SHS Photo Challenge 55

I was just not feeling the hunt this week and had settled it with myself that it was okay to just take a little break.  It's been such an emotional week at home and abroad and I was finding it hard to focus on the prompts.  Then I visited Ramblings and Photos just to enjoy what others had posted and wouldn't you know, you all inspired me to get it together.  Kathy who blogs at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, was struggling to put the hunt together this week too, but her words were what finally persuaded me to get back on board.  (Love her work and her sense of humour.)

So, here's what I've got . . .

1. Wild

 Though nothing even remotely comparable to what the east coast of the US experienced this past week, the weather here was a little on the wild side with high winds and rain, rain and more rain.  These lovely bright leaves were no match for the gusty winds and were cast to the ground in random splotches of red.

2.  Welcome

 A short reprieve from the incessant rain was a welcome sight and produced a glorious going down of the sun and a rainbow just minutes after I took this shot.  I was in the car so didn't catch the rainbow with the camera.

3.  Adventure

 She looks sooo innocent, doesn't she?  Don't be fooled.  Shortly after this photo was taken, Gracie rode shotgun while her partner in crime, Zack, dove into the bag where a skein of wool was resting while Alison worked on her knitting loom.  With a mouthful of wool, he high-tailed it across the main floor, up the staircase, down the hall and into the back bedroom.  I heard the outbreak of laughter from my suite and went to investigate.  I followed the line of soft orange yarn from the den, through the kitchen, over to the staircase, up the stairs, down the hall and into the back room where I found the miscreant kittens feigning ignorance of the crime.  Such grand adventures they have, these little fur-babies.

4.  Vibrant

The freshly fallen leaves are more vibrant than those that have been down a while longer.

5. Classic

And now for a little archived humour . . . the classic "Pee-Pee Dance". 

Taken at the Pacific National Exhibition in August.  The line-ups for the washrooms were quite long at times.

SHS Photo Challenge 37

Well tonight we put the month of June 2012 to bed for good . . . how did that happen so fast?  Tomorrow we celebrate Canada's birthday and will be checking out the happenings at Millenium Park in Cloverdale, BC.  We have been missing the sunny weather in these here parts so praying it doesn't rain on our parade tomorrow.  So lets get on with it . . .

1.  Sunset

 This fiery sunset is from the archives  . . . the Serpentine Fen is a local bird sanctuary and wildlife area.  I used to drive by here on my way to work every night and saw many a glorious sunset.

2.  Sweet

 Celebrating an 80th birthday with a great grandmother was sweet, the cake was sweet but the sweetest thing was taking part in a skype video call to my granddaughters in Ontario.  Great grandma Joan is not able to travel by plane anymore and so had not even met the youngest two.  The last time I saw them was 15 months ago and I sure do miss them.  Definitely the highlight of my week.

3.  Hanging Around

 This little birdhouse is hanging in my little garden patio area.  I am sure it is meant purely for decorative purposes but I sure would love to see some visitors peeking out the window.  
Maybe I have to be up at 3:00 am to greet them.

4.  Funny Face

 I found this funny pouty-face bowl at my daughters and filled it with parsley to give it a fancy hairdo.

5.  Space

I am convinced that Gracie thinks this space is reserved for her alone.  We call it the Orange Throne and Gracie thinks she is the queen.  It is the most comfortable chair in my daughter's den and she manages to snag it all the time.  She does not like to share and gives quite the indignant looks when she is shooed away.
Looking forward to seeing what you all are bringing to the link-up.

Quarterly Top 5 Photos - Pet Edition

Since my kidlets are all grown up, I am working with Gracie Lou 

(aka Honey Bear, Lou Lou, Baby Lou, Bubby) for my top picks of April, May and June.

She is a Himalayan Ragdoll and will be 2 years old in August.

Linking with Ashley at Ramblings and Photos.

I really like this shot because you can see how special she is with her extra toes on her front paws. 

 I like the light shining on her head and ears, too.

This is one of my all time favourites of Gracie . . . vegging on top of Auntie Shannon's cat tower. 

 She seems to be saying "Get that camera out of my face!"

This is so typical of her for many hours of the day.  She can see the bird feeder from the window and hears all their chitter-chattering calls.  She is quite content to stay there and quietly catch them in her imagination.  She is a totally inside cat as ragdoll's are not good outdoors (can't defend themselves).

Pink is for girl's right?  Her buddy Zack curled up on a blue towel the same day.  My daughter was doing laundry and the cats love to snuggle up on the sorted loads.  Too cute!

I had been snapping shots in the garden and as I was coming in I saw her in the window, wide-eyed and watching.  You can see the little snag in the curtains from her claws, but she is getting much better.  When she was much younger she pulled several sets of curtains down.  

This little girl has brought so much joy and laughter to me.  There is not a day goes by that she doesn't make me smile.  She is a good listener and seems to understand a lot of what I say.  She comes when she is called most of the time but I don't know if she is really obedient or just terribly curious. 

