Sunny's 12 of 12

Thursday, January 12

2012-01-13T00:17:00.000-06:00

Some friends and I took a road trip to Bentonville, Arkansas, today to have lunch and visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. All I can say is WOW! What an incredible place to visit. We're already planning a trip back in the spring when the dogwoods are in bloom so we'll be able to enjoy the numerous trails on the museum grounds. This is a must-see place, folks. You definitely need to put a visit to this museum on your bucket list. Here's just a smidgen of what we saw:

We saw this guy. 2:25 p.m.

Here's an up close shot. Wasn't he patient to allow me to get so close? 2:27 p.m.

Creepy! This is entitled "Old Self, Portrait of the Artist as He Will (Not) Be. Variation #2 2010" by Evan Penny, made of silicone, pigment, hair, fabric and aluminum. 2:35 p.m.

A small section of "Hall of the Mountain King" by Marsden Hartley. To really view this painting, you have to stand way back. I can't figure out how he was able to paint it and make sense of his strokes unless he has very, very long arms. 3:32 p.m.

Probably my favorite sculpture of those we saw today. Her gracefulness really captured me. 3:33 p.m.

I love this little guy's smirkey smile. It's an oil on canvas by William Holbrook Beard and is entitled "School Rules." The chimp is holding a copy of Darwin's Descent of Man. 3:43 p.m.

A welcome resting place, that gives a glimpse of the architecture. 4:20 p.m.

"Standing Explosion (Red)" by Roy Lichtenstein, with Andy Warhol's "Dolly Parton" in the background. 4:24 p.m.

This is entitled "Big Red Lens" by Frederick Eversley. It sits in a hallway with a bench directly opposite it and just invites you to sit and look through it. 4:26 p.m.

After visiting most of the galleries, we stopped into Eleven for an afternoon snack and drink. This cupcake was heavenly; rich chocolate with a coffee buttercream frosting. Yum. The Raspberry Fizzy was pretty good, too. 4:47 p.m.

The sun started down and brought beautiful skies. I liked the reflections of the beams against the pink sky. 5:24 p.m.

In the restaurant. 5:25 p.m.

Bonus shot of some really neat light fixtures in the museum gift shop. 5:48 p.m.

I wanted to pull a Ticklebear and post about 50 pictures this month, but I resisted. There are so many wonderful things to see at Crystal Bridges. Don't take my work, though; go see for yourself!

Monday, December 12

2011-12-12T15:24:00.001-06:00

This ends my fourth year of taking pictures for Chad Darnell's 12 of 12 Project. I woke up kind of sad this morning, thinking this would be my last 12 of 12. To be honest, I was also a little bit relieved, as some months it can be difficult to find something interesting to shoot. This is one of those months. It's cloudy, rainy and chilly, and I'm not too enthused about getting out. So, this is an around the house month.

Probably the last rose for a while. It freeze dried on the

bush. I'm curious as to how long it will stay there. 10:00 a.m.

Tell me, who would build a skinny cabinet and

then put a shelf in it, totally messing up its intended use?

It had to be a man. It took a woman (me), a tree saw,

a drill, a hammer and some other tools to get it out. 10:46 a.m.

Success. 11:11 a.m.

Finally able to make good use of the cabinet. 11:21 a.m.

You've seen pictures of Lily and Sassy over the years,

but these are my other dogs. 11:42 a.m.

Fun with milk, food coloring and cooking oil. 11:50 a.m.

More fun, this time with motion blur. 11:50 a.m.

Do you see how dreary it is? 1:09 p.m.

The very best apples I've ever tasted. Honeycrisp. Yum. 1:12 p.m.

This handsome fellow is perched high

up on the top of my kitchen cabinets. 1:15 p.m.

I have babied this Gardenia bush for years;

setting it out in the spring and bringing

it in during the winter. For the past few years, it

has been very stingy with flowers, so I pruned it

way back and gave it plenty of fertilizer. There

are now dozens of buds on it. I hope they'll

stay there long enough to bloom. 2:01 p.m.

I totally cheated here. The picture was taken a few years

ago in Garmisch. If you don't do Christmas, I wish your
celebrations during this time to be as meaningful to you as
Christmas is to me.

And that, my friends, is the end of another year in my life. I just found out the 12 of 12 project will be continuing, albeit on another website. So, thanks for the memories, Chad, and thanks to the new benefactor. I hope to see you all again next year.

Saturday, November 12

2011-11-12T21:11:00.002-06:00

My shooting buddy Mary and I had a great day. We met at my house for a quick breakfast and then got on the road to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where one of my granddaughters was competing in the River Valley Feis, an Irish dance competition. We cheered her on and then headed off to see other things. Here's a bit of what I saw.

Kudos to the town of Fort Smith for not rushing Christmas - 10:06 a.m.

An ancient instrument maker playing a gourd banjo at the feis - 11:04 A.M.

A section of a painting in the foyer of the Fort Smith

Convention Center caught my eye - 11:22 a.m.

Little girls, big dreams - 11:41 a.m.

A ghillie, or Irish Dance soft shoe, on my sweet granddaughter's foot - 11:43 a.m.

I'm probably the only one old enough to remember - 3:18 p.m.

On a fence at the Fourteen Flags Museum in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. The Howdy Doody sign was there, too - 3:26 p.m.

Signs of fall - 3:50 p.m.

Love, love, love the spring and picnic area at Sequoyah's Cabin near Sallisaw, Oklahoma - 3:51 p.m.

Sequoyah, who was illiterate, is known for creating a syllabary for the Cherokee language. 3:53 p.m.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah]

On the way to Sequoyah's Cabin, we passed a cemetery with gorgeous trees. After visiting the cabin, we headed back to the Akins Cemetery, which Mary's husband told us was the burial place of a famous US outlaw - 4:39 p.m.

Though hard to read, this is the gravestone for Charley Arthur Floyd, a/k/a Pretty Boy Floyd [1904-1934], an infamous bank robber and alleged killer in the early 1900's. Some local visitors to the cemetery told us that this is the third headstone to be set, as souvenir hunters chip away at them until they're unrecognizable. If you look carefully between the vase and the stone, you'll see a bullet that some fan has left on the grave site. 5:13 p.m.

Bonus:

Our friendly cemetery visitors also told us a story about Pretty Boy Floyd's younger brother, E. W. Floyd [1908-1970], who wanted to go rob banks with his big brother. Pretty Boy evidently told his little brother to stay home, which he did. He later became sheriff of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma, and served until his death in 1970.

That's it. It was a great day, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. See you next month.

Wednesday, October 12

2011-10-12T17:20:00.004-05:00

Fall has finally come to Oklahoma, and the weather is divine. The forecast from Intellicast this morning was for scattered thunderstorms. Intellicast blew it. We had brilliant blue skies, a nice breeze and warm sunshine. Just perfect for a day at Swan Lake and Linnaeus Teaching Gardens. It was hard to pick just twelve keepers this month, but I did it. Here's what I saw, and forgive me if I don't know the names of the flowers.

A Swan at Swan Lake - 10:48 a.m.

Purple flowers in beautiful light - 11:02 a.m.

Orange flowers - 11:05 a.m.

Maybe Milkweed (?) - 11:07 a.m.

More purple and orange flowers - 11:26 a.m.

Another swan at Swan Lake - 11:33 a.m.

Barrel Cactus at Linnaeus Teaching Gardens - 11:45 a.m.

Purple and green looking good together - 11:59 a.m.

There's a Monarch Butterfly in this picture - 12:00 p.m.

I don't have a clue what these are, but they were
really striking against the green grass - 12:02 p.m.

This picture just made me smile - 12:03 p.m.

Water Lily - 12:08 p.m.

I know I bombarded you with flowers this month, but I'm hoping they'll tide you (and me) over during the darker months to come. I do best when the sun shines, so I'll be coming back here often to remind myself of this beautiful fall day. Hope to see you next month.

Monday, September 12

2011-09-12T17:15:00.002-05:00

Oh, what a beautiful morning. I started out this morning by purchasing a new dishwasher; I hope I made the right choice. After that, we had a plan to photograph thirteen restoration projects which had recently been recognized by the Tulsa Preservation Outreach Committee. Turns out a lot of them were houses; cute bungalows. I dutifully took pictures of them and then decided there were other things I'd rather show you.

A 1940's Frisco 4500 Meteor Steam Locomotive, which
is located at Route 66 Village in Tulsa. 10:02 a.m.

Wheels....lots of wheels. 10:14 a.m.

After having lunch at Queenie's at Utica Square, we set out to take more restoration photos in the Swan Lake Historic District. This old, ratty VW bus obviously hasn't been restored. 12:54 p.m.

The Atlas Life Building in downtown Tulsa has been restored and
now holds a Courtyard by Marriott. 1:14 p.m.

