Wanda

Flower of the Day

Published on July 24, 2017 by Wanda1 Comment

Gracie and I took a new route for our morning walk this morning. I only had my phone with me when I saw this pretty little flower growing along the walkway. I might go back that way again tomorrow morning with my camera. I have no idea what it is, but it’s sure pretty.

Wanda

One Word Photo Challenge

Published on July 24, 2017 by Wanda2 Comments

One Word Photo Challenge, July 23 – 29 : Hippopotamus

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I love the word prompt for this week. Unfortunately, don’t have access to all of my photos on this new laptop but I wanted to participate so I did a search online and found a couple of pictures that I think will do.

My youngest child loved the TV show The New Zoo Review. Her favorite character was Henrietta Hippo. She is pictured below.

She had to have eye surgery. Our priest came to see her after she came home and gave her a little stuffed pink hippo. Sam is now 33 years old and she still has that hippo. She slept with it until she was almost out of college. I couldn’t believe it. She named her little pink hippo Henri the Etta.

As I was searching I found the cutest little hippo costume. Had there been one available in the 80’s I would have gotten it for Samantha.

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I also found the coolest Hippo Sofa. What do you think? It would be a great edition to a family room wouldn’t it?

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And finally I want you to meet Fiona. She arrived prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo.

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Take a look at Fiona taking her first steps.

I hope you have enjoyed my response to the OWPC this week.

Wanda

Sweet Smell Or Bad Odor

Published on July 24, 2017 by Wanda4 Comments

Daily Prompt: Fragrance

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Have you ever walked into a department store and been assaulted by an aggressive woman with a spray bottle in her hand? Before you can say no thank you, you are covered in a fragrance that sends you into a fit of sneezing and choking? While you are gasping for breath the self-imposed dictator tells you the name of the weapon and what is sells for. As if wanting to know is the first thing that comes to mind rather than the murder of the combatant.

I often wonder how many people run, not walk, screaming into the outside air for a clean breath winding up in the nearest emergency room. After several respiratory treatments to open up those vital airway passages the assault starts over again because you are now the carrier of those nasty histamines. They are in your hair, on your skin in your clothes…

It’s at this point that you realize you don’t even like how it smells. It’s not a sweet smell that is pleasing which would at least make the pleasure worth the risk to life, but rather a bad odor that warns of impending doom.

Who in their right mind thinks that this is the way to advertise a product for sale?

Wanda

Kasey Kahne Wins Brickyard 400

Published on July 24, 2017July 24, 2017 by WandaLeave a comment

Congratulations to my favorite NASCAR driver, Kasey Kahne and the No. 5 Team as they ended a 102 race winless streak yesterday with his 18th NASCAR cup series win. His last win in 2014 was in Atlanta.

No sweeter feeling than kissing those bricks!

I have been a fan of Kasey Kahne since he first entered the cup series. He reminds me of my son, not so much in looks but mannerisms. He is always professional and respectful with his fans and the media. Kasey’s perseverance finally paid off for him and his No. 5 Team yesterday winning in overtime. I have never doubted his talent, he just needed luck to shine her light on him.

“To win at Indy, it’s unbelievable,” Kahne said. “I wish my son Tanner was here.” This sums up what he was feeling yesterday after his win. God willing, he will have many more wins to share with his son before he is finished with racing, and I will get to enjoy them as his fan too 🙂

Thank you Kasey!

Wanda

Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge

Published on July 23, 2017July 23, 2017 by Wanda4 Comments

Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge, July 23, 2017

Here is my Odd Ball Photo for the week.

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Took this outside the House of Blues at Disney Springs last week.

Wanda

Harmony In Motion

Published on July 23, 2017 by Wanda1 Comment

Daily Prompt: Harmonize

Friday afternoon here in Orlando we had quite a storm. It rained so hard that the back part of the yard flooded. Right along the back of the yard is a wooded area fed by a stream and it looked like a small lake with trees growing out of it.

