Gabe and Baylee

A Fire Rainbow

A circumhorizonal arc or circumhorizon arc (CHA), also known as a "fire
rainbow", is a halo or an optical phenomenon similar in appearance to a
horizontal rainbow, but in contrast caused by the refraction of light through
the ice crystals in cirrus clouds.
It occurs only when the sun is high in the sky, at least 58 degrees above the
horizon, and can only occur in the presences of cirrus clouds. It can thus not
be observed at locations north of 55 degrees N or south of 55 degrees S, except
occasionally at higher latitudes from mountains. To be visible the sun must be
at an elevation of 57.8 degrees (90 -32.2 degrees) or more and if cloud
conditions are right it is seen along the horizon on the same side of the sky as
the sun. It reaches its maximum intensity at a sun elevation of 67.9 degrees.
The phenomenon is quite rare because the ice crystals must be aligned
horizontally to refract the high sun. The arc is formed as light rays enter the
horizontally-oriented flat hexagonal crystals through a vertical side face and
exit through the horizontal bottom face. It is the 90 degrees inclination that
produces the well-separated rainbow-like colours and, if the crystal alignment
is just right, makes the entire cirrus cloud shine like a flaming rainbow.
A circumhorizontal arc can be confused with an infralateral arc when the sun
is high in the sky; the former is however always oriented horizontally where the
latter is oriented as a section of a rainbow, e.g. as an arc stretching upwards
from the horizon.

More Beauty from Heaven

Heaven Opens Up

The Most Amazing Day

I headed back home for a couple of days to rest and regroup. I met up with some past High School friends and spent time with my beautiful granddaughters. But the time the stands out the most is the day I spent with my BFF (Best Friend Forever). We had no definite plans. I picked her up at 10:30ish and the day began. We headed out of town to play...... with cameras in hand. We ended up just 25 miles north in a larger town so we could relax and not worry if anyone knew us. We spent the next 6 hours completing a photo scavenger hunt for an online class that neither of us signed up for, but it got us some amazing pictures of people we didn't even know. It's amazing how people are so willing to allow their picture to be taken. The photo above is of my best friend posing when we needed a shot of a person in an eye patch....yep, in Wal-mart at the medical section! She is so brave!! All I can say is, Captain Morgan be on the lookout for your replacement!!

What lead to the Empty Nest

My spring was just the most amazing time watching my robin eggs go from blue gems to this....real and at times ugly and then to actual birds with feathers. The process was beyond miraculous...watching each step unfold before my eyes can't be put into words....but the afternoon that I opened the door and watched them all fly off my balcony left me dumb-founded and I cried. I'm glad they made it out alright but it was lonely the first few weeks without them.....but I've adjusted....now I have a birdfeeder near the place the nest use to be and now I get to see birds, lots of birds each day approach my balcony for dinner....and it's still amazing.

Because of an Angel

Here I sit at Panara Bread, alone and finished reading my best friends blog and cried. Her pictures stirred something in me that I can't even put into words. She has started a project of posting a picture a day for 365 days.....and it is the most amazing blog EVER!! I love nothing more than to write and using my camera. I think I will set myself a goal and try and at least post one picture a week for 52 weeks....that's doable and I get to do two of my most favorite things....write and take pictures. So hang on, here goes.....

Easter Morning

What a wonderful Easter surprise. When I thought the last egg had been laid on Saturday, Easter morning there were four. I couldn't have been any more surprised to find my Easter basket full of new blue eggs. This will be an Easter I won't forget for a long time.

My Easter Egg

God is just so faithful....when life seems to come in fast and hard, he sends just little reminders of what is really important and how much time I waste of non-important things.....This morning was one of those times. Good Friday and I check my nest and God hand delivered my very own Easter Egg. I am so thankful that He never forgets me or stops caring about me....He is my everything. Thank you God for sending your Son to take my place on that cross so long ago....for that I am eternally thankful.

The New Neighbors

I can't wait for them to move in!! I watch the nest so closely and I enjoy watching "the Mrs." work so hard...as soon as I can I will post more pictures of the new "family"!!

My Lunch

This is possibly becoming one of my favorite places to sit and eat lunch alone....I'm OK with eating alone as long as I have a book to read so others won't think "poor girl, has no friends".....but today along with my book on how to work my camera I actually had my camera with me....This was lunch today....broccoli and cheese soup in a bread bowl, an apple and diet pop....it was fantastic!

Today is Naked Feet Day

I know most of the world is celebrating today as Saint Patrick's Day, but I am officially celebrating today as Naked Feet Day....this is the first time my feet have been out in flip flops this year! I LOVE SUMMER!!!

