Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Beautiful Sunflowers

Don't you just love sunflowers? They are so bright and cheerful. These were on display at Miller Farms Vegetable stand near Fredericksburg, VA. We go there to buy very fresh vegetables right where they are grown. It is a forty minute drive for us but worth it.









Aren't these lovely?

Monday, July 26, 2010

Adorable Squirrels

It's Monday again and time for Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

I love to watch squirrels. And I NEVER pass up a chance to photograph one. That is probably why I have at least 100 squirrel pictures. But every one is sooooo cute! Look at these and deny it!

This guy sat and groomed himself long enough for me to get some good shots. I love the way one arm is holding the other. Have you ever seen a squirrel sit like that?

This picture of the squirrel relaxing on the deck railing is my favorite. He looks like a roller ran over him. I think we need a cute caption on this. Any suggestions? I could use him on a card - something like "I was so busy I missed your birthday."

What can I say? Adorable.

Anyone else enjoy squirrels?

Friday, July 23, 2010

Butterfly Napping

I can see a lot from my favorite chair - birds, deer, raccoons, squirrels, cats - and now a butterfly napping. It is soooo hot today, (100 degrees) that I was eating lunch in my chair instead of in the hammock. Imagine my surprise to see this butterfly land on the hammock and proceed to nap.

After checking the internet I now know that butterflies don't really nap, they only rest. They don't have eyelids and don't snore. If they did, wouldn't you love to hear a butterfly snore? I imagine it might sound like a cat purring. This fella rested for fifteen minutes.



Our stressful days continue. Mr. B and I have felt quite "down" but are starting to feel more optimistic. We are laughing again. Nothing is resolved.

I'm joining Claudia at Dipity Road for Finding Beauty Friday. There is always something to appreciate if one looks for it!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Bunnies at Dusk

I'm joining Little Red Schoolhouse for Mosaic Monday. Join the party!

For a week I have been walking down the lane at dusk to get a picture of the rabbits that feed there every evening. They would hear me coming and run, or a car would drive by. Tonight after tiptoeing quietly, I was successful. In fact the bunnies were relaxing and posed for me. Aren't they cute?


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Stressful Days

It is hard to stay upbeat when one is living with uncertainty. We made the decision to leave Virginia and buy a house with our daughter and son-in-law. I posted about the purchase of the house in Connecticut in March. We are planning to have so much fun! Next thing to do was start moving and list our Virginia house with a realtor. On the first trip north with the UHaul Mr. B injured his leg on the truck step and required 35 stitches. After two months his leg has healed!

In the meantime we accepted an offer on our house. The would-be-buyers have been very demanding and keep threatening to back out every time they can. We have agreed to all their demands and now one more thing has come up. This is so very stressful. No plans can be made and we sit here awaiting developments. This is after already postponing our move for the two month healing time.

My craft room has been packed and moved. Half the kitchen is moved. We are having to eat our popcorn out of pots because the bowls are gone. I had to mix a cake by hand and bake it in a broiler pan because I moved all my equipment, never dreaming I would be here in VA so long.

I have nothing to do every day but lie in the hammock and read. That may sound good to you but after two months even that gets old! I'm reading a book and a half a day! The stories are starting to blend together. It is too hot to take more than short walks.

I'm eager to start decorating the house in Connecticut. All four children will be home for Christmas and I want it to be perfect. After this small Virginia cottage we will have all the space we need in the new 4200 sq ft house.

And all my surplus furniture (yes there is lots!) is in the garage in Connecticut. Some of the boxes in the garage have been packed since we left Cooperstown, NY fourteen years ago! Haven't had space for it all since then. Cooperstown was also a 4200 sq ft house. When we closed our two furniture stores there was furniture left over. And the ironic thing? The new house has lots of windows, walls of closets and very little wall space for furniture placement. I love furniture and now have room for very little of it. And I have to clear the garage for use before the snow falls!

