Where's the Peacock?

I like this photo anyway,

because of the old wagon

and the hollyhocks.

But at the time I was really

stalking a peacock,

hoping for a good shot of him.

He eluded me,

but he is in this picture.

Can you find him?

Taken 22 June 2017.

Historic Wall Covering

This is in the men's room

at the 2nd Space Theatre.

I love black vinyl LPs.

Almost doesn't matter what type of music.

I like all kinds of music, too.

I even have another blog

called Fast Eddie's Wax Museum,

where I was immortalizing my LP collection.

Photo taken 6 May 2017.

Wondrous Wisteria

When wisteria is cared for properly

and blooms abundantly

it is just plain gorgeous.

Taken 15 April 2017.

Happy Orchids

These orchids on our front porch

seemed happy!

Taken 5 April 2017.

Commercial District Signs

If this guy does not make you want to come to his place

to buy furniture, I don't know what will.

Am I right?

I was really just trying to get a picture of the

vintage Paradise Center sign,

but when I saw the 'stack' of signage

I was kind of amazed.

Red Gorilla taken 14 September 2018.

Paradise Center taken 15 September 2018.

Fabric Pattern #16

I like the muted colors,

the concentric triangles,

and the hand-drawn appearance.

Taken 29 October 2016.

Chevy Belair

Spotted this excellent specimen

while I was walking in Mesa, Arizona.

Pretty sure it is a 1961.

Taken 25 March 2016.

In Everything Give Thanks

Today is "Thanksgiving Day" here in the USA.

I am thankful for ladybugs.

It is amazing how much difference

small things can make.

Ladybugs are small.

Aphids are even smaller.

Ladybugs will eliminate the destructive aphids.

I confess, like most folks, I am not a big fan

of bugs, in general.

There is a reason why we use that same word - 

'bug' -

to describe being annoyed.

But I like ladybugs.

Not only are they helpful in the garden;

they are also attractive,

i.e., cute.

When we say 'cute as a bug,'

I think most of the time

we have ladybugs in mind.

There is much to be thankful for every day.

Yes, some days thankfulness comes more naturally;

but all we have to do is take a moment to consider.

We can be thankful,

and we don't even have to make stuff up

to do it.

The title of today's post alludes to The Bible.

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks;

for this is the purpose of Yahweh in Yeshua ha'Mashiach."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Pardon me, is this your elephant?

OK.

Let me just cut to the chase here.

Today is my 63rd birthday!

Elephants do not have anything,

specifically,

to do with my birthday;

but it seemed somehow fitting to me

to post this bronze sculpture

of a baby elephant

by which I was taken by surprise

in Mesa, Arizona, a couple of years ago,

on my birthday.

When I was 15 years old,

a high school friend and I

decided we should begin collecting something.

I honestly do not remember what my friend decided to collect.

I decided to collect elephants.

Over the next thirty years or so,

I acquired several hundred.

I do not even know how many.

But then I determined

to unburden myself

of the majority of them;

so, by means of yard sales, eBay,

giving them away, and simply tossing some of them,

I got the collection down

to about a dozen of my favorites.

Then, almost four years ago,

the house we lived in

burned to the ground,

and we lost everything.

Now I have a couple of elephants again...

This little guy is glass.

He is a blotter - back in the days of inkwells

one often had to 'blot' the ink to help it dry faster.

He is about four inches long.

One would attach a piece of blotting paper,

then gently roll the elephant back and forth over the wet ink.

This is wood and metal sculpture that stands about 10" high.

My sister-in-law gave it to me.

So,

there you have it!

Me and my elephants.

Cross-section Fallen Branch

Last year

during a raging storm,

several big branches were

violently torn from a giant tree

in our backyard.

Workmen came to cut the fallen branches

into manageable pieces.

The cross-sections were interesting.

Taken 22 April 2017.

Hibiscus

This lovely hibiscus

is at the front entrance of the building

where I work.

What really got my attention

in the early morning light

was the shadow of the pistil and stamen.

This bloom was in the shade,

so... no pistil/stamen shadow.

Taken 11 September 2018.

Sunset

The colors are somewhat muted,

but the configuration of the clouds

is what caught my attention.

Taken 20 October 2017.

The Village at Meridian

The Village at Meridian

is a shopping center in Boise, Idaho.

These delightful sculptures

depict the joys of reading.

Taken 4 April 2016.

Art Installation, Mesa

This art installation was in its own little plaza

in Mesa, Arizona.

The red fence is hiding a power sub-station.

The link in the above photo is no longer available BUT

GO HERE

for more information about street pianos.

Taken 26 March 2016.

Big 'Shroom

This fun guy

caught my attention by sheer size.

Each of those little yellow flowers

is about the size of a quarter;

the head of this mushroom

was at least 8" in diameter.

The yellow flowers are viridis

aka euryops pectinatus,

known colloquially as 'daisy bush.'

Taken 14 March 2016.

Rose-colored Night Shot

An actual dock,

and boat,

after dark,

taken from the restaurant window.

I did not use any special filters,

or apply any after-effects.

7 March 2016.

Dockside Dining

I cannot for the life of me

remember the name of this place,

but it was in Ft. Myers!

Taken 7 March 2016.

Evening and Morning

The first photo is an morning shot,

taken near my place of work.

The second is an evening shot,

same day, taken from my backyard.

8 January 2016.

I managed to capture a couple of crows flying across the frame.

I was struck by the pink pillar of cloud.

Solo Sail

A single sailboat

in the midst of Monterey Bay.

Unusual.

Normally, if there is one

there are many.

If the weather is right,

lots of boaters take advantage.

Taken 30 December 2015.

(which tells me...

we were inside El Torito restaurant

having our 43rd anniversary lunch)