Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Monday, March 23, 2009

Project 365 #78

Morning Convocation

I'm still smarting over the lingering chill in the air. I was hoping spring would blow in ushering warmth and earth ready to be turned for sowing. Instead of warm weather, spring arrived with snow flurries and lots of wind.

This morning I headed out for a run with a heady breeze and temperatures below 20. The Canadian geese gather by the stream en masse when spring approaches. As soon as they see me the honking and shrieking begins as I intrude on their early morning convocation. I can go by this spot later in the day and they ignore me but first thing in the morning, I am an intruder.

It is the bewitching time when nature rules while humans still sleep beneath their warm covers. Most of the other creatures have grown used to me intruding on their time, not the geese. They never let me forget I'm just a guest.


Sunday, March 22, 2009

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Project 365 #76

Buried Treasure

I found this today while wandering around the back yard. The man who built our house was known to be quite fond of building big roaring fires to dispose of things he couldn't figure out what to do with. Usually I wind up finding pieces of charred metal but today this beauty was poking up through a tangle of brush.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Project 365 #73

The Appalachian Trail

This is such a wonderful suspension bridge that sways with the wind making you just little disoriented as you pass over the water.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009

Project 365 #71

New Rhubarb

The Garden

This is a preemptive blog post since my husband has threatened to hi-jack my blog to discuss "the vegetable garden". This weekend I went up to the sleeping garden to catch a couple of early spring documentary photos.

Buried in the foreground are the rhubarb plants which are just beginning to peek through the earth.

Here is a wider shot of the debris resting under the snow for most of the winter: flower pots, a bag of soil, a couple of plastic sand pails in the distance, and I'm pretty certain my yard stick and a pair of garden shears from two years ago lurking up there.

Right now it's still too cold for the garden to begin its growing frenzy so I am filled with the anticipation of planting seeds. Those garden catalogs tempt with their titillating descriptions of vegetables. Just plant a couple of these seeds and you'll be able to feed your entire family for the entire year. This is the image I have in my head of just what all that growing will look like: Notice the clean lines, the straight rows, the lack of weeds? This is my fantasy but this is my reality: No clean lines here. No straight rows. And boy do I have a knack for growing those weeds. I defy any one in the county to challenge me in this department.

In this shot you can see where I've tried to continue the good fight. You can actually recognize the onions but then like a horror movie the weeds are moving in for the kill.

It's not that I don't know what the heck I'm doing out there. I've read every book out there on organic gardening, pests control, eliminating weeds, boosting the soils nutrients, composting, performing ritualistic human sacrifices to placate the weed gods. I've talked to my plants. I've sung to them. I've even been known to reason with the rabbits and the ground hogs to nibble elsewhere. All of this has been to no avail. What I need is time.

With four children you would think I'd have plenty of help but unfortunately the older ones are old enough to remember pulling weeds every summer since we've lived here (five years now). Instead of the family bonding experience I thought gardening would be it's more like bondage. So I'm pretty much out there on my own. Last year, it was me and my little guy who was fond of taking the seeds out of the ground after I planted them and blasting me with the hose.

But.... This year it will be different (this is where my husband's eyes roll upward and he gets that there-she-goes-again smirk on his face). I have a plan (well, sort of). This year, I'm tossing the books away and I'm going with my gut. After all, I come from a long line of farmers (excluding my mother who could kill plastic plants). My father grew an amazing container garden on his terrace. He even grew his own grapes for his homemade wine. This season this city girl is going back to her country roots and I plan on having a bumper crop. I'll keep everyone posted with lots of pictures.

Okay, my husband is still smirking and reminding me that I've said this just about every year since we've been living here. In response I offer a loud, resounding "HA!!"

