Tuesday's Mail

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Tuesday.  So, I'm wondering around the neighborhood a while ago sporting my rented humongous (yes, I think that's a word) lens and think that this mailbox showcase is worth a shot.  As I look at it now, I still think it was worth the shot.  I love the impromptu arrangement on top of the mailbox.  I even like the character crack in the wood post.  It somehow seems very rural to me even though I live in the city limits.  So Tuesday's mail brings dreams.  I always seem to romanticize the country believing it to be more of a slower, easier pace and less dramatic than the city.  Even though the city I live in is smaller than others, I still dream a little of the country.  What about you?  What kind of place do you romanticize about?      Is it the city, the country, a houseboat perhaps?  Whatever it is, I hope one day you get to go there in person.

In the meantime, I hope you had a wonderful Tuesday.  Keep checking that mailbox.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

What's Up, Monday?

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello to you all this Monday.  "What's up", my female cardinal friend seems to say.  She could also say, "Thanks for the food".  What do you think she's saying?  Maybe you think she's saying "Wow, you look goooooood!!"  Ha.  I'll take it.
How was your Monday?  Was it long, like mine.  Was it slow and easy? Was it a pain in the rear end?  No matter what the day gave you, you made it through and now you can relax and prepare for tomorrow.
I hope that no matter what happened today, that you had a good day.  I hope you enjoy my little cardinal friend as much as I.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday Lily

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Sunday.  Today I have for you the White Lily. I have probed the internet for the meaning of these beautiful and delicate appearing flowers.  Most sites tell me that they are a sign of humility and devotion which, to me, seems pretty appropriate on Sunday.  I've also read that the White Lily is associated with funerals, in that it symbolizes that the soul of the loved one was given restored innocence.  If you're interested, you can read a lot more about this flower on ehow.com and search the meaning of White Lily.  Many cultures embrace and give symbolism to this beauty.  Whatever your beliefs, the White Lily is a gorgeous flower and certainly worth enjoying at every opportunity.

Have a great Sunday!  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday Looker

Copyright AJ Horton


Hello Saturday.  Look what I found a few weeks ago when I rented a huge zoom lens.  For this little lady I didn't have to go any further than my own back yard.  Sometimes the back yard is the best place to be.  How's your back yard?  Do you enjoy it?  Do you have pretty birds like cardinals come around?  Do you have bird feeders to welcome them?  Many people do.  I have a few feeders in my yard. I also have squirrels.  There are times that I sit and watch a squirrel hang upside down on one of my bird feeders and dump the food out on the ground.  I don't much care for that, but, it is kind of fun to watch as he swings back and forth, and, the squirrels have to eat, too.

I hope you had a superb Saturday.  I hope maybe you had some fun in your own backyard.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Christmas in June

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Friday!!  Today is Christmas.  Christmas Cactus that is.  This particular Christmas Cactus was my grandmother's, which then became my mother's and now, well, it's mine, so it's been around for a long time.  I'm really trying to keep it alive.  Trust me, it has almost "bit the dust" a couple of times, but I am so very serious about it living for me.    So, it's blooming now, even though it's a "Christmas"  cactus.  I don't care, I am just glad it's alive.  Of course, I could have just gone to some website to see how to take care of it - and now I have several more of these plants - but I didn't.  Not until tonight, anyway.  So, "green thumb" land, here I come.  I will take care of my grandmother's and mother's Christmas Cacti and any other "green" gifts I acquire for as long as I am able.  Then I will pass them on to younger care givers/"green thumbers".

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas today - well, Friday!  I'm the one that had the great "Christmas" today.  Thanks for looking and enjoying "Christmas" with me.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Lily

Copyright AJ Horton

Ah, Thursday. Just one day away from Friday.  So, in celebration, I give you a flower.  This is a Calla Lily.  A Calla Lily signifies magnificence and beauty according to "the flower expert" and are excellent plants both indoors and out.  I have to agree with the magnificence and beauty part.  I just love to look at them.  And, they seem to bloom and keep their blooms for a few weeks, not just for a few days.  Also, when you look at them from the top down, they give the shape of a heart.  We all love hearts, right?

