The caterpillar does all work but the butterfly gets all the publicity. ~ George Carlin

"Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead." ~ Hans Christian Andersen

"Go into the sunlight, Molly." The Husband and I coaxed the furry Girl as she walked beside the side fence. We had been admiring our new front fence, yet again, when we noticed how the late afternoon light lit up our Molly the Cat. Did she oblige us? Of course not. Fortunately, I happened to click the camera just as she wandered off the sun-lit path. "You're welcome," said Molly the Cat. Purrrrrrr.  I'm linking up with the photography meme Wandering Camera hosted by Soma Acharya of Whims and Fancies . Click here to learn more about this month's meme and to check out other participants.

On Sunday, the Husband and I attended the Chicken Festival in San Juan Bautista. Bwak, bwak, bwak. The last event being 10 years go, it celebrates the wild chickens that roam the California mission city. The flock was thinned out a few years ago, but they are slowly coming back. We didn't see any of the fowl, but we did see a young local dance troupe called the Grupo Folklorico "Carisma Mexicano" who performed traditional Mexican folk dances that incorporate ballet techniques.  The girls and boys were charming and delightful as they stepped and swirled in a rather tight spot on the narrow street among the vendors' booths. Today is Our World Tuesday , where I'm participating. Here's the link . Grazie, OWT administrators.

Once upon a time, on a beautiful, warm Fall evening, I sat in a university extension classroom of like-minded adults who wanted to improve their writing skills. I spent much of the first hour glancing out the window.  I wanted to see the moment of nightfall. I missed it.

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California Yesterday afternoon, at Bertuccio's , a produce market in Hollister, I remembered I had yet to photograph a sign or such that began with the letter I. Twice, I combed that store in search of the letter I.  Amazingly, no vegetable, fruit, or food product began with I. Aha! The vintage weigh scale on display had something: IN TRADE . The complete phrase was NOT LEGAL FOR USE IN TRADE . I have no idea what that means. To check out ABC Wednesday , click here . For this week's participants, click here for the list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

Today I'm throwing words onto the page. The end of daily posts for a year is coming up in October. I don't want to break stride. . . .Well, well, well. . . Hello, Miss Molly by Golly!. . .Why thank you, Madame. Molly gave me permission to share the photo of her standing at attention, guarding the front yard one morning last month.

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California The Masonic Lodge of San Benito County was established 147 years ago ago, three years before San Benito became a separate county from Monterey County. Its home is the familiar brick building with the infamous clock tower at the corner of San Benito and Fourth Streets. The Masonic symbol of a G in the middle of a square and compass is on the outside wall above the lodge's entrance. The G stands for Great Architect of the Universe, as well as for Geometry. If you're interested in learning more, check out this page at the Masonic Lodge of Education web site. To check out ABC Wednesday , click here . For this week's participants, click here for the list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

This summer actually feels like the summers from when I was a kid allowed to do whatever I wanted (within reason) after all my chores were done. The days go by fast doing nothing. How fortunate am I.

Once I publish this post, I'm heading into L Studio to prep the place for sewing this week. That means I need to clear stuff off surfaces so I can strew fabrics and sewing stuff on them. My sewing objectives: Make curtains for our bedroom and upstairs hallway windows as well as a tunic for me. My intent for today's post was to share more countryside photos, but, then I got enamored with playing with the above photo in Photoshop. That's the original shot of walnut trees. Below are two renditions of the photo with Photoshop filters. Which do you prefer? By the way, for those who wondered, The Husband and I took BART to Oakland on Friday. Sunday means All Seasons , a weekly meme hosted by Jesh at Artworks from Jesh St.G , which is where I'm heading to share my post. Click here to check out Jesh. For the participants list, click here . Thanks, Jesh!

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California Perhaps after drinking several beers, I may be enlightened to see window reflections with my eyes closed.  But, I'll stick to sipping one glass. :-) To check out ABC Wednesday , click here . For this week's participants, click here for the list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

I love the lighting magic that happens as the sun starts its downward path towards the horizon. I often ignore the experts' advice and click into the west just because I like how the light reflects on objects. My camera is a point-and-click. So, that I do, glad that I can crop, sharpen, highlight, fine tune the contrast, and so forth and so on with Photoshop. These photos were taken on Sunday afternoon at Good Friends Missus and Mister H's ranch, who invited us to a smoked turkey dinner. They raise free range organic turkeys. Missus H said it was time to consume the last frozen turkey from last year. The Husband and I were happy to help. Yummm. The above photo is of Mister H carving one of the turkey legs with a rather humming electric knife. Time for Our World Tuesday . Here's the link to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

  "I've got the sun in the morning and the moon at night. . . . I'm doing all right" ~ Irving Berlin I'm linking up with the monthly photography meme Wandering Camera hosted by Soma Acharya of Whims and Fancies . Click here to learn more about the meme and to check out other participants.

My theme for #23 Round of ABC Wednesday: Signs & Such of San Benito County, California This warning sign hangs in the window of one of the tattoo and piercing shops in town. To check out ABC Wednesday , click here . For this week's participants, click here for the list of participants.  Thank you, ABCW Team!

Giggle. If only that Girl had joined us in the picture. Molly the Cat happily watched from the sidelines. She said she only works on Mondays for the blog.  Oh-oh. What can she mean? Will she not let me write or show photos of her on non Mondays? Cosa sara. As Doris Day used to sing, "Que sera, sera." Here's a close-up of the cherry tomatoes that I picked this morning. They are sweet as candy. Time for Our World Tuesday . Here's the link to check out participants from around the world, and maybe to join up yourself. Thanks, Our World Tuesday hosts!

Joy!

"Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace." ~ Dalai Lama

Go ahead, Missus Lady. Work on the computer. Don't mind me. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you look like Jerry Garcia?" So asked two ladies of the Husband at an event that we attended last Saturday. When his hair and beard gets long and full, he gets that question often. I like it when someone is reminded of ZZ Top. Then the Husband's beard is much, much longer. A month ago, we were at a nursery with good friends Missus & Mister H. Someone asked Missus H where she found the plant she was holding. She said, "See that hairy guy? Look over there." The Husband told me later that he thought, "Hey!" when he overheard her. Myself. I like to call the Husband, with his current look, The Wild Man of Borneo. I like the above photo of the Husband.  You can't tell from it that he was striking a sarcastic pose. I cropped it because I liked the way the lighting played on him. Below is the full photo of him standing in front of a historic settler's cabin. I think he was pretending to be Kit Carson, Jim