What do I see? Take a walk with me…

Let’s start with some balls.

I don’t understand what’s going on with gas prices. I’ve seen a difference of up to 20 cents between different gas stations. What’s up with that? Why does the price fluctuate so much?

Speaking of cars, I had to buy a new tire this month. Not because I had driven 30 or 40 thousand miles on it, but all due to the heat. Major bummer.

In Houston, Texas, where I used to live, we didn’t have any credit unions. But here in New Mexico, they’re everywhere. Seems to me that there’s not much difference between a credit union and a bank — they’ve both got more money than me.

Be kind to trees. We need them.

This is a cottonwood tree. Their leaves shine in the sun, which my cheap camera doesn’t like to capture.

This is what a cloud looks like when it’s singing.

Here I am, trying to get a shot of the balloons last weekend, at the end of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Can’t see the balloons? Can you see them now?

As fast as someone cleans up the graffiti, it reappears.

Only lazy assholes litter.

I recently read that mice, given a mixture of an energy drink and alcohol, acted the same as if their brains were on cocaine. I’m beginning to think that mice aren’t really like humans at all. I suppose they have to use them for medical research, but the results shouldn’t always be applied to humans.

I’ve also read that the Iraqi Parliament just passed a bill banning alcohol, and it appears the Christians are upset about it. (I think they’re the only ones allowed to sell alcohol.) “The bill, passed late Saturday, imposes a fine of up to 25 million Iraqi dinars, or $21,000, for anyone violating the ban.” Maybe Iraqis haven’t read about the failure of prohibition in our country.

Before.

After.

Does it ever feel like you’re stuck in a web?

I took this photo at dusk, while sitting at a red light.

Do you ever feel like a tiny ant, trudging up an impossibly high mountain? Or maybe just a tiny green bug, so much smaller than all the other bugs?

Flower power.

A Halloween edition of “What Do I See?” will be coming shortly. Please stay tuned. 🙂

What do I see? Take a walk with me…

I’m happy to report that my foot is getting better. So, let’s take a walk, shall we? It reached about 85 degrees yesterday, but the leaves know it’s fall.

Can’t even enjoy the fall leaves without being watched. (See the camera in the top right-hand corner.) At this point, I’m wondering if those watching are considering me suspicious. Am I casing the place? No, dude, I’m just an old woman, using her cheap camera to amuse herself.

Sometimes I think the purpose of my blog is only to amuse myself, but I’ve decided that I’m okay with that. 🙂

Mother Nature is like, ta-da!

These vines grow next to the garbage bin at my apartments.

If you stare at this plant for 30 seconds, it can hypnotize you. Go ahead, try it.

It didn’t work? Well, try this one… be the leaf.

This leaf is breaking out of jail. (No more drug war.)

Are you ready for Halloween?

I’m not the only one who needs a haircut.

Funny shadow. (Use your imagination.)

Attention Earthlings:  The Earth is not a trash can.

I took this photo while waiting at one of Albuquerque’s famously long red lights.

What a nice person you are to take this walk with me. I enjoyed your company.

The word of the day is trumpery: noun, attractive articles of little value or use; adjective, showy but worthless.

Orange Starburst

Happy Saturday. 🙂

What do I see? Limp along with me…

Hello, fall! I’ve missed you.

Sunflowers are still hanging on.

Blunt Brothers Coffee. (There’s also a Breaking Vapor in Albuquerque.) 🙂

I really need a haircut.

Look at that, a charging station. First one I’ve seen in Albuquerque.

This dog refused to sit still for a photo. His owner is like, sit! Sit! But he had lots and lots of energy and didn’t want to sit. His owner says the dog is just a puppy. I say the dog looks more like a pony.

Who would plant plastic flowers?

RIP, Carrot.

Hi!

An empty bottle of Vitamin D standing alone in the sun. Interesting or ironic?

Hi, Hannah!

Tea anyone?

RIP, ball.

Hi, Mr. Alien! (My neighbor.)

