Merry Christmas!!!

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."  ~Norman Vincent Peale

The photos have nothing to do with Christmas other than being taken during the season.  The quote is one I found and I liked.  Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

My Sweet Angels

Charlie

Annie

"Sometimes the angels God sends to watch over us have four legs and a tail."  ~Anonymous

These are my sweet angels Charlie and Annie.  I honestly don't know what I'd do without them.  They have brought so much love, joy and laughter into my life. 

Delightful findings

I spent most of the day walking around the backyard and down the dirt road in front of the house.  I found these images and thought they were good enough to share with those of you that still drop by from time to time.

 

I hope you enjoy them. 

 

Light shining through some leaves. 

I saw this bunch of leaves and thought they were pretty.  I took a photo but didn't realize how nice they looked until now. 

An old neglected fence at the front near the road.  The home it belongs to is abandoned.  I love how the light is hitting the fence. 

Annie at the back of the property.  I'm not sure what she's looking at.  She probably looked away because I had the camera out.

Charlie walking through the multitude of leaves that have fallen in the past week.  Although this photo doesn't show it the leaves are a mix of brown, red, yellow/gold and a few green ones here and there.

Trees with very few remaining leaves.  I like this one against the blue sky and white clouds.  I took this from the dirt road in front of the house. 

Some trees have very few leaves left but some of them like this one is already starting to produce new buds. 

I like the bokeh in this this one and how the sun light shines through the leaves. 


"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."  ~Kahlil Gibran

Finding beauty everywhere

"If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere."  ~Vincent Van Gogh

I'm quite positive this is some kind of weed but I have no idea what it's called. It's very pretty whatever it is. There is quite a bit of it growing around the yard and along side the streets here in Spring Hill. The last photo in the previous post "Little Treasures" is the same plant. 

Little Treasures

Found these little treasures in the backyard. 

Acorns and Butterflies

Just a couple of the photos I took over the past two months.

Happy Birthday Mama!

Today is my Mama's birthday.  She's celebrating it in heaven this year.  I added one candle for her first year in heaven.  We all sang Happy Birthday and then had a piece of cake in her honor.  I love you Mama and I miss you.

Gratitude

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends".
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

This isn't a great photo but I still like it.  It was taken quite a while back in Wimauma.  I love Hibiscus, they are probably one of my favorite flowers.  As for the quote, I liked it and thought I'd share it with you today.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

~Cindy

Friendship

"A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be."  ~Douglas Pagels

I haven't posted anything recently and was going through my archives and found this red flower.  I don't know the name and I believe I posted it once on another blog.  Hope you enjoy it.  Wishing all my friends a safe and most beautiful day. 

~Cindy

Tree and Sky

"The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend."  ~Henry David Thoreau

A photo of a tree I took a short while back.  I love the sky in the background and thought black and white was more dramatic.  I found the quote, liked it and thought I'd share it with you.

Mama's Old Bench

"The sweetest sounds to mortals given, are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven."  ~William Goldsmith Brown

Mama's bench first sat under the Oak tree at our  home in Wimauma and then when we moved to Spring Hill it sat under a tree in the front side yard.  Now it sits under this Oak in my sisters front yard in Spring Hill.  The only think missing from this bench is Mama.  Mama loved sitting on this bench but because of her RA she rarely got the chance. 

The view from Crisp Park

Crisp Park, St. Petersburg Florida

"There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer."  ~Ansel Adams 

I recently discovered an app on my iPad that I just LOVE!  It's called XnView Fx.  It's one of many I've found and think is just the bees knees!  This photo was modified with an effect called Polaxoid.  I hope it looks as good here (on your computer) as it does on the iPad, which by the way I am enjoying way too much.  How did I live without it for so long.  Wishing everyone a wonderfully fantastic weekend.

Until next time...

Cindy

St. Petersburg Florida

"When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind." ~Seneca

I spent yesterday with my sister and her husband on the boat.  The city you see is St. Petersburg, Florida.  We moved from here quite a few years ago but my sister and her husband, kids, grandkids still live here.  It was a beautiful day with a slight breeze.  I had a wonderful time but got a bit sunburned.  I've swollen up pretty good but it's starting to go down.  Happy Thursday everyone.  

Until next time...

The Little Shed

"Don't compare your life with anyone else's; you have no idea what their journey is about."   ~Unknown 

A photo of the little shed that sits on the outside of the fence surrounding my sisters property. Nothing special about it. I just love the rustic look to it and the wood pile that's beside it. The box looking object is a little cart.  Wishing all of you something good and wonderful.  Happy weekend.


