Lake at Twilight

(See the two canoes gliding on the water? Click on any of the images to enlarge.)

The word "twilight" evokes enchanting images.

It's almost the beginning of a star filled evening yet signals the gentle end of a precious day.

New England, one of the most picturesque areas imaginable, has numerous natural lakes that are beautiful to see in all seasons.

It is with joy that these images are shared with you on a recent visit to a lake at twilight.  The sun is going down, tingeing with gold the clouds in its path.

Viewing such splendor fills a person with deep appreciation for the gift of life, itself.

As daylight dims, calm settles in the land. Birds glide blissfully in the sky, soaring above the gentle ripples of the water.

Soon it will be dark. The lake will be reflecting the silvery ribbons of moonlight.

A lone pink cloud scuttles across the remaining blue sky.

Day is coming to a close.        

Goodnight,sweet world.  Until tomorrow, then...

 

WHAT IMAGES ARE EVOKED BY TWILIGHT FOR YOU?

Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha and Terri!

At a used antiques and furniture store, Sanford and Kid, in North Adams, Massachusetts, good deals can almost always be found.

The owner apparently goes to estate sales in different parts of New England to find things to stock his store which opens only Fridays through Sundays.

While looking through shelves filled with a diverse assortment of "junk,"  I spotted a whole set of plain but lovely teacups.   They are creamy white with gold rims and  pink roses right inside the cups. There are also a few gold, patterned leaves on the saucers and near the pink roses.

On the bottom, it reads H&E Selb,  Bavaria, Germany, Heinrich.

The Heinrich company was founded in 1904 and has produced thousands of china pieces in a startling array of patterns and colors.

In the end, I bought only one of the teacups because I honestly don't need a whole set. It's quite simple, delicate, and lovely.  Who could resist it for only $1?

For a look at more great tea cups, check the blogs of the two sweethearts who host Tea Cup Tuesday, Martha and Terri, at http://www.marthasfavorites.com/  http://www.martha'sfavorites.com%20and/ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/.

WHAT IS THE MOST YOU WOULD PAY FOR A TEACUP?

Front Yard Ablaze with Color for Susan's Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday!

This year, I decided to stick with a two color flower theme for the front yard, namely, red and white.

Just thought I'd show you how things are coming along. Thanks to my husband (he's the one with the green thumb, not me. I just buy the plants I like and he plants them. Isn't that a great arrangment?) 

I love the look of flowers in a front yard.  If I had my way, I'd buy at least a dozen hanging flowers for the side porch, as well, but that's out of the question this year.  Still, red geraniums I bought at a Farmer's Market are filling up the white window boxes and look lovely.

Every time I see a wilting flower, I pick it off, to encourage regrowth.

One year, I had two huge pots of beautiful pink geraniums. Someone came in the night and stole both of them! It was so shocking to my husband and me that a person could be so low as to do that. They were big pots, too!

This year, however, the big pots at the top of the front stairs have been drilled into the bricks. Ha! I'd like to see somebody try to walk away with these babies.

These hostas grow like Jack in the Beanstalk plants. One day they are two inches tall and the next day, wow! They are up to your knee.

One of the bonuses of having lovely flowers is to be able to share beauty with everyone in the neighborhood who is passing by.

I love impatiens because they are so generous.

Here are the perky red geraniums in the window box. See my pink dollhouse peeking out from the side of the curtain? I love lace curtains and have them on almost all the windows of our house.
        

DO YOU HAVE FLOWERS IN YOUR FRONT YARD?

Sunrises and Sunsets Mirror Life

Seeing sunrises and sunsets is among the most joyful aspects of being alive.

Both the rising and setting of the sun evoke deep feelings of intense gratitude for life, itself, as well as for the gift of eyesight.  Sight is truly one of the greatest gifts given to human beings. We can never take it for granted.

Driving home with a friend from a medical appointment in Boston last week,  we seemed to be driving right into the sunset.  It was hard to concentrate on my driving because I wanted to lose myself in the colors and intensity of the sky in front of us!

Then we had to drive by a lake.  Whenever this driving route is taken, it's a delight to look out toward the lake. No matter what season we are in, this body of water has vistas that fill a person with awe and delight.

Last week was no exception. It was early evening and the sun was just beginning to set when we drove near the lake.  Glancing over the surface of the water, the scene made me gasp.  Quickly, I pulled the car into a small lot near the lake, rolled down the electronic windows, and handed the camera to my friend, whose window faced the water.

The entire day's stress and worries disappeared when my eyes met that sunset. What a great way it was  to end the day. Soon, the clouds turned pinkish gold and pine trees became silhouettes against the horizon. It felt so good to be alive and my heart filled to the very brim with deep gratitude.

Day was almost done and the sun was sinking quickly into oblivion. I couldn't help but think how similar life is to sunrises and sunsets. When we are young, we are ablaze with the brilliance of life with all its expectations, hopes,  and dreams. 

