why I walk in (almost) any weather

Look at your feet. You are standing in the sky. When we think of the sky, we tend to look up, but the sky actually begins at the earth.

Diane Ackerman

Yesterday's sky view between storms was a perfect calmness, monochromatic and voluptuous. The Mississippi ran 'swift and even' without even slowing to watch me watch it.
On my way north again this perfect and gorgeous tree in front of me turned out to be two trees as I walked by. The metaphor was not lost on me that cooperation of each 'half a tree' made for one beautiful and sturdy specimen.

Visit Skywatch Friday.

all things stripey and fine

When I came up the stairs this afternoon, I smelled the faint odor of sun-roasted cat only to find Bean soaking up the Easter Sunday sun.

“Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy.” Albert Einstein

Isn't it amazing that the first brave flowers of spring are delicate and pale? That is, until the tulips bloom. These lovelies were all I could find this afternoon.Spring has sprung in my neck of the woods, indeed. I think I made it!

Visit Camera Critters and Today's Flowers and for more signs of spring.

Factoid: Spring makes people nuts!

Late spring weather can be mercurial, and nowhere is that more evident than when Minnesota tries to leave winter behind. Yesterday it snowed several inches but by late afternoon this was the sky I saw near my house when I walked to the lake. The birds were hysterical and a hoodie was warm enough. By the time I got back up the hill to my house the sky had yet another big bank of clouds moving through. Then they morphed into an ice storm after dinner. Really keeps us on our toes! More skies from just about everywhere, here.

"April is the cruelest month, T.S. Eliot wrote, by which I think he meant (among other things) that springtime makes people crazy. We expect too much, the world burgeons with promises it can't keep, all passion is really a setup, and we're doomed to get our hearts broken yet again. I agree, and would further add: Who cares? Every spring I go out there anyway, around the bend, unconditionally. ... Come the end of the dark days, I am more than joyful. I'm nuts. "
— Barbara Kingsolver

[one] word Wednesday

Aarrgg.

Imagining what will come of these delightful puffs on slender red branches.
As my pal Yogi Berra said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

Thanks to my, umm, advancing happy-to-be-alive years, a sense of humor has moved to the top of my list of personality traits. [And I can now say without a doubt that I'm no longer afraid of the dark.] I bring this up because it tickled me pink to see this wild turkey in my yard last week. He was just passing through, kicking at a few leaves when he saw my camera. Before I knew it he was in the next yard, seemingly enjoying the sunshine and probably enjoying my athletic pursuit of him. I know this because I could hear that clucking noise they make as he meandered. We both had a good laugh! Visit Camera Critters for more animal antics. quote by J.R.R. Tolkien

Cloudy with a chance of spring

From the fourth floor, this was my view of a rainy, Philadelphia sky last week. There was such a contrast between the pure gray sky, hanging mist on the hills and the abundant signs of spring below me. That's how spring goes.

Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. Ellis Peters

See more astonishing skies from just about everywhere @ Skywatch Friday.

My words exactly!

I just came back from a weekend in Philadelphia celebrating Dr. Erica's 30th birthday. Among the festivities was a visit to the Philadelphia Art Museum where I found two totally opposite spots for the color red. Below is a bumper sticker on the back of a Land Cruiser in the parking lot with words I live by daily. We had gone to see the Marc Chagall exhibit called Paris Through The Window: Marc Chagall and His Circle. On the way out, there hung one of Vincent van Gogh's many sunflowers. My heart always skips a beat when I see his brush-stroke signature, also in red. More red @ Ruby Tuesday.

Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul.

Vincent van Gogh

L is for laughter, bright and beautiful

I'm late posting for ABC Wednesday, having to over think everything. . .but, who doesn't love the sound of laughing babies? In particular these bathing beauties. That's ticklish Dr. Erica [who will turn 30 this Saturday!] on the left and little Audrey on the right in our back yard in Virginia with their dad, early '80's. Finding this old photo of my dear ones truly lifted my day. Hope it does yours too.

Visit Mrs Nesbitt here for more lovely L's.

“There was a knight came riding by, In early spring, when the roads were dry..."

Minnesotans are incredibly spartan and courteous. But, for the life of me, I don't know how they've continued to live with these long winters! Winter of 2011 has gone down on the record books for most snow, duration and percentage of soul sucking, but whenever there is even an indication of sun you'll find them out and about, like this guy--I snapped this picture outside of Minneapolis, temperature 49 degrees. Windchill? You do the math.

More reds @ Mary's Meme Ruby Tuesday.

[quote from William Morris]

See you in the funnies!

More funny animal photos [with or without dialogue] @ Camera Critters.