Fun With August Colors & Letters

Today is August 3rd, a beautiful Saturday, and a new feeder has been added to the yard. CitySonnet’s challenge for today is the letter F so I have a House Finch be the first visitor to the new feeder.

I had heard that saffron seeds were a favorite of some birds and not a favorite of squirrels, so we are giving a new food a try.

Come join in all month to see the wide variety of pictures that come from our camera’s eye.

I also tie in with Granny Shot It and her prompt of Bird of the Day. I enjoy the several types of Finches that graze at my feeders.

It has been great to tie in with Cee’s Challenge list so that you can add in other people’s fun with prompts and photography.

As you enjoy everyone’s view on natures beauty, remember to share that beauty with a smile and the kindness of its beauty.

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Pretty in Purple, FOTD

Today’s Flower of the Day for Cee’s challenge is Vinca(I think). Its pretty and purple so that is good enough for me.

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Hope all have a blessed and happy day. Remember to share you happiness with smiles, kindness and hugs.

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Flower In A Flower, FOTD

I am so enjoying the pictures from everyone…almost as much fun as I am having taking pictures of flowers that I see. Today we have a tiny part of a flower that looks to be a flower all its own. Amazing things you see when you focus on the small things of life…in reality they are all small things in comparison.

Here is a close up…

IMG_20190801_201731 — Five petals trying to shine on its own.

The amazing creations of God as he shares his beauty with us. Thanks to Cee and her Flower of the Day page as well as all who share what they see. As we share our love of pictures, remember to share the kind feeling that they bring with their beauty.

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July Colors ‘n Letters

I have been meaning to play along with CitySonnet’s challenges this month and just haven’t so I am jumping in with the last two days together – Jellyfish and Algae green as they both have to do with water.

I love the different things that you can find at true art fairs, not the ones that draw you in only to be crafts fairs or someone junk. There is one that I miss going to in Georgia over Labor Day that is usually fabulous and I picked up these two paper weights of jellyfish. He told me that he did not color them that this was their actual color and since my knowledge of jellyfish would not fill a small seashell, I believed him, as they were still fascinating.

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The bubbles add a special realistic look to them. He did tell me that he swirled one as the solution was getting thick to give the “arms” their fashion flare.

I thought I would show both sides as it is such an interesting creature, at least to me. And the large bubbles make it look alive. And since they are almost algae green, I thought they were green enough to pass for July 31st challenge.

As you browse over all the thinks that you enjoy that ,make you smile, remember to share that smile with someone who may not have a smile. Your smile could be just the thing to bring a smile to them.

The Real Bosses, CFFC

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge for this week is probably my favorite subject but we are telling the story from a different angle to ask the age old question….’Who really is the boss in my life?’

Is it Royal King Max who makes his demands known as he is fully aware when it gets to be 5:00 pm because he is an excellent teller of time…..

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Or maybe it is Police Chief Mimi who guards the roost and gives me those exasperated looks when I don’t jump to her panic state on her views of danger or the very idea that someone would walk on her sidewalk.

Although she knows when True Thief arrives she is immediately allowed out for the chase…as long as her 20 foot chain will allow. The True Thief get a double photo op for pose clarifications. Do note the onlooker’s disgust of the Thief stealing their goods.

Then of course there is Scrappy who hopes to pickup any tidbits left from Thief or dropped by others enjoying the goods that I put out for them.

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And boy do they get bossy when the feeder is empty…pecking on the window and such…

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So really who is the boss of this house…’cuz it sure ain’t us humans.

But I am sure they would all agree that kindness is a strong factor in all manners of life so remember to always be kind.

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SMM, Week 2 – June Bugs in July

I guess I ought to be grateful that my germanium is the only thing being eaten by these wretched creatures but dude, go away, this is July and even it is almost over.

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Guess he is trying to make himself look big with hairy legs raised for battle which I am sure are used for holding on. So I thought it odd that a lily has hairs way down toward the center of its throat. Wonder what they are used for.

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And the spots are actually raised. So much amazement in close photography of things you never saw or thought of before.

Come join in on Heaven’s Sunshine of Macro photography and see the amazement of the close up world.

