Friday

I have so little time to give you today, I am sorry.

I also care not to give you a garden update.
Things have slowed down remarkably and the fire for that subject is not so hot!

My neighbor let me know about a mother bird who has settled in the planter right next to her front door.
She invited me over to take a picture of the 5 little eggs which the mother is so carefully tending.


I was in quite a rush today as I hurriedly shot off a couple of images.
Part of it was my need to get on the road for my regular Friday taxi mom duties and part of it was not wanting to get pecked in the head by the very long and menacing looking beak on that momma bird.
My neighbor (Hi Angela!!) Is gonna let me know when the babies start to show themselves and maybe we can have another issue of our Mommas and babies series!!

I WILL NOT POST TOMORROW!!!!

I will not have access to my camera, nor will I be at home.
I have to leave at 4 a.m. to be a responsible adult chaperone type person on my son's band trip.
I plan on running wild through Fiesta Texas with the rest of the crazies...while trying to appear dignified and responsible.
Ohhhhh, I love a roller coaster!!!!!
I suppose there is a possibility that I could post from my cell phone, but I don't want to make that kind of commitment.

Okay so if I got to sleep right now, I will get a full 6 hours of sleep.
Guess I better get to it!!

Have a super fantastic Saturday!!!

Green x 2

Green the color of the day.
Okay...really, really quickly cause I should already be off the computer and getting ready for my day.

Our Color for today is this nice green!
I think it will be green often as that is my favorite color and this is my blog!!


Remember what I was saying about new babies and how special seeing one is.

Eeeeek I got to see another one last night.
Of the human variety!!!


My friend was very kind to allow me to take a couple of quick pictures of her brand new 7lb. baby last night.
Oh man, he was super cute.

I know she must have thought I was mighty bold unwrapping him so I could see more parts of his sweet newness. Green if you will...I know it is a stretch, but give me a break here.

Actually, seeing as how this is her fourth, I am not sure that anything could phase her!!!

Though I may have seemed bold at the time I still had reservations about shooting these photos.
Not worried, just not wanting to be intrusive or overly pushy.
This is a skill set I have had to try to harness as I gain maturity.

I learned about myself last night that I need to NOT hold back.
I need to ask permission to be creative and then do it.
My photos will NOT be as good as they can be if I do not act with boldness AND confidence, mixed equally with humility and kindness toward my subject...whatever it may be.



Such an important lesson for me.


I bet I will get another chance to take some pictures of this baby and really do him some justice!!

Thanks Mrs. Knox for sharing your new little love with this crazy camera girl.

Good Dog!

Hey Shelby!!

Helllllooooooooo....

Uhhhhh....I am pretty sure that the birds aren't feeling very welcome here.


Yes, you are keeping the squirrels away...and doing a bang up job, I must admit!!!

But the birds are scared of you too!!!

Sweet chubby Shelbster, look at her chunky girl sitting posture!

Good dog!!!

Okay, so those are my official photos for today!
I was going to write a whole big something but then remembered I hadn't shared my horse day with you.
My facebook friends have already gotten an eyeful and most of these pictures will be the same, but I must share here as well.
And...I know I said I might be scarce this week and I haven't been! Don't worry I am putting time in on my drawing, in fact this whole afternoon is dedicated to it.
Yup, as soon as the dryer sends off the signal that the last load is complete I will be on my way!

Frankly I can't draw too early in the day anyway because I am still coming off of my caffeine and tend to have a bit of a tremor!!!
Call me crazy!!
No, this doesn't make me think I need to give up my daily Joe!!
If coffee is my worst vice (which it is), then...so be it.

I am gonna change the subject now, back to horses...
...on a ranch, in Texas!!


Usually it is easy to spot where the horses are hanging about, but not this day.
They were waaaaaayyyyyy down a path, in a meadow fenced in by thick tall trees.

I was not ready to really take in what greeted me when I got beyond this line of trees.
I mean, I knew there were horses back there, and I knew there were newborn foals but...
I wasn't prepared as to how it would effect me emotionally.

At first glance, I was immediately wrapped in the effect of the dazzling cover of sunshine on the backs of horses; all of their heads bent to the ground undisturbed by humanity.


I quickly spotted the babies and quietly crept in for a closer look.

There is just something stunningly breathtaking about brand new life.

