Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #25: Birds

"I hope you love birds too. It's economical. It saves going to heaven."

-Emily Dickinson

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #25: BIRDS.
Flying BIRDS. Nesting BIRDS. Gooney BIRDS. Looney BIRDS. Real BIRDS. Stuffed BIRDS, both the toy and the sustenance. BIRDS with winter plumage, BIRDS taking a bath. BIRDS and their babies. BIRDS all alone. BIRDS in their houses. Red BIRDS. Black BIRDS. Bald BIRDS. BIRDS on a wire. Real BIRDS. Fake BIRDS. BIRDS.

Extra Credit: My favorite bird is the Snowy Egret, like the one you see above. I would like to see either an Egret or a Heron, but if you don't happen to have them in your area, any white BIRD will do as well. :)

**PLEASE READ**
You have until next Sunday evening, at 9:00 PM ET to get your photo, post it to your blog or journal, and comeback here with the link. Please remember, it must be a direct link to the entry in your blog or journal which is specific to this Monday Photo Shoot assignment. NO HYPERLINKS. Also, please link back here so others will be able to find the assignment and join us. If this is your first time playing be sure to say so when you leave your link, so I can welcome you properly next week!

Linking List for EMPS #24: The Color Red 02/09/09

NOW CLOSED

1. Greg

2. Suzanne

3. Tammy

4. Jama

5. Karen

6. Duane
1st Time Player! :)

7. Terri

8. Your EG Tour Guide
1st Time Player! :)

9. Mike

10. Wammy

Next week will be the 26th EMPS, which means, we will be at the 6 month mark since Karen handed the reins over to me. Can you believe it? Anyway, I have a special assignment planned, so if you haven't played for a while, next week might be a good time to comeback. Hope to see you then!

-Carly
Snowy Egret
Danville, California
November, 2006
Late Afternoon

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

"When you smiled, you had my undivided attention. When you laughed, you had my urge to laugh with you. When you cried, you had my urge to hold you, when you said you loved me, you had my heart forever."

-Unknown

Happy Valentine's Day!

Alan and I are making a cheese fondue for dinner, followed by a chocolate fondue for dessert, then we are going to put the babies to bed, snuggle into each other, with a big warm blanket around us, and watch monster movies, while the rain pours outside. It's not everyone's idea of romance, but it works for us.

:)

Happy Valentine's Day

Love, Carly

Reading Wicked...

"A good book should leave you... slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it."

-William Styron, interview, Writer's At Work, 1958

The play "Wicked" is once again in San Francisco, at the Orpheum theater, and I would love to see it, but with the two furloughed days being taken out of Alan's check twice a month, it means that we are losing about $400 monthly. It's really not a good time to spend money on the theater, which is sad not just for us, but for the performers who are facing this recession right along with the rest of us. But just for the sake of argument, I took a look at the schedule to see if maybe we could go in a few months, and it turns out that if we went in June, a couple days before my birthday, to a matinee, it would be about $200 for two tickets, plus a convenience fee! We might be able to swing it, if we plan, but it doesn't seem like it is the most practical thing to do with our money, given the present circumstance.

Sigh.

Governor Schwarzenegger is planning on keeping the furlough days on the schedule until June of 2010! That's going to be hard on everyone. It will have the ripple effect of 238,000 state workers having even less to spend, but it's this or face the layoff notices of some 20,000 state employees. Alan has been in his job long enough that it is unlikely that he would be one of those facing a pink slip, but we know folks it could happen to, so everyone is just holding their breath and hoping for the best. Whatever that is. One thing is for sure, no one we know is spending money on trips to movies, let alone trips to broadway shows.

Sigh.

Oh well, I might not be able to see the play "Wicked" but I can read the book... right? I was just mentioning the other day it had been about 2 years since I had visited my favorite little book store, so I decided to drop in there and pick it up. I have always identified with the characters from the Wizard of Oz, particularly Dorothy, so why not jump back into the fantasy, this time as told from a different perspective, so I bought "Wicked, The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West" by Gregory Maguire, the book on which the play "Wicked" is based.

My reading usually consists of biographies, and non-fiction, the last book I read was Valerie Plame Wilson's book, Fair Game, I also enjoy reading mysteries, especially Mary Higgins Clark, and on occasion I read books with a humorous take on things such as "Bridget Jones' Diary" but fantasy isn't really a genre I have been too interested in. I read "The Hobbit" series when I was in high school, but that's been about it, well except for a few books by Alice Hoffman. "Practical Magic" remains on my desk as one of my favorite books of all time, but I think it will be having a little company with the book I am reading right now... I can't put it down.

"Wicked..." is a dark read. I will just say that. It turns out that the wicked witch of the west, and I, have a lot in common. I won't say what exactly, but I can identify... we'll leave it at that. What I will say is that she is a strong woman, who doesn't sit around waiting to be led... she makes decisions. She knows who she is, and makes no apologies. I admire that. :) I am about 2/3 of the way through, and I bought it a little over a week ago. I can't wait to buy more books in the series, because I want to find out what comes next. I always knew there just had to be more to the story. This book has been out for quite a while, and because of my reading snobbery I am only just now discovering it. MY BAD. Take it from me, if there is a genre of book you have been avoiding for whatever reason, take a step out of the norm and buy a book you might have never considered before, you never know what gem you might find!

