Neno Award

My darling sister, http://clytie-randomstuff.blogspot.com/ awarded me this very special Neno's Award! Sissy, I am truly and deeply honored. To receive such an award from you, means so much to me. I have always looked up to you, admired your gifts and talents--coveted your humor and friendship. I am SO blessed to have YOU as my sister.

And now (before I start springing a leak) a little about this award.

The award is given to those who love blogging
And love to encourage friendships through blogging
And to help others seek the reasons
Why we all love blogging.

I would like to nominate the following five blogs to also receive this beautiful award. Clytie says it best, "I wanted to say thank you to all of those who have taken time to of the many souls who inspire me, who offer such kind words, who grace blogland with their awesome talents." I can't list everyone (though I wish I could) . . . so I will start with:

1. Woman in a Window http://womaninawindow.blogspot.com/ and http://inthroughthebackdoor.blogspot.com/

I found Erin quite by accident. I eagerly read her blog, reveling in her extraordinary gift of expression. She is inspiring. I love the interesting way she sees the world. Her comments on my work and photography have been more encouraging than she could possibly know. Thank you, dear Erin.

2. Dancing With The Waves of the Sea http://wwwwherethewindblows.blogspot.com/

Sarah is a wonderful poet. Her poetry shines like a jewel, its woven words often cause me to think deeply, and she has inspired me to write poetry. Thank you, dear girl!

3. Mudbay Musings http://mudbaymusings.blogspot.com/

Catherine has the soul of an artist. Her observations and photography bless my heart. But not just that--she has taken time to encourage me as an artist. I am SO grateful to know this lovely thoughtful woman.

4. Looking to the Sun and Stars http://lookingtothesunandstars.blogspot.com/

I have been so fascinated by this wonderful lady's life-story. She has been such an encouragment to me. She is very brave, and inspires me in so many ways.

5. Iwings http://iwings.blogspot.com/

This dear lady is an incredible photographer. Her closeups of birds make my fingers itch for pen and paper. She has been an inspiration to me as a photographer, as she catches the antics of the wildlife surrounding her home, and displays the beauty of snail, insect, fern and flower.
My sweet sis Clytie has already awarded some of you , whom I would have listed here. (rassspberriessssszzz) Deann, you know you are so very precious to me--I am SURE we are somehow related, Sissy. Then there's Tera, Cedar, Jann, Marie, Nina, Cloudhands, Lydia, Be Not Forgot, Acorn Moon, MeKeel, Sharon, Pearl, Suzy, Lois, Holly, Peggy, Tammie and Tami . . . What a fabulous group of bloggers!!!

Thank you to each and every one of you. ((hugs))

Curry Blossoms

These are curry blossoms from my garden. The incredible beautiful detail of these blooms is rather astounding. Their leaves and stems remind me of lavender and Rosemary bushes.

Curry flowers, to me, have the sweet, warm aroma of brown sugar. Totally, unexpectedly lovely.

Lofty Leafy Feline

When I was small, my grandfather taught me to notice shapes and faces in the trees and clouds--a habit I've never lost. Up until the ice storm last winter, which stripped it of so many branches, our neighbor's tree was an old fashioned lady with her hair in a bun. She would lift her skirts to dance and sway to every breezy tune.

How delighted I was to discover the lady has turned into a VERY obvious tree-top cat! In the wind one can watch his ears flicking as he takes in the neighborhood.

So, anyone out there have an idea of a good name for this lofty leafy feline?

BORG Cube Cloud

Yesterday the clouds were amazing. When I clicked on this cloud, I was focused on the subtle profile I thought I saw. However, this morning as I was going through my pictures, it was obvious I had caught something even more unusual than a face--it is a square!
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This photo has not been touched up in any way. Isn't this square opening in the clouds the oddest thing? I am mystified. Normally perfect squares are not found in nature--especially in the clouds.
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PS In honor of my darling Sissy's comment, I just HAD to change the title of this blog . . .

Gargoyle

These are the smooth and ever-changing sand cliffs overlooking Pacific City, where Dory Boats slide full-tilt onto the beaches, and buff surfers wait for the perfect wave.

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What I didn't know is these cliffs are home to a Gargoyle, who watches fiendishly from overhead. Do you see her?

