Monday, April 30, 2012

Not Only Was It A Beautiful Day......

.....it was  a perfect time for a drive out
to Honeymoon Island.
The Oleander on the causeway,
was in full bloom.

The wind blowing,
had me wondering if any of
the photos would be in focus.


The flowers were beautiful,
but the bird life got my full
attention....

This fine fellow ..... the
largest brown speckled
Sea Gull on the causeway today,
 was king of his own castle,
or so it appeared.
My favorite photo of the day,
Egret
 struggling to swallow
the fish,
 before the hungry
Sea Gull
claimed the "sea" food for
it's own.

"By the sea, by the sea,
by the beautiful sea,
you and me, you and me
oh how happy we'll be......"

Have a wonderful day!  Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Managing Life In Unexpected Places

From my cottage garden.......
pretty Hibiscus
all colorful and quite lovely
  and
one tiny wild flower,
worthy of  mention.


On my walk around
 the garden
there are often surprises.
I sometimes  see tiny
wild flowers
managing life in
unexpected places. 
The camera
with it's macro setting
 gives the illusion
 of a much larger
bloom.
In the upper right corner
 of this collage
is a tiny
and delicate
reddish colored
wild flower, 
that had it's
beginnings, 
 and did bloom in
white rock gravel. 
 It's life,
 short-lived,
was noticed
and enjoyed by me.

May your footsteps set you upon
a lifetime journey of love.  May you
wake each day with His blessings
and sleep each night in His keeping.
And may you always walk in His tender care.

Have a wonderful Lord's day......Dee Dee
click on collage to enlarge

Saturday, April 28, 2012

A Morning Garden Yields Sweet Surprises


From my
 cottage window,
I could see ......
a  morning
shaft of sunshine
winding through
the branches
of the old
grapefruit tree.....
 barely
finding  the
new born
yellow
petals
of  a
 tiny
 Zinnia.

Just living is not enough....
one must have sunshine, freedom
and a little flower.
~Hans Christian Anderson

Make the day special.......Dee Dee

Friday, April 27, 2012

Pink Geraniums

I brought these beautiful
pink Geraniums from the
porch and into the garden
for a bit of morning sunshine.....

You've probably noticed I am
partial to pink....
Lovin'
.......turquoise and pink combination

I plan to pay close attention to
these pretty things.....hoping
they last all summer,
then bringing them inside for
the winter months.
"Our lives would be diminished
without a garden in which to work.
~Mary Lu Sinclair

And gardening is work.....a
labor of love, I believe.
Are you having a good week?
I hope so.
I'm feeling so thankful for His beautiful
creation today.....  Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

The Camera Loved The Roses

I opened the curtains
in this 
cottage room
and watched as the 
 bright morning
 sunlight
landed in
interesting places......
........on the
sweet
Roses
that made me
feel
  like I was having
desert
after
our
 breakfast of
hot coffee and
cinnamon- raisin toast.
In this room
of relaxation, 
hangs
 a vibrant orange
"Life Is Beautiful"
painting.....
perhaps embarrassingly
a bit
 "over the top"
So be it....the
words are true.....
Look closely and
you just might
hear the sounds
of contentment.
And....you might hear
the click of my camera,
that's lovin' the Roses.

Have a blessed day.......Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

My Zinnias Are Thriving

I'm so pleased with my potted Zinnias.
I water and fuss over them every day
and they are responding  to all the special
attention.......

I can't seem to take enough photos of
these beauties.
Wanted to show them off to
everyone, so  I've prepared a very
nice collage.....

Look at the blessings you've received today,
all the things God has done and is doing in
your life, and appreciate them.......

Have a wonderful day, everyone!  Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Morning After The Rain

Early morning mist in the garden.......
Equestrian post horse-head stood
firm on the bistro table through all
the wind and rain.

We remember it was
 last summer
since hearing
thunder and seeing
 lightening.
It seemed new and
somewhat
nostalgic to us.
The downpour of rain
 had began
late evening.
The garden lights on,
 we
watched the raindrops
splash
in the pool.
The Mister noted
the  fragrance of
wet earth.
The morning's calm
in the garden
left the storm's
evidence 
in 
"newness of life."


Have a beautiful day......Dee Dee

Monday, April 23, 2012

Flowers Blooming


I'm finding these beautiful Hibiscus
flowers blooming all over our little
coastal town.  I've been wondering
and have quite possibly concluded
that  we "human beings"
 have a lot in common with nature.
Perhaps we're  connected  by
God's own design.
I don't know about you, but spring
brings newness of life for me too.
Have you noticed that
nature's been  tidying up the
outdoors......
Note: new green carpet on the 
ground and the trees  and shrubs adorned with
beautiful flowers. 
Pretty Desert Rose blooming and
I am so impressed!
Along with a bit of spring cleaning,
I have fresh ideas and  an irresistible
urge to brighten up my life and
all the rooms in the cottage.
Fabric store....here I come!
Stay tuned for a
"Whitewashed Cottage" spring renewal.

