CameraCritters#46 - Happy Valentine's Day

Make Time for Small Reflections
This is my 46thMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.

Collaged in PSE6 by me
with cropped photos from Lol Dogs
and Cute Overload Press ... for Valentine's Day!

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in Camera Critters this week.

Click for
Camera Critters #45
at Happily Retired Gal
HF#115 & Friday's Five Favs
HaikuFriday#114 & SkyWatch#29
HaikuSkyWatchFriday @ HappilyRetiredGal

If you need a 'shot of inspiration' here's a link to a lovely
3 minute video from Simple Truths sharing success secrets through awesome photos and powerful thoughts ... found in
this morning's email.

This Valentine is for all my Bloggy Friends
and any visitors who leave me a comment ... just because.

Wishing you a delightful Valentine's Day

and wonderful weekend!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today

"Love is a game that two can play and both win."
Eva Gabor

HF #115 - Fave Five Friday #2

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Five Favs & click for ...
HaikuFriday#114 & SkyWatch#29
HaikuSkyWatchFriday @ HappilyRetiredGal

I am reading 'A
Team of Rivals' by Goodwin.
Barack Obama

recommended it
after studying Lincoln's
consensus efforts

and methinks it might
be appropriate for all
members of Congress

to read it as well
as a means to understand
Barack's objectives

as they 'debate' their
policy differences
in these troubled times.

Yesterday was the
200th Annivers'ry
of Abe Lincoln's birth.

Barack Obama
celebrated in Springfield
making this address.

Click for others participating
in Haiku Friday this week.

This is my 2nd ...

... in addition to the Cumulative Gratitude List in my Sidebar this month, here are Five Favorites from this past week:

1. The Doggie Spa had a 'special' this month for 'Labs' ... so Molly's at the groomer getting clean for just $28 +tip while I wash her collar & bedding here at home ... lovely Valentine's treat for both of us because she's been a little too smelly to cuddle with lately.

2. The flowers in my yard are happily blossoming ... and there's even an Iris bud beginning to show it's purple colors. Methinks we're going to have Spring here in Southern California before we experience winter.

3. I've captured, collaged, and shared the variable skies before, during, & between rainstorms (along with a bit of Haiku on days other than Fridays) ... just because.

4. It looks like a 'stimulus bill' might actually make it out of Congress and be on President Obama's desk by President's Day. Interestingly the current draft overall seems very much like in size & balance to what he sent to the Hill originally though some of the 'specifics' have been altered along the way. No matter what side of the political aisle you're on ... doing this in less than a month is pretty amazing.

5. The weather over the weekend should bring us continued rain showers ... and that's a good thing for us in Southern California.

Click for others participating in Friday's Fave Five
Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking in the same direction." Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

ThursdayThirteen #47 - Cloudy Skies Promise Rain

Make Time for Small Reflections

Click for Witty Wednesday & Wordy Wellness Wednesday

I do realize

many are weary of the

winter weather, but

here in Southern Cal

we are thrilled to finally

experience RAIN!

Today I share these

'cloudy sky collages' with

anticipation

of continuing

moisture falling ... building up

our water table.

Ten inches so far

hoping for at least five more

ending a long drought.

Thirteen photographs

of skies we don't often see

in California ;--)

For others participating in T-13,
check the folks below:
Alice Audrey at Alice's Restaurant
Brenda at the Otherworld Diner
CelticLibrarian
Forgetfulone
Colleen at Loose Leaf Notes
Gattina
Izzy 'n Emmy
Janet at Fond of Snape
Mary at the Randomness of Me
Tamy at 3 Sides of Crazy
Sue at Life in the Urban Zoo
Tinkerbell
and perhaps others I don't know about.
If you're playing, be sure to say so
& leave your link.

Apparently there's a new T-13 site!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." Langston Hughes

Witty Wednesday #5 - Ooops!

Make Time for Small Reflections
My 5th Witty Wednesday

Golfer Goes to the Emergency Room: Courtesy of Comedy Central's Jokes.com Newsletter ...
A man staggers into an emergency room with two black eyes and a five iron wrapped tightly around his throat.

"I was having a quiet round of golf with my wife," he tells the doctor, "when she sliced her ball into a pasture of cows. We went to look for it, and I noticed one of the cows had something white in its rear end. I walked over and lifted up the tail, and sure enough, there was my wife's golf ball stuck right in the cow's butt. That's when I made my mistake."

"What did you do?" asks the doctor.

"Well, as I was standing there holding up the tail, I yelled to my wife, 'Hey, this looks like yours!'"

