Tag: photo friday

Photo Friday, No. 909

This is the post that would have been published on Friday, May 17.

Current Photo Friday theme: In My Back Yard

This is what I saw when I opened my back door on Friday morning.

I’m very glad we had a tree crew at Houndstooth Hall last fall. Back then, the tree this limb fell from had so many lower-lying branches that it’s likely it would have done damage to our roof, also possibly breaking out windows, as well as taking out at least part of our fence and maybe done some roofing damage to our neighbor. Two limbs fell from the tree during the high winds of Thursday. The other limb is smaller; the photo is somewhat deceptive on this one–this is its leafy top and doesn’t show the length or circumference of the branch. Regardless, no harm done to any structures, and we were able to hire the neighbor’s tree crew on Friday to get both branches out of our back yard and taken away.


These are messed up power lines at the back of the yard. Two of them snapped, and each left their two ends hanging from power poles to the ground on opposite sides of our property. We were advised to stay 35 feet from all lines until Houston’s utility company could get to us. This meant every dog on the property had to be walked one at a time on leash, and one exit/entrance couldn’t be used at all.

We had a very short warning (less than five minutes) on Thursday evening. There were giant, fallen trees blocking nearby streets and resting on residential roofs. We were very fortunate.

More photos to come.

Photo Friday, No. 906

Current Photo Friday theme: Mother


Dorothy Jean, March 2007

Her 81st was her last healthy birthday. Tom and I took her out for dinner (she chose Red Lobster), and she ordered a decadent chocolate dessert to celebrate. When the waiter, Bryce, couldn’t find a candle, he lit his Bic while we sang happy birthday so she’d have something to blow out when she made her wish. She was ready to make him an honorary grandson. Photos like this one keep me grateful for cameras.

Fun fact: I did my first Photo Friday post on An Aries Knows on July 14, 2006.

Photo Friday, No. 904

Current Photo Friday theme: Waiting


Houston, April 15, 2008

As long ago as the 1970s in Alabama, I’d drive to local post offices on the last night people could get their tax returns in the mail to get them postmarked by the filing date. Some would be filling out their tax forms; others waited in line to hand over their envelopes. A lobby full of people late at night in a small town has a surreal quality. After I moved to Texas, I discovered that at some Houston post offices, traffic cops and postal employees worked that night to make sure people got in and out efficiently and their envelopes were time-stamped.

Now in the days of e-filing tax returns, I don’t know if this still happens. I haven’t driven to a post office on tax night in years. I’ll be thinking of those last-minute filers next week, though, and wishing them luck.