Gun Barrel City Daily Photo -- Life around the Lake

Odd Shot? -- Kitty In a Cast

2009-02-09T08:51:00.002-06:00

She wasn't happy about it and, as you can see, worked diligently to get it off!! She finally succeeded, but luckily it was the day that the veterinarian was supposed to remove it anyway!
I apologize for the poor quality...sometimes the closest camera at hand is just your cell phone!

More Odd Shots at Katney's Kaboodle.

Camera Critters Sunday -- No Eyeore here!

2009-02-08T07:30:00.002-06:00

In fact, these guys were very friendly! I spotted them on small rise in the field and was struck by their silhouettes against the beautiful, almost spring-like sky. But when I stopped the car, they quickly came right to the fence to say Hello! Too bad I had nothing to offer but an opportunity to be seen around the world by Camera Critter fans! Click the CC Logo above for more entries today!

One more frosty photo?

2009-02-02T07:48:00.002-06:00

We actually have had beautiful weather the last couple of days....in the 70's. This is another shot from our frosty morning last week. I just like it! I don't think of our winter landscapes around here being colorful, but this one almost was!

Paths and Passageways -- Late entry!

2009-02-01T15:06:00.002-06:00

I didn't get back from my "hiatus" in time to sign up for this month's Theme Day, but thought I'd throw out an unofficial entry anyway!

Taken from a highway bridge, I'm shooting the Trinity River, an old railroad bridge, and power transmission lines!

Whatcha' been doin'?

2009-01-31T07:48:00.002-06:00

Since all of my many fans (you 3 know who you are!) have commented on my little hiatus, I thought I'd let you see what I've been doing. The interior work is now going on and we're hoping to be in by Easter week! Good thing CDP has a limit .... I've probably taken 1000 pictures since we broke ground!

Sky Watch Friday --- peek-a-boo sun

2009-01-30T07:44:00.003-06:00

Some of you are laughing .... I know ... but ice is an infrequent experience in this part of Texas. We usually get 1-4 days a year of it! It was tough getting out of my nice warm car in 27 degree weather to take this picture for you, so stop laughing!

More Skywatch here.

P.S. Thanks, Babooshka! Happy Belated Birthday!

Hoary frost?

2009-01-29T09:08:00.001-06:00

Sky Watch Friday --- Double your pleasure!

2008-09-05T09:05:00.003-05:00

You may need to enlarge this to see what's going on. The bottom half of the photo is the reflection on a glass table top. Click the Sky Watch Friday logo above to watch the sky around the world!

Another scene on it's way out.....

2008-09-04T12:40:00.004-05:00

This was taken at the north end of the other bridge that's about to be replaced. The heavy equipment and orange-flagged stakes tell me that this pretty area of rushes will soon be gone, too. The south side has already begun construction. This is between the bridge and the Caney City public boat ramp.

Skywatch Friday -- scene on it's way out....

2008-08-29T07:18:00.003-05:00

You may have noticed that I'm fond of shooting over my shoulder in the mornings and evenings as I cross two bridges going to and coming home from work. The sunrise scenes will be changing soon. Both bridges are going to be replaced. In place of the 2-lane bridges, we'll have 4 lanes...I think we'll have two 2-lane bridges at each location. They've already started the end supports of one of them. So, this quiet little scene with the old boat pier will be history soon.......

Click the SkyWatch Friday logo above to see wonderful views of the sky from around the world!

ABC Wednesday -- F is for FISHING, of course!

2008-08-27T09:05:00.002-05:00

OK, it's an easy out when you live on a lake! These are all cropped because nobody wanted to share their faces with you! All were taken right here on our dock or very near it. That's NOT me holding the one on the top right, but that's about the size I usually catch! LOL.

Click the ABC logo above to see more participant entries in ABC Wednesday!

Wood Duck Nesting Boxes

2008-08-26T08:07:00.005-05:00

Our neighborhood has really gotten into our "Woodies" or Wood Ducks and we have several nesting boxes scattered around our cove. Some sources would say we have too many too close together. But the Woodies aren't reading those sources! This is a design enhanced by our own local Duck Lady. The first shows the hand carved male Woodie (not bad for an amateur carver!), the second shows the Plexiglas shield that holds the nest in the box while we sneak a peek occasionally (it can be lifted in it's slot for cleaning out an old nest) and the third shows it mounted over at Buster's house. It's been a very successful lake home!

What you can't see is the hardware cloth installed below the opening on the front. The babies use it to pull themselves up and out of the box when mama calls (within 24 hours of birth). They must fall at least 5 feet to get their little digestive systems started! It's amazing..they hit the water running to mama! See my sidebar link to Michelle's Rambling Woods, too. She just ran a beautiful series of photos of Wood Ducks with a great story!

Camera Critters Sunday -- get those skeeters!

2008-08-24T08:59:00.001-05:00

I'm not really sure what this is, but someone said it was a "mosquito hawk". If that means it eats mosquitoes (or "skeeters" as some call them around here), then I'm all for it!
Click the CC logo above to see more Camera Critters from around the world today!

Sky Watch Friday -- Here I go again!

2008-08-22T07:18:00.002-05:00

If you come around my blogs much, you know I'm a sucker for round hay bales and sunflowers! This was taken just south of Athens, Texas (our county seat). Click the SWF logo above for more views of this wonderful sky we share!

Odd Shot Monday: What's slithering down my walk?

2008-08-18T07:21:00.003-05:00

My neighbor has been talking about seeing a black snake with a stripe down it's side just across the chainlink fence from our yard. Hmmmmm.

Click the logo above for more Odd Shots this Monday!

Camera Critter Catching Dinner

2008-08-17T09:11:00.002-05:00

This fella has been wading around our cove for the last few days snatching minnows. Not sure if that's a delicacy or why he's hanging around here more often since the water got so shallow. They're certainly easier to swallow than some of the fish I've seen these guys catch!
Click on the logo above to see more Camera Critters from around the world.....

Photo Hunt: Colorful -- to color or not to color?

