THE DUST WILL WAIT

This Great Blue Heron, initially camouflaged by the sunlight on the creek, seemed to jump out of nowhere into my vision. Although he was just a few yards from me, he remained a silent, motionless sentinel.

Candid Karina is hosting today's FUN MONDAY. She wants us to be very CANDID...about what we take with us everywhere we go. Her words: I want to see your security blankets. No, not the kind Linus carries around with him in the Charlie Brown cartoons, although, if you have one of those, by all means share it. What I want to see are the items you just cannot leave home without. What is it that if you leave your house without, you feel naked, incomplete, not quite right? This can be one thing or many things. And since most of us don't live in a clothing optional society, lets just assume we all leave the house fully dressed...I want to hear about those other things...the extras. The things that make women's purses so heavy and men's pockets so messy (I'm going to get grief for this one, aren't I?) What can't you leave home without? Show us pictures, tell us stories...have fun! I have entirely too much junk in my purse and most of it I could leave at ho...

After I dipped my Fuji Apple in Caramel at lunch time, I returned to work and finished the Coconut Crème Pie that was leftover from my birthday. I cringed when the afternoon sun cast my shadow across the parking lot. Ouch. Shade in the summer, heat in the winter. Speaking of heat in the winter…we purchased a cord of wood last week in anticipation of some cool autumn evenings around the fireplace. Instead, we opened the doors every evening this week. Indian Summer . Several times I’ve heard the cry of a Night Hawk and glimpsed it’s graceful pursuit of insects by the light of the street lamp. Maybe the cold front moving in will encourage him to begin his migration. I hope he doesn’t have to travel through southern California Tonight it might freeze. If it does, our yellows, oranges, and reds will turn to winter brown. Apparently, the length of the night has equal influence on the hues that paint the deciduous trees. I always thought it was the frost. ...

Was the moon bigger last night? According to Spaceweather.com it is. 14% larger to be exact. The moon is in it's closest orbit of 2007. Its Perigree. I love my Canon Power Shot (S2IS), but I haven't mastered all the settings. Like taking night pictures. This was the best of fifty. Join the wolves tonight and go check it out. Hooooooooowwwwwwwoooooooool.

The predicted high today is 78 degrees (26 C). What happened to fall? The beautiful ornamental cherry trees greet me on my way to work this morning.

Willowtree, the dictatorial host (his admission), has asked to see some clothing art. Make sure you click here to see the list of all the participants. These aren't necessarily artsy items that I have chosen to share. But, you may figure out why each came to mind when WT mentioned T-shirts and Caps. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. I got this shirrt four perticipatin ina sppeling bea. It wazzent my seezon, if yoo no what I mean Verne. Anyhooz, the husbunned wheres it to werk in the yawrd. Someone gave this to the hubby to remind him that he came from a family that didn't laugh at "natural bodily functions," and married into one that does. We flew to Hawaii on a Saturday (2002) and the next day my father in law had a heart attack. Before flying out the following morning,we (in a daze) purchased pineapples and T-Shirts at the Airport. At home Hubby stopped by his "office" wearing this shirt. It could have been a very sticky situation. For...

The Blogging Chicks Carnival has not been very active in recent months. If Michele gets enough entries you will find the Carnival here. I cut my blogging teeth with the Chicks. I wish more people from the Blog Roll supported the weekly highlight of best posts. Fun Monday was my second immersion into weekly blogging events. Come back tomorrow to see pictures of "clothing art." Then head over to Willowtree 's to find a list of all the participants.

Today was one of those fall days that blow away any doubt that the season has changed. Maybe it was just a normal autumn bluster or maybe it was the promised last hurrah of the Pacific typhoon Ling Ling. The tenacity of the multi-hued dogwood surprised me. It refused to release its garment to the windy blasts that flailed at my coat and turned my umbrella inside out. Wooosh! On the street and sidewalk, vortexes of colors flew in swirling masses then exploded in a kaleidoscope reminiscent of a pyrotechnic show. Afterwards, the leaves floated, tangoed, and frolicked on their way back to the ground. A number played hide and seek around the corners of buildings and beneath parked cars. Doorways enticed them, as did the shoes of people scurrying in and out. The scattered walk brought to mind a recent petal-strewn aisle of an outdoor wedding. An artist could take envious note of how the occasional raindrops painted the sidewalk with silhouettes of locust, ma...

So many apples and pears. So little time. (40 apple varieties, 10 pear) One sign claimed that an apple brushed your teeth better than toothpaste. This one suggests the aroma is as lovely as french perfume. Mmmmmm! My little grand pumpkins painted some of these little grand pumpkins. High Apple Pie in the Sky

Janet, @ The Planet of Janet is today's Fun Monday host. Thanks Janet for hosting your second week out. You're a gem! Her choice for today's fun: Describe your meeting with your spouse/significant other. I especially want to hear "meet cute" stories. And it doesn't have to be your actual current sig/other. Perhaps the "meet cute" story is a former boy/girlfriend... or even a best friend. Illustrate with photos, of course. A few weeks ago I covered the basics in one of those MEME's that play tag around the blogosphere. I've added a few details and a couple of pictures to spice it up. Here goes - - - * * * * * * * Kari, one of my best friends, was getting married and requested I sing at her wedding. ( We sang together during our high school years.) She also asked another friend to sing at her wedding. (She met him at college.) I was already married and the mother of a little blond toddler. Kari was marrying “the boy next...

