Today's Flowers - Post 69

Day Lily - June, 2008

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme which was created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Camera Critters - Post 68

Twenty-five pounds of Cat in a Ten-Pound Box

My daughter's Maine Coon cat, Arthur, one of the most loving cats I've ever been around. He was adopted from the Colorado Springs Animal Shelter as a tiny kitten, and specifically chosen because he had huge paws! As you can see, the rest of him caught up with his feet!

Photo by Jean Moser

Camera Critters is the creation of Misty Dawn. To see others' photos for this week, visit here.

Ruth's Never Ending Story - Chapter 5 - Post 67

I spent a lot of my working years writing, but 99% of it was factual stuff, personnel policies, to be precise. I've not ventured into fiction writing, but this sounded like a lot of fun so I thought I would throw in my two cents worth. Ruth, of Ruth's Visions and Revisions, started this Meme a few days ago with the idea which you can read here: Chapter 1 Several different folks wrote a second chapter; I have chosen to follow the theme continued and developed upon by Sherry's (afeatheradrift) Chapter 2 , Jeannelle's (midlifebyfarmlight) Chapter 3 , and Bob's (rhymeswithplague) Chapter 4 Links to all their blogs can be found on my sidebar.

So... without further ado, I continue the story:

CHAPTER 5

“It’s a good thing you’ve got a police escort,” the officer said. “Your card-dealing friend back there has just been arrested for running an airborne con game. We hauled him off the Concorde flight from Paris a few minutes ago. Rest assured, Miss. He’s no danger to you, or we wouldn’t have allowed you to sit back there.”

“Aha!” I thought to myself, “So that’s why he looks so familiar. I saw them in the concourse as I was headed to meet Elliott’s plane.” I sneaked what I hoped was a surreptitious glance at my companion. OK, it turned into a lot more than a glance; I openly stared at him. He could have been someone’s rich uncle or, I supposed, somebody’s Sugar Daddy. It was apparent that his suit had not been purchased “off the rack.” Even sitting, when most jackets would bunch up a bit, the dark, pinstriped fabric lay smoothly across his shoulders as though he had been dipped in it. I may not be able to afford really good clothes, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t recognize them when I see them. And the hands he had used to deal the cards had never seen a hard day’s work -- I’d bet a half-month’s pay on it. There was neither a callus nor a hangnail to be seen and some sweet young thing, no doubt, had buffed her heart out on his nails, most likely while he was getting his gorgeous silver hair trimmed by a Master Barber. I couldn’t help but be a bit envious of his hair; Miss Clairol and I had a monthly appointment in my bathroom, and my hair, when it became uncontrollable, was whacked at the local beauty school.

“Are you going to hold those cards all day?”

I must have reacted in some physical way to his question because he hastened to say “Don’t worry. I’m not going to bite you!” Then he chuckled, the sound soft and low in his throat. My skin began to crawl and my mind was in turmoil. My father laughed just like that!

I think I fainted, something I’ve never done before in my entire life, because the next thing I remember was a fit of coughing as I inhaled a breath of pungent ammonia. “Are you all right, Miss?” It was one of the police officers. The cruiser was drawn up to the curb and the door next to me was open. He was leaning across me, waving that damned inhaler under my nose.

“Yes. Yes! I’m fine! Please, get that thing away from here.” I had another fit of coughing and began to sneeze! I dug a tissue from my purse to wipe my streaming eyes and, quite unladylike, blew my nose with a honk that would make a goose envious.

Again I said, “I’m fine. I’m fine! I’m so embarrassed! I’m really tired, that’s all. Just get me to the bus station, please. I promise I’ll rest on the way back to Chicago.” With some trepidation, and a lot of motherly warnings (who would have thought that policemen could be ‘motherly?) they dropped me at the Greyhound Station. As they drove away, I allowed myself one backward and very uneasy glance at the man in the back seat; a man who had not uttered a single word during or after my little ‘episode.’

The timing of my arrival at the bus station couldn’t have been better. The next bus to Chicago was due to pull out in just twenty minutes. Buying the ticket left me just enough cash in my wallet for a small package of chips and a Coke, which I chug-a-lugged like it was the Elixir of Life itself! I’d had quite a shock to my system, hearing my father’s laugh from a complete stranger! The dream I’d had a few years ago came rushing back, as vivid as if I’d just awakened from it.

