Duckling

Yes, I am your mother.

Summer Window

I love summer. Love it. Love it. When I wake up early in the morning and see blue skies already out to greet me, all I can do is smile.

Love bugs

Came across these roly poly's that my husband swore were doing the bug deed yet when they separated there were 3! Menage Trios?

Hidden Birdbath

While walking along an out-of-the-way trail today

we came upon this birdbath

hidden in the bushes

I guess birds like a little privacy when they bathe, too.

Favorite Flower

These were always my mother's favorite. Now they're mine. Nothing brings back memories of my mom as strongly as the smell of gardenias.

coconut mail

My husband, the letter carrier, had once told me how the post office will deliver pretty much anything that had the proper postage on it and told me a story of a kindergarten class that mailed a banana to prove the point but it wasn't until I saw this coconut with the proper postage on it that was mailed to a restaurant of a friend of ours; pretty cool.

Construction workers

Even though I'm approaching middle age

in a fast and furious way,

a part of me is still a young boy.

I think the youth in me loves this image

construction workers, carving thru the earth.

Cool.

Lamps in a Stairwell

Who got to pick the lamps in this apartment building stairwell? (And when?) I don't know, but I'm so glad they did. I hope they never remodel. Or if they do, I hope someone will save these before they go in the rubbish heap.

Binky

Saw this lost binky on the ground and wondered who lost it and how upset they were and if the parents searched for it or if they had a back up.

Pennsylvania Barn

This past weekend, James and I went to Pennsylvania

to visit with my parents.

We were greeted by scenes like this one all along the 

quiet country roads.

Love it.

Patriotic Car

Ready for Independence Day...

Bees

That's what I like to see - bees in my flowering vegies. I tried to point him in the direction of the other squash plants. I'm not sure he noticed.

They say the bee population is in trouble. But we always seem to have tons of them. If you stand under our carob tree when it's flowering, the buzzing from the bees is surreal.

Pop Quiz in Hula Class

In tonight's hula class,

the dancers were given a pop quiz.

Yup. 

Awesome.

Lucky Hammock

This makes it look like I was in the hammock all day . . .  but I only got a few minutes. Still, it was enough to stop and remember how lucky I am.

Street Cat

Saw this man and his cat kicking back along Colorado Blvd in Pasadena on a busy Saturday and was amazed that the cat just sat as people walked by and didn't flinch and his companion even got up to throw something away and told the cat stay there and the cat stayed; only saw the cat get a little fussy and hissy when a pit bull walked by but who could blame him.

Waiting

Waiting for the poetry reading to start.

CLOSED!

I love the character/sculpture standing outside of an art gallery

in Reading, PA.

Like she's saying, "Wait!  The place is closed!  Don't even try to come in."

It cracks me up.

Label

While standing in line, to go on Astro Blaster at Disneyland, I noticed this label on the back of the shirt of the kid standing in line in front of me.

Drawing & Comp Room

Otis Drawing & Composition Room

I am very lucky. On Saturdays I get to spend my day in this room - surrounded by fun objects and amazing students.

tree pods

I found these tree pods interesting.

circus mural

Spent the entire day yesterday away from the computer so to make up for it, I will post 2 photos today; this small mural is delicately painted in back of a register in Disney's CA Adventure and had me wanting a closer look.

Naming Streets

What would you name the streets in your pretend city?

I would not have a street that reminds me of "The Birds."

But I might have a street called "Crazy Mockingbird Dr."

And maybe "Good Morning Rd."

Oh! How about "This Way"

Now . . . what shall I name my pretend city . . . .

Driving to the Airport

I have always liked driving to the airport at night.

2 Leftover Streamers

2 leftover streamers

just blowing in the morning breeze

greenwich village, nyc

counter top

Wow- came home to find my counter top cleared and reorganized; sweet!

Discarded book wreath

This photo doesn't do this wreath justice; I noticed this wreath on an office door across the hall at work and it is made from pages of a discarded book; I loved it and had to share it but was disappointed when I saw that my photo doesn't capture the true beauty of the printed pages but it is still a wonderful conversation piece.

Cosco at Costco

How does something like this end up alone in a parking lot at Costco? And the brand name - Cosco.

New York's Bravest

Some of New York's Bravest

So thankful for them 

and all that they do.