My Home

Well it's a start...my first posted pictures of my apartment....once I learn how to decorate or enhance around the pictures to make them more eye appealing I will do that....but for now this is my apartment. My car is the one to the right and my door is to the left of my car. I usually have this very spot everyday. The other picture is what I see when I look out my bedroom patio door. When the weather changes a bit and I have chairs and plants on my patio, I will share more pictures.

Coffee/Music/Writing=work??

It's Saturday morning and I've been up for a meeting at work and don't have to return for work until 4:00 p.m. So I quickly slipped home, changed into my sweats and grabbed my laptop and headed for one of my favorite places. You guested it....Starbucks! Not only does it have some of the best coffee ever....it has free internet and great music. My apartment internet just isn't working up to speed. So not only do I get free internet I get to be around people to just be able to watch or listen to how they interact with each other. I enjoy watching people and take note on how they function...just wish I could find out a way to make a living at watching people.....I could be rich and love my job!!

My Laundromat Nightmare

Remember any dreams as a child? I do. The one where I am sitting in class and the teacher calls on me to answer and as soon as she says my name the entire class breaks out in a loud roaring laughter? I am paralyzed and can’t move because I wasn’t aware of any joke and I have no idea what prompted their outburst. Looking around I find in horror that I am sitting in my skimpy baby doll pajamas? I feel the blood drain from my face. I close my eyes praying it is all a bad dream. Suddenly awaken to find myself in a cold sweat. I just pray that never happens in real life.
Well today I had a real life experience of my dream but it didn’t take place in a classroom, it took place in my Laundromat. I’ve recently moved to town and don’t know anyone here. Finding the local Laundromat confidently, I walked in without fear. There were couples working on their laundry together and a few mothers with small children trying to fold clothes and chase their young. I walked through the lines of washing machines to find three located together where I began loading baskets of sorted laundry. I filled my washers, walked to the coin changer. Feeling pretty sure of myself, I felt I could accomplish this chore without knowing anyone. The first machine was loaded with all whites, the second for lightly colored and the last one for everything dark. I added detergent and fed each machine enough quarters to start. I stood nearby at a folding table organizing and preparing the paperwork for a visit to the bank and post office when my laundry was completed. The time passed quickly and within a short time all items were in their appropriate dryer. Once the drying cycle began I lost myself in my book with my iPod playing some of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs.
The dryers began to slow and stop one by one. I carefully, piece by piece began to fold and place each item in assigned basket. It didn’t seem awkward at the time, but out of the first dryer came my delicate items that didn’t need as much time to dry as my towels and sweatpants. Unaware of anyone near me, I began taking each item from the dryer and shaking any lint that may have attached itself for a free ride back to my place. Then my nightmare began- I wasn’t aware of who was next to me because Stevie Nicks was telling me “You can go your own way”…. I glanced up and for the first time realized how just how many single men were doing their own laundry - ALONE. I looked at my hands and saw I was carefully folding my lacy undergarments and several of the males were watching as I neatly matched each side together. The heat that flushed my face stopped me cold. I dropped my hands with my unmentionables inside of my laundry basket and froze. I couldn’t believe I was lip sinking “you can go your own way” with Stevie and completely unaware that so many were seeing my personal items being carefully paraded as if I were the only person enjoying my laundry time.
I couldn’t bring myself to look up, I turned down the music being pumping into my ears and I moved faster than even I thought possible; folding a portion of my clothes still damp. Nothing eased my embarrassment. I stood in unbelief – I had broken one of my mother’s rules “undergarments are to always be under!”
I finished as quickly as possible and cleared my area for the next side show to begin. I still had enough wits about me to recheck all of my machines to make sure I hadn’t left any single socks in any of the machines I had used. I gathered my items and with head bowed, I made my exit from this personal stage of embarrassment. Knowing the fear of wearing my pajamas in class was only a dream I use to dread, I now know how it feels to be singing and folding my panties for the world to enjoy.
Next stop – pricing a used washer and dryer for my new apartment!

Stepping Outside of the Box

Tomorrow will be my first day at my new job. I will begin serving at the Noblesville Olive Garden. The past few months have been a whirlwind of decisions and change for me and tomorrow starts it all into action. Scared/anxious/fear and excitement are just a few of the emotions I am experiencing all at the same time. I've never lived outside of Wells Co., and now as a 52 year old single woman I am stepping out on my own to see how the world looks from outside the box of Wells Co. Since High School I have always said I didn't want to live and die in Wells Co. and now for the first time this week I can say I've started my so called "bucket list" of life. I don't want to leave this world regretting not trying all that my heart desires, but with God's help I will see to it that I get as much finished in my life before drawing my last breathe.