Driveway View

I snapped this photo from my garage just as the rain was clearing and the sun was breaking through the clouds. It was 8:30 am and the boys had just gotten on the bus. This is our neighbor's house, from the side obviously. These people are not only our neighbors, but good friends as well. We vacationed with them last week and have barely seen them since. The sad truth is that both of our families were flung so quickly back into the rat race that is suburban life that we hardly have time to wave as our minivans pass in street. Either that or they are just plain sick of us after the 24/ 7 of last week and just need a break. We'll have to reconnect with them soon. Note to self: put that on "too do" list. LOL.

Anyways, this is the skyview from my driveway. I solarized this photo to punch up the color and drama of the sky. You can check out many other skies from around the world at http://skyley.blogspot.com. Happy Friday, and don't forget to reconnect with your neighbors soon. :)

St. Augustine, Florida

Once again entering the Pioneer Woman's Landscape photo contest. I took this early last Summer on a vacation in Florida. I love witnessing landscapes that are so utterly different from anything I can see around here. It was stinking hot when I took this picture, like 100 degrees and very humid. Basically Florida in the Summer. True I have done a little editing to this, that is allowed in the contest I believe. And, I love the result! This is how I remember it in my mind's eye. Wish me luck. :)

Wordless Wednesday: Hallelujah

I entered this photo in the Pioneer Woman's most recent photography contest: Landscapes. I like to call it Hallelujah. I took it about three summer's ago on the beach just before the skies darkened and a storm rolled by. Gabriel gets excited when the sunlight shines down like this and insists he can see God. I think he may be right. You can see thousands of gorgeous entries in her contest at http://pioneerwoman.com/photography/. Also check out what other's have to say on this Wordless Wednesday at http://wordlesswednesday.com/newhome/. I need to be quiet now.

Fern Sunset

In My Mind I've Gone to Carolina

We had a lovely last week with our trip to

Corolla NC on the Outer Banks. We took a jeep tour and saw the horses strolling down the beach. It was magnificent! We spent time playing beach bacchi and enjoying our heated swimming pool that came with the house we rented. It was so relaxing and perfect. For some reason we decided to leave a day early to come home so the kids could make their weekend sport games. We returned home at 3 am Saturday morn and my daughter had to be at the school for 7:30 to catch a bus to her track meet. A baseball game, two soccer games a wrestling tournament, a speeding ticket(me on the way home), a "to do " list that goes on and on, and I am ready to go back on vacation. Can you blame me? Just look at this lovely mosaic. You can check out many more by visiting http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com.

Shadow Shot Sunday!!!!!

I am back from the land where shadow shots run free. It was so thrilling to see the wild horses on the beach in Outer Banks North Carolina. It was also thrilling to have something different to take pictures of other than the weeds in my yard. Where to begin posting. This next photo is a shadow of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse which we climbed a few days ago to get and aerial view. Is that a shadow shot or what?? You can check out many more thrilling shadows from around the world at: http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/.

Skywatching in the City

I took this photo Tuesday on Mulberry Street in Little Italy New York. I try to be acutely aware when I am in NYC, so as not to miss anything or anyone. I looked up and caught this photo as the sun was trying to break free from the overcast morning. We had just finished lunch at a cute little place: spaghetti carbonara, brick oven pizza and lasagna. We were walking down Mulberry heading toward Canal Street trying to determine if Law and Order was done shooting for the day or just on lunch break. There were two men just around the corner who had just emerged from a private restaurant/club. They were older middle aged, mismatched suit jackets and pants, hair perfectly slicked back, cigars in mouths, hands in their pockets, barrel chested, standing on a stoop and surveying "their" street. Forget about Law and Order, suddenly it felt like we were in a scene from the Soprano's. Maybe they were extras from the Law and Order set, but I don't think so. Unfortunately I was too chicken to take their photo, me in my Mafia fantasy deep in the heart of Little Italy.
Check out other braver sky watchers at :www.skyley.blogspot.com. Have a great weekend. I am heading south this week and hope to have a gorgeous skywatch photo for next week. See you then! Ciao!

