Shadow Shot Sunday and Mellow Yellow Monday - and a self observation

Guess this needs no explanation:

If you would like to join in on the fun at either party - please click on one or both of the buttons to the right (not simultaneously though or your PC might blow up).  Peace.  B : )

Camera Critters

If you read this blog, I'm pretty sure you'll see it mentioned a time or two how much I loved and cherished Victor's grandmother and grandfather.  When they were moving to an assisted living facility, they were giving away some of their favorite "stuff".  They had a particular affinity for lawn decorations.  This is one of the things we got and are so blessed to have it because every single time I see it, those wonderful folks pop into my head, again, as does my cowboy phase of life.

Isn't he cute?  If you'd like to see many more critters of all kinds, please clik on the Camera Critters button to the right.  Have a wonderful day full of fond memories.  Peace.  B : )

Color Carnival - Well it was actually a festival

We have lots of arts and crafts festivals here in Venice, particularly in "season" when we have lots of Northern visitors.  The one that was held last weekend was on Miami Avenue.  It was extra big and extra crowded  this year.  I guess more people wanted to sell their items in this recession, and more people were looking for a bargain.  I love going to these festivals for many reasons - one of them is that I can get some very unique gifts for birthdays and Christmas.  Anyway, this shot was taken at the Greek food booth.  That giant pile of veggies and seafood was the filling for some of their Gyros.  Looks yummy huh?  Smelled yummy too.  Someone I know wanted to eat the whole pile....and it wasn't me.  Well, I wanted to also, but I didn't say it aloud : ) 

To see more great color shots and to participate with your own, please click on the Color Carnival button to the right.  Martha is using a new whatchamacallit that replaces Mr. Linky and the others and it's really great.  I noticed SkyWatch Friday is also using it.  Check it out.  Peace.  B : )

Fertilizer Friday - After the Freeze

Funny thing about the cold - some things really enjoy it, like our little peach tree.  It's deciduous, so it's bare as can be, except it has quite a few little blossoms that made it through the cold.  Here are two of them:

The giant ficus tree - the leaves stayed green but fell down.  Here is one day, January 16th:

and here's the next day:

and it kept on going.  It was kind of fun since we don't get to run and jump into piles of autumn leaves around here.  Then they all started turning brown and crunchy and you can hear the dogs and people wading through them.  Since the "wild" area at the end of the yards got almost totally devastated, we took that opportunity to clean it out.  It was just full of vines, wild grape and passion flower, and wedelia.  I found a passion fruit in there:

I don't know if the geranium is happy or not but it turned a beautiful color:

And the silly little poinsettia from last year or the year before is still thinking Christmas is coming - it's still working up its red.  Funny, they're supposed to be from the tropics and they didn't get hurt at all. 

I guess you just never know.  But we are certainly blessed to have it all, whether it turned brown, outright died, or is struggling through. 

To go see what else Tootsie has for you to see, please click on the Fertilizer Friday button to the right...I happen to know there is a wonderful post on Sage today - check it out.  Peace.  B : )

SkyWatch Friday - Stairway to Heaven

Reminds me of the curved stairways in Gone With the Wind.  Please click on the SkyWatch Friday button to the right to enjoy more great pix.  Peace.  B : )

New Meme for Me - Check it out

Last week while making/receiving comments for other memes, and following associated links, etc., I discovered Life as Lori and her Get Your Craft on Thursday meme.  Sounded good to me, so here it is for the first time ever - tah dah........Note cards and holders that I made for two of my sisters for Christmas.

Hope you enjoyed them.  If you would like to see more crafts, re-dos, re-models, etc. please click on the Get Your Craft on Thursday button to your right.  Peace.  B : )

ABC Wednesday - B is for....

