Mary Louise Eklund

Category: Photo Post

  • A Red Door

    A Red Door

    Way back in the early eighties or late seventies during the study of Medieval History my beloved high school teacher Mrs Elizabeth Morrell started my interest in red doors. She mentioned that in that time when most people weren’t literate information was communicated by used of symbols. One example she gave was the red door – a symbol of sanctuary.

    Front door is painted red
    St Matthew Episcopal Church Kenosha

    Red doors were unlocked; red doors were places you could go and not be pursued; red doors were shelters from the elements without eviction; red doors could offer spiritual saving as well as physical; red doors were sanctuary from the travails of life. I was impressed that this meaning held so much that if the king’s men were pursuing you and you ran into a red door – the only way to get you was via negotiation or wait until you emerged. That’s why during this time most churches had red doors and many do today.

    I’m not sure why the concept has stuck with me for thirty years. It has and it’s echoed in my mind at the sight of every red door since. I think somewhere deep inside I wondered ‘if I go through that red door will I find my sanctuary from the travails of life?’ Not found that door yet, but then again like any good story it’s the obstacles that make life interesting.

    Now when I have camera in hand and spot a red door I take a picture of it. I like documenting the various doors to various types of sanctuary. The one above is a traditional door on a traditional church. This one isn’t.

    red door - photo treated to look as if taped onto black paper
    Wine Knot restaurant and bar offers a different type of sanctuary.

    It’s the back door to the Wine Knot restaurant and bar here in Kenosha. True this one has a visible lock on it. I’d guess the one above has a lock of some type, times just call for it today. Still I’m amused pondering the type of sanctuary offered by Wine Knot compared to St. Matthews. Though honestly I’d prefer the sanctuary of a good meal with friends in a comfortable cozy restaurant over a sermon while sitting on a hard wooden pew. That’s just me, to each his/her own. I’d say my ultimate sanctuary for dealing with life travails is solitude. That’s when I negotiate with the king’s men perusing me in life and come out to life on my own terms. It’s not behind a red door, or at least not often but I found it.

    I also liked that the Wine Knot door wasn’t perfect, it was weathered and worn from years of offering sanctuary to hungry souls. I played about with different filters and frames for it. You can click on the image to go to my Flickr account and see other versions.

    My fascination with red doors will continue. I’ll try to make a picture of various ones I encounter in my travels. I wish the library had red doors. I find sanctuary in there quite often. Maybe that’ll be a suggestion of mine for the historic Simmons Library downtown – paint the doors red.

    As always you know where to find me until next time!

  • If It Is Historic Why Aren’t I There?

    If It Is Historic Why Aren’t I There?

    I have a shameful secret to admit.  I majored in history (my second time in college my first degree was a business one) yet when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina area (Mt. Pleasant to be more exact) I never went over to  Ft Sumter.  The very place that fired the first shot of the Civil War I never saw.

    posing in Confederate uniform with saber and gun. There is a heart shaped medal on his chest.
    My 2nd great grandfather James Madison McCravey was a Confederate.

    Heck the boats to it left from my island just a few blocks from where we had an apartment and I never went.  **hangs head in shame**  I went to the Yorktown and the ships there, I knew the historic district downtown like I knew my own palm, toured Fort Moultrie several times…but never made it to Sumter.  I deeply regret letting that chance get away.

    After photographing the Southport Beach House here in Kenosha and learning it is on the National Registry of Historic Places. I decided I would visit all the places on the National Register that I could here in Kenosha.

    First step was to get a list of the places and that called for a visit to the website of the register .  Ah-ha there are twenty-seven places in Kenosha county that are on the register.  WOW! more than I thought.  I look through the list and determine five of them I can’t visit.  Four are restricted/location not disclosed as they are prehistoric fossil sites and they don’t want unauthorized digging there.  These would be the Barnes Creek Site, Chesrow Site, Wehmhoff Mound, and Lucas Site.  One is a sunken ship in Lake Michigan the USS Wisconsin an Iron Steamer.  I won’t be visiting those that brings the number down to twenty-two.

    I go over the list again.  I can check off the Southport Beach house. I’ve done it. It started this whole evaluation process. Also the Kemper Center and Durkee Mansioncan be marked off as I did it on the Christmas tour last year. Though I hope to get a better look at the Kemper center inside.

