The Life of Water

Raindrops ON spiderwebs; Water drops drip OFFa duck's beak.
(Click all pictures for larger view)

"Everywhere water is a thing of beauty gleaming in the dewdrop, singing in the summer rain." ~ John Ballantine Gough

Water comes in all forms; gas, liquid and solid. Small raindrops glisten in the sun, trapped in the little spider's web refract the sunlight into the colors of the rainbow. The geese and ducks splash and swim in the lake, dipping into the water for food. Water rolls off the duck's back and head, dripping of his beak as the camera stops motion.

Fish swimming IN the shallow backyard pond.

Fish

The little fish are silent
As they swim round and round.
Their mouths are ever talking
A speech without a sound.

Now aren't the fishes funny
To swim in water clear
And talk with words so silent
That nobody can hear?

~ Arthur S. Bourinot

Water pours OUT of the fish's mouth. Brooklyn Botanical Garden.

"When summer days are long and hot
the cool water of the fountains
calls to me...
come jump and splash,
get wet and wiggle with abandon!
Bring a friend or two...
have a water fight...
and I go... because who
can resist the call of the
water!
~ Kerri Russ

STILL waters reflect images of life.

"No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see. ~ Proverb

FLOWING water, dancing leaves.

"Water flows humbly to the lowest level. Nothing is weaker than water, yet for overcoming what is hard and strong, nothing surpasses it." ~ Lao Tzu

I love to sit on the bank of a pond or a pool of water, when there is no wind and the surface is smooth like glass. There are no ripples, save the occasional bubbling from a passing fish or the tiny ripples formed from the light touch of a flying insect. One has a hard time telling where the shore meets the water; all the trees, flowers, even animals and people are reflected in the water's surface. I've seen the most intense burning colors of red, orange and gold reflected in fall, a stark intertwined network of skeleton trees in the winter, the delicate pinks and whites of dogwood blossoms in spring and the full dark green leaves of summer against the background of a deep blue sky and fluffy white clouds. Still waters reflect the glory of creation in a quiet and serene tone.

But when water flows, it demonstrates the power of creation. We've all seen the power of water when small gently flowing streams are turned into raging rivers that sweep cars, bridges and even homes away. Even the trickling streams of water in the drainage ditch behind our house sends leaves dancing downstream ahead of the tiny waves and the constant flow of a large river carves huge deep canyons over time.

Where the ocean waters meet the land. Virginia Beach.

"The shore is an ancient world, for as long as there has been an earth and sea, there has been this place of the meeting of land and water." ~ Rachel Carson

And then there are the oceans, vast expanses of water that is home to thousands of species. Imposing and yet very intimate and personal. Is there anything more soothing than the sound of the waves rolling in and flowing out from the shore; nature's lullaby? Powerful and gentle, menace and comfort, strong and weak.... water. Water is all around, above, below and within us. Water is life.

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "water". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

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The Promise....

....of a new season. (Click picture to enlarge)

"Mistress Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells,
And pretty maids all in a row."
~ Nursery Rhyme

The first new growth of Spring; daffodils, or perhaps crocus. New life pushing up through the pine needle covering. This is always an exciting discovery, for where there are daffodils and crocus, the tulips and forsythia will not be far behind. Today, a new discovery; tiny bursts of green on the tips of the fig tree and a hint of opening buds on the lilac. All nature is getting into the act.

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "growth". (end of post)

The Spar and Spit

"Ignorant people think it's the noise which fighting cats make that is so aggravating, but it ain't so; it's the sickening grammar they use." ~ Mark Twain

It's catnip playtime! Look! Here's the big jar of catnip chunks and my goodness, there are cat toys inside. They have been marinating for several days. Miss Clover checks it out, Miss Chloe feigns disinterest and Lady Willow looks on from the side.

Clover digs out the brown fuzzy mouse and begins her play.... ohhhh! The smell of catnip is heavenly, just heavenly. Willow waits for her turn.

When Clover comes up for a little air, Willow moves in for a sniff and to check out this curly haired mouse. Perhaps it will make a nice addition to the food bowl. Clover gets tense; she is not amused at all.

Suddenly the fight erupts with snarling and growling and Clover with her ears back throws the first punch, a right jab. Willow counters with a right cross and the melee is on, paw to paw combat. The sounds that emanate from Clover's mouth are loud and threatening, but Willow makes very little noise. She is all action as she gets in a flurry of punches.

Willow is all business as she has her right paw poised to strike again, but Clover takes the fight to another level! Just look at those bared fangs! Hissing and yowling and growling but always in a position to cut and run. Miss Clover appears very serious about this, yet Willow seems calm.

Could it be that Willow knows she weighs twice as much as Clover and that the fur around her neck is thicker than Clover's teeth can grab? Willow's claws are pin prick sharp, yet she keeps them retracted as she spars. She has learned that these momentary outbursts of Clover's are mostly for show and it really isn't in her nature to be disturbed by much of anything.

After her last histrionics, Clover moves away and both are soon napping; in separate corners, of course.

Now that Willow and Clover have finished their fist fight, they can visit the other cats on Friday's Ark, hosted by the Modulator. Then on Sunday, perhaps they will play nice at the Carnival of the Cats, hosted this week by IMAO. See you there. (end of post)

The Harbinger of Spring

Mr. Robin comes to visit.
(Click picture to enlarge)

Spring Is Coming

March has warmed the icy blasts,
And the wintertime is past.
Now we hear the robins sing-
Happy harbingers of spring.
Little buds will wake from sleep,
From the ground their faces peep.
Do you know why all the fun?
Spring is coming on the run.

~ Dorothy Hevener

In some areas the robin is the last bird to leave in the fall and the first to arrive in spring. Here the robins are at home all year, but in spring their numbers are amazing. The other evening my mom and I saw a flock of almost fifty robins on a freshly mowed lawn. All were doing the robin dance... hop..hop..hop... tilt the head.... stab the ground... swallow the worm. Today this fellow showed up in the flower bed after I had pulled all the weeds and raked the topsoil. I did all the work; he reaped the reward. I didn't mind, how could you when the air is alive with a symphony of songs. It really is Spring.

I almost used the crocus entry for Thurday's Challenge as well. But decided this would be another colorful take on "spring". (end of post)

Juxtaposition...