Since I am B, the letter B has much meaning for me - there's B, and bees, and birds, and babies, and booger butts (what I call the dogs), there's best friends, and the beauty everywhere I look, and oh so many things that start with B, but today I chose BEAR:

These huge bears were in the lobby at the Ritz Carlton in Sarasota during the Christmas season, when the Queen Mum and I went there for tea.  That second one looks like he's reaching out to pull that lady down on his lap!
If you would like to share your "Bs" and see more, please click on the ABC Wednesday button to your right.  Thanks.  May your day be warm and fuzzy.  Peace.  B : )

Watery Wednesday

Although dead from the freeze, this baby banana plant has its last hurrah:

Thanks for visiting!  If you'd like to see more, and perhaps participate, please click on the Watery Wednesday button to your right.  Peace.  B : )

Ruby Tuesday

Some things actually got improved by the freeze - isn't this gorgeous?  This is one of the vines growing amongst the trees/bushes at the Venetian Waterway Park.  If you would care to join in on Ruby Tuesday, please click on the button to the right.  Have a happy day.  Peace.  B : )

Mellow Yellow Monday

This is Ricepatty's mom.  She didn't want a goofy picture of her floating around on the web, so I goofied it up real good.....sorry Mom!!

Love you Mom!!  hee hee 
If you would like to contribute to Mellow Yellow Monday, or maybe just see some good yellow shots, please click on the button to the right.  Hope you have a smiley day.  Peace.  B : )

Shadow Shot Sunday

Just look at all the people lined up to the left, trying to catch good shots of the Clydesdales!

Click on the button to the right to see more shadows.  Peace. B : )

Color Carnival - remember Christmas?

Edited:  So far every person who has commented has called this blue.  I posted it for Ricepatty because I see purple.  After almost three years I finally got new glasses, but I still see purple.  Oh no - what's wrong with me????

From a tree found in the lobby of the Venice Little Theater, when the Queen Mum and I went for our annual viewing of A Christmas Carol.  This photo is actually for Ricepatty.

Join all the color lovers at Color Carnival by clicking on the button to your right.  Peace - and keep those warm Christmas thoughts in your heart.  B : )

Camera Critters - WARNING!! Do NOT scroll down if you can't look at blood

Ahhh many days of unwelcome frozen weather here in SW Florida and the plants aren't the only things suffering.  The lizards have a heating pad in the winter, but when it gets REALLY cold, they have to come indoors.  Then when the sun comes out, they get to go out in it for a while.  This year, we put them in a giant wire dog crate, and put it on the yard wagon, so that I could wheel them out into the sun easily, move them when the sun moved, and keep their heating pad plugged in if still cold.  Here are Zimmie and Bobber attempting to enjoy the weather:

And here, unfortunately, is what happens when they have to spend days on end cooped up together and get either agitated or bored:

Zimmie got a little "haircut" and Bobber ripped off part of his lower lip.  Oh yeah - are we having fun yet?  Enjoy your Saturday.  Oh, and don't forget to hop on over to Camera Critters, by clicking on the button to the right.
Peace.  B : )

Fertilizer Friday - Some things survived the freeze

Some things survived our recent prolonged freeze here in SW Florida.  I noticed that most of them were the native plants - another reason to go native in your gardens.  These are wild olives and I'm sure they made it so they could continue to feed the birds.

Looking at this, it occurs to me that they look very large, but they're really quite tiny.  See the "flora soup" picture below and you'll see them in the real scale of things:

See them?  That's them right in the middle.  Cute huh?  If you'd like to share your fabulous flora, or see some from other folks, please click on the Fertilizer button to the right.  Have a wonderful day.  Peace.  B : )

SkyWatch Friday

This isn't a "good" picture, but it's a pretty picture : )  You can see some really awesome pictures by clicking on the SkyWatch button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

This Way ThursWay

if you still have the time and/or the inclination, after reading all the rules.  Jeez have people totally lost all common sense and courtesy so that every possible action has to be regulated by a sign?

Have a great day - after you read the rules.  Peace.  B : )

To have a really good laugh, click on the button to the right!

