HAPPY EASTER

March 31, 2013

What a beautiful Easter morning we've been blessed with!  The sun is shining, and although it is cold at the moment, it will be super nice in a few hours. 

You know, people are funny sometimes.  Every year I collaborate with the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus to make sure that there are goodies left under the tree or on the kitchen table for the dwarfs.  And every year the dwarfs make sure to be in their rooms, or at least not looking, when the goodies are delivered and set up. 

Once my job is done and I have slipped backed into my own living space, the dwarfs come creeping out to see what was left for them.  These dwarfs range in age from 25 to 60 years old.  Such little things makes so many folks happy!  I hold the real Easter story close to my heart, but I also know the happiness that Santa and the Easter Bunny bring to us.

So, to everyone, I wish you a Blessed and Happy Easter Day.

Before I left work this morning, I happened to look out the kitchen window and see my first robin digging for worms.  This photo was taken through the window.

When I was leaving, I got this next shot of the moon.  It was still quite big and beautiful.

Now it's time for me to crawl into my cozy little bed and get some winks.  Pogo is sitting here, waiting patiently for me to finish my blog post.  Did I mention that the Bunny brought Pogo a piece of bologna and a new shirt?  Pogo ate the bologna right away, and I'll take a photo of him in his new shirt later.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous Easter Day.

Hugs, Edna B.

An Easter Surprise!

March 30, 2013

Good morning.  The sun is shining and it's going to be another gorgeous Spring day.  Can you believe it?  Just two days left in March!  April will be here Monday, and hopefully all the beautiful Spring weather will come along with it.

I'm itching to shop at the garden centers and pick out new plants for the yard.  So far, though, I've been good.  The only new plant that I bought was an Easter Lily.  I have to say that I was tempted to buy more.  The tulips were simply gorgeous!  It was definitely difficult to walk on by and not bring any of them home.

Well, today should be a good day.  A dwarf who used to live here called to say that he wants to come back.  This is good news because we all like this dwarf, and it will be nice to have him back here with us. 

When I opened my email this morning, there was a wonderful surprise waiting there for me.  Once again, Kyra has done her magic and made a gorgeous layout of my little guy Pogo.  Kyra, you've made my morning very special.  Thank you so much my friend.   Have a look folks.  Isn't this just precious?

Yesterday at work, there were lots of different birds at the Mrs' feeder so I was able to get some new birdie photos.  Here's one of a couple of Carolina Wrens enjoying the lunch special.

Ah well, enough of my morning babble.  It's time to finish up my coffee, get dressed, and take a ride to post office.  I have a couple of boxes that have been sitting here for over a week just waiting for me to mail them.  After that, I have a bunch of eggs that need decorating.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANET & SCOTT

March 29, 2013

Good morning.  The sun is shining, it's in the 40's and working its way up to the mid 50's.  Feels like Spring.  Yesterday was Scott's (my stepson) birthday, and today is Janet's (his wife) birthday.  I wish you both much love and happiness.  Happy Birthday, and I hope your day is fabulous!

I'm at work and the Mrs is still asleep.  So this will probably be a rather short post.  Did any of you see the moon early this morning?  Oh my goodness, it was simply gorgeous.  I pulled over a couple of times on my way to work this morning to try to get a few photos of the moon.  If I got any good ones, I'll post one of them tomorrow. 

Also this morning, I saw a small group of wild turkeys.  Actually, I had to stop quickly so that I would not run them over.  They ran right out in front of my car.  Alas, my camera was not handy so there are no photos of turkeys to share.

I do have a couple of photos to share though.  Here is a photo of the snow that is still in my yard.  Even though it is quite dirty by now, I thought I would show you that there is still lots of this stuff everywhere.  Hopefully, the warm temps for the next few days will melt most of it.

I also have an adorable shot of Pogo as he was sitting in the laundry room yesterday afternoon watching Joe and me putting our groceries away.   Oooooo, he is just so squeezable!!

While I was shopping, I picked up another dozen eggs and some grass and candy for my Easter baskets.  Actually, they're not really baskets.  They are decorated see-through bags that I will fill with eggs and goodies.   I've already boiled all the eggs, and now I just have to decorate them.  Every year, the Easter Bunny counts on me to help out with the eggs and the baskets.  And I must say that I do enjoy it.

