Not Your Usual Winter Apple

The tree is old and scraggly, and only produces a couple of inedible apples each year.

Still, it hovers over the driveway as it has for the past 40 years or so, getting more gnarled and ugly with each passing year. 

 

This year, one of the apples dropped onto the driveway, where it was squashed flat by my car.

 

Into a disturbing and yet somehow intriguing heart!

 

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and join us for "Guest Heart Thursday"!

 

 

A Walk Downtown ...

Portland is known as "Rose City".
I don't think they meant the roses should look so ... well, dead.
Oh well, at least it formed a heart for "Guest Heart Thursday"!

And just around the corner was this intriguing building ...

I'm not sure what the most interesting ... the curious placement of the windows on this building, or the even more curious billboard message (stop honkaholism???)!

It's been a while since I've joined up with "Signs, Signs"!
 

Urban Wildlife Has Heart!

A couple of weeks ago, while Mom was undergoing a stress test in downtown Portland, I had the opportunity to wander around a bit.

I was amazed at the number of pigeons I saw.

This little guy was the only one willing to sit long enough for a portrait.

Maybe it's because he knew I would link him up to "Guest Heart Thursday"???

I "Heart" Bumblebees ...

If you read my post from last week, you will know the story behind why I was standing in nearly 100 degree temperature, in a Target parking lot last Sunday, listening to Rozzelle Medina and others give impassioned and moving speeches about the unnecessary deaths of an incredible number of bees (mostly bumblebees).

((Yep, I'm in this shot (well, my head is in this shot!), taken by Molly Smith of the Oregonian ... I'm just above the speaker's right shoulder ... with the black shirt and glasses ...))

If you didn't read my post, "A Moment of Silence for the Bumblebees" is linked here.

There were an estimated 100+ people gathered for several hours, some even appropriately dressed!

 "ODA has confirmed that the bee deaths are directly related to a pesticide application on the linden trees conducted ... June 15 to control aphids. The pesticide product Safari was used in that application. Safari, with its active ingredient dinotefuran, is part of a group of insecticides known as neonicotinoids. According to investigators, the insecticide was originally applied to control aphids, which secrete a sticky residue while feeding, and can be a nuisance to parked cars. Dinotefuran and other neonicotinoids are a relatively new group of insecticides that are long-lasting in plant tissues. Because of this, the scientists are now concerned about whether the trees will still be toxic next year when they flower again."

I urge each and every person who reads this post to stop using these particular pesticides. They are mostly used by landscape maintenance companies, but are readily available at YOUR local hardware store ... where they are purchased and used (usually without reading those pesky warning labels!) without thought to the consequences.

The trees that were treated with the pesticides are now covered with mesh netting (I found the sun reflecting a misshapen heart on one of them)... which has helped a lot. But the bees are still dying. This stuff is so powerful that the bees are landing on the mesh ... and dying as they sit. You can see the silhouette of one on this shot.

I apologize for the disjointedness of this post. I have so much I would like to say, but if I said it all this post would be WAY too long.

I am simply going to say I will never ever use outside pesticides again.

and

I hope you feel the same.

I am linking this heart to "Guest Heart Thursday" at "Random Hearts".

Fender Bender Heart

I had to back up and return to the parking lot when I saw this fender bender heart!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Found Heart

In the rubble of the demolition of The Abandoned ...

A heart appeared.

In an unexpected place!!!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Bolt with Shadow Heart

The sun was lower in the sky than it usually is when I go for my walk.

Maybe that's why I never noticed this rusty bolt with shadow heart before!

To see shadows from around the world, join us for "Shadow Shot Sunday"!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Paint Splatters

At first I was angered.

At the vandals who had used the paint can to deface the sidewalk ...

Without regard to others who walk along this same path ...

Not caring for the plants splattered in bright yellow paint ...

For the critters who wander here as well ...

Then I saw the hearts.

The beauty in the ugly ...

And realized that, as in life, good really CAN be brought out of adversity!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts", and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

My Heart Friend

This is Mika, my very special friend.

She chose me 4 years ago, when she was just a kitten.

My cat Lucky had passed away and I was devastated. I swore I'd never ever love another cat.

Mika had other ideas.

She demanded love, and I was the only one she wanted.

It didn't take long before she wormed her way into my life, and into my heart.

I couldn't find Mika on Monday evening (she is an indoor/outdoor lady), and I was concerned.

