O' Christmas Tree...

Well...here it is...less than 10 days 'til Christmas and I don't feel very festive at all. usually by this time of the month I have the entire house decorated...along with lights and decorations outside. This year this is all I have done...nothing else...no wreath...no outside decorations...NOTHING! Really feel like Christmas sucks this year...nothing has gotten me even close to being in the spirit...Work sucks...home life sucks...everything sucks about right now. I haven't been to one garden center to look at the Christmas decorations...not one thing about this holiday has excited me one bit...so...here...here it is for me to share with you all...O' Christmas Tree...I hope you all enjoy!

My BEAUTIFUL niece Caylee!

My niece Caylee came to visit today...I cannot begin to tell you how much she lights up my life!

(Which pic do you like better...black and white or the original color one?)

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. ~Walt Streightiff

Childhood is the most beautiful of all life's seasons. ~Author Unknown

A baby is a blank cheque made payable to the human race. ~Barbara Christine Seifert

Historic Smithville and Village Green

Not the best shots...but some pics nevertheless!

We went to Historic Smithville and Village Green today in Smithville, NJ. http://www.smithvillenj.com/

It is a nice place to visit, with quaint little shops and restaurants and a great place to walk around on a beautiful fall day. They have a train and a carousel as well.

A Corvette brought him to tears!

I know that I have mentioned cars and Corvettes and my husband...but I have to take time to mention today just how much this heap of metal and fiberglass means to my darling husband...let me backtrack...

A week ago tomorrow...my husband took my son on a Toys For Tots Corvette Run hosted by Kerbeck of Atlantic City. Both Jim and Nick had been looking forward to this for several weeks...this is a fundraiser (obviously) that Kerbeck sponsors in which a few hundred Corvettes from this area meet at the Farley rest stop on the Atlantic City expressway then at a prearranged time, the southbound expressway is closed down completely from the rest stop to Atlantic City and the Corvettes are allowed to travel above speed limit to a meeting area across from Kerbeck. Each car is asked to bring an unwrapped toy, many donate money...lunch is provided by Kerbeck and there are items given away (doorprizes). There are usually some type of celebrities there (Miss NJ, car related celebs etc.)

My husbands beloved 1985 Corvette went about 130 mph on his trek...both Nick and Jim had a great time even though they didn't win any door prizes...and ended the day at another cruise at a local bar/restaurant where I met jup with them for dinner.

It was at that time that it was mentioned to Jim that his car was making a "ticking noise." :(

Jim didn't notice it because A: he has poor hearing, B: he had the radio up loud...and C: it is difficult to hear from inside the Corvette.

Monday the car was taken to the mechanic for it to be checked out.

When I came home from work on Monday Jim was not home...and I started doing some things around the house...when he arrived home he was pale and was almost in tears. When he started a conversation with me about the car...he started to cry. My husband was IN TEARS ABOUT HIS CORVETTE. ( I have only seen my husband cry 2 other times, and once was at the birth of his son) He was certain that I wasn't going to allow him to get the needed repair/s and that the car was destined to sit in the garage for Lord knows how long until he could get the money together. See...the thing is...my dear husband pretty much blew the engine on his nice fast jaunt on Saturday...his BABY will need to have the engine rebuilt before car show season starts in the spring.

lesson learned...

Don't drive over 65!...ok...certainly don't drive 130 mph!...especially when your car is 25 years old!

My 13th Wedding Anniversary!

Today is my 13th Wedding anniversary...who would have thunk it! That Jim and I would be married for 13 years! I've known him for 18 years...wow!!! I love this man with the deepest depths of my very being! Even though I know I complain about him at times (what wife doesn't complain about her hubby) I hope that he knows how much he is loved and appreciated EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Thirty Years of Friendship!!!!

I can hardly believe that it has been 30 years...THIRTY YEARS since I met my BEST FRIEND in the world!!! I wouldn't trade her for anything!

I do wish that we lived closer though!!! This whole NJ/Florida thing just isn't working for me!

I miss being able to call my best friend and get a hug on demand! I DO know that if I really truly needed her that she'd be here asap!

I love you Staci, you are my beloved friend forever!

It takes a long time to grow an old friend. ~John Leonard

But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,All losses are restored and sorrows end.~William Shakespeare

But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. ~Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

There is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul. ~Edith Wharton

My WONDERFUL Son!

This is my 12 year old son Nick! He is my world! He is my only child and my life...my everything! I LOVE this pic that I took of him last weekend...it shows his funny side...it shows the depth of love in his eyes...it shows his spirit and control! It shows ALL of him in one simple shot! He is an intellegent, talented, quiet, open minded child...and I am proud of him in oh so many ways! I hope that you can see a bit of what I see!

Don't wait to make your son a great man - make him a great boy. ~Author Unknown

You are my sonshine. ~Author Unknown

An Autumn Leaf

A colorful leaf floating in our pond makes it all real!
Summer really truly is over and fall is here to stay!



"No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one Autumnal face."
- John Donne


"October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band."
- George Cooper, October's Party

One more shot from today...

