Posting a photograph a day in August.

Day 30 Photography challenge topic (Self-portrait) Queen Poo Pah

Day 1 of the personal challenge began with a self-portrait and Day 30 ends with a self-portrait.  This one was done as a  joke.

Donate to the Queen Poo Pah Travel Fund - Traveling the World one Dime at a Time.
Fundraising Goal:  50 cents

I'm ending the month with my first bouquet of summer.  I did this arrangement for a friend's 20th year in business celebration.  The company is growing, which is encouraging to hear.

After I took this picture, I tied a re-purposed scarf on the neck of the vase that complimented the flower colors.

Sunflowers

Hot Cocoa rose

Yellow and pale orange mini roses

I have been housebound for the past week.  This was the first day I was able to drive around so I popped into Amador Thrift's Shop 1/2 sale.  Pictured below is two scarves, one pink and one gold, and a leopard print tank top.  Standing guard is the Romeo, previously part of a Teleflora gift.  Too bad for him, he is about to be de-frocked and sent to the great thrift shop beyond.  Muffy Vanderbear needs the costume for a circus-themed post.  This small vase/candelholder was part of the lot.  Grand Total: $3. 

The lighting was just right to photograph this colorful salad comprised of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, dried cranberries, topped with ranch dressing and roasted salted sunflower seeds.  Perfection!

Popped onto Monday quiz about me ....

1.  My fav Olympic sport?  Gymnastics, I was the captain of my high school team. 

2.  Healthiest meal I have eaten this past week?  Salad.   

3.  Unhealthiest meal I have eaten this past week?  The bowl of buttered popcorn I ate after the salad.  

4.  What jewelry do you wear every day?  Different piece, depending on my mood.  

5.  Since I amended this post (on a Thursday) to jump in on a Monday, how many of you posted on Monday, or, like me, joined in later?  

Day 29 Photography challenge topic (Black & White)

This was the most difficult topic of this personal photo challenge.  I thought of just taking an picture of something black and white but I think the true intent was to make an image black and white, as I've done here.

This oak tree is interesting in that two of the branches have melded together.  Zipper also made an appearance in the background.

Day 28 ~ Flowers and a Mad Tea Party

Yellow gladiolus - my photo challenge topic of flowers.  I had removed nearly all of my gladiolus bulbs to re-do my garden this year.  When these glads came up, I was delighted that they were YELLOW, one of my favorite colors.

I have joined in with Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist for her Mad Tea Party, and my party cohort is Mad Hatter Muffy Vanderbear!  Here is a link-back to the Mat Tea Partiers Mad Tea Party 2012.

Also, for those interested, I am hosting a photography challenge for the month of August.  Fun, light-hearted topics to finish out the last month of summer.

How to Treat Elves

Morris Bishop

I met an elf-man in the woods,

The wee-est little elf!

Sitting under a mushroom tall --

'Twas taller than himself!

"How do you do, little elf," I said,

"And what do you do all day?"

"I dance'n fwolic about," said he,

"'N scuttle about and play;

"I s'prise the butterflies, 'n when

A katydid I see,

'Katy didn't' I say, and he,

Says 'Katy did!' to me!

"I hide behind my mushroom stalk

When Mister Mole comes froo,

'N only jus' to fwighten him

I jump out 'n say 'Boo!'

"'N then I swing on a cobweb swing

Up in the air so high,

'N the cwickets chirp to hear my sing

'Upsy-daisy-die!'

'N then I play with the baby chicks,

I call them chick chick chick!

'N what do you think of that?" said he.

I said, "It makes me sick.

"It gives me sharp and shooting pains

To listen to such drool."

I lifted up my foot, and squashed

The G** d**n little fool.

Day 27 Photography challenge topic (From a distance) and upcoming Mad Tea Party.

I was sure I wouldn't be able to capture an image under this topic "from a distance."  Luckily, the deer family showed up to finish off the last of the fallen plums.  It is the first time I've seen the fawns.

Be sure to check out my July 28 post, Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist Wonderland calling ... has created an unusual thematic blog.  I've also popped onto What Jean Likes for her Aloha Friday Hop.

Day 26 photography challenge topic (Close-up)

This froggy in the tree caught my eye - you don't usually see them chillaxin at the top of a small tree, but there he was.  So he is the day's close-up for the challenge.

Blog hopping at Katherines corner ~

Day 25 Photography challenge topic (Something pink)

This will be a "few things pink" combination of thrift shop finds.  I present Pink Tutu Troll by Russ (retail $9, TS price $1.50) and the silver-toned pink rhinestone scarf clip in her hair ($1.50) both from the Amador Hospice Thrift Shop in Jackson, California.

My two blooming pink orchids are in the background.  The pink jewel-toned scarf was from the lot of scarfs featured on my Day 15 post.

Zha Zha Gabor and "Pinky?"  

Lana Lobell.

Mamie Van Doren.

Day 24 Photography challenge topic (Animal)

Pretty, pretty Madeline posed for the 24th day's photography challenge topic of Animal.  

Day 23 photography challenge topic (Sunflare)

"Sunflare" today's topic and a shot from the garden - Princess Diana pink rose, hot cocoa rose and sunflower.  Also from the garden - some critter, be it wasp or scorpion, stung me not once but twice, one on each foot on Sunday so I spent this afternoon in the emergency room.  Seems I had a reaction to the bites and the infection started up my legs.  Antibiotics, tetanus shot and pain killers later, I am hobbling around with two bandaged feet.  Note to self - wear boots and long pants in the garden hereforward.

Ever have any major run-ins with demon garden insects?

Day 22 Photography challenge topic (Hands)

Barbie fashionista's hands ~ satisfying Day 22's topic of "hands."

It's Sunday, so I'm chillaxing.

