stories, photographs, adventures…the next chapter
Cee’s challenge topic this week: 1 item or the Number One
During a cruise to Bermuda in 2008, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery both on and off the ship.
One day, I noticed this bird perched on the ship’s rail. All by itself. Taking in the sun’s rays.
Perhaps sensing that I was not an experienced bird photographer, it held still long enough for me to take this picture. Obviously used to tourists and enjoying the attention.
I have no idea what kind of bird it was. I welcome any ideas!
This post inspired by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo
The prompt: Road
The Newseum, my favorite museum in Washington, DC, is located on historic Pennsylvania Ave between the United States Capitol and the White House.
This is the view from the top floor of the Newseum looking towards the Capitol building. During a Father’s Day weekend visit in 2011 to visit our son.
(I am sad to learn that the Newseum is closing at the end of 2019. Pending a sale to Johns Hopkins University)
This post inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #52: Anomaly
I should have seen this as an ominous sign of things to come.
The bizarre muffin situation of April, 2008.
It happened 11 months before I was diagnosed – much to my surprise and dismay – with celiac disease.
Marking the starting point of my downward spiral…into the land of massive shoulder shrugging by countless doctors and specialists. I was convinced somebody had answers to my pileup of accompanying symptoms and why and what-the-hell-is-going-on with my body questions….
…Back to the muffins…
What the heck happened here? I had no idea.
Regular muffins. Nothing crazy. A simple dependable recipe that produced muffins of uniform shape and size. One of the easier items to bake.
But this batch?
Odd. Weird. Peculiar looking.
An anomaly.
So much so, that I documented. My husband and I had a few chuckles as well.
One year later I started a new baking adventure: gluten free everything.
Including muffins. Which, though more difficult to make, never turned out like those weird ones from BC (Before Celiac).
I, on the other hand, had become an anomaly in the exam rooms in 4 states.
As health care professionals attempted to diagnose my ever expanding list of health problems…with answers that did little to satisfy…
I’ve never seen this before.
Mmmm…the usual tests look normal.
I’m not sure what to do next.
It’s probably autoimmune.
Most people don’t have all these symptoms.
There’s not much we can do.
Let’s wait and see…
and…my favorite…
Sometimes this happens.
This post inspired by Lens Artist Challenge #49
The prompt: Favorite Things
~~~
With a focus on things – rather than people or places – my favorites narrowed down to the irreplaceable.
The sentimental things…that connect with my favorite people.
The massive downsizing I endured 3 years ago crystallized what, in theory, I had known all along. The things I let go of…it was just stuff. Not so important after all.
The things I kept: photo albums dating back 40 years…filled with favorite people and places.
And…
Two scrapbook journals. Documenting my children’s school years. From all perspectives. Spaces for tiny handwritten Montessori “books.” School photos. Sample schoolwork. Report cards. Awards won. Games played. Birthdays. Sports. School portraits. Trips. Thoughts. Reflections – as only a young child can voice.
…End of school year answers on the “Favorites” page: Friends…Books…Music…Sports…Teams…Television Shows…Movies and Videos…Clothes…Foods…Places to Go…Things to Do.
And my favorite? Starting in grade 5…Aspirations and Goals
Bindings stretched to the breaking point with details and documents.
Then carefully repaired.
Preserving snapshots of time from preschool to grade 12.
Tucked in the back…college graduations. Marathon stats. Wedding clipping. Post grad honors. Stretched a bit more.
Two childhoods well lived.
Two children well loved.
This post inspired by Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge. The topic: Flower of Any Kind
I’ll admit it was strange to view flowers in anything but color, but I decided to explore my favorite flower photos with an open mind. And eye.
I was intrigued to discover how much I was drawn to the black and white version of the two “tulip survivors” from our former home. The two that were still bursting through the hard packed side yard after more than 30 years.
It seemed fitting to give them an antique look.
When you turn three, maybe you can count that high.
With your fingers. Grapes on your plate. Cheerios. Green beans.
My grandson turned 3 today. I was lucky enough to travel to Washington, DC to spend the weekend with him, his parents and his dog.
And attend…two parties.
One with his friends yesterday.
One with family today.
Whew!
Two days filled with doing his favorite things…
Climbing. Running. Jumping. Giggling. Singing. Eating. Walking. Talking. Baseball. Basketball. Shouting…
Grandma Come!
Backhoes. Dump Trucks. Front Loaders. Construction Cones…everywhere!
Birthday morning visit to the National Zoo. Lions…no tigers or bears…but monkeys, alpacas, an orangutang, cows, goats, donkeys, elephants and a gorilla family…oh my.
Afternoon with family from near and far. Sharing a small boy’s celebration of a third year of living life. Joyfully. Playfully. With energy to spare.
Blue eyes full of fun, love and mischief. Hints of his mother long ago, but mostly just uniquely him.
Grampa and I fly home tomorrow.
We will look through the hundreds of photos we took.
Smile.
And sleep.
Cee’s challenge topic this week: Smiles
Back in the 1970’s my boyfriend went on a cross country road trip with his best friend. They intended to make it all the way from the East Coast of the US to the West Coast. In an orange Ford Pinto.
They drove as far as Wyoming and realized they were running out of time. Before starting for home, my boyfriend insisted on stopping at a local arts and crafts store to buy a souvenir gift.
A small handmade metal sculpture of two grinning figures, crafted by a local artisan.
Which he gave to me – his girlfriend of 2 years – a few days later…
Saying with a huge smile…
This is US seeing each other again!
One year later we were married.
Also inspired by Nancy Merrill at Photo a Week Challenge.
This post inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #51: Green
This was the view outside my home a few days ago.
The color green is everywhere.
Spring time explains it…before the heat of summer dries the grass to a crispy brown.
There is something comforting about blue + yellow.
I chose green as the color for my first bedroom-of-my-own when I was 11 years old. Emerald green carpet. Green diamond patterned wallpaper (which I loved, even though it aggravated the paper hanger). The only green in the house. A marked contrast to my sisters’ purple and pink florals.
The woods I explored. The leafy tree I climbed. The grass I sprawled out on. Looking up…studying cloud formations.
When I was seven…my favorite dress.
My birthstone…
All green.
This post inspired by Lens-Artists Challenge #48
The Prompt: Wild
Want some fungus, Ma?
My son’s favorite joke when he was growing up.
I loved mushrooms. He did not. I think it was the texture, because when I chopped them up into really small pieces…he didn’t spot any in the tuna casserole.
If his eagle eye discovered any recognizable mushroom sections, he calmly plucked them out. And arranged them in a semi-circle around the edge of his dinner plate.
When his grade school education included a science lesson on what constitutes a fungus, his delight in passing on this gem of information was palpable.
It didn’t stop me from eating mushrooms however. Fungus or no fungus. They are delicious. And nutritious.
One day last year, during my walk around the neighborhood, I spotted a clump of wild mushrooms.
The color is what I noticed first.
This fungus did not end up in a tuna casserole.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 