My Place in CyberSpace

Jump over to my Active Blog

2010-08-20T12:14:00.004-05:00

Hi y'all and thanks for stopping by! Please enjoy navigating around this blog...but I haven't updated in awhile because I've created another blog to use in my new life in Mississippi! Come on over, if you'd like to see my further ramblings...

Life at Hilltop

Smile whenever possible ;-)

Elizabeth

Wordless Wednesday ~ Mardi Gras

2009-02-24T19:26:00.005-06:00

(I think I can never post a totally Wordless Wednesday...I MUST explain a few things...!)

Here's daughter 6 years ago at the French Quarter in...Disneyland! These guys were great and had her singing and dancing and then threw the beads...As close to the "real" thing as we've gotten!

and this is a few years later... today! :))

Thanks to Miss Dixie at French Lique, Texas for creating and having fun with Wordless Wednesday! Visit her blog and find out who's joining in. And you join in, too!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Books

2009-02-17T17:46:00.009-06:00

It's time for Wordless Wednesday, hosted by the delightful Dixie at French Lique. Please join in!

Our word for today is BOOKS, and even though this should be Wordless, it seems I cannot keep from commenting just a teensy bit! You see, (*heartfelt sigh*) my books have not all been unpacked yet, so all I can offer is:

Well, this is as close as I can get: a comforter...held up by my daughter (wearing white socks!)

I need some bookcases!

Welcome to MY Birthday!

2009-02-15T15:26:00.008-06:00

In the United States, tomorrow, February 16, is a Federal Holiday...the official reason is that it celebrates the birthdays of two past Presidents, Washington and Lincoln...however, it is a bit of a sham because neither man was born on this date! It is a government decree, a combined day always occuring on a Monday to assure a 3-day weekend to celebrate every year. And back in my working life, I was glad for it.

However, that's all well and good, but THIS YEAR I am claiming the day as my very own because this is my exact birthday (February 16, mark it down), no kidding around and moving target dates! Yes, my birthday is a National Holiday where the banks and government offices are closed, and no mail is delivered. All in MY honor (this year on February 16, are you catching this? *smile*). How cool is that???!!!

And to top it off, I was ALMOST a Valentine Baby!! (I try to look for the best in every situation LOL.)

Thank you dear friends for sharing my blog and now my Birthday...hope this day for you is special and fun!

Oh and my mom tells me that 49 years ago was a VERY snowy, icy night in Chicago!

Valentine Surprise for Me and You

2009-02-13T09:30:00.009-06:00

My dear friend in Arizona sent me this beautiful Rose Chest...

Inside was filled with heart chocolates!

But while I was admiring this and my mind drifted away thinking about myriad chocolates...

Someone came by and began to take them!! This was not my hand, but the hand of my daughter...What was she up to???

When I looked around, my daughter was standing by me with a look of complete innocence, but there were no more chocolates!!

Oh, but of course she hadn't removed them to EAT, but to create this...

A wish to me, to my wonderful friends and family, and to my dear readers for a Happy, Sweet Valentine's Day !!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Love

2009-02-10T21:39:00.001-06:00

Sorry I couldn't sharpen this up, but it's one of my favorites: You will always hold my heart, sweetie-pie.
luv, mom

Please visit Dixie at French Lique so you can visit the other lovely bloggers!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Children

2009-02-04T05:00:00.003-06:00

From my mother's bookshelf

Thank you for visiting...if you'd like to join the fun of Wordless Wednesday visit Dixie at French Lique, Texas.

Shadows

2009-02-02T09:21:00.004-06:00

Happy Groundhog Day!! I have always enjoyed the Bill Murray movie, where he has to live a day without sneering at everyone in his world, in order to stay with his true love...and he's SUCH a pain in the rear guy at the beginning, that it takes a l-o-n-g time to become a member of society that no one wants to punch in the face the instant he says something!

Well, so did Punxsatawney (I spelled it right!) Phil see his shadow and will there be 6 more weeks of winter...??

If the answer is driving you mad, go to his website: Punxsatawney Phil

According to Wikipedia, the groundhog is a large rodent. He's also called a "woodchuck" which brings to mind the famous question ditty:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Do you know the answer??? Of course it's:

A woodchuck chucks WHAT a woodchuck chucks if a woodchuck could chuck wood.

So, he chucks whatever he wants. A strong minded individual.

So, six more weeks of winter....OOOOPPPPS, I gave it away! Guess it was a sunny day in Pennsylvania. Sorry Phil. But congratulations on your 15 minutes of fame!

Have a great day, dear readers! We've got clouds so NO shadows...does that mean WE WON'T have 6 more weeks of winter HERE??!! What's your weather report?

Answering a delicate question...

2009-01-30T21:03:00.008-06:00

"Mommy, where do mini M&Ms come from?"

"Well, honey, Mr.& Mrs. M & M meet at the juke box candy dispenser, link their hands and together push the silver button on the top. Surprise, surprise, out drops their very own mini M&M! This one they named GreenEm, but it could have been a RedEm, or even YellowEm. They stay at the juke box until they have enough little ones to fill a candy sack. Now you go tell your friends that there is no such thing as a chocolate stork delivering baby candies. That's just plain ridiculous!"

Well, dear reader, I'll just bet YOU didn't know how they were made either??!!

Have a wonderful weekend and smile, smile, smile!

Google Earth is scaring me...

2009-01-29T21:07:00.001-06:00

I've always enjoyed visiting the Google Earth site...originally I was able to get an aerial view of my house, or a friend's house or a house that I once lived in. It's all a bird's eye view, maybe a low flying bird, but it feels non-personal and uninvasive to me. HOWEVER, I have recently found an astonishing and rather creepy feature (is it new or did I just accidentally find it?)...maybe you've already discovered it, but it really did make me feel, well, stalked!

If you haven't downloaded Google Earth, it's easy. Just go here:

http://earth.google.com/ and download the free version. It really is an absolutely remarkable way to view the world.

That said, now for the interesting, spooky part...on the lower left under LAYERS, make sure the first 5 are checked: Geographic Web, Roads, 3D Buildings, Street View, Borders and Labels. It's the street view item that will give the effect I'm talking about. Now at the top of the page at FLY TO, type in your destination....make it your own home address. You will be virtually wisked to the area and be in the sky looking down on your rooftop. You will see little camera icons on the street; double click on one of them close to your house. You will then be whisked down to street level and in a matter of moments you will be standing on your street and can use the mouse to navigate around 360 degrees and can see the very front of your house AS IF YOU WERE STANDING RIGHT THERE!

I don't know the astonishing technology behind this...it's as if someone has been driving up to my house and spinning around taking photos. But I don't know who it is and I never see this....uh...stalker!!

There are probably other camera icons along your street. Double Click on them and then press the left button on your mouse to make the hand icon grab the photo and move around on it.

I thought this might only work on my home back in Tucson, a BIG city, but it also works in the "sticks" where I live now in Mississippi.

It's cool, creepy, scary, fabulous technology at its very best! But it does have a spooky big-brother-is-watching kind of feeling.