The station’s loudspeaker blared the impending departure of the bus to Chicago and immediately drove the dream to the back of my brain. The next few minutes were spent in surrendering part of my ticket, assuring the driver that I had no luggage, and finding a seat where I could, hopefully, be alone. I was fortunate that there were only a few people going to Chicago from Milwaukee at that time of day, and I took a window seat a few rows behind the driver, and no other passenger sat beside me. One small blessing! I think I would have screamed if I’d had to say a word to another human being, at least for a while.

As the bus pulled out, I allowed myself a not-so-small fit of pique at having to be on the bus in the first place. That crazy Elliott! Crazy me for allowing him to commandeer my car to transport those, those, those… stinking reptiles! These thoughts led me to questions I should have had from the beginning: How in the world did Elliott get his hands on two young Komodo Dragons? How did they get from Indonesia, where they are a highly protected and closely controlled species, to India? Did Elliott make a side trip he didn’t tell me about? How, and from whom, did he get permission to bring them to the U.S.? Altogether too many unanswered questions! Elliott would have a lot of explaining to do!

Photo of Young Komodo Dragon by Raul 654

from Wikipedia

* * * * *

Sky Watch - Post 66

Before the Storm

Usually, by the time I figure out that it's really going to rain, I'm already getting sprinkled on. This time was an exception. I was able to get off a few shots before the deluge and caught some rain-laden clouds, a bit of clear sky and a bonus; a tiny moon. And, yes, it did "come a gully washer" out of those clouds.

Sky Watch was created by Dot and is now brought to you by our friends Imac, Klaus, Sandy and Tom. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursday.

In Loving Memory - Post 65

Laura Christine (Christie) Hollingsworth Poe

August 26, 1978 - December 19, 2007

I will love you always.

Grandma

Today's Flowers - Post 64

Christie's Rose - "Welcome Home"

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme which was created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Camera Critters - Post 63

Hey, Mom! There's a squirrel out there!

Camera Critters is the creation of Misty Dawn. Check out this week's other critters here.

Sky Watch - Post 62

It's been raining for the past few days, with heavy, solid-gray skies. Not a photo op anywhere to be seen, and who in their right mind wants to drown their camera? So, it was back into the archives for a more cheerful (and taken in the dry) photograph. Thanks to Dew Drop, our intrepid wanna-be storm chaser from Georgia, I've learned to be on the lookout for 'crepuscular rays' in the sky. I've seen them all my life, but didn't know what to call them until Dew told me. I caught these peeping over the roof of a friend's house a couple of month's ago.

Sky Watch was created by Dot and is now brought to you by our friends Imac, Klaus, Sandy and Tom. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursday (that's 1:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time here in the U.S. -- if you're in the U.S.A. you can figure it out from there.) You'll be amazed at all the wonderful photos from around the world. And, if you have time, it's nice to leave a comment on their blog site to let them know you enjoyed their Sky Watch photo.

Happy Sky Watching!

It's Stamp Camp Time, Again - Post 61

Yes, I really am thinking of you!

I'm up to my eyeballs in card-making stuff, again, so postings and visits to others' blogs may go begging for a bit. My stamping partner and I are hosting a Stamp Camp for 20 ladies this coming Saturday afternoon. I've been making sample cards, writing instructions, measuring and cutting card stock and decorative papers and otherwise getting my share of things prepared for our attendees. Our theme for this session is "Think Pink" and all of our cards (six of them) have the color pink in them. Some are predominately pink while others, like the one above, has a pink focal point.

It was a good day to be inside doing stuff like this, because outside was sort of yucky! I was awakened during the night by thunder which shook the window panes, followed by the sound of rain, which promptly lulled me back to sleep. It's been raining steadily all day, and we're supposed to have thunderstorms and 40% to 60% probability of rain through the weekend.

I thought it was still "tonight" but I see from looking at the clock that it's already "tomorrow," so it's off to bed with me.

I'll be back, soon.

