Wet N Wild

First day of my

mini stay-cation and

i decided to take

a break and head for

the community pool.

it belongs to the HOA

and there are about

60 homes in our little

community.

Being a Thursday morning

i had the pool to myself!

the water was cool and

refreshing against my skin

a pleasant change in the

heat of the day!

Birthday Post

Y'all are so lucky, a second post from me today!

Here it is, July 30th.
Yesterday was my birthday.
Its never been a big deal for me;
having a birthday in the summer meant
that most often, kids weren't around
for any kind of party. Perhaps that's
where my own feelings about
not celebrating birthdays comes from.

So its the big 55 - double nickels.
Others might fret over the "big" numbers -
turning 30, 40 or 50
i never have.
age is just a number, and not a true
reflection of who you are as a person
or what your life is about.

i can honestly say that
i don't feel 55 - at least
mentally!  i can also state
that my body has its days
where  it says "yep, we're
really gettin' that old!" lol

i was reading the other
day just a random
fictional story about a
young girl - and a wise
woman told her this:

"When a chapter of your Life Book is complete,
your spirit knows it's time to turn the page
so a new chapter can begin.  Even when you're
scared or think you're not ready, your spirit
knows you are."

if you look back on your life, you can see
chapters that begin and end, only to begin again.
i don't know about you, but this feels like
a new chapter for me .....
and i'm ready!

Blue

“The sky is the most glorious blue

I've ever seen.", she said.

"I used to think there couldn't be

a more beautiful blue 

in all the world.", he replied.

"What changed your mind?" she asked

"I saw your eyes.” he told her.














sometimes photos don't need
words at all.  it was a mood
to be captured, and as this
mood spilled into Sunday,
i was reluctant to do much
of anything except the basics.

Courage

Found the following quote by John Wayne

(and it fits in with the cowgirl theme! hehehe)

Tail Gatin'

Find her

Protect her

Spoil her

Dance with her

and never stop loving her ...

... or someone else will.

--The Cowboy Way

Have you ever sat on the

tailgate of a truck

on a warm summer evening,

legs swaying, humming along

to some old country song,

just waitin' for your favorite one

to come on?

Luke Bryan sings a song called
"Play it Again" and that's the
whole theme of the song....

If you've ever spent time on
a tailgate, you know what I mean :)

Feelin' Country

I'm a sucker 

for cowboy boots,

cowboy hats,

and big trucks!

feeling my country roots

and upbringing again today.

when the world gets crazy,

we turn to what we know best...

for me that's country music

and country ways.

Tilt It

To live a creative life,

we must lose our fear

of being wrong.

This was inspired
by another photo topic:

Tilt it.

Sandals

A new anklet .....

A sparkly dragonfly

on a silver chain

and a new pair of

sandals.

Sometimes a gal

just needs a little

treat....

obviously in need

of a pedicure.

Or time off my feet.

They sure take a

beating when you're

on them all day long

Headwear

Hello!

I may have mentioned a time or two

that I use a daily "topic" for photo ops,

and the "One Word Tuesday" was

headwear.   (Is that a real word? hehe)

One of my ... collections, yes, that works,

is hats.  I have many!  They hang on the

walls in my bedroom, lined up as if they

are a border.

So here's a rear-view look of some

Headwear :)




things have been hectic lately.
Work has been taking a toll
with added responsibilities --
ones that I was doing willingly
a year ago, and they took them
away (which was cool with me!)
but now.... no one else was doing
them, so they asked me to take
them back.  They are also nudging
(to me it feels like pushing!!)   me
into more supervisory roles.  While
I am more than capable (I raised
six kids.... you can't get more
supervisory than that!!  lol)
but being "bossy" isn't a role I enjoy
in any way.  But.   Work is work,
I'm not a boss, but I'm not a "friend"
and there are things to be done.
My way.
lol

Glow Worm

I wish I was a glow worm,

A glow worm's never glum.

'Cos how can you be grumpy

When the sun shines out your bum!

~Author Unknown

Ok, I am chuckling as I post this one, because of

the quote I found, and it amused me so!  

My attempt at a photo set of  a reflection on the 

wet cement didn't work out as planned.  Even 

when you could see my reflection, the picture 

would have needed to be extra long ...  tall? 

(maybe another time)  With a little creative editing, 

I was able to get this one reflection.

