I'm really enjoying my Orchid studies [Something New], as well as my Calla Lillies [My O'Keeffe]. Today, however, I'm not working on my own studies, but blissfully taking a break, spending time with my children and their interests, among which is enjoying the flowers from my daughter's garden . I just love the way her face lights up when she sees yet another one of her flowers bloom. It's like a daily miracle in her eyes. I did however spin a little Haiku for the latest picture. Go see Sunkissed.

Sundays are the days I get to sleep in. Nothing like waking up at noon on a Sunday morning, having a nice, warm cup of coffee and enjoy breakfast outside, watching the wind caress the calm waters of the pond, cool breeze in my hair, commune with nature.

However, this was what my morning wake-up call looked like, way too early:

Not the Sunday I was hoping for, but I gotta love my hubby's creative drive.

UM-104

1. Coroner:: guts
2. Mystify:: color me enchanted and/or perplexed
3. Corroborate:: research, resources, darn I still have work to do
4. Misinterpret:: a common trait that makes evident how equal to each other we all are
5. Humorless:: sour soul
6. Calculus:: what's that?
7. Eye for an eye:: a very thin line between justice and revenge
8. CPR:: certification
9. Stitched:: patch me back up, doc
10. Facility:: a gym, where everything should be easy

You are the "you suck, and that's sad"happy bunny. You're truthful, but can be a bit brutal.
Which happy bunny are you?brought to you by Quizilla

via Monique, because she's funny that way...

Where's a darn box of Twinkie's when I need one?

I do believe this is one for the good doctors SC&A to analyze...

Beautiful. Don't you think?

Came back in from shooting this. I'd love to be there right now.

I arrived last night from Puerto Rico, and never have I been so sad of leaving that island. To know I was on my way over to Orlando -going home- made it real for me, drowning out the numbness. Like waking up from a bad dream, only… it's not.

I was strong for my family, maybe even to a fault. I've never felt such sadness in my soul. Hardly slept, ate very little. I held my dad up every time it seemed his legs would give way underneath the heaviness in his heart; was his shoulder to cry on, was his pillar (I hope) holding up his heaven above when I think he thought it would come crashing down on him --this big chunk of his world falling apart; was there for him during his time of deep grief. I’m so sorry for my dad, for his loss… I miss my daddy.

My many aunts and uncles requested I copy them on the poem I wrote. Yes, they all read it, and had I been brave enough, I’d have read it to everyone at the cemetery. I’m like that sometimes, not so brave. I did go see where my grandma was buried, just as they had finished putting her in the ground. Her space is covered with flowers –so many flowers- I could lie next to them and be covered, too.

Last night, I broke down. My kids came running my way at the airport, crying they’d missed me so much. I missed them immensely. I don’t think they were ready or even expected to see me in such despair. I certainly didn’t see it coming. Today, it’s like the earth underneath my feet has been shaken. I’m crashing, deep and hard. I know, it’s a process.

Thanks to all of you who posted kind words for me and my family in the comments, and to those of you who emailed as well. Your words are a balm for my heart, and continue to soothe my soul.

Hey yall, just wanted to give you an update. I arrived at Puerto Rico at noon and well, and went directly to see my grandma at the hospital. I was able to see her alive, but she wasn't able to open her eyes. She was barely breathing, in long, painful heaves.

My grandma passed away just 2 hours later.

Not much I can say right now, as I'm still kinda numb. I'm just glad that she isn't suffering any longer. She passed away quietly... we barely took notice; she left in a deep sleep.

Grandma, I love you, rest in peace.

My sadness is due to my grandma being in the hospital with pneumonia. She has survived two strokes and two heart attacks, but it seems like her frail body can't go on much longer. I'm not sure if I'll make it on time to see her...

I’ve been glued to the TV since it happened. More than interested in local news, I’ve sat for hours in disbelief that such and event would claim so many lives, and what brought the most sadness to me was the loss of all those children.

Past couple of weeks have gone without much sleep for me, and I’ve cut out and collected the stories in the newspaper regarding this horrible tragedy that has been the tsunami. Concentrating on reading has been hard. Most of the time, however, I’d just been in shock… I just didn’t know what to think.

Only one question in my mind, crystal clear: What can I do to help? One simple way is through donations. I just wish I could do more.

Today we are all trying to help in the best way we can, many of us with money, others with time. Here’s the story of one who made time and volunteered, and now he shares his story with us.

Full story posted at Metroblogging Bangkok by Paul.
Link via Sean Bonner.

It was all a fuzz. I found out the reasons why I didn't get to see it before. First, I need a more powerful eyepiece than what I have to work with. I've got power, but not that much. Second, I moved the telescope the wrong direction (by mistake) and found it. LOL! When I finally saw it -albeit somewhat hazy- I couldn't believe it, however the green hue assured me that I was looking at the right celestial body.

Ahh... now I can sleep blissfully.

As I'm waiting for my copy of Don Quixote (Edith Grossman's translation, which has received much praise) to arrive next week, I've been searching for an old copy I already own, so that I may catch up. However, I can't seem to find it within any of the boxes I've looked in. (Yes, some of my books are still in boxes from the move. *sigh*)

Many thanks to Diana, from Seeking Clarity, who has brilliantly set up a new home for group discussions, Well-Educated Minds; I'm just totally tickled. :o)

I swear I've been out there every night, trying to get a glimpse of this green comet, Machholz. Obviously, it's not so hard to find, given the many photos I've seen these past few days. I just can't find it. I've delighted in soul looking at the Pleiades, so I must not be too far. 2º to the right, that's all. *sigh* Tonight will be yet another attempt.

On a good note, I did get to see the planets last week, the 27th, and after spending 3 hours outside doing my bit of astronomical exploration, I shot this picture.

What you see here are Mercury and Venus rising in the East, at 6:13AM.
[click on image to embiggen]

Here's another picture my daughter shot during our vacation. I'm seriously thinking of letting her use my camera more often, under my supervision, of course.

We did end up at the movies at Universal's CityWalk, but we watched Meet the Fockers. It was fan'focking'tastic!

- Went to bed at 7AM; slept till 10AM
- Had brunch
- Watched I, Robot with the kids
- My submission Eye Spy was accepted at The Mirror Project

Started out the year with the biggest hubby/wife argument of all. Not much to say.

If you want to read something a bit more interesting, go read my post at Orlando MetBlogs.

I'll be going over email and blog reads I'm behind on, as well as other photographs I shot during the past week.

So I'm downloading pictures from my digital camera, and I'm telling, there's never been a time I haven't been pleasantly surprised. But this shot tops all the others. It's a self portrait my daughter took, I'm assuming in the car during our trip. I don't remember leaving my camera unattended, but I must have, and it most certainly made my daughter's day. I've found she shot several pictures, but this one is the best of all. Never have I seen a mug shot so sweet!

The year 2004 seems to have gone in a breeze- or dare I say this year went by in a gusty way- specially after the hurricanes. Everything after that is but a blur. Definitely a year to go down in history with so much disaster, having ended tragically with the earthquake and tsunami on the flip-side. We have indeed been lucky.

Give a big hug to the person next to you... I'm giving my loved ones a hug before going to bed.

On to other things, I'm SO happy to be back home after our vacation. In fact, I would've been just as happy had I stayed home. Oh, OK, it didn't all suck, though. I enjoyed time spent with family, and taking pics I'll be sharing with you. First picture up is at Beyond Focus, my niece Alexia.

It's really great to be back home.