Morning and Evening Light

"In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary." ~Aaron Rose

The first photo is of some wild grass or weed. I thought it looked rather pretty with the sky and evening light behind it. The other flowers are Mexican Petunia's taken this morning. I love how the light shines through the blooms. 

Until next time...

Cindy

Magnolia Blossoms

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.  All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."  ~Helen Keller

Happy Wednesday everyone.  

Until next time...

Cindy

Feathered Friends

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Chickadee

I wish the Chickadee was more in focus but I like the bokeh in the background.

Blue Jay

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart."  ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Just a few feathered friends I thought I'd share.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Until next time...

Cindy

Smiles of Nature

"Colors are the smiles of nature."  ~Leigh Hunt

Annie update:  She ate her breakfast a little slower this morning because she's still a little drugged.  Also I think her throat might be sore from the breathing tube they had in her during surgery.  She's been crying off and on since just before breakfast.  I'm pretty sure she needs to go outside but it hurts her to go down the ramp, which is the only way for her to get out.  She goes back to the vet at 3:15 for a clean bandage and possibly a pain shot. Clean bandage wasn't due until Thursday but it got wet when she went out earlier.  We sure don't want her paw to get infected.  A big thank you to all of you who have asked about her and sent prayers and well wishes.  Annie and I really appreciate it.  

Wishing everyone a wonderful day.  

Until next time...

Cindy

I'm feeling artsy today

I dug into the archives for these.  Hope you don't mind.  These photos were taken last year (May 8, 2012) while out on the boat with my sister and her husband (my BIL).  I did post one of the St. Pete skyline but that was all. The photos themselves didn't come out very well which is why they have a cross hatch effect applied to them.  I kind of like it and I think it enhances the retro feel of the buildings, especially the first two.  They look artsy don't you think.


Brightwater Towers Condominiums on Snell Isle

One of my favorite buildings in St. Pete (Snell Isle).  I believe it was built in 1962.

St. Petersburg Pier

I've been here a few times in my life.  It's a nice way to spend some time and it's on the water so you can't beat that.  This pier is set to close soon and a new one built.    If you're interested to see what the new pier will look like watch the video here or visit the photo gallery here and look for the gallery link at the top of the page.  The inverted pyramid pier seen here opened in 1973 but the pier has existed in some form or another since 1889.

St. Petersburg skyline

Most of the day was spent right here around this spot.  My sister and BIL fished while I took photos.  I like to fish but my main objective was to take photos.  So while they messed around with smelly bait and fish I sat back, took photos and got sunburned. Overall it was a great day.  

:    :    :

Please send good thoughts and prayers Annie's way tomorrow.  She's having surgery to remove one of her toes.  She's such a sweet baby.  I can't wait until tomorrow is over and she's home and doing okay. 

  

Annie

"How sure I feel, how warm and strong and happy
For the future!  How sure the future is within me;
I am like a seed with a perfect flower enclosed...."
~D.H. Lawrence


Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday afternoon and a magnificent Monday.

Until next time...

Cindy

Pretty in Purple

"The search for happiness is unlike any other search, for we search last in the likeliest places."  ~Robert Brault

Mexican Petunias planted by my sister a couple or so weeks ago.  The blooms are very pretty but they don't last very long. 

Wishing everyone a super Saturday night and a wonderful Sunday.

Until next time...

Cindy

In Sweet Remembrance of Mama

I've had my Mama on my mind all day and I've worked on this post off and on all day.  Not sure what I really wanted to say but knowing that I wanted to in some way make it about her.  So as I sat here wondering what to write it occurred to me that flowers have special meanings and so I set off in search of the meaning of Periwinkles.  After a short search I found out they can represent, fidelity, spiritual harmony or sweet remembrance.  So, I post these simple but beautiful Periwinkles in remembrance of my Mama who passed away eighteen months ago this past Sunday May 26.  It's hard to believe it's been that long.  She was an amazing Mother and friend and is loved and missed beyond measure.  I wish there was something more (meaning better) that I could do for her than just post some flower photos.  

The Periwinkles are from my sisters planter garden.

 

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree.  The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.”  ~Rose Kennedy

Wishing everyone a wonderful Friday night and a fantastic weekend. 

Until next time...

