Back At School

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Today was my first day of school! It was a bit like coming home...that's what I love about the school that I go to. It's a great school...we always start off the school year with something called Convocation. At Convocation, they call every student and every faculty member by name, welcoming them back. I love my school.

Quote Of The Day:

"We learn not in school, but in life." ~ Seneca

50 Word Story:

First Day

Brand new pencils, paper, and crayons. Excited faces seeing friends long missed over the summer. Expectation and nervousness fills the air. The halls buzz. Meeting new teachers, looking over new classrooms, all in anticipation and eagerness. New desks, shiny and clean. The first day of school…something no one ever forgets.

Situations...

Monday, August 30, 2010

So today is the last day of summer...And what do I spend the day doing?

Cleaning up the dog poop in the middle of my friend's living room...Of

course, we managed to turn the situation into something hilarious by using

snorkels and scuba masks to block out the smell. This just made it hard to

talk which made us laugh even harder. Love ya, buddy!

Quote Of The Day:

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one."

~ Theodor Geisel

50 Word Story:

Only Us...

Confronted with a nasty problem...one no one wanted to deal with. Smelly,

brown, and in the middle of the living room, it sat. We looked at each other

and made faces. Two snorkels, two scuba masks, multiple plastic bags, and

lots of Resolve later, we are still laughing about it.

This One Box

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Went on a cool nature hike/walk today that had various thought-provoking

art installations along the way. This one was called "This One Box." Here's

what was written up about it: Boxes come in all sizes and are defined by

their logical boundaries H x L x D which defines their space. Boxes contain

stuff and belongings, or are designed for shipping and storage. It may hold

a dowry, or artifacts, remnants from one's personal past or even a

precious treasure. Maybe love letters, or sad stories, perhaps books, and

just maybe they contain something that should be kept locked away for

good? But what if the space in the box is filled with thoughts? Does it then

still have those logical boundaries? Will any amount of memories ever fill

the box to the rim? What is in your own box?

Quote Of The Day:

"A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside

is hid." ~ J. R. R. Tolkien

50 Word Story:

Just A Box?

The little black box sat on the high shelf. When she was little, she

was never able to reach the polished wooden temptation. When she was

finally tall enough, she found that it appeared empty...But then she

remembered all her fantasies about it. The box in fact, was very full.

There's No Place Like Pike Place...

Saturday, August 28, 2010

I took this picture a while ago when I went to Pike Place Market with my

family. There's always something different in Pike Place...I couldn't help but

capture this girl with her fishy umbrella walking down the street. This is

what I love about where I live...

Quote Of The Day:

"Pike Place Market isn't just a place to shop; it's an experience.

Its color, unique booths, and the characters that work there

each day have made the market the so called 'Soul of Seattle.'"

~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Life Of The Market

The warm scent of pierogis mingles and mixes with the smell of fresh

flowers, Indian spices, fresh bread and cookies, and the strong, pungent

smell of seafood. Throngs of people shuffle through the cobblestone walk,

admiring the many vibrant booths. Color is everywhere. Music drifts on the

air. Pike Place.

Disguises

Friday, August 27, 2010

Took this picture of my amazing friend yesterday in her new

fedora. I was desperate to capture her in her new outfit and

found that the wall of my room isn't a bad backdrop...

Quote Of The Day:

"I've seen and met angels wearing the disguise of

ordinary people living ordinary lives." ~ Tracy

Chapman

50 Word Story:

Anonymous

No one knew that she existed. They saw variations of her

in the bakery, the café, the bookstore, on the streets. But

never the same person; always slightly altered or portrayed

as someone new and different. Her true identity? Nobody

knows. That's the way she wants it. Hidden by disguises.

Crushing Blows

Thursday, August 26, 2010

My mom has this wonderful shelf full of knick-knacks and pictures and

such. She has this one little hanging globe. I decided to do an environmental

awareness post today...

Quote Of The Day:

"The earth is what we all have in common." ~ Wendell Barry

50 Word Story:

Take Action

Tranquil forests now smoking; fire and grinding machinery taking over

their ancient roots. Old farmland that's been in the family for years suddenly

sold and bulldozed for a strip mall. Animals fleeing for safety. Pollution

filling the waters and air. This isn't natural. This isn't right. What will you do?

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay.........Er, Lake

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I had my "back to school" class picnic last night. It was great - I met up with

a lot of my friends and we chatted and played as if we'd seen each other

yesterday. I took this shot from the back. Four of my friends sitting on the

dock...

Quote Of The Day:

"I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time..."

~ Otis Redding and Steve Cropper

50 Word Story:

Sunset Company

The summer sun casting long, golden beams as it slowly gets closer to

dipping below the horizon. Full stomachs and loose mouths. Talking and

chatting with each other as if we hadn't spent a whole three summer

months apart. Sitting comfortably on the dock, feet in the water.

Content classmates.

Sweet Notes

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

A simple picture of my guitar on our deck...sunny this morning - it's going

to be a beautiful day!

Quote Of The Day: (Two today...)

