Monday, May 31, 2010

....lovin this "Ole Blue Bell Jar"


It's a favorite place of mine.....a little
antique shop, not too far from the island.
Seems, they have a continuous flow
of lovely old things.
Now that the flowers are blooming,
I'll be bringing them inside.
Keeping the cottage theme in mind,
I've been on a mission to find an old
milk bottle and blue Ball jars.
I found them right away....
a few dealers had the blue
jars alright, a one quart size $24.95 and
the two quart size $30.00.
Not my idea of a bargain, so I
wondered about looking in every
nook and cranny.
I saw it on the top shelf, and got a
little short of breath when I saw
the handmade sale price tag
read $9.00.
I came home, scrubbed it up all nice
and clean....and
popped some little white Cottage Roses
into some fresh cool water.
Hmmm.....I'm thinking
Pink Peonies next. In this "ole
blue Bell jar," they will look
mighty pretty.
Blessings......Dee Dee

Sunday, May 30, 2010

You can see a long ways off from the island......


Lots of activity going on today, on
Honeymoon Island....South Beach.
Everybody and their brother must
have been there, for it's a great family beach.
The North Beach.....a wedding
had just taken place when we arrived.
We drove by slowly as the bride
was having pictures made. She
was a beautiful girl and what
a pretty smile she had as she
waved her bouquet in my direction.
I could tell by the
glow on her face this was, by far,
the happiest day of her life.
She made a good choice of location, and time
for her wedding.
With a gentle sea breeze blowing,
and the time was a little before sunset
conditions were perfect.
In the distance, the wedding party
could see the hotels
on Clearwater Beach.
Can you tell that the water
providing a backdrop for the couple
was an absolutely gorgeous
emerald green/blue....
maybe turquoise?
No...I didn't take photos of the newly-weds,
somehow it felt imposing.
Blessings......Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge...

Featuring The Dahlia....

Bursting into bloom.....sweet Dahlia.
A good rain has
done wonders for the garden.
This little potted Dahlia
having all the right
conditions, has just
managed to feel
right at home
in the courtyard.
Good blessings this
Lord's day.
Dee Dee

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Last Summer's Hibiscus





Ah.....but I'm looking forward to
our Hibiscus tree producing
beautiful flowers again
this year.
y prior post, showed the
one lone bloom thus far.
With plenty of rain and
sunshine, in no time
at all there will be
plenty.
-
Thank you most gracious Father
For the loveliest of days
And all things of nature's wonder
That you send along the way....
~Katherine Smith Matheney
-
Blessings....Dee Dee

The First Pink Hibiscus.....

I had to squeeze in between all sorts
of tropical plants to get to this
pretty thing.
The first pink
Hibiscus
bloom.
Other things are going
on in the garden as well....the
Crape Myrtle
has "lacy-like" blooms
just beginning. I will post on
them at a later time.
My efforts for photos
today are not so good.
The clouds have moved in
and we are hearing the
glorious rumblings of
thunder....announcing
a lovely summer rain.
On such occasions, it
is customary to curl up
on the sofa with a good
read, and so I shall,
without further ado.
-
Wait on the Lord; be of good
courage, and He shall
strenghthen thine heart:
wait, I say, on the Lord.
Psalm 27:14
-
Blessings.....Dee Dee

Friday, May 28, 2010

Intoxicating!



Faith is the identifying mark of the Christian....
-
These days, my garden is a comfort to me, in
more ways than one.
I had wondered if
we would see our beautiful "Four O' Clocks"
again this year, and
thankfully they are back.
-
I planted "Four-o-Clock" flower seeds the
year we moved into our little cottage here
on the Gulf Coast of Florida....long ago.
In years past, they were growing in heights
of sometimes, over three feet,
over taking anything
that go in their way.
The blooms were multi-colored
and the fragrance throughout my garden
was
intoxicating.
This year, I have one single plant,
a fuchsia color,
growing in the same portion
of the garden.
It is lovely,
and, yes....it's still producing
that same delicious fragrance.
Good blessings.....Dee Dee