A baby, of any kind, so new to this world is such a wonder to behold.
They are an amazing mixture of delicate innocence and untested strength.
I think human babies are this way, but there was just something about seeing these foals standing and walking about, yet still gangly and awkward.


I really did have to stand in this lonely field with my camera tightly grasped against my chest as I gathered my wits and steadied my hearts jumping.
I needed to focus and get busy...who knows how long I had to capture some special moments.


I tried to move slowly with gentleness, but with courage.
Horses are big and can tend to make me a little uneasy.

See the momma to the left?
She was super low key, letting me eventually get within an arms length of her baby.
The other momma...well let's just say she was eye balling me with great suspicion!

I walked over slowly, taking deep breaths and trying to be a relaxed confident me, without seeming to be threatening.



I had to push my long lens as far as it would go in order to zoom in closely to harness the greatness of the newness in front of me.

For once I was thankful for blazing sun, highlighting all the best parts of these amazing beasts.

I was squatting here ready to dash, should mama decide to charge at me. Oh how I wish she had looked up for just a second.

Ha ha ha, come to think of it she may have and I just missed it by being wary!!

Do you ever turn your face to the wind and close your eyes to capture all the goodness of it.
You know how it feels to shut them tightly and feel the pleasure of it drift over and past you.
Baby horses do that too!!!
Somebody, help me it was so captivating!!!





I swiveled back and forth between these two babies. Close to the one and keeping my distance from the other.
Suddenly the sensitive momma turned, looked right at me, shook her head with an aggressive whinny and stomped her hoof with purpose.

It didn't take me long to figure out that this was my one and only warning that perhaps she had had enough of me.



Very shortly after that, she encouraged her baby to get up and they hustled off in tandem.




I raised up from my position in the grass and tried to furiously take pictures of them walking away. Momma was very pointed about keeping her body between me and her precious baby.

That was okay by me, I get the protective Momma thing.

Not to be discouraged, I turned my camera back toward a more willing subject.

Oh my...look how scrawny and new this little fellow is.
All bone and muscle awaiting nourishment from momma!





I think this is my favorite image from my time with them.

This baby had been pretty active and seemed to suddenly get tired.
It walked around its momma and gently leaned in to her closing its eyes.

Sigh!!!!

There is really so much more I wanted to say about this experience that I just can't seem to make come into words.
I will just have to say God's creation is amazing, and leave it at that.

Desperate

Well, I thought Charles was gone, but he wasn't!!!
He was just playing hide and seek with me!
You can play a round too...


I felt pretty desperate to get some pictures today of something other than frogs and fungus.

We had a lot of birds come by the feeder, which entertained us during our supper.
I figured if I slipped outside and attempted to blend in, I may have some luck getting a few images without the problem of glass or screens.

I tend to forget that a 6 foot tall woman dressed in yellow isn't very blendable.

Shelby did not like being left inside.


She watched intently for me the whole time I was outside getting nothing but eaten by mosquitoes!!

It was a nice time of quiet peaceful reflection, but seriously folks....I still had to load the dishwasher and fold another basket of laundry.
I can't just sit around waiting on the birds!

I gave up and headed down the fence line to check out my neighbors roses which are hanging up and over my side of the fence.
Hey, I am not complaining.

They, the neighbors, were in my backyard last week and we noticed his grapevine pushing through the fence as well.
I joked with him that anything growing on this side of the fence was mine to harvest!

Do you know, the next day that vine was pulled back through the fence. Ha ha ha! That cracked me up.
I can still see it though...and can stalk its progress!


Are you as tired as me?
Well, then I suppose that means we should hit the hay!
Good night friends.

Guard dog!

Princess Shelby is sitting outside today.

I think part of it is because she is a little put out by my seizure of all of her blankets for washing...she has many scattered about the house in hopes of maintaining carpet integrity.

The other thing keeping her outside???
A personal mission!

Bear with me...some of these images are taken through our screen door so as not to disturb the action.

Shelby hears the squirrels from in the house as they rattle the bird feeder. She then whines and spins in circles, anxious to be let out, then goes with purpose to her guard position of choice.

On a side note... if we are all standing outside and there are no squirrels about, yet you shake the bird feeder making the distinct noise it creates...she will automatically run off, ready to catch the squirrels at their regular departure areas.
Talk about funny!!!

She decided to take a break from the sun and watch from the shadows.

She was ever vigilant and poised for action as this squirrel made its slow descent from the fence to the yard, and across the green expanse arriving beneath the feeder.