I hope you had a thoroughly thrilling Thursday, filled with love and beauty.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

.

Leaving Wednesday Bee-hind!

Copyright AJ Horton

"Whew, Wednesday, you were tough.  You worked me hard today.  Now, I am glad that the work day is over and I can leave you Bee hind!"  

You know, Wednesday is one of those "on the cusp" days.  It's not the beginning of the week and it's not the end of the week.  So you don't really expect it to be a hard, tough as nails day, or a great, easy day.   It's always a surprise when work is so tough on a Wednesday.  But I made it!!

I hope your Wednesday was a good day.  I hope it was more of a good day than a "tough as nails" day.  So, let's bee thankful of this day and get ready to leave Wednesday Bee hind us.

My little bee friend above was found buzzing around my house one day.  I  was so psyched I caught him on camera!  I wanted him to bee my friend, even though I knew he could hurt me.  But sometimes friends hurt friends.  It happens.  You don't want to hurt your friend, but you know the saying, "it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt".  Remember though, it's your friend, and the hurt happens and then you make up and forgive each other.  Yay.  So, I am going to continue to Bee friends with the little guy above and not hurt him and hopefully he won't hurt me.  

Anyway, I hope you've had a great Wednesday.  I hope you will bee friends with me and your other friends for a long, long time.  Thanks for looking.  Keep buzzing around.  See you tomorrow.

Two for Tuesday

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello.  It's Tuesday.  Here are two napping kitties for your Tuesday.  I gaze at them and suddenly I want a nap too.  Just so inviting.  But, for now, I need to stay awake.  I'll catch some zzzzzzzzzs later.  You know, cats/kittens are so very nice.  And when there are two, well, that's twice as nice.  They play with each other, fight with each other, and, as you can see, nap with each other.   You know a lot of things come in twos - we have two hands, two eyes, two ears, two legs, etc.  It's no wonder that we want to find someone special to pair with to do all the things we love - even sleeping.  Having that special someone makes everything you do feel better, more interesting, more entertaining.  At least that's the way I feel.

I hope you've had a terrific Tuesday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Got Heart

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello to you this Monday.  Sometimes on Monday's you're so overwhelmed you "can't see the forest for the trees". Sometimes, though, you get lucky and Monday's - like this tree - show you some love.  And a little love on Monday is kind of nice.  And, if someone like me is lucky enough to see and get this photograph, then I get a little giddy.  Now, on this Monday, I want to share this tree's heart so maybe you'll smile just a little and feel a little love.  We all could use a little more love, right - so why not enjoy it from wherever it comes from - like this tree?

I hope that you've had a good start to your week this Monday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Lookout

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Sunday.  While you're up and about, this guy is on the lookout.  He's very observant and has a 360 degree view.  And he's paying attention even when you're not.  Kind of like God, but not.  This guy doesn't really care about you like God does.  This guy is only looking out for himself and probably for his mother for his food.  Soon he will grow up and learn to work for his own food and build his own nest.  Then, he will leave home.  Maybe he will visit with his family often - maybe on Sundays - or maybe he'll move too far away to visit often.  That's just how it goes in families.  The kids are born, you work for them, with them, you try to help them learn everything they need to grow up into loving, responsible, hard working adults and then they leave home.  Just like they're supposed to.  And you're glad when they move out. You suddenly have more time, more money and less stress.  But you, you're always going to be on the lookout for them, worry about them, love them.  They may or may not appreciate anything you've done for them along the way.  They may not even bother to say thank you when you stop everything you're doing to help them out.  But you know.  You go right ahead and feel good about all that you've done to help.  You deserve a pat on the back.  Give it to yourself.  You'll still continue your lookout, offer an ear, a shoulder or help when needed if you can - 'cause that's what you do when you're a parent or grandparent.

I hope you've had a great Sunday.  Thanks for looking.  Keep a lookout and I'll see you tomorrow.

