Beach Yoga

Just spent a week in Pensacola Beach, visiting family, but also breathing in the sight and sounds and smells of the Gulf of Mexico and the snow-like sand, and letting go of my 'real' world and its daily stress. 

Obviously we aren't the only ones who come to the beach to de-stress. 

On one of my morning walks, I noticed this gull apparently giving yoga lessons beside the water.

  

He's pretty good, isn't he?

Hope you had a relaxing week!

I'm Kind of a Big Deal.

Scattered among the junk, antiques, and interesting people of the Wimberley Market Days, I also found words of inspiration.

Well, this first one just made me smile. 

I wish I could have bought ten or twenty to give to friends. 

I had to be satisfied with a photo...

Hope you're having a week full of inspiration and joy and beautiful dreams. 

I'm still busy with family, but will be hopping around to your internet porches for a good visit soon!!

Wimberley Market Days People

I fully intended to break my Wimberley weekend into just four posts...

...until I started going through my Market Days photos. 

I wasn't joking when I said I used my camera for shopping therapy, but I didn't stop at photographing things that caught me eye...

...there were also tons of people who caught my eye!

At one booth, the shopkeeper asked if I was part of the photography class.

It seems an instructor often takes his class to Market Days for hands-on practice.

I spotted them under the pavilion.

This little beauty was leading her daddy around. 

He didn't mind if I took her photo. 

How could I resist those blue eyes?

This artist created and sold his pieces right there in his booth.

Entertainment for those of us taking a break under a pavilion.

Recycling at its best - swings and planters made from old tires. 

Fireplace mantels made of carved and polished wood. 

Tom could do this!

The weather was perfect at 7:30 am when we first arrived.

Then it got HOT! This is the line for shaved ice treats.

Don Blevins, author of numerous nonfiction books about Texas. I would love to sit and talk to him for a few hours.

I loved this woman's hat!

The $1 per item rack. My friend Cheryl found tons of great pieces in there!

She also spotted this new friend high on a shelf in another shop. 

It was exactly the right price.

Stay tuned for Words of Inspiration at the Market, coming soon!

Weekend in Wimberley (Part 4: Oh, Deer!)

Deer love cantaloupe.

Did you know that?

I didn't until my weekend in Wimberley earlier this month.

See the look of delight and contentment on this deer's face? 

She ate every last crumb we tossed out there. 

So we saved bits of watermelon, strawberries, avocado... ah, I can't remember what else we saved and then tossed to the deer.

But they loved us for it!

Do you see the third fawn in the photo above?

Lots of little ones!

It was a tight knit family... even the men are watching over the babies.

"You looking at me?"

Gossip time, obviously.

Keeping an eye on me!

The babies were my favorites.

You wouldn't believe how many photos I took of this guy dancing for his dinner. 

I'm not sure what he's going after... acorns? 

Whatever it was, he really, really liked them!

And I really, really enjoyed watching him eat!

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!

I'll be focused on family this next week so if you don't see me popping up on your blogs or on Facebook, that's why. 

Hope you have a great week!


(Thanks to Hilary of The Smitten Image for selecting this post as a Post of the Week!)

Weekend in Wimberley (Part 3: How My Camera Saves Me Millions)

On the first Saturday of the month, March through December, the small town of Wimberley, Texas holds Market Days, an outdoor market so huge that I only saw a third of it in the four hours I spent there a couple of weeks ago, snapping photo after photo after photo...

Perhaps you think I'm exaggerating when I say my camera saved me millions, so I'll explain:

I am a collector

of anything and everything,

including vintage aprons like those above ($3!!) and chandelier prisms like the ones below.

But for some reason, just snapping their picture satisfied the urge I had to buy them.

It also helped that my camera is heavy.

Just the thought of lugging around any more weight is a shopping deterrent.

Here are a few more things that caught my eye (and therefore my camera lens.) Click on the images to see them full size.

I fell in love with the color and pattern on this old trunk.

I still hope to have one someday.

I already have one old sewing machine, but isn't this one gorgeous? A true piece of art.

A little clue to my personality... if I had the extra bucks, I would have snatched up this tiny pair of lederhosen. 

I have no idea why or what I would do with them, but I really wanted them! 

I love marbles. I have no idea how to play the game... I just love looking at them.

I doubt these are really old, but I still wanted them for some strange reason.

In second grade, I traded someone a few plastic creepy crawlers for a pair of spurs. I have no idea what happened to them, but I wish I still had them. 

I collect picnic baskets... if they're the right price.  I loved the green stripe on this one. Alas, it wasn't the right price and I didn't feel like haggling. I'm satisfied with a photo.

You can find birdhouses made from eclectic scraps everywhere these days, but I thought these were more original (especially the large one on the left and the Alamo, top left) and they were reasonably priced. Just out of my budget. Snap!

If I had come across these shot glasses 30 years ago, I probably would have bought the whole lot. As it is, I'm wondering what to do with the shoeboxes full of them I have stashed in a storage room. So a photo of these totally satisfied me.

Would you believe I have a collection of ashtrays stashed somewhere, even though I've never smoked? I just like the designs, and sentimentality.

I have some from obsolete Las Vegas hotels and one a friend brought me from Hawaii. 

The one above really tempted me... The Flagship Hotel in Galveston is where my senior prom after-party was held. It was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Galveston's Pleasure Pier now stands in its place.

Does anyone not love beer steins? I already have a few.. souvenirs from my trip to Austria in 1976, my kids' trips to Europe, and gifts from Tom's dad who collected them when they lived in Germany in the 60's. But, yes, I was still tempted by these.

Three of my weaknesses: wicker chairs; children's chairs; rocking chairs. It was almost too much for me when I spotted this one... and painted green! It's truly a miracle I didn't bring it home. 

I don't own a single vintage toaster, but if I'd had the money when I spotted the trio above, I would have had an instant collection. Again, pure art!

I didn't leave empty handed, though. As soon as I spotted Ziggy, above, my heart beat fast and I was pulling out my money. I love Ziggy and he's sort of a mascot for me and Tom.

I still needed a marker for Frankie's grave, so when I spotted this wire cross for $4, I snatched it up.

I also succumbed to peer pressure and bought 4 shirts - for $10! I barely even feel guilty about that.

Add in a breakfast taco and cup of iced tea, and the grand total came to $20, a zillion photos, and a fantastic time, all within my budget.

I'm ready to go back!