§ 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

§ A book, a bird, and a blog....

After cleaning the entertainment center, and re-doing the bedding in the master bedroom, I was thinking since it's so hot outdoors, I will probably play at doing a new sketch. I have one in mind, but have yet to begin with drawing any lines. But, for the past few days I've been reading my new book that arrived from Amazon. Naturally, it's about birds. More so the  other several different species of Caracara birds. A couple of weeks ago, when I left while the sun was rising over the horizon, and the dew was still on the wild grasses in the field; I spotted the Texas species of the Caracara [one I haven't seen in a several months in the wild]. Then, the next day, my ordered book arrived! Ironic. It really will be an interesting book for me. I will learn about a whole 'nother genus of the raptor family on the Falkland Islands. From the writings of Darwin when discovered while on the ship, the Beagle, to the new century!  [pronounced as in carrot...cara cara]

I also failed to mention when I was searching at AT HOME for throw pillows for the master bed, this store was filling the shelves with HALLOWEEN already. You know me. Oh boy, like a kid in a penny candy store!!!! They had out on display two witch dolls. One, I bought. Also, a Halloween gnome. Yep, bought that too. And, last year, at the very same store, they had their black artificial trees [like Christmas trees] for 90% off. It's been sitting here at home for nearly 6 months now, and I am anxious to decorate it. I will probably buy from Dollar Tree when they stock Halloween stuff. But, the anticipation is great 'bout now.

Here are the Crested Caracara of Texas [also Old Mexico].

The two parents [orange skin around the bill]...the lone adult male...and a juvenile [still with pink skin around the bill]!

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 29th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Santa circa: 80s

§ Domino Effect...

And yet another day of no 'day trippin'! At least for my step count tallying.

...Bud doesn't like Anni and her version of dominoes! There's a reason behind it all...

The carpeting throughout the house is a deep dark, turquoise blue. For me,  I do not like walls that are as sterile, hospital anti-septic, white throughout a home.  White, like a mundane office building or the modernity of today...I want COLOR!!  Most of the walls here at Anni's Abode, with an open floor plan, are painted the exact color of the carpeting. The master bed and bathroom however are a light lime green [through my computer, the walls look pea green, but they ARE lime green]. Still, it has the blue carpeting. I have looked online over the past several years for color coordinated bedding, Amazon, Home Goods, Kohls, Target, Macy's, Wayfair, etc. and oh so much more! I've even walked the aisles of stores in town, physically. Years of effort and disappointment.  Years of looking for the color combination was a huge undertaking.   Still, Nada, Zilch, Nien, nothing. Even Walmart!! And, I detest that store for the most part. Recently, one day, however, for some unknown reason, I stopped at Walmart, I got what I was after in my cart, and went up the bedding aisle. Lo and Behold...Dark Blue, lime green, and floral! Just what I wanted all along.  I needed a KING. Did they have one? Yes!! I was nearly in tears...seriously. The colors I need without having to repaint walls, etc. Happy Camper. Bought it!  Sold separately were  two pillow shams that match also. Yay. Got it home, gladly tore the yucky bedding off the bed and opened the quilt and shams. Made the bed. It just matched the carpet and walls perfectly. Walmart came through for me.  Did I say I was elated?!! Oh oh...something was missing tho. More color coordination! Throw pillows...yep, throw pillows. Off I go shopping. Target, Home Goods, Walmart, Kohls, Steinmart, TJ Maxx, Marshalls etc. Found two dark blue at Home Goods. No red. No green.  At those stores. Went to other establishments...nothing. The last stop, AT HOME -warehouse- and found the colors I wanted.  Spent way too much just for one bed. Bud hates the domino effect when Anni leaves home with her debit card!!

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 28th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Thanksgiving Native American circa: 80s

§ This and That....

For a few days I've stayed home and got some menial jobs done around the house. One was nothing earth shattering, but it took most of the morning. And since I go walking in the morning only, I didn't that day. The job of work was to clean, wax, dust, and arrange the entertainment center. One side of the shelving unit has our collection of DVD [and even some old VHS!!]. When using them, they never get put back in the original slot. So, I wanted to take them all out [100s] and dust the shelves, then arrange them alphabetically. By the way, you may wonder why we still have VHS in our collection...we have a DVD/VHS player, and some of our favorite movies have never made it to DVD. So, they stay here with us. Then, on the other side of the unit are four more shelves. There I have cassettes, CDs, and even vinyls -33 rpm and 45s-. Yep we have a record player, CD, and cassette player all in one. The collection of vinyls go back to the history of JAZZ, Elvis, Righteous Bros, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Herb Alpert, and many classical compositions. I even have a collection of Winston Churchill speeches in several volumes on 33rpm.

