Eyes, Mind, Heart

Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:32:00 +0000

I haven't posted to this blog in a while. Though I've taken tons of photos I haven't been able to do much visiting so I thought it only fair that I didn't post and draw comments and visits that I didn't have time to return. But I've missed posting my photos and I've got to do this for me so... I'm back and hope I find time to return any comments and visits that I get. These are from my visit to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens in Claremont, California.

Life at Bolsa Chica - Watery Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Wow, I haven't posted on this blog in a while. I don't have much time lately and my posting has been limited to my Watery Wednesday blog. But I took so many shots this weekend I needed to share them. Here goes...

Watery Wednesday #85

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:00:00 +0000

I went up to Bonelli Park tonight...well, by the time you see this it will be last night, just before sunset. I wasn't sure which of these to post on the main blog so I posted the rest of them here. There is just something very calm and relaxing which is why I love doing Watery Wednesday.

The one below isn't a water shot but I had to post it. I looked up and the graceful bird went soaring overhead.

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Mellow Yellow Monday/Today's Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:49:00 +0000

I haven't been able to do much meme-ing lately. I've missed Mellow Yellow Mondays. I'm home waiting to get my garage door fixed so I've got a chance to catch some yellow this morning.

If I've got this right, this is a Fremotrodendron, also called Ken Taylor and California Glory. I've only seen these a couple of places. These photos were taken at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. It's a huge place but not very visible from the streets as the entrance is almost tucked away behind Claremont College.

Visit Mellow Yellow Monday, the brightest meme on the internet, and brighten up your day.

If you like flowers, check out the link below for more photos from bloggers participating in Today's Flowers.

Weekend Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sun, 02 May 2010 20:10:00 +0000

No weekend reflections post on the main meme but I'll post one anyway. I like this shot. I love the reflections in the water, especially the clouds. Who would think the water would reflect even the clouds in the water?

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Weekend Reflections #31

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:41:00 +0000

My first Weekend Reflections post. I hope I have the time to do this each week and I hope this is enough of a reflection for this theme.

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Spring Is In The Air

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 18:13:00 +0000

I love Spring. Everything just comes to life, the weather is perfect, everything is green and beautiful. What a perfect time of the year. These were taken at one of my favorite spots, Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge, California. One of the things I love about this places is that the life there is seasonal and there is always something new to see.

I love this photo above because of the shadows created by the shade of the trees. Isn't it beautiful - the light and contrasts against all of the pretty green grass and leaves?

Sky Watch Friday

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:15:00 +0000

This was taken at Bonelli Park. Anyone who has visited my blog knows this park is right up the street from me so I have a lot of photos of this lake.

To participate in Sky Watch Friday and/or to see more great photos of the sky from all over the world Click here or on the Sky Watch Icon below:

Watery Wednesday #84

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:03:00 +0000

I hope I haven't shared these photos in one of my others blogs. These are shots from my trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. At this time of the year while everything is green from the rain, it is absolutely gorgeous there! I never ran out of wonderful things to photograph and there was plenty of water.

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Today's Flowers - Magnolias

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:29:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've been able to participate in Today's Flowers. I'm glad I got a chance to post and visit this week!

These were taken last month at one of my favorite spots, Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge, California. There were magnolia blossoms everywhere!

If you like flowers, check out the link below for more photos from bloggers participating in Today's Flowers.

My World Tuesday - Photo Tour/The Giraffes

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:59:00 +0000

My world right now is still focused on my trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park last week. I had such a great time, just me and my camera that I'm still reeling from all of the photos I took and at how beautiful the who park was. I can't wait to go back and would love to before summer sets in and the heat starts turning everything brown.

On my way back from training in San Diego, I stopped at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I actually splurged and took the photo tour. I thought it would feel a little like being on safari. It was great but it really wasn't worth the $90 they charge. That's too much for what you get. I don't regret doing it but I don't think I would do it again. Entirely too much money.

Anyhoo, it was still cool to get a closer look at the animals and it was an amazing experience to watch the giraffes come right up to the truck and stick their heads in looking for the leaves they would be fed. If you've got the money to "splurge" I would recommend it just for the experience. Still, they really need to drop that price.

