Trivia Night

A few nights ago, Kati and I met Adam for trivia night downtown. Thank goodness for Adam, because one round was all song lyrics. Can't say we exactly dominated, but we had fun.

WOOF

This is my mantel at Christmas. It's kinda -- no, VERY -- plain compared to the mantels I've done in the past, but it's a happy one for me. Kinda hate to see the stockings taken down.

Back to the salt mines....

Today was the first day back at work, and here's the view of my cave from where I sit. I spent the day cleaning out files and e-mail, and trying to get back in the groove.

Everybody's happy at the Apple store

...most of all me. My power cord died, and thanks to Apple Care, they just swapped out a new one. First problem of 2011: solved. If only they will all be this easy!

Kyle's Living Room

I love going to Open Studios every year. Over a hundred local artists open up their studios -- whether they are in their homes, garages, whatever -- for the public to come in and visit. It's a great chance to meet new people, learn about art and get exposed to local artists, and enjoy the great fall weather. Last night I visited Dabney's and Kyle's studios. I love Kyle's eclectic sense of decorating, her whimsy, her artwork, and her dear personality.

Quiet space to think

At this point in my life, a quiet space to think is a welcome thing.

Around the world on New Year's Eve...

Venice...


Madrid...




Beijing...



Paris....

Common view

Though this was taken at the beach in October, I figure it's an accurate enough, and a common view of me...just replace the background with this, and you'll have me in the dining room:

Fanciful light fixture

Slow decorating

This year I've been slower than usual getting around to Christmas decorating. Hopefully this will be the weekend for that. Part of it, I think, is that I'm tired and busy, and the last thing I want is to take on another project right now! Part of it, too, is that I am weary of being the one this job falls to: everyone enjoys having a decorated house, but I'm the one driving the train of getting the tree, I'm the only one who shows any interest in decorating it, I'm the one who does shopping and wrapping and baking, etc. So I've gotten to a point where it wouldn't kill me if we didn't have all the trappings; that's not what Christmas is about anyway. I guess I wish the kids and Bill would have a little more Christmas spirit so I wouldn't feel the responsibility for generating it. The last reason I'm talking myself out of decorating is that we leave for the beach on Christmas afternoon and stay there till after the New Year, so we don't really get a lot of enjoyment of the ambiance anyway, unless we get it up right after Thanksgiving.

But....I do have my fireplaces dressed up.

Shoeshine

I got my car washed the other day, and inside the car wash was a shoeshine stand.

My classroom

Closet rendezvous

Catching up

Saturday in large part was spent catching up on reading my magazines by the fire. A day with no schedule! How great is THAT?!

The Time Between

Holy Saturday is always a bit odd for me....the mourning, deprivation, and somber sensibility that marks Good Friday morphs into a held breath: some anticipatory suspension of belief awaiting...what? A different outcome? To wake up from a bad dream? A resurrection?

This photo (obviously not chosen for its artistic merit) shows the sanctuary of the church as it exists only on Good Friday and Holy Saturday....bereft. No candles, no statues, no vestments, no Host. A stripped stone altar; a tabernacle with door flung open announcing that yep, No One Special is here. A completely empty thing.

I've given up hope before, and I've experienced a resurrection before, of sorts. But that period between, that emptyness -- perhaps it's a necessary place to exist, but gratefully short, just as the time between Good Friday and Easter is short. God must know we just can't wait too long for our resurrections to arrive.

Black/White

I spent most of the day in activities appropriate to Good Friday....but at the end of the day, I just had to get practical and go shopping for something to wear! I liked the contrasts in this shot.

Framed

My errands today took me to the framer, the jeweler (my ring is so clean I took a pic of it too), the shoe store (my first Michael Kors), the park for lunch, the shoe repairman, the outfitter store (yoga wear), and Goodwill. But my favorite shot was the first one, in the framer's shop. Patterns aren't my strong suit like some folks (I'm thinking of Overread's blog, and some others). I think I do better with "telling a story" photos. What do you think is your strong suit? What kinds of photos do you gravitate towards? Anyway, while patterns aren't my strongest thing, I always do like them.



And for Julie, here's another weed shot cropped closer. I think you're right....I like it cropped better. It's amazing the intricacy of a simple weed!

Ahhhhh....Saturday morning

Turn off that alarm clock ... and remember that .... you don't have to get up right now....

Cozy breakfast

Not sure I should post two 'morning' shots in a row, but hey. It's the one that I liked the best. I cranked up the fire this morning (19 degrees outside) and enjoyed my homemade cream cheese on an asiago cheese bagel, with mango/orange juice and apricot preserves. It was so good it deserved a photo. I'll try tomorrow to get breakfast food off the brain and move on to other subject matter!

Morning Light Still Life

I was putting out breakfast this morning and when I closed the fridge door and turned around, I was arrested by the morning light illuminating the countertop. It makes a simple scene -- juice, Greyere, paintbrushes, plant -- so inviting.