THE LETTER S ~ SUNRISE

THE LETTER S ~ SUNRISE

It is said there is no yesterday, tomorrow has not yet arrived and we have only today, the present.  To see the new day arrive lifts the spirit.  We may not always be in a place as beautiful as this when it begins, or clouds may cover the horizon we see, yet it is always right to be thankful to have been gifted another day.  

Today is Earth Day, we have a responsibility to ensure sunrises and sunsets are there for all who follow us.

 

THANKFUL THURSDAY ~ from the Sunshine State

ARTEMIS may not have launched, but it was still a glorious morning along the Indian River, sharing the excitement with an enthusiastic gathering of 'rocket-heads' from near and far.  Sunrise over the Atlantic just beyond was spectacular and anticipation was thick in the air with each passing moment as everyone shared what they knew, cell phone information, emailing photos back and forth, laughing, telling their own stories.  For all on this day it was not to be.  For me though, memories of dozens of launches over twenty-plus years of living there remain vivid and as I have also been witness to a loss, a hold and a scrub is always far, far better than the latter.  

It will happen, just on another day, with another crowd of 'rocket-heads' who will hold their collective breath and feel the earth move beneath their feet.  

Yet I am so very thankful, as this quick flight and visit to central Florida offered something else very special ~ I had not seen my son, daughter in law, and two grandchildren ~ since pre-pandemic days.  So the time spent with them, well I really have no words except to say it did my heart good, very good.  Thankful, yes.

And I am very thankful to my dear friend, Dee, who had the idea for us to just up and go do this ~ and made it happen!  Thank you wrapped up in love.

With my son ~ with my grands (photobombed by Fiona).

Dee and I console Fiona who did not win the family Scrabble game, 

while Chewy sulks over his poor score ~ and the winner [tall boy in yellow t-shirt] still stands

smiling proudly in the background.  

PS See sidebar for September Events & Badges Link!

IS IT SAFE YET?

Wild turkeys, photographed on a nature walk during a visit in Florida.

 

OVER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE

~ DIO ~

The First Grand Dog

Born October 2005 ~ Adopted December 2006 ~ Over the Rainbow Bridge June 5, 2020

During my many years of living in Florida (on the East coast) and going over to the Orlando area to visit my son, daughter in law and two grandchildren ~ I'd always enjoy a cuddle and hug with this big ole teddy-bear of a dog, Dio.  The one-ear-up Dio!  

I do not think there is a photo in my files of Dio, alone or with either of my grands, taken during his 14-years, where there is not one-ear-up and one-ear down: t'was his signature look!  And his signature behavior: soft and gentle, laid back, loving.  But his time came, 

as it does for all.  Farewell, handsome boy.  May you rest well and healthy, beyond the rainbow.  You were loved.

FRIDAY FLASHBACK

Once upon a time in Florida ... a little kid and a little kit.

June 2010

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: TWO HISSY KITS

Below ~ a series of photos from Summer 2009 ~ Maggy and Zoey, physically near one another (unusual, to say the least) on the back porch of our Florida home.  It's been well reported on this blog over the years that these two kitty girls, though house mates for many years only just tolerated each other.  Rarely fighting, once in awhile hissing and the occasional swat in passing was about the most action experienced between the two.  Never any cuddles or affection.  Maggy, in particular, was not at all a happy cat when Zoey entered her territory ... and thus became their story.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Sharing space ... PIP and ZOEY, side by side ... 

 These two, along with TK will enjoy another three months or so of Florida breezes ... while the ZH

will return to the (cold?) North this coming weekend.  It's been a good month, lots of relaxing, no

obligations to do much of anything!  Weather not always quite as warm or sunny as one might

want it to be ... but hey, far better than the northern climes!  

So will soon exchange clothing covered with kitty-fur, for clothing covered with doggy-fur!

An okay trade as I've admittedly much missed my grand boy and the grand dog.

Thank you, Ms Dee for a wonderful month, and a great winter break ... I will now be missing you!

Today, we'll join Brian's Thankful Thursday, as we've been thankful for each and

every day we've been given this past month, and all the wonderful times each day brought ...

A LOOK BACK AT HOLIDAYS PAST

A few favorite posts from holidays past ...

Maggy, Glass Block Window, Florida, Snowflakes Photoshopped.

Zoey, Shall I "Get" That Tree? Photoshopped.

