Day #121 Full Bloom

I have noticed the neighbors mailbox is all blinged out with a lovely purple clematis in full bloom. Didn't take me long to take that long walk across the street (haha) to get a couple shots. Going to take that long walk to my side yard tomorrow since I noticed my white clematis on the fence is just starting to bloom...

Stay tuned.....

Day # 120 Bowling With A Twist

Great night out courtesy of Jackie's groupon.  A new high tech bowling alley that was lots of fun. LED lights light the lanes, full bars, menus, tv's and music. It was one rockin bowlin night out with girlfriends.

Day #119 Busy

Looking out the window at the gate as we wait to head home there is so much activity . They're loading the luggage on our plane, refueling planes, backing out a plane for take off and probably so much more. I think as I write that this view seems to be a view you could be looking at from say the1970's.  Doesn't seem that technology has changed it much.

Day #118 H Squirrel

A relaxing day at Lisa and Bills. Spent time watching the two bluebirds that seem to have a nest in their back gutter and the two humming birds that went back and forth to the feeder.Plus a squirrel family that have their home in a hole of a tree in their backyard. Bob helped with a couple of projects around the house. He likes to keep busy. A Chinese dinner out and a movie from Redbox watched in their theater room ended the day.

Day #117 Crocs

Not the type you wear on your feet but the type that would have you as an appetizer . We have a three hour drive back to the airport and have found out we are going to be crossing a bridge known for crocodiles hanging in the water below. Well we were not disappointed they were everywhere you looked. Sharing the stream were some long legged birds that didn't seem afraid in the least of them. We sure did a lot in our short visit to Costa Rica."The Happiest Country Around The World"

Day #116 Sailing Away

Once again up early for a full day of deep sea fishing. We  are greeted by the  Squirrel  monkeys as we wake up on our bancony. Because of a really bad experience with  seasickness years ago I am hesitant to go but hope for the best adding saltines (soda crackers) just in case.  Hour and a half out the six poles , and three teaser baits go in the water. It's now a wait and see game. About 4 hours later ""ZING" Bill reels in a Wahoo . It's a keeper that they fillet and put in the ice chest. An hour passes and "ZING" it's Bob turn to fight a Sailfish. Bob is Slimmed by the fish since we want a photo op and the sailfish is turned loose the be caught another day. Arriving back at the villa we all enjoy our last sunset in Costa Rica from the balcony . Oh by the way no one got seasick. YAY !! 

Day #115 Tropical Forest

  

Another breakfast on the beach followed by a  guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. Saw my first two and three toe sloths sleeping high in the trees. The guides carry large telescopes on tripods so you get a really good view of all the wildlife they find. None of the deadly snakes were spotted but that was fine by me. A late afternoon at the beach relaxing and kayaking followed by a sunset at the pool. Went out for a lovely dinner . Seems like all the restaurants are open air with ceiling but no real walls and the very small kitchens are visible so you can watch the chefs prepare your meal. I for one would have preferred air conditioning over the ceiling fans....Food was excellent 

Day #114 Monkeys All Around

What a great first day in Costa Rica . Breakfast on the beach with Iguanas just strolling around.... A walk through jungle paths looking for monkeys and hoping to not come across any snakes. No luck on paths but as we get close to our villa "MONKEYS". The heat, humidity and sweat forgotten as the pictures are being snapped . It was just amazing . Reaching our villa in the trees we are treated to these same monkeys on our deck. An ATV tour in the jungle and watching the sunset at the pool . Too tired to go out to dinner we have a wonderful pizza delivered to the villa and enjoy it on the baloney .  What a perfect day in the jungle. 

Day #113 In the Sky So High

Off we go to Costa Rica for a short vacation. Was a long day of travel and didn't arrive at resort till after dark so will start off vacation with a cloud picture. It could have been the Enterprise Shuttle since we taxied right beside it and the pilot even stopped and let us get pictures from our window seats. 

Day #112 Morning Dew

Up early with things to do. Was walking around side of yard to the back and as I opened gate and happened to turn around I noticed all the dew glistening in the rising sunlight. Went in the get my camera and try to capture what I was seeing. Putting camera in the grass I take a few shots and head back in. Next time I also need to bring something to put camera on because the dew is now all over the bottom of my camera. TOWEL !!!!

Day #111 Tribute

This bike stands out on the fence line of Butlers Orchard Farm along the road I travel to work. Today was the day I finally pulled over. As I sit and download the card to my computer I notice some writing under the white paint. I goggled the name I learn the story behind the bike. He was an avid biker on his way home when hit by a drunk driver. This driver had no business behind the wheel as it was his second DWI charge, this one deadly. It has been two years that I have been looking at this memorial. It is a sunny clear day but going though different presets in lightroom I think this is pretty close on how my eyes view this bike. A sad side to life.

