Evolution . . .

remember these?

well, if I am correct in the line of evolution - they came from these

and eventually changed into these.

I have no clue what they are, only that the deer seem to like them and they blossomed from an apparent weed that I decided to let grow out this year just to see what came of it.

This week's photo of the day challenge is to photograph contrast:
a juxtaposition of dissimilar elements
- in this case: evolution!

testing testing. . 123. . .

just test driving one of the watermark adjustments I'm working on.

Damp & Dreary . . .

Last night was Band Night where Middle School band students get the opportunity to spend an evening with the High School Band and perform the pre-show with them. Last night was perhaps the rainiest night we've had in months. I took a few shots of the students in the band room warming up - but it was structured chaos and my choice of shots were limited. On my way home (between drop off and return for actual show) - camera in hand, I paused briefly on the tracts and snapped a shot I have been aching for. It is not from the angle I hope to eventually get - but still I like it.

The kids sounded very nice and despite the soaking rain,
my son enjoyed it very much.

Nite Lite . . .

Night pictures are challenging - even with the extra night lights; but I don't think the people on the rides cared one way or the other. While I can't recall the last time I rode an amusement ride at night, I do remember that it was waay more fun.

Periods of FALL ...

with a touch of Summer!


My observation is that when the calendar says "First Day of [Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer]" it rarely feels like it. We are in the 80s with equal amounts of humidity


- but it looks like Fall is just around the bend and I'm fine with that.

Daydreaming . . .

And you can be sure that if you're feeling right
A daydream will last long into the night
Tomorrow at breakfast you may prick up your ears
Or you may be daydreaming for a thousand years

What a day for a daydream
Custom made for a daydreaming boy
And now I'm lost in a daydream
Dreaming 'bout my bundle of joy

[Daydream - Lovin' Spoonful]

just cause . . .

while waiting for the (young) teens to complete their evening
of scurring from ride to ride, I had nothing to do but take pictures -
so I thought I would share a couple more from the carnival.

A pair of clown shoes discarded by one of the thrill rides.
Doesn't the song "Tears of a Clown" immediately come to mind.
To be honest, clown shoes without the clown are actually a bit sad and lonely.

and one of the colorful fish ride for small children
whose operator proudly shared that the seats were originals from the 1930s
that had been cleaned up and put back into use.

POTD: places . . .

Fall has officially hit our little village with the annual Fall Fest.

with its whimsical colors

games

arts & crafts

and rides

Returning home following the carnival last night my son wondered why he and his sister did not get to go to the Fall Fest carnival when they were little - or for that matter, the parade. Pondering my response, I had to acknowledge how we tend to fall into daily routines and frankly this annual ritual did not present its calling card until they were a bit older and were involved in activities that had them participate in the parade. Taking that and adding the multiple years of poor weather resulting in a muddy mess, is why he won't have fond memories of riding the little kiddie rides - but he is making up for it with the Hurricane, Monkey Cage and other screaming wild rides . Fortunately the good ole Ferris wheel is there for the faint of heart.

Celebrity Sightings . . .

While outside doing some bits and pieces of yard work I noticed a couple of flowers that I wanted to photograph - even thought it was smack-dab in the middle of the day.

such as this

and this
(rather intriguing flower shapes that turn into berry shapes - all on a weed!)

err hum, when I spotted Jimmie Cricket

none other than (Expedia's) Traveling Gnome

and, errr, Bambie
(in a somewhat compromising position....bad night, don't ask...)

never a dull moment around here I tell ya!

POTD: people & things . . .

The usual suspects - from the usual walk!

I can't help but think of the Joker in the last Batman movie -
"why so serioussss!".
My son was a willing participant when we embarked on our walk - but the sun in his eyes (trying to figure out the secret to those awesome catchlight pics) and the realization that he was ...wait for it...wait for it...STARVING! made him a little less willing as the walk progressed. Not wanting child services to swoop in on me for being a bad mom that does not feed her children, we cut the walk short and hustled home. (I'm fairly sure my kids know where the kitchen is at the house and are fully capable of getting something to eat when hungry - but perhaps I'm wrong...ha!)

I paused briefly to snap a picture of this home-made birdhouse posted on one of the neighbor's mailbox. I think it is so sweet in its simplicity.

people/places/or things . . .