NYC!!!

I was lucky enough to go to New York Yesterday and enjoy "The View".

Whoopi Goldberg, Sheri Shepard, Barbara Walters, Joan Rivers, and guests. From there we headed down to Mulberry Street for a yummy lunch and walked right into the set, literally, of Law and Order, SVU. We saw Christoper Meloni and Mariska Hargitay shooting a scene right in the heart of Little Italy. So cool. Did a little shopping, checked out Time Square, sore feet and all and headed home. Fun, fun, fun.

White Vi, close-up

I found these this morn in the yard. I love finding them popping up in the oddest places, sometimes in the middle of the lawn. Some people call them weeds. I think not.

I am linking with http://lisaschaos.com./ Come along.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Check out the rest at : http://heyharriet.blogspot.com. :)

Monochrome Sky

Cool Mirror Refurb

I am trying something a little different today. I have always been a fan of trash to treasure/before and after decorating, as well as a fan of spray paint. I was in a consignment shop last week hoping to score a size 1 prom dress for my daughter. No luck. But, I did spy this cool mirror. We recently up graded to a king size bed and no longer have a headboard. I thought it might work well for now. The mirror had that retro bamboo like trim that looks modern when painted white. It was gold which was not awful, but the black splatters I did not like. So, for $28, I paid for it and lugged( this thing is heavy) it out to my mini van. At home I covered the glass with paper and laid it gently down in my leaf filled windy garage. I couldn't find my white spray paint and had to make a quick run to Home Depot for a new can. All it took was one coat of high gloss white and I was done.

I am linking in with Funky Junk Interiors and the Saturday Night Special weekly challenge and Tater Tots and Jello. You can check out some other cool decorating ideas at:http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ and http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/ and become inspired. Happy Saturday.

Comments Welcome !!

I was wondering which one you like best. The first is sooc (straight out of the camera), the middle shot is traditional minor editing, and the last a little funky. Just curious.

Hope your having a wonderful, wordless Wednesday.:)

Sky blue and yellow

Just showing my world today. :) http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Easter Morn

Birch Sky

I took this recently on a gray day. I love the wild web mosaic of branches with the sky beginning to warm in the background. Cool. Check out friendly skies around the world at http://skyley.blogspot.com.

Free as We'll Ever Be

Alright, after much procrastinating I am finally joining up with Simply Feather on her creative art inspired weekly Thursday meme, encouraging folks to get a little creative and inspire each other. My resident artist and youngest son Gabriel was all over this task when I tried to explain it to him. He draws daily and encourages/begs me to join in any chance he can get. How can I say no to him when his oldest brother who is 14, some days will only scowl at me. I understand how fleeting time can be, you have to take advantage and cherish. So anyways, Gabe wants to be a comic book artist one day soon. Hs first choice is to be Captain America, but if he can't save the world literally he will do it through his art. This week I told him that I would be trying to create something inspired by our trip last weekend to the butterfly sanctuary. Here is what we came up with. I used watercolor pencils and sharpie, and Gabriel chose some old paint by number paints. Yes I know it's quite a mix, but it worked. After some frustration on my part( my computer not printing and having to run between rooms to gaze at my inspiration); Gabe being a more instinctual artist was able to just visualize and create. He was in his glory, his Mom at his side and his creative juices flowing.

About a week ago I watched Crossroads on CMT with The Zach Brown Band and Jimmy Buffet. I cannot get enough of their heartfelt cover of Free/Into the Mystic, a song that perfectly sums up their love of what they do. Van Morrison's version of this song is classic, but this cover is so special. I have been playing this on my Ipod all week, and it is what we listened to as we worked on our art. Take a few to listen and you will be glad you did.

You can check out what Simply Feather and friends have done this week also and what inspired them at http://simplyfeather.blogspot.com/ . And, I am also hooking up with The Inspired Room at http://theinspiredroom.net/. This is a beautiful blog full of great creative ideas.

Peace.