Mr. B and I have tried to just enjoy this quiet time. But now my patience has run out.

This is a picture of Paws, one of our four cats. Added to all the other worries is that my daughter has seen a fox or coyote in the yard several times in the afternoon. I'm afraid to let the cats out in the yard when we move but they are used to being outside. What to do?
I'm wondering what kind of fence could keep cats in.



It seems like I'm just one big worry these days! Trying hard to keep my sense of humor but failing some days.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Nature Collage from my Yard

Every time I walk out the back door I think I can't find anything to photograph. I have been over this territory a thousand times. And yet, I do find something special like the sun highlighting this fern frond, or the large spider on a leaf.

There were a few of these flowers along my lane and this decomposing mushroom in my front yard. So I will keep going out with my camera in the territory around my house. You never know what you will find.

I am joining Little Red House for Mosaic Monday and some fantastic photographs.

Monday, July 12, 2010

My Quirky Cat

This is my cat Paws, named by my children because he has extra toes which make his front paws look like catchers' mitts. To say he is quirky is an understatement. He is the only one of my four cats who likes to lie on this too-small table for extra attention.


He really like it best when Mr. B puts his hand on the table to act as a pillow. He makes that table look pretty comfy, doesn't he?

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Living in the Woods

You can see how much in the woods we live. This shot is of the back of our house.




Doesn't the house look inviting at twilight with the light beckoning? We added the boardwalk so we could go from the driveway into the kitchen and not have any stairs. It's a nice place to stand, lean on the railing and watch the wildlife.


The other side of the house faces the front yard. Check out the sidebar (Our Cottage in the Woods) for a picture from the front. Looking at these pictures, the right end is all glass and faces the lake. That is where the hammock (see my header) hangs on the porch and is the place to be on a lazy summer day with the ceiling fan stirring up a breeze. I must have read a thousand books while lying in that hammock. You can see the hammock through the glass. That is how Mr. B keeps track and knows when I need a snack or a glass of lemonade or another book.


Usually there are several cats sharing the porch. I've had a hummingbird buzz my head, a bird light on the end of the hammock and a squirrel stand on the railing two feet away and study me.

On July 4th, we stood on the porch and watched the fireworks display over the lake. We had to look through the trees but we could even see the reflections in the water.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Butterfly Collage


Please join Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Here is my offering for this Monday. This butterfly posed so nicely for me that I was able to shoot many photos. You'll be seeing more of him/her in other posts. I love the way his shadow shows through the leaf!
Just click on the photo for a closer look.

This yellow begonia is my favorite flower of the summer. It is blooming in a planter on the railing of my deck. It survived being dug up twice by the resident raccoon.

Since I have not been very happy with my other mosaics made with Picasa, I put this one together by layering these photos onto a background in Photoshop Elements.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Dogwood in the Spotlight

This is my entry for Macro Flowers Saturday. I took the photo this spring as I was walking around Gordonsville, Virginia.

I love the way this blossom seems to be in the spotlight. You can see the texture of the petals and the shadow of the flower center. Click on the picture to see a real close up.

Friday, July 2, 2010

My Favorite Stump

Does anyone else have a favorite stump? This is very near the end of my back walk at the edge of the woods. I first noticed it last summer when it was this brilliant shade of orange.


Here it is during the winter. The orange is not quite as bright.


Here is the stump this summer. Notice how the color has changed and there is now some green on it. And a Virginia Creeper has taken hold.
I'm joining Claudia at Dipity Road for Finding Beauty Friday. Beauty can be found in some unusual places, even an old stump.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Special Blogs


There are so many wonderful blogs. I especially enjoy the ones that feature photography. Many of you know about Mary Carroll's Little Red House and her Monday Mosaics. Mary has another blog named In a Soft Light which is full of lovely photographs. She mentioned Shadowhouse Creations which features a lot of textures which are available for download. I decided to try using one of the textures and here is my result. I'm sure there are better ways to use these textures. I will keep experimenting.


