Red Berries

I am in awe of everything that comes up in our flower beds. The most special are the plants that surprise me. I have no idea what this or where it came from. What a sec...I think maybe I got it from my father-in-law a few years ago. I made the mistake of planting it in the hosta bed around the big oak tree in the back yard.
My father-in-law calls it some kind of hosta. I looked it up once but for the life of me I can't seem to come up with its name at the moment. Does anyone out there in blog land have a clue what it might be?

There are a bunch of Tuesday's this time around. Come check them out. It is always fun, interesting and very entertaining.

Skinny Minnie

I have been trying to learn more about my camera because we are going to my Dad's fishing camp in Canada via Niagara Falls and I want to be able to get some awesome shots. I have been asking everyone that I know who takes great pictures how they do it. I am reading the book and watching the special video Mark got me. I am making some progress but I want them to be so awesome.I was sitting on the porch with Mark a few nights ago and this poor little skinny robin wanted so bad to get in the birdbath. I guess we were making too much noise talking. She just looked at us for a few minutes and then flew across the street. Not bad for a first try, I'd say.

Please visit the other Sunday's to see what they have in store for you.

Ruby Tuesday

I am so proud that I finally got a white rose...the deer keep eating the buds.

The other photo challenge 'Tuesday's' would love for you to check them out and leave a comment. So please go check them out!

I Have No Clue

I've been trying to get started on the yard clean up for the fall because my babies will be coming back , like next week. Seems I am getting an early, late start. I have a feeling I won't have it all accomplished by Monday. But anyhoo....I found these growing...little yellow and white blooms. Could the be peppers? Or are they flowers?

See what all the other 'Sunday's' posted. Thanks Jan for hosting this each week. I know that you are a busy lady.

Little Shoes

Some people think I have gone off the deep end...they might be right some days. But I have little shoes, ice skates...stuff like that allover the yard and most of them are filled with something that is growing. These were Michael when he was first learning to walk. I love how the blanket flower is resting on the toe of the shoe.

Thanks for letting me join in the challenge...check out all the wonderful photographers that play along.

Me And My Shadow

I have been looking for these Naked Ladies to come up for about a month ago. I was talking to my friend and my Dad the other day ad they reminded me that it was still to early for them. I went out again the next morning and found three just breaking the surface. So now I am on a mission...bloom babies, bloom. Fertilizer and lots of water and warm sun go a long way around here. Three days growth and they are starting to bloom...well, the ones that the moles and squirrels didn't eat.

Look thru the lens of others here.

Blackberries

In just a few weeks we will be picking these...yummmm...I see a blackberry double crust in my future...Thanks Leigh Ann for the recipe from way back when all we were eating was green beans canned from the garden.


Check here to see what everyone else is seeing that is red.

'Dirty' Daisy

While I was eating my Monky Bar on the Loveland Bike Trail, I found some little sweat bees on the daisy right beside me. I had to move...no epipen with me.


Want to play along...


What are the rules?


On any Sunday you can post any photo you like (it must be one of your own)
that hasn’t been tweaked or altered in any way (cropping is OK).
In other words Straight Out Of the Camera.
Also, please link back to Murrieta365.

One The Deer Missed

Seems I have hit the summer dry spell on working on photo challenges. So I made my self sit down and work on one today. I chose Ruby Tuesday because I had taken the most beautiful shot of one of the rose buds that the deer have forgotten to eat.

I took the shot later in the afternoon. I didn't notice the lighting until now. I think it makes it even more stunning.

Be sure to stop by Ruby Tuesday and see what images other found in their cameras.

Bee Balm

We started this bee balm from seed. Today I noticed it for the first time. When I went to take this shot the bee just landed and waited for me to take the picture. That will never happen again in a million years!

Just Makes Me Go Ahhhhh

I had to stay in most of the day today because the weed pollen count was high today. It was so beautiful and about 78 degrees. But before my feet hit the floor this morning, I knew it was going to be a rough day. So we just stayed in and got lots of those honey-do jobs finished.While I was playing with Doodles yesterday, we got a little water everywhere. I found these drops collecting on a spider web under the hosta.

