The Feeling

December has arrived and I'm late like usual.

Only days til Christmas and I have tons to do.

Just little stocking shopping but still the busy malls

and finding parking are more than I wish.

Where is the Holiday Spirit ?

I just would like 'it' to be easier.

Ya know what I mean.

This is the new Holiday ornament.

I got it last January on sale.

Was 50 % off.

I almost forgot about it.

Looks a bit like a Russian egg to me.

With all of it's detail work.

We got the tree up last weekend.

It is now shining at me

in the wee hours of this day.

I enjoy the twinkle of the lights

the most about Holidays.

With it being dark so much

in the late Fall & now Winter,

the brightness of lights

and the joy of the

Holiday Spirit

are what I enjoy

the most.

So, here's to you.

May you enjoy

this Holiday.

I plan on opening

my Holiday cards

on the Eve

(yes, I save them up)

and listening to

music while

I have a cat or dog

near me.

It's not the gifts that make me happy

it's the Season, the feeling,

the not craziness,

the cookies,

the not mess in the kitchen,

the bows on the gifts,

(there could be nothing in the box)

I think you get what I'm saying

Ho Ho Ho

Merry New Year

~ JC ~

Holiday Clouds

These clouds were hanging around during the T Day weekend.

I always seem to take photos aiming this direction.

We get the coolest colors over those hills.

Holidays are an interesting thing to me.

I came from a small family.

Thus I do not enjoy huge gatherings.

Never have and never will.

I'm usually the one in the back watching

the drama unfold.

I enjoy the quiet of this time.

Taking in the things that mean the most to me.

Nature and peace.

~ JC ~

Sunset

This is a  photo that I took a week ago.

(no photo shop .. just what I took)

This November sunset shocked me.

The afternoon was dry but cloudy.

It opened up just in time to show it's colors.

By the next morning, it was cloudy and wet.

 I'm so glad I saw this in time.

October Sky

This is what I call an October Sky.

Clouds hanging over the sun.

The hope is there.

For the long loved sun to appear.

Will it ?

The colors sometimes are amazing.

Glorious to see.

This time it did not break through.

The double shine was all we got.

I thought it was cool anyway.

Happy Halloween To All of You

~ JC ~

Blue Cup Special

I can't even tell you how much I enjoy the first cup of coffee in the morning. I let the girls out and while they visit the new smells that the evening brought them, I get my beans and grind away. Sometimes I get it made before they come in. If I added the water before they are at the door, I quickly get their dog kibbles put in their dishes. I have two smiley faces at the door waiting. They come in and head over to their breakfast. Maddy Jean, my youngest, will turn around and socialize a bit to say "Thank You Mom". She's just that kind of gal. Bella heads right over to her blanket and eats.

 This is my time to check on my fresh brewed. I add a bit of powdered vanilla creamer and off I go to the den. It's there that I sit and have my first sip. I open my emails and start looking at what happened during the night.

I'll end up having one or two cups but it's really that first one that starts my day. If it's really good there just isn't anything like it. The fresh aroma of the beans. The just right flavor of the creamer added to the darkness of the brew. It's magic really.

If I could, I would probably own a mini shop that sold coffee. Not the  bars that are open at five by the gas stations waiting to get those first drivers of the day. Nope, it would be a cute deli style place that served the best coffee around town. The kind that people tell others about. That hole in the wall that is the place to go for the first cup of morning.

I just felt like I needed to share that with all ten of you.

~ JC  & Meredith Ann & Maddy Jean ~

Meredith is on her post taking a bubble.

Always involved in everything.

Maddy Jean just came inside and like she usually does,

she is near me.

Contrast

I took this photo a week or so ago.

It seems very interesting to me.

Since I got my camera,

 I've tried to have it near me.

You never know when you'll see

something you just have to capture.

Today it is dark and grey outside and in.

Fall has dropped on me big time.

I like the light much better than the dark.

Even in this photo, I am enjoying the contrasts.

~ JC ~

Walking

Sometimes I feel like

walking

In the sand

 along the shore

It brings me

 peace

Just like the sand

that grabs my feet

Trying not to let me

 go

Life keeps holding on

to what I need

Giving me things

to explore

As I age

 my world

should be

 quiet

It's nothing close to it

I try each day to find

the world

I need

Even if it's just in

my mind

Clouds on Monday

I like to take photos of clouds while I travel.

