Day Thirty-Three

Grace, Eowyn, and I spent yesterday at the mall. Not, as you might expect from this picture, in a Daliest museum of breakfast foods. Eowyn found herself overcome by the surrealist atmosphere and arranged herself on the bacon accordingly.

Day Thirty-Two

I've been having a crappy week. I'm disgruntled and exhausted and cranky. So I'm cheating. These are clearly pictures of last weekend--a happier time (a cuter time, for that matter). And I don't care. I took pictures yesterday, I just don't feel like posting any of them.

It may be that I need to get out more. Or stay in more. Or sleep more. *shrug* Whatever. Enjoy the cute!

A trio of adorable.



Bianca shows off her mad gathering skillz!


I'm not sure if the goat wants to be friends with Eowyn or just nibble on her face a bit.

Day Thirty-One

Before.



After. (Housed in the lovely vase Amy gifted me with for my wedding participation). Here you'll note the sheer mass of the yellow roses. Those white roses aren't tiny by any means. They're your typical roses. The yellows are as big as my two fists put together.

Day Thirty

It's official! I've done this for an entire month!!! I'm giddily proud of myself. Now, just eleven more to go.

Yesterday I finally let the cats out on the balcony. It was a lovely day, the roses smell heavenly, and they (mostly) didn't try to go over the edge. Because I usually let Hamlet be the model, I'm giving Tabitha the spotlight today.

She's the one who's usually begging to be let out to roll on the wood. And she's definitely the one who took full advantage of every spot of sunlight on the deck.



It was a time of much contentment for us all.

Day Twenty-Nine

In homage to Melissa's gorgeous shot of the same tree. (Read: I'm a copycat!)

Day Twenty-Eight

And this is Eowyn.

Wave to the nice people, Eowyn!



We had lots of fun with bubbles after lunch on Saturday! And Eowyn went home with her very own bubble wand so she can have lots of fun when she gets back to Germany, too.

Day Twenty-Seven

I discovered--or rather, confirmed--something this weekend. As much as I love my camera, I'm still crap with a point-and-shoot. I can't make it DO things! My hands are shaky! It's out of focus! Argh!!!

Melissa let me borrow her camera and literally the very first picture I took (a picture which, mind you, I had just tried to take with my camera), I remembered exactly why I wanted a DSLR. I can make it focus on what I want to focus on. I really, really want manual focus back. (She promises to mail me the [many, many] pictures I took with her camera).

Nonetheless, I got some good shots, some fun shots, and some commemorative shots with my own camera. These are a few from the Adria series. (The first one makes me giggle).

Day Twenty-Six

In which I discover the sepia setting on my camera.




This is the rose featured earlier this week in the artsy post, now completely opened and absolutely beautiful. It looks how I wish I looked in human form.



Have I mentioned that pure white roses are my favorite flower? This is a different flower on the same bush. I can smell them inside my house and they're incredible! Mmmm.

Day Twenty-Five

The afternoon sun glows through this plant lighting the leaves a soft rosy color I can't seem to capture. But I like the imposing angle here.




And this is the self-same plant's shadow on the sill. In green. Which you can probably see for yourself.

Day Twenty-Four

Snapdragons! (Not mine). Isn't that just a fantastic name for a flower, though? I love it!

Also, if you look carefully--or perhaps carelessly, unfocusing your eyes just a bit--there's a face at the top of the foremost bloom. Or maybe it's just me.

Day Twenty-Three

I've gone a bit artsy today--from the creamy waves of a full-blown rose to the dancerly grace of a bud on the verge. I call these, "Garden of a Recluse."

Day Twenty-Two

I was at the library at closing yesterday and realized I hadn't taken my picture for the day. So, two bags slung over my right shoulder and my opposite arm full of books, I took this picture of one of the sculptures outside. One-handed! I'm like a circus act!





And then, because it amuses me, I made this rather moody version of the shot that I feel would illustrate a dark piece of literature--perhaps the story of an abandoned world after nuclear destruction...except for the trees, so maybe just after a zombie war. With nicely manicured lawns.

Day Twenty-One

I wonder what it's like inside that costume? Is the wearer sobbing tears no one can see or are they automatically cheery because they have, in the most literal sense, put on a happy face?

(Bluish tinting due to the car window this was taken through).

Day Twenty

I supplied treats for coffee break on Friday. From the angel food cake bar I set up, Holly created a really lovely slice of desserty goodness. Behold!

