Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness."

There were many mornings while living in Lakeland Florida we would take a walk to see the sunrise over the neighborhood lake.

"Never underestimate the power of hope. Hope fuels us with the energy and courage to go forward."

"We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Happy Monday!

 Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"Calm is a super power. Don't let stress kill your happiness."

"Judge nothing, you will be happy. Forgive everything, you will be happier. Love everything, you will be happiest."

"We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Happy Monday!

Wishing everyone a great day and a happy new week!

"Kindness is choosing love over hate, light over darkness, compassion over judgement."

"Spread a little kindness wherever you go."

 "We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday Everyone! I wish you all a happy new week!

"Stand still and dream, because life is worth living at the beach."

"Sunrise: proof the best things in life are free."

"We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off, enjoy your day!

Happy Monday!

 Hello Everyone,  Happy Monday!

I wish every one a great day and a happy new week!

Sunrise, Atlantic City NJ

"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."

Pray for peace! 

" We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone."

Comments off! Enjoy your day! 

Happy Monday!

 Happy Monday, everyone!

I hope you all have a great day and a happy new week!

Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath and start again.

Sunrise at Ocean City, Maryland 

Comments Off! Enjoy your day!

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday,


I decided to share some of my favorite sky scenes and photos. These are all from my archives. I am thankful for great memories from past years and various trips. No specific order or date, luckily I can remember where the photo was taken.  I rotate photos in a folder to be used for my desktop background.  My favorites are images from sea to sea, America the Beautiful. I am thankful for the beauty in our country and around the world.  Some sky and scenes are from our travels outside the USA. They include scenes from Costa Rica, Curacao and Iceland. 

This is a sunrise at Flagler Beach, Florida 2015

This sunrise was in our Lakeland Florida neighborhood 2016

The is the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica 2010

I am pretty sure this is from Ruby Beach, Olympic Nat'l Park Washington State 2017

Sunset Curacao, taken at the resort beach 2012

Moon captured at the Guadalupe Mountains, Texas 2013

Sunrise at the Bosque del Apache, New Mexico 2013.   These are the only birds seen on this post, a group of Sandhill Cranes in flight and some ducks in the water.

Sunrise at Crescent Lake, Washington 2015

Sunset Beach, North Carolina  2017

Mt Hood Oregon, July 2012

Iceland, Sept 2019

 I am thankful for Katherine Lee Bates, a teacher and poet who wrote the song America the Beautiful in 1893. Bates was inspired after a visit to Pikes Peak in Colorado. In 1904 Katherine Lee Bates revived the song adding the words "And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea."  The song and poem reflects a belief in community and social justice. Bates had a deep empathy and a lifelong interest in helping others who were struggling to make ends meet. This song took on new meaning on Nov 11 1918 Armistice Day, when the WWI ended and the soldiers returned home. On this last day of the war, the soldiers left the trenches singing America the beautiful.

Colorado, Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park Sept 2014 

We should all be thankful for our freedom and liberty. Thankful for our home of the free and brave.  I am focusing on things I love and cherish, like my country and it's spacious skies.  BTW, I am thankful for the USPS and when I get my mail/medicine on time.

 Be Kind! Kindness changes the world, one heart at a time!! 😊

 Take care and stay safe! 


Live simple and be happy!  😊 Take care, keep smiling!


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Thank you for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!!  😊

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday! 

 I am always awake early, it is dark when I wake now. I was happy to see this pretty sunrise on the morning of October 12th. The sunrise now is after 7am and the sunsets almost 6:30pm. November 3rd daylight savings time ends, time for me to hibernate.

A pretty colorful sky and sunrise.

 On October 12th,  I saw my first of the year White-throated Sparrow. Looks like the winter birds are returning, I hope the sparrow comes back so I can take a photo. I also noticed a Downy Woodpecker going inside one of my bird houses, lately more Goldfinches have been at my feeders. I am seeing more Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wrens and Carolina Chickadees at the feeders too. The Mourning Doves, Northern Cardinals and White-breasted Nuthatches are here too.


