I Fell Behind

Hm  I think i will put the word BEHIND in my labels and see if i notice any difference with blog hits.

I had the pleasure of a house guest for a few days so now need to catch up a bit. 

I picked PatO up in Flemington and headed straight for Lambertville...We wondered around town and down by the riverside we took our lunch in Giuseppes Ristorante.  It is always a pleasure and seeing the same folks there all these years is a comfort.

 

 

Ruth I think i got a few more pics for next years Lambertville Collection. 

Philadelphia Mural Walk

WHAT A GREAT DAY in Philadelphia, PA....You can see by the sky how nice it was to walk the Mural Mile (which was way more than a mile).  We were so lucky to be there on a day when one of the murals was being restored and the artist was kind enough to chat with us from way up high.

 

Bleeding Hearts

The daffodils have come and gone.

the hyacinths are passing

the bleeding hearts have start their run

in pink they are amassing.

 

 

 

couldnt resist playing just a little.

Another Great Day at Grounds for Sculpture

Spring is here...

oh no doubt about it. 

 Despite the cool crisp air

 I know it to be true because

 I want to go for a bike ride. 

After seeing this one I thought I might decorate my own.

 

 

 

so I did.

 

The peacocks were strutting their stuff and dont you know

that dang peacock MOONED ME.

Spring and Squirrels

 

I had been noticing a lot of squirrel activity in the yard recently and contributed it to the absence of cats and dogs here.  I also have been HEARING them EATING my new PVC gutters.  I was sitting outside enjoying the warmth of the sun yesterday contemplating this situation when I saw her and wondered why she was carrying a tennis ball until I realized she was carrying a baby.  I ran inside, grabbed the long lens and snapped it onto Olivia hoping she would go back for another baby and she did...but she was FAST.

 

Here she comes 

 

 

 

 

Moving another baby..i know it looks like an old squished tennis ball but it is her baby

 

 

I just could not switch settings fast enough to go from still in low light shade to moving in bright light.dang it. I was to slow and she was moving fast.

 

 

 

I waited and waited to see if she would go for another.  Had the camera set for the bright spot I knew she would travel through.  She just found a hiding spot and watched me as carefuly as I was watching her.

I could use a little color today

Cool, grey and overcast today. I need some color.

Too busy?

 

Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve

Now that I have really finished with the Daily Photo Challenge I feel a new sense of FREEDOM.  FREE to shoot what, where and when I want.  Free to do all the other things that I was able to avoid with Challenge responsibilities.  That also means I do not feel compelled to shoot everyday.  Now I can  PLAY PLAY PLAY.  Here is a shot at the Preserve that would have little appeal to the volunteers and activities connected with Earth Day Work Day...with a little work/play I like it.

 

Earth Day Work Day

I was asked by the volunteer coordinator at the Bowman's Hill Wild Flower Perserve to take pictures of Earth Day Work Day.    The volunteers were working at general clean up and eradicating the invasive species that crowd out the native flora of PA.  Even though every one was working hard everyone was having fun.

Spring Retreated

But not before a few glorious, sunny, and warm days to get me outside, digging, hauling and shoveling.

 

Before 

 

 

After

 

Shoveled two buckets of mulch around the back yard and this new little bed in front.

Furm created the number sign.

 

Finished up early enough on Wednsday for an outing.

By noon I was on my way to the Pearl S. Buck Estate.   I could not get past Moravian Pottery and Tile Works 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry Chapman Mercer was a wealthy eccentric, artistic, inventive, compassionate and brilliant man.  He designed a factory for creating ceramic tiles and had it and two other buildings along the "Mercer Mile" in Doylestown constructed with poured concrete. He took his materials from the earth and the concrete was an excellent support for the tiles that he would decorate his home with.  Take the tour and you can see the artists working. Well worth it.

 

When you finish head on over to Font Hill, Mercer's Castle home.  That was a good tour too.  No picture snapping inside without a permit.  Outside only.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention...after Moravian, Patti and I headed off hoping to find a nice spot for lunch on our way to the Pearl S. Buck Estate.  We found the delightful Vintage Grill.  After our late lunch we  checked opening hours and well, that is why we backtracked to Font Hill.  I'm glad we did, aren't you Patti?  Pearl will have to wait for another day.

 

 

 

 

 

Holy Holy

I have no idea how many images I have captured since starting the Daily Challenge on the Ugly Hedgehog Jan 1, 2012.  I do know that I have deleted over 10,000 from January 1 2012 through July 1 2012 and have 6 months more to review.  It was an excellent exercise and reminder to delete as I go.  It is a very time consuming process.  Today I found myself looking through May 2012 and our adventure in Israel.  I couldn't help but take notice of the striking contrast between these two images in Jerusalem;

  The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Wailing Wall.

 

 

 

I sure hope they are all praying for a heavenly SPRING.

Dont Let the Weatherman Fool Ya

My sister and I planned a day in New York today but instead went yesterday since there was a call for rain today.  Allow me to inform you that it looks like an ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL DAY is dawning.  Yesterday was pretty nice too. We took the train from Hamilton to Penn Station and from there walked up to the Theatre district in hopes of getting tickets for Motown...that was a failed mission and instead I got tickets for ONCE!...Oh I'll be looking forward to another day in NYC in May. YAY!

 

You never know what you are going to see on the streets of NYC.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art never disappoints but sometimes overwhelms.  It is one of the 3 biggest Museums in the United States and without the service of the many employees who are there to assist I could see myself getting lost for days in there. 

Our primary interest was the Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity, ending May 27th.  Of course no pictures allowed inside the special exhibits but for the permanent collections cameras are allowed.

 

 

 

This thing was HUGE

 

 

a little closer ok a lot closer

 

 

The Metropolitan Museum is under fire right now by a group of folks who are filing a complaint accusing the MET of trying to dupe it's guests into paying a full rate of  $25 when addmission is up to the visitor. It really is worth it if you spend a full day there and dont make any other purchases to support the museum. I generally pay a little less than full admission, pay for a guided tour on headset,  and make a purchase in one of the shops.  Now I cant stop thinking about that cute little straw boating hat or the little black lacy one I tried on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Surprise at the NJ State Museum in Trenton

After a fine lunch at Revere Ristorante my Wednesday Companion and I we went over to the NJ State Museum

 

Our goal was to view the Photography of Trenton Photographer, Jon Naar and to view the Remember 9.11  exhibit...no pictures allowed for either...

We never expected to see a dinasour en route via truck flatbed 

Tuesday Came So Fast

 

Tuesday came around so fast I didnt make time for an earlier post. 

I have been working a lot with special effects

and really like the outcome.

 

Ill call this one Black Swans

 

Oh Yeah, the Bucks County Official Destination Guide printed one of my Covered Bridges.

It was a really nice surprise as I submitted it so long ago I forgot all about it.

 

I added the link on the pic to show for Red on UHH and here for you.

Here is how they showed it...The other two were submitted by other photographers.