stories, photographs, adventures…the next chapter
Inspired by Sunshine’s Macro Monday #30
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While walking along a street in a Washington DC neighborhood last Friday, I passed by a line of trees with small prickly seed pods (?) hanging from the branches. I had never seen anything like it.
My 3 year old grandson thinks they are coconuts, but I have my doubts.
Does anyone know what this is?
Inspired by V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #84: Sun
Let’s evoke the power of the sun this week, with images, poems, and stories to warm us up.
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It’s warmer here Mom, my daughter informed me last week.
I was preparing to visit her & her family in Washington DC to babysit my 3 ½ year old grandson for 3 days of his pre-K school vacation.
I interpreted that to mean Spring warmth. Big mistake. It was still too cold…for me. I did not pack accordingly. Obviously too much wishful thinking.
I arrived on Tuesday to temps in the 40s, but with little or no sun. Which continued into Wednesday, along with a cold biting wind that slowly but surely froze my hands and ears walking with this very active little boy…5 blocks to the library for story time. Next on to the park to climb, slide and run around (him not me) on Wednesday and again on Thursday. The grey day cold seeped in deeper as I had to retrace our steps to get on the right street (he redirected me). Five blocks turned into six…seven….
What is it about a cloudy cold day that can drain your energy more than usual? Even when you are doing exciting things like walking down the street hand in hand with a conversational little boy…following an orange garbage truck to watch the stopping and emptying of trash cans.
Or…Waiting and observing and discussing why 3 workers across the street are just standing around an open manhole cover clearly marked with caution tape…
Grandma what are they doing?
Waiting to see what happens next.
Grandma why are they doing nothing?
The temperature feels colder under a cloudy sky when you stop at every alley to watch for cars or trucks or whatever may come zooming out. Or walk the wrong way…twice…
Grandma that’s the coffee shop! We have to go that way over there!
I have no sense of direction – I freely admit that – but my brain was also frozen. That’s my excuse this week. As well as not being properly dressed for walking the streets of DC in February. My grandson remained unfazed by the cold and our adventurous routes around the neighborhood.
The overcast skies continued…until yesterday.
What a difference that sun can make.
We played closer to home during my last day of Grandma time.
It felt just a bit warmer.
I love sunny days.
Inspired by Fandango’s Friday Flashback: February 21
Wouldn’t you like to expose your newer readers to some of you earlier posts that they might never have seen? Or remind your long term followers of posts that they might not remember? …Why don’t you reach back into your own archives and highlight a post that you wrote on this very date in a previous year?
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This post is from February 21, 2019
inspired by Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Texture
(The Super Bowl…my, what a difference a year makes…)
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Some textures just say Crunch. As well as Deliciousness.
As they did amid the whooping and hollering and cheering during the Super Bowl game a few weeks ago. With friends. In front of the television. Wearing the appropriate team gear.
Such textures were necessary stress relievers during this momentous game watching experience.
Inspired by Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Bicycles, Tricycles, Motorcycles & Unicycles.
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I do not have access to tricycles anymore – and my older photos are more about the cute kids proudly riding them. My one and only experience on a motorcycle was briefly in high school on the back of a friend’s bike. It was great fun as a passenger riding madly around the neighborhood. I never did figure out how to lean the right way going around corners. Apparently making it difficult for the poor guy to navigate. It was still a thrilling ride…for me at least.
Unicycle? I’ve never seen one except maybe in a parade on TV.
However, last summer I noticed a long line of bicycles alongside a Farmers’ Market in Washington DC.
Waiting to be rented. For 30 minute trips at a time.
What a good idea…
Get local fresh fruits and vegetables…and your exercise too!
Inspired by Sunshine’s Macro Monday: #29
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As we all know, Valentine’s Day was last Friday. Not everyone celebrates…what some call…this Hallmark holiday. The company which generates a lot of business from Valentine customers.
I am not so cynical. I think hand held meaningful greeting cards hold great value and when sent with genuine love and caring are far more personal than e-cards. Handmade ones (remember paste and doilies and red construction paper hearts?) especially so. But that’s just me. No judgment if you send the digital version. It is really the thought that counts.
Full disclosure however – my husband and I still have all the cards we’ve exchanged over the past ahem…40+ years. About 10 years ago we started recycling…”re-sending”… each other the cards from years past. This was my idea – not so much about saving money (although we do), but I found it interesting to read the changing messages inside cards from the different years of our relationship. Also surprising to notice how many times we had bought the same cards – especially the humorous ones. Some jokes just live forever.