    Tower wing of Kemper Center
    Kemper Center in December 2011

    So that leaves what? Twenty places to go.  Some are private homes.  That’ll mean just a shot of the exterior from the street. The Library Park, Library Park Historic District, and Gilbert M Simmons Memorial Library – did those just before I got sick. That’ll be going through the images doing a reshoot of things that didn’t turn out and writing a post.

    View of Simmons Library from Library Park
    The Gilbert M Simmons Memorial Library in Library Park in Kenosha. This area counts as 3 National Register of Historic Places Library Park itself is #00000733, Libaray Historic District #88002657, and the Simmons Library is #74000093.

    That means I’m down to seventeen places.  These are whittling away fast.  Tomorrow Mike and I are going bowling.  While out we can stop by and get another site photographed.

    Wish me luck on this on-going project.  I’m going to miss another historic place that’s near my home.  There’s no reason for it.  The good news is I’ll share the places I’ll see with you.

    As always it’s great to hear from you!  Feel free to comment, start, or share this post.  You know how get me if you’d like to chat privately.  Until next time!

  • The Nuthatch Got Away With It

    The Nuthatch Got Away With It

    It all started when I wanted a big crisp dinner salad.  No dinner salad is complete without a boiled egg.

    bowl of peeled boiled eggs
    A bowl of boiled and peeled eggs. Some were too fresh so nicked the whites peeling them.

    So as afternoon was rolling in it found me standing over the garbage in the kitchen looking out the window peeling boiled eggs.  (I always make few extra).  Rappy was out in the backyard and I was enjoying the feeling better stage after a week of being ill.

    red tulips in foreground with pale yellow tulips in back
    Red Tulip army stands with the Lemon Custard Tulip army.

    I noticed how much more had bloomed and greened since the last time I felt well enough to assess the yard.  The red tulips had come out and were flanking the yellow custard ones with the same number.

    The perennials in the same bed are greening up nicely. Their winter trash getting cleared away. I wondered if Mike had done it this weekend, I bet he did. The purple tulips are just making a showing as the frilly jonquils are doing their finale. The lilac bush Mike had trimmed so harshly not only has leaves but is getting ready to bloom. The cat nip by the fence has grown in leaps and bounds.

    green leaves growing through winter debris
    perennials return
    close up of a purple tulip
    Purple Tulips make a showing
    Very pale yellow jonquils
    Jonquils taking their bow
    Lilac blooms as a bundle of tight buds
    Lilac buds to bloom
    leaves peeping through fence
    Cat mint on the fence

    As I stood there watching the wildlife began its activities with no human clamoring around in the small space. Squirrels perched on the back fence running back and forth to keep an eye on Rappy as she romped in the grass. Soon they took a perch up on the peak of the back neighbor’s garage to survey when it was safe to make a run to the currently full bird feeder.

    While they wearily watched Rappy a nuthatch landed in the lilac bush. They always make me laugh because they seem to look at the world upside down for most of the time. He’d dart out and land on the feeder to eat a few bite before the chittering of the squirrels made him dart back to the cover of the heart-shaped lilac leaves. It was so loud I could hear them through the glass of the windows. Greedy buggers didn’t want to share with the tiny nuthatch. But remember there’s always someone bigger than you keeping watch, in this case it was Rappy. The chittering would perk Rappy’s ears. She’d prance around looking for squirrels and they’d go silent hunkering down on the shingles of the neighbor’s roof. Then the nuthatch would dart out again to eat. Once Rappy settled down to watch out the gate the squirrels would scold the nuthatch, it would dart for cover and Rappy would prance about on patrol. Then rinse and repeat again.

    roof line of neighbor's garage against evening sky
    Squirrel perch to watch Rappy
    a full long bird feeder hanging off shepherd's hook
    The bird feeder from which the nuthatch got away with eating the “squirrel’s” food.

    As this went on a large robin bopped into the scene. He wasn’t concerned with Rappy, squirrels in the balcony, or nuthatches nibbling birdseed. He was collecting the dried vines from last year’s morning glories. Then he was back to pull out the dried leaves from the perennials. He made several trips to our yard then up to our garage’s peak the off in a Northernly direction to return shortly and clean up my yard some more. So maybe Mike had some help with that.

