Saturday Photo Hunt - Sweet AND Happy Easter!

A sweet tooth I don't have, but tnchick's prompt this week suggests sweet treats & sweet images!
So, think this Easter cake from you know where's window, with it's sweet little chick decoration fits the bill perfectly; and it also says what I wish all my friends this weekend...
Just a bit of triva - the marzipan balls on Simnel cakes are meant to symbolise Jesus's disciples minus Judas.
Sadly, the Celebration Cake Shop have put on twelve balls instead of the correct eleven!
Tutt-tutt!

Too All Mother's!

Today here in the UK, it is Mothering Sunday!
And that cake shop's window, that I'm so fond of gazing into & photographing says it perfectly...

Happy Valentines Day & Flower Musings!

From the Celebration Cake Shop's window...Hope my dear friends share love & romance today.
For those like me, who are alone for what ever reason - we still have our friends, our pets, our teddybears, to celebrate, to cherish, to love!
A very Happy Valentines Day to you all!

And, in case anyone wonders - do I miss not receiving a Valentines card/token from Little Buddy this year?
No.
He never, ever, ever thought to send me one, claiming the day was for kids, too commercial, too costly, too tacky!
But when pressed, always admitted, to giving roses to his wife - purely to keep the marital peace, of course!!!
I'm sure she has the said, blooms again today!
Hope she enjoys them.

Did I ever receive flowers from Little Buddy???
Yes!
Single red rose buds, bought off flower vendors selling their wares in restaurants!
And the most wonderfully fragrant Hawaiian Leis during my two stays in Waikiki, Oahu.
After much wear this bedraggled one, was cast on the water @ the end of our romantic sunset cruise in 1994...It was replaced later that night with a fresh Lei!
I also was given well traveled ones, brought back from Hawaii - LB the pilot, loved the logistical challenge.
When doing a Honolulu pairing with a quick over night in Toronto followed by a flight to London, he'd bring me a Orchid Lei, whose flowers would last just long enough for me wear it when we dined together that evening!

Happy Purr-Day Dear Misses Peach!

Being regretably a little, well a lot self obsessed @ the moment, I very nearly missed an important 'family' event.
'Cousin' Misses Peach >(^;^)< or to give her her full Peculiar Aristocratic title "Her Eminence the very Viscountess Peach, the Saturtine of Bow under Bumpstead" is a remarkable Seventeen today... And, no Purr-day celebration would complete without a cake in her favourite shade...
Happy Day sweet vintage pusscat, your blog is a contant delight & our friendship I treasure.

True Colours Thursday - ORANGE, AND Happy American Thanks-Giving Day!

I selected this colour, perhaps more associated with Halloween than Thanks-Giving for today, because having personally celebrated a Canadian Thank-Giving, which occurred last month, I fondly recall my Prairieland cousin Headmistress making an ORANGE table decoration, the finished result was much finer than this scanned photo shows...And, she baked Squash & yummy, yummy, yummy Pumpkin Pie for the family feast - I loved both!

So, here's wishing my many good friends in the States a Happy Thanks-Giving with a blast of Pumpkin ORANGE...

Continuing with the Kensitas Cigarette Silk Flower cards, this from the 1933 Series is appropiately, an American bloom - Eschscholtzia, more commonly known as Californian Poppy ...Apparently, the flowers formal name comes from a Dr Eschwholtz who explored the botany of California in 1815 - while early Spanish explorers noticing the ORANGE poppies, native to the area, called the California Coast 'the land of fire'.

And, my own garden's version from this years, now distant Summer... I do have a Pumpkin Cake, but as it's greetings read 'Happy Halloween', I've opted for this dark ORANGE guitar instead, snapped through the Celebration Cake Shop's window just a few days ago...
To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment below, so we know you are 'IN'!
For this meme only, I lift my 'Comment Moderation' to help players connect with each other.
Everyone, who to my knowledge has participated recently, is named in the TCT Roll Call in my side bar.
Next weeks colour is CREAM & I'm NOT thinking calorific sort!

Purr-day Greetings to Ginger Jasper!

Now, I still have to personally encounter this friendly furball of a blogging pusscat, but having meet Ginger Jasper's great folks Carol & Barrie, the other month when they visted Dreamingspires, I feel we have a connection.

And, even more so because of this...

Yes, it could be a portrait of Jasper & I've lived with it for many, many happy years!

I gave up attempting to photograph 'him' in location, ie on my living rooms wall, due to the **** flash reflection on the Clip-Art glass frame, so the above is a scanned image of this delightful Birthday Card given to me by my Mother in 1988!

The work is by artist Patrick, copyright Gorden Fraser Cards.
My Mother & I, though both doggy people, loved the picture, hence framing the card all that time ago.

Happy Purr-day Jasper!

Photo courtesy of his 'Mum' Carol.

