Weekly dose of George: Reflecting

Here is George, who seems to be reflecting on the passing of the old year and the coming of the new. But really, he's scanning the horizon for squirrels who would dare trespass on his territory.
Florabella's retro vintage action coupled with Kim Klassen's October layers texture. Found a cool texture tutorial here, at Shadowhouse Creations. A little different from my normal way of applying, and very interesting.

There's a kind of hush all over the world

Taken this week while visiting NYC. Merry Christmas, all!

Pink skies in the evening

After taking shots of the full moon last night, I turned around and was rewarded with a sky full of beautiful pink tinted clouds. It made me smile.
Thinking of changing the name of this blog to a Picture a Week. I just can't keep up with things sometimes . . .

Mosaic Monday - Leaves

Taken over the past week. I love autumn.

Visit my friend, Mary, at Little Red House, where she hosts a weekly meme theme called Mosaic Monday.

Birds at feeder

An entire week has gone by without a post. Shame on me for neglecting this blog. Here are some birds at our kitchen window feeder over the weekend. Shot using a borrowed Nikon 105mm macro lens. Kim Klassen texture.

Weekly dose of George

Here he is at his master's feet after a rousing game of fetch the giant stick, followed by frisbee catch. Today my husband told me this story: George had fallen asleep in the grass under the warm sun after a big walk. My husband watched as eventually, squirrels were coming closer and closer to him. One got as close as three feet away, when George startled. He saw the squirrel near him and jumped up, chasing him into a tree which he stared at for quite awhile and eventually fell back to sleep.
That's about as exciting as it gets around these parts, folks. And I like it that way.

Chickadee at feeder

Taken in the yard this afternoon on a pleasant October day. I just love this color. Have a wonderful Monday, all!

Magical light

I thought this pair of silver and wood salt & pepper shakers were gorgeous enough to merit a photograph.
Taken on our table at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia over the weekend.

Cappuccino at the Four Seasons

In Philadelphia on a Saturday night.
Fun. Fun. Fun.

Captive on the carousel of time

And the seasons, they go round and round.
This just happens to be my favorite, is all. Have a beautiful weekend.

Hot cocoa before bed

It's chilly in the house but we're liking it, especially after the summer we've had. The hot chocolate helps to keep warm. And it's good for your soul.

Virginia creeper berries

From Wikipedia: Virginia creeper (or five-leaved ivy) is grown as an ornamental plant, because of its deep red to burgundy fall foliage. It is frequently seen covering telephone poles or trees. The creeper may kill vegetation it covers by shading its support and thus limiting the supporting plants' ability to photosynthesize.

Virginia creeper can be used as a shading vine for buildings on masonry walls. Because the vine, like its relative Boston ivy, adheres to the surface by disks rather than penetrating roots, it will not harm the masonry but will keep a building cooler by shading the wall surface during the summer, saving money on air conditioning. As with ivy, trying to rip the plant from the wall will damage the surface; but if the plant is first killed, such as by severing the vine from the root, the adhesive pads will eventually deteriorate and release their grip.

Native Americans used the plant as an herbal remedy for diarrhea, difficult urination, swelling, and lockjaw.

Also known as "Engelmann's Ivy" in Canada.

I just loved the color. And gee! You learn something new every day, right?

Late September afternoon

Taken late Saturday afternoon, after a long day devoted to housekeeping. It was quite warm and the sky was full of purple martins and dragonflies who were eating all the recently-hatched bugs. Truly magnificent although very difficult to capture.
That's George at the bottom of the dogwood tree. Hanging on it towards the bottom is one of my husband's contraptions. I don't even say anything anymore. Whatever he wants is fine with me and if it's his heart's desire to put an old windowbox planter on the trunk of a tree and fill it with moss and birdseed, well have at it, I say. It's not like the style police will be visiting anytime soon.

Dragonfly Tree

This photo was taken this summer by my friend, Alisa.
It was a hot day and she and her family were visiting Assateague National Park on the coast of Maryland when this stunning scene presented itself to her.
It was a barren tree that was completely covered with dragonflies! I love it.

Mosaic Monday: Caterpillars

I love making mosaics but have been rather lax lately mostly due to the fact that I have two blogs, a full-time job, books to read, scarves to knit, and little time to visit everyone. It's a vicious cycle but still, I do enjoy making these.
Hope you aren't squeamish about bugs! For more (bugless, I'm sure) mosaics of all sorts, please visit my friend, Mary, at Little Red House where she hosts a weekly meme theme called Mosaic Monday.

Shrimp & Pesto Pizza

This is an extremely simple dish to make that packs a big wow. A co-worker had given me a jar of fresh pesto and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I made it today because we were having company for the afternoon.