Well, the Mrs is beginning to stir so I must get busy here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Late Start Today

March 28, 2013

Good afternoon.  Wow, the strangest things happen!  I've just spent twenty minutes trying to get on the internet.  I wonder if the internet providers shut down for a few minutes every day to save money the same way the electric companies do.  And yes, the electric companies do have "brown out" moments.  It's usually during the night time.

Yesterday, I managed to get quite a few errands done, including the birthday shopping.  After Janet got here later in the afternoon, we went food shopping to Stop & Shop to  take advantage of a fabulous sale on Marie Calendar dinners.  It's time to stock up the freezer.  I also picked up a nice ham.  This also went into the freezer.  I won't be cooking a big dinner for Easter because I have to work all weekend, and most all of the dwarfs will be spending the day with their families.

Last night after Janet had gone home, Pogo and I curled up with some warm fuzzy blankets to watch television.  Not too long after, I drifted off to sleep and slept through most of this morning.  I guess my busy day wore me out.

Tomorrow's theme at Photo Art Friday is to make graffiti.  I am not a graffiti sort of person so I almost decided to skip this challenge.  But then after seeing some of the examples that Bonnie gave us, I thought I would give it a try.

Sometimes I save some of the cute graphics that people send me in emails.  You never know when they might come in handy.  So, first I went to Google to find me a stone (or brick) wall.  I brought the wall up into Photoshop, then I went looking for a couple of beauties that I had save from past emails.  These, too, were sent to Photoshop.

Next I found me a photo of an ocean beach, along with a seashell.  All of these different items were layered on to the wall with various degrees (and layers) of opacity, brightness and blend modes.  When I was happy with my graffiti painting, I found me a "paint" font at da.fonts (Deviant Art) to paint my words on to the wall. 

Because it is already afternoon, and I have to work in the morning, I will post my photo art today.  I hope you can enjoy the humor in it.  The beauties represent me and a friend enjoying our "golden years".

I'm happy that some of you enjoyed yesterday's PS tip, and I'm working on another one for next week.  In between all this fun playing, I have to find time to work on my photo lessons.  Joe will be home from work soon and I will take him food shopping.  After that, I will be cooking up a big batch of haddock for supper. There is quite a bit of it so I will give some of it to Joe.

Now I must get busy here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

What A Beautiful Day It Is Today

March 27, 2013

Oh boy, a nice warm day for us today!  52 degrees F!  Goodness, a whole week of it is coming our way.  My cold feels much better today, so it's a beautiful day indeed. 

I've been asked about replacing colors in Photoshop, so I thought I would share this info with those of you who do not know how.  First choose your photo, and make a duplicate layer.  (I always work on a duplicate layer.  Then crop, sharpen and make any other adjustments you wish to your photo.  I'll use the photo of my red car for the example here.

In Photoshop, go to "Image" > Adjustments > and near the bottom of this menu there is a handy little tool "Replace Color".  Click on this.  When the new menu box comes up, use the picker to choose the color you want to replace.  In my case, I would put the picker somewhere on the red.

On the bottom half of the menu box, use the color sliders to choose your new color.  If the picker did not get all of the color you wished to replace, then click on the second picker (with a plus sign on it) and choose the parts of the old color that did not get picked.  Do this more than once if necessary.  I've decided to make my car a beautiful lime green this time.  (Another color I really like.)  Click on OK when you have your desired color.

I will try to remember to share some of these wonderful information gems with you from time to time.  I know how frustrating it is to find your way around Photoshop.  Between assorted classes,  "Visual" books, and a lot of help from Su, it's getting a little easier for me.

Today I really must get out to do a couple of errands.  I put things off until the last minute, and well, the "last minute" has arrived.  I need to shop for a couple of birthday gifts.  Janet's birthday is this week, as well as her hubby Scott's (my stepson).  I do have a few ideas of what to get, so it shouldn't take me all day.

Last night, I played on the laptop for a while, working on a new project which I shall share with you  tomorrow or Friday.  Tonight, I hope to work on a couple more photo class assignments.  I am way behind, and trying to get caught up. 

Now I'm going to have me another cup of coffee and get dressed.  The outdoors is calling to me.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Can This Be The Start Of Spring?

March 26, 2013

Good morning.  It's a beautiful, sunny Tuesday morning.  The weatherman is promising warmer temps close to 50 degrees F.  The rest of the week should be between 48 and 53 degrees.  Gosh almighty, dare I think that Spring is coming?