Monday, June 28, 2010

Duck Collage

One day recently Mr. B and I had a picnic across the street from our house. The creek is surrounded by community property where it flows into the lake so feels almost like our front yard. We sat at a picnic table in the shade and just enjoyed the day. The boats in the slips were bobbing in the current, fish were jumping and a cardinal was singing. Two ducks swam up the creek, got out and groomed themselves, had a flurry with three other ducks and then they all headed down the creek and into the lake.

Luckily I had my camera with me. I'm joining Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Summer Porches

Today I'm featuring Summer Porches in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Twice a week Mr. B goes to the clinic to see about his leg. So I ride with him and eat a porch chop biscuit (see Favorite Breakfast) and read a book while I wait. Several times I walked a few blocks and admired all the flowers and porches, and one day I was smart enough to take my camera. These photos are the result.

I had fun choosing which photos to show. Some of them I used filters on, just for fun! I hope you enjoy my tour. This is my Friday Finding Beauty offering for Claudia at Dipity Road.








I hope you love summer porches as much as I do. I'm spending lots of time on my porch, always with a book and a cool drink. Thank goodness for the ceiling fan. And yes, there may be a nap or two as I swing gently in the hammock!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Woodland Mosaic

The woods are only a step away from my back door as you can see by the photo in the sidebar, "Our Cottage in the Woods." So I walk into the woods often to take pictures. When I snapped these I stood very still and watched a bird land right above me. Of course I took his photo and he is in the collage on the right. A friend of mine identified him as a yellow billed cuckoo, a bird I had never seen.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology states that he is a very shy bird that is heard more than seen. You can even listen to his call at this web site. It was quite exciting for me to realize I had actually photographed a bird I had never seen before now. And this was sooooo close to my back door!




I am joining Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Join us and view all the lovely mosaics!

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Flower in the Sun

I am enjoying taking pictures of flowers. These are in the planter on the rail of my deck. The raccoon completely dug up this planter and I had to start over. Aren't they a lovely color?

I'm joining Claudia for Finding Beauty Friday.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Favorite Breakfast

My favorite breakfast is not gourmet fare but it tastes just as good. It's a pork chop biscuit from Hardee's, without the gravy. Doesn't this biscuit look good?


The pork chop is tender and has lots of pepper on it. Yummy!


The sad thing is I am moving to Connecticut where there are no Hardee's!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Always Something to See

Just out my back door on the deck railing, this begonia greeted me cheerfully this morning. It survived two attempts by the wildlife, either raccoons or squirrels, to dig it up and is thriving. The first picture is natural.


On this second picture I used a watercolor filter. It does look a little like a painting. Mr. B always likes the natural ones best, but I have fun adding filters.

There was a squirrel on the railing and I took some shots of him. I must have 500 cute squirrel pictures. I can't resist them!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Pure Color!

I had lots of fun this spring taking pictures of flowers. These coral azaleas were among my favorites. What a gorgeous color! I just couldn't get enough of them!

Join Little Red House for this week's Mosaic Monday and enjoy all the beautiful pictures.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Help with Mosquitoes?

To my great disappointment our yard at the new house in Connecticut is overrun with mosquitoes. Since we moved from Maine many years ago where mosquitoes were terrible, we have not lived in places where they were a problem (New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia). Even though we live in the woods in Virginia and by a lake, I can lie in the hammock all day and see only one mosquito.

So after living "mosquito free" it is annoying to have the problem again. We do plan to put up a bat house but I read that can sometimes take a year before they move in. I found a web site advertising "Mosquito Barrier" a garlic based liquid. Has anyone tried this?



My son-in-law has read that planting mints and marigolds near the house is a natural deterrent. Certainly worth a try. There is no standing water in the neighborhood. There is a river down the hill but it is moving water and not swampy.

