What a sunrise!

I sure don't like getting up early, but man, what a sunrise! This was taken on one of our family walks last week. I wish the back end of the car wasn't in the photo, but as this is a pretty busy intersection, I was lucky there weren't more in there.

What's this?

She is so curious and truly loves to explore. She is a wonderful walking buddy as she wants to check everything out, just like I do.

In fact, she is waiting right now for me to get ready to go for our morning walk (I like to get on the computer first thing in the morning and post so I don't get too busy later in the day). And it is already way too hot out.

Pretty yellowish-orangish flower

These pretty flowers grow around the bear fountain. They look beautiful with the dark fountain, the greenery, and the sparkling, splashing water.

We are just getting ready to go for our morning walk, but we'll drive to where I know no crazies are. A pox on crazies.

A sunrise!

Since Pooker goes with us to walk/jog sometimes, we can catch some sunrises!

Seeing the light

Walking along the trails through the lush greenery and seeing a glimpse of the sky or the water through them is so refreshing.

This morning, we saw the fire department's suburban parking in a little parking lot by where we walk--the one by the boat ramp into the river. They were joined by a fire department pickup truck pulling a trailer with a boat on it. When we left the area, they were backing up down the ramp and it really looked like they were trying to get to someone to rescue them. Not sure what was going on because the river isn't even very full--lots of sandbars sticking up all over. We would have stayed and watched (a grizzled old man spryly hopped off his bike and plopped down on the edge to watch), but there was another man there who I'm wary off. When Brownie tucked her tail between her legs and pulled me away as hard and fast as she could with me at the end of her string, I went with her. I don't know if the noise the trucks were making bothered her or if that man was emitting some type of vibes towards us (not the grizzled old man--he was quite friendly).

The man I'm not sure of we often see sitting (or reclining) on the bench closest to the river. He has only been there for the past three weeks and what is odd is that he can be there as early as 6:30 am or as late as 9:30 am. I don't get good vibes from him and I find his behavior odd. Odd because it is too hot to be sitting out there that long and it feels like he is waiting or looking for something. Now I've seen lots of people on that bench, but this guy has been there for the past three weeks and it has been every time we've been there, no matter what time we seem to get there. With the grizzled old man on my tail, we walked down by the edge where he was (because he was also watching what was going on) and when we walked down there, he got on his cell phone and made a call, speaking so low I couldn't understand what he was saying. After he got off, I asked him if he knew what was going on and he said he didn't know. I looked at his bench and he had a bottle of water with him and that was it. Now why would you be out there, sitting on that bench for three hours with only a bottle of water and your cell phone? And if you go to commune with nature every day from that bench, you sure wouldn't be sitting out there for long in this 100 degree heat with high humidity. I think next time I see him, I need to deliberately pick my nose in front of him to turn him off (and it goes without saying to eat the imaginary booger) in case he has been sitting there noting the comings and goings of people for some purpose that isn't good. Per a self-defense seminar I attended when I was in 4-H, the fastest way to break an "attraction" that someone has focused on you (with intent to harm) is to pick your nose and eat a booger. That will turn anyone off. Now, if this man has no intent to harm and I pick my nose and eat a booger, he will just think I'm gross. Either way, I don't really care what that man thinks of me. All in all, I'm going to avoid that area for the next four walks or so and keep varying our walk times so no one can get a handle on our schedule. This is when carrying a taser might come in handy.

And more clouds...

I've seen the most amazing clouds lately, some little cotton balls and others wispy strands of white or color. I just never know what I'll find when I go outside, but seeing these brings a smile to my face.

View of a bridge

This was taken on one of our walks last week. We were down by the bear fountain at least once and that is where I can get this view of the bridge. The sky was such a beautiful shade of blue.

I have a few things I need to get done this week, plus I've painted more pictures (this time acrylics) that I need to post. I've also got lots more pictures, which is why you've been treated to so many posts from me lately! I'm taking them faster than I can get them on here, due to the increase in frequency of our walks and going several different places to walk and having painted more this month. Need to get moving as I'm pretty hungry and must eat before I can do anything else.

"Flowers 4"

"Flowers 4" painted 7/4/08

Heads or Tails?

I love both heads and tails! The heads have such wonderful, silky ears and the way the head moves towards you when you give it a good scratch like you are the only person in the universe. Not to mention the wonderful kisses or the eyes that seem to light up from the inside. Ah, but the tails. There is something so eloquent about a tail, whether it is raised in a friendly greeting or moving furiously from side to side (along with the whole hind end) because they are so happy to see you. They use both to communicate that you are their whole world and they are happy to be with you. What a blessing. (And what a creative God--to make heads and ears and bodies and tongues and tails of all colors and shapes and sizes. Amazing!)

