THE DUST WILL WAIT

This is week two in Elizabeth Joy's plan to rise above the winter blues and to plant the blogosphere with wild flowers. I'm just getting my post in under the wire. Whew. Today, during my lunch break, I took these pictures of Teasel. They grow along the edge of the creek that comes out of the mountains and cuts through the middle of town. Many of you crafty people will recognize it as a popular addition to winter centerpieces and decor. I prefer to see teasel decorating the snowy walk, and providing a place for small birds to perch or hide. The snow was melting today. Yesterday it provided fluffy white caps and coats on the frozen plants around the region. I love teasel in any season. To join in the fun, make tracks over to the Wildflowers in Winter wonderland. Enjoy!

The Round Robin Photo Challenge is a great place to view wonderful photographs of specific subjects. This will be my first participation. The weather was horrid all week and I just DID NOT have an opportunity to improve upon my first attempt. The subject is Landmarks in our home town. This is the Gazebo, a locally famous landmark, at the park a few blocks from my home. There is still a horrid mess from the windstorm that blew threw several weeks ago. In fact, I found out after I took this picture that the park is currently off limits to visitors because the limbs and weak trees still threatening to topple. Hundreds fell during the storm. But there are many wonderful trees left to appreciate and protect. There are 58 acres that include picnic areas, two duck ponds, and an aviary. The park had it's beginnings in 1901 - and the Gazebo was built in 1910. If you wish to participate or just enjoy the photographs of those who are, click right here!

A Five Minute Video for my IRL friends.... who were so intent in their play that they thought I was taking snapshots. SURPRISE!! In the end, the prize isn't in the box. The prize is in the fun, the fellowship, the laughter. L's Shower from pamela on Vimeo .

If I Had A Band - Thanks "all my friends" for the idea. Go to...... 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first article title on the page is the name of your band. 2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album. 3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover. 4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result. (M*cr*soft Picture It, because I haven't figured Ph*t*shop out yet) Click. Hello?

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Happy 1st Anniversary to FUN MONDAY. One year ago a single photo request from Vicki in Oklahoma and Peter in Willowtree, NSW Australia, inspired what has become to many a weekly necessity. There have been a multitude of subjects that share a common denominator: FUN. Last weeks host passed the duties forward to the original Mistress of Ceremonies: Catch The Light . Vicki wants us to look back to January 22, 2007 at that first post, My View From.. . But, wait! There is more. If you look now each can throw in his/her first blogging post for no extra charge. Mine was June 11, 2006 and had an inspirational title: My Dusty First Hello! In case your curiosity is still not satiated, I have uploaded two pictures from last night. These are photos taken with my new Christmas present. The one on the right is my very first night shot. ( I promise I'll get better at it.) A warm welcome at my front door to all those participating in Fun Monday - and an enthusiastic invitation to...

My friend Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning , is inviting bloggers to join with her in an event that is sure to cheer up anyone with the winter blues. She says: Every winter I find myself longing for spring . I ju st love the warming rays of sun and the wildflowers that start to open. It is my favorite time of year. Wildflowers bring me so much joy. So, I propose some wildflower fun this winter to take us into the first days of spring. I will have a different theme each week through the m iddle of March. Join right in by making a post on your blog fitting the theme. This week, January 16-22, we will post our favorite wild flower picture from springs past. I began using a camera in June of 2006 - the same time I started blogging. Prior to that the hubby was our camera man. We had a small digital camera that was easy to use and carry. One day I dropped it on the concrete. Had I known how much I would enjoy the new camera, I would have dropped the old one much sooner. When I r...

Robin's Poetic License continues this month with the style of Terza Rima . The topic of Superbowl and snacks sounds innocuous -- but attempting to combine those two with the iambic pentameter (whatever that is) of Terza Rimo kept me up past midnight with my eyes crossed. My mom, (how I miss her) could rhyme an entire letter written to her sons away at college. I wish she was here to help me with this stickler! Without further complaints.... Ode to the Super Bowl of Snacks Its party time –our chosen team– Let’s all cheer. Glitzy pre-game, mid-field coin toss, the fans roar Pass the meatballs, cheese & crackers, and the beer Special Team returns the Kick Off – and a score! Fill your plate with finger food from the buffet End zone chanting – is that the pizza at the door? The back fumbles! Coach throws red flag, now the replay Instead enjoy a million dollar ad sensation Overturned, the offence huddles, or do they pray? Ice cream and brownies, doubl...

Ann, For The Long Run , is today's FUN MONDAY HOST. What she asked: I want to hear about a web site and not just about any old web site. I want to hear about a web site that's changed your life. A web site that you can't live without. A web site whose inventor you'd like to see win a McArthur Genius Grant. Maybe you want to sing the praises of a dating web site for helping you meet your spouse. Maybe the only thing getting you through the dark days of winter is an Internet comic. No story is too big, no story is too small - I want to hear it all on Monday . * * * * This was NOT an easy Fun Monday assignment. There are so many ways one could take this subject. I'll try not to become garrulous. A web site that has changed my life? This has to be my own blog. It demands my time and energy. Writing and taking photographs made me more observant and caused me to look deeper into the world around me. That includes probing my own responses and feelings about things. ...

There must be a full moon. I don't remember when I've seen so many weird headlines. 81-Year-Old Aussie Nabbed Selling Weed (AP) SYDNEY, Australia - An 81-year-old woman was arrested and charged with growing and selling marijuana in eastern Australia, police said Tuesda y. Is anyone else a little doobie-us about a sweet little old lady doing something like that? Town Seeks Ban On Silly String HUNTINGTON, N.Y. -- Town council in Huntington, New York is getting serious about Silly String. The issue: a claim that the plastic goo mars the finish on the Long Island community's fire trucks. These firemen need a pool table. These guys have got to be hustlers... PRAGUE (Reuters) - Two Czechs stuck in a billiard table while searching for a ball had to call the fire squad and were freed only when rescuers took the table apart, a newspaper reported Tuesday. Then again - maybe not (see previous comment.) Oregon Town Abuzz over Mayor's MySpace Lingerie Sho t (AP) ARLINGTON, Ore...

Lisa ( Lisa's Chaos ) is the host of Today's Fun. She has invited us to share pictures or stories of our pets. Over the past twenty months I have shared several of these which you can rerun by clicking on my PETS label in the lower right of my Blog page. For this assignment I have chosen to share the story and a few pictures of my very first dog. I truly loved that old mongrel. ********************** I wasn’t much more than a toddler when Bobby came into our lives. A neighbor and friend, Nelda, crawled under an abandoned house on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation to rescue him and his litter mates. She’d seen a dog lying dead on the highway and was certain it was the mother. I don’t recall his arrival at our house – it is lost in the mist and mystery of childhood memories. In my mind and heart, he was just always part of my life. Bobby’s tail was docked and his fur was brilliant shades of brown, darker around the ears and neck. The fur around his throat was thi...

Friday, a furious wind rushed in over the Blues. The dust that it carried made driving precarious. When it settled there was no electricity and no trail home through the debris. Many of you know how much I loved those trees..... Our electricity returned after almost 12 hours. There are still many neighbors without. I am so thankful for our dedicated power and phone service people. God Bless Them! What a way to begin a new year.

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