Not sure the name of these beauties. . .

I saw these recently and really enjoyed their spikey leaves and cone centers. I have no idea what it is but if someone can tell me, I would appreciate it. CLICK TO SEE BEAUTIFUL DETAIL.
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Mary, a new blogger friend from France, has identified it! It is a Chardon Bleu and here is a little info I found in Google about it:

This is a protected wildflower in the mountains, not to be picked.
A tall, striking mountain perennial growing to 2 meters tall. It looks quite a bit like a Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), but there's no relation. We've seen this labeled (in English) "Blue Lace", "Sea Holly" and "Alpine Sea Holly" (rather strange name considering that it grows in the Alpes).
Size. 2 m (v-tall)
Flower Blossom. Bluish-white in dense, prickly-looking umbrels, 2 cm diamete, 4 cm long,
Leaves. The basal leaves are 8-15 cm long, deep green and veined. They become more pointed and divided higher on the step, ending in the bracts.
Bracts. The ring of feathery bracts surrounding the domed flower-head can be bright blue, violet or white.
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Meme from Chloe.

Chloe tagged me for this so I guess I will do it. . .

Here goes. At the end of the post, the player tags at least 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answer.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

I lived in Granada Hills, CA and I taught Kindergarten in Sylmar at Hubbard St. School. I team taught with a new teacher, Jenny Contreras, who taught the Spanish kids in the PM that year.



2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today -- in no particular order?

I will just have to list 5 things I did as it is after 8:00 PM and I am vegging out now. . .

Went to ladies Bible study.
Had Needleworkers Meeting after Bible study.
Went shopping for BRUNCH/Coffee tomorrow that will be in our apartment building rec room; bought pastries and fruit for it AND some Coonstant Comment tea.
Picked up my mail.
Played BUNCO.


3. Snacks I enjoy.

fried zucchini squash
chocolate licorice
kettle corn
strawberries
raspberries


4. Places I've lived. (My records are in storage so trying hard to remember all the towns. . . )

Pocatello, Idaho
Cottonwood, ID (high school boarding school)
San Diego, CA (married)
Groton, CT (first married home)
Air Force base in Chicopee, MA (first son born)
San Diego, CA
Honolulu, Hawaii (second son born)
Richmond , CA (daughter born at Treasure Island)
Ballston Spa, New York
Charleston, S Carolina
San Diego, CA again
Honolulu, Hawaii again
Pocatello, Idaho again (graduated from college)
Vancouver, WA -- subbing
Los Angeles, CA (first classroom -- Kindergarten)
Long Beach, CA (2nd classroom -- 1st grade)
Granada Hills, CA 3rd classroom -- 2nd grade; 2 years Kindergarten and one year of 4th grade
Vancouver, WA again --Kindergarten; preschool and subbing



5. Things I would do if I was a billionaire.


Thank God!
Hire someone to find my daughter.
Move to upstate New York and build a house where I could play in the snow and live in the woods with a river nearby.
Give each of my kids a million dollars and the grandkids a bit too.
Buy a new computer, printer, scanner, copy machine, large TV screen, lots of hobby stuff for sewing counted cross stitch, stampin' and adding to my collection of snowmen.
Build a library and stock it with books -- next door to my home. Hire staff to run it.
Build hiking trails around me for everyone to enjoy.
Donate a million dollars to a local Girl Scout Council to build and operate a neat camping site near me.
Send 5 million dollars to researchers for finding a cure for split lip birth defects.
Travel to Germany.
Donate a generous amount to those searching for a cure for cancer.
Adopt a city in a poor country and sponsor the entire population for 5 years.
Go visit Chloe and see her hotel home.
Go to the beach as often as I choose.

6. Peeps I want to know more about:

I like learning more about anyone who stops by my blog so if you would like to do this meme, please let me know so I can learn more about you also. So, I choose YOU- YOU- YOU- YOU- YOU- YOU ------be sure to let me know if YOU did this too.

And the rest of my SKY photos. . . and a meme at the bottom

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I saw this meme over on Bears in Exile and decided I could answer it so am sharing it with my already uploaded photos for Saturday:
1. Christmas is GRACE. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]

2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past? when we went to midnight church services and came out and it had started snowing.

3. Was Santa ever good to you? [describe how and what always -- I never once got a lump of coal

4. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both? well we always went to Midnight church services on Christmas Eve first and by time as we got home it was Christmas day ---- so BOTH

5. Is there something you make each and every year? [craft or recipe] I always make fudge and frost a million sugar cookies.

6. What is your favorite five[5] Christmas songs/hymns? I could not possibly choose as I like them all . . . especially when Andy Williams, John Denver or Pat Boone sing them.

7. Is there a new tradition for Christmas since your childhood days? My tradition is to always gift a book -- plus the other present I give to everyone I buy for at Christmas time.

8. Describe one of your Christmas trips. [whether it's across town or across country. The only time I spent Christmas away from home while growing up and while an adult was a few years ago when son and wife and kids invited me for 2 and half days to come to their hoem for Christmas to celebrate. I traveled to Tacoma on the train and they picked me up there. Always before, they said Christmas Eve was their own immediate family's to celebrate and develop customs and they always went to the in-laws for Christmas. I was always left out except that one year.

9. Do you have a special Christmas outfit to wear for the day? I bought a black sweater with beatiful bells and poinsettias made of beads down the front on both sides.--

10. Have YOU or any of your family members sat on Santa's lap? I never have. I never had my kids photo with santa either. I believe in Santa like Virgiia O' Hanolan and the answer she got in the Sun.

11. What is/or will be on your Christmas tree this year? My tree reaches the ceiling and has 5 strings of mini colored lights. The rest is all handmade or unique ornaments, all different. I keep my tree up all year long so I can enjoy my ornaments. I only light the tree each night for two weeks before Christmas and briefly when a friend stops by so they can see it. I stop turning the lights on at Epiphany.


12. Do you/or have you decorated your yard for Christmas? I have lived in many places/states and never decorated the outside of the house. I live in an apartment now but if I had my own home, I would get one of those huge snow globes with a big snowman inside. I would get big lighted candy canes and line the sidewalk or driveway with them. I would have a manger scene on the lawn with a star of Bethlehem on the roof.