Drama in the Skies

Yesterday, about three in the afternoon, I ran up to Ace Hardware to pick up some salt for the pool and just when I got there, the rains came pouring down. No surprise there as it's been going on for several months now, so much so that the Sentinel ran a story about how sinkholes are possible because of our saturated ground. In fact a huge one opened in Groveland just the other day.  I decided to set my camera to the super dramatic setting, and here's what that looks like.

Pretty neat, right? There is water everywhere, including in some front yards I ride past like this one in Harbor Island.

Ours doesn't look like that, thank God, but I am anxiously awaiting the day when I can mow dry grass rather than wet! The forecast looks like that will not be anytime soon.

At least today has been dry up till now, which is most welcome. It rains when it is gray, and even sometimes when the sun is out. Here the sun was out, but I knew it would be any minute and the rain, thunder and lightening would begin.

BTW--that is not on the dramatic setting! Pretty much, days like these make you want to stay home if you are lucky enough not to have a job. I amuse myself by taking photos around the house. I've collected these feathers from our yard.

Quite a few years ago a fellow told me he was looking for an image with red and black for his bedroom. Well, he never came back, but I was lucky enough to have sold the image I made for him, multiple times. It was a red hibiscus on black and white polka dotted paper. I decided to flip the paper over for this one, and although it is a red hibiscus, it is a single, rather than the double I used before.

Although I had only just picked it from my bush it had some weary edges which I quite like. Nothing too perfect for this girl.

The other day I was riding past a big pile of sand at the corner of Pershing and Ferncreek. Months ago, I happened to be driving home when I witnessed an accident at this corner with one of the cars plowing into the wall that protects the Southern Oaks residents from the rest of us. (just kidding!) Now, months later, the wall is fixed, and I suppose the contractor did not clean up his mess. I was digging around in my art supplies for something when I came across a pack of party umbrellas Mary gave me some time ago. Perfect!! A little bit of color for the cars going through the intersection?

Unfortunately, later that day it poured and poured. Riding over to Sue's house to check on her kitchen remodel, it looked like this:

Oddly enough the green umbrella was nowhere to be found, along with a diminished sand pile. For the record, I cleaned up my mess. :) I do hope it brought a smile to someones' face.

So, how is the kitchen remodel going? Slowly. That said, the cabinets are in!

The front wall used to have hanging cabinets, and in fact it was all closed in. That's a brand new window as well. Sue is pinching herself every time she looks out through that opening!

When next you visit London, and I know some of you will, think about this when you are roaming around. The skill with which these maps are done is incredible! Speaking of WWII, I've just finished a charming book on the subject, called Crooked Heart. Here's an interview Scott Simon does with the author, Lissa Evans. Just when you think you have read every novel that could possibly be written on the subject, along comes this one. Did I say it was charming? It is. Poignant as well.

Well, what with those afternoon storms yesterday you didn't expect that the evening skies would be any less dramatic did you? Baxter and I took a stroll down to the lake and before we even got there, I was seriously impressed.

Give me some good sun rays and I'm a happy camper. You may be wondering about the spot where I go, and if so here's the scoop. When we bought this house, 20 years ago next month (!!!), one of the determining factors was the lake lot seven house down, set aside for the residents to share. Nothing fancy, but enough so that if Bruce wants to take his kayak out ,he has a handy place to do so. Of course, back then it was a canoe, but you get my drift. As we walked home, I noticed the sky coloring in the east, and sure enough, it was pretty dramatic in the back yard when we arrived. I can't remember the sunset ever reflecting in the pool before, but then again, my memory is poor. Thus, a blog to jog said memory!

It looks like it is going to be a long week again, but just when I think about whining, I remember how lucky I am. I even saw my eagle the other day. How many people do you think saw an eagle on the same day as I did? Probably not very many.

Today I soared ,and I hope you did too!

Dear God,

Around here we are most grateful for your bounty, showering us each day with water. That said, it seems as if it is time to turn your attention to California. We would be more than happy to share if you see fit.

Amen,

Gail

And So it Begins....

The other day I had a birthday.

I am now 61 years old, plus three days. The older I get, the harder it is to believe I'm getting older. Mostly I feel exactly as I did years and years ago for which I'm grateful. May that feeling continue.

Before Jonathan and Alissa went to Universal Studios for a rainy day excursion, they gave me a gigantic, and I mean gigantic, photography book, they bought during their New York holiday this year. God bless them for carting it back to Austin, and then to Orlando.

I spent about half of my birthday in my pajamas, the other half dressed, reading the very inspiring book. Let's just say that I can hardly wait to get back on the road again!

Going to my computer, I began looking at my photographs, and more specifically to January 2013, wondering what we did back then. An excellent resource I must say.