Saturday's Spot in the Sun

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Saturday to everyone.  Saturday's one of the best days of the week.  Sometimes, on Saturday, it's hard to see anything else for the sun's blinding light.  It makes everything dark.  But, then again, don't you want to embrace the sun on Saturday?  It's almost like nothing else matters, except the sun.  And, if you're lucky enough to be in a place that you love, at just the right time, the sun will shine and, even though you know that other things are there, all you can see is the light shining and placing everything else in the shadows.  And who doesn't  like the light?

So, optimism abounds on this Saturday.  I hope you have had a wonderfully satisfying Saturday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Flower Power

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Friday to you all!  I hope it was a good one for you.  This is a special little flower I found today growing in a driveway away from grass or any other flowers.  This was an unexpected greeter flower - one that said "Hello" to me as I drove in - one that said, "I'm happy to see you".  Okay, so I'm crazy, because I heard this little flower greet me, and I smiled.  I was grateful (still am), that I enjoyed this lone flower and, that this flower was there to greet me.  This was an emotionally hard day for me and this flower was a much needed distraction for just a few minutes.  This flower had the power to transform me from an emotional wreck back to a grateful human being.   I needed that.

I hope your Friday was normal, ordinary and uneventful.  I hope you're going into the weekend happy and hopeful.  I hope there was something unexpected that made you smile today.  If so, think about it now and smile again.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunset Thursday

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Thursday evening.  I hope you had a terrific Thursday.  Here's a little sunset to go with whatever you feel like doing this evening.  Whether you're out on the boat or in the house, a beautiful sunset can set the mood for a great evening.

Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Reflections

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello Wednesday.  Reflections in mirrors is what's on my mind tonight.  This grouping on mirrors is located at Boston's Airport - or it was a few years ago when I was there.  I like reflections - unless it's my self in the mirror.  Ha!  But, when you walk in front of these mirrors, however, you don't really mind too much because, if you're close to them, you are distorted, and who doesn't like fun mirrors?  

Let's have fun on this middle of the week day, and reflect on a few things.  Why not?  Think about the best thing you've ever done.  What was it?  How did you do it?  Where were you?  Did you do it by yourself or with someone?  Why did you do it?  How did it make you feel when you were done?  Would you like to do it again?  Stand in front of a mirror when you reflect/remember all the above and take note of how your expressions change as you answer.  I'll bet you'll be happy with what you see.

Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday.  Thanks for looking and hopefully taking the reflection challenge.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Duo

Copyright AJ Horton

Two, Two, Tuesday Cardinals.  Everyone knows this guy.  He just yells to yell.  We all kind of move away from him, but he just yells louder.  And then the next frame is of the one flying away - just like we would do.  It's uncanny how much we are like the birds.

I hope you had a great Tuesday.  I hope no one yelled at you.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Catfish Dinner

Copyright AJ Horton

So the Monday workday's over and it's time for dinner.  What are you going to eat?  Are you going to have some some fish, some catfish, perhaps?  If it's cooked correctly, catfish is totally awesome.  But you can't have this catfish - she threw it back!  It's only a catch and release kind of fun fishing adventure.  So now I still don't know what I'm having for dinner.

While I look for food, I hope you've had a good Monday and you've had a great dinner.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Reflections

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello Sunday!  What a great day to reflect.  What a great day to go fishing.  What a great day to do both of them at the Little River in North Carolina.  This is a wonderful place for fishing, kayaking, visiting, reflecting, looking at reflections..... etc.  This is where you come to get away from all the noise of the way life is today - the cell phones, the demands on your time, all the work you need to do around the house.  This is the calm you need, I need, we all need once in a while.  Well, I admit, I need this kind of calm more  often than "once in a while". 

I hope you had a great Sunday.  I thank you for taking the time to look at my reflecting calm.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Picnic in the Park

Copyright AJ Horton

Hey, it's Saturday.  How about a picnic?  What about at this place?  This is The Thomas G. Samworth Wildlife Management Area near Georgetown, SC.  This is a beautiful 624 acre tract of land sitting on the marsh in coastal South Carolina for the good of the public, donated by Mr. Samworth in 1961 .   We happened upon this site by accident, so we weren't able to stay very long, but we are looking forward to coming back again.

