Two Weeks

I can hardly imagine that the trip is just two weeks away. My goodness, where has the time gone? As such, I've decided it might just be time for me to start getting serious in my planning. I'm researching the most economical way to use our dollars in England. Charge, debit, chip and pin? The last method is one Matt told me about. It's like a prepaid debit card which sounds like it has some advantages. I took my Rick Steves Great Britain book to the museum today, reading his take on money. He likes cash. And money belts which sounds pretty dreadful to me. I'm puzzling...

As well, I'm still worried about what kind of clothes to bring. Every one says layers, which is all fine and dandy, but what if it's hot and all I've got are sleeves, sweaters and jeans? Decisions, decisions. I'm like Scarlett O'Hara in that regard--if I don't have to make a decision today, I definitely will put it off until tomorrow.

So, I was looking out our bedroom window which is shaded by a nicely full ligustrum tree. What's that I wondered? Heading outside with my camera, I photographed this weirdness:

I suspect it is from maybe a spider or some kind of bug, however, that is purely a guess as it's not something I've seen before. Any ideas? I took this a few days ago knowing you would surely want to see something unusual. Checking this morning I discovered it was spreading up the limbs. Reminds me of the white stockings I wore when I began x-ray school 40 years ago this month. 40 years!!! Cannot believe it.

Yesterday morning after attending to my market business I drove over to College Park to see if there were other homes worthy of the calendar. Plus, you have to provide the address, so I brought my little notebook, writing down each time I took a shot. This house, right across from the lake, decided they no longer wanted to mow grass, instead making a little flower jungle. Mostly I took this one because our dad used to drive this car.

How in heaven's name he afforded it, I'll never know. Probably all the money he saved from our shoe shining ways. Plus, we turned off a lot of lights! Check out this very cool door from the pre-air conditioning days:

Sadly, this house had such a messy yard which would never be chosen for the calendar; I didn't even bother to convert it. Love that door though. Plus those numbers.

Three visitors in three hours today. Three. I picked Lou's (docent) brain on his European travels. The gardens still look lovely, although with the extreme heat we're having you have to wonder how much longer the flowers can hang on. Two of Mr. Polasek's most famous statutes here:

I'll tell you watering what I've got takes a bunch of time. Imagine three acres! It threatens to rain and then moves on. Yesterday afternoon Baxter began barking like crazy around 4:30. What's going on Baxter? Why, it was Bruce coming home from the office already. I say already because although he leaves just after 7 in the morning, he rarely returns until 6 or later in the evening. I was fearful something was wrong. Only tired. I suspect he was a bit discouraged as well. More jobs and more jobs. Later in the week he'll be heading to Casper, Wyoming to check on the job he inherited from one of the other project managers. Wyoming was one of the remaining seven or so states he'd not built in. Now it will be six. I don't think that vacation can come a minute too soon for my weary husband.

By now, you are probably sick of me writing about all my sick friends but for once I've got something positive to say. Debbie's daughter phoned last night telling me that her surgery yesterday was successful. As a matter of fact, she was already up making jokes. What a trooper!

Additionally, Corrine is home, looking so much better. She's getting around with her walker, mostly heating up the food her daughter froze while visiting from Alabama. Plus, Roger is back in business, printing once again. In fact, he brought my order to the market on Sunday and I promptly sold one of the small canvases!

Finally, speaking of photography--I'm keeping my vacation photography expectations low. Maybe there will be winners, however, I suspect lots will be merely tourist photographs. Being realistic is only practical.

Calendar Girl

By now you know I'm obsessed with getting the cover photo of the calendar. As such I'll try most anything including throwing clothes on at 6:15AM, hoping to get something good. Unfortunately the sunrise was fairly weak and didn't do much for my photograph. Although I'm fairly confident everyone will be taking this shot, Bruce still suggests I add my version.

This one won't be it, but I'm posting it so you can see the dramatic results lighting makes. While thinking about the contest, I realized how challenging it will be because everyone will be shooting the same thing. The words of Professor Burt Stout came back to me--photography is mostly about "light management." Thus I'm trying it in all different lighting conditions, hoping I'll be able to use it to make the pictures more dynamic. Here's the one I took about 12 hours later:
As well you can see that I stepped over more tracks to give it more foreground which I'm hoping not so many people will do. It is such an obvious shot I'm really taking a chance because I can only enter three photos. In games and such I'm not too competitive--it's a wonder I care about this. That said, it does introduce me into lots of homes and businesses which can't be a bad thing.