My hat's off to the tour guide. She was full of interesting information about the animals and the park. Can't wait to post more of my photos from my trip to SDWAP and this photo tour.

Nesting Season

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:07:00 +0000

I hope you won't get sick of my San Diego Wild Animal Park photos. It was such a joy to shoot photos there, especially of the birds. I believe they're so used to people they're not flightly and fidgety. It's actually pretty easy to believe that some of them are hams and actually enjoy having their photo taken.

Its nesting season. Most of the birds were paired up and building nests.

Butterflies - SDWAP

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 18:58:00 +0000

These are butterflies from the butterfly exhibit at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I can't get over how many photos I took and not just of the butterflies. Personally, I can't wait to go back again. I could stay there all day...

Watery Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:36:00 +0000

I haven't had a lot of time to post lately but I'm going to try to find the time because I have so many photos to post. I was in San Diego for training last week and I had the chance to visit the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Wow! It's been a long, long time since I was there and I had so much fun with my camera. I'll let the photos speak for themselves....

These are just a few, and I do mean just a few of the photos I took. Some of these birds really just stood there and posed for you.

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Watery Wednesday #76

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:37:00 +0000

One of these days I'll be able to do more to my photo blog than my Watery Wednesday additions, but I so love sharing my photos and hope you enjoy them. These and the one on the main Watery Wednesday meme page are from my trip back to Bolas Chica this past weekend. It was beautiful to me, cloudy and all.

This is the beach directly across the street. Normally I don't go over to it but this day I could hear and actually see the waves crashing and it lured me over. It was beautiful.

From this view you can't tell that the storm clouds were behind me slowly edging their way in this direction. And... the one below is watery but I couldn't resist posting this capture.

Happy Watery Wednesday!

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Watery Wednesday #75

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:09:00 +0000

These are a continuation of my photo on the main Watery Wednesday meme blog. These and the other were taken up at Bonelli Park yesterday just before the sun was about to set. It was so interesting watching the geese. At one point I thought one was trying to drown the other because it was holding it under water. I wish those shots came out clear enough to post. I finally figured out that they were probably mating.

My photos below were taken standing at the same spot as the photo above but looking over to the right.

Happy Watery Wednesday!

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Watery Wednesday #74

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:37:00 +0000

A continuation from the water shot on the meme page. These were taken at Bolsa Chica Wetlands back in May of 2009. As I walked along the path I could see this group of birds circling and circling. As I got close enough I could see that they were diving into the water. There must have been a huge school of fish there because...

they kept circling the water and diving in for as long as I felt like standing there taking photos. I did post some of these before but I don't remember which ones and I'm too lazy to go check. LOL!

Have a great WATERY WEDNESDAY!!

Happy Watery Wednesday!

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NATURE'S ABSTRACTS

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:34:00 +0000

By the way, my SkyWatch post is below this one.

I took these a while back but I think I only posted one of them. Sometimes it's the not so pretty things that when you look at it the right perspective, can actually be quite beautiful. I really like these and I love the colors. Just some nasty moss around the edge of the lake near the fishing pier... but it sure made for some interesting photos.

SkyWatch Friday - Santa Fe Dam/Reservoir, California - August 2009

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:42:00 +0000

I haven't done a Skywatch Friday in a while. I've really missed all of those lovely shots of the sky everyone posts. I don't have a whole lot of different pictures to share between July and now. With work and travel time and all, I haven't been out as much as I'd like. I did, however, get these one day as sunset at the Santa Fe Dam/Reservoir. Man, what an absolutely breathtaking sunset that was. I wish it had lasted a little longer.

Bonelli Park - January 2010

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Since I've been back to work I haven't been able to get out much to take shots. The time change hasn't helped either since its dark long before I get home. I was able to get a few shots. These are just a few from my most recent trip to the lake near my house at Bonelli Park. Oh, did I mention that I locked my keys in the car. There I stood with my coffee, camera and the keys sitting on the driver seat as I looked through the window. What a day... but got some great shots.

This could suffice for my Watery Wednesday post but it's actually below this one.

