What a week!

I have a car to replace my old one. Sure wasn't expecting to have to look for a new car right now but I brought this one home last night. I didn't take this photo but the car in mine--all mine! HAHAHA!

More of my amaryllis...

Cropped Amaryllis

Well, today I found out that my car has been totalled! :(

So, the next two days I have to go out car-shopping and see what I can get for the price that the insurance company agreed to pay me...almost an impossibility!

Apple Blossom Amaryllis

Well, finally my amaryllis has bloomed and it has six blossoms and maybe another but I'm not sure yet.

I'm thrilled with the colour of this one.

The day got better with the visit of Rebecca!

REBECCA

Although Saturday was traumatic, the ending of the day got better when my granddaughter came to visit with her Mummy and she decided to shovel off the back deck as she was so concerned about Geordie, my border collie having to go through the snow to go and do his "business"!

It was so nice to have her visit.

Saturday turned out to be a very bad day!

On Saturday morning about 10 to 9 am, I was driving within about a block from my house on a very heavily snow-packed and snow-covered residential road. Because of the road conditions, it was impossible or insane to drive at any speed at all so I "guesstimate" my speed to be about 30 km/hr.h

Just ahead, this lady started to reverse from her driveway without looking to the right in the direction from where I was coming and she backed right into my car!

Because I saw it coming, I guess my body tensed up and as a result I've had lots of pain over the weekend from muscles I didn't know I even had.

She was charged!

I got a rental vehicle today and my poor little car was towed away to be assessed as to what the costs of fixing it will be. Hopefully they will fix it. It's a 1995 car with low-ish mileage on it for the age of it and it drives well so let's hope and pray that they will agree to fix it and not decide to give me the book value of it.

Catblogging Friday

LAUREN

Please click to see large as this small one looks horrible. I think the larger one is ok though. Lori, thanks for reminding us about Friday being Catblogging day. I almost forgot and just took this of Lauren on my bed.

EDIT: I've changed the photo now to a smaller version that looks better. Here's the larger version if you wish to see it. It just didn't like to be made smaller by the blogger software!

Waiting for Spring

WAITING FOR SPRING

Down the road out of town, is a golf course that is very active during the spring through autumn but this bench right now is not being used!

I thought that the shadows in the snow and the glistening was quite effective and although it was taken with the sun high in the sky, it seems to "work".

Won't be long now! Part 2

The amaryllis buds are nicely forming and I think I may be privileged to have five blooms on this one but not sure--maybe six!

I've had a very busy day today so actually didn't take this photo today but took it yesterday.

Today I was "meeting'd out" and have just now at after 10:30 pm arrived home! So, second photo of my...

AMARYLLIS

Photographing the World Around You

Recently I've been reading a great book by Freeman Patterson entitled, Photographing the World Around You. What a wonderful insite into learning to see things in your own area that might make good photographs!

I've been enjoying it so much and so I tried one photo so far using his principles and to do it, I washed and shined my crystal cream pitcher and made a photo of it letting the light shine through it from the patio door.

The above image is the result of my hour long "playing" and I'm looking forward to more of this in the coming days. I was amazed at all the lights that were present in the image I made!

"Grandma! You mean you don't have headphones?"

A New Planet?

Well, today I was trying some indoor photographs and I took a few of some candles and things.

This one, when I cropped it, reminded me of a planet out in space!

So, this, my friends is a newly seen planet with lots of fire holes!

Enamel Rose

I was running out of ideas for my PAD photo today and everything I tried just didn't "work" for me.

So, I made this photo of a rose I had given to me from my aunt's memorial service and then applied some Paint Shop Pro effects to it ending up with "enamel".

I love roses. I expect that everyone does but they are one of my favourite flowers.

Listen to: The Rose

The Rose

(sung by Bette Midler)

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.

Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
and you its only seed.

It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.

It's the one who won't be taken,
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been to long,
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,

just remember in the winter
far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

Won't be long now...

AMARYLLIS BUD

I was finding it difficult to figure out what to take my PAD pic of today. I noticed that my amaryllis bulb had sprung up over the past few days and pretty soon it will be bursting out in vibrant colour--at least I hope it will be!

