Salute

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Have a Happy, Respectful, n Safe Memorial Day!

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Seaweed Haulers R Us

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In less than a minute flat little B n his girl friend had a big pile of seaweed to slide along the sand on the converted to summer toy flying saucer with a rope. (Aren't they so adorable?)

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Wish I didn't have to work all week-end. Right now I'm so sore it isin't funny at all- I just hope to make it to Tuesday without collapsing. All our work-orders have gone thru the roof. We keep running out of racks, screens, baskets, n space to put the goods in. I've had to go in extra early n work longer. I feel like one big blister!

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To top it as the gumdrop, the weather is warm but I don't get to enjoy it. I'd love to go back to the beach n play, but for a few more days yet- I'm just hauling butt ASAP all the way...

Poem

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Language and pauses
Roll onto my screen
From brain to fingers.
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They sound lyrical.
Evoke feelings and sights,
Sound pleasing in placement.
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Maybe they are metered.
Perhaps conform to rhyme.
In sequence and order,
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From stanza to verse
Could be in a song,
And fly with the birds.
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Craft a word puzzle.
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All pieces must fit.
Poems make you think
Of cleverness and wit.
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Poems get remembered
Long after reading.
Many for centuries
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Inspiring more.
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The Brighter Side

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Hot, sunny, n windy, gorgeous day, a week before Memorial Day starts the tourist season, on Day Off!

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Perfect for skipping early chores n hiking to the front beach to hang out with some little ones n play. The beach to the left of the pier is lined with blooming primrose.

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I helped with the finger steps n some water buckets.
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After awhile, of course, Godzilla knocked it all down...




Then a bunch of little friends showed up, n some crab adventures were launched.
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At least the day wasn't all bad before my yard n house chores had to get done...
A good way to start my day...

Stairway to Aggravation

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One day this week I missed an entire day of sleep before work in exchange for new, pressure-treated wood, outside steps.
I didn't get a chance to take a before shot, due to not being informed of this work being scheduled. (I spoke to the landlord to please call me a day in advance next time).
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I've got a few obvious issues with the different placement. The new model isin't as steep, n so extends several feet further, overshooting the old concrete platform n ending on top of the grass. The outdoor hose spigot now obstructs part of the bottom step. After being turned on, the water pressure sqwirts out the top of the valve handle, soaking the step, n making a mud-puddle as you step off the stairs. Now, I want to buy some gravel for the bottom to cut down the grass growth under the structure, n help footing. I'm depressed they also ripped out some of my purple Lillies of the Valley that were against the foundation at the bottom of the old stairs.

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The hose will now need to always be carefully hung up to not be in the way. (Note: I can't control what downstairs folks will do). I could move the hanger, but it must go way over to avoid the electric meters n power splitter. Now there's downstairs glass windows at foot n grocery bag carrying levels to avoid breaking. The new wider railing top extends further into the stair space, narrowing it. Carrying things in n out will now require alot of extra care.
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I'm stressed out by the new issues created, n am totally irked because I like things done the right way, n it wasn't!
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I spent hours today picking up the mess the work folks left behind in the yard n driveway. I had alot of trouble walking in the dark to the new steps after work last night. Chunks of old, ripped apart wood, some with large nails sticking out, loose wood-screws, thorny branches from under the old stairs, ripped up plant vegetation, big hunks of upsidedown lawn, many little label papers removed from new materials stewn everywhere, lunch food wrappers, cups, bottles, n loose water-bottlecaps were left for me to trip over n deal with!
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Nothing bothers me more than folks inconsideration of what they are doing to others. (I would never do what they have). I have to work a job I don't like on nights, week-ends, n holidays, only because I need steady money for the rent- then they don't let me sleep, n make me clean their mess in my free time. I'm stuck with all the yard work too, or it is not done. I don't want the neighborhood to think this is "the dumpy house" n I've worked hard on it. The kids downstairs have ruined the lawn, n have never lifted a finger to pick anything up, tho their garbage has been all over (I picked it up). I cannot tolerate littered trash. I've made certain the folks are aware of this. Yet, they continue.
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Then these folks wonder why I always seem angry n in a bad mood! (Not to mention the frequent loud, blasting music at all hours of day n night, ie: during writing of this).


What a way to top off nine months of missed sleep one week before the partytime, student folks downstairs are due to leave... (Hurry! Please leave!)
Honestly, sometimes I want to just explode at them! Would you?

Cove Colors

Windowsills

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These are a few shells as displayed on my kitchen windowsill today, with an awesome oceanified rock in the middle, which I've had for many years.

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In the bathroom window, the Pink African Violets decided to start competing with the prolific blue blooms on the newer model. After five years, I'm amazed it still can!

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These'll keep me amused until I can be inspired outside again...

(Rain forecast another day)

Rainy Day Blues

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.The woods across the road are filling in full with greenery. I took pics of it off the deck before work earlier this week.
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Another stretch of fine, sunny, partly cloudy days went on n on, until...
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Day Off arrived again!
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Second week in a row- just all my free time is again rainy! I'm prevented from getting the yard work accomplished, n it's growing into a tall n huge job which'll require alot more time n energy to mow n clip back. Instead of an hour, I'm looking at entire days of work ahead.
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Being housebound with noisy neighbors downstairs is driving me nuts...