If you haven't read it yet... go read it! If you have read it, tell me what you think! What was the last book you read? Do you have a favorite genre of book? If you have to choose one book to have the rest of your life, which book would it be?

Tell me everything! Let's talk books!

Wicked, The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West.

-Carly

Kitten? Cat? Kitten-Cat? He's Just Hendrix For Now

"Of all animals, the cat alone attains to the contemplative life. He regards the wheel of existence from without, like the Buddha."

-Andrew Lang



You can sit and watch Hendrix grow. Honestly, I don't know what Purina puts in it's Kitten Chow, but my little ball of feline fluff, it now a sleek, fast, chubby cheek CAT... of about 9 lbs or so. I don't know for sure mind you, he will get weighed in next week, but he might even be bigger then my estimate. He hasn't even reached 6 months old yet! At this pace he will be more panther then domestic cat~ LOL.

That would be a good thing I think. Hendrix is more then anything else... a love bug. He is respectful, and had already learned the words, BAD, NO and LOVE. Like with Elvis, I try to say the word LOVE more then BAD. He knows his name and can make the distinction between his name and Dylan's when I am calling them. He knows when I am trying to get his attention specifically, and responds.

He loves his brother... and drives him crazy. LOL. I have to separate the boys once in a while, but not for very long, as Dylan immediately misses his brother and cries for his companionship. When they are in the yard together, they stay with each other, so I never have to worry about one of them getting lost. It is a huge yard, so I stay with them to make sure they are ok. I am a mommy. :)

Hendrix loves watching TV and sometimes I put on a children's show for him. Just something calm and peaceful like Max and Ruby. The other day he dragged his favorite blanket and his favorite chew toy, Chip the Squirrel onto the bed, and fell asleep watching Max and Ruby. Dylan likes TV too, and usually follows his brother's lead when it comes to playtime. If Hendrix takes a time out, then Dylan does as well. They are brothers.

:)

My babies.

Life is good.

-Carly
"Hendrix The Kitten-Cat"
February 12th 2009

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #24: The Color Red

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way... things I had no words for."

-Georgia O'Keffee

Thanks for all your wonderful WINTER DAYS/COLD THINGS photos this past week. As I type this there is a fair amount of rain falling, with more on the way, and there is also a hint of snow for Bay Area mountaintops in the forecast. Well done! Now, on to this week's assignment...

EMPS #24: The Color RED.
With Valentine's Day next Saturday, and February being Heart Health Awareness month, what better time to focus our attention, and camera, on the color RED. As always, feel free to step outside the box as far as interpretation goes. RED Beans & Rice, RED hearts, RED roses, RED dogs, a RED crayon, RED cream soda, RED meat, RED rubies, RED cars, RED clothing, Rhode Island RED chickens. You get the idea.

Extra Credit: Show me something Valentine's Day related that isn't RED!

**Please Read**
You have until next Sunday evening, at 9:00 PM ET to do the assignment, post it to your blog or journal, and comeback here with the direct link. Remember, it must be the direct link to the entry specific to this week's photo shoot assignment, not the general link to your blog or journal. No hyperlinks accepted! Also, if it is your first time playing, be sure to let me know so I can give you a proper welcome! And please remember to link back here, so other folks can play along as well.

Linking List for EMPS #23: Winter Days/Cold Things 02/02/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Judi

2. Suzanne

3. Tammy

4. Gwenlyn

5. Jama

6. Karen

7. Greg

8. Wammy

9. Mike

10. Steven

11. Terri

12. Connie


It was a wonderful turnout this week, thanks for playing along folks! Ok, that's it for this week, so, GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next Monday, with an all new EMPS assignment!

-Carly

It's Still A Chihuahua Stupid!

"Ah - good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness."

-Pablo Picasso

Here, as promised, is a picture of my latest artwork gone awry! LOL. I swear, I thought it was a cat. LOL. The lady at the glaze studio was so sweet, she just grinned and admitted it looked a little like a cat to her as well. Tee Hee. I guess the customer is always right. Oh well, the real point to the day out was to have fun, and I did, I enjoyed the creative outlet a lot, so I think I will be going back to make something else soon. Next time I will take pictures so I can share it with you here. I have the perfect piece in mind... a nice vase... at least I think it's a vase... for all I know it might be a candelabra. LOL. Or a horse!

(Insert crossed eyes here)

You can read more about this adventure here.

-Carly
"Zen Chihuahua"
Berkeley, California
February 8, 2009
Morning

Round Robin Challenge: Joy: What Makes Your Heart Happy

"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside."

-Melba Colgrove

RRC: Joy: What Makes Your Heart Happy?
Suggested by Wammy author of the blog, "The Ellis Family Cincinnati."