Saturday's a great day for a picnic.  They already set up the picnic table and tree swing, so all we had to do was bring the food and enjoy the pristine surroundings.  There is also a boat/kayak put in near here but no kayaking time for us today.

I hope you've had a great Saturday doing whatever you like to do.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Gem

Copyright AJ Horton

Happy Friday.  Today as we found ourselves in the town of North, South Carolina we saw a little brown sign that said "Edisto River Access Area".  And so, a little side trip was in order.   And look at what a gem we found!  This is the North Fork of the Edisto River.  The Edisto River is a meandering 250 miles of free flowing blackwater and is one of the longest in North America.  It was named after the Edisto Indians who were the river shores first inhabitants.  I haven't kayaked this portion of the Edisto, yet.  Soon, though.

I hope you had a great Friday.  Hopefully you had a good adventure today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tranquility on Thursday

Copyright AJ Horton

This is one of my very favorite pictures of all time.  This is Merchant's Mill Pond in Gates County, North Carolina. I found this set up purely by chance one day as I just decided to take a look at the area.  I couldn't believe my eyes as this seemed like a perfect photo opportunity.  This more than 10 years ago and it is still close to my heart.   I was looking for a place to kayak and, after I saw this, I knew this was the place.  And so, I soon went to Dick's and bought a kayak and well, not only will this photo always be a treasure to me, so will the first place I ever kayaked - Merchant's Mill Pond.  It was an awesome day!

I share my treasure with you today and I hope you enjoy it.  I hope you had a great Thursday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Flower

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello.  This is a Clematis flower that we planted next to our mailbox a few years ago.  As with every year, they are very beautiful and I really enjoyed them surrounding the mailbox this year.  Looking at flowers can somehow increase the joy in a my day.  I'm not quite sure why, but when I look at a beautiful flower - even if it comes from a "weed" - I feel comforted.  Even if I am extremely busy, if I see flowers, I just have to stop for a moment, breath deeply, and feel the peace from deep inside me.
Take a breath with me, and feel your peace.

I hope you've had a wonderful, peace filled Wednesday.  Thanks for looking.  Peace and blessings to you all.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Fly on a Lily Pad

Copyright AJ Horton

So recently, you saw a fly on a log.  Today I have a fly on a lily pad for you.  It's a damselfly - some would say a dragonfly but I think dragonflies are bigger.  I know, on a lily pad, you would probably expect a little frog, but, not today.  Did you know that dragonflies and damselflies belong to the order Odonata?  I didn't either until tonight.  Odonata means toothed jaws.  What that means to you is that the larger dragon and damsel flies can actually bite you.  Oh, you'll hardly feel it, they're so small, but you'll feel it nonetheless.  The bite is harmless.  You can read more about them if you like on insects.about.com.  I hope you do look.  We all need to learn something new everyday.

I hope you had a wonderful Tuesday.  Thanks for looking.  I'll see you tomorrow.

Monday at Home

Copyright AJ Horton

After working a long day on Monday, it's good to be home.  It's nice to see the cardinal enjoying the food for her and her babies.  And her mate.  I see them a lot here - enjoying the food.  I also see Blue Jays and, once in a while, a blue bird.  Home is where the heart is,  It really doesn't matter where that home is located - as long as the heart is there.  My heart enjoys this bird and all the others  at this home.  Every day that I am at this house, the birds help it be a home.  I am grateful.