Sweet blessings for all.....Dee Dee

Sunday, April 22, 2012

God Bless You

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine
upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance
upon you, and give you peace."
~Numbers 6:24-26

......Dee Dee

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Yogurt And Roses

Whew!  What a busy day this has been,
and I'm finally glad to sit down and just
relax a little.  "It's all natural and taste
delicious....Chobani Greek Yogurt.
Only natural ingredients Mom" she said.
The kids are looking out for us and
in this case her suggestion is to my liking.
Okay.....so I do this little
 "quirky" thing
when I eat yogurt.  I sort through the
silverware, finding a small slender
stainless steel spoon. 
 It's very old, and one of a kind,
having a delicate rose pattern. 
Well worn, it is still lovely
to me and I like that it provides a small
bite size.
So, this evening, I've settled down with
a book...."Daily Encouragement For Women"
"Whispers of Blessing"
....finding  refreshment for the soul
written on the pages.
I'm also enjoying refreshment
for my digestive system,
 with each tiny  "rose patterned" spoon full
of Chobani yogurt.
Kind of quirky, right?
Especially enjoying the moment!  Dee Dee

Friday, April 20, 2012

Curio

"Curio"
An object or article valued
because it is strange or rare.
I suppose each generation has
it's own traditions.  My generation
can identify plenty, and many of them are
evidenced throughout my home.
The lighted curio cabinet in my
living room, for example, is one
piece of furniture that definitely
sets my decor apart from this
younger generation. Considered
by some as old fashioned and
out-of-style, there it stands,
 holding my "pretties" and
antique collectibles.
In recent times, I've wondered
at these traditions, asking myself if
the curio collection
is important to me now. I even went
so far as to suggest we do away
with the whole "lot."
I held the plate in my hand,
examining the detailed tiny
pink and delicate flowers,
 and the beautiful gilded trim.  

I  found, I  still had the same
feelings of fondness for this
floral beauty.
.   I had dickered with the dealer,
and he'd  eventually given  me a real good
deal on the plate, saying it was worth
much more than I was willing to pay for it.
  It is still lovely to hold in my hands and,
it is equally pleasing to my eyes.
I'm thinking the "curio cabinet" and
it's inhabitants will continue to occupy
 here at the cottage.
After much soul searching, I've concluded
I'm by all means, still a generational
traditionalist.
Have a sweet ole' day.....Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Rose Garden Tea

She is my dear friend, and
before the month ends, Priscilla
will be married. Widowed
for a long while, she wonders
almost in disbelief at meeting
and falling in love again.
A small church wedding with
close friends and family,
she's asked me to take a few
photos of the ceremony.
Her gift to me, for doing so.....
beautiful floral tea cups.
She knows me well, that I
enjoy a nice cup of tea and
that Roses grow in abundance
in my garden.



What greater thing is there for two
 human souls than to
feel that they are joined together
to strengthen each other
in all labour, to minister
to each other in all sorrow, to
share with each other in all gladness,
 to be one with each
other in the silent unspoken
 memories? ~George Eliot
Sweet  blessings  today......Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Pelican


Now that I'm on the subject of birds,
I thought this fine looking Pelican
worthy of a repeat on my blog.
Last summer, while
 standing on the Safety Harbor
Pier gazing at the Manatee noses,
this beautiful creature made a splash
landing in the water. The waters were calm,
that day, almost glass like.   Later while
looking through my photos I was
surprised and  pleased with the
clarity of this photo.
Are you having a good week? 
I hope so.....Dee Dee

Monday, April 16, 2012

Birdies

Lots of bird activity in our garden.
Twice today, I went out with my
 camera to take photos of our
little feathered friends.  A
Mockingbird was in the birdbath,
oblivious to the rest of the world.
After several attempts to take a
clear photo of the bird, I gave up.......


and decided to draw and paint my
very own "birdies."


You can see, I've quite the
imagination.

"Pink Birdie" is
obviously more feminine and
"Blue Birdie" has more of a masculine
physique.

Hmmm......I'm seeing the beginnings of a
children's story here.

