Weekend Reflections

 (Weekend Reflections # 144)

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com/2012/06/piazza-della-repubblica-weekend.html

I was driving downtown and got behind a truck with a reflective back panel.  I was facinated by the constantly changing views (though distorted) of what was behind me.  I finally grabbed my camera and snapped a picture ... not a smart thing to do when you are driving, but being a camera geek, I couldn't resist.

Six Word Saturday

      Beautiful Bride and Groom ...Wonderful Wedding

Photo Art Friday

I have often turned photos into paintings because I love the effect.  But, this week I decided to experiment a little more and make it more interesting.  A friendly blogger gave me the names of several free editing programs on the net, so I played with those as well.  I am happy with the results mainly because I love my model ... she is my granddaughter.  So here we go ...

Two totally different looks.  Two totally differend effects.  And one beautiful Granddaughter ... (Spoken like a typical Grandma)

Cat Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Since I used this big boy in my Macro Monday, I decided to give you another look at the handsome pair.   Mr. & Mrs. Swan are trying to impress you ... did it work?

A Browsing Excursion

Come Browse With Me

I am up for a change of pace. I was invited to lunch by a friend and we went to a little town in Wisconsin that is known for it's shops. Now I am not a shopper ... I was never a fashionista and the only shopping I ever really enjoyed was gift shopping for the special people in my life. But even that has changed. Living on a fixed income makes extravagance a bad word, so I have learned to browse ... and then, this time, I browsed with my camera and found a whole new meaning to the word shopping. It was a ball and I can share it with you so you can enjoy it as well.

World Bird Wednesday

I took a ride over to a Recreation Center not far from my house just to see what I could see.  It was very disappointing because it has been so hot and dry that most of the spring fed pools had dried and the water birds were no where to be seen.  Life, however, does go on ... in nature all creatures take advantage of opportunity.   I ran across an Eastern King Bird pecking for food in a dried spring bed.  He was finding plenty to eat ....

but was quickly joined by a male Killdeer, who was not happy about the King Bird being in his territory ...

so he charged at him and the King Bird chose to vacate the premises.

Not far away was the reason for Dad Killdeer's behavior.  Mom Killdeer was in the process of procuring a nest.

When she became aware of me in my car, she chose to move to a safer spot ...

Just then there was a flash of orange and I spotted an Oriole flying up to a tree in the shade behind the spring bed.

and that is when I realized, I too, was being watched ... All in a short few minutes in a hot dry place.  Yes, life does go on ... :)

Have a Wonderful Week ....

Macro Monday

Don't ask me how I was able to get up this close and personal ... I don't recommend it to anyone.  Just too good an opportunity to miss :)

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thank you Josie Two Shoes ...http://www.josie2shoes.com/

How do you say thank you to someone who has acknowledged you as an artist and a person.  I would say, I understand why you chose me because you are a kind heart and see the good in all things.  You look for ways to make others happy and to comfort and encourage them.  You share your own joy by finding ways to make them meaningful for the next person.  I would say that I am honored that you sought me out because, coming from you Josie, it is a wonderful thing.  Thank  you so very much ...

Rules:

*Thank and link back to the awarding blog.
*Answer seven questions.
*Provide 10 random facts about yourself.
*Hand the award on to 7 deserving others.

Seven Questions:

What is your favorite dessert?  Sugar is my favorite dessert, in whatever form.  I am addicted to sugar, sadly.  I don't eat it because it is like the first drink of an alcoholic ... one bite of a sweet dessert, then another and another, each time making it harder not to have another.  Now that is not all that bad except, with each additional serving of sweet stuff, I add additional pounds to my body which is bad for me.  So, I repeat, if I had a favorite dessert, it would come in some form of sweet, syrupy, gooey, yummy sugar.

What do you do when you are upset?  It depends on the circumstances and who or what I am upset about.  In a work setting I can become assertive and deal up front with a situation.  In a personal situation, however, my response is different.  I am usually very quiet about it until I have figured it out.  Somewhere, down the road, I will get a handle on it and confront it with whomever or whatever.  I have found that timing is everything ... to resolve something you have to know when it is resolvable.  Hopefully, I have learned, over many years, how to accomplish that.

What is your favorite pet?  I have five favorite pets at the moment.  Each is very special to me in their own way so, there really is no favorite.

What is your biggest fear?  I have to agree with Josie on this one.  The idea of losing my husband or either of my  children terrifies me.  I have witnessed others suffer this terrible loss, but still can't imagine the intensity of pain involved ... and it is a pain that never really resolves.

What is your guilty pleasure?  I don't feel guilty about most things I do unless I overdo them or inadvertently impose on someone else.   I figure I have paid most of my "should" and "shouldn't" dues and do pretty much as I please.  To me, guilt is wasted energy ... if I think I will feel guilty, I don't do it :)

What is perfection? I am not sure what perfection is ... I know it is an illusive entity that many people strive for and seldom achieve, at least to their satisfaction.  I don't do perfection ... I gave up on the idea when I realized that I could never be satisfied with anything if I thought it had to be perfect.  So I do my best and try to be happy with it.  I'll leave perfection to those who think they need it.