    This was just a moment peeling eggs and looking out the window. Yet it was just what I needed after a week of being in bed ill. The freshness of it all, the simple fun and quiet activity that goes on all the time unnoticed. I’m not up to a full day’s activity yet but it was good to see it go on.

    Now excuse me I’ve a dinner salad to make now that the eggs have chilled. As always it’s good to hear from you. Until next time.

  • Christmas at Easter

    Christmas at Easter

    I found the photos I made back in the Christmas season at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in Townsend,Tennessee. On an usually warm day during the holiday visit my mother-in-law (Donna) and I went over to Townsend to see the decorations in the cabins. Her garden club had done the decorating for a previous year and we were curious to see this year’s decorations. The men were golfing and this would feed my shutterbug. However I downloaded the photos onto my netbook and forgot about them. Until I found them yesterday.

    Thus you are getting Christmas at Easter. I have to say much of this isn’t new to me growing up in the Appalachians. Honestly some of the things I’ve seen used or chatted with people that used them in their childhood. Several branches of my family has lived in the Appalachians since receiving land grants for their service in the American Revolution. Much of this speaks to my roots in the area and my genealogy research.

    Cabin with home loom on porch
    I remember my Granny Rolen (maternal great grandmother) showing me how she spun thread to weave on her loom. I’ve heard stories all my life of her large loom that was in the attic of “the old house.” That house burned, the loom with it I’d guess in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Every time I see a loom in an Smoky Mountain display I always think of the demos she did on how to spin and long to see her loom that burned.
    Outhouse outdoor display with sign
    The outhouse. Yes I’ve used them. The church I attended growing up that’s all they had. It wasn’t unusal to see old outhouses going untended among outbuildings at farms when I was growing up. I remember my Nannie’s (maternal grandmother) neighbor kept up their outhouse and turned it into a shed where they kept their lawnmower. That’s always struck me as funny.
    uncovered carriage in barn with newly upholstered seats
    I remember a story my Nannie telling that her mother challenged her to learn to harness a team to a carriage like Nannie’s friend could do. Intending to show her mother she could do it without her stinky ole brother showing her how she went out to hook up the team. Well they bolted, Nannie went to the house and left her brother to catch the team. “Served him right for not ever teaching me until Mama said I needed to know.”
    Still display in shed
    Once while visiting my Nannie I went to tour Forbidden Caverns with some cousins. When I got back telling her about all we saw – fish without eyes, neat rock formations, and an old still. To which she said “It was some of your kin that ran that still back in the day.” Truth be told if your roots go back to the depression era or later in the Appalachians the chances are your kin had something to do with bootlegging too. It was a way many families made ends meet in tough time. However be careful of my great-grandpa and his brothers they were revenuers and lawmen.
    Wood stove with iron and coffee pot on it and a dutch oven filled with Pine cone holiday decoration
    I’ll just say I’m not sure why they have pine cones on the stove. Putting that decoration choice aside let’s look at the coffee pot. I’ve seen pots like that all my life. I even have one we use camping. Coffee from them is great and always has a distinctive taste, not like drip or even electrically percolated. Use it over an open fire and it’ll have a nice smoky note to the coffee.
    Cross section of very large tree
    I know this isn’t the best picture but I wanted to share. I’ve never seen a tree this big in the Smokies. Back in the early to mid 1900s lumber was a commodity for the Smokies partly from the old growth forest giving large trees to make long run planks. All those are gone now but I found it amazing there were once trees that big in the forests I grew up knowing. I can’t imagine what my great grandparents saw with a forest that contained those trees.

    Here’s a few beauty shots I make of the decorations and place. The stagecoach rules amused me. If you want to see more of the pictures from that day click on any of the photos here. That will take you over to my Flickr photo stream where you can surf about.

    Oil lamp in front of decorated cabin fireplace

    blue and white china place setting on table decorated for Christmas

    List of rules for riding the stagecoach such as don't point out sites of murders along the trip

    View of a cabin with mountain in background

    White painted iron bed with homemade quilts and shirt made from flour sacks

    Dinner at the Stagecoach Stop

    chain running from cabin roof to ground to lead water from gutter

    Stagecoach stop, white washed church, barn with shed

    Hope you enjoyed this Christmas for Easter post. As I always say I love to hear from you here or any where – don’t be shy!

    Until next time!

