150/366:One Dollar

Early in this adventure.
I was tasked with photographing.
Something green.
I chose to showcase.
The plants in our home.
That my husband so effortlessly grows.


Not long after.
I was passing the one dollar bins.
At Target.
They were full of these teeny.
Tiny.
Terra cotta.
Pots.
Grow your own herbs.


On a whim I selected basil.
Cilantro.
Parsley.
Exchanged my three dollars.
Brought my three tiny terra cotta pots home.
Put them on a shelf.
For months.
Untouched.
Daring me.


Finally.
Several weeks ago.
I worked up the confidence.
To plant my herbs.


My husband offers to water them.
I turn him down.
I am determined.
To GROW something.


Yesterday.
The first one sprouted.
I am SO proud.
The rest of them could die.
It won't matter.
I have a sprout.
That I.
Grew.
By myself.


Former killer of all things green.
Now a grower.
Of herbs.
That we can use.
While cooking.


Amazing.
The confidence acquired.
From one dollar.

149/366: Neighbors

I love having neighbors.
That are cool.


It is always such fun.
To spend an evening.
Talking and laughing.


And let the dishes wait.
Until morning.

148/366: The Simplest Things

Coffee table books.
Found in the clearance section.
Of Barnes and Noble.
Rate high on my list.
Of guilty pleasures.

147/366: On The Road

This morning we woke early.

6:00am.

To head home. 

From our Vegas Thanksgiving.

Here is Cajon Pass.

In Southern California.

From the road.

146/366: Leaves

Every leaf is a flower.
        - Albert Camus

145/366: Not So Black Friday

Today my husband.
Took me to his alma mater.
The campus was quiet.
Closed for the holiday break.
We walked.
Talked.
Held hands.
Kissed in the library.
Snuggled on a bench.
In the middle of falling leaves.
He told me about college.
I listened.
Observed.
Fell in love.
A little more.


There was no shopping.
No holiday crowds.
No discounts.
No deals.
We started the day with friends.
We ended the day with friends.
Spent time with family in between.
Spent time together in between.
It was perfect.

144/366: Tradition

For me.
The beauty of holidays.
Is rooted in tradition.


Thanksgiving is about family.
Friends.
Life.
Parades.
Turkey.
Pie.
Shopping.
The start of the holiday season.
It is many things.
Held dear in my heart.


As a child.
One of the many things I loved about Thanksgiving.
Was the anticipation.
Of the Thanksgiving day paper.
Stuffed with glossy colorful ads.


Before the years.
Of the Toys R Us annual toy book.
The Thanksgiving Day ads.
Were our annual toy book.


As soon as the dishes.
Were cleared from the table.
Grandma would hand each of us.
A paper.
A pencil.
The ads.
We would browse.
Meticulously creating detailed lists.
Of what Santa should bring.


As the years went on.
Kids became adults.
We would all scatter.
Across the Grandma's living room floor.
Passing ads across the room.
Pointing out good deals.
Sometimes making 5am shopping dates.


Today was the first Thanksgiving.
I have ever spent away from home.
With adulthood and marriage.
Come change.
The inevitable.


Today.
I spent a wonderful.
Memorable.
Relaxing day.
With my new in laws.
My first Thanksgiving.
As a wife and a daughter in law.
I loved every minute of it.


And I won't lie.
My heart gave a little kick.
My lips spread wide in a grin.
When I saw the huge newspaper.
Stuffed with ads.
Ready for browsing.

143/366: Cotton Candy Clouds

As we came across the desert today.
The sun started to go down.
The sky changed.
So fast.


From blue with fluffy white clouds.
To pink cotton candy wisps.
It looked like feathers.
Floating over the mountains.


I tried to show it.
Exactly as it was.
These photos were taken.
Minutes apart.
And aside from a few.
Basic.
Tweaks.
Are not heavily edited.


It was breathtaking.
Lovely.
Unforgettable.

