Reflections

Mornings have always been a time for my thoughts to wander, sorting through the tangles in my mind,

preparing myself for the coming day,

but lately, even my eyes (and camera) have been drawn to reflections.

I suspect it has something to do with the magic of autumn light...

For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections. 

~ Peace Pilgrim

Butterflies and Sycamore Trees ... a Walk by the River

 On a recent weekend visit, 

our friends took us to one of their favorite spots, 

a path along a river that runs a short distance from their home near Houston. 

They were disappointed because the river was up from recent rains, 

preventing us from following their normal route.

I wasn't disappointed at all. 

Take my hand and I'll show you what my drought-weary butterfly-and-wildflower-starved eyes beheld...

Uh-oh! 

Watch out for poison ivy!

This butterfly kept posing... I kept snapping.

Sigh.

It came in November, but I finally got my Spring!

A Tomball Stroll (My kind of weekend)

Last weekend I visited Tomball, Texas for the first time.

I lived within an hour or so of this charming little town for the first 35 years of my life, but never ventured off the interstate that runs nearby, so I never realized the treasure to be found in the old town.

Interstates should be banned. 

.

The Mystery of the Old Safe.

(Isn't that a Nancy Drew title?)

Seriously.

This old safe is just sitting in a used car parking lot.

Tom and I really wanted to take it home.

Look at the detail!

Knowing we couldn't take the safe, I turned my attention to this old trunk. 

I've always wanted one of these.

Can't you just imagine all the stories this one has to tell?

But let's face it. I'm broke and what the heck would I do with it?

This table on the other hand....

Are you old enough to recognize the surface pattern?

I've never seen one with such a beautiful base though.

Alas, I left it behind, too.

You know where I'll be in 2032.

This cutie was just chillin' in one of the stores we explored.

One store was full of Texas Ranger artifacts... 

I couldn't help wondering why all of these Texas Rangers gave their stuff to the store owner?

Okay, I'm ready to explore the next little town... 

The Perfect Remedy: a weekend away

When life becomes a blur of to-do lists and computer screens,

it's time to hit the road and give your eyes, brain and spirit a break.

That's what we did last weekend, by visiting some dear friends

and just relaxing...

I wrote about it HERE, but thought I'd share a few of my favorite scenes here as well.

Wouldn't you love to sit here and listen to the wind in the tall pines?

My friend Shari has a knack for combining unrelated pieces into sweetness.

They're dog lovers, too. This is April, a rescue puppy...
(Her full name is April Ellie-Mae Rudabaker Studabaker. I call her April.)

...and little diabetic Tucker. 
I'm pretty sure it's just "Tucker".

Both are fierce guard dogs, but sweeties once they realize you're a friend.

Little old Nala guards the front porch. 

She only has one eye, but isn't she gorgeous? I enjoyed "talking cat" with her.

This beautiful angel keeps watch in the front yard.

I dreamed of having a front porch similar to this, but it just didn't work out on the home we built. How gracious of our friends to build one, don't you think? 

That's just the kind of wonderful hosts they are!

I'll post scenes from our walk along a nearby river and an eclectic small town main road later... right now I'm off to continue trying to learn Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. 
(I'm loving Lightroom!)

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

The Trouble with Teenagers

Look at me when I'm talking to you! 

Where do you think you're going? Turn around this instant! We're not through discussing this!

I am SO outa here!

Perhaps it's due to the dropped temperatures or the frost on my car this morning, but I find myself drawn to the photos from my trip to the coast a month ago.

They're still mostly untouched, barely looked at, stashed in a file on my computer.

I've decided to save them for cold mornings like this, when I can step into them and imagine the sun warming my skin.

Aaahhh.... that's better.

This dramatic seagull scene caught my eye - so many stories popped into my head! 

...First I imagined an argument between a husband and wife.

...Then it became a group of seagull bullies taunting and ostracizing another. Poor thing!

...That made me sad, so I quickly thought of this teenage story. 

(Now that I don't have any, I can see the humor in it!)

If it triggers any dialogue or stories with you, please share!