If you try it, let me know...if you have trouble, ask me and I'll try to help. It's worth a look-see!!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Garden

2009-01-28T09:24:00.006-06:00

If you would like to join in on Wordless Wednesday, visit Dixie at Frnch Lique, Texas!

My Letter "P"

2009-01-27T12:40:00.000-06:00

Anni over at Hootin' Anni's played a game on her blog that seemed like huge fun, so I thought I'd play along. The rules of the game are simple. You are assigned a random letter and you should then post 10 things that you love that begin with that letter. If you read this and want to play, leave a comment that says so, and I'll assign you a random letter.

Anni gave me "P"

Pecans ~ Yum: each half nut covered and baked in caramel cinnamon; or topping the rich, decadence of a Pecan Pie.

Pony ~When I was small I learned to ride on a small horse, a pony like Misty of Chincoteague. His name was Cricket. Ponies have alot of personality and can be quite stubborn.

Pals ~ Another name for dear friends, both real life and bloglanders (who have real lives, too, but I just don't know them in real-time!).

Pemberley ~ The simply gorgeous English Estate of Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice which I first saw in the Colin Firth movie version of the book. Scads and scads of rooms, and enough servants so I could enjoy it all and not worry a wit about cleaning!

Pillow ~ I have been known to take my own pillow on every road trip, plane trip or campout I've ever been on. I eschew (great word) hotel/motel pillows.

Pine Trees ~ Completely love the heady scent of a pine forest on a warm day. The canned spray scent is nowhere near the same LOL.

Pirates ~ A total fan of the Pirates of the Carribean movies. Captain Jack Sparrow ~~ swoon!

Porkskins ~ Blame my southern husband for introducing me to a such a salty, crunchy wonder!

Puddles ~ Made by the rain, reflecting the sky, made to be walked through or jumped in.

Paws ~ Talking about cats and dogs and how they can be such a large part of your life. I have had the chance to be adopted by several wonderful fur babies in my life.

Hope you had fun reading about me, through my one letter Biography! If you want to play I promise not to assign a "q" or "x"!!

Guilt

2009-01-26T14:00:00.000-06:00

This is Guilty Gizmo. She doesn't realize she's been caught red-handed (so to speak), but the evidence of the Kleenex Krime is stuck on the side of her face LOL! It looks like a feather but it's not, it's her addiction to picking kleenex tissues out of the trash (ewwww!) and then ripping them to shreds under the bed. This time she forgot to tidy up before she settled onto the sofa. After this I moved all the trash bins to higher places.

Actually with those gleaming eyes she looks like a creature from outer space ~~

she's really a Lhasa Apso with a tremendous underbite. My camera just has a STRONG flash!

Have you got a pet that does something sneaky and won't own up to it?

I "heart" IMDB

2009-01-24T17:43:00.001-06:00

I was watching an episode of Law and Order the other day and one of the supporting actors in the story was oddly familiar. Who was he? Where had I seen him? His face was familiar but different, maybe older...what in the devil had he been in before?? At the end of the episode I stared down the credits and found the name "Bronson Pinchot". Quite a name, I vaguely remember it, but still can't place him. My brain is caught up in the chase.

Now, in years past, BI (Before Internet), I would have racked my brain, trying to get the image out of my head (to no avail), then I would have called a friend and tried to explain what this guy looked like (not tall, medium dark brown hair, brown eyes...Oh yeah that narrows it down). So I would be left with an unanswerred question. A haunting. burning question. No answer. Not unless it came to me in a dream.

BUT, Oh Joy, I have lived long enough that now it is AI (you know, After Internet) and there is a terrific site and you probably all know it, but I must sing its praises: IMDB.COM, The International Movie Database-dot-com, because without it I would be more of a basket case than I already am LOL.

In a flurry I can run to the computer, get onto the magical site, type in Bronson Pinchot and find he has been a very busy actor since the 1980s and the sitcom where I finally remember him from. My brain cools down...I KNOW, I KNOW!!

Has it happened to you? Watching a movie or watching an episode where a semi-familiar actor shows up and your mind just will not bring up where you know him from? You MUST find out...it's like a mystery story...and it's IMDB to the rescue!!

Law and Order (2005): Bronson Pinchot as Dr. Greg Ross (Bad Doctor):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0629509/

And where did I remember him from?:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090501/

He starred in Perfect Strangers as Balki Bartokomous (1986-1993).

HA! Like I would have remembered that on my own!!

Let me know if this has happened to you!

Tagged!

2009-01-22T10:24:00.000-06:00

Well, I was tagged quite awhile ago by dear Kelly-Marie and here I am responding...but better late than never! I am to reveal 6 things about myself:

1. I learned to swim by taking a College Beginning Swimming course...it was a real bonding experience to be with other "old" people who waited til their 20s to learn!

2. My blonde hair was down to my waist and I didn't cut it until in my 20's. Friends signed my high school yearbook saying "Don't EVER cut your hair!" But THEY didn't have to take care of it! It took HOURS to dry!

3. I am hooked on coffee, a complete addict. Hot, strong, high-octane, but with a swig of sugar and creamer. When I open a new coffee can, the aroma almost makes me giddy!

4. I am a cat person. I like dogs, and we have a small one right now, but love cats. Had my Nikki cat for 19 years before she passed away 2 years ago, and I'm not ready for another. To compensate, my daughter and I sponsor a cat in a No-Kill Shelter back in Tucson.

5. I am also hooked on Digital Photography. I always enjoyed taking photos with the old regular camera, but now that I can fill up a 2 mb disk...watch out!

6. I am a Barry Manillow fan from 'way back. Many jokes have been said about his singing style and songs, but I love him. And I'm NOT alone!! (His concerts have sold out...LOL)

Thanks for reading! If you haven't been tagged for this and want to play, please consider yourself TAGGED!!

Truth in Advertising??

2009-01-18T19:23:00.000-06:00

I'm so confused! I move to Mississippi and find that AriZona (where I lived for about 40 years) can manufacture genuine (Real Brewed, it says) Sweet Tea, which I KNOW is a beloved product of the South. Then I look to see where it IS produced and find a web page address, http://www.drinkarizona.com/ . Being of a curious nature I go to the webpage and find out that it is packaged in....New York City!

On the plus side, it is a tasty drink! But it is not as good as my southern mother-in-law can brew, of course.

Anybody out there who loves Sweet Tea?

Warm Words for 2009

2009-01-04T10:54:00.000-06:00

This was emailed to me by a dear friend. It has the feeling of an Irish Blessing.

A TOAST TO BRING IN THE NEW YEAR!

May your home never be too small
To hold all of your friends.
May you live as long as you want
And never want as long as you live.
May the good Lord take a liking to you,
But not too soon.
May you have warm words on a cold evening,
A full moon on a dark night,
And the road downhill all the way to your door.
May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you, and heaven accept you.
Dance as if no one were watching,
Sing as if no one were listening
And live every day as if it were your last.

Here's To You, My Friends...... ....All Things Blessed, Joyous and Wonderful in 2009...

The Housing Market

2009-01-03T08:55:00.000-06:00

House Available
Quaint, recently painted, one bedroom in country setting. Perfect first home! Mature vegetation, strong foundation pole. Stunning views from doorway. Some slight renovation required.

