Watery Wednesday #16

I forgot that I took these a few weeks ago. I was supposed to use these for a Watery Wednesday way before this one. This was a single stream of water fountain at the Rancho Botanical Gardens.




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My World Tuesday #11

One of the big things happening right now is preparation for New Years which means the big Rose Bowl game between USC (yea Trojans!) and Penn State, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. Both events take place in Pasadena, California, which is one of the cities in Los Angeles County and just a stone's throw from downtown Los Angeles.

This is a picture from the parking lot of The Rose Bowl where from now until New Year's Day they are working on many of the floats for the parade. Then on January 1st at 2:00 p.m. the game will take place. Every 1st Sunday the Rose Bowl is host to a huge swap meet.


This was my first time going to preview the floats as they were being decorated. I had a great time and came "this close" to volunteering. I found it interesting how they begin, first with the drawing and design....


Next they'll make a scale model. The top of the metal frame indicates the height of the freeway underpass. Anything above that point is created to lower so that it can make it under the freeway. So, the giraffe in the model pictured below will actually drop backwards until it lays flat.


Next they create the base and then rely on the volunteer work of both young and old to work like the dickens to help decorate these beautiful creations. I posted a lot of pics so this is fairly lengthy but considering that I took 400 pics I did pretty good narrowing them down to just this (smile).










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Today's Flowers - Tiger Lily

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Christmas - As Explained By Linus

You might want to stop my music on the right if you play this. That will be the two vertical lines button under the picture of the artist.

MERRY CHRISTMAS - Did You Know...?

MISTLETOE -

The history and origin of the Christmas mistletoe can be traced back to the ancient Scandinavian custom as well as to the Norse myth. The Scandinavian people believed mistletoe to be a plant of peace. Even if enemies happened to pass beneath the plant, they had to lay down their arms and call truce atleast until the next day. Slowly and gradually, this custom gave rise to the kissing tradition that is still in vogue. However, Christmas mistletoe is also very much associated with one of the Norse myths, known as the myth of Baldur. Read More Here

SANTA CLAUS - SAINT NICHOLAS

Saint Nicholas - Patron Saint of Children - In the West Nicholas is most widely known as the patron saint of children. Many of his stories tell of children rescued from calamity and returned to the care and keeping of their families. In France the most familiar story, both told and sung, is of three little children lured into the clutches of an evil butcher and rescued by St. Nicholas. Other stories, as well, tell of children who disappeared, were kidnaped, fell into a well, or suffered some other disaster-all to be delivered through the good offices of St. Nicholas. These accounts of a child forcibly taken from parents, followed by a time of grieving and despair, then the miraculous return of the child, have profound and universal appeal which makes Nicholas the much valued Guardian of Children. It is no wonder he is the beloved patron saint of children. - Read more here.

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A SAFE AND BLESSED MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I'm off now to make some candy (turtles), wrap some gifts and boil some potatoes and eggs for some potato salad I need to take to my brother's tomorrow.

Watery Wednesday #15

Happy Watery Wednesday! And Happy Holidays to everyone. This isn't a Christmasy shot but it kind of goes with the photo I posted on the Watery Wednesday blog. If you were standing looking at the Christmas trees in the other shot and turned 180 degrees and walked a little bit, this is what you would see, still part of the water court.



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My World Tuesday

In my little part of the world there is an area that has become pretty famous for a few blocks that go all out with their Christmas decorations. It's in Alta Loma or Rancho Cucamonga California on Thoroughbred Street... or Thoroughbred Lane. It's a total pain in the derierre to get there. On my first trip I sat in traffic, inching up the street, thought I was close because I saw people walking. I parked and followed the people who were walking towards it. I'd walked six blocks and still wasn't close. I turned around and went home.

My second trip (hold on, the pics are coming - smile), sitting in traffic was worse but I was on a closer street. There were moments when we literally just sat for five minutes. After an hour to get about 10 blocks I FINALLY made it. So, here are some pics.








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I DID IT!

I've been thinking about selling my photos. Well, I finally set up a website with my photos for sale. I'd appreciate any comments and/or suggestions and you can be honest if there's something about it you don't like. tbrucephotos.smugmug.com.

This is my great-nephew. He wasn't feeling good yesterday and while he had his head down I took this shot.

Sky Watch #23

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Huntington Library, Art Gallery & Botanical Gardens

I've shown you the garden part of the Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens. Here are few pics of some of the items inside what was once the home of Mr. & Mrs. Huntington. The flowers in the post below were taken just outside this building in one of the gardens.








Click here for my post with pics of the botanical gardens.

Lovely Flowers

I thought these were very pretty.

Watery Wednesday #14

I wanted to show what the difference that a little water falling from the sky will do to a landscape. The first one shows a view of the snowy mountains after our huge rain yesterday. I hear they've received the largest amount of snow in 10 years at Big Bear.


I took the shot below before the rain. I was more interested in the lady feeding the ducks.


The shot below was taken this morning after the rain. Notice how much higher the lake is. If the duck lady had been sitting there feeding the ducks today she'd be all wet. You can't even see the cement base under the table. That was a GREAT rain and we needed it.



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