Trick-or-Treat!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

BOO! Happy Halloween! :) I just got home from a friend's Halloween party

and needed an idea for a blog, so I grabbed a shot of our hastily carved

pumpkins and some candy. There were lots of cute little kids out in the

neighborhood tonight. I love Halloween - free candy from strangers and cute

kids in costume. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out

of Halloween." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Halloween Joy

A dark night of spooky decorations and encounters waits. A party of kids in

costume run off into the neighborhood. A transformer, a butterfly, a spy, a

fireman, a ghost, the costumes go on. Ringing doorbells and crying

"Trick-or-Treat!" Much candy and laughter. The night can't possibly get any

better.

Agile Ability

Saturday, October 30, 2010

This is my wonderful doggy, Zorro. I have an agility set that I use occasionally

in the summer to train my dogs. I don't compete, but it's fun to do. :) Now go

and look at the bottom of yesterday's post. How many of you missed that?

Quote Of The Day:

"Oh...Chute!" ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Who Wants a Cookie?

The cheering of the crowd fades into the background. The dog's mind is

focused on only one thing. As the clock starts, he leaps forward, hurtling over,

through, and around obstacles. His handler runs along with him. As he breaks

through the last tunnel, he receives his dream...a treat.

Stone Ocean

Friday, October 29, 2010

A picture I took at Gas Works a while ago...I really have no inspiration tonight

and my friend goes: "DO IT! STONE OCEAN!" So, that's my theme, I guess...

Quote Of The Day:

"Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but

through persistence." ~ Publius Ovidius Naso

50 Word Story:

Paused in Grey

The day was a monochromatic shade of grey. Fog rolled in, cloaking the small

seaside town in swaths of dull tones. The nearby ocean seemed to pause, its cresting, white-topped waves silenced by the mood hanging ominously over the shore. No color remained, as if everything had turned to stone.

DUMBLEDORE!

Suspended

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Another picture of Kite Boy! :) I absolutely love this little kid. I find this

photo a bit trippy, as you can't see the kite string. I've really enjoyed this blog,

as it forces me to write every day and take a picture or dig through my old

ones. Enjoy!

Quote Of The Day:

"He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt

in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed." ~ Mark Twain

50 Word Story:

Don't Let it Go

A brightly colored kite high in the air. The little boy holding the string grins

at his father and points. But Father doesn't notice. The kite reaches higher.

The boy tugs on the man's sleeve. The string slips. One moment of stillness,

the kite string suspended centimeters from the boy's outstretched fingers.

The Comforts of Life

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Another one of my amazing friends. She came to my house and we ran

around, got exhausted, and crashed. Of course, she nabs not only my couch,

but my doggy too! ;) Simple things make us happy.

Quote Of The Day:

"One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're

feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why."

~ Unknown Author

50 Word Story:

Comfort's Synonym

Tired, sore, and done with the day. Feeling blue for some reason, as if a storm

cloud lingers over your head. Something someone said. Something that

seemed unimportant, but really dug deep under your cover of nonchalance.

This is where dogs are comfort's synonym. They will always give

unconditional love.

Handprints Left

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Today was fun. We celebrated Halloween today at school because the middle

school has conferences the rest of the week. (YES! 5 day weekend!!) I went as

a shadow. It was pretty easy - I dressed all in black and followed behind

people. Took this picture tonight. This is the top of a very special stool. My

friend gave this to me for my birthday. We spent a whole day painting the stool

and for the top, we used hand prints. Of course, we got very creative. Around

the edge of the top, we wrote words such as "inspire" and "believe." Then of

course, she goes over and writes "eat" along with the others. Love ya, Edder!

Quote Of The Day:

"Craft is the handprint of all culture." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Creative Influences

From little girls slapping mud pies into form together, to girls running around

and putting on shows for our parents with all the costumes, to planning

extravagant schedules to use while riding in the car, to figuring out Halloween

together, to painting my stool, her creativity has left a handprint.

Behind the Glasses

Monday, October 25, 2010

Another shot of my very good friend with her prized mirror-like aviators.

This was taken this summer when we were on vacation together. I love

working with these sunglasses.... (And for clarification, the story doesn't

pertain to my friend...)