"Music is what feelings sound like." ~ Author Unknown

"Music is love in search of a word." ~ Sidonie Gabrielle

50 Word Story:

Music's Color

Silence. A dismal, grey room. No color to be glimpsed. A boring and dreary

day. Then in the distance, the soft sound of something beautiful beginning.

Slowly unraveling from the strings of a guitar, a light, happy melody drifting

on the breeze. Color filling the world like the ringing chords.

Around The Corner

Monday, August 23, 2010

Today's picture is of our great big maple tree in the front yard. This tree is always the first to turn colors at the end of summer. It's always the reminder that summer is coming to a close and that school will start up again soon...already its leaves are beginning to fall...

Quote Of The Day:

"When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and, like a dream, glides away."

~ Sarah Helen Whitman

50 Word Story:

Autumn Whispers

Long summer days coming to a close. Long shafts of sunlight filtering through the trees. Sports starting up; playing endless hours in warm sun downs. School approaching swiftly. Brand new crayons, paper, and pencils. Quilts on beds, chilly nights. Lush green leaves turning a deep golden brown. Autumn nearly here.

Languages

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Drew this today...it took me a while because I had to find all of my markers AND look up what "hello" meant in various foreign languages. All in all, not the greatest picture, but a fun one.

Quote Of The Day:
"Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about." ~ Benjamin Lee Whorf

50 Word Story:

Native Tongue

He spoke in the native tongue of his people, his language. The language passed down through generations, the language that held them like roots, and the words that ran through their blood. It was something nothing could take from them. Something that would always be a part of each being.

Clockwork

Saturday, August 21, 2010

We have this great old clock that hangs in the living room of my house.

My grandparents gave it to my mother and it now hangs proudly on the wall.

One thing I love about this clock is that it chimes for each hour and it used

to be so off that it would chime at random intervals of the day.

Quote Of The Day:

"I'd never choose to turn the clock back." ~ Geri Halliwell

50 Word Story:

Speculation

Time is one of the greatest forces out there. Nothing can ever make it

cease. It is so regular, so precise that no force can ever jar it out of its

place. It measures our life spans and every move we make. It can kill us

and save us both.

Just Out Of Reach...

Friday, August 20, 2010

Yet another picture of my lovely dog, Zorro. This was one from when we

were on San Juan Island. We'd put out a water bucket for the bigger dogs;

Spooner and Beaumont. Zorro, being thirsty, put his neck on the edge and

attempted for quite a while to lap up some of the water.

Quote Of The Day:

"Your goal should be out of reach but not out of sight." ~ Anita Defrantz

50 Word Story:

Chasing

There was one thing she wanted in life, the one thing she chased no

matter what happened. She kept her hands and heart reached out to it,

always running, not letting it ever slip out of her sight. Somehow it always

outdid her. Tantalizing. So close. Just out of reach.

Comfort Food

Thursday, August 19, 2010

After reading the book Lemon Tart for book club, I found a recipe for

Fettuccine Alfredo. This immediately became my craving and my friend and I

made it for dinner one night. I made it again tonight and it's become a

comfort food for me. Ah, how I love this pasta. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"That's something I've noticed about food: whenever there's a

crisis if you can get people to eating normally things get

better." ~ Madeleine L'Engle

50 Word Story:

Fettuccine

Feeling down one day. Nothing going right...the weather is damp and grey,

the day slips by at an excruciating pace. Or feeling sick...getting a

headache, feeling immobile and stuffed up, just down. Food is one of those

universal comforting items. For me? A steaming, thick, cheesy bowl of

Fettuccine Alfredo.

Clear Sight

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

This is a picture I took a while ago of one of my neighbor's horses, Decaf. Decaf has been featured in the "Why Hello There!" post a while back. Here he is again. One of the things I love about this horse is his eyes. One is a deep brown and the other here in the picture a light blue/whitish color.

Quote Of The Day:

"The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake."

~ Leonardo da Vinci

50 Word Story:

Guarded

His eyes seemed to hold everything back. They were dark and almost always unreadable, hiding emotions under their calm, indifferent surfaces. He showed no emotion, he could fix you with such a stare he didn’t seem human. But occasionally his guard slipped and true feelings leaked out of the corners.

Unintentional...

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

This picture has a pretty funny story. My mom and I were geocaching a

while ago (you might remember the Crazy Cacher post) and had to hike

through a field leading up to the cache. In addition to odd car parts and

Korean newspaper, there was an old TV dumped in the field. Made a good

picture!

Quote Of The Day:

"Many people recognize that technology often comes with

unintended and undesirable side effects." ~ Leon Kass

50 Word Story:

Unintentional Art

The television was new for its time. The family had lots of fun watching

shows on its small screen. But there came a time when their TV grew

outdated. Not wanting to deal with waste logistics, the father dumped it

in a field of wildflowers. There, it became unintentional art.

Silly Sisters

Monday, August 16, 2010

My aunt is in town today and she's staying with us for the night. I had them

make each other laugh for today's picture. There were many amusing

outcomes and we had fun taking them, but this was the best one...

