T-13, Just for Joy, Yard Art & Mellow Yellow

Make Time for Small Reflections

Scroll down for Yard Art & Mellow Yellow Monday

1. I've been watching French Open tennis for the past week and a half ... just for the JOY of it!

2. There have been quite a few surprising matches & a few upsets already with wonderfully competitive play ... especially from Samantha Stosur (who upset Justine Henin & Serena Williams to reach the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the second time) and Jurgen Melzer who took out David Ferrer and Novak Djokovic on his road to semi-finals where he'll play Rafa Nadal.

3. Although I'm sad to see both Serena and Venus Williams out of the singles early again this year, it's fun to see them play doubles together ... experiencing success.

4. Now that the Williams sisters have reached the #1 ranking in doubles, hopefully they'll win their final match together at the French bringing them half-way to a Grand Slam in 2010.

5. Robin Soderling (of Sweden) played aggressively to take out Rafa Nadal in the Quarter Finals LAST year at Roland Garros and did the same thing to Roger Federer THIS year.

6. This ended Roger's streak of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-final (or better) matches starting with the 2004 Wimbledon Championship ... a record that is likely to stand for a long time!

7. Federer has appeared in an unprecedented 22 career Grand Slam finals in his amazing career!

8. Tomas Berdych upset Andy Murray in straight sets and went on to defeat Mikhail Youzhny in the Quarter Finals ... so he'll play Robin Soderling in the Semi-Finals.

9. The first women's semi-final match between Elena Dementieva and Francesca Schiavone ended abruptly when Elena retired due to injury after losing a very close first set in a tiebreaker.

10. Australian Sam Stosur made short work of Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the second women's semi-final match ... winning in two sets, 6-1, 6-2.

11. Both Schiavone (of Italy) & Stosur (of Australia) have played exceptionally well to reach the women's finals so Saturday's match should be a highly competitive one!

12. American men did better this year than in years past ... especially Robbie Ginepri (a non-seeded player) who defeated his fellow American & friend, Sam Querrey in 4 sets and former French Open Champion, Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in 5 sets to make it to the 4th round where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets.

13. John Isner lost to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and Andy Roddick was upset by Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russian in the 3rd round when both of these opponents played exceptionally well in very wet, heavy conditions.

Click to embiggen the Tennis Wordle above
and for others participating in
Thursday Thirteen and Just for the JOY of it

Subtle changes in
this 'angelic' yard art view
using Photoshop

Straight out of the camera ...


Pallet Knife


Watercolor

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others participating in Yard Art
and Mellow Yellow Monday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"In your hands you hold the seeds of failure or the potential for greatness. Your hands are capable, but they must be used and for the right things to reap the rewards you are capable of attaining. The choice is yours." Zig Ziglar

Camera Critters, Pet Pride and Shadow Shots

Make Time for Small Reflections

Annie a 'rescue'
visiting from Illinois ...
watched by two fur-kids

enjoying the sun
on the patio today
in the warm sunshine

Click to embiggen for better viewing

Christmas Day sunshine
enjoyed by this cat at my
sister in law's home

Straight out of the Camera

with Poster Edges

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Camera Critters, Pet Pride, & Shadow Shot Sunday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind." William James

Molly's Adventures at Dog Beach & the Doggie Spa

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Thursday Thirteen

Mostly

Monday Molly played
at Dog Beach with canine friends
while I took photos

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and for others participating in

Outdoor Wednesday

Watery Wednesday

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Midweek Blues

In the afternoon
I dropped Molly off at a
local Doggie Spa ;-)

13 photographs
featuring my Molly girl ...
loyal canine friend!

Mosaic with Poster Edges



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and for others participating in
Thursday Thirteen

Small Reflections ... Smile Back
Click to see 13 Things I'm Grateful For at Sacred Ruminations

I'm celebrating my 1st Blogoversary
at Happily Retired Gal on Wednesday, November 25th.
Hope you can drop by when time permits!
How time flies ;-)

Thought for Today
"The most affectionate creature in the world is a wet dog." Ambrose Bierce

Molly meets Ned from Syracuse, New York

Make Time for Small Reflections

Molly made a new
friend this week ... his name is Ned
visiting all month.

Just 18 months old
tall and eager ... New York pooch
likes to run & play ;-)

Originals above ... Poster Edges in the middle

... and some random experimental tweaking below

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... for others participating in Camera Critters and Pet Pride

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"How can you live in the present and appreciate every moment? Choose to see all things lin light. You can change your life by changing your mind." Marianne Williamson

T-13 ... Thankful for my Just Joey Roses and more

Make Time for Small Reflections
Haiku Friday Sky Watch is at Sacred Ruminations

5 versions of my
Just Joey roses collaged
along with 8 thoughts

makes 13 ... all right?
Sharing quotes that remind me
gratitude expands

as we count blessings
paying attention to small
moments every day

All year I've added
one thing I'm thankful for here
at Small Reflections

The mosaics look
much the same until you click
to 'embiggen' them

1. "We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." Cynthia Ozick

2. Original - Straight out of the Camera

3. "Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." Theodore Roosevelt

4. It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others. James Smith

5. Fresco Filter

6. We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. Thornton Wilder

7. "God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" William A. Ward

8. Stained Glass

9. "Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day." Robert Caspar Lintner

10. Palette Knife

11. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John Fitzgerald Kennedy

12. Poster Edges

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and for others participating in
Thankful Thursday
and T-13

13. "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice." Meister Eckhart

Small Reflections ... Smile Back
and one more for good measure ... just because ;--)

Thought for the Day
"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving." W.T. Purkiser

Molly & Layla - Relationship in Transition

Make Time for Small Reflections

Layla lives next door
and plays quite aggressively
when she meets Molly

When she was little
it was not a problem but
now she's almost grown

so they often meet
one another through the fence
or 'above' on the

stairs and deck instead
especially when the pup
Aloha is near.

Click to embiggen for better viewing ...
note the picture on the lower right especially.

Fortunately the
neighbor has hired a dog
trainer to help out

because we would both
like the dogs to learn to play
less aggressively.

Poster Edges


Poster Edges - Pinched


Accented Edges


Solarize

Click any mosaic to embiggen for better viewing ...
for others participating in Haiku Friday, Camera Critters
Pet Pride and Mosaic Monday
See also a ...
Monochrome Review of Molly's Recent Adventures
today at Sacred Ruminations

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Outside of a dog, a books is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." Groucho Marx

Molly & Aloha - The Friendship Grows

Make Time for Small Reflections

If you missed earlier installments, click here to catch up ;--)

The Dalmatian pup
Aloha grows bolder each
day ... She ventures out

of her yard to find
Molly ... sharing balls and toys
running merrily.

Play is different
because the pup is so small
but when she grows up

I suspect they'll be
best of friends and vigorous
playmates ... happily!


Straight out of the Camera
Click mosaics to embiggen for better viewing

Poster Edges


Pinch

Click any mosaic to embiggen for better viewing ...
for others participating in Pet Pride, Camera Critters
Shadow Shots at Hey Harriet
and Mosaic Monday

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights." Pauline R. Kezer