Heart on a Leaf

I have known her since we were in our early 20's. She is an exquisite woman, with a wonderful flare for clothing and design. She is also a gifted artist, who works with paper, paint, the sun and plants to create some of the most amazing natural artwork I've ever seen.

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She came for a visit yesterday bearing gifts for me and the girls. What a delight. Then with a pause and a twinkle she said, "I have something special for you, Beth." From the folds of a slim book thrust into her chic purse, she withdrew a leaf and placed it carefully into my hands.

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I gasped. She smiled. "When I found this leaf," she said in her lovely silvery voice. "I knew it was for you."

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A gift so beautifully fragile---so genuinely surprising and unexpectedly perfect, I was touched with awe.

Red Door

I don't know what it is about this red door with its decorative detail and unexpected yellow backdrop which intrigues me so. It seems like a happy sort of place.

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I can identify with that sticky weed gracing the doorway--I think I'd like to come in for a visit too.

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Angled

Isn't the angle of this cloud formation fascinating? That there is an angle at all is rather amazing.

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I see many things in this interesting cloud. A mother bending to kiss the forehead of a child, three hearts, two people kissing, a child holding a basketball...

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What do YOU see?

Ocean Orange

There are few places as changeable as the beach and its pounding surf. I happened to catch this lovely orange moment, just before the sun slipped below the surface of the sea.

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If you look closely you'll see a heart in those clouds.

Frills and Flowers

The combination of frills on tiny hand and lucious pink flowers fills my eyes, and puts a smile on my face. There's something about pink flowers and frills...

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I hope you are wearing a smile on YOUR face too!

Rock Hound

I caught a photo of my darling niece "tasting" rocks yesterday afternoon.

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This photo reminds me of long ago, when we were small. Our Father was a rock hound. I loved to watch him working with the rocks. Dad would dig them up from everywhere. Sometimes we went on wonderful vacations, where we would find rare rocky beauties beside the roads, on the beaches and in the mountains.

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Dad would carefully smooth one side of a rock with his thumb, then he would "taste" it with his tongue. As any true Rock Hound knows, when a rock is wet, its true beauty is revealed--a precursor of what it would look like when "tumbled."

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I've known many a rock hound over the years, and all the old timers "taste" the rocks for color.

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As luck would have it, a year ago, or so, my niece and I were looking at some agates next to the pond--without thinking, I stuck a carnelian on my tongue to check it's true color...and guess who followed suit? (grin)

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So, here she is--our little "Rock Hound."

Snow on Palm

In early Spring I drove to my friend Lynn's house. She lives in the hills high above Oregon City, where it can snow at some unlikely times! Just after I arrived the snow began to fall--it was magical--especially when the snowflakes settled like stars on the palm tree, which flourished its new bright, green fronds into the fray.

Believe it or not, it appeared to me the palm tree was having a lovely time. It seems she is admiring the snow "stars" on her "hands." In fact, I'm sure I saw that tree smile and wave when she saw me admiring her from the balcony window.

River Reflections

I was on my way home from Coos Bay, when I noticed a small river flowing beside the roadway. I saw a brilliant flash of blue. Unable to resist, I pulled over to investigate. I stood on the bank and took this wonderful photo of the blue, blue sky, where the opposite side of the river reflected upside down.

The Perfect Frame

I couldn't help but to notice how perfectly these trees framed the skies.

It is up to the observer to see what pictures have formed in the clouds they border. I see several things. There's a perfect child's profile, a man with a VERY big nose, and two great eyes peering from the side.

What do YOU see?

Panther

Snowbunny is very old. I take her outside to the garden, and we do photoshoots. I know in her heart, she believes she is the Panther, mother of two human girls, sister to their parents.

Hmmmm....some animals are so human it can get a little scary.

Mighty Hunter

Here she is--the mighty hunter. However, this fluffy little "lion" would rather watch than pounce.

A Pink Roiling

Here is another photo of the vilolent storm that surged trhough our area last week. The clouds were turbulent, boiling up and around in the skies--and I caught this photo of all that purple and pink energy roiling!

Shadow of Me

Whimsical, wisted, whispering, moving.

Mind's eye graceful, full of pictures, flying.

Winged, twirling, sparkles and rushing.
Gossamer, soft, sheer.

Arising and shouting!

Weeping and singing,

Seeing.

