Palm Friday

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello and happy Friday.  Today I'm taking you to the palm trees of Florida.  No, I didn't take the picture today, but this sunny, funny palm tree scene is just what I need this Friday after a long work week.  One of those trees has broken out from the others and risen above.  There are a couple others that powered their way straight out, but this front one..... well, looks like it had to find a way out diagonally and then rise up toward the sun.  Now that's what I call overcoming obstacles!

Now, you have overcome the obstacle of the work week.  You've made it to Friday and now, you can rise up  toward the sun and enjoy the weekend.

I hope you had a fabulous Friday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Wet Shrub

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Happy Thursday.  So I don't usually think as leaves from a shrub that I should have trimmed weeks ago photo worthy, but tonight, as I was taking pictures from my kitchen window after it had just finished raining of a cardinal eating at the bird feeder, my camera refocused on this piece - and I liked it!  So I took more pictures.  I liked several of them but this one won out.  I see droplets on all the leaves and there's one with a drop of water that's just about to fall off.  This photo is straight from the camera.  I thought about "enhancing" it with more saturation or some cropping, but I just couldn't do it.  I hope you enjoy it.

I hope you had a great Thursday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday by the Fireplace

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Happy Wednesday to all.  Today, I saw this old fireplace near the road in Townsend, GA.  The fireplace caught our eye, but then I noticed it - the rest of the outline of the house.  By the outline, this looks like it would be a very small house.  Today, there is a movement toward "Tiny" houses.  I wonder how many of us could actually live in a tiny house.  Yet this is how many people lived many years ago - before tv, before gaming, before big houses. My oh my, how much stuff I would have to get rid of in order to accomplish that!
Another thing I wonder about with this house is that fireplace.  It has a double opening and I wonder how one would arrange the inside walls to have two rooms with that fireplace since the openings are on a diagonal.  I've been staring at this photo for a few days and still can't figure it out.  Guess I'm just not that creative,  If you know how it could be done, please let me know.
I did take the original picture and put it in black and white with some vignetting to show how back in time I felt when I saw it.  Below you will see the original.  You decide which you like best.

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Texas Star

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Hello on Tuesday.  What I have for you today is a hibiscus,  This isn't just any hibiscus though,  It's also called a Swamp Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Scarlet Hibiscus and, my personal favorite, "Texas Star" Hibiscus.  Calling it the Texas Star Hibiscus is appropriately named since the inside looks like the Texas Star.  This is a perennial plant that likes sunlight and well drained soil. While this photo is pretty, these flowers are even prettier in person.  Check them out for yourself when you get the chance.

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

Memory Monday

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Happy Monday to all.  Today I have the memory of kayaking the Edisto River in North, South Carolina, this past weekend,  North, South Carolina is a cute name.  One would think that it is a town in northern South Carolina.  It is not.  North is actually named after a man, John North, who, in 1892, along with a few others, donated land necessary to create the town.  The next year, John North became the town's first Mayor,  Because of a train stop, the town grew quickly,  Go to townofnorth-sc.gov to see more of North's history.  One more notable piece of information about North - Eartha Kitt was born there.  Eartha Kitt, a famous entertainer, lived in North until she and her family moved to New York when Eartha was just 8 years.  Check out Eartha Kitt online, too, if you want.  She actually played Catwoman on the "60s TV show Batman and Robin for a while.

But back to North for kayaking..... this is the Edisto River.  The Edisto is 250 miles of undammed water that travels through 12 South Carolina Counties before it meets the Atlantic Ocean.  I haven't kayak all 250 miles, but there's still time.

I hope you had a memorable Monday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Almost Full Moon For Sunday

Moon Day

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Happy Sunday to all.  This moon I found big and orange on Highway 501 on Saturday night.  I had to stop, get out and take pictures of course. To me, the moon looked closer to the traffic than I what shows up on the photo.  When that happens, it is actually an optical illusion and the actual reality shows up on camera.  I thought about splitting the image, taking part of the space out and make it appear how I viewed it last night, but then I thought, "nah, it's good like it is".   It, to me, looks like a panoramic shot.  And maybe I will, one day, split the picture up, take out all that black space between the moon and cars and put that big, orange moon closer to the cars,  I think that will be cool, too.

Another thing about how that moon looks to me - it looks like there's a face in it.  I see the eyes, the nose and and mouth,  Can you see it with me?  When I was younger, my mother pointed out that face to me, and to this day, at certain times, I see that face again.  And I smile and I think of those times with my mother.  (We'll talk about what we find/view in the clouds another time.  :)  )

I hope you had a sensational Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday Monkey Sleeping

Copyright AJ Horton

Hello on Saturday.  You know when you've worked so hard all week and sacrificed sleep to get everything done?  When that happens, what do you do on Saturday?  Well, seems like this monkey has the answer - - you SLEEP!  And, apparently, you could be so tired, you might even sleep sitting up.  Now, you're getting the rest you wish you'd gotten during the week.

But, then again, you may not be able to get extra sleep this Saturday.  You may have to put some work into your house, your yard or you may just have to work your job this weekend.  Bummer.  In that case, you may be a little jealous of my monkey friend.

Whatever you did today, I hope it was something you at least wanted to do for at least part of the day.

Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.