 Seen on October 12,   is this is an Eastern Phoebe or a PeWee? edit: David of Travels with Birds 
has helped with the id, this bird is the Eastern Phoebe.

 The full moon on October 13th, it is called the Hunter's moon.

I was thankful for clear skies on the morning of Oct 13th, the full moon was looking bright and beautiful.

I am thankful for the sunrise and each new day!
I am thankful to see the winter birds returning to my yard.
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday




Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Happy Thankful Thursday!


These are the end of my Ocean City photos, the sunrise on our last morning Feb 6. We were up early to see the sunrise and check out the Ocean City Inlet in case any new sea birds showed up. Then we headed to Blackwater Nat'l Wildlife refuge on the way home.  I will share the wildlife refuge photos in another post. 

Thankful for another day and a beautiful sunrise. 

Most of the sea ducks were at the opposite side of the inlet, I could see the Common Eider, Long-tailed Ducks, Bufflehead Ducks and a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers.

The beach is a hang out spot for various gulls and pigeons. 

I always miss the Dovekie and Razorbill sightings by a couple of days or even hours. But, we did see the Ruddy Turnstones hanging in the same spot. 

I am thankful for my hubby who enjoys nature as much as I do.
For each day I am Thankful, Grateful and Blessed!
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!

I have been worrying about loosing my blog and photos ever since hearing about Diane of Lavender Dreams. I am happy to see she had her blog back on 2/26. Would it help to buy your domain and blog name? Would blogspot still be able to come along and take it all away?  If anyone has purchased their domain thru Google or Blogspot? If you think it is a good idea, please let me know. 

On Feb 4-6th we were in Ocean City Maryland.  Bird watching is one of my simple pleasures and the sea ducks and birds in Ocean City did not disappoint me. I also enjoy the sunrises and sunsets.  

Here comes the sun!

A beautiful sunrise and a beautiful day!

Our hotel on the beach, we had a nice room with a partial view on the 5th floor. 

I think this may be the Common Loon, seen swimming in the ocean while we were watching the sun rise. 

Ocean City Inlet, a great spot for seeing the sea ducks. 

I am pretty sure this is the Common Eider below, seen at the Ocean City inlet. They have a long-nosed appearance. This one could be a first winter male? 

The Common Eider and the Bufflehead ducks.

A male Bufflehead with a few females or first winter males. 

Two Common Eider @ Ocean City Inlet. 

The Long-tailed Ducks were seen at the Ocean City Inlet.

The Bufflehead ducks were seen in groups.

I am thankful to enjoy watching the birds, my simple pleasure.
I am thankful to see the beautiful sunrise! 
I am Thankful, Grateful and Blessed!
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday! 

Hello, wishing everyone a great day and weekend ahead. 
I am sharing more of our trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey on Oct 30-31st. We stayed one night at the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for a total of $88. The Hard Rock Hotel took over what was the previous Trump's Taj Mahal, since it went bankrupt in 2009 and 2015. The rooms are beautifully done after being gutted, we loved the newly renovated room. We had a partial view of the ocean and to the right we could see the bay. 

"It is a wonderful day, I have not seen this one before."


The moon seen from our driveway before leaving on our NJ trip. 

The newly renovated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. 

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is right on the Atlantic City boardwalk. 

Me and my shadow's view of dunes and Atlantic Ocean.

I am guessing these are the Laughing Gulls, I could be wrong.  

We were up and outside for the sunrise, the neighboring Ocean Casino has this ball on top of the building. It changes colors and messages. Below is the pumpkin ball. 

The message changed to the USA flag ball. 

"Slow down and enjoy life."

The ferris wheel on the pier changed colors, it looked pretty. 

"Happiness can not be far behind a grateful heart and a peaceful mind."


While watching the sunrise I saw rows of Cormorants or Black Ducks flying south. 

It was a beautiful sunrise.  

"When you start each day with a grateful heart, light illuminates from within." unknown

I am thankful I am retired and enjoying life. 
I am thankful to see the sunrise each day. 
A thankful heart is a happy heart. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!