Day #110 Nose 2 Nose Shuttles

What a great day at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Two shuttles, more than two dozen astronauts including retired senator-astronaut John Glenn, so much to see, so many people. It was just amazing and mostly because for this challenge I thought to go. It was really hard to pick a picture but I did and here it is. Welcome to your new home Discovery and goodbye Enterprise I'm sure you'll like it in New York.....

Day #109 Hello Again

Like a chameleon I change my looks. I am very deep rooted and you can find me everywhere. Children love to pick me and send my seeds a flying. No worries I will be back and multiplying . I start as a field of yellow that turns a lovely white. They call me the Mighty Dandelion and I am a gardeners fright....Hello Again Day #87 you look lovely in white. Was a rainy lazy day can you tell....

Day #108 Tax Day 2012

In the United States, TAX DAY is a colloquial term for the day on which individual income tax returns are due to the federal government. It usually happens on the 15th of April but we got two extra days this year because the 15th fell on a Sunday and Monday was the 150th anniversary of D.C.'s emancipation, which is a federal holiday. Only a few post offices extend their hours because so many people file on line now and this is one of them. The car behind the mail truck is a police car with all it's lights on. Their are police directing the traffic in and out of the post office. Looks like a lot of people still procrastinate and wait till the last minute. I passed it at 6 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. Didn't have my POTD yet so while I was stopped at the light I grabbed my camera and took a couple shots. Some days are better than others.

Day #107 King Of The Flower

It got to 93 degrees today in the shade. Not normal weather for April.  Finally put away Easter and just straighten the house. Walked out back to get a picture before I had to take off to bowling. This ground cover is in bloom and has spread all over the backyard. The bees seem to love in. This big guy finally took a little break on top and I was able to snapped his picture then off to bowling I went.

Day #106 Welcome Come On Back

A new week agains .Thought I'd show my personal path, not to my life but to my wonderful backyard. Right now the azaleas are starting to bloom and the dogwood is hanging in there, just waiting on the Clematis. Was a lazy Sunday just hangin around the house. Even got a nap in. Such a different look then Day #21 in the snow.

Day #105 Now That's A Red Head

This morning Bob called for me to look out the window. This big guy was at the feeder right by the window. Grabbing my camera and checking the setting he flew off... darn... but Bob spotted him landing on the suet feeder down in the yard so out the front door I went and quietly headed to the back going into my neighbors yard to get a better view and hopefully not scare him off. Boy is he so much bigger then the little ones we have seen. Getting my bird guide out he is a Pileated Woodpecker and Bob has named him "Woody" , I call him my POTD. After taking his picture we took off to a chili cookoff which I had planned on making my POTD. We did had a great time and it was so fun sampling all the different chili booths and trying to remember which I liked the most so I could go back and put my little stone in their cup. The booth with the most stones wins.....

Day #104 Deer Me

While I really had hoped the do something with a Friday 13th theme it just didn't happen. While taking a late walk on the path behind the house we meet up with a group of deer. Usually they bolt as soon as they hear us coming. For some reason they just kept on eating mostly ignoring us. Friday the 13th happens again in July so I'll try again.....

Day #103 Following the Beauty Of Nature

Went back to Brookside Gardens today. It's an award-winning 50-acre public display garden . Included in the gardens are several distinct areas: Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children's Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden and the Woodland Walk. The Formal Gardens areas include a Perennial Garden, Yew Garden, the Maple Terrace, and Fragrance Garden. Brookside Gardens also feature two conservatories for year-round enjoyment. While I went for tulip pictures and I got some great shots, this shot turned out to be my favorite. Guess I'm just a girl that loves a path..... 

Day #102 Cloud Surfer

Heading home after a lunch date with my girlfriend Peggy and the sky was amazing. Got home grabbed my camera and back out the door I went. The rain clouds were battling it out with the sun. You can see some were winning the battle but in the end the sun won and the dark clouds retreated. Came home put the SD card in the computer to see what I got and was amazed to see this guy surfing the clouds. Is it just me or can you see him to?

Day #101 Lovely in Purple

Drove past this home on Sunday evening and knew I needed to come back. Not sure how long wisteria blooms so I didn't wait long. It's located along a pretty busy country road with nowhere to pull over and not sure they'd want me parking on their property I had a little walk to get to it. This wisteria really stood out against the white which seems to be some kind of stucco over the original brick. Looks like it's been growing a long, long time and it was just lovely. Wonder if they still turn on those christmas lights that are stung along the balcony. Looked pretty with the clouds but any higher and the annoying but necessary phone lines come into play.