I've been watching re-runs of Law& Order on TV, and I can't believe how many shows I've missed.  It's almost like watching a brand new series.  I even like the re-runs that I have seen before.  They are so much better than some of the programs that are offered.

Last night I learned something new about my blog.  There is a page that I can go into and see all my comments before they are published.  Sometimes I'm a little slow on the draw.  I was not aware of this page.  Would you believe there were over 2700 of these spam comments?   It took a while but I got rid of all of them.  Phew!

After that I went through some of my photos from the last few days to see which ones I could share here.  I thought I would share something interesting with you.  When you take a lot of photos, don't be in such a rush to get rid of the bad ones.  Sometimes a little tweaking in Photoshop can produce a really nice photo from one that should have been tossed.  Here's an example.  First the original photo, then the "tweaked" version.

I also have a photo of some jonquils working their way up through the snow.  It's a sign of hope that good weather might be right around the corner.  Hopefully, if the temps can stay up around 50 for a while, we can get rid of a lot of the snow.

Speaking of snow, I looked out the window around 3:30 a.m. and my car was covered in new fallen snow.  I really really hope this is the end of the snow.  My old bones are getting a permanent chill.  lol.

While I played with the photos on my laptop, Pogo was curled up in a comforter on the recliner chair dreaming doggie dreams.  I can't help taking photos of him.  He is just so cute.

I hope I'm not coming down with a cold.  The last few days, I've had the sniffles and today my throat is scratchy and a bit sore.  I was hoping to get out for a while today, but I may just stay inside instead.  Maybe I'll make some hot tea with honey and curl up in a nice warm blanket.  We'll see.

Right now, I'm going to rustle up some breakfast for myself and Pogo.  So, till tomorrow Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

My Beautiful Orange Car

March 25, 2013

It is 6:10 a.m. and the sky is beginning to lighten.  In a little while I can go home to Pogo.  It's been a long weekend.  Folks, I have enabled comment moderation for a while in order to stop a lot of the junk that has been showing up in the comments section.  I can't believe that folks actually enjoy themselves by going around to different blogs and dumping all this junk. 

It's time for Mandarin Orange Monday, and I'm taking my cue from Andrea at From The Sol.  She found a lovely red tractor and turned it orange.  Soooooo, I decided to treat myself to an orange car.  As you all know, orange is my favorite color, but my car is garnet red.  Hyundai hasn't come up with a pretty orange car yet.  (Their idea of orange is actually more like rust.)

The original photo of my car was taken the end of February, just before I left for Florida.  I used the "replace color" in Photoshop and tweaked it just a tiny bit.  Oh my, I think I'm really liking this new car!!  If it were metallic, it would be even better!

I have the Weather Channel on so that I can find out more about the snow that is headed our way.  Gosh, there is still so much snow left in my yard.  They are forecasting the snow to come during the night.  Here's hoping it is just a dusting.

I'm also watching the videos of the hurricane winds in Orlando, Florida.  Wow, I guess I came home at the right time.   Virginia to New York are getting snow right now.   This is probably the snow that we will be getting during the night tonight. 

Here's a photo of some tulips that are coming up through the Winter debris.  They want so badly to believe that it is really Spring. 

Now it's time for me to check on the Mrs one more time (she's sleeping) and then pack up my stuff.  It's almost time for me to go home.  Woo Hoo!  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Goodness, What A Day!!

March 24, 2013

Good morning.  I'm at work, and it has been a long night.  I have Pogo with me, and the Mrs won't allow him out of the kitchen.  Goodness knows why.  All her family members bring their dogs here to visit and they have the run of the house.  My tiny little dog has to stay in the kitchen on a leash.

Well, so be it.  Problem is, if I leave the room Pogo will bark for me to come back for him.  I can't have him barking all the time so I have to stay in the kitchen with him.  All night!   God bless his little heart! 

To make matters worse, I brought my laptop to work but forgot my mouse.  This is not funny!  Ever tried to do a jig saw puzzle with the touch pad?  Even working in Photoshop proved to be just a bit too much for me.

All of Saturday was out of whack for me.  It started in the morning when I missed my appointment at the nail salon because I was watching the only clock that has not been set to daylight savings time.  Well, I got that appointment re-scheduled for a bit later.