Joy, happiness, the heart. Those very subjects have been on my mind a lot recently. Partly because of the Go Red For Women movement, and yesterday was, Wear Red Day, but also Valentine's Day is just a week away, and the TV is absolutely saturated with sappy romantic movies, but also because one or two old loves have crossed my mind lately, one in a dream, the other was mentioned to me by a mutual acquaintance. Men! Sheesh. LOL.

But lets stay focused... shall we? What fills my heart with joy? Oh my, well, that's easy, because, you see, I love a variety of sights, sounds and experiences. My camera and I find adventure in photography. The camera can zoom in so close that I can see the tiny hairs on a bumble bee without disturbing it, or take me to the very top of the Golden Gate bridge, so I can see that funny little warning light that alerts the low flying aircraft, up close. It gives me little moments that last forever. Sounds great, right? It is, but sometimes I get a bit obsessive when I am on a roll with my photography, and sometimes I forget to step back into the real world.

The other day, someone mentioned that they hadn't seen me around for a while, and I realized it had been just about 2 years since I had visited my favorite book store. Can you believe it? I had been to book stores mind you, even bought a book or two, but it had been that long since I visited my favorite independent book seller. I hadn't even realized how long it had been, I was just moving on in life. You know? There is a strange disconnect in that I think. But you see, photography fills my heart, every single day, and sometimes there isn't much time for other activities. I am hoping to change that somewhat, by looking for more balance in life. Time for reading, time for photography, time for working out, time for playing with the new babies, and so on.

So, what has had me so busy the last couple years...

Egrets In Autumn...


Summer Days By The Pacific...

Sleeping Cats...


Public Art...
Butterflies Hitching A Ride On My Wrist...

Cold Stormy Days By The Golden Gate...

Night Photography At The Vista In Marin County...


Cats With Attitude...
Amazing Sunsets...

French Onion Soup On A Cold Night...

Homemade Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies...

Actually, Any Old Autumn Day Will Do...

All the things that fill my heart with joy!

:)

Any old autumn day can fill my heart with joy, but especially one that contains pumpkins! LOL. I actually still have 2 pumpkins in my living room right now, left over from last October. Still in good shape, still reminding me of how sensuous autumn is. Autumn makes fills my heart with joy, but so do lots of things, like old friends, and good books, my kittens and my husband. You know... photography has the ability to heal me like nothing else can!

;) How about you? What fills your heart with joy?

I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up for this challenge.

Come Blog Jog With Me...

Linking List

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Monica... Click Shots
Posted!

Gwenlyn... Greenchair
Posted!

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Suzanne R... SuzyQ421's Photo Blog
Posted!

Kathy... Through The Viewfinder
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Yecap... Camera Obscura
Posted!

Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

MavisMolly... Holly On The Run
**Welcome New Member** Posted!

Mojo... Why? What Have You Heard?
**Welcome New Member** Posted!

Marina... Milepebbles
Posted!

Valerie... Rosemary's Other Baby
Posted!

Dawn... Dawn's Drivel
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories


maryt/theteach... Work of the Poet
Posted!

Tj... Tj's Photo Expressions
Posted!

Teena... It's all about Me!
Posted!

Ourhomeschool... Through The Eye Of My Camera
Posted!

Saffron... CV Photographs... Do You See What I See?
Posted!

Be sure to visit the official Round Robin blog on Sunday, to learn the subject of our next challenge!

Oh, and about the main photo above. You may have read on my blog about how I am hopelessly addicted to Starbuck's, yes, it's true. My favorite drink is the Shaken Ice Tea Lemonade (passion tea) and my favorite snack is the Fruit & Cheese platter. YUM!


Thank you Wammy, this was an amazing challenge, and I learned a lot from it.

-Carly

It's National Wear Red Day

"He who has health, has hope. And he who has hope, has everything."

-Proverb

Today is National Wear Red Day to bring awareness to women's heart health. Heart disease is still the number one killer of women, so educating ourselves on nutrition and ways to take care of ourselves is more important than ever. There are all kinds of things that can be done to raise awareness to women's heart health and one of the easiest is to wear red today.

I have a picked out my red sweater, black skirt, and red handbag for the day, and I am going to go out into the world and show my support. I am thinking about the ladies in my family who struggled with heart disease, like my mother in law who suffered a heart attack late last year, after years of dealing with heart related conditions.


I'm wearing red for her.

How about you? Will you wear red tomorrow?

Go Red For Women Website

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #23: Winter Days

"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door."

-Irish Blessing

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #23: WINTER DAYS
It's winter, here in the northern hemisphere, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was 80 degrees yesterday. What's a girl got to do to see some cold weather? Glad you asked. Your assignment for this week is to show me some WINTER DAYS in your neighborhood. Snow, rain, clear, yet icy conditions, bare trees, dead leaves, whatever accurately illustrates a WINTER DAY where you live.

Extra Credit: Show me the current temperature where you live. :)

Alternate Assignment...