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I have been fascinated with the birds here in Orlando. I love to photograph animals and birds are one of my favorite subjects. After the area flooded, I walked out onto the porch and to my amazement a flock of about twenty five white Ibis flew right up to the area to forage for food. The ibeses in harmonized movements grazed along the edge of the water each taking a turn as sentinel.

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I attempted to get the birds to come closer by throwing out some cheerios in the main part of the yard. To my delight, they began to head up toward me.

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I discovered that they didn’t really care for the Cheerios and soon turned back toward the water.

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I came into the house to show my friend the pictures I had taken. As I went back out to check on the birds I caught the last of my visitors, a white crane just standing in the water.

I was lucky enough to catch the crane taking flight. Unfortunately, I was not as ready for the take off as I would have liked to have been. So the shot isn’t a great one, but I still think it’s magical.

Wanda

Flower of the Day: Crepe Myrtle

Published on July 23, 2017 by Wanda3 Comments

Wanda

Dormant Memories

Published on July 22, 2017July 22, 2017 by WandaLeave a comment

Daily Prompt: Dormant

As I have gotten older I find I spend more time in my memories. It’s what you do when you spend time with your grandchildren. You tell them about when their parents were growing up. And, at the risk of really sounding ancient, you tell them about your own childhood and experience their incredulous expressions of disbelief.

Sometimes, a vague sense comes over me that I might not be remembering an actual memory of my past, but rather a memory of a dream. Not the kind of dream that pushes you to do, have, or be, but the kind you actually live in your sleep.

One particular “memory”, which is not really a good one, has haunted me for a very long time. It surfaced maybe twenty years ago. If it is indeed a memory it surely explains a lot of why I feel the way I do about some things. If it was a dream, I find myself wondering why I would have dream’t such a disturbing event in my life.

In the end, we are the product of our environment and it really doesn’t matter if the “memory” is one that has been dormant or if it is actually a dream because it becomes part of us anyway.

What shapes our personality is the good and bad experiences we live through. Understanding our past helps us in our present and future if we are wise enough to learn from these past experiences. Often our dreams are just a way to show us our fears which we need to face so we don’t become crippled by them.

Wanda

The Sealing

Published on July 22, 2017 by Wanda4 Comments

Stream of Consciousness July 22, 2017: Sealing/Ceiling

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Many years ago not long after I was married my mom became ill with cancer. She was unable to stay home by herself when dad was working, so she came to live with us. We put a second floor onto our house so mom was able to have her own little place with us.

Gary and I had the shell, ceilings and plumbing done for us, but we finished everything else ourselves. I learned more about construction than I ever wanted to know. I learned how to build, spackle, paint and seal walls. We installed doors. We laid carpet and tile. It was quite the learning experience.

When we were finished, it looked like we had actually known what we were doing. My dad had had a construction business at one time and he spent many hours teaching Gary and I what we needed to know.

After mom passed away, we began working on the downstairs because at that point we had seven bedrooms and we didn’t need that many. The first thing we did was to convert the original living room into a large dining room. Then we renovated our kitchen, downstairs bathroom and opened up the three downstairs bedrooms into one large family room. We took more walls down and moved them then there was originally in the house. By the time we were done with the house, it looked nothing like it started out.

After the kids moved out to go to college, I had a fall which led to complications and I was no longer able to use the stairs. I was forced to live in the family room for a couple of years. As time went on the cold weather also became a problem for me. So, the decision was made to pack up, sell the house and move to a warmer climate with a more practical house.

We lived in that house for twenty seven years. We raised our family in that house. Our home was the gathering place for all of the kids. I never thought I would leave our home and it saddened me that we had to. I was afraid I would lose all of my memories when I left my home. Then I realized that memories don’t reside in things located in a specific geography. They live in your heart. They travel with you and keep you feeling safe and warm no matter where you go. They are sealed in your past, present and future.

Wanda