This week's photo theme is people/places/or things. Noun- its who you are ...er where you are ...I mean what you are! Doesn't have the same ring as VERB - its what you do! My son and friends decided to get together at the mall and do what teens do best - run around. I spent the day sitting at Borders as an adult check-point for them and boy could I write volumes on people watching. It was brought to my attention that they were lucky they were not asked to leave the mall because of how many there was of them. Apparently malls ask teens to leave if there is a certain number for fear of "gang" related activities. Fortunately it is okay to have a gang of nuts - because they were a bunch of nuts!

Time to Reschedule . . .

Sometimes I have to ask out loud - WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!!

Maybe....

just maybe ...

someone scheduled the community concert for the wrong night of the 3 day holiday. When there are more members of the band than people in the audience - it is a pretty safe bet you missed the boat on scheduling. I felt so bad for the members of the Symphonic Band because they put hard work and many hours in preparing for the concert - but the powers that be decided to schedule it for late Monday evening rather than anytime Saturday or Sunday -> -> -> you know, when people are more inclined to go out and partake of festivities because they do not have to getting up early for work or school the next morning!! [by the way - it didn't rain any other day/evening of the weekend!] {photos taken with iPhone!}

9/11 . . .

we will NEVER forget!...

nor fail to honor those lost
as well as those that rescued.

This week's photo of the day theme is "beauty all around." I found the donation of teddy bears to be a beautiful thing. Teddy bears are a tool of comfort and in the days/months following the attacks of 9/11/2001, one very insightful teacher recognized that comfort was something this country greatly needed - and more specifically needed by the rescue workers at the World Trade Centers. The thoughtfulness of one teacher led to the donation of 15,000 teddy bears. Human compassion is a beautiful thing that is all around - even in less than glorious times.

You've come a long way baby . . .

cell phone cameras that is. I remember saying to my husband - "I don't need any stinky camera on my cell phone; if I want to take a picture, I'll do it with a REAL camera." Just like when I said - "the only thing I need to use my cell phone for is to make calls." Then he gave me an iPhone as a gift and in less than 24 hours, you couldn't pry that thing out of my hands. As the Sprint commercials used to say - gone are the days when we just use a cell phone to make calls. These pictures are from my cell phone and have only been sharpened for the internet and watermarked. While they are not frame worthy, I am impressed at how far cell phone cameras have come.

Its the little things . . .

that make a mother happy. It just makes me smile when my son offers to go out and let me take photos. The day was rather over cast, in fact it started raining on us so I got maybe 10 pictures, if that. Heaven knows where the focus fell in my third shot - I was just so stunned when he actually smiled! (apparently there was a banana peel in the tree that he just noticed) How do you like the new hair cut? He actually designed it on a Sims character and took the picture to the stylist for her to base the cut from. I was SHOCKED he was willing to cut that much off. Like I said - its the little (surprising) things that make a mother happy!

Fingers crossed . . .

that we are possum free! This was the last hold out of the possum family that laid seize to our crawl space under the house. We have placed concrete blocks at every opening and now just cross our fingers and hope it keeps them OUT. (since apparently they laugh at wire fencing and nudge under it.) I am not too proud to say that I have become proficient at setting the trap and then hauling the STINKY little vermin elsewhere for release. I am also not too proud to say I am glad that none of my neighbors took pictures as I pulled my wheelbarrow with possum (in cage) to the other side of the golf course to release them down by the river.

[no animals were harmed in the course of this eviction...
but next time I have to go after them under our house -
I'm packing heat -as in the neighbor's air rifle!]

Though you can't see Mary Jo - she is right beside Ike, faces intently glued to the window screen. And I know exactly what Ike is thinking. 1) what the !!!! 2) please tell me she is not adopting that ugly and STINKY thing 3) ha! better you than me sucker - because cage = going to the vet...bawahahaha! (he is still not too far removed from his last vet visit and KNOWS what happens when you are put into the cage/carrier...even though his is completely different. (Hummmm...you know, it might not be such a bad idea of using a humane trap/cage for those difficult domestic animals that are impossible to catch and crate to get to the vet .... but I digress!)

Different [perspectives] . . .

looking up

from an angle

or (barely) looking through

Disney from a different point of view.

per•spec•tive . . .

(per spek'tiv) n. . . . 3 sense of proportion . . .

Looking up at Disney's Cinderella's Castle.

Both adults and children alike look upon this castle in awe,
so it would be safe to say that
the sense of proportion of it does not diminish with one's age.