Quote Of The Day:

"I think the monkeys at the zoo should have to wear

sunglasses so they can't hypnotize you." ~ Jack Handy

50 Word Story:

Deadly Eyes

Dark shades hid her eyes from view. No one had ever seen her take them off,

even when she was inside the dark room. She'd worn them so long that they

were normality. She had something to hide. Something so very intense it was

kept secret. Her tricky, devious soul.

A Token of Childhood

Sunday, October 24, 2010

I got these yesterday when we went shopping. They totally made my day! I

used to get these ALL the time when we would go to Target when I was little.

Sadly, the last time my mom and I went to Target to run errands, they didn't

have them! How sad is that? Then we went to Fred Meyer yesterday because

we needed some stuff and they had them! Of course, I HAD to get a box.

These animal crackers are a token of my childhood...It must have been a

pretty funny sight to see a teenage girl grabbing animal crackers and lighting

up in joy, but hey, made me happy. I swear I'm never throwing away the

box.......

Quote Of The Day:

"Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?" ~ Author Unknown

(For the record - yes. Well, at least, us pescetarians do.)

50 Word Story:

Circus Box Memories

Such an ordinary object that most walk by without a glance. Another type of

cookie in the cookie aisle. What's so special about the Barnum's Animal

Crackers? But as we know, it only takes on little thing to trigger so many

memories. All those memories in that little circus box...

My Treasures

Saturday, October 23, 2010

I am in a SUUUUUPER good mood! :) My geometry homework was easy, we

won our soccer game, and my friend figured out what song has been in my

head the past two days. Life is good! :) Enjoy!!

Quote Of The Day:

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on

Treasure Island." ~ Walt Disney

50 Word Story:

The Value of a Story

Many count treasures in their money value. Whether it be coins or gold or

bills of money, that's what determines the wealth and value of said object. But

she knew this couldn't be right. Her packed case of books was much, much

more valuable than the treasures coveted by most.

Big World, Many Discoveries

Friday, October 22, 2010

Took this picture a while ago. This is of one of the kids my friend babysits

at his mom's church. This kid was the cutest kid, I swear. He was fascinated

with the slide as well as some chickens in the neighboring yard...Ah, two year

old wonders...

Quote Of The Day:

"Learning how to learn is life's most important skill."

~ Unknown Author

50 Word Story:

Teaching Curiosity

Everything in the world is so interesting at a certain age. Anything can be

explored, played with, and put in the mouth. So many things are unknown and

magical. Butterflies, worms, dirt, flowers - are they edible? This is key in who

this little person is. Exploration and discovery teach curiosity.

Deep Roots, Sun Warmed Faces

Thursday, October 21, 2010

I took this picture when we went pumpkin picking. The farm we always go

to is great. There's a great vibe and there's produce, animals, cider, and

colorful flowers everywhere. As well as pumpkins, of course. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower."

~ Unknown Author

50 Word Story:

Reoccurring Beauty

Flowers are some of nature's most delicate and persistent gifts. They are

destroyed so easily - by little children, by animals munching on them or

running through patches of them, by people seeking bouquets. But they're

persistent as well. As the weather turns cold, they all die...only to come again.

The Girl in the Socks

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Okay...so I really had NO idea what to blog today...this is an "Oh shoot! I have

to take a picture that's going to be relevant to a blog!" shot. This isn't really

relevant to anything since it's my soul sister in some socks...but....oh well. I

was trying out http://www.picnik.com as an editing source and thought I'd go

with neon for kicks.

Quote Of The Day:

"True love is like a pair of socks: you gotta have two and

they've gotta match." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Understanding Love and Socks

A girl who hid behind her curtain of hair, her innocent face hidden from the

reality of the moment. Nothing really set her apart from the other students

unless you really looked. She was the only one who understood love. And the

only one who wore crazy socks every day.

Opera Alley

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Took this picture not too long ago. This was a banner in Opera Alley that

I thought was particularly neat. I messed around with Photoshop and another

editing program to over-saturate the banner. I thought it turned out pretty

cool...

Quote Of The Day:

"Don't become a victim of yourself. Forget about the thief

waiting in the alley; what about the thief in your mind?"

~ Jim Rohn

50 Word Story:

Sinister Shadows

Brightly colored buildings line the empty alley. The midday traffic rush has

not affected this quiet side street. The alley is a place of dangerous beauty.