2008-08-16T09:36:00.002-05:00

When I saw today's theme for TnChick's Saturday Photo Hunt I started trying to find something that fits my blog AND her theme and this is what I came up with. I was goofing off a few weeks ago and took the same shot in vivid color and in sepia. Then I got the idea of cutting and pasting them together. At the time, it was just a goofy idea. Today suddenly it almost makes sense! LOL. Click on TnChick link above to see more Colorful entries.....probably LOTS more creative!

Sky Watch Friday -- Not photogenic but beautiful!

2008-08-15T07:42:00.004-05:00

I usually go for the glorious sunrises or sunsets, or the big fluffy white clouds, or the really ominous storm clouds. But today I'm over-joyed to bring just plain old rain clouds! This was taken about 7:30am ... still dark because WE'RE GETTING RAIN! I know that doesn't sound thrilling to many of you who have had way too much this year. But our lake is down 1.4 feet and we need the rain. This won't fill the lake but it will help...and it will certainly help our yards, which also helps the lake. Many water-front property owners have pumps that pump lake water to their sprinkler systems. So curl up in your favorite chair with a good book and enjoy the gentle rain with me! And imagine my sweet Corgi curled up under my chair because he hates the thunder!
For those glorious sunrises and sunsets and big fluffy clouds, click the SkyWatch Friday logo! I know I will!

How do you do that?

2008-08-14T11:20:00.003-05:00

Ever wonder what it takes to build or repair a boathouse? Oh come on, SURE you did. Well, here's how they get the heavy equipment to the site. It's sometimes a long, slow journey. This morning I kept hearing something that sounded like heavy equipment and at first thought (hopefully) that they were working on our road. But when I looked out the other side of the house, this is what I found! These shots were taken from my deck looking over to Buster's boathouse.

Guest Lake today!

2008-08-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

I'm out on the road again and digging through the few photos I have on a USB drive I had in my pocket! I took this at Lake Nasworthy on the outskirts of San Angelo, Texas a couple of months ago.

Odd Shot Monday -- Only in Gun Barrel City?

2008-08-11T06:43:00.004-05:00

No, not just in Gun Barrel City! This one was taken somewhere north of Lufkin (at Lazy L BBQ) on a business trip last week. But I feel justified in posting it here today because ODDLY enough, I saw another very similar smoker in Gun Barrel City yesterday! I wasn't able to stop and get a picture of that one. It wouldn't have been as good anyway because it was on a trailer and not SMOKIN' like this one!
Click the logo below for many more ODD SHOTS this Monday!

Camera Critters Sunday -- Keep away from this one!

2008-08-10T07:56:00.003-05:00

New rule for ants: If it's big enough to cast a shadow, keep away!

As I was getting into my car on Wednesday evening, I noticed this creature too close to my sandaled foot for comfort. I moved my foot and grabbed my camera from the car and started a pursuit. She apparently didn't want any part of the paparazzi as she immediately started a rapid retreat across the road. These photos aren't very good because she was moving quickly and I was trying to use the macro setting while keeping my bare toes away from her! Once she crossed the road, she quickly lost herself in the grass of a vacant lot. Saturday I remembered to ask my resident bug expert what I'd seen and was told that it was a"Cow Killer Ant" (also called Velvet Ant) and that it was a good thing I didn't let it sting me. A quick Google this morning turned up the following at "whatsthatbug.com":

This is a Velvet Ant, a flightless female wasp that is commonly called a Cow Killer, and she stings like the dickens. Eric Eaton add: "Velvet ants can 'squeak' by rapidly rubbing their abdominal segments against one another, which might account for the "hissing" sound the submitter mentioned. Between the warning colors and the noise, you'd be foolish to pick one up"

Creep on over to Misty Dawn's to see more Camera Critters!

Sky Watch Friday -- To crop or not to crop?

2008-08-08T06:22:00.003-05:00

To crop or not to crop? That's often the question for me. I'm such a purist sometimes that I seem to think it's cheating to not publish exactly what I got.
But this crop does accent the sky more.

And this one accents the reflection of the sky on the water. I'm not a Bold Babooshka by any means and don't know enough photography rules to break them, but I do break the "one photo a day rule" regularly! And I'll keep on because I learn so much from you all when I ask for help! Which of these three would YOU have posted?
Click on the Sky Watch Friday logo above to see views of the sky from around the world!

Double take ---- Point n Shoot versus ART!

2008-08-07T00:01:00.001-05:00

I've had a dream come true!!! My Aunt Nancy is an artist (and much more) and I've always had a dream of having her create a painting from one of my photographs. Thanks to the challenge of finding posts for this blog and the fact that she and Uncle Ralph regularly take a look-see at it, my dream has come true! She surprised me -- the first I knew of it was when she had it hung in a gallery in Plano with a "sold" sticker on it. And then she surprised me EVEN MORE by giving it to us as a house-warming gift! How special is that??? The photo of the painting hanging in my house doesn't do it justice but you can see how warm and wonderful it is. Thanks, Aunt Nancy! WE LOVE YOU!

If I get her permission, I'll link her art site to this one!
UPDATE: I GOT IT! Check the Blog Links on the right side panel. I've got one for Aunt Nancy's site and one for her son's gallery, Chattham Gallery. Check 'em out!

ABC Wednesday -- C is for Crescent Moon & CHALLENGE

2008-08-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

I wanted to use today's post not only as an ABC Wednesday post but to use Mrs Nesbitt's large audience (I know she won't mind because she loves meeting new people and sharing the blog universe!) in order to share the following and passing on the Brillante Weblog award:

I want to thank Michelle at Rambling Woods for sharing this award with me! If you haven’t seen her blog, you MUST click on the logo and go there immediately! She is a wonderful photographer and writer and will open your eyes to seeing Nature around you.

I’m thrilled with the honor, but challenged by the rule that I must nominate 7 other bloggers! There are so many of you that I enjoy visiting! Michelle graciously gave us an “out” and I will do the same for those I’m nominating: You don’t HAVE TO do this! LOL.

SO, in no particular order:
1) RAF at Port Townsend Daily Photo, a man with multiple talents and life experiences that we all appreciate him sharing with us!

