Day 306 Waterfall

This is a waterfall display at work. This view is from the second floor. Each of the waterfall's "droplets" are hand painted. The material is similar to a see-through shower curtain and many individual strands hang three stories.

Well the end of another year. I can still remember all the hype about the year 2000. And now the first decade of the 21st century comes to a close. I wonder what fantastic technological wonders will exist in the next century. Or will some cataclysm either natural or man-made cause a reversal in our fortunes. If nothing else I'm sure new movies will take our imaginations on wild journeys.

Day 305 Suburban Sky

I could have just made a years worth of sky images for this blog. But I've held back and only sneak in a few from time to time. I've always loved clouds and the dramatic colors, lighting and shapes they bring. Just wish I were back in the mountains instead of viewing a suburban sky.

Day 304 Visitor

 

This is Olivia working out in her ExerSaucer.  She has one at home and Collette and Heather found this one. So now she can have her "workouts" when she comes over.

Day 303

So, I reloaded the operating system on Jenn's computer. This is her mouse pad.

Day 302 Cello

I have temporary custody of this beautiful instrument (1/2 size cello). I took it in for a checkup and it received a clean bill of health. Thought I'd see if I could learn to squeak out a few notes. I challenge each of you to take up something new this coming year.

Day 301 Shoes and Colors

 One of the stocking stuffers from Christmas. I wonder what journey these shoes will travel on. And what journey I will take this coming year.

 This pack of sticky labels looks like a color palette and caught my attention as I walked by. So of course I caught its image.

Day 300 Christmas Day

 Uncle Sean and Olivia on Christmas morning.

 Great Aunt Judie and Olivia.

And just Jenn.

Day 299 Niece

My niece, Madeline. This was a spontaneous pose. We had a great Christmas eve with family this year.

Day 298 Who da man?

Another Nutcracker of course!

Day 297 Family Dinner

 Family dinner tonight at Pappasitos. Here we see all the Senoritas and Senoras enjoying a serenade!

 

I just liked the colors and mirror images of these neon signs at the Restaurant tonight.

Day 296 Attack craft

This is Sean's creation. Well done!

Day 295 Warning

You only see this if you are slow to put your seat belts on...

Day 294 Car polish Texas style

This is the effect you get if you try to use deer hide to polish your car. In this case I was doing about 68 near   Bo Bo, Texas at about 11:10 PM. I saw a buck to my left about 10 feet away, swerved a bit and the buck just grazed us. I didn't feel the car move, but just hear a slight click. I'm sure the buck has a big bruise...We were all lucky.

Day 293 Cemetery

Collette and Elizabeth at the Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery. Every marker has "Unknown Soldier" on it.These were Arkansas and Texas soldiers. 

 A monument in the center of the cemetery.

  One of the many gravestones. They are all identical.

Day 292 Portrait Through a Window

Two variations on a Portrait Through a Window.

Day 292 Transformations

 The last time I saw this piano it was painted white. Yes, I said painted. Can you believe that? In the early 90's Collette and I would visit and I would play this wonderful instrument. That's was when I learned Elizabeth had a favorite song. She recently took the piano and had it renovated. They had to strip off the paint and look what beauty was underneath! Only the decal, felt, and finish are new. The strings are fine and she still plays beautifully. What a great message to all of us -- what great beauty we each have within. Just remove the old hardened finish that life deals us and remember your youthful exuberance. It's still there in all its wonder. And yes e, you are still beautiful. Oh, and that song? Yes, I got a chance to play it again.  I hope to have many more opportunities.

 This is George Eliot (yes, named after the author). What a beautiful Great Dane. He was the runt of the litter. I dare you to say that to him today. Another awesome transformation.  He is the best alarm system and guardian. He has the deepest growl and woof.  "Bark" just doesn't seem to fit. You could put a saddle on him and your feet wouldn't touch the ground!

Day 291 Journey

This is on US Hwy 59. Looking at this image has certain meaning for me. I put the elliptical tunnel effect  as a metaphor showing my focus on this journey. Why the significance for me? Collette and I are on a journey to see a dear friend. It's been too many years with many life experiences. Some good and some not so good.  Are there people in your life that you could not see or talk to for many, many years and yet pick right up where you left off? I'm not talking that superficial stuff, but a real deep friendship. Why so many years? Who knows. Sometimes life comes at you extremely hard and fast. Life plays funny games on each of us. Who know where you'll end up -- and with who. I look to many of my siblings and see that. I wish them well in their journey.

Day 290 Sky again

 Sunset tonight.

 And just a bit earlier.

 Black and White of our CRV's center console.

Day 289 Koi

Today's images taken at the waterway in the Woodlands. This image I deepened the shadows, contrast, and saturation to help reduce the glare. . I like the way these Koi appear to hover above a green carpet.

  And again in a spot where there is no glare and a rock bottom 

It's amazing to find two very distinct images in the same environment just a few feet away.

 This is the waterway in the Woodlands.

Day 288 Christmas Nutcracker

 

This nutcracker is representative of Collette's Christmas tree. I say Collette's because she designs them.  She took it easy this year and only had one tree up.

Day 287 Another Candle

More candle images

. This is the same candle in both images as seen from two perspectives.

Day 286 Recital

This silhouette taken at a piano recital at The Atria. Jenn's piano teacher held the recital at a facility where the elderly could enjoy these young and a few not so young performers thrilled us with their musical talent.

What are Googly Balls?  The Jeopardy question to a whatizzit image from a few posts back. These at a local pharmacy.

Day 285 friends

Friends at work. This is Jessi and Angel.  This is the iPhone that Angel has used to capture many images for his blog. Jessi is one of the most upbeat and personable people I know. I think she knows everyone on the complex. It's an honor to be considered a friend.

 

This is a fountain just outside...

...and this is a remake of a leaf just tipping over the edge of that fountain.

Another evening image.I like the light play appearing to stream through the sky. I'm always uplifted viewing the skies and the many beautiful images that God paints for us in Nature.

Day 284 Cop

You'd better be nice!

Day 283 Candle

I've always loved candles. I still remember the scientific explanation of how a candle flame works. For instance, why does the wick last so long? Ah, perhaps it's because the wick is not the fuel source for the flame. It's just the conduit for the liquid wax before it phase changes to a gas which is what burns.

City view of a sunset.

Day 282 Sunrise

This is the view from the 2nd floor walkway on the east side of the ConocoPhillips complex. The clouds were just right and the sky was blazing. The reflection off the pond completed the a serene view. I like the crescent shaped cutout of the clouds.

Day 281 Ornament

 This is an ornament on our front porch.

A nutcracker as viewed through a craft magnifying lens.

Day 280 Christmas Concert

This is the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Houston Chorus at the ConocoPhillips Christmas concert. We sat in our usual seats in the left side balcony.

Day 279 Dickens on the Strand