Party on the Christmas Tree in the Glass House!

Hello, everybody, and thanks for popping by! This is a special blip entry for me. It marks SEVEN YEARS of posting a blip photo every single day, with no days missed. Every photo was taken on the day it was posted for. What a long, strange, and AMAZING journey it's been. There are so many things I've photographed that I never would have gone out of my way to see, if it weren't for blip!

There is also a certain responsibility that comes with blipping: shouldering the goal of finding something beautiful every single day, maybe even to find something BETTER than the day before, or die trying! I have to tell you that sometimes getting a good photo for blip (or trying, anyway) is the highlight of my day.

My favorite photo subjects include my tabbycat, Dexter, who is a real pro at posing; the wild woods and waters of my beloved central Pennsylvania; and Penn State (where I landed in August of 1982 and somehow never really left). The Arboretum at Penn State is a favorite photo op. There's so much to see there any time of year. And yes, I am out and about no matter what the weather!

I visited the Arboretum on this day. Or rather WE did. I took my little critter pals along with me: Tiny Tiger and his group of festive mice. The mice are actually ornaments for a Christmas tree, purchased at the Palmer Museum gift shop on campus. Tiny Tiger has been around for quite a while. :-) You may see them above, partying on the Christmas tree inside the Glass House at the children's garden, Childhood's Gate.

This isn't their first rodeo. Oh my, no! Last week, the five fast friends hung out with the friendly welcome snake who lurks by the gates of the children's garden. More recently, they played on the gingerbread replica of the Nittany Lion Inn, where everyone ended up covered in powdered sugar, and I myself game away with icing on my pants. Yes, we sure get around! (And yes, getting that perfect photo is sometimes a messy job.)

I won't go on and on, though it's tempting. About how much I've learned from my fellow blippers, and how much I've loved being here. How I look forward to the comments, the likes, and the hearts. I've stayed for seven years, and I have no plans of going anywhere any time soon. So thanks for popping by, and come back again soon. Are you going somewhere? Don't forget to take the camera along! Now, let's keep on blipping, shall we?  :-)

It is my tradition to post a song along with my photo each day. I laughed to think of these critters being dragged along without my even asking a "by your leave." It reminded me of this song, which I'll include as the soundtrack for this day: Natalie Merchant, with Children Go Where I Send Thee. A friend told me the original song link didn't work for her, so here's a link to a live version as well.