What is your attitude mostly?  My friend calls me Pollyanna with the rose colored glasses.  I admit, I do see the good in most things and I do believe in good outcomes.  Do they always happen?  No, but assuming they won't happen often makes the outcome worse than it would have to be.  "Think Positive" ... I can't begin to count the times I heard my mother say that.  It goes along with the idea of perfection.  Not all parts of everything are good or turn out the way you want, but there is no reason not to appreciate those parts of it you can.  Life is short, we should enjoy!


Ten Random Facts about me:

In my earliest memories, I lived on a farm.  I had a cat, a dog and a pet rooster which a farm hand named George ate ... I never forgave him!

My father was in school until I was in fifth grade and then was on staff at the University.  This meant that I grew up in a University town which was great because there were so many opportunities for a kid growing up.

I was(and still am) a Tomboy.  I was a late bloomer when it came to girlie girl stuff ... and some parts of it I never bought into.

I was a Majorette in high school.  My best friend, at the time, taught me how to twirl the baton and I was good enough to make the squad.  My friend was the Head Majorette ( a little influence never hurts).  My parents thought I spent too much time twirling my baton.  They thought I should be studying or doing something more productive, hmmmmm.

I was a "Town Girl" when I went to college.  That meant that I lived at home with my parents and rode back and forth to the campus with my  Dad.  I had friends who lived in the dorms so I did get a little taste of dorm life.  I didn't pledge a  sorority because my parents were against it.  I have to agree with them now.  The value system seems, too often, to breed snobbery ... not a nice way to be.

I was 23 when I got married and 27 when I had my first child.  In today's world, I was a child bride, but back then I was a late bloomer (there's that term again).  Looking back I wish I had waited a few more years so I had a little more maturity when I started dealing with real life issues.  But, hay, my Mother was 18 when she got married and she was the best Mother ever.

My nursing is a second career for me.  I went back to college when my kids were in high school(and didn't mind my being gone from home every day).  My Mother was a nurse, so it was probably a forgone conclusion that I would follow in her footsteps.

After I retired from the hospital, I worked at a Raptor Rehab Facility for four years.  It was wonderful work.  We treated and saved hundreds of raptors every year.  Our goal was to return them to the wild, but we sometimes had to keep or place the birds that wouldn't have survived in the wild.  Those birds were used in education programs and we worked with them daily to ensure their quality of life.  They were wonderful, spirited raptors who I will always adore.  Our funding was withdrawn by the village and the birds were turned over to someone who had little appreciation or time for them.  We were never even able to visit them.  Soon after ten of them died when their mues were overheated ... Broken heart doesn't even begin to describe ...

I believe in physical activity.  I don't mean going to the gym and pumping iron or running on a treadmill.  I mean getting up off your toosh and doing stuff, walking, gardening, playing Frisbee with the dog, running the dog in agility trials, cleaning house (ugh).  Anything at all that makes your body move and, as an added plus, stimulates the brain (blood flow:) ... oh yes, the brain, at my age, needs STIMULATION.  It is my fervent hope that when I go, I go in the middle of doing something I love, never to feel like I have missed out on something because I was too lazy to do it.  So, I  will plug on, move, move, move ...

The last fact brings up another of my issues.  I hate to clean house.  I don't know why I hate to clean house, I just do.  I can procrastinate until it is falling down around me (that is a bit of an exaggeration, because I do have my limits).  The odd thing is, if I once get myself going on the cleaning, I am a wild woman.  Clean, Clean, Clean until I drop.  Maybe that is why I hate to clean ... I don't want to drop.

I will pass this award on to four bloggers who I have enjoyed and respect for their views or their talents.  Many of the Bloggers that I follow are "no  award" blogs, so it is no easy task to pass this on.  But there are those who do deserve it and would enjoy receiving it.  The Blogs I have chosen are:

Nancy at  My Cone flower Ranch. http://www.myconeflowerranch.com/ Nancy takes delightful pictures and adds her commentary.  She talks about every day life and makes it interesting and fun.

Stephanie at Gilded Junque.http://gildedjunque.blogspot.com/  Stephanie is me a few years back.  She is a collector of all kinds of interesting items and is very creative in what she does with them.  Her blog takes us to interesting places to shop.


Electra at Wishin' I Knew How To Blog. http://wishiniknewhowtoblog.blogspot.com/   Electra is the most prolific blogger ever with endless new ideas and art projects.


Wanda Plain-N-Simple at Tailfeather Chronicles. http://tailfeatherchronicles.blogspot.com/ Wanda is a photographer and her pictures are crisp, clean and she always captures the essence of her subjects.

Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Six Word Saturday

                                Hot and Dry ... We need Rain!

Photo Art Friday

                   

            
You don't see nest houses often anymore.  They have been replaced by all kinds of fancy bird houses, though I honestly think that most birds would prefer the simplicity of this nest house.   I don't have anything but Photoshop Elements to work with, so I just experiment until I get something that pleases me.  I am not sure I could even tell you how I arrived at this picture ... still, I hope you can enjoy it.

Cat Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

I seem to be drawn to the preening bird pictures and this week is no exception.  This time I ran across an adorable little Barn Swallow doing his daily bath ... was he prettying up for the girls, of just being hygienic ... Your guess is as good as mine :)  Enjoy ...

Macro Monday

Sunday Selections

                  Even in death, I am beautiful ...

Shadow Shot Sunday 2