Day 21 Photography challenge topic (Faceless image)

I've decided to change the challenge topic today to suit my purposes because:

1.  I was not in the mood to do a faceless self-portrait; and

2.  I am large and in charge!

Day 21 photograph challenge topic is "Faceless image."

A four-legged resident of Amador County, California.

Let's do the Hokey Bokeh and TWO sunshines in one week.

"Bokeh," this photograph challenge topic was a new term for me.  It means areas in the image are out of focus and this picture qualifies.  I was tempted to change the day's topic to "Something Cute" but then I realized I didn't have to.  These two sweeties were at the Goodwill in Sacramento off of 16th Street.  They photographed well but there were numerous chips - ya gotta give them credit for surviving for as long as they have.  I place them as 1950s-1960s figurines.

The reference to sunshines is that I received TWO Sunshine Blogger Awards in one week.

My second was from Gwen of A Little Unhinged, another blogger I met on a blog hop.

Now, if you haven't participated in a blog hop, it is the thing to do!  I tripled my readership in one week and found some fun and interesting blogs.  I will be co-hosting a Blog Hop with her in the next couple of weeks.  

Give a visit to Destiny at Rockin' Mama, a different take on the mommy blog.



AND Shane at Whispering Sweet Nothings for the skinny on all of your how-to's.  

Day 19 Photography challenge topic (Something orange) and Rural Thursday

Something orange!  The photography challenge topic of the day, and Mr. VZ's Kubota.  A man toy with a useful purpose.  Doing tractor work for him is the same as commando thrift shopping for me ~ NIRVANA.

Add a tad of feminine ~ something orange and yellow, yellow and orange.

Lastly, a pop onto the Rural Thursday blog hop ~

Horseplay in Amador County, California.


A Rural Journal

Day 18 Photography challenge (Your shoes) and TSF

The photography challenge topic - Your shoes, and these are my brand spankin new shoes.  Each year I hit up the yearly July sale at the Birkenstock store in midtown Sacramento birkenstockmidtown.com/.  These are Pikolinos, a brand I never encountered before - very comfortable, the leather color and detailing is unique.

These shoes are included - just for kicks and giggles ....

A jaunt to Eco Thrift meant procuring all of Tami's fav things ~ a brown t-shirt ($1.50) a bag of goodies ($1.50) and a Talbots short-sleeved, lined chartreuse sweater $4.99 (white tags were half off).

Bag of goodies, from the top ~ blue white fur-lined dog booties, three girly doggie outfits (black one needs repair - I'll jazz it up), Build A Bear camo shorts, a pink braided hair tie, and Build a Bear cowboy boots.

Last in the Build A Bear category - a shiny pink formal and, I believe, a headdress from a child's costume.  

I'm scheming on some Pinterest posings for the Muffy Vanderbears.

Day 17 Photograph challenge topic (Technology) and the Sunshine Blogger Award

I really chafed against this topic, and am trying to stay as true to the suggested challenge as possible, but technology?  What would I photograph ~ my android phone, my laptop?  A low tech old typewriter?  Here then is the equipment room I've set up at work.  This rack system really is nice, and I stayed on topic.

As an aside, I have been "nominated" for a Sunshine Blogger award by Mama's Mumbo Jumbo, a blogger I met through a recent blog hop.  She is a Floridian SAHM.

Doncha hear the angels singing?  

And now for the rules (yes, there are rules ....)

1. Include the award logo in a post, or on your blog page.

2. Answer 10 questions about yourself.

3. Nominate 10-12 other fabulous bloggers.

4. Link your nominees to your post and comment on their blog letting them know about the award.

5. Share the love and link the person who nominated you.

Now, for the Q & A...

1.  What would you most like to change about yourself?  

I wanna be a    

2.  What is your theme song?  

    by Rick James ...

3.  One part of your life, memory, action, etc., that you wish you could surgically remove from your brain?

There are few incidents I can think of, but none I would post here.  

4.  What generation do you wish you had been a part of?  

Had I been born just a few years earlier, I would have been a part of the 1950s culture.  I love the fashion and subscribe to both the Nifty Fifties and Swinging Sixties tumblr feeds.  

5.  What was your favorite childhood toy?  

A three-legged Yogi bear scooter (here is an earlier post Yogi bear).

6.  What is your favorite housecleaning chore?  

Really?  Does anyone really have a favorite, or is it the least abhorrent?  I guess ironing *sheesh*.

7.  Do you Twitter?  

Once every blue moon and recently I learned how to combine this blog feed through Twitter.  SUCCESS!

8.  Any goals?  

Always, mainly in the professional realm.  Course, I would love to GO VIRAL (ya'll know what that means) on this blog.  

9.  Do you drink margaritas all the time?

Nope, but I will have one every once in awhile at a Mexican food restaurant.  

10.  What was the ugliest car you've ever driven and were you embarrassed to be seen in it?  

Hahahaha, I had a post along those same lines last month (link to Behind the Wheel - writing challenge topic.  What I failed to mention was this car, a 1968 Plymouth Fury.  It was a land yatch, similar to this one -- dark blue car, black interior, no air conditioning (I lived in Arizona at the time), 3 on the column.   When I would come to a stop, I would have to put the car in neutral and step on the gas to keep it running.  I carried a water cooler filled with ice water so I could put a wet rag on my neck so I wouldn't pass out from the heat.  Fun times.  

My blogger fabuli nominees in alphabetical order:

1.  A Rural Journal

2.  Dear Helen Hartman

3.  Dime Store Thrift

4.  Hey! Homewrecker

5.  Life Begins at 30

6.  Ranch Dressing with Eartha Kitsch

7.  Shoot Me Now

8.  The Good, The Bad, The Worse

9.  Two Bears Farm

10.  Vintage Passions Just Like Mine