Blue Monday: At the Aquarium

Last month, M and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii. We had a wonderful time, and we're already trying to find a reason to go back! It won't be anytime soon (it's a VERY long trip from Texas), but definitely someday....

In the meantime, it's probably going to take me many more weeks just to finish organizing all the photos we took. I'm posting some of them, a few at a time, on the blog here -- today, it's photos from the aquarium in Honolulu. One morning, we tore ourselves away from the beach and the amazing swimming pool at our hotel, and spent some time touring the aquarium.

It's not a huge operation, but it has some gorgeous displays, with hundreds (thousands?) of different examples of sea life.

I took lots of photos, and I'm sure I'll be posting more of them in the future. But for now, I'll just show a couple more shots. These are some of my favorite little creatures -- the seahorses:

Blue Monday was originally hosted by Smiling Sally.
Now that Sally has left us,
Jeanne at Backyard Neighbor is doing the honors.

To see more offerings, or to participate yourself,
please head on over to her blog.

Monday Mellow Yellows: Yellow Hibiscus

Last month, M and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. (Yes, it was a teenage wedding — at least for me.) And since it was such a momentous occasion, we decided we needed to do something to make it really memorable. That took some deep thinking — we're generally pretty boring and unimaginative, at least when it comes to travel. Tend to do the same things and go the same places every year. But after mulling it over for a while, we decided to book a trip to Hawaii, a place neither of us had ever been but always wanted to go. And I have to say, it was worth the wait. Hawaii is absolutely beautiful, the Hawaiians were friendly and welcoming, and the trip was relaxing and exciting at the same time, and most definitely memorable.

And ... now I have hundreds of photos to sort through! Many of which, I'm sure, will be appearing on this blog in the coming weeks. (So stay tuned!)

Here's one.

The yellow hibiscus was everywhere in Honolulu. There were even vast walls of the flowers along the highway. Gorgeous. I've since found out it's the state flower of Hawaii, a lovely choice. (Almost as lovely as the Texas bluebonnet!)

Monday Mellow Yellows is hosted by Gemma Wiseman.
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Saturday Snapshot: On the Road with Mickey and Minnie

Somewhere in Tennessee. October 2008.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books, and as she says: "To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online."

Sky Watch Friday: Cathedral with Clouds

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

This sky shot was taken in San Antonio TX back in November. The building in the photo is San Fernando Cathedral, founded in 1731. The original church was built between 1738 and 1750, and the walls of that church form the sanctuary of the existing cathedral. For this reason, it's sometimes referred to as the oldest cathedral in the U.S. However, the modern cathedral facade was constructed in 1868.

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Sky Watch Friday: Shining Through

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

The sun shining through storm clouds.
Somewhere in Tennessee, November 2010.

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Outdoor Wednesday: Playing Tourist in My Hometown

I've already posted a few photos from our visit to Texas last month. And I'll probably be posting more - I took LOTS of shots! Especially in San Antonio. I never really realized, growing up there, how darn picturesque the place is. These are a few photos of the Spanish Governor's Palace in downtown S.A. It was constructed in the early 18th century (and restored in the 1930s) as the original Commandancia (residence and working office) for the Captain of the Presidio San Antonio de Bejar. The building is now designated as a National Historic Landmark, and just recently reopened to visitors after an extensive rehab.


It's an interesting place to tour, but the courtyard is what really caught my attention - such a lovely, peaceful place to spend some time. And so green, even in the middle of November!

(Click on photos 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.

Saturday Snapshot: Casa Rio

Saturday Snapshot is a meme hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books.
Please visit her blog for the guidelines.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Here's a shot I took while M and I were in San Antonio, during our recent Texas trip. It's a photo of Casa Rio Mexican Restaurant, on the riverwalk in S.A. It's one of my favorite eateries, even though I hadn't been there for many years. Right after I took this picture, we descended the old stone steps, got ourselves an outdoor table, and had one of the best Tex-Mex meals you can imagine. Casa Rio has been in this same place since 1946, and still seems to be going strong.