A Cardinal pair discuss the possibilities of this fixer-upper...the price has just been radically reduced. In fact the owner will pay the buyer to move in with unlimited access to sunflower seeds.

Pretty please??

Changing Two Habits

2009-01-02T09:37:00.000-06:00

One of the things about moving to a new place is that the schedules you were used to are just enough different to catch you off guard. Especially those important two that are governed by...well...the Government! Here's what I mean:

1. Trash Pick-Up: Here it's once a week on Monday. And it's a VERY bad idea to put out your garbage before that day because it has the potential to become a Racoon Buffet. So the garbage goes out of the house into secure plastic bins and on Monday morning hubby wheels them down the l-o-n-g driveway to the Highway. I was used to a Friday pick-up and a HUGE trash container in the alley (owned by the City) that happily received garbage everyday..from several families and the occassional drive-by who would stop and hurriedly deposit his own excessive garbage. The thing smelled putrid and had a huge, mishapen lid that never opened quite wide enough to take the sack in one fell swoop. Nobody cleaned it or replaced it. Therefore, our few sacks here in a couple of small, cleanish containers on wheels are not so bad :o)

2. Mail Delivery: A very nice man drives by in the morning by at least 9:30. If there's a package he'll turn in the driveway and come right up to the door. It's just that I was used to a late afternoon pick-up and so had plenty of time to procrastinate into getting those pesky checks written and out!

How many weeks does it take to change a habit? Is it something like 21 days??...so pretty soon I'll be able to stop leaving Yellow Stickies all over the place!! Oh, who am I kidding, I've been using YellowStickies for years to remind myself of every little thing.

Hmmm...did you ever put up a Sticky to remind you to read another Sticky?? LOL

It's Here!

2009-01-01T10:54:00.000-06:00

Hello 2009!! Here's the sun rising through my diningroom window.

Red is the Chinese color of luck and here's my cardinal to bring some my way! It looks like snow, but that's just a trick of the light or... my excellect photographic technique LOL

Welcome to the newest roller coaster ride: "Two-Thousand-Nine", guaranteed to be a completely unique experience, not like last year, not like next year, in fact not like anybody elses year ...!

It's your own, so please enjoy. May it bring you happiness.

Melting away...

2008-12-30T20:35:00.000-06:00

"The Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali. I place it here as a signal of the last days of 2008, soon to be memory. This was an intense roller coaster ride of a year for me and my family and I know that other blogger friends have experienced it too; stomach churning dips and corkscrew turns. I really wouldn't have bought a ticket to this ride if I'd known what it was going to be like...and yet, and yet, I am truly awed by this mystery called Living. I draw a breath, my heart beats, the next moment awaits....I fear a bit what it holds, but then remember what joy can be there, too. That is the beauty of memory, fill the mind with the thoughts of happiness shared, loved ones close, laughter and silliness abounding. No matter the stress, that time was real.

May we all have the strength, courage, love and laughter to forge into 2009. I'm standing in line for Thunder Mountain at Disneyland, another roller-coaster of a ride! Let's go and lift up our arms!!

Hi Y'all

2008-12-29T20:21:00.000-06:00

What do you do when you have just moved into a new house and it's almost Christmas and you don't have a tree yet and the ornaments are packed...somewhere??

But you do have:

1. An unadorned white refrigerator

2. A mom/grandma who sends an Advent Calendar each year

What you get is a clever gift from mom of an Advent Calendar that turns out to be a Magnetic Tree that attaches to the front of the bare, boring white fridge and transforms it into a Holiday Ornament! Each day of December, a new numbered ornament gently clings to the "tree", until the magic day of December 25 when the tree is completely decorated!

How clever! And, as mom said, "No needles to vacuum up!"

Happy Holidays to all!!

Promising to Come Back as Soon as I can...

2008-10-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since my last post and I miss putting things up here, but the reason I've had to take a long break is that we're MOVING and moving big...long distance from Arizona to Mississippi!!

We're in the midst of packing and sorting and packing some more. The professional packers arrive next week and then we leave right after Halloween, a favorite holiday that we couldn't miss spending with our dear friends here.

So, I'll see you sometime in later November, once I figure out how to hook-up to the internet, while living on an acre in the country! I've been a city girl for so long...!

P.S. I know this area of Mississippi because it is my husband's growing up place, and we have visited every year since we were marrried 15 years ago. He has LOTS of family and Dear Daughter will have cousins nearby. It's very beautiful, green, trees, actual lakes. So different from our desert...my emotions are kind of all over the board...from looking happily forward, to looking wistfully back. I'll be so glad when we are there and concentrating on settling down.

Peace be with you all and have a Happy Halloween.

Senior Parrot

2008-09-23T10:23:00.000-05:00

There is a small pet shop that my daughter and I visit and this Parrot lives there permanently...we always go by to talk to him and he talks back...mostly he says "Hello Birdo", but somtimes he'll tell a very short joke (it's garbled so can't tell what he's saying), but then he laughs as if delighted with his funny old self.

Oh, who were your owners, dear Birdo? Did a child name you? How many places and people have you known?

Click on the photo so you can read the note in his cage...and see why he is a SENIOR Parrot!

I think he's allowed to be as cranky as he wants, but I'll stay away from that beak!

An Award... my Very First!

2008-09-18T18:09:00.000-05:00

My heart is so very touched by being part of Kelly-Maria's life and for her to be happy to be a part of mine! Please check out her blog because she is a word-weaver of great talent...as she gently brings you into her world. Thank you so much for sending me this award...I love Autumn and am very happy to be your friend.

On another note...(tra-la-la!), I haven't been posting recently because we are in the middle of a BIG BIG move....across the state, across the country...from Arizona to Mississippi!! It has brought together all the angst and joy that such a journey of adventure brings. I'll post more as things progress, like the whys and the wherefores, and such. It will be a good thing.

Hope you are enjoying some cooler weather...and are beginning to think about what face to carve onto your pumpkin!!

Elizabeth Ann

No fish for dinner tonight...

2008-08-28T14:59:00.001-05:00

Have you ever caught a sand trout? Most probably not, because none have been seen in many an era. They used to live in the washes of the desert, (no not the kind of wash that you put in a machine LOL), but a wash that is a dry desert streambed. and only becomes a Stream or in bigger cases a River, when there is rain. Then they become raging, dangerous torrents until the rain stops, upon which they return to being the everpresent sandy and benign "wash", home to lizards and rabbits.

Sadly, it is now fairly certain that the Sand Trout has reached extinction. A few may survive, however, as the sign says "NO FISHING FROM THE BRIDGE", so my daughter looks sadly at the sand and thinks of the end of the Sand Trout. **sigh** It's hard to be a fisherwoman in the desert.

P.S. I may have stretched the truth here just a little. **grin**

When it all began...

2008-08-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

A, ES, Dee, Ef, Jay, Kay, El, Sem. Over and over again. Sound familiar, anyone? I learned to type in high school on a manual typewriter. It was very good finger exercise because you had to really push down hard with the pinkie finger in order to get the capital letters to come up. Then there was reaching up to the top of the machine with the right hand and giving that carriage return lever a good, solid shove to the left. And you were rewarded with the sound of the tinny bell as the paper moved up and the next line was ready for typing.