When it was time to leave for my appointment, I grabbed my coat and purse, and ran out the door.  I reached in my purse for my car keys, and -- OH NO!  Yup, you guessed it.  I've locked my keys inside and now I can't get back in.  I finally called my son in law, Eddie.  He came right over and let me in.  What would I do without him?

 I made it to my appointment but alas, there was no parking spot open for me.  I drove around a bit and finally found a place to park.  All this, and I was only five minutes late.  Not bad for a cranky old lady.  (By now, I was quite cranky!)

When I left the nail salon, I went to Job Lots to get some dryer softener sheets and a couple of baby blankets.  When I got inside the store, I forgot what it was that I had come for so I just wandered around hoping to find what I needed.  I went home with bags and bags of goodies, but no dryer sheets and no baby blankets. 

By now, I was hoping for a nap before it was time to leave for work but it was already too late.  So here I sit, bleary eyed and in need of some winks.   With a little luck, this last hour will fly by and I can go home to my cozy little bed. 

I do have some photos to share with you this morning.  This first photo shows the first flowers to blossom.  Lots and lots of Snow Drops in the snow.

 
Friday afternoon, when I was leaving here to go home, there was a little purple finch sitting in the Beauty Bush just watching me.  Even from a distance, his colors were beautiful.

That's my news for this morning.  I'm going crazy trying to use this touch pad.  It keeps erasing everything I have typed and then I have to re-do everything all over again.  I just don't have the patience for this foolish thing.  I need my little mouse!  So till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Pigs Are Pretty Smart These Days

March 23, 2013

Good morning on this sunny and cold Saturday.  33 degrees F.  BRRRRR!  There is another storm, Virgil, on its way here.  Gosh, what has happened to Spring?  Does she not know that she is supposed to be here now?   The weatherman says that later in the week we should have a few nice days.  I will try not to get too excited about it until I can see that it is going to stay.

Pogo and I have a couple of errands to do this morning, and then we'll take it easy the rest of the day.  Tonight is a work night so maybe we can catch a little nap later today.  We'd rather be outside digging in the dirt but oh, well.

Yesterday, Joe cleaned out all our garden areas and uncovered lots of plants pushing up through the dirt.  I just hope he did not do this too soon.  We could be looking at more snow by Monday.  Home Depot has a huge garden center and I can't wait to go there and buy some new plants.  This year we want to plant more Rose Of Sharon.  My lilac plants did not live so I'd like to buy a newer, bigger one and try again.

This morning I have some nice photos to share of an Egret that we saw in Florida.  No, I did not take these photos.  Audrey took them.  My photos did not come out as good as hers.  We did not see very many of these beautiful birds, and when we did they were usually too far away.  We found this one near a small pond.

We are watching a commercial featuring a pig driving a convertible and he has just been stopped by the police.  When asked for his license and ID, he hands the policeman his cell phone which has all his information on it.  Wow, this pig is a lot smarter than me. 

I make phone calls on my cell phone, and sometimes I get to answer a call on it.  I never know that I've gotten a text (or even a call sometimes) until the sender asks me if I ever got the message.  Of course, I usually leave the phone in my purse.  Out of sight, out of mind.

Ah well, enough of my prattle.  It's time to get dressed and start this new day.  I hope that Virgil is not causing any of you much trouble.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

CONGRATULATIONS, AUDREY!

March 22, 2013

Good morning.  Well, at least it is now.  I was not such a happy camper early this morning when I had to go out and clean three new inches of snow off my car.  Old Man Winter needs a boot in the patootie to get him moving on out of here.  Enough is enough!

Yesterday one of the dwarfs went food shopping with me. When we got to the market parking lot, the sun was shining, and there was snow falling from the sky. I have to say that this was really beautiful. It stopped being beautiful when the sun when down and the snow did not stop. However, at the moment, it is not snowing and the sun is shining beautifully.

Today I want to share my daughter Audrey's good news.  She and her husband are into taxidermy, and this past weekend Audrey received an award for all  the work she has done for their association.

Her award reads:

Congratulations Audrey.  I think it is wonderful that all your work, time and effort is being recognized.  I'm so very proud of you.

I'm at work and the Mrs will be waking soon so I want to get my new photo art posted for Photo Art Friday.  This week we were asked to make a self portrait.   So, I photographed my eye, and then blended in a few photos of things that I think are a part of who I am.  I used the "Dropped Petals" texture from PDPA, along with a gradient and blending mode from Photoshop.