I finally found her Tuesday, curled into a ball under a bush, totally unresponsive ... unable to even walk. She couldn't eat, nor could she drink. She appeared to be dehydrated.

I couldn't get her to the vet right away ... so I used an eye dropper to force feed her some water.

She improved slightly, and I drove her to the vet hospital as soon as I was free.

To make a long and expensive story short, Mika has an internal infection of some kind, and was indeed dehydrated. Because I had force fed her the water, she ended up with only slight liver damage, which the vet says she can live with (special diet, now, though).

It could have been much, much worse.

 

And it was worth the cost.

 

Because Mika is my very special friend.

Who filled a Mika-shaped hole in my heart ...

 Before I even knew it was there.

To see special hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share what fills YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"

A Birthday Heart for Sissie!!!

Today is a very special day here in the USA ...

It's FLAG DAY!

But better still, it's BETH'S BIRTHDAY!!!

So if you can, hop on over to "Beth's Artworx", and wish her a HAPPY one!

To see hearts from around the world, check out "Random Hearts" - and join us for "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Wet Concrete Heart

My feet are constantly cold ... and wet.
The sky is dripping ... again.
It seems Spring has turned her back on this part of the earth ...
Or maybe Father Winter is reluctant to relinquish his grip ...

Even though I'm tired of the rain ...
I find I can still look for ... and find! ... beautiful rainy day hearts!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

Rain, Rain, Rain ... HEART!

I just happened to be watching the weather report the other day ... when I noticed the radar shot had a unique pattern ... Fortunately I was ready as soon as they replayed the loop ...
Do you see the heart? It's just above the town of McMinnville ... (which, by the way is a really fun town to visit!)

We're expecting lots of rain for the next two days ... sigh ... no more hearts, though, the radar today is completely green!!!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday!"

Grocery Outlet Cart Heart

I was putting the groceries into my car, and was loading the last bag ... when I looked down and saw this heart in the bottom of the shopping cart.

It had been there the whole time!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts - and share YOUR heart on "Guest Heart Thursday"!

A Traffic Kind of Day ...

First I got stuck in a line of traffic behind this truck when he unexpectedly pulled out in front of us ... and we had to follow him for miles. Slowly. Sigh.

The sign on the back of his truck said not to follow him ... but what if the alternative was driving into the ditch?????

To see more signs from around the world, visit Lesley's "Signs, Signs"!

This time the culprit for the traffic snarl was road construction!
Then it started raining.
Perfect to catch reflections ... my headlights in the car in front of me, the landscape on the hood of my car!

To see more reflections from around the world, visit James' "Weekend Reflections"!

The wait was worth it, though, when I noticed that the car in front of me was sporting heart-shaped brake lights!!!

To see hearts from around the world, visit Random Hearts' "Guest Heart Thursday"!

X Marks the Heart!

I had to stop and get a photo when I saw the giant "X" in the sky ...

It wasn't until I got home and looked more closely that I saw the heart.
Up near the top of the picture.

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Heart Found on Fence!

Photo by Clytie G.

Come join us over at Jan and Jer's for "Friday's Fences!"

And be sure to share YOUR found heart on "Guest Heart Thursday."

I Heart Rikki

I love finding love notes scratched into freshly poured cement!

Because I can share them on Guest Heart Thursday!

Chicken and Gravy With Heart

I grabbed one of those "lean" meals out of the freezer, because I was in a hurry.
I had to laugh when I pulled the plastic cover off and found this Chicken and Gravy HEART!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!

Graffiti Reflections - Weekend Reflections

Graffiti on a mirror in a dark bathroom at the once-abandoned mega-church ... casts reflections and shadows at the same time ...

And is that a little shadow heart I see?

James over at "Newtown Area Photo" hosts the wonderful Weekend Reflections.
He has been such an inspiration to me - this meme has changed the way I see the world!

So ... when I found this graffiti, I thought of you, James!
Feel free to copy this picture if you want, just for fun.

To see reflections from around the world, visit James and join us for Weekend Reflections.

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts", and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday.

To see shadows from around the world, visit "Hey Harriet", and join us for Shadow Shot Sunday.

All Work No Play ...

Before the new owners of the once-abandoned mega-church took down the drywall, I found this wonderful statement.
Complete with heart!

To see hearts from around the world, visit "Random Hearts" - and share YOUR heart on Guest Heart Thursday!