On that note, let's take a look back before we get too far into the new year. On January 2, the new windows were installed! The weather was very much the same this year.

Looking back at a previous years' photos I always find some that I wonder why I did not post before, and this would be one of them. The idea that one guy is inside, while the other is outside, and really just how windows are installed, is really fascinating to me. I remember how thrilled I was when I took the photo below showing the difference.

It is about time I cleaned those windows, and that time is today!

I won't be seeing this in the paper this year after the beat down our Seminoles took in the Rose Bowl.

We all went over to Bill's house to watch the game, which if you have eyes, or ears, you know we all left very disappointed. At least we were together! I will say that all Seminole fans are now in for a much needed break from the relentless media pummeling. In spite of JW being exonerated by three different sets of investigators, the perception, fueled by the media, remains. Enough said on the subject.

January began our marathon painting year....the sunroom got a fresh face.

And of course there were many beautiful winter sunsets.

We began working on the transformation of Bill's place....

that would be a gigantic dumpster in the driveway, one of two that were filled in the course of the project.

It was during January that I had my first sighting of the painted bunting! I'm keeping my eyes peeled for one any day now.

I tried and failed to launch a coaster line...

a project that turned out to be not only too much work, but unpredictable as well. And the folks on the internet made it look so easy!

Planning our late March visit to England for Matt's wedding started in January...

The guide book made no mention of a potential Queen sighting! It is still hard to believe we saw her twice isn't it?

The photos showed that apparently I couldn't stop making stuff, including this little piece using the cut up envelopes from my birthday cards.

This will not be happening again, or at least this year, when the envelopes were mostly white. I will say on my dreary birthday this year there was a bit of color added when the door bell rang--a flower delivery guy bringing a lovely bouquet from Matt and Tom. The roses are my favorite color--orange!

And that, my friends, was about as interesting as it got last January....wonder what this January will bring?

Before I go, I posted this one on Facebook, but to any who've not seen it, I took this on December 29, 2014. Watching the eagle from the backyard of the kind folks that own the house, I got lucky, or maybe my patience has increased? Anyway, one never knows when a bird will take off and I count myself very lucky to have gotten this shot.

May 2015 have you soaring into great new adventures! Me too, I hope.

Today Might Just Be the Day...

...that my fever finally breaks for good.

The week began promising, with lovely weather, and an early morning bike ride for me on Monday. Every now and again I seem to get a feeling, and that days hunch was one of those--perhaps I'll see the eagle, even though it has been months. Sure enough, pulling up to the house on the lake where I've spotted him, (or her?), I was rewarded. It's just too bad the pine tree is probably 100 feet or so tall! In any case, I waited to see what would happen. Before long, he took off.

Before leaving the house I noticed I was having a dry cough, something I attributed to sinus drainage or allergies. Not that that is common for me, but what else could it be?

I also saw a pretty cardinal on a pile of branches:

As well this is the time of the year when the African Irises are at their finest.

I did my five miles, coughing all the way.

I was to meet the ladies for bridge at 12, so after doing a few things around the house, I drove over to Winter Park. While we played, I kept coughing, apologizing several times. Finally I told them I needed to leave as I could not hold the coughs in.

Finally getting home around 4:30 in the afternoon, I told Bruce I was just not feeling well. About an hour later I wondered if something was wrong, so I dug out the thermometer and sure enough I had a low grade fever, nothing major, 99.6, just enough to make me feel not myself. I felt so bad that I went to bed at 7, sleeping for the next twelve hours!

And the truth is, I've been in bed pretty much all week, getting up again today for the morning hoping for the best. When I haven't been either sleeping, coughing, or blowing my nose, I've been reading, as in three books. Yep, that's right. I haven't done that in a long time for sure!

There was a television show that I never watched, only heard about, " American Horror Story", or something like that. I kept thinking that would have been an apt title for "The Grapes of Wrath." Rarely do I re-read books, however, I've been on a John Steinbeck kick of late, and that, of course, is the penultimate JS book. I pity poor English teachers trying to teach the novel these days as it is dense with both plot, characterization, imagery, and philosophy. I cannot picture kids paying that close of attention--I hope I am wrong. I'd finished "Of Mice and Men" the previous week, and I'll say this much, John Steinbeck knew how to stick an ending! Oh my!

I also read "The Reluctant Restaurateur," a book Ray and Jane purchased for me following the delicious luncheon we enjoyed at Langar Hall. Eventually,  when I'm up to it, I'll tell you more about that delightful experience.

Finally I finished "Nine Inches," by Tom Perrotta, a wickedly good book of short stories. He, of "Election" fame.

