My Neighbours are Confusing...

So, not a very exciting photo, but I couldn't figure out the purpose of this:

A closer view:



Yep, that's one of those barrel-sized traffic cones. Waaaaaaay up on top of the tree.

I just don't understand why....and also, how? You can't exactly scale hundreds of feet of evergreen carrying a barrel as big as you are...even if it makes a funny mental picture. :)

~M

Wordless Wednesday: Posing for a Portrait

~M



Royal Purple

There's a slowly growing collection of primulas in pots at the front of the house. These purple ones are especially nice I think.

~M



Mellow Yellow

This is Monday's photo...not much else to say! :)

~M



Three for the Price of One

So the majority of photos I've taken so far have been close-ups/macros. It's not that I don't like big scenic pictures (I do!), it's more that the landscape around here lately is pretty dull. Everything's this sort of muddy  blah green-brown, and I like a bit of colour!

The reason this photo made it today was because of the sky...I really liked the way the sun was glinting silver off the edges of the clouds.

And a bonus, more of the usual, but in a very pretty blue...



Plus a "follow-up" shot...

I've posted a picture of this little tree before, but the buds are now producing leaves. 

Somehow, without trying, I managed to take a picture of the exact same stem and buds as I did before. The angle may not be exactly the same, but close enough for my own amusement. :)

~M

Hung Out to Dry

I washed my bedding and a bunch of blankets today, and since the rain was holding off, hung them out on the line to dry. It wasn't quite as warm as expected though, so they were still half wet when evening rolled around and I brought them inside.

This blanket was made for me by my aunt when I was born. I've used it for myself, my stuffed animals, the roof/walls of various blanket forts, dragged it out camping and to sleepovers and washed it a thousand times...and all these years later it's still holding up really well.

Of course, I've just realized that this photo isn't very well focused. Oops.

~M

So Sunny and Bright!

These daffodils are the same as what Mum took pictures of a few days ago, but photographed from other side. Which meant could stand on solid ground instead of straddling the ditch to do so. Which seemed like a much better idea when you take into account my lousy balance and coordination.



I wouldn't have been to happy to take an impromptu bath in the ditch...and Mum wouldn't have been happy if I had bathed her camera either! :)

~M

Two in the Bush



~M

A Day Like This



Is pretty much perfect!

~M

Tintless Tuesday

~M



Back in the Rut

I had a plan for what I was going to take a picture of today, but by the time I made it home from work today someone else had already beat me to it.

So I fell back on the old standby...after a week away, the raindrops are back! :)



~M

Set in Stone

Unlike other cats, this one isn't afraid of the camera.

He used to be black, and hang out in the garden, but time and weather have worn the paint away.

~M

Looney Tunes

Luna found that there were many things outside today more interesting than the girl with the camera in her face.

Like the chickens. And Jake. And the sheep. And, well, just about everything but me, to be honest. :)

~M

Roses are Red

Leaves budding on a rose bush in the garden, I think it's really neat how the leaves are edged in red.

It's a wee bit grainy, but that'll be because I was out taking pictures really late, and the light wasn't so good. On the plus side, I've stuck to my "no raindrops" vow so far this week. Only one more day to go. :)

~M



Oh So Retro

I almost forgot about this challenge before heading to bed. Almost.

And then I was waiting for inspiration to strike and it didn't.

So I tried to be holiday appropriate, and ended up with some completely sad pictures of a green cupcake.

This was edited using the 1960's effect in Picnik. It's supposed to have rounded corners, but what I thought was a cropping effect, actually just turned them white. Which doesn't really work when your blog background isn't white.

Do I like it? Maybe, maybe not, but it may grow on me.

~M

Once & Again

This shrub has been done before.

But if I didn't know that it was the same plant, I probably wouldn't have guessed. It's interesting how the amount/type of light  (mid-day vs sunset) has such an effect on the colours.

~M

Edited to Add:

Ha! Apparently great minds think alike?

 

Peekaboo



~M

Edged in Gold

An early childhood reader, three books written in Icelandic (I think) and the poetry of Longfellow, topped with a small silver chest.

