Monday, February 28, 2011

Monday..For the birds!

My friend Cathy in a small town near Gainseville, Florida  takes the most amazing photos of the birds frequenting her back yard. When  I saw this one, i cracked up!
the facial  expressions on the Orange Crowned Warbler were just hilarious!
An Orange-crowned Warbler
 An Orange-crowned Warbler
An Orange-crowned Warbler
Her photos  below of the Eastern Bluebird are just stunning!
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird
This has to be one of my most favorites of her many Cardinal photos, so befitting for this last day of February, the month of love.. 
Can't you just feel the love between this pair?
Male and Female Cardinal
Two questions....
Are you ready if the birds have or are returning to your area?
Birdseed, feeders, clean nesting boxes and above all, a bird bath/source of water?
Now for an entirely different subject...
will March come roaring in like a Lion ....


Or meek as a Lamb?
Little Lamb
Enjoy your day..
while doing so, please explore these blogs for more
Blue Monday
Mellow Yellow Monday 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

I've a confession...

Guess what..er um...Guess who?....
Troy Donahue & Sandra Dee - A Summer Place
Got your attention Huh?
nope.. 
that isn't me..
altho it could well have been..
eons ago..
back when I dreamed wild teenage dreams..
of a handsome Troy Donahue..
he was my  dream image for my prince charming..
oh yes..
back in my day,
marriage was the dream destination for girls..
ingrained from birth,
the familiar refrain..
almost a prayer ..
like saying the Rosary..
"when I GROW up and get married.."
and so it went..
I will marry_________,
we will have a beautiful wedding..
my bridesmaids  etc, etc..
we will honeymoon at_____,
and then we will return home..
HE will go to the office to work,
and I will stay home,
in my rose covered cottage,
behind the white picket fence..
and we will have beautiful babies..
and we will live happily ever after..
BUT.....
somewhere along the way..
the fairy tale ends..
reality sets in..
and life happens..
such is the case with me of late..
I am facing demons of my own..
I recently  turned 65..
now have my Medicare card..
and as much as I enjoy going to work..
performing a much loved job..
I remain on the list of UNEMPLOYED...
I have been facing AGE DISCRIMINATION..
no one would have believed eons ago ..
the strides that  would be made in the workplace for women...
*women would become a vital part of the workforce..
*with passage of  the Equal Rights Amendment..
that  equal pay would prevail for both sexes performing the same job..
But now that I have reached the status of "SENIOR"..
my knowledge..
my credibility..
my work ethic..
my dependability..
is tossed aside in favor of 
younger..
inexperienced..
CHEAPER..
applicants..
Try as I may to be positive..
I find myself more and more negative..
and depressed..
and as I was also taught..
If I could not say something positive..
then say nothing at all..
and that is the reason for my silence of late..
am in serious need of rejuvenation..
of my body and soul..
NO!
absolutely not!
I AM NOT TAKING A BREAK FROM BLOGGING!!!
I love this creation of mine..
but my posts will be as frequent..
or infrequently as my soul dictates..
right this minute..
my poor achy body is battling a nasty sinus infection..
and I'm feeling pretty miserable..
but thanks to each and every one of you followers..
you all make it worthwhile and FUN!!!
** and ps..no I did not marry a tall blue eyed blonde..
instead I married a man just like my daddy..
tall, dark and handsome..
but not quite as smart!!
Lucky me!!!
together we created, 
and  had our wonderful son Keith..
who got the best of the both of us!
warmest hugs to  all of you!
laughing smiles too!!
Loui♥ 

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Monday..

President's Day..
For many , this is just another three-day weekend..
to be spent either shopping at the "sales" designed for this event!
For others,a trip to the mountains for springtime skiing and boarding..
Those closer to a seashore.. a trip to the beach..
To me, patriotism reigns..
I celebrate the memory of two great presidents !
Were it not  for these founding fathers, 
the freedoms we all know today simply would not be..
Take the time to refresh your memory of their great contributions to our country.
Wave your American Flag proudly..
remembering all She represents..
especially as we view events happening  in the middle east..
which are already impacting our daily lives..
may God continue to bless America..
home of the Brave..
land of the Free!!





(images courtesy Google)


Please visit Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
and Drowsey Monkey for Mellow Yellow Monday

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Wednesday:Outdoors,White,Watery, Wordless,Rednesday

Waterfall
Tropical Mountain waterfall

Snowy Colorado High Country..
Panama city beach,
Surf's up!..Panama City , Florida
So ready for more of this!....Red Roses by the front door...
But..first things first! gotta get some R&R  beachy time..
and the best way to get from point A to point Beach is via this...



please visit these wonderful destinations for more Wednesday fun..
Outdoors Wednesday
White Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday
Rednesday

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy colorful Valentine Monday..


