Wordless Wednesday...From the Archives

I am out of the country this week, looking for some new photos to take and share. 

So today we will revisit a favorite place, the zoo. 

Hopefully I will find a few things to photograph in Italy... ;-)

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, 
check these out.

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Wordless Wednesday...Beaches

The weather is turning chilly...so how about one last trip to the beach?

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Cape May Point, NJ

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Nantucket, Mass.

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Cape May, NJ

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Nantucket, Mass.

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Margate, NJ

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Ocean City, NJ

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, 
check these out.

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Wordless Wednesday...Farmer's Market plus..

It's a beautiful day...let's go to the market.

And stop at the beach!

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The Cape May Ferry heading into the Delaware Bay

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The Cape May Lighthouse

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, 
check these out.

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Wordless Wednesday...Let's Go To The Zoo!!

Pack a picnic, grab the camera, and let's go see the animals!

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Victoria Crowned Pigeon

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Bongo Antelopes

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Wow, that was fun! See you next time!

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, 
check these out.

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Wordless Wednesday...Lighthouses

...near and far, from NJ and New York, to Maine and Turkey.

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Cape May, NJ

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Fire Island, NY

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Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Maine

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Squirrel Point Light, Maine

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Owl Head Light, Maine

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Maiden's Tower, Istanbul Harbor

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, check these out.

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Wordless Wednesday- A Trip to the Zoo

Let's Go To The Zoo!!

Peacock

Zebras at Feed

Barnyard Play

Hmmm...not sure.

American Bison

A Family Portrait..see the baby?

Capybara..the World's Largest Rodent

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...as always, for more Wordless Wednesday, check these out.

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A Cause for Celebration

One of my very favorite lighthouses is having a birthday party and you are invited! Today the Cape May Lighthouse is celebrating it's 150th birthday and there will be a party with a Civil War feel...and cake! According to the Cape May County Herald,

"The Cape May Lighthouse, one of the oldest continually operating lighthouses in the country, was first lit Oct. 31, 1859.

In honor of the beacon’s 150th anniversary, the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) is holding a celebration from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 31 at Cape May Point State Park on Lighthouse Ave. off Sunset Blvd.

The official ceremony kicks off at 1 p.m. with brief remarks on the Cape May Lighthouse’s history and costumed re-enactors including General George G. Meade who will be accompanied by his honor guard and Dr. Emlen Physick.

Afterwards, the candles on the Lighthouse’s birthday cake will be blown out and the cake along, with light refreshments, will be served to the public.

There will also be storytelling on the grounds, music and book signings."

Sounds like a swell time..and did I mention, there will be cake!
Of course, while you are there, I recommend you climb the lighthouse's 199 steps to the top for a lovely view of the city of Cape May and out to the Delaware Bay. A visit to Cape May, with her shops and restaurants and an unrivaled collection of beautifully restored Victorian houses, is always lovely, especially in the fall. Then, maybe you can take a short drive down to Sunset Beach for a view of what remains of the concrete ship and a walk on the beach to look for Cape May "diamonds". And, as you might guess by the name, lovely sunsets.

Did I mention there will be cake?

Happy Birthday Cape May Lighthouse!

Musing Monday. Why I Love Mysteries Is No Mystery

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post, from Just One More Page, is about reading trends…

Do you find yourself forming trends in your reading? Is this a conscious act, influenced by either your own interests or current publishing fads?

Do I find trends in my reading? Yes, I do and it is a conscious act. Now, if look at the reviews I have written on this blog, you will really be a bit misled about it, because I have read a lot of looks I might not have if left to my own devices. My last review, of The Strain, is a perfect example. Pre-blog, most likely I would never have bought that book. And look, I enjoyed it. Certain the memoirs I have read, for better or worse, would not have been in my line of sight. And look again...I would have missed Homer's Odyssey, which I also loved! Obviously, if left to my normal 'trend', I would have missed a lot. A huge benefit of blogging for me personally.

What is my 'norm'? Well, as I have mentioned before, I have a real weakness for mysteries and thrillers. As to trends, I think that mysteries are always a very popular genre in the publishing world. Certainly not a fad, not a cutting edge trend but a long and well established one. Now, within that genre, I like a wide variety. Police procedurals to cozies to serial killers, I like them all. Trenton to Reykjavik, I love a variety of locales, although I admit I also have a bit of a weakness for books set in cold locations..Alaska, northern Europe, snowy Canada...or by the water. Lakes, rivers, or ocean , especially ocean settings, start a warm glow in my cold, hard heart. Throw in a lighthouse, a cold wind blowing, a storm moving in and I am there! Series or standalones, my answer is yes!

So why mysteries? I like a book with a strong plot and mysteries tend to be plot heavy, and yet the best of them also have very good character development. Certainly a series that I stick with must have both. I also think mysteries, again, the best of them, allow the exploration of a lot of interesting, even controversial topics but within a reassuring, more comfortable framework. I also confess to liking the fact that most mysteries have a distinct moral sense. They are at their heart about good and evil, and usually, good wins out. I admit, that makes me happy.

Did I also mention that some waves lapping up on the shore, some boats or a lighthouse is a plus? Yes, I may have..lol

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"Dedicated to Fisherman Lost At Sea

He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze.
and the billows of the sea were stilled."



Fisherman's Memorial, Cape May, NJ

They cried to the Lord in their distress;
from their straits he rescued them.
He hushed the storm to a gentle breeze.
and the billows of the sea were stilled.
They rejoiced that they were calmed,
and He brought them to their desired haven.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His kindness.

Psalm 107