(Pic of drips out the window, no beach combing today...)

Wavy

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The second week of May one year ago, I took this splashy cloud-cover shot at fav beach. We've been getting strong winds the past few days, n I haven't spent much time outdoors. I long to visit the spacious sights there again soon.

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Hopefully this week on Day Off (a few days away still) it'll decide not to rain on my parade as it did last week!

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Why is it the rain keeps showing up for my free time, then it gets warm n sunny for back to work time again- making me wistfully long to play hookey as I go into work?

Pier

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I was hankering for a sea scene to lift my mood, n found this one back in the April File. Ah- April! It was warmer, sunnier, n I could go out n walk around without the pollen head-ache!

This shows a boat-boarding ramp leading to nowhere...

Shell Garden

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On local beach walks I sometimes find some nifty sea critter shells n bring them home. One winter I found mounds piled up at fave beach, along with the plentiful seaweed (as previously reported on ESR).

Some shells n rocks make it to my kitchen windowsill or table collection. I enjoy perusing their colors, shapes n textures on a regular basis. The wonders of invertebrate creation never gets old. Quartz in many shades is pretty. Worn shells n Mother of Pearl shines beautifully. These natural objects amuse n inspire me.

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A couple years ago I decided to deposit some of my plentiful specimens in a small corner of the front garden, which is a shady spot most of the day. Most plants haven't done well there.

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I've transplated some Tiger Lillies, Lillies of the Valley, little hybrid evergreens, n Boston Ferns there.
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Whelk shells are a favorite, n I always cart them back. There's oysters, clams, scallops, razor clams, coggs, crabs, snails, lady Slippers, n some colorful rocks. I'm not too picky about their placement, as little ones like to pick some out n play sometimes, n critters like to steal the shells also. They seem to favor small crab shells, even tho empty of meat.

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The leaves got raked off again not long ago, n I had to take a pic to play with Paintshop Pro color effects again... Just to see what would happen-

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Hope there's more good shell specimens from beach walks all over to add in this year.

Why doesn't everyone have a shell garden?

Be Happy Moms 1

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At the beginning of this month, I had occassion to party n play with fave little ones again. There were so many folks moving so fast, I missed good shots of some faces. I always try to get them all. Alas, I'm imperfect...

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I like my candid style Kid pics, which always make me smile...
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Hope every one's Mom day goes well!

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(you guessed it- I have to work!)

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Note: There are two kid pics posts today- see more below

Be Happy Moms 2

Knee High

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The little evergreen tree in a flower pot on my (second story) deck is just over a foot tall. I put it up on the deck rail, n angled my Digi-Cam from below to justapose it against MapleBeard n the pollinating Oaks across the road.

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I'm sure if the little about six-year-old tree could talk, he'd aspire to be sixty feet tall like his grown-up neighbors...

Free Color

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Sundown, clouds, water

Reflection, Shimmer

Pink, sky blue. purple

Glowing Yellow light

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Reward for waiting

Best free color show

Glad to be right here

Stop from life's rush

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Feel good to be free

Eyes open to see

Beauty after all

The day's Struggling

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Money can't buy this

Heart full of wonder

Turn a nothing day

To color n love

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........................... poem by SnaggleTooth today

Haze

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A very warm, humid early afternoon was followed by the fog dropping over the m-cove n a cool breeze. Having some trouble seeing across there...
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Else where in my state I was informed that folks were roasting in the 90's. In the news you may've heard from Metro West east to Beantown, all have been boiling water due to a massive pipe problem. All the stores n businesses in that area are having trouble keeping up the bottled water supply. Sure makes you want to bottle up the emergency water for later in your spare time- (I'm so grateful to've been spared that delemna!)

May Begins

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Another pretty pre-sunrise was noticed out the front window. After I awoke, it was a grand Day Off. The neighbors were absent, the weather perfect! Warm, 70F, n sunny with little wind- does it get any better?

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So much green has grown this week. Leaves have sprouted on MapleBeard, the oaks across the road are pollenating. Some pale purple Lillies of the Valley are blooming early in one side yard. I spent several hours on some long put off yard work. Then I came in to watch the Kentucky Derby, which I always enjoy.

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Today was the first in the last short stretch of vaca days I'll have off of work until after the summer season is all over. I have no special plans, other than catching up on things around the house, n dozens of projects all vieing for time, not the least of which is a little ones party.

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Rent time has me seriously pinching pennies, so only low frills food n fun are on my menu. Mostly I want to sleep, play instruments, n get to more artwork. It'd be nice to feel recovered from work n allergies to do all this. The neighbors will likely return to annoy my home quietude n make my plans difficult again. Regardless, I'll enjoy not working for someone else several days in a row- I'm enough of a slave-driver to myself as it is...

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Hope yours was a Happy May Day!

(Mine was)