The last one I'm posting is one that I took at the last minute. I'd already walked to the car then turned around for one last look. I decided to try and shoot through the window and here's what I got:

I neglected to mention they only want black and white.

There are several more contests which I'll enter, thanks to Ruth. Last year she turned me onto two different ones, neither of which chose me, however I'll try again. Usually the photos for those are very tight shots of birds, or animals--always very striking. That kind of photography takes lots of patience which I'm often lacking, sometimes just because I'm getting bit up by pesky mosquitoes whom will be taking a starring role in the next weeks during any outdoor activity, what with the massive amounts of rain we've had. This afternoon there was a terrific storm, it began when the yard guys were here, stopping enough for them to finish, then began again in earnest. Very strong winds immediately ruined their lovely handiwork, causing leaves and tree limbs to come crashing down. As I type, it is still thundering and the skies are leaden. Makes me nervous for the weekend. With my poor sales last week in super weather I'm not looking forward to what bad weather might bring!

Speaking of sales, this week during my museum stint, one of the exhibit pieces sold. I'd like to think I had a hand in it but that's probably not really true. I only had four visitors, the last two a couple from outside Boston. We chatted about the exhibit, walking around together a bit. I sat down and a few minutes later the man asked if they wanted to buy a piece could it be shipped to Boston. Immediately I said let me call the curator and we'll see what can be arranged. Turns out with bubble wrap and a bag she had in the car it packed up nicely for their afternoon flight. I bet the artist was delighted with the $500 sale, although she's probably used to it because she has exhibited in the Smithsonian on numerous occasions. I've only got four more weeks of duty until the annual summer closing. I'm puzzling if I want to sign on again for next year, mostly because it is so slow and not that close to the house. I'm imagining there are numerous places within a few miles that could use my help...

Tonight begins the playoffs which we are all jazzed for even though our President does not think we have a chance! Only time will tell.
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Listening to: Bloc Party - Blue Light
via FoxyTunes

Mind Over Matter

That seems to work pretty well for me in the daytime--the nighttime is another story. I was feeling so good for a few days until I felt the familiar twinge in my side yesterday afternoon and it went downhill from there. I went in the pool to soak my bites and called my sister Lisa; we chatted for a good long while. She asked if I had any doctor's visits lined up . I am between a rock and a hard place on that one. I've had no help from the gazillion visits I've made, so what would make me think another one would be any different? All these are distractionary (is that a word?) tactics. I was happy to go to bed early with Bruce who had to get up at 4 am for a flight this morning. Unfortunately, even though I was sleeping on my heating pad, the pain kept waking me up. I couldn't get comfortable no matter how I tried. I was awake when his alarm went off and thought I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep; thankfully, I did.

I got up with high hopes for the day. I scooted over to the museum to finish my task there--yeah, it is done. Apparently, they had that list since last October and no one had found the time to input it. So, for what it's worth, that at least makes me feel like it was a good thing to do. The gardener there saw I had my camera and asked if I would take some pictures of the grounds for a power point presentation he will be giving to some group. Naturally, I said sure. At the outset I was so weak I could hardly raise my camera to the angle I wanted, but eventually I recovered. When I came home I made a DVD for him which was quite a task with my new computer. I know what you are thinking--how hard could it be? You are right, I'm sure it isn't, but this first time I found it challenging.

I wanted to update you on Jonathan and Allisa. They made it safe and sound to Chicago, despite the fact that they stayed up until 3:30AM the morning of their departure. Jonathan then proceeded to drive all the way to Louisville, KY. I was sick when I heard about it, but I suppose that all young people do things like that. I'm happy to say that they are happily settled in the new apartment. Next step--jobs. Alissa had an interview already, however, I don't know if anything has come of it just yet. Keep your fingers crossed for the both of them please.

If I given you the impression that my son David is not generous, I need to correct that. He is generous, just serious with his money. He came over Sunday evening and declared he is ready to invest some money in my business. He's thinking technology. Bill got right on the computer registering me for a domain name for $10/year with Yahoo. It is www.outandaboutphoto.com

There's nothing there yet, but at least we are ready. More details to follow.