Picture Inspiration

Big Picture Classes is offering a year-long photography workshop called Picture Inspiration.  Every Thursday we get a new assignment and I thought it would be a good idea to keep all my photos in one place. 

So, I've redesigned and renamed my "365 Project" blog to Picture Inspiration and will be posting each picture there.  We're already in week 5 and all those are in one post. 

I like this once-a-week format because it gives me a chance to think about how I want to interpret the prompt and it takes the pressure off.

Puzzle

We started this puzzle about a month ago.  It was so hard!  We found it in the cellar still wrapped in cellophane.  Someone must have given it to my mom but she had enough sense not to get started on it!  But we persevered and I finished it this morning.  Now we can have our dining room table back.

Playing Hooky

I had to take a personal day today to take care of retirement issues.

That meant driving down to Saco, Maine.

Once that was done, I went to McDonald's for their 2 for $3.33 filet-o-fish special.

I took my sandwiches to the beach,

and sat right here to eat them.  It was cold but I was dressed warmly.

I watched huge waves crash on the sand.

Then I walked along the beach where the surf tried to play footsie with me.

  I took some pictures of driftwood

and felt the magic of sea mist on my face.

Want to see more sky pictures?  Check out SkyWatch Friday.



Vintage Typewriter

I've been wanting to do something with the old Underwood typewriter that has been in our garage for years.  So, I dug it out and cleaned it off a bit and packed it to go to our home in Florida. But first I took a few pictures.

It just seems right that a writer should display a typewriter.

My fingers are itching to tap away at those keys.

I'm definitely going to find a spot for it.

And, now, I think I need to go write a poem!

Super Moon

I had fun taking pictures of the moon as it rose tonight.

It was right in the cleft between two mountains.

I tried different settings and different angles.

"When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain..."

I thought of my grandfather tonight; he always sang this song after a couple beers (or more!) when we were at camp at Silver Lake back in the 60s.

Sweet

It's snowing this Saturday morning.

The sky is gray.

The ground is white.

But, yesterday I saw a sign

of spring.  We stopped

to buy maple syrup

at Mullins Farm

in West Milan

and they were sugaring!

We bought a gallon

of medium amber

that had just been bottled that day.

So, take that, snow!

The sap is running.

Time for you to give up.

And time for me

to make

pancakes.

A Surprise!

The kids came up for Gary's birthday and surprised us with a retirement gift: a 46" TV! 

We love it!

It's so weird.  In person, the green in the picture is just about the same green as the background but in this photo, they look totally different.

Journals

Twelve years ago when I started teaching at the high school, I decided to have my students write a poem a couple times a week.  I do it along with them and have filled all these notebooks over the years. 

Many of them were sent to me from my friend, Anne, in Florida, and some I bought myself.

A few weeks ago when we started second semester, I didn't have a notebook on the first day of journal writing so went through my file cabinet which contains no files but just a bunch of stuff.  I was happy to find this journal:

It was given to me by my sister, Sally, back in 1980.  I tried keeping a diary for a few weeks back then but it just didn't take. 

What a thrill it was to read what I'd written.

And, now, I'm happy to be able to fill it with poetry.

I Am Not Happy!

Another snow day!

That means we have to make it up at the end of the year.

We're already making one up on Friday, June 17th.

This one will probably be made up on Monday June 20th.

I'll have to drive up from camp 2 1/2 hours one way for one day!

My last day ever!

Mid-February

I just noticed that I wrote about the English department meeting twice, once for the 14th and again for the 15th.  I'm sure we didn't have a meeting two days in a row.  Stupid 62-year-old brain!  Duh!

It's 40 degrees this first Sunday morning in March. That's a 60 degree difference from just a couple mornings ago.  Crazy New England weather! I think I'll hang my sheets out and they might even dry!

Lilac

Lilacs are still few months away but thought I'd use the color to brighten up these neverending winter days.

The picture of flowers was on the card my MIL sent me for my B-day.

The "LINDA" was on the card from my brother and SIL, along with the heart confetti that went everywhere when I opened the envelope!

Another Cold One

Just about -18 degrees with the sun on the thermometer at 6:45am.

It's March, for crying out loud!

I went out on the back porch to snap this.  Brrr!  Look at all those smoking chimneys!

From This...

We got ready to go outside for Nature Journaling then glanced outside and saw this squall so decided to stay inside.

...to this! 

As soon as the bell rang, it cleared up and we had a beautiful sunset reflection on the clouds.

Any transformations in your life today?

Dreaming

It's March! 

A one-syllable month, finally, after so many loooooong months.

As I look out my classroom window, I see snow, weeds, bare trees, and more snow.

Can't wait for color

and dandelions and bugs

and bluettes.

Come on spring!

What are you dreaming about today?