Pic Today 11/30/11

ABANDONED FACTORY DESIGNS

I see art, and random order,

in forgotten parts of the city.

Silent floors, chutes and pipes.

Missing panes of glass,

that spell a coded message,

or maybe just a crossword puzzle

on an abandoned factory wall.

A peaceful retreat from all the holiday buzz.

Pic Today 11/29/11

VISITING SANTA

Come sit on Santa's lap.

Don't you want to tell Santa Claus

what you want for Christmas?

(Maybe they DON'T want to

visit with Santa. You think?)

Pic Today 11/28/11

QUEST FOR

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE

Remember your first Christmas Tree?

Remember the smell?

How beautiful it looked with lights & ornaments?

How it filled the room with magic

and made your house brighter, happier?

No matter what your religion, or tradition,

or how you celebrate the holidays . . .

now's the time when trees go on sale,

and children's dreams are filled with hope.

It's fun decorating for the holidays!

Pic Today 11/27/11

ST. LOUIS

NIGHT LIGHTS

IN THE RAIN

Somehow, the lights are more alive

when it's raining.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Pic Today 11/26/11

TURKEY DAY RUNNERS

(MOMS INCLUDED)

Just because you've got a baby,

doesn't mean you can't run a marathon!

In yesterday's Turkey Day Run,

there were quite a few runners pushing their babies

out in front!

Way to go, mom.

Pic Today 11/25/11

THANKSGIVING DINNER,

ITALIAN STYLE

It's an all-day affair.

An Italian family comes together on Thanksgiving.

To prepare all the courses (from scratch),

from anti pasti to dessert.

The turkey (of course).

The pasta (of course).

The family together (of course).

Set the table.

Everyone's here.

Pic Today 11/24/11

THANK YOU

I am grateful today

for all the friends I've met

through this blog.

Thank you for your comments (mostly positive)

and for sharing your words and pictures,

and mostly your friendship.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pic Today 11/23/11

A TIME FOR GIVING THANKS

Join us and celebrate Thanksgiving,

a time for family, and giving thanks.

Although primarily a North American holiday,

Thanksgiving is celebrated on different days in these countries:

Canada -- 2nd Monday in October

Liberia -- 1st Thursday in November

Norfolk Island -- Last Wednesday in November

USA -- 4th Thursday in November (TOMORROW!)

Whatever your country, where ever you are,

celebrate a reason for being thankful,

and count your blessings.

The origins of Thanksgiving in America

are generally attributed to the early colonists'

first successful harvest (est. 1621),

along with the Wampanoag Indians

who shared so many survival techniques

with the first Americans.

Painting: "First Thanksgiving", J. Brownscombe 1914 (public domaine)

Pic Today 11/22/11

WINTER WOODS

Winter has taken the color

out of the woods.

The cold winds and weather

have stripped my hikes of accents.

Dead browns and cloudy brush;

monotone winter days.

Fungi and lichens on fallen trees.

Seed pods, grasses gone amber, and

ghost flowers without any color.

Nature's not dead, just gone to sleep

to transform into new life next season.