Hello There

Sunday, November 13, 2011

I haven't posted in a while...I'm not sure where this blog is going. Island Fever and I have yet to discuss what is happening with our weekly challenges. Life is slow at the moment...all school and school and school. Photo-wise, there's not much out there. The last of the leaves have all but fallen from the trees and it's starting to rain more frequently. On another note, it's National Novel Writing Month. I do realize that I will not be able to reach the intended word count of 50,000 words, but I'm simply using the official month as a means of seriously writing.

Stay tuned. :)

Challenge #18: Colors of Fall

Sunday, October 30, 2011

My assignment for health class this upcoming week was to cook something using a whole grain. I chose the grain quinoa and this is the product...It is a quinoa stuffed acorn squash with onions, walnuts, figs, goat cheese, and arugula. I can see this being cooked again in the near future...

"October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter." ~ Nova Bair

http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/10/photo-challenge-18-fall-colors.html

Challenge #17: Neon

Sunday, October 23, 2011

I took this shot tonight while driving around town with my dad. I love my town at night in the winter because all the old style neon is lit up down the main street. One of my favorite neon signs is the one outside the theatre.

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~ Stanley Horowitz

Check out another great neon shot! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/

Challenge #16: Motion

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I didn't have a plan for this week's challenge. I was originally going to try to get a shot of cars on the highway using a low shutter speed so they were blurred, but I didn't get a chance to actually set that up. Today my parents and I were walking through a park in Seattle and I noticed these guys on a the swings. After asking if I could take their picture for my photo blog, one of them proceeds to do a flip. It was pretty cool...I'm not sure if I got motion as well as I'd wanted to, but oh well. It's a neat picture.

Hop on over to http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/10/photo-challenge-16-motion.html

Challenge #15: Weather

Sunday, October 9, 2011

I really enjoy taking these shots with quotes...a few weekends ago that was pretty much all I did. I wish I still had the time for it. Bad weather has started to set in...argh. Oh well, at least the leaves are changing and the trees will be pretty. Don't forget to dance in the rain. :)

Hop on over to IslandFever... http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/10/photo-challenge-15-weather.html

Challenge #14: Smiles

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sorry that I didn't actually blog this on the 2nd...I was doing homework the whole day. I didn't really know what I was going to do with this shot and tonight I was a bit crunched for time, so a quote it is! I do enjoy the little saying though... :) Smiles for everyone!

Don't miss IslandFever's shot! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/10/photo-challenge-14-smiles.html

Challenge #13: Words

Sunday, September 25, 2011

This was pretty much all I did today...I took pictures of fortunes and other trinkets I've accumulated. These were two of my favorites and seemed to fit this week's "words" theme. I'm sorry I posted two (breaking the rules) but just consider my first one the "official" one. Just a note... we took last week off in honor of Grampa John.

"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." ~ Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

If you haven't read The Book Thief, you need to. It is my favorite book (that's saying a lot) and it's absolutely wonderfully crafted.

Don't forget to check out what IslandFever has posted this week! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/09/photo-challenge-13-words.html

Challenge #12: Back to School

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Well...school has officially started. High school is good though...way more freedom that middle school offered. I like most of my teachers and so far the homework hasn't been so bad. I'm also in soccer - as a goalie! Yay! Pretty smooth start, I suppose. This is one of the problems I had for math homework this weekend. I assure you, it didn't take me that long to figure it out. I do know how to solve for x.

"There are three good reasons to be a teacher - June, July, and August." ~ Author Unknown

On another note, today is a day of remembrance for those lives lost ten years ago on September 11th. May they always be remembered for their courage.

"No memorial, no ceremony, no words will ever fill the void left in your hearts by their loss. My prayer for you is that 10 years later when you think of them, it brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye." ~ Vice President Joe Biden

Click to see IslandFever's offering: http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/09/photo-challenge-12-back-to-school.html

Challenge #11: Last Days of Summer

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Well...here we go...last few days of summer. I start school on Tuesday and I'm just now starting to fully come to terms with the fact that that is indeed reality...I've had an interesting summer and I'm nervous but excited for school. Homework, here we come! ;)

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." ~ James Matthew Barrie

Head on over to IslandFever44 to see her shot! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/09/photo-challenge-11-final-days-at-of.html

Challenge #10: Games

Sunday, August 28, 2011

I really enjoyed taking this shot...My family plays a lot of board games from Park and Shop, to Sequence, to Cribbage, to Aggravation. We've always played board games as long as I can remember. One of my favorite stories involving said games was when my parents were on a date and my mom warned my dad that "she comes from a game playing family." He then proceeded to beat her at their game. "I come from a game playing family too," was the response.