I hope you had a wonderful Monday.  I hope you have a wonderful home where your heart feels love.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Visit

Copyright AJ Horton


Sunday's visiting day with family.  At least that's the way it was when I grew up - maybe you did as well.  So today, in honor of that tradition, I visited the family of herons that I've been following the last few weeks.  There were more motor boats with skiers today than normally so my little kayak was rocking a lot of the time I was out this morning.  As I was nearing the nest I saw Moe and Larry looking out, and then I looked at one of the personal docks nearby and see their mama.  She didn't mind standing still for me.  She was watching out for her babies.  She was making sure they were safe.  She knows they will "graduate" from the nest soon and wants to make sure they have a good start in life,  Or at least make it that far.  I only saw Moe and Larry today, so I can't confirm Daryl is still in there.  He is the shy one, remember?  I didn't see him and now I worry because I haven't noticed her that close to the nest in the weeks I've been visiting.  I know she's been close, just not as close.  And, while I was wondering why I saw a red tailed hawk flying over.  I was glad to see a red tailed hawk but then I remembered - hawks are a natural predator for heron babies.  Then I worried about the babies in the nest,  And so I looked more fervently for Daryl.  Still, I didn't see him, hopefully he's just hiding from all the noise and waves of the boats.   I comfort myself with, "I'll probably see him next week".
Meanwhile, the herons' mother will stay close by and watch over all three.  She will be attentive even when they don't realize she's watching.  It's all in a day's work when you're a mom.
I hope your Sunday was everything you wanted it to be.  Maybe you even visited with friends and/or family.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Watch out World!

Copyright AJ Horton

Watch out world - here they come!!  The graduates.  Specifically high school graduates!  This is the time of year that high schools around the country give out diplomas for completing all grades satisfactorily.  Some kids were academically awesome in high school.  They're the ones who held office in high school, got the best scores on their SATs and ACTs and are headed to the finest colleges in the country.  They have hopes of changing the world, changing peoples' lives, changing themselves.  Some kids did alright academically with appropriate SAT and ACT scores to get into a good college.  They also have high hopes and dreams of accomplishing something worthwhile.  Some were socialites, made good grades, had lots of friends and joined every club available.  They seemed to have a wonderful time in high school.  Some kids struggled throughout high school, maybe were bullied, a little, but managed to make it and are so proud of themselves for this accomplishment.  They don't know what their future holds, but they know how to work hard and they know they can make a difference with the right amount of effort - and maybe just a little luck.  And then there are the athletes.  The ones who would rather be practicing than studying.  The ones who have college athletic scholarships and dream of making it to the pros.  Sure, they've had to study, to make decent grades, to get high enough scores on their SATs and ACTs to qualify for the colleges that recruited them, but for the most part, their focus is on the sport; the thrill of the game; the adrenalin rush from competition.  They plan on having a great time in college.  Finally, there are the ones who didn't put forth much effort in high school - they, for some reason, didn't see the point.  For some of this group, school was easy, they made good grades without trying, had a lot of friends, had a lot of fun, and just proceeded aimlessly though high school.  Others didn't have many friends, never socialized, never went to school events.  What do you think happens to this group?  Not everyone does well in high school.  I've read that Steven Spielberg wasn't a good student in high school - look where he is now.  John Maxwell says that his high school days were not his best.  I'm told Lady Gaga did not enjoy her high school years either.

The point is, if you're a high school senior know this - - Your high school days don't make or break you for life.  High school is an experience!  Hopefully you learn from your experiences.  You decide what you want to do and it won't always be easy.  You learn from high school that YOU are in charge of your future and only YOU can make or break your life!  Of all of you that graduate this year, - whether you were the best and brightest, the average, the bullied, the athletes, the socialites, the non caring - each and every one of you must now make decisions that will have an impact on the rest of their lives.  And how you finished in high school is no indication of how you will finish in life.  There are so many examples of people who were at the top that fell to the bottom and those that were at the bottom who rose to the top.  It happens.  It's each individual's desires, decisions and tenacity - or lack thereof - that determines the future.

I hope everyone had a great Saturday.  If you graduated high school this weekend - Congratulations.  If you are a parent of a 2015 high school graduate - Congratulations.  And to ALL of you who read this today - Thank you,  Thank you for looking, for reading, and I will see you tomorrow.