Maybe I'll be able to get some photos of it's journey from being a lowly bud to a beautiful flower!

Congratulations are due to AB!!

I'm so happy to be able to say "Congratulations" to AB!! To have one of your photos published in such a prestigious magazine (Digital Camera)is a wonderful thing.

Read about it here.

To see AB's blog, click on the link on the sidebar under "Some Blogs I Enjoy" and Anna's Photo a Day.

Your Place

Today has been a difficult day in many ways and I'm late for my photo for the 11th but I'll try to post two for the 12th.

One thing I don't want my blog to become is a burden. Looking after two websites and helping out on others is almost like a full time job and I'd like my blog to be fun--fun for me and fun for those who check in from time to time.

I came across a little short poem today and having just had to pay a bill to get my roof replaced and getting a few regular bills in the mail, I began to wonder if I should even be living here. This little poem could be referring to your home, your job or whatever you wish it to mean. Enjoy!

YOUR PLACE

Is your place a small place?

Tend it with care!--

He set you there.

Is your place a large place?

Guard it with care!--

He set you there.

Whate'er your place, it is

Not yours alone, but His

Who set you there.

John Oxenham

I'll stay for awhile!

Remembering my Jack...

In Memory of a Wonderful Husband, Friend, Father and Grandfather

John Alexander Scott

April 14, 1935 to January 10, 2001

Time may hide the sadness Like a smile may hide the tears But love and memories hold you close Despite the passing years.

In tears we saw you sinking,

We watched you fade away,

You suffered so much in silence

You fought so hard to stay.

You faced your task with courage

Your spirit did not bend

But you still kept on fighting

Until the very end.

God saw you getting tired

When a cure was not to be

So He put His arms around you

And whispered "Come to me".

Author Unknown

After 40 wonderful years together, Jack was promoted to glory on January 10, 2001. "I will never forget you sweetheart."

Nails

January 9 Nails

In December 1985, we moved into this house after it was built. The roof has lasted until now but the time came for me to replace it as the water was running off the roof between the eavestrough and the roof causing a great deal of ice build up on the path. I was very concerned about folks slipping on this and falling.

So, today is the day!

I got some snaps of the fellows up on the roof but this clump of nails really drew me to them. They are sitting out on the driveway on top of a pile of shingles. I expect that they are for a power hammer as they are all joined together.

It sure will be lovely to have the peace of mind now knowing that my roof won't leak and there won't be ice from water running from the roof onto the path.

So all are welcome now to come and visit! :)

Sad Day in Toronto

January 8

Reflections of a Stormy Sky

Yesterday, I needed to travel to Toronto to attend the funeral of a family member. Between the funeral service and a reception at one of my cousin's homes later in the day, we were stopped at a traffic light on Yonge Street and I decided to take this photo of the Nestle Building.

It was so stormy and blustery. Debris was blowing around and the clouds were moving so quickly but I tried to capture this from the front window of the car. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

The Wee Chapel with the Crooked Cross

Between Niagara Falls and the quaint town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is a wee chapel that is always open to the public, even in the winter. There is room only for 2 or 3 persons to be inside and that would be crowded! Usually hymn music is playing and there is free literature and a guest book for all to sign and it's lovely to see where folks came from who signed the book. The cross on the top is crooked and I wonder if whoever looks after this little building will straighten it.

One is Broken!

January 3 One egg broke but they still tasted fine! Everyone enjoyed them!

At Niagara Falls, Ontario

My picture for January 2, 2007 was taken as we left the Butterfly House at Niagara Falls. It was such a lovely sunny day and unseasonably warm. January 2, 2007

Into the Sunshine

It looks like a summer day and definitely not January 2!!

Happy New Year (a few days late)

A couple of us have decided to try yet again to take a photo a day for 2007. I started last year but only lasted about 2 months so maybe I'll last a bit longer this time! January 1, 2007

Frost on the Thyme

It's January 1, 2007. Where's the snow? The temperature at daybreak was about zero but the grass was so green. I looked around and the only "white stuff" I could find was on my thyme plant and the hoar frost looked very interesting to me.