 I can hear the Mrs stirring so I really must get busy here.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

What A Wonderful Surprise!

March 21, 2013

Good morning.  The sun is shining, it's a beautiful day.  Joe spent yesterday afternoon shovelling up a lot of the snow still in the driveway, and now it's looking pretty good.  Of course, there are huge mounds of snow all around the edges of the parking area.  It will be a while before this all disappears.

By the way, that's a mourning dove coming in for a landing.  My yard was full of these doves yesterday.  The food must be good!

This morning, I got the nicest surprise in my mail.  Kyra sent me this gorgeous layout that she made with her kit "Skyhigh".  Kyra, this is beautiful!  Thank you so much.  What a great way to start my day.

Give your selves a treat.  Grab a cup of coffee, and hop on over to Kyra's blog.  She posts several of her beautiful scrap kits every week, along with  matching clusters made by Arlene.  And, they are all free.  So do visit with her, and don't forget to say hello and thank you when you download.

Today, much to my chagrin, the oilman will be delivering more fuel oil to fill our tank again.  I was really hoping that the last delivery would be it for the season, but I was obviously wrong.  I wonder how many folks are running to the stores to buy up all those cute bathing suits and colorful short sets that are on the racks and shelves.  The snow and cold temps says that the stores should still be selling jackets, sweaters and warm pants.

Now I  must get busy here.  It's time to get dressed.  I have a lot to do today.  An appointment at the nail salon, a trip to the bank, a load of laundry, and a trip to the supermarket to stock up on groceries.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

HAPPY SPRING!!!

March 20, 2013

Good morning, and Happy Spring!  Well, at least the calendar says it is Spring.  It snowed all during the night.  Not tons of snow, but still snow.  I know that other places got buried with this last round of snow, and I really should not complain.  But I am growing weary of Winter.  My soul needs the sunshine and warmer temperatures of Springtime.

Last night after the Mrs was tucked in for the night, I was able to work on one of my photo lessons and a new piece of photo art.  At some point, I would like to put together a photo book of all my photo art projects.  I think this might be fun.

Slowly, I'm also catching up on a lot of my emails.  This past Monday was World Cancer Day, and I had been asked to post the candle along with a picture of all the different cancer ribbons.  I did not open that particular mail until yesterday, so I'm posting the candle and ribbons today.  It's never too late to pray for a cure. 

I also want to share one of my favorite photos that I took of Pogo while we were in Florida.  His fascination with the mirror gave us hours of fun and laughter.  At one point, I got this great shot of him just sitting and staring at the dog in the mirror. 

Today I have some errands to do.  Some of them may have to wait until tomorrow though.  I also want to plan a nice supper because Janet will be coming by this afternoon when she gets out of work.  It will be nice to sit back and enjoy her company.   While I was away, she came by often to water my plants. 

I can hear the Mrs stirring, so I need to get busy here.  Here's hoping that your first day of Spring is a beautiful one.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Groan, Groan, Groan. More Snow!

March 19, 2013

Well, I woke up this morning to several inches of snow covering everything outside.  The weather man says we can get 3 to 5 more inches by tonight.  Oh boy!  Just what I was hoping for!!!  lol.

 Here's a couple of photos that I took from my door shortly after I  got up this morning.

I have another photo to share.  This one is so funny.  While Joe was out in the yard shoveling snow last week, he decided to have some fun.  There was so much snow, and the snow banks were so high, that he dug a room into the snow.  It looked quite comfy, and as you can see, someone had used it and left his boots by the seat.  lol.  Joe took this photo with his phone.

As I sit here and type, Joe is back outside shoveling more snow.  I hope this is the last of the snow for this season.   I so need for Spring to bring it's warmth and new growth.  We all do.  It's been a long cold and white winter. 

I did not get caught up with any of my photo class lessons while I was on vacation.  Tonight, it's back to work for me, so once the Mrs is tucked into bed I think I'll try to do at least one or two of those lessons.  Once I get back in the groove, I'll be able to catch up with all the lessons. 