....the old and the new. (Click picture for larger view)

"Architecture aims at Eternity." ~ Christopher Wren

Grand Central Station, with intricate curved arches, complex statues and that glint of gold represents the old architecture of New York City. It is everywhere, refurbished and restored; the buildings still in use with high stakes deals flying here and there in the bustle. In the background, a modern skyscraper with smooth, sleek lines and floor to ceiling windows; steel and glass, reflecting the sun and clouds in the sky. All over Manhattan the view is the same; old treasured architecture mixed with glossy futuristic construction. Where else could such juxtaposition between the past, present and future work and mesh so well?

Submission for LensDay topic "architecture". (end of post)

To Paint The Laughing Soil

The crocus have bloomed and gone.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil."
~ Reginald Heber

All winter the grass is brown, the trees bare, and often the skies gray. We rely on small patches of color....a cardinal here and there, the blue patch on a female mallard wing, ever present pansies and purple ornamental cabbage... and of course, the Christmas lights. But during the coldest months of January and February, even these are too scattered and far between. Then in March, after the many "two steps forward, one step back" of fluctuating temperatures, it seems to sneak up on you and yet, bursts on the scene like an explosion. Spring! Daffodils, forsythia, dogwood, tulips, cherry trees, Bradford pear, redbud and of course those tiny harbingers of spring; small, almost an afterthought but often first... the crocus. Royalty in purple, sunshine in yellow, a clown in stripes... they come and go too soon. And Spring goes on.

Submission for Tuesday Challenge topic "spring". (end of post)

Three For The Price Of Two

Mr. Rhett assumes the position to catch some rays..with his tummy.
(Click pictures for larger view)

With the return of Spring, the sunroom has become a favorite place for the cats to lounge and "catch some rays". Later, the heat will prevent this but now it is not too hot, not too cold. So they gather to play with toys from their toy basket and when the catnip overwhelms them, they sleep; or at least rest a bit. Just outside the birds sing and the first bees and butterflies have made an appearance.

Miss Willow is a bit hungover from her catnip frenzy.

On this particular day we had more than one cat showing tummies at the same time. I had opened the big jar of catnip pellets and they had all stuck their heads in to get a whiff of the good stuff. Now we must rest and feel the warmth on our fat bellies and some of us, on our skinny bellies.

WAIT!!! Max, you are NOT a cat!

"In order to keep a true perspective of one's importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him." ~ Dereke Bruce

Even Max, wants to get into the act of showing his tummy. What is an old dog to do? He lives with seven cats and sometimes sleeps in the sunroom with them at night. He loves to have their company when the doors and windows are opened so that all that remains between them are the mesh screens. Max hears them meow to him and he whines back or squeaks his basketball. Sometimes a brave kitty will sniff noses with him through the screen door. So, forgive him for inserting himself into the "Cats on Tuesday" tummy pictures we had for today. He gets tired of them getting all the attention.

The cats (and one very furry dog) are gathering today for Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina. There will also be cat tummies at Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff.
Max loved being with the cats so much, he wanted to go see the other dogs at Friday's Ark this week.

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Well Founded Hopes

Iris seed pod. Macro.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Green is the fresh emblem of well founded hopes. In blue the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest." ~ Mary Webb

This green represents the hope of May flowers to come. The iris spread both by splitting of the root and bulb system and by seed. This is the seed pod that forms after the flower has withered away.. it is the hope of things to come. Even these are gone by Autumn, carried away by birds to parts unknown. Personally, this macro shot reminds me of those little latex cat balls, not quite spongy, not quite hard.

I thought it quite funny that this past week or two we have had three different photo memes with "green" as the topic. This one tickled me the most as it seems that the administrator of Shutterday, whose topic this week was "anything but green", suggested the topic "green" to Macroday. I guess that is one way to make sure yours is different. This will be Macroday's "green".

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Shutterday: Anything But Green

Brilliant red Cardinal and not a speck of green in sight.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Let us be like a bird for a moment perched On a frail branch when he sings; Though he feels it bend, yet he sings his song, Knowing that he has wings." ~ Victor Hugo

Cardinals are the state bird of Virginia and are commonly seen throughout the year. Their single high pitched "tweet" is distinctive but at least for me, they are notoriously difficult to photograph. Unlike the chickadee, who I would classify as aggressive, persistent and at times pretty obnoxious with their chatter, the bright red Cardinal male is shy. I hope this fellow and his mate will build a nest somewhere in the bushes of our yard this year. I remember a proud papa teaching his little one to fly. They were leaping and fluttering in the middle of our quiet street, down in Mississippi. Papa kept pecking at him to "try again" and finally he flew to the top of a fence post. Baby bird flapped and flapped and managed to get lift enough to get half way up the chain link fence, then to the top of the dog house and finally to the post beside his proud papa. They are quite the striking red, are they not? And not a pixel of green to be had.

The topic for Shutterday this week is "Anything but Green". I guess as they said "it wasn't easy being green", with so many "green" topics recently. When I looked through my photos, it surprised me at how many had at least a small patch of green in them... this one did not.

(end of post)

More Than Just An Empty Nest

"Empty pockets never held anyone back.
Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that."
~ Norman Vincent Peale

The bird bath is empty today.
(Click pictures to enlarge)

So is the bird feeder.

Of course we have an empty nest. (In more ways than one)

"Hey! Lady! Get with the program!"

"Fill what's empty. Empty what's full." ~ Alice Roosevelt Longworth

Yes, things have been a bit empty around here this week. But, little bird, you really must say something to the starlings. They found the bird feeders and with extremely loud voices have emptied them in a day. I promise we'll try very, very hard to do better. We'll fill the feeders and clean out the rubbish from the bath and fill it with a little water. I don't know about that nest. It's in the artificial nest from last year right now and you know how the mourning doves would rather have things "move-in ready". It might just have to stay where it is. Don't give me that look, now!

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "empty". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Sentimental Treasures

My grandmother's handiwork, crocheted lace handkerchiefs.
(Click picture for larger view)

"And there were times when one yielded quite shamelessly to the sentimental. They were more likely to be times of crickets, I think, than of birds - when it was impossible not to feel, like another essence of the sunlight, the bittersweet of life that lingers about old houses, and places where men have died, and things that forgotten hands have touched." ~ H. G. Dwight, Atlantic Monthly, 1912

My grandmother loved to crochet and quilt. She could look at an afghan and replicate the pattern on her own. Her quilts were pieced and finished by hand and she left each of us several examples of her handiwork. I have about six of these linen handkerchiefs that she made with crocheted lace borders. The work is delicate and intricate and required total concentration. These are precious because they were made before the Alzheimer's took its toll on her mind, before she could no longer remember how to write her name much less crochet. These represent my grandmother before she no longer knew my name.

