The eclipse hasn't been very exciting here: we're far outside the path of totality, and now (about 2-1/2 hours into it) the eclipse has been rather disappointing.

Today is my daughter's birthday. She and her husband are traveling east; he partly for work and she as a vacation.

For several days I've been keeping my eye on a budding yellow rose, hoping it would blossom nicely on a day with good light. Today was that day...

   

I realize that the blue on the leaf may be somewhat distracting, but I think it adds to the photo's appeal so I didn't tone it down.

Blessings to all on this beautiful Sunny Sunday.
All the trees are blossoming, it is just beautiful around here.
Yesterday's SMILE ONE SATURDAY FLICKR challenge was "blossoms".   I thought about posting some blossoms that I photographed last year and didn't know how I could make the image clever or original.  So, I decided to use one of last year's photos and just add some artistic flair. You know my weakness is my passion.  I figured all of the blossom photos would look alike on the FLICKR stream, and I think I was right, except a few.
So, here is to something different.  Topaz was used for the manipulation. 

Have a great day all.

lorell

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Another weekend is almost here. I hope it's a safe and productive one for all.

The last photo I posted showed a colorfully sunlit succulent - one of three potted ones that my wife placed temporarily on an overturned plastic trash can in our inner front yard.

Here is another of those three, taken on a different day (yesterday) in a completely different light...

   

I like the variety of soft greens, complemented by the reds.

Happy Hump Day.

I hope none of you suffered harm or damage from the brutal weather affecting central to eastern US.

On a miserable morning somewhere around 2009, I spotted this poor bird huddling under some wide leaves a few paces from my front door, seeking shelter from the elements - it had rained all morning and the temps were in the low 40s (4 to 5 C).

I dashed inside for a towel and my camera, quickly took a few photos, and gently wrapped the bird in the towel. It seemed to want to stay where I found it so I left it there, hoping it would survive. i checked on it every 15 minutes or so and after about an hour it had apparently recuperated enough to discard the towel fly off into the now rain-free and warming day.

   

Sending you all a message on this 1857 Telegraph Key

.- .--. .-. .. .-.. / ..-. --- --- .-.. ...

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Good evening all.
I have been busy sewing.  I just finished two quilts for friends of ours son who just had his second baby.  I made a quilt for the new baby and a NAP Quilt for the 2-year-old.  It was fun and I get a lot of satisfaction from sewing.

Here is a photo from when I visited the local community college exhibition, Freedom Confirmed.    Although no battles occurred on state soil, Michigan residents played a crucial role in the American Civil War. There were many items like the drum below that were on display.   It was fun to learn why Michigan's role in the war was both important and heroic.

Unfortunately, the majority of the items were all under plexiglass.  It was quite a challenge to deal with the lighting, glare, and reflections.  

The info card in front of the drum said the following:
THIS DRUM BELONGED TO 13-YEAR-OLD WILLIE YOUNG. MOST YOUNG PEOPLE WHO JOINED THE ARMY AS DRUMMER BOYS ENLISTED WITH THEIR FATHER OR BROTHER.  WILLIE YOUNG ENLISTED TOTALLY ON HIS OWN. 

Can you imagine?

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TGIF, folks.

Spotted on one of my walks yesterday...

   

More rain coming here to SoCal - supposed to start around midnight tonight, with the heaviest tomorrow morning, and lasting through mid-day Sunday. As usual the inland areas north and east of me will get hit much harder; most likely some of these areas will experience fallen trees; flash floopds, and landslides that block roads.

Nearing the end of another week and month. How has March passed so quickly?

This photo (from 4 days ago) looks as if it was taken in the dark and using a flash. But no - the sun had just risen past the roofs of the houses to the east and lit this small rose bush...

   

Somehow the light made the colors seem unrealistic, as if the subject had been painted with a very basic palette of poster paints. So maybe not realistic, but that's OK. And I like shapes and curves and, yes, even the colors.

Another shot of a bee gathering Oxalis pollen; taken Sunday...

   

What - no Weekender yet?

Taken in late February on one of my meanderings around the neighborhood...