A very enthusiastic street singer in downtown Tulsa,
who very nicely allowed me to take his photo. 1:26 p.m.

The Grand Hall in the absolutely gorgeous Mayo Hotel [on the
National Register of Historic Places], which was originally
opened in 1925 as a luxury hotel, abandoned in the 1980's and
renovated and reopened in 2009. 1:39 p.m.

Light fixture just outside the Grand Ballroom of the Mayo Hotel. 1:45 p.m.

The Campbell Hotel [on the National Register of Historic Places]
on 11th Street (Route 66) in Tulsa. It was built in 1927 by Max W. Campbell
and has housed a barber shop, shoe repair shop, the Casa Loma Hotel
in the 1940's and has recently been renovated and restored as the Campbell Hotel.
It is such a charming place and the one place that I really wanted to photograph today. 2:11 p.m.

Old suitcases in the lobby. 2:19 p.m.

A touch of old; a touch of new. Original fireplace and a
wide screen TV in the conference room. 2:21 p.m.

One of several Frederic Remington bronzes in the hotel. 2:23 p.m.

Porter's luggage cart in an alcove near the elevator. 2:24 p.m.

Bonus picture: Lily, who is 4 days into her last two weeks
of strict crate rest. Little girl had two back surgeries in July and
had eight discs zapped with a laser last week. In 10 days, she
gets to act like a dog instead of an invalid. 6:01 p.m.

That's all, folks. It's time for me to clean off my CF card and get ready to watch my grandson Andrew play in the Jenks/Union Junior Varsity Game. Go Trojans!!

Friday, August 12

2011-08-12T18:37:00.002-05:00

We have been blessed with cooler weather and some much needed rain the past few days. The break in the heat made it much more pleasant to get out and about today. I started out shooting lots of textures around the house but found nature to be more interesting.

Lily, still on crate rest. The day after I posted her picture last month,
she was in surgery at Oklahoma State University Veterinary Teaching
Hospital to have ruptured disc material cleaned off her spinal cord. She came
home six days later able to walk but within two days she was in severe pain and
couldn't use her back legs. Back to the hospital we went, and she had
another surgery to remove even more disc material and fix things so no
more could leak (hopefully). She's three weeks out from the second surgery
and doing well. She's got a minimum of three more weeks of crate rest to go,
but she's a trooper and doesn't make a fuss. Sorry for the long explanation,
but a lot of you asked, and I thought I should explain the absence of hair
and scar on her back. 7:28 a.m.

"I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee..." 11:55 a.m.

Imperfect or just perfect? 11:56 a.m.

Parched - 11:58 a.m.

A barn I like - 12:07 p.m.

While trespassing to get shots of the barn, I saw this grape vine
decorating a barbed wire fence - 12:08 p.m.

Just a weed - 12:10 p.m.

Victim of a recent storm - 12:12 p.m.

Another view of that barn I like.....I like the house, too! 12:17 p.m.

Optimism - 12:28 p.m.

Marshmallow people at the local chocolate shop - 1:46 p.m.

We had lunch at the Main Street Tavern, a great place to eat
in Broken Arrow - 1:50 p.m.

After lunch, it was time to head home and take Lily and Sassy out in the yard to walk around a bit and do what dogs do. Thanks to my shooting buddies, Mary and Jeanne, I had another fun 12th. See you next month.

Tuesday, July 12

2011-07-12T20:52:00.004-05:00

Oklahoma is hot; my yard is dry and crispy; it was my volunteer day, and I didn't have much time to shoot. Enough whining.....let's go look at what I managed to see:

This is Lily. She is on strict crate rest for the next six or eight weeks. She
only gets out to go potty. 9:27 a.m.

A spent Hosta flower. The heat is getting to every living thing. 11:00 a.m.

Where I volunteer a few hours every week. I cut my hours short today
so I could get home and take Lily out. The medicine she's taking
makes her thirsty. She drinks a lot and, thus, has to go out frequently. 2:02 p.m.

"American Patriot" statue, the likeness of Major William H. (Hank) Miesner, Jr.,
a graduate of Broken Arrow High School, who went on to serve in both the
Marine Corps and the United States Army. 4:09 p.m.

A slice of the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center. 4:15 p.m.

Just a sample of the selection of chocolates at a cute little
chocolate shop in Broken Arrow. We stopped for chocolates,
of course, but also some wonderful coffee ice cream. 4:34 p.m.

The awesome bricks on the floor of the chocolate shop. 4:36 p.m.

The chocolate shop....cute little store. 4:50 p.m.

An old water fountain in the park. I tried pumping the foot
pedal, but nothing ever came out. 4:57 p.m.

Just a weed. 5:00 p.m.

Flowers on a Nandina. I've never seen a Nandina with flowers. 5:01 p.m.

Dinner at Memories of Japan. Yum! 6:51 p.m.

It would have been a nice night to go shoot at the river, but I needed to get home and tend to my wiener dog patient. See you next month.

Sunday, June 12

2011-06-12T18:05:00.005-05:00

My intention for today was to take you along on a trip to a polo match. It was to be a new experience for me. Rain early this morning muddied the field, and the match was canceled. Maybe another time. Instead of a polo match, you're going to get a bit of this and a bit of that.

First, a trip to the backyard to check on the roses. I like the color of this bud; it's from a Peace Rose. 9:40 a.m.

Gardenia in a bed of roses.
I have a poor, pitiful gardenia bush that I keep in the house over the winter and put out in the yard in the spring. It needs to be re-potted, but that seems like an awfully messy chore to me. I cut it back this year in hopes that it might get a little bit healthier. Needless to say, I was very surprised when I saw the flower this morning. It's sitting on one flower from each of the rose bushes in my backyard. 10:21 a.m.

Lone pine cone near our subdivision pond. 11:44 a.m.

Dragonfly at the water's edge. 11:47 a.m.

Very interesting roots. They remind me of cypress knees, but I don't think they are. 11:52 a.m.

I took a nice, sharp picture of the leaves of the tree that produced
the roots above, but I liked the looks of this picture better. Something
about it reminds me of a watercolor. 11:56 a.m.

After lunch, I headed out to meet my shooting buddy Mary and take a tour of some local sustainable gardens. I watched train cars go by for about ten or fifteen minutes on the way. Some were quite nicely decorated. 2:08 p.m.

Cute little staged potting bench at the first garden. 2:48 p.m.

I thought this cabbage was pretty. 2:50 p.m.

A wood fired cob oven the homeowner had constructed. He said all
of the family's summertime cooking is done in this oven. I'm thinking
bread and pizza would be really good cooked in there. 3:07 p.m.

We headed off to another garden, where I saw this squash blossom.
I love the orangey-yellow against the lush green. 3:26 p.m.

Another staged bit of garden decor, but I like it. 3:28 p.m.

And that, my friends, is the end of this month's 12 of 12. It was time for a BIG Diet Coke from Quik Trip. For those of you who don't live near a Quik Trip, I'm so sorry.

See you next month.

Thursday, May 12

2011-05-13T11:41:00.003-05:00

I had to come home from Costa Rica, so you get Riverside Drive in Tulsa this month. Not the same beauty as Costa Rica, but home is always good. The storms held off until late afternoon, so we had nice weather for our shoot. Come see what I saw:

We started our day at the intersection of Riverside Drive and 71st Street to see the bears - 10:17 a.m.

Graffiti under the old 11th Street Bridge, which is now closed to all traffic but preserved as a Route 66 historic site - 10:54 a.m.

Traffic stops for the geese crossing Riverside Drive - 11:09 a.m.

One of the beautiful sculptures along Riverside Drive with the 21st Street Bridge in the background - 11:18 a.m.

Looking across the Arkansas River from under the 21st Street Bridge - 11:38 a.m.

Just a duck. I think he must like the smell of honeysuckle - 11:57 a.m.

This was the second pink emergency vehicle I saw yesterday. The first was an ambulance - 11:58 a.m.

We stopped for a great lunch at the Blue Rose Cafe on Riverside Drive - 12:49 p.m.

My ever faithful shooting buddy, Mary, on the 31st Street pedestrian bridge, which is hung from the bottom of an old railroad bridge. 12:59 p.m.

Wind-blown spider web I spotted on the pedestrian bridge - 1:02 p.m.

Tulsa skyline from the 31st Street pedestrian bridge on a gray day - 1:07 p.m.

Interesting question - 1:19 p.m.

I hope you come back next month to see what's up in my world.

Tuesday, April 12

2011-04-12T21:11:00.003-05:00

The 12th of April was my first full day of a Road Scholar Photography trip to Costa Rica. What an amazing adventure. Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful country, full of beautiful people, flowers, wildlife and scenery. I wish I could share all the pictures I took, but I'm limited to twelve. Come along and see what I saw on the 12th.