2) JIM at Terrell Daily Photo, one of the very first to visit and comment when I got started and faithful ever since. A great example of what a fellow blogger should be: talented and supportive!

3) BABOOSHKA at Ramsey Daily Photo, brilliant and funny and helpful to those of us with lesser talent! Also a faithful and supportive visitor to me and many, many others. If, like me, you're unfamiliar with the Isle of Man, prepare to be educated!

4) TOM at Ohio Nature Blog, who probably has no idea I’ve ever been there because I’m so poor at taking the time to comment. He has a wonderful nature blog you all must see!

5) JALYNN at Jaylynn's Window on Nature, another one I sneak in to see. Wonderful nature photography. Jalynn hails from Pennsylvania.

6) MICHELLE at Rocky Mountain Retreat, one of the first nature blogs I discovered when I started this. Remarkable person and photographer. As a fan of the Colorado Rockies, I love seeing the Canadian Rockies through Michelle's lens.

7) ZACH, at Zach-Attack Picture blog. OK, I’m really prejudiced about this one. This is my 18-year old nephew who is just barely getting started with blogging and I want us all to see his work and to encourage him!

And here are the rules for you seven if you choose to play:
Put the logo on your blog...
Add a link to the person who awarded you.
Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
Add links to those blogs on yours.
Leave a message for your nominees on their blog

Sky Watch TUESDAY? Why not?

2008-08-05T06:30:00.003-05:00

I'm not a morning person. Never have been. But thanks to all of you sky watchers and bloggers out there, I'm really learning to appreciate it when I have to get up early! I shot this just down the road from our house and I couldn't wait until Friday to share it! You may need to click to enlarge it. I was concentrating on the sun itself and missed the light feathery foliage in the foreground until I uploaded it.

Odd Shots Monday -- What is that??

2008-08-04T06:10:00.001-05:00

Truck on over to Katney's Kaboodle for more Odd Shots this Monday.

Hummers like to play!

2008-08-03T07:15:00.002-05:00

No way to do this scene justice with my G5 and my skills.....but it sure was fun to watch! We had the water sprinklers going and this little humming bird was having a ball bathing in the falling shower. She/he spread feathers I never knew they had! Flitting back and forth, pausing to drink from a leaf, it was just amazing to watch.
Head on over to Misty Dawn's Camera Critters Sunday blogspot for more critters from around the world!

Photo Hunt: Clouds

2008-08-02T11:23:00.001-05:00

My Sky Watch folder is filling up, so I thought I'd post this one for TnChick's Theme --- she hosts the Saturday Photo Hunt meme. Check 'em out!

August Theme: Metal / Sky Watch Friday

2008-08-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

Does it get any better than this?

2008-07-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

Lately it's too hot to be outside during most of the day. We've been at 100 degrees F or more every day for at least a week and not much hope of anything less anytime soon. But once the sun starts down, it becomes a little more bearable. And when we get to see a sunset like this one, it's worth the wait!

ABC Wednesday -- B is for Bird Watching

2008-07-30T07:06:00.002-05:00

Am I watching the birds? Are they watching me? Are we both watching the sunrise? YES!
Click the link above to see MrsNesbitt's ABC Wednesday post and links to MANY others! Be sure to thank her for hosting and check out the shiny NEW ABC Wednesday blogspot!

Odd Shots Monday -- Time for upgrade?

2008-07-28T07:09:00.002-05:00

I think my froggy friend has outgrown his quarters, don't you? He looks a little befuddled by it.
Head on over to Katney's Kaboodle for more Odd Shots this Monday!

Saturday Photo Hunt: What IS that??

2008-07-26T09:27:00.003-05:00

Gross as it sounds....it's a mealy worm farm! We raise them through 2 or 3 stages until they become worms to feed to the blue-birds!

TnChick hosts the Photo Hunt....go see more strange things today!

Sky Watch Friday -- Black Wing Tipped Pelican

2008-07-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

I got caught unprepared for this Friday's post....I have plenty of new shots but they're at home and I'm stuck in Austin tonight! So I pulled out all the CompactFlash cards in my camera bag and started searching. Here's one I took on Jan 16, 2004.

Click the SkyWatchFriday logo to see hundreds of posts from around the world!

Wishing a Sunny Happy Birthday to Dana!

2008-07-24T07:19:00.003-05:00

Today's the birthday of one of the sunniest, happiest, friendliest, most giving people I know. She is the daughter I would have chosen if that were the way it works!!

Stopped yesterday near Waxahachie to shoot a green field with the wonderful sky you get a glimpse of here (maybe you'll see that on Friday!) and there was this ONE sunflower there. Since Dana stands out in her field, too, I thought this would be appropriate! Don't read anything into the BUG, tho....unless it's the committment!

ABC Wednesday---A for Aley UMC

2008-07-23T17:39:00.002-05:00

From the Texas Handbook Online:
ALEY, TEXAS. Aley is on Farm Road 85 twenty-seven miles northwest of Athens in far northwestern Henderson County. The settlement was evidently founded soon after the Civil War. A post office operated there from 1894 to 1907. In the early 1900s J. O. Hall and W. C. Higgins operated a local general store, and by 1910 the settlement had a combination church and school, a store operated by James Burns, and a population of twenty-five. In the mid-1930s it had a population of sixty-five, two churches, a store, and a school. After World War II the population dropped to fifty and the school closed. In the early 1990s a cemetery and two stores remained. In 2000 the population was twenty.

Today the area seems to have been incorporated into the city of Seven Points. But there are still a couple of churches with the name Aley....this one is Aley Methodist Church and I know a few really fine folks there!

P.S. I've discovered that there's been a big change to the ABC Wednesday process and I haven't figured it out yet. So I won't be linked there .... but I'm still going to count this one and will be ready next Wednesday!

Mystery Man in the Shadows

2008-07-23T07:12:00.002-05:00

A select few of our fellow bloggers may have caught on to our cat and mouse play over the last several days. Who can identify the Mystery Man seen on the shores of Cedar Creek Lake this past weekend?

Fun for All Ages....

2008-07-21T08:59:00.004-05:00

I don't believe fun and toys are meant to be limited to children of certain ages....... When we stop having fun, we may as well just STOP! So that's not the ODD of this SHOT. What might be ODD is my little secret!