~Cindy

Charlie relaxing on the back lawn

"Dogs are miracles with paws."  ~Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy

This is my first attempt at an HDR photo.  I used an app on my ipad called "SimplyHDR HD" to make it.  I guess it still counts as an HDR photo.  I did have to make adjustments to get it just the way I wanted.  Anyway, the photo looks amazing on the ipad.  The computer here doesn't do it justice.   I hope it looks better for you.  When it comes to taking Charlie's photo he is such a good little guy.  Annie on the other hand is stubborn and shys away from the camera.  They are like night and day.

Morning light and shadows

"Hope is like the sun, which as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us." ~Samuel Smiles

This tree is in my sisters backyard.  It's just about dead but still has a couple of limbs that still sprout green leaves. 

Yellow Flowers

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you...write them on the tablet of your heart."  Proverbs 3:3 NIV

Some beautiful yellow flowers growing in a shallow clay pot in the front yard.  Apologies but I haven't a clue as to what they are called.  No luck in finding them online.  If you know please leave me a comment.  I'd appreciate it.  I'm thinking they must be some kind of daisy.  

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.  Glad you stopped by.

Pretty Simple

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air..."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo of a branch with leaves that I thought was pretty.  I love how you can see the shadows of the leaves on the far side and the bokeh effect in the background.  Wishing everone a wonderful Wednesday.

Katyhopper

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. "  ~Jules Renard

A Katydid/grasshopper I photographed quite a while ago while living in Wimauma.  I took this from the archives.  I've also posted this before but on a no longer existing blog.  So here it is again.  Hopefully, those of you visiting haven't seen it before.  If you have I hope you don't mind seeing it again.  I have been bitten by the lazy bug and haven't the energy to turn on the desktop and go through the 300 plus photos taken over the last two days.  Most will be deleted but I hope to find a few to post over the next couple of weeks at least. 

I had actually prepared two blog posts that were scheduled to post tonight and tomorrow night at midnight but while messing around with blogger dashboard on the iPad I deleted them by accident.  Will do my best to find something new to post for tomorrow, until then please enjoy the "katyhopper" (I know that's not a real word).  I think he/she is kind of cute.  Don't you?  Oh, and the quote has nothing to do with the photo.  I just liked it and thought I'd share.

Wishing everyone a fantastic Tuesday!!

Sunlit Marigolds

"Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed."  ~Walt Whitman

Some Marigolds my sister planted.  They look beautiful with the evening sun shining on them

A Glorious Morning Sky

 

"I was born to catch dragons in their dens
And pick flowers
To tell tales and laugh away the morning
To drift and dream like a lazy stream
And walk barefoot across sunshine days."

~James Kavanaugh,

The sky a little after 8:30am this morning.  I was in a black and white kind of mood.  Wishing everyone a blessed Sunday and a wonderful week. 

Light Giving

"To give light to those who sit in darkenss and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace."  ~Peace: Luke 1:79

I attended the memorial service for my Brother-in-Law's cousin yesterday.  It was a very lovely service.  As I sat in the front entrance of the church after the service I couldn't help notice the beautiful chandelier's hanging from the ceiling.  I shot this with my phone camera and then added an effect from an app called littlephoto.  I really like the way it came out.  I think it looks ethereal.

Life is full of beauty

"Life is full of beauty.  Notice it.  Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces.  Smell the rain, and feel the wind.  Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."  

~Ashley Smith

 

From my archives.  I sharpened it a little.  Hopefully not too much.  Wishing everyone a wonderful Monday and week.  Happy blogging.

The Story of the Trees

 

"The oaks and the pines, and their brethren of the wood,
have seen so many suns rise and set, so many seasons come and go,
and so many generations pass into silence,
that we may well wonder what "the story of the trees" would be to us
if they had tongues to tell it, or we ears fine enough to understand." ~ Author Unknown

Both photos taken with my Android phone and the app "LittlePhoto".  The first photo's effect is called f/1.4 lens and the second photo's effect is called Lomo. 

Charlie & Annie

 

 "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."  ~Roger Caras

My two best friends.

Red Bellied Woodpecker

"And the song, from beginning to end, I found in the heart of a friend."  ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I found this little guy in the archives.  It was taken back in Wimauma.  I know this little guy or gal has a red head but I believe this is called a "Red Bellied Woodpecker".  I added a canvas texture to it.

