BIRTH DAY

It is said you can tell a person's "real" age by looking at their hands and/or their neck.  Botox et al can keep the face looking young long after it's time comes to age.  But wrinkles and liver spots in the hands and the neck tell the true story.

That's my left hand this morning.

And there's my all-important right hand, the "mouse" hand.  Granted, it's held up off the table but the wrinkles do tell the tale.

My birthmates - Barbra Streisand (70 today) and Shirley MacLaine (78 today) both look pretty good, to my eyes.  Happy birthday to both of them.

Today is my 73rd birthday, though I am only 72 years old.  My grandfather used to say the day you were born was your first birthday, hence the distinction.  When I mention that to my friend, Steve, he always says "Oh, yeah, you count them like the Chinese."

At any rate, today is my birthday and SWMBO is taking me to lunch at a perhaps appropriate restaurant in Jerome, Arizona.  It's called "The Asylum."

VINCA



MOCK ROSE EXPLOSION

Our mock roses are blooming.

From the photo above, you'd think they look just about like real roses, wouldn't you?

But they're much smaller.

The photo below compares them in size to a quarter I held up alongside the group.

No trick photography there. 

The blooms are just about quarter-sized or smaller and that's as big as they get.

But they're pretty, all the same.



IDLE THOUGHTS

I've been led to believe there is a type of chicken, a hybrid, called a Rock Island Red.  I wonder if this could be one of her eggs.



Probably not.

DELTA BOUND

A couple of people I know are off to New Orleans for a week of r and r tomorrow.  They're hoping to hear some good music, maybe something like this.

Laissez les bon temps rouler

(Let the good times roll)

Flora

Some photos of a fading bouquet.

SWMBO's favorite, a Carnation.

A science fiction fan's favorite, a very tropical-looking Lily.

The bouquet came to SWMBO from the BRD on the latter's birthday.  Rather nice to remember your mother on the anniversary of the day she gave birth to you.

SUNSHINE ON A CHILLY DAY!

Well, lookie here.  Stephen at The Chubby Chatterbox has nominated me for an award.

It's the Sunshine Award.  Considering my sometimes sarcastic, sometimes snarky, sometimes snarly blog posts, I'm not sure I deserve it.  But, what the heck.

The rules of the Sunshine Blog Award are simple…

#1 Thank the person who nominated you with a link back to their blog. (Thanks Stephen! The link is posted above.  If you've never been to his blog, trust me, you'll enjoy it.  Stephen is a talented artist/illustrator and a very talented writer who spins great tales.)

#2 Answer a few questions about yourself.


Favorite color: Red, I think.  I do like black, too, but I'm told it and white aren't really colors.


Favorite animal: Cats.  And jackalopes.


Favorite number: 4, probably because there are an abundance of them in my birthdate: 4-24-1940.  Hasn't helped me out with the Powerball, though.

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: NON-ALCOLIC???  You've got to be kidding.  Oh, o.k., I guess it would be Diet Coke.


Facebook or Twitter: Facebook, I guess.  I've never tried and never will try Twitter.  (I know, never say never)


My passion: This damned computer.  And the Arizona Diamondbacks!

Favorite flower: I think it would have to be Lilac.  I keep threatening to plant a lilac bush around here but haven't done it yet.  But we had them around my house when I was a kid and I love the smell of them.

Favorite movie: Oh, man, there are so many.  Casablanca is one I never fail to watch.  And The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming is fantastic though I haven't seen it in quite awhile.

Favorite painting: I love anything by Renoir, particularly The Luncheon of the Boating Party.  Though I've lived for years in the Southwest, I'm up to here with cowboy art or Western Art.


Now, I'm supposed to nominate some other blogs for this award.  I was going to decline this one but I'll suggest a couple.


Judy, at Prescott Area Daily Photo
Tom, at Light Breezes