April 4, 2008

Good Day, Sunshine

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day. Sunny, blue sky with temps in the low 60s. Annie got to go on two long walks: first with me through the park after I got home from work and again after dinner with me and Rod. I'd really like to take my camera on these walks, but for some reason, Annie's afraid of the camera. It's amazing how she knows when one of us has picked the camera up, even if she's in the other room. As soon as she hears the click of the power button, she run upstairs to her bed. We think she got scared early on when we were taking indoor pictures of her, using the flash. It has the rapid, red-eye reduction flicker, which is annoying to dogs, as well as people!

In any event, I don't have any pictures from our lovely walk. But I do have some from last fall when Rod and I spent a few hours at the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha while my MiniCooper was having some work done. We just happened upon their Autumn Festival and enjoyed wandering around the 100-acre site. It felt more like July than October, as I recall, but we had fun looking at the antique tractors on display, hiking up the hill to the Japanese Sunpu Castle Gate, watching the windsocks dance in the breeze, and cooling off from the heat while listening to some live music on the garden terrace. All in all it was a fun afternoon and I hope to get back for the Spring Into Spring Festival in mid-May.

The following photographs are from the Japanese Sunpu Castle Gate.














Good day sunshine
Good day sunshine
Good day sunshine

I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I've got something I can laugh about
I feel good, in a special way
I'm in love and it's a sunny day

Good day sunshine
Good day sunshine
Good day sunshine

We take a walk, the sun is shining down
Burns my feet as they touch the ground


13 comments:

  1. This is a general comment, rather than a comment about your Omaha visit. Although having spent my childhood there, it did make me a little nostalgic.

    I found your blog from a comment you left on someone else’s. I only recently started my own book blog, www.rosecityreader.blogspot.com, so have been exploring others for inspiration and ideas.

    Your reviews are very good. I'll check back often because you seem to read books I may like but don't usually read.

    But please tell me -- how do you get so many comments? Is it just because you have been blogging well for a long time? Or do you have secrets for attracting readers?

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  2. Gorgeous pics! I usually like overcast weather, but it's been raining here all week, and I'm ready for some sunshine. So is Daisy. She's pretty tired of being indoors.

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  3. Okay, and you didn't join the Japanese Literature Challenge why? :) I'm just teasing, of course, but those wind socks are a delightful tie-in!

    I think that Henry and Annie would make lovely walking companions. She's afraid of the camera, he's afraid of cars. (We suspect that it happened in his youth, as he was let out on a highway.) So, we wouldn't get many pictures taken, but we'd have fun singing a Beatles song together!

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  4. p.s. Rose City Reader: Les gets so many comments because she's a lovely person, which is reflected in every post of hers, as well as an avid reader with a good opinion on what she's read. I'm sure you'll gain readers, too, as you hang around the book-blogging world. In fact, I'll come visit you now.

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  5. Anonymous9:30 PM

    I love those pictures! They are so colorful and active and glowing. What a great pairing with that song, too :)

    Commenting on other people's blogs is great for getting readers, I think, just building community and stuff. There are a lot of blogs that specialize in telling people how to attract more "blog traffic" that have other good tips like participating in blog carnivals/challenges and stuff.

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  6. These pictures are really timely! I admit I'm surprised they had the carp windsocks out for an autumn festival since they are the traditional decoration for Children's Day on May 5th but they're fun to see regardless. Lovely against that blue sky as well. :)
    That's too bad Annie is so scared of the camera. Reminds me of Bailey, not about the camera but if we bring out the carrier bag to go to the vet he immediately hides under the sofa!
    BTW, I don't think I've ever used the flash on my 510! For indoors try upping the ISO to 400 or so. If you have the lights on in the room it's usually enough.

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  7. Rose City Reader - Thank you for the compliment on my reviews. I've had a lot of fun writing them for my blog.

    As far as the comments go, I guess I'd have to say that visiting other blogs (and leaving comments) is a sure way to get people to visit your blog. Joining some of the reading challenges is also a good way of making friends with other "lit" bloggers. I've been blogging for a couple of years now and I consider many of the people who visit and comment my friends. In addition to chatting about books, we trade books, share heartaches, send birthday gifts, talk about the weather, just like face-to-face friends.

    Good luck with your blog! I'll stop over and visit later on.

    Andi - Thank you, my dear. It was such a fun afternoon. Completely unexpected, which made it even nicer.

    It's cold and gloomy here again. Miss Annie keeps looking at me with sad eyes, making me feel guilty for not wanting to take her for a walk. She's so spoiled. Maybe I'll give her some some leftover steak instead. ;)

    Bellezza - I love windsocks. My grandparents used to fly them at their beach house in San Diego. I think they gave all of us grandkids one when we visited one summer. Or maybe we got them at Sea World or the Zoo. Can't remember anymore, but I do remember how pretty they were. Not quite as large as the ones at the Omaha gardens, though!

    I think Henry and Annie would be great friends. Annie's a little skittish of cars, too. If we walk along the busy boulevard, she occasionally balks. Just stops dead in her tracks and looks worried. She, too, was a stray, although our friends (who found her for us) said she used to chase the cars on their gravel road.

    I love the Beatles! :)

    And thank you for the sweet things you had to say about me to Rose City Reader. See my note above to her about my blogging friends. :)

    Oakling - Thanks for stopping by. That song just popped into my head as I was walking through the park.

    Nat - Ah, now I didn't know anything about the type of windsocks they were flying. I wonder if they'll be out again in the spring? I really want to get back up there, so I'll let you know.

    Thanks for the photo lesson. I'll adjust the camera to 400 ISO and see if that helps. Our house is fairly dark during the winter months.

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  8. Why does Les get so many comments? She pays us.
    We get a check in the mail each month LOL...
    Wonderful photos by the way -- I love the koi wind socks- we see them all over Hawaii on boy's day-

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  9. Great now I'll be humming that all night. But it is so nice to have warm weather after what seems like an endless winter. Great pics!

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  10. Pat - Hey! That was our little secret. ;)

    You crack me up!

    Glad you enjoyed the pics. No sunshine today. It's cold (43) and rainy. Supposed to snow tomorrow. Gotta love spring in Nebraska.

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  11. J Scott Savage - Hey, at least it's a good song for an earworm, don't ya think?

    Thanks for stopping by. I'm heading over to check out your blog.

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  12. I followed you via your award and glad that I did. You have a great assortment of book reviews and sundry. I am going to link you and stop back occasionally. I never have as much time for blogging as I like but it is great to find new blogs for bibliophiles.

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  13. Princess Haiku - Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you're enjoying my blog. I agree. I never have enough time to blog, visit blogs and read all the books I own (and want to own). Having said that, I'm off to visit your blog. :)

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