Well, that's about all the news for this morning.  It's time to put in a load of laundry and wash a few dishes.  I might even kick a few dust bunnies around!  lol.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

It's Good To Be Home

March 18, 2013

Good morning.  Oh it felt so good to be home in my own bed.  Needless to say, once I got into my bed, I did not get out of it until this morning.  Except of course, to feed Pogo.  We had a great flight home yesterday except for the little toddler two seats over. 

I'll never understand why my little dog has to be in a carrier tucked under the seat in front of me, while the bratty little kid two seats over is allowed to scream and carry on and make all us passengers miserable.  Maybe it was to protect Pogo from this sort of passenger?  (I'm trying to be positive)

I was so tempted to tell the kid's mother that she should trade him in for a shelter puppy as soon as she got home, but I did not think she would appreciate my good advice.  Each flight only allows four pets on board (in carriers, or course).  Yet in all my years of travelling, I have never heard a pet make a sound except for once when a cat meowed. 

One day while we at the Walmart (in Florida) I took this photo in the parking lot.  I watched as a car full of people sat and waited for a parking spot.  When the spot finally came available, these folks pulled their car into the spot, got out of the car, threw their garbage on the ground and went inside the store to shop.

It always makes me sad to see people do things like that.  We live on such a pretty earth, and I don't understand why folks won't keep it that way.  There was a trash can not far from the entrance to the store. 

On a more fun note, I have another freebie for you this morning.  It's the second in the "Deer Ones" set.  I hope you like it.

And here is your download link:
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I will post the last set next Monday.  I know that there are a lot of hunters out there, so I thought these quick page sets might come in handy for some of you.  All of the backgrounds were made from my own photographs.

Did you know that sun rises at a different time in Florida than it does here in Boston?  (I'm about 20 minutes south of Boston)  Today sunrise here was at 6:51 a.m..  In Kissimmee, Florida, sunrise was at 7:32 a.m.  Sunset here will be at 6:54 p.m., and in Kissimmee it will be at 7:36 p.m.   I don't remember ever being in Florida when daylight savings took place, so I was not aware of these facts.  It's good to learn something new.

That's all the news for today.  Dee Dee and Eddie will be coming over soon, so I think I should get dressed.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

It's St. Patty's Day And We Are Going Home

March 17, 2013

It's almost 4 a.m., and sleep has been evading me all night.  I did manage a nap for about an hour, but that's all the sleep I could get.  I know, it's just nerves and excitement about going home in  few more hours.  When I crawl into my own little bed later tonight, I will most likely sleep like a baby.

Yesterday morning, Pogo and I went to the UPS store in Celebration (FLA) and had a box of things shipped home.  I don't want anything but clothing and toiletries in my suitcase.   Here's a photo of Pogo watching me get the stuff ready to take to the UPS store.  He gets excited when he knows we are going for a ride in the car.

Early afternoon, Su's daughter and granddaughter arrived to take Su home.  I'll miss you my friend.  Thank you spending this past week with us, and for all your help with Photoshop.

After a while, Pogo and I walked over to the computer room and printed out my boarding pass.  Next, we took a little walk around to look at some of the flowers.  Then we went back to our unit to sit out on the porch and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

While we were out walking, we spotted a little squirrel looking for food in the grass.  Across the street, we saw a pretty gray cat, who also saw the squirrel.  Next thing you know, the cat came running across the street to the grass where the squirrel was sitting. 

Oh dear, I hope that little squirrel sees the cat and runs.  Yup!  He did, and up the palm tree he climbed until he reached a safe spot.   The cat gave up the chase and left, but the little squirrel stayed up on his safe perch for a while longer.  Here's an adorable photo of him looking down at us.  (Nani, it doesn't get any better than this. A squirrel AND a palm tree!) lol.

I've been watching the Weather Channel to see what the weather will be like in Boston when I get home, but the forecasters down here don't seem to go into very much detail about Boston's weather.  One minute they say that it will be clear with snow by Tuesday.  A little while later, they say that there will be snow and rain through Monday.  I give up!  What will be, will be.

Pogo can feel that something is in the air too.  His appetite was off last night, and he stayed extra close by me.  About an hour ago he finally got hungry so I gave him an early breakfast.  Now he is napping, so I think I'll make myself a cup of coffee, and maybe some toast. 

As soon as daylight gets here, we'll be packing up the rental car and taking it back to where I got it.  There will be a driver waiting to take Pogo and me to the airport.  I pay a little extra for this service of picking me up at the airport and taking me back to the airport, but I think it's worth it.  I feel much safer travelling alone this way. 