  • Let Me Introduce You to My Husband’s Mistress

    Let Me Introduce You to My Husband’s Mistress

    She’s a few years younger than me and has had a bit of work done. He goes out with her on weekends. I have to honestly say I don’t mind I enjoy going along sometimes. No, she’s a 1966 Mustang Convertible, a classic car.

    1966 silver Mustang convertible in our garage
    Mike’s Mistress

    She’s a new addition to the family. Mike’s been wanting a classic car for years. After taking care of what we had to take of and putting a little extra money aside regularly he had enough to go out shopping for what he wanted. When buying a mistress don’t go into debt for her, the wife won’t like it. So when this particular one came onto the market and we drove down to Chicago to see her – well the deal was set!

    Behind the wheel of his Mustang
    Mike’s a happy man

    I have to admit following him home while he drove the Mustang and I drove his truck (aka the golden barge long bed w/4 door cab) I loved watching men react. They turn their heads to see her just as if she had boobs! LOL! One guy walking down the sidewalk stopped and turned around to watch her go by.

    View of the road from passenger seat
    Watching for reactions

    Another thing I like is it gives me great gift ideas for Mike. You know anything to please the Mustang pleases him. She’s always wanting little baubles like floor mats, paint job (trying to convince him to change her color to fire engine red), fender cover for when he caresses her engine, car cover to keep her warm in the garage over long winters (YES he wants a cover for IN the garage). Lots of little things like that.

    freshly painted motor with blue parts
    What’s under the hood?

    Yesterday he changed her oil and we went for a drive to fill her up with high octane. No she doesn’t eat for cheap. After all how many mistresses do you know that go to McDonalds when there’s a table at a five star restaurant that needs filling?

    Passenger interior with multiple Mustang logos
    Oh lookie non-electric windows, work even when the engine is off!

    Though there are little things about her that bring back my childhood memories. Crank windows are one of those things. The little front triangle opera windows are another. I was never allowed to open them as a kid but I can remember Mom opening them to get a breeze without blowing her hair. No air conditioning, yes most cars when I was little didn’t have it and really who needs it when you’ve got a convertible.

    small triangle window passenger side
    Still can’t operate it because Mike says it’s sealed now and opening it would make it whistle when closed.

    The other thing that pleases me are all the reminders you’re riding in a Mustang. The leather seats have running herds of Mustangs embossed in them. The mats have a Mustang on them. The of course the usual logo locations have the tri-bar and Mustang. Just in case you forgot you’re riding in a classic.

    embossed Mustang herd in the leather of the seats
    How many Mustang horsepower is that seat?

    The mistress and I get along fine. I know if there’s an emergency and the other two vehicles are gone (say one with Mike and one with Aaron) she’ll get me where I need to go. I enjoy riding along and watching the reactions. I can’t wait until warm weather and we actually get to put the top down! Here’s a few more glamour shots of her.

    Dice are hanging from the rear view mirror
    Fuzzy Dice a gift from my Mom & Dad.
    Photo of passenger side made for antique tag application
    When we brought her home
    Rear view submitted for antique tag application
    Baby got back while the Buick looks on jealously through the fence.
    Logo and Ford Mustang engraved on metal center of steering wheel
    In case you forget you’re driving a Mustang

    As always I love to hear from you! For the gearheads that want more pictures you can go to my Flickr account by clicking on any of the photos then surf around. If you enjoy my posts don’t forget to follow or subscribe by email (upper right there you can sign up) You won’t get any junk mail just notices when I post something. Finally I always welcome stars and likes!

    Until next time!

  • Let Me Introduce My Entourage

    Let Me Introduce My Entourage

    Mike says he can always tell when I’m coming into a room because I’m preceded by my furry entourage. Currently there are four members, and yes at home you generally find them with me. Part of that is I work from home and they are social creatures, so we hang together. Part of it I like to think is because I’m the Queen, the leader of the pack, the big honcho of the house, you get the idea. To show no particular favoritism we’ll go in order of age with oldest first.

    my female cat a long hair grey tabby
    Miss Mo

    Meet Miss Mo. Her name is Mohican because she’s the sole survivor of her litter. I’ll tell her full biography in her own post. However when Aaron was little he dubbed her Kitty Mo. Over the years it has become Miss Mo about the time the furry boys got their Mr. designation. Her position in my entourage is princess. She’s the most verbal of the entourage so she does announcements such as “The stinky dog is getting up and stirring up her doggie smell.” Now that she’s older there’s many “pick me up and put me_____ .” She’s arthritic now being old and can’t jump up on seats or beds as easily as before. So once we settle into a room like my office she might shout to be put on the chair next to me. Generally she brings up the end being knocked kneed and all.

