Pet Pride!

Whoopee!! It's time to go head out for Bozo's pad in Mumbai! Time for some more 'paws and wings' fun! Tug on your two-legged friend's pant leg and get them to click on the icon, sign you up and let's get down to some serious fun time!

Things were kind of fun this weekend as our neighbor Max was staying with us because his Mom and Dad were out of town. Now Max is OLD! And I mean really OLD! I was going to say that's he's as old as my Mom, but no, I don't know anyone else THAT old! Hee hee, don't tell her I said that -- just kidding, of course! He's a nice guy, but he moves really slow and he has this HUGE tongue which he has trouble keeping in his mouth.



But after we got together in the kitchen for a bit, we went downstairs so I could show him one of my birthday presents -- "Big Bird" -- you know, from that old show Sesame Street!



Later, when Max went upstairs with Mojo and her Dad, Adam, got some great shots of Max's tongue just so I could share them with you today! I think he looks really cute, but he does look kind of funny when he walks around like that nearly all day and all night!!



It's not like he's panting or anything like that -- his mouth is closed! His tongue just sticks out! I love it -- although I don't think I want mine to do the same!

Evening, Wisdom and Beauty

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ~Ray Bradbury



And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. ~Sylvia Plath



If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison



Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say. ~Sharon O'Brien



Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very;" your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

Well, considering our language today, this probably isn't as true as it once was, but you can spice up the "damn" and get the same effect -- maybe!
Sylvia



The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Shadow Shot Sunday!

Time once again to share those lovely, mysterious, funny, wonderful shadow shots! Shadow Shot Sunday is hosted each week by Tracy at Hey Harriet! Click on the icon, sign up and start looking for the shadows in your world!

As I said last week, it's getting a little harder to find those shadow as those gray, fall skies seem to be perpetually blocking the sun, but with perseverance you can do it! And here are mine for the week!

A lamp in the living room suddenly took on a whole different shape in it's shadow one afternoon!



Moving and rearranging things from the deck to places in the house and they seem to enjoy the momentary sunlight!



The sunlight even used Mojo as background for some strange looking shadows!



And last, of course, I can't go away without some color!

Evening, Wisdom and Beauty

The first one, shadows with such character !

A crisp parade
amidst the green,
they stand
at attention,
throughout
the travels
of
the golden chief
across the sky.

Some gilded moments
speckled in the green,
Some whispers,
about
the clouds
posing audaciously
in the lake.

Soon,
The lights
unfold
across the
faraway hills,
honoring
the effort
of a setting Sun.

They stand
again
at attention
as the Stars
appear and shine.

Salute.
Its time to sing
the Star Spangled Banner
again.....

Posted by Ugich Konitari to Sylvia From Over The Hill at November 6, 2009 7:37 PM

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet



A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver. ~Thomas á Kempis



A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange. ~Author Unknown



I didn't want to tell the tree or weed what it was. I wanted it to tell me something and through me express its meaning in nature. ~Wynn Bullock



You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. ~Vernon Howard



It pleases me to take amateur photographs of my garden, and it pleases my garden to make my photographs look professional. ~Robert Brault



There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is! ~DeGriff

High Tech in the Sauna

Three women, two younger, and one senior citizen, were sitting naked in a sauna. Suddenly there was a beeping sound. The young woman pressed her forearm and the beep stopped. The others looked at her questioningly.

'That was my pager,' she said. I have a microchip under the skin of my arm.

A few minutes later, a phone rang. The second young woman lifted her palm to
her ear. When she finished, she explained, 'that was my mobile phone. I have
a microchip in my hand.'

the older woman felt very low -tech. Not to be out done, she decided she had to do something just as impressive. She stepped out of the sauna and went to the bathroom. She returned with a piece of toilet paper hanging from her rear end.

The others raised their eyebrows and stared at her...the older woman finally said.........well, will you look at that....I'm getting a fax!!

Sky Watch Friday!

So how is the new season affecting your skies? Sky Watch Friday is a wonderful meme hosted by Klaus and the Sky Watch team members, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy, Louise and myself. Over three hundred people from all over the world share their skies each week. Click on the icon, sign up and share yours with us!