I thought this was interesting as well...I shot it from inside the sandwich place where we were eating...across the boardwalk...across the beach...to the ocean...through the rails on the edge of the boardwalk. I did have to crop it to edit out the people walking by.

Ocean City NJ today!

It was raining today...then it stopped....I was on the boardwalk in OC NJ for a Corvette show...gotta love carshows! Anyway...I took advantage of the weather and shot some pics of the surf...the birds...and the cars...I hope you enjoy!

This was my favorite shot of the day!!!! What do YOU think?


I have no idea who these people are...however I watched them for a few minutes...they stood and stared at the piece of wood...then decided to move it about 15 ft...that was it!

Sea...Sky...and a bit of beach!

We went on our first cruise this past February...these pictures show the spectacular views that I was lucky enough to enjoy! I couldn't believe the depth of the blues, whites and even some greens that I saw!

This is the beach on the private island in the Bahamas...the sand was soooooo soft it felt like flour.
Nothing but water as far as the eye could see...SIMPLY SPECTACULAR!!!!!

This was the view from our balcony...the colors of the churning water was really something that everyone should see!

This was a sunset...that speaks for itself!!!!

TaaaaaaDaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

simply an orchid

We went on our first cruise this past February...when we entered the dining room upon boarding the ship...I was in awe at the beautiful live orchids on each table. It took me a couple of days to find the perfect one...in just the right light to photograph...but I think I found it! I LOVE THIS PICTURE! I hope you do too!

Corvettes...here they come!

I love taking pictures of Corvettes! The top one...the red one is ours! This past weekend it won 2 trophies...a first place on Saturday and a 3rd place on Sunday! My husband Jim has to get all of the credit because he does all of the cleaning and the shining and the upkeep. I help put the money in the bank to pay for it and I support him at the shows and I take pictures...lots of pictures! So...get if you decide to come back and visit here, get used to seeing posts about Corvettes and Corvette related items...they will be a frequent topic!...Corvettes...here they come!

Lucy the Elephant

My sister Bonnie LOVED elephants...at her house they were EVERYWHERE! When I was a child, she took me to see Lucy the elephant...I didn't remember too much about her until this recent return visit in which I took my husband and son. As soon as we pulled up a lot of the memories came crashing back to me...even though it has probably been 30 years since I stood at Lucy's feet, I had the same feeling of complete and utter fascination at the mere sight of her! I wish my sister was still with us to see her in all her glory!

If you ever visit the Jersey shore, take an hour to visit Lucy! Be a kid just for a little while. Enjoy!



A little about Lucy. Quoted from http://www.roadsideamerica.com/
Lucy the Elephant, Margate, New Jersey. Lucy is the world's largest elephant, and the only one in America designated as a National Historic Landmark.She was built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty, a real estate developer with a knack for promotion. Standing six stories tall, weighing 90 tons, covered with 12,000 square feet of sheet tin, Lucy was more than an object of awe -- she was a functioning building, serving first as a real estate office, as a summer home, even briefly as a tavern, until unruly drunks nearly burned her down. She also gave people a reason to come to Margate City while Lafferty gave his real estate pitch. Lucy proved very useful. Jim L. made a bundle and went on to build other elephants in Cape May and Coney Island. Sadly, only Lucy has survived.She nearly didn't. By the late 1960s, Lucy was an abandoned wreck on the verge of collapse. Happily, the citizens of Margate banded together and raised money to restore the proud pachyderm to her former glory. Now, thousands of visitors each summer tour Lucy's innards and buy post cards in her gift shop.For a small admission fee, the adventuresome can tour Lucy's innards, entering via a spiral staircase in one of her hind legs. See a video and some photographic displays of Lucy history. The tour climaxes with a stop in the open-air "howdah" atop Lucy's back. From here, one is offered a breathtaking view of neighboring high-rise condos, the parking lot, and the Atlantic Ocean. Still, her creator would be pleased -- an acre of beachfront in Margate City now commands seven figures.

More info about Lucy can be found at http://www.lucytheelephant.org/


A picture of Lucy's eye looking out on the Atlantic Ocean!...let's see what Lucy can see!

This is Lucy's Tail end! My son Nick is trying desperately to reach the tip of her tail...nope...not tall enough Nick! Better watch out for elephant droppings! hahahahahahaha!

Ok...this is "My Tree"..technically it doesn't belong to me at all, and I have no idea who it does belong to but over the last few weeks I have become photographically obsessed with this tree!

It is on a back road near my house and when I saw it I just "had to" take pics of it! I felt compelled to! I have been told by my friend Lee that I have caught the official photographers bug and that I am hooked for life! It is with her constant urging that I have started this blog!

As you will probably see...I have no idea what I am doing here. My pictures are "ok" and my blogging skills suck! So bear with me!

I certainly hope that someone enjoys my pictures! My son thinks I have lost my mind..taking pictures of a tree that fell down over a pond in someone elses yard! He thought for sure the police were going to show up and arrest me while I was taking the pics from the side of the road. Well, I have my pics and I didn't have to fork over any bail money!