Random 5 On Friday....uh Saturday

Joining in a day late for Nancy's Random 5 on Friday, only today is Saturday....that might give you a clue as to overall disposition lately. 

1) Oh my goodness, it has been 6 days since I have posted anything new, maybe, just maybe I haven't been totally inspired by much lately.  This winter has really taken a toll on my overall attitude.  This week alone we have had another major snowstorm that pushed us into the annuals of being the 5th snowiest winter since 1800 something...whoop whoop (fake excitement), we had temps that rose almost to the 50 degree mark which caused much melting of above stated snowstorm, followed by downpours on Thursday which caused major flooding coupled with the melting snow, after all the rain a major fog rolled in, cancelling another kazillion airline flights, followed by 50 mph winds on Friday.  Now I state again....where does one get inspiration from that series of events??? 

2) I did get excited the day of the major snowstorm when I spotted what I always think of when I imagine spring is on it's way.....a robin.  

He even turned around so I could capture both sides of him.

But then the very next day I read in the newspaper that the robins that we are seeing are either 1) those that hang here all winter, never going south or 2) Canadian robins that winter here.  Talk about bird brains, number 1 who wouldn't want to go south for the winter? and number 2 who would in their right mind want to winter here??  My attitude is showing again.

3) I am really trying to get in the mood of Spring by purchasing flowers....

I am even hanging on to the tulips even tho they are way past their prime....

4) I am really trying to eat better these days.  Leading a single life sometimes leads to bad eating habits. After preparing meals for almost 50 years, first for the two of us, then when the children came along, the four of us, then back to the two of us when the kids fled the nest, then my mom moved in and it was the three of us...so for many a year there were loved ones around to prepare meals for.  Gathering new recipes, watching cooking shows was then a part of my life.  But now with just me, that urge to prepare a meal has fizzled. I am finding new ways to add a little more healthiness to my daily diet. Trader Joe's has answered some of those needs.  They have (not only great flowers) but fresh veggies and fruits neatly packaged and already prepared which makes it super easy to correct some of my bad eating habits.  Instead of a donut for breakfast (not to say that never happens) I buy their already seeded pomegranates and sprinkle them on top of my cereal for breakfast.  They add that extra sweetness and crunch, actually I could eat a handful on top of nothing....!!

5)  Yesterday when the winds were blowing, another good day to stay inside I started reading "The Girl He Left Behind" by Jo Jo Moyes.  Well, honestly I couldn't put the book down.  The title of the book is actually the title of a painting that was painted before World War I by a young artist in Paris for his beautiful new wife.  The early story begins with the German occupation of France in 1916 then moves to present day London with the painting being the connection of those lives and times.  Well written, wonderful characters and I am returning today to finish it.  The "kids" sleep either on my lap or on the floor near me as I read on.

I know I lead such an exciting life, but in February, in Chicago this is about as good as it gets, for me anyway.  

"The word happiness would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness." ~ Carl Jung

Until next time......

Somewhat Pink

Well, I started out by trying to gather images of pink and making this a pink post, but I didn't get very far before I ran out of pink....you just can't find a lot of pink in the white world I am living in right now.  But I did go out and buy pink tulips (actually I didn't even know what color they were when I made the purchase, their little buds were so tightly closed it took a couple of days before their true color was revealed.

And then I thought of my trip to the Arizona zoo, and the pink flamingos...don't ya just love pink flamingos.

And then I remembered there were pretty pink flowers that the butterflies were sipping from at Butterfly Wonderland in Phoenix....

And then ofcourse there is Cinder's new sweater....this is her bounding thru the snow.  No, she really isn't playing she is running to get back inside, this is not her favorite weather.

And then Toby, who doesn't have a lick of pink on him, standing there wondering why Cinder is in such a hurry to get back inside, because when the temps get to above 20 he is ready to stay and play.

Kathy over at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out has a fun meme on Sundays entitled Song-ography - take a song and photograph your interpretation...this week it is Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love"....personally if I was a big singing star, Meatloaf is probably the last name I would have chosen to be known as, but then I didn't do the choosen.  Anyhoo, I thought this might represent that song....you just don't see giraffes sitting down too often, and I am thinkin' one was feeling a little down (maybe a sore throat...snort) so her mate came down to keep her company.

So that's it.....my somewhat pink post, mixed in with a little Toby and a little Song-ography.  Hope you are having a great Sunday.  And btw, I finished The Snow Child....very fairy-tale like, easy read, I liked it, but again, I think next February we should be more astute in our choice of reading and not pick something that takes place in Alaska in the winter-time....just sayin.

"Book lovers never go to bed alone."  ~Author Unknown

Until next time.....

Just Peachy

Decided to join in Nancy's Random Five but I am going to have to dig deep to come up with anything worth mentioning.

One, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.  I hope you spend some part of your day with someone you love.

Two, the kids went to the beauty shop yesterday and got all prettied up.  And Cinder even has a new sweater.  The red one was getting a little ragged since she has practically worn it non-stop since I bought it before Christmas, due to our less than spectacular winter.

Three, I love taking pictures of animals.  I took this image while in Arizona at a small sheep farm right in the middle of the suburbs.  They move the sheep around, so one day you see them close to the road, the next day they are gone.  This day they happened to be in a fenced off area in a field with tall grass, a banquet for the sheep after they had obviously been stripped clean of all their wool.

Four, I have a thing for doors and windows too.  Especially those found in Tucson.  Here are a few more you haven't seen.

Five, I am not going to mention how the walls are closing in, how my back bumper was hit by an unknown assailant and to fix it, I need to pay for it out of pocket due to my insurance being so high right now (caused by an accident, my fault, 2 years ago that cost $13,000 to fix my car, and I have no idea what it cost to fix the one I hit, thus the high insurance), or that our book club this month is reading The Snow Child that has a setting in Alaska in the wintertime which is I am thinking we should have chosen a different book for February, or that I am gathering all my tax info.  Other than that, things are just peachy.

"True salvation is freedom from negativity."   ~ Eckhart Tolle

PS - I need to work on that....!!!

Until next time.....

A Mere $5.99

Now I ask you, when everything surrounding you looks like this.....

Wouldn't you rather look at this?  ...a mere $5.99 from Trader Joe's brings that color we crave

I think I may have become a little carried away by all this orange & yellow beauty.

"If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased."   ~Katharine Hepburn

Until next time....

Big Changes

Hmm, I came from this....

to this...

and then again this...

to this in less than 24 hours.

Not only did the temperature change....drastically I might add, but my overall attitude went in the toilet.  I wish I could say that the effects of the 10 days of sun and fun would have managed to hang on and last me thru the rest of the winter, but it didn't take my attitude long before it began to grumble just like the rest of the folks around here.  Putting on boots, gloves, heavy coat, & muffler just to drag the garbage can to the curb for Tuesday pick-up is a drudge.  I know, I know I am definitely whinning, and I know there are many out there that did not have a chance to get away, I know there are many that battle the elements daily (ie: the garbage pick-up crew) but I am being honest...this winter absolutely sucks.

The "kids" love to be outside, but it doesn't take more than 3 or 4 minutes before both are hobbling back up the sidewalk, limping because their little paws are so cold.  So I am sure they echo my sentiments.  I think the look on their faces pretty well sums up our present conditions.

OK, enough of the grumbling, moaning, & complaining, now is the time I need to stop and think of all the good and the blessings in my life....hmm, having to dig a little deeper, my attitude seems to be blocking those thoughts right now or maybe they are just "frozen" along with everything around me.  Oh stop it, now I am just rambling negative thoughts.  

OK...a little positive, here are a couple of "doors from the Barrio" in Tucson where my blogging buddies and I spent a wonderful day wandering around taking pictures of these fabulous doors.  I did a whole blog post on these on my collaborative blog here if you would like to see more (I know I was in much better spirits too).

Love the cat in the window....linking this to Kim's Texture Tuesday.  Used her Marabelle texture

This is so typical of the type of doorways you will find in this area, painted a bright color, crumbling brick, old doorknobs, a photographer's dream.  Who gets excited when they spy peeling paint...ok, raise your hand high.

OK, I am in a better mood already, just knowing that I have all these wonderful memories of such a grand time along with almost 2,000 pictures to prove it.

"The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention." ~  Susan Salzberg 

Until next time....

Flutter By...Butterfly

Oh my, I am so far behind in my blog posts and commenting on all my blog buddies posts it is almost embarrassing.  I arrived back to the cold and snow Friday evening to temps in the single digits followed by bunches of more snow on Saturday.  Last year all I did was yearn for snow, and now this year....ok, just slap me.  But meanwhile I have some absolutely lovely photos of our trip to the Butterfly Garden.  It is a new attraction in the Phoenix area with plans for an added aquarium to be built within the next year.  Another site to look forward to when I return.

Prior to entering the garden we were treated to a 3D film on the flight and life of the Monarch Butterfly, that alone was worth the price of the ticket.  And then we entered the doors to the garden....oh what a delight.  Hundreds of butterflies flying free, landing on flowers and plants, sidewalks and benches, on your back, in your hair, on your arm....everywhere.

Today was her birthday and everyone told her it was good luck day when a butterfly landed on your hand.  Sounds good to me. 

Wonder what it means to have one land in your hair, your back, your arms, your shoulders??....I had them all over me, everywhere except my hand. 

A literal wonderland of beauty......

"Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life.  And everyone deserves a little sunshine."  ~Jeffrey Glassberg

Until next time....