Seems like alot of physical labor, yet the keys had to be arranged in a difficult pattern because women (I'm not being sexist here...this was a machine for the secretary and at that time it was a female dominated field!) became too adept at typing and so had to be thwarted by an alphabet pattern that would slow them down.

It didn't work. I remember battling on timed drills to see who was the fastest (oh, and ACCURATE, don't forget that, LOL) typist in the class. I even got an award for my typing skills!!

So many changes since then. But look down at your computer keyboard. It is fundamentally the same. A strange mix of past and present. An alphabet that is not in any recognizable order. But now your fingers don't have to be as strong!

Hmmmm. I wonder if the mouse lived inside of the original??!!

Have a phun day. (Well, I might have been a fast typer, but I never was a very good speller, LOL!)

8th Grade is Here

2008-08-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Our tradition on the first day of school is to take a snapshot where Amanda shows the grade with a finger-count. (It's not a gang sign LOL) She's in a new school this year and wears a uniform. It's a much, much smaller school than the public system she's been in and we are hoping for a happy, exciting year. She's still my little girl; I'm so proud of her...she's got a sassy sense of humor and we laugh together alot. She's also got some teenage attitude (some??!) and so we also push each other's buttons and tempers flare. But isn't that the way of it? I'm happy that she has such strength of character and expresses her strong views. They're good skills to have as life moves on.

Have a great day my dear daughter. I love you.

In the hot seat...

2008-08-14T10:46:00.000-05:00

(Just a reminder: Click on Pic for bigger view.)

On the other side of the Kanawha River in West Virginia sits a house high up on the riverbank...this could be just a photo where I was trying to be clever by using a tree limb as a frame...the house, from this far away, doesn't look too spectactular...

But the close-up view gives away why I thought this was an unusual shot...LOOK at that slide!! For a moment it appears to be something out of a waterpark, but wait...it's METAL! And it's 90 degrees out there...OUCH !!! No wonder nobody's playing there! We figure that they must run a hose at the top to create a water slide, otherwise this just wouldn't be any fun at all.
Hmmmm...Now that I think of it...when I was growing up these were the only kind of slides that we had in the park (I lived in the time of B.P. : Before Plastic) and it sure never stopped us from using them...you just learned not to touch the sides and to lift your legs so you slid completely on your shorts. So this slide probably did get alot of use in its heyday!

Laugh often :o)

Dangerous Doggie

2008-08-13T11:48:00.000-05:00

Edit: Sorry, if these pictures made anyone uncomfortable about the doggie's safety. He just seemed to be enjoying his place and view.

Killer Kudzu

2008-08-11T09:42:00.000-05:00

In the Southern States there is a plant called Kudzu. It's a vine that was imported many years ago for erosion control. It is now a raging epidemic, devouring anything that stands still (huge trees, bushes, old tractors), and is VERY hard to kill. It can often be seen in horrendous fights like Godzilla and Mothra...in this scene which I managed to sneak up to, (they're 40 foot tall, remember) the shorter one one on the left with arms is fending off the bigger elephant-monster with the trunk and ears. It's eerie because they emit neither howl nor scream. And the slow motion effect is frightening. They're locked in battle like this for DAYS.

They don't attack humans. Unless you stand still for a day-and-a-half. Then you're fair game.

"You ain't nothin' but a..."

2008-08-07T19:56:00.000-05:00

HOUND-DOG !!

And I mean that in the NICEST way (smiles)!! Aren't these guys cute? I happened to catch this photo while waiting to order breakfast in West Virginia one morning, and the window happened to be showing the drive-thru folks, and these guys were in the back of a pick-up truck...they may look kinda sad here (click on the pic to get a close-up of that first guys droopy eyes!), but believe me they were running around from one side to the other in happy glee...'cause I'm sure they knew they were going to get to BE hound-dogs in the countryside, just as soon as their owner got his morning espresso!!

I expect one of them might have been named Elvis, eh?!

Have a great Friday...smiles to all of you that are visiting me!

Flower Power

2008-08-06T08:35:00.000-05:00

Here are some images of Mississippi flowers that caught my eye...they were stupendous in person...click on the photo to see the WOW factor!!

I tried to get this butterfly to spread his wings, but he was too interested in getting a drink of nector.

After many tries, I captured this picture of a busy bee.

Well...how did this get in there??! This is from a roadside produce stand and the apples looked good enough to eat. Oh ho, that's right...that's what they're they for, not posed for a Still Life Fruit Foto!

Peace and smiles on this Wednesday.

Highway Driving

2008-08-03T19:07:00.000-05:00

A few more images from the trip across the U.S. on the 4-lane divided highway system. *sigh* This is definately NOT the road less traveled. But, unfortunately, it's the fastest for Travel by Tire.

Those pillars look like good solid concrete structures. After all, they're holding up that 18-wheeler fuel truck right above our heads, right??!! No fear. gulp.

Why are we always in the wrong lane at this point?

The sign says the left lane ends...most of us have minded the sign, except for the Ryder truck up there who is counting on some kind stranger to take pity and let him in. Or he's just a highway hog.

Thanks for visiting and PLEASE, turn off your left blinker after 10 miles. :o)

Cat Totem

2008-08-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

The rare Cat Totem is a symbol of steps to take on the road to happiness. The message is clear:

1. Lean on your friends when needed.
2. Find a comfortable spot and Nap, Nap, Nap.

Simple wisdom. May it bring you a step closer to happiness by putting a smile on your face!

on the road vs. in the sky.

2008-07-23T09:37:00.000-05:00

Here's how fast we could legally travel on the road through New Mexico and Texas (although sometimes you'd think we were parked, the way some folks moved past us!)

However, if you'll look carefully into the sky of this photo you'll see the white tail of an airplane...I'm quite certain we'll catch up to it...when it lands...!

Have a great day. Smiles.

Return from an Epic Journey

2008-07-21T09:29:00.001-05:00

So many thoughts, people, places and adventures folded into 3 weeks of journeying..took MANY pictures, so shouldn't have alot of trouble finding blog themes for a while :)

Beginning the drive east from Tucson...desert and desert ...no one out there...

But wait...another traveler looking around...strangely shaped head...

No! A beautifully shaped head! Looking at the crazy woman in the car taking pictures...geez, like dogs aren't the only ones who like to have the wind in their face??

Have a happy day, dear reader.

Keep a Look Out...

2008-06-23T09:01:00.001-05:00

This view is of our front window, with Gizmo looking out to see the world...her family will be on vacation to far away Mississippi for a little while and she wants to make sure she knows right when we get back. If you'll notice, you can see a reflection of our mountains here! Don't worry, a good family friend will be taking care of things and Gizmo adores her...so we won't be missed quite THAT much!

So, dear readers, I may not have good internet reception where we're going and will miss seeing and writing to you. But I wish you good days and good times ahead...and will "see" you soon!

Health and Happiness to you.

Elizabeth

Warning: Pun Picture Ahead...