Watery Wednesday #73

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:19:00 +0000

I thought I'd be able to post a little more before Watery Wednesday rolled around again but that didn't happen. Still, I did get out to Bolsa Chica Wetlands/Ecological Reserve this past weekend. I had such a great time. There weren't quite as many birds as I've seen before but the ones that were there definitely put on a show. This is right up my Watery Wednesday alley so I hope you enjoy them all. This is my Watery Wednesday input (wetlands...get it? LOL!)

The first thing I saw when I got out of the car was this pelican flying around and then diving into the water for fish, then it just chilled in the water with its buddy.

Happy Watery Wednesday!

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Watery Wednesday #72

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:08:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I've been able to post a Watery Wednesday to my own blog. I love my water shots and hope you enjoy this one. This was taken at Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge, California.

Happy Watery Wednesday!

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I'm Back!

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:19:00 +0000

Well, I'm back and hoping to see how long I can keep this current. I started work in July and I've been hard pressed to get out, take pictures and keep things current on this blog. I really miss sharing my photos here when I finally get a chance to take them. Let's see... what should I post?

I went to Descanso Gardens. At this time of the year there's not much in bloom but I always seem to find something to take photos of there. No roses but plenty of camellias so I could get my favorite fallen camellias in the water shots.

This is the rose garden now - really drab with all of the bushes cut back. Even the trees look threadbare and yet it's still pretty to me.

There were a few birds flittering about but not quite as many as I usually see.

As for the photo below, well.... this is why I think flies are just nasty!

Today's Flowers - One Year Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:04:00 +0000

Congratulation to the Today's Flowers team on a wonderful year of flowers from all over the world!

My new job and travel time doesn't give me much time to blog and visit everyone. I really miss it. So, I was determined to spend some time blogging. I feel like it's been so long I can't even remember which days I'm supposed to do which memes. I think I've got this one right. We'll soon find out.

I don't know what this little flower is. It was growing in a pot in my sister's back yard and the flower was probably no bigger than my thumbnail but I thought it was really pretty.

If you like flowers, check out the link below for more photos from bloggers participating in Today's Flowers.

I Miss Blogging!

noreply@blogger.com (2sweetnsaxy) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:57:00 +0000

Where do I even begin to catch up for the two weeks that I haven't been able to touch my blog? Even now as I sit here I know I shouldn't be as I've got so much to do but I just had to post something and visit some of the blogs I've really missed. I missed the memes and everything! I haven't even taken any photos and I'm going through withdrawal.

The only photos I've taken were from a meet 'n greet and I'm posting two of the views from the balcony of the hotel banquet room we rented for the party. In the first shot, the streaks of light on the bottom are actually car lights from the cars on the freeway. I think it's pretty cool the way it turned out.

Okay, so here's the story. I'd been unemployed for over a year and Praise God I FINALLY got a job. Let's just say that it's not close to me and from the time I get up to the time I get home it's about 14 hrs. That only leaves 10 hrs. to my day, and since I have some things to do when I get home, like eat, wash some clothes, return a call or two... my sleep time has been about 6 hrs. a day.

And to top everything else off, I'm so low on funds it's not funny. Some people live paycheck to paycheck. I'm living just to get to my first check. My unemployment ran out a month before my start day so I've had NO money coming in except what I could borrow and it's so hard for me to reach out my hand and ask for help because I've never had to. At the moment I've got $10 to my name and need a full tank of gas to make it to work next week. No credit cards to fall back on because all my bills are late but thank God they're willing to work with me and I know that some how, some way, God will continue to supply all my needs. I'm not joking when I say he's met all my needs during the time I was unemployed and I know He won't stop now. He didn't carry me through this race to drop me just inches before the finish line.

It was easy for me to see how people become depressed and suicidal without God's love and support behind them to keep them strong and focused. If you haven't been here, it's not easy to know you've got no money coming in and everything around you is falling apart, needs to be fixed, creditors are calling nonstop looking for money you don't have and there is nothing you can do about it. Trust me when I say that ANYONE can go from having everything to having nothing. I was a thin line away from losing it all but Praise God that I am still in my house and that the end is in sight.

Anyhoo...for anyone who wants to know where I've been the past 2 weeks and why, this is my life, this is my story. I give myself another couple of weeks before I can waste gas going somewhere to take photos again. I miss getting out taking photos but there is a light at the end of my tunnel, Praise God, and I'm focused on that light.