Sunset after a Storm

      Last week, the husbandman ad I went to see the extended version of the Return of the King in theaters. It was a part of a thee week event, and we had faithfully driven the hour down to Fredericksburg to see the first two movies. This time, we were chased down by an epic rainstorm.


     Sadly, not even thirty minutes into the movie, the whole block lost power. So we were refunded our tickets, and sent home, very disappointment because we didn't think the showing would ever be repeated. But as soon as we started driving home, this sunset bloomed out in front of us. The camera cannot capture the majesty of these colors.  It was honestly one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. And if we had been in the theater, we would have never known what we had missed. And I think it was worth the drive to see it. (especially since the husbandman was able to use the tickets  the next day to see transformers twice (one as a guy's outing with friends, and then took me on a date that night.))

Mum Monday

the curious incident of the pear blossoms in the night time

Pretty Print

     This Saturday I decided to take advantage of the amazing weather and go outside to read. (More tomorrow about the adventures that you would never guess from this bland, simple sentence.) I spent most of the day reading, but since I had taken my camera with me (its just habit now.) I decided to take some pictures. Most of them are nothing special, but there was come that caught my attention even as I was taking them.  I just lay on my back under the dogwood tree and shot pictures from every angle I could think of.

     Wouldn't this make a really pretty print? I kinda wish I had some way to make printed fabric, because I would love to play with it. The print on a large scale for a loose, billowy summer top, or on a smaller scale for pillows or sheets, or even smaller yet for a vintage style dress for little ones.

    
      Are you ever caught unaware by the simple things?   

I spy

      One of my favorite blogs, Little Miss Momma has started a weekly I spy post.  I loved the idea, and really wanted to play along.  But this week's topic is The Neighborhood.  And I don't exactly live anywhere near a neighborhood.  So I'm cheating a little and tweaking so that I can show you my "neighborhood" (just pretend that the trees and sheep and neighbors!)

     I was having a really crummy day today, and so rather than stay inside and risk exploding, I went for a walk. Wanna come along?

      The first thing that I see everyday is the tree graveyard.  (No one calls it that but me) But several years ago, Hurricane Isabelle ripped through here and tore up a lot of huge trees.  Our neighbor (a real human neighbor!) piled all the downed trees here. 

A Day According to my Camera

I wanted to learn how to make Hollandaise Sauce, so my mom went out and picked my some asparagus. 

      Why yes, that is my foot in the bottom right corner, thanks for noticing.  Maxi hasn't yet realized that he is a 65 pound German Shepard/Pitt Bull mix and not a Pug.  He thinks all laps were meant just for him.

    The Koi are the only fish in the big tank, the Tilapia fry are still too little to go in the shed tank.

  
       When weeds have root systems like this, no wonder they start to take over! (It's a plant called Dock)

     And this is a sassafras blossom.  Aren't they pretty?

  
     And this is how the tulip poplar got its name.  The buds look like tulips! Do you see it? When I tag along with my parents on their reviews of the farm and its workings, I learn an amazing amount and so I thought I might share it with you.

       I love how white the pear flowers look against the black of night

     I love my life!

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April Flowers

     March Winds bring April showers bring, April Flowers? Ok, I'll go with it! I love flowers, there are the quickest way to brighten my day.  And now everything is budding and green and beautiful! (Yes, I know I just gushed about snow like this, I can never decide which is my favorite.  They are both my favorite.)

     And in case you feel the same way about flowers, but can't spend all morning outside finding them (I'm sorry for rubbing it in your face), I will share some pictures with you!

Icicles

     I have no idea what caused these, but last night we had sheet icicles all around town. I only have pictures of the ones at the house, but they were all over, on every metal or ridged roof.

     Not the long pointy ones that everyone is used to seeing, but what I’m calling, for lack of a better phrase, sheet icicles. It’s like the snow started to slide off the roof, but before froze in the last possible instant. Then they decided to form more usual icicles from their ends.

     Doesn’t it look like something out of the Day After Tomorrow? These are taken standing under the eaves of the shed looking at the underside of the icicles.  They curl in towards the wall.

     Has anyone see anything like this before, or even better, know what caused it?

Sunset

      The clouds parted this afternoon for the first time in what seemed like days.  It was like seeing an old friend when the sun came shining through.  And my mood almost immediately improved.  Its funny how something important as the sun can be so completely taken for granted.  Not only does it keep us from flying off into space, the planet heated, and plants growing, it makes me happy.  Its so much harder to have a bad day when the sun is shining, and so much easier to have a rough day when its not.

     So instead of taking the sun fr granted today, i sat and watched the sunset. And it was glorious! Everyone* says winter sunsets are not as impressive as winter ones, I beg to disagree.  No the sky may not be filled to bursting with colors, but how much more impressive is it when you come around a corner, and there in front of you is a landscape that would put the classical painters to shame.  Tonight it was a beacon of orange. Apricots, tangerines, mixed with buttery yellows, and faded into corals that drifted away into dusty pinks then finally grey blues.
  I didn't have my camera on me (its nothing special, just a little point and shoot) and the camera on my phone is not up to the task of capturing the textures of the these shades. So I'll leave you with this image from my.opera.com

   

*you know everyone, right? Everyone does ;)