December Reflections :: Fave Photo of 2015

Something that I love to do, whenever there's a lightning storm, is play around with long exposure on my DSLR camera. Which usually entails me keeping my fingers crossed the entire time that I actually catch something good.

One August evening, I was driving across town in the middle of the most amazing lightning storm. While waiting at a train crossing, I pointed my camera through the windshield, crossed my fingers and waited. This is the photo that I got. It's totally my favorite photo for the year.

Here is the original uncropped version of the above photo. Click on the photo if you would like to view a larger version.

December Reflections :: Branches

I have never met a tree branch that I didn't like. Well, except for maybe that one that hit me in the face when I was two years old.

I took this photo during this year's August Break. It is my favorite photo of branches that I have taken so far this year.

December Reflections :: Red

Today my Reflection is about the color Red. 

Being that I still have not put out any Christmas decorations, this is pretty much the only Red thing that I currently have in my house. Well, except for my laptop and a super old flip phone. But those don't really count. 

I think this star was meant to be used as a Christmas decoration. I bought it one year around Christmas time and it has stayed out ever since.

December Reflections :: Best Day of 2015

Back in February, my brother invited us to go quading. It was the perfect day for it too.

The air was crisp and the sky was full of clouds. It was cool enough for long sleeves but yet not cold enough for a jacket.

The place we went to was a bit of a drive outside of town. I drove my car, but once we got off the freeway I ended up having to park and leave it there in the middle of nowhere since it doesn't have 4-wheel drive. We then all squeezed into my brother's truck to drive off-road to where we needed to be. But the time spent driving was worth it. The area was so pretty. So wide and so open. I loved just looking around and what made it even better was that we were the only people out there.

We were there for hours. The husband took his turn riding, but I mainly tagged along just to watch. I enjoyed my time sitting with the kids while they waited to ride and then watching them once they got their turn.

I would love to go back. I hope I get the chance to some day.

December Reflections :: Hot Drink

When it comes to Hot Drinks, I am more of a make it at home kind of person than a buy it at the store kind of person. Because of this the Hot Drinks that I do love are quite simple. Plain hot tea, Vanilla Rooibos is a favorite, simple hot cocoa with whipped cream is another. I don't have a coffee maker at home so any Hot Drink that I do make is usually of the tea or cocoa persuasion.

I will buy plain coffee from the hospital cafe when I am at work and I have recently started to try some of the fancy Hot Drinks that are available out there in the real world. Now, it's not like I haven't had fancy coffee drinks before. I just don't like having to pay for them, so I have never really bought them. At least not regularly.

Living in the desert it is not always favorable when it comes to having a Hot Drink, but that doesn't stop me from keeping my fingers crossed that Santa will bring me a coffee maker for Christmas. 

December Reflections :: Sparkle

Here it is December, the last month of the year. The month where we think of what is to come in the New Year and also where we remember and reflect back over all that has happened during the past year.

It is also the month of Sparkle.

But since it is only the 1st day of December, my home has no Sparkle. The Christmas decorations usually don't go up until after the 1st weekend of the month. That is if they go up at all. Last year, I was dealing with a sick cat and also a bathroom remodel where a lot of the items were taking up space in the living room, so I didn't put up a tree. This year, I am wondering if I should do the same.

But I have a feeling that if I don't decorate this year, that I will really miss the Sparkle.

And besides, I really don't want the only Sparkle to happen in my life during this past year, to be the silver tinsel that is quickly spreading throughout my hair.

goodbye

Goodbye sweet Cleo kitty.

Those eyes, like little galaxies.
May she find her place amongst the stars again.

To cat or not to cat, that is the question

OH my God!

You would think that we had a newborn in the house.

This fluffy ball of terror has been yowling non-stop since around 2 am. With only a couple of hours of sleep, I am barely functioning today.

She's been to the Vet and is currently on medication for other issues. As far as we know she isn't in any pain. The yowling started when our other kitty was ill and then continued (and got worse) after she passed away.

The husband doesn't want another cat and even the Vet has said that a new cat or kitten would probably not be a good idea.

But when she cries all night like she did last night (and this morning). I can't help but think that she is lonely and that a new cat would help. I remember back when she was a kitten, she was super annoying even back then (16-years ago) and that was the reason why we got our other cat Cairo in the first place.

The Vet feels that since the she may be feeling better, she is being more vocal. She also likes to mention that cats ARE nocturnal and then again the topic is brought up that she may even have senior cat dementia.