EMPS #23A : WINTER DAYS/COLD THINGS
I know, I know... not all of you live in the northern hemisphere, and some of you who do, live in areas that don't necessarily see COLD weather even in winter, so for you folks I want you to find me anything Winter related. Ice. Frozen food. Ice Cream. An angry stare, a car first thing in the morning, a COLD salad or dessert. Anything WINTER/COLD.

Extra Credit: Show me something BLUE.

**Please Read**
You have until next Sunday, February 15th, 2009, at 9 PM ET to submit your EMPS assignment. Just post your entry to your blog or journal, then comeback here with the full link specific to this assignment. NO HYPERLINKS! The link you leave must be specific to this entry, not the general link to your blog or journal.

Linking List for EMPS#22: Rocks Or Stones 01/26/09

Now Closed!

1. Suzanne

2. Tammy

3. Gwenlyn

4. Judi

5. Karen

6. Greg

7. Terri

8. Jama

9. Wammy

10. Vicki

11. Mike

12. Connie

Well done everyone!

Now, send me some COLD thoughts this week... ok? Show me ! Or the alternate subject... BLUE. I will be looking forward to all your photos in the coming week! GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! See you next week with an all new EMPS assignment!

-Carly

4 Movies In 4 Weeks #4: New In Town

"Cinema should make you forget that you are sitting in a theater."

-Roman Polanski

I guess I should have named this series something besides, "4 Movies In 4 Weeks," because technically it has been 4 movies in 5 weeks! Oh well, whatever. Last night Alan and I went to see that last of the free movies we got from the Old Navy promotion. The movie we chose last night was,"New In Town," starring Rene Zellweger.

It was your typical "fish out of water' scenario, but who does that better then Rene Zellweger? The promos for the movie call it Bridget Jones goes to Fargo, and that is a pretty accurate assessment. It was a fun little "date night" movie, with plenty of laughs, although it was predictable at every turn. That's not always a bad thing, I went to this movie to see a Bridget Jones knock-off and that's what I got. I loved the Bridget Jones series, and would love to see at least one more film made in that series, but in the meantime this movie filled nicely. This movie, like Bridget Jones, drives home the point that sometimes life nudges you through doors you might have never considered going through on your own. Sometimes the best thing in life is a very closed door. :)

Harry Connick Jr., is just really nice to look at! You know? I swear he gets better looking all the time! I have been thinking about replacing David Duchovny in my sidebar "About Me" section with Harry... what do you think? It has been 5 years after all, and he hasn't found me, so maybe it's time to move on? Hmmm... letting go is so hard! LOL. I know my luck, just when I take him down, he will decide to log onto the Internet and Google his name and the word Ellipsis at the same time. And what will I have done? Replaced him! Bad... very bad! Nah... I will just leave him where he is, someday David... someday! Whiff/Sniff.

Anyway I would definitely recommend "New In Town." It is timely in the subject matter, the poor economy is affecting us all, so we could all use a little break from things. Go see it. Laugh. Forget about stuff. Go ahead. It's good for you, and it has been good for Alan and me. With those free tickets we have seen a "guy movie" a "chick flick" a "family friendly" movie, and a great "date night" film, all in one month. What could be wrong with that?

;)

-Carly
"Theater Seats"
Regal Theater
Dublin, California
January 30th, 2009
Late Afternoon

Here We Go Again

"A budget is just a method of worrying before you spend money, as well as afterward."

-Unknown

Here we go again...

Yesterday, a judge in Sacramento gave Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger his way, he granted Schwarzenegger permission to impose a work furlough on California state workers, which will require them to take 2 days off every month, without pay. It isn't a total surprise, I think I mentioned the possibility here late last summer, but I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this. We are in a better financial situation then we were back then, but it is still stressful to deal with.

Living in California is a trade off in many ways. It is unquestionably beautiful, and it's comfortable, but the cost of living is difficult, especially if you are a one income household. Jobs are becoming scarce, as more and more homes are foreclosed in the area, and companies are laying off. Earlier this week a chocolate company, here in Berkeley announced it's closing, and if you drive through any community here in the Bay Area, you will see more and more small businesses and companies gone. It's sad.

This move by the governor will cause a hardship for families already struggling under the pressure of the sunken economy. With this work furlough in place, more homes will end up in foreclosure, and as families will be forced to tighten the belts even further, and spending will drop even more. This idea of Schwarzenegger will help his budgetary problems initially, but it will devastate the economy of California for years to come, as we all struggle to recover. So why are we in this mess? Simple, the powers that be in California are too busy engaging in politics to care what they are doing to the rest of us.

And where is Washington?

Posturing mostly. Taking credit for how clever they are. President Obama has reached across the table to work with republicans, to try and find a solution to the stimulus resistance, what did he get for the gesture? Not a single republican in the house voted for the latest version of the stimulus package. Sigh. We have got to get on with life and rebuilding. California is not the only state with financial problems, we are all suffering. So where are the republicans this weekend? On a retreat to Virginia. Nice... very nice.