As you enjoy and smile on the beauty you see, share that smile and the kindness it reflects to all you come close to. It may just brighten a dark day they are having.

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Coffee Time = FOTD

Strange title, I know, but follow along and you will get my sad attempt at humor. Each Sunday after church we have a short social time with coffee, snacks and fellowship. I volunteered to provide the snacks and serve the coffee, tea and lemonade this week. So Friday I was going to make cookies for munching on. We wont go into my inability of reading a recipe properly and putting in a tablespoon of baking soda instead of a teaspoon or banana extract instead of vanilla. And that was only the first batch issue. The second batch disintegrated as I lifted them off the pan – even when cooled. So I gave up and went to the store this afternoon and bought coffee cake and strawberry yogurt to crumble the oatmeal cookie crumbles on top of, and grapes.

But while I was at the store I happened by the garden section, a dangerous place for me but I remained strong and bought nothing. Very proud of myself but I did get a picture for Cee’s Flower Of The Day. I love the tiny rose plants. They are so beautiful and I buy them only to have them never bloom again. Pretty green leaves but no flower – its that brown thumb thing again. So below is my entry for FOTD. Enjoy and have a great rest of your weekend.

IMG_20190725_103038 — Leaves are more in focus than the bloom but its still pretty.

And as always I throw the pebble out to remind all to be kind.

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Lily, A Fragrance Like No Other, FOTD

On Monday of this week I walked into my office to see a vase of lovely lilies sitting on my desk. I saw no tag anywhere so I was not sure where they came from. I walked into the admin office and asked June if she knew anything about them. She said no and asked Kevin if he knew as he had been in my office fixing my computer – he is our IT guy. He said he brought them. His wife and picked them from their yard and had them in the living room. He was tired of smelling them so he brought them to the church, specifically my office, which I was okay with.

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So now it is Friday and they are still beautiful and very fragrant. I saw that someone had cut the pistols/stamens off and asked about that and was told it helps keep the smell from over whelming. “Oh,” I said, “so that why I smell them as soon as I come through the door of the church.” Whatever. The majority of the bulbs have now opened and this is what they looks like now.

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They really are marvelous, and while Cee’s FOTD is for a single flower, my prompt is for a single vase of multiple lilies. And I don’t know what the ball looking flower thingy is but it is fragrant as well. May you all have a wonderful weekend and remember to be kind.

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Fun Times For A Year

I worked today so did not get to the computer until this afternoon and I found a surprise…

Congratulations, its your anniversary. Wow, I did not realize I had been blogging now for 1 year. I have talked to so many wonderful people all over the world and I thank you all for making this so much fun.

Thank you to all of the photographers I share such beautiful photographs with; Thank you to all the people who share my Christian beliefs with words of encouragement and profound truths; Thank you to all the people who share the funny stuff that make us all laugh at ourselves because we know we have done what you just talked about; Thank you to all the experienced bloggers who have helped us newbies make this an enjoyable time; And thank you to all who read my words from seriousness to silliness and give me such encouraging comments. May we all use this medium to spread the love and kindness that is meant to be spread across this world.

My favorite(for now) picture I have found shows how kindness can spread like the ripples when a pebble has been tossed in the water, so I challenge all, as I do with every post, to be kind. There is just not enough of it in this world and we need to increase it use so it will spread everywhere. Again, thank you for all your love.

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Playing With Clouds

I am sure we all have sat on the ground as children(or adults) and watched the clouds while making shapes out of them. Recently at the break of an excessively hot period, I watch the clouds roll in and the heat dissipate. It was a wonderful relaxing time and I thought I would share my fun.

My view in both directions as I sit on the bench by the Mississippi. The breeze was wonderful after the high 90’s we had been having.

I enjoyed watching this group of thunderheads morph into many different shapes. Here I see in the one on the left as a person sitting, throwing his arms in the air as he looks behind himself ready to stand and then on the right he starts to stand.

Then that same structure turns into a fire breathing dragon to later turn and run still spitting smoke.

building storm 6 — man playing with his dog

This was my favorite. Even clouds can reflect the love we share with our pets. Love, caring, sharing, kindness…all very profound ways to express the nurturing of Christ. Try to be kind in any way you can, its a reflection that will look good on you.

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