Feeling Full on Friday

Copyright AJ Horton

I found this big fella at a Boston zoo a few years ago.  It appears to be an Aldabra Giant Tortoise that is growing in population in the Aldraba Atoll in the Seychelles.  They live to be very old - as much or more than 150 years!  (Wikipedia is a good resource if you want to find out more.)  That's amazing considering how large they become.  Tonight I went out and had a wonderful dinner and I feel as stuffed as this guy looks.  Of course he's still eating and fortunately for me, I have finished.
I hope you had a great Friday.  Maybe you were able to go out to dinner as well.  If you did, I hope that you don't feel as full as I do now.  But, if you do, it will pass.  Tomorrow's another day and we can exercise it off.  Have a great night.  Thanks for looking,  See you tomorrow,

A Little Shade Please, Thursday

Copyright AJ Horton

"Hey, it's really nice to see you, but I'd really like a shady spot."  This guy is a rare albino kangaroo I found at one of the Boston, Mass. zoos.  Because they have a reduced amount of melanin pigment in their eyes, skin, and hair they have increased sensitivity to sunlight and don't do very well in the wild.  Their vision is impaired and it's hard for them to notice and dodge predators, so it's a good thing this cutie pie is protected by the zoo.  Now, it just needs to step into the shade,

I hope you had a wonderful Thursday.  I hope it was full of sun and fun,  And, if the sun got to be too much for you, I hope there was some shade for you to step into.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

It's only Wednesday!

Copyright AJ Horton

"No I'm not fanning out my plume!  It's Wednesday.  I only fan my plume on Fridays.  Geeez.  Get with the program!"  At least that's what I would say if I were her - and it was Wednesday - and I wasn't going to get up and show my plume.  I don't really think it's called a plume, though.  From what I've read it's a "feather train" and it can be up to six feet long.  It's used in mating and courtship rituals.
I actually saw this beauty at a zoo in Boston, MA.  a couple of years ago.  I can't remember which one - there's a few there.  But this zoo certainly was enjoyable.
I think this is a male peacock because it is so beautiful.  The females are actually called "peahens" and are kind of drab in color so that they are able to hide in the bushes when nesting.  Peacocks and peahens are part of the group "peafowl".    All of that info came from the national geographic website.
I hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Fly on a Log

Copyright AJ Horton

Have you ever wanted to be a "fly on a wall"?  You know, to listen into people's conversations or see what they do when no one's watching?  Well, here's a fly on a log.  Close enough?  Well, maybe not,  But it is a cool photo!  And, I'm glad that fly is not on me.  

We all want to listen in on people's conversations from time to time.  We want to know who they're talking about.  We want to know if they're talking about us.  We're curious.  I think that's human nature.  Well, that, and a little paranoia.  I hear people say "I wish I was a fly on a wall when they found out....".  I say it myself sometimes.  But then I wonder...  What if I am a fly on the wall and they squash me with the fly swatter?  Ouch!!  So, with that thought in mind I'm cured of wanting to eavesdrop for a while.   Oh well.  

I hope you had a wonderful Tuesday.  Thanks for looking.  Hope you enjoyed your fly on the log.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Excursion

Copyright AJ Horton

Ok, so yeah, I know it's Monday.  And yes, I had to work a long, hard day.  Probably you did as well.  But, through it all, wouldn't you rather be here?  Would you rather be fishing?  Or at least have your pole set up so if a fish does bite, you can reel it in?  Or, just pretend to fish?  Either way, here you can get away from work, cell phones, computers and all the noise that comes along with those things.  Why not enjoy the time here?  The time that you have to yourself?  You know you want to.  You can go there today - right now.  I love imagining this time to myself without work or electronics and just relaxing in the sun, shade and water all day long.   So, I gave my all to work today, but now, I'm imagining how I would have liked to have spent my Monday.  And I relax.  The stress of today is leaving me.  I am at peace.

How about you?  How was your Monday?  Are you ready to put it all behind you and relax?  Want to go fishing?  Find relaxation and peace?  Please enjoy the visual.  Take as long as you'd like.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.