Happy Wedding Day Miss Peach!

'Reality' takes a back seat & 'virtual fantasy' rules here today!

It's about celebrating the creative FUN that is blogging, connecting, sharing, and letting your imagination run roitessly free!

I use to do it often on my earlier blogs, now Sir Woodstock is my such outlet!

For those who don't already know her, this is sweet Miss Peach>(^;^)< , a genteel ginger pussycat, in the mellow Autumn of her years, who a while back told me I was related to her...

She is really...And, my 'Peculiar Aristocratic Title' is amazingly:-
"Most Noble Lady Blue, the Mirthful, of Bow under Bumpstead"!!!

We, subsequently declared our-selves long lost 'Cousins'!

And, a genuine & really close friendship has developed as a consequence.

So, as 'Family' I've been invited to share in her, very special Wedding Day!

Yes, 'Cousin' Miss Peach is getting married to her beloved, betrothed Mickey, the Black Cat!Their 'love' story, Valentine's Day engagement, wedding preparations and friends involvement leading up to today's proceedings and the event it's self is to be found on Our Vintage Wedding, a wonderful, fairy tale blog.

And, 'friends' Asta as Bridesmaid & Dilly as a Flower Girl, will I'm sure be posting too!

For my part, I've already sent Miss Peach 'Something Blue' to wear as in Blue Roses... And, a card, I actually crafted myself, just for the fun of it... Plus, since her favoured colour is Purple, I've abandoned my Blue wardrobe.

Instead, I've been alternative 'window' shopping for my Wedding attire... Woodstock, attending as 'Master of Ceremony' has donned his black silk cravat, Blue Rose button hole & sampled the 'Bubbly' for the Wedding toast...

And, Ginger Jasper flew in on his magic mat to join the celebration...

Happy Wedding Day dear Miss Peach, may your dreams be purrfect... And, if romantic, Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany is your final honeymoon destination, my spirit will be with you, as Little Buddy & I were there "Once upon an Autumn time"...

Sky Watch Friday - In the PINK, a Blogoversary!

This was this mornings dawn sky - it's as snapped on automatic setting, with no later enhancing...I couldn't have wished for more - a pretty in PINK start to today's small celebration!
It's hard to believe, this being my third attempt @ blogging, that 'True Colours' has made it to it's first anniversary!
On my blog travels, I have had my fair share of serious 'wobbles' re continuing to post; gained & lost friends a plenty and failed to reciprocate re 'Comments' big time, even though recieving them makes my day!
So, for this blog to have survived in tact, with many good friends & followers, old & new still in tow, is amazing.
I say a huge 'THANK-YOU' to all of you for sharing my world!

Saturday Photo Hunt - Pink AND Happy American Indepenence Day!

For this weeks prompt from host tnchick, I was thinking along the lines of Pink flowers, till I came to look for a photographic image for the 4th of July!

It's obviously a trick of the light as no editing was involved here but in all my shots taken this March, of 'New York, New York' in Las Vegas, the clouds behind their Statue of Liberty & 'The Stars & Strips' appear decidedly Pink...

To all my American friends I wish an enjoyable Independence Day & Long Weekend!

And, to tnchick & her family, I hope her husband is soon well again & out of hospital.

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Canada Day!

Wheelie Wednesday - Bailey makes Pancakes!

"Hallo Everyone, Bailey here!
As you can see, I've taken to cooking.
Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake day, or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras!
Whatever!
It was apparently, the day before Ash Wednesday & the start of Lent; that's today!
For those that observe religious thingy bobs, not Mistress for sure; that means 40 days of fasting or trying to give up something one wants big time, like chocolate or alcohol.
Now, there's was no chance, that, you know who, will go Tea-Total; or Ms Foxy Judy will give up her superiority towards me; or Skipper will stop wearing his 1980's 'Blues Brothers' shades!
But still, we did all, follow the custom of a celebratory feast.
Yes, I used up the last eggs & milk in the house.
None was left for breakfast - Opps!
Sis, tackled the Lemons & Oranges...And, I heated up the brand new, non-stick pan...Mistress, then insisted, heavens knows why, on taking over from me.
Shucks, I was having such fun!
And, as she, seemed sadly, unable to do two tasks @ once; ie cook & take photo's; I can't show you the finished pancakes.
We, however, enjoyed them with freshly squeezed Lemon & Orange juice & sprinkles of sugar.
They were great; till, Mistress reminisced about a fancy variation, she'd tried once.
She made wholewheat [brown] pancakes & filled them with lemon curd & creme fraiche, before pouring Limoncello, an Italian liqueur, she'd brought back from Rome over them!
Grrr!
Till next time, keep paw happy!

Bye-de-Bye,

x"

St Valentines Day!

This so called 'Romantic' yearly event has almost, always passed me by!

