35 : mockingbird painting

Love this little guy. For amazing bird paintings, click here.

14 : orchids

I can't grow or keep plants alive no matter how hard I try. I've been successful very few times in my life and eventually forget about them, water them too much, they get bugs, etc... and they end up in the trash.  Proud, no. But sometimes you have to face the facts.

Even with my not-so-stellar record, that never stops me from stalking the orchid display at Trader Joes. I'm always on the hunt for a plant loaded with flowers and buds. A week ago, I spotted a beauty. One flower stalk? Psh. Try 4. And amazingly all the buds are blooming. Even the ones at the very tips. How long said plant will live? Who knows. But for a few weeks anyway, it'll serve it's purpose and look gorg next to the tv.

10 : colors of nature

I've been told more than once that I notice things that most people don't. And I'm sure that more than once someone looked at me crouched on the ground with my camera out, wondering wtf I'm photographing. But while you're focused on your cabs and chards in Napa, I see this (in between tastings of course)...

If my iphone had macro capabilities, I'd be even more in love.

 ...and I realize that even after 2 weekend trips to Napa (and countless bottles of Napa wine consumed), I'm more than a little ok with not knowing the difference between a cab and merlot, when I get to see beauty like this.