Perspective...look for the details

Sometimes when things get too overwhelming, I prefer to look for the details. Life is taken easier in small bites at times.

Almost lost Rick this time. Ironically, it would've been one year and one day from his original surgery. Fortunately, we made it to the ER in time, and everyone was on their game. He bounced back fast, and was out of the hospital in 3 days--in on Thurs, out on Sun, and only one day intubated in CCU. HOPEFULLY we won't need to do this again, but we have another redefinition of our life, unfortunately, and more things to watch and watch out for. Blast. But, at least he is here and we can doing the watching together.

Shapes: Sasquatch maybe??

Gotta wonder at the sense of humor of the auto designers. This is the design on the rear bumper of Rick's car, where you would step to get in and out of the back end. Kind of reminds me of 2-toed aliens, or could that be a really small Sasquatch print?

Shapes

My DD and SiL are coming next week and bringing my 3 grands, and as I was getting ready for them, I saw SHAPES! Next week is going to be incredibly hectic (a 5 1/2 yr old, an almost 3 yr old, and a 20 month old) but just having family around is going to be so much fun and so good for Rick's mental health! Mine, too! Nothing like little girl hugs and kisses and giggles to get you feeling your best.

Late Season Lilies

Out at the nursery this weekend and the waterlilies are still blooming--I love the late season blooms, but hate the bugs that congregate on the blossoms and the leaves. I could drive myself nuts with the clone tool, and so just decided to skip it.

Appropriate Signage

I laughed out loud when I saw this street sign at the hospital yesterday....could it get any more appropriate? I wonder how many people see the sign and never even notice it? I LOVE stuff like this!

Hosta Abstracts

Got caught up in the curves and swirls in the hosta leaves...thinking a little abstractedly today.

...and a little on edge, too

Wildflowers

Doesn't this make you think of "Little House on the Prairie"?

Z is for Zinnia

I LOVE zinnias. To me, they are the crayons of the flower world--so many bright and vibrant shades, endlessly cheerful. I just wish they came in blue!!

C is for Color

Lavender and chartreuse---what a serendipitous combination! And all because the hydrangea head dipped down onto the hosta planted below...
This bucket of Stargazer lilies at the Farmers' Market was just too glorious to pass up. Breathe deeply---can you smell them?

Sunny blooms

"I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life than the sunflower....Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life." Helen Mirren The Calendar Girls

Ok, so technically they aren't all sunflowers, but they are still all that vibrant cheery exultant yellow that tickles your soul and makes you want to stand up and shout. I mean, who could possibly be down looking at that color?

A-door-able

I know I've been reading too many threads about photo shoot locations and backgrounds when I saw this wonderfully funky freestanding door standing all by itself as an art piece and my first thought is what a cool background it would be for a senior shot, and I don't even DO people!!!!

Just a little detail I couldn't pass up....

Landscapes, and a little something for Angela

Took a quick run out to Rattlesnake Lake last evening to check things out. The lake isn't nearly as low as I'd expected, so the water levels are being managed pretty carefully. Can't wait until fall and the deciduous trees along the shore put on their yellow finery.
Of course, by then these boulders and rocks will be under water! There was just something about the arrangement of sizes and tones of greys that caught my eye.

Angela, this is for you! There was a loud THUD at the window this morning, with a puff of feathers floating down the air, and this is what I found below the window. Yes, it is Waxwing Season. The hordes have invaded, and this one-year old hasn't learned about windows yet. Now he has--the hard way. He sat in the hose for a couple of hours, shaking off the world's biggest headache, then joined his cohorts in the berry feast. (Doesn't he look like he is thinking "Man, I really could use an Excedrin about now!") I thought of you though, when I recognized the window vicitim as a Cedar Waxwing. ;-)

Down to Rock Bottom

A shot taken yesterday downstream from Snoqualmie Falls of the old power plant. The river is EXTREMELY low this year, and there are kayakers, rafters, and floaters galore in the river, and people walking along the banks of the river. The base of the power plant, which is discolored and has the vertical openings, is usually at least partially underwater, if not completely. Like I said, the river is REALLY, REALLY low right now. That will change as soon as the fall rains start.