 I love to read, but these ones are on my shelf more for the "old & interesting" factor than any real need to read them. Plus, I don't understand Icelandic, so that would make it difficult to even attempt. :)

~M

The Next Big Thing



Yep, I`m heading to Europe! I leave April 3rd from Vancouver, and fly to Heathrow. I`m going to spend a few days in London, and then I join a Contiki tour group around Europe for 3 weeks, which is what is shown in the picture. I`ll end up back in London for a few more days and then fly home April 30th. I`ve never been before and I`m so excited!

 And, since I left booking it until the last minute, I ended up saving a good chunk of money because they were offering a last minute deal, and Air Canada was having a seat sale. Bonus. :)

Of course, normally, I wouldn`t be able to take 4 straight weeks off from work, but the doctor I mainly work for has been diagnosed with cancer and is going for surgery. He seems quite optimistic about the outcome and says he will be back at work in June. I decided it made sense to take my vacation time (plus some!) while he was gone, as my hours are going to be reduced.

Now I just need to figure out what to pack!

~M

 

Insert Something Clever Here

Some days that title just pops into your head...and others, well, it comes down to the fact that I feel I have to put something up there.



This one taken with my phone, through the windshield, sitting at the light waiting for traffic to clear out to make a left turn. It took a while.

Next week, I should maybe try take pictures without raindrops...it may be hard, considering thats almost all I've taken pictures of lately! :)

~M

Spring Rains

This is Friday's picture, as our internet has been down for the past couple of days, which makes me sad.

On the other hand, we're definitely hitting spring, which, despite the rain, makes me happy!

~M

Picnik-ing in the Rain



I've been playing around with Picnik off and on lately. For a free web program...I think it works pretty great! I accidently saved the changed photo over the orignal, or I might have posted it. It was very much grey and blah before.....now, not so much. :)

~M

Hen & Chicks



~M

Here We Go Again

Yup, we've got raindrops again.

But I'll take them over snow any day!

~M

Use What You've Got

Cellphone photo taken in the parking lot near work this afternoon.

~M



Pretty in Grey



I really like the colour combo in this one...that particular shade of grey sure makes the reddish bud pop against the background.

~M



Into the Night

Don't you just love the neon lights?

I had meant to get a better close-up of the round light near the top, it says "Don't Worry Be Happy", however I only got this one as I was standing in an empty parking space in front of this restaurant, and had to jump out of the way of an incoming car.

Don't tell my mother. I wasn't playing in traffic, really I wasn't! :)

~M

Spring Flowers Faked

Pretty soon we'll be having the real thing!



Taken with my little camera. It turned out pretty well considering the low light and the fact that I have incredibly unsteady hands. :)

~M

Lowering the Bar for the Daily Highlight

So I work in a medical clinic that is both a family practice (by appointment) and a walk-in clinic. We usually have several doctors working at once, some seeing only their own patients, others seeing walk-ins.

 Now, a lot of the walk-in patients haven't quite grasped the concept that it's first come, first serve, and that we can only estimate their wait time. (This is despite the numerous signs on incredibly fluorescent pink paper stating this fact that we have plastered on every wall and sitting on the front counter.) If the doctor needs to spend extra time with a patient, they will take it, and this can significantly change the amount of time someone will have to wait. We can only guess at how long it will take...and sometimes it's a long time! We take a fair bit of abuse...and if it can be that bad at a walk-in clinic, I can only imagine what working somewhere like the ER must be like! I like to complain that I'm losing my faith in humanity working where I do....that's not overly dramatic at all is it? :)

So after an especially trying period today (oh there was definitely yelling), I had this fax from the hospital come across my desk. See if you can spot what I burst out laughing at, and sadly it was probably the highlight of my work day.

You have to love a somehow appropriate typo. I've always thought that calling them "patients" was somehow a misnomer, as patient ones are sadly in the minority. :)

~M

This Little Light

Second attempt at posting this. Blogger's feeling feisty tonight....

I got home from work just in time to catch the last of the light, and the first of the stars.

~M



Ham & Cheese

My lunch:



Plus a banana, yogurt and the leftover fruit salad from yesterday.

I was going for healthy....and succeeded.

At least until I added on a (rather large) handful of sour candies. Oops. :)

~M