SHRIMP & PESTO PIZZA
1 pizza shell (Boboli brand or similar. I used Culinary Circle Multigrain Stone-Cooked Pizza shell)
about 1/2 cup pesto (mine didn't contain parmesan cheese, hence the next ingredient)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
doz. cooked shrimp, cut into bite-sized pieces (I used mine whole)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
sprinkle of Old Bay
sprinkle of basil

Preheat oven to 400 deg. Spread pesto on pizza shell. Grate parmesan cheese on top, then add shrimp. Sprinkle shrimp lightly with Old Bay seasoning and the basil. Top pie with grated mozzarella cheese. Go ahead and grate any leftover parmesan on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts and bread is crispy.

Mosaic Monday

They were glorious this morning after the rain, the morning glories we have growing along the garden fence. For more mosaics, please visit my friend Mary at Little Red House where she hosts a weekly theme. I made this with the free Magic Blog It Board at MCP Actions.

Good morning, beautiful

I woke to the sound and scent of a soft, gentle rain. It was a very welcome visitor 'round these parts, and it looks wonderful on this blue and white morning glory. Shot with the Nikkor 60mm macro lens.

Little ladybug

Shot with the 105mm macro lens this weekend. She's a dainty little thing.

Busy

Early Saturday morning at the manor house on the hill where the day has dawned most pleasantly and the air is cool and sweet. I should be as busy as these bees but as I look around at the dust in my house, I think . . . I think . . . I want a cleaning person. If I had the money, I swear, I'd hire a housekeeper.
And that is my thought for the day.

Mosaic Monday: Morning Glories

It's been ages since I've participated in the weekly Mosaic Monday theme hosted by my blogging friend, Mary, at Little Red House.
I have had good intentions all along, rest assured. I just feel guilty when I can't visit everyone who's participating. And so I just end up not doing it. Lame, I know.
Have a beautiful week, all!

Sunday morning glory

I woke up early this morning, just in time to see this.
Have a beautiful day, all~~

Morning glories

I think this is a record for time spent between posts here at this blog. I'm sorry if you've missed me. I'm usually over at my other place and am not quite sure of the direction I want this one to go.
So please accept my offering of these little morning glories, taken in the early evening today. I think they're purdy.

Faerie umbrella

It could be, you know.
If you're a regular here, you know that I have a thing for mushrooms. I find them interesting, and some of them are downright beautiful. Click [here] to view some of my other subjects. I mean, if you're into that kind of thing.

Sweet fruit

I took this photo of a pear tree along the Narragaugus River in Cherryfield Maine, which is the Blueberry Capital of the World. Now, that's a whole lotta fruity talk.

Rock face at low tide

My husband added a couple rocks to make this rock face. You can see it in the lower center of the photograph. Taken at low tide on Pigeon Hill Bay from Bar Island, Milbridge, Maine.

Antique Shop in Maine

I found this cool antique shop in the town of Cherryfield, which bills itself as "the blueberry capital of the world". Needless to say, I had to buy some of the luscious little berries. And life was good.

Weekly dose of George

I'm thinking of changing the name of this blog to A Picture a Week. Or A Picture Whenever. But hey, it's summertime, and perhaps I will be more attentive at posting here when the fall begins.
Here's everyone's favorite pup, vacationing in Maine. It's where he was born, you know. And we can tell that he loves it here.

Forgotten

Old clothes hangers on the back of a bedroom door in a house that's in the process of being restored. We visited this place on a tour while I attended Blog Fest in Mathews, VA last week.
I haven't been updating this blog lately because I don't know whether or not to give it up, so the posting will continue to be sporadic, I guess.

I love squiggles

This is a tiny bud from the pumpkin vine we have growing along the side of the house. My husband threw out some seeds again this year and we've got a lovely crop coming on.
But it's the squiggles that get me every time.

Pumpkin blossom

There I was, sitting outside this morning in the cool shade by the side of the house, when what did I spy but a beautiful curvy blossom. It took me a long time to set up the shot with my Joby Gorillapod, but it was worth it. My macro shots always come out better when I use a tripod.
Pioneer Woman's Soft & Faded as well as Totally Rad's Rusty Cage actions applied.

Morning on the water

Early morning view of Acadia National Park from our rental cottage in Gouldsboro, Maine. If I remember correctly, the mountains from left to right are Sargent Mountain, then Dorr, then Cadillac at the highest. The Porcupine Islands are in the forefront. There's nowhere else on the east coast of the US where you have mountains at the sea.

Intoxicated bee

At first, I thought it was collecting pollen, but then I noticed that it was just hanging on by what looks to be its tongue.