Well, that's all my news for this morning.  For all of you celebrating, I wish you a Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Our Last Wonderful Day In Florida

March 16, 2013

Good morning on this last day of our vacation.  It will be sunny and warm, and in the low 80's F.  I've decided to lighten the load for my suitcase, and mail some stuff home.  So this morning, I will take a bag of stuff to the nearby UPS store and ship it to myself back home. 

Su will be leaving probably by early afternoon, and Pogo and I will have one last afternoon and evening here before heading out tomorrow morning..  I will miss the beautiful weather, but it will be nice to be back home too.

I will have one unpleasant chore to tend to when I get back home, and that is to report (to the airline) the theft of personal belongings from my suitcase by airline personnel.  I usually pin my little keys to the tiny lock  on a long ribbon inside a top outside pocket on the suitcase.  This whole thing was stolen.  I had a brand new pair of flip flops inside the bottom larger pocket on the outside of the suitcase and these were also stolen. 

On my previous flight, it was again just small stuff missing.  I did not report it that time to the airline because it was so small, but having it happen again this last last time has just made me angry.  It is just so sad that you cannot trust the airline to protect your belongings.  You really have to make sure that anything of value will all fit into your carry-on bag.

This morning, as I sit here and type, Pogo is asleep all curled up in a blanket on the chair next to me.  (The chair is up against the mirror on the wall.)   He likes to burrow into the blanket where he can be cozy.  I couldn't resist taking a photo of him to share with you. 

Every day, I give thanks that this little doggie was sent to me.   He is a constant source of joy.  I am so amazed at how much progress he has made with his potty training.  I've only had him for about seven and a half months, and he is about 95% potty trained.  I think that is just fabulous!   Since we have been here in Florida, he has only had a couple of mishaps.  That's not bad for being in a completely different surrounding.

I also have a pretty photo that I took of a bird in the Walmart parking lot.  He was perched on a little tree, calling to his friends while he was preening himself.

I hear Su waking now so it's time to get dressed and get my day started.   Pogo and I are going to savor this last beautiful day here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Oh, I Am Getting Too Smart For My Pants!

March 15, 2013

It's 6:30 a.m., cool and quite dark outside.  Su and Pogo are still sleeping and I have been quietly sitting here making my list of things to do before it's time to pack up the suitcase again.  There is a UPS store down the road a ways that I want to check out today.  Perhaps I can mail a few things home to lighten the suitcase a bit.  We'll see.

Yesterday we stayed in and played on the computer.  Su was not up to par so we decided to do the flea market today.  This was good for me because I had the chance to learn a few more things in Photoshop.  Su is super smart with Photoshop, and has been teaching me so many things. 

Remember the photo that I posted a few days ago showing the view from my porch?  Well, I used that photo for my learning project.  I added some plants, flowers and birds, then put Audrey and Pogo in the picture too.  (Their photo was taken out in the parking lot near the dumpster)

I was able to learn shadow and lighting techniques, as well as improve on extractions.   I even had to remember to put the "screen" on the new items.  (I took the original photo from inside a screened porch.)   All in all, I was quite happy with my "new" picture.  Can you find all the "new" things that I added?

I also spent some time trying to do "photo blending" but was not very successful at following the tutorial.  Later today I will give it another try.   I also worked on a new "photo manipulation"  project that Su is teaching at Digital Whisper.   Alas, I cannot do just a little bit and then stop.  So I kept going until I had my project picture finished. 

Here is a preview showing the pictures that I used, the artist names, and the steps that I took to make my picture.   All except the yellow rose and the sea gull were downloaded from Deviant Art.

And here is my finished project.  Again, I was able to use the lighting, shadow and extractions skills and more.  Not too shabby, I think, for my first attempt.

I'm just hoping that I can remember all this good stuff that Su is teaching me later when I get home and she is not close at hand to help me.  I do write it all down, but sometimes I forget what my notes mean. 

My friend Nani at The Chronicles of Nani was asked if she could write a limerick about herself.  So, I thought I might try my hand at it too.  Here's my first try (and maybe my last!).

Me and my little dog Pogo

Are always on the go go

Especially if the day has sun

Then we can have a lot of fun

But when it rains we no go.

