Shadow Shot Sunday #42

I think that shadows of a flower are always lovely. These are mandevilla blossoms. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.



































Please visit Tracey at Hey Harriet to see lots of great shadow shots today.

Thematic Photographic

Carmi has given us our new theme for the week. It is Surprise.

My most recent surprise came when I brought my mandevilla plant inside to over-winter. It took off right away, and hasn't stopped growing, but in such an unusual and ridiculous way that I'm not sure what to do with it. I will be further surprised if it actually survives and blooms again in the spring. This is how it looked last week, but of course it's still growing, inches every day. I've been calling it my Dr.Seuss plant.




My next photo has appeared before, in the Camera Critters meme. I took this picture at Leaming's Run Gardens. It involves a triple surprise. First, an elderly couple who had passed over the bridge before I arrived there, looked back over the water and saw me there. They called across to warn me that there was a snake on the bridge. I surprised them because, instead of retreating as they expected me to do, I hurried toward the bridge to see it. Next, I was surprised by the size of the snake, and by its locaiton on the railing. And third, Mr.Hognose was very surprised to see me approaching, and decided not to stay.



You can see more photos on the surprise theme at Written, Inc.

Seuss

This summer I enjoyed the mandevilla, which bloomed cheerfully under the hummingbird feeder. When cold weather set in, I decided I would bring it inside and try to overwinter it. As soon as it was established in my living room, it decided to take off for the ceiling. Strangest thing you ever saw. I now call it my Dr. Seuss plant.


I don't really want this weird looking plant in my living room. And yet, I would love to try keeping it through the winter and see if I could coax it to bloom again next spring. There is no other place for it in this tiny house except the back bedroom, which I do not heat unless someone comes to sleep over. Nothing lives there if left during the winter months, much less a tropical plant.



I looked at this silly plant the other day and said, what the heck - I'll decorate it for Christmas. Here it is: My Dr. Seuss Plant.


None of that tall, curly, green part existed before it came inside. I think it may reach the ceiling very, very soon, unless it decides to suddenly sag and sweep the floor. There are two more shoots now, each about 5" tall. Who knows what path they will decide to take.

........................................................

Since I took the picture, 3 days ago, it is a few inches above the top of the wi
ndow, and those shoots I spoke of are now 6" at least.

A Windy Sunday

The day started with me going out to put gas in the car.$3.63 a gallon here! It keeps dropping in price! Kitty tells me it's still over $4. in California. When I left the station, the sky was so gorgeous I had to take a picture. The sun was up, but not all the way. It was so bright behind the clouds that I couldn't point the camera right at it. I really wanted that picture, so what I did was take off my sun glasses and hold them in front of the camera lens. This is what I got.





I like it.

Never tried that before.




Crazy little storms have been going on here. We have beautiful sunshine for a while (but windy enough to blow over the big mandevilla plant I have under the hummingbird feeder - I had to tie it up.) , then suddenly darkening skies, thunder, lightning, and torrential rain for about three minutes, then bright sunshine again. Oh yes. And I forgot to mention the hail.


This has happened a couple of times today.



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Reminder: Don't forget to check out
In Their Boots if you haven't seen it yet.
(See my sidebar and click on the image.)
There are something like 33,000 wounded
from Iraq and Afghanistan.



There's also an amusing Obama video at the bottom of the page.



And we have another 162 days to get through.