Cindy

Perseverance

 

This little guy got himself caught up in the Oak tree by Annie.  She wasn't about to let him come down and get away.  He made many attempts to get to one of the feeders but Annie was always there to run him back up.  I eventually felt sorry for the little guy and took the dogs in.  I'm sure he feasted after we went inside.  Isn't he a cutie?

 



Annie is so determined to catch a squirrel.  She can sit and watch the tree all day.  Thankfully she's never caught one.  Isn't she a beauty?

"Perseverance, secret of all triumphs."  ~Victor Hugo

Wishing everyone a wonderful tomorrow.

Until next time...

~Cindy

Zebra Longwing (I think)

I found this little butterfly on the Lantana growing next to the fence.  I think it's called a Zebra Longwing, also known as the Florida State Butterfly (not the university). 

"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."  ~Nathanial Hawthorne

Wishing everyone a marvelous Monday and rest of the week. 

Until next time...

~Cindy

The Young Ones

My mornings are spent outside in the backyard with the pups.  While they roam and explore the yard, I sit back, relax and do a little bird watching.  Lately, we've been getting outside around 7am.  The sun is just barely up and so there is plenty of cool shade to sit in.  The birds are extremely active at that time of the morning and I get quite a few different visitors to the feeders. 

This past Thursday I had four visitors.  A Cardinal pair and their three fledgling babies.  They tried eating seed on their own but unfortunately they weren't very successful.  I did manage to get a couple of shots of Dad feeding them but they didn't come out very well.

This baby looks comfortable sitting on this branch.  I have noticed that the babies aren't as easily spooked as the parents.  They didn't care if the dogs barked at them or if other birds landed near them. 

This is a more recent photo.  All three of them have started to exhibit a little more red in their feathers.  At first I thought they were all female but now I'm not sure. 

 

This baby kept trying to eat the black feeder hook.  It tried quite a few times and then gave up.  Only to return later and try again. 

 

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Until next time...

 

~Cindy



Today, tomorrow and beyond

"May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,

To bring you luck, happiness and riches

Today, tomorrow and beyond."  ~Irish Blessing

I've been trying to get a good photo of a butterfly for a week or so now but this is the best I've gotten.  I like the subtle difference in its color from one photo to the next.  That's a leaf in the background but it looks like something else or at least it does to me.  What do you think?

Happy blogging

~Cindy

I ❤ Woodpeckers

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."  ~E. E. Cummings

I took these early evening yesterday while sitting in the backyard.  I love the bokeh effect.  I used the iPad app PhotoToaster to add the white vignette and the soft white frame.  

Happy Tuesday everyone and happy blogging.

~Cindy

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

"It is not half so important to know as to feel."  ~Rachel Carson

I discovered this little guy/gal flitting between two trees one evening this past weekend.  As far as I can tell it's a Palm Warbler.  I used my iPad app PhotoToaster to add the stone texture, a white vignette and a soft white frame.  

Have a great week everyone.  Until next time happy blogging.

~Cindy

Wings

Northern Cardinal

"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself.
Go forward and make your dreams come true."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I had no idea I had gotten this shot.  Unfortunately, it's not very clear and sharp.  I used an iPad app called PhotoToaster to add a texture to help hide some of the flaws.  

Until next time happy blogging.

~Cindy

Remembering Mama

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  ~Romans 12:12

I've been thinking about my Mama a lot lately.  She's always on my mind but the last few weeks she's been there more and more.  I love remembering the times we spent together and talking on the phone as I drove home from class or work.  She was always interested in my day.  It seems that there isn't anything that doesn't make me think of her.  She's everywhere.  She loved spring time and Easter.  This is my second Easter without her and although today is a joyous day it doesn't feel the same without her here. Nothing does.  

I am so thankful for the time I had with her. She was an amazing Mom.  I love you more than I can say Mama and I miss you more than anything.  I will see you again one day.

I hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  Happy Easter!

Until next time happy blogging.

~Cindy

Northern Mockingbird

"You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance."  ~Khalil Gibran

This is a small Oak tree that appeared to be dead.  However in the past couple or so weeks it has developed buds which you can see in the photo.  The Mockingbird seems to enjoy its perch here because I've seen it sitting in this tree before and often.