Every single politician, democrat or republican, that voted for the financial system bailout last autumn should be ashamed of themselves right now. I said it at the time that if there was no oversight, no accountability, it would end up exactly as it has. Millions and millions of dollars went to bonuses. But really, who didn't see that coming? It was a Bush parting gift to all of us, but hey, Obama voted for it knowing there was no accountability in sight, so what are you going to do?

Disappointing indeed.

Loans vs Grants to struggling states is still something that needs to be ironed out in the stimulus package. Personally, I don't really care which it is, we are at the point were something has to be done. Period.

Think good thoughts for California. Ok?

You can read more about the judge's decision by clicking the link below.

"Judge Approves Schwarzenegger's Worker Furlough Plan" (Sacramento Bee)

-Carly
California Capitol Building
Sacramento, California

It's A Chihuahua Stupid!

"Anyone who has never made a mistake, has never tried anything new."

-Albert Einstein



I took a couple days off from blogging this week, to relax a little bit, do some errands and take care of some business IRL (in real life). It was good to step away from the computer and just breathe a little. Alan had Tuesday and Wednesday off, so we were to spend both days together. We tried to do all the errands on Tuesday, so that we could have Wednesday free to have fun. We got almost everything done, except for some banking I needed to do. So, that meant that Wednesday was all ours!

Over breakfast Wednesday morning, I asked Alan what he wanted to do. "How about we finally go to the glaze studio?" Yikes... the glaze studio! I don't know why, but I have been avoiding doing that for at least 2 years. It sounded like fun, but I always came up with some reason to avoid trying it. Who knows why. Alan thought it would be fun and different to go there and make a plate or a bowl or a mug, but it just didn't really seem like something I wanted to do. But since we take turns choosing what we do together on his days off, and it was his turn to choose, I decided to be a good Joe and so off to the pottery shop we went.

It was a smallish shop, but the selection was nice, and the room was really well lit and bright. Alan chose a mug off the shelf on cleaned pottery, and I browsed a bit, finally deciding on a small cat figurine. I thought it would be fun to paint a little Dylan that I could put on my desk. I had it all worked out in my head. A figurine of Dylan this time, and I would make one of Hendrix on my next visit. Yep, it was a plan! I picked out the colors, the brushes, and a stencil of the Chinese symbol for Peace & Balance. I thought it would be creative, and a nice tribute to Dylan, to put that on the back of the kitty, to represent what Dylan means to me. He is a very peaceful creature, and when we cuddle I feel comfortable and balanced.

Excellent. It was a plan!

As I painted my kitty, we talked about what we might do the rest of the day. It was getting close to lunchtime, and I was beginning to feel hungry, so I suggested that when we were done, it might be nice to go out for a nice lunch of burritos or maybe a Taco salad. He agreed. Again it was a plan. I don't know why, but I was really hungry for Mexican food. Yummy.

Just as I was putting the finishing touches on my kitty, Alan remarked on how big the ears were on my figurine were. I hadn't noticed, but when I looked closer, I saw that they were... kinda large for a cat. Oh well, Dylan has big pink ears, so that would make it all the more realistic! Right? When we took our pieces to the counter to pay for them, the lady smiled and rang them up.

"Let's see... 1 large coffee mug, and 1 Chihuahua figurine."

Chihuahua?

"It's a Chihuahua figurine, not a cat?" I asked.

"Ummm... yes... It's a Chihuahua," snickered the lady at the glaze studio.

Well... that explains my hunger for Mexican food!

ROFL.

I really need to get out of the house more often!



I can't even tell the difference between a cat and a chihuahua!

Alan and I laughed and laughed at my mistake. It felt good to poke fun at my silly myself. I swear, that little dog, looked like a cat to me! I will get the piece back in a couple weeks, and I will post a photo of it. You'll see. A Mexican dog, painted to look like an orange tabby cat, with the Chinese symbol of Peace and Balance on it's back! LOL. It's an original Carly to be sure.

:)


Stay Tuned!


-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot # 22: Rocks Or Stones

"A pile of rocks ceases to be a rock when somebody contemplates it with the idea of a cathedral in mind."

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

If you come to San Francisco, you will see these rocks sticking up in the bay. They are located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge on the north side, just as you are entering in Marin County. They are the inspiration for this week's assignment.

EMPS #22: ROCKS or STONES.
Grab your cameras and show me some ROCKS. Big ROCKS, little ROCKS. LittleROCK, Arkansas, STONE soup. A Zen garden with decorative ROCKS, or how about ROCK cliffs? Sure, why not! A Pet ROCK, or ROCK candy. Take the words ROCK or STONE and use your imagination. ROCK music. ROCKING chair. ROCK ON! Stepping STONES. The Rolling STONES... it's all good!

Extra Credit: Show me actual ROCK or STONE in an unusual or special place.

**PLEASE READ**
The deadline for this Monday Photo Shoot assignment is next Sunday, February 1st, 2009, at 9:00 PM ET. Please remember to comeback here, to this entry with the direct link to your entry, specific to this photo shoot assignment. Please... NO HYPERLINKS! It must be a link only to the entry specific to this assignment, not a general link to your blog or journal.