Hopefully, you're having a good week.   :) 

Sneaky

Nothing ever goes away 

until it has taught us 

what we need to know 

--Pema Chödrön

Q&A

Often, I get asked "What are you wearing?"
Typical "pickup line" if you've spent any time
on internet chats.  *laughs*

That always makes me chuckle, because
does it really matter in the scope of things?
Not to me.

However, after a long day at work,
or if I'm just home relaxing, this is one of
my fav things to wear:  long skirt and a
stretchy bra.  Cool and loose is how we
roll in the desert heat.  :)

Tread Softly

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, 

Enwrought with golden and silver light, 

The blue and the dim and the dark cloths 

Of night and light and the half-light, 

I would spread the cloths under your feet: 

But I, being poor, have only my dreams; 

I have spread my dreams under your feet; 

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. 

W B Yeats

   

B E

A S

Y O U

A R E

A Hint

This was "borrowed" from one of my posts, 

and custom edited to their own preference.

It was emailed to me

and because I liked it so much, 

I decided to share it with you.

Thank You, MrJ!

Feel free to drop a comment if you like this version as well :) 

New Day

 “Renew, release, let go. 

Yesterday’s gone. 

There’s nothing you 

can do to bring it back. 

You can’t “should’ve” 

done something. 

You can only DO something. 

Renew yourself. 

Release that attachment. 

Today is a new day!” 

― Steve Maraboli

Today, many will awaken
with a fresh sense of inspiration. Why not you?

Today, many will open their eyes
to the beauty that surrounds them. Why not you?

Today is a new day!

Many will seize this day.

Many will live it to the fullest.

Why not you?”

― Steve Maraboli

You Are Beautiful!

"You are beautiful. 

Your beauty, just like your 

capacity for life, happiness, 

and success, is immeasurable. 

Day after day, countless people 

across the globe get on a scale 

in search of validation of beauty 

and social acceptance.  The scale 

can only give you a numerical 

reflection of your relationship 

with gravity. That’s it. 

It cannot measure beauty, talent, 

purpose, life force, possibility, 

strength, or love. 

Don’t give the scale more power 

than it has earned. 

Take note of the number,

then get off the scale and live your life. 

You are beautiful!” 

― Steve Maraboli

True Self

“The core of your 

true self 

is never lost. 

Let go of all the 

pretending and 

the becoming 

you've done just 

to belong.

Curl up with your 

rawness and come home. 

You don't have to 

find yourself; 

you just have to 

let yourself in.” 

― D. Antoinette 

Sheer Black

By far, the best of the bunch,
if my opinion counts for anything!
The contrasts of dark and light,
and the sheer of the blouse....
face turned up to meet the
rising sun......

Just before dawn 

I have the world 

all to myself. 

~Terri Guillemets

Possibility

The moment when you first
wake up in the morning
is the most wonderful of the
twenty-four hours.

No matter how weary or
dreary you may feel,
you possess the certainty that,
during the day that lies before you,
absolutely anything may happen.

And the fact that it practically
always doesn’t, matters not a jot.
The possibility is always there.
 ~Monica Baldwin

The sun wasn't up, but it was bright
toward the east.  Using camera
settings, I made it as bright as possible
and I like the way my hands disappear
in so much light.

Morning

Morning is when the wick is lit.

A flame ignited,

the day delighted

with heat and light,

we start the fight

for something more than before.

~Jeb Dickerson

i know not everyone is a morning
person, but it's my fav time of day.
I was up and walking Sadie at
4am, before the world wakes,
before the roosters crow
(yes, we have roosters in my city!)
before the sun begins to peek
over the horizon.....
Let the day's beauty begin!

Dawn

Dawn is the time 

when nothing breathes, 

the hour of silence. 

Everything is transfixed, 

only the light moves.” 

― Leonora Carrington

Early morning sun rises
and I decided to play with
my camera settings, to
step out of my comfort zone
and be experimental today :)

Spurs

Don't squat 

with your spurs on.

I chuckled when I read

this quote somewhere on

my vacation, and thought

it would work for a photo!

Feet

Keep your feet

on the ground,

but let your heart

soar as high as it will.

--Arthur Helps

Be True

The hardest challenge 

is to be yourself 

in a world where everyone 

is trying to make you 

be somebody else.

~E. E. Cummings

Be true to who you are.

That's the best advice.

Oh. and find your joy!!