. Monday, April 26, 2010 .

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!

Mark's Maple

. Sunday, April 25, 2010 .
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.

Paw Paws

. .
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.

A Climber

. Saturday, April 24, 2010 .
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!

Seeing In Threes

. Tuesday, April 20, 2010 .
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.

Coral Bells

. Sunday, April 18, 2010 .
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.

Ya Gotta Wonder

. Tuesday, April 13, 2010 .
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.

Tulip

. Saturday, April 10, 2010 .
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.

Lovin'

. Tuesday, April 6, 2010 .
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.

Ladybug

. Monday, April 5, 2010 .
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.

Something Old, Something New

. Sunday, April 4, 2010 .

A really quick walk around the yard this morning in my pj's, I found tons of flowers that weren't here last week. I've been able to sit on the porch and look out into the front yard while swinging on the swing. Nothing better than swinging and smelling the flowers while the sun warms your skin. Mark tells me that this is some sort of magnolia tree. I don't know what it is...all I know is that by this time next week all the blooms will be gone. When I look out of the bedroom window, the blooms look like snowflakes suspended in the air.

Spring 'Snowflakes'