Stuff & Nonsense - Sunglasses Required - Post 60

One Very Shiny Truck

While driving to the grocery store this afternoon, my attention was caught by the sun's rays reflecting off the immaculate and highly polished surface of this tanker truck. "My," I thought, "that's a photo op, for sure!"

I drove up behind the truck and found the clever, and so true, sign; that's photo #1. Driving to the side of the truck, I maneuvered myself so as not to be blinded and took a shot. That's photo #2. For the safety of the viewing public, I did not capture all the dazzling glory that met my eyes. If you enlarge the second photo, you can see how clearly the almost empty expanse of the parking lot is reflected.

I wonder how often the driver runs this behemoth through the truck wash? And, if s/he worries about low underpasses. Not only was this truck long, but it was very high!

Today's Flowers #2 - Post 59

Triple-Layer Day Lily

This stand of day lilies in my garden was started from a single fan given to me by my husband's sister-in-law in 1970. I brought a few of the plants to my present home when I moved here in 1990. There are about 60 separate plants in this one bed at present; I'm sure I will have even more when I divide them in a month or so (a long overdue job). Before the digging and dividing can begin, I have to prepare new flower beds to receive them, not a task I look forward to since the soil in my yard is mostly heavy clay. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

Today's Flowers is a new weekly Meme, posted each Monday, which was created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Camera Critters #19 - Post 58

A very studious critter

(click to enlarge & read the book title)

This reading bug was seen at one of our local libraries.

Camera Critters is the creation of Misty Dawn. Check out this week's other critters here.

Photo Hunt 123 - Colorful - Post 57

Colorful Stained Glass

This is my first Photo Hunt post. I've been enjoying this weekly meme for some time, and decided to play along. This stained glass window is one of eight in the nave of my church. The designs in the windows represent the Sacramental Rites of our denomination. This one represents the Sacramental Rite of Ordination.

Edited 8/18/08 - I'm crazy as a betsy-bug! I counted the windows in the nave this morning, and there are only six (6). There are seven Sacramental Rites in our denomination; Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination, Marriage, Reconciliation of a Penitent, and Unction. Five of these are represented singularly in separate windows. The sixth and seventh, Reconciliation of a Penitent and Unction, are combined in the sixth window. One of these days, I'll post photos of the other ones.

Photo Hunt is brought to you by tnchick. If you'd like to play, too, give her site a visit.

Sky Watch - Post 56

Just another pretty sky

I haven't been out and about this week to photograph anything particularly "interesting," so I just stood in my front yard and snapped a photo of the evening sky. This is just as it came from the camera; Mother Nature has an always changing and amazing palette.

Sky Watch is brought to you by our friends Imac, Klaus, Sandy and Tom. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursday (that's 1:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time here in the U.S. -- if you're in the U.S.A. you can figure it out from there.) You'll be amazed at all the wonderful photos from around the world. And, if you have time, it's nice to leave a comment on their blog site to let them know you enjoyed their Sky Watch photo.

Happy Sky Watching!

TODAY'S FLOWERS: Not Quite Ripe - Post 55

Hydrangea

The hydrangea bush bearing this not-quite-ready bloom was planted in my yard in 1965. The original plant was a gift from one of our church friends at the time of my father's funeral, in January, 1965. It was a beautiful pot-plant that we nurtured through the cold months inside the house. We planted it when the ground was warmed, late in the spring of that year. The bush is now about 6 feet wide and about 5 feet tall, and bears at least a hundred blooms each year. When fully matured, the blooms are a beautiful, slightly blue-violet all over.

Today's Flowers is a new weekly Meme, posted each Monday, which was created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos and, if you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Camera Critters - Post 54

I knew this small green critter had recently been walking on the pollen-covered anthers of my day lily because it left little yellow footprints behind on the petal. There seems to be a bit of pollen clinging to its legs, also.

Camera Critters is the creation of Misty Dawn. To see other photos from this week's participants, visit Camera Critters here.

My Mother - Part One - Post 53

Photo - Circa 1921

Today would have been my mother’s 107th birthday. She was born on August 8, 1901, in Temple, Texas, 2nd child and first daughter of her parents. There were nine more children born into this family, but two died in childhood, one in a tragic accident -- a subject for another post, someday. The youngest, and last surviving, of my mother's siblings, my uncle Truett, died only a few months ago at the age of 85.