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "sentimental". (end of post)

Little Man Syndrome

Chihuahua with an attitude... chases cars, headstrong.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

This is the neighbor dog from across the street. When he was a puppy he could get lost in the tall grass in the front yard. He definitely has the "little man syndrome" often known as the "Tom Cruise syndrome". He thinks he is something. His mom looks like a teenager and has no control over this dog. He runs into the street and stands there; he chases cars. I was taking pictures and he ran half way across the street, stopped and barked then growled. I just looked at him and growled back. He ran... oh, yes. "Little man syndrome."

Oh, what a fierce face.. I'm so scared!

When I was three, I had a Chihuahua named Tippy. He had "little man syndrome" too. He was a thief. If I were playing in the grass with a blocks or other toys, he would run over and steal one, take it to a tree across the yard and sit down. He didn't chew it or play with it; Tippy just wanted to make sure I couldn't play with it. Chihuahuas and three year olds don't go together. He was always under foot and one day I stepped on his toes. The vet tried to fix them but he had a reaction to anesthesia and died. They have such small bones, even a tiny child with soft sneakers on will crush them.

My friend Miss M, in Mississippi has a Chihuahua named (would you believe) Little Man. He has this same syndrome, although I understand he now weighs 16 pounds. I don't think I've ever known of a Chihuahua weighing that much. I doubt she'll be carrying him around in her purse any time soon....

This fierce (and very, very stupid to hang out in the street) little fellow will be visiting Friday's Ark and the Carnival of the Dogs this week. I do wish I knew his name. (end of post)

Starting With A Clean Slate

Green: a blackboard for Spring.
(Click picture for larger view)

"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King,
But God be with the Clown,
Who ponders this tremendous scene--
This whole experiment in green,
As if it were his own!"
~ Emily Dickinson, "No. 1333"

Winter's gray is slowly replaced with the vibrant colors of Spring; the yellow daffodil, blue periwinkle, pink hyacinth, purple crocus, red tulip. All the colors of the rainbow and more. And the backdrop for this wild Spring painting? Green. Forest, emerald, grass, mint, chartreuse, and fern green; what flower does NOT look good on a slate of soft, clean, luscious green? Who does not look forward to the exquisite smell of freshly cut green grass or the rustling of green leaves in the warm breeze? There would be no Spring, without "green".

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "green". (end of post)

Welcome, Spring!

Herald of Spring.
(Click picture to enlarge)

To The Spring

Welcome, gentle Stripling,
Nature's darling thou!
With thy basket full of blossoms,
A happy welcome now!
Aha!--and thou returnest,
Heartily we greet thee--
The loving and the fair one,
Merrily we meet thee!
Think'st thou of my maiden
In thy heart of glee?

I love her yet, the maiden--
And the maiden yet loves me!
For the maiden, many a blossom
I begged--and not in vain!
I came again a-begging,
And thou--thou givest again:
Welcome, gentle Stripling,
Nature's darling thou--
With thy basket full of blossoms,
A happy welcome now!

~ Friedrich von Schiller (1759 - 1805)

Today is the first full day of Spring; time for robins and daffodils. The pear tree is budding and the hyacinth in full bloom. Wild daffodils grow along the bank of the ditch behind my parent's house and a mallard couple practice their nesting techniques. Perhaps I'll plant wildflowers or lilies or pull weeds and dig in the dirt. It is daffodil time. It is time for color and new life to spring from the earth. It is Spring!!

Submission for LensDay topic "yellow". (end of post)

Miss Scarlett IS Hyper!

Look! A little tiny kitty. I think it is a toy.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"A cat is a very special friend who comes into your life. When it comes it brings warmth, companionship, contentment and love. Whether it's long-haired, short-haired, pedigreed or "heinz" makes no difference." ~ Sharon Lundblad

Well, we got the results back on Miss Scarlett's thyroid suppression test. They were abnormal. It turns out that her base level T4 was elevated this time and her post suppression level did not go down. So she is hyperthyroid. We started her on Tapazole in a daily dose of 0.25 cc. It is an emulsion liquid, given orally with a syringe.

It smells like catnip. Yummy!

Do you remember when you or your children were small and antibiotics were prescribed as liquid emulsions with flavoring such as cherry or grape or even bubble gum were added? This Tapazole is similar, except that the flavoring is tuna. Unfortunately, Miss Scarlett is not fond of tuna; beef is more to her liking. She threw up right after the first two doses. On the third day I fed her a small amount of the a/d (anorexic) prescription food with a syringe then gave her the tiny dose of medication and two more syringes of food. Then we sat quietly together for about half an hour, Scarlett all swaddled in a soft towel. She kept the medication down and even ate additional food (Mixed Grill Feast) on her own.

That was nice, but now I'm tired. Time to rest in the sun.

Her vet wanted to wait a couple of weeks to take out her bladder stone but I am not sure we can. Unless I start to see some weight gain we will need to do it earlier. I did feed her a couple more syringes of the a/d food before bedtime but I don't think any real improvement will be coming until the stone is out. Will keep you up to date on her progress and thank you for all your good wishes. Scarlett still has such a sweet attitude, well except for the syringe feedings and meds.

Miss Scarlett is sleeping right now, her little cat toy next to her and snuggled warm on a fleece throw. She won't mind that I've sent her pictures over to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina.
Update (3/22): She has kept her medicine down every day since Saturday. She eats pretty good on her own but I still feed her with the syringe before the medication and before bedtime. She has her growl back... since she hates the syringe, she growls and squirms... but as yet I can't tell if any weight is going on. We will check with her vet about the stone removal this week.

Scarlett loves to see the kitties on the screen when we visit Friday's Ark and the Carnival of the Cats. The carnival is hosted this week by Scribblings.

(end of post)

This Is My Father's World

Sunset (Click pictures for larger views)

"This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears.
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought."

Seagulls in flight.

"This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere."

Golden crocus in bloom.

"This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one."

Autumn splendor.

"This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home."

~ Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1901)

Thursday it was warm, even hot by many standards. Friday a front went through; temperatures dropped forty degrees and a cold rain moved in. Saturday brought more showers, gray skies and in some areas, short spits of snow... but not at our house. Today the sun is shining and glorious, yet the wind is blustery and biting. Change is inevitable. Temperature, weather, seasons, locations, circumstances, cultures, governments... the list seems endless. But God never changes. The intricate patterns of His Creation continue to reveal His Glory and Majesty. This is my Father's world.

