Lavender glory

Rock rose bushes are in bloom. I love how sunlight glows through the delicate petals of this flower.

We have a bush in our back yard that has white blossoms. This morning as I was leaving for work, I watched as  -- just for a moment -- the sun illuminated one white rock rose flower, turning it into a glowing golden-white. Truly a morning glory....

School days again

One of Boise's historic elementary schools, built in 1913. They spent the past year totally refurbishing the building and landscaping, and now it's ready for students, who will be coming through the doors tomorrow morning.

I love the detail around the doorway.

School reminds me of the smells of floor polish, old wood, disinfectant, and sweaty kids (we didn't have A/C until the new addition was built). Classes began in mid-August in the Midwest. You knew your carefree summer days were numbered when the cicadas began their buzzing songs in the evenings.

"Bad Writing" -- a remarkable film

A special treat today: we saw a new documentary, "Bad Writing." It's a funny, honest, and wry look at one man's quest to become a writer. Vernon Lott interviews writers who have "made it" to get their insights about writing and the literary world. If you've ever dreamed of being an author, novelist, poet, playwright, check this out. It will be available on Amazon Video-on-Demand September 7.
http://www.badwritingthemovie.com/bw/Home.html

About face?

Maybe he's catching a few rays; working on his tan.

 Talk about rugged -- or is it acne?


I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception.
~ Groucho Marx

I've always thought respectable people scoundrels, and I look anxiously at my face every morning for signs of my becoming a scoundrel.
~ Bertrand Russell

Cool water

It may be 100 degrees here today, but this place is always cool, refreshing, and relaxing. Water is an amazing substance; too much and we're in deep trouble, not enough and we wither away.

Our bodies are around 60-75% water. Maybe that's one of the reasons -- along with our basic survival instincts -- we are so attracted to oceans, rivers, streams, lakes.

Have a glass, dip your toes in, enjoy the journey....


Don't you realize that the sea is the home of water? All water is off on a journey unless it's in the sea, and it's homesick, and bound to make its way home someday.
~ Zora Neale Hurston

Watching for hummers

The kind that fly, not the kind some people drive. :)

The birds that frequently visit our feeder appear to be Black-Chinned hummingbirds. One of them, a male with a black head and purplish throat, keeps watch over the feeder from a nearby juniper. If another hummingbird flies too close, or sneaks a few sips, the "sentry" dive bombs the interloper and chases it away. It's amazing to watch them as they dart and zoom across the yard. The speed of their wings (as they hover to feed) is astonishing.

This is one of the many joys we have living in our new place. I hope to nab a few photos of the tiny "jewels" in the future.

Looking upward

Another sky view during this week of unsettled weather.

Stormy weather

Some amazing clouds lately as some summer storms roll through.

Peeking through

Daisies seem to always carry a bit of sunshine with them. And these appear to be taking over this bench, which is a good thing aesthetically, and not so good if you want to sit there in the future.

I'll go for the aesthetic....

Daisies of the world unite - you have nothing to lose but your chains.
~ Anon

On the water

Ducks at dusk (along with mosquitoes).
A peaceful time for walking off the noise of the day.

Berries

Here's a sweet treat for your day...

Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup.
~ Wendell Berry

Summertime

The image reminds me of the Joni Mitchell song, "The Hissing of Summer Lawns," but without the dark suburban connotations....

Happy August to all of you!


To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -
True Poems flee.
~Emily Dickinson

Sunset: Table Rock

Sandstone from Table Rock was used to build a number of buildings in Boise -- including the Idaho State Capitol -- in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many of those buildings are still in use and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Before settlers came, the area was a sacred meeting place for Native Americans. Now it's a place for hikers, bikers, and climbers, and a few radio/transmission towers.

Rocking chair

I like rocking chairs; there's something calming about rocking for a while after a hectic day (preferably with a glass of wine within reach). So, I say, rock on! :)

And here are two quotes to ponder about rocking chairs:

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.
~ Glenn Turner

Praying is like a rocking chair - it'll give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere.
~ Gypsy Rose Lee

Hot fun in the summer time

One of the favorite summer activities here is to float the Boise River.

Here's a group coming upon one of the diversion dams.

The "adult" boat takes the plunge.

And the little kayaker successfully navigates the rapids.

Encircling

As seen during a trip to the botanical gardens.

It's a small world, but we all run in big circles.
~Sasha Azevedo

Expectations

As seen during a walk.
Perhaps they are hoping for a crop of coffee beans? Or a sprouting of little cuplets? :)


Man does not live by coffee alone. Have a danish.
~Anonymous

Caffeine Allocation Error: COFFEE.SYS missing, Programmer halted.
~Author Unknown

Summer evening

Close to sunset. Great time for a walk, playing tennis, watching the sky drift into twilight colors.

The summer night is like a perfection of thought.
~Wallace Stevens

At sunset

Daylily glowing in the last rays of sun.

According to the Minnesota Extension Service:

Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis and are not true lilies. This Greek word is made up of two parts: hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. The name is appropriate, since each flower lasts only one day.

I like how the Greek translates into "day beauty".

These particular daylilies are also called tiger lilies. According to a site about tiger lilies, it's rumored that smelling them will give you freckles, and in Asia, the tiger lily stands for wealth and prosperity.

So, may you find beauty in the new day, keep the freckles in check, and win the lottery.

Ants go marching....

Discovered this army while taking a walk. The form they make reminds me of abstract art, like Motherwell, or perhaps a Chinese ink painting.

And yes, we're finally back online again. Our former internet service provider had problems understanding that all we needed was to transfer our service from one residence to another -- in the same town. Nothing changed but the address. They bungled it -- and then wanted us to wait yet another week for service. So out with the old, in with the new ISP (who got us up in less than a week)! Maybe an ever growing army of ants are making their way to the corporate offices of our old ISP even as you read this....

So -- now I've got a lot of catching up to do....