Pink Saturday

As I thought about today's contribution for Pink Saturday..
various subjects came to mind....
Although I am not really a "pink person".
there are some things which I find to be  perfect in pink.
Flowers..and ballet....
so similar..elegant..beautiful...
Ballerinas..by Edgar Degas





Fushia blossoms remind me of the graceful Degas ballerinas..



















....and the grande finale...






Please join Beverly for more Pink Saturday delights!

Wednesday..with and without words..

Thanks to my dear friends Margo and ChinaGirl  for these exceptional photos.
please join these wonderful sites for more Wednesday magic.
Wordless Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Outdoors Wednesday
White Wednesday
Enjoy your Wednesday..from start to finish!

Monday blue and mosaic

Have you looked at that glorious full moon?
I have ..and it is BEAUTIFUL!
makes one think of taking a Moonlight Stroll..hmmm?

Please join Smiling Sally for  Blue Monday
and Mary for Mosaic Monday

Photo 11/04

One of my earlier posts on A-Z Monday....
the letter was J.. the word?
Jeans!
a fun one to research..
and one that received 22 comments!
not to shabby for someone very new to blogging!!
The photo is of James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor..


Now please join Jen at Unglazed for more  Reminiscing  Monday Photos..
have a beautiful Monday!!

Wednesday..with and without words..

Today's post is courtesy of my dear friend Gator Gal..
a fellow Floridian,
Photographer extraordinaire..
Living in the Gainesville area among Spanish moss laden live oaks and azaleas,
frequently with trusty camera sidekick, she heads eastward..
along the coastal route..
towards the sugary white sands and bluegreen waters of the Emerald Coast..
todays destination:
Panama City Beach..

"Panama City Beach is one of the world's most beautiful beaches, 
with over twenty-seven miles of breathtaking, 
unrivaled beauty along the Gulf of Mexico." GG



"Saturday started out as a Yellow Flag day. The wind was blowing from the East and Southeast and storm clouds were moving in from the East. In the meantime, the sky and water were absolutely stunning. An excellent day to visit the beach. The new City Pier is to the left." GG


pristine..
intoxicating..
mesmerizing..


"The newly rebuilt City Pier - Russell-Fields Pier (City Pier) The Russell-Fields Pier, also known as the City Pier, opened to the public July 4th 2009 and is located on Front Beach Road across the street from Pier Park. ~ Panama City Beach ~ The original City Pier was destroyed during one of the Hurricanes some years back. If you happen to know which storm, please feel free to post the information."GG

rejuvenating..

Paradise..almost..

Heaven..YES!
even dogs are welcome here!!
(make sure to practice good Petiquette)

More of Gatorgal's  wonderful photos may be viewed at Weather Underground.
Weather Underground/gatorgal

Thank you dear GG for another  much needed trip  home..
and for graciously sharing these beautiful photos!

Please visit  sites for more fun today!
Outdoors Wednesday
White Wednesday,
Watery Wednesday
and Wordless Wednesday

Christmas..in July?

On this delightfully cool morning, while enjoying the fresh morning air and catching up on the latest news..
this article caught my eye:

NEW YORK — Santa in the summer?

Retailers are pumping still more energy this year into trying to get shoppers to loosen their purse strings early for Christmas with sparkly ornaments,

 holiday music and special prices. In July.

Target enters the game for the first time, with a one-day online sale starting Friday on 500 items that's modeled after sales typically held Thanksgiving weekend.

 And Sears and Toys R Us are promoting "Christmas in July" online and in stores based on the success they saw with last year's efforts.

"We really wanted to create that sense of excitement, that sense of urgency," Target spokeswoman Molly Hanus said.

Retailers pushed Christmas promotions as early as September during the recession as they competed for shoppers' dwindling dollars and tried to get them back into stores. Some recession-weary shoppers have been glad to spread out the cost of the holidays, especially if discounts average 40 percent like Target's. But others may be turned off by the snowflakes and Santas and glitz.

"It's smarter to buy this early," Ebony Rios, 17, said while shopping over the weekend at Toys R Us in Times Square, where a Santa in sunglasses lounged in a swimming pool in one ad.

But Tammy Perez of Bloomington, Ind., wasn't ready: "It's too hot to think about Christmas."

My feelings are simply this.. even though the economy is in shambles I think we should not put the cart before the horse on this one. Part of the traditions of the holiday season is the television commercials,the colorful wishbook catalogues in the mail, newspaper inserts and holiday music on the radio! The malls are decorated, and there is such a festive air as holiday shoppers get into the commercial Christmas spirit. Children go on the naughty or nice alert..and the excitement, anticipation and magic of Christmas suddenly appears!  Preparations are made for the meals, Christmas cards addressed and sent  and families start to gather for this most special time of the year.

With Christmas appearing in July..are we to be bombarded  for six months of glittering ornaments and holiday music everywhere? And if Christmas arrives in July, where do Halloween

 and Thanksgiving appear.?  

Black Friday totally obscures our uniquely American Holiday of Thanksgiving! 

Nope..No Christmas in July for me..shopping or otherwise!

 I have a Reason for the Season to celebrate..

and I choose to celebrate in snowy cold December as I've done for nearly 65 years..

before..

after....

I'd love your opinion!!