Head on over to Katney's Kaboodle to see more ideas of what's Odd and what's Not!

Camera Critter on Cedar Creek

2008-07-20T22:54:00.003-05:00

This is a late post but it's the debut photo of this newly created raccoon! Some friends of mine had to cut down a tree and decided to make creative use of the stump. So this little fellow now graces their yard and shares their wonderful view! The chain saw artist worked on it Saturday and Sunday and we rushed over right at sunset to see it for the first time.

Head on over to Camera Critters, hosted by Misty Dawn for more critters of all shapes and sizes!

Moon Over Cedar Creek Lake.....

2008-07-19T23:52:00.002-05:00

I was enjoying the evening on the deck with my VIKF (see Thursday's post) and decided to once again attempt to capture the full moon with my CanonG5. This time I used a tripod and the 10sec timer and hid it behind a post to block some of the light from the neighborhood. The first one is at full 16x zoom. It came out with some pretty wild colors so I decided to share it! The second is a bit more natural-looking and I cropped it to enlarge it enough to show you the star. It's been a fantastic day with wonderful people, wonderful food, wonderful weather, a nice boat ride and just enough wine. Tomorrow should be more of the same and we have plans for some sunrise and sunset shots over the water. But now it's time for some shut-eye, so I bid you all a Good Night!

Sky Watch Friday

2008-07-17T19:39:00.002-05:00

This was my greeting from the sun as I left for work early one morning this week. Click the logo below to join other Sky Watchers this Friday. We are now graced with not one, but a team of fabulous hosts/hostesses! Let's take a moment to thank Tom and Jane for their work in the past, give thanks that Tom is feeling better, and thank Tom, Imac, Sandy and Klaus for the hard work preparing the new site and for the future hosting!

Blogging interrupted....

2008-07-17T11:31:00.002-05:00

I'm under strict orders to use these tools today instead of my camera and computer! Blogging is temporarily interrupted as Houseworking takes center stage today. Preparing for VIKF visits. What are VIKF, you ask? VERY IMPORTANT KIN FOLK! And maybe a special surprise for all of you CDPB'ers. Tune in Saturday/Sunday to find out!

ABC Wednesday --- Zion in Zephyr

2008-07-16T06:08:00.002-05:00

From thefreedictionary.com:
Zi·on (zn)

a. The historic land of Israel as a symbol of the Jewish people.

b. The Jewish people; Israel.

2. A place or religious community regarded as sacredly devoted to God.

3. An idealized, harmonious community; utopia.

For the last entry of Round 3, I had to resort to photos from one of my trips to West Texas. This very small town (Zephyr) had some wonderful photo ops. See another on my Corsicana Daily Photo blog.

Thanks to Mrs Nesbitt for hosting through Round 3! Check out her site for links to "Z" around the world!

Two fer Tuesday --- reflections in the water

2008-07-15T06:42:00.002-05:00

Jonna over at ShelbyCountyMuses hosts a meme called "Two Fer Tuesday". The first shot here needed the 2nd shot just to show you what you are seeing! These are reeds of some sort that I spotted one evening near one of the bridges on the north end of the lake. I loved the mirror image in the water.

Odd Shots Monday

2008-07-14T08:19:00.005-05:00

How many places do you go and find a chili pepper playing the piano? Well, it's not as uncommon in Texas as in some other places, I'm sure, but I still thought it would rate as an ODD SHOT this Monday! My sister and brother-in-law both hit their 50th birthdays recently, so they had a combined 100th Birthday Party this weekend at the Jalapeno Tree in Longview. This is a small chain of restaurants and we have one here in Gun Barrel City, too.

Head on over to Katney's Kaboodle for more Odd Shots! But you can leave your birthday greetings for J&D here! Have a great Monday!

Camera Critters Sunday -- Are You Looking at ME?

2008-07-13T07:13:00.002-05:00

This was supposed to have been part of a short series....I was chasing a Hot Air Balloon down a dirt road the other day and came to a quick halt when I saw this fellow watching the balloon! But when I stopped, he/she suddenly turned to keep an eye on ME. Llamas (and donkeys) are used around here to help protect lifestock. Apparently, they are quite good at keeping 4-legged intruders (and perhaps 2-legged!) out of the pastures!

The series won't be happening. It was early morning and I could only shoot into the rising sun, so I didn't get decent shots of the balloon!

Graze on over to Camera-Critters, hosted by Misty Dawn, to see more critters from around the globe!

One of my favorite lake activities ....

2008-07-12T09:14:00.002-05:00

Not one I've had the chance to enjoy as much as I'd like to lately. So this serves as a reminder to me and to all of us....SLOW DOWN! Enjoy your world wherever you are. Have a great weekend!

Sky Watch Friday -- The love of flying!

2008-07-11T07:15:00.002-05:00

I took this during the 4th of July Air Show over the lake. It was taken from a rolling boat, so it's not as sharp as I'd like!

Fly on over to WiggersWorld where Tom lovingly hosts Sky Watch Friday and see the sky through the eyes of photographers around the world!

Different Lake Today

2008-07-10T05:57:00.004-05:00

If you'll indulge me, I'll post another photo from my West Texas trip. So that you non-Texans in the world don't get the idea that West Texas is all cactus and tumbleweed, here's a photo of a small piece of Lake Nasworthy, on the out-skirts of San Angelo. I needed my water fix, so I went out there to watch the sun set. (OK, you'll probably have to indulge me again on Friday for SWF!). There's another photo below the history lesson.

From "The Handbook of Texas Online":
Lake Nasworthy, an artificial lake on the South Concho River six miles southwest of San Angelo in central Tom Green County (at 31°23' N, 100°29' W), was constructed by the West Texas Utilities Company in 1929-30 to supply municipal and industrial water and water for irrigation to San Angelo. The project was named for John R. Nasworthy, who raised race horses on the land before it was inundated to form the lake. He sold the land to the city of San Angelo in May 1950. Nasworthy Dam is an earthfill dam, designed by Floyd and Lockridge of Dallas, with a crest length of 5,480 feet (including spillways) at an elevation of 1,879 feet above mean sea level. Surface area of the lake is 1,596 acres at the top of the collapsible floodgates, and normal capacity is 13,990 acre-feet. The lake drains an area of 3,833 square miles. Twin Buttes Reservoir,^qv completed in February 1963, regulates the flow into Lake Nasworthy. Farm Road 584 crosses the lake at its approximate midpoint, near the site of a state fish hatchery.