(end of post)

Water Is Always A Good Choice

Soda pop and soft drinks tickle the nose.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you'd druther not." ~ Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835 - 1910)

My grandfather loved Dr. Pepper and believed the the advertisement... "It's good at 10, 2, and 4." My mom grew up on Dr. Pepper and poured it over vanilla ice cream to create a float. I've always known this Dr. Pepper float as a "black cow". So it's natural that I should love Dr. Pepper too. Unfortunately, I also love Pepsi, Coke, and Ginger Ale.. especially Vernor's. Root beer is good too, if you can get it in those frozen mugs at the drive in curb service stands with the waiters on roller skates. But Dr. Pepper is my favorite.

One day I was calling a pathology report to another doctor's office. My standard phone etiquette includs identifying myself to the nurse on the other end of the line. It must have been near the end of a very long day and I was put on hold. I don't know about you, but my mind tends to wander when I'm on hold. Suddenly jerked back to reality when the nurse picked up, I said, "Hello, this is Dr. Pepper and I have a path report for Dr. Gates." At this point the nurse disintegrates ino a fit of hysterical laughter on the other end of the line and then more laughing around her and so on. Composure was eventually restored after several minutes, the report was transmitted and the call ended. I can assure you that while my last name starts with the letter P, I am NOT Dr. Pepper. I think that was the day I decided it might be best to cut down on the soft drinks.

Tea for two, and two for tea.

"When the world is falling apart around you, drink tea." ~ Unknown

Tea has also been and still is a favorite of mine. Iced tea with lemon and sugar, or low-calorie sweetner now. In the northern states iced tea is served plain. Ask for sweet tea above the Mason-Dixon line and the waitress will look at you as if you are insane. Ask for iced tea in the South and she will smile sweetly and ask, "Would you like that sweet or unsweet, ma'am?" Of course all the "long i" sounds will be drawn out and delivered with a slow southern style and pace, and the "ma'am" might be replaced by "darlin" or "sugar". Only true Southern Belles know how to make real sweet iced tea and garnish it with lemon, orange or a sprig of spearmint. My daughter Nyssa, a true Mississippi belle, was a waitress in the little sandwich shop in our town and learned this secret. You'll just have to ask her to teach you some time.

You can lead the cat to the sink and the dog to the pan,
but you can't make them drink. Oh look... that doesn't seem to be a problem here.

"The dew was falling fast, the stars began to blink;
I heard a voice; it said `Drink, pretty creature, drink!'" ~ William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

Our cats have a fountain that filters their water. They love to drink from the flowing or dripping stream. A dripping bathroom faucet draws Chloe like a magnet. I have also seen Mr. Nicky spread eagle on the toilet seat with his head stuck in the bowl but my compulsive "Get out of there!!" makes him start with the most guilty look on his face and then he runs off to hide in shame. Max, the dog likes his water in the big orange dishpan. Both cats and dogs love the addition of ice cubes, not only in summer but in cooler weather as well. Max tends to eat them, crunching them up but this seems to hurt his stomach so I try to limit his ice.

Nyssa in the Atlantic Ocean... landed in the "drink".

"You've been walking in circles, searching. Don't drink by the water's edge. Throw yourself in. Become the water. Only then will your thirst end." ~ Jeanette Berson

Let's review. We have soft drinks and tea representing the "noun" and drinking children and animals to demonstrated the "verb" form. This last picture might seem off topic but it really isn't. One definition of the noun "drink" is a large body of water and the ocean is all that. Come summer the waters will be warm, the air hot and the sun baking; it will feel good to plunge head first and land in the "drink".

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "drink". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

New York City Heat

Hot time.. summer in the city.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Long lion days
Start with white haze.
By midday you meet
A hammer of heat...."

~ Philip Larkin (1922-1986)"Long lion days"

I've seen my share of 100+ degree days in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Mississippi. I've seen air conditioners that have exploded after a power failure on these days; the overworked condensers not able to handle the pressure. I've seen cars with boiling radiators, their drivers standing on the side of the road with sweat pouring down their faces. I've seen my beagle struggling to breath, her tongue and gums turning blue as her body's ability to regulate broke down and her core temp soared above 108; a heat stroke. And I've felt that thick and heavy weight of tropical humidity in the deep south that makes even temperatures under 100 feel like 120.

This picture captured the heat wave of summer in New York City. No breeze to evaporate the sweat on your skin, no clouds to break the pounding sun, the deep red haze of the heat that did not abate at nightfall.... 104 in the shade at supper, 103 at midnight, no relenting, no rain, no storm... just heat. Broadway shows, museums and restaurants are the coolest places in town. Oppressive, stifling, overpowering heat... just thinking about the summer heat makes me appreciate the cold front that just came through... Oh, the joy of 40 degree temperatures!

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "heat". (end of post)

Clover Views The World .........

..... first she ignores as all respectable cats would.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"Who needs television when you have cats?" ~ Lori Spigelmyer

Every cat loves to be "king" or "queen" of the mountain, or in this case the cat tree. The top unit is oval, lined with soft gray carpet and is placed with a corner view out of two windows in the sunroom. Here light streams in continuously throughout the day and when the windows are opened a breeze sets the glass windchimes singing with a lovely tinkling sound. Today Miss Clover has the top spot. At first she ignores me but she knows I called her, see how her ears are turned to the side.

.... then a short sideway glance to see if food is involved.

Then she condescends to glance my way. But as always it has to be with her own style, in her own time and with her own perspective on the world. This must be an upside-down, topsy-turvy day. I wonder if I look as strange to her when viewed upside down as she does to me?

.... seeing her world from a new perspective

Miss Clover may still be upside down for Friday's Ark hosted by the Modulator, but I would imagine she'll get tired of this position by Sunday when the Carnival of the Cats comes around again. The carnival is hosted this week by Pets Garden Blog. (end of post)

Holding Hands...

