Project 365 # 53

Bed Time Story

The little guy was feeling sick all day. It wasn't the cranky kind of sick but the cuddly kind. He climbed into bed with his big brother who read him to sleep.

Will I Really Feel Good?

According to a phone call from Payless Shoestore, I will feel good if I rush out and take advantage of their "bogo buy one, buy another 1/2 off promotion." Is this guaranteed? If I grab my sick toddler, ignore my inflammed sinuses and drive to Payless, buy two pairs of shoes, will they guarantee that I will feel good? No more stuffiness? No more coughing? No more fatigue?

There's probably a catch somewhere... Like a microscopic disclaimer about the relativity of the meaning of good. One man's good can be another's personal hell, after all. As tempting as the promise is, I'm deciding to pass on this promotion.

What's next, the promise of nirvana if you'll just buy something, anything? I understand retailers are desperate and shaky right now, scratching their heads trying to figure out how to get me to part with my money but tossing out the idea of shopping and happiness is so "Booming Economy". Hey if they really want my money forget the vagueness, give me real promises. If you buy a pair of shoes, we'll wash your car or pick some things from the grocery store for you. We can call it the new "Buy Something from Us and We'll do Something for You Economy."
Retailers are going to work a heck of a lot harder to get me to part with my cash then offering me vague promises of warm feelings that will dissipate before I've even left the mall.

Project 365 #52

The Other Side of the Glass

Project 365 #51

View From the Carriage House Cafe

An apple/cranberry muffin, a caramel latte and two hours of alone time- it was a good day.

The Flight of a Paper Airplane

As fans of the art of paper airplanes, I hope you like this video:

Flying from Sam Fuller on Vimeo.

In the words of my son, "This is awesome."

Project 365 #50

Child Labor

In these dire economic times one becomes desperate and searches for cheap help anywhere it can be found. I did give him a five minute break and the sponge to clean with instead of his Elmo toothbrush. Now if only I could get him to sort the laundry.

Project 365 #49

The Dance of The Pines

With the flurries swirling the pines looked as though they were lifting their skirts ready for the music to begin.

Project 365 #48

Horses

I've been trying to get a shot of these three horses for a couple of weeks now. They're usually huddled together sharing the day's gossip or the latest joke. Today I stopped my car intent on getting a shot. Horse #3 promptly vacated the scene turning his back to me in annoyance. I'm pretty certain I heard him mumble "Tourist" in a derogatory tone. Horse #2 was more interested in his hay. Horse #1 is the real star of this scene giving me those smoldering soulful eyes. Oh, I think it's love at first sight.

Project 365 #47

The Young Naturalist at Work

Today we learned about birds at High Point State Park. The kids learned how various birds use their beaks to get food. They practiced being birds with common household utensils. William was especially fond of the pliers. Here he proves that it's not the early bird that gets the worm but the tenacious toddler.

Project 365 #46

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

After three weeks attending to fevers, runny noses, sneezing, sore throats and coughing, the cold has decided to try and take hold of me. I've been able to hold it off so far but today I woke up feeling like I'd slept pressed inside a large rotting book. I grabbed my Kold Kare, some zinc, goldenseal, emercen-C, and Gyspy Care Cold Tea.

These are just the small weapons. For this cold I needed the big cannon to blast out these germs so I cooked a large pot of soup and so far, so good. Although, I wouldn't mind a hot toddy to add a little insurance and a good night's sleep.

Project 365 #45

Forbidden Fruit

Every once in a while I have to let her think she's gotten away with something. Today it was William's apple. She planned with the precision of a ninja, fading into the background waiting for the perfect moment. Her moment came when the apple was placed on the kitchen counter. A look left, a glance right and then up on her hind legs. The apple was hers.

Possession of the apple isn't what thrills Kisses. What excites her is my knowing she has the apple. She strutted around the living room dropping the apple every few minutes and growling hoping someone would pay attention to her stolen booty.

She dropped the apple on my foot, rolled it into the base board and then finally lay with it in front of her whining. Finally, I decided to end her misery and began chastising her. Here she is happily eating the forbidden fruit.

Project 365 #44

What Remains

Project 365 #43

A Rose

Project 365 #42

The Bluest Blue

I love the color blue and today I was treated to the clearest blue sky. There wasn't a cloud to be found. I thought I'd share.

Needing Some Serious Intervention

Lately, I've been feeling like my life is like one of those books by Laura Numeroff- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, If You Give Pig a Pancake... I'll start out with one simple task and before I know it it's ballooned into the realistic staging of the Battle of Gettysburg in my backyard. It starts out innocently, I'll be preparing dinner then.... I'll start checking my email, take a peek on Facebook, remember that the laundry is still in the dryer and start putting that away, before I remember that I wanted to write down the next events in my story before I forget them but first I should put that blog entry that's been floating around my head into words, oh and what about dinner?

Last year, I wrote about my addiction to multitasking but awareness hasn't led to any behavioral change. I need someone to stand behind me and poke me with a pointy stick the moment I start veering off task. Any takers out there? I'll even give you a cool title like Task Facilitator. Unfortunately, at this time there are no funds to pay for this position so what is a girl to do?

I considered hitting myself on the head with a wooden spoon each time I feel myself wandering off but this could possibly lead to more problems, instead I've initiated a home intervention experiment. I've been forcing myself to work on one task at a time. When I feel myself straying, I mumble 'Focus. Focus' a couple of times and this has been effective. Although my youngest has been mumbling it also but it sounds more like a four-letter word.