2008-06-18T09:08:00.000-05:00

I think that once I get a really good camera, I'll be able to take a rather bland little birdie picture like this:

And turn it into a really de-tailed picture like this:

!!!

No harming of any bird was done for this picture; nor any clever use of photoshop...this little guy shows up every morning for his seed breakfast and flys just as well and fast as his tailed buddies. He might have had a close encounter with a cat. I feel cheered when I see him because he's getting through life with a major handicap. May you have many good days ahead of you, little birdie!

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T09:20:00.000-05:00

Dad and Daughter.

Look at that protective arm around her. I shudder to think what her first boyfriend will have to go through to date dad's precious/precocious little girl (always a little girl, no matter how old)!

What does YOUR fortune cookie say?

2008-06-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

Konfuscious Kat say:

"Scientist all wrong: World is large ball of yarn surrounding catnip core. Have great fun unraveling to get to center. Then roll around with complete abandon and lunacy. It is legal."

Oh where, Oh where is Elizabeth Ann?

2008-06-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

I'm still here! It's just that The Real World has sucker-punched me a number of times in the last 3 months. It began with about 6 weeks of an MS attack of vertigo and double vision (couldn't drive at all which threw all kind of wrenches into our daily life), then my dear step-dad went into the hospital with a diabetic wound on his foot and 11 weeks later his leg had to be removed above the knee. He came through it and will be leaving rehab next week...he is SOOOO looking forward to getting out of the hospital environment. During this time my dear mom has had, well, severe bladder problems during which she had to move through life with a catheter. She's finally found a doctor that is willing to help, so we're hopeful she'll be on the mend soon. She and I had to scout out Independent Living facilities for her and step-dad to use for the next couple of months before they move back home.

Non-stop ~~~ Non-stop~~~I'm in an elevator with no red alarm nob to pull!!

On the plus side, Spunky-Quirky-Dear Daughter graduated 7th grade with straight A's and is in summer vacation and loving the time she can spend on the computer, without worrying about bedtimes and morning alarms!

I've missed blogging and hope to be back soon...we're planning our annual trip to Mississippi to see my DHs family and there's not good computer connection there (they live in a very rural area), so it may take a few more weeks for me to get back on track. And, for pete's sake, please don't let me think that the light at the end of the tunnel is the train coming towards me!!!

Take care....Elizabeth

WOW! What could this mean...

2008-03-13T15:04:00.001-05:00

(Click on the photo to get a good view) The sign says they offer an "Exciting Alternative to the Motor Vehicle Division". That caught my interest...after all a visit to the DMV is probably right up there with a visit to the dentist. And at least the dentist can give you novacaine.

The only time there might be excitement involved is on the day of your first exam and then GETTING that first License, and THEN later in life (much later) getting the title and registration for the Corvette you've dreamed of owning. Wooo-eeee!! (Then passing out when the insurance bill comes due.)

But in between all that fun the DMV (in a big city) offers a Ticket with a Number and endless uncomfortable chairs to wait it out on. And the number they are currently calling isn't even CLOSE to the one you hold in your hand. You think it is probably meant for somebody coming in next week. In fact, everybody is going up to a window except you. Nope, that part is NOT exciting, not thrilling.

So WHAT could THIS place do???

How about a ride with NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. where he could show you how best to drive very, very fast in a really big oval? (Life in the fast lane)

Or hand you the reins to an 8 horse team pulling a stagecoach and then slap the lead horse into a full gallop..Giddyup! (Life without Cars)

The title search could show that your vehicle is stolen and had been used in a bank robbery, a kidnapping, and a drug-smuggling ring...they could call the F.B.I., have a SWAT team surround the building..ha-ha...now isn't that FUN!

The last line on the sign says they do fingerprinting...maybe they could mistakenly I.D. your prints for a notoriously wanted criminal and call the F.B.I. and have a SWAT team surround the building, etc.,...ha-ha AGAIN...now isn't that FUN!

Yes, I think this could all get very exciting. Just like the sign says.

And I think I'll just go get a number and sit down at the DMV. This place could be just TOO exciting for me.

Toad Talk

2008-03-13T08:48:00.000-05:00

"Now, look deep into my eyes, cuz I iz tellin da truth.How many times does I have ta tell yaz?? I don't eat flys no more...I done become a, whatyacallit -- vegitarien..so youse can just come right over here and we'll have a nice little chat. Shore, bring yer friend wit ya, too."

My Turn...

2008-03-11T15:16:00.000-05:00

O.K. Yesterday was all about the Kats that you visit without me (don't think I don't know about it, but I let it slide because it seems to make you happy), so today I would like you to take a good look at me:

Good grief, don't I need a haircut, guys??? I mean, who are YOU? 'Cause I can barely make out a hairy image.....Ohmygosh, is that YOU that needs the haircut?

Oh, maybe I can see a little bit of your left ear and it doesn't look too hairy...Got to be me...So, Please call the groomer...

Yes, readers, the groomer comes right to my house...curbside service...

Yup, that's where I go...into the van with the wonderful groomer. The beauty secrets she uses are top secret...no one else goes in with me...and the windows are tinted.

And this is the way I emerge...fluffy, smelling wonderfully (not that I care about that, but my owners sure do) AND able to see where I'm going. Able to hunt out the treats that fall on the floor.

Yeah, I know, Kats Keep themselves Klean. But who doesn't enjoy a visit to the hairdresser/groomer now and then??

meow...MEow...MEOW...ME-NOW!

2008-03-10T08:30:00.001-05:00

We belong to The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter which houses (literally -- there are no cages!) about 300 cats. There are many human volunteers and some paid staff who have dedicated themselves to taking care of the many kitties who have no home. Many of these kitties are up for adoption, but there are some who cannot be adopted out. These are ones whose back legs are paralyzed, or who have behavioral problems, or spray scent everywhere, or are so shy (feral) that they won't come near a person.

They also have a sponsorship program, where for a small monthly fee, a cat is "yours" to visit. (HA--if you know anything about cats you know that's a ridiculous statement -- a cat "owns" you!) Now, because we have a dog who hates cats (my beloved cat Nikki, gone now 2 years, tormented her as a puppy and she has NEVER forgiven any feline!) we cannot have a cat at home. So here is where we sponsor a cat who cannot be adopted. We can come in and see our sponsor and visit with all the other felines...and it's as close as we can get to having a cat in our house.

Our sponsor cat: Smoky

It doesn't have alot of hoopla around...it's an older home that's been turned cat-friendly. It's been here for many years.

Here is the sign which greets you as you walk in, dedicated to the many cats which have lived out their lives here.
It's a warm day today and here some are basking...

Here some are playing in the cat condo...look at the top!

And here Blackie is playing one-on-one with a human.

And here is Dexter, a confirmed lap-cat.

The Hermitage is divided into sections because some cats, due to urinary or other problems, need special diets. These cats get a little lonely because they can't be part of the whole house (other cats would eat their wonderful special food!). We spend time with them.

Some are a bit obsessive-compulsive about washing !

And some adore shoes.

Here are some special portrait photos:

This is Stuie, a real doll. He looks at everybody sideways....his face is scarred, but he loves to be petted.