Click to see a kayaker down at the bottom of the photo...

better bee-lieve it!

looks like he's wearing leg warmers, doesn't he?

Lit from behind

Late afternoon sun makes everything look so different and so interesting....

Yesterday's close-up was the back-up light on a car. Suzy was close with her guess of a bike reflector!

Closing in...

One last close look...
Last night's were a broom and the view from the end of a ball of string. Congrats to Nicki who nailed them both!!

Extremely close...

Can you guess?

Last night's was the tread on the sole of a shoe.

Up Close

Hosta Blooms

A little more Art Show

This is my idea of Fair Food--- Shish-ka-berries, one of the favorite art show treats. Fresh strawberries, dipped in chocolate, topped with nuts, or sprinkles, or swirls, or whipped cream...you name it. They're delicious, and the berries are huge and juicy. That stick is about 12" tall.

One of the exhibitors in the juried area at the art show is a glass artist, and has baskets full of glass balls. I love all the different color variations and patterns that he gets in the balls. I'd love to have a few of them floating in my pond.

Public Art; or Don't Make Fun of Sidewalk Chalk

Every year during SeaFair there is a wonderful Art Show in Bellevue. There is a huge juried portion full of exquisite paintings, photos, jewelry, sculpture, woodwork, textiles, leatherwork, etc.; another section "one step down" of very good artists; and then a kitschy little street fair that is more of a craft fair than an art show. Um, yeah.

I look forward to this guy every year. He sets up in front of the Art museum, and reproduces a famous painting. This year his choice was "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat (also known as the painting done with all the tiny little dots--ie pointillism). He has a picture of the painting in a vinyl sleeve on the ground near him, and has sketched out the painting on the sidewalk in white chalk. He then spends his time "coloring in" everything, using his fingertips for shading, and wearing knees pads to protect his knees. The street alongside the Art Museum is closed off and set up for kids to "chalk it up"; it is so much fun to watch the little kids watch him, and then run and grab some chalk and get to work. I so wanted to get some photos of the kids, but didn't want to look like a weirdo stalker woman, and get beat up by protective parents.

So, if your kids like to doodle with sidewalk chalk, don't discourage them!! Look what it could turn into!!

Garden pests--disguising themselves as yard ornaments...

Just one of the plethora of rabbits that have over-run the yard this year. There is one cute little furry varmint who insists on hiding out under one of my daylilies. I'm ok with that as long as he doesn't nibble on his hideaway. Hoping the coyote population picks up again next year, though.
However! This little lady had the gall to settle herself on one of my berms as if she is a yard ornament. I carefully took a photo through the window, and then went out on the deck to scare her away. I shooed. I yelled. I hollered. I waved my arms, jumped around, stomped my feet. She blinked her eyes. If deer could roll their eyes, I'm sure she would have done that. (If I had knows she was that blase about humans, I would've taken her photo from the yard, not from inside the house!) Then I resorted to the last measure...the air rifle. Me and the trusty BB gun. Only took me about 6 shots to finally land one on her flank. She was so nervous and worried about it she didn't move during the entire time--until I finally landed the Lucky Shot. She hasn't been back since, and my hosta and daylilies and the rest of my garden don't miss her at all!!!

Water

R was feeling well enough yesterday that we went for a drive--over past the mill pond to see what we could discover. I was surprised to find some reflections; it has been so windy that I was certain that the pond would be too ruffled, but I lucked out. Even with the late summer pond growth starting to cover the surface there is still a decent reflection. R was so glad to get out of the house for something other than an appointment. The little excursion was good for both of us.

My favorite little waterfall-let--even this time of year it cascades nicely. There is just something so soothing about smooth water.

Water: Daisy Drops

I have this wonderful variety of Shasta daisy in my garden; it always looks like it has gone through a paper shredder. The petals are curved and curled and never lie very flat, and each bloom is completely different from the next. The bigger the flower, the more riotous the petals. When the clump is in bloom it looks like a really bad hair day!
But, all those curled, curved thin petals catch water drops really nicely......