Is it working? I don't feel like I'm getting as much done as before but I'm not as tired and cranky at the end of the day (which is a real plus). I still have to remind myself, like I'm one of my kids, to finish what I started before I go on to something else. I even managed to write this entry without checking my email or Facebook once (okay I did glance at my email but I didn't click on anything). I guess this is progress but I still may need a Task Facilitator so keep those sticks sharpened. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

Project 365 #41

S.O.S

While having dinner after my son's soccer game, we started a game of S.O.S. I taught this to my son in this summer and the last time we played together he "whupped" me. This time I have the upper hand.

Project 365 #40

Local Color

Project 365 #39

The Busy Fridge

Project 365 #38

Nothing Like A Good Book

Project 365 #37

A Squirrel with Nut

Project 365 #36

The Break of Dawn

Project 365 #35

Tundra Subsides

Ever since Mr. Husberg's sixth grade class, I have loved the whole idea of tundra. It's one thing to read about it but when the landscape is buried beneath ice for months, it's nice to see a little sleeping grass poking through.

A Knitter's Dilemma

I picked up this book about two years ago and fell in love with the gorgeous patterns and unique style of knitting. The first pattern I tackled was a bath mat using three strands of cotton yarn on large needles. I'm a knitter who likes the challenge of learning new techniques and the whole idea of creating these large pieces by picking up stitches was addictive.

So when I saw this pattern I had to tackle it. I'd always wanted to make a full size blanket (not one of those whimpy throws) and here was my chance. I ordered the wool/silk blend skeins and a set of needles. I started the first square while on vacation in August 2007. I figured I would have most of the blanket finished on the drive home from Maine. By the way, did I happen to mention I'm a delusional knitter?

Well, it's 2009 and the blanket is almost, almost finished. I'm working on the fourth border. After this all I have to do is weave in loose threads, stitch up the borders, and steam it lightly and then I'll have my very own Modern Log Cabin Blanket, except... except for a slight little problem.

This teeny tiny ball is never going to make it through the fourth border. I keep hoping this yarn is like those dolls in the 70's that had short hair, then you pulled on their ponytail and magically it had long luxurious hair. The delusional knitter in me is refusing to concede defeat and go online and order another skein so I will be saved the embarrassment of writing another entry next year about how I plan on finishing this blanket. I'd rather not have my children visit with their children and their children's children retelling the legend of the unfinished blanket. "Hey remember the blanket Mommy started knitting way back before we had hover cars?"

But I believe this is The Little Ball of Yarn That Could
Doesn't it look like it has heart and soul? Doesn't it look like the kind of courageous ball of yarn that is ready to stretch itself so that I don't have to pay extra shipping on just one skein of Silky Wool yarn?

Project 365 #34

Playmates

Missing the Good Stuff

Lately I've been feeling like I'm missing out on the things I most want in life while I'm caught up in the details of life. This cartoon is my reminder to look up from time to time.

Project 365 #33

Tracks

We spent the morning at High Point State Park's Interpretive Center learning how to recognize the kind of animal based on their tracks. We made prints in sand, read a story about a hibernating bear and the animals that visit him while he's sleeping, followed tracks inside the center and then went outside in the snow and followed deer tracks. A fun and tiring morning.

Project 365 #32

Morning Sun

Project 365 #31

House in the Middle of the Road

I love this house located in the hamlet of Amity; it's right in the middle of the road. I'd love to know the story behind this landmark. An aerial shot would do it better justice but you'll just have to use your imagination- a perfect triangle.

Calling All Fairies

Don't you remember the joy of reaching under your pillow, while your tongue drifted in and out of the space where your tooth used to be, and finding the magic money left by the tooth fairy? Once all the teeth grow in is that it for fairies? Maybe they're out there just waiting to fill our mornings with magic.

So if:

I put dirty clothes under my pillow maybe the laundry fairy will grant me washed and neatly folded clothing. She might even put it away for me

or

Dirty dishes under my pillow (it could be a tad bit uncomfortable but...) would be turned to clean sparkling dishes

or

Here's my favorite, a handful of bills placed under the pillow would be paid, preferably from the fairy's own pocket

or

Chicken, cilantro, tomatoes, garlic and onions under the pillow would be turned into a gourmet meal that feeds the entire family or maybe all I'd need to do was leave a couple of recipes and voila...

or

Cleaning products, sponges, toilet brush, rags, and a feather duster would become a clean house. And just to show how much I appreciate my cleaning fairy, I'd take care of the mopping and vacuuming

or

Maybe just maybe, if I leave a couple of pine needles under my pillow tonight the great Fairy of Dead Christmas Trees will finally take this one shedding needles all over the living room out of the house and into the woods.

Oh, I guess a girl can dream.

Project 365 #30

Publish Post

Sick Day

Both boys were sick today. William is tickled to have Big Brother Georgie home with him today. Georgie's just trying not to throw up. It was a long day.

Project 365 #29

Fur

Project 365 #28

Leaves

I was in the process of creating tonight's image. I was experimenting with a pair of my husband's reading glasses and thought the shot would be better if I had a book in the layout. I grabbed The History of Writing and flipped through the pages and out spilled this wonderful collection of leaves. I had tossed these leaves in a book to flatten them more than three years ago and they still retain their color. What a wonderful surprise!