My SunRainday picture...

GUESS what it's doing ALL DAY today ??&%$#@????

Hint:

sigh....

Update: Monday.....rained all day.

My Sunday Picture....

HAPPY FLAG DAY !!

In the United States, June 14th is Flag Day. It celebrates the adoption of the United States flag by the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

It wasn't until 1916 that President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 to be Flag Day.

The American flag has inspired many folks to use its image in multiple ways. Some are awe-inspiring and some are, well, stupid. 

But to each his own....

Here is a picture of the world's largest American flag. It is 505' x 255' in dimension. It takes 500 people to unfurl it.

Here is a picture of the world's smallest American flag. All 50 stars and all 13 stripes are there, and it is smaller than a human hair. The Guinness Book of World Records won't accept it because they don't have a method of actually seeing the flag, as you can clearly see.

We have the unbelievable image of our flag on the moon, or in the desert in Arizona as some skeptics choose to believe. 

Some die hards have displayed the flag on the top of Mt. Everest.

Artist Jasper Johns used the flag in his art work.

Some patriotic dog owners deck out their pooches in the red, white and blue.

Others pronounce their patriotism in more personal ways.

Here multiple countries embellish young faces.

And the red, white and blue colors embellish young boobs.

And finally, I don't even know what to say about this one.

God Bless America.

My Sunday Picture....

Look what the Have-a-heart trap yielded today !  We trapped the Mama yesterday and she was lugged to another location on this earth. Babies are looking for her, and they also will be transported courtesy of Mr. Downeastdoingstuff, in due time.

My Sunday Picture....on Monday....

The first Rhododendron flower to open up......I'm loving this.

My poor 'baby' (22 year old) has severe Mono! I've never seen anyone so sick.

Hopefully the 254 new pills he got and the IV saline solutions that were administered will get him on the mend. I hear it's going to be a long haul. At least he's not puking anymore....

Hence, the late Sunday Picture.

It's so hard to watch your child be sick.......

Happy Memorial Day Weekend...

People have different ways to display the flag. Here is a painted version on a wall of a structure in the Biddeford Pool area. Not quite sure exactly what the building is, sort of a garage and a couple of wings. Nevertheless, the owner chooses to show his/her patriotic side. Appropriate, this weekend, to remember all the men and women who have given their lives for our country.

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Update: This morning, Mr. Downeastdoingstuff put this photo on HIS blog as well. Ahem. (We were driving around together taking photos one fine day...)

Anyway, you can see the entire building on his blog....interesting architecture.  Symmetrical anyway.

http://pasttimeamainebackyardandbeyond.blogspot.com

In May, just when spring bulbs and wildflowers are at their peak, this Creeping Phlox spreads out a carpet of deep, bluish purple.
'Sherwood Purple' creeps on my wet, stone wall this 17th of the month, bringing an excitement to my soul that nothing in winter has been able to do.
(Except for maybe Mr. Downeastdoingstuff....)

I love spring.

Happy Mother's Day aka My Sunday picture...

THIS is the reason I can celebrate Mother's Day. Twenty two years ago this sweet angel came into the world. On the first full day of his life, his dad took this photo. He sure looked happy to be here... I know we were !

Periodically I would do a watercolor of him to hang over the mantle in his bedroom. Sometimes he would know I was painting it, but most often I would just change the picture in the frame and when he would go up to his room, a new painting would be there. I wish I had done more of them....here are the ones I did.
"Now can I eat this blue donut??"

"yummy...these things are messy and they leak, but, boy, are they good!!"

"I want to be an artist,too, mom! Jackson Pollock, eat your heart out!"

(FYI... he has turned out to be a fabulous, creative artist. He just amazes me.!)

"Here, dad, FETCH!"

"Mom always tells me to stop and smell the roses."

(Ok, ok, we know it's a tulip.)

"My first kitty, the Wiz."

Like us, he just loves his pussy cats.

"Don't bother me...."

This painting is still on the wall in his room and the lighting isn't good and there are reflections in the glass, but you get the idea.  Sunning on a beach in Haiti...part of a cruise.

Here are most of them together.....That's my boy, it's been a wonderful  22 years !!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

My Sunday Picture....

You have NO idea how long I've waited to plant something ! I bought these geraniums today, but unfortunately, I need to wait about 3 more weeks to actually put them into the ground...or until the last frost has occurred.  (sigh) (patience is a virtue.....) 

My Sunday Picture....

  This pond is about a 2 minute walk down the street. There was ice on it Friday.....today it's GONE!!!  

My Sunday Picture....

The cold, falling rain is keeping rhythm on the window at my back. All day. Hours and hours, it is damp, cold and grey. Yet the remaining snow is white and live against the bleakness. Trying its best to survive. It is spring, and it cannot remain. Its icy grip is in vain.

