Hey Tuesday

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Hello Tuesday!  Looking good!  This is my little furry friend, Ayla.  She is named after one of my favorite characters in the series "Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean Aul.  And, like Ayla of the novels, she is beautiful, independent, intelligent, loving and a good conversationalist.  It doesn't matter that I don't know what she's saying - I make up stuff to say to her and she plays along.  All in all, we have great conversations.

I hope you have someone, furry or not, in your life with whom you can be playful.  Maybe it's someone you have silly conversations with.  If you do have someone like that, you know how fun life can be.

I also hope you had a wonderful Tuesday.  Enjoy your silly conversations.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Looker

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello Monday.  Yes, you're right - I do like herons. I've posted many of them on here.  And this one is a real looker.  He's gorgeous to me.  This may be one of the very rare times that I've gotten a photo from my kayak that is so sharp.   I love looking at it, I just don't have that much to say about it.  I just keep looking. I hope you enjoy it, too.

In the meantime, I hope you've had a great Monday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday Peace and Blessings

Copyright AJ Horton 2015

Happy Sunday.  People do a lot of things on Sunday; they visit; they play; sometimes they mow the grass; sometimes work; and they go to church.   My favorite church is the great outdoors!!  I go there several times a week, with or without people and I always have a wonderfully uplifting experience. On this particular occasion we were at Pawleys Island, SC - on the beach of course, enjoying the sunset when I was blessed with this scene.  This is one of the reasons I like my version of "church".  This church is where I feel much peace and many blessings.  I  hope that, when you look at this photograph, you feel the same as I.

I hope you had great Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Happy 4th of July

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

"And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, 

Gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there" 

Lyrics by Francis Scott Key to what we know as our National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.  I remembered them clearly tonight as I enjoyed our community's  4th of July fireworks display.  I was oohing and ahhhing and then I noticed IT, the flag.   Our nation's hard fought symbol of freedom from the British.  I am glad I was born in America.  I am glad for the freedoms I enjoy - especially when I see how some other countries treat their citizens.  In America we still have some work to do.  America is not perfect, but I hope that, one day,  ALL Americans will be able to enjoy ALL freedoms, rights and privileges.  We just need to love and respect one another without judging and work together as a team - and our leaders, the people we elect - should do the right thing and help us make that happen.  

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July!!  I hope you are able to enjoy all the freedoms America offers.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Happy July 3rd

Copyright 2014 AJ Horton

"Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wa - aaave, O'er the la-annd of the freeeeeee, and the home of the br-aaaaaaave?"  (Frances Scott Key 1814)  Yes, yes it does still wave.  It will always, always, wave over my home - and in my heart.  I will always love the United States of America.  I am an optimist (sometimes a realist) and I want to always believe that all Americans love America.  America IS the "land of opportunity".   In America you can be whatever you want to be, you can do whatever you want to do, you can make as much money as you want.  In America, if you work hard, have a plan and do your best, you will be blessed.  You have freedom to choose your path.  You have freedom!  Freedom comes at a cost, though.  There were others, others who came before you, who didn't have the freedoms you enjoy.  Those others believed they should have freedom - so they fought for it - and WON!  Many died fighting for freedom, fighting for future generations to have freedom.  Whether they died or lived, we owe our gratitude to the ones who fought for us.  They didn't know us, but they knew, somehow, that it is better to be free to make our own choices in life.  They knew!  This IS "the land of the free and the home of the brave"!!  Let's be brave tomorrow - on the 4th of July!  Let's be brave enough to say that everyone is free - that we are all equal - that we all deserve the same rights.  Let's love one another.  Let's embrace our freedom!

I absolutely hope you've had a wonderful July 3rd.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow for another wonderful day.

Thursday's Family Time

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Happy Thursday all.  Today we have a little family time.  The little goslings are usually able to fly in about ten weeks.  The parents - especially the dad - will "vigorously defend" them until they're able to fly according to the "Living with Wildlife" website.  Even when they are able to fly, the young ones usually stay with the family unit for about a year.

This weekend is significant in the United States of America as July the 4th represents Independence Day.  July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed declaring our independence from Great Britain after the American Revolution.  Now this is a time of parades, fireworks, community and family and friend visiting including cookouts with great times.

There's nothing wrong with having family time early, though, and today is a great time to start.  Might as well get a head start.  I hope you had a great Thursday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Trio

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello on Wednesday.  Here's a trio of young herons looking out for you.  This is one of the rare occasions where I saw all three taking in the view.  These babies will leave the nest soon.  I am very fortunate to have been able to see and photograph them this year.  I will go out again this weekend to see if they're still around - six weeks or so is about all the time they need to get ready to leave the nest and it's been that long already.  Maybe they'll be grateful for all their mom has done for them and want to stay around a little longer.  I know I'm grateful every time I see them.

I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday.  I hope you've found something to be grateful for today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.