So, it was a very nice afternoon at The Hermitage...I'll post more photos later...it's a great place to have a camera!! (Of course I say that about nearly EVERY place I visit or every family gathering there is...love to take pictures !!)

Fishhook Barrel Cactus 101

2008-03-07T13:02:00.000-06:00

When you live in the desert, you meet the most interesting neighbors. (Clicking on the pictures will give you an up-close-and-personal view.)

Here is an example of a typical Fishhook Barrel Cactus Family during a picnic. Mom is gently pushing the two children into the picture, Dad is in the background thinking he might be able to hide behind the tree, and big brother is glaring at little baby button in the right hand corner (it's squalling because mama wouldn't hold it). The shrub in the middle is a neighbor who always shows up in the pictures. Nobody's quite sure who it is.

Here is a young, plump, happy cactus, wearing last year's yellow fruit hat. There'll be bright yellow/orange flowers in the summer. He's about a foot tall.

Here is an older one, taller, sporting more hat and beginning the characteristic lean to the south. That IS a fact...the barrel cactus generally leans to the south as it grows, unlike the Saguaro which grow straight and tall.

And, like most families, there are some that aren't content with their lot in life and try their best to look like another species...this one has EXPLODED into life..trying to grow the characteristic arms of the saguaro. Unfortunately it has ended up looking like a chubby pre-stuck pincushion.

And those that know they have a prickly exterior, but want to be friends, anyway. No hugs, please. This one is pretending to be a chubby saguaro (no leaning). My daughter is almost 4 feet tall.

The desert is not for the faint-hearted, but neither is life! By the way, the name "fishhook" is very apt because the spines do not stick straight out (as a saguaro), but make a decided curve on the end...to the sharp point. They DO resemble a fish hook. And, contrary to some belief, these cactus are NOT full of water or juice like a coconut would be. So don't go thinking you can stab one and water will flow out and save you from thirst. Bring your own water when walking through the desert.

Oh, and these guy are real downers at Birthday Parties. All they want to do is pop all the balloons. And they are VERY good at it!!

TIME FOR A BREAK

2008-02-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

Maybe it would be nice if when we bought a watch, it would come with actual TIME to be used and we could add it to the day. Each watch could be used for specific tasks: cooking, cleaning, family time....oh, and blogging LOL!

Well, it just doesn't happen that way, and my time for blogging has been squeezed down. So I'll have to take a break for awhile on my own site...I'll still be reading my virtual friend blogs and commenting there because I so enjoy reading about other people's thoughts and their daily lives. And I'll check this site, in case you'd like to leave a message.

Take care, dear readers. Someday I'll get a new blogging watch...hmmm...maybe a Rolex !!

Happy New Year Thought for the Day

2008-01-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

These words were in an e-mail sent to me by a lovely friend. I think they are two simple sentences with deep meaning:

"If you look at what you do not have in life, then you do not have anything. If you look at what you have in life, then you have everything."

Be aware; Be grateful. Laugh whenever possible. We're on page 2,008 in our Adventure of Life...imagine the plot twists that will unfold here! J.K. Rowlings has nothing on you, 'cause you're living your own best seller, New York Times #1 for over (insert age times 52 here) weeks in a row!!

Waiting for Santa...

2007-12-22T09:01:00.001-06:00

The Tree is up and running and the wait has begun!!

HEY! When is the big guy in the red suit gonna get here with my NEW Christmas bone??

Have a great Saturday...just a few more days...take time to relax!

Music and Lights in-sync

2007-12-20T10:47:00.000-06:00

I am really liking these amazing musics and light shows that electrically-savvy folks have put together for their homes. (No, it's not MY house!!)

Smile!!

Early Christmas Gift

2007-12-18T22:38:00.000-06:00

I've noticed that there've been several ladies with recent birthdays who have invited a certain Pirate to their virtual parties (Lisa for one...and her commenters were VERY happy with his presence...er presents, eh M'Ladies?!) . He seems to be popular (soft chuckle: heh-heh-heh) so as my Christmas gift to everyone who melts (like Chocolate) into this Pirates' deep, dark eyes...here is a little pre-christmas gift...

It's a catchy tune...go on sing along!!

P.S. Sorry I couldn't keep your Secret Boyfriend safe for long, Mrs. G...!!

Time to play!

2007-10-18T12:57:00.001-05:00

I took a walk today to a nearby park and discovered that the Parks Department had constructed this play-station, which I think is beautiful...the colors and the special ideas for a child's imagination to run with are great...Let's take a look around and see where YOU would like to play!

Take a closer look:
For those those who like the traditional approach, here are the slides, side by side and WAVY:
Now, how many of you like to CLIMB up the slide, instead of slide down?? Here's one with toe-holds AND hand-holds...this would be EASY! (And everybody at the top wouldn't be mad because you were holding them up from SLIDING, 'cause that would hurt coming down!)
Would you want to be a Princess in your castle? ... Or a Knight defending your castle from marauders?...:
How about "Keeping House", with a mailbox, a porchlight and flowers in the windowbox?:
Or an engineer? Just turn the black nob at the top and watch the gears spin!!:
Or a pilot? Turning the wheel ferociously to evade enemy fire...:

A view from the back...2 shorter slides, the back of the castle... now look closely and see if you can spot the 2 pictures after this one...they're for communication!YELL!!

WHAT??
And, *gasp* swings are still in fashion!! However one of the baby swings seems a little far off the ground...were YOU one of those bigger kids who liked to twirl the empty swing around the top pole ??!!At the end of my visit, this beautiful Vermillion Flycatcher posed!:Hope you've enjoyed this visit to the park!! Let's come back again tomorrow?!

Bloglandia Halloween Party!

2007-10-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

Go to here and RSVP for a Ghoulish Good Time!! It's only a week and a half away so there's some time to clean out the cauldron, hunt out that old can of eye-of-newt in the back of the cupboard (never an expiration date!) and enhance that wart on your nose. Then you can sit a spell (*groan!*).

World's Largest Hummingbird!!

2007-10-10T15:35:00.001-05:00

I'd been wondering why the Hummingbird Feeder was being drained so quickly and then I finally saw this huge feathered friend enjoying breakfast one morning. I grabbed my camera and took this shot which is a little blurry because I took it through the screen. How extraordinary!! This is the rare, elusive Freeloading Humdinger Hummingbird and few photos exist of him. I'm lucky to have gotten this one!!

*giggle* Oh, OK, it's a Gila Woodpecker freeloading the sugar water. Guess sometimes they like to wash down the bugs. Clever bird!

Have a wonderful day! ~Elizabeth~

Smile !!