The squirrel crept closer and closer and Shelby got more and more intense.

Vibrating with anticipation.


I do believe the squirrel is about to make a leap for it!

Shelby is still quivering with disbelief as she anticipates what the squirrel will do.
She thinks herself invisible there in the shadows.




And they are off!!!
That squirrel twitched its tail one too many times and Shelby coiled up to dart after it.
It felt her change in demeanor and took off quickly to the fence.

The squirrel quickly scaled the fence and took off down the "running boards" which flip flop exposure of the rodent between yards as it dashes.
She ran with that squirrel all the way down to the back corner of the yard then proudly pranced back!

There is no doubt that she considers herself quite the huntress and is very happy at her most recent conquest!!
I think that there is another grin, don't you?

Once the area was clear, she resumed her proud, bold position in the sunshine.


Good Dog!!!

Sh'rooms and Charles

Uhhhhhboy!!!!
They are multiplying exponentially.




Look who was still hanging about this morning at 7:15!

Just look at him showing off those adorable toes!!!
Frog toes!
Aaahhhhhhh, love 'em!

I will hug him and squeeze him and love him and pet him, and I will call him George, Charles.
I want to call him Charles!

Did you notice? Huh, huh did ya did ya???
I googled how to cross out and did it all by myself!!!

I also finally found the post from last year about the frog. It was here.
But I am also gonna grab that picture and put it here.

And say another HUGE thank you to my husband who believes in me and supports my creative whimsy!!!


I had to go back out and see him again at 8:30 after walking with the Shelbster!

Yup, still cute!
Have an awesome Monday.
Me...I will be doing laundry!!!

Oh, I almost forgot.
Charles has chosen quite a lovely environment don't you agree?
It is a new hanging basket plant that my dear husband splurged on!
The flower is called Angels Earring.
I think that name is silly beyond words, but...it is gorgeous!

Frogs and Fungus!

I grabbed my camera first thing this morning...

Okay, that is not entirely true.
You know what I did first right.
You should know me well enough by now, that I really don't have to tell you what I did first, first thing this morning.
Though...there are new readers who have jumped on for the ride...so it isn't really fair to them to assume anything.

Somebody...please tell the new folks what I do first, first thing in the morning!!!

I need to google how to write a sentence and then cross it out...I like the look of that, but don't know how to do it.

Whoa....distracted as usual.
So, anyway...this little threesome was awaiting me this morning.


I have to say...be careful what you ask for.
I mean I was bemoaning the fact that I missed the previous fungus and was so elated to find more.

These 3 hooded guys were a welcome treat, but this stuff.....

....eeeeeewwwwwwwwww!!!!!!
Do you see that disgusting sea anemone-like fungus there.
Ugh!!! Even grosser in person, trust me!!!
My dear husband got to be the hero and clear it all out from beneath the peppers and some of the tomatoes!

After returning home from church I changed clothes and slipped into the kitchen to begin my lunch prep.
My husband had gone outside to enjoy his hard work in the back yard, but returned quickly.
He grinned at me and said "You need to grab your camera and come outside with me right now!!!"
Let me tell you when he says jump I say how high!!!
Ahhhhhh ha ha ha.
Well, I do strive to be a submissive wife, but that isn't exactly what I mean.
I know that if he sees something that he thinks I will really love then it must be something fantastic!!!
I deftly sprinted over to my camera bag, gracefully drawing the camera from its depths.
You know because I am all about sprinting and grace!

He hustled me outside anxious to share the treasure of his discovery.

Tara...turn away!!

It was a lovely green frog!!!

Do you remember this same type of frog from so long ago?
I do!
It was the object that assured me that my photography needs had gone beyond the ability of my camera.

Now my camera has gone beyond the ability of me...but I am catching up.


This fantastic fellow was clinging (in what looked to be a very prayerful position) to one of the plastic connectors holding up a hanging basket.



I personally really enjoy frogs!!

Their cute buggy eyes and constant grimacing grin.


This one has the shimmering gold eyes with touches of that same gold in unexpected places on the rest of his body.
Oh and the stripe!!!

I can't get over that stripe that starts at the top of his grimace and works its way down his whole body!!!
And the knobby knees and the amphibian flesh all textured and lovely!!
Yes, give me a frog any day!!

Just don't expect me to touch it or anything.
I am more of a look with your eyes and not with your hands gal.

Here's to a great week!!!