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A Tuscany Street

A street in Tuscany
far away from my beloved Florida
Gulf Coast.....
-
To have the Internet at
my finger tips, is to allow
visits to far away
places in just a matter of
moments.
And so it was in Tuscany, that I found
old streets lined
with aged stuccoed buildings
with lovely tiled roofs.
-
The setting pictured,
caught my artistic eye,
having an outside mural of
Mary and Child,
a green shuttered window,
potted plants on the sill
and a motorcycle
left parked on the street.
-
I love the whole composition,
as it tells me a lot about the
people living in the community.
-
As is a usual thing, I always have fun
recreating scenery on paper,
using my pencils and watercolors and,
my digital camera solarize setting....
The camera......really liking the results....
Blessings.....Dee Dee
click on painting to enlarge, if you like.....

Hmmm....like the Truffula trees....

Truffula trees....


I've never known the proper
name for this tropical plant.
It has several tall stems that
produce
spider-like appendages.
-
Until this past cold winter,
this little grouping,
grew proud and tall,
towering over most
other tropicals in the garden.
-
I've always referred to them as
the "Dr Seuss" trees
(Truffula trees....The Lorax??? maybe....)
Their little tops, however, sadly succumbed
to the cold, and they had to be cut back.
-
As you can see, from the photos, they
are making a miraculous come-back
effort to life.
I zoomed in with the camera,
using the macro setting to capture
their delicate beginnings.
The colors are pale orange and green....
Ah....would it not be a fun thing
should they came back with all
the bright colors of
Dr. Seuss's trees?
Good blessings today....Dee Dee

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Cinderella??


'He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and,

pulling the slipper to her little foot, he found

it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had

been made of wax'.......
-
Tuesday's pencils and watercolors.
Blessings......Dee Dee

I could have said this..............

Ah! There is nothing like staying at home,
for real comfort. ~ Jane Austen

Monday, May 24, 2010

.......the beach at sunset.....


I've noticed the people that come each
evening to watch the sun set on Honeymoon Island,
all seem to have that
same peaceful look on their faces.
They are, after all, away from the "maddening crowd."
-
While walking along the water's edge this evening,
we passed a young couple,
in a very romantic setting, watching the sunset.
I asked to take their photo, and they willingly
obliged. You can see in the photo shown,
the composition with them and the sunset,
was pure visual perfection.
As we walked away from them, we found there in the sand,
on a slight embankment,
symbolic evidence of
their love.
Shown in the photo is the stone heart
they had most likely made together.
-
They had reminded me of
the first romantic date between the Mister and I.
It was long ago, on a beach in South Carolina.
These many years later, we are still
enjoying each others company in the
same setting....
It still feels the same....and he still makes my
heart happy.
Blessings.....Dee Dee

Pink Cottage Roses

Ah....nothing quite like
pale pink "Cottage Roses".......
-
"Then followed that beautiful season....
Summer....Filled was the air with a
dreamy and magical light; and the
landscape
Lay as if new created in all the
freshness of childhood." ~Longfellow
-
Good blessings this summer day...
Dee Dee

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Looking A Little Closer.....



A favorite place for a late afternoon stroll, is
The Memorial Park in Safety Harbor Florida....
a short drive from my home.
It's a lovely place....lots of folks stirring about
with their pets, all enjoying a bit of nature.
I love this setting of the old gentleman with
his little dachshund......sitting along the water's edge,
waiting for the sun to set.
-
All well and good, and it made a nice photo....but,
as you can see, I was drawn more to the
plants and flowers.
-
While trying to get good macro shots,
leaning very close to the plants,
I found something much more fantastic,
than anything else going on in the park.
I zoomed in a little closer and was
mesmerized by what was taking place
almost completely hidden from view.
I had discovered
delicate little yellow Milkweed flowers,
busying about multiplying
by
propagating seeds.
A gentle breeze was blowing, spreading
them all throughout the small
garden space.
-
I've never been more
pleased to find that my small digital camera
was able to capture the whole magnificent
procedure.
If you like, double click on the photos
for an extremely close look.
Blessings.....Dee Dee

Friday, May 21, 2010

Orchids....thriving in the tropical environment.