"Think highly of yourself because the world takes you at your own estimate." ~ Author Unknown

Don't forget to check out what IslandFever offers to this week's shot! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/08/photo-challenge-10-games.html

Challenge #9: Letters

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sorry that this week's post is late...I had quite a bit going on. This was a fun shot for me to take as well as construct...I liked the difference in style on the letters and the different mailboxes hanging open. While I was taking this shot this guy walks up to me and confronts me for taking pictures of his mail...I'm not sure he was convinced with my answer as to what I was doing...

To get the full effect of this shot, click to enlarge...you can read it better.

"I wrote you a story, but I'm afraid of how it ends..."
~ Christina Perri

Don't miss IslandFever's shot: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsor1LTBzVAKFPhWXXiPM2laf9Djr57U6Uxd81zcpb2E2FJlSbod2AIKQOrpmD-Zw-uN40bvNJeaS6n5Zl1MrSmXg1zhorz9FU_Mnf7c7o3-wSFmbtk0jzzDetra_zJJOi4ArPCaMObrc/s1600/Photo+Challenge+%25239+Letters.jpg

Challenge #8: People & Their Pets

Sunday, August 14, 2011

I had some fun with this week's shot...This is my lovely mother with the fellow members of her "Coffee Anonymous" club. My dog Tavish, the one on the right, has been known to snatch a few gulps of my mother's coffee the moment she vacates her chair to go grab something. Why this dog thinks he needs caffeine is beyond me...He's high strung enough already...

"No animal should ever jump up on the dining-room furniture unless absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation." ~ Fran Lebowitz

IslandFever's shot is pretty cute! Be sure to take a look! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/08/photo-challenge-8-people-and-their-pets.html

Challenge #7: Color Splash

Sunday, August 7, 2011

This week's challenge was a fun one...I took my very joyful and colorful friend (sister, really) to the park and snapped a few shots of her. I think this one is my favorite of what we got. I love color splash photos.

"Poetry is the impish attempt to paint the color of the wind."
~ Maxwell Bodenheim

I love IslandFever's shot! Don't miss it! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/08/photo-challenge-color-splash.html

Challenge #6: Backlit Portrait

Sunday, July 31, 2011

This week's theme brought on...well...a challenge. I messed around for quite a while with the camera I'm using. It was hard to get a significant backlight without losing my friend's face to the sun. I took many silhouette pictures, as well as many that had way too much glare... I think this one turned out pretty well, though I'll experiment more with the idea of lighting from behind the subject.

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken."
~ James Dent

IslandFever's shot this week is great - don't miss it! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-6-backlit-portrait.html

Challenge #5: Wheels

Sunday, July 24, 2011

This week's theme was both fun and unexpectedly challenging. When I picked the theme "wheels" I thought it would be easier. However, it took a bit of searching and countless pictures of brightly colored cars before I came up with something a bit more creative. This bike was at Golden Gardens, positioned perfectly in the bike rack so that I was able to shoot through it. Great cruiser bike...looked like a lot of fun in the sand.

"Darn the wheel of the world! Why must it continually turn over? Where is the reverse gear?" ~ Jack London

IslandFever's got a really cool shot this week! Don't miss it! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-4-wheels.html

Challenge #4: Lines

Sunday, July 17, 2011

This week's theme was a bit tricky, but was a fun challenge. My dad and I ended up driving around the valley looking for lines...we came up with quite a few different shots, but I'm partial to this one. The horses here were fairly friendly and interested in the clicks the camera made!

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."
~ Gilbert K. Chesterton

Don't forget to look at islandfever's shot! http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-4-lines.html

Challenge #3: Patriotic

Saturday, July 10, 2011

In honor of the 4th of July, the theme this week was "patriotic." There was certainly quite a bit of red, white, and blue all over the island. Roche was completely decked out. This shot is of the flagpole that stands at the harbor, flying the flag of the US, Canada, UK, and Washington State.

