§ Lensball Shots [And my LAST Troll Doll]...

After cleaning my lensball, I placed it back in my car for future use in photography. While walking a short distance to the observation deck at Hans Suter Wildlife Sanctuary [too hot to be there too long], I grabbed my lensball and stopped to take some photos thru the globe. The sky was very impressive...

The cattails along the boardwalk were nearly expired. Several were breaking open to disperse the seed. But, against the blue in the sky, they were worthy of a photo or two:

I liked how the boardwalk railing showed unusual perspective and the beautiful cloud formation was magical:

As the sun broke from the clouds, I noticed in my ball that there was a rainbow effect [not a real rainbow] from the crystal refractive prism and then, I stepped a few paces further and tried to capture a single sunflower in the distance:

Tho, the images and the lensball photography is pretty nifty in all aspects, I've come to realize that I prefer making use of it for sunrises on the beach mostly!!  Once I made it to the covered deck, I saw that the water level was low, and only a minimal amount of active bird life was evident along the perimeter...gulls and herons, a couple of egrets and one of each; willet and skimmer. I left soon afterwards as the temp was soaring to the triple digit heat index; to the dangerous heat exposure.  Back to the car with A/C and then home where the room temp is more suitable than outdoors to be sure.

...I have come to the end of my troll collection...

↓ My 30th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed LARGE hard sculpture Santa in PJs circa: 80s

§ Last Days of Summer...

I am always happy to see August disappear from the year's calender! Even tho September is a busy month for hurricanes forming in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. For the most part, September is a 'cool down' month...more likely to have a chance of a cold front moving in from Canada, dropping this far south, and the air dries up a lot. No more suffocating humidity! I just hope the weathermen predictions for yet an active month of tropical storms does not come true. Keeping my fingers crossed. The Long Hot Summer is nearly over; the photos below were taken last month: Top two, Pollywog Ponds. Panoramic view, Leonabelle Birding Center.  The next two in the series:  A black bellied Whistling Duck in flight and a parched sunflower.  Next in the series....This is NOT rain, nor remnants of any storm...it's dew from the awful humidity and over-night dew points on the leaf!!  Last four:  A mockingbird and the red blossom shooting through the wooden slats on a boardwalk is called Turk's Cap, another sunflower and then, as the old wive's tale goes ---a cicada!  Which means rain is coming.  I'll keep you posted on that event [rain IS predicted!].  

§ A Pedicure Not to Forget...

Once I began my walk around the park and yacht club I really enjoyed the gentle sea breeze blowing off the channel. The sun was a bright white hot, so I stepped lively to get done going around the perimeter before I boiled alive. Even tho the morning promised a very high heat index type day again, it is summer in South Texas, so it's to be expected. Once acclimated to heat and humidity, it's not fun...but, you live with it. I always tell myself, it's better than driving on icy, dangerous and slick highways and scooping snow where it remains on the ground for months at a time like when in Colorado all those years with many days and weeks at a time with below freezing.

So, please, do come walk with me.  Keep cool, shade yourself with a large brimmed hat and bring along plenty of water to keep hydrated...

Palm trees line the park's grounds and over the yacht exit/entrance channel.

As I take a view of a corner of the yacht club, I notice small and large privately owned boats going out to sea. 

Some have many aboard while others just one or two.  Sea gulls always are entertaining as they follow the flow of the boats.

Two of six ferry boats transporting vehicles from Port Aransas to Aransas Pass over the Port Ship Channel.

After the ferries dock [on either side, of course] and are securely hooked up, then the cars/trucks can disembark safely.  2nd photo is the U S Coast Guard...always on patrol, and always have the right of way.

With the virus cases still at a high level in our county [over 200 new cases daily], I gave up with going to get my hair cut, a leg wax, and pedicure.  And I figured I might as well do my own pedicure after all these months of no where to go to get it worked on safely...finally, a job well done!

§ You're Gonna Rise Up Singing....

If I'd known you were coming, I'd have baked a cake!!




Oh wait a minute.....I DID bake you a cake! I call it Mandarin Dream.

I followed the box instructions, but instead of the cup of water it calls for, I substituted the fruit juice from the canned mandarin oranges and 1/2 the oranges [whipped into the mix as I combined all eggs, oil, and juice]. The other half or the orange slices were set aside [mashed coarsely] for topping with the cool whip 'icing'. Chilled, and served cold. Easy!!! And, delicious if you like these oranges. It makes a good, tasty summer treat at the end of your meal.

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And....While the cake was in the oven, baking, I got out my sketch pad and drew a simple outline of a palm tree...wishing I was on the beach at the moment! I then filled it in a bit and drew the fronds on the tree, scratched in the water lines a little and shaded the rocks on the horizon, and the small sail craft...finishing in no time. Speaking of art....last week I watched a program on Texas Country Reporter, and they had an artist show-cased.  His work was amazing.  I'm gonna try and copy his idea of painting sometime.  I need to find a framed work, so I can tear it out of the frame and do to it what he did. [of course his paintings were his original...I'm gonna be lazy and find one already painted by someone else.]  I will begin looking for something that would be an ideal piece of art soon.  And begin.  I may not like what I DO...so, I may not show it to anyone.  LOL

All the while I was sketching, Bud was in the garage at his work bench adding extensions to our puzzle table. We use our dining room chairs at the table, and when we go in to work on the puzzle[s] our legs hit the bottom of the table bottom....we need to "lift the table up" a bit. Giving us more leg room. It worked like a charm. We are working on a Thomas Kinkade "The Lion King" right now. We recently finished another of his art....I like his best of all...small in dimensions, challenging, and takes us a while to do one. [those that are too easy, with large pieces gives us no stimulation!]

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I'll end my post today with this "note"....

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy....





Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'
So hush, little baby, don't you cry
One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky
But till that morning, there ain't nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by


~George Gershwin
circa 1934

§ Surf City

And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl...



~Jan and Dean
1963

§ Long Hot Summer - People Watching

Looking South toward Old Mexico

As I sat at the covered tables near the beach, I watched the people and sipped from my bottle of icy, refreshing, water. I watched people,  through my lens, from so many walks of life. I really enjoy this quiet time after my walks...

THE PIER
From around and under the long fishing pier, the sea was a bit choppy at times...



...the fishermen were beginning to line up along the pier railings [again I used my zoom to move in on the trio]:



SURF BOARDS AND KEYBOARDS





FAMILY FUN AND QUIET REFLECTION