Cold Enough to Seek the Sun

I was looking for a new view of the Bird and when a challenge came up with DIAGONALS I found it.

 

 

Its so cold out there that the river is starting to freeze.

 

I am going on a mission to find the sun.

Holly Berry Quilt

My hard drive is full of images...some good, some not so good....I was about to delete a snow covered holly when I decided to see what it would look like if I worked it.  I like it and I hope you do too...but unfortunately I did not delete and ending up adding images.

 

Here is the original image

 

Now does that look like fun?

Strelitzia Reginae

I have been wondering lately if I should give this bird a name.  Oh right, she already has one...I could easily call her Reginae, or maybe Ginae for short.  Her development has been a real treat to watch.  She blossomed a fourth flower if I am reading the info about her correctly.

 

 

 

 

Birds of Paradise flowers are produced in a horizontal inflorescence emerging from a stout spathe.

The Birds of Paradise flower inflorescence is borne atop long scapes, or pedicels, that grow to 5 feet or more in height. The flower on the Birds of Paradise plant is the most unusual part.
A series of highly colored bracts, or modified leaves, are formed into green, red, and or purplish canoe-like structures. Bracts vary between 4-8 inches long, depending upon the age and size of the Birds of Paradise plant.
Each Birds of Paradise flower is made up of three upright orange sepals and three highly modified vivid blue petals. Two of the petals are joined together in a structure resembling an arrowhead with the third petal forming a nectary at the base of the flower.
Each bract contains 2 or more protruding Birds of Paradise florets of bright yellow or orange elongated petals and a bright blue tongue. The female part of the Birds of Paradise flower is the long extension of the blue tongue, which is extended well away from the stamens.

The above is a direct quote from The Flower Experts if you care for a little more information.

Miles on Birds and Bikes

While I was home and cozy putting a few more miles on the colorful

 Bird of Paradise and then making a frame for it, hubby was bundled up for the cold

and putting some miles on the K1600.

 

 

I LOVE NY

Yes I just love going into the city even if its just for a short while.  Took the train in and walked to the Jacob Javits Center to look at all the shiny motorcycles and accessories displayed at the International Motorcycle Show.  The building itself is like a piece of art, all glass and open to the sky. 

 

 

It was late afternoon when we walked back to the train station and the Empire State building looked like it was glowing in the afternoon light and it cast a nice reflection on the Manhattan Center. The moon was out too but I could not get it in the shot.

 

Pointsettias are almost ready to GOOOOOOO

I think I might have found a new way to quilt a frame..I still need to work at perfecting this and imagine more practice will help.

 

Pointsettia Quilt

I like making these quilts

 

RED IS MY FAVORITE

It is almost time to toss the Pointsettias but I dont want to.

 

 

Bird of Paradise

It has been a joy to watch the development of this colorful Bird of Paradise on the most dreary and foggie of Winter's days.

 

 

 

 

Night Walk at Grounds for Sculpture

With dear friends we decided to take a night walk and see the lights at the Grounds for Sculpture.

I had never been there at night so I would have to say it was pretty neat. 

 

 Truth is, the food at Rats was better than the walk...but it was great to work up a good appetite and sit down afterwards to a delicious meal with long time friends.

 

Thank you Kathy and Roger

 

 

Birdie got a new DO

 

Im guessing and hoping that it didnt just double its size and it isnt a double bloom but the way things are supposed to go...I wonder what it will look like tomorrow.

Birds that dont Fly

 

 

 

The Bird of Paradise has been an excellent subject.  IT DOESNT MOVE...

It is only good in the morning though when the light shines on it.

Things are not always as they seem.

The Daily Photo Challenge I joined January 1 2012 has come to an end.

I have taken a photo a day and posted on the UHH forum almost every day since then.  I posted from Kill Devil Hills and Savana.  I even managed to post from Jerusalem and Dewey too.

I am so proud to say that in the beginning of 2012 I was PHOTOSHOP PHOBIC

and now I am happily exploring options in special effects.

The first Challenge of the NEW YEAR 2013

had to do with rules and breaking them. 

This year the challenge will be 2x a week with several days to plan, shoot and post.

I took this image this morning down by the creek.

It received a lot of admiration from the group for the second challenge of the year...

NOT WHAT IT SEEMS

 

 

 

It is definately NOT WHAT IT SEEMS...I forgot to change the WB from indoor shooting thus the blue hue.

....even more interesting is I felt compelled to flip the image upside down and liked it a lot better.

NO post processing just rotated 180.

 

 

I DONT HAVE TIME FOR THIS ??????

I mean I seem to be loosing track of time

 keeps on slipping slipping into the future

 

 

Keep your eyes open.  You never know what you might see.

Delaware Chews at Plan B

With the Washington Crossing Inn all closed up for restoration we went to Plan B in the crossing.

 

Starting off with a yummy Cosmo all should be good.

 

 

They offer a nice happy hour with $6 martinis/cosmos

and $5 ap menu

I had two aps...clams casino on the happy hour menu which I would not order again and

crab stuffed artichokes which I would...although they were not on the happy hour menu and at 12.95 were just over $3 a piece.

 

 

 

Furm had a happy hour sandwich with fries so at $5 I would say he had the best value...PORK ROLL AND CHEESE...cant go wrong with that.

 

Bird of Paradise

I have had this flowering plant since it was about 4 inches the tall.  I bought it many years ago at a Philadelphia flower show.  The leaves are now a minimum of a foot long.  After all these years ir finally decided to bloom in the middle of an east coast winter....in my living room.  It glowed when the morning light landed on it.

 

 

 

DELAWARE CHEWS at the Jersey SHORE

The sun finally came out after hiding behind the grey for a few days and I’ve been yearning for the NJ Shore so we decided to take the ride to Belmar and see if we could find some place open for lunch.   Driving down Main street the word tavern appeared and we pulled into the nearest spot about 1/2 past noon.   Plenty of restaurants were open.

 

We walked into the fairly large bar and dining room of the Connolly Station with just a few tables occupied and noticed immediately that it was very cold inside. Our server Tracey was friendly and attentive and even apologetic about the inside temperature.

The french onion soup was average but did help to warm me. I enjoyed the two crab cake sliders.  The cake was yummy and the bread tasty too and just the right amount to sate me.  Hubby had a gigantic turkey rueben and liked it just fine. For an extra dollar we both ordered the sweet potato fries with our lunch, worth it. With a beer and a rootbeer that was generously refilled and our coffees...mine with Kalua, the bill came to $50 before tip...

 

I really wanted to take a walk on the beach but it was barricaded to pedestrians and we could see guys working with big equipment a block or two down the beach, not to mention an obvious police presence. 

I almost cried when I saw this mound of sand that looked like a decorated grave..

I saw devastation and desolation.

I moved beyond the barricade to face it head on and was glad I did because it was there that I saw the true sentiment of THANKS and HOPE resting in the sand!

 

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

Or perhaps I should have titled this LOST MY MARBLES..

Seams once I learn something new I want to practice practice practice...

Still need more practice and would like to go from start to finish without having to change programs...

So much to learn

from marbles to quilts and I dont even have to sew.

 

PEACE for the New Year

 

I heard that PEACE was the theme for the New Year's celebrations in NYC

so I'm all over that and I wish you Peace today and everyday

 

My next wish would be for the sun to come out here on the east coast so I can grab some new images.