Mahalo for that!

Pajama Walk

Saw this couple out for an evening perhaps pre-bedtime walk; I figured they wanted to save time with their bed preparation ritual since he was walking in his pajama bottoms (sadly the lightening doesn't show the plaid printed flannel bottoms) and she was wearing her housecoat (as my grandma would say) but I say a robe by any other name......I admired the confidence and apparent who gives a hoot what anyone thinks attitude.

Making Dinner Fun

Making dinner is a lot more fun when someone is coming to enjoy it with you. Even if it's only your grown up son, and you're only making tacos.

Trash and Vespa

walkway

Came home from work to notice the ivy was trimmed off of the stairs; it's the little things that bring us joy.

A relic from my past life...

Rolling Along...

Rabbits

Attended a baby shower and at the hostesses house they had pet (I think they are pets but was given the impression they also end up as dinner "guests") rabbits and most of them were in a  hutch except for these two rabbits who were hanging from a nearby tree. I found that rather odd especially since they also had some birds who weren't in cages in the trees but in a neighboring rabbit hutch....

Fortune Cookie

Have you noticed how fortune cookies don't actually foretell your future anymore? They're more "Thought for the Day" -ish, sort of life lessons to live by. BAH! I want a fortune, a glimpse into my hazy future. I always wonder if the fortune cookie people have become afraid of law suits, therefore going with the safe stuff. So when this fortune arrived one night with our Chinese takeout, I was surprised. Especially since about three weeks later we brought home an amazing Golden Retriever from the humane society.

Even with the misspelling, this fortune is right on target.

stalker

I couldn't stop staring at this woman's legs; was she wearing some fun nylons? didn't seem to be; did she really tattoo polka dots all over her legs? maybe so...I'm surprised she didn't notice the strange woman following her and circling around to get another look at (that would be me) her and I was ever so thankful she didn't see me snap a photo, albeit not the best focused, of her polka dotted legs. 

Never a Kindle

I don't know why this corner of an old library building was saved. It's just this old arch that doesn't go anywhere, isn't connected to anything. It's crumbling and pigeons live in, around, on, and under it.
There's no sign to tell us why it was saved.

With all the books being tossed from libraries all around me, I'm afraid that very soon this crumbling arch will be all that's left of any library.

I still don't own a cell phone, and I hope I never own a kindle.

Multicultural Meeting

A meeting of women dancers of many cultures

Brooklyn Arts Council's "Half the Sky Festival"

in Dumbo (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)

NYC can be a cool place to be

Double Vision

In order for me to be able to enjoy 2 different medias at the same time I have to alternate my 2 pairs of glasses; can't adjust to bifocals and was glad when the eye doctor discouraged it saying for my work it's best that I just have full lensed (is that even a word?) computer/reading glasses and I agree.

Bowling Lanes Alley

Many, many times I have walked by this alley behind a pawn shop. I have never seen this before. (And judging from the style of clothing this man is wearing, I'm guessing this mural has been here longer than I've been alive.) I'm sure that I only saw it today because I was wearing a big camera around my neck.

stairs

Stairs leading to an old building no longer in use; sort of eerie.

A floral flourish on a flower bed fence

Because in NYC's Upper West Side

it's all about the details.

Red Light in Old Town Pasadena

So glad I had my camera.

waiting

Tossed aside waiting until bedtime cuddling.

Old Door

I came across this old door

laying by the side of the road

Left out for the trash collectors.

It made me sad:

Yes... its days of being a "good door" may be over

But it's still a beautiful

objet d'art.
And oh, the stories it could tell...

Public Access Eating

On my daily walks, I can stop to eat loquats, pick a lemon to use in a marinade for dinner, and gather a bouquet of sweat peas and sunflowers - all growing wild in empty lots or hanging over the boundaries of public access. And if I'm lucky, really lucky, in a few months I'll bring home a couple avocados.

farewell

These 2 young Marines are heading over seas for their first deployment adventure.....

Dog Walker's Prayer

I guess you never know when you might find yourself in need of a good session of prayer. Just in case you might need it, there's a rosary hanging over an empty lot on my hill. After your Hail Marys, please remember to replace it for the next devout dog walker.

Drinking in the rain