My Sunday/Weekly/Maybe Monthly Best

Today is the annual St. Elizabeth Seton Advent Tea that we have celebrated for several years that kicks off the Advent Season of Christmas .  It is always a delightful affair, the setting is lovely (at a local Country Club), the tables are set beautifully by each individual hostess, and the food is delicious.  What a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Each year I have helped out in some way, usually by making something.  Last year I decorated a small Christmas Tree and an Advent Wreath to be raffled off to raise money for a local charity.  This year I was asked to donate a framed photograph of mine.  I think I would have rather decorated 3 trees rather than decide which print, how to frame it, moan, moan....  I should be honored that they feel like my photographs are print worthy, but somehow this seems more personal than decorating a Christmas tree. Am I nuts...??

Anyhoo, after deliberating hours and hours, looking at my gazillion photographs on the computer, printing out several, only to be nixed, I finally decided on two, not one, but two prints.  My original idea was to buy a blank canvas and paint it to resemble crackle paint and then place the print in the middle.  I experimented, but again, didn't like the results.  Still working on it this morning, your know my middle name is Procrastinate, I finally came upon an idea that I think worked.  What I was bemoaning was the plainness of the matting, and I don't like the purchased mattings because a 5x7 mat ends up being about 4x6 cutting off a great deal of the photograph.  So, ta da, I decided to use my never ending supply of scrap book paper.  And this is the result....

The polka dots are me...love dots and checks, kinda my trademark.  So that's it...no more fussing, not to mention I have completely run out of time.  Just hoping these go to someone who really enjoys them and has a special place to hang them.  Gotta go, time to shower and get dressed.

Sharing with Nancy's Sunday Best and Madge's Weekly Top Shot

Until next time.....

A Sunday in November

Today is Veteran's Day here in the USA...a day we set aside to honor those that have served our country, keeping it safe and our freedoms intact.  We are grateful for those individuals that lost their lives doing battle with our enemies, forever thankful for their strength and dedication to our country.  And for those too that continue to serve, may God's peace & protection be with you.  We honor you, we thank you.  

A quiet Sunday here in my parts, except for the strong winds that are gusting, scattering and blowing the few leaves that are left clutching to the almost bare branches.  The bittersweet is drying on the vine....  

The leaves of the crab-apple tree in my front yard have turned this soft orange, but I fear this may be the last year I will enjoy them.  The tree has been dying slowly the last few years and their remain only about 3 large branches still alive.  I am afraid this Spring, the tree will have to come down.

Since the winds have been blowing, massively blowing, my neighbor's leaves have now gathered in my yard....and I thought I was done with the raking...!!

There is beauty to be found in all phases of nature and her seasons...

Sharing with Nancy's Sunday Best and Madge's Weekly Top Shot.

Until next time....

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - My Sunday Best The Oct 14, 2012 Edition

I have missed 2 weeks of Ashley's Scavenger Hunt Sunday....last couple of weeks the prompts left me crying for help, and none came...but I am back on game this week.  On Friday I took a drive to the country and captured all the prompts without even having the list of prompts with me....just kismet I guess.  This week's prompts are:

• Water drops or water flowing
• Faithfulness
• Then & Now
• Fingertips
• One Item From my Fall Bucket List

Okey dokey here we go.....

Water was flowing down the stream underneath this beautiful canopy of trees

Faithfulness...these two donkeys seem so faithful to each other.  I found them on a drive a couple of years ago and they were together then and still together today....(they even walk in step together)

Then & Now...honestly I didn't want to go digging thru my archives to come up with a "then" so I just used a photo from yesterday and developed the before & after making it my 'Then & Now".  Sorry about the laziness, but heh, it works.

Fingertips....just happened to take 2 different images of hands (fingertips) yesterday.  The 1st is my daughter holding her lovely basket of mums, and the 2nd is my cutie-patootie hairdresser, Laurie holding a leaf I dragged in off of the parking lot. (See here for a pic of her face) 

And last is an item from my Fall Bucket List...take pictures of the Fall colors!! And if you refer back to this post I give you a link to the "Bucket List" font.

Also linking the above to Nancy's "My Sunday Best."

Until next time....