These were exceptionally cool.

Swirls and twirls.

Nifty bon swifty.

My world always seems to be twirling

or swifting depending on the day.

I keep trying like the trees

to stay grounded as best I can.

Some days are not easy.

Some are hard as rock.

Lately, it's been in the middle.

One good day.

One really band one.

The next is bliss.

Just like the claps of thunder

my world gets turned over

and under and moist

all at the same time.

And, as I usually do

I shake myself off

and pick up the pieces.

So, when I see those

glorious clouds

I mark them in my

heart.

~ JC ~

I So Wish

I went to the Ocean for my birthday.

I'm getting so old that it takes what seems

 like a whole army to get me there.

Once I did get to the shore, this is who met me.

Fog was all around but I swam

to the sounds of the shore.

There I found sandpipers and a gull.

Just looking at the wonders of the sea.

I had a marvelous time.

Could have been there forever.

Wish I could be.

Back to my normal life which isn't really normal.

Thank God for photos to remind me

 of what means the most to be.

My freedom.

The part of me that still remains.

My childhood days of running the beach.

I so wish I could be there now.

~ JC ~

Barrel of Color

This is one of my front yard barrels. It sits at the end of my driveway or the beginning depending on how you see it. Since, I only go to this part of the driveway to water, I say that it is at the end. I think the colors came out well this year. Each time I try to get the right mixture. I always end up too busy to take care of them like I should but I think that it looks darn good considering it has me as a Mom. If barrels have Mom's ...

~ JC ~

Monday Clouds

I loved the way these clouds spread across the bigger ones

Just a gorgeous sky

They interest me more and more these days

I look up just to see what they are doing

~ JC ~

Sunset

This is a sunset from my recent va ca to Hawaii

We stayed in Maui

There was a lovely sunset each evening

This one was the night before we left

A June Evening

The rain stopped

We finally got to go to our beach place

My first evening photo of the Spring / Summer

Of course, it rained by morning but still

Isn't this worth it ?

Owlette

This is the photo I took of the owlette that is in my woods

Isn't he/she cute ?

Of course, the birds in my woods are not happy

They are singing all about it

I saw the Mom or Dad ... not sure which one

Fly over to it but I didn't get a photo of that

I now know more about owls than I ever thought I would

Been looking up info about sounds and babies and what type it might be

We think it's a barred owlette

Feathered Friends

I've had several feathered visitors

The House Finch has been here for a while

Several of them actually

The American Gold Finch are new this week

They may have been here for a while

Their colors showing brightly just now

My two ducks were here a lot the last few weeks

I haven't seen them in three days

I feel she picked a more water oriented location

Either way it's been a lovely view from my window

Color

I love color

I bought some plants for my yard

Brightness seems so nice

I have such hope for them

I imagine lots of flowers

Sitting on the porch

Cool drink in hand

Warmth of a lovely day

Not hot .. not cold

Oh the dream of what might come

Think Pink

Spring has arrived

Snow storm

We had a snow storm

while we went over the Mt. pass

Who would have thought

you'd be driving in snow

in April ?

Road Trip

This is a view from the back seat

during our recent road trip.

I was lucky & got a few good photos.

Sunset

Sunset .. original photo

Sunset ~ after photoshop

What do you think ?

It Was A Warm Saturday

This is the view from my vacation place

It was sunny and sort of warm

A hint that Spring is on the way

Mr. Boatman took the girls for a walk on the beach

This is the bridge that goes to the Island

It's a very small island

Cute though

When the tide is out

You can walk under the bridge

To the other side

Where you see another small island

Wine

I'm having a glass of wine

While I wait for my potatoe

To roast in the foil

It's been an interesting week

To say the least

I have an old body

Which has been on the outs

Hoping to feel better

Very Soon

Enough of this

birds on the tree

It's a lovely day for January

The birds are on the tree

Riley is watching from the window

It was sunny for a while

The rain is gone

If only for today

The sounds of life outside

What you don't hear in Winter

Could Spring be on the way ?

Al enjoying Peace

Happy New Year

I hope this year brings Peace

I wish for it

I hope for it

So many need it

Al found it this Holiday

(I got photo shop as a gift.

I'm in 'try new things' mode.)