* Ripped blue jeans are a fashion statement. (thank-goodness, not in every one's opinion!)
* Nix on loops, cushions and covers.
* and I don't ever plan on walking another fence line... much less repair the fence!

This is my latest mending work of art.


Have you priced lampshades recently??? Yeee gads!!! Maybe my handy-work isn't the greatest, but for now, it will have to do!

Next... I'm going to work on my frayed-but-not-completely-broken Spirit. I realize it needs some immediate attention, but I'm also thinking that the lampshade will turn out to be the easiest project of the two!