2007-10-03T12:31:00.000-05:00

My Resume

1. My first job was working in an Orange Juice factory, but I got canned. I couldn't concentrate.

2. Then I worked in the woods as a Lumberjack, but I just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe.

3. After that, I tried to be a Tailor, but I just wasn't suited for it mainly because it was a sew-sew job.

4. Next, I tried working in a Muffler Factory, but that was too exhausting.

5. Then, I tried to be a Chef - figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn't have the thyme.

6. Next, I attempted to be a Deli Worker, but any way I sliced it I couldn't cut the mustard.

7. My best job was a Musician, but eventually I found I wasn't noteworthy.

8. I studied a long time to become a Doctor, but I didn't have any patience.

9. Next, was a job in a Shoe Factory. I tried but I just didn't fit in.

10. I became a Professional Fisherman, but discovered that I couldn't live on my net income.

11. I managed to get a good job working for a Pool Maintenance Company, but the work was just too draining.

12. So then I got a job in a Workout Center but they said I wasn't fit for the job.

13. After many years of trying to find steady work, I finally got a job as a Historian - until I realized there was no future in it.

14. My last job was working in Starbucks, but I had to quit because it was< always the same old grind.

15. SO, I TRIED RETIREMENT AND FOUND THAT I'M PERFECT FOR THE JOB!

Contentment...

2007-09-28T16:50:00.000-05:00

"Follow your bliss."
~~Joseph Campbell

Paths winding through the woods and country roads leading up over a hill to the unknown...are some of my favorite pictures and bring wonderful thoughts.

You've Got Real Mail !!

2007-09-24T12:42:00.001-05:00

Here's the basic design. Utilitarian. Works just fine...but read on...

Yes it's jokingly referred to as "snail mail" now, but the Proud Postal Service mail box is still alive and kicking, still patiently waiting at the curb for a non-virtual letter or delightful catalogue or GASP! a package!! Sadly, it collects many bills and "YOU Quality for 0% Interest!" junk...but the DELETE key for this spam is the trash/recycle can next to the desk, or the delicious ripping sound of the paper shredder!

Yes, the mailbox still exists and I thought it might be a fun game to take pictures of the unusual, the beautiful, the odd way that people have decorated these basic pieces of tin. So I took a walk just around my block to find how some people have created their statements to the world...

What about the former farmer who doesn't need
the tractor anymore...but still thinks of John Deere
as a Dear Friend?

Or the military man who brought home a small souvenir
of a long ago attack. I always wonder why it ticks, though.

Or the serious beer drinker who had one keg too many?!

Do YOU know of any interesting mailboxes? If you'd like, send a picture to me via e-mail (shhhh, don't tell your mailbox), so I can collect them on this blog.

Have a fun day and I hope you find something great in YOUR mailbox, either real or virtual!!

Trick or Treat...Start Plannning!!

2007-09-21T09:45:00.001-05:00

It's just NEVER too early to start thinking about your Halloween costume...Here you can see how Whinny-the-Wonder-Horse has put great thought into this clever and thrifty costume made from items around the house. And can YOU guess what he is?? Yes, of course, he's a SEAHORSE!!
Just in case Whinny shows up at your door, he prefers carrots and peppermints (yes, really, horses do love to crunch on peppermint candies, and it's not bad for them!)

Have a great day, dear readers, and enjoy fun and silliness!!.

(Whinny showed up in my e-mail box, so I thank the anonymous person who took this picture; that is ONE PATIENT horse!)

Watching over us...

2007-09-20T09:42:00.001-05:00

These little teddy bears are the result of "Happy Meals" from you know where (!) and they found their way to gather below these beautiful angels which are gifts from a wonderful neighbor. I began to think that it would be a very special idea if we were watched over by both Angels and Teddy Bears. The loving angel of our heart and the warm, fuzzy bear to hold and whisper secrets, absorb tears and share laughter.

(Please click on the picture and see the details.)

Did you have a favorite Teddy Bear or maybe several (and maybe you still have him!)? Did he have a name?

Have a beautiful day today, dear readers, and a Big Bear Hug to you!

Morning Coffee, Sunrises and Small Friends

2007-09-19T11:59:00.000-05:00

I wake up very early in the morning. My strong coffee has already been made by our "timed" coffee machine (LOVE that little appliance!). Then I settle onto the back porch to wait for the sunrise and to feed my little feathered friends.

Here they sit waiting and watching for me to fling out the seeds...these are just the sparrows. The doves follow soon after. I can recognize several by their personalities, or their feather arrangement. They're so interesting to watch; sometimes funny, sometimes bullying, sometimes squabbling. Like a little soap opera, "All My Feathers" !

Hope your day gives you all you need...cherish yourself.

Begin it well and serenely...

2007-09-13T19:04:00.001-05:00

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely...”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Doggie Bathtime

2007-09-08T15:18:00.000-05:00

Hi! My name is Gizmo and I'm going to take a bath...

Oh, there was WATER involved?? And SOAP?? Just like last time...

I am very soggy. Can I get out and dry off now??

It's over!! That's better...my own towel to roll around in..

Now Clean and Happy and running around so fast that I blurred my picture!!

Gizmo is our 8 year old Lhasa Apso, but we keep her coat short, and she always looks like a puppy. She likes to steal kleenex and rip it to shreds. She can dance on her back legs a little...for a treat, of course! She doesn't understand "fetching" and wonders why you've taken her toy and thrown it to the other side of the room. Silly people!!

Color Crayon Quiz

2007-09-02T13:19:00.000-05:00

Uh-oh ...I've found the website for quizzes! So here's the first quiz that my daughter and I took. I'm posting her answer because it fits her so completely, and mine was absolutely not me!! Strangely enough it says (in very white print at the top) that she is Orange, yet the crayon they show is very definately not orange.

You Are an Orange Crayon

Your world is colored with offbeat, confident, and stimulating colors.
You have a personality that's downright weird - and you wouldn't change it for anything.
Loud and expressive, you voice your opinions fearlessly and strongly.
And while you have a strong personality, you can be friends with almost anyone.

Your color wheel opposite is blue. Your confidence is something blue people truly envy.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Special Post: All the Elements

2007-08-31T12:17:00.000-05:00

Well, I think I have found one image that meets all the element requirements!! Water (uh, it's a fish), Earth (floats in a sea of grass), Air (it's got a pinwheel tail), Fire (I see fins shaped like flames), and Metal (yes, it is). Fun, huh??!!

P.S. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO GET A GOOD CLOSE-UP.

Element: Metal

2007-08-31T09:58:00.001-05:00

Here we are on Day 5 of Shari's invitations to share the elements;

METAL AS ART:

This large Tin Butterfly has lit for just a moment on a wall and has graciously opened her wings to show off her wonderful colors.

METAL AS FUNCTION:

Because there is no machine dishwasher, this sink is very, very busy. But it sure shines!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Thanks to everyone who participated; it's been lots of fun to see the elements through your eyes.

Element: Fire

2007-08-30T11:13:00.000-05:00

Here is the massive Fireball rising in the East...

And so it's time to put the Kettle on my little Fire-flame...

Join me for a cuppa ?? Thanks to Shari for inviting us to share the elements here.

Element: Air

2007-08-29T09:30:00.000-05:00

And here are my contributions to Shari's invitation to capture an image of "air" :

A dove contemplates the morning air and setting moon.

From far away the moon dangles in space within a Web of Wires.

Element: Earth 2

2007-08-28T16:59:00.000-05:00

I am adding a second image today for the Earth Element, because I am quite proud of this photo. I carefully followed this butterfly around this large blooming bush and took many deletable shots before he settled for more than a split second and I was able to capture this. It was taken during our summer vacation in Mississippi.

