Mr. GBH with his head in the clouds

We are back home in Florida, and look who was here to greet me this morning when I looked out of my bedroom window.  I was delighted to see Mr. GBH perched on our neighbour’s awning.

I wondered whether he’d missed me and my camera, but he didn’t say. He just stood there with his head in the clouds gazing into space.

Over Christmas, I really had a fabulous time with friends and family in the UK, and I have quite a few photos which will have to wait until next week when I’m not so busy. As this year ends, I would like to thank all of you who follow my blog and leave such lovely comments. I was amazed to see that my blog had been viewed 48,000 times this year.

https://anotherday2paradise.wordpress.com/2015/annual-report/

Thanks especially to my top five commenters:

http://sherrimatthewsblog.com/

https://abitofwiggleroom.wordpress.com/

https://dragoneystory.wordpress.com/

https://jillweatherholt.wordpress.com/

https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/

I wish all of you a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2016. As Oprah Winfrey said, “Cheers to a New Year and another chance to get it right!”

 

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Bench Series #50: In Celebration of 100 years

We’ve had a wonderful week with family and friends here in West Sussex, and tomorrow we fly back home to Florida. There was one bench which I definitely had to post in Jude’s final Bench Series this year. It’s the one which my darling Mom-in-law donated to her village, in celebration of her reaching her centenary.

It stands half way up the steep hill to the shops, and replaces one which she used to use a lot until it was vandalised by youths about three years ago. The brass plaque reads thus:

Now at over 102-years-old, she is the oldest resident in her village and as you can see in this Christmas Day photo with her son, is still going strong.

Dear Kathleen, I wish you all the best and continued good health for the coming year.

 

Merry England Here I Come

I’m almost packed, and tonight we fly off to the UK.

One case is crammed full of Christmas pressies, wrapping paper, labels, ribbon and sticky tape. I decided not to wrap everything here because if the security should decide to choose my case for a thorough examination, they will most probably open some of the most suspicious parcels and I’ll have to start over again. I remember when on our way to our son’s wedding in California, we had to recheck our bags at San Francisco, the guys insisted on having a close look at all the wedding presents we had brought over from South African relatives, with the result that the glass in a beautiful photo frame got cracked, and a box containing an Irish crystal vase got destroyed. There’s one present for my 16-year-old grandson who collects beanies, which should raise a smile. The message really suits his personality, and mine too at times.

I’m sure I won’t have any time to blog, as family will be the priority  for the next week or so. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and happy holidays. Hope Santa doesn’t get stuck in your chimney. 😳

Thursday’s Special Backlit: Almost Chihuly

Paula’s Thursday Special this week is to post a photo with a ‘Backlit’ subject. Here’s one of the many chandeliers at the Ammazulu Palace Hotel in Kloof South Africa, where we stayed in September. It really reminded me of Dale Chihuly’s wondrous glass sculptures, although it most probably isn’t.

Thank you all for your kind anniversary wishes yesterday. Hubby and I had a most enjoyable day and evening. Wishing you all a very happy weekend. I will be packing my cases for our Christmas trip to England. I think it’s going to be fun, once the Miami airport experience and the night flight is behind us.

Thursday’s Doors: Savannah at Christmas

Every week, Norm invites us to post pictures of doors which have somehow got caught in our camera lenses. Savannah at Christmas time is so pretty.

This house looked really elegant, without being glitzy. I want my new front door painted bright red, just like this.

Someone had delivered a gift to this house, but obviously found no-one at home.

The Baptist church doors looked very festive too.

I won’t be around much today, as hubby and I are going out gallivanting on our 49th wedding anniversary. It’s a gorgeous day here in Florida and we intend to make the most of our special day. So much loving up to now, and much more to come in the future.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone.

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Santa’s Little Helpers

So looking forward seeing these two grandchildren next week.

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Rest In Pieces poor little Lizzie

Mr, Great Egret is a regular visitor to our backyard, and is often seen perusing next door’s Monstera Deliciosa to see if there are any delicious bugs to be snaffled up.

Our cute little Lizzie lives on the insect netting around our lanai, and we’ve got so used to seeing her there. Sometimes she gets stuck between the netting and the glass, and hubby opens the door to free her. She eats all the insects that congregate there, so really earns her keep.

Yesterday, I looked out of the window and saw that Mr. Egret appeared to have something wrapped around his beak.

On closer inspection through my camera lens, I saw poor little Lizzie struggling to get away, but alas, she was no match for that beak, and is now no more with us.

She really should have stayed closer to home instead of venturing out to the garden. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I’m going to miss her. Rest In Pieces, poor little Lizzie.

 

Mundane Monday: In My Backyard

Jithin at Photrablogger’s ‘Mundane Monday Challenge‘ is to find “beauty in everyday mundane things, capture the beauty and upload the photographs.” Maybe my everyday mundane things aren’t quite the same as yours, and I suppose when it comes to alligators, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. Yesterday, Mr. A got brave and decided to climb out of the water and do a bit of sunbathing on the neighbour’s grass. He started out with his eyes open, on the alert to see if he’d been noticed by anyone. He seemed to be looking straight at me, probably sizing me up for breakfast. I think he fancies me!

After a while, he relaxed and snoozed a few hours away in the sunshine, until a sudden heavy downpour of rain woke him up.

He then slithered back into the water and had a little cruise around before returning to his lair, which I think must be somewhere along the edge of the golf course. I wouldn’t imagine that golfers here go fishing around in the water for lost golf balls.

Here’s a cute joke to make you smile this Monday morning. “Who gives alligators their Christmas presents? ……………”Santa Jaws!” 🙂

Have a great week everyone.

 

 

My Sunday Photo: All decked out

On Friday evening we went to see the Holiday Boat Parade along the Intracoastal Waterway. As you can imagine, it was very popular, but we managed to secure a spot right next to the the draw bridge. No-one was allowed actually on the bridge, because it was going to be opened to let the really tall boats through, which could have been a bit tricky if you were standing on it at the time.

Happy Sunday everyone. It’s warm and sunny here in Florida, and I’m in my shorts, T-shirt and flip flops.

WPC ‘Oops’ : Whodunnit?

Yesterday when we arrived home, our next door mailbox was laying on the ground. The owners didn’t appear to be home, and I hoped they wouldn’t think that I was responsible. I assumed that their garden service truck must have run into it. When I left for the gym this morning, my neighbour was busy propping it up as best he could.

With a wry smile, he told me his wife had clipped it when she drove in, but said that her car wasn’t damaged at all, which I think must be quite a miracle, as these postboxes are pretty heavy. Anyway, I think he did a great job, although the mailman will have to bend down a bit.

Hope his wife manages to avoid hitting the trestle. I’m sure someone will be round to fix it properly next week, but it will have to be paid for. This kind of ‘Oops’ is quite a regular occurrence in our street, where most of the resident are quite elderly. I was quite grateful to have something to post for the WPC this week, as I was a bit stumped. How obliging it was of my neighbour to have a little mishap. 🙂

Do you have any ‘Oops’ photos? If so visit the WPC by clicking the badge below.