A Note to My Blog Friends

Hello friends!

I apologize for not posting much of anything recently and for not having any paintings to show you. My paints, brushes, canvas, etc. has been packed for weeks. However, I hope you have been enjoying the photographs that I have taken and posted. I certainly enjoy reading the Blogs that I visit daily. There is so much talent out there!

You will be glad to hear that the trips to VA and the packing and moaning is almost over. My time next week will be spent doing the last minute things before a big move.......packing the refrigerator and bathroom items (tedious "not fun" things), closing accounts, changing the address, trying to decide what you need to throw in a suitcase for the night, eating that last taco at a favorite restaurant, saying goodbye to the sweet little geckos, one last look at the ocean, and much more.

We are making one last trip to VA tomorrow with all my plants. I LOVE my plants. I have had some of them for many years and I don't want any harm to come to them, so I have to transport them myself. Some of them are touchy (cacti) and they lose their parts if they are bumped or jostled. Any true plant lovers out there understand.

The truck is coming to load on Monday, May 4th (39th anniversary of the KSU shootings ~ I will always remember that date ~ I was there). I don't know if I will have a chance to post anything else until after the move. Thank you for visiting my Blog and I will be posting again ASAP, so please check back.

In the meantime, enjoy the Spring sunshine and flowers, be grateful for your blessings, remember to smile, and try to hug someone everyday!

Audrey

VIRGINIA

I am now certain that this posting area has a mind of its own. No matter what order I put pictures in, they never post in that order.

Virginia was in its peak of Spring beauty this past weekend. Notice the trees, the tulips, and even my bleeding hearts ~ breathtaking.

While walking in downtown Roanoke on Saturday night, we happened upon a new piece of art ~ Interactive Public Art. Interesting and fun to play with!

I only have two weeks left to pack the remainder of the house ~ we then move back to Virginia the first week in May.

One Little Prayer

PLEASE SAY ONE LITTLE PRAYER FOR THE CURE OF CANCER. We all know someone who is in need of one little prayer.

A Visit to the Mountains

I want to let you know that I will not be posting anything until next week. We are leaving tomorrow morning to take more things to the house in Virginia.

This picture was taken from my back porch when we were living there before our move to SC. I am so excited to be going back to the same house in the Roanoke Valley. Can you see why I love it there so much?

CHANGE

"OPEN YOUR ARMS TO CHANGE, BUT DON'T LET GO OF YOUR VALUES."

~Dalai Lama~

EASTER

Wishing everyone a Blessed and Joyful Easter!

GOOD FRIDAY

I am going to take some time today to thank Him for giving His life for us. If you can, take a minute out of your day to remember the pain and suffering He endured.





~Painting by Simon Bisley

It is a beautiful, sunny, warm day here in Charleston! This little guy is HAPPY!!!!

How could I see something this beautiful and not stop the car? After a few days of rain and two nights of very COLD temps.........I saw these amazing azaleas today. I had to capture them!! I will not even try to describe the color and beauty.

I spotted this "Lady Bug" the other day.

What a fun car!!

Downtown Charleston Horses

I had to show you these beautiful horses that pull the tourist buggies all day long. They are the true strength of the buggies. I wonder if they get paid in carrots or sugar cubes?

A Beautiful Lone Wall

Downtown Charleston has an abundance of historical, vintage, architectural elements and beautiful buildings. I decided to take some time to seek out some of them. I took 221 photographs today ~ I will not be posting all of them. Each and every one is wonderful, but I will, only occasionally, share my favorites.

This lone wall, that looks like it was once part of a grand building, still stands down next to the water. What a wonderful wall ~ the window and doorway openings are still intact and it made me wonder who might have walked through that doorway, now with living green things growing there. Could this have once been someone's home? Perhaps the main building housing offices long ago? I would have liked getting closer for a better look, but it is all fenced in. Notice the spindles in the top openings. Imagine the wind blowing through them in the storms that come this way. I love that the wall has not been demolished ~ it is part of Charleston and has a beauty all its own. Sadly, I imagine someday it will disappear as there are condos being built in that area.

Wisteria

This beautiful wisteria is growing wild in the trees along the road to my house.

RAIN

Yesterday, it rained hard all day. I had to make a quick trip to downtown Charleston and I fought the rain everywhere I went. At one point, I was behind this tourist buggy and I was thinking how cold and wet those poor people are. But I guess if you are visiting Charleston, you want to see the sights, rain or shine. I took this picture and I think it is so cool. I am sure the visitors will not forget this ride!

APRIL ~ The Turtles are Back

Spring is here and the turtles are back. We had such fun watching them last summer in the pond behind the office. They disappeared sometime late Fall and they have been missed ~ I guess they must burrow down in the mud for the cold months. We have counted up to 13 of them at times and they have slowly reappeared over the past couple of weeks. They love that we give them crackers, pretzels and bread. Sometimes, the little fish manage to grab the food before the turtles can get to it. By the end of last summer, some of the brave turtles would come right up to our hand to grab a morsel. We'll probably have to start from scratch ~ not sure how good a turtle memory is. (:

The return of the turtles is just one of the many wonders of Spring. The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the grass is greening up and we can look forward to spending many beautiful days outdoors!

HAPPY APRIL!!!!