Cards from Boyfriends/Lovers being non existent.
In fact, till last year, when Blog friends touched my heart with Valentine Greetings, the only card I've ever received was sent by my Mother when I was aged thirteen!!!
Talk about sad!
That year, I worried her to death, because all my school friends were relentlessly boosting about the number of cards they expected to receive & I knew there'd be none for porky, studious me.
So, Mother sent me this one...Then, I WORRIED her to death about who'd sent it, till she confessed, to get some peace & quiet! LOL!

Many, many years later, have become curious about this so called saint!!!

Do, you know who St Valentine was?
Or, why, this day, is dedicated to lovers and celebrated World Wide, and named after him???

I've done the obvious and Googled him!

There were apparently, two Saint Valentines.
Both Priests.
Both Martyred.
One, was a bishop in Umbria, Italy, who was executed by Roman emperor Claudius, for performing secret marriages for young couples against his royal edict, c273, so, he probably deserves the crown!
Or, blame, according to your view-point.

Anyway, to share the 'love' with my Friends, I've created this special mosaic - all images are from Flickr, rather than my own personal photo archives to say...

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

And, if, you have someone special to share today with, enjoy!

If not like me, be grateful for the love of your friends.

I've already been blessed with sincere greetings from many of mine.

Two fer Tuesday - A late Gong Xi Fa Cai!

This was originally intended as 'Happy New Year' post for yesterday; hence the fun guy above, as according to the Chinese Zodiac, 2009 is the Year of the Ox or the Buffalo!

Then, I downloaded my weekend photo's & promptly changed my mind.

Well, I was stuck re Jonna's meme today where I need two or pairs of photo's.

But, I did leave personal 'Greetings' to my blogger friends celebrating Chinese New Year like by birthday twinny Snowball!

Anyway, celebrations for the Year Ox, symbolising prosperity through fortitude & hard work, were as was to be expected in Dreamingspires low key to non exixtant.

On a walk around my city, only found this lantern and it was outside an Anglican Church too...It seems the local Chinese community don't get to celebrate 'til next Sunday, when an event's being held in the Town Hall... So, what can we look forward to:-

"We will feel the yoke of responsibility coming down on us this year.
No success can be achieved without conscientious efforts.
The trials & tribulations the Ox year brings will be mainly on the home front.
It is a good time to settle domestic affairs & put your house in order."

Whatever; may it be a positive 12 months for all.

Belated it maybe but Gong Xi Fa Cai.

A Happy Chinese New Year!

First Comments etc!

Re reading my post yesterday, re my blog Anniversary I find it didn't go quite to plan.
I allowed myself to get side tracked - nothing new!
And, the kind comments & Congratulations on my two years of blogging, mean I can't delete & start again
So, this a Postscript, saying what I originally meant too.

As, I said, my friend Wilma was my very first; infact, my only blog contact.
The first weeks in Blogland were quiet, extremely quiet.
Till, another personal known Prairelander Queen of Halloween, joined in.
But then, following Wilma's advice, plus the warning about what I might find; I hit the random 'Next Blog' button.
As she said, I discovered Commercial blogs, Soft & Hard Porn and just Odd, very odd sites.
Those, I quickly move on from.
However, amongst the dross was GOLD.
By this, I mean I accidentally landed on Serendipity - home of short stories by BJ.
The mutual commenting started.
I gave her story prompts, she sent me her 'virtual 'wedding bouquet, we e-mailed, the link grew & grew - we are now solid life long friends.
For those who follow me but not her - go read her latest tale - 'The Golden Carousel'.
It has delightful, revengeful, links to my recent Photo Hunters post re HATS!

Doing the same random 'Next Blog' surfing, it took me a while to expand my circle of friends.
I did it eventually, because I came across Miss Nuggett, a beagle who blogged.
We two, started exchanging comments & through her I discovered, for me the blog changing DWB site.
Doing, 'Paw it Forward' I happened on the late, lamented Oscar.
He made me LOL big time, I commented & his Katy responded.
Then, Jackson, my fav. WFT, started blogging, I was on his case asap via Oscar, and we quickly became firm friends in both the virtual & real world.
It took me many, many months of posting [and commenting I might add] to expand my blogger circle & they were all DWB 'ers too.
Only after, a change of direction re Blog No 2 'Behind Kyanites Door' when I started posting my photographs, did new non-doggy contacts come my way.
Participating in the daily Photo memes, which I love, has certainly made me view my world in much more detail.
I now never leave home without my camera - snap away constantly.
The only down side, being having broadened my blogging horizons, I opened myself to a 'Comment' world, bigger & broader than DWB, & one I can't/ don't want to live up to.

Anyway, the whole point of this second rambling post, is to acknowledge that, despite the tone of my earlier Anniversary post, I enjoy my blogging, couldn't imagine life without now.
I consider myself LUCKY, as my early friends are still there, and many, many others have joined them, including my 'Neice & Nephew' Molly & Taffy.
For one, who honestly wonders about her people skills more & more, I feel blessed.