I never realized that butterflies got all the way up in some of the flowers to eat.

This is a first for me. I have been growing these for years and never have they bloomed. I can hardly wait to see what the flowers are going to look like.

Thanks Jan for hosting SOOCSunday. I really makes me took at things differently thru the lens of my camera. Please visit and see what others are looking at thru their lens.

Wiegela

This is definitely one meme that I find challenging. I don't have to many reddish plants in the yard. I know that I could probably find other red things and I may just have to resort to sleds or old rusty wagons but for now while the flowers are blooming...flowers it is.This red rhododendron just popped out one morning bright and early. I kept looking out the kitchen window trying to figure out what it was. When I mentioned it to Mark...he knew exactly what it was. He kills me, even remember when and where we got it. The man is amazing. He should be a Master Gardner!

If you enjoyed this red flower...check out what all the other "Tuesday's" photographed and blogged about.

Lamps

Is has been awhile since I participated in the Round Robin Photo Challenge. Sunday evenings around 9AM seem to sneak up on me every week. But I got it this week.

Our challenge...Desk LAMPS. Table LAMPS. Book LAMPS. LAMPS. Street LAMPS. All LAMPS. All good! Show me some LAMPS.

Extra Credit: Show me your favorite LAMP. Tell me why you like it so much!

I'm always looking for the old, rusty and unusual things for the yard. I think my Sweet Pap (Mark's Dad) found this one for me. And it actually works. I plan to light it for the Graduation Party. It will shed light on the drink table, which is actually a table from an old dairy.

Would you like to see other styles, shapes and sizes of lamps from all over the place. Check out the RRPC list.

Clematis Blooms

It has been raining since 3AM this morning with lightening and all. I think I saw a bunch of animals walking up the street two by two. Will it ever end? I'm not complaining...the trees, bushes, plants and grass are loving it. I can almost hear the "Ahhhhhh".

I was out in the rain all morning at a big race downtown so I opted to stand in the dryness of the porch to take this shot. When this clematis decides to bloom it will probably be the most beautiful thing in the yard.

If you enjoyed this shot, why no check put all the other camera bugs at Straight Out Of The Camera Sunday. Better yet why not join us...the rules are simple...

On any Sunday you can post any photo you like (it must be one of your own) that hasn’t been tweaked or altered in any way (cropping is OK). In other words Straight Out Of the Camera. Also, please link back to Murrieta365. Thanks. (This is a small meme, but there are some people who are not linking back. You know, it's not that difficult! Please be courteous.)

Mark's Maple

Another Tuesday already? I think I have this one covered. Mark loves Japanese Maples. Here is a red one that the kids got him for Father's Day a few years ago. It is growing slowly but beginning to have a really nice shape.When I took the shot all the red wasn't very brilliant so I chose a close up of the leaves and their very interesting edges.

Make sure that you check out all the other Ruby Tuesday shots and please leave a comment...we all live for those comments!

Paw Paws

I realize it is late and I am posting at the last possible minute but it has been a whirlwind last 48 hours.

We took a hike today at the Withrow Nature Preserve and I was walking down the path and just happened to look up and say a branch with a few leaves and these twin blooms. I have no idea what the tree is. But I will be looking it up in my big book of plants sometime tomorrow.

Check out what tho other Sunday Seekers have discovered by clicking here.

A Climber

Once again I am way late trying to get something posted but it has been a very busy day. We ended up with three little girls staying for the weekend and then Emmy had a birthday. We celebrated with the little girls and then tonight with the family...a whirlwind 48 hours for sure.We have had cooler weather and now two days of rain off and on. The yard is slowing waking up from winter. Each morning there seems to be something new blooming. Overnight they seem to pop out. One of my favorite parts of spring...all the surprises.

Seeing In Threes

The next Challenge was suggested by Marie of the blog Photographs and Memories, way back in 2007. The topic "Three's".