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Project 365 #70

Spring Has Spoken

It might not be officially sanctioned by the calendar but I'm calling it Spring.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Friday, March 13, 2009

Project 365 #68

Be Careful Or Your Face Will Stay Like That

I tossed out that tried and true warning to the little guy only to receive a big grin and a "Yeah!" Next time I'll just tell him that Sponge Bob wouldn't like that and maybe he'll stop. Yes, I'm abdicating parental responsibility to a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Project 365 #67

The Eternal Sunshine of Spring Fantasies

Heading Back to School

Obviously life with kids, a crazy dog and an unfinished manuscript is not challenging enough for me, I'm going back to school. I'd been talking about doing it for years but life always managed to push the desire to the background.

Last year, I went as far as to request my past transcripts and filled out an online application but then I got cold feet. I started thinking about the insanity of driving almost an hour with a two year old (there's childcare available), dealing with classes and studying while raising a family, managing a household, and writing a book. Why would I do this to myself?

Then that nagging feeling hit me again. Maybe it's because my daughter will be starting high school next year and the idea of college is hovering in the air. Maybe it's because the kids are a year older and, despite their clever disguises, are heading closer to becoming responsible beings. Or maybe it's because now felt like the right time, I checked to see if my application was still valid and it was. I took a deep breath, hit the submit button, paid my application fee and mailed off the transcripts.

What did I have to lose? I figured my chances of getting in were pretty slim, given my long absence and the fact that record number of applications are being received at public institutions.
I didn't tell anyone what I was up to preferring not to have my humiliation made public. So I put it out of my mind until the big fat envelope arrived with the "Congratulations" letter. First, I did a happy dance, then as children swarmed around me I started to question my sanity.

Was I really going to take on a full-time course load with all that I already have on my plate? The smart thing would be to write them back explaining that I'd been suffering some type of delusional episode when I sent out that application and wouldn't be bothering them again. Then I opened my folder again and read my acceptance letter and I knew there was no turning back, I'm heading back to school.

Of course when I told my daughter she asked, "Do you think you'll be the oldest person at your school?" There might be one or two people with a year or two on me I told her. At least I'll be able to regale my fellow classmates with tales of what it was like to go to school before the internet, Google, iPods, cellphones (unless you happen to be a drug lord on Miami Vice), and laptops.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Project 365 #66

Driving on Two Quarters


I love the fact that William looks like he's looking in his side mirrors before he makes an illegal u-turn.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Project 365 #65

Back-Seat Shenanigans

More like bustin' a move to the Mama Mia soundtrack on the way home.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Friday, March 6, 2009

Project 365 #61

Interruption

This lady was busy grazing when I came along with my camera and interrupted her. After I snapped the picture she turned her back on me and grumbled her dissatisfaction. Can't a cow eat without the paparazzi hovering about? Damn those "got milk" ads.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Project 365 #60

Presents!!!

Today is Georgie's birthday. He's entered the double digits. As per his request, the celebration was low-key as befits a young man turning 10. Here his baby brother is a little too anxious to get on with the unwrapping. The gift in the foreground is a set of juggling clubs. I'm starting to think that idea is right up there with the catapult I bought him when he was 3. Hide the breakables. Next year, bow and arrows perhaps?

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Project 365 #59

Deer by the Side of the Road

This deer was peacefully grazing outside Dunkin Donuts while the traffic rushed by.

Project 365 #58

The Hardest Working Dog in America

This is actually photo #56. This is what happens when you try and play catch-up.

Here, the girl is plotting out her next strike against the man. Perhaps another garbage can raid?

Project 365 # 57

Still Life

The artist is my daughter who is taking her first real art workshop.

Project 365 #56

Disembodied Spirit

Project 365 #55

B.B. Turns Three

Our little guy turned three on Saturday, February 28th and this was the cake that my husband made for him. Unfortunately he was still suffering from a nasty cold but he finally got his own remote control car.

Project 365 #54

Soccer Practice

My son's team has been practicing in an indoor space lately and I loved the competing lines containing the blur that is my son. I've become such a Soccer Mom.