Click for ChrisB at Ms Cellania
where I've enjoyed Witty Wednesday for a while now.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects." Arnold Glasow

Mellow Yellow Monday - Saturday Walk

Make Time for Small Reflections
Camera Critters is in the next post
Shadow Shot Sunday & Belated BYBS-Monday Motivator
are at Sacred Ruminations.

This is my 1st Mellow Yellow post
at Small Reflections but I've published 4 Mellow Yellow posts
previously at Happily Retired Gal.

While walking with my
sister Saturday between
camera classes

I spied 'yellow' and
used my Nikon D60
to snap photographs.

Below I've collaged
five of them with PSE
6 ... Irvine Marketplace.

Addendum
No we didn't stop
because we had eaten lunch
at BJs, a favorite

restaurant of my
sister. We shared a
chicken salad and

another dessert
Pizookie and that explains
why we were walking ;--)

Click for others participating in Mellow Yellow Monday.

Another Addendum

Once again I'll be
attending a luncheon with
my retired friends

for it's the second
Monday of the month ... We've met
like this for 8 years!

'Retired Ladies Lunch'

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk." Raymond Inmon

Camera Critters #44 & Economics 101

Make Time for Small Reflections
This is my 44thMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.

While photographing dramatic skies
at the beach today between rainstorms,
I noticed these two pooches walking with their human.

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in Camera Critters.

The 'Stimulus' Bill Rhetoric
Economics 101

If you missed it on MSNBC, this video is certainly worth a listen, some serious thought & focused action inclucing letter writing, phone calls, and/or emails to our representatives in Congress NOW!!!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
“When someone offers you a challenge, don’t think of all the reasons why you can't do it. Instead say, "Yes!" Then figure out how to get it done." Katherine Hudson

HF #113 - FaveFive - Mimosa from Mary

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Fave Five & click for ...
HaikuFriday#112 & SkyWatch#28
HaikuSkyWatchFriday @ HappilyRetiredGal

Still 1000+
unread posts listed in my
'reader' ... for more than

one whole week because
I've been pursuing int'rests
away from my home.

I feel hesistant
to mark 'All as Read' and yet
catching up may be

hopeless at this point ...
Once again today I'll be
gone most of the day

and tomorrow I'm
signed up with my sister for
two cam'ra classes.

Thus Sunday may be
my first opportunity
to visit again.

Click for others participating
in Haiku Friday this week.

This is my 1st ...

... in addition to the 5 things listed in my Sidebar Gratitude List this month, here are Five Favorites from this past week:

1. After her two year absence while traveling the USA in an RV with her husband, I've enjoyed spending time catching up with my sister. Below is a collage of photos taken about a month ago as they arrived in the area & camped nearby briefly before heading home.

Click to embiggen for better viewing.

2. Experimenting with my month old Nikon D60 ... creating collages has been wonderfully fun ... and acquiring the new Tamron 28-300mm lens expands the possibilities immensely. I photographed dolphins Wednesday in the late afternoon and if I find the time to collage them, perhaps I'll share this weekend for Camera Critters.

3. Sharing a BBQ CHICKEN CHOPPED SALAD & a Pizookie on Wednesday afternoon with my sister at ...

Grilled breast of chicken with a colorful confetti of tomatoes, corn, green onions, black beans, jicama, cilantro, mozzarella cheese, BBQ sauce and iceberg lettuce, tossed with our special BBQ ranch dressing and topped with crunchy, sweet onion strings.

BJ’S FAMOUS PIZOOKIE^®
You’re never too old to enjoy our freshly baked, hot out of the oven, rich and delicious cookie topped with two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and served in its own deep dish.

4. The gentle rain showers that started yesterday and continue today are delightful ... soaking into the dry ground rather than running off into the gutter. Hopefully they'll last through the weekend and into next week as predicted.

5. Playing with PSE6 this week was fun and here are a couple of collages I created with pictures I took with the new lens.

Click collages to embiggen for better viewing

Click for others participating in Friday's Fave Five



I'm delighted to receive the Mimosa Award
from Mary at Work of the Poet
who created it.

Mary, the teach, wrote the following on Tuesday:

"I chose a couple of days ago to color my blog background Pantone's new color for 2009 -- MIMOSA

Mimosa Embodies Hopefulness and Reassurance in a Climate of Change

Pantone announced PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa, a warm, engaging yellow, as the color of the year for 2009. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow.
“The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.”

So I decided to create a MIMOSA AWARD and give it to some very wonderful people who epitomize hope and reassurance every day in their blogs. According to Pantone "The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance. Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation." The following bloggers are all these things!

