Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Friday, January 2, 2015

All Celebrations Are Now Past and We Can Welcome in 2015~



The images in mosaics above and just below the summary are of my husby and myself, when we were getting married and a reception that followed some 5 months later.  
You see, I was living in Dallas, Texas, working for Braniff International Airlines and he had just returned from Vietnam.  
We eloped on December 22, 1969 and then once back in Louisville, Kentucky, 5 months later, our family had a reception for us~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

&

Stewart for:
   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/


My husby always treats me to a watercolour greeting card for my birthday, anniversary, and Christmas.  
These were the ones I received last week~



My daughter Hillary treated me to the Louisville Ballet's "Nutcracker" performance, which was held at the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts.  
We were celebrating my birthday~


My 91 year old father-in-law is slowly losing his memory, but he can still sing beautifully.  
He was a Minister of Music at several churches, during his career, as well as taught at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for 43 years.  
Last week, I looked some songs up on my cell phone and he used it like a microphone and sang his heart out to me...precious time~


My youngest daughter Ashleigh came into town for Christmas with her husby, from Florida.  
We got to spend a whole afternoon together, which was a lovely blessing~


Our middle daughter Brittany and her three children on Christmas morning...the smiles say it all~


Hillary's twin boys sharing a large chocolate Hersheys Kiss.  
Their dog is one of 4, and they also have 3 cats ;)


My friend Laurene sent our dogs some treats for Christmas and here is Meaka on left and Silveit on the right, chewing their first ever pigs ears...yum ;)


There are a bunch of feral cats that live near our home land and for those that are not left food from good people, others must always be on the hunt for their next meal.  
On this particular day, this handsome chap caught a large field mouse~






Now that the canopy of green is gone, we can see the Raptors much more easily.  
The Red-Shouldered Hawks are striking birds and always stand out to me.  
Here are 6 different birds all seen this past week while traveling near home in the car with the husby~



This one was actually in my father-in-laws back yard and I didn't let the wires spoil the opportunity~


I took the series below in very low light and could not bring it up to what I thought were the best standards and so, I gave it a black and white finish~

I love this bird, every time I see it, it seems so much different looking than most others, very pale and most probably a male~


I wish that I could have gotten better images of this bird.  
It had the most amazing plumage~


We were passing a cattle farm the other day, when I noticed this red apple on the fence post.  
Someone left their snack~



American Black Vulture~



White-tailed Deers and Burros~ 




I almost missed this Great Blue Heron.  
It was in a field at the far end of a cow pasture.  
had never noticed it before, but there is a very narrow stream there and so I expect the Heron was looking for breakfast~




Above, huge old trees and below when wild Turkeys fly~





24 comments:

  1. glad you had good family time for christmas! cute donkeys. happy 2015 ahead for you and yours!

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  2. Mary, Mary, Mary....I really REALLY enjoyed this most personal blogs of yours. How sweet to reminisce of days gone by and share them with us. You two were married just a year later than Bud and I.

    Seriously...a wonderful post.

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  3. So beautiful around your place Mary ... I love all the birds, barns, scenery all wonderful. And it was fun seeing your family and as always the beautiful dogs. And you and your husband were a great looking couple back then as now! And both so talented! I love his water colors.

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  4. There is so much to comment on--loved the photos of your father in law singing with your phone! I think it is so wonderful that the old songs and ability to sing remain with those that may have other memory problems. My dad could play the piano up until near the end of his life. And how wonderful that you have water color paintings to look forward to each year … sounds like you had some wonderful times in December … and now for a quieter January for all of us most likely.

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  5. Looks like a great time spent with your family.. so much to celebrate.. wonderful photos, the donkeys are one of my favorites. They are so darn cute.Have a happy new week ahead!

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  6. Wow - such a lovely post. Your family is wonderful - I really like the "wedding" photos. The wildlife photos are grand - I have a hard time getting a hawk picture - they seem so jumpy and fly off so fast.

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  7. I love the pictures of you and husband, unique. You were stunning..............

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  8. Nice to see your early photos with hubby and those of the family. That apple on the fencepost sure offered an opportunity for photographs as it stands out so well from the background.
    Spectacular photography in your mosaics as usual.
    Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday Mary.