I don't know how old my mother was when the family moved from Temple to Victoria County, in South Texas – that’s South with a Capital S! Not the farthest south one can go in Texas, but only 20 miles or so from the Gulf of Mexico. Mama's father bought a farm in a place called Crescent Valley. There they raised cotton, chickens, and the children, six boys and five girls.

Mama graduated from high school in Victoria, a nearby town, and then attended Baylor Female College in Belton, Texas (now Mary Hardin-Baylor University) for a year. Mama always called it "Baylor-Belton." It was while she was in college that she learned to play Bridge, a card game she continued to enjoy for years. She also became 'modish' to the point that she, and most of the other young ladies, bound their breasts so as to appear flat-chested -- which was all the rage in 'flapper days.' She said it was quite painful, and absolutely forbid her younger sisters to do it. In all my memory, Mama never had a 'bosom.' Her breasts were droopy and as flat as pancakes, while her younger sisters all had nice figures.

I don't know if it was a matter of funding but, as mentioned above, Mama completed only one year at Baylor-Belton, then taught school in a small town for a term (one could do that in those days; a college degree was not required). I think she discovered that teaching was not what she wanted to do for the long term and went to work in the accounting department of the Woolworth store in San Antonio. Somewhere along the line, she had completed some secretarial courses and I remember well her trying to teach me Gregg Shorthand (I learned to write my first name, Pat, and the word "dray," not a word I ever heard used in anyone's conversation.)

Mama's father died in, I believe, 1924. Mama left San Antonio and went back home to Crescent Valley and to work in nearby Victoria. As the eldest daughter, when not at work she helped her newly-widowed mother with the younger children, and her wages also helped to support the family. The youngest child was only about 1 year old when Grandpa died, and there would have been several more young children still at home. One of Mama’s brothers, my uncle Talley, quit school when his daddy died, and became the “man of the house” -- at age 14.

Mama told me that she bought a small car (she called it a “koo-pay”) with part of her earnings, and drove over the country dirt roads into Victoria to work as a secretary/bookkeeper for the Gross-Parish Company, where she was still working when she met my father. (I wrote about that in Post 20 - My Father.)

Mama was almost 32 years old when she and Daddy married, on July 24, 1933. They moved around quite a bit to wherever employment opportunities for my father arose. The Great Depression was still in full swing, and jobs were hard to come by. I was the first-born of four children, arriving on this earth in Yorktown, Texas; my sister Meg was born in Kingsville (home of the famous and h.u.g.e. King Ranch); and the youngest daughter, my sister Carol, was born in El Paso. Mama's last child, and only son, my brother Eddie, was born in Las Vegas, NM. I wrote about the day of his birth in Post 6, April 10,1941 . Mama told me in much later years that she was horrified to learn that she was pregnant and worried a great deal about how she and Daddy were going to provide for themselves and four children.

Then -- World War II

End of Part One

Sky Watch Friday - Post 52

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament sheweth his handywork.


The Holy Bible - Psalms 19:1 (KJV)


Photograph by my daughter, O.J. Moser

Sky Watch Friday was originally created by Dot, and is currently brought to you by Tom, Sandy, Imac and Klaus. Check the new home of Sky Watch Friday here and view hundreds of sky photos from around the world.

How Much Are Those Doggies in the Window? - Post 51

Camera Critters #1

While waiting in line at a local drive-in eatery yesterday afternoon, I noticed some movement in the driver's side window of the vehicle in front of me. I'm a sucker for little dogs, and these were just too cute. Since the line was moving very slowly (that is, not at all), I grabbed my camera, approached the vehicle and asked if I might photograph them. Not only did the male driver say "Sure!" but the woman in the passenger seat got out, came around to where I was snapping pictures and said "Listen to this!" She started crooning, and both dogs began to "sing" for me, which is what they are doing in this photo. The lady grinned big time -- and I did, too! Those folks are really fond of their dogs, and I can see why!

This is my first "Camera Critters" post. I've been lurking and looking for a while and decided to join the fun! Thanks for looking.

For more weekly Camera Critters, please visit here.