The first of many orchids I would see - Casa Conde, San Jose - 7:49 a.m.

A typical Costa Rican ox cart. This one was at El Jardin, a small restaurant
and garden where we stopped for a lunch of Casados, which is a
plate consisting of salad, plaintains, rice, black beans and fish,
chicken, beef or pork. 12:45 p.m.

Pretty orange Hibiscus at El Jardin - 12:48 p.m.

Fountain and orchids in the butterfly garden at El Jardin - 12:58 p.m.

My first picture of a Heliconia Rostrata - 1:06 p.m.

A Blue Morpho butterfly showing the under side of its wings, the outer edges
of which look like caterpillars. Prey will go after the "caterpillars" rather than
the body; thus, the ragged edges but very much alive butterfly. 1:10 p.m.

Pink Ginger flower (non-edible Ginger) at the gardens outside Saint
John Bosco Catholic Church in La Fortuna de San Carlos - 3:27 p.m.

Inside Saint John Bosco Catholic Church in La Fortuna de San Carlos - 3:29 p.m.

Bird of Paradise flower at the gardens outside Saint
John Bosco Catholic Church in La Fortuna de San Carlos - 3:54 p.m.

My first view of the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica's most active volcano,
located in Northwestern Costa Rica in the Alajuela Province. We
were lucky to get a clear view of the Volcano.....many visitors spend days in
the area and never see the top, due to clouds. We not only saw the top
but also saw steam spewing from the top (just no major eruptions). 4:24 p.m.

Another view of the Volcano from the stream below - 4:57 p.m.

The view from my bed in the Arenal Observatory Lodge. You can see
that the clouds have come in and obscured the top of the Volcano - 5:29 p.m.

That's all for this month. I'll be posting more pictures from my trip on Flickr if you want to look. User name is sarch99.

Saturday, March 12

2011-03-12T20:02:00.003-06:00

Oh, my goodness! It was a gorgeous day in eastern Oklahoma. I met up with some friends around 9:00 this morning, and we took a little road trip. Hope you like what I saw along the way.

Natural Falls State Park - 11:18 a.m.

Little weeds at Natural Falls - 12:06 p.m.

What looks a lot like a Magnolia bud - 12:08 p.m.

Crocus

plural cro·cus·es, crocus or cro·ci
take your pick - 12:16 p.m.

A flower on the same tree that the bud picture came from.
Is it some sort of Magnolia? The center of the flower sure looks like one.
12:17 p.m.

After stopping in Kansas, Oklahoma, for some really good smoked brisket,
we passed this red garage or barn. I love red buildings - 1:22 p.m.

Idyllic pasture - 1:34 p.m.

Really old, broken down bridge over the Illinois river. Guess we
missed seeing the sign that says No Trespassing - 3:03 p.m.

Odd vine down near the river - 3:11 p.m.

The old bridge with a little Enfuse and Topaz Spicify treatment - 3:12 p.m.

Quite a unique headstone - 3:48 p.m.

Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground - 3:51 p.m.

That's all for this month. I hope your day was a beautiful as mine. See you next month in Costa Rica!

Saturday, February 12

2011-02-12T21:55:00.002-06:00

It was an absolutely gorgeous day in Oklahoma. My shooting buddy and I started out early and headed to McAlester, Oklahoma, to attend a cattle auction, where her husband planned to buy some cows and calves to start a small herd on their farm in Gerty, Oklahoma. Here's a glimpse into my day.

The stockyard where the auction was held and
where we had a really good barbecue sandwich - 10:49 a.m.

Up close and personal - 11:08 a.m.

Are those not the cutest floppy ears? 11:16 a.m.

Buyers checking out cattle before the auction - 11:17 a.m.

The auction in progress - 12:24 p.m.

Grumpy butt, thought she had good reason. She and her baby
were separated for transport from the stockyard to the farm - 2:26 p.m.

Old, broken down cattle pen and old tree at the farm.
The new pens and chute are based on Temple Grandin's designs - 2:58 p.m.

Oil pump on the farm land - 3:40 p.m.

The four-wheeler I had so much fun driving - 3:48 p.m.

Old chicken coop or shack across the road from the farm.
I took the obligatory landscape shots of the shack
but liked the compositionof this one the best - 4:09 p.m.

Sweet little baby after it was reunited with its momma - 4:41 p.m.

Old railroad bridge we passed on the way home - 5:43 p.m.

That was my day. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. See you next month.

Wednesday, January 12

2011-01-12T17:30:00.008-06:00

Happy New Year! Thanks to Chad Darnell and McLinky, I get to start my fourth year of 12 of 12. I met my shooting buddies at Panera Bread in Broken Arrow. After a Cappuccino to warm up, we headed out into the 13 degree weather to take our pictures. It was a short shooting day but fun, as always.

Early morning light on the snow and ice in my back yard - 8:28 a.m.

Me and my shadow; actually, just my shadow - 8:30 a.m.

Last rose of winter - 8:32 a.m.

Chilly pansies - 10:59 a.m.

Arabesque - 11:11 a.m.

Same silly duck - 11:14 a.m.

Reflections - 11:17 a.m.

Pine tree and pine cones. I remember the dining room had wallpaper with pine needles and pine cones back when I was a tiny little girl - 11:18 a.m.

Nanking Cherries (?) at Bass Pro - 11:43 a.m.

Some sort of grass, also at Bass Pro - 11:51 a.m.

Frozen waterfall at the entrance to Stonewood Crossing - 1:14 p.m.

All that remains of a pre-statehood farm in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The silos used to mark the distance to downtown Tulsa; it was a one-day ride by horse from the silos. Now, it's a ten minute drive - 1:43 p.m.

At that point, I'd had all the fun I was going to have out in the cold and headed home to cull through photos. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I saw today. I'll see you next month.

Sunday, December 12

2010-12-12T16:08:00.002-06:00

I'm back in Arkansas visiting this weekend. It's very cold and very windy. I'm a wimp. Therefore, I did my best to try to find interesting things to shoot, mostly in the house.

How lucky was I to have this deer look directly at me? 9:51 a.m.

After a delicious brunch at Big Creek Country Club, we passed the new Donald W. Reynolds Library in Mountain Home. I toured it yesterday, and it is absolutely gorgeous - 12:35 p.m.

Deer kicking up their feet as they were running out of the yard - 12:51 p.m.

Poinsettia - 12:54 p.m.

Little Crab Apples - 1:58 p.m.

Beautiful dried hydrangeas and a bowl of shells - 2:02 p.m.

Ornaments hanging from a light fixture - 2:13 p.m.

I took a break to make some cole slaw for a dinner party my hosts are having this evening and then saw this group of snow men - 3:22 p.m.

Nativity set up on a side table. 3:23 p.m.

Do you believe? 3:25 p.m.

Decoration on an outside light fixture - 3:26 p.m.

May God Bless America and bring us all peace and good will - 3:27 p.m.

I don't know whether this is goodbye. If it is, it has been awesome getting to know everyone through their pictures. If it's not, I'll see you next year. Sunny

Friday, November 12

2010-11-12T18:44:00.003-06:00

There was an 80% chance of rain today...not the forecast I hope for on a 12 of 12 day. However, I was out and about for six 6 hours and only had major rain for an hour or so. Life is good. Life is very good.

It's almost the middle of November. I'm in Oklahoma, not Florida or Georgia. My cheap little rose bushes that I paid Aldi $4.49 each for last spring are still blooming profusely. Bizarre - 9:03 a.m.

I was headed to Jenks when I saw this beautiful tree in Jackson Park in Broken Arrow - 10:03 a.m.

Sculptures at the entrance to Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks - 10:25 a.m.

Self explanatory, but check out the pretty trees across the river (actually the river bottom, since there's not much water in the Arkansas River in Tulsa unless the dam is generating) - 10:38 a.m.

Beautiful light shining on the Citiplex Towers (formerly the City of Faith Medical and Research Center) on the campus of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa - 11:41 a.m.

My friend Mary working on her 12 of 12 shots at the Riverwalk - 11:44 a.m.

A little bit of river, a little bit of river bottom, a little bit of forest, and a little bit of sky, looking from Jenks toward Tulsa - 11:45 a.m.

This reflection really caught my eye...I'm loving the fall colors - 11:51 a.m.

The Jenks Pony Bridge, which used to be a railroad bridge but has been converted to a walking bridge. I've used a picture of this bridge in a previous 12 of 12 but from a different angle - 11:55 a.m.

Water fountain at the entrance to the bridge. I love that there are levels for adults, little kids and dogs - 12:00 p.m.

This started out being a picture of light fixtures lined up on the walking bridge until I saw the bird. Rules are made to be broken; some pictures are made to be cropped - 12:05 p.m.