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  9. lovely images and memories from Christmas past and this Christmas Mary. You two eloped! how romantic! were your parents shocked?
    Always a joy to visit you here Mary. May you be blessed with good health and happiness in 2015. I look forward to our continuing connection in blogland.

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  10. Oh I do love the collages of the photos from years ago. So romantic. And the family now - isn't it amazing how families grow? Such lovely times with lovely people. Happy New Year!

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  11. The first part of this post is truly heart-warming. And so beautiful!
    Your husband's watercolour greeting cards look lovely and all your photos are always excellent.
    Loved the cat, he's really handsome.
    Wishing you good health... and a nice new week!

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  12. you always have wonderful nature shots...it was fun to see the family photos on this round.

    And that red apple!! Kind of a surprise right in the middle there...fun :)

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  13. All beautiful pictures of family and wildlife, but my favs are of you and your husband all those years ago....he is a thoughtful husband giving you watercolor cards...I adore them too.

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  14. Wonderful images. Wish you Happy and Prosperous New Year.

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  15. I’m appalled and left flabbergasted by your news of so many Sandhill Cranes being shot. I too would be sick to the stomach if such beautiful elegant creatures were to be taken for so called “sport”. That there should also be a “season” is somehow quite awful and makes it worse. Should the world in its increasing knowledge of all that is good and that which is evil get more civilised and not less?

    After learning of such horrors your pictures told of better things, where I learnt you were a runaway bride but that as usual and forever you delight in your family experiences.

    And if I didn’t know you were such an honest person I might expect that it was one Mary who placed that red apple in such a creative spot?

    Those herons can go missing, standing like sentinels and even blue or grey blending in until some sharp eye comes along to snap them.

    Husby makes a mean old card!

    Enjoy your week Mary.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Phil. It truly is one of the worst things to happen for wildlife and bird lovers in this state and it shows how backwards this state can get. It is a real embarrassment, and we did all in our power to have it stopped before it began 2 years ago and we lost! As for the apple...I promise you, when driving along side a very large cow pasture, I glanced when I saw red and realized it was a shiny red apple. We had to get backed up and roll the window down to get the captures. It was perfect!

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  16. A great serie of birdphotos, perfect post for WBW!
    Happy New Year to you!

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  17. Great photos and memories of your family. The hawks are always beautiful and majestic too.

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  18. Such a lovely post of a lovely family! And, of course, your amazing photography! :) Gorgeous!

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  19. So much to enjoy here, Mary, where does one begin? I guess, the beginning! What a beautiful couple you and your husby are, and so well-matched! Your daughters and their families are all lovely; how wonderful to have shared some time with them over the holidays and all your family celebrations. It is such a blessing to have special quality time with our children, isn't it? As you know, Liberty has been here since just before Christmas, and although she'll be leaving for Toronto on Saturday, I feel so blessed to have spent these past three weeks with her, just doing all the things we miss and simply being together.

    Your sweet father-in-law must be a joy to listen to. It must be such a treat to hear him sing his favourite tunes and with such enthusiasm!

    The mosaics of the black vulture are ever so dramatic, dressed in black and white, in flight, gliding high above the ground. The red barns and that one, lone apple on the fence post are a striking contrast, and red being my favourite colour, I am drawn to their magnetic hue.

    Thanks for sharing the goings on in your neck of the woods, all such invigorating views!

    Have a terrific Tuesday!

    Poppy

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  20. A belated Happy Anniversary to you and your husband! I enjoyed all your photos today. So many wonderful ones of your family and of all the critters that live around you. Blessings!

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  21. Priceless having the tape of your father-in-law singing! Loved your raptor and blue heron shots...all your awesome wildlife and bird shots are always enjoyed so much! But, I had fun seeing the mosaics of the family, particularly you and your hubby when you were young. My hubby and I married in 1969 in a small, sweet ceremony, and he went to Nam in 1970-71. We have that in common. You are such a handsome couple, and I never would have guessed from the photos I've seen of you of late that you are my age! :-) Your photography is wonderful, and you are married to the love of your life and have a beautiful family....all so precious!

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  22. This looks like a great time to spend with family.
    Beautiful pictures, your dad with the phone is really nice.
    The animals and birds have captured perfectly.
    Best regards, Irma

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