The photo below is a close-up of the greenery seen in the first shot.

ABC Wednesday -- Y

2008-07-09T05:00:00.001-05:00

I'm still out in West Texas and thought this photo of one of the hundreds of wind turbines out here would be an appropriate post for ABC Wednesday. See more at Mrs Nesbitts Place.

I won't tell you how many times I had to shoot to catch the blades in just the right position...but I probably have an image of every position possible!

On the road again.....

2008-07-08T18:00:00.002-05:00

Since I'm way out in West Texas, I thought I'd post something from my trip out here. These two "shots" were taken in Brownwood, Texas. This beautiful old building in Brownwood, Texas was once the Brown County Jail. It is now the Brown County Museum of History. The second "shot" shows the rather tenuous link to my CDP blog!

Posting late today because the motel I'm staying in was having trouble with their internet service. BUMMER! But if it holds up, I'll be posting my ABC Wednesday posts on time!

Odd Shots Monday

2008-07-07T11:28:00.004-05:00

You may think the oddest thing is the mood I'm in today! LOL. Or the mood I was in the day that I shot the last photo below. Why would one do that? Go to Katney's Kaboodle to see far better examples of today's Theme!

Turns out I was digging pretty hard for an excuse to give Rogers Wildlife Rehab Center another plug, I guess! Have a great Monday, my friends. I'm off to San Angelo, Texas for a couple of days and will try to find something interesting to share with you from there.

My 100th post and Camera Critters Sunday

2008-07-06T06:57:00.004-05:00

It took me more than 100 days to do it, but I'm finally making my 100th Post on CDP! I've met many, many wonderful people through CDP who have been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration. There are certain ones who stick with me day after day and are so generous with their comments and helpful with their tips that I'd like to thank them publicly:

Our favorite islander, Babooshka. Our famous Ohioan, Abe Lincoln. Our Friendly Parisian, Eric. Two NW wonders, Kim and Raf. My "neighbor" in Texas, Jim.

You are all the BEST!! Thanks for sharing your world and your knowledge! And because today is Camera Critters Sunday, Nate would like to join me in thanking the hosts/hostesses of some of the Theme Sites on which we've participated and also found new friends: Katney at Katney's Kaboodle: Odd Shots Monday
Jonna at Jonna's Life: Two fer Tuesday
Mrs. Nesbitt at Mrs. Nesbitt's Place: ABC Wednesday
Tom and Jane at Wigger's World: SkyWatch Friday
TN Chick: Photo Hunt Saturday
Misty Dawn: Camera Critters Sunday
Anna Carson: Color Project

Theme hosts and hostesses do this as a labor of love and they've helped create wonderful communities and forums for photography! THANKS! They've all been very supportive of my efforts along the way, as have many of their frequent participants. There are too many of you to name, but you know who you are! Thanks to you, too! I don't get around to as many sites as I'd like, and rarely leave comments when I do, but I'm going to work on that!

My family and friends have also been very supportive and I'd especially like to thank my nephew, Zach. I've been encouraging him to start his own blog. He took the photo of Nate above and I've posted a few more of his shots of Nate and our lake sunsets lately. Don't you think he should get started??

What else to post on July 5th?

2008-07-05T07:24:00.002-05:00

This was my first attempt at taking pictures of fireworks. The first one was shot across the cove from our friends' house where the church had held our first annual 4th of July Flotilla and Fireworks party. The flotilla was small....only 3 boats...but they looked good and we had fun! The fireworks display afterwards, sampled by the second shot here, was truly awesome! I'll put some more of the shots on my home blog, Bird's Eye View.

Sky Watch Friday - Happy 4th to USA Bloggers

2008-07-04T07:45:00.002-05:00

For Sky Watch Friday, my nephew Zach gave me permission to use one of the sunset shots he took from our boat when we was here 2 weeks ago. It was a wonderful evening. We took the boat out just before the sun set and watched it "go down". The colors in the sky and reflected on the water were amazing. This is just one shot of many great ones he took! Go to WiggersWorld where Tom hosts Sky Watch Friday to see the sky around the world!
And, last but not least, our boy Nate wanted to wish all of you USA bloggers wherever you are A VERY HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! This is from the archives...Nate got a new haircut yesterday, but alas...no new bandanna. Will post more 4th of July photos tomorrow after our church's First Annual Boat Parade today!

Future winery?

2008-07-03T08:59:00.002-05:00

What started as a method of covering up a chain-link fence between our house and our neighbor actually produced "fruit of the vine" last week! They are very small but very tasty! I'm just amazed that we found them before the birds did. Or maybe our birds are too spoiled by the other plants and feeders we have out there for them!

ABC Wednesday -- X

2008-07-02T08:23:00.003-05:00

I thought "X" would be hard, but seems it's a fairly common site! See my Corsicana Daily Photo blog for a couple more.
Then click on over to Mrs Nesbitts Place for "X's" from around the world!

July Theme: NO Signs

2008-07-01T05:00:00.001-05:00

Long story short: our church had a fishing tournament and those of us who aren't skilled anglers had an opportunity to have some fun with a costume contest. There's plenty more to this rather embarrassing costume that I won't share, but I tied for first place! The "fishing vest" is covered with lures, front and back. So I made the "NO HUGS" pin to keep our church full of huggers from getting hurt or hurting me!
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Odd Shots Monday --- Nate's Summer 'Do

2008-06-30T08:26:00.005-05:00

Summers can be brutal in Texas....we're hitting 100 degrees F already. Corgis have a 2nd coat so they get really warm. Plus, Nate LOVES to swim in the lake.....but it aggravates his skin if he stays wet a long time. SO, this is the summer Hair-Do he gets a couple of times each year! As long as we don't allow anyone to laugh out loud at him, he loves it. But it does make him look a little ODD. For more Odd Shots this Monday, click on over to Katney's Kaboodle.
If you're new here and don't realize how gorgeous Nate is, click NATE in my labels column, PLEASE!