...and skimming stones

"As on the smooth expanse of crystal lakes
The sinking stone at first a circle makes;
The trembling surface by the motion stirr'd,
Spreads in a second circle, then a third;
Wide, and more wide, the floating rings advance,
Fill all the watery plain, and to the margin dance."
~ Alexander Pope, "Temple of Fame"

How many of you have stood on the edge of a smooth calm lake, taken a flat stone and skimmed it across the top of the water? I have seen it done but am a complete failure at the whole process. Perhaps I've never been able to pick the right type of stone or hold it just right or get enough spin or force on the throw; mine simply do a big "kerplunk" and make ripples outward from the point of entry. After three years of Physics in high school and college, I could have explained how it worked but I've just never been able to do it. This should go on the list of 1,000 things I want to do before I die, but it would be one that never gets done. My dad can do it. I bet my brother can do it. I can't. And I really love the look of the rippled waves that spread from the touched zones as they move across the water and interact with each other. If I ever come across someone skimming stones, I'll be sure to capture it with my camera. But until then my single splash will just have to do.

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "water". (end of post)

Poems Are Green

Variegated Hosta

The swirls of green mixed with white speak to me of an artist's brush, patiently and precisely sweeping across the canvas. Shading here, lightening there; the colors intermingling to produce the perfect effect. There! Done! Standing back he sees his work. His eye moves along each leaf, each stroke and with the talent in his fingers he has captured.... green.

Submission for LensDay topic "green". (end of post)

Miss Scarlett Takes Center Stage

Miss Scarlett brings a gift to the kitchen for her grandma.
(Click pictures for larger view)

There Is No Cat-toy LIke a Mouse

There is no Cat-toy like a Mouse
To please me at my Play
Nor any Yarn-ball like a Bug
That strains to fly away --

No rubber Bauble can delight
No lifeless String divert --
For where is Fun if none feels Fright
Or Joy if nothing's hurt?

by Emily Dickinson's Cat
from "Poetry for Cats" by Henry Beard

After the kitties over at Manx Mnews asked about Miss Scarlett, I decided to make her my focus for Cats on Tuesday. Miss Scarlett has just today finished her thyroid suppression test. She had her baseline sample drawn on Saturday and then had to swallow seven equally spaced doses of the suppressing agent over Sunday and Monday; I gave her the last dose this morning and then three hours later she had her post-suppression level drawn.

This is her pink one with brown polka dots.

We should hear the results in two or three days and then know for sure if Scarlett has a hyperactive thyroid or not. If not, then it will be safe for her to have her bladder stone removed as soon as possible. Since finding out about the stone I have watched her and she does find it difficult to sit or sleep comfortably for any length of time. I hope we can reverse this weight loss.

It's a wonderful day for birdwatching!

Through her trials and tribulation, Miss Scarlett keeps her proud spirit. She still brings gifts of small spongy balls to those she loves, meowing loudly to let everyone know that she is on her way. She still purrs when you look at her, even at the vet. (He has to run water to get her to stop) And of course she still loves to engage in that spring tradition... birdwatching, with all the muscle twitching it involves. And exactly what is the object of her intense scrutiny?

Hello! Mr. Chickadee!! Meow!!!

Why! A very active and very noisy chickadee.

Miss Scarlett is occupied at the present moment and probably won't notice that I've sent her pictures over to Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina We will keep you informed about her health and hopefully we'll have good news.

Update (3/16/07): The lab report should be back sometime today and hopefully we can schedule her surgery for next week. She is so thin, but still purring up a storm and loving all the extra food and attention she is receiving. Of course she likes the fact that those three pills a day are no longer a part of her routine... so do I.
Scarlett still wanted to visit Friday's Ark hosted by the Modulator and play with the other kitties on Sunday when the Carnival of the Cats comes around again. The carnival is hosted this week by Pets Garden Blog. She wanted me to say thank you for all the well wishes! (end of post)
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Royalty In Silhouette

Lady Willow in silhouette.

"Which is more beautiful, feline movement or feline stillness?"
~ Elizabeth Hamilton

As the weather warms, birdwatching becomes a significant part each cat's day. The crew takes turns. OK, so on occasion one of the wide bodied Ragdolls will jump up on the chest, knocking someone else off. Afternoon sun streams in the window providing a well lit feeding station for their study from the relative darkness of the room. This makes for interesting photos at times. Here, Lady Willow has been watching the finch flit from branch to thistle feeder and back. A group of three goldfinch showed up and served up a drama of fluttering wings, high pitched chirpings and round robin pecking as each tried to drive the others away. All of this commotion sends Willow's tail into overdrive with twitching and flicking; her head and eyes barely able to keep up with the pace, darting back and forth. Exhaustion made her pause and stare at the soft chenille robe on my bed, contemplating a quick nap and for an instant she sat in complete stillness; just long enough for me to snap her in silhouette. In profile she rather looks like a lion with her mane of long hair around her neck and that regal nose. Royalty, thy name is "cat".

Submission for Tuesday Challenge topic "silhouette". (end of post)

Perched In The Soul

One (Click picture for larger view)

"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all."
~ Emily Dickenson

Today is a very busy day with an early brunch with one of my parent's college friends. Yes, and they have been out of college for 56 years now but still keep in touch with classmates. Then it is on to two doctor's appointments, continuation of the thyroid suppression test for little Scarlett and a full evening of our Bible Study Fellowship. So this post is limited.

I took this picture with my small Canon camera a year ago. It was a cold and blustery day at the beachfront, but the sun was out and the sky was a deep cloudless blue. The beach has a different feel in winter with none of the umbrellas or lounge chairs out. There are also large mounds of sand piled along the beach, a breaker for those Nor'easter winds that are common around here. But here and there were the ever present seagulls. Someone should tell them that the hunting was better at the MacDonalds down the street and a couple of block inland. This bird calmly sat on the post all alone.

Got to be off now. More later.

(end of post)

Small Wonder

A teeny tiny red spider on the small fruit of the catchweed or bedstraw plant.
See bird feather for scale. (Click picture for larger view)

"Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain." ~ Henry David Thoreau

The bedstraw or catchweed (Galium aparine) plant is running rampant behind our fence. It produces these small prickly fruits that measure 4-6mm across. I took this picture with the bird feather as a background to show texture and give a sense of scale, but didn't see the passenger attached to the small stem until I downloaded to the computer. It is some sort of tiny spider, bright red and no more than 1.5 mm in length. For travel purposes the creature picked a perfect place to land as the spiny fruits are extremely sticky and end up as little burrs on shoelaces, jeans and in dog hair. This is truly a "small wonder".