ABC Wednesday - A is for Asleep

Yesterday I was out in the yard and when I walked into the family room, I looked to my left into the master bedroom and saw this:

Then I looked straight ahead, and saw this:

And then I looked to my right, and saw this:

See, I told you my house is comfortable : )
If you'd like to join the Alphabet fun, please click on the button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

Ruby Tuesday - My friend Mikey

This is my friend Mikey:

Mikey and his parents are the sweetest, most gracious and wonderful people in my life.  I love them.  This event was our quite a bit after Christmas present exchange dinner.  Lots of Ruby to see here!  Mikey loves things that move and make noise.  This lobster, who stands on a surfboard, is just too cool.  My husband wanted to keep it.  His claws click and his mouth moves and he plays an old surfing song and wiggles his whole body.  Really a fun lobster to have around : )  When they came over, Mikey brought some of his other gifts he had received, to show me.  My favorite was the fuzzy dog who made noises and actually rolled over from side to side on the floor!  It was Jeffie's favorite too.

Big sloppy kisses to you Mikey!

If you would care to join in on the Ruby Tuesday fun, please click on the button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

Mellow Yellow Monday

A lime, after the frost:

The lemons look pretty much the same, only bigger. 
Please click on the button the right to join in on Mellow Yellow Monday - please, it's in danger of going away.  Peace.  B : )

Shadow Shot Sunday - again

Since I once again posted but forgot to link, and because I really like this shot, I am repeating last week's Shadow Shot.  So if you did happen to come across it last week by mistake, then you don't have to look.  If not, check it out:

And here, again, is the description:
In our house we have a living room that we don't use, which flows into a corner off the kitchen which we called our dining room, which flows into the family room, which we do use. A while back, we had a bigger than usual family dinner and decided to put the dining room table and chairs in the living room and open up the leaves (leafs?). We all enjoyed it so much, we left it there and made the living room our dining room. You with me so far? We took an antique desk and old chair from the master bedroom and put them in the "old" dining room, along with the fan I use to cool off our itty bitty kitchen, and the dog treat cabinet which was already there. The idea was for me to utilize the desk instead of the kitchen counters to keep all my lists and other crap organized.

So far so good.

Then along comes Christmas.

We didn't want to move all the living room now dining room furniture to put the Christmas tree in the front window, so we moved out the 50's cocktail bar temporarily into the garage, and moved the desk and chair and fan to that spot, leaving the "old" dining room open for the tree. Turned out great and we could all see it from the family room.

So what does this have to do with shadows? you ask. The other day when we actually had a little sun between cold fronts, I had just finished removing the tree : ( and the sun was pouring into the living room window and it put the desk, chair, and fan back in the "old" dining room. (photo was inserted here : )
 
It really tickled my photography fancy. Hope it was good for you too (especially after the long read). Peace and pouring sunshine to you. B : )


Please click on the button to the right if you would like to join in.

Color Carnival

Life hasn't been too colorful lately - I guess the let down from Christmas being over, so I searched some of my older pix and found a picture of my friend Mike's birthday cake.  It's pretty darned colorful!

Interested in seeing more color?  Have some colorful shots of your own?  Click on the button to the right and join in.  Have a colorful weekend.  Peace.  B : )

Camera Critters AND Bloggers' Community Photo Gallery Challenge

Trying a new meme today, although I have all month to do it.  The "meme theme" is TRANSPORTATION.  Well here it is - and it fits Camera Critters too!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Peace.  B : )  There are buttons to the right to take you to both of these great memes.  Have fun.

Fertilizer Friday - WARNING: may make you dizzy

Does this make you dizzy?

It does me.  Good thing my husband and I have a fascination with dead trees because our yards are pretty much deathly ugly right now.  Some few things are OK, but not much.  We can hope they make a comeback - not this tree, it's too late for it.  I have learned that Passion Flower plants are like cockroaches - nothing even hurts them!!  Have a happy weekend.  Please click on the button to the right to see some nice flowers.  Peace.  B : )

SkyWatch Friday

Do you see the "circle" over to the left by the tree?  Looks like a hurricane map doesn't it?