Day Nineteen

Okay, so, teeny story. When Apple and I went to Ireland we took about 3500 pictures. That is not an exaggeration. At least a thousand of them are pictures I took of trees. (Another thousand were of water or sky, also by me, and then a good 700 or so of rocks, by Apple. It is in those ways our proclivities lie).

I am kind of in love with trees.

I am trying not to have the same ratio of tree shots to other pictures on this blog. That said, today's shot? Trees. But they're gorgeous! I can't HELP it!! Nor, to be honest, do I much want to.

Day Eighteen

What I accomplished during two days of Sales Conference:

Day Seventeen

Today feels like a day for a bit of gloomy drama.

Day Sixteen

Sitting in my car in the side parking lot of the grocery store, I hear a noise. I glance over my shoulder and see a small family -- grandfather, mother, and granddaughter, at a guess -- walking a flock of ducks across the parking lot. Just all out for a stroll together.

You see, it's for just this kind of situation that I wanted a camera.

Day Fifteen

Sometimes it just staggers me how blue the sky can be.

Day Fourteen

Alleged murderer caught on tape fleeing scene of crime*


Grand Rapids, Mich. -- Silvio Marcello Reptilio, 23, was found dead Friday night in the alley behind the popular "Lizard Lounge." He had been stabbed twice. No weapon has been found.



A surveilance camera nearby captured the disturbing image of Anole "Skink" Dwight Basilisk, 38, the lizard believed to be the perpetrator, scurrying away from the body. Police say the camera had only been installed that afternoon, but was not yet fully operational. It was undergoing testing at the time of the murder and captured this single image on tape. Police are now searching for Basilisk.

Sources say this is not the first time Basilisk and Repitilio have had run-ins.

"Oh, yeah, Silvio and Skink used to get into it all the time," says Gecko Mahoney, 46. "Silvio was always sniffing after Skink's lady, Lola [Lenzotti, 24]. Skink warned him over and over to stay away, but Silvio would never listen. He was head over tail for her! I always knew that hot Latin head of his would get him killed one day."


Lola Lenzotti seen here in a promotional poster for her burlesque stage show, "Lady Lola Live at the Lizard Lounge"

Sabrina Sibilanti, 25, worked with Lenzotti on the show. "If you ask me, this is all Lola's fault," she told reporters. "She knew the kid had it bad for her. She encouraged him to moon over her because she liked the attention. Lola loves it when Skink gets jealous and she likes a good-looking fella or two on the side. But she would never leave Skink and we all knew it. Poor kid never knew she was playing him."

Police will not confirm the motive in this case, but are asking the public to contact them if they have any information on the case or on the whereabouts of Basilisk.



*Blood may have been added for dramatic effect.

Day Thirteen

First birthday for the twins!

Generosity was great...perhaps TOO great.



And a good time was had by all.

Day Twelve

Dedicated to my cousin Jen: she started this insanity and she loves dandelions. Enjoy this random rural scene in the middle of Grand Rapids, Jen! (Taken from my car window on the way by, so forgive the slight out of focus).

Day Eleven

So there's the bluebird of happiness, right? Maybe all colors of bird should have muse designations.

I give you the yellow bird of harmony!

Day Ten

This is a warning for those of you who don't like feet: today's post contains shots of toes. I include here a buffer photo to save you from being blindsided by their presence.



I realized last night that I was extremely restless and rather twitchy. When I tried to pinpoint what would make me feel better, I discovered I wanted to stretch out in the newly greened grass and just dig my fingers and toes in down to the soil and stare up at the clouds. (See above).

And so, my feet. Barefoot and grass-stained, just as God intended. (Also rather carelessly displayed--someday I should probably get an actual pedicure). It felt wonderful.

Day Nine

Sorry for the late in the day update. I was sick this morning. But I'm better now and I have actual pictures from today! I'm also sorry about the constant series of pictures. I have trouble with decisions. :)

My balcony garden has begun.



Buddhagator picked up a hitchhiker here. (Click on it to zoom in and see it better. Actually, you can do that with any of the pictures here).



And, finally, Mr. Hamlet wishing he could come out on the balcony and hang out. If I ever manage to get rid of the yellow jackets who live there, we'll talk.

Day Eight

Holy cow, I'm on day eight!

Pardon me as I post a few shots from our recent botanical gardens trip.

Day Seven

During my first photography class in college, I inadvertantly started a tradition of having at least one shot in a graveyard on every roll of film. Things haven't changed much since--except the "film" part of the equation, of course.