Submission for SeeItSunday topic "small". (end of post)

Dare To Beware

Sign on western Virginia smokehouse. Where's the dog?
(Click picture for larger view)

"Words are but the signs of ideas." ~ Samuel Johnson (English Poet, 1709-1784)

"Sign In Pet Store: "Buy one dog, get one flea" ~ Unknown

There is no fence, there is no dog. There is just a small shed, very white and recently repainted; an old smokehouse from years past sports this sign. There was no evidence of a dog anywhere. The smokehouse was out in a sparsely populated area of the county and few neighbors. So why the sign? Who knows? I just thought it made a nice picture.

Submission to Shutterday for topic "signs, signs, everywhere are signs." You just have to love a photo meme with themes like this. (end of post

Different Strokes For Different Folks

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
(Click pictures for larger view)

"Architecture is to make us know and remember who we are."
~ Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in a building on Fifth Avenue on February 20, 1872, with John Taylor Johnston, a railroad executive as its first President, and the publisher George Palmer Putnam as founding Superintendent. In 1880 the Met acquired land on the east side of Central Park, where American architects Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould designed a red-brick Gothic Revival stone "mausoleum". It remains here to this day and the original structure is still part of the current building. A host of additions over the years, have expanded the structure and it now measures almost a quarter mile long and occupies more than two million square feet, more than 20 times the size of the original 1880 building. I was enchanted with these arches all around the massive central lobby.

Frank Lloyd Wright Room, (1912 - 1914)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This living room was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Francis W. Little house. It was obtained and installed at the Met in 1982. Wright's concept of "organic architecture," in which not only the building but all furnishings and the surrounding landscape relate to each other. This represents an excellent example of his late Prairie-style. The lines are sleek and the stained glass panels above the windows and in the skylights let in so much light. It feels warm and homey; a wonderful place to spend the cold winter evening.

The Chrysler Building, New York City

Walter P. Chrysler was an auto mechanic who became master machinist for the Buick Corporation in 1912. By 1922 he owned his own company and decided to build his headquarters in the heart of New York City. William Van Alen was the architect and the building reflects a merging of the old and new, with shiny Nirosta steel covering the sunburst tower and gleaming gargoyles that reflect the symbol of the Chrysler automobile. This building was the tallest in the world in 1930 and remains a shining light in downtown Manhattan today, a wonderful example of the "Art Deco" style of architecture. It was featured on an episode of the History Channel's Modern Marvels just this evening.

The Sir Christopher Wren Building, College of William and Mary

This building is at the pivot point of the campus of William and Mary and is the oldest academic building in continuous use in the United States. It was built between 1695 and 1699, before Williamsburg and when the capitol of the colony was still Jamestown. The original architect was said to be Sir Christopher Wren, who also designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London, but that is still disputed. Gutted by fire several times it has been rebuilt on the same foundation and with many of the original walls preserved. In 1772 Thomas Jefferson was asked to add to the plans and he drew up the most detailed floorplans of the structure ever made. These plans were used in the 1930's for the restoration in association with Colonial Williamsburg.

It is amazing to think that Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, John Tyler, and John Marshall studied in these rooms. George Washington was once chancellor and studied for his surveyors qualification here. It is still used for classes today and is an integral part of student body tradition. Each fall the entering class of freshmen and transfer students walk through the building and onto the campus as each name is called. They are greeted by the college president and welcomed with cheers from the returning upperclassmen. Graduation sees a reversal of this procedure with seniors walking back through the Wren building in the opposite direction, symbolizing their new steps out into the world. In 2005 my daughter Nyssa took that first walk through these historical halls into William and Mary as a transfer student and in May, 2008, she will again walk through on her way into her future.

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "architecture". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Caught With Her Nose In The Catnip Jar

"What exactly are you trying to do there, Chloe?"
(Click pictures for larger view)

"The last thing I would accuse a cat of is innocence." ~ Edward Paley

The kitties had to spend most of the day in the sunroom today so I put out some of their toys and was filling one of the catnip toys with these pellets when Chloe decided to stick her nose in the jar. I don't know if it was the lure of the catnip or simply the fact that it was an open jar. She can't seem to resist open jars of any type; or cups, small boxes and those large plastic soft drink glasses that some places serve up. Perhaps it was a little of both, as she had been rolling around with a catnip toy before checking out the jar.

"Whoa! Looks like that catnip makes those crossed eyes worse!"

Chloe's eyes are always a little crossed but the catnip fumes seem to make them worse, or else just the surprise of getting caught with a face in the "nip" jar. At times like this, I wonder if she sees two of everything like Clarence, The Lion.

Chloe's crossed eyes are going to wander on over to Friday's Ark at the Modulator and then to this weeks edition of the Carnival of the Cats. The carnival is being held at its home page this week. There are always a great group of handsome and gorgeous felines over there.

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A National Addiction

Got coffee? (Click picture for larger view)

"Without my morning coffee I'm just like a dried up piece of roast goat." ~ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) "The Coffee Cantata"

"A certain Liquor which they call Coffee...which will soon intoxicate the brain." ~ G. W. Parry (1601)

It's my brother's fault that I drink coffee. He loves coffee. No one talks to him until he has his second cup in the morning. He likes it stiff, hearty, strong. While he was on tour with Phantom of the Opera, he had me buy coffee with chicory and ship it to him as he couldn't find it in the North.

It is our mother's fault that he drinks coffee. She never drinks a whole cup of coffee; I don't think she ever has. When Stephen was little, he would find that half a cup of coffee on the table after she left for work and he drank it. We are talking six, seven or eight years old and he was already devious, sneaking into the kitchen before Dad could get rid of it. By the time he was in college, he was addicted to that which he still calls "the nectar of the gods". Not me. I thought it smelled wonderful when brewing but the taste was bitter and nauseating. I made it through college, medical school, residency and fifteen years of practice without ever drinking coffee. In fact, on that rare occasion when I had to brew coffee for a dinner, Nyssa would smell the aroma and ask, "Is Uncle Stephen coming to see us today?" Even she associated coffee with him.

But then Stephen introduced me to Starbucks and the "white chocolate mocha with a splash of almond" did me in. We didn't have a Starbucks in our little Mississippi town; I know that is hard to believe, but it is true. What we did have, however, was The Coffee Plantation, a little coffee shop that sold coffees of all blends and flavors and their special flavor of the day "Creme Brulee" hooked me forever.