Full Disclosure Statement: I'm not affiliated with or compensated by Casa Rio Restaurant. I just love their food and location!

Sky Watch Friday: November Sunset

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Sunset in the Hill Country near Austin, Texas
November 11, 2010

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please visit:

Outdoor and Wordless Wednesday: Really Big Roadside Attraction

Giant Martin Guitar
Tennessee, November 2010

(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.

For more Wordless Wednesday offerings,
please visit the website here.

See Ya Later

We're on the road for the next couple of weeks, visiting family and friends in Texas. And doing a little real estate scouting too, since M will be (gasp!) retiring next year and we'll be moving back to the land of our ancestors.

So I'm taking a little break from blogging for a few days. Be back soon.

Ruby Tuesday: Smoking or Non?

This is another photo from our recent trek to Shenandoah National Park. We stopped for lunch on the way, at a local Cracker Barrel restaurant, and sat in the area that was once the smoking section before Virginia outlawed smoking in restaurants. There was still a lot of smoking memorabilia on the walls, including this bright red advert for Chesterfield cigarettes. I noticed it because of the color, but also because Chesterfield was one of the brands my grandmother smoked for years. Well, she didn't so much smoke them as light them and then let them burn themselves out. Sometimes in ashtrays, sometimes on the furniture. But she lived to be eighty-five without ever burning down a house. And who says miracles don't happen anymore?

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Ruby Tuesday is hosted by Work of the Poet.

Outdoor Wednesday: Mountain Time

Over the weekend, M and I spent some time in Shenandoah National Park. The weather was beautiful, with cool clear nights, and days that started out chilly but warmed up to almost summer-like temperatures in the afternoons. Perfect for being out and about, doing a little light hiking and just enjoying a gorgeous early autumn break. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The views along Skyline Drive were really wonderful - much less hazy than usual. You could see for miles and miles (literally).


The only clouds were small, white, and puffy. So perfect, it was almost boring!


Even Kayla, my little travel doll, got to enjoy the views.


The park was crowded for the Columbus Day weekend; in fact, there were more people there than I've ever seen on any of our other visits.
And, naturally, they were all busy doing just what I was doing!

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.

Sky Watch Friday: Blue Sky Over Texas

This shot of downtown San Antonio was taken a few years ago while M and I were there, revisiting some of the hangouts of our youth. We were both born and raised in the Alamo City, but don't get back there very often.

We were staying in a hotel on the Riverwalk, and I snapped this from a window. That's the Milam Building on the right (the one with the Texas flag on top), and the old Robert E. Lee Hotel on the left. Apparently it's recently been turned into apartments or condos. This view would be looking in (I believe) a roughly northwest direction and makes me remember how flat that part of Texas is, even though it's so near the Hill Country.

This is how I always remember San Antonio - lots of sunshine and puffy white clouds. And that's strange because in reality it's one of the rainiest places on earth!

To see more sky photos, or to post your own sky shots,
please visit:

Williamsburg White

Photos from Colonial Williamsburg, VA
October 2007

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

White Wednesday is hosted by Kathleen at Faded Charm.

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.

For more Wordless Wednesday offerings,
please visit the website here.

Window Views and Doors Too!

M and I stayed in this Holiday Inn in (I believe) Jackson TN back in 2008, on our way to visit family in Texas. I could tell a long, strange tale about the breakfast we didn't eat there, but it's really boring too, and not a good advertisement for the hotel. Interesting design, though. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

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

Blue Monday: Smarty Blues

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

I'm always amused by the special license plates (or "vanity" plates) that people put on their vehicles. M and I have our own vanity plate, with just our individual initials on it; obviously we're too unimaginative to come up with a clever message or snappy slogan. But I spotted this one on a recent road trip, and loved the combination of the "Smarty" plate with the little blue Smart car sporting it.

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Sorry the plate is a little blurry in spots – I was trying to take out any info that might make it easily identifiable. Don't want the blog police coming down on me too hard.

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.

For more Wordless Wednesday offerings,
please visit the website here.

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?