If you are nominated for an award, or receive an award,  you can choose to accept it.  If you accept it, you may choose to pass it on.  These awards are given to you because you have shown characteristics that are desirable as an “author/creator” of a blog,  and for the message your blog presents to the blog community and the world. 

I appreciate all those who have visited my blog, chosen to follow me, commented or “liked” a post.  I am grateful for every one of you!  You give me the confidence to try new things, to polish my skills, and to keep on posting. Thank you so much.  Judy
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Hope Unites Globally HUG Award

“People do not have to give up or compromise their own religious, spiritual, or political beliefs to qualify for the Hope Unites Globally HUG Award©.  They qualify for the HUG Award© when, without bias or prejudice, they use their resources and gifts to make the world a better place for everyone.”

“Those who receive the HUG Award© may paste a copy of the original
HUG Award© image into an Image widget on their website or blog
by simply copying and pasting the following image URL
into an Image widget:   

http://hopesfortoday.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/hug-award1.png.“

Please do follow this link for more information on the award.  This award was created by Connie @A Hope For Today.
I’d like to thank Amira and Jackie for giving me this award.  I am honored to accept it and happily pass it on to spread the word about Hope for our World.  Amira and Jackie are fantastic bloggers with heart and spirit.  Click on their names to visit their blogs.  You will certainly enjoy it!

Thank you for making the world a better place through your blogs!

My nominees for the HUG Award:
Sheila 
Stefano
Andy1076

Betty R

misselsie 

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The Awesome Blog Content Award               

For everyone reading this….if you’ve made it this far ….please click on the nominated blog names and visit them.  They are all awesome bloggers.
Thanks for reading!
Judy 

✿〪〭〫〬❀〪〭〫〬❃ ✿〪〭〫〬❀〪〭〫〬❃ ✿〪〭〫〬❀〪〭〫〬❃

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February is much too early even for the classy Snow Iris,
Who often blooms amidst pockets of snow.
But this year has been different.
She slept soundly under the snow blanket
During the sub zero weather and the freezing
Temperatures that sent subliminal messages
Telling her to stay low, it’s not time yet.
But then something curious happened.
The sun began to shine more often
Than is usual in these parts during
The cold winters.
The sun warmed the earth and sent
A message to the Snow Iris that it was time
To awaken, and start the struggle to emerge.
When she finally made it to the surface,
Exhausted, what was there to greet her?
It was none other than wind, rain, snow
And freezing temperatures!
Now, what was the Snow Iris to do?
She is not one to balk, wilt or give up.
She stands tall against the message
That came too early.
Giving us all Hope that we, too, can
Weather the storms of life.

Good night friends….

Judy 

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Did you find any of your blog friend’s comments in there?  Lately this has been happening to many people.  We are unsure why and it would be nice if it stopped.

Until then, keep checking your Spam folder…….and let your blog friends out!

Have you noticed blog friend’s comments in your Spam folder?   Comment below if you have.
If anyone knows how friend’s blog comments are ending up in Spam,  or how to stop it, please comment.

***ATTENTION…we have an answer:  write to Akismet.com  (see below) and fill out their form.  REAL BLOG COMMENTS will stay in your comment area within a few days after filling out the form according to  blog friends who did this.   Thanks to Chris & Cee for the information.

Judy

I’m going to write “WP Support” about it.  If I find out a solution, I’ll let you know.

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Good night~

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

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This photo is for the 2012 Water Dragon Weekly Sunday Post.  If you are interested in doing this photo/writing/creative works challenge, go to jakesprinter to sign up.   By signing up, you will receive the weekly emails telling you the new Sunday  challenge “word”!  Join us!

Good evening all!

Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

Looking DOWN the rocky mountains of the Garden Wall, you can see the famous Going To The Sun Road, cut into the rock,  as it winds around the mountains,  very high above the ground!  (light brown line) The road crosses the park from east to west.   If you squint you might be able to see a car DOWN there!  (much more apparent in my full sized image)

At Logan Pass with pink and yellow wildflowers, looking toward the garden wall (mountains).  Looking DOWN you can see the tan colored Going To The Sun Road.

For more information on Glacier National Park, click here.

Judy
All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain. 

The weatherman predicted seven straight days of cloudiness.  UGH.  On the way home from the city yesterday the sun came out! The clouds were magnificent…and you know me: I LOVE CLOUDS!

SO…..Open sunroof…..and take photos “through the roof!” at 70 mph!   AND: to take photos of clouds I had to “increase to very high levels”!!    Ahh, now you know the method to my madness.

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This one actually is through the side window @ 70 mph  ;).

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Hoping to put your mind at ease….I was not driving.  ;)

Have you taken shots “through the roof”, or have you taken photos from the  side windows as you are riding in a car?  Do share!

Happy Day to you…
Judy
All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

(http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/)

I’m controlling Mother Nature today and I declare it’s SPRING in my house!
I like to buy inexpensive bunches of tulips at the market in the winter.  It brings color into the house and it brightens a dreary day.
Plus….it gives me something else to on which to practice my indoor Macro shots.  I’ve taken photos of all the pens, boxes, plants, lamps, paperweights, coasters, floors, candle holders and plates in the house already, so this gives me some variety!

The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.
-  Gertrude S. Wister

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 ~And just a reminder from Mother Nature that winter isn’t over yet…..we got 2″ of snow overnight.

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Have a colorful, happy day!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

This heart locket belonged to my mom and I treasure it.

******

My mom and dad, c. 1941.

Double hearts.....

Dedicating this post to my beautiful, kind, loving mother…
Celebrating a life full of love, laughter and dedication to her family,
She lit up a room when she crossed the threshold.
Her laugh was infectious and her sense of humor unparalleled,
She could toss a pun quicker than the a blink of an eye.
Giving to others, and finding beauty in every person
Were the tenets of her life,
Which we, her children and grandchildren, strive to emulate.

~February 14, 2011  ❤

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

The Holocaust Memorial is a beautiful sculpture that sits alongside the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans.   The sculpture was designed by Yaacov Agam.  ”The memorial is in memory of the six million European Jews and millions of other victims who were tortured and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators from 1933-1944.”
The memorial consists of nine panels and a circular path around them.   The panels are motionless. Each panel has a different design.  When one walks slowly around the path, viewing the sculpture from different angles, the designs on the panels form different, distinct images.

**

The Yellow Star of David.   “Persecution and humiliation of the Jews by their Nazi tormentors.”

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“This chaotic view expresses human misery and absence of empathy and religious and moral values, including reverence for life itself.”

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“Out of the color of Hope, appears, in all its majestic colors, a Sacred Menorah, symbolizing the faithfulness and spiritual values of the Jewish people.  The Menorah here is represented by a rainbow and a reverse rainbow.”

*Info and quotes from the New Orleans Holocaust Memorial site.  Click here for more information.

Judy
All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.