more "on the street where you live"

This is the Ginko Biloba tree in my yard. I don't think I have ever seen bark quite like it; love the shape of the leaves. Any day now it will herald in autumn by turning a brilliant shade of yellow.

"A tree uses what comes its way to nurture itself. By sinking its roots deeply into the earth, by accepting the rain that flows towards it, by reaching out to the sun, the tree perfects its character and becomes great. ... Absorb, absorb, absorb. That is the secret of the tree"... Deng Ming-Dao, Everyday Tao

leaves

leaves...

Hey, I have a master gardener question for you. My Bradford Pear still has a lot of green leaves on it, but most of the leaves that have fallen have these AWESOME designs on them. How does that happen? It looks like they have been imprinted somehow. Also, got any tips for preserving leaves? I have them falling out of most every book I own. I just hate seeing them dry up and shrivel out on the lawn, so I gather them in an attempt to preserve them (and prolong the season). I've tried putting them between sheets of wax paper inside the books, but really can't tell a difference in color than when I just stick them in between the pages. Maybe the real key is how much weight is on the pages? How glossy the pages are? How long they have been in the books? any ideas?
"I don't mind the leaves that are leaving, just the ones that have been here before"...Piglet (from A.E. Milne's Winnie the Pooh as he attempted to sweep leaves off his walkway)

"on the street where you live"

come on in . . . . .

"on the street where you live"

The butterflies flocking to the butterfly bush (Buddleia, similar to lilacs) are tons of fun to watch this time of year.
I like this theme so much, how about if we post it all week? fcp

"I have often walked down this street before;
But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before.
All at once am I several stories high.
Knowing I'm on the street where you live.
Are there lilac trees in the heart of town?
Can you hear a lark in any other part of town?
Does enchantment pour Out of ev'ry door?
No, it's just on the street where you live!"...Alan Jay Learner

happy halloween

(21) fcp
"Orange is the happiest color"...Frank Sinatra

Happy Halloween

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
'tis near Halloween . . . .

all in a row

(19) ancient busts from the British History Museum~ fcp
“America: It's like Britain, only with buttons"...Ringo Starr

All in a row

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.
~ Elayne Boosler ~

curb appeal

(19) Lake Point Tower... fcp
“Chicago is an October sort of city even in spring"...Nelson Algren

Curb Appeal

shadow

(18) fcp
“I have the world's largest collection of seashells.
I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it"...Stephen Wright

Shadow my Saturday

recycle

(17) I made this "painting palette" stepping stone and clock from broken pottery and sea-glass~my favorite form of "recycling." fcp

"Men and women approaching retirement age should be recycled for public service work, and their companies should foot the bill. We can no longer afford to scrap-pile people"...Mahatma Gandhi

Recycle

Recycling cars and trucks provides enough steel to produce almost 13 million new automobiles each year. The metal removed is reused for a new vehicle’s chassis and engine, which “closes the loop” in steel recycling. Steel from old cars produce 48 million steel utility poles - one third of the utility poles used in the U.S. The steel found in just six cars is enough to build a new house using steel framing.















Recycling management in Overton County, Tennessee.

reflecting

(16) fcp
“If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1000 MPG"...Bill Gates

Reflecting . . .

shadow my Saturday II

what can I say? Fashion is the best kind of art. I enjoy drawing, sketching, painting and photographing "girl stuff" like shoes. I guess it is because it is fun bein' a girl. fcp

"I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot"
...Marilyn Monroe

Shadow my Saturday

Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow's speed.
~ Howard Nemerov~

inspired by nature II

As I passed by the stone walk and glanced down at these leaves, I was inspired by how nature had arranged them. Just for me. How could I resist painting them? fcp

"October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band."
- George Cooper, October's Party

Inspired by nature

just a few painted gourds and twigs

Fall Out II

Don't you get the feeling that trees somehow know how beautiful they are this time of year? It is as if they understand that this is their big fashion statement of the year...especially maples. fcp

"The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on."
- Emily Dickinson

Fall out

I step outside on the deck and all I see is green . . . . except for this one big orange tree in the back.
Just can't wait to get things rollin' . . . . .



here's whats happening in your neighborhood

shadow my Saturday II

(12) cactus shadows... fcp
"May your joys be as bright as the morning, and your sorrows merely shadows that fade in the sunlight of love..." Irish Blessing

Shadow my Saturday

~~ I don't need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better ~ ~ ~Pultarch

into the light II

(11) early morning light...fcp
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it”...Edith Wharton

Into The Light

We use energy star qualified CFL's - compact fluorescent light bulb. Not only do they save money but they use 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Lighting is responsible for one-fourth of all energy consumption worldwide - mostly non-beneficial night time lighting.The United States is the largest energy consumer in terms of total use and the per-captia consumption in the US has been pretty much consistent since the 70's. It is also referred to as light clutter, light trespass, over illumination, and light pollution. Yikes.