There is definitely a change in the skies over Seattle as the days get shorter and shorter, more rain and skies that frequently reflect my own grumpy mood at having to wear extra layers of clothes, run in and out of the house between rain showers and the seemingly endless nights as it is dark here before five o'clock in the afternoon! But then those same skies reward me for smiling regardless! Do click on the photo to embiggen!





Some interesting cloud animals appeared the other afternoon!



Then more grumpy gray!



But if you're really, really nice, you just might get a bit of a sunset like this one!



I almost didn't catch it because it had been a gloomy day and I was downstairs, not expecting anything much. Then my son told me to hurry upstairs with the camera! So glad he did, so glad I did! It was magnificent!

Evening, Wisdom and Beauty

Since I've become so addicted to photography over the past year, I have found it fascinating to read the quotes of so many photographers and this evening I will share a few more. Many of them apply to far more than just photography.


Photography deals exquisitely with appearances, but nothing is what it appears to be. ~Duane Michals



The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance. ~Ansel Adams



Everyone has a photographic memory, but not everyone has film. ~Author Unknown




If I could tell the story in words, I wouldn't need to lug around a camera. ~Lewis Hine



The fourth picture , about Smelling the Coffee.....

A thousand busy souls
up at dawn,
stretching,
smiling,
at a dark sky
shutting off
the alarm
that says
Welcome to a new day.

And she
springs up,
warm in the kitchen,
toasting here,
boiling there,
percolating,
a few wonderful cups,
bringing a flavour
to a semi dark dawn.

Curtains apart,
she glances
at the sky
and inhales....

The aroma
of the coffee
rises
palely pink
in steam
through the sky
saying,
"Sylvia,
Good morning !
Great coffee , aint it ?"....

Posted by Ugich Konitari to Sylvia From Over The Hill at November 4, 2009

A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. ~Ansel Adams



The goal is not to change your subjects, but for the subject to change the photographer. ~Author Unknown

Why Women Shouldn't Take Men Shopping

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her
trips to Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring
and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is
like most women ­ she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received
the following letter from the local Target.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a
commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been
forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your
husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video
surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in
other people's carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at
5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: He made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading
to the women's restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official
voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This caused the
employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her
Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing
management to lose time and costing the company money.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of
M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted
area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told
the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows
and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children
obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began
crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs
were called.

9 September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it
as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department,
he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly
humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna
look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed
through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker,
he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES
AGAIN!'

And last, but not least:

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited
awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.'
One of the clerks passed out...

Evening, Wisdom and Beauty

Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter. ~Ansel Adams



A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into. ~Ansel Adams



There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer. ~Ansel Adams



The photograph itself doesn't interest me. I want only to capture a minute part of reality. ~Henri Cartier Bresson



Man's heart away from nature becomes hard. ~Standing Bear



How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! ~John Muir

ABC Wednesday - P!

So, how good are you with the alphabet? Each week Mrs. Denise Nesbitt hosts a fun meme called ABC Wednesday. It's great fun and challenges you to find fun words to match the letter of the day. And today the letter is P! Click on the icon and sign up to play with us today!

My first P is for the Pacific Ocean!



And P is for Portland, Oregon!



P is for Penguins!



P is for Partying! This time with my son's band!



And P is for Pansies, beautiful, colorful Pansies!

Evening, Wisdom and Beauty

Hope is the only universal liar who never loses his reputation for veracity. ~Robert G. Ingersoll



Love floods us with hope. ~Jareb Teague



The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet. ~James Openheim

In honor of the wonderful third photograph.....

The school
in the woods,
The green little
elementary schoolers,
crowded together
on the slope
waving
along
the path of learning.

Slightly older
taller,
middle schoolers,
hanging around,
in clumps of green,
a bit
down the slope......
The younger ones
looking expectantly
at
a possible sweet fruit
in life
as they descend
picnic style
to the sea.

But it's the
high school types,
tall lanky
and independent,
stauesquely proud,
overlooking all
and their childishness....

Till they spy
a wayward tree,
bending
under some pressure....
"hold on,
lean on me",
one says;
"you cant go astray;
We seniors
set an example,
and the little ones follow..."

Sensible greening
makes for a
wonderful life !

Posted by Ugich Konitari to Sylvia From Over The Hill



Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open. ~John Barrymore



Even if there is nothing to laugh about, laugh on credit. ~Author Unknown



The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings