Wishing and Hoping

It's a rainy day today. Just wishing and hoping and planning and dreaming I was there. 

The Hamptons

When I think of the Hamptons, hydrangeas don't come to mind. But, I really did take this shot in front of a bakery in East Hampton. Such a beautiful area. So different from crowds of NYC. 

Just getting you ready for the next post!

Tomatoes

About a month ago, I participated in an event called, Love and Home Grown Tomatoes. The purpose was to raise funds to expand its work of growing fresh food for local food pantries and to provide garden plots for community members. 


Since it was an event involving TOMATOES, I tried to be as creative as possible. I mean how many ways can one shoot a tomato? Whatever. I tried.  

Damn!

It's not even 11 a.m. and things aren't getting any better. This morning at 4:15 I woke up. I tried and tried to go back to sleep, but my mind started ... Usually when this happens, I just turn on the television and I fall back to sleep. But this morning was different. I turned on the t.v. and this is what I saw. 

I couldn't read the small print, so damn if I didn't have to get out of bed to read it. Then it hit me. Comcast had been sending letters warning me that this was "probably" going to happen. I thought it was a marketing ploy, like the ones they send every other day to try to entice me into something called Xfinity. All I want is basic cable. Nothing fancy. So now I was angry because I knew this would involve calling the company...you know. 


Now I was really awake. What was I going to do? Fortunately, I had a book that a friend loaned me, within arms reach. For an hour or so, I read the book. I don't know why, I've read this book before and I know what 's going to happen. The author writes about South Carolina and the islands between Litchfield and Charleston. I was already several chapters into the book before I realized that just maybe I've read this book before. Just to make sure, I continued reading, and now I'm sure I've read it. I can't stop now. If you're laughing, thinking how stupid I am, I ask you, "How many times have you watched The Miracle on 34th Street? or Where The Boys Are? or Gone With The Wind?" I rest my case. 


Let's see. So far I woke up three hours early, the t.v. doesn't work and I'm reading a book that I've already read. Things were grim until I remembered that I had a chocolate croissant waiting for me! That and coke would really perk things up. So I scampered downstairs, grabbed the pastry, poured a juice glass of coke, plopped on the sofa and turned on the tube. The thought did cross my mind to fix Tom's breakfast, but heck, he loves Sugar Corn Pops, and who was I to ruin his morning? So I stayed on the sofa, but at least, I did turn on Fox so he could get the conservative point of view of the day's happenings. He loves Fox, or is it Gretchen?


Well one thing led to another. Tom left for work, Good Morning America came on, I cat-napped, Kelly came on, I cat-napped and then gave up and decided to get some things done. The internet was calling, so I checked my emails, read several blogs, wrote an email to Cynthia, started writing my blog, and was interrupted by a handsome Salvadorian named Elmer who was coming to pick up a check for the sprinklers that he installed in November. When he came a few minutes ago, I asked him why he didn't come in January to get the check, and he said he was in Salvador. It seems that he is married and his young, 21 year old, wife lives there and he visits several times a year. Elmer is 37. There's more but I'll stop now. 


I'm sure things will get better. I'm going to Pike's Nursery where I'm going to try to convince them to give me yesterday's deal on a Japanese Maple tree. I've got to learn to read the ENTIRE ad and not just the large print. It seems that they are going to begin giving daily deals and the tree was yesterday's. Keep your fingers crossed. Things have go to get better. Now. 

Pressure

It appears that absolutely everyone in the blogisphere is posting images of beautiful flowers growing in their yards...ahem...Holly. Not being able to sustain all of this pressure on my shoulders, I decided to venture into my backyard. I haven't really stepped in the backyard since maybe November. Honest. 


The Bradford Pear Trees are beginning to lose their blossoms, so I thought I had better shoot them first. I'm also playing around with some actions, so the blue in one of the images is a result of my processing...as if you couldn't figure that out!

I think tomorrow I'll shoot azaleas. Stay tuned...

The Ohio River

Late last summer while I was in Huntington attending my high school reunion, I went with my sister to have dinner at a restaurant located near the river. Actually it was ON the river but I didn't realize that until we were seated and preparing to order. As we were looking at the beautiful view of the river, a boat approached and we began to rock. I looked at my sister, who was talking on the cell to my California sister, with a look of panic. As she continued to talk, I jumped up and went to the bar to ask why we were rocking. The bartender looked at me like I was nuts and explained that we were on a barge. Okay, I admit it, we did walk on a plank to enter the restaurant, but I didn't get it. Although I loved the view, I just can't have dinner on something that moves when a boat zooms by causing the diners to grab their wine and hope the flounder doesn't land on your lap! Besides, I HATE boats!

Fortunately, I had my camera with me and I was able to convince my sister to go with me to take a few quick shots. This is the actual view.

This image was changed to sepia, giving it an older, more vintage look. Notice the boat in the background? I think it takes away from the story of the image. I wanted the focus to be on the three guys fishing...so in the next image, I removed it.

I added a filter to the next image. It has a kind of faded look. I'm not liking it. The image below retains some of the color, but still has a filter. I like it, but still like the original one best. I'll just keep experimenting.

By the way, we had dinner several hours later, downtown. That is, after my sister had an encounter with another driver...he should never have honked. It's a long story. I told her I wouldn't tell.

Here's What I Know About Spain

These are merely my observations. Rick Steves, I'm not.



• In Madrid birds chirp to notify you when to cross the street; we were on our own in Barcelona.
  
• There doesn't appear to be as many people speaking English as other European countries.
• They really don't use washcloths and you can't buy them in stores...we tried. We bought a hand towel and cut it in half. How do they remove their make-up?
  
• I think every Spaniard smokes...got more second hand smoke there than I did when Tom was puffing away three packs a day.
• They wear white after Labor Day. Since there is no Labor Day that I know of in Spain, I guess that doesn't apply to them. Makes sense.


• They eat every part of the cow, fish, pig, chicken, and ox, including brains and tail...really. I probably left out some of the parts...I just couldn't deal with it.


• Expect to wait at least thirty minutes for the bill in the restaurants after you've asked for it...they are in no hurry.


• The universal reply after you asked them if they speak Ingles, "A little."


• There are AT LEAST two restaurants in every block.
  
• If you're driving, getting out of Barcelona is a heck of a lot easier than getting in...makes New York look tame.


• Almost every apartment has a beautiful balcony.


• Water is served in glass bottles more than plastic...Spain's going green.


• They really do eat dinner late in the evening.


• There is no ranch dressing in Spain, it's olive oil and vinegar or nada.


• Just as in Italy, their daily objective is to try to run over a tourist with their cycles.


• They double park when and where they want to...like I said, they're in no hurry.
  
• Iberian ham is served all day...salty and tough, but when you're hungry it tastes good...no mustard though, when asked for it, the reply, "No habla Ingles."
  
• Spanish women have beautiful skin.
  
• Spanish women OF ALL AGES wear leggings or tights, and of course, the ubiquitous neck scarf!
  
• Chips are served with wine in Madrid.


• Spaniards are more than willing to give directions when asked but if you follow them you'll be in worse shape than when you started.

There you have it. In case you're wondering, Madrid was my favorite city. It might be because our apartment was located in the old part of town with lots of character and a convenience store across the street, or it could be because I like to be alerted by chirping birds when it's time to cross the street. Really.