stories, photographs, adventures…the next chapter
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Glasses, Cups or Saucers
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Cases of stemmed glassware caught my eye at the Shelburne Museum last summer.
They were on display at the museum’s “General Store” which contained artifacts from the early 1900s.
If these glasses could talk…
Inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #86: Cliché
Those pesky clichés pop up everywhere. This week let’s have fun with them.
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Not all clichés make sense to me…
Don’t cry over spilled milk comes to mind…
I never believed that one, as my mother always cried over the spilling of beverages of any kind – especially milk – when I was a kid. Fit to be tied, she’d start freaking out and crying if one of her children reached thoughtlessly for the salt shaker and accidentally knocked over his or her cup. She’d have a cow as milk soaked the tablecloth and puddled on the floor.
Plain and simple…I grew up believing milk spilling was a major personal flaw deserving of tearful high drama.
Take it from me…crying over spilled milk happens more often than you think. Rest assured…that cliché does not always ring true.
The calm before the storm? – right before the milk spilled. That one makes sense. Mealtime with my siblings was usually giggly and spirited, but calm…ish.
On the other hand…
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…
And hopefully…time heals all wounds…
Or perhaps…laughter IS the best medicine.
To help you live happily ever after…
One day at a time.
And now…to circle back…
Be careful with that glass of milk…
Better safe than sorry.
Inspired by Lens-Artists Challenge #86: Change Your Perspective
…we invite you to break the habit of shooting photos at eye-level and change your perspective. Instead, show us your photographs taken from a variety of perspectives–by getting down low, by looking up at the subject or looking down, or walking around the subject.
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This past Sunday – sunny but cold – seemed a perfect opportunity for a walk on the beach. The bright afternoon sun enhanced the perspective potential for this challenge…and I am always chasing the light.
It didn’t disappoint.
Along the walkway bordering the beach is a shelter that covers several lines of benches. The sun lit it up with lines as well.
Catching my eye from one side…
A bit less eye-catching from the other side…
Venturing underneath and looking up…
…revealed an entirely different display.
I continued walking down the boulevard…but before turning around to head back to my car, I glanced up.
Apparently two seagulls took it upon themselves to be on the lookout atop a light pole.
They sat at attention long enough for a photo.
Inspired by Sunshine’s Macro Monday #31
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I’ve got another mystery to solve.
I spied this random white puff of something on a tree branch in January during a walk in the woods near my home. It was about the size of a blueberry.
I am thinking it’s some kind of fungus, but I have no clue.
A bright spot this time of year is welcome no matter what the source!
Ideas?
Inspired by Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Clouds
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A walk on the beach this winter was well worth a look up…as an entire family of clouds floated by.
Frank at Dutch goes the Photo: Yard
Six Word Saturday
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Not a grass blade in sight…as loved ones gathered for Commencement.
Inspired by Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Roofs of Any Kind
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There is a wide variety of architectural styles on display in Washington, DC. During a recent visit I captured just a few examples.
All along the same street!
The most extraordinary thing about writing is that when you’ve struck the right vein, tiredness goes. It must be an effort, thinking wrong.
Virginia Woolf
Two years ago today I started posting on oneletterup.com. At first I just “practiced” and kept the blog private, as I built up courage to go public 2 months later on April 15. I began with my adventures in moving. The empty nest. Stories from childhood.
I had always been a “writer” since I first took pencil to paper in a diary at the age of 9. I put the word writer in quotes because I was in awe of real writers who crafted stories that transported me to exciting places. Writers of actual books! How could I call myself a writer too? A real writer. I could not possibly be in that league.
Nevertheless, I couldn’t help myself. I wrote letters. Cards. Notes. I kept journals. I took a writing class in college. Joined local writing groups. Attended a week long writing symposium at a university in 2007. I wrote story after story about my children’s childhood moments. When the details were fresh in my mind…I couldn’t help it…I just had to record the sweet magic I witnessed. I put together memory books and stories for family. In the 1990s I submitted stories to magazines. A few held on to them…we’ll see if we have a need for this…but ultimately no publication.
There was never enough time to make writing a top priority. Without feeling guilty that there were more important things I should be doing.
Until my husband and I moved from our house to this condo. Until my children were grown and independent. Until I retired from my consultant job in dietetics.
Until I had a room of my own.
Two years ago, I took the plunge and thought…why not? After all, I wasn’t getting any younger…or healthier.
A blog would be a place to write what I wanted. Try to ignore the inner critic. And see what happens.
I discovered the creative fun of writing challenges, photography challenges…and what has turned out to be the best part…
…Meeting and interacting with other bloggers. It is like being in a virtual writing (and photography!) group. I’ve learned so much from all of you.
My mission in February 2018 was to start writing and not look back.
So far…mission accomplished!
A big thank you to all my blogging friends for your support and encouragement,
one letter Up
(aka Andrea 🙂)
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V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #85: Mission
Inspired by Lens-Artists Challenge #85: Treasure Hunt
This week we’re going on a Treasure Hunt! The challenge is to search for specific items – either from your archives or newly captured – from the list below. Extra credit items are a bit more challenging. Focus on quality over quantity and hit us with your best shot(s)!
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A photo scavenger hunt!
This reminds me of party activities when I was a kid – going house to house asking for odd items. Like a feather or a paper clip. We also searched for items in the yard. The object of the game was to complete your collection before anyone else did.
For this challenge, I scavenged through my archives and found these photos.
A bird…painted on the side of a building in Burlington, Vermont.
A dog…missing his humans on Christmas Day in Washington, DC. (also substituting for a person in the “expressive portrait” category).
A waterfall…flowing in a park in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Guitars in the making at the Martin Guitar Factory…in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
A fish at the entrance to a seascape…in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.
A sunset behind a mountain landscape. Boats settled in for the night…in North Ferrisburgh, Vermont.
The End
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 