Saturday, June 25, 2011

dandelions


I remember the bright yellow dandelions of summer growing in our front yard. They had such a bright and intense yellow color. My mom liked the dandelions also and so they were allowed to grow unchecked giving us a beautiful carpet of the yellow flowers in our front yard.

And then the fun time when they went to seed and formed these fluffy white balls.

I would blow on the fluff balls scattering their seeds to the wind as they floated away with their little parasols. For a young child on summer vacation each day was an adventure. What a delight those dandelions were. Lew







Monday, December 27, 2010

resurrection plant


A resurrection plant looks as though it would be a fascinating plant to grow. I remember seeing these advertised in the backs of magazines and mail-order catalogs of novelty companies.


What a great plant that this would be to grow because if I forgot to water it, it will just come back to life by adding some water. It would seem to be a low maintenance plant. Has anyone ever had any experiences with this plant. Whenever I go to the stores I am keeping an eye out for them.

Here I am in sunny Florida and just look at the ice on this tree from the freezing night-time temperatures that we have been having.


Icicles in Florida does seem strange. These icicles formed from a sprinkler that was turned on during an overnight freezing temperatures and the water froze onto the tree forming the icicles. These bring back memories from my childhood when I was fascinated by the icicles hanging from the eaves of our house in the winter time in New York. Have an enjoyable week wherever you may live. Lew




Thursday, December 16, 2010

no place like home


I was in the front yard looking up at the trees when I spotted what I thought was a bird nest high up in the tree. I kept moving around under the tree to try and get a better look at it.

It sure looked like a nest to me. It is amazing how a bird is able to construct a nest out of nothing but some twigs. What a great view the birds must have from the nest.

Yeah, it is definitely a bird's nest. It may be empty now as we enter into the winter season but I am sure that it will be occupied come spring. It may not look like much right now but I am sure also that for the little chicks destined to be born here that "there is no place like home" with their mother to keep them warm from the cold.

Just look at the detaiI that can be seen in the nest. I could barely see the nest from the ground but through the magic of telephoto close-up photography and magnifying the image, the nest appears as if I were standing right next to it and only inches from it. I have a lot of fun with my digital camera. I will keep an eye out on the nest this spring to see what species of bird will be nesting in it. I will put out some food for the bird to try and make the mother's job of child (or chick) rearing a bit easier. Stay tuned as there will be more on the nest come spring. Lew

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

redneck Christmas


The comedian Jeff Foxworthy has a whole string of jokes that start as "You might be a redneck if.......". I remember the one that says "You might be a redneck if you buy your wife earrings that can be used as fishing lures." Does using Christmas ornaments as earrings and a bead strand from the tree as a necklace on a deer fit into the "you might be a redneck" category? Not quite sure? Well that fish to the left of the deer is not a real fish.

It is one of those rubber talking fish that moves it's head as it talks. They were all the rage years ago. This one is in fine shape and still talks and moves. Yeah, the talking rubber fish definitely tips the scales for a redneck Christmas. Can anyone outdo me in the redneck category? Just leave a comment. And no, I didn't get my wife earrings that can also be used as fishing lures for Christmas. Just how much of a redneck do you think I am. I got her a chop saw that is also a miter from the hardware store. Really! I don't know what else to get her. Enjoy the holiday season shopping for presents. Be good, Santa is coming. Lew





tree-3

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The Benson's



The Benson’s. Not the television show but the family that lived across the street when I was a young boy growing up in the small town style of life. The family consisted of; James, the father; Helen, the mother; Mimi, the daughter who was several years older than me; Jimmy, the son who was a year younger than me; and Betsy, another daughter who was a toddler. Helen looked just like Aunt Bee of the show Mayberry with her print cotton dresses and ever present apron and had the quiet personality of Edith Bunker. She was a stay at home mom whereas my mother worked. Each day for lunch she would make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot tomato soup for her children. Around 11:30 I would start hanging around with her children in the hopes of being invited to lunch, which she always did. To this day, I still enjoy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with tomato soup. She was such a kind woman and I have fond memories of her kindness. But it was the father James that I wanted to mention. I only met him a few times. A tall imposing man who had been a member of the New York State troopers. He had left the troopers but I don’t know why. Perhaps for a better job. I entered the Benson house one day and he greeted me and told me that he wanted to show me his office/study which was the room to the left as you stepped through the front door. In the picture, it would be the window to the left of the door (naturally). In the room was a desk facing the front window. But hanging up on display on the opposite wall was a neatly pressed jacket of a New York state trooper. He told me that he had once been a New York State trooper. He just beamed with pride when he told me that. He then showed me a picture on the wall of a group of about thirty New York state troopers posing for a group picture. He told me that it was the troop of officers that he had belonged to. Once again he was beaming with pride. I don’t know what kind of work he did after leaving the state police but what impressed me as a young man of about ten years of age was the expression of pride on his face. There was so much of it that it was unmistakable to a young lad and made a lasting impression in the young boy’s memory to return on occasion in later years. Sometimes I find it amazing how the littlest of things in life that leave a lasting impression. So here is an insignificant story from my past that for some strange reason comes to mind.

Monday, April 6, 2009

picture


This is a suspension foot bridge located in San Diego, California. With the fine cool dry weather it made coming to this footbridge enjoyable. I liked walking out to the middle and sit down with my legs hanging over the edge. A lot of fun.