Rosy Fingered Sunrise #SkywatchFriday #blogboost

When I was in high school, growing up in New York City, I wasn't much into sunrises or sunsets.   Nor was I much interested in classic literature.

I was so bored by us having to dissect (every year, it seemed) the ancient Greek classic The Odyssey.  The translator gushed about "rosy fingered dawns".

Never did I realize that, one day, I would love sunrises and sunsets.

Like this sunrise yesterday.  It was about 18 degrees outside, and my fingers did not want to be exposed to the cold.  Nevertheless, the beauty finally got my courage (and heat) up, and out my cam...I mean, phone came.

This isn't the first of the series.  A couple of the photos came out so blurry you couldn't see anything.  It's a problem I'm seeming to have more and more with my iPhone SE.

As I walked along, I enjoyed the view.

These three Bradford Pears patiently awaited the sunrise.

I couldn't wait any longer, but the sun was getting ready to make its appearance.

What a show!

Joining up with Yogi and #SkywatchFriday as I do each Friday.

Day 24 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Red and Yellow #ThursdayTreeLove #blogboost

A number of bloggers who participate in Parul's twice a month #ThursdayTreeLove live in climates where snow is rare or nonexistent.  They enjoy photos I take in the winter - winterscapes that are ho hum ordinary to me but are a treat for them.

This winter, we've either had too much snow or hardly any.   After a miserable Saturday with snow and some ice, we are now going back into warmer than normal weather.

So here is a snow picture from my "archives".

Snow is pretty (in my humble opinion) as long as you don't have to shovel it, drive in it, walk in it, but there is more to winter than snow.

But some trees here are planted just for their winter interest.  In our local botanical gardens, we have these two trees.  These look like bushes, but are actually a type of dogwood tree.  In the winter, one shows off its red bark, and one shows off its yellow bark.

Dogwood trees don't only show their personality with lovely flowers.  Sometimes, it's also....(wait for it....)

....their bark.

Day 23 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Yarn Bombing in Punta Gorda #WordlessWednesday #blogboost

Downtown Punta Gorda - come to a yarn bombing.

In the City of Punta Gorda, Florida, the local downtown permitted some holiday yarn bombing (a type of "urban graffiti" consisting of fiber crafts covering outdoor objects).  This isn't always done with urban government permission, but this time, it was.

There was a Santa...

A Grinch....

A toy soldier...

And (perhaps off topic), a bicycle.

As someone who has crocheted for nearly 50 years (wish I could knit) I enjoyed this so much. Thank you, City of Punta Gorda!

Linking this week with Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Day 22 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Blue Monday #blogboost

Yesterday was supposed to be the most depressing day of the year, also known as Blue Monday.

According to Wikipedia:  "The concept was first published as part of a 2005 press release from holiday company Sky Travel, which claimed to have calculated the date using an equation."  Blue Monday is the third Monday of January here in the northern hemisphere.

Well, people who know me know that I am not very good at math.   Since yesterday was Music Moves Me, I am talking about Blue Monday on Tuesday.

For me, anyway, Blue Monday was not blue.

True, where I live in upstate New York, snow was on the ground, we had a harsh wind chill, and the weather forecast was...well, wintry.  The break in the cold the Northeast United States experienced the weekend before last is a memory.

But, consider this.  It was sunny, something that usually only comes with cold in our winters.

Yesterday, in our United States date notation, was 01/20/2020.  When will that ever happen again?

Spouse and I had lunch with two cousins, as we were passing through where they live.   It's nice to visit with family.

And, speaking of blue, note this sunset from last night.

This was taken during the "blue hour", a time after sunset but before darkness descends.  The sky is still blue and you can see a pink cast looking east.

As the sunset progressed, the blue remained and there was a yellow glow in the west.

A perfect end.


Day 21 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Songs that Appeal #MusicMovesMe #blogboost

It's the third Monday of a new year.  It's time for #MusicMovesMe!
Who are the members of Music Moves Me?  We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only,  please containing links to You Tube or Vimeo for actual music.  Other posts are subject to removal or labeling as "No Music".)   First, there is XmasDolly.  Her chief co-conductor is Cathy of Curious as a Cathy. Her other co-conductors are Stacy of Stacy Uncorked, and me.  

Today, I again welcome those in the Ultimate Blog Challenge to rock out with me.

For January, our guest conductor is Michelle at Music and Merriment with Michelle.  Today, and I apologize for this, I am not going to be following the theme, mainly because the death of Rush's drummer Neil Peart derailed me a little and, due to circumstaances, the only thing I could do was move the post I intended for the 13th into this spot. So come back again next week.

Today, I feature songs that have appealed to me recently.

From 1962/1963:  Vince Guaraldi Trio  and the Grammy Award winner "Cast Your Fate To the Wind".

From 1966, The Left Banke and "Walk Away Renee".

From 1984, Talk Talk and "It's My Life".

From 1965, Gerry and the Pacemakers with "Ferry Cross the Mersey". 

Ricky Nelson, with his 1961 hit "Traveling Man". 

"We Gotta Get Out of this Place"by the Animals - a 1965 classic beloved by those who served in Vietnam.

Wrapping up with Del Shannon and "Runaway". 


See you next week - same time, same place.

And, while we are at it:  day 20 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

Restaurant Nostalgia #blogboost

Last Sunday, I wrote a post suggesting we say no to nostalgia, and...here I am being nostalgic.

Do you remember restaurant chains that have gone under?  I thought about that after reading an article predicting the possible demise in 2020 of various restaurant chains:  Steak and Shake, Ruby Tuesday's, Friendly's, and others.


It's curious.  Chains that have come and gone in the 30 some odd years I've lived in the Binghamton, New York area (some of which are still alive and well) include:

Ground Round, Pizzeria Uno (Uno Pizzeria and Grill), Hooters (yes, even a Hooters couldn't make it here), Fuddruckers, and more.

Which led me to another thought:  how many restaurant chains I knew from my childhood and early adulthood no longer exist?

Many.   Let's name a few.

Horn and Hardart.  Remember the Automats?  I do, from my New York City childhood.

Howard Johnson's.  There was one in the Bronx (near to where I grew up).  My aunt would take me there and it was such a treat.

Steak and Brew, which became Beefsteak Charlie's. My spouse and I had many dates at Steak and Brew.

Or Lums, which I remember from living in Florida for a brief time in the 1970's.

Chi-Chi's Spouse and I frequented in Wichita, Kansas in the late 1970's.

Steak and Ale.

Charlie Browns, a chain my mother in law loved.

It's quite a list.

Do you have any favorites to add?

 Day 19 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow #blogboost

At Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida, we ran across a beautiful blooming tree called Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

The blooms open as dark violet, then lighten, and in its final hours, turns white.

Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Alas, this is another plant I can't grow in my upstate New York zone 5b garden, as it is only hardy to zone 9.

Another plant for my dreams, along with the camilla (which I did try to grow in my yard, and it didn't end well for the plant) and crepe myrtle, which can grow in Southern New York State but not where I live.

Day 18 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.