Mr. Alien says he’s a Republican, and although he’s registered to vote, he’s not voting in this election. (And Mr. Alien told me to stop procrastinating and clean my toilet.)

The highlight of my walk. (Although I’m not sure it was worth the increased pain in my poor foot.)

After finding some flowers that reminded me of juicy oranges, I’m afraid I went a little crazy and took lots and lots (and lots) of photos. (To be continued.)

I love oranges, but I’m not very good at picking them out. I don’t like dry oranges or ones that aren’t sweet enough, so it’s always nice to discover an orange that’s just right. Now, don’t you want an orange? 🙂

Goodbye, Summer

https://painkills2.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/goodbye-winter/

I left my windows open all day. Summer is now officially over, thank goodness. 🙂

Thanks for viewing.

I’m A Cactus

IBPrickly 🙂

The Peace Rose

http://www.gerbera.org/gardening-magazine/the-gardener-index/june-2005/peace-rose/

The story of the ‘Peace’ rose is one that can be told over and over again because it encapsulates everything that we hold dear in roses – drama, love and greatness of spirit. This year marks the sixtieth anniversary of the naming of this enduring rose that remains an excellent garden rose, and a symbol of our desire for that ever-elusive peace…

On the same day that two doves were released into the American sky to symbolise the naming of the rose, Berlin fell and a truce was declared. It was sheer coincidence. In naming the rose, this simple statement was read: “ We are persuaded that this greatest new rose of our time should be named for the world’s greatest desire: ‘PEACE’.”

‘Peace’ went on to receive the All American Award for roses on the day that the war in Japan came to an end. On May 8, 1945, when Germany signed its surrender, the 49 delegates who met to form the United Nations were each presented with a bloom of ‘Peace’ and a message of peace from the Secretary of the American Rose Society…

The name ‘Peace’ seems to have outlasted all the others. The timing of its launch was perfect and it struck such a chord that within nine years some 30 million ‘Peace’ rose bushes were flowering around the world.

But it wasn’t because of sentiment alone. ‘Peace’ truly was a superlative rose, superior by far to the roses before it in terms of vigour, hardiness, and the long lasting ability of its blooms…

Peace, from Albuquerque, New Mexico. 🙂

Celebrating Orange

http://www.ordinaryhandsome.com/2016/09/04/the-sound-of-orange/

Thank you for attending my Orange Party. 🙂

The Peace-Be-With-You Superpower

Even though I have an award-free blog, sometimes a friend will challenge me anyway. And on the few times that I’ve answered a challenge, I’m notorious for not following the rules. Some things never change. 🙂

http://www.lifeofanelpasowoman.com/2016/08/30/superpower-challenge/

Lisa wants to know:  Which or what super power would you want and why?

I don’t think humans were meant to have any kind of superpower. I have a feeling that if any of us were given a superpower, we’d somehow, I dunno, accidentally destroy the planet. (Not that we need superpowers to do that.)

But just because I’m a realist, that doesn’t mean I can’t play.

http://list25.com/25-superpowers-you-wish-you-had/1/

My first thought was that I’d like to be able to heal. Then I thought that I would specifically like to have the ability to see inside a person’s brain, find the areas that aren’t working, and fix them. Thinking further, I could easily imagine how this superpower could backfire, possibly creating more problems within the brain. After all, could any superpower be stronger than the human brain?

And now I’m back to my belief that humans shouldn’t have superpowers. If you think about it, we already have superpowers. Why do we need more? Oops, I forgot we were playing a game…

When I was young, I had to pretend to be Catholic at church every Sunday. At one point during the mass, the priest would direct us to turn to the person on each side of us, shake their hand and say, “Peace be with you.” The person would reply, “And also with you.” It would’ve been nice if people really meant it, instead of just saying it by rote.