Imagining.

Dreaming.

Creating, screaming, feeling.

Colors, anger, tears, love, beauty.

Freedom. To be free.
To express.

To create.

Inexplicable longing, yearning.

Who?

Only the shadow of me.

Baby Blue Jay

Here you see a baby bluebird we rescued from Samson the Cat. I was nearly asleep when the kids frantically knocked on the door. Though it was dark outside, it seems they were hearing a big racket out in the side lawn.

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Throwing on my big comfy robe, I dashed down with the kids to see what was the matter. Samson the cat seemed mighty intrigued by something there in the grass. Shooing the cat away, we found a fledgling bluejay, whose strength of voice had had apparently frightened the cat into keeping his distance.

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We put him into a shoebox, lined with soft towels, and gently put a lid with holes over him. If he survived the night, we would know if the cat had made his mark or not.

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The next morning the little fellow was still alive and kicking. When we consulted the wildlife rehab center, they advised us to put him someplace safe where his parents could find him. When fledglings first learn to fly, they spend three-four days on the ground. Dangerous times for these small birds.

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I felt honored that this little bird rested so trustfully in my hands. The same was true of a tiny fledgling chickadee Samson the cat brought into the house a few days ago. I made sure he was alright, and about four hours later, I put him into a birdhouse with a large opening, in the top of the walnut tree. His parents found him, and some time later they flew away.

Purple Beauties

In the aftermath of the storm, I caught these purple beauties tremulously peeking up from the flowerbed. They seemed to ask, "is it all over?"
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I assured them I thought the storm was past. If plants could smile in their relief, I am sure these three lovelies did.

Heart of the Storm

Two storms in a row! And what a rare and wild storm we had yesterday!

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The dark clouds were filled with lightning. The thunder crackled and crunched the air as the storm quickly chewed up the miles. We watched the radar, awestruck at the rainbow of color approaching like an arrow to a bulls eye.

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Outside our windows not a leaf quivered. The world was waiting.

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It hit with a terrible thrust of cold air, then a wall of rain--the skies were filled with lightning, and giant rumbles of thunder rolled on and on. It lasted for just an hour, leaving flooding, downed trees and power lines in its footsteps.

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As the storm thrashed through, I managed to capture its heart.

Pastel Perfection

Yesterday evening, our area was sideswiped by a huge thunderstorm. I was fascinated by the twisted jagged clouds crackling their way across the skies. I noticed the clouds were moving from the East toward the ocean. Our weather almost exclusively comes from the west, or southwest. It was such a strange, uneasy feeling to watch clouds flowing across the horizon in the opposite direction than what is normal.

Then as twilight fell, pink and purple hues stained the clouds with such a vivid beauty, I grabbed my camera and went for a walk. I could not believe the beauty I beheld. This Pastel Perfection is only a small taste of last evening's gorgeous display.

A Man with PLATES on His Head?

I've caught the Independence Angel with my camera more than once, and usually he's up to mischief. He chases eagles, kisses cats, and hugs the sun when he can.

I am sure this is our Independence Angel up to his old tricks! Yipes! Here in this untouched photo, he seems to be balancing a cloudy stack of plates on his head! What do you think?

Be on Thyme

It was a cool morning. I was in my garden taking pictures of these very lovely blooms, and suddenly noticed this dear little honey bee sitting atop the thyme. He seemed to be shivering and too cold to move. I took a moment to sit with him until the sun inched down into the lawn to warm his wings.

He didn't seem to mind as I took his picture--in fact, I am sure the little fellow wiggled-waved a friendly antennae at me. As the sun finally touched and warmed his chill, he stretched his wings, smiled a wee bee grin and gracefully flew away, but not before circling my head a time or two.

A side note: Awhile back I posted a photo of flowers I thought were thyme. However since then I have discovered those blossoms were actually rosemary! Rosemary is delicious in salads and soups, and the leaves and flowers make a tasteful garnish for roasts and hamburger.

A Heart for My Sissy

I was outside for a moment this morning, and spied these hearts. Of course I thought of my darling Sissy, who has a special gift of seeing hearts everywhere in everything. So I dedicate this unexpectedly lovely bouquet of green hearts to Clytie, Queen of Hearts.

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You can find her blog under my family blogs and websites. She is AMAZING!