It's quite remarkable actually,
that here in Florida's tropical
climate, the Orchid is
completely at home....needing
very little care.
It has been my experience, they thrive
best when ignored.....no fussing about
just allowing nature to care for it.
A beautiful thing to see baskets
of orchids hanging in the trees.....
in my garden.
Careful that they are not
in direct sun, they will
bloom all summer long.
I'm hoping for plenty of rain
this year...that is when they
seem to do best.
Good blessings for the weekend....
Dee Dee

Sweet Pink Salvia


I love that old hymn "In The Garden"....
"........while the dew is still on the roses........
It is a usual thing, me in the garden
early morning........not dew on the roses,
but during the night sprinklers have watered
all the plants and they have droplets of water
on them.
The pink Salvia still a bit wet, looked
a little droopy and yet was still
was appreciated by me.
Enjoying the moment....
Dee Dee

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Celebrating Summer

This year, I'm seeing our beaches in the present
and longing for the glamour and styles of old Florida.
Adrift in what seems like endless carefree summer days,
I'm feeling and seeing in my mind's eye all that
was the "Sunshine State's" charm, from days of yesteryear.
-
I'm thinking I should be wearing, flowing white gauzy fabric dresses, and
fabulously large brimmed hats......perfect beach strolling attire.
-
I love that I can these days, meander unrestrained by the Gulf waters edge,
allowing the summer days
to develop gracefully......as I indulge in all that is good,
all that is summer.
I continue to allow my imagination to soar from
one thing to another, always gladly adding
to my long and continuously
growing list of things I must do.
Blessings.....Dee Dee
click on painting to enlarge

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

.....pining away


To know me, is to know my ways
have been greatly
influenced by North Carolina mountain
folks, good people from Kentucky,
and Pennsylvania...and
the fine folks from South Carolina.
-
When we moved to Florida, many years
ago, I felt right at home here in
the "melting pot" of these United States.
Seldom, does one meet a true Floridian, for we've
all been transplanted from one place
or another. We all speak lovingly of
the places we "come from," and, we've all
at one time or another "pined" (longed for
intensely) for those places from
whence we came.
-
When I placed these pretty Daisies on my
dining table this week, I found
myself "pining away" for the mountains and
the flat lands of South Carolina.
It is there I remember valleys with these
beautiful white flowers.
-
A little longing today.........but all happy thoughts.
Dee Dee

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Whimsical drawing .....Elizabethan era?


What to do on a rainy Sunday
afternoon....let the imagination
venture in all sorts of lovely
directions, I say.
I suppose my drawings of period
women seems somewhat
whimsical to most, and I wholeheartedly agree.
I never know what might develop
when I begin with my pencils and watercolors,
but, at some point the
drawing takes on bit of a personality.
This being no exception, meet
"Lady Butterfly"
I'm thinking perhaps she's
from days of Plutarch.....or the
Elizabethan era?
The philosopher himself once said
"Painting is silent poetry and
poetry is painting."
Could it possibly be that
my butterfly lady could be?
-
Well...maybe not.
"Ahhh....the freedom to express one's self ....
priceless!"
Dee Dee
click on paintings to enlarge...

......afternoon thoughts


Far away there in the sunshine
are my highest aspirations
(objects of desire, things
I want to achieve)
I may not reach them, but
I can look up and see their
beauty, believe in them, and
try to follow their lead.
~Louisa May Allcott
-
.......good thoughts for a
Sunday afternoon.
Dee Dee

Worship the Lord today......