I have no idea what to do. Do we get another cat? What if that doesn't work out? If we get a new cat it would be for life, so what happens if they end up hating each other?

Happy National Chocolate Day!

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” #NationalChocolateDay pic.twitter.com/mcWWv0mQcG

— Stefani (@dreamsofnyssa) October 28, 2015

My "August" break has finally ended

This year's August Break has been more of an August, September and October break.

I have actually been blogging during these past months, but all my posts have been backdated August Break photo posts. This year, I surprised myself and managed to actually take a photo every day during the month of August for the August Break project. It just took me longer than a month to get them all posted to the blog. But now that "August" is out of the way, things can get back to normal around here.

August 31, 2015

Good night, August. Farewell.

August Break 2015: Day 31

August 30, 2015

I bought Ziggy some new friends. I think I may have gotten a bit too ambitious. 
I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.

August Break 2015: Day 30

August 29, 2015

My two favorite purchases so far this year.

August Break 2015: Day 29

August 28, 2015

I crocheted a few squares. I pretty much think I remember the pattern now. I made so many tiny squares that my arms and hands are in pain. Growing older is not a good thing when your hobby involves using your hands. Especially when the hands, well my hands, seem to be the first thing that is starting to go.

 August Break 2015: Day 28

August 27, 2015

* Wink *

August Break 2015: Day 27

August 26, 2015

We need a new front door.

Since the day we moved in we knew that we would eventually need to replace it. It is a wooden door and every year during Monsoon Season it swells so much that not only does it not close but once it is closed, it gets stuck.

The door has other issues as well. It hangs crooked and because of that you can see the sky peeking through the gap at the top of the door. The panels on the door are separating from the actual door so square cracks of light have been starting to peek through.

The other day, the door was stuck. When trying to open it, the door jam cracked in half and it tore the trim and some paint off of the wall. It looks just like someone kicked in the door. So, we started on our quest to find the perfect new door. A few days later, the door knob broke off. Which is most definitely a sign telling us that we need a new front door sooner rather than later.

 August Break 2015: Day 26

August 25, 2015

I bought these books a few months ago. June, I think. And I still haven't read them. I guess I will just add them to the pile with all the others.

August Break 2015: Day 25

August 24, 2015

Oh look! Another photo of Ziggy.

So, I kind of named my plant Ziggy. Ziggy the Zebra plant.

I hope that he doesn't die, especially now that I have named him. It would be very sad if he ended up going the way of Fred the Fiddle Leaf.

The little guys are the same ones that I got back in March. They are just as happy as can be. I believe the time has actually come for me to replant them.

August Break 2015: Day 24

August 23, 2015

Same view. Different day.

Storms at sunset make for beautiful skies. The clouds were SO blue!

August Break 2015: Day 23

August 22, 2015

Here comes the storm!

August Break 2015: Day 22

August 21, 2015

Someone is not amused.

August Break 2015: Day 21

August 20, 2015

It appears that this has been the month of the zebra. Do I love this plant or what?

August Break 2015: Day 20

August 19, 2015

Leftovers

August Break 2015: Day 19

August 18, 2015

Bumble bee

August Break 2015: Day 18

August 17, 2015

I love the red adobe bricks that make up the walls of my house. They have stood for almost 60-years.

 August Break 2015: Day 17

August 16, 2015

I tried to get a good butterfly photo, but the butterfly left and never came back. 

I will try again tomorrow. When it's cooler.

August Break 2015: Day 16

August 15, 2015

 I think I melted!

Went out to shop for a new front door. 106 degrees sure does take a lot out of a person when you drive around in UN-air conditioned discomfort. Especially during the hottest part of the afternoon on a day with a heat advisory in effect.

 August Break 2015: Day 15

August 14, 2015

 I bought this plant back in 2012 for $1.00.

That's 3-years ago! It is currently my oldest living plant. I repotted it last July and I don't think it liked it very much because it is a lot smaller than it used to be. In fact, I just looked back to find an original photo of it and it's actually quite a lot smaller and wimpier than when I originally brought it home.

That's okay, it's still a cool plant and I love how the leaves are not smooth but full of crinkles and ridges. They collect cat hair like crazy though and they are very hard to keep clean. But, I can live with that because it still looks cool.

August Break 2015: Day 14

August 13, 2015

August Skies

August Break 2015: Day 13

August 12, 2015

Just as I was about to dump it out, this happened.

I don't think it will ever be back to its former glory, but at least I haven't killed it yet.

August Break 2015: Day 12