Linking List for EMPS #21: Youngins'. 01/19/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama gets things off to an adorable start, with a baby monkey and his bottle. :) Way too cute!

2. Suzanne has three photos for us of her grand kids. Happy little ones. :)

3. Karen brings us little girls in floppy hats. :)

4. Vicki took her youngins' fishing. Fun in the sun! :)

5. Annie's youngins' smile for the camera! Delightful kids. :)

6. Vicki features a baby plus a binky! :)

7. Terri's youngins' shows us the most proper way to take a nap! Yes, I agree! :)

8. Wammy shows us a photo of her grand kids... HAPPY TOGETHER! :)

9. Mike wraps things up for us with three photos. A polar bear cub and it's mommy, children viewing dolphins, and a wonderful, smiling golden puppy. Awww! :)

Well, you guys had me smiling from ear to ear this week! Well done everyone! So, go be PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next week with an all new Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot Assignment!

-Carly

Be Like A Duck

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but paddling like the dickens underneath."

-Michael Caine

A couple weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night with a name in my head. It wasn't someone I knew personally, but it was familiar all the same. Just who was this Evelyn Boosby person, and why was I thinking about her? I thought and thought about it all day and most of that night. Finally, in a fit of, well, a fit, I broke down and asked Alan if he knew who she was.

"No, never heard of her." Said he. "Could she maybe be an old school teacher?" Hmm... an old school teacher huh? I contemplated his suggestion for an hour or so, but in the end I dismissed it. I couldn't remember the names of every teacher I had ever studied under, but I knew for certain none of them were ever named Evelyn Boosby. Who is this Evelyn Boosby anyway?

I went about my business the next few days, with only intermittent harassment by Evelyn Boosby. I had a lot to do with the kitties, and getting the last of the Christmas decorations put away. I always procrastinate on taking Christmas decorations down. I miss the holiday when it is gone so much. The lights, the decorations, the anticipation of what might be in that cute little box under the tree. Plus, cats are especially fun around the holidays. Cat people know that's true... right cat people? LOL. The other reason for procrastination is the pain in my shoulder, the one I have had since I pulled my rotator cuff a couple years ago. But put Christmas away I did, but I also went for a new Xray of my right shoulder. Yep, that pain is indeed arthritis. Fine. Now I have it in both knees and my right shoulder. Fine.

More then likely it was the direct fault of this Evelyn Boosby person! Ok. Full stop. I am now beginning to blame my arthritis on someone, who I am not sure I have ever even met, who for the time being anyway only lives in my brain. Time to track this person down, but where to start? Fortunately for me I have the entire Internet, right at my fingertips. I will consult GOOGLE. Not one single listing for an Evelyn Boosby huh? What to do, what to do.

Well, what do I know about her? Well, she lives in my brain. Does her name ring any other bells? Yes, Ryan O' Neal comes to mind. Fine, I will GOOGLE Ryan O' Neal. Wait a minute... Ryan O'Neal? LOL. Well, I viewed about 5 different sights, including Wikipedia, and it shed no light on Evelyn Boosby at all. Nada. Nothing. Sigh. Hmmm... could she be a character from an old TV show?

I hopped on over to TV.com and began searching all the old TV shows currently showing on TV Land. See, I usually fall asleep to those old shows on Sunday and Monday nights, when Alan is working. I know, falling asleep with the TV on is not the best idea, but it's creepy around here sometimes and it's nice to have a little background noise as I drift off. On the other hand, could this be why I have this person's name in my head.

Ummm... yep. It turns out the name is actually Evelyn Boothby, and she was a character Wally Cleaver dated on an episode of "Leave It To Beaver." Holy cow! I have been walking around with the name of an ex-girlfriend of Wally Cleaver in my brain. Yes, going to sleep with the TV set to TV Land is a bad thing. LOL. Maybe I should try the music channels or a nice cooking channel or something. LOL. Of course then I run the risk of waking up with an uncontrollable urge to make sushi or something. Not that Alan would complain. LOL. Oh well, anyway, the mystery is solved. And ooh... a bonus... Ryan O' Neal was in the episode! So how cool is that?

Strange. Very Strange.

:)

Leave It To Beaver
Season 5
Episode 1
First Aired 9/30/1961
Rated 9.1
"Wally Goes Steady"
Mary Mitchell as Evelyn Boothby

-Carly
"Toy of Toys"
Berkeley, California
January 25th, 2009
Morning

Round Robin Challenge: Not Of The Season

"To be interesting in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring."

-George Santayana

This challenge was my idea wasn't it? LOL. Immediately after I suggested it, the sun stopped shining in the Bay Area, and all those lovely spring conditions were replaced with rain, and chilly temperatures and well... winter conditions! LOL. Which isn't very surprising because, it's winter! SMILE. Oh well, I was able to find some suitable photos for the challenge in my archive, but that's fine too. So, for your viewing pleasure, are some previously unpublished photos that fit the challenge...

The first one was taken last autumn at Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch. What caught my eye was the gorgeous springlike flowers in the those lovely pastel colors, and right in the same frame was the very symbol of autumn... a jack-o-lantern. The scene just appealed to me somehow. Some of my very favorite things, coming together in one pretty little shot. Photographic bliss!

Roses In December?


I consider this rose one of my Christmas/Hanukkah presents from the last holiday season. It started to bloom early in the week, but opened completely on Christmas Eve. Roses, in December? I love my roses, but I had a terrible year with them. Between the ants and the aphids, my lovely roses ended up all but dead. I had given up, but this hardy little rose came through for me. My favorite of all the roses, it's called Green Ice. It was a nice surprise. It has encouraged me to start getting the garden into shape for this spring, beginning next month. Wish me luck!

Be sure to visit all the participating Robins for this challenge. Simply follow the links below...

Linking List ** Welcome New Members!**

Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!

Monica... Photographer's Choice
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

Terri... Ways I See The World
Posted!

**Gwenlyn... Greenchair
Posted!

Vicki... Maraca
Posted!

Suzanne R... SuzyQ421s Photo Blog
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Linda... Mommy's Treasures


Marina... Milepebbles
Posted!

Jill... South Bay Soliloquy
Posted!

Julie... Julie's Web Journal
Posted!

Kathy... Through the Viewfinder
Posted!

**Chris... Camera Obscura
Posted!

-rRose... WAIT-NOTYET-MOUNTAIN RIVER WHISPERS


Annie... Pictures of Craziness


Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!

**Basir Seerat... Basir Seerat's Photography


Connie... Far Side Of Fifty Photos
Posted!

Wammy... The Ellis Family Cincinnati
Posted!



Remember, there is still time to play along with the challenge, but if you can't make it for this round, stop by the Round Robin blog on Sunday to find out what our next challenge will be. :)

-Carly
"Pumpkin And Flowers"
Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch
Half Moon Bay, California
October, 2008
Afternoon

She's Just A Little Bit Caught In The Middle...

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening."

-Coco Chanel

Milly Dress worn by Dr. Jill Biden on Inauguration Day, 2009


My favorite things to talk about are boys, hair and make-up. LOL. Well, you can also get me to talk about cats and politics once in a while. WINK. But every now and again all my favorite subjects converge, like on inauguration day. With the exception of cats, I got to talk about all of my favorite subjects with the other ladies waiting in line to claim our free cosmetics at MACY*S. The inaugural fashion was on every one's mind, including mine. I wondered what folks would think about the clothes chosen by Michele Obama, and Jill Biden. The ladies I spoke to have mixed feelings. Personally, I like Michele Obama's dress and coat very much, it suited her, but I thought Jill Biden looked especially adorable in her outfit.

While both choices suited the women who wore them, I thought Jill Biden looked more comfortable in her choice. Her outfit has been panned by some as "too sexy" because of the length of the Milly dress she wore, and the boots which were, according to some, "too high." Personally, I don't see any reason why she would need to dress dowdy, just because it was an inauguration. She is a beautiful woman, with a cute little figure, I say show off your youthful side girl! She was dressed wonderfully. End of story.

It's fun to have women about my age, or a little older, to watch in regards to fashion. Princess Diana was my age, and I loved seeing her fashion choices in magazines. She was a strong role model in more then one area of life, and I missed her after her death. On a serious note, she actively worked with compassion, to bring awareness and sensitivity to those who suffered from depression. I will always appreciate her for helping me feel less alone, and better about seeking help. She was more than her fashion, so it irks me to see someone dismissed for superficial reasons. It should be interesting watching these two ladies over the next 4 years, I for one am looking forward to seeing what comes next from these two ladies, be it fashion or the causes they are passionate about.

What do you think about the fashion choices of Michelle Obama and Jill Biden? Has the critiques so far been fair? Do you have a favorite designer? Play fashionista for a moment, how would you have done things differently? Tell me what you think!

Official White House Biography of Michele Obama

Official White House Biography of Dr. Jill Biden


-Carly

Woo Hoo Free Cosmetics!

"When a cat rubs the side of it's face along your leg, it's affectionately marking you with it's scent, identifying you as it's private property, saying, in affect, 'You belong to me.'"

-Susan McDonough

Yesterday, I took a few moments out of celebrating the absence of George W. Bush, by picking up my free cosmetics from MACY*S. It seems that MACY*S, among other stores, got caught price fixing certain cosmetics items between May of 1994 and July of 2003! As a result, the unscrupulous stores mentioned in the ensuing lawsuit, were forced to giveaway, for free, $175 million worth of free cosmetics to those who had purchased cosmetics during those years. Each customer was allowed one product from a list of 19 or so products. I chose Vera Wang's Princess Body Polish (shower gel).