Element: Earth

2007-08-28T12:12:00.001-05:00

This is my addition to the Earth Element for Shari's site...it is a World Globe and was a Christmas present from my father sometime in the mid-1960s. The mountain ranges are raised so you can run your fingers over them and feel the contour of the earth skin. The continents have remained the same, however...

Sorry this didn't show up as clearly as I wanted, but maybe you can see why my globe shows it's age: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ! Can't you hear The Beatles singing..."Back in the U S S R...!!"

Hope this brings a smile!

Element: Water

2007-08-27T23:11:00.000-05:00

Here is my addition to Shari's invitation at The Glass Doorknob for an image of the element WATER. It was a cold, windy day at the lake, but my dear daughter rolled up her jeans, slipped out of her shoes (see them there on the shore?) and tentatively tip-toed into the edge. We, in the desert, adore water!! Click on the picture, please for a wonderful larger view.

Cactus Blooming at Night

2007-08-27T14:48:00.001-05:00

This cactus in our front yard gives new meaning to the words "Bloom where You are Planted." This is the first bloom of this year, it's at least 10 inches across...last year, on one evening, there were 13 blooms! But, yes, the magnificent bloom only lasts one night, opening in the darkness and then it closes with the sunlight. It gives a spectacular performance for just a short moment. But, remember, the cactus itself lives on, readying itself for the next season of blossoms. The heat, the storms, the drought...all this it lives through and then launches the bright bloom.

Uplifting Quote...

2007-08-25T11:20:00.000-05:00

This beautiful seahorse is made of tin and is floating in an ocean of dappled sunlight against a wall near a pool in a garden...he could almost be a figment of someone's imagination, a made-up creature ~ horse and serpent ~ but they truly exist in the vast saltwater ocean. How wonderful to be so unique! As we all are...

"The aim of life is to live, and to live it means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware. " ~ Henry Miller

Hard Working Garden Angel

2007-08-17T15:33:00.001-05:00

Here she is, toting her watering can, making sure that her plants never wilt...She is not in my garden but I found her resting a moment in the shade of a Bed and Breakfast Inn Garden. She'll be going soon to the spigot to re-fill that watering can, because there are many plants to attend to.

Look at that wonderful curly hair and the stars embellishing her apron! She's such a dear looking creature.

Have a wonderful day, and a cool, tall glass of ice-water.

Mountain Lake Reflective

2007-08-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

Beautiful lush nature with trees and water...so very different from the desert that surrounds where I live in the valley. Listen to the quiet, gently broken by birdsong. These are pictures during a short vacation in a simple cabin, just steps from a mountain lake. Time to reflect on the reflections, as if nature occurs twice in one picture, enjoying the view of herself. Narcisisum in nature is perfectly permisible.

Enjoy a moment of contemplation in nature today.

Rainbows and a cheerful smile be yours.

Rise and Shine!

2007-08-13T18:37:00.000-05:00

Here's an antique sign preserved and re-painted on the entire side of a building in a little town in Mississippi. Because it's just 5 cents, I would guess this is advertising a "Coca-Cola" when it really had the "coca" part! A real eye-opener. Forget the cup of java....

Cheers and rainbows!

Take a vacation, right this minute because...

2007-08-10T12:02:00.000-05:00

"Laughter is an instant vacation!" -- Milton Berle

Read something funny or watch the part of a movie where you just can't help but laugh. I enjoy reading word-play (When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds (grimace!), and one of my favorite funny movie scenes is from "Toy Story" when The Space Ranger is drunk on darjeeling tea.

Have a cheerful day! Give a couple of hugs...they're the cat's meow!

Journaling

2007-08-06T12:13:00.000-05:00

I've been fussing around today, dressing and re-dressing my infant blog, which has been squawling loudly for lack of attention...and I have chosen to bestow upon it a new name...My Lizette Gazette. 'Cause my name's eLIZabeth and a gazette is: "an official journal", to quote Mr. Webster.

So, as the official Editor-in-Chief (uh, and all other jobs associated with such a publication...I have a small office!), I will hopefully be inspired to be more timely in my postings. Though, since my boss is myself, I may fall behind because of a malady of procrastination.

Be of good cheer today.

Just be crazy...

2007-07-18T11:21:00.000-05:00

Odd Abbreviation...

2007-07-12T14:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Reader,

Rented a very nice Nissan Sentra on our vacation. But it had an odd abbreviation on the middle console which could have been interpreted in several ways..

The middle console with gearshift and other knobs and dials looks standard:

Now focus in on the abbreviation above the center knob above the gearshift:

Hmmmmm.....is this :

1. A delicate way to provide an "outlet" for someone who has consumed too many beans recently?

2. A warning that suffocation could be imminent and to share the one airbag with the others (unlike in a plane which will give everyone a bright orange nosebag when cabin pressure is lost?)?

Of course, I think I know what it really stands for, but there was plenty of room to write it out completely! And, it was also completely written out on the dashboard in front of the passenger seat so it was also redundant.

Look for the silliness in life...sometimes where you least expect it!!

Show those pearly whites...GRIN !

2007-06-26T23:14:00.000-05:00

On Vacation...but don't desert me!

2007-06-26T22:30:00.000-05:00

My family and I are off to Mississippi tomorrow for two weeks, so my newly born, infant Blog will have to survive without me. I considered leaving Captain Sparrow in charge, but that just doesn't seem a good idea! He'll have to wait on the Black Pearl until I return. I hope little Blog doesn't get into any trouble...(hide the rum)

But YOU, dear reader, still need to SMILE, ...ye may have read these before, but they still bring a grin, or grimace to my face! :

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Police were called to a daycare where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all right now.

The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

When fish are in schools they sometimes take debate.

The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

A thief fell and broke his leg in wet cement. He became a hardened criminal.

Thieves who steal corn from a garden could be charged with stalking.

We'll never run out of math teachers because they always multiply.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U C L A. (missed this one at first!)

The math professor went crazy with the blackboard. He did a number on it.

The dead batteries were given out free of charge.

If you take a laptop computer for a run you could jog your memory.

A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

A backward poet writes inverse..

A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.

Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I'll show you A-flat miner.

When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds. (grimace!)

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

A grenade fell onto a kitchen floor in France, resulted in Linoleum Blownapart.

You are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

He broke into song because he couldn't find the key.

A calendar's days are numbered.

A lot of money is tainted: 'Taint yours, and 'taint mine.

A plateau is a high form of flattery.

Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end. (not a pretty sight!)

When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.

Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.

Acupuncture: a jab well done.

Enjoy Silliness!!

On the horizon...'tis a Pirate Flag...

2007-06-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

But 'tis a grinning skull...that's why it's called "THE JOLLY ROGER" !!

"Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate's life for me!!"

Begin with this moment...

2007-06-22T13:17:00.000-05:00

A slap and a cry...A Blog is Born!

And Captain Jack Sparrow is the first to smile...slyly, devilishly. What's your next move, M'lady?

More smiles and laughs, dear Jack.