I thought it looked stuck and that maybe it was dying. I put the macro lens on it and saw that it was moving so slowly and rocking.

So I backed away and took a small stick and moved it a little. It perked right up and then flew off in a rather drunken manner.

I lead an exciting life, yes?

Something is happening here and you don't know what it is, do you Mister Jones?

I have no idea in the world why these song lyrics pop into my head. No idea.
Taken while on vacation in Maine last week, in the backyard of a little glass shop along Rte. 1. The owners agreed to let me traipse all over their yard snapping photos of their little garden oasis. Can you see the little frog among the flowers?
It's quite warm already here in Maryland and I'm putting off cleaning. When my ship comes in, I'm hiring someone to do my housework.
Hope your weekend is a good one!

Fog on Cadillac Mountain

Normally, this would be a stunning view. Remove the fog and you can see the ocean from 1500 feet. But I think it looks sort of interesting this way, too.
Why is it named Cadillac? Wikipedia will give you the full story here but basically it used to be called Green Mountain. It was renamed Cadillac in 1918 after a French explorer named Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac.

Winter remnant

The shape caught my eye when I saw this on the grass at our rental cottage in Maine. I wondered how it escaped being crushed with the heavy weight of snow. I love the swirls.

Cinnamon lace

This was taken in the fern garden that ran alongside of the cabin where we vacationed in Maine this past week.
So good to be home. Ok, I'm lying because I wish I could stay there all summer long but it's good to be home safe and sound. Hot as hell here, though . . .

When you were young and your heart was an open book

I heard that tune this week on an oldies station here in Maine. I've always liked the first line of that song (can you name it?) Taken from the top of Champlain Mountain earlier this week. It feels good to be here.
Processed using Florabella's Vintage Summer II action.

At the summit

Beginning the descent down Champlain Mountain, Acadia National Park, along the Beachcroft Trail. That's Bar Harbor in the distance at the edge of the island. Beautiful weather today!

Springtime in Maine

Is it wrong of me to have the phone turned off and to pretend my real life doesn't exist? For just a few days, that's all I want to do.
It's spring in Maine and the weather is a welcome relief from the heat back home in Maryland. These little wild blueberry blossoms were found at the top of Great Head, along the Great Head Trail in Acadia National Park. More later on the Chronicles blog.

A rose by any other name

These wild beach roses are growing all around the home we are renting this week in coastal Maine. There are white roses all around the house and pink ones as well as a profusion of lupine along the path down to the beach. The air is sweet with perfume and life is good.
God, I love it here.

Weekly dose of George

That's not the look of love in his eyes. Well, unless you can be in love with dog yummies, because that's what he's locked onto.

Stonington, Maine: View from Church Street

Needing a moment to chill out for a bit, I found myself perusing photos of last year's summer vacation to Deer Isle, Maine. I opened this one in Photoshop because I wanted to play around with another watermark I've done. I can't seem to find the one to suit me perfectly, but it's fun making the attempt.
The big island you see in the background is Isle Au Haut, where writer Linda Greenlaw resides. You may remember her as the swordfishing captain of the Hannah Bowden, the sister ship of the Andrea Gail, featured in Sebastian Junger's novel "The Perfect Storm". Ms. Greenlaw is the author of "The Hungry Ocean" and "The Lobster Chronicles", among other works. Some day, I would like to stay at her inn on Isle au Haut.

Weekly dose of George

Sitting behind George with my macro lens. He's watching the birds flying from tree to tree. Ah, what a life.

Birdhouse, Memorial Day weekend

My husband enjoys birdhouses and I bought this one for him last year. We've tried it in several different locations but it looks best here, on this tree.
Sunny skies this afternoon here in Maryland. Hope your weekend is a good one.

Pink clouds in the evening

This is what our sky looked like this evening after a storm came in bringing wonderfully cooler temperatures.
Photo by my husband.

Honeysuckle love

There are vines of honeysuckle growing all over the edges of the property. Sometimes we cut them, bringing them inside to put in vases that, scattered all around the house, makes it smell heavenly.

Guitar hero

So there I was at this birthday BBQ at a friend's backyard in Havre de Grace, Maryland when in walks this guy I'd never seen before. Turns out he's the birthday girl's new bf and his arms are covered in tattoos and I liked how it looked when he played the guitar.

Lilac love

I found this beautiful layer mask today at Jerry Jones' site, Shadowhouse Creations. I set the layer mode to lighten and the opacity at 70%. I think it's yummy.

Weekly dose of George

It's been a long time since I've done the weekly dose of George. This was taken in May 2008 when he was 8 mos. old. I didn't want that foal getting too close. You never know.