the sky's the limit

Blue skies I'll remember from bike trips in September as we slide into October.

a contemporary art gallery called 'Swan Song'
Maiden rock, Wisconsin

orthodox onion spires
Thunder Bay, Ontario

Visit more skies from unlikely places all over the globe @ Skywatch Friday.

wax not, wane not

Autumn is sneaking around trying to act inconspicuous and though leaves are turning, Cosmos are as hardy as ever. I caught these in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin yesterday under a pure blue sky. Take that, Fall!

Stop in the virtual flower shop Today's Flowers for a nice start to your week.

up before the birds

This is the view from my deck this morning facing east as the sun came up through scattered grey clouds.

Across the street, facing west, was that same sun shining on the tops of trees. At first glance they appear to be autumn-kissed but, in fact, are still very green.

Visit Skywatch Friday and be dazzled by skies from all over our planet.

Winter is an etching,

spring a watercolor,

summer an oil painting

and autumn a mosaic of them all.  

 Stanley Horowitz

life's a mystery

ABC Wednesday's letter du jour is J--as in James, my dad. He was born last century in 1910 at home in his mother's kitchen and lived to be 83.

The story goes that his given name was Vincenzo. When his Italian mother called him home to dinner, Vinnie sounded like Jimmy. So he became a James. I don't quite buy it, and now all of his siblings are gone too, so I guess Jimmy it is. A moot point.
More J words, mysterious or not, here.

I found these lovely sweet peas growing in the 'parking lot garden' at the Duluth Grill, an organic, homemade-food diner where the wait staff can be seen wearing t-shirts that say: organic food from our parking lot.

My favorite shade of red too. More favorite reds at Mary's meme Ruby Tuesday.

praying for rain

September's full moon floating over Lake Superior last Saturday--a peaceful sky view from Grand Portage Chippewa Reservation, Minnesota near the Canada border.

The next day as we rode back to the Twin Cities I took this [shaky] photo from the motorcycle of the sky approaching Duluth. The clouds were full of smoke from the wildfires burning in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area near Ely and the sun was fiery amber.  What a contrast with the North shore's blue skies and beautiful sunsets. The fires are still burning.

See more skies of note @ Skywatch Friday. 

ice, its not just in cubes anymore

You will never know how hard it was for me to download this collage showing winter's many sides. I can't even say the word winter without shuddering. But, art elevates and I'm willing to sacrifice!
Noteworthy are the Olympic ice skating trials at the Oval in Roseville, Minnesota a few years back, Pashka's frozen pawprint, an auger used for ice fishing, Bean dreaming of summer and a child's book illustration of Dutch ice skater.

Mrs Nesbitt has challenged us to post I's today for ABC Wednesday. Her wish is my command.