Aqua azule....

I took this photo to enter into a PBase contest several years ago. It was an overhead shot of one of my Lismore crystal water goblets, filled with blue colored water.

I really liked it, but my son John, who is an expert photoshop person, said I should give it more pizazz.....so he converted it by the magic of photoshop to

agua invertida

which I think is more striking

didn't win though!

Spring cleaning.....

Yesterday was cleaning day and I'm telling you they CLEANED!!!
There were 5 of them....a one shot deal.... and they washed windows
dusted ceilings and walls. Whew.... are we clean. Love it.

We certainly pass the white glove
test now!!!!

Be still my soul.....

We ended our day listening to the "3 priests" singing at Armagh Cathedral in Ireland.......Fathers Eugene O'Hagan and Martin O'Hagan, who are brothers, and David Delargy have been in the priesthood for some 20 years. But they've been singing together since their early teens.

In addition to beautiful renditions of "Panis Angelicus" and "Ave Maria", they sang the wonderful song, "Be Still My Soul". This was originally the symphonic poem "Finlandia", by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius and is one of the most important national songs of Finland. With different words, it is also sung as a Christian hymn, "Be Still My Soul".

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on my side,
Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
In every change He, faithful, will remain.
Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly Father,
Through stormy ways leads to a joyful end.

The familiar melody was a joy to hear, as I learned it many years ago while singing in a choir, then known as Glee Club. It was the original "Finlandia" and sometimes rousing and sometimes peaceful. We LOVED singing it!!!

O, Finland, behold, your day is dawning,
The threat of night has been banished away,
And the lark of morning in the brightness sings,
As though the very firmament would sing.
The powers of the night are vanquished by the morning light,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

O, rise, Finland, raise up high
Your head, wreathed with great memories.
O, rise, Finland, you showed to the world
That you drove away the slavery,
And that you did not bend under oppression,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

Rest a while.....

I had a lovely birthday celebration yesterday....
and today will be a day to rest up...
and to get ashes for Lent and have lunch with Fred and Cathleen.
Thanks to everyone for making my day special!!!!! xo

Today is my birthday.....

I was thinking....I have so much...why do I need another birthday????
I have a wonderful, loving husband and family...children and grandchildren...the love of God and my Celestial friends....
and material things I have in plenty.
In fact today I thought I should spend some time on my favorite things......to prove that I have EVERYTHING!!!!

I love ANYTHING blue!!!! any shade any texture ....blue ocean, flow blue china, willow china, blue eyes, blues music....







I love butterflies.....


and the beach.....








and kites









and a fireplace cricket.....

and my painting of the Oyster Gatherers by John Singer Sargent.
so...what if it is a print......but I have had it painted with a decoupage
brush strokes and several people have mistaken it for the real thing!!!!!




and my collection of little boxes....thanks to my daughter Annette, who keeps me supplied. I have over 28 of them.......plus a select amount of beautiful unusual cigar boxes.








and especially, the ramps...
this picture was taken before all the planting was put in.....the joy to walk all through the garden and look at all the plants!!!!!


My cup runneth over!!!!!

Mrs. Phares

This photo is dedicated to the most wonderful
grammar school teacher in the world....Mrs. Mabel Phares.
Our whole family was taught by her
in a little town called Betteravia, CA.
She opened up the world for us all, giving us a love of art,
music, the three r's and the joy of learning.
Thank you Mrs. Phares.

I did this collage in photoshop several years ago for PBase.
I still think of Mrs. Phares frequently...what an inspiration she was!!!!!

Backyard art....

Today it's time to look at some of my yard art....mostly bought at yard sales.

This was given to us by Sister Clarice for our 50th anniversary.

Lady Di

I have always been interested in other people's photographs, and
several years ago joined PBase.com to see just how good they are.
I had a pretty good Canon camera and entered a couple of contests.
This is one of my entries.
I found out they are REALLY good!!!
Last year my Canon bit the dust and my daughter Mary, gave me her Sony cybershot.
This little camera is great for me....helps me tell my day by day story....
is easy to use. For someone who is NOT a photographer.
All in fun!!!!

A few more blooms....

Daffodils, camellias, a primrose
and our brand new pear
tree, blossoming in our front yard!!!

Signs of spring....

Today, utilizing our paths, we looked with wonder on the beautiful new signs of spring.

The Hardenbergia looking good.
 

The azaleas beginning to blossom.

the Orchids in bud

A path of life.....

As we progress through life we eventually slow down from playing tennis, jogging, dancing, bicycling to just plain walking. When bone problems began to rear their ugly head, we tend to avoid steps....(yes I know stair climbing is a very good exercise!!!)

Since we have at least a half acre of land we decided to utilize all the space for WALKING by putting in a new ramp and improving all the paths. We now have 20 minutes of paths and climbing 2 flights of stairs via the ramps....what a joy to inspect every inch of our yard and the new buds of spring!!!

Our paths are also used for other purposes!!!!

a Fortune tree

We have this tree on our property in the mountains.
It is at the Fork in the road, and we are Fortunate to have such a lovely tree....all covered with moss.

I think that I shall never see.....

We recently watched a t.v. program depicting famous old trees in California...with the background sound of a baritone rendition of the poem by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree.  

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

This is my oil painting 

of one of God's creations.

My painting