primary colors, part deux

As I searched, I realized I have several photos containing primary colors, so I narrowed it down to two, or deux as the case may be...
The first photo was taken in Hilton Head, South Carolina and the second one in Nice, France; two cities whose common bond is the water that separates, as well as unites them (and us)... fcp
“I have played hell somewhat with the truthfulness of the colors”...Vincent Van Gogh

Primary Colors

Although I see the appeal, I have never been able to do primary colors in my house or clothes . . . but, I really liked watching John play Bill . . . . .

autumn leaves . . . . just around the corner

When these red drupes appear on the dogwood branches you know autumn is near. The shiny red berries are toxic to humans but our birds love them. Soon the leaves will turn red for the fall.

autumn leaves

It's October...already???
"Autumn~ the year's last, loveliest smile"...William Cullen Bryant

Bridges II

Early morning commute across the lake.

Bridges

"I would rather be the man who bought the Brooklyn Bridge than the man who sold it"...Will Rogers

piano II

. . . . . . And presently, as if the idea had just occurred to him, he said to Mrs. March...

"The boy neglects his music now, and I'm glad of it, for he was getting too fond of it. But the piano suffers for want of use. Wouldn't some of your girls like to run over, and practice on it now and then, just to keep it in tune, you know, ma`am?"

Beth took a step forward, and pressed her hands tightly together to keep from clapping them, for this was an irresistible temptation, and the thought of practicing on that splendid instrument quite took her breath away. Before Mrs. March could reply, Mr. Laurence went on with an odd little nod and smile...

"They needn't see or speak to anyone, but run in at any time. For I'm shut up in my study at the other end of the house, Laurie is out a great deal, and the servants are never near the drawing room after nine o'clock."

Here he rose, as if going, and Beth made up her mind to speak, for that last arrangement left nothing to be desired. "Please, tell the young ladies what I say, and if they don't care to come, why, never mind." Here a little hand slipped into his, and Beth looked up at him with a face full of gratitude, as she said, in her earnest yet timid way...

"Oh sir, they do care, very very much!"

(LITTLE WOMEN Louisa May Alcott)

piano

No inhibitions about "how to play", no worry that it may be "too loud" or "not good enough", just the bliss of creative expression. Child's play. What could be better? fcp
"All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up"...Pablo Picasso

shades of ivory II

I'm walking around the house looking for something ivory . . . . ivory is my favorite color (tied in first place with turquoise). (And all the other greens and blues). And, I keep thinking of Ma-Mo going to church. Not just the regulation pearls but the gloves. I l.o.v.e.d those ivory gloves. Every Sunday. Weddings. Funerals. Especially Easter.
And, I kept coming back to this photo of FCP that I had already posted. I thought she made this ivory look gorgeous. We were having birthday cake with Jo. They actually came half way across the state and we actually had lunch. The sand was flyin' . . . . .

shades of ivory

a rainy weekend project...what could more fun than making napkin rings from buttons, like these sold at April Cornell? fcp
“Life forms illogical patterns. It is haphazard and full of beauties which I try to catch as they fly by, for who knows whether any of them will ever return?”...Margot Fonteyn

Doors of the Distinguished

These heavy doors cover one of the ice house and dairy cellars at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate in Lexington. They were built in 1830 and go sixteen feet into the ground. You can see the bottom of the great conical roof on the other one. These outbuildings provided the rare luxury of chilled food and drink year round. When ice was placed in an ice house in January or February it would last until October or November.

(some of the shots we post here have a surprise or at least a different view if you enlarge them. This one has my nephew coming up the steps . . .)

Door of Distinction

Is this Arizona door full of history and character, or what? fcp
“Ten men waiting for me at the door?
Send one of them home, I'm tired.”...Mae West

Brick Pattern

This beautiful standard brick pattern wall wraps around my daughters drive. If your brick walls get very little sunlight and enough moisture, moss growth is inevitable. I think this is a desirable characteristic that adds to the old world charm of genuine brick. If you would like to create moss on your clay pots, Martha tells you how here: Making History: Aging Pots

Meet me in St. Louis

This challenge is all about patterns. I love buildings that mirror the city and the lives below. fcp
“When you look at a city, it's like reading the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.”...Hugh Newell Jacobsen

Seeing double . . . .

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
Dolly Parton

Rainbow

Gulf Shores rainbow... fcp

“The true harvest of my life is intangible - a little star dust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched” Henry David Thoreau

'scuse me...

while I kiss this big ol' beautiful sky!
fcp

It's a plane . . . .

Does the beautiful turquoise sky of New Mexico really have something on us? I am thinking Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda will ride by anytime . . . . .

(there are actually two planes . . )