Quote Of The Day:

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

~ Marion C. Garretty

50 Word Story:

Bonded Sisters

Laughing and playing as little girls. Spending endless days creating worlds

and using imaginations to have exciting adventures. Growing older, still best

friends. Sharing secrets and opinions. Breaking apart, heading off to college

and new lives. But the bond is never broken between sisters. Always

connected by memories and love.

Cutting The Ropes

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Thanks to my dad for helping me with this one! Was a bit brain-dead today,

so to speak. Hopefully you wouldn't have known that if I didn't tell you....

Quote Of The Day:

"Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment

is the only one you know you have for sure." ~ Oprah Winfrey

50 Word Story:

Cut Away

Tied down, she fought for freedom. The binding ropes were rough against

her skin and rope burn rubbed her raw. More of the rough lines entangled

her. She tried everything to free herself from oppression. Then she was

handed a pair of glinting scissors. Gleefully, she snipped the cords away.

Barely There

Saturday, August 14, 2010

My dad spotted this spiderweb this morning. It had great light...the sunlight was hitting the strands and it just sparkled. I was lucky he spied it this morning because the next time I walked by, I walked face-on into it...

Quote Of The Day:

"Before I knew the best part of my life had come, it had gone." ~ Ashleigh Brilliant

50 Word Story:

On The Brink

He took everything for granted. His family, his friends, his pets. He thought he would always have money, a roof over his head, enough food and water. Until war came. Devastation. He reached out for what he once had, to find it had always been on the brink of disappearing.

Lost In Maps

Friday, August 13, 2010

The picture today is out of my beloved Dictionary Of Imaginary Places.

I absolutely love this book. It lists all about a bunch of imaginary places and

includes diagrams and maps...

Quote Of The Day:

"A good map is both a useful tool and a magic carpet to faraway

places." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

The Mapmaker

He worked alone in his study; diligently making maps. Explorers were

putting their lives and adventures into his gnarled hands. He was precise

and neat, but he couldn't help his humor. He tucked mythical places or

imaginary countries into his intricate creations. Narnia, Wonderland,

El Dorado, Atlantis, and many more...

A Different Lens

Thursday, August 12, 2010

A picture of my wonderfully naughty dog, Tavish today. This picture was

taken through the lens of my sunglasses, just on one side. I am constantly

reminded of how much I absolutely love Photoshop...

Quote Of The Day:

"Judgments prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond

appearances." ~ Wayne Dyer

50 Word Story:

Open Lens

She saw the world through a different lens. When others saw blacks

and whites, humans. When other saw a cause for war, she saw a cause for

discussion. When others saw a pointless cause, she saw a strong fight. When

others saw problems, she saw new possibilities. She saw truly.

A Day At The Beach

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

My mom and I went down to Golden Gardens Park today with some good friends. There were these two little kids in the sand out by the water, enthralled with whatever new discoveries they were making. The perfect picture to sum up a day at the beach...

Quote Of The Day:

"Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone." ~ Anonymous

50 Word Story:

Beach Bliss

Seagulls wheeling overhead. Hot, pale, burning sand. Rushing down to the water and crashing in, splashing and grinning. Building sand castles and decorating them with bits of colorful shell. Picking out treasures from the rocky shore. Wading in the tide pools and watching sea life. The joy of the beach…

Survivor

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Nice day today...sunny but not too hot. This is actually my writing in a dirt

patch because I had no idea where else to write it...I didn't want to be

boring and write it in chalk again, so I tried something different...

Quote Of The Day: (Couldn't choose today...)

"I'm a survivor - a living example of what people can go

through and survive." ~ Elizabeth Taylor

"There's always a chance you could die right in the middle of

your life story." ~ Chuck Palahniuk

50 Word Story:

Lone Survivor

A little boat in the middle of a vast sea, nearly tipping over as the black

waves crash over the small bow. One lone sailor, hanging tight to the mast in

attempt to stay aboard. The sight of land up ahead. A small lantern. A

beach. Civilization and enormous relief.

Trust Me

Monday, August 9, 2010

Today's picture taken this morning. It turned out pretty well, considering the fact that Zorro did not want to cooperate for this picture...

Quote Of The Day:
"To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved." ~ George MacDonald

50 Word Story:

Broken Trust

His broken trust like a vase; once it had been broken, it would never be the same, no matter how much glue was used to patch together the shattered pieces. Betrayed and reluctant, he didn’t take the hands reaching out to him. He wasn’t making that mistake again. He’d learned.

Painter

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Over at my friend's house today. For my birthday, she got me a wooden

stool that we spent all day painting. It looks really, really neat. My hand,

however, got smeared quite a bit...

Quote Of The Day:

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own

nature into his pictures." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

50 Word Story:

Painted Soul

Blank canvas waiting. Painter's hands itching to make their mark. New

paintbrush in hand, dipped in an array of vibrant colors. Hand poised above

the white surface, brush barely touching. Strokes clean and clear on the

canvas, slowly forming a picture. A portrait of just who the painter is inside.