I’ve decided that I’d like to have a Peace-Be-With-You superpower. I’d like the ability to create peace wherever I go, whomever I encounter. If another person has any bad or violent thoughts, with just one look from my tired, blue eyes, all those thoughts would disappear. Cease to exist. Poof! I would smile at the look of bafflement on people’s faces, then they would shake their heads, as if coming back to the present, and smile back at me.

My superpower would be transferable with each look, and so peace would then spread throughout the world, from person to person, city to city, country to country.

We would never have another war. And we would all work together to live happily ever after. The End.

And because I don’t follow the rules, I’m picking two superpowers. I would also like to be invisible, like Lisa, because I think it would be loads of fun. 🙂

(Photo taken by my sister — and cropped by me, #croptilyoudrop — at the 2013 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.)

Be The Cloud

Photos taken today. The clouds are getting ready for the thunderstorms we’re supposed to have for the next couple of days. Time to play in the rain. 🙂

Celebrate Life

“I don’t want anyone to be sad when I die — I want them to be glad that I lived.” Me

What do I see? Take a walk with me…

Shall we start with some cloud therapy?

Do you think birds get lonely?

Angry cloud monster or Donald Trump?

I wish I was a plane, fully fueled and flying free.

Instead…

I’m sad and tired, tired and sad. (I blame Donald Trump.)

Like a flower without petals.

Like a discarded plastic toy (with a bug on her nose).

Like the last rose of summer.

Like a cat (with an attitude) who used to be friendly…

But would now prefer to hide.

Look, it’s a sign! Does anyone speak stone(d) language?

I posed for this sign.

At least I made another new friend.

Isn’t he cute? Now that gay people can marry, maybe I should marry this dude.

Looks like I’ve got competition. Maybe I should die my hair red.

If (when) my new husband makes me mad, I can just make a purse out of him. That’s called being environmentally conscious.

I used my favorite cinnamon roll recipe to make pepperoni and Colby cheese kolaches. It was a lot of hard work and it took me forever to clean up afterwards. (I found flour on the ceiling.) But it was sooooooo worth it! They are the best thing I’ve ever made. So soft and yeasty. Better than sex, I swear. Sorry I don’t have a photo — you’ll just have to use your imagination. 🙂

#IfoundedISIS

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/aug/11/donald-trump/donald-trump-pants-fire-claim-obama-founded-isis-c/

Yes, I confess. It was me. It wasn’t President Obama or Hillary. I did it. I founded ISIS. That’s why I’m so poor. 🙂

Happy Friday 🙂

Drug addiction is not a choice

Most people look down on those who suffer from drug addiction, just like our society looks down on those who are overweight. They think it’s a choice. As if anyone would choose to be overweight or a drug addict.

Say what you will about Scott Weiland. Yes, he was a drug addict. He had a hard life and his drug addiction probably hurt a lot of people. He’s one of those artists whose pain radiates from his music. From his voice. This song makes me cry.

I’m feeling lonely, I can’t breathe
I fall to pieces, I’m falling
Fell to pieces and I’m still falling

Every time I’m falling down
All alone I fall to pieces

To all those people who could care less about those who suffer from drug addiction, who think drug addicts don’t deserve treatment and care:  Throwing away drug addicts is throwing away people like Scott Weiland, Amy Winehouse, and Whitney Houston. Is that what you want?

It’s a lot easier to be a drug addict when you have money. Still, maybe Scott could’ve managed his addictions if his drugs of choice were legal. But as a tortured soul, I think he lived as long as he could.

But just because most drug addicts aren’t as talented as Scott Weiland, that doesn’t mean they aren’t deserving of understanding, sympathy, and help. Stop blaming drug addicts for the opioid war. They are not to blame, just like chronic pain patients are not to blame.

Love you, Scott. I won’t ever say goodbye because you live on in your music. You’re with me here, right now, as I listen to this awesomely haunting song. I know you understand my pain. I hope I’m gaining a better understanding of the pain you lived with every day. Peace out, dude. And rock on.

Good Morning!

Can you ever take too many photos of sunflowers? I’ll let you know if I ever find out. 🙂