Have a fun day, everyone!  Dee Dee

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Glistening Dew Drops

I awoke to a radiant sunrise
against a sky of blue,
I saw the glistening dew drops
and my thoughts were filled with you....
In those quiet and peaceful moments
of Your bright and glorious day,
I thought of You again, my Lord......
~S Powell

I love when I'm in the garden early
enough to see the dew. 
In this case, on the Periwinkle flowers.
 It means I've
been given a glimpse of something
quite extraordinary and spectacular in nature.......


A sweet thought for the day....
Half the joy of life is little things.
Keep your eyes open that  nothing worthwhile
will escape you today........Dee Dee

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Fuchsia Lantanas

We spent the  morning re-doing one
of the pots in the garden. 
Never could I have imagined I would
find something as lovely as these fuchsia
colored Lantanas.
They are small now, but in time they
will spread and  hopefully cascade  down
the sides of the pot.




Dear family and friends.....
May you wake each day with His Blessings
and sleep each night in His keeping.  And
may you always walk in His tender care.
Have a blessed Lord's day........Dee Dee
Click on photos to enlarge....they look amazing !

Friday, April 13, 2012

A Closer Look At The Nandina Blooms

We had a nice spring rain a few
days ago.  Afterwards I took my
camera into the garden.
The Nandina shrubs  are blooming so
beautifully, and with the macro
setting I took a real close look. 
Pretty how the rain drops lined up
on the leaves....
Have a beautiful day, everyone.  Dee Dee

Sugar and Spice

OLIVIA

I have unlimited resources when it
comes to subjects.  I love drawing
and painting  children and all that
is their world. 
With an abundance of grandchildren,
their little faces often appear in my paintings.

"Sugar and spice and everything nice,
that's what little girls are made of."

Have a most perfect and happy day!  Dee Dee

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ugh! Critter Invasion


I know, I know.....
I sure do a lot of posting on our
garden Hibiscus.
Early this morning,
I could see from the porch
this beautiful flower.
Upon closer examination,
my face went from happy
to sad
Oh my.....all over the leaves I
could see tiny white insects.
Seemingly overnight, the plant
had been invaded. 
Not to worry.......I always keep on hand,
 insecticide for just such occasions.
Very quickly, I was on a mission
 to save the life of my
beloved Hibiscus plants....others
had signs of bug life as well.

Tropical gardening is not always
an easy task.  I have to stay alert,
not only for the plants watering needs,
 I have to be on a constant  lookout for unwanted,
leaf munching, hungry critters.

Sigh......life does have it's ups and downs
now, doesn't it?
Blessings for all.......Dee Dee

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

A Quick Vist and Photos

We stopped by to deliver some
books and my camera had come
along for the ride. I couldn't
resist.......as you can see.
 Her small Florida home has
lots of curb appeal
with sweet
Petunias in the window boxes.
 Like her mother,
our daughter enjoys
 flowers and gardening.

It's quiet there in these photos, but most
hours of the day, the yard is alive with
 sounds of happy children playing.
The swing,
 well enjoyed by each family member,
is tied to a branch
way up high in an old
and very large Chinaberry tree.
In the foreground is a rare
and also very old
"Ponytail" palm....native to Mexico.

Our visit was short.....
homeschooled children were  in the
school room. They did stop long
enough to offer sweet and cherished hugs.
  We dropped off the
books, and went on our way. I'm
glad you stopped by with us.....

Have an especially nice day everyone.......Dee Dee

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Our Feathered Visitors

It's early morning in the garden
and Blue Jays are noisy enough
to draw attention to themselves.....

I zoomed in quickly and snapped
off  photos in rapid  succession.
Our feathered visitors  perched in the fruit tree
stayed  for just a few short minutes.


In this photo, I love how
the sunlight filtered  through the branches,
 and onto the bird.


 The Jay has
soft white and blue colors.
I love the large golden grapefruit
offering more  color interest .
A closer look, almost hidden
amongst the leaves are new
small green fruits.

These days, my photos are only the
beginning of what I hope to accomplish
in photography. Each day, I experiment
with Photoshop, finding I have at my
fingertips some pretty amazing tools.

Have a blessed day......Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge

Monday, April 9, 2012

A Violet From Priscilla

My friend Priscilla
knowing I've been a bit
"under-the-weather"
stopped by to bring me
a "cheering up" gift.
As you can see, it is a delicate
and oh so pretty  African Violet.
Nothing quite so beautiful gets
by the lens of my camera......

Wanting the best in lighting,
I brought the Violet out into
the garden and placed it
on the bistro table.


The photos, although  quite lovely
to begin with.....

were tweeked  a bit with Photoshop.
I'm lovin' the macro setting.....

Have a blessed week everyone......Dee Dee
 click on photos to enlarge