It's Not the Economy Sunday

Meet my doppelganger alter ego.
I photographed her Saturday morning at a bamboo nursery called Boo For You.

As much time as I spend doing Centering Prayer, attending church, and ministering to others you would think that I would have shown more fortitude than I have in facing the effects of this current economic shift. It has had a direct impact on our entire family and we assume there are more difficulties to come before everything comes to light. To be honest, I've often felt like running and in my mind, I often do.

Worse still, I find that even when I'm resting I'm wary.

But I also keep turning my focus to opening my heart so God can come in to do the work that needs be done. When I remember this I feel better, do the things that really matter. I take more time to think of others, be pleasant, allow the thoughtlessness of others to become lessons in looking at things through someone else's eyes. There's so much more to living than what's happening to me. I pray you're all finding at least a little unexpected peace, learning to let go just a little more each day. As corny as this sounds, we still have each other.

Sand Fantasy

Yesterday a friend sent this to me in an email. I've never seen anything like it and loved it. You can visit with the artist, Ilana Yahav, at work at her website, SandFantasy.

Shadow Shot Sunday #42: Garden Shadows

I spent part of a sunny afternoon taking photographs of the phenomenal collection of yard art, fountains, and planters out at Earth Products on Sorrento Rd, just up the tarmac from the peeping ospreys I blogged about previously. For a different take on fountains you can look straight across to the right side of this page for my Abstractions blog and take a look at "blue mountains".

If you could have any one of these pieces of hardscape in your garden, which one would you choose?

Check out all of this week's shadowy goodness at Hey Harriet.

Go Away

Out off of Sorrento Rd are a number of osprey nests. The ospreys are easily seen whilst you're driving by, you can see them nesting and flying about as they work the up and down drafts above the highway, looking for whatever they look for, carrion maybe. But stop and get out of your car to look at them up close and they begin frantically peeping, and continue until they take wing and fly off into the surrounding pines trying to put you off the trail of their eggs/chicks.
Silly ospreys, everybody knows their eggs aren't fit for omelets. Or even egg salad. Amazingly, their chicks taste an awful lot like baked ziti.

Sky Watch Friday #34: Three Warblers

I caught up with these cheeky cedar waxwings the other day when I was loitering downtown, photographing my beloved mottled myrtles and, by chance, the Federal Courthouse and 911 Monument. I just happened to look up and there they were. Normally my camera doesn't catch telephoto shots this well but lately it's been more cooperative.

Fly here to see all the friendly skies of Sky Watch Friday hosted by Wren, Ivar, Sandy, Louise, Klaus, and Fishing Guy, some of the hardest working people in memedom.

Sepia Scenes #20: Geometry

I took this from the top of the steps of First United Methodist Church. I love the flow of the handrail against the geometry of the steps and pavers.



You can join in and enjoy all the other beautiful Sepia Scenes here . This meme is hosted by the fabulous Mary the Teach.

Push and Pull

Even in Pensacola there's a list of things that you're not supposed to photograph because of Homeland Security, I know this because I get cautioned about photographing certain buildings and "things" from time to time. I'm assuming that the Federal Court House is one of those buildings considered off limits, unless I happen to be photographing the 911 monument that's in front of it.

Reynolds Hardware - A Little Chunk Of Heaven Right Here On Earth

Think big. Really big. If you go to Reynolds Hardware up on N Hwy 29 near Nine Mile Rd be prepared to see things you'll never see at your local home improvement store or even your neighborhood hardware store. Maybe in a specialty store, but that's the beauty of Reynolds, they're a little bit of everything. The aisles are stocked to the gills, there's cool stuff everywhere, and I loved every minute I was in there while I picked out and bought a new 10 1/4" Lodge cast iron lid and my husband found a bolt he needed for a repair on his butt-ugly truck. If anyone ever holds a contest for the world's ugliest truck, within and without, he'll win, hands down. But I digress.

Suppose you need a sling for lifting your boat out of the water? Got it.

And then you just happen to need something for that gigantor all-thread you've been meaning to utilize. The roll of duct tape will give you some perspective on the size of those nuts.



In the cast iron department $99.99 can get you either a straight or slope sided cast iron pan at least two feet or more wide that's perfect for that outdoor paella blow-out you've been meaning to have. Since I cook almost exclusively with cast iron I could stop here and begin my dissertation but I'll spare you and only say that I want one of each just so I can season them and then feel self-righteous about a job well done.

Can you believe the deep soulful red of the piping department? Mmm-mm-mmm.

At long last it was time to leave and this was our parting shot.

Here Comes The Sun

From the top: Scotch moss, parsley,salvia, Irish moss.

These pictures were taken at duh!, an elegant gardening center here in Pensacola.

I know!