I love to be on the porch, and work in the garden as well as take photo walks. Pesky mosquitoes will hamper these activities. Also Mr. B has a serious reaction to the bites. Our cats go in an out and sometimes not quickly so the door is held open. I would appreciate any suggestions!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Photo walk

The weather has been really hot and humid in Virginia. Today is more pleasant with drier air and temperatures in the seventies. So I pulled myself out of the hammock and went for a walk with my camera. Each time I start out I wonder if I can find anything new and different to photograph on this walk I have made hundreds of times.

Here is today's shot made in a neighbor's yard. I like the way the sun was highlighting the side of the wheelbarrow, and I like the diagonal line the handles make. A dry brush filter took out some of the detail and made it look more like a painting.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A Furry Friend

And you thought man's best friend was a dog? Here is Mr. B getting his daily dose of sports news with his companion, Cindy. Sometimes he pulls the other desk chair up close to this one so she can nap and he can pet her. And sometimes she likes to lie beside the keyboard.

Maybe he could teach her to enjoy sports so he would have someone to discuss baseball, football and soccer with! Cindy follows Mr. B around the house and tries to share every chair he sits in!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Irises and Garden Shoes

It has been another warm week in Central Virginia. The leaves and the grasses look like mid-summer. Farmers already have their first cutting of hay down.

These are closes ups of my irises. Isn't the veining lovely?



I love the way you can look inside the flower!




These are gardening shoes I bought in early spring. I wore them to Connecticut and learned they are also good in the snow. They are rubber like and waterproof. The inside is felt and they may be too hot to wear in the heat. I like how easy they are to slip on compared to having to lace up sneakers.




Be sure and visit "Tootsie Time" and Flaunt Your Flowers Friday. You'll love seeing what she has in the greenhouse!

I'm also joining Cluadia at "Dipity Road" for Finding Beauty Friday. Her photos are amazing!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pansies and ----- rocks?

I can't resist picking up a bag of rocks from the beach when I am in Nova Scotia. Each one is soooooo nice! The rocks had been sitting untidly in a heap on my boardwalk. When I planted my pots of pansies there were some empty spots so I decided to fill them with the rocks.

I was happy with the results. Doesn't this look nice with the rocks on the edge?



Here is the same pot after the flowers have grown a little.

Alea at "Premeditated Leftovers "(one of my favorite blogs) told me about Flaunt Your Flowers. So for the first time I am joining Tootsie at Flaunt Your Flowers Friday. She has a lovely blog and I look forward to more "Flower Fridays." And thanks Alea for the hint!

I'm also joining Shana at "Blaze 'n Crochet" for a blog hop called Friday Follow.


Friday Follow

Friday, April 23, 2010

A Front Door and a Porch!

I was on a nature walk today and focusing on tiny flowers on the ground. Then I happened to look up and saw this. Can't you imagine this as the front door to some bird's or animal's house and there is even a porch! Lovely!


So remember - look up too. You might be rewarded by seeing something unusual.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Spring in Gordonsville, VA

Mr. B had a dentist appointment and I went along for moral support. My support did not extend to going inside! Instead I spent the time taking pictures. The early heat has really rushed the blooms, including the trees.

The two pictures on the right are of the Presbyterian Church. All the photos were taken on Main Street.

I'm joining Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Valentine Rose

This lovely miniature rose bush was our gift to each other on Valentines Day. Mr. B and I found it at Lowes on the half price rack and "splurged." And who says romance is gone after forty-four years of marriage? Ha! It brought some much needed color to our sunny window sill in the midst of a very snowy winter in Virginia.

It bloomed and thrived, but all too soon the blooms were finished.

It continued to live on that windowsill until warm weather.

Now, minus its red paper wrapper, it is basking in the heat and sunshine on the back deck. It has put on new growth and seems very happy. I'm hoping it will bloom again.

Has anyone had luck with getting a rose like this to live and continue to bloom? Any chance it will be blooming next Valentines day?