Monthly Archives: August 2016

Morning Hibiscus: Flower of the Day Aug 8, 2016

Can’t resist this last photo of my hibiscus in the early morning light.

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https://ceenphotography.com/2016/08/07/flower-of-the-day-august-8-2016-china-doll-dahlia/

Paint Theory

Paint Theory

Nature abounds in color.
On everything in sight,
the only colors you won’t see 
are boring black and white.

Yet minimalists love what’s spare:
black and white and gray.
A splash of color here and there
is enough, they say.

I agree restraint is best
where decorating goes.
There should be some rules
concerning where paint flows.

On walls and cabinets and floors,
on doorknobs, furniture and doors,
The only place where you should paint
is anywhere where pigment ain’t!

 

(The photos below may best be seen by clicking on the first one and then the arrows.)

 

 

 

 

 

The Prompt word today was “Paint.”

Potential: Flower of the Day, August 7, 2016

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I’m sure by the time I see this hibiscus bud again, it will have burst out into the light of day.  I love the potential bound up in this photo.

https://ceenphotography.com/2016/08/06/flower-of-the-day-august-7-2016-dahlia/

Jalisco Morning

Jalisco Morning

First the sky opens up as the sun rises, then the flowers do!

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/morning-2016/

Stubborn as a . . . .

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Stubborn as a . . . .

I must admit I’m stubborn, argumentative and such.
All these adverse qualities have me in their clutch.
But my mother’s from Missouri and my dad’s family is Dutch,
so they’re  the ones to blame for it, thank you very much!

If you call it tenacity it ends up sounding better.
I go from being mulish to being a go-getter,
and my stubborn tendencies cease to be a fetter.
They serve me as an asset instead of as a debtor.

As dogged as a pit bull,  determined as a cat.
A bull can be most bullish, you can’t argue much with that.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,
and nothing’s stubborn as a pig, no matter what you think.

So if you say I’m mulish, it’s neither here nor there.
Stubborn is one quality that’s not so very rare.
And when you point a finger and say I’m being rancorous,
the animal you’re channeling might be just as cantankerous!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/stubborn/

Translucent: Flower of the Day, August 6, 2016

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https://ceenphotography.com/2016/08/05/flower-of-the-day-august-6-2016-roses/

Hibiscus: Flower of the Day, Aug. 5, 2016

I went out three times to photograph a hibiscus bush with many blooms in different stages, but both of the first two times, no photos showed up on the SD card.  So strange.  When I went out a third time, I checked to be sure I was getting images and I did capture a number of beautiful shots, but when I saw this one, I knew the reason the others hadn’t worked was because the sun wasn’t in the right position earlier for me to capture this shadow of the pistil and stamen.  I think I’m in the process of acquiring a photographic muse.  Hope she gets along with my writing muse, who demands to be the boss!

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https://ceenphotography.com/2016/08/04/flower-of-the-day-august-5-2016-dahlia/

In Praise of the Party Mexicano!!!

I simply have to say a few words of praise about the ability of my Mexican friends and neighbors to party!  I’m accustomed to hearing the parties going on around me every weekend, sometimes until 6 a.m., but for the first time I had a party that wasn’t comprised entirely of older (my age) American and Canadian and Mexican guests, who usually depart politely by 9 or earlier if the party started earlier.

My party for those who helped with Campamento Estrella, however, consisted of an even number of “mature” gringos and young Mexican adults ready to PARTY!  After making two gallons of frozen margaritas, I for fun put two full bottles of tequila and shot glasses on each of the long tables I’d shoved together for the party to create one looooong table.  Perhaps someone would like a shot or to add a little strength to my somewhat weak margaritas.

At that time, I thought there would be 20 of us, but stomach flu and dengue fever and other illnesses depleted the number by half so we had LOTS to eat, luckily, which seemed to lessen the effect of two gallons of margaritas and the entire contents of the two bottles of tequila on the tables that disappeared during the 4 1/2 hours of the party.

Yes, we did shots.  Yes, when we lost the shot glasses, we ended up pouring the tequila into our mouths from 6 inches or so above our baby bird mouths, the crowd chanting “Judy, Judy, Judy, Judy!’ or whatever name was appropriate. Yes, we all wound up in the pool–at least Agustin, I and the “kids” did––still waterfalling tequila.  By then we’d gone through the good stuff and were down to the smokier reposado which is the scotch of tequila and not my thing.

Needless to say, even after sending food home with Yolanda and two of the Anglo guests who had to depart before the final course, (We’d had so many flautas and so much guacamole with before dinner drinks that everyone had to rest up a few hours before dinner.) I still have an entire huge pan of enchiladas, a quart of beans and an entire flan and salad left over so what’s a girl to do?  This afternoon I’m having three friends over for Mexican Train and enchiladas with all the trimmings.  One of the ladies asked if she should bring wine.  “No!”  (I still have ten bottles I bought for the party, passed over in lieu of tequila.)  Another asked could she bring any food.  “No!!”  I still have three dozen enchiladas, guacamole, salad, frijoles refritos, salsa and flan. No one gets into this house bringing more food or liquid refreshment. No one gets out until the food, at least, is all gone.

So here it is folks, my photo essay in PRAISE of the Mexican talent for PARTY.  Not so many photos as I was pretty busy making up more frozen margaritas and well, yeah–finding extra swimsuits for 7 people and dodging tequila shots.  And no, not a headache nor any hangover this morning.  I suggest Hornitos as a really good brand of tequila. The bottles went out with the morning trash, but here is a photo of the cap I saved for my scrapbook wall:

Here are a few shots of the enthusiastic guests.  No doubt they’ve already posted videos of the party on their Facebook pages, but I’m going to make do with these shots frozen in time:

(If you’d like to view them in a larger size and read captions, click on the first photo and arrows.)

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/praise/

In Praise of Photography

I love this poem by kStan(ly)’s blog.  Here are the first few lines:

Magnified Magnificence

you picture takers
photo kings
who share with us
who give us wings
who brave the world
to play with light
i’ve become
your acolyte

If you’d like to read the entire poem, go here:
https://kstanlyksays.wordpress.com/2016/08/03/magnified-magnificence/

Surprise Gift: Flower of the Day Aug 4, 2016

This little lady came up volunteer this year right where I can see her every time I leave my house by the kitchen door.  I love the surprise of seeing her for the second time this year. She is just two inches across at her widest part. If she’d been any place else but where she is, I would have overlooked her for sure.  Thanks, nature, for another surprise!
(It’s obvious the bees have been loving her as well.)

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