Now, when he gets home the kitchen is crowded with coffee machines; the individual brewers for Mom and Dad, the ten cup for my flavored coffee and the big fancy grinder included one for Stephen's mud. Still he treats me to a Starbucks and even remembers what I like. And I, in turn get him their coffee beans to take back to Europe. It's an easy Christmas or birthday present and with his level of caffeine addiction is always welcome.

Submission to PhotoFriday topic "addiction". (end of post)

Really, Really Old....And A Bit Scary!

Human-headed winged bull and winged lion (lamassu),
Neo-Assyrian, 883–859 B.C. Mesopotamia
(Click picture for larger view)

"The past is a work of art, free of irrelevancies and loose ends." ~ Max Beerbohm

Two of these beautiful sculptures guard the entry to the ancient Near East section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. These limestone beasts or lamassu were found protecting and adorning entryways and gates in Assyrian palaces during the empire that ruled from the ninth to seventh century, BC. The Assyrian empire was located in a large area of northern Iraq. These sculptures were commissioned by the great Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883–859 B.C.), when he built the capitol city at Nimrud. The detail is amazing and they are quite imposing to look at.

There are so many beautiful and detailed pieces from ancient Egypt, India, the Middle East and China on display at the Met. It would take weeks or months to really study them all in detail. I thought this would qualify quite nicely for the photo topic today.

Submission to Thursday Challenge topic "old". (end of post)

The Moody Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos: This one is not a happy camper!
(Click picture for larger view)

"Then from the neighboring thicket the mockingbird, wildest of singers,
Swinging aloft on a willow spray that hung o'er the water.
Shook from his little throat such floods of delirious music,
That the whole air and the woods and the waves seemed silent to listen."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Evangeline"

The birds never really leave Virginia Beach for the winter; in fact most become more active as it gets colder. A couple of years ago, Vicki sent me a net bird feeder to hang in the bush outside my bedroom window and thus, a tradition was born. Of course the birds eventually pecked huge holes in the netting and two new metal feeders took its place; one for sunflower and other bird feeds and one for thistle. We have a parade of chickadee, finch and wren along with mourning dove picking up dropped pieces on the ground. This year the cardinal found us as have the starling and an occasional mockingbird. Mornings are prime birdwatching for the cats and myself; mockingbirds are among the most active, swooping down to the fence and flitting between the trees and the roof of the shed, with stops on the fenceposts and the dog house. I hid behind the pine tree and waited. Soon I had several shots of these comical creatures; handheld shots using my birthday present (70 - 300mm IS Zoom Lens). This is one of my favorites. It reminded me of the now famous photograph, The Mad Bluebird. Don't you agree?

Submission for Tuesday Challenge topic "zoom". I wonder if this grumpy fellow would feel more comfortable over at Friday's Ark? There are sure to be other birds there.
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Cat's Tummy on Tuesday

Miss Willow sleeps soundly in her grandmother's chair.

Meow of Myself, from Leaves of Catnip

1
I situate myself, and seat myself,
And where you recline I shall recline,
For every armchair belonging to you as good as belongs to me.

I loaf and curl up my tail,
I yawn and loaf at my ease after rolling in the catnip patch.

~ Walt Whitman's Cat

Cats often sleep all day, perhaps up to eighteen hours out of every twenty-four so finding a comfortable place to curl up or stretch out is of prime importance. Lady Willow finds her place in this recliner/lift chair quite often. It belongs to her grandmother but if she isn't sitting there, Willow will take it as her own. As you can see, she almost fills the whole seat on her own; no room for any sleeping buddies here.

Willow shows her fluffy furry tummy. Still asleep.

Of all the cats, she sleeps the most soundly. I walked around and took pictures from all angles and she didn't move a paw or twitch a whisker or open an eye. Willow sleeps with her back legs off the chair and her tummy turned up. I don't even sleep that soundly at night; even small noises will wake me.

Who would not love to sleep like this?

Willow is my sweet girl, my big fluffy gumdrop who plods along through the house at her own slow pace. She is a widebody, doesn't really like to go through the cat door in the kitchen and will stand and wait patiently for someone to open it. She plays with her pipe cleaners and catnip bag but her primary goal in life is to be comfortable; preferably comfortable and asleep. Shhhhh! Sleep, Willow, sleep. Sweet dreams.

Willow's in deep sleep, but this gives everyone a chance to see her expansive tummy. So she will probably sleep her way through Cats on Tuesday, hosted by gattina as well as Tummy Tuesday over at catstuff. Have a restful day yourself!
Oh, yes! On Friday, Willow will board Friday's Ark hosted by the Modulator and on Sunday, she hopes to win a stuffed animal at the Carnival of the Cats. This week the carnival is going to be at the very home page where it was created almost three years ago....The Carnival of the Cats Home Page. See you!
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The Birthday Child

Nyssa and Baby Miss Priss ~ five months old.

The Birthday Child
Everything's been different
All the day long,
Lovely things have happened,
Nothing has gone wrong.

Nobody has scolded me,
Everyone has smiled.
Isn't it delicious
To be a birthday child?
~ Rose Fyleman

On Friday, Little Miss M (Miss Priss or Stinkerbell) turned eight. I missed it. It's one of my shortcomings, I have trouble remembering birthdays. So Stinkerbell, this is for you.

When we moved to Mississippi, Nyssa was three and started at the pre-school and daycare run by the First United Methodist Church. Big Miss M was just a senior in high school attending Immanuel High School. She worked after school at the daycare and that is how we met. Big Miss M (heretofore known as "Momma M"), born and raised in Mississippi is a true Southern Belle and with long blond curly hair, she looked more like Nyssa than I did. She became my occasional baby sitter, house sitter, cat sitter and the first love of our "Babe Magnet", Mr. Rhett. After graduation, she also started working as one of our medical transcriptionists, so we developed a great friendship. She and her family consider Nyssa their firstborn. Her hubby, Mr. M even helped teach Nyssa to drive... brave man.

Baby Miss Priss and Nyssa ~ ten months old
Love those braces!

Fast forward ten years to 1999 and the birth of Miss Priss. Now, Nyssa becomes baby sitter and all around big sister friend to the little one who was born a Southern Belle. They share much including hand-me-down clothes and Halloween costumes; and the love of the water. Both had bikinis before they turned one and both broke the little boys hearts in kindergarten.