"You are my idea of beautiful." ~ Anonymous

Be sure to look at http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-3-patriotic.html for her shot. ;)

Challenge #2: Beverages

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Challenge number two completed! This week's theme, chosen by Island Fever, was beverages. It took a bit of monkeying around to get this shot to come out right, but I'm quite pleased with the end result. On another note, this is the Our Lady of Good Voyage Chapel at Roche Harbor that has quite a bit of history. Here's what the blurb on their website says about it:

The Chapel was built for the McMillin family as a Methodist church in the late 1800's. It was also used as a schoolhouse for the Company children. After the Tarte family bought the resort in 1956 the Chapel was refurbished and dedicated as a Catholic Church. It is the only privately owned Catholic Church in the United States.

"Just remember, if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off."
~ Author Unknown

My friend and I have been laughing about this all afternoon...

Check out http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/07/photo-challenge-2-beverages.html to see her shot!

Challenge #1: Joyful

Sunday, June 26, 2011

First challenged completed today! Our theme for this week was joyful. We realized after we were more than halfway in that one could interpret the emotion joyful in many different ways... I chose this image of the third half of my family... ;) Soul sister, surrogate grandma, and almost mother. Oh, and who could forget Kuper, the faithful companion? We were on a lovely hike and everyone was laughing and having fun, thus I believe this image is quite joyful. Kuper's tail was wagging the whole time and our smiles were broad.

"The world is extremely interesting to a joyful soul."
~ Alexandra Stoddard

Check out Island Fever's post for our first theme on her blog:
http://islandfever44.blogspot.com/2011/06/challenge-1-joyful.html

New Challenge...

Hey everyone! Thanks for keeping up with this blog for a whole year of stories, pictures, and quotes! I'm starting a new theme this year with my friend from www.islandfever44.blogspot.com. She and I are going to have a themed photography challenge each week. Ex: water, fire, anger, dog, etc. We will have a week to take a picture of said theme and then post our best shots, where we'll compare. :) It's going to be great fun! We'll be posting on Sundays and the challenges start Monday - so today's the first day! I'll try to post a quote with each weekly post...not necessarily relevant to the picture, just something fun I've encountered. I'm looking forward to Sunday, hope you are too!

Mission Accomplished!

Sunday, June 12, 2011
Today is the 365th post on my blog! Hooray! I've done it for a year...I may have missed a few days here and there, but they're all accounted for and I've had such a blast doing this blog, even if it meant some stressful nights... I'll be doing a different theme with a photographer friend, though I'm not sure how that will alter the structure of this blog...I'll see when we get started. 365 days...a whole year. Wow!

Quote Of The Day:

"A year from now you may wish you had started today."

~ Karen Lamb

50 Word Story:

To Sum it Up

A year. A year of memories, of laughter, of joy, of pain. A year of being outside, of making new friends, of taking new leaps, of capturing new pictures. A year of writing new thoughts and quoting new people. A year of fun, a year of inspiration. A good year.

Embers

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Like I said before, I love fire.... We had a fire down on the beach today and it was a lot of fun... very relaxing and very warm. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"Abruptly the poker of memory stirs the ashes of recollection and uncovers a forgotten ember, still smoldering down there, still hot, still glowing, still red as red." ~ William Manchester

50 Word Story:

Smoldering

The blazing tongues of flame had lone gone out and the beach was illuminated only by the coals of the fire. Small sparks stirred by the poker drifted into the air. The embers of the fire lay smoldering, not yet ready to give up the fight to the cold air.

A Walk on the Dock

Friday, June 10, 2011

Okay, I'm all caught up on everything this blog needed catching up on...All the stories done, all days accounted for, and a new poll. Phew! My friend and I walked the docks before dinner today. This is one of my favorite activities. The first two shots are of the beautiful boats that are docked in the harbor. The last shot reminded me of what we always used to do...

Quote Of The Day:

"If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock." ~ Arthur J. Goldberg

50 Word Story:

Dock Days

The soft swish of waves and the distant sounds of sailing fill the dock atmosphere. From beautiful, wooden sailboats to large, powerhouse yachts, the dock is a spectacle. It's beautifully calming and walking on the dock could be considered therapeutic. The boards creak underfoot and the tide lazily washes out.

I'm Back...Home ;)

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Self portrait! :) I love the tripod I got for Christmas...it's been great. I'm back on San Juan Island and loving it! I can't think of a better place...The ferry ride and long drive is worth it... I'm in total bliss and happiness.

