I Like Thursday #54 ~ Near and Far

Near

My tulips are blooming.

This one has a  touch of red inside.

I love red and yellow tulips.

This tiny flower is also red and yellow. 

This is the sweetest scented flower ... ever.

It has a bit of spice to it.

The honey bees love this bush and come from miles away every year when it blooms.

It is on the gooseberry bush in my backyard.

I live in the house I grew up in and my mother was a gardener.

Either she planted this or it grew naturally. 

She favored native bushes and flowers. 

Gooseberries are on a prohibited list in many states,

due to the fact they can foster red blister disease in white pines when in proximity,

but in my state this one is legal because it grows in a city

  that does not have a ordinance against them.

I have native white pines in my yard, too,

and they have all lived in harmony for over 70 years. 

My white pines are healthy and have no signs of blister.

These little forget-me-nots are also bloomimg.

I planted pink and blue ones in another place in my front yard last year

and these are volunteers that sprang up in a sunny spot in my backyard. 

I recently (finally!) finished the binding on This Quilt

and took it out for a few photos.

This was the 2nd Quilt Off My Long Arm

and I do love the quilting.

I need to do more of this free style motif quilting.

I was sitting on my yard swing enjoying the flowers and the fauna,
and the quilt and the cat,

as the sun was starting to set and Katniss was dosing in the sun in her cattery 

 when she jumped up and sprang across the enclosure.

Squirrel alert! 

This critter actually came down her side of this big white pine.

It has a squirrel nest about 30 feet up. 

This little guy went under the swing and came out within 6 inches of my foot.

I got my camera around and caught this shot.

This is a baby squirrel.

Isn't he cute?

Baby wandered over to my bird feeders for dinner.

He does not know to be afraid of humans ... or cats ... yet.

My cats are outside only on a leash or in their cattery,

but we have a lot of free roaming feline visitors. 

I am hoping he less tame soon. 

Also coming for dinner was this little Tufted Titmouse.

These little guys are very vocal and have surprising loud voices

and lovely songs as well a clicks and buzzes.

Titmouse and spouse did not come close but flew up to my feeders

as the sun was setting.

I have been enjoying my home and yard 

and doing my "traveling" on my computer ... 

Far

This photo popped up in my opening Microsoft screen recently,

It looked like a photo from movie setting in a galaxy far far away or something. 

Goreme, Turkey ~ UNESCO ~ National Heritage Park

It is actually a real place on earth in Turkey where a city with homes and hotels and businesses are built within the natural forming limestone caves.

What a place! 

Speaking of people and galaxies far away ...

I have been missing My Girl so I really enjoyed this video she made ...

Click Here to meet My Girl,The Jawa in her Kitchen

... for Star Wars Day.

It shows how to make that trendy whipped coffee,

Star Wars style.

Here is my Whipped Cafe.
I was out of bantha milk and left out the blue food coloring ... ;)

Only instant coffee works for this.
I used two packets of this Taster's Choice
which equaled two tablespoons.

The whipped coffee topping has a marshmallow type texture.
My hand held frother worked
but a hand held mixer is the quickest way to whip this up.

I like it best when I stirred it with my straw and it was like a sweet creamy iced coffee treat.

Very tasty!  

I am going to go enjoy visiting my friends, 

I Like Thursday Bloggers @ Not Afraid of Color

Happy Thursday!