Miss Priss and the Little Mermaid (aka Nyssa) ~ third birthday (2002)

Miss Priss is smart and although demure as all full-blooded belles, she still has a streak of Scarlet O'Hara in her. She has had her run ins with the Hallmark frogs but this is no worse than her mother's "candy bars hidden on the ceiling fan blades" episode. That story is best saved for Momma M's birthday! By three, Miss Priss had become a big fan of The Little Mermaid, so we dug out the decorations from Nyssa's third birthday (also The Little Mermaid) and had a big party, with bowling, fishing for prizes, a Little Tykes train ride and....(trumpets here)... a visit from the Little Mermaid herself.

Soft glove boxing match ~ 2004, age five

Nyssa attended the same school as Momma M until her junior year and then graduated from the Mississippi School for Math and Science in 2004. A week later we moved to Virginia. It was sad to leave Momma M, Papa M and Miss Priss, but Nyssa visited several times while in her freshman year at Sewanee and I went back to finalize things when the house sold. Miss Priss started 4 year old kindergarten that year; at Immanuel, of course. She has blossomed into a bright student and an outgoing social butterfly. I expect to see her as a Junior Varsity Cheerleader in a few years.

But on Friday, Miss Priss turned eight... Momma M, it is definitely time to get started on that brother or sister now.... It is hard to believe that this time has passed so quickly; just yesterday she was a baby and just yesterday Nyssa was in second grade as well, just getting started. Oh, make the time spin more slowly if it can't be stopped.

Happy Birthday Stinkerbell! I know your mommy and daddy and grandparents are so proud of you; so are Miss Nyssa and I. You are so sweet and kind and smart; and if you want to know how to do the candy bar bombs, just call me in a few years... shhhh! Don't tell your mom I said anything! Have a great year to come!

Miss Priss(Stinkerbell) ~ Christmas 2006

By the way, when Miss Priss was just three, the lab had a baby picture contest. All employees and docs brought their baby pictures to be placed on the bulletin board. Then the others had to guess who each picture belonged to. Momma M brought one of herself at age two, with her dad. She had no chance... one look at the picture and everyone thought it was a mistake... that was Miss Priss. The resemblance is uncanny... they could have been twins at that age.

Happy 8th Birthday, Stinkerbell!

(end of post)

Lines of Nature

Seashell: lines of sight, lines of touch, lines of nature
(Click picture for larger view)

"I sometimes wonder if the hand is not more sensitive to the beauties of sculpture than the eye. I should think the wonderful rhythmical flow of lines and curves could be more subtly felt than seen. Be this as it may, I know that I can feel the heart throbs of the ancient Greeks in their marble gods and goddesses." ~ Helen Keller (1880-1968), "The Story of My Life"

Seashells marked with beautiful lines; horizontal straight lines for the eye and curving grooved lines for the touch. How magnificent are the patterns of nature! The artistry of God surrounds us, readily available to be enjoyed and yet, so often cast aside or overlooked. Beauty waits to bring us joy, even in the small things.

Submission for MacroDay topic "lines". (end of post)

Salty Sea, Salty Snacks

Salty waves wash the sandy shore.
(Click pictures for larger view)

"You will trail across the rocks
and wash them with your salt,
you will curl between sand-hills
you will thunder along the cliff
break retreat get fresh strength
gather and pour weight upon the beach."
~ Hilda Doolittle (1886-1961), U.S. poet. "Sea Gods."

Everything tends to be salty near the ocean and simply by standing on the beach one can taste the salty spray and feel the salt deposited on skin and hair. I never get tired of watching the tide roll in with the low waves and frothy foam.

Salty peanuts to tease the tongue.

"Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea." ~ Pythagoras (580 BC - 500 BC)

My folks love peanuts, especially Virginia grown peanuts. Personally, I prefer cashews or almonds, especially those roasted and coated with salt, cinnamon and sugar. Yum. Salt brings out other flavors; a touch on an apple makes it more sweet. Come to think of it, I have a lot of pumpkin seeds from those fairytale pumpkins we grew last summer... perhaps a little heat, a little salt....

The theme for Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt this week is "salty". You can go here to "Grab the Scavenger Hunt code" and here to join the blogroll. This really cute logo is available there as well. The link to other participants is in my blogroll on the sidebar.

(end of post)

Alone At Sunrise...

...with the sand and the ocean waves.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Alone, alone, all, all alone,
Alone on a wide, wide sea.
~Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "The Ancient Mariner"

This is one of my favorite pictures of the ocean. Sunrise in August, the waves gentle, the sky clear and a solitary swimmer, standing alone at the edge of the day. Such peace can come with solitude.

Submission for PhotoFriday topic "alone". (end of post)

Who Belongs To This Tail?

Someone thinks he is hidden.

"Cats only assume their strangest, most intriguing and most beautiful postures when it is impossible to photograph them. Cat calendars always disappoint for they only show the public range of cat positions." ~ J. R. Coulson

This looks like a tail attached to a behind but who is it? The drapes extend to the floor, making this a perfect place to hide. Someone should tell him that he isn't completely hidden until his hinder parts are under the curtain. My, my these sheers make a great place to quietly observe all the comings and goings of the other cats, as well as the humans. Oh, now I can tell.....

It's Nicky... I'd know that head anywhere!

Yes, when Nicky doesn't want to be found, he hides behind the curtains. Here he can watch Miss Maggie, without being as obvious. Maybe she won't hiss at him and hurt his feelings, or more likely he is hiding because she already hurt his feelings. The only problem? He is just TOO big for that space.

Nick you can't keep hiding and still board the Friday's Ark, hosted each week by The Modulator. And how will all the cats at the Carnival of the Cats see your lovely face if you keep it hidden under there. The carnival is hosted by Tacjammer this week. (end of post)

Every Exit, An Entrance

Dorm entrance and passageway.
(Click picture for larger view)

"Every exit is an entrance to somewhere else." ~ Tom Stoppard

I love to walk the campus at William and Mary; the history is palpable. Thomas Jefferson walked here, so too did George Washington and many others. This is an arched passageway between two dorms with the door to one at the far end. Several of the older dorms are joined in this manner; beautiful and practical at the same time... who wants to walk in the rain?

By the way, Nyssa was again selected to be a residence assistant for the next school year. While she won't be in the same dorm, she'll still be in the new dorm complex. Very, very exciting! Senior year! I still can't quite believe it; it seems like I took her to kindergarten for the first time, just yesterday! In one more year, she will make that long walk through the Wren building, exiting through the arched doorway and symbolically, into the wide world of life; her exit marking another entrance.

Submission for Thursday Challenge topic "entrance". (end of post)