I am feeling better today. Loved all the suggestions for cure or comfort. Quite a few of you suggested the drown it in booze method. There were several recipe's included that might just well show up during our holiday celebrations whether I'm sick or not. Thanks to Kathleen Marie for not recommending her pumpkin drink. willowtree ... Rum and bed. Bibi .. My cure (passed on through generations ... this was dad's other cure!) is a hot toddy, lots of warmth, and early to bed. My fave toddy is boiling water poured over Captain Morgan's spiced rum, lots of honey, and mashed lemons. Hmmm I think I feel a cold coming on ... Amanda ... Take a shot of everclear, ma. That will cure about anything! ;o) Beccy .. The only good thing about colds when I was young, dad would give me hot whiskey and lemon and mum didn't say anything about underage drinking. Dad even gave me a bottle of whiskey for medicinal purposes when I went off to university. It didn't last long enoug...

Creeping Crud. That is what I call the upper respiratory bug that is currently causing my discomfort. Usually, when I feel the first discomfort, I get out the zinc lozenges and the Echinacea tabs. According to laboratory studies, Echinacea has not proven to be beneficial. However zinc is helpful, as is vitamin C. Many people testify to the wonders of A*rborne and other new products designed to stop the culprit before the symptoms even begin. I'm trying to remember any remedy that my mom used on me and my siblings. I think she scared germs away by making "the face." She put my feet in a bucket of hot water once and covered me with a blanket to sweat it out. My dad thought the answer to every sickness was to have your morning...uh...constitutional. Apparently he considered irregularity the source of many diseases. ( No worries, here, however...when I drove out of the garage this morning, the sun reflected off an arachnid swinging close to my face. That did th...

We saw this interesting traveling Fish store on Saturday when we we made a six- hour drive for Buttercup's belated birthday party.

As the host of today's Fun Monday I got to choose the topic. I said: I want to see what you see on any given morning this week; from somewhe re very near where you live. Front porch, back porch, down the street, around the corner. Just makes sure it's you r neighborhood. P ost a photo that will send me to the travel agent to book a weekend at your local Bed & Breakfast. As the host, I don't need to convince myself to come stay at a local B & B. That is why I'm going to just show you what I saw on any given day this week. I pointed South, East, West, and North. I even pointed it Up- towards the sky. So. the hubby got up on the roof and pointed it down towards the ground (in the back yard.) The Autumn colors and leaf falls are sure to come soon. We need some cold frosty nights to bring on the golds, reds, and oranges. P.S. I'm praying for snow for November. * * * * * * Thank you to all who made this Fun Monday such a delightful hosting dut...

This post will remain at the top of my blog through next Monday. I'm the lucky host for the next Fun Monday's subject: AN OCTOBER VIEW. So...welcome one and all!! The very first Fun Monday granted us all a view from every front porch. It was winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Not everyone has a front porch. Therefore, the rules will be more flexible for this photograph. (Of course Swampwitch has long ago tied them in pretzel knots with her interpretations.) Here they are: I want to see what you see on any given morning this week; from somewhere very near where you live. Front porch, back porch, down the street, around the corner. Just makes sure it's your neighborhood. Post a photo that will send me to the travel agent to book a weekend at your local Bed & Breakfast. Post your October View on Monday, October 8 . Write a little or write a lot. Link to this post with the participants list Have fun. ps, HOST Fun Monday o...

My brother Mike is a physical therapist. An excellent physical therapist. His job requires traveling to rehabilitation centers and to people’s homes to treat patients. He can see to do his work without glasses. However, the monstrous amount of paperwork that any medical care involves calls for those reading glasses. Just like me, and his wife Tami, the eyewear Queen, he bought “Dime Store Glasses.” One day he purchased a pair that was not only perfect for reading the fine print, but also fit his head and flattered his face. They came with a price tag about four times higher than the previous ones, but still not as expensive as prescription glasses. He was extremely happy with this discovery and kept them with him at all times. Unfortunately, one evening he arrived home to the realization that his favorite eyewear had not arrived home with him. In his mind, he retraced his route, going over his hourly activity in an attempt to pinpoint the last memory of havi...

I visited Melissa late last night. She mentioned that her site meter noted someone found her blog who was searching for Black Velvet Naked Lady Wallpaper. When I commented, I changed my sign on To "Black Velvet Naked Man looking for Black Velvet Naked Lady Wallpaper" to leave her a silly comment. My sense of humor gets more wicked as the clock ticks away the hours of the day. It made sense on her post. I forgot to change it. So, I must apologize to any of you with Typepad blogs, who got comments from me under the alias above. OH MY. Can I blame it on ME2? I am so embarrassed.

Burning Chili Sparks Terror Alert A pot of burning chili sparked fears of a biological terror attack in central London . Firefighters wearing protective breathing apparatus were called to D’Arblay Street , Soho , after reports of noxious smoke filling the air. A Thai restaurant had been preparing Nam Prik Pao, a red hot Thai dip which uses extra hot chillies which are deliberately bur nt. That usually happens after we eat it at our house. Philippine Officials Find ‘Spider’ Mail Manila , Philippines – The package from Hong Kong looked innocent enough, marked “personal clothing.” But, when customs officials opened it, they were stunned to see about 300 live scorpions and spiders. I wonder if there was a card that read: Dear Harry, Here's a few items left behind when you walked out on me for that other woman. W. VA Man Flees Police on Lawnmower Martinsburg,. W.VA. – Michael Ginevan of Bunker Hill was driving a riding lawnmower on on Runnymeade Road ab...