My Sunday Picture....

My Sunday picture is of the Nonantum Lighthouse, perched on the edge of the property of the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, Maine. It guards the Kennebunkport River as it enters the village.  Note it is still festooned in a now dried up Christmas wreath even as we enter spring. This is typical in Maine, as you ride around, to see these brown wreaths still hanging on for dear life in various places.

Here is the Kennebunkport River as it heads toward the sea, away from the lighthouse.

All the boats are still out of the cold water, covered in their own personal shrink wrap to protect them from the harsh Maine winters along the coast. 

Here is a shot of Walker's Point, the President George Bush compound off of Ocean Avenue.

Kennebunkport is gorgeous in the summer and really quaint during the Christmas season when all the shops are decorated in tiny white lights and greenery. But even during the ugly month of March, it still has it's charm.

My Sunday Picture....

Today I had to post a  picture of a 'someone' as my Sunday picture. Because today is my awesome sister-in-laws birthday. 

This is a drawing I did of her in about the late 1970's or maybe the early 1980's. I don't remember because I am a couple of years older than she is. The thing about her is that she still looks the same as in this portrait. Maybe a little tanner 'cause she now lives in the tropics, but otherwise, yeah, pretty much the same.

'Happy Birthday'  Cornball!!

(click here) 

My Sunday Picture....

Ah, yes, ice fishing in Maine! What is the key word in that sentence that indicates loss of brain activity? I'll let you answer that.

(proof)

(more proof)

(even more proof)

My Sunday Picture....

  Yes, I'm back in Maine. It is 40º outside currently, but a big snow storm is developing off the coast. Could be a foot of the white stuff by morning. (At least it's 'white'...there's some purity in that.)

  As for my Sunday Picture...my favorite hubby and my little kitty from Siam. Getting in some reading. (Actually the kitty is staring at the shut off TV, wishing it to turn on.)

  The calm before the storm. Just being with these guys is the calmness I need. (And a glass of wine in a couple of hours...)

  Happy Sunday.

My Sunday Picture....

This is a photo in the early morning sun up on the Eastern Prom in Portland. The ocean is off to the left, out of shot. Not much action up there on this cold, calm morning.

(click on the link to see how close the ocean is in this sledding video someone made!)(Hope they can swim!)

My Sunday Picture....

 The Fore River, taken from Congress Street in the Stroudwater area of Portland, Maine.

The Fore River is an estuary spilling out into Casco Bay. There is a wonderful trail system that includes Jewell Falls, Portland's only natural waterfall. Check the trail out HERE.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful sister !  I love you. ((((hugs))))

My Sunday Picture....

I chose this photo as my Sunday Picture in honor of all the historic events that occurred this past week. This flag has been on this barn year round for many, many years. It's colors are a stark contrast to the monochromatic winter colors.

Here is a link to a great photo collection the New York Post put together of the inauguration. 

And now, another Sunday morning in Maine.

Frost on the window.

Yikes. It's very cold again this Sunday morning, hovering around zero.

This old house was creaking and groaning last night in the frigid temperatures. So much so that our son came into the bedroom around 1:30 am and thought the house was falling apart. It does that, you know.

The creaking, I mean...not the falling apart. Although, what am I talking about? This house is almost 200 years old and yes, it falls apart, too!

Since my husband was out taking early morning photographs, it was up to me to start the fire with the wood he already brought in for me.

A little newspaper, some kindling, some small logs, a match and voila !

That's the rising sun illuminating the woodstove.

Often times I slide my husband's grandmother's rocking chair right next to the woodstove and grab some reading material and revel in the warmth.

I looked out toward our vegetable garden at my forsythia bushes. These were transplanted years ago from a patch of bushes my parents had in New Jersey and have found a home they like, right here in Maine. They don't even look alive right now, but there are lines in a song from "The Secret Garden" that give hope.

"You give a living thing

A little chance to grow,

That's how you will know

if she is wick, she'll grow.

So grow to greet the morning,

Leave the ground below.

When a thing is wick

It has a will to grow...and grow."

"Wick" sung on you tube...

And even my cat found her patch of early morning sun.

My Sunday Picture....

Hangin' in there !

There are chickadees, blue jays, cardinals and what appear to be dark eyed Juncos  having a field day on our feeders. It's going to snow all day and into the night and it is a winter wonder-land outside.

Me, I'm in my rocking chair sipping a cup of mint tea by the woodstove, watching the cat watching the birds. Peace.

My Sunday Picture....

Early Sunday morning snow in rural Maine.

Last school year, I took a picture of something that inspired me every Sunday, and made a collection of them. I sent them to some family members every Sunday. 

I stopped when school ended in June. 

I've decided to start up again and post it here every Sunday.

This tree in our yard is ever a source of content and beauty.