Day #100 The Wait Is On ....

First off OMGosh one hundred days and thousands of pictures later. My camera and I have become best friends.Oh the places I've been and the things I've done to get a picture....I am enjoying this challenge and at times wonder who am I. Which brings me the todays photo. Bob has been working in the yard for weeks now with the warm weather and has found three Pray Mantis egg cases. This is one of them.
Each praying mantis egg case will hatch about 100-200 tiny mantises, all at once. In order to hatch they'll need several weeks of warm weather, so they can "sense" that summer (and pest insects for food) has arrived. Sometimes it takes up to eight weeks of warm weather for them to hatch. Hoping to get lucky and get a picture of them hatching.

Day #99 After The Hunt

We had a great time at my brother in laws for Easter Dinner. First on the agenda was an easter egg hunt in the backyard. The eggs were filled with candy, coins, and even for the lucky few five dollar bills. I think they had just as much fun opening the eggs as finding them. The after math of all the open eggs spread out on the floor caught my eye. All the eggs were made whole again and put into a huge plastic tub to be ready for next years hunting......HAPPY EASTER

Day #98 Off The The Races , Egg Races That Is

If you advertise they will come and come and come...... A local church held an Easter Egg Extravaganza and boy was it. They must have had a zillion plastic eggs and they would end up needing every one of them.  It was the kind of hunt I remember as a child but they had so much more. There were big bouncy castles, games and free pizza. It was great to see so many families out spending the day together.

No one paid any attention to me taking pictures probably because every other adult there was holding a camera....

Day #97 Happy Good Friday

Seems appropriate that my Dogwood Tree is in full bloom and the sun is shining down on it. One meaning behind the dogwood tree :

“The dogwood was the tree chosen to construct the Cross that would be used to take the body of Jesus. Even though His body may have been taken from this earth, His spirit remains and every spring we are blessed with a reminder of the events that unfolded on that fateful weekend. The blooms often appear in the shape of a Cross with holes in the tips of the pedals signifying the nails that were driven into the Cross. If you look closely at these holes you can notice a faint red stain representing the Blood. In the center you will find a green bloom symbolizing the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus. After the Crucifixion, God proclaimed that dogwood trees would never grow large ever again. This is the reason the trunks of dogwoods are skinny and often branch off low on the trunk. The dogwood is more than a tree…it is a representation of life. With every spring we are reminded of what God did for us and given the chance to be reborn and start a new life as “children of God”. (John 3:1)”

Day #96 Froggy Went A Courting

Day 63 Froggy Jamboree has turned into a sea of tadpoles. I did notice the glob of eggs back then and even have a picture of them at that stage.  I noticed them on Tuesday and have been trying to get an interesting shot of them for three days. The reflection and shadows on the water are a challenge. I went under the foot bridge rail so I could hopefully get a better shot. There are literally hundreds of them. It's going to be fun watching them turned into frogs.

Day #95 Wild Along The Path

Back to my Path week theme. There are quite a few wildflowers growing along the path. Todays walk focused on them. So many lovely colors and shapes. Looking through my shots this was one of my favorites.

Wild Voilets....... How can you call this a weed?????

Day #94 Union Reunion

Four years in the blink of an eye. Back we go to the DC Armory to vote on a new contract. With the economy really taking a nose dive and non union competition rising at a fever pace just didn't know what the contract would hold. Surprisingly nothing taken away and even a forty five cent a hour raise. While some were not happy I for one thought it was very good. The only minus was our normal four year contact is only eighteen months this time. We were told it was because no one knows what the outcome of the Obama Health Care Bill will be in 2014. Was a good morning that ended with a great group of friends/coworkers at the IHop for breakfast/lunch.

Day #93 Following The Path

Thinking about making this a path theme week of pictures. Went back early this morning to get some shots of the wildflowers I saw yesterday. If I'd thought it out I would have realized they would be all closed up waiting to open with the warming of the sun. Maybe tomorrows picture. Did get to see the deer eating and the birds singing. As I snapped a few pictures I really liked how the shadow fell in the middle of the bridge and how the light is breaking through at the end.

Day #92 Woodland floor Springs To life

Have been watching this grow for weeks while taking our daily walk on the path. It was really the first thing I noticed that was bringing the ground out of it's winter brown color if you don't count the moss which stayed green all winter. It is called Skunk cabbage and insects love it but it is toxic to humans. If you break it I am told it smells like bad meat. Think I'll take they're word for it . I think they are interesting and pretty to look at though. I was surprised to see two mallard ducks in the little stream today .