The rains came, so we headed to Target on an errand, went back to have lunch at the Riverwalk and then went to Southwood Nursery in Tulsa to look around and stay dry. This awesome porch furniture is made of recycled plastic - 3:15 p.m.

That's all she wrote for this month. The rain brought in cooler weather, so I imagine my roses will be withering on the vine by morning. We'll see. Thanks for stopping by. I'll see you next month.

Tuesday, October 12

2010-10-12T19:26:00.003-05:00

After a long, hot summer, fall is finally upon us here in Oklahoma, and the weather couldn't be any nicer. Today was absolutely gorgeous.......sunny, with a light breeze and temperature in the mid-70's. I left home thinking of color - fall color, and I got it. I also got some pretty funny pictures of horses taken with my wide angle lens, which is something I've been wanting to try. Hope you like what I saw.

A yellow and orange pumpkin, warty pumpkins and blue and green pumpkins - 11:11 a.m.

Bird on a pumpkin - 11:15 a.m.

Bizarre looking gourds - 11:29 a.m.

Pretty little morning glories - 12:03 p.m.

Pretty hill showing some trees starting to turn - 12:22 p.m.

Just a weed - 12:23 p.m.

Hello!! - 12:35 p.m.

My, what a big head you have - 12:50 p.m.

Friends - 12:55 p.m.

The grass truly is greener and more plentiful on the other side - 1:00 p.m.

Turtles on a tree - 1:23 p.m.

Marigold showing its finest fall colors - 1:27 p.m.

A bonus picture of a Monarch butterfly, because I didn't want to leave it out - 1:31 p.m.

I hope you enjoyed my fall excursion to Bixby. I know I did. See you next month.

Sunday, September 12

2010-09-12T21:48:00.005-05:00

I woke up to rain this morning.....not what I wanted for a 12 of 12. After a 1:00 p.m. basketball game for my 9 year old granddaughter, Grace, the day brightened just in time for me to start my trip back to Broken Arrow from Oklahoma City along another section of Route 66. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Crape Myrtle outside the gym - 2:11 p.m.

The world's largest pop bottle at Pops on Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. There are
over 500 varieties of soda at Pops. 3:03 p.m.

The Round Barn at Arcadia, Oklahoma, was built in 1898 by W. H. Odor - 3:08 p.m.

Historical Marker indicating the East starting line of the 1889 land run in Oklahoma Territory - 3:17 p.m.
Land run (sometimes "land rush" ) usually refers to an historical event in which previously-restricted land of the United States was opened for homesteading on a first arrival basis. Some newly opened lands were sold first-come, sold by bid, or won by lottery, or by means other than a run. The settlers, no matter how they acquired occupancy, purchased the land from the United States Land Office. For former Indian lands, the Land Office distributed the funds to the various tribal entities according to previously negotiated terms. The Oklahoma Land Run of 1889 was the most prominent of the land runs.

Another round barn along Route 66 in Chandler, Oklahoma - 3:47 p.m.

St. Cloud Hotel building in Chandler - 3:48 p.m.

Native stone chapel built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) in 1939 at the Davenport Cemetery on Route 66 - 4:02 p.m.

Weeds and an orange bug on the side of the road - 4:16 p.m.

Strange seed pod on a weed - 4:17 p.m.

Old Davenport Fire Department fire truck for sale along the road in Stroud, Oklahoma - 4:25 p.m.

Old Bristow, Oklahoma, train station, which now houses the Bristow Chamber of Commerce - 4:45 p.m.

Benches outside Bristow train station - 4:48 p.m.

That's it for this month. I hope to see you next month.

Thursday, August 12

2010-08-12T18:19:00.003-05:00

It was supposed to be hotter than blazes in Tulsa today, so I met my shooting buddies Mary and Jeanne early at Starbucks in Utica Square. Utica Square is a charming place to start the day. Not only was it supposed to be hot, it was hot and is still hot (102 degrees at 6:30 p.m. central time) Our plan was to spot things to shoot, jump out of the car, take our shots and get back in quickly. We weren't 100% successful in keeping cool, but we did our best. Here's a brief look at some of what I saw today.

A statue I had never noticed before - 10:00 a.m.

Someone will know what sort of plant this is, but I don't - 10:15 a.m.

YELLOW ONE! 10:36 A.M.

Mural at White Owl Pub on Cherry Street - 10:51 a.m.

Kilkenny's Irish Pub, also on Cherry Street - 11:09 a.m.

Fly on a flower - 11:46 a.m.

Sculpture outside First Presbyterian Church preschool area (I think) - 12:09 p.m.

Pretty red doors at Trinity Episcopal Church - 12:09 p.m.

Ya think they hit a water main? 12:36 p.m.

Afternoon nap in the shade - 12:49 p.m.

We had lunch at Billy's, and it was good - 2:00 p.m.

I wonder who he's waiting for - 2:05 p.m.

That's all for this month. Stay cool if you can. See you in September.

Monday, July 12

2010-07-12T20:21:00.005-05:00

It was a busy Monday here in Oklahoma - Yoga, lunch, park, etc., etc., etc. Come along with me as I share my day.

Rose after the morning rain - 10:05 a.m.

The basil is loving all the rain we've been getting - 10:06 a.m.

On my way to Yoga class - 10:30 a.m.

Arriving at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch with friends from Arkansas - 12:37 p.m.

Ceiling painting at the Cheesecake Factory - 1:48 p.m.

My friends from Arkansas - Jeff and Esther - it was so good to see them - 2:41 p.m.

After lunch, I met a friend at Centennial Park to shoot for a while. Isn't this a cute little Ladybug? 3:59 p.m.

I love the lilies against the blue, blue sky - 4:19 p.m.

A view of the Tulsa skyline from Centennial Park - 4:21 p.m.

It was hotter than blazes at the park, so we headed to Starbucks at Utica Square, where we thoroughly enjoyed Grande Java Chip Frappuccinos (we also were told we couldn't take pictures there....oops) - 4:50 p.m.

A little shopping at Talbots across the street from Starbucks. This cute print was in the dressing room - 5:57 p.m.

The library was my last stop before heading home for the evening. I love the sculptures there - 6:43 p.m.

I hope you enjoyed my day as much as I did. It's wonderful to spend time with friends. See you next month.

Saturday, June 12

2010-06-12T22:50:00.002-05:00

My shooting buddy Mary and I went on a little road trip today to the Stroud Food & Wine Festival. Stroud is a small town just about midway between Tulsa and Oklahoma City on Route 66. Here's a bit of what I saw.

Bikers (there were lots of bikers) - 12:34 p.m.

Fried catfish and red beans and rice made by Chef Lanney of
Lake Charles, Louisiana - 12:56 p.m.

Layla - a sweet girl that sat next to me while I ate lunch - 1:19 p.m.

Nice doorway in a little courtyard - 1:21 p.m.

Two very bored little boys - 1:28 p.m.

More of Chef Lanney's offerings - 1:47 p.m.

The inside of a very sweet Chevy Bel Air - 1:51 p.m.

A 1928 Ford with actual license plate from 1928 - 1:54 p.m.

Chenin Blanc grapes at the Stable Ridge Vineyard - 2:10 p.m.

A really cute building in Bristow, Oklahoma, along Route 66 - 3:23 p.m.

Brown-eyed Susans along the road between Bristow and Kellyville on Route 66 - 3:47 p.m.

Old water tower alongside a railroad track between Bristow and Kellyville
on Route 66 - 3:58 p.m.

I would have needed to post way too many pictures to show all the wines we tasted, the sweet little Stable Ridge Vineyard and other sites along Route 66 between Stroud and Tulsa. Another trip, maybe.

Wednesday, May 12

2010-05-12T21:47:00.002-05:00

It was a mostly cloudy day here in Tulsa, but no rain interfered with the day's shoot. My shooting buddies, Mary and Jeanne, came over this morning for coffee and coffeecake (home made, by the way), and then we headed out to Oral Roberts University to see what we could see.

"Little Man," a borrowed garden gnome, in my front yard - 9:22 a.m.

The former City of Faith Medical and Research Center at ORU. It is now known as Citiplex Towers and is 2.2 million square foot office complex - 12:01 p.m.

A waterfall on the Citiplex Towers grounds - 12:07 p.m.

Prayer Tower at ORU - 12:33 p.m.

"The Master Teacher" by Beverly Paddleford - 12:55 p.m.

Detail of Jesus' feet and sandals - 1:03 p.m.

My shooting buddies, Jeanne and Mary - 1:11 p.m.

View from the top of the Prayer Tower - 1:33 p.m.

Playing in the mirrored windows at the base of the Prayer Tower (notice the majorly cute orange shoes) - 1:43 p.m.