Camera Critters Sunday

2008-06-29T07:05:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, this is the continuation of the Pigeon Rescue story started yesterday! After doing some online research, I realized that setting a broken wing and providing proper nutrition and a safe home for the pigeon was more than I could do. So I did more research and found a wonderful new home for the poor soul. It's called Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and it's just south of Dallas in Hutchins. Find out more about them at RogersWildlife.org
See more Camera Critters at Misty Dawn's.
See more of my photos and the story at my other blogs, Corsicana Daily Photo and Bird's Eye View.

Wildlife Rescue

2008-06-28T18:08:00.002-05:00

Last evening we found this pigeon floating in the lake! I grabbed the net and scooped him out from our pier. He/She has a broken wing. Tune in tomorrow for "the rest of the story....."

Camera Critters Sunday -- Nate again!

2008-06-22T14:21:00.002-05:00

Photo today courtesy of my brilliantly talented nephew Zach! Nate loves having someone to come play ball with him and Zach did a great job of catching the action on his camera. Talk about a coordinated duo! See another shot on my Corsicana Daily Photo site and click on over to Misty Dawn's site for more Camera Critters!

Saturday Photo Hunt: Water

2008-06-21T09:03:00.002-05:00

Good thing I don't have time to obsess over WHICH water photo today...obviously this theme is right up my alley! This is the spillway for our beloved Cedar Creek Reservoir. I posted a different photo of it for CDP's Water Theme on April 1.

Click on over to TnChick's site to see more on the Photo Hunt theme: Water!

Sky Watch Friday -- Sunrise on the Lake

2008-06-20T08:23:00.002-05:00

Many mornings on my way out and evenings on my way home, when I see wonderful sunrises and sunsets on the lake, I will perch my camera on my left shoulder and shoot out the window without looking (the 2 bridges I cross are not very wide!). Sometimes I get a keeper, as I did yesterday morning. I would much rather have been in this boat than in my car going to work!

Head on over to WiggersWorld to see more Sky Watch Friday photos!

Camera Critters Sunday--Stealth Bomber?

2008-06-15T07:29:00.003-05:00

Did a Stealth Bomber land on my front porch?

No, it's some sort of moth....anybody know what kind? Very small, as you can see from the last shot.

Hop, waddle, fly or gallop over the Misty Dawn's for more wonderful Camera Critters.

And HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Saturday Photo Hunt: Emotion--Sheer Delight!

2008-06-14T09:40:00.002-05:00

It just doesn't get much better than this....a perfect end to a perfect day!

Click on over to TnChick's site to see more Saturday Photo Hunt images.

Sky Watch Friday -- Between the showers

2008-06-13T06:42:00.002-05:00

After one rain and before the next....the sky had both dark rain clouds and patches of clearing and the great blue reflection in the water. Head on over to WiggersWorld for more Sky Watch Friday posts.

ABC Wednesday -- U is for Ugly Stick!

2008-06-11T17:41:00.002-05:00

Of course, fishermen/women don't think ANY good rod is ugly, right? And, as you can see, this one is only one rod of several! Head on over to Mrs Nesbitt's Place to see more ABC Wednesday posts.

Color Project: Blue, Take IV

2008-06-10T06:38:00.003-05:00

I posted on one of my blogs the other day that my little bluebird friend and his mate had decided which bluebird house they were going to build in. But a few days later, I caught him sitting on top of this one again. I think he may have preferred the view from this one, but his mate used more practical criteria in her choice! Check Anna Carson's blog for more Color Project posts!

Odd Shots Monday

2008-06-09T08:36:00.002-05:00

Sitting on the deck last night, enjoying the quiet and watching a Mallard family and taking pictures, as always! Found this feather in the yard and starting playing around with the macro setting on my little G5. Decided this one qualified as an Odd Shot just because it was odd for someone to sit around taking pictures of a feather! I like the textures of this one, though, as the feather lies on my cedar rail. See more Odd Shots over at Katney's Kaboodle!

Camera Critters Sunday

2008-06-08T08:03:00.002-05:00

He was trying to scare me away and it was starting to work.....
Check out the other Camera Critters over at Misty Dawn's site!

Project Blue -- Take 1

2008-06-07T11:58:00.004-05:00

I've decided to join in on Anna's Color Project today and shoot all the blue I can see in the first five minutes of coming into my house. Rather than put them all in one blog, I'm spreading them out. So also go to my Corsicana Daily Photo blog and my Bird's Eye View blog to see more! Enjoy the trip! Here we have my actual front door, my key ring just inside the door and the nautical decor of the guest bathroom. Some of the shots on my other blogs are more interesting! ;-)

Sky Watch Friday -- Good to be home!

2008-06-06T09:14:00.002-05:00

Missed yesterday's post as I was Travelling Around Texas again! The first shot is my first view of the lake when I was coming home last night. You can see why I love to come home! The 2nd is somewhere between San Angelo and Austin!

Click over to WiggersWorld to see more Sky Watch Friday entries.

ABC Wednesday -- T is for Tripod, but look Twice

2008-06-04T08:58:00.004-05:00

Tripods are one of our favorite tools, right? OK, it's a cheesy subject for ABC Wednesday but I sort of forgot to get prepared! I have a collection....the smallest one stays on my Canon G5 and it's come in handy many, many times. The largest one stays in the trunk of my car. The next smallest one I found on a hiking trail in Colorado (I swear my guardian angel Kathy left it there for me because I'd gotten all the way up there without one!) and the next to largest is one I bought on Ebay just because it was old and cool! I expect to use it to display one of my older cameras when I get my library finished.