Unlocked

Very close to my home is a Catholic University on one corner, a Catholic High School across the street and then across the street from that is a Convent that has slowly been converted to senior housing.  On the final corner is an Abby...we have always referred to this as Catholic Corners, fairly obvious as to why.  All of these are surrounded by beautiful land, plentiful trees and a hill or two.  Yesterday I decided to drive through the university looking for a spot that my sweetie and I had visited in the past, buried behind the dorms and class buildings.  It is a burial spot for many of the priests that have served this community of Benedictines.  It is surrounded by a high chain-link fence that up until yesterday had always been locked.  As I drove closer I saw that the gates were wide open and with that discovery I could hardly wait to park the car and grab my camera to walk into this holy space.  It's not a very large area, and walking around brought me such a lovely feeling of peace, but also a slight sense that I was disturbing the solemness that surrounded me.

Prior to entering the gates there was a seating area around this lovely statue of Mary....

Then entering the gates this is what is right in front to greet everyone who enters...

All of the stones were identical in size and height...perhaps symbolizing that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.

Leaving I also spotted some stunning Fall colors amongst the gravestones....

Shortly after the winds picked up and it began to rain, but I am so glad I decided to take the time to find this place again.  Who knows, I might never find it unlocked again.

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness."  ~  Charles Spurgeon

Linking to Nancy's My Sunday Best.

Until next time....

A Barn Run Without the Barns

Yesterday I picked up Catherine and off we went on our Friday Foto Fun barn run.  It was hot, but sunny and the weekend weather did not look promising with a forecast of rain, apparently remnants of Isaac (which for once the weatherman was correct....it is raining).  So off we went in search of one of our favorite subjects.....barns.  The fields are turning a delightful shade of gold marking the end of summer.  But today not only did we find some beauteous barns and golden fields, but we also came across barn animals which makes me giddy.  Most of our barn run outings produce very few spottings of animals  and if we do they are usually so far away it's hardly worth saying we saw any let alone take a pic.  So today instead of barns (which I am sure will be shown at a later date) today the feature is animals.

I love horses...if I had my wish I would have had horses growing up, but alas I was a city/suburb girl without a barn but just a wish....

 

Now you see why I was giddy...many of them needed some lovin' and came right to the fence to be told how beautiful they were.  But after they realized that what was in our hands was a camera and not a treat for them, they usually wandered off.  

A goat who also was really interested in what was in our hands...again disappointment.

But the sheep never came close....they didn't care what we had in our hands and wished that we would just go away....

And finally one little calf....they have the sweetest faces.  Unfortunately I wasn't close enough to get a really good shot.

Joining Madge at.....
And Nancy at 

"What we love and what captures our curiousity draws us forward into some place of great destiny."         ~  Wayne Muller

Until next time.......

My Sunday Best

Yesterday was my husband's birthday and we celebrated today at his facility.  They provide a lunch for up to 10 people served in a private room with tablecloths, cloth napkins, wine glasses (no wine) just water and real dishes (I mean no plastic plates).  What a nice gesture for everyone that lives there to have their own special lunch on their birthday.  The last couple of times that I have been to visit my sweetie he has not been very receptive to me.  So I was a little concerned that today may be the same.  I was pleasantly surprised that he was a delight, smiling and laughing with no frown on his face.  So lunch with my sweetie and my daughter and son-in-law was a pleasure.  Sometimes you just have to grab those little bits of happiness and smiles when you can.

So between the smiles and kisses from my husband and the fact it is raining (pretty hard) which is so desperately needed, I am a happy lady today.

My daughter, son-in-law and my sweetie...

Me and my sweetie...

This is definitely "My Sunday Best".....linking to Nancy's "My Sunday Best"

                                                               

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."  ~  Phyllis Diller

Until next time....

My Sunday Best

Today was a beautiful, beautiful day.  The kind of day you look back on and say, "remember how beautiful Sunday was, I wish we had more days like that."  Temps in the 70's, sunny skies, big puffy clouds, wow....just about perfect.  And because it was such a lovely day, I decided I definitely needed to go to the Arboretum and view the lovelies there.  And I wasn't disappointed.

A monarch was flying around this garden planted in all bright yellows and oranges and he was just lovin' it.  I was lovin' it too...I think I snapped about 50 shots of him going from flower to flower.

Linking this to Nancy's "My Sunday Best" because I definitely think this is my best since I have hardly seen any butterflies this summer.

I am not sure what this flower is but it just shines in the sun and some of it's petals look like little stars...

Linking this to Mandarin Orange Monday...a new linky spot.

And there were fields of wild daisies just enjoying their time in the sun....

I hope your Sunday was as pleasant as mine was.  Have a good week ahead, stay healthy and happy.

"Any place that we love becomes our world."  ~  Oscar Wilde

Until next time....