142/366: Road Trip

The potatoes are packed.
Waiting by the door.
With camera bags.
Laptop bags.
Snack bags.
Shopping bags.
Barbie bags.
Don't judge...
It is cute and easy to spot at the airport.


We are off to Vegas tomorrow.
For Thanksgiving with the Schmeiser crew.


Fingers crossed.
For good traffic karma.
and excellent photo ops.
All the way to Sin City.

141/366: Comfort

I don't care.
What science.
Doctors.
Really Anyone.
Says...

Sometimes.
They really do.
Make everything better.

140/366: Fabric and Life

I LOVE fabric.
I have oodles of it.
I have fabric set aside.
For current projects.
Future projects.
Maybe someday projects.
Fabric I like.
Just because.
And need to find a project.
So I can use it.
I have an entire closet.
Of fabric.


Yesterday.
When looking for a fabric.
To finish off a baby quilt.
I spotted this polka dot.
From an aisle away.


I have nothing to use it in.
I am saving it.
For someday.


There is a picture.
Of my great grandmother.
Hannah.
She is wearing a navy dress.
With tiny white polka dots.
Just. Like. This. Print.


When I saw this.
From an aisle away.
My heart sighed.
Hannah.
I could see her.
I could hear her.


Someday.
I will make something.
Of this piece of cloth.
It will carry her spirit.


For now.
It goes on the shelf.
For the right project.
At the right time.
And each time.
I pass it.
I will think of her.

139/366: Feeling Domestic

Today I cooked.
Cleaned.
Baked.
Sewed.
And even...
Planted my own herbs.


I was feeling quite domestic.
Tomorrow I plan.
To do nothing.
We'll see how that works out.

138/366: Potatoes

I love Thanksgiving.
Majorly.
All of it.
The holiday grocery shopping.
The turkey.
The family.
The parades.
The football.
The traveling.
Black Friday.
The pie.
The Garfield and Odie TV special.
You name it.
I love it.
The next week.
Is one of my favorite of the entire year.


Tonight we ran to the grocery.
To pick up a few things for the weekend.
I've been so wrapped up in work.
That aside from planning the logistics.
It hasn't really sunk in.
Thanksgiving. Is. Here.
My holiday.
Is this WEEK.


Tonight.
On our run to the grocery.
It hit home.
When we went to grab some potatoes.
For tomorrows dinner with a friend.
And ended up with a 10lb bag.
For 99 cents.


Amazing what a sack of potatoes.
Will do for a girl's holiday spirit!

137/366: One Year

A year ago today.
I got on a Ferris Wheel.
With my boyfriend.
And got off.
With my fiance.


Tonight 
I came home.
To flowers.
From my husband.


Best. Year. Ever.

136/366: Pleasant Surprises

One of my favorite parts of traveling.
Is the surprise.
Of checking into your hotel.
And finding what lies behind the door.
After 10 tries.
Of sliding your key in and out.
Until FINALLY it clicks.
The light turns green.
Allowing you to catch.
Your first glimpse.
Of your temporary digs.


Sometimes.
It is a standard.
Status quo.
Uneventful.
It will do.
Kind of discovery.


Other times.
You are surprised.
There are treasures.
Luxuries.
Enough to make being away from home.
A little more bearable.


This week's adventure.
Was the latter.


One of my many.
Pleasant surprises...
Discovering that a seemingly awkward.
Mustard yellow.
Looks like it might be uncomfortable.
Desk chair.


Is actually a super comfortable.
Must purchase.
Someday.
When I have a desk.
And the space.
At home.
Desk chair.

135/366: A Stranger

Today is the last day.
Of the 105 Days of Fun Challenge.
I have enjoyed.
Photographing the topics.
Others suggested.
It was wonderful to try.
To put my own spin.
On an idea that was not my own.


Tomorrow I start.
The next leg of my journey.
I am excited.
Thrilled.
Anxious.
To photograph whatever I chose.
Each day.
As I complete my 366 day adventure.


But for tonight.
I give you.
Day 135.
The last of the 105 Days of Fun...
A stranger.