"Anything in 3's, must be the same theme and presented in 3 images."Get the idea? This Challenge is not to take a picture of three of something, although you can do that too. The Challenge is to take and present three different pictures of the same subject or theme. What subject, what theme? That's totally up to you! Maybe it's three photos of your favorite tree, or of three different bodies of water. Maybe it's three different treatments of the same concept or mood, or three photos of your child. Let's get creative with this one!"

I have been searching high and low and his morning when I was taking the dog out, this literally hit me in the face.
After Mark's trimming our little dogwood is doing it's best job to strut it's stuff. Do you know the Ledgend of the Dogwood Tree? Now click here and visit the Round Robin home page and see wha everyone else photographed. Enjoy!

Coral Bells

It is amazing to me how hard red things are for me to find. I don't want to just take pic of red tulips or little red wagons, though it is very tempting. I'm trying to look at all things in a different light. Trying to be more artistic in my shots. This week I think I achieved that goal.  Ruby Tuesday always challenges me to do my best.   That's why I do it.  That's why I am always seeing red.

We have been gardening fools this week.  We have one month to have the yard looking its best for Sarah's graduation party.  I was weeding the bed right out the family room door and say RED.  Mark could tell you right off the top of his head what the name of this plant it...Latin form and plain English.  I always have to go get our huge A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants.  As long as there is a picture I'm good.  It took me awhile but I remembered that these are coral bells...sweet tea.  We got these because I love me some sweet syrupy sweet tea.  My Aunt Judy makes the best on the planet...more sugar than tea.

I love the color contrast in this shot.  The sun shining thru the brown, sweet tea colored leaves, turns the red on the underneath side on.  Then it is surrounded by all the luscious green of the other coral bells. 

Please feel free join Ruby Tuesday anytime and do go check out all the others that play.  Leave comments because we all live for comments.  Click above and it will magically take you there.

Ya Gotta Wonder

After working in the yard today, Mark, Emmy and I went for a little drive north of the city to hopefully find something really cool for the yard. But it was  a big fat waste of time. We hit several nurseries...everyone had the same flowers. We even went to a Aquatic and Garden Fountain store. I took my camera in hopes of taking pictures of some great ideas. Nothing, Nada, not a single thing. But this little buy was entrenched right by out van. He made me laugh. Something tells me that he might not ever make it to our house. But he is awfully interesting, don't ya think?  Don't you just want to rub his big belly?

I love looking to see what everyone else sees thru their own cameras. Come and check things out at Jan's blog, Murrietta365.

Tulip

Another Tuesday and another Ruby Tuesday Photo Challenge.  I'm ready this week.  I took this tulip shot last week when the tulips finally bloomed.   I noticed the red in the center when I was counting the whopping total of three yellow tulips.  The deer love them!  Note to self...don't plant any more tulips in the backyard for the deer to munch on.

I love how you are able to really see the yellow and how it 'flows' up to the edges of the yellow petals. I am glad to get a picture of this one because I know that it probably won't last too long...the deer make nightly trips through the yard.

Lovin'

How could I not post this sweet picture. Little Ms M and I are having a great time one-on-one but we are missing our Allyson so much. It is pretty bad when when you have to play with yourself in the mirror.I am glad I cleaned this morror before she started kissing it. She thought that was just the funniest thing ever.

Ladybug

Red is just not a color that we have a lot of around our house. Well, our kitchen walls are barnyard red but really nothing else. So it is a real challenge for me! But yesterday without even realizing it I captured a lady bug on a daffodil.Maybe by next week I will find out what color the tulips are in the front flower bed and I will be able to share those with you.

Something Old, Something New

Trying to keep up I thought I might submit this a little early...but schedule it to be posted first thing Monday morning. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do, right? Right now I have to say that my favorite things are definitely the daffodils that are popping up out front in the ivy. I don't remember these double white ones from last year at all. I am hoping that Carly will take this is as something old and something new. Old because they were planted way before we moved here and new because they are just coming up.

Come see what everyone else photographed. Click here.