The unfortunate man who was lured in by the opera singing never emerged

again. Something poisonous settles into those who walk in Opera Alley...

Ocean Whispers

Monday, October 18, 2010

Okay...so I'm not exactly sure who actually took this picture, but I feel it's blog-worthy and I have geometry to do and I'm really tired, so I figured this would work...Kudos to whoever took this shot! :) This is my grandma standing on the beach in North Carolina.

Quote Of The Day:

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow."

~ James Dean

50 Word Story:

Beachcomber

Hot, white sand as soft as happiness between her toes. The blue waves, crested in white, come crashing and rolling in, their salty rhythm sifting through the sand. The sun high overhead, beating down on the scene. Yet she doesn't move. She is not stirred by heat or crashing waves.

Never Captured

Sunday, October 17, 2010

I received a wonderful little journal in the mail from a good friend. Just out

of the blue...it made my day. Put a fun filter on it in Photoshop. I don't have

anything else to say here...so...Enjoy!

Quote Of The Day:

"Don't get it right, just get it written." ~ James Thurber

50 Word Story:

Voices of Imagination

Blank pages awaiting the flowing voices of words. Thoughts snagged out of

the air by the pencil. Pressed between the pages, held tight in the notebook's

binding. However hard you try, these fragments of imagination are never

captured. Words and ideas are bound to emerge, escaping back to the mind.

Peter Peter Pumpkin Picker!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Went pumpkin picking today! Yay! This is a picture of our friend Peter selecting his pumpkin. It was quite a fun adventure. The patch we go to is a farm and they always have animals to pet, sugary, mini doughnuts, fresh apple cider, and much more. It's a great local place. We walked away with some pumpkins that are going to be pretty fun to carve.

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

"The pumpkin is always oranger on the other side of the patch."

~ Unknown Author

"People with glass pumpkins shouldn't throw gourds."

~ Another Unknown Author

50 Word Story:

The Hunt

The smell of cider in the chilly October air. A great field of orange, white, yellow, and green pumpkins of all shapes and sizes waits. Grab a wheelbarrow and get started! Kids in rubber boots and bundled in coats run through the vines, on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin.

Mailboxes

Friday, October 15, 2010

Hey...this is the post for yesterday. I was at a friend's house for a sleepover,

so I couldn't blog...only the second time! This is a picture of the mailboxes at

the end of my road. There's this great bush behind them that turns the

prettiest shade of red in the fall.

Quote Of The Day:

"I also hate those holidays that fall on a Monday where you

don't get mail, those fake holidays like Columbus Day. What did

Christopher Columbus do, discover America? If he hadn't,

somebody else would have and we'd still be here. Big deal."

~ John Waters

50 Word Story:

Fragments and Envelopes

Postmen carry all the secrets of the world. In a sealed paper envelopes or

large, chunky packages, a piece of someone's personal life floats around,

hoping to reach a destination. Sent across country or internationally, a little

snippet of someone. Do the postmen read the secrets? Are they ever

tempted to?

Just a Bad Dream?

Thursday, October 14, 2010

What a surprise! Another sand castle! This one was pretty powerful. All the

people in the castle, even the baby, were wearing gas masks. The caption at

the bottom of the statue reads "It was all just a bad dream..." The caption at

the top says "Welcome to 2065!"

Quote Of The Day:

"The Dodo never had a chance. He seems to have been

invented for the sole purpose of becoming extinct and

that was all he was good for." ~ Will Cuppy

50 Word Story:

Extinction

Bone chilling screams of human and animal rang out as the fireballs fell,

exploding and sending toxic fumes everywhere. The attack was unavoidable

- sure, you could escape the fire, but not the radiation. The people running,

slowly falling, perishing. All were victims of horrible fate that wasn't meant to be.

Contradictions

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

A picture taken this summer (yes, this was summer) when we went hiking.

This is one of my friends having fun "surfing" down some snow at the top of

the mountain. Sorry for the post today - it's not exactly top notch...I'm a bit

low on brain power...

Quote Of The Day:

"Life is a contradiction at times - as are we." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Snow? Now??