So for the second time I award:

Tammy of Queen-sized Funny Bone

storyteller of Small Reflections

Julie of Julie"s Jewels and Junque

Lois of Lowdown from Lois

Paz of Paz's New York Minute

theteach"

Thank you Mary! I am most grateful to be included in this group of awardees.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." John Muir

Creative Photography - Thank Yous & Awards

Make Time for Small Reflections

This is my 1st effort at Creative Photography

It's a PSE6 Collage of

3 different 'original snapshots'

and a variety of 'filter treatments'

Click to embiggen for better viewing
and for others participating in Creative Photography this week.

I used my NikonD60 camera for the 'originals' and experimented with various filters in Photoshop Elements 6 ... then created the collage with my favorites.

A bit of news ...
Yesterday my sister & I attended two 'digital photography classes' at Ritz Camera in Irvine and learned some interesting things. We plan to return on Saturday for one or two more classes. I ended up purchasing a new Tamron 28-300mm lens for my Nikon D60 & have experimented with it a bit already. It has built in Vibration Control just like my original Nikon 18-55mm lens. Yesterday afternoon I captured some dolphins offshore and am hoping they're close enough to see clearly once I look at them in the computer. I have a ten-day trial period to see if I like it ... and can return it for cash if I don't. After that I have 30 days to return it for store credit. Does anyone have any experience with or feedback about this lens?

Aline of No Mundo de Aline and Akelamalu of Everything and Nothing each passed along this Premio Dardos award a while back. I apologize for taking so long to acknowledge and share it with others, but I'm most appreciative of the recognition ... so here's a BIG THANK YOU to Aline and Akelamalu!

Aline received it from Dave Funk and Akelamalu from San at A Life with a View ...

Aline wrote about the significance of the prize:

"With the Premio Dardos is to recognize the values that each blogger uses to transmit cultural values, ethical, literary, personal, etc.. that, in short, demonstrate their creativity through the thought that is alive and remains intact from their letters, between his words. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for a job that adds value to the Web. "

The rules for receiving the prize are:

1) View the image of the stamp;

2) Link the blog for which you received the alert;

3) Choose 12 other blogs to those who deliver the Premio Dardos.

4) And tell everyone, of course!

I'd like to acknowledge the following 12 bloggers and share this award specifically with them today.

On a Limb with Claudia
Dianne at Forks off the Moment
Ivanhoe - From Ohio With Love
Karen of Journey to Authenticity
Kay of Musings in Hawaii
Jo of Teacher Says
Joyce of Mom's Musings
Mary of Work of the Poet
Robin at Around the Island
Roger at Idaho Photo
Sandee of Comedy Plus
Sylvia From over the Hill

In addition, I received the following awards from Sandee of Comedy Plus and wish to share them with ALL of my bloggy friends ...and anyone who visits occasionally and leaves me comments when they do because I love comments ;--)

Finally, these last two awards are in my awards folder, but (alas) I've forgotten just who shared them with me ... (if it was YOU please let me know and I'll add an acknowledgment and link)... and I'd like to share them with everyone too. Feel free to 'snag, enjoy, and share' with others too.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today

"I didn't want to tell the tree or weed what it was. I wanted it to tell me something and through me express its meaning in nature." Wynn Bullock

A New Virus ...

Make Time for Small Reflections

I found this at Sylvia's and thought it timely & appropriate to pass along ... just because. She wrote:

"I thought you would want to know about this e-mail virus. Even the most advanced programs from Norton or McAfee cannot take care of this one. It appears to affect those who were born prior to 1960.
1. Causes you to send the same e-mail twice. Done that!
2. Causes you to send a blank e-mail! That too!
3. Causes you to send e-mail to the wrong person. Yep!
4. Causes you to send it back to the person who sent it to you. Who me?
5. Causes you to forget to attach the attachment. Well, fooey!
6. Causes you to hit ' SEND ' before you've finished. Oh no - not again!
7. Causes you to hit ' DELETE ' instead of ' SEND. ' And I just hate that!
8. Causes you to hit ' SEND ' when you should DELETE. ' Oh Crap!!! !
IT IS CALLED THE C-NILE VIRUS ! !"

YUP ... it's WITTY WEDNESDAY and this is my 4th

Mental Institution Pop Quiz: Courtesy of Comedy Central's Jokes.com Newsletter ...
Jon and Dan are in a mental institution which has an annual contest that picks two of the best patients and gives them two questions. If they answer correctly, they are released.

Jon is called into the doctor's office first. The doctor says, "Jon, what would happen if I poked out one of your eyes?"

Jon says, "I'd be half blind."

"That's correct. What would happen if I poked out both your eyes?"

"I'd be completely blind." The doctor tells him that he is free to go. On Jon's way out he tells Dan the questions and answers.

The doctor asks Dan, "What would happen if I cut off one of your ears?"

