Do You Realize?

Photo Hunt Saturday--Colorful

This week's theme is: Colorful. And since I love colorful photographs, I have a few to share this week.

This colorful anthias is a fascinating little fish. The female to male ratio in a "cloud" of anthias can be as high as 36 to 1. All anthias start life as a female; when the harem's male dies, the highest ranking female changes sex and becomes the new male.

This colorful shot was taken one night in Austin, Texas, when fireworks started up as we were just walking down the street. I haven't eaten at Jo's yet, but it's been packed every morning we've ever driven past.

And, finally, I couldn't resist including this one, even though the composition is not great. I saw this super colorful Cow Parade cow when I was visiting RedMolly in Portland, Oregon, last summer. I love cows. I love Cow Parade cows. If I could have stuffed him in my trunk, I would have.

Edited to add: I always visit the sites of those who have visited me each week. If I do not leave a comment, it is because I can't for whatever reason; most often it is because the comments on your site have been set up to accept only Google bloggers or OpenID. I will reply to those people here at my blog. If I haven't replied here, I have done so at your blog! Thanks!

Photo Hunt Saturday--Three-In-One!

Since I've had so much on my proverbial plate lately, I haven't played in the Photo Hunt in two weeks. But, since they were such great themes, I decided to add them into today's.

Two weeks ago, the theme was: What IS that?!?! This, my friend, is a frog. But not just any frog. This frog is as dead as dead gets. I thought my husband was pulling my leg about it being dead. He just walked outside the other day and this guy was simply sitting on the driveway. Dead. He looks like he just hopped over from Madame Tussaud's, doesn't he? Pretty freaking amazing.

Last week's theme was: Hanging. I love the way the water droplets are hanging from the flowers in this shot. It was taken in Portland, Oregon, in July 2007.

This week's theme is: Cloud(s). The shot was taken from my car on the way home one night, also in July 2007. We thought these clouds were quite remarkable.

Happy Hunting to all and to all a fantabulous weekend!

Edited to add: Why the hell can't all blogging services just get along? I've tried to comment on FOUR different Photo Hunters' blogs, and I can't. I don't know what an OpenID is, I don't have the time or patience to find out, I don't remember my Blogger addy, I don't have the time or patience to email all the junk to find out, I just want to leave a few nice words! AAAAAARRRRRRRGH!

Photo Hunt Saturday--Pointed

When I was looking for a photo for this week's theme, Pointed, I was looking for a photo of someone with a pointed finger. I found one, sort of. This felllow is colorfully and artfully painted on a building in Austin, Texas, along with other graffiti less bloody but equally artistic.

Photo Hunt Saturday--Bright

Another week has passed, and I've finally realized what my problem is. Full-time, 24/7 care and supervision of a 13-year-old bipolar, attention-deficit, hyperactive, oppositional defiant, anxiety-riddled boy is truly exhausting. I feel sucked dry of all wit, happiness, empathy and creativity. This is a dangerous thing, I realize, since those are all of my best characteristics. When I get some wit and/or energy back, you can be certain I'll be writing again. I'll post photography to fill in the blank words.

While searching for photos for this week's Photo Hunt theme (Bright), I couldn't decide whether to post a photo of Eldest, who was bright enough to graduate and be accepted to UT Austin a year early,

or a photo of the bright night lights of Austin, Texas,

or a photo of our toothbrushes, made of recycled yogurt cups, which I think is quite a bright idea,

or a photo of a bright morning sun as it first engulfs the branches of a tree,

or a photo of the same bright sun, sinking slowly into the horizon.

Since I couldn't decide, I used 'em all! Which one is your favorite?

Photo Hunt Saturday--Water

Yeah, I've been gone. I'll be back. Soon, I hope. In the meantime, here's my Photo Hunt entry for this week, since I missed last week. This week's theme is: Water. One of my favorite things about going to the Smoky Mountains is the water. Creeks, waterfalls, the Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg. All kinds of water to love in Tennessee. Both of these photos were taken on the same hike, to Abram's Falls, in July 2008.

 

Photo Hunt Saturday--Bad Hair

This week's theme is: Bad Hair. I took this photo on my road trip from Oregon to Texas last summer. There are many things I love about having short hair, but the one thing I absolutely despise is that one can never wake up with cute, sexy, softly tousled hair when it is short. Instead, one can only achieve this first thing in the morning:

Photo Hunt Saturday--Self

This week's theme is: Self. Pretty easy. Except that I'm usually the one behind the camera, not in front of it! I'm even the one behind the camera for this one; I'm just also in front of it.

Photo Hunt Saturday--Candy

Looks like I took a hiatus this week. Totally unintentional. Youngest is cycling again; there have been four separate therapies this week for various combinations of family members, as well as a huge medication change. Luckily, the medication change seems to be working; I even tested his boundaries tonight by telling him something he did not like and did not want to hear, and he didn't come unglued... success, however temporary, is a beautiful thing with bipolar children.

Now, on to the Photo Hunt! This week's theme is:  Candy. I took this photo in July 2007 while visiting Portland, Oregon. This was one of the most amazing doughnuts I've ever put in my mouth. I'd read about this little local place called Voodoo Doughnut, which makes weird original doughnut flavors (like Pepto Bismol, or Nyquil doughnuts, neither of which are still available because they might taste like ass for some weird reason). This is a Grape Ape, which is a glazed doughnut with vanilla icing, grape Tang-like drink powder, and purple candy sprinkles; sounds absolutely disgusting freaking amazing, huh? I have no idea what possessed me to pick this over, say, the chocolate glazed one with peanut butter Cap'n Crunch cereal, but I'm glad I did. If I close my eyes and concentrate really hard, I can almost taste this little jewel again... mmmmmmm...

Photo Hunt-- Seventeen Years Ago (yesterday)...

... In a city far, far away... I tried for thirty-eight hours to convince Eldest to come out to play with the rest of the world. I'm so glad she did. (It's all hitting me at once. She tried on her cap & gown for me last night. Her senior prom is tonight. Panic, pride, and nostalgia on my part.)

Photo Hunt Saturday--Funny Signs

I've had this week's photo picked out for a couple of months now, anxiously awaiting the time I could share it. This week's theme is: Funny Signs. We found this sign in downtown San Francisco. We thought it not simply funny, but quite hilarious. The accompanying, um, stains add to the effectiveness, no?