Throughout the week my fever has gone as high as 101.6 to a low of 99.6, pretty much just enough to know things are not right with your body. So, it seems as if my stomach now wants to get into the sick action--back to bed I go.

Maybe, if I'm lucky, tomorrow might just be the day...

Hot, Humid Mess

After the fog lifted yesterday morning, the sky eventually turned blue. Oh, but that was only for a few moments, and then, like some days we've had in the last week, it turned into a gloomy, hot, humid mess. The leaves are falling like mad from our big Laurel Oak tree out front, covering the walkway, the front porch, and the street. Add to that, it rained yesterday afternoon and you get the picture. Plus, although this isn't my Chinese Tallow tree, ours is beginning to look very similar.

 The mess was not only confined to the outside of the house--the inside, although not wet, was messy and humid as well. Gift boxes were stacked high on my work table, alongside a variety of gifts. The dust ruffle, which I washed on Saturday, was in a pile on the bedroom chair, waiting for Mr. Bruce to help me lift the mattress, Clothes from Sunday--yikes! I do not do well with disarray so, I set to making some sense of it all.

Once things were more to my liking, I went to get our tree. My Christmas tree buying excursion was unlike the gauzy kind you see on television. First off, Bruce was too busy to go with me, and then there was the hot humid weather to deal with. Add to that, the Russell Home for Atypical Children Christmas tree lot was completely empty when I arrived. Fortunately, the lot is super close, so after finding no trees, I went back home to get a check. As I walked in the door, Bruce, taking a moment away from his work, called out--"It was that simple?" Why no, it was not. Next stop was the Boy Scout lot in Pine Castle--locked with three stubby trees leaning against a chain link fence. Hmmm....I had to resort to Josario's in the shopping center parking lot.  Because it is so warm, I'm wearing a sleeveless dress, the worker is wearing grubby shorts and a t-shirt,  with multiple tatoos up and down his extremities, greasy hair, along with some teeth issues. Ever seen that in a television commercial??? Because the sky was so gray, the massive tent was dark, so much so that I suggested he might want to turn on some lights, allowing potential buyers to actually see what they were buying, starting at a minimum of $50. That was another thing that really bugged me--when I asked him how much the trees cost, he said every one was different. Really? Not by size? "Oh no, he said, if you buy one that has some bare spots, you get a discount." Really?

Nevertheless, I got my tree, carried it in the rain to the back yard, plunged the trunk into a bucket of water, and after dinner Bruce wrestled it into the stand in the living room. Seems like most years Bruce has been super busy around Christmas, so I have purchased trees by myself, but one thing that gives me fits is getting it into the stand. Thus, he performed that task so that I can do the decorating in his absence which will extend to Friday. I have placed the angel atop the tree, as well as one strand of lights; the rest will come this morning. Hurray for a live Christmas tree!

Speaking of trees, every few days I've gone back to look for the eagles. Mostly no luck, but one day I saw this one flying away:

Perfect form right? In that same neighborhood yesterday I saw a terrific spider web, covered in dew.

The beauty and wonder of nature never fails to delight me! Is it any wonder that male Northern Cardinals are so popular, sporting their beautiful bright red feathers, which brighten any gloomy scene?

Because I had so much to say yesterday I left out a few things that I wanted to share. My friend Brandy, using some of her really great marketing skills, set out these little gift bags for everyone who came into her FAVO space--brilliant!

By evening's end, all of the bags were spoken for. I wish I'd thought of that!

Last week I visited Nordstrom;  their decorations, as always, are so classy I have to share them with you.

Plus, as you probably already know, they refuse to put them up before Thanksgiving, unlike most stores which are practically decorating for Christmas the day after Halloween!

LOVE that store.

While we have Christmas decorations on our mind, how about this one seen on my bike ride?

Unless you are a tennis pro, there really is no excuse for this kind of wreath. Or at least in my mind there isn't!

Here are couple more to my liking:

What do you suppose is in those boxes? 

Now we're talking--a good old fashioned display!

Old-fashioned, nostalgia, whatever you want to call it, is such a powerful force in my life. Perhaps that's why I like to buy used furniture, not unlike what we had while I was growing up. While eating dinner last night, sitting at the new/old kitchen table, thoughts about how many meals have been eaten on that very same surface by people with stories of their own ran through my mind. They always say, "if walls could speak", why not a table? Angela, with yet another household problem, was over to use my washing machine. When she saw the set, she nearly gasped, saying that it looks nearly identical to the one she had while growing up. With the quality of most furniture being made today, that will most likely be a saying of the past. Here today--gone tomorrow.

As I gaze out my office window I see morning has broken; although, after checking the weather, a girl can hope for a finer day can't she? Last evening, the humidity was so high, we gave in and turned on the air conditioner, which just doesn't seem right, now does it?