More playing in front of the mirrored windows (just ignore the tree branches coming out of my head) - 1:47 p.m.

One of the beautiful flower beds at ORU - 1:52 p.m.

Bronze Sculpture called Praying Hands, which now sits at the entrance to Oral Roberts University, was originally directly in front of the lobby of the City of Faith - 2:36 p.m.

This was my first visit to the ORU campus, but I'm sure it won't be my last. The buildings are architecturally interesting, and the gardens are beautiful, inviting places to sit and enjoy watching the world go by. See you next month.

Monday, April 12

2010-04-12T18:23:00.005-05:00

What a gorgeous spring day. Instead of cleaning and digging holes, I met some friends at Panera Bread for a quick coffee and bagel and then headed out for an awesome adventure.

Why I need to dig holes. 8:30 a.m.

We went here, where we were met by Lori, who runs Safari's and lovingly takes care of dozens of rescued animals. Volunteers are always needed, I'm sure. 10:02 a.m.

This Kookaburra had a mouse in its mouth. It would repeatedly whack the mouse on the perch. I left before it started eating. 10:59 a.m.

Awwwwwww. A baby donkey. He's about a month old. 11:04 a.m.

Peacock, up close and personal.....we were able to go into many of the enclosures. 11:22 a.m.

I'm rather scared of geese, and this one kept making nasty noises at me. I learned from Lori to just walk toward the geese and they'll turn and go away. Yes!
11:24 a.m.

Many of the buildings at Safari's were brought to Oklahoma from an Indian Reservation in Arkansas and are more than 150 years old. 11:27 a.m.

I love the way the zebra's mane looks like color-coordinated tassels on a blanket.
11:38 a.m.

I saw five dogs at Safari's, three of which were gorgeous Great Danes. All the dogs are rescue dogs. I think this one is Max, but don't quote me on it. 12:14 p.m.

Say ahhhhhhh. 12:32 p.m.

Thanks, Lori, for rescuing this magnificent creature. 12:42 p.m.

I loved this purple door, but mostly I loved the hinges. 1:01 p.m.

Bonus picture. I couldn't pass up the Wisteria. 1:07 p.m.

It was an incredible visit, and I had a really hard time weeding out pictures. We saw a mob of kangaroos, wolves, lions, tigers, leopards, wild cats, monkeys, lemurs, bears, chickens, roosters, dogs, ponies, donkeys, goats, pigs, llamas, the zebra, an alpaca, Chinese pheasants that were gorgeous, peacocks, rabbits and many, many more animals that now have a safe haven. Go to Safari's sometime. You won't regret it. Thanks, Lori, for so generously sharing your time with us today.

Friday, March 12

2010-03-12T22:12:00.004-06:00

Fun day of picture taking today. A friend and I met up for breakfast and then headed to the Tulsa Home and Garden show, where we stayed dry and warm while shooting lots of interesting things.

Gumballs at Tally's - 10:36 a.m.

Jukebox on display at the home show - 11:05 a.m.

Piano keys - 11:14 a.m.

Corian color samples - 11:33 a.m.

Ducks at the duct cleaning exhibit - 11:58 a.m.

Weeping Cherry blossoms - 12:31 p.m.

Beard on a Filbert (?) tree - 1:48 p.m.

Great bowl scrapers at The Stock Pot exhibit - 2:14 p.m.

Just one of a multitude of water features - 2:42 p.m.

Cabinet doors all in rows - 2:47 p.m.

Little old toy truck - 3:07 p.m.

Loved this display and the boots - 3:11 p.m.

There was still lots to see, but my legs were crying for me to take them home. It was a great day, and I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of what I saw. See you next month.

Friday, February 12

2010-02-13T11:07:00.004-06:00

This month's 12 of 12 was such fun to do. Several people from the digital photography group I belong to joined me to take photos of Tulsa landmarks. When I got home and loaded my photos, I realized my favorites had very little to do with landmarks. Oh, well, it was an awesome day, and I hope you like what I saw.

We met at Tally's Good Food Cafe, a neat old restaurant at the corner of 11th and Yale in Tulsa. They serve a cinnamon roll that literally covers a plate. Five of us ate off of it and still didn't finish it. 10:04 a.m.

We stopped to take pictures of the neon sign at El Rancho Grande when these buds caught my eye. At least this tree thinks spring is on its way. 11:23 a.m.

At El Rancho Grande - Happy Valentine's Day - 11:27 a.m.

The back of an old building across the street from El Rancho Grande - 11:34 a.m.

We spent a good part of our day of Route 66 - 11:45 a.m.

I love this old light fixture, which is hanging in the entrance hall to the Warehouse Market, built in 1930 - 12:32 p.m.

Day & Nite Cleaners, Art Deco building across from the Warehouse Market - built in 1946 - 12:36 p.m.

Arnie's Bar in the Blue Dome District of Tulsa - 12:58 p.m.

In the back room of the Blue Dome Cafe, where we stopped for lunch - 1:57 p.m.

Sweet, sweet dog at a house along Swan Lake - 4:12 p.m.

Pretty berries along Swan Lake - 4:15 p.m.

In Swan Lake - 4:20 p.m.

That's all for this month. Funny how the best laid plans can change so quickly. Maybe I'll do landmarks another month.

Tuesday, January 12

2010-01-12T17:21:00.002-06:00

It was a strange day for pictures. I usually have something in mind that I want to show you, but it was gray and gloomy when I woke up this morning, and I just never got my act together to go somewhere special. Instead, I took random shots as I went about my day.

Beginning of a mushroom and asparagus omelet - 10:07 a.m.

I bought this really neat sock yarn, but I don't know
how to knit socks. So, I'm slowly knitting a sock yarn scarf - 12:06 p.m.

"Freeze Dried" Gerbera Daisy - 12:07 p.m.

Books to return to the library - 12:30 p.m.

Pond and gazebo at entrance to my subdivision - 12:42 p.m.

Remember Lester, the well traveled dog? He has a new
"sister." Her name is Maggie, and she's a wire-haired fox terrier - 1:10 p.m.

Pony Truss bridge over the Arkansas River in Jenks, Oklahoma - 1:49 p.m.

Headed to the grocery store in Jenks- 1:54 p.m.

Quaint, downtown Jenks - 2:27 p.m.

The Jenks Lighthouse - 2:30 p.m.

Broken but colorful birdhouse in the woods behind my house - 3:01 p.m.

Also in the woods behind my house - I love how
it's branches look against the sky - 3:03 p.m.

That's all, folks. Stay warm.

2009 12 of 12 Recap

2009-12-15T19:54:00.002-06:00

Here are kinda, sorta my favorites from this year's 12 of 12....not necessarily the best pictures but pictures that are meaningful to me for one reason or another.

January - my passport showing my entrance into Egypt. What an awesome experience.

February - old typewriter at my favorite old house

March - playing with my sweet new 50mm f/1.4

April - my Wisteria that has since been chopped down by the new owners

May - playing with my sweet new to me 100mm f/2.8 Macro

June - love the colors in this shot

July - the often pictured barn behind my condo in Arkansas

August - pretty but really stinky flamingos at the Tulsa Zoo

September - picture from the beautiful Philbrook Museum in Tulsa

October - a rainy day at a local nursery

November - playing with zoom/blur

December - this may be destined for my Christmas card next year

Thanks to Chad Darnell, it has been another great year taking and sharing photos. Hope to see you all back here in 2010.

Saturday, December 12

2009-12-12T21:13:00.002-06:00

I'm back in Mountain Home this weekend for three Christmas parties. My twelve pictures today were all taken at the home of my good friends Chris and Estella Tullgren, who hosted an open house this afternoon. Much of our morning was spent preparing for the party. I hope you enjoy what I saw.

Father Christmas in the foyer - 7:59 a.m.

Vodka, Limoncello and nutritional supplements - 8:53 a.m.

Cookies that Lori Walker and I decorated for the party - 9:03 a.m.

Just a little portion of the pantry that I covet - 9:21 a.m.

Nutcrackers - 9:28 a.m.

Carolers - 9:31 a.m.

Pretty berries - 9:35 a.m.

"Presents" under the tree - 9:43 a.m.

This green ornament caught my eye - 9:47 a.m.

Father Christmas down on the floor in front of the tree - 9:50 a.m.

Pretty, pretty pomegranate - 10:25 a.m.

Chef Nutcracker and friend - 10:42 a.m.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the decorations (and the pantry). Wonder what we made with the contents of that trash? It was a Citrus Champagne Punch made with loads of fresh lemon juice, sugar, a bit of sweet vermouth, Limoncello, Vodka and, of course, Champagne. Don't even ask about the nutritional supplements.....just know that I didn't take them. See you next month.