Dan says, "I'd be half blind."

The doctor, slightly puzzled, continues, "What would happen if I cut off both your ears?"

"I'd be completely blind."

"Dan, how can you explain that you'd be blind?" asks the doctor.

"Well," replies Dan, "my hat would fall over my eyes."

Click for ChrisB at Ms Cellania
where I've enjoyed Witty Wednesday for a while now.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

 Thought for Today
"Objectivity has about as much substance as the emperor's new clothes." Connie Miller

Morning Musings and Belated Sunday Stuph ...

Make Time for Small Reflections
Scroll down for Camera Critters & Unconscious Mutterings
Ruby Tuesday is at Happily Retired Gal
Adopt A Word

At Rubbish by Roan I learned about Save the Words and adopted one of my own. She explained as follows:

Visiting Jonna's blog yesterday and True Colors today, I discovered both have adopted soon to be extinct words. I decided to adopt my own. If you want to adopt a word, visit this site Save the Words, it's a subsidiary of the Oxford University Press that publishes the Oxford Dictionaries.

The following I quote from Poopsie Blue:

"Each year hundreds of words are dropped from dictionaries.

Old words, wise words, hard working words.

Words that once lived meaningful lives, but now lie abandoned & forgotten."

The idea is to help save these lost words for future generations by bringing them back into currant usage. There is a wealth of words literally crying out on the site for you to choose from.

So for your information, TANTUPLE is an adjective that means 'multiplied by the same number' ... as in: By adopting and using old words in conversation & spreading the word, we can tantuple the effect of Save the Words.

This is my 43rdMisty Dawn started the meme and explains the rules here.
Buster comes to visit Molly

Remember the little lost Beagle Pup
who came through a hole in the fence to visit?

Here's Buster now!

Click to 'embiggen' for better viewing & for others
participating in Camera Critters this week.

This is the 314th issue of ...

I'm participating for the 42nd time today
How about you?

What comes to YOUR mind?
If you'd like to play here, copy and paste the clues in comments along with your responses ... or post on your blog and let me know so I can visit ;--)

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Take :: "it easy ... don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy." (Can't you hear the Eagles singing this one???)
   
2. 350 :: Global Warming Animation - explaining how & why reduce carbon emissions
   
3. Stand :: one of my favorite Stephen King books
   
4. Raspberry :: Loganberry ... Ollalaberry ... Strawberry ... Boysenberry
   
5. Turnstile :: entry gate
   
6. Infomercial :: something I try to avoid at all costs
   
7. Dejected :: downcast or disappointed ... discouraged
   
8. What’s the word? :: tantuple ;--)
   
9. Awestruck :: amazed
   
10. Smashed :: potatoes
    

Your turn: I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Take ::
2. 350 ::
3. Stand ::
4. Raspberry ::
5. Turnstile ::
6. Infomercial ::
7. Dejected ::
8. What’s the word? ::
9. Awestruck ::
10. Smashed ::

Click for others muttering this week.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance."
Will Durant

Saturday Haiku - Exciting Tennis Down Under

Make Time for Small Reflections
See next post for more Tennis Haiku

Weather not so hot
but the tennis sizzling
as the Spaniards vie

for the chance to play
against Roger Federer
in the 'title' match.



What a 'tight' first set!
Verdasco aggresively
went after Nadal

making Rafa run ...
32 winners versus
13 for Nadal ...

More exciting than
yesterday's between Roger
and Andy Roddick.



Sev'ral long rallies
with fantastic 'shot-making'
for both players kept

observers amazed
throughout each remaining set!
Momentum shifted

periodically ...
play remained competitive
'til the very end

even though both men
obviously exhausted
pushed outer limits

of their energy ...
emotional & physical
strength to win the match.

In the end, Rafa
prevailed over Fernando ...
5 hours 14

minutes long this match
a new record 'down under'
in Australia.


Collaged in PSE6 using tennis photos found at Australian Open site online.


Williams sisters won
Friday in Australia
2009 Champs!

I apologize
for not visiting the last
few days ... hopefully

once the tennis ends
Sunday I'll get back on track ...
Google Reader has

had 1000 +
unread posts for more than 3
days ... so it may take

time to catch up. Please
bear with me ... I'll do my best
one day at a time.

Thanks to Sandee of Comedy Plus for sharing these latest two awards. Like Sandee, I want to share these two awards with all my regular visitors because you’re all my friends & you inspire me every day!

Addendum
Serena Williams ... Champ
in just 59 minutes
playing better than

ever ... Safina
didn't really have a chance
against her power

though she valiantly
battled 'til the very end
... never giving up!

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did." Newt Gingrich