Hot summer sun beating down on their backs. A beautiful, blue lake to the

left. Everything fits into a summer picture - until they reach the summit. A

large, foot deep patch of snow seems to have plunked itself into the middle

of the scene - a complete contradiction to the summer.

Perceptions

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Yet another few pictures from the sand sculpting event...There's going to

be quite a few of these pictures for the next little while...I still can't get over

how amazing the sculptures were. This one was one of our favorites. If you

look at it from straight on (the top picture) it looks like segments of a face on

city buildings. However, if you look at it from a faraway angle to the right (the

next picture) it looks like a whole face. It was really neat.

Quote Of The Day:

"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend."

~ Robertson Davies

50 Word Story:

Open Eyes + Open Mind = Discovery

He was the youngest in his village at age 11, a gap between his generation

and the next. He went out with the other men who tried making sense of the

world. Hard as they tried, he always had a different outlook on things. One

nobody else ever thought of.

Watchful Eyes

Monday, October 11, 2010

Took this picture a few days ago. I seem to like clock towers quite a bit...

they make nice pictures! This one was a pretty old clock tower (isn't it

confusing how clock tower is two words?) in a city we went to this

weekend. Had some great background with the blue sky and the clouds.

Quote Of The Day:

"Whenever you do a thing, act as if the world were watching."

~ Thomas Jefferson

50 Word Story:

Unknown Observer

The old clock tower was a place of superstition and history. The strong,

brick tower had seen many things in its lifetime and it still stood tall. A young

boy had made his home in the tower. He lived there and took great pleasure

in merely watching the people below.

Fiction VS Reality...

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Happy 10-10-10! Only time this'll ever happen! Today's picture is from the

same day as the last two posts. This one is of a model Humpty Dumpty placed

atop a building. He's just sitting there - normality in this city. Of course, I had

to grab a picture of him. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"If you see the magic in a fairy tale, you can face the future."

~ Danielle Steel

50 Word Story:

Lifelong Lessons

An old, musty book pulled from the cedar bookcase. The young girl sitting on

her grandmother's lap for hours, entertained by the vibrant stories. The girl

grown into a woman now, though she can't forget the stories told long ago -

their messages now prominent in her life.

Our Nation's Heroes

Saturday, October 0, 2010

Another picture from yesterday...We were out on a goof and happened to

run into a motorcade for Vice President Biden and Senator Murray. There

were a ton of motorcycles and policemen were everywhere. I took this

picture and was thinking about all the people who give themselves for our

nation.

Quote Of The Day:

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to

persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

~ Christopher Reeve

50 Word Story:

The True Superheroes

When we picture heroes, we picture flying men with capes that have powers.

But the true heroes aren't fantasy. They're the brave soldiers in the war.

They're the police officers in blue uniforms. They're the courageous

firefighters who scale burning buildings to save that one life. These are true

heroes.

Sand Castles

Friday, October 8, 2010

Funny story about this picture...No, I didn't go to the beach today. Yes, I

took multiple pictures of sand sculptures and castles. Where? At the World

Championship Sand Sculpting Competition, of course.. Believe it or not, this

isn't a joke. It's an actual competition and the art there is AMAZING. It was

quite a treat. This is only one of the many pictures I took.

Quote Of The Day:

"The Castle Aaahhhgggg - our quest is at an end." ~ Monty

Python

Absolutely had to have that one...Hahaha. And on

a more serious note...

"There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds."

~ G. K. Chesterton

50 Word Story:

Neuschwanstein in the Sand

A small boy sitting in the sand at the water's edge. His little hands pat

together a chunky sand castle, adorned with shiny pebbles and bits of shell.

He's been working intently for an hour. It looks small and poorly done to

others, but it looks like Neuschwanstein to him.

Behind The Scenes

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Tonight I was trying to think about what I could take a picture of to show

something "backstage" or "behind the scenes." So I drew this up - a pretty

accurate sketch of what uploading a post to my blog looks like. Yes, it is

missing a few parts...

Quote Of The Day:

"What you don't see backstage is what really controls the

show." ~ Sarah Sutton

50 Word Story:

Technicalities

A performance has much more depth than many people in the audience

may realize. There's the soundboard and each individual microphone, every

set change and every prop used. There's every light on stage, spotlight too,

costume changes, memorization, stage managers. It's all there...it pulls the

show together...but it's never seen.