 

Yes I know, it's quite corny, but it was fun trying.  I haven't done this since I was a kid.  Back then, it was easy to think up a little rhyme.  When you get older, you think too much on how it sounds, so then it becomes a bit more difficult to write the limerick.

 

Now it's time to make another cup of coffee and start my new day.  Rhoda, if you are reading this, it is 7:19 a.m. and daylight is just beginning.  lol.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

 

Hugs, Edna B.

Having Some New Creative Fun

March 14, 2013

Good morning.  Today is sunny, but cooler.  Not quite 70F today.  Still, for us this is nice.  Today, I will take a walk to the dumpster with a bag of trash.  Now be honest.  Doesn't this sound like a lot of fun?  lol.  Actually the walk will be fun.  Also it means that the legs are behaving much better.

I re-joined a group I used to belong to, Digital Whisper.  (If you want to join, it costs around $25 a year)  They have a some great artistic projects going on there.  I joined the Photographic class and worked on getting caught up with their challenges.  A favorite of mine was the Black & White challenge.  Take a color photo and improve it by changing it to black and white.

I'm also going to use this image for Photo Art Friday.  (even if I am a day early.)   First I'll put up the original photo, then the black and white image.

I also have a fun photo of one of the tourists out for a ride on a nice day.  I thought this big guy had a rather interesting face.

Later today, or maybe tomorrow, Su and Pogo and I are going to the flea market.  I think I'll pick up an extra pair of flip flops to take home with me.  The best part of this, of course, is the walking exercise. 

After that, I'll do a bit more on my knitting project before I start the next project for the DW forum.   The 'thing" that I'm knitting is beginning to look like a shawl or a lap blanket.   I don't know how my aunt makes one of these a week.  I'll probably still be working on this next Christmas.

Ooooh, I almost forgot!  Deanne sent me a photo of some snow people that she and Eddie and the kids made after this last snow storm.   These snow folks are supposed to be Dee and Eddie.  Aren't they just adorable?

Pogo is a bit perturbed with me because I have shut the patio door and closed the curtains.  He was having himself a grand old time barking at the maintenance men who are outside pruning the trees.   Now that I've spoiled his fun, he's curled up on a blanket and taking a nap. 

Now I think it's time to put some clothes on and maybe get started on this gorgeous new day.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a fabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Daylight Comes Late Here

March 13, 2013

Gosh, this daylight savings isn't so great in the morning.  It's after 6:30 a.m. and it's still very dark outside.   I liked it much better when daylight came very early.  It sort of gives the new day a great start. 

Ah well.  This morning we'll have to be doing a bit of grocery shopping.  The cupboards are looking rather bare.   Just like my vacation photo folder.  Sad to say, I haven't taken very many photos while I've been here.   I thought for sure I'd go home with the folder overflowing.  However, I just haven't seen very many birds or flowers yet. 

I'm watching the Weather Channel, and it shows the hot temps returning here beginning next Saturday.  When I leave to go home, the temps here will be in the mid to high 80's F.  But that means that the temps back home will be getting warmer too.  And that means that it will be time to do a bit of pruning in the garden and shopping for new plants.  Yes!

This year I want to buy some new Citrosa and Lemon Thyme plants for both gardens.  Crushing the leaves of these plants and rubbing the oil on your skin helps to keep the mosquitoes away from you.  Rub some on your pets too.

Today, I have photos of Hibiscus to share.  These plants are beginning to bud and blossom now that the temperature is getting warmer.  I think these are just beautiful.

I just looked out the patio door, and it is still very dark out there.  There is just a slight hint in the sky that daybreak isn't too far off.  Wow, I don't remember it being dark like this at 7:05 a.m. before.  Usually, daybreak gets earlier every morning this time of year.  I think.  Wow, I need to get out from under my little rock pile more often.  Nature is changing constantly.

I've been checking emails to while away some time to see when daylight starts.  Now it is 7:25 a.m. and daylight has begun.  I definitely do not remember daylight starting this late before.  Is it just me?  Has anyone else noticed this too? 

Pogo is still sleeping.  Poor little fellow had to get up in the middle of the night to bark at Su, who had come downstairs to get something.  He's getting a little bit used to her, and only barks at her if she moves.  Seems weird because he normally takes to women right away. 

Well now I'm going to make another cup of coffee.  Till tomorrow, Y'all have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Edna B.