It has such a pretty and light scent. I haven't tried Vera Wang's fragrances before, but after trying it I think I might get the perfume as well. It is fun, and spicy, and I am enjoying it very much. It's perfect for daytime. The fragrance I use most often is Christian Dior's Poison, but I have been using that since I was in my 20's, and sometimes a girl just needs a change. I have been considering making a few changes to my wardrobe recently as well. Alan likes me in skirts, and I enjoy wearing them, so maybe I will wear them more often this year, and now I have a nice new fragrance to complete it all. Kohl's has some lovely styles by Vera Wang, she is my favorite designer, so I will go there soon and have a look see. Maybe something new for spring. SMILE. There's nothing like a free makeup giveaway to make a girly-girl smile!

Do you qualify for some free cosmetics? If you have already picked up your free product, what did you get? What perfume or cologne do you wear most often? Did you know about the lawsuit? You can read all about the lawsuit here. The stores involved in the lawsuit have until January 26th to distribute the free cosmetics. But don't wait too long, it's only as supplies last!

Cosmetics Cases Information Website

-Carly

It's Going To Be A Good Day!

"As Americans, we can take enormous pride in the fact that courage has been inspired by our own struggle for freedom, by the tradition of democratic law secured by our forefathers and enshrined in our Constitution. It is a tradition that says that all men are created equal under the law and that no one is above it."

-Barack Obama

:) I think today is going to be a good day! :)

-Carly
"Inauguration 2009"
January 20th, 2009

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #21: Youngins'

"In youth we learn; in age we understand."

-Maria Von Ebner-Eschenbach

NOW CLOSED!

EMPS #21: Youngins'.
This week lets have some fun with youth, ours or someone else's. Grab your cameras and show me some YOUNGINS'. Kittens, puppies, baby birds, baby carrots, baby elephants, seedlings, a new moon, human babies and children, anything or anyone that is currently in it's YOUTH will do. So let your imaginations out to play with this one. If you do choose to show off some human YOUNGINS' please remember not to give away their exact locations in your entries. John Scalzi used to pass along that bit of wisdom when he was running that Monday Photo Shoot, and it just seems like a good thing to continue doing. So keep that in mind when you do your posting. :)

Extra Credit: As in my photo above show me sibling YOUNGINS'.

***PLEASE READ***

You have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET to get the photo, post it to your blog or journal and comeback here with the direct link to your entry that is specific to this photo shoot assignment. Please remember, it must be the full link back, not a general link to your blog or journal. NO HYPERLINKS ACCEPTED! Also, please include a link back to this entry, so that others can also do the photo shoot assignment. The more the merrier... right? :)

Linking List for EMPS #20: Snack Time! 01/12/09

NOW CLOSED!

1. Jama

2. Karen

3. Suzanne

4. Judi

5. Terri

6. Laura

7. Em Dy

Well done everyone! Now GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! I will see you next Monday with an all new Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot assignment!

-Carly
"Youngins"
Santa Cruz, California
Summer 2006
Afternoon

Bush's Legacy

"The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem, it is generally employed only by small children and large nations."

-David Friedman

To some, the crosses on the hill in Lafayette, California, are simply crosses on a hill. To others it is a travesty, and to a different group of folks it represents the lives of the men and women who gave their lives for the service of their country. This simple memorial has been maligned, and vandalized. It has been protested and has been the scene of classing ideals. A part of me is still surprised that it was allowed to remain, but indeed it has quietly stood up to the controversy over the last few years, and it continues to honor those brave souls who died in Iraq for the freedom to make this statement.

Dick Cheney chose to ban the images of flag draped coffins returning home from Iraq. An apparent move to suppress the hurt we all felt because of these losses, hidden under the guise of respect to the fallen. It's hard for me to believe that true respect for our military was a priority for the Bush Administration, when we have been lied to so much. Respect? Was it respectful to start an unnecessary war? Was it respectful to send those men and women off to fight a war with poor, or substandard equipment? How about all those no-bid contracts? How about paying private security firms to patrol in Iraq at higher pay then we were giving our military? Was it respectful when the Bush Administration failed to send the proper amount of military personal in the beginning? How about how the soldiers that came back? Has anyone ever explained why the conditions at Walter Reed were allowed to fall to where they were?

Bush and Cheney have been working at rewriting history. Dick Cheney has admitted to war crimes. If either of these two men think that one day history will show them in a positive light, they are oh so wrong. I am hoping when Tuesday comes and goes the only time I will ever hear of these two men again, will be in the context of a trial and conviction for their many crimes against America and humanity... but I won't hold my breath. I suppose all I can really hope for is a quiet goodbye come Tuesday. There is a part of me who never believed Bush would actually leave office. I feared that he would come up with some sideways move no one saw coming, as an excuse to stay in power. I will not rest easy until I see Obama take the oath of office. Then I will believe Bush is finally gone. The oppression we have been forced to endure has been at times overwhelming, and it has left us tired, broke and beaten down.



The crosses on the hill in Lafayette is, and will always be, Bush's legacy.

"Sometimes I think it should be a rule of war that you have to see somebody up close and get to know him before you can shoot him."

-Colonel Potter, (Henry Morgan) M*A*S*H

-Carly
"Crosses On The Hill"
Lafayette, California
January 17th, 2009
Afternoon