Tigress

The Reader

The Mary Lib Saleh Euless Public Library in Euless, TX stands out as the public library with the most monuments I’ve ever seen. Just outside its entrance, there’s a particularly touching memorial that immediately caught my attention. What makes it especially heartwarming is the inclusion of the man’s dog as part of the tribute. Even more meaningful is the fact that the dog’s head remains shiny and free of patina—clearly from the many people who have lovingly rubbed it over time. It’s a quiet, beautiful reminder of the deep bond between humans and their loyal companions.

Ring of Dolphins

This captivating statue in Cozumel features a graceful ring of dolphins, frozen mid-leap in an elegant display of motion and unity. It stands as a striking tribute to the vibrant marine life that defines and surrounds this island paradise.

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena…

Silent Wheel

 

Happy Buddha

 

Soaring Spirits

The obelisk crowned with a kiwi has always captivated me. It stands proudly at the Skyview 5 Training Center, formerly known as Flagship University. This unique monument was placed by the Kiwi Club—a group of former and current flight attendants from American Airlines, its subsidiaries, and merged companies.

Over the years, I’ve come to admire the strong bond among flight attendants. They are a remarkably close-knit group, always looking out for one another and bringing an infectious sense of fun wherever they go. It seems fitting, in their playful spirit, that they chose a flightless bird to represent them—despite soaring through the skies like eagles themselves, always with a smile.

 

Fidus

"Fidus"—the Latin word for "faithful"—is where we get the name "Fido" for our loyal canine companions.

Every Lazy Dog restaurant features one or two of these unique statues, crafted from carefully assembled scrap metal to create an adorable doggo. Whenever I dine there, I always take a moment to appreciate and photograph the art.

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is one of the most iconic and recognizable landmarks in our nation’s capital. Built to honor George Washington, the first president and colonial general, this towering obelisk dominates the skyline of the National Mall. Standing at 555 feet, it remains the tallest stone structure in the world. Construction began in 1848 but was halted for decades due to funding issues and the Civil War, before finally being completed in 1884. Today, the monument serves as a powerful tribute to Washington’s leadership and legacy, drawing millions of visitors who marvel at its grandeur and historical significance.

 

House Divided

 Abraham Lincoln—the Great Emancipator, the steadfast guardian of unity, and the indomitable force who preserved the United States from the brink of self-destruction. With unwavering resolve, he bore the weight of a fractured nation upon his shoulders, paying the ultimate price for its salvation. Rising from the humble confines of a modest log cabin in Illinois, Lincoln ascended to become a towering figure of history, a man who, with wisdom and courage, stitched together the frayed fabric of a divided union. Today, as the nation once again finds itself frayed and fragmented, his legacy stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring strength required to mend what is broken and to forge a path toward a more perfect union.

"With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."

~ Abraham Lincoln

Scenic Sunday

The jungle grows around the faux Mayan Ruins on Cozumel, Mexico's Chankanaab Adventure Park.   The jungle and ocean provided scenic views and plenty to explore.  

Scenic Sunday is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and share the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us. Whether it’s the serene stillness of a forest, the vast expanse of a desert, the rhythmic waves of the ocean, or even a charming city park where towering buildings peek through the treetops—scenic is whatever moves you.

Take a moment to showcase the views that inspire you, bring you peace, or simply make you pause in awe. Don’t forget to share your post and link back so others can join in the journey. Let’s fill Sunday with scenes that stir the soul.

For More Scenic Sundays, Click Here.

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We revive this meme in honor of the original Scenic Sunday that has since passed into blogger meme history.  

Secrets

Throughout my life I have wanted to know the nature of the universe.  I have worked so hard to look for intricacies and clues that would show me something, anything.  I hoped that maybe I was special and that whatever controlled the universe would whisper to me its secrets.  It was only after growing a little older that I realized that the secrets of the universe are meant to be just that… secrets.  All I need to do is continue to go through my life and strive hard to be the best I can and slowly I will come to know that there are no secrets.  Everything is there in front of us as long as we open our eyes and allow ourselves to see.

Predators of the Deep

Part of: 

Wordless Wednesday

Texas State Fair

 When I was younger it was always an exciting time to go to the fair.  As far back as I can remember we would always make a day out of it with the Mississippi State Fair in Jackson.  Now that I am older and Mississippi is much further away I have to indulge myself with the Texas State Fair.  It is bigger than the fair of my childhood by far and it comes with a set of traditions all to itself… like Big Tex.  Big Tex is a giant animatronic cowboy who welcomes everyone to the fair, most people stop to at least get a selfie with the behemoth in Dickies.   If you ever find yourself in Texas during fair weather,  stop in and say hello to Big Tex and take in some of the sights… and eat some great fair food!

Happiness

 

 

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

 

~Buddha

 

I took this photo during my first visit to Chùa Đạo Quang a Buddhist temple in North Garland.   It was a wonderful experience and the building is beautiful.  For me it was a growth opportunity to see and participate in a culture's religious rituals I had never experienced before. 

Awakening

We as a sentient species have the ability to recognize that suffering is part of our being. Suffering comes from attachment and attachment takes many forms from material items to the relationships in our lives.  While it is part of our human nature to build attachments; we have the unique ability as a species to make the intelligent decision to not allow ourselves to foster attachment.  This by no means devalues those in our lives or even the items that are important to us. It simply means that we can make a decision to suffer or not to suffer or even lesson the amount of suffering that we choose to endure.

We have the ability to live our lives with grace and dignity and to approach every problem with a positive mind and review every angle to see all sides of all things. Nothing is truly good and nothing is truly bad.  Even the things that we take as blessing can have negative consequences and the things that we encounter that are bad can have positive outcomes. Knowing this about our world allows us to approach everything with the knowledge of the dual nature of reality and consciously choose to face every obstacle with an open mind.

We must learn to live our lives with respect for those around us. Religion, race, political beliefs, these are all things that we consistently fight over.  We should learn to respect and celebrate our differences and know that we all have much to teach one another.  We also must teach ourselves that every creature is worthy of respect; all life is important and can make an impact that at the moment seems small but could potentially change everything.

Finding You

Nearly a year since I've heard your voice; a year to find myself and find you in the process. I see you in everything I do, I see you in the ones we love. I know you are here with us when we need you; I know I can count you among the angels in my life. You are a part of me, this provides me a great comfort knowing that you live within me.  There isn't a day that I do not think of you, the difference is now I smile... because I never really lost you.

Hope

The darkness, the cold,

The loss of a chance to be bold.

Hands tied, lips sealed,

Unable to truly feel.

Silence falls everlasting,

Only the sound of my heart blasting.

Unable to see what is there,

Unable because all is bare.

I look in the darkness for a clue,

Something to cast another hue.

I find that deep within,

I nurture it with hope that something may begin.

Lost in the forever night eyes closed,

Looking for something deeper I suppose.

Not sure if I can cope…

So I continue to nurture my ray of hope.

More than the Moment

We tend to think on low scales, here and now.  We exist, but only in this moment, the past is the past and the future is yet to exist.  We walk in eternity, every moment we have is a moment that reverberates throughout time.

Casting Crowns

Sometimes we fall and we lose what we thought was so dear and soon we have to find our way back to a place where we are comfortable.  Sometimes we find that what we lost wasn’t so great and we shrug it off and we rise above it and we find something so much better.

(About the Photo:  Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the wife of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland and she is who the city of Charlotte, NC was named for.   This statue that appears outside Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) appears to have her casting away her crown symbolically as the city itself once cast away its ties to Great Britain in the American War of Independence. )