    The next two are brothers, litter mates even. So again in no particular order we’ll start with Mr. Boots Red aka Mr. I-eat-it.

    short hair black cat looks out the bay window over a spider plant
    Mr. Boots Red

    He and his brother were fostered by us and came named Puss & Boots. However when I got collars by chance he got the red one since the brothers look very much alike (more so when they were young) Mike took to calling them by their collar color. Along the years they got full names with Mr. on them.

    His job is being the troublemaker. If there’s a crash in the room he’ll be the one casually strolling out tail up trying to look nonchalant. “What crash? You heard a crash?” He’ll dart around the entourage very unregal like –  much to the disgust of his very proper brother and Miss Mo. Also if there’s anything new he’ll eat it. You have to put ear buds in drawers because he’ll eat the cords and gnaw the buds. He’s the only cat I’ve ever known that will eat fruit. Thus his nickname is I-eat-it because that’s what he says when he encounters something “I eat it!” then he inspects it. He’s the least verbal of the felines but will speak if he feels he needs my immediate attention.

    Black cat looking up while on screened in porch
    Mr. Puss Blue

    Meet Mr. Red’s brother Mr. Blue our gentleman feline. He’s the alpha among the animals of the house but defers to me or Mike in a very courtly manner when we’re present. He’s very nice and polite. He’s always tried to divide his time evenly among those humans in a room. He’d visit each person to sit with them. When I’m writing like now chances are he’ll be lounging on the back of my chair with his front paw on my shoulder. When he enters a room he always greets me with a short chirped “Meow-meow.” I do the same in return and it’s become a way I can call just him.

    Red brindle greyhound with graying face hold ears upright while looking out the window of the screened in porch
    Arapaho’s Ace

    Finally one you saw yesterday Arapaho’s Ace aka Rappy. She’s a retired racing greyhound. She’s a very timid girl but over the years of retired life she’s come out of her shell. Still she’s the gawky large member of the entourage that always waits for the others to get settled in the room then she settles. She’s bossed about by the felines, yes a dog who made her living chasing small furry things on sticks cowers now follows the small furry ones in our house. Honestly she’s not the smartest animal I’ve ever known. Actually she’s one the slowest and simplest animals I ever met second only to Chatterbox (a cat I’ll tell her tale another day).

    So that’s my in house entourage. From the gentleman feline to the demur simple greyhound. I love them all each has a special place in my heart.

    As always thanks for reading. I’d love to hear from you feel free to comment or contact me. Also likes and star ratings make me smile. Until next time!

  • Kenosha’s History on the Beach

    Kenosha’s History on the Beach

    Kenosha has some interesting sights that make it Kenosha to me. So many towns are beginning to look one like another – big box stores, national supermarkets, restaurant chains, and fast food places. I like to try to find what makes a place, THAT place. For me one of the things about Kenosha that stood out are the unique buildings. I’ve toyed with the idea of going out to make pictures of various unique buildings in Kenosha to share with friends on-line. Yesterday was my first day.

    It was sunny and I was longing to do some photography. I decided to take Rappy down to the beach and make some pictures. She wasn’t so sure of the plan at first.

    Worried aging greyhound settles into back seat
    Is this a trick? Are we going to the vet?

    We used to have a small SUV. She liked riding in the back of that but now we have a grandpa sedan (I don’t like sedans). She doesn’t like riding on a seat with a big ledge that falls to the floor. She liked the big platform in the back of the SUV where she could lounge & look out. Here once we start moving she lays down and can’t see out but is terrified to sit up. Any way she’s suspecting a vet visit… even gives me that questioning stare as I go around to get in.

    Aging looks out car rear window
    Are you SURE we aren’t going to the vet?

    We tool off down the road with no particular place in mind except to pick up my prescription through the drive thru (damn sedan spoils that fun as she hunkers down hugging the back of the seat). Once that’s done I head off down 75th toward the lake.

