Crossing the Bay (with camera in hand)

In my last post I said I would post some of the other pictures I took last Sunday as we were coming home from Arlington. I took a lot pictures and what I am going to show are some of the many I took while crossing the Bay Bridge. It was fun just clicking as fast as I could. Here are some images along with some Nora Jones.

Getting Out

Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sky was clear, the wind was hardly blowing and although it was still chilly there was enough warmth from the sun that we needed to run the A/C in the car. We have been taking care of Frankie and Erica and Geoff got home from their vacation yesterday. So, we decided to drive Frankie home ourselves. It was a lovely day and it had been several weeks since we had ventured very far. It was so good to see leaves appearing on the trees, blossoms starting to reveal themselves and lovely daffodils all along the roadside.

Frankie was one excited dog to get home. Bentley, who loves to visit Erica, was also excited to be there. Erica fixed us a quiet dinner and we were on our way back to Delaware.

I took my camera out and starting taking pictures as we proceeded home. I am still (probably will be for a long time) learning how to use my new camera but it was fun just pushing the button. I will post more of the photos later. Here are a couple of Bentley I took by just pointing the camera to the back. I had no idea if he was in focus or not.

The front window was open a bit bit for him to have more air so his hair looks slicked back. He was quite put off by the fact that he was not allowed to ride up front with us.

Here, he has turned his head to watch out the window. He is looking at the Chesapeake Bay as we cross on the Bay Bridge.

A Little Spring

The first half of March and then some has certainly been like a lion around here. The wind continues to blow and when it is warmer outside it is also windy and rainy. When it is clear it is windy and cold. If you haven't noticed, I have really had "Spring Fever" this year. The official arrival is tomorrow but I wonder. There are signs here and there but surely not enough. So, I decided to bring a little Spring home.

We got this garden cart several years ago for our living room in Spokane. The room was not large enough for a formal sofa table but needed a little something so I set out to find a garden or tea cart. This is what came home and I love putting seasonal items on it.

Another corner of the breakfast room (where we eat all of the time).

More Spring color.

And, of course, we have to make requisite trips to the beach.

Frankie has been visiting and likes to hang out in the office. He is here until Easter and is missing Erica and Geoff.

We are all thinking that it is time to be outside.

Camera

"If wishes were horses we'd all take a ride" is what I have to tell myself often. I have been wishing for a digital SLR camera for quite a while. Nothing fancy but one I could do a few more things with than my point-and-shoot. That wish finally came true and now I wish I knew how to use it. Will I ever be satisfied? Probably not.

I am jumping into taking pictures with my new camera a little slower than I usually do such things. I have read some of the instruction manual and watched one of the two videos that came with it. You know what, it came just in time for me to capture some of Spring coming.

A sure sign of around here is when the turtles start clinging to logs and other projections in the pond. With my old camera you could not see what was on the log. Now you can.

Here I zoomed in with Paint Shop so you could see them closer. These guys are the first of the season and I hope to actually get a much better shots as the season progresses.

While out and about today I stopped for few moments at the beach in Lewes.

These guys could care if there is a life guard on duty. In a few weeks there will hardly be room for the seagulls on the beach.

Still a little cool but the sun is shining.

Finally!!

Blossoms!! Finally, the colors of Spring are showing up. This blossom is outside at the corner of the house. There are little daffodils showing up enmasse in areas all around town. My bulbs, however, look like it will be a week or two before we see any color at all.

For some reason, I have had it my mind that Spring would arrive in Delaware earlier than other places I have lived. Maybe I thought this because we are so close to the Mason-Dixon line and "the south is just warmer." Whatever the reason, it really does not matter because the days are getting longer and the trees are reaching higher (or so it seems).

I think I will go out an see if I can coax my tulips to bloom.

In and Around Lower Delaware

I am sitting here at my computer listening the NPR and looking out and seeing a very mixed sky. That's what it has been for what seems to be weeks now -- two days beautiful but cold and maybe windy, two dark and cloudy but warm and really windy. Outside of a few robins there have been few signs of Spring. Oh, I have noticed that the branches of some trees are changing colors and that my tulips are pushing through the soil but no real feel of Spring yet. I have been on a couple of expeditions to find some potted blooming tulips but most nurseries are waiting until next week before putting them on sale. It is so they will be blooming on Easter. I just want their blooms now. Oh, well. I will try later.

In case the above photo doesn't give a clue, I really like to take pictures of critters. This guy was enjoying some sun on Sunday in Salisbury, MD. We went on a Sunday drive and ended up there. It was good to get out and see some different towns in the area. We have been to Salisbury a couple of times but we went a different way this time. It really is interesting that you can tell when growth happened in an area by the style of existing homes. Some places show very little change from the turn of the 20th century until now while other areas are dotted with with lots of 1940-50's post-war small houses and then other areas have lots of very rapidly constructed 60's style rectangles. And, of course, now there are McMansions in clusters almost everywhere in this area. I wonder what that will say about us in 20-30 years.

The Goshen United Methodist Church here in Milton like many churches now has a reader board outside. I enjoy what is on that board -- succinct translation of scripture. The one there now makes me feel really good. "The best antiques are old friends. Proverbs 27.10" That is for sure.