Come Wander With Me (Someone Leave a Trail of Breadcrumbs, Ok?)

Vote for ME! Remember a few days ago when I posted my photo of the thread and fabric "landscape" for the Photo Friday challenge "Pink"? Well each week they feature a half-dozen photos they consider "noteworthy" based on viewer vote. If you think this photo is "noteworthy", then go to the Photo Friday website and look for the top center link where it says Vote. Voting will be open until midnight, CST, Sunday. My photo is entry #439. Simple Still Life? Not Quite Yet Today is the due date for January's Simple Still Life challenge, but um...I didn't quite make it. Oops. I am doing it though. I have an idea and it shouldn't take long to complete, so I plan to have something posted before the end of the month. And yes, I do realize that "the end of the month" is in four days. That's ok. Barring major Real Life complications, I can do it! What the ... ? I went to town yesterday. As I was wandering through a major discount chain store, (which shall remain nameless because I don't approve of them and I always feel guilty shopping there, but I don't really have choices coming out my ass here in Middle-of-Nowheresville so I stomp on my guilt until it's squished flat and then lock it away in a little tin box and go anyway), I just happened to walk casually past the shoe department. Yes, that's right, I said walk casually. I didn't go there on purpose. Sheesh. Who do you think I am?? Oh. Ok, never mind. Anyway, I had to do a bit of a double take when I saw an entire aisle lined with flip-flops. Yep. Flip-flops. January. Kentucky. Okaaaayyyy. Admittedly it's been an unseasonably warm January so far, but winter is far from over. And even unseasonably warm usually means accessories more like this: (I'm featuring that one for Deborah. I figure she'll like the color scheme. I have no idea what caused the weird shadow. It might have been my head.) Even Riley thinks it's cold enough to justify a fur coat: (gratuitous cute dog shot, inspired by Gerrie) Maybe they're merchandising toward those who are planning vacation get-aways someplace warm. In that case I don't think they're stupid, I just think they're hateful for reminding me that I can't do that this year. Hmph. And dare I admit I was really tempted by a pair of slides? They're peach-pink suede slides ferpetessake! I don't even wear that color. And those flowery things on the toes are just odd. But they represent the return of the sun. (They DO! Go with me on this one!) They represent hope. They represent how much I already want spring to arrive and it's not even the end of January and the winter has been very mild. Which means they may, just may represent a teensy sprinkling of seasonal madness lurking in my brain. Ahem. Speaking of Dog Shots (geeze, that sounds vaguely, well, BAD, doesn't it??) This is another photo of Riley that I played with to make it more abstract. "Riley in Shades of Gray and Tan" It is, as you've probably guessed, my Art of the Day post.