Quote Of The Day:

"Home is the place where it feels right to walk around without shoes." ~ Author Unknown

50 Word Story:

Welcome Back to the Island

The familiar crash of waves on the beach greets the ear. Salty sea air and wind in the hair refresh the traveler. The view is as breathtaking as ever. The water is clear and blue, the deck is sun warmed. This is what it feels like to be home.

Off and Away!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

It's officially Summer! Hooray! This summer is bittersweet...People are going different ways for high school and some of my really great friends are leaving. I'll miss everyone so much, but it's been a great year! I know that we'll keep in touch and I'm so lucky to have had so many wonderful experiences with all these girls... Disclaimer: I did not take this picture, my friend's mom did...

Quote Of The Day:

"Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to great places! You're off and away!" ~ Dr. Seuss

50 Word Story:

I'll See You Again

Summer comes in a bittersweet tone. We're now all high school students, each going her own way in life. Some are leaving our tight-knit community and tears are shed, as well as promises to keep in touch. Something tells me that we'll remember each other, that we're impossible to forget.

Backwards

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

This was taken at one of my favorite restaurants. They have the best fish and chips and fish tacos...It's a small little hole-in-the-wall type of place, but oh so tasty! I was sitting inside and realized the shot would look cool with the name backwards. :)

Quote Of The Day:

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." ~ Soren Kierkegaard

50 Word Story:

Rewinding Memories

One must only go forward. It is not possible to turn around and head back in life. What happens, happens. One foot in front of the other. It may be confusing, but looking back, the puzzle pieces fall into place. You just have to be willing to to walk blindly on.

Bird Buddies

Monday, June 6, 2011

We saw these little birdies chilling out on the fence by the horses where I live. They were pretty cute and the one on the left has great feather coloring...I've always been taken by little birds like this...

Quote Of The Day:

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."
~ Bernard Meltzer

50 Word Story:

Sing with Me

The soft sound of small wings fluttering fills the nearly silent air. A small bird lands on the fence below a birdhouse. He preens his brown wings and fluffs his belly proudly. There's a whirring twitter and another bird bounces down next to the first. The two chirp happily together.

Bubbles

Sunday, June 5, 2011

I love bubbles. They're so pretty in the sunlight and they never cease to entertain me. I needed a blog picture and, to my surprise and joy, found some bubbles. I love bubbles, but they're hard to capture...

Quote Of The Day:

"No bubble is so iridescent or floats longer than that blown by the successful teacher." ~ William Osler

50 Word Story:

Something Magical

The sunlight catches the soft soap bubbles, causing colors to swirl in the orbs. They float gently over the grass, their colors standing out against the blue sky. The young blower watches them, mesmerized by their magic. A wind picks the bubbles up, guiding them quickly along. Bobbing, bobbing, pop.

Book of the Year

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Yesterday was yearbook day, always a day full of excitement and hurried autographs. Each year we have a different theme to our yearbook. In the years that I've been at my school the themes have been magazine, road trip, and this year's: space. The yearbook staff always does such a great job...It's so much fun.

Quote Of The Day:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." ~ Flavia Weedn

50 Word Story:

A Year's Summary

The long awaited day has at last come...the revelation of this year's yearbook. Colorful pages, pictures of each individual, as well as pages featuring sports teams, theatre casts, and just average, fun days at school are bound under one central theme. Always well done, the book is an absolute joy.

Jazz Band

Friday, June 3, 2011

Today was the final music concert at my friend's school. In addition to being in his grade level band, he's also in a jazz band. We went to support him and it was absolutely fantastic. There were three choirs and four bands that performed. My friend ended up winning an award, as well! It was a really fun night.

Quote Of The Day:

"Jazz is an intensified feeling of nonchalance."

~ Francoise Sagan

50 Word Story:

Edge of Music

A sea of instruments catches the light in the gym, the soft rustle of sheet music and impatient feet echo. The conductor comes to the front of the room and raises his baton. All instruments are lifted silently, ready to be played The sounds of sweet, powerful jazz flow freely.

Mudball

Thursday, June 2, 2011

In case you didn't know, my dog is the son of a champion show dog. This dog, however, is far from show dog material. He's much too curly, he's got too many freckles, and he'd rather be playing in the mud than running around the ring. We call him Dirtball.

