Here It Comes

While I have been out living life (Not Blogging) the Time has changed again (at least this time we get the extra hour), the weather has changed, and it seems the Christmas Season has snuck up on us. Of course, it comes earlier every year - now shows up in stores pre-Halloween. Pretty soon we will have Post Labor Day Christmas Sales. I wonder if starting earlier will help avoid the Black Friday insanity. And what about that anyway? How did a religious holy day celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus turn into a free for all with people actually fighting over the purchase of stuff they don't even NEED. How far we have come. Well anyway, here are a couple of pictures of Christmas in Texas. And some seasonal music to enjoy (and no, I did not include the Coca Cola Christmas Song, even though it was on playlist). Have a glass of eggnog or a chocolate covered cherry. Be merry, be joyful, and try to love people. We all need a little more love.

Time will pass

"But time will pass and so, alas, will most of what we know.
Though tonight my memory's eye is clear as the story's being told
And I'll play ball with the underdog and sit with the child who's wrong
Be still when the earth is silent and sing when my strength is gone."
Joan Baez
Gulf Winds

MYSTERY BOX!!!

 


What the heck is this? A treasure I found while out 'treasure hunting' but I have no idea what it is. Looks like a cross between a clock case and a display box. Anybody have a clue?

April Surprise

 
 

I thought at first this was a baby hummingbird, until I read that hummers are pretty much full sized by the time they leave the nest. Turns out this is a White Lined Sphinx Moth, whose hovering behavior looks just like the hummingbird. It's only a couple of inches in length, pretty big for a moth, not so big for a hummingbird.

It's always exciting to get the first blooms in the pond! These beauties open late each morning and close early in the evening. They have their own daylight savings time.

Spring is here!




This little birdie was bold. He posed for these photos while I was sitting just a few feet away. I had just driven up in front of the house and he flew over to the shrubs, checking for goodies, I guess.

I tried to be quiet about getting out the camera, rolling down the window, setting up the shots. Even turned the radio down. Nothing seemed to bother him. I don't think he noticed me at all.





























The last shot is an unintentional 'shadow shot' but it's kinda neat - makes him look like a painted bunting

SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY

A TEXAS LONGHORN

on the cutting room floor

A trip to The Hilarious Hairdresser - really that's the name of the shop - and voila! I'm like a new person. Really, gals, it'll take years off. And if you don't like the new look, well, it will always grow back.

EARLY SIGNS OF SPRING

These photos are a couple of weeks old - February! Even before the rains of this week, nature was starting to peek out at us. While I appreciate all the seasons, (which in Texas is really something like
W I N T E R spring SUMMER fall SUMMER WINTER) our fleeting springtime is truly the sweetest. Everything blooms, trees get greener by the day, the grass is soft and green, the colors are sharp and clean. I've learned not to blink and miss it, because all too soon summer takes over and we get about six months of hotness, which eventually wears us all out. Don't get me wrong, I still prefer the warmth of the southern climate to a long drawn out winter with endless dark days of shivering. But for now, I'm in love with spring.

There's something about the sound of rain on a metal roof - until you get used to it, it's almost scary. Sounds like a Hard Rain, even when it's not. Then when you realize it's not really storming, it sounds kind of comforting. At any rate, this rain today is WELCOME! Seems like a long time since the thirsty earth got such a cool drink of water. We can now look forward to some green-ness when the weather warms up. It sure is true what they say about Texas weather. Last week we had 90 degree days, everybody was in shirt sleeves, shorts, flip flops, like a heat wave had descended upon us. Plantin' tomatoes and flowers. But hey, it's still just barely March, and Winter is just playing hide and seek with us. No worries though, because Summer will step right over little old Spring and the Heat will prevail. Then we'll be whining and complaining, and praying for rain again.

It's Later Than You Think

I was thinking about how quickly February flew by, and now March is rapidly sliding off the calendar, when it occurred to me that "Daylight Savings Time" starts up again on Sunday. Then the whole idea of time and the manipulation of it started swirling around in my brain. I just had to sit down for a minute. See, there it is, time. I suppose we had to come up with some way of keeping track of ourselves , but it's gotten a bit out of hand. I mean, moving the clocks back and forth every few months? It's hard enough to get to work on time without that rule change. And now they've even changed the month we have to do that. (Remember when it was the first Sunday in April?) So, do we want the extra hour of daylight or not? And when you change your clocks,

what time is it really?

Winter Moon

Li Shangyin

To the Moon Goddess

Now that a candle-shadow stands on the screen of carven marble

And the River of Heaven slants and the morning stars are low,

Are you sorry for having stolen the potion that has set you

Over purple seas and blue skies, to brood through the long nights?

MARDI GRAS!

Here comes the Big Party! Followed, of course, by a period of self sacrifice or atonement or whatever you decide. It's an interesting concept. Truckle along all year, doing what we do, start marking the time of cultural rituals at Halloween, Thanksgiving, then reach a crescendo at Christmas, slide down towards Valentine's Day, run smack into Mardi Gras,then - a screeching halt. Time to get the ashes, shut down for six weeks.

What are you giving up for Lent?

Shadow Shot Sunday

A sunny winter afternoon in Texas, warm enough for a walk along the dry creek bed near our house, but a chilly wind to remind us that spring is not quite here yet.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Ah to be in Paris when the sun is sinking low and the lavender - oh wait, the lavender is actually not in Paris...it's in Provence. Oh, well, it's a creative memory. And of course we're in Texas, not France.

A Little More Red

I picked up a 'new' china cabinet this week - someone else's change of heart became my heart's desire. I have plans of course to paint it creamy white with crystal knobs, but in the meantime it has become a receptacle for my tribute to the Holiday of the Month. While waiting for the china to come to rest, it holds some of my favorite Red Things.

Valentine's Day Surprise

The lonely red chair

The surprise package from the Valentine Fairy

What Goodies await discovery?

Valentine Trinkets, Soap Fancy, Special Coffee and All Manner of Chocolate!

One of the things I love, love, love about my fabulous daughter-in-law is her talent for putting together gifts for people. She is one of those gift-givers who collects things all year long then assembles just the right items for each person on her list at the appropriate time. Christmas of course is over the top. This is the sweetness she threw together for me this Valentine's Day.

Am I lucky or what?

Noah's Ark, Mayan Version

Isn't this cool? Just a close up of a Mexican embroidered shirt, but fun. I keep getting into repetition, bright colors, black background. And of course, a little more red.

The New Kimono

This little treasure was a thrift store find - it's too pretty to wear, but makes a fabulous wall hanging. If only I could figure out how to show the back and the front.

Check out the details of the back and sleeves...

Out of India

It's like wearing a mural as a skirt.

The myth of the Indian princess wraps around your legs, blows in the wind, settles around you when you are still.