Thursday, November 12

2009-11-12T17:07:00.003-06:00

Not really a fruitful day for 12 of 12. There were a lot of things that I should have been doing, like

Laundry - 9:30 a.m.

Packing for my upcoming trip to Florida - 9:32 a.m.

Instead, I played with zoom/blur - 9:35 a.m.

Basil plant that is the subject of the zoom/blur picture - 9:38 p.m.

Lily running in the leaves - 9:39 a.m.

Muddy floors I had to deal with after the dogs went out this morning - 9:41 a.m.

A trip to Academy to look for some shoes - 1:27 p.m.

Brown-eyed Susans on the side of the road - 3:40 p.m.

Sort of sad roses - 3:54 p.m.

Fall decorations - 4:11 p.m.

Marigolds with a Lightroom preset - 4:12 p.m.

Forgotten picnic tables - 4:13 p.m.

I'm bound to find more interesting things next month.....maybe a Frontier Christmas from Guthrie, Oklahoma. Stay tuned.

October '09

2009-10-12T16:32:00.002-05:00

It's a gray, misty day, and I didn't plan anything wonderful to show you today....no trips to the park, the zoo, a museum. I will take you along on a trip to a nursery, though.

Woke up to a reflection of my gardenia plant in rainwater - 9:34 a.m.

Oatmeal with almonds and dried cherries for breakfast - 10:50 a.m.

Heading into Southwood Landscape & Nursery - 12:07 p.m.

Pansies ignoring me - 12:28 p.m.

Raindrops on grass - 12:30 p.m.

I eventually chose 5 Flame Creeper Azaleas - 12:32 p.m.

This pot and the grass were just outside the azalea area. I wish they were at my house, instead - 12:32 p.m.

Nice fall display at the nursery - 12:46 p.m.

What a sweet "face" - 12:48 p.m.

These mums were on sale for $4.99 each - 12:49 p.m.

The birds have found my feeder - 2:20 p.m.

Catching up on recorded show on TV (gave myself permission to do this....it's OK, I'm retired) - 3:42 p.m.

See you next month.

September '09

2009-09-12T22:31:00.004-05:00

Busy day today...up early to mow and edge, trip to the hardware store, soccer game and then a visit to the Philbrook Museum with two of my grandkids. The Philbrook is a wonderful place. We spent the majority of our time on the gorgeous grounds. I can't wait to go back.

Lunch on the way to the soccer game - 11:00 A.M.

Meet Lester, the well-traveled dog - 1:24 p.m.

Sculpture at the Philbrook - 2:47 p.m.

The first of the flowers - 2:50 p.m.

Koi (or goldfish) in the pond - 2:55 p.m.

Love the colors - 3:00 p.m.

Couldn't resist snapping this sweet couple - 3:06 p.m.

One more of the pond - 3:06 p.m.

This sculpture reminds me of a feather - 3:25 p.m.

Art in the park - 3:30 p.m.

Last flower picture of the day (and a butterfly) - 3:47 p.m.

Joy of the Waters, a bronze by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth - 3:53 p.m.

"Learning something new everyday is what life is really all about." Thomas Arthur Manhart - July 16, 1937 - November 17, 2000

August '09

2009-08-13T00:09:00.004-05:00

A couple of firsts today: first time using my new Shootsac, a gift from my friends and former co-workers at Yelcot Telephone Co.; first 12 of 12 in Oklahoma, my new home state! If you've got a DSLR and more than one lens, you should definitely have a Shootsac....so much more comfortable to carry than a regular camera bag (this has been an unsolicited and unpaid endorsement). Now, on to my day.

Breakfast on the back porch - 8:43 a.m.

On the way - 11:06 a.m.

To the zoo - 11:22 a.m.

Neat lion sculpture - 11:27 a.m.

Pretty butterfly - 11:36 a.m.

Paige and I thought maybe a frog lived in the pot with the water lily - 12:00 p.m.

Waxy Monkey Frog - 12:12 p.m.

Zoo train - 12:28 p.m.

Flowers, lots of flowers - 1:05 p.m.

Dumbest looking sheep I've ever seen, but the keeper said it's smart - 2:02 p.m.

Very odd-shaped Red Kangaroo - 2:15 p.m.

Stinky Caribbean Flamingos - 2:40 p.m.

It was a beautiful day at the zoo, and it was hard to limit myself to 12 pictures. I know I'll go back again....maybe on a 12 day. See you next month.

July '09

2009-07-12T15:55:00.008-05:00

This is my last 12 of 12 from Arkansas. I'm moving to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, at the end of this month and am feeling rather nostalgic. I'm leaving lots of good friends behind. I'm also leaving lots of good memories behind, many of which took place in the homes I shot pictures of this morning. So, let's go.

What I've been walking around for the past few weeks, as I've been getting things packed.

Broken pinkie finger, a casualty of packing.

You didn't think I'd do a 12 of 12 without a flower, did you?

Detour to water flowers at Chris & Estella's house. This cute little gnome resides in their garden.

Baer Street house, first house we bought in Mountain Home. We lived here until our house in Florida sold and we could build on Driftwood Drive.

Driftwood Drive house; the first house we built.

Stonegate house, about a quarter of a mile from the Driftwood Drive house.

Corner of Lake Lane & Driftwood Drive. Are you seeing the pattern here? We loved this part of town. Are you also seeing the pattern of multiple new homes? That's what happens when your husband works for or is a contractor.

Surrey Lane house. I never could warm up to Southern Meadows. It stinks when you have two houses for sale (this one and Lake Lane) and your preferred house sells first!

Northpointe Drive house. A modified version of the Stonegate house. I finally unpacked the wine glasses and china. This was supposed to be the last move for us. We added extra bathrooms, an extra family room, and a big playroom for the grand kids. We built a pool. We were home. Then colon cancer and death entered my world. Time to move on.

Turnberry Court condo. I had it built in 2004, and it has been my home for the last five years. I've loved living here.

Last shot out my back door. I know you've seen it before, but I like it.

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. Next month, I'll start making lots of new memories in Oklahoma. See you there. Sunny

Bonus picture of the office of the vet that has taken care of all my critters over the past 25 years. For all his bluster, he's a big softie at heart. He's turning 66........too bad his phone number isn't on the sign. I bet you can Google it! Don't you think he'd just love to get tons of birthday wishes from strangers? If you call, just tell him Sunny sent you. ROFLMBO.

June '09

2009-06-12T19:09:00.009-05:00

First things first: Major thumbs up to Kimi Boustany for my awesome new background and header!

Another month, another 12th, another opportunity for me to practice photography. What a treat for me. I hope it brings you some pleasure.

First flower of the day - 7:02 a.m.

Magnolia in my front yard - 7:30 a.m.

On my way to work - 7:57 a.m.

Very cool old wagon at a sewing shop, of all places - 7:59 a.m.

These were also at the sewing shop - 8:00 a.m.

Last of the old house - 10:10 a.m.

A weed, but a pretty one - 10:15 a.m.

Another shot of the magnolia in my front yard - 12:22 p.m.

Same magnolia; different flower - 12:25 p.m.

Think my friend needs to repaint this sign? - 12:44 p.m.

Love, love, love this old barn - 12:45 p.m.

Same rose after a late afternoon storm - 6:30 p.m.

Bye until next month.

PS - if any of you are texture lovers, you can snag some here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/11147236...MG_8323-1.html
http://www.4shared.com/file/11146808...MG_8324-2.html
http://www.4shared.com/file/11147235...MG_8325-3.html

May '09

2009-05-12T20:39:00.022-05:00

I'm playing with a new toy this month, and I came about it in a serendipitous way. A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned on Facebook that I wanted to get a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. A friend who rarely gets on Facebook happened to be on that day and saw my post. He let me know that he just happened to have the lens I was coveting and was thinking of selling it. Imagine that! We made a deal within an hour, and it was delivered within a week! I love it already and don't really know how to use it yet. Here's what I saw with it today.

Early morning light - 6:55 a.m.

After a brief rain shower - 6:59 a.m.

I'm loving the light beams - 7:24 a.m.

Yes, I'm a sucker, and bought one of those hanging tomato growing things - 7:33 a.m

The old house across the street from work has been condemned and is being dismantled, piece by piece. You can see that the porch deck has already been removed and the supports are hanging in mid-air.
8:01 a.m.

One of the piers supporting the old house - 10:51 a.m.

Tommy somebody and his helper; he's salvaging what he can - 1:05 p.m.

I'll miss all the photo ops this house provided - 1:06 p.m.

Notice what's supporting the roof - 2:15 p.m.

Sage flowers in my herb garden - 5:18 p.m.

One of my favorite roses, mainly because it never fails to bloom - 5:19 p.m.

Clematis bud just starting to open - 5:21 p.m.