Quote Of The Day:

"The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful."
~ E. E. Cummings

50 Word Story:

Bloodlines...

The son of an award winning show dog. He's been groomed to the fullest; his ears fluffed, his tail detangled, his curly hair tamed. He sniffs about the place he's currently in and his little black nose picks out mud. Wriggling away, he goes from white to brown in seconds.

Why Golf is a Dangerous Sport

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Happy June! I saw this sign near the one on yesterday's post and couldn't resist a shot of it. I've never been a fan of golf, though I'm happy for those who enjoy it. I find this sign to be very true...especially in a driving range.

Quote Of The Day:

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated."
~ Arnold Palmer

50 Word Story:

Hole in One

The green is flecked by sunlight and warm weather. Sand traps litter the area and a large, sparkling lake is to be found in the center of the course. Golfers walk around, carrying their clubs from tee to tee, having a great time with friends. Another day at the course.

Where? Here!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

I love great signs...This would be one of them. Sorry for the weird crop job - there was a very unappealing sign to the side of this one that read: BEER.

Quote Of The Day:

"Never assume the obvious is true." ~ William Safire

50 Word Story:

Deception

The much awaited item in question sits in the middle of the counter under a giant sign that grants the viewers its name. As the table is crowded around, the box is opened to reveal nothing but emptiness. The wild goose chase is on again. Don't always trust the obvious.

Memorial Day

Monday, May 30, 2011

Happy Memorial Day! I found this was an interesting shot with the flag in the background and the barbed wire in focus... Provokes interesting thoughts... Though I don't support war, thank you to everyone who has served in the armed forces to keep us safe.

Quote Of The Day:

"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

~ Arthur Ashe

50 Word Story:

Stoic and Heroic

A waving banner of stars and stripes, of red, blue, and white. It flies high on the pole and flaps loudly in the wind. We stand under it, the land of the free and the home of the brave. It stays up through the night, as a memory of heroes.

Scrapyard

Sunday, May 29, 2011

I pass this scrapyard every time I go through the valley, but I've never thought to poke around and take a look. All that was outside were four beat up, ancient forklifts. They were very, very cool. Here's two shots I thought turned out pretty well.

Quote Of The Day:

"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk." ~ Thomas Alva Edison

50 Word Story:

Rusted Whisperings

Rust eats away at the aging machines that have found their ways to the scrapyard on the corner. They aren't paid much mind. No one is ever seen going inside the gates. Each of the machines has a history it whispers to whoever takes the time to stop and listen.

Bucket List

Saturday, May 28, 2011

I took this picture not too long ago. I really liked the metal buckets on this fence and I thought it looked neat shot at this angle. I thank my mother for the idea of this blog, as I was running out...Oh, and, by the way, I already have a bucket list for this summer... (No, I don't plan on dying this summer.)

Quote Of The Day:

"The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who's going to stop me." ~ Ayn Rand

50 Word Story:

Put it in the Bucket

Everyone has wishes, everyone has dreams, and everyone has some experience they wish they could have. Parachuting out of an airplane, biking across Ireland, or simply going to Disneyland. A list of things to do before one dies, before time runs out. So many places, people, and endless opportunities.

A Good Vibe

Friday, May 27, 2011

This is a fun little burger shop in the valley...I've never been there, but it always seems happening. I love their sign... "We specialize in grease, salt, sugar and caffeine!"

Quote Of The Day:

"...I don't know these guys; they seem kind of kooky and crazy. I like their vibe." ~ Adam Levine

50 Word Story:

Sizzles and Smoothies

The smell of grease and sugar hits the nostrils the moment one steps into the small burger joint. The inside is decorated to look like an old diner and a smiling chef flips sizzling hamburgers on the grill. The atmosphere is laid back and welcoming, happy to introduce new customers.

Sky and Steeple

Thursday, May 26, 2011

This is a shot of the steeple on my friend's church. His mom is the pastor there. I've always liked church steeples and I liked the contrast this filter brought out with the white and the blue.

Quote Of The Day:

"I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance." ~ Arthur Rimbaud

50 Word Story:

Welcoming Sign

The blue sky stretches on for miles in every direction, puffy, white clouds drifting lazily across it. The church bell tolls loudly over the soft din of traffic and neighborhood noises. The steeple marks a sanctuary, a place of safety. Worshippers all arrive in their Sunday best, happy to come.