A passing view of my current world...
The world which is forever etched in my heart and soul...
This picture is definitely worth more than a thousand words..
speaks loud and clearly..
the messages straight from my heart!

Have a beautiful Valentines Day!
♥♥♥♥


Please Link with these other fine folks  for their versions of Monday:
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
Drowsy Monkey for Mellow Yellow Monday 





Sunday, February 6, 2011

Ronald Reagan

Happy  100th Birthday Mr President!

t1larg.rollins_ed.reagan.jpg

The 100th anniversary of the birth of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan, is Sunday. On that day and during the year ahead, there will be many celebrations of the life of a man who remains one of the most beloved and respected of our modern presidents.


Ronald Reagan loved the United States with a deep passion and without apology. He believed in the American dream because he had lived it. He was a man of great common sense and much smarter than most presidential observers would give him credit for. He had a near-photographic memory, and was a good student of the complex issues a president must learn.


He always had a kind word or a "hello" and a "thank you" to those who served him. He never gave orders or raised his voice, but inspired us to to do the best we could. One never saw him lose his temper or mistreat staff members, even when many  deserved to have butts kicked for some screw-up.


The first time he saluted a military aide as he got off the presidential helicopter Marine One, someone told him he couldn't do that because he was a civilian. He retorted that somebody better get over to the Pentagon and get that rule changed, because as the commander in chief, he wanted to salute out of respect for his military. And every man, woman, officer, enlisted man or academy cadet; Marine, soldier, airman or sailor whom he saluted lit up with great pride.


A large number of military members assigned to tasks around the White House, and many Vietnam veterans, going to retire, but changed their minds and re-enlisted because of President Reagan. He totally rebuilt a post-Vietnam demoralized military.


When he came into office, we had ships that couldn't sail, planes that couldn't fly and soldiers and sailors on food stamps. By the end of his term, we again had the finest military in the world, one that has been tested in three major conflicts since his exit from the world stage.


Ronald Reagan wasn't perfect. He would be the first to tell you that. He had less ego than any politician I have ever dealt with and was a humble man. He had a philosophy that he had developed over many years and his belief system was unbending. 


There was a toughness to him, but always touched with compassion. He was strong enough to be gentle.That didn't mean he wouldn't compromise around the edges to get a deal with Congress -- but he never gave up on the things he truly believed in. And he could communicate. It wasn't great speech writers, it was him explaining his beliefs.


He was the friendliest of men, but also the ultimate loner. His true confidante and love was his Nancy. He would not have been president without her, nor would his life have been as full if she hadn't shared it.


People often ask me what was he really like. He was exactly what he appeared to be. A man who loved his country passionately and believed he had an obligation to make it better for the generations to come.Even though he ran for president twice before he was elected in 1980, he had not spent his entire life wanting to be president. He told me once it was sort of a destiny thing. After nearly losing his life in the infancy of his presidency, he thought he had a special role in being a good leader for an extraordinary country. He certainly was.


People also ask me what was the most important thing Reagan accomplished as president. My answer is that he made the presidency work again. After the tragic assassination of President Kennedy, President Johnson being driven from office, President Nixon impeached, and Presidents Ford and Carter defeated running for re-election, Americans thought the presidency was too big and that no man could fill the role. Reagan filled it and made it work again.


Whatever the historians write, Ronald Reagan made the world and our country a better place. He restored pride in our nation and made Americans believe in the slogan from his 1984 campaign: "Prouder, stronger, better."


Thanks to: Ed Rollins, a senior political contributor for CNN, is senior presidential fellow at the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency at Hofstra University. He is a principal with the Dilenschneider Group, a global public relations firm. He was White House political director for President Ronald Reagan and chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

* I adored Ronald Reagan, fully supported him in his every endeavor. As a Senior Naval Officer wife, I was privy to much the average citizen never knew..With RR as Commander in Chief, and John Layman as Secretary of the Navy, America once again became  a "respected" force to be reckoned with!
 I for one slept very peacefully during the Regan administration.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Wednesday, Watery, White, Outdoors, and Wordless

Still bitterly cold..
temps tonite will be even colder than those of last night..
somewhere 25 below!
todays high managed up to 1 degree..
and I believe that lasted for all of one minute!!
I ventured out the door just long enough to retrieve the mail..
otherwise, the felines all stay nestle in their respective beds..
I puttered....sorting, decluttering..
all nice and toasty INDOORS!

We're in the jailhouse now...



Thundering Waves (ii)

Please join for more Wednesday fun..
Outdoors Wednesday
White Wednesday
Watery Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday
Rednesday