    What lake? Why Lake Michigan of course. We lived just a few miles off of the lake. I wind up at the Southport Public Beach House. Now I know very little about this building but I’ve always liked the looks of it. It seems perched on the edge of decay just a hair past shabby chic yet it has magnificent bones. I have walked around it many times fantasizing about what it looked like in its glory days.

    Happy aging greyhound looks over her shoulder while standing on back seat
    Hey, you didn’t lie! This isn’t the vet’s office!

    Rappy was pleasantly surprised we weren’t at the vet’s office. She hopped out and we enjoyed a very brief walk in the park next to the beach house. It has a stunning view of the lake. The walk was brief because she’d already had a walk that day and I wanted to do one around the beach house. She’s not a spring chicken as you see (she’s an old greyhound) and can’t do walks like she used to do. Still she loved it and I took a few nice shots of the park and lake. Enjoy!

    View of lake with greening grass and two layers of blue in the water
    View of path by lake in park
    puffy clouds in sky over lake that is two blues and green grass shore

    Then we took off for my photo expedition around the Southport Public Beach House.

    West approach to beach house
    Kenosha’s Southport Public Beach House

    It looks a little worse for wear from the last time I circled it. I have to admit though circling it with a camera gives one a more observant eye looking for decent shots. Since I knew I was going to do a post with some of the photos I thought I should do a bit of research about the building. The first thing I learned was you can rent it for functions. Next it is on the National Registry of Historic Places. I’ll summarize a few points for you. It was built 1936-1940 just like the plaque says. It was built as part of the WPA program. The architect was Christian Borggren. It was built from material scavenged from condemned buildings and the post office that was torn town. It has a ballroom inside in addition to the usual beach house showers and snack bar. I’m not sure when it was shuddered off like now. The roof has a large tarp on it. I’m not sure what damage it conceals and what that has done to the interior of the place. There is very little malicious damage such as graffiti and broken windows. This might be because there is video surveillance of the exterior. I’m not sure whose watching the paint peel there but there are signs and camera up around the structure. Most of the images show the need for a good sweeping and paint. Excluding the needed roof repair. Now I’ll stop blabbling and give you some of the pictures. There are more on my Flickr page. You can get there by clicking on any image then moving about my photostream.

    West side of beach house

    Historic Preservation Society plaque

    Full view of west side of beach house

    South Side of beach house

    surveillance camera aiming south from back of beach house

    View of beach from ground floor of beach house

    Tiered elongated windows as if on stair case

    View of main floor patio area

    side of beach house that faces the lake

    East side of beach house with blue tarp covering roof damage

    Again if you were intrigued and want to see more head over to my Flickr account. There are some detail shots and views of the beach too. In the end Rappy and I had a good time our first day out doing photos of interesting buildings in Kenosha.

    Happy panting greyhound looks out car window
    That was fun!

    As always I’d love to hear from you. If you like give me a like or stars or share with others or do all three! It helps keep me going and doing these sorts of things.

    Until next time!

  • Spring Is Here, I think it might stay

    Spring Is Here, I think it might stay

    Today was a warmer day. I made a few more pictures of our garden. I’m always thrilled after a Wisconsin winter (even a mild one) to see color and greenery again. Here are a few shots of what’s growing in our gardens.

    A new crop of Cat Mint (or is it Nip?) is on the way.

    Soon the cats won’t have to get their high from the old dry stuff they’ll have tender fresh new twigs to maul.

    pale yellow tulip blooms
    Lemon Custard Tulips

    Our lemon custard tulips are always the first to bloom. This year was no different. But my favorite is pictured next: the blue hyacinth. I’ve always loved their blooms more than the tulips.

    Blue Hyacinth bloom
    Beautiful in Blue

    Just because it’s my favorite you get another one.

    macro close up of hyacinth bloom
    A close up makes it better

    I like them so much I even enjoy the grape hyacinths but they migrate because squirrels like to dig them up. Ours are starting to spill out into our yard and our neighbor is enjoying a few. That’s okay since the squirrels brought us some red tulips from somewhere to go in our daffys on the side our house in exchange. Here’s both flowers.

    Blooms with white trim on the blue bells
    Now see aren’t they pretty.

    I love the center of the red tulips.