Bonus picture, just because they're such pretty flowers - 5:22 p.m.

See you next month!

2009-04-12T22:16:00.008-05:00

This joyous Easter Sunday turned out to be rainy and dreary. I had to make the six hour drive from Oklahoma City to Mountain Home this afternoon in that rainy, dreary weather. Some of these shots were taken from inside the car while driving down the interstate........maybe I shouldn't admit that, huh?

Feeding the beast - 1:25 p.m.

Really? - 1:26 p.m.

Heading home on I-44 - 1:47 p.m.

Terrible wildfires hit Oklahoma last Thursday; this was taken
near Wellston - 1:51 p.m.

Power lines all in a row - 3:14 p.m.

Nasty pollution near Chouteau, Oklahoma - 3:25 p.m.

Dogwoods along the side of the road - 3:38 p.m.

Saying goodbye to Oklahoma - 4:06 p.m.

Cool old barn with a Holga preset
from Presets Heaven - 4:53 p.m.

This barn has seen better days - 5:13 p.m.

My wisteria blooms opened while I was away - 7:03 p.m.

Clematis buds (hurry up, flowers) - 7:04 p.m.

However you spent your day, I hope you found happiness in it. See you next month.

2009-03-12T19:31:00.009-05:00

I'm playing with a new lens this month, a Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM, and I'm loving it. I received it Monday, and it hasn't been off my camera since I put it on immediately after opening the box. Did I say I'm loving it?

Feeding time at the zoo - 7:26 a.m.

A tulip tree at the branch library, taken on my way to work - 7:57 a.m.

Closeup of blooms on the tulip tree - 7:58 a.m.

I'm pretty sure this is phlox. It's at the library, too - 7:59 a.m.

A casualty of the ice storm we had in late January - 8:02 a.m.

Forsythia (oops, I'm late) - 8:05 a.m.

All the snow that missed us - lucky us - 9:04 a.m.

Flowers at the old house (loving the lens) - 11:04 a.m.

Still at the old house - 11:05 a.m.

Love the textures here - 11:08 a.m.

My wisteria, loaded with buds - 12:53 p.m.

Holly outside the back door at work - 1:02 p.m.

I hope this little bit of early spring brightened your day. See you next month.

2009-02-12T19:01:00.009-06:00

Another month......another 12 of 12 on a work day. The weather was gorgeous, and I'm so ready for spring. Here's a glimpse into what I saw today:

Viburnum bud - 7:37 a.m.

Billboard I pass on the way to work - 7:54 a.m.

Old wagon in front of an antique store - 7:54 a.m.

Book I'm reading; I think Mr. Kelby needs to know
there's a typo on page 155 - 10:10 a.m.

Rose bush getting a head start on spring - 12:25 p.m.

Don't you just love Italian Pottery? 12:32 p.m.

Healthy food I need to eat more of - 12:47 p.m.

Taken at an abandoned house - 1:54 p.m.

Oops. Trespassing - 1:55 p.m.

On the porch of that old house - 1:56 p.m.

Still at the old house - 1:57 p.m.

Unhealthy food that I eat too much of - 5:49 p.m.

See you next month.

2009-01-17T11:08:00.004-06:00

I've been on vacation in Europe with my daughter Shannon and her family. We went on a cruise and saw wondrous things in the southern Mediterranean. The 12th happened to fall on my first day back in the States. Better late than never, here's my 12 of 12 of the first month of this new year.

View from the window of my room at the Marriott Courtyard
in Springfield, Missouri - 9:10 a.m.

Comfy Marriott Pillows - 9:11 a.m.

Antidote to airplane food - 9:12 a.m.

Breakfast on the road home - 9:58 a.m.

3 weeks of junk mail - 12:21 p.m.

Poor Gerbera Daisy - I wonder why the house/dog sitter
didn't give it a drink.........12:22 p.m.

Thank you careless baggage handler,
wherever you are - 12:25 p.m.

Look at my cute new Harrod's shopping
bag - 12:25 p.m.

My entry stamp into Egypt - seeing the pyramids
was amazing - 12:25 p.m.

Cartouche of my name - souvenir from Cairo - 3:16 p.m.

Cute little bowls from Sicily - 3:18 p.m.

Bowl from Sidi Bou Said (just love saying that), Tunisia - 3:19 p.m.

2008 12 of 12 Recap

2008-12-19T10:21:00.008-06:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from my 2008 12 of 12:

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

What a fun project this has been. Thanks again, Chad, for hosting, and thanks to everyone who came and looked. Here's to a happy, healthy and peaceful 2009.

2008-12-12T20:10:00.006-06:00

Wow - it's December 12 already. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself for sticking with this project. Thank you, Chad, for 12 really fun (and sometimes challenging) days this year. I also want to thank all of you who have taken the time to look at my blog during the year. May your Christmas be bright with promise, glad with hope and blessed with peace and joy. If you celebrate something other than Christ's birth during this season, I hold the same good wishes for you. See you next year!

Daisy in the bird bath - 7:03 a.m.
I actually staged this picture last night by putting
a rather faded Gerbera daisy into the bird bath
water, knowing it would freeze overnight

Tree in the field behind my house - 7:04 a.m.

Go 'Noles - 7:25 a.m.
even if you didn't have the
best season

Sassy and Lily with a little Topaz Adjust Buzz - 7:27 a.m.

Sun light on the barn behind my house - 7:29 a.m.

Sun peeking over the horizon 7:29 a.m.

Another picture of the ice-bound Daisy - 7:30 a.m.

Little house across the highway from work - 8:42 a.m.

Baby bovine - 12:55 p.m.

BIG MOMMA (she's got to be pregnant!!!!) - 12:55 p.m.
I caught her having a private moment.

Full moon rising above the trees - 5:40 p.m.
I expect all the 12 of 12'ers will have a moon shot this month

The angel on my Christmas tree - 7:12 p.m.

2008-11-12T18:36:00.010-06:00

Oh, how I wish the 12 of 12 were 12 of the 1st [Saturday] or something like that. It's hard finding interesting things to take pictures of when I don't have time to roam or travel. Here's what I saw today. I hope you find something that pleases your eye. Click the thumbnails for larger pictures.

My Nespresso machine doing its thing. 7:35 a.m.

Pampas Grass. 7:48 a.m.

Wisteria getting ready for winter. 7:49 a.m.

Stack of chairs. I liked the angles. 9:35 a.m.

Crummy leftover Halloween candy. 9:41 a.m.

Antenna tower. 9:44 a.m.

Holly. 9:45 a.m.

I told you it was a gray day. 9:46 a.m.

Viburnum in my back yard. 12:16 p.m.

Chair graveyard. 1:02 p.m.

On my way home from work. 5:03 p.m.

Gorgeous full moon - wish I had taken a sharper picture of it. 5:20 p.m.

"That's all Folks!"

2008-10-12T18:00:00.013-05:00

It's hard to believe it's almost the middle of October; Arkansas is still having beautiful weather. I had planned a visit to a knap-in today- thought I'd get some interesting pictures there. Change of plans; my Google map was faulty, and my navigation system isn't up to par when it comes to rural Arkansas. I never found the knap-in, but I found some pretty neat things to take pictures of. I hope you enjoy seeing through my eyes.

9:57 a.m. - ready to stock up the refrigerator for the coming week.

10:32 a.m. - on my way to the knap-in (not), this cow posed for me.

10:42 a.m. - not finding the knap-in.

10:43 - still no knap-in, but train tracks are nice.

12:08 p.m. - gave up on the knap-in, but loving this flag.

12:23 p.m. - carving on the Clysta Willett nature
trail at Twin Lakes Park

12:32 p.m. - spent wildflower

12:35 p.m. - old stacked up fence section

12:36 p.m. - fall colors galore

12:39 p.m. - fungi on a log

12:50 p.m. - Peace Roses are still booming

12:52 p.m. - bumble bee on lavender

I hope your day was awesome. Sunny

2008-09-13T00:14:00.009-05:00

What a day. I got Lightroom 2 today and had to get it installed before I could process my pictures.....that's not quite true, I guess. I could have processed them with ACR or DPP, but I wanted to play in Lightroom. Sorry I'm late posting.

Cemetery I pass on the way to work - 7:58 a.m.

Crepe Myrtle in a yard around the corner from the office - 8:00 a.m.

Hi Guys! - 8:02 a.m.

Max came for a sleepover while his
"parents" are out of town - 12:14 p.m.

Installing Parallels Tools in Vista (hiss/boo) on my Imac - 3:49 p.m.

Took a tiny detour on my way to the bank - 4:05 p.m.

Memorial to one of the local police officers - 4:06 p.m.

Flowers at the park - 4:08 p.m.

Made a trip to the library after work - 5:20 p.m.