Pretty pink flowers

It sure has been hot lately--near, if not over, 100 degrees last week and looking to be about the same this week. It is pretty miserable. But we love our walks, so we just leave as early as we can to avoid as much heat as possible. And seeing lots of beautiful things is always nice.

These flowers are surrounding the fountain at the CitiPlex Towers and they give all that blue and green such a startling pink. There's a little something extra in this second picture. Not sure what she is sniffing, but we check it all out. Between the two of us, we don't miss much.

My new Nikes

These are my new Nikes! They were on sale and I needed to replace my next to last pair of 8's (since I'm an 8 1/2 now). I really love these shoes! The reason I love Nikes so much is that they seem to be made for people with higher arches. And if you don't have a higher arch, you probably don't like Nikes. For me, Nike tennis shoes are the only brand I'll buy because they are so comfortable. I need the arch support.

I hadn't really remembered how freckly I am until I looked at this shot. Yes, I do have lots of freckles. I thought it was mainly on my arms, but apparently my legs are covered as well. Just one of those things I don't think about much. But I think the word "freckles" is kind of fun, so it makes it nice having them. I have freckles!

Another mushroom

I didn't really think I'd see another mushroom that I wanted to take a picture of, but Brownie and I ran across this one attached to a tree on our walk. With the droplets of water running down it and the contrast between the white mushroom and the dark bark, I couldn't pass it by. What is it about some mushrooms that make them beautiful?

Brownie with some flowers

This picture is for Brownie's Nana. She wanted pictures of all her grandkids/dogs for her dresser. She has four frames that match the frame around the flower painting I did for her and she wanted her four children to get her one picture of their kids/dogs with flowers to put in them. I saw this little patch of flowers when we continued our walk near the fountains. It wasn't easy convincing her to stand there, but I thought this picture really turned out cute. Her Nana will love it!

And believe me, we checked them out!

We thoroughly checked them out by walking all around the fountain (I say fountain in the singular, because it is all attached, but there are two spigots that shoot out water, but then a series of interconnected pools at differing layers). We've driven over there and walked around them several times, but that first time there were two guys vacuuming it and the fountains weren't on. This time, we were not disappointed!

Fountain in front of the CitiPlex Towers

The fountains in front of CitiPlex Towers have been off for years, but they are now freshly painted and back on! How beautiful!

Snacked on leaves

Seems like these leaves have been snacked on, but it sure makes them interesting to look at. I didn't really show you the whole plant, but all the rest of the plant looks like this, too. It snagged my attention walking by it because it kind of looked like lacy plants and I had to get closer to see what was going on. The shapes that are "cut out" are what make it so interesting.

"Red Flower"

"Red Flower" painted 7/4/08

Brownie kisses

Brownie giving DaDa kisses.

Did you just take a picture of that?

"Letting Go"

"Letting Go" painted 7/4/08

Providing fresh water for birds

I have this fountain on my back porch, plus I also put fresh water out for Brownie everyday when we go outside (thereby adding fresh water to the fountain as well). Word gets around and I have a lot of birds throughout the day, either coming to take a bath or get a drink. For the most part, I don't have my camera with me, but this time I did. This is the cutest little couple that comes to drink. I didn't do a good job of getting the guy's full face (which is such a beautiful shade of red), so will try to get a better picture of him to show you. I just love to watch the birds come to my fountain to drink. I feel like I'm part of God's provision for them and it makes me feel good.

Orange Flowers

I love these orange flowers that grow on the trees.

"Red Flower 2"

"Red Flower 2" painted 7/4/08

Butterflies eating breakfast

After the larvae, I thought you needed to see something beautiful like these butterflies feeding from flowers on a tree (the same flowers I showed you right before the 4th of July, although minus the butterflies and the flowers were in their prime two weeks ago). What gorgeous butterflies! The whole tree seems to be alive with movement and it is really interesting to just stand back and watch them flutter around from flower to flower, eating breakfast (I say breakfast because it was morning when we saw them).

Caterpiller Larvae?

I know this is kind of gross, but also fascinating. We were walking when I noticed the "webbing" in the trees, so we went in for a closer look, and a closer look still. Might be a little more than some of you wanted to see, but there was no way I could keep this to myself. After this really close look inside the webbing, it seems to me like caterpillar larvae but I'm no expert by any means. That is just what I think they look like. Is this last picture burned into your brain like it is mine?