Whole Food still life

I love the time of day when the groceries are bought, unloaded and put away. The possibilities, the choices, are inviting. Everything's fresh and appetizing. Looking at a full fruit basket is one of life's simple pleasures.

First you kick the tires...

Grayson arrived back from New Zealand three days ago (surprise!) and the second thing on his list to do is "get a car". (#1, of course, was "get a cell phone"). He liked this Jeep, but I think has decided on a Land Rover. I'm living in that wonderful window of time where he actually needs me to take him around town! Once he gets the car, then he'll be getting the job, deciding on living arrangements, etc. So I'm going to enjoy these few days of him being... at home.

All that's left

I can't imagine how hard the children down the street must have worked to gather enough flurries to put this gal together. She bravely stood all through the night, but now she's nowhere to be seen.

Snow, South Carolina style

For this, school was cancelled today? I think we got MAYBE one inch. This is the lantern on the front of my house...it's sheltered, but still. Here's the view from my front door. Not a very impressive snow, but at the least, an excuse for hot chocolate, inviting friends over, ordering pizza, and a fire in the fireplace.

Winter afternoon

M plays basketball in a gym located on the shore of this lake. Kinda weird, a gym by the lake, but I'm not complaining. As I round the dirt road leading down to the gym, I'm always happy to see this view...it's always late afternoon, and the sun is always shining on the water in this same way. It makes me feel a little bit more peaceful at the end of the day, like all's well with the world (or at least this little corner of it).

Today I saw a heron fly by, but didn't get a very good shot of it. So this tranquil scene will suffice.

South Kakkalacky - part 3

OK, you're going to have to humor me here. I know, I know: I already posted two photos today. But sometimes a shot comes along that you just have to bend the rules for, a shot that's worth the trouble. As M was driving home from his co-op today (while I was chattering away in the passenger seat on my cell phone), he grabs my elbow, says "CAMERA!" and yanks the car to the curb. Lo and behold, a moment you're glad you carried your camera for. How many times does one see a limosine completely carpeted in astroturf, I ask you?

Only in South Kakkalacky.

The benefit of insomnia

Is the quiet. And the moonlight. I saw this when I got up at 3 am, streaming through my front hallway, and knew I had to have a photo of it. I love the misty quality of the moon tonight.

And a self-portrait of a night owl:

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.

Toys

For man:

And beast:

Amber waves

I pass by this barn every morning during carpool. It's stuck in the middle of my suburban sprawl as a reminder of the history of the area.... used to be peach orchards around here, until houses took over. I remember the peach orchard days from 40 or so years ago when I was little. I thought the morning light hitting the foreground and the tree limbs was great, and I didn't alter the shot at all.

Flowers

I'm in charge of arranging flowers for mass at school tomorrow, so I went to the floral wholesaler to choose some. I wish I lived in Europe at times such as this. I Love their inexpensive selection of flowers. But I managed to find pink quince blossoms, white lilies, and pepperberries to arrange. I didn't get a great selection of pics to choose from, because it was COLD it that refrigerator!

Welcome to South Kakkalacky - Part II

Who needs God 'n Country, when you can have Lee 'n Clemson?



Gotta make sure them young 'uns ridin' them rockyhorses grows up knowin' 'bout what's important in life.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Face your fate:

Prepare to meet your maker, er, mammographer:

How do you measure up?

I'd post the action shot (yes, I actually do have the action shot), but I'd hate to make too many women squirm in sympathetic pain!
Mothers' morning out:

Fill 'er up

Here's my self-portrait for the month, taken this morning while pumping gas. I was happy to see that gas prices had fallen, and decided to celebrate the occasion with a photo; I managed to fill my completely empty tank for under $45 and that is a record.

Sunday morning

I took this photo last Sunday and kept it on ice for a Sunday when the light was bad...such as today. The church looked the same today as last week though. :-)

I love this old church building. The stained glass is turn of the century beautiful, everything is always spit and polished, and it is a quiet and meditative place. In a few minutes all the pews will be jammed, and incense will ascend to the rafters. The organ and trumpets will do their part. Row upon row of altar boys will process down the aisle, and I will settle in to the familiar rhythms of the mass. Time will stop, and heaven will peel back in moments of clarity. All will be well.

Old Man Got Game

Today was a perfect lazy day...great for bike ride (check), reading a book (check), french toast for breakfast (check), and basketball in the driveway (check). I enjoyed watching Bill, the boys and their friends goof off together. Bill, I'm sure, would appreciate if you would notice the vertical leap.

Dog is my Co-Pilot

This gets really cold some mornings! But he adores the wind in his face, so I put on the seat heater, crank up the blower and put up with it for a few minutes of our morning commute. He eventually gets his fill; then, I can thaw.

The Beths

Great photography it's not. But great friends...they are! We used to get together monthly at Barnes and Noble....now that our lives are easier with children being older, we've slacked off. Tonight we got together again and caught up on each other's lives.

Poe Mill

Textiles used to be king in my town. Mills were everywhere. But over time jobs were exported abroad, other industries grew, and textiles sank into near oblivion. Several years ago, Poe Mill burned to the ground. Now the remaining building has been converted into artist studios, where I study. These photos were taken today before I started painting. The ruins are symbolic for me: my dad and his dad worked in the mills; my other grandfather was a mill supervisor. It's a way of life that is essentially gone.