Maggy, "I am NOT a Grinch.  Then, maybe I am!"  Photoshopped.

Once upon a Christmas in Florida.  Photoshopped.

Zoey, Christmas tree lights glow.  Photoshopped.

 

FRIDAY ~ FLORIDA ~ FLASHBACK

When I lived in Florida (until 2013), and where I lived, we welcomed many

feral kitties into our care.  Now, living in a very urban area I rarely see them

and do miss them.

Today, I salute a little one I remember well, and with the popularity of STAR WARS 

it seemed appropriate to invite this kitty for a sequel ...

Easy to see how the name came to be ...

A little Zoolatry feral kit back in 2012.

SATURDAY ~ ~ CATURDAY

A favorite day for us ~ searching photo files, playing with our PhotoArt ~ 

old photos revisited and reworked!  

That's Saturday Caturday!

Maybe each image here will fit for CATURDAY ART, sponsored weekly by

Athena and Marie, as each involved some photoshop work.   

 The middle two photos are "framed", the word 

this week for 52 SNAPSHOTS of LIFE at the Lazy Pit Bull.

And our final image is "crimson" for this weeks PHOTO HUNT.

 

 CATURDAY ART

Well, no ~ it's not a kitty cat, but rather a photo of my

sweet granddaughter from years past.  This week it's been raining a lot here where we live, and

this image came to memory of the time when she learned to enjoy being out in the rain!  We've

enhanced the original with photoshop tools to strengthen the effect of the falling rain.

FRAMED

Above: once upon a time the grands had "built" a stage and we were getting all the Curious George

stuffed toys and puppets ready for our "Broadway show" ... and naturally, who wanted to be

center stage?  The opening act?  None other than Curious Zoey!

Below:  this had always been an absolute favorite shot of my first grandson,

... he had looked toward me from the inside of a playground "playhouse",

and the sunshine created amazing eyelash-shadows on his beautiful face.  

All the background was removed with photoshop so emphasis remained on his face,

and "framing" was done in a very simple manner.

 PHOTO HUNT ~ CRIMSON

Crimson leaves among the gold.  Autumn.  Walk in the woods, they crunch under your feet.

Light and color fall through the trees.  The air is sweet.

A little girl, an enhanced image of my

granddaughter from years past searches for treasures ...

A VERY PERSONAL SUNDAY SELFIE

At this time of year, I find the "light in my attic" shining into some of its darker, dustier corners. It seems not all that long ago my life was downsized from a large home full of the collections of people and pets, marriage, family and life ... what remained was placed into a few small memory boxes, soon thereafter to travel on a moving van northward, as new chapters in my life began ...

"We must let go of the life we have planned, 

      so as to accept the one that is waiting for us."      

Joseph Campbell

In my head-and-heart I tucked away the rest.  Over time, there has been a startling realization about grief.  It may ease,  it does not leave.  What often hurts, what is sad ~ and I now tell myself this, so I will remember it with care and concern for others who live with loss ~ there is the time that arrives when no one else goes up to the attic anymore, no one else turns a light on up there, pushes aside the cobwebs, dusts away the dust ... With the passage of time, the listening ears for your grief move on.  I guess that's OK, life does move on, for all of us.  But right now, for me, memories are sharp, clear, they are not years-ago memories. They are last week, they are yesterday ...

November 2011 

"Let's do a photo of us with Mags and Zoey"  he says.  

"OK" I respond, "and then maybe we can even put in on a Christmas card if I Photoshop some Santa hats on it!"   

Of course, if we actually thought the photo would turn out decently, we might have dressed a little bit better . . .

And of course, had I known it would be the last photo of us, together with the kitties . . .

And of course, had I known it would be our last Christmas together . . .

The Cat On My Head Sunday Selfie Blog Hop

THANKFUL THURSDAY Blog Hop

Florida vacation photo ~

During an early morning drive along Black Point Drive through the

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge we came across this rather large

fellow enjoying his "cat nap" in a "sunpuddle".

Thankful there were no real cats napping in real sun puddles nearby ... 

HELLO, FRIENDS

We've said goodbye to sunshine and palm trees ~ we've said farewell to 

TK, and Pip and sweet Dee ~ 

and given Zoey a last cuddle and chin-scritch for awhile.  

Now back to falling snow!

What a wonderful vacation it was ...

FLORIDA MEMORIES