New Driver

Wednesday, May 25, 2011
I grabbed this shot when we were in town the other day. This was a great old Cadillac...It was very, very shiny and red and very oldstyle and fun. Whoever drives this car must be pretty cool... The reason for today's title is that my good friend, more of a sister, got her driver's license! Yay! *Cough* Clear the roads! *Cough* No, she's actually a very good driver. :)

Quote Of The Day:
"Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you, but not in one ahead." ~ Bill McGlashen

50 Word Story:

Licensed

It starts out slow, involving many adjustments of the mirrors, misused blinkers, and unexpected windshield wipers. Learning to back out, drive on the highway, and merge lanes. Soon there's parallel parking and corners to take on. In a flash, you won't be able to get her out of the car.

Peephole

Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sorry for the delay, everyone...I've had math finals and such this week. Next week will be crazy as well - I have Spanish finals. Today's picture is a shot of my cousin looking through the knothole of a tree...I thought this was a cool perspective.

Quote Of The Day:
"Life is a peephole, a single tiny entry onto a vastness - how can I
not dwell on this brief, cramped view of things? This peephole is all I've got!" ~ Yann Martel

50 Word Story:

Small View of Things

The peephole was a small, round, unnoticed imperfection in the marble wall of the ever locked door to the outside. No one ever came in, no one ever came out. It was as simple as that. However, the young boy pored over what he could see of the great outside.

Daycare Days

Monday, May 23, 2011

I liked the look of this daycare we passed the other day. The name especially jumped out at me. I've always had compassion for kids who had to go to daycare while their parents worked. I never had to go and I'm quite glad.

Quote Of The Day:

"Two year old Alex was getting ready to potty train. He brought all the supplies he would need to daycare and was so proud to show all the other kids his new 'thunderwear.'"

~ Daycare Teacher

50 Word Story:

The Circus has Come to Town

A class of wild kids is free to do as they please in the daycare's playground. Some sit in the sandbox, driving tractors and trucks. Others race down slides and through tunnels. A teacher stands by the door and yells the magical word: snack. It's a stampede of little feet.

Butterfly

Sunday, May 22, 2011

I've always been fond of butterfly bushes...not only for the beautiful rainbow of creatures they bring in, but for their smell and looks as well. I have a very large, very purple butterfly bush in my yard.

Quote Of The Day:

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough." ~ Rabindranath Tagore

50 Word Story:

Wings of Time

From the moment she flaps her wings for the first time, the butterfly's time is limited. But she doesn't complain, she makes the most of it. She takes in bright flowers, laughing children, sunny days. And at the end of the day, she's taught many people a valuable lesson.

I'll Help You, Mom

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Another shot from our downtown photo shoot. I really loved the look of these two from behind. I don't think the kid is even close to being as tall as the lawn mower.

Quote Of The Day:

"A toddler believes that if you love a person, you stay with that person 100 percent of the time." ~ Lawrence Balter

50 Word Story:

A Little Shadow

A little boy dressed in colorful shorts and a juice stained shirt toddles after his mother. It doesn't matter what she is doing, whether it be cooking, cleaning, or mowing the lawn. He tries to help, usually making a mess of things, but she just patiently smiles down at him.

Melancholy

Friday, May 20, 2011

Another picture from our fun little photo shoot. I found this picture kind of cute, but kind of sad as well. I remember having a swing like this...I think it was yellow. The main difference was that it was hanging from a tree in a large backyard...

Quote Of The Day:

"Melancholy is a sadness that has taken on lightness." ~ Italo Calvino

50 Word Story:

Minute Playground

Two swings hang from the porch of an industrial looking home. The yard is about the size of a fourth of a soccer field. Not large. However, two little children play outside in the sand as if their home was the biggest jungle out there. Curiosity overcomes all their boundaries.

Slight Detour...

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I went on a fun photo shoot with a friend today. We picked out some really cool shots, this being one of them. These are the types of shots that make me want a Canon...

Quote Of The Day:

"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street." ~ Zig Ziglar

50 Word Story:

Briefly on a Different Track

When walking down the road of life, sometimes mountains and boulders stand in the way. Or maybe a river, swiftly carrying tree trunks, blocks the turn. A dark forest that's too deadly to cross through. Slight detours are made, but that doesn't mean that the road is lost, just distant.