Now that you know the background of this post somewhat, the reason there is nothing much, I am sharing a few eclectic photos with you 'cause I have nothing better to share at the moment. I haven't gone walking 'cause the heat index has been hitting the 110° mark.  If I do go anywhere, it's all in the Air Conditioned Car...

Just outside our house, "x" marks the spot!

Finally, the frozen pitiful looking palm trees are coming back...

Power Line Repair work...on island highway!

 

Gift Shop Exterior on NORTH Padre Island [not South Padre Island...that's Brownsville, Texas]

 

I brought my lens-ball in from the car to clean and took a couple photos of a couple of my glass dolphins.

And Isaiah being somewhat of a mechanic. He thought the tire was a bit low and tried showing me that they needed inflating a bit so he could crawl under the chassis and check out the drive train for me.

 

 

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 27th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed SMALLEST IN MY COLLECTION Thanksgiving Pilgrim circa: 80s

§ Bridge Over Troubled Waters....

On Sunday morning, very early...just as the sun was rising, I left for Sunset Lakes Park in Portland Texas. Reasoning behind such an early beginning, I had to use the Expressway to reach the park. And this is where the new expansion bridge is being built....where the Expressway and Interstate 37 and Highway 181 intersect. I have been avoiding that area for a couple of months. I knew it would be a messy situation and no doubt narrowed sections of highway because of all the building and construction going on. To my surprise, since it's been such a while since I've been there...I was in awe, a bit anxious, and quite confounded at the sight! And I was sure glad it was Sunday, early enough for very little to no traffic congestion. I know for sure I'm glad I'm retired and not having to drive this each day to get to work during rush hour.  There wouldn't be enough tequila in stock at home for me to get through this mess each and every day...twice!

What used to be used to enter the I 37 corridor and cut off to highway 181 from Crosstown Expressway, it was a simple maneuver before this new bridge. Just one exit ramp. Now? Oh my goodness!! The exit ramp is now UNDER an overpass. Kinda awe inspiring yet tricky to actually find if you're not familiar with the city. Then, there are a few unfinished sections of highway above my head as I exit! Scary? Kinda! After getting through the construction, I'm now on my way to cross the still existing, still being used, Harbor Bridge. Once crossing THAT, there is more construction on the other side of the ship channel/Port of Corpus Christi. And narrowing lanes and curves. I slowed down to a snail's pace through it all. Finally reaching the causeway that crosses the North Bay and River outlet. Home free! Walking the trail at the park, I enjoyed the ambiance of what nature and beautiful weather laid in store for me, but Hmmmmm, now I had to go back the way I came. Through it all, AGAIN!!


Not bad here, coming OUT of the construction zone
I still sit here at the computer typing this up, seeing the conglomeration of constructions, pylons, stanchions, at one point what seemed like I'd drive right into an unfinished highway section above my head...head on,  and marvel a bit...breathlessly. To see this all come together in a matter of a couple more years will be an engineering feat.

Views from walking the trail...






...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 26th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Masked Trick r Treater circa: 80s

§ Over the Rainbow...

On the day I photographed the "new" ship, I also took other pictures as I walked in some of the areas where I stopped. Wild flowers, fisherman, the beautiful stormy cumulus cloud formations and reflections on the lake at Leonabelle Birding Center. The lake was very clear near the observation tower where I could look down from the platform and see fish below the surface...clear as a bell. As I left, I noticed the wild poinsettias in "bloom" and the magnolia tree had the formation of the seed pods after blossoming. I was also hoping for some dolphin activity along the channel, but that was a 'nada'. And, as I thought, no special birds seen except for the usual ones that reside here year 'round, like the brown pelican in front of the ship's bow wake. But there were still beautiful spots to enjoy the morning including a very faint, barely seen full rainbow above the channel.... 

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 24th and 25th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Halloween Frankenstein *2 circa: 70s & 80s