Red Geraniums for Ruby Tuesday Too

I connect red geraniums in a pot with memories of my grandmother. She always had geraniums on her kitchen windowsill and she often would talk about taking slips from the plant. Winters are easier to  cope with when we have a pot of Red Geraniums in our  bay windows. This summer we have pots hanging outdoors  at our front entrance and also at the entrance gate into Bird Alley.  In the fall these pots will come inside  our house to winter in our bay windows. Today I have included pictures of the red blossoms and of some of the leaves that have turned red.

Above , a beautiful red blossom  in the pot hanging at our garden gate.

Above , a geranium leaf that has reddened and below many red leaves can be seen in the pot hanging at our front door.

I am linking today to Ruby TuesdayToo which can be found at:

http://rubytuesdaytoo.blogspot.ca/

Mill Stones for Thursday's Challenge

My choice to represent this week's challenge of hard are two old mill stones.

These two  stones serve as a monument of sorts for the founding of our village.  The original land grantee, Mr.. Hartt, had established a grist mill which operated   somewhat from the time of the original land grant in 1804 until the grist mill was sold  in 1902 by its then owner "Buckwheat" Smith. 'Miller' Smith ground wheat and buckwheat into flour for the local populace and crushed peas and oats for livestock feed. These stones are still intact today  testifying to their hardiness and endurance from years of use in the grist mill.  At close inspection they appear to have a granite base.

I am linking today to Thursday's Challenge and the theme of hard. This meme can be found at:
http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

Shadows for Shadow Shot Sunday 2

Finding Shadows within your home is always a fun challenge.  We have an older home with a very beautiful Bannister enclosing our staircase which leads to our second floor.

  Above light coming is from a French door on our second floor creates shadows from our bannister against the wall.

Above light from a window on the west side of our house  creates shadows of the bannister  as they go upstairs.

I am linking today to Shadow Shot Sunday 2 which can be found at http://shadowshotsunday2.blogspot.ca/

Summer for Thursday's Challenge

Today I am linking to Thursdays Challenge which is hosting the theme of summer. 
I have included three themes which relates to  our summer
1. At the lake
2. Highland Games
and 3. Family

At the Lake

Above representing leisure times and contentment at the lake.

The  following pictures also include family which is a theme throughout our summer activities. These two pictures below are of our grandson's first experience of kayaking

My second theme today is of highland games. Over the years my family has participated in highland dancing and pipe bands and parades.

The excitement and fun runs high at summer

games.

Pipe Bands above  preparing for competition and the massed band event and shown  below  are some of the highland dancing events.

And once again the pictures above highlight the family theme as the talented highland dancer is our granddaughter.

MY link today is Thursdays Challenge  which can be found at

http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

Dark storm clouds

Yesterday the weather forecast issued a severe storm warning for my area.  So I waited and watched and took some pictures of the dark clouds gathering. The dark cloud shown below fascinated me as it was just across the street from my house  but then it faded away and the dark clouds became gray and  we got rain but no thundershowers.  But clouds can be fascinating can't they!?

Two Red Barns for Thursday's Challenge

I received some coloured lens filters for Christmas and I was trying out the red filter when I took this photo of two red barns.  The barns were already red but The filter really enhanced the barns and I was sold on the idea of using coloured filters.

  These barns are favourite subjects for my camera and I often take photos of them but I think the above photo is the best I have taken of them.
Today the theme for Thursday's Challenge is red and so I am linking to that meme found at:
http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

A yellow leaf for Thursday's Challenge.

When looking around my yard after the recent melt of snow from our first big snowstorm last week, I was surprised to find this yellow maple leaf lying among a group of brownish fallen leaves lying on the ground.  When I downloaded the photo on my computer  I could see some frayed edges on the leaf!  My curiosity was alerted.  Huh?  this couldn't possibly be a real leaf retaining such a bright yellow colour , especially at this time of year.  I immediately went outdoors and located the leaf, and decided to examine it. I picked it up and I could feel the texture of fabric.  Perhaps someone had lost this leaf from their Halloween costume  at the end of October or perhaps it was  part of a Halloween decoration?!  whatever its source, its serves a purpose today as I am able to share this photo on the meme Thursday's Challenge which this past week hosted the theme of leaves.  I am linking this post to Thursday's Challenge today. this challenge can be found at:http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html