SHS Photo Challenge 32

Wishing a happy Memorial Day weekend to all my American friends.  There should be some great photo opportunities out there as you celebrate with family and friends.

This week's hunt came together for me much quicker than usual and it kind of surprised me as I thought the prompts were quite challenging at first glance.

1. Beneath Your Feet

As more and more time passes since my surgery (6 months now), I am finding myself more adventurous and spontaneous about stopping to get the shot.  I had seen this beautiful tree (below) when I drove home from church last Sunday and thought to myself "I must go and get some shots of that".  This week, as I was really close to that same location, I just did it . . . parked my car and trekked up close to the tree.  When I was done, I headed back to my car, but I turned for just one more shot. And then I looked down . . . and there it was, beneath my feet . . . perfect!

A little research tells me this flowering shrub is called "Laburnum Anagyriodes" and can grow to 7 metres in height.  It's common name is Golden Chain or Golden Rain, and is sometimes referred to as 'false ebony' as the wood from very old specimens can be used in place of ebony.

2.  Showing Movement

When a water hose was left on in the neighbour's yard it created a flash flood in ours.

  This little fellow took a dip in the temporary pond and splashed around creating ripples in the water.  

So kind of them both (the neighbour and the birdie) to help out with this prompt.

3.  Texture

The way the sun was shining on this clematis blossom it gave the petals a sparkling velvety texture.

4.  Face Your Fears

I had to face my fear of being stung to get this shot.  

This busy bee was in nectar heaven and paid me no mind, thank goodness.

5.  Currently

Currently, Gracie's favourite pastime is bird-watching . . . she takes after her mama.

Linking with Ashley and friends at Ramblings & Photos for . . .

Gracie

A blogging friend, Craig, at Deep Into Love and Deep Into Scripture asked me if I have pictures of my kitten, Gracie on my blog.  As the answer is no, I figure I had best rectify that.  She was a Christmas gift to me from my daughter and she has been another one of the ways God speaks to me. 

In my younger days, I did not like cats . . . I was even known to use the "h" word.  Cats were snooty, independent, unaffectionate . . . I would definitely never own a cat.  When my kids were little, we moved to a small community (population 400-ish) out in the country and soon discovered I had to make a choice about which I preferred - cats or mice.  Shasta came on the scene and quickly took care of the problem.  As long as she was around, the mice stayed out of the house. But I didn't like her . . . not one bit.  I was grateful that she controlled the rodent population but . . . did I mention I didn't like her.  When my daughter was diagnosed with asthma and allergies (including cats) it became apparent that the inside cat would have to become an outdoor cat. 

And thus began a battle royal.  I would put the cat outside and it seemed like before I even had the door closed she was back in.  Somehow she was able to get under the house and come up through the floor where the well pump was in a back room. I was livid.  Over and over I would toss her out and that darn cat always got back in.  We finally had to give her away and I was more adamant than ever . . . I did not like cats and would never own another.

Then I met Chloe, a friend's cat, who, inexplicably, liked me . . . even loved me. Every time I would visit, Chloe would come right up to me, jump in my lap, head-butt me, looking for scratches and snuggles. It would seem that, perhaps, I had misjudged cats. I started to like THIS cat who had softened my heart towards her kind of critters.

Which got my daughter and friend to thinking that a kitten would be a great present for me. 
They were right . . . she's purr-fect!
She is a Himalayan/Ragdoll with six toes on each of her front paws.

She makes me laugh so much.
     (a merry heart is good medicine)
She follows me around and loves to be close to me.
     (I will never leave you or forsake you)
She relentlessly goes after pesky flies when they get in the unscreened window.
     (Spiritual warfare anyone)

So without further ado, I give you,
Gracie . . .

Me and my auntie Shannon . . . my first day with my new mommy.

When I was little - 4 months.

Aren't I just the cutest!



Mommy . . . pay attention to me!




One of my favourite sitting spots.



Sometimes I let Mommy sit in MY chair.

I like to sleep here when Mommy works on her computer.

I like to sleep a lot!

I love to help Mommy with her sewing.

I help Mommy with crocheting, too.
(well really I just want the hook or the scissors or the yarn).

I remind Mommy to check her daybook and write notes.
(But I really just want to play with the pen)

 Sometimes we check out blogs together and I try to catch that wiggly thing.

This is my buddy Zack . . .  I live in the basement suite, he lives in the main house. 
We have lots of fun together and sometime we fight or get into mischief. 
One time we were playing in the windowsill and got caught in the curtains and pulled them down and bent the curtain rod. But Mommy didn't even yell at us, she just laughed and fixed it.

Isn't she wonderful!

P.S.   Craig, I think we are both right . . . I don't own another cat . . . Gracie OWNS me!  And it is good!