It's Bobble Time again

It's Bobble Time again
West Odessa, Texas. Jan 13, 2011

It's out of focus, it's grainy, but man I love the composition the dried heads of sunflowers and saw-tooth daisies make in the winter, "bobbles" I look forward to every year.

I'm blogging daily again, part of my 2011 resolution. I'm even going to put up a calendar again at the end of the month. I missed doing those calendars, a visual diary of my days, many of them splendid. Here's hoping your days are splendid and filled with your wintry favorites too.

Memory

Memory of Mom's woods, December 2010
East Texas

Lichen, beauty berry, crabapple leaves, viburnum berry, crabapples, mossy pine cone, guinea feather, dogwood berries

Nothing But Blue Skies

"Nothing But Blue Skies"
Between Midland and Odessa, Texas

Today's Random Happy Bits

Succeeding at an annual project, again.
Laughing with other women.
Friday afternoon with no one but myself to answer to.

Fallen Bouquets

Fallen agave stalk and fallen tree
West Odessa, Texas

Random Happy Little Bits

Movie: Rapa Nui
Place: Easter Island
Admire: natural adornments

Under the Overpass

"Under the Overpass"
Near Penwell, Texas

My dogs, Ansel and Dixie, and I got out Sunday to take photos for most of the day. It's been a few weeks since we've had a real outing, causing me to begin feeling a touch discombobulated. Now I feel set right again. The dogs, too.

Happy Holidays

Starbright Village
Odessa, Texas

My brother Casey had to work today, ironically making delivery of a "christmas tree," a kind of valve that goes on an oil well after it's been drilled but before the pump jack goes on it. The site was out in the boondocks, a three hour drive away. I went along to keep him company. We were the only two humans out there, although we saw lots of deer. None were reindeer, I'm afraid.

It was dark when we traveled back. Every year, off Interstate 20 in one of the parks, the city has a display of amazing Christmas lights called "Starbright Village." We stopped and walked through it, like a couple of kids oohing and ahhing at all the displays. And of course taking pictures.

Starbright Village has a small road for vehicles too. Cars driving very slowly were filled to capacity with Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, and lots of young ones that could be heard singing Christmas songs or shouting "Look!" From the highway, we heard Christmas travelers passing by, honking all the way.

Not a bad way to end Christmas 2008. Not bad at all.

Brother's Favorite Thing

"Brother's Favorite Thing"
August 2008
Colorado River, Texas

If ever there was a portrait of my brother's happiness, this would be it.

Virgin's Bower

"Virgin's Bower" (in seed)
August 2008
Pecos River, near Sheffield, Texas

I've taken a gazillion pictures of this plant. I can't get over how beautiful it is at this stage of its life. Perhaps the name "Virgin's Bower" suits it while in bloom, but when it's in seed I prefer to think of it as "Crone's crown."

Old Wood

"Old Wood"
The Carrasco Home, August 2008
McCamey, Texas

I said earlier this month that I would be posting photos that didn't make it to the blog the first time around.

(Thanks for the nudge, John.)

Not Winter Just Yet

"Not Winter Just yet"
Lubbock, Texas

In spite of all the bad economic news, I have decided to think abundantly and to buy small pieces of art as I can afford it. Just this week I purchased my first piece. It is one of the petite paintings, aptly named "A Fearless Day," by fellow blogger (and positive thinker) Kris Cahill.

Here is something Kris recently wrote. I hope it inspires you as it did me,

"As this amazing year of Big Change has ticked on, I've seen many people finding their way back to the core of what is most important to them. Though many of us have been greatly challenged this year, the opportunity to find what makes each of us truly happy is always here. We are living in a wonderful time, where we all have a part to play in the ongoing story that is unfolding."

She is hosting an open studio this Sunday in Los Angeles, California. If you live in the area, I urge you to go, meet Kris, and to see her fabulous abstracts first hand.

Links

• Kris Cahill's website
• More of Kris Cahill's "petite paintings" series
  
• Kris Cahill's blog
• And you can see the painting I purchased, and more of her paintings on Flickr.

Happy Thanksgiving

"One"
Martin County, January 2008

Although a secular holiday, celebrated in the U.S. (and Canada), a day to take time to be sincerely thankful seems to me one that could not be more sacred. Here's wishing everyone near and far a day to be thankful.

"Live in each season as it passes; breath the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862

Ladies and Gentlemen

"Ladies and Gentlemen"
Odessa, Texas

An Imaginary Place in Reality

"An Imaginary Place in Reality"
McCamey, Texas
August 2008

As part of tidying up things for the remaining days of 2008, I will be posting a few of my favorite artsy-fartsy shots from this past year that didn't make it to the blog.

Am I the only weird one that admires vents on industrial rooftops? This surrealistic row of vent stacks was on top of a restaurant.

Before I Ate It

"Before I Ate It"

A simple photo for a simple mood.

Reliable

"Reliable"
Virginia Creeper,
Time Machine Master Gardener's Garden,
Odessa, Texas

One day the opportunity will present itself that I may say "thank you" to some local master gardener that had a hand in building or maintaining the demonstration garden that I love so much.

Singing to the Sunset

"Singing to the Sunset"
Near Rankin, Texas

Study of Stucco

Stucco and weeds
West Odessa, Texas

This is a little corner in my neighborhood that always catches my eye.

Ninety Six Pictures

"My Favorite?"
Walther Field
Odessa, Texas

Ninety-six. That's how many pictures I took of this one plant. In digital photography there is no penalty for taking as many pictures as you'd like. Your only limit is time, and well, continued interest.

I frequently take great interest in one thing, in this case one tuft of flowers so small that the yellow heads are about the size of your pinkie fingernail.

I think I'm going after its perfect portrait, representing how I saw it that day. And perhaps that day only. Time stands still for me when I'm in that particular groove.

Photo Hint: I only clicked the shutter 32 times. I've set my camera to "auto bracket" where it takes three quick shots at different exposure settings. I select a slight bracket (1/3). Doing this helps with focus, especially during macro shooting when the smallest movement -- yours or the subject's -- can cause a blur.

Here's a sampling of those ninety-six shots.

........

........

........

October's Gifts

Wild grass (species unidentified)
West Odessa, Texas

Isn't October wonderful? The light, with the sun edging further south, plays perfectly into the vanity of Texas grasses, who want nothing more than to show off their beautiful hair. I confess, I'm an ardent admirer.

Master Gardener's Demonstration Garden

Red clover, Trifolium pratense
Permian Basin Master Gardener's Demonstration Compost Garden
at the Time Machine Recycle Center
Odessa, Texas

I am grateful to the folks with the Master Gardener program here that install these gardens for every one to enjoy and to be inspired by well-adapted and native plants.