To see more skies, please click on the button to the right.  Here's to no more hurricanes for a while - if only there were no more earthquakes.  Peace.  B : )

This Way ThursWay

Who would want to?  I do a lot of foolish things when it comes to animals because I have no fear of them, but I do NOT put my hand in a hole when I don't know what's in there.  This is one of the informative signs on the Venetian Waterway.  If you want to see more, and participate yourslf, please click on the button to the right.  But don't be disturbing any turtles now.  Peace.  B : )

ABC Wednesday - Z is for Zombies (sort of)

These just look like the walking creeping undead to me.  This is what we have to do to keep frost off the cold-sensitive plants here in SW Florida. 

Here's a shot of the frost.  Unfortunately, it has been so cold for so long, it probably didn't work - and we just planted this whole lot with edibles : (  Maybe the ones who like the cold will be OK.
See more ABC pictures by clicking the button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

Watery Wednesday - solid

Can you SEE the ice on this water???

This is SouthWest Florida folks!  The water in the solar panels on our roof froze!  This is just not right.  If I wanted to be cold, I could have stayed in New Jersey : )   Peace and warm toes.  B : )  P.S.  Please think of how cold the homeless are in your town and open your hearts and wallets, if you can...after all, it could happen to you in a flash!

Please click on the button to the right to see more water, and add your own shots. 

Ruby Tuesday - both ends

Mane and tail decorations on the Budweiser Clydesdales - what magnificent animals!

The End.  Peace.  B : )

Mellow Yellow Monday

If you have some yellow you'd like to share, or if it's gloomy at your house and you just need to see some yellow, please click on the button to the right.
My yellow is a bit of a treasure hunt today - since it's my favorite color, you'll find lots of it in this picture.  But the most important participants in the picture are my husband, his mother and his father....all very well loved important parts of my life.  I haven't had a mother in 30 years and never had a father, so these wonderful, warm, fuzzy, loving, welcoming in-laws are very special to me, as is there son.

PS, it appears I once again forgot to link up a post - yesterday's Shadow Shot Sunday, and it was a good one, so I guess I'll re-do it next week!  Peace and sunshine.  B : )

Weekend Reflections

Not my usual meme, because I don't often get reflections, but I have one for today.  Here it is:

If you wish to see more, please go visit James at Weekend Reflections and join in on the Weekend Reflections fun.  Peace.  B : )

Shadow Shot Sunday - Flexibility

In our house we have a living room that we don't use, which flows into a corner off the kitchen which we called our dining room, which flows into the family room, which we do use.  A while back, we had a bigger than usual family dinner and decided to put the dining room table and chairs in the living room and open up the leaves (leafs?).  We all enjoyed it so much, we left it there and made the living room our dining room.  You with me so far?  We took an antique desk and old chair from the master bedroom and put them in the "old" dining room, along with the fan I use to cool off our itty bitty kitchen, and the dog treat cabinet which was already there.  The idea was for me to utilize the desk instead of the kitchen counters to keep all my lists and other crap organized.

So far so good.

Then along comes Christmas.

We didn't want to move all the living room now dining room furniture to put the Christmas tree in the front window, so we moved out the 50's cocktail bar temporarily into the garage, and moved the desk and chair and fan to that spot, leaving the "old" dining room open for the tree.  Turned out great and we could all see it from the family room.

So what does this have to do with shadows? you ask.  The other day when we actually had a little sun between cold fronts, I had just finished removing the tree : ( and the sun was pouring into the living room window and it put the desk, chair, and fan back in the "old" dining room.  Have a look:

It really tickled my photography fancy.  Hope it was good for you too (especially after the long read).  Peace and pouring sunshine to you.  B : )
Please click on the button to the right if you would like to join in.

Camera Critters

These little guys (and girls) inhabit Florida in many forms.  I particularly like the ones that have red heads and argyle down their backs.  This one is not so fancy, but the rock s/he is sitting on is.  They are particularly amusing when they get in the big lizards' cage and hang out with them.

Show your critters and see more, simply by clicking on the button to the right.  Peace.  B : )

Color Carnival

Well, I did a Color Carnival post last week, but I guess I forgot to link it to the meme - DUH!  So here's a new one : )

Tah Dah - this year's Christmas tree.

Peace.  B : )

If you'd care to join in, just click on the button to the right, but don't forget to link it : )