Approaching Storm

It seems that these days I'm sorely lacking in any really good photos to post.  I've resorted to posting some that I'm sure I posted on another no longer existing blog but since some of you have never seen these I thought why not.  All of the photos were taken in Wimauma, Florida.  A place I dearly love.  It didn't start out that way, mind you.  I was excited about moving there but I was terribly home sick and it took almost six months for me to adjust.  Once I did I loved it there.  We no longer live there but I have a small collection of nice photos to remember it by.  Or at least I think they're nice.

If I remember correctly the first two photos were taken on the same day.  The above photo of the storm as it rolled in - I love storms.  I know that may sound ridiculous but I do.  They are so moody and I love  how everything turns a unique shade of yellowy green and the leaves and grass stand out like a beautiful sore thumb against the dark clouds.

This photo is after the rain fell and the storm had passed.  The land behind the fence is a Muck Pond.  It's protected wet lands (maybe I should say "area").  Anyway, it's not allowed to be mowed or cut in anyway.  Wild birds such as Herons, Egrets, Storks, Flamingos, ducks... visit and when they do it's so exciting.  I would always run out camera in hand and try to get as close as I could to get some shots before they noticed me and took off.  I would not make a great spy.  They'd hear and see me coming a mile away.  Unfortunately there are no birds in this photo.  There is however, a white egret/heron in the photo above off to your left.

This is the first photo I took of rain drops dripping off of pine tree needles.  I was so excited that this photo came out and I think the bokeh is awesome.  I love this photo.  Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle,...sparkle.

And the last is a shot of a Mockingbird sitting in a tall tree in the back of our property.   The day was gorgeous as you can tell.  Not a cloud in the sky.

Well, that's all for now.  Wishing all of you a wonderful rest of the weekend.

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby".  ~Langston Hughes

Bibles, Birds, Skies and Candles

Wow!  The weekend is already here and the weather has turned cold.  Today was not an exceptional day by anyone's standards but I did finally find my old Blackberry Pearl cell phone.  I was using it for the music that I have stored on the media card.  I can't tell you how much hair I lost looking for it over the past three weeks. Okay, so I didn't really lose any hair but it was very irritating and frustrating.   Packing is going well.   The house is almost empty with the exception for my Dad's room and my bedroom, the dining table and my Dad's TV and chair.  There are a few odds and ends to pack as well as the kitchen.  Most of the stuff, furniture, what-knots will go into storage until we find another home.  We'll be taking only what we really need to my sisters.  Which if you know me - that's everything I own.  Okay, I'm just kidding.  It's not everything but close.  I haven't had much time to go out and take photos but I did find a couple or so ones on the hard drive and I took some with my Android phone so I thought I'd share those with you.

This is just a little photo of some of my bibles.  Don't ask me why I felt the need to take a photo of them but I did.  I then added a window and aged effect to it along with a frame.  This photo is taken with the Android and the effects came from an app called LittlePhoto.  It's a cool little app that I'm going to enjoy messing around with.  Can't wait to see what other little goodies it has to offer.

This photo of a Mockingbird was taken awhile back.  Not the best photo but I like it. I think they have a lot of guts these little birds and they are very tenacious.  They fight the hawks with not one ounce of fear or at least it seems that way.

You must forgive me but I can't remember if this is a sunrise or a sunset.  All I can quote is, "Every sunset is also a sunrise. It all depends on where you stand". ~ Karl Schmidt.  I used this quote on a photo of a sunrise in a previous post.  I guess I knew that but never really thought of it that way.  This photo has a canvas texture applied to it. 

And last but by no means least - a little memorial scene setup for my Mom who passed away on November 26, 2011.  We keep a candle burning near her urn when we are home.  The only time it isn't lit is when we are asleep or gone.  The urn is in the back with the praying hands.  The chicken was one of her favorites.  The flame on the candle gets quite high and the wick has to be cut back.  Can you say "fire hazard".  Oh, and this was also taken with the Android but the frame I did on the computer.  Miss you Mom more than anything and each day seems harder than the one before.  Does it ever get easier?  I love you Mom!

Well, that's about it for today.  I will share a little bit of news with you that I think I'm excited about.  As some of you know I am jobless.  It's still hard here in Florida to find jobs, even after you've graduated with a degree, as I'm sure it is everywhere else.  Anyway, I've decided to apply to become a substitute teacher.  I've always wanted to teach but I have a real difficult time speaking publicly but thought why not give it a chance.  So, please wish me luck.  I'll let you know how things go.

Until next time.  Have a wonderful weekend and remember...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover."  ~Mark Twain