Then, in the sunset days, when things are calmer and more serene, we are more peaceful, more resigned to accept both the good and the bad. We are just grateful to be part of this great planet earth and all its wonders.

Both the beginning and conclusion of life as well as sun rises and sunsets are gifts and we are the lucky recipients. 

WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION,  MAKES SUNRISES AND SUNSETS SO SPECTACULAR?

View From Above: Inside the Belly of a Gigantic Bird!

Whenever I hear someone say they hate to fly in an airplane, it's perplexing.

To me, flying is awesome. Just to think of getting into a plane, having it rumble and roar down a runway, and then take off into the heavens is beyond thrilling.  The invention of the airplane has got to be one of the most unique among human inventions. It's like being inside the belly of a gigantic bird!

Whenever I have the opportunity to fly,  a window seat is always requested. Never, ever do I tire of looking down on the view below. The ant-sized cars, the criss cross designs of modern architecture, turquoise swimming pools the size of quarters, miniature trees in a variety of shades of green, and so on make flying a thrill. 

As the plane inches higher and higher into the air, layers of fluffy white clouds cover the scenery and make me yearn to leave the plane and start jumping.

     (Coming down, about to land!)

Today's photos came from a plane ride to Ohio from Albany, New York to attend a nephew's wedding.  As always, the flight turned out to be a delight!

DO YOU LIKE TO FLY?

The Green, Green Glass of Home ~~~(For Cindy's Friday Show and Tell at My Romantic Home!)

One of my absolutely dearest  friends who lives in Arizona astounds me with her colored glass collection.

She has hundreds of glass pieces in different colors----amber, amethyst, cobalt blue, green, red, and so on.

She keeps all her pieces packed away in boxes. Every couple of months, whatever glass was displayed in her home gets packed away and new colored glassware comes out of storage.

When we lived in the southwest, I used to love to visit her any time, but especially on days when her different colored glass pieces came out.

While I do not have the extensive collection my friend has, I did begin to collect glassware in different colors. 

Today, I'm sharing with you some green pieces. Eventually, I would like to add glass shelves to an unused window and place all the same colored glassware on them.

  This dish is more than 36 years old. I know that because my late sister-in-law gave a set of them to my husband and I when we married.  Two large plates and single small one are all that's left of the set. My sister-in-law, sadly, has gone to the other side of life.   ( I'm happy to report the marriage is still going strong!)

Right now, all of the green pieces are on a cabinet
top in our pantry. Some line the windowsills of a
nearby window.They are mixed with transparent
glass pieces.

I hope, so much, you have enjoyed seeing my green glass collection!  Sometimes, pieces of colored glass can be purchased for very reasonable prices. Next time you are thrift store shopping or have the opportunity to go to a an estate sale, think "colored glass!"

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE COLOR OF GLASSWARE?

Cat and "Shhhhhhhkunk," Result in Funk!

("Put up your dukes," Honey Cat said, but it was to the wrong opponent!)

Early evening arrived and rain began to pelt the windows as I sat at the computer in the basement man cave.

The putrid odor of skunk began to seep into the room through the screened  high windows.

      "Where's Honey Cat?" flashed through my mind. She was still outside.

      Two minutes later, one of the resident teens came running down to the basement.

   

      "Honey Cat just came in and she smells bad," she cried.  I flew up the stairs and took a whiff that almost knocked me over. Skunk.  Our beautiful grandmother cat had apparently gone head-to-head with the wrong black and white creature.

My husband drove into the driveway the instant I went into hysterics so that was perfect timing. He whisked Honey Cat downstairs while I filled up the basement sink with warm water. We all kept gagging and wrinkling our foreheads over the horrendous smell emanating from that cat who got a thorough shampooing.



Bath Time After Skunk Encounter                                                                       Tomato Juice "Shampoo"

Unfortunately, we had no tomato juice, the usual cure to skunk smell.

Amazingly, the cat cooperated beautifully. She didn't budge while being cleaned-up. I think she was also glad over the attempts to get the stench off her fur.

  All bedroom doors remained closed as no one wanted to take any chances on being skunked out. Honey Cat had to find a place to sleep, other than our beds. I put a quilt for her on a chair in the living room. (Now, of course, that quilt will have to be triple washed.)

Next morning, as I came out of the bedroom, the skunk smell still dominated the hallway. What a stinky way to start the day. It seemed to permeate the paint on the walls.

 My husband picked up tomato juice at the super for round two of shampooing. Once again, Honey Cat got the wash treatment, first with tomato juice, and then with shampoo.

Meanwhile, a Village maple butter candle burns in the hallway, sending sweet pancake syrup smells into the skunk stench.

Honey Cat, the little rapscallionn, is now fresh and clean, relaxing on a porch rocking chair, no doubt about to drift off to sleep and dream of "whomping" that skunk.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PET THAT HAD A RUN-IN WITH A SKUNK?