My original thought.
To find someone.
Anyone interesting.
Ask them if I could.
Take a few snaps.
Share their smile with a few friends.


Then I stumbled upon this scene.
It spoke to me.
It was so publicly private.
I couldn't resist.
Grabbing my camera.
And capturing this moment.
Instead.


I'm traveling for work.
Again.
I have a balcony.
That overlooks a courtyard.
With a fountain.
Peaceful.
Calming.


I spotted this man.
Just as I was heading back.
To the office.


I was so envious.
Wishing.
That I too.
Could work outside.
In the peaceful shaded courtyard.
Listening to the soothing calm. 
Of a nearby fountain.

134/366: Tattoos

Show me a man with a tattoo, and I'll show you a man with an interesting past.
                                                                    - Jack London

133/366: Storefronts

Probably one of the most.
Recognizable.
Popular.
Common.
Store Fronts in our Neighborhood.
City.
Country.


There are several more.
Within a 3 mile radius.
All with a unique storefront.
A unique location.
Yet the same sign.
Green.
Comforting.
Welcoming in it's own way.
Hanging above the door.


This is my favorite.
I love the rotunda.
On the side of the building.
And the drive thru...
Isn't so bad either.

132/366: Panorama

Gloomy Saturday at the beach.

131/366: Dear Photograph

I have been so excited for this challenge.
I have had it planned.
For months.


Unfortunately.
Life can't always be planned.


So an iPhone.
Cooperation from the gals at work.
And a quick photo.
Just before closing time.
Make an quicky version of Dear Photograph.
To save the day.


Sometimes.
It is easy for me to forget.
That this experience.
Is about learning.
It is about the challenge.
Today was both.
Challenging.
As well as.
A huge learning experience.
A reminder that things.
Will not always be perfect.
And that is ok.
I'm still learning.


Mission accomplished.

130/366: Homeless Signs

Every day.
While on my way to work.
I pass the same.
Homeless men and women.


Today.
They were eerily all missing.
From their usually spots.
Except one.


As luck would have it.
She was sitting at the end.
Of an exit ramp.


Just as I started.
To take my shot.
She got up.
To accept the kindness.
Of a stranger.


It made for a much.
More telling photo.
Than what I had planned.

129/366: Billboards

It might not be.
A traditional billboard.
But I think.
It is more interesting.
Than anything else.
I saw today.


It is tall.
It does light up.
The message varies.
It always makes me smile.
And it is a darn good.
Butcher Shop.

128/366: Sports

I have observed that baseball is not unlike a war, and when you come right down to it, we batters are the heavy artillery.


                                                                        - Ty Cobb

127/366: Front Doors

I must admit.
When I first saw.
Doors.
As a challenge.
I was.
So.
Excited.


The possibilities.
The colors.
The styles.
The architectually interesting.
The bold.
The pretentious.


Those that speak volumes.
Of the owners.
And all.
That is hidden beyond.
Their threshold.


What about the boring?
What about those.
That will never make.
The artsy prints.
The coffee table books.


What about those.
That make you want.
Those push you.
That make you work hard.
For one day.


THE day...
When your front door.
No longer looks.
Just like.
That of your neighbors.

126/366: Outside Looking In

From our balcony.
Looking through.
Our screen door.
10:30pm.


Dark.
Grainy.
Kinda creepy.


Because let's face it.
Standing outside.
In the dark.
and cold.
While taking a picture.
Into someone's home.
Even your own...
Is kinda creepy.

125/366: Favorite Show

I can't say.
For certain.
That I have.
One.
Favorite show.


I can say.
For certain.
That I rarely.
Miss.
Project Runway.

124/366: Slides

On a chilly.
Gloomy.
Fall.
Evening.


The playground.
Is a lonely place.

123/366: Legos

One of the best parts.
Of having house guests?


Handing over.
Our spare house key.
Complete with.
Lego penguin key chain.
For our guests.
To carry with them.
Around Southern California.


Pure.
Awesomeness.