Blue Monday: New Planter

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself, please head on over to her blog.

Well, it looks like summer is really here, even if not yet officially.  We've had high temps in the mid-90s for several days now, and more heat is predicted this week.  Of course, this IS Central Texas, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  But what does surprise me is how fast this year is ripping by -- can you believe it's the middle of JUNE already? (!!!)

SO... since outdoor weather has been back for a while, we've been getting our front porch in shape for activity (well, when the tarantulas and giant scorpions and hornets the size of sparrows give us a chance to get out there). Bought some new furniture a few weeks ago, and over the weekend I picked up a new (OK -- "previously owned") planter at a Salvation Army store in Austin.  It's going on the corner of the porch, to fill up an empty spot that's been bothering me.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Doesn't it have some very nice BLUE flowers?

The problem is going to be finding a plant for it.  It'll be right in the pathway of all the deer that pass our place -- thus, very convenient for munching.  Last year, we had one of these Chinese Fringe Flower plants in that spot, and even though it was supposed to be "deer-proof," the little dears (hee-hee!) completely stripped it of leaves and blooms in just a matter of hours after it appeared.

So at the moment we're looking for something that's decorative and not dangerous, but not too yummy. Any suggestions?

Blue Monday: Boardwalk By Night

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself, please head on over to her blog.

OK, last photo from our summer trip to Rehoboth Beach -- no, I promise this time! But the Labor Day weekend always makes me nostalgic for the summer just passed. And as I was looking back over the photos we took, this one jumped out at me. It's a shot of the boardwalk and the beach from our hotel room balcony, taken just after sundown when the sky was still fairly light. A little grainy because I didn't want to use the flash -- and because I'm actually a really lousy photographer. But I know a good blue when I see it!

Beach Blues: Got Books?

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself, please head on over to her blog.

Yet another photo from our recent beach trip (ah, fond memories!). This time we've got a shot of people reading on the beach (one of my favorite subjects), with lots of blue bits thrown in -- even a teensy part of a blue beach hat, down in the corner.

Blue Monday: Blue Eatery

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself, please head on over to her blog.

The hubby and I recently spent a week in Rehoboth Beach DE, just relaxing and soaking up the sun (well, trying to -- between rain showers). Rehoboth is our favorite nearby seaside place, and we try to spend at least a few days there every summer. And when we're not on the sand, it's fun just to walk around the little beach community, checking out the shops and cottages. Many of them are painted bright colors and have interesting artwork. These shots are of one of the local restaurants (the Iguana Grill -- and no, I don't work for them and they're not paying me to post these photos) which is painted many colors -- and some of them are blue-ish.

Hard to get a good shot of the front because of all the cars and power lines.

And here's a look at the mural painted on the side of the building.
Of course, there would be lots of iguanas.

I'll be posting more photos from our Rehoboth trip later in the week. I'm already wishing we were back on the beach!

ABC Wednesday: "B" is for...

Beach and Boardwalk!!!

Miles of both at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where we'll be heading in just a few days. Joysweb is on vacation for the next week or two. See ya in August!

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

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ABC Wednesday: "O" is for...

Ocean!

Specifically, here, the Atlantic Ocean. A few shots from our annual trek to Rehoboth Beach, DE. Think I'm ready for another visit!

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

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Blue Monday: Going to the Doggies

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
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It's been a while since I posted anything for Blue Monday. Guess the end-of-summer blues have got me down. And all this rain we've been having hasn't helped. But we did have some sun a week or so ago - just in time for the annual Doggie Swim. Every year right after they close the pool for the season here at our condo community, they allow all the dog owners to bring their pets over on a Saturday morning for a play day at poolside. And every year I say I'll go and take a look at all the fun, but until this year I've always missed it. These are a few of the photos I took. OK, I know there aren't any blue dogs. But the water was a nice shade of turquoise blue, wasn't it?

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Window Views and Doors Too!

Room With a View...

of West Austin
June 2006
(Click on photo to enlarge.)

For more window and doorway views, please visit the web site here.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Shadows in the Sand

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Shadow Shot Sunday: The Walk to the Beach

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet.
To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Oh, Happy Day!

Many long eons ago - on a planet far, far away - two young people who didn't know what they were getting themselves into stood up in front of a Presbyterian minister and a congregation of their friends and relations, and promised to love and support each other til the end of time, amen. In sickness and health and for better or worse, and all that stuff.

It was a teenage wedding and the old folks wished them well. . . . Well, one of us was a teenager anyway.

Today, M and I are celebrating another wedding anniversary. There have been many others since that day back in 1960-something when we got hitched. That day was, literally, one of the happiest days of my life. Even though the dress was too hot for August in Texas, and the florist delivered the wrong flowers, and it had rained the night before and the humidity was almost unendurable, and everyone (except M and me, but including, I think, the minister) wept all through the ceremony. I got the guy of my dreams, and I've still got him, and I love him even more now than I did then (although I wouldn't have said that was possible). The wedding may have been a near-disaster, but the marriage has been something like a miracle.

Happy anniversary, Sweetie!

Special Day!

Today is 8-9-10!

One of those once in a lifetime days. But then, aren't they all?

Do something memorable!

******

Shadow Shot Sunday: Happy Hour Shadows

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Shadow Shot Sunday is a weekly photo meme hosted by Hey Harriet. To see many, many more shadow shots or to contribute some yourself, head on over to her blog.

Outdoor and Wordless Wednesday: Sailing

(Click on images to enlarge.)

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

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Blue Monday: Blues at the Beach

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself,
please head on over to her blog.

The hubby and I recently spent a few days in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, relaxing and reading and soaking up the sun. And trying to avoid heat stroke in the nearly 100-degree temperatures. We had a great time, and I'm already wishing we could go back and do it all over again (but maybe without the crowded beach this time).

These are a few of the blue-ish sights I found there. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Lots of blue here, even though it wasn't as spectacularly sunny as it's been during past visits.

Blue bicycles on the boardwalk.

Blue dolphins on a rooftop.

Blue water in a wall fountain. Actually pretty icky, isn't it?

Blue fishy banks in a souvenir shop.

And even my travel doll, Kayla, found a spot of blue to recline against. She really needs some beach wear, doesn't she?

Outdoor Wednesday: On the Beach

Tomorrow we'll be heading off for a few days at the beach. Don't know how much blogging I'll be doing while we're there. Depends on the weather, I suppose. This is a shot from last year's beach trip. He (or she?) was very patient about posing, even though the wind was definitely ruffling a few feathers.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

Outdoor Wednesday: Balcony Butterfly

Outdoor Wednesday is hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. To see many, many more outdoor photos or to post some of your own, please visit her blog.

This photo is from a few weeks back. One afternoon last month, this gorgeous butterfly suddenly and unaccountably attached itself to the underside of our balcony railing and just sat there for a while. Stayed long enough for me to run inside, get the camera, come back outside and snap its photo before it fluttered off. Hard to tell from the shot, but it was a huge critter – about as big as my hand.
I know for all you people with yards and gardens this doesn't seem so special, but for us high-rise dwellers, it's pretty unique! Also reminds me of the summer that just fluttered its way out of here this week.

Blue Monday: Summertime Blues

Blue Monday is hosted weekly by Smiling Sally.
To see more offerings, or to participate yourself,
please head on over to her blog.

Well, beach week has come and gone but I'm still playing with the photos from our trip. These are a few of the blue bits from our stay in Rehoboth last month. (You can click on each one for a slightly larger view.)

Blue beach umbrellas.

Blue sky through a coffee shop window.

A tiny blue house near the beach.

And at night, the moonlight turns the boardwalk blue.