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Friday, October 18, 2024

A Brief Break

Happy Friday!  I'm so glad that it's Friday!
I need to take a brief blog break.
Everything's okay.  I just need to step aside for a couple of weeks.

I'll be back on Wednesday, November 6th for IWSG Day.
That's the day after our presidential election.
I hope everything goes smoothly, peacefully,
before, during, and after the voting.

If you celebrate Halloween, have fun!













For Rain:  Vampire  ~ I searched my photo collection and came up with one image, an oldie and a favorite, the one and only Grumpy Cat, commenting on vampire movies.  I truly miss this character who always made me laugh.

Gone But Not Forgotten
A Grumpy Cat Calendar
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
January 21 ,2016
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved




For Tom:  The Spirit of Aloha ~ Terry walks along a trail near the Marriott in ‎⁨beautiful Wailea⁩.
Hawaii is a special place filled with the spirit of aloha.
Wailea, Maui, Hawaii, USA
January 18, 2023
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved



For Nicole:  Her Kind of Face ~ I saw this skull in the Wynn and immediately thought of Nicole.
Window Display
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 3, 2024
© Barbara MacBeath. All Rights Reserved


Have a great weekend! 


 Till next time ~
 Fundy Blue
 
Standing Into Danger                                    https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
 Copyright ©2024 – All rights reserved.

My next post will be 
Wednesday, November 6th 🤞 

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



    


Friday, October 11, 2024

Semi-Random

It's a semi-random post today, because I've had another hectic week.
We visited Las Vegas the week before last, a quick and unexpected three-night trip
to visit friends of ours from various places.
So I'm sharing some photos from our trip ~ Probably more than I should.
 
Taxiing to Take Off
I love when I can catch the canopy of Jeppesen Terminal
reflected in the whale's tail of the Westin Hotel. 
Denver International Airport
Denver, Colorado, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


Back to ever-fascinating Cloud Land where golden aspen tinted the flanks of mountains.

White River National Forest
Near Gypsum, Colorado, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


I'm dreading when Southwest Airlines goes back to assigned seats.
I love snagging a window seat on the correct side of the plane
to see my favorite geological feature, the amazing Waterpocket fold
on the east side of Capitol Reef National Park and its adjacent Strike Valley.
If you're interested in the geology click here.

Waterpocket Fold
Capitol Reef National Park
South-central Utah, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

Watching the action at Harry Reid International Airport is always fun
for this airplane-junkie, as Terry and I wait our turn to exit from the back of the plane
where I found a good window seat for photography.

Southwest Terminal
Harry Reid International Airport
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


It's always fun to see how Vegas hotels are decorated, although I have to say
that the Encore's lobby has one of the strangest lamps I've ever seen.

Checking in at the Encore
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

Terry and I are budget travelers, so this gorgeous room in the Encore
was a rare luxury, and perhaps, the most beautiful room we've ever stayed in. 
I could get used to this ~ lol!

Our Room the Encore
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved





Terry Connects to the Internet
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved





Pure Luxury!
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

The big hotels lining the Strip are filled with high-end stores,
because many people enjoy shopping when they visit Vegas.
I enjoy window shopping, although some items have me scratching my head. 
Like these shoes ~

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

And these ~

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved



Butterflies are found throughout the Encore, like these inlaid beauties in the floor.

A Floor the Encore
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

I could lie in bed and watch the ever-changing Sphere for hours.

The View from Our Room in Encore
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


Connecting with friends and one well-traveled monkey, Jacques.

Catherine and Harvey, Two Good Buds from the East Coast
Andiamo Steakhouse at the D 
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

We do the same things over and over, but it's always fun,
and I love the crowd-pleasing bands on Fremont Street.

Nick Burbey (lead guitar), Daniel Conway (drums) and Rich Embry (vocals)
Alter Ego
Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
October 1, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

I like to get right up by the stage where I can watch
the interaction among the band members and the roadies.
This lighting technician was playing the lightboard like an instrument.

Working the Lightboard
for Alter Ego
Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
October 1, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved





DC, Daniel Conway, Takes a Bow at the End of the Show
Alter Ego
Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
October 1, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

I've watched all the resident Fremont Street bands many times,
so it's really fun when different band members substitute for each other.
Life happens to everyone, but the show must go on.

I was surprised and delighted when I found Jeff St. Germain of Stays in Vegas
substituting for Alter Ego's front man Rich Embry.
(I had just missed his band, another favorite, by one day.)