But scroll on down to see my favorite Tripod of all----the little kitty my honey rescued from the middle of the road ... barely 6 weeks old, he had apparently gotten caught in the machinery of an automobile and one front leg was literally ripped off. You can see that it didn't take him long to get used to living without it! He's fully capable of getting into as much trouble as any kitty! KUDOS here to our friends A&S who took him in and gave him not one, but two lovely homes!
Also to Old Man Lincoln at Brookeville Daily Photo, who posted a photo of a 3-legged dog this week and gave me the idea for this post!

Now head on over to Mrs Nesbitt's Place for more ABC Wednesday postings!

Future Favorite

2008-06-03T15:00:00.005-05:00

I posted my church as my favorite corner shop (it's in a shopping strip) on June 1. Here's a shot I took yesterday when we were working on the new location. If you click to enlarge and look very closely, there are some t-posts with white tops marking the four corners of the future building and portacochiere (or as we call them around here ... "our covered drive-thru drop-off!"). Hopefully by the end of the year, I can show you our new church!

Odd Shots Monday and belated Camera Critter Sunday!

2008-06-02T05:00:00.002-05:00

Since I skipped Camera Critters on Sunday because it was June 1 and therefore City Daily Photo Theme Day, I decided to use this Odd Shot of my favorite critter. Nate was just a few months old and on his first camping trip when we discovered his affection for the bottle! I assure you it was completely empty, though!

Nate wishes his Aunt J a very HAPPY FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For more Odd Shots this Monday, click on over to Katney's Kaboodle.

June Theme: Favorite Corner/Local Shop

2008-06-01T11:54:00.003-05:00

This little shopping strip isn't fancy and isn't very profitable and doesn't bring in a lot of traffic, but nestled right in the middle of it is my favorite place in this area---my church! We started out with fewer than 10 people five years ago and are now in the process of building our very own church building on 3 acres! We will always have fond memories of this location, though. This is where we have met some truly wonderful people and forged life-long relationships. It's true that you can't judge a book by it's cover!

Be sure to check out the other June Theme participants below!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey by afyonblog, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Shantaram, Chennai, India by Ram N, Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Corsicana (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Evry, France by Olivier, Folkestone, UK by Clare Unsworth, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Gainesville (FL), USA by Leah, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hangzhou, China by Chanin, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Los Angeles (CA), USA by Martha Perez, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Misawa, Japan by misawa mama, Monroe (GA), USA by Tanya, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Nancy, France by yoshi, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by • Eliane •, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Owasso (OK), USA by Jennifer, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Perth, Australia by Elevation7, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Petoskey (MI), USA by Christie, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Posadas, Argentina by Lega, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea by Jules, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Fotos. Riga Photos, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, San Francisco (CA), USA by Louis la Vache, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Sequim (WA), USA by Norma, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Sydney, Australia by Julie, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tel-Aviv, Israel by Olga, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Urayasu, Japan by Zono, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Late Post and Late Breaking News!

2008-05-31T21:30:00.005-05:00

Just got back from a whirlwind trip to see two fine young men graduate from two different high schools. Friday night we were just east of Houston to see our cousin graduate high school and this morning, we were at Texas A&M to see our nephew graduate high school. All told, we saw over 1300 kids walk the two stages! Can you pick my boys out? They're the tall, skinny guys in blue!

Sky Watch Friday -- from my road trip

2008-05-30T07:45:00.002-05:00

Austin is growing so fast that I felt compelled to stop and grab some shots of the sunset just barely south of town on Interstate 35. This will all be housing or shopping centers too soon! The first shot was actually my 2nd shot and may be a little blurry...I was zooming to catch the hawk sitting in the top of the dead tree. Don't forget to pop over to WiggersWorld to see more SkyWatchFriday posts!

Nature Knows to Celebrate Diversity!

2008-05-29T07:25:00.002-05:00

They say it's our similarities that should matter, not our differences...but is that really so? If all of us sent the same pictures every day, would we be interested in each other's cities ... or in each other? I say we should all celebrate our differences and learn from one another. What do you say?

ABC Wednesday -- S is for So many things

2008-05-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

SURFING through my SHOTS from my SAFARI to SAN Antonio, I've found SAILING....
A STAGECOACH in the SKY.....
And STARS and STRIPES.

I jumped the gun and posted my SPURS SHOTS yesterday!

The Sailboat was shot from my deck....the Stagecoach near Waco....The Stars and Stripes at the Veteran's Hospital in Waco. See more ABC Wednesday photos at MrsNesbitt's Place!

On the road again.....

2008-05-27T19:21:00.004-05:00

Late with my posts today....trouble with my wireless connection at a hotel in San Antonio this morning! Caught these two shots last night when I came in. For those of you not as fanatical about sports as we are around here, I should let you know that the NBA team San Antonio SPURS are in the play-offs AGAIN. The Hilton downtown had a clever arrangement of balcony lights last night! The whole city is Spurs Crazy, of course. GO SPURS GO!

Memorial Day Weekend on the Lake

2008-05-26T07:44:00.002-05:00

We took the boat out for a little while yesterday and saw, as we expected, every form of water transportation imaginable! From canoes to pedal-boats to personal watercraft to sailboats to ski boats to bass boats to cabin cruisers. Here's just a microcosm ... taken right here in our cove, from our boat. The house in the background was the site of a birthday party with a live band. There were 5 or 6 boats tied up around their boathouse and the neighboring boathouse to the right plus several PWCs. Our friend was trying for a leisurely sail and I was trying for a picture of the leisurely sail when this ski-boat came flying through the shot. We decided to leave the lake to the week-enders and go home and listen to the live band from the safety and sanity of our deck! Happy Memorial Day!

Camera Critter Sunday -- Elusive Cormorant

2008-05-25T07:30:00.003-05:00

These guys are a challenge to photograph. If they're in the water, they can dive at any instant and you'll have no idea where to watch for them to re-surface. We jokingly refer to them as "drowning ducks" around here because one of our friends was sorely distressed the first time she saw one dive. When it didn't come up and didn't come up, she was shouting "the duck is drowning, the duck is drowning!". Now it's a game to see who can guess where they will come up! Last weekend we were out on the boat and came across this guy. I decided to see how close we could get. The last photo here is actually the first I shot. The other two I had to zoom to get, so they're not very sharp. Considering that I was both the captain and the photographer, I guess they're not too bad! You would think that photos 1 and 2 are reversed, but they're not. He/She was considering vacating the premises, but apparently decided we were relatively harmless and decided to stay. See more Camera Critters moderated by Misty Dawn.