So what does this have to do with Macro Monday?
Along with my card (originally from 2011), I received beautiful yellow roses.
Mixed in with the roses? Baby’s breath.
I love baby’s breath. It is such a lovely delicate accent to cut flowers.
However it gets very little attention…or grand notoriety. It isn’t often front and center on greeting cards either. Kind of like the backup band which never gets recognized.
Baby’s Breath is my subject for today’s Macro Monday challenge.
A well deserved Moment for the under appreciated sidekick to Valentine’s Day roses and cut flowers everywhere.
Inspired by One Word Sunday: Ice
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The ground during a winter walk through the woods always surprises me. The layers of crunchy fall leaves at first covered with mud. Then snow. More mud. Ice.
More than a little depressing…and challenging to navigate. And why I don’t often walk in the woods during the winter months.
However, one day in January I noticed the sun was actually shining for more than 5 minutes. It wasn’t too terribly cold. Cabin fever was setting in. I dug my rubber boot shoes out of the closet. Grabbed my camera. And off I went.
As expected the path was sloppy. Although patches of ice greeted me, much of it had started to melt on the surface – thanks to the sun.
Fortunately I was looking down – mostly to prevent a slip and fall scenario…how embarrassing would that be – and discovered what looked like a topographical map of ice. In the middle of a clearing under the high tension lines. Still in place despite the late day sun.
Whoa.
Bending. Crouching down. Balancing. So many fascinating views through the camera’s lens.
Here is one example…
also…photo a day challenge: End with the letter E
Inspired by:
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Vanishing or Leading Lines
Debbie at Six Word Saturday
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I’m the type of person one might call “directionally challenged.” The one who exits her hotel room and turns the wrong way to the elevator or stairs…over and over. Or uses a map for the first 3 months to get to a new job 20 minutes away.
I suppose I should be proud to admit this is NOT a result of aging. Just ask my friend V from high school. Once it took us over an hour driving up and down Route 17 (or was it Route 4) in NJ trying to get from the Bergen Mall to the Garden State Plaza. At night. Ending up in hysterics at a gas station somewhere in between. I think we eventually gave up.
GPS was a dream come true, even if it came much too late for my formative driving years.
However…vanishing lines in a public place when I have a destination in mind continues to be a challenge. And can still trigger some anxiety. Potentially leading me in the wrong direction. Especially when I’m walking.
Case in point: One January day in Boston, Massachusetts. My husband, two friends and I exited the Park Street subway station on the way to P.F. Chang’s before a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts.
We headed across Boston Common. Strangely enough, on a Monday, it was practically deserted. So many paths. So many exits.
If I had been alone, who knows which way I would have gone…
Too many vanishing lines leading somewhere.
How would I choose which one?
Inspired by Frank at Dutch goes the Photo: Action
…there are multiple interpretations available to you, so feel free to represent the action of your choosing.
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I was intrigued.
Action…I could use one of the many cute and adorable action shots of my cute and adorable grandson. Or…from the dusty archives…my cute and adorable children…back in the day when they were little. I have plenty of those.
Nah.
It’s been cloudy and drizzly and snowy today. Flat even light filled my open concept living room. Lots of windows.
Perfect for a pseudo photo studio setup…
Which takes a certain amount of action on my part. Clearing off a presentable surface in front of a suitable window. Pushing furniture to the side. Finding a step stool to stand on. Two actually – one for each foot for balance – so I don’t tumble through the plate glass window.
All before what’s left of the light disappears.
Then figuring out there are five latches on my husband’s guitar case. Why that’s necessary, I’ll never know. Time passes.
For those not familiar with all things guitar…
Acoustic guitar action refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. It is also used to describe the general feel and playability of a guitar. Generally a guitar’s string height is measured at the 12th fret….Action is also measured at the first fret.
It is generally frowned upon if your guitar action is set too low (the strings are too close to the fretboard). Strings may then buzz during your rendition of – for example – “This Land Is Your Land” or “Good Morning, Blues.” I’m not sure how it would affect the opening to “Stairway to Heaven,” but if it did…not good.
Obviously action is very important when it comes to guitars.
That’s the extent of my knowledge on the subject.
I am sure this guitar – which has seen a lot of action – is not set too high or too low.
Making beautiful music…it’s just right.
one letter UP ~ diary 2.0 