Rich and Jeff are two completely different singers, 
but both are talented and crowd-engaging show men.
It was fascinating to watch this consummate professional step in for Rich
and to see how the band members made set and song changes work almost seamlessly.

Rich Embry's Alter Ego Jeff St. Germain
Alter Ego
Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
October 2, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


And I saw one of my favorite regulars on Fremont Street ~
a street sweeper who makes his job fun and delights visitors.

Do You Think I'm Sexy ~ lol!
October 2, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


Sometimes a flyer comes to a stop on the SlotZilla Zipline and has to be rescued. 

"What?  Me?" She Laughs
October 2, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved




To the Rescue
October 2, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


Illyria Strakhov takes a break from balancing on top of many glasses,
as a member of the crowd demonstrates her acrobatic skills.

Wow!
October 2, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


All too soon it's time to wave goodbye.

Leaving Las Vegas
October 3 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved

The rocks outside Vegas are phenomenal!
Just north of Lake Mead we fly by Hamblin Mountain,
the western lobe of an ancient stratovolcano that formed
during the Late Miocene, 11-15 million years ago. 
Later, faults split the Cleopatra-Hamblin stratovolcano into three large sections.

The Black Volcanic Rocks of Hamblin Mountain
and the Red Aztec Sandstones Formed from Jurassic Sand Dunes
Pinto Valley Wilderness, Nevada, USA
October 3, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


Sometimes we fly into Denver International Airport on a more southerly route.
Then, if I'm lucky, I can spot our home and our favorite Parkway Bar and Grill.

Almost Home!
October 3, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved





Where Our Garbage Goes
Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site (DADS) Landfill
October 3, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved


For Rain:  Receding Hare Line ~ I immediately thought of Rain when I spotted this in a beautiful contemporary gallery in the Wynn.  Unfortunately, I forgot to write down the artist's name.

Receding Hare Line
Eden Gallery at the Wynn
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
September 30, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved




For Tom:  The Spirit of Aloha 
Sharing Dinner with Fun Friends 
Andiamo Steakhouse, The D
Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
October 1, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved



For Nicole:  Sacked Out Face ~ I visit Tembe Elephant Park in Egmangusi, South Africa, almost every day.  I am determined to visit it for real!
Lazy Lionesses
Emangusi, South Africa
September 24, 2024
© Barbara MacBeath. All Rights Reserved


Have a great weekend! 


 Till next time ~
 Fundy Blue
 
Standing Into Danger                                    https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
 Copyright ©2024 – All rights reserved.

My next post will be 
Friday, October 18th 🤞 

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved



    

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

IWSG: Wednesday, October 2, 2024 ~ "...never shake Thy gory locks at me."






It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.






To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Nancy Gideon

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's featured question is: 
Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy October, Everyone!
I sure many IWSG Members will have fun with this month's question.

Favorite classic ghost story?  
I'm going Shakespeare's Macbeth, which technically isn't a ghost story,
but contains a scene where the ghost of Banquo appears at a banquet
to haunt Macbeth after he has murdered King Duncan and ordered the killing of Banquo.

Parnell as Macbeth and Dr. Cronin as Banquo's ghost.
Plate to: St. Stephen's Review, June 1889.

I've always been fascinated with Shakespeare's tragedy
because my maiden name is MacBeath which is pronounced Macbeth.
I endured decades of teasing over my name, from the incantations of the three witches,
to the cry Macbeth hears, “Sleep no more! Macbeth hath murdered sleep!",
to the sleepwalking anguish of Lady Macbeth uttering "Out, damned spot! out, I say!"

Out, Damned Spot!
Lady Macbeth by Alfred Stevens, undated, oil on canvas, 127 x 97 cm.
Musées communaux de Verviers (Verviers, Belgium)

The ghost of gory-locked Banquo, Macbeth's former best friend
and fellow general in battle, is more disturbing than chilling.
Banquo's ghost speaks no lines, only appears,  disappears, and reappears
visible to no one but King Macbeth.  
Macbeth's horrified reaction results in Lady Macbeth sending everyone away.

The really chilling part of Shakespeare's tragedy
is what highly ambitious people can do in seeking political power
and the damaging physical and psychological consequences of their ruthless actions.
I find it a tale and a warning for our troubled world.




Poster of Thos. W. Keene in William Shakespeare's Macbeth
circa 1884


Wishing each of you a fun IWSG Day.
A big thank you to our awesome co-hosts today.
Have a healthy, happy, and creative October!

Oh, guess who's traveling today ~ Again!
I'll visit around as quickly as I can.  



Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2024 – All rights reserved.

My next post will be October 11th!🤞