This post would have been up sooner but I heard a terrible noise around 10am and realized it was my Dad.  He had fallen in his bedroom.  My sister and I tried to get him up but we weren't able to.  No neighbors around to help so I called 911.  The EMT's came, picked him up and checked him out.  He's okay!  

Until next time happy blogging.

~Cindy

Yellow-throated Warbler

Yellow-throated Warbler

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.".   ~Henry David Thoreau

This was probably the second or maybe the third time that this bird visited the tree where the feeders hang.  I was so excited that it came back.  It's a very quiet bird and at first I didn't even see it but luckily it caught my eye and I had just enough time to snap these before it flew off.

Wishing everyone a magnificent Monday.  Until next time happy blogging.

~Cindy

It's the red bird

Male Cardinal 

"Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it."  ~Eliza Tabor

I love the way he's standing.  I think he was disappointed because there were no Sunflower seeds on the post for him.  I've been purposefully neglectful in putting them on top of the post because I want them all to feed from the feeders.  Happily I can say they are but on ocassion they still visit the post.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week.  Until next time, happy blogging.

~Cindy

Grace

Azalea blooms

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  ~2 Corinthians 12:9

Azalea blooms from my sisters garden.  I added an antique effect to the photo using an iPad app called PhotoToaster.

Swallow-tail Kite

Swallow-tail Kite, Spring Hill Florida 03/13/13

"No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings."  ~William Blake

These are amazing birds.  Per my iBird South app they are considered the most adept and acrobatic flier of all the raptors (Audubon does not consider these birds raptors).  It also says that in some nests two eggs are laid but the first chick to hatch kills the younger chick.  Ornithologists refer to this as obligate siblicide.  I think that is sad but I understand it's the nature of these beautiful birds.  I wish I could have gotten a better photo and one of the face but it was flying high and I wasn't able to get in a good position due to trees.

Until next time...happy blogging.

~Cindy

Songbirds

This post was meant to be posted early this morning but due to interruptions I've had to put it aside quite a few times today.  I thought about just posting it tomorrow but I wanted to post something today so, here it is.   

After yesterdays little bit of rain the weather here has turned a little cold but supposedly for only a short time.  The forcasted low for the morning was 39 and our high today is about 74. I really thought that winter was over but I keep forgetting this is Florida.  

Chipping Sparrow on Oak branch

 

I believe this is called a Chipping Sparrow.  I've been seeing this little bird for quite some time now but haven't been able to get a really good photo of it.  This is the best I've gotten so far.  It loves to forage around the bottom of the tree where two of the bird feeders are hanging.  It blends so well into the brown grass that it's hard to spot.  Luckily for me it decided to perch in the tree this time.  Cute little thing!

 

Cardinal (male) on wire fence next to feeders

This beautiful male Cardinal decided to grace me with his presence this morning as I sat near the feeders.  He sat on the fence for quite a while.  I think he was contemplating whether or not to visit the feeder.  After a short while he decided against a visit and flew off...

Cardinal (male) sitting above feeders in Oak tree

 

just as this male flew into the tree.

 

Blue Jay sitting on seed post

 

This was taken a few days ago but I wanted to share it with you.  I love Blue Jays!  I think they're such beautiful birds and I really enjoy hearing their musical "queedle-queedle" call. 

 

.    .    .    .

 

And the songbirds keep singing

Like they know the score

And I love you, I love you

I love you like never before
~ Eva Cassidy

 

.    .    .    .

 

Until next time...happy blogging

 

~Cindy

Ho-hum of a day

Nothing all that great to post today. I'm a little ho-hum about blogging the last couple or so days. I love blogging and I love posting and sharing my photos. I guess I'm a little more tired than usual and the simple things seem to wear me out more easily than before.

The following are three of six photos I took earlier today.  Three of the photos came out horribly and so I won't post them.  I will tell you they are of the Chickadee when it first lands thru take off.


 

Hello gorgeous!

 

Slurp, slurp, slurp...slurp

 

Ahh, that was cool and refreshing

 

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time."   ~Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Today started off rather ordinary and finished the same way. The sky was overcast and at times some dark clouds rolled in and then out. Tomorrow we have a 70% chance of rain and although we need it I'm dreading not being able to get outside with my camera. Hopefully, it will rain early in the day and then clear out. 

Have a great Tuesday everyone!