79/366: Ten Smiles

I am having some technical difficulties this evening.
So... here is one smile from today.
Mixed with a few of my favorites from previous posts.
With a dash of some never before seen goodness.

Say cheese...

78/366: Swings

Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They're looking a little bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they're tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars,
Somebody has to go polish the stars.

                        ― Shel Silverstein, A Light In the Attic

77/366: Something I'm Afraid Of

I like to plan.

I like to know what I am doing tomorrow.

Next weekend.

Next month.

I like to know how long a movie is.

Before it starts.

I like to know how many miles I am driving.

Before I leave the house.

I like knowing that a project will turn out.

Just as I envision.

However, often.

When I start a new project.

I do so blindly.

With no clear certainty that it will turn out.

As I envision.

I loathe the unknown.

I often fear it.

Yet, I am required to embrace it.

Or, at the very least accept it.

This is my current pile of fabric.

That is hopefully shaping.

Into one amazing skirt.

If it doesn't turn out.

I will be crushed.

Not knowing.

Is the ultimate risk for me.

Accepting this.

Continuing to create.

Is a daily confrontation.

A daily acceptance.

Of my fear.

76/366: From a Roller Coaster

For the first time ever, I am deviating from my schedule.  When I asked everyone for the challenge ideas that I am currently working through, one was to take a shot while on a roller coaster.  Since it is not always possible to just hop on a roller coaster when one feels, I had to change things up a bit.  I went to an amusement park with some friends today.  We rode many roller coasters.

So there was my dilemma.  I wanted to stay true to the premise of only posting a pic that I actually took today.  Therefore, I am changing around a few days on the schedule.  No challenge will be missed.  Just rearranging the order of a few days, so that I could be true to the roller coaster challenge.

I know most of you were thinking, you never would have even been any of the wiser.  Probably true.  I felt it best to explain anyway.

Happy Roller Coaster Day!

75/366: Trees

Two Trees
A portion of your soul has been
entwined with mine
A gentle kind of togetherness, while
separately we stand.
As two trees deeply rooted in
separate plots of ground,
While their topmost branches
come together,
Forming a miracle of lace
against the heavens.
                        - Janet Mills

74/366: Honesty

The flight was packed.
Hot.
Cramped.
They ran out of room for carry on bags.
There was no in flight movie.
Spots of turbulence.
An ill passenger that required medical assistance.
Delays with the beverage carts.

However.
None of this seemed to bother me.


The clouds were beautiful.
The time passed quickly.
I was happy the whole flight.

Blissfully unfazed by all that was going on around me.


I was so excited to be coming home.
In my mind.
It was honestly.
The best flight ever.

73/366: Generosity

Generosity comes in many forms.
Usually, the first to come to mind.
Is that in the form of helping those less fortunate.
Or kindness to strangers.


However, while I am on the road.
I can't overlook.
The generosity of a hotel.
That doesn't skimp.
On the little things.


Here is to hoping.
All of my future hotel rooms.
Are equipped with just as many.
Large fluffy white towels.
That don't scratch the skin.
And as many pillows.
As a girl could possibly want.

72/366: Take it Apart- Pieces of a Whole

There are very few things.
To deconstruct.
In a hotel room.


As a result.
I looked to my suitcase.


As a cochlear implant recipient.
Traveling means packing.
Chargers.
Extra Batteries.
Carrying cases.
Patient info cards
Anything that will ensure.
My magic ear.
Won't fail me thousands of miles from home.


Here is all of the gear.
That helps me hear.
Deconstructed.

71/366: The Moon

Virtually every day.

I post at night.

The evening is my blogging hour.

Today, however.

Required an unplanned deviation.

From my normal schedule.

I have been stressed about today.

For several weeks.

The moon.

A big ball of light.

That should be EASY to photograph.

Right?

I am traveling for work today.

Unsure if I will have a good view.

Of that great ball of light.

From my hotel.

Unsure.

If there will BE a moon.

As we have had a beautiful full moon.

For several days now.

I had resigned myself to:

Figure. It. Out. 

When I reach my destination.

So this morning.

As I was wallowing in bed.

Trying to clutch on.

To those last few elusive moments of sleep.

I looked out the window and thought.

I wonder if the moon is still as bright.

Still as beautiful.

As it was last night.

I grabbed my camera.

Raced to our back porch.

Good Morning Moon!

With only a minute or so to spare.

I switched my lens.  

Fired off a few shots.

Played with my settings.  

Finally.

A decent shot of the moon.

Harder than you think.

The second photo was taken less than five minutes later.

With the exact same settings on the camera.

Facing the opposite direction.

On quick shot.

Of the sunrise.

On the other side of my porch.

When I turned back to my beautiful moon.

It was gone.

Good Bye Moon.

Until we meet again...

70/366: Recycle

Many people intend to recycle disposable water bottles; however, 69% of bottled water containers end up in the trash and not in a recycling container.


The average water filter pitcher filters 240 gallons of water a year for about 19 cents a day. Put in perspective, to get the same amount of water from bottled water would require 1,818 16.9-ounce water bottles a year.


It takes 2,000 times more energy to produce a bottle of water than it does to produce tap water.


                                                                                     - filterforgood.com

69/366: Street Signs

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. 
                                                                                                -Lao Tzu

68/366: Hidden Mickeys

I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse.
                                                           - Walt Disney

67/366: Opposites - Sharp and Round

Thirty three years ago today.
My mom endured hours of labor.
And ended the day.
Watching Dallas.
With a little girl.
Named Holly in her arms.
Sometimes I still dream about living at Southfork.

66/366: Toys

Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning...
                                         -  J.M. Barrie

65/366: Blondes

Bottled Blondes.

64/366: A Discount

I'm a lucky girl.
That is a fact.


One of my craftier endeavors.
Is sewing.
Yesterday, we scored TWO Juki Industrial machines.
On Craigslist.
For a song.


When we picked them up.
We met some really awesome people.
They threw in an entire box of thread...
and a vintage postal scale.
For Free!


There is no better discount than that.

63/366: A Stranger

You don't raise heroes, you raise sons.  And if you treat them like sons, they'll turn out to be heroes, even if it's just in your own eyes.  
                                                                                             - Walter M. Schirra, Sr.




Something about these two spoke to me.
They walked hand in hand.
To each exhibit.
The son, wide eyed and asking questions.
Curious about each new sight.
The father, patiently reading the description.
On each exhibit.
Then expertly answering his son's questions.
They made me smile.

62/366: Something I've Made

I like to make stuff.
Actually.
I LOVE to make stuff.


If it can be sewn.
Crafted.
Created.
DIY'd.
I will try it.
Probably more than once.


Here are a few projects.
Past.
Present.
In Process.

61/366: Redhead

Unable to locate a redhead.
Yet refusing to be discouraged.
I created my own.

One goofy hat + one goofy husband = diy red head.

60/366: Bugs

Today I learned.
Bugs are always around.
Usually, when you don't want them.


However, when there comes a time.
That you are actually looking for them.
They are quite elusive.