Photo Challenge for June-theme-bridges

Photo blogging challenge

June

theme

Bridges

I live about 60 miles south of the Ohio River.

There are 3 bridges from Louisville. Ky. into Indiana.

This shot was taken on one of the 3 bridges of the other two going from Ky. into Indiana.

This shot was taken not far from my home.

At one time the family crossed this covered bridge to the home on the hill.

Recently the home owner restored this covered bridge and the old sedan stays parked here.

It is quite a site to see in our neck of the woods.

Also taken in my neighborhood.

Just a foot bridge across a stream of water at the bottom of a hill in our neighborhood.

A private bridge to a beautiful home in our town.

Bridge on my violin.
Hard shot to get with one hand.

Go here to link up with a'lilhoohaablog

Say it Saturday

Where does the time go.

I can remember vividly the day our precious

princess Holly was born.

14 years ago.

What a joy she is.

Jolly Holly, to use her words to describe herself when she ran for office in one of her classes.

"Be Jolly, Vote for Holly."

She has been Jolly Holly ever since.

Happy Birthday sweet Holly.

She is our youngest grand child.

We have not had a baby in our family since she was born.

In Jan. of 2014 we will be come great grandparents.

I am so excited.

Also I want to talk about the ATC swap cards I received this month.

 The theme was Periwinkle

These came from Sonya

Link up with Say it Saturday
here

FSO-Contrast

Theme this week is

Light and Dark Contrast

Beautiful granddaughters in 

contrasting

poses.

Light and cherry

Dark and somber

Why do they do that to me?

Light and dark of dusk.

Go here for FSO linky

Share the JOY Thursday

Airing out the house, birds singing, fresh raindrops on the landscape and a clean smelling house.

Can't beat the JOY of that.

Go here to share your JOY with Meri and friends.

Loving it with Kathe with an E

While visiting one of my favorite place in my town I viewed some pieces of art on display from other countries.

They had been brought in as  gifts for the host of an event in our town.

I will try to describe as best I can.

It is from Africa.

A bronze vase in the shape of a swan with gold leaf trim.

Sharing with Kathe

here

Grand Social-The Night of a Thousand Moons

Our assignment for Friday Shoot Out, a photo meme is Moon.

Last night the moon was beautiful. 

I sat for about an hour in the back yard just shooting photos of the moon and trying out every setting on my camera.

I took about 50 shots 

These are actually individual shots.

I cannot find how I did it.

There was a setting on my camera that says takes numerous shots very fast.

Yes these are individual shots of the moon.

But when I choose to do a mosaic on Picasa 3 this is how it came out.

Most mosaics I do have individual shots placed next to each other in some order with a line visible between the shots.

When I saw this with no lines, it just did it automatically, I loved it.

Sharing with

Grand Social

here

Have a great week fellow bloggers.

Friday Shoot Out-theme- Through the Fence

Fences are part of the landscape everywhere I go since I live in a rural area.

Yes there are fences in the city, but we are surrounded by them.

 A trellis for the flowers

To keep Honeymoon and Hopper in the field and out of the yard.

In a cemetery? To keep  out or to keep in?

Folks are just dying to get in, they say.

Fences can make one wonder what is behind them 

Rock fence around the Old Farm Place constructed by slaves.

This property has been in my family since 1798.
My 3rd great grandparents bought it soon after coming to Ky. from Maryland.

There were once slave quarters to be seen through this fence behind the house but thank goodness, they are a thing of the past.

A natural privacy fence of Burning Bushes.
Yes it needs a trim.

Through our neighbor's fence.



Linking up with Friday Shoot Out
here

Critiquing my work and finding the JOY

and

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”
― Marianne Williamson

Finally my current painting project is completed and in a frame.

Acrylics on 8x10 canvas board.

I am my harshest critic.

Why are we never satisfied with things we do?

I promised myself several years ago when I began to take painting lessons I would not try to compare mine exactly to the one my teacher or the other students painted.

But, for some reason, we all do the same.
"I love yours, mine is just not right."

HH thinks it is very good.

My teacher says "good job."

I know some things for sure, my eyesight is not the same as when I first began to paint.

My hand is not as steady.

Excuses?

No these are facts.

But every Thursday I do this linky with Meri who allows us to share the JOY with her and Meri is a life coach.

She knows her stuff.

Now I found Intentional Me which is a link that encourages one to ponder things.

My philosophy and Meri's is to find JOY all around us. 

At least that is what I say.

But I realize that one needs to stop, sometimes, and
ponder that statement.

Look for the JOY.

In pondering this I take much JOY in being able to afford painting classes, in being able to drive myself  to classes and the JOY of sharing with all my blogging buddies and those who love me.

Now I can ponder in cyberspace and pondering reminds us of our blessings.

Go here for sharing the JOY with Meri.
and
Here for pondering with Michelle.

Note Card Party with Vee

Linking up with Vee
Here 

You're gonna love it Tuesday. Finally some hummers

It is a most wonderful thing for HH (Handsome Husband) and I to be able to enjoy our home and yard without having to leave and be gone all day at a job.

I loved working when I did it.

I felt so alive being a nurse and taking care of my family.

Now we can just sit on our deck and watch the birds and finally get a shot of a hummingbird.

They are magical, mystical birds.

Just watch a PBS film Nature about hummingbirds.

They are only native to the Americas.

If you get a chance to see it, it is well worth the time.

Linking up with Kathe with an E

Here

Say it Saturday-Happy Father's Day, Dad, RIP

I could not say this several years ago but due to Al-Anon, much prayer and a wiser me I can say it now.

I loved my father.
I wish him a happy father's day in heaven.

I miss my father.

When I was 8 and my only sister was 6 he abandoned us.

 Taken in about 1934
he is shown with his father, and two sisters around the age of 24.
Just before he and my mom married.

He was spoiled rotten by my grandmother and his sisters.

He was  a great looking man.
He was a falling down alcoholic.
Reminded me of Robert Redford in looks.
Sandy colored hair.
Nickname
"Rusty"
Outgoing, friendly and a better than average dancer.

He and my mom were always the center of attention at  many of the dances they attended in the 30s and 40s.


We didn't have any idea where he was for years but our lives were thrown together in 1972 when my only sister was dying at age 32.

It was a sad story.

She died and we grieved together.

Grieved for more than the loss of his daughter and my dearly beloved sister. 

Grieved for the loss of all those years we had lost each other.

We began to build our relationship as adults.
 
I have written about my father before.

15 years before his death in 1984 he earned his sobriety, remarried and owned a couple of businesses about 60 miles away in a town in Ky.

All the years of my growing up I was ashamed of him. Believed all the bad things my mother's brothers told me about him.
I was later to learn he loved and missed us terribly.
Had tried to reconcile with my mother and us for years.
He was very sad.
All the years we lost partially due to others meddling.
To me he is a hero.
He fought the battle of life,misunderstands and miscommunications that go on in family dynamics.
He is my hero.
In the end he stepped up and met his God a real man.
I am so proud of my father
John.

Go here to link up with Say it Saturday