Life at the Lake on Memorial Weekend

2008-05-24T11:24:00.005-05:00

Our (all of us CDP bloggers) friend Abe at Brookeville Daily Photo has a great post for Memorial Day. Please check it out.
Around here, Memorial Weekend is known as the FIRST BIG WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER and everyone who has a lake house comes. That means lots of things....yard work, getting the boat back in shape, inflating all of the kiddos water toys and hitting the water with every imaginable vessel available. For those of us lucky enough to be here full-time, it means "HERE THEY COME AGAIN, THERE GOES OUR PEACE AND QUIET!". We were "week-enders" longer than we've been "full-timers" so we hope we still maintain a sense of balance and patience! Anyway, I had expected to get a photo of boats and PWC's galore this morning. But, alas, it's a bit windy and overcast and still pretty quiet out there. Maybe tomorrow or Monday I'll be able to get such a post. But for today, here are a few golden oldies with the theme of lake life, memories and Old Glory.

Peace, happiness, health and good memories to you all!

Sky Watch Friday

2008-05-23T07:20:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday was a lovely day for the most part....then we had some rain....and then just as the sun was getting low I caught it trying valiantly to peek through the clouds. Usually sky conditions change pretty quickly around here. I shot 4 pictures in a few minutes and these are the first and last. I was surprised later to see how little change there was this time!

Pop over to Wiggers World to see more Sky Watch Friday shots.

Road trip.....

2008-05-22T20:07:00.003-05:00

OK, I've had some long days this week and posted late, if I posted at all. Guess the hours and miles are getting to me. I came across this in a little town called Mexia and it's just too funny to not post. Maybe it doesn't meet the City Daily Photo criteria for where I live, but I hope it will spread smiles around the world! This bikini beauty stops traffic for a used car dealer.

ABC Wednesday....R for Rainbows

2008-05-21T20:00:00.002-05:00

If you click to enlarge, you'll see there is a double rainbow....and a reflection in the water. This was taken last June. It's late in the day....long day today....but head on over to Mrs Nesbitt's for more ABC Wednesday posts.

Night & Day --- Two fer Tuesday

2008-05-20T07:32:00.002-05:00

Found another meme site! Jonna hosts Two fer Tuesday--post a pair of photos with a theme of their own. I took the night shot last night--the full moon was too nice to pass up! When I thought about the Two fer Tuesday meme, I dug around to find a similar shot taken during daylight hours. You can use the wood duck nesting box at the bottom left as a reference.

Odd Shots Monday -- Window Shopping for Airplane?

2008-05-19T07:48:00.003-05:00

How many of you have a local store where you can window shop for an old military plane? Well, here's your opportunity to OWN one! The whole place is up for sale, right on Hwy 198 in Payne Springs!

This facility was actually a boat sales/repair shop but this one section of the building has held this aircraft for as long as I've been coming out here. There are more parts outside if you'd like to try your hand at restoring this old beauty!

If you look very closely, you'll see my reflection in the bottom shot. I was standing outside a locked chain-link fence. See more Odd Shots at Katney's Kaboodle.

Need a cheap boat?

2008-05-18T07:25:00.004-05:00

Here's a real fixer-upper! It's been sitting here for as long as I've been boating on this lake, which is about 7 or 8 years. I call it the S.S. Minnow! If you click to enlarge, you can actually see some details....looks like there still might be some glass in some windows.

Trinidad Path -- the last drive?

2008-05-17T08:46:00.002-05:00

As I was enjoying some of your blogs yesterday, I came across a short discussion about paths. It reminded me of this shot I took a couple of months ago. This little lane leads from the Trinidad ISD building to a cemetery. I wasn't able to explore the cemetery, as there were people there I didn't want to disturb. But it seems to be near the banks of the Trinidad River (through the woods behind the fence).

Sky Watch Friday

2008-05-16T07:22:00.003-05:00

It was cloudy most of yesterday, but just at sunset we suddenly got a quick few minutes of fabulous pink and blue. I didn't realize with the first shot that the moon was in the pink! Click to enlarge the first photo and you'll see it. The 2nd was taken in moments. And the pink was gone the next moment. See more Sky Watch Friday photos!

Quirky Quest for Q : ABC Wednesday

2008-05-14T08:28:00.002-05:00

Ok, it's a little bit of a desperate stretch.....but see the design around the center of the web? Doesn't that look a little like a Q????

Go to Mrs Nesbitt's for more creativity with the letter Q!

Mother's Day/Camera Critters

2008-05-11T09:16:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we had just finished a fabulous dinner at Hernandez Mexican Restaurant (more on that in another post later) in Malakoff when we spotted this family under the porch roof. In honor of Mother's Day and in participation with the Camera Critters Sunday meme, here's a shot of dinner-time at Hernandez'.

More Bluebirds

2008-05-10T13:43:00.002-05:00

We seem to have a lot of bird lovers in our group, so though I'm not the photographer that Abe is, I thought you might enjoy these. The same "duck lady" who built the wood duck nesting box I posted a couple of days ago also built this bird condo. One year we had bluebirds nesting in it. The first photo shows the papa feeding and the bottom one shows the baby peeking out.

Sky Watch Friday

2008-05-09T10:23:00.002-05:00

I had a sunrise photo ready for today, but decided to save it in case that's our July theme! So I ran out this morning and snapped this one. Looks like a PERFECT day today. I'll be on the boat by 5:30!! See other Sky Watch Friday posts at Wigger's World.

More than Mallards....

2008-05-08T08:42:00.002-05:00

Just so you know...we do have more than mallards and wood ducks around here. Occasionally various domestic ducks find their way in. And male mallards are notoriously "friendly". So we have some interesting results.

ABC Wednesday - P is for Pink and PurPle Petunias

2008-05-07T10:40:00.003-05:00

Please click the ABC Wednesday icon to see more participants' entries at Mrs. Nesbitt's Place!