The worship most acceptable to God
comes from a thankful and cheerful heart.
~Plutarch

Saturday, May 15, 2010

......a winning combination


The Thomas Crown Affair with Faye Dunaway
and Steve McQueen....
freshly made strawberry shortcake.......
a winning combination for one
sublime Saturday evening.
-
"Doubtless God could have made a better berry
(than the Strawberry),
but doubtless God never did."~Allen Butler
-
Blessings.......Dee Dee

Friday, May 14, 2010

......all along the causeway



The Oleander
growing along the causeway, has never looked
more beautiful.
On our ride out to the island this morning, we
were stopping and starting so I could take photos.
The colors seem deeper and more vibrant than
in days gone by.
This past winter, we had temps to dip below
freezing for a few days, causing lots of tropical
plants to go into dormant state.....not the usual
thing for any of them.
As a result, they have
come back to life this spring with amazing
abundance and
richness of colors.
My camera was clicking away, so I'll be
posting some other pretty pics soon.
Have a great weekend everyone.....
Dee Dee
click on photos to enlarge....and be amazed

Found......one tiny "Echinoderm"



In a mostly unexplored area of Honeymoon Island
State Park, low tide always reveals an abundance of rocks.
Not a place to swim, a wonderful place for "shell seekers."
The rocks willingly trap very small shells that are home
to all sorts of little sea creatures.
On the day we collected these shells, shown in the photos,
we found inside one of them, a baby Starfish.
-
The Park rules, clearly prohibit disturbing
the habitat or, anything found alive,
so we gently placed Starfish and it's home back
in the rocks and shallow waters of the Gulf.
-
Happy to have found and seen the little
"Echinoderm,"
we "check-marked" the experience as a
sweet island memory.
-
Good blessings today.....Dee Dee

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Sunset On Honeymoon Island


Want to feel close to God?
Walk on the beach at sunset....
The top photo is one of my
favorites, with the lone fisherman
having parked his SUV, and
hurriedly walked out into the
late afternoon waters of the
Gulf of Mexico.
He had time for just a few cast,
and that seemed to be enough.
We come here often, along
with a few other sunset watchers,
hoping to see one more fantastic
show put on by "Mother Nature."
Seldom are we disappointed.
Blessings.....Dee Dee


......summertime and the reading is easy....

A new kind of read for me....
"Gilead" by Marilyn Robinson.
Having just begun to read,
already I have marked a page
to refer back to at a later
time.....something written
to ponder.
I have read enough to
appreciate the writer's
gift for using beautiful
language.
With no chapters, the story
captures the splendors
and pitfalls of being alive,
viewed through the prism of
how soon it all ends. Rev.Atl. Jrnl.
James Ames, 76 years old,
coming to
the end of his life is
reflecting back on it
all, while writing a letter
to his young son.
-
Sometimes I have loved the peacefulness
of an ordinary Sunday. It is like standing
in a newly planted garden after a warm rain.
You can feel the silent and invisible life.
All it needs from you is that you take care
not to trample on it.
-
I continue to read.....
and
I also continue to paint, with reading in mind.
Good blessings for the day....Dee Dee

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

......life is good

A small grouping of palm trees,
close to the water's edge, is our
favorite place to watch the
sunset. Imagine our surprise
this evening, when we
happened on this fellow
hanging out with the same
idea in mind.
My first thoughts were,
this guy is the epitome
or maybe even the
personification of
relaxation.
We would learn that
nothing could be further
from the truth.
-
Inquiring if I might take
a photo or two,
his response was.....
"Go right ahead, but
I just have to tell you
what is going in in my life!",
This is my birthday, and
my daughter is in labor,
about to give birth
to my grandchild!"
-
It is not every day one can stumble
upon an expectant grandfather,
whiling away the labor hours,
in a hammock by the sea.
But, there he was,
cell phone in hand,
talking back and forth with
family members.
-
I took a couple of photos,
we congratulated him, and
wished him well.
As we walked on down the
beach, we agreed that he
was one stressed out and happy guy.
-
Up ahead were the "shell seekers"
and we would join them. It was low tide
and a good time to look for shells
as we waited for the sun to set.
Ah, life is so good.....Dee Dee
click on photo to enlarge