    Red tulip bloom with yellow center made by yellow at base of petals and yellow pollen dropped on the red petal
    Look at the pollen no wonder my allergies are going.

    That’s the garden tour for now. After I made these pictures Rappy and I went down to the lake. There I made pictures while the sun was shining. More photos from that tomorrow.

    Aging greyhound looking over fence that divides flower gardens from vegetable garden
    Rappy enjoys the tulips

    That’s it for tonight. Take care, sleep well. Remember to give me a like if you liked the post and rate it with stars! Also don’t miss tomorrow’s lake pictures and the Southport Public Beach House here in Kenosha Wisconsin by following or you can sign up for e-mail notices right there in the upper right corner.

    As always I’d love to hear from you feel free to leave a comment. It’ll so up when I get it and I check regularly. Until tomorrow!

  • Rain Makes The Flowers Grow

    Rain Makes The Flowers Grow

    Today has been a rainy day and I’ve been low on energy. It’s colder now but the rain has greened things. Soon the tulips will bloom.

    Tulip bud nestled in its leaves
    Tulips ready to bloom

    Then they will join our already bloomin’ daffys.

    Daffodils on the south side of my house
    Daffys in a row

    I am glad to see the green. It wasn’t a particularly hard winter but it was a dreary one.

    As always I’d love to hear from ya feel free to comment below. The comment will show up when I get it. Also if you like any of my posts give me a few stars and a like.

    Until next time.

  • Yesterday, A Day With No Internet

    Yesterday, A Day With No Internet

    Stop SOPA and PIPA Blackout
    Stop SOPA and PIPA Blackout

    Yesterday, like so many I went black from the internet.  I thought I’d have withdrawal pains. But I didn’t. No I had weather front pains but not internet withdrawal pains. However a point had to be made SOPA and PIPA are dangerous. I’m not for pirates I am for artists. Heck I make my money from copyrighted material that’s mine. I support protecting that totally! However I also make my money expressing myself which I don’t want limited. Apparently the sponsors of the bills got the message.

    I worked on my outline update for the steampunk novel edit/rewrite. I read a book. I cleaned the bathroom. All good and worthy things I could do without the internet.

    Adam wears one of my aprons and Aaron makes an odd face
    Aaron and Adam cook

    Then I called to make an appointment for a massage. The very best Christmas gift I got was a certificate for 6 one hour massages. Now that I’m over the stomach bug and aching from weather fronts I thought it was perfect time to call. I was expecting to schedule one for next week. But nope she had an opening at 2pm. With a bit of scurrying (shaving my winter legs among that) I was there. Best massage of my life! She did a full hour and half! I left totally relaxed.

    She smiles holding up a spatula while tending an electric skillet of pancakes
    Sara, Mistress of Pancakes

    Then I came home to Aaron and friends preparing dinner for Mike and me. Our anniversary was the 17th and we went out. So our gift from Aaron was he’d make dinner. It was breakfast for dinner. There were six of them in the kitchen cooking away.

    While waiting Mike and I were talking about the Italian ocean liner that sank. The liner captain that in my Navy Captain husband’s view was a criminal for his negligent actions causing the sinking and abandoning his post during the evacuation. Mike wanted me to hear the Coast Guard shouting at the man to get back on his ship and coordinate the evacuation efforts. I said I’d read about it on the 17th. No I needed to hear it, hear the Coast Guard’s voice and the anger in it. “Google it,” he said. I told him I couldn’t and I was blacking out the internet in my life for the day for a purpose. It was the first thing I searched for this morning and yes that man was pissed. I don’t speak Italian but it’s plain that man is pissed.

    Sunset from our rented sea front condo in the Tampa Bay area.
    Ahh…

    So after a wonderful dinner being so darn relaxed I couldn’t keep my eyes open I went to bed at 8pm and slept like a rock. I got up at 8 am to a new day with internet, still full from dinner, news the SOPA and PIPA bill sponsors had abandoned it, and joints that move more smoothly. Really I can’t think of a better internet blackout day – except one with a reliable car.

    As usual I’d love to hear from you. You are welcome to comment here. It’ll show up when I get it. You can also find me on Google+, Twitter (@marylouiseklund), or Flickr (click on the photos). If you want to email me you can at gmail.com or yahoo.com I’m marylouiseeklund on either one.

    Until next time!