I thought these clouds were pretty - 5:28 p.m.

I've still got roses blooming - 5:45 p.m.

When I took the dogs out early this evening, I saw
this spider suspended in mid-air about 7 feet off the
ground. It was just dark enough that it appeared to
be floating. The web only showed up on the image.
7:40 p.m.

2008-08-12T20:10:00.009-05:00

It was a gray morning....one of those days when it's hard to get out of bed. Since it's a work day, I had to scrounge around for picture opportunities. I'm shooting Manual now, thanks to an online beginner's course in digital photography. Thanks, Candice Stringham, for a great class!!

View out my back door - 7:11 a.m.

Peace Rose bud - 7:47 a.m.

Watercolor Print of Cotter Bridge by Roger King - 10:31 a.m.

My new Vera Bradley Hipster bag - LOVE the colors - 12:08 p.m.

Donnie's Boots - 2:55 p.m.

Donnie's Back - 2:56 p.m.

Seed pods on a tree [it had salmon pink flowers earlier] - 3:05 p.m.

Broken stem on a yew - 3:09 p.m.

Baxter County Heritage Museum - 3:09 p.m.

Candy [can you tell I'm hard up for pictures today?] - 4:48 p.m.

Clematis is still blooming - 5:09 p.m.

Sassy - 5:13 p.m.

2008-07-12T15:50:00.007-05:00

I have a project to do today with the theme "The View From Here." I decided that would also be the theme of my 12 of 12, so here's My View From Here. Be kind, as I just got a Canon Rebel XSI DSLR and am desperately trying to learn how to use it. On top of that, I also shot all these photos in RAW and had to blunder my way through processing them. I hope you enjoy the view.

Peace Rose in my back yard - 9:00 a.m.

A barn. I love old barns - 9:28 a.m.

Along the White River - 10:03 a.m.

Fog on the White River at Rim Shoals - 10:04 a.m.

Me getting wet from the wake of a
passing boat - 10:07 a.m.

Wild flowers planted along the edge of the road - 10:22 a.m.

Brown-eyed Susans and an old fence - 10:33 a.m.

Did I say I love old barns? - 10:39 a.m.

An old barn, an old shed and a tiny glimpse
of a rock tornado shelter - 10:43 a.m.

Bluff along the White River at Buffalo City - 10:56 a.m.

The White River is beautiful - 10:57 a.m.

A hay shed - 11:15 a.m.

2008-06-12T19:38:00.004-05:00

It has been a gorgeous day here in Northern Arkansas. Not too hot, a nice breeze and not particularly humid. I hope your day has been nice wherever you are. Here are some of the things that caught my eye today.

Sun reflecting through hummingbird feeder - 6:10 a.m.
(Early, isn't it? I was just up to take the dogs out - went
back to bed until 7:00 a.m.)

A watercolor I bought in Savannah - 7:04 a.m.

My cousins gave me this in 2000, and I
haven't killed the plants yet! 7:04 a.m.

Cardinal - 7:22 a.m.

Book I had to take back to the library today. 7:23 a.m.

Magnolia Blossom - 7:29 a.m.

Leathery past its prime magnolia blossom - 7:30 a.m.

Lavender from my back yard - 7:49 a.m.

The BEST market basket ever - 12:15 p.m.

Old house across the street from work - 3:34 p.m.

Luckily, my car takes Regular - 5:05 p.m.

Fun shot - clematis taken through spray
from kitchen faucet - 5:41 p.m.

2008-05-12T20:19:00.006-05:00

Spring has sprung, and it's my favorite time of year. Flowers are blooming, most of the itchy-eye pollen is gone, and the sun is gloriously shining. What's not to like?

Crystal Fountain Clematis - 7:04 a.m.

The worm Sassy tried to eat and then spit out - 7:07 a.m.

Cheerios with strawberries - 7:35 a.m.

My herb garden - 7:42 a.m.

Some sort of vine - 9:01 a.m.

Is it less in Arkansas than where you live? 1:03 p.m.

Station 2 blocks from the Exxon - 1:04 p.m.

Rose at the park - 5:07 p.m.

Wildflowers along the road - 5:15 p.m.

Wildflowers - White River - 5:17 p.m.

Heading home - 5:24 p.m.

A bud on one of my rose bushes - 5:43 p.m.

2008-04-15T15:04:00.016-05:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to accompany my oldest daughter and her family on a cruise to some of the Greek islands and Dubrovnik, Croatia. I was in Dubrovnik on the 12th. If you've never been there, you should put it on your list of must-see places. It's breathtaking....even on a cloudy day.

Street Scene - Dubrovnik - 8:50 a.m.

Harbor - Dubrovnik - 9:11 a.m.

Maidenhead - Dubrovnik - 9:13 a.m.

Wharf Cat - Dubrovnik - 9:15 a.m.

Bay Leaf Window Swag - Dubrovnik - 9:19 a.m.

View "through" City Wall - Dubrovnik - 9:30 a.m.

View from City Wall - Dubrovnik - 9:56 a.m.

View from City Wall - Dubrovnik - 9:58 a.m.

Archaeological Dig??? - Dubrovnik - 10:07 a.m.

Fortress Lovrijenac - Dubrovnik - 10:17 a.m.

Late Afternoon Sky - Adriatic Sea - 6:26 p.m.

Sushi at Kaito Sushi Bar - MSC Musica - 8:02 p.m.

2008-03-12T20:15:00.008-05:00

Not my best day for pictures, but here's what I saw:

My Grandmother's Hand Mirror 7:02 a.m.

iHome - 7:04 a.m.

Lily (not Sassy) - 7:06 a.m.

Gardenia in my bathtub - 7:08 a.m

Picture taken in Stresa, Italy, in my bathroom - 7:11 a.m.

View out my back door - 7:35 a.m.

Another view out my back door - 7:35 a.m.

Breakfast - 7:47 a.m.

On my way to work - 7:59 a.m.

Metal in multiple forms - 8:46 a.m.

Work detail - 2:13 p.m.

Moon - 2:30 p.m.

2008-02-12T20:01:00.002-06:00

It's a chilly, icy, flat-out cold day here in Arkansas.

Icy Rose Bush - 7:04 a.m.

My Morning Brew - 7:08 a.m.

Icy Pampas Grass - 7:42 a.m.

Aftermath of last Tuesday's tornado in Gassville - 8:05 a.m.

Icy Brad - 9:08 a.m.

Icy Yew - 9:40 a.m.

Cute Shoes - 11:48 a.m.

Icy Fence - 12:26 p.m.

Frosty Field - 1:56 p.m.

Icy Japanese Maple - 2:02 p.m.

Lily and Sassy - 5:13 p.m.

White River Pottery - 6:24 p.m.

2008-01-12T19:15:00.003-06:00

My grandmother's China Doll in a secretary in my foyer. Her dress is patterned after the dress my grandmother is wearing in the photograph of her in the picture.

Railroad Bridge over White River, Cotter, Arkansas

Cotter Bridge, Baxter County, Arkansas

Sign at Big Spring Park, Cotter, Arkansas

Swimming Hole, Big Spring Park

Flag Bench, Big Spring Park

Well Head, Big Spring Park

Sign on Well Head Structure, Big Spring Park

Train, Big Spring Park

Fly Fisherman, White River, Cotter, Arkansas

Tree along White River, Cotter, Arkansas

Barn, Gassville, Arkansas

The Basics

2008-01-12T14:33:00.000-06:00

Here's the deal. In an effort to improve my non-existent photograpy skills, I decided to join/enter a challenge created by Chad Darnell called 12 OF 12. Here's a link to his site. The basic concept is to take 12 pictures on the 12th day of each month and post them. As posted on Chad's site, the rules are:

"1) ALL PHOTOS MUST BE TAKEN ON THE 12TH OF EACH MONTH.

2) After you post your pictures onto a webpage of your choice (Livejournal, typepad, MySpace, Flickr, etc...) please post the TIME, LOCATION, and A SMALL COMMENT in the pic.

3) You own the rights to all of your pictures. The idea "12 of 12" is mine. While credit is not necessary, please don't credit someone else with the idea.

4) The original concept was at least one body part in the picture. That idea was slowly faded away. The important part is that it are 12 pics.

5) When referring to the project, please refer to it as "12 OF 12" - not "12 ON 12."

6) Once completed, please e-mail or post the PERMALINK of the post AND the city and state or city and country of WHERE THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN. (If you are on vacation, it's where the pics were taken.)

(The permalink is the link to the ENTRY of your page. If you just send me your website, I have to track it down. By listing the permalink, it helps for people to go back and view your previous 12 of 12 entries from previous months.)

ANYONE is welcome to join in, even if you've never done it before! I hope you will.

-C"

Come join the fun!