Two Years On!

Today is a LANDMARK; it's my 2nd Blog Anniversary!
Not 'My True Colours', or 'Behind Kyanites Door' but 'If Only, if Only ... I'd''s, my very first blog.
So, I guess it's mine, all mine!
Yes, two years ago, I officially became Blue, a BLOGGER!
Inspired by real-life friend Wilma; I decided, I too, could start/write a blog etc!
My initial post went like this...
"The Beginning..
I've decided to start blogging.
Sorting through lost papers of my Mother, the phrase 'If only' resounded through her life & subsequently mine - time lost, wrong decisions, regrets!!!
How many times have you said - If only, if I only I'd ...' ???
From here on in, the idea is to be reflect positively & move on - if only I can..."
It's been a fascinating roller-coaster ride since then.
However, I am shocked to see just how little I have personally moved on, in these two years; apart from moving blogs!
Here I am on Number Three - the others now being lost access-wise to all but me.
But, in the process I've learnt a LOT about Blogging & Commenting & Contacts & People .
Okay!
I freely, admit to inadvertently upsetting many fellow Bloggers.
And, sadly this is current again re a couple of recent 'Comments' now deleted - my privilege!
Why? - The old story, because I don't respond 'one to one' all the time; I 'Comment' infrequently & as in these cases don't visit on the Photo Meme Circuit!

Maybe, as 'Anon' Commenter said, I shouldn't join/list myself as a participant, if I'm selfishly, not prepared to, do the leg work re do the rounds to see other photographers effort!!!

So, be it, I'll bare that in mind.

I guess, I'm just not a group/party/team player - when I try, it ends in tears.
However, being a 'honorary' member of DWB has brought me joy.
Also, blogging in general has given me some amazing friends around the world.
These real genuine contacts made via my blogs, have followed, laughed & supported me, through all my wobbles & woes - LOL !
And, I love them for it.
I've posted this quote before, but believe it is soooo true.
"Be who you are and say what you feel.
Because those who mind, don't matter.
Those who matter, don't mind"
Dr. Seuss [1904—1991]

To my said friends Thanks to All of you for visiting, I may blog for me, but your positive input makes it all the more worthwhile.

So, here we go onto year three!

Postscript:

For fun, I've just checked my stats for all three blogs.
Amazingly, I have written in total 2120 posts!

Happy St Nicholas's Day!

Tis truly the beginning of the season of be jolly for Saint Nicholas, is remembered during this festive time, in many countries by lots of names, including Sankt Nikolaus, Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Kriss Kringle, Santa Klaas, and Santa Claus.

In Belgium, The Netherlands & Central Europe he was & still is Santa; and his feast day, today, is the time for exchanging presents rather than @ Christmas.

Do go and read Asta's post, about her mother's childhood experience.

St Nicholas, born of a wealthy family in the 3rd century, was Bishop of Myra, a town in Asia Minor, what is present day Turkey.

He was renowned for his generosity & secret giving, often going out at the dead of night, disguised in a hooded cloak, to leave gifts of money, clothing or food for the poor.

His most famous legend tells, how he gave bags of gold to three poor sisters for their dowries; throwing them down the chimney where they landed in some stockings which had been hung up by the fire to dry.

This gave rise to the custom of giving gifts, & of course the hanging up of stockings by children, [who he is the patron saint of] the night before his feast day visit.

Now, I'll have you all know, I've worked very closely with Father Christmas @ this time of year!
Here's the proof - a younger, me, sitting on Santa Maurice's knee...Way back in 1985, after my abortive attempt @ starting the ball rolling re emigrating to Canada; I returned, disillusioned, to the UK & took a seasonal job - Photographers Assistant in a Christmas Grotto!

Applying & getting that temporary position, was how I first came to meet my beloved Springer Spaniel Hero, & in truth it changed the course of my life too!

Hero's original master, Simeon - apart from 'Breadline', his sandwich business, that I was to later to become involved in, was a budding photographer.

He'd obtained the contract to photograph, the children visiting Father Christmas in his Grotto, & needed help with the screaming little horrors & the paperwork.

I was smitten straight away with both dog & owner @ my interview!
And, despite, not being 'child friendly' I took on the job.
It was fun!
We made a good team & in the following year went into business together.
Now, Selfridges no longer have a store in Dreaminspires.
In fact, there's NO Santa's Grotto @ all, in the city.
But, I have fond memories of the two years I was one of St Nicholas's little helpers!

>

Happy Thanksgiving!

Opps! - Looks like someone has... Hope all my American friends have a fine family feast today.
Roast Turkey & Pumkin Pie are real favourites of mine.
Here's wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!