Photo a Day Challenge Day 30: A Friend

Nine years ago I met my best friend.
And three years ago I found my second best friend. ;)

Photo a Day Challenge Day 29: Soft

Soft morning light reflected against golden grass.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 28: On the shelf

For the record. That's the one I want.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 27: Bathroom

The beach is the best.

An odd "assignment" if you ask me. I considered posting an old photo I have of a Women's room door. The sign says "Womens" - I love a good typo!

Instead, I chose to post a pic of my favorite things in my bathroom. Since it's just me and the hubs, we each basically have our own bathroom. I get to girly up mine which is fun. If we were allowed we'd sand the walls down and repaint them (for some reason our bathroom walls have a stucco effect that is not only ugly but baffling since it obviously took some effort!) but we cannot, so I have done what I can to make it feel like a beachy spa. 

Photo a Day Challenge Day 26: Where you shop

Where I shop and why.

Had to think about this one. Should I take a pic of TJ Maxx or my beloved Home Goods? Big Lots almost made it into this collage. I don't do much shopping these days, what with living on a tight budget and all.  But I do get to one place weekly. Good old Kroger. Or as my husband and I like to call it "Krogaaaa," in our best New England accents. (It's also super fun to say Chipper Jones' name with the same accent. "Way to go Chippah!!") So the reason I shop at Krogaaa is probably obvious - when I was working in midtown Atlanta I traveled about 1,050 miles a month - even with a car that gets insane gas mileage (40 to the gallon from Bonnie Blue - my 95 Civic Hatchback) it all adds up. A LOT!

Where do you shop? Do you shop somewhere just because of the bonus points?

Day 24: On Your Mind

What is on my mind? A lot of things. I'm in job transition so that's the biggest thing on my mind lately. Sunday is grocery shopping day so our week of meals was on my mind this afternoon. I have friends and family in Colorado - the wildfires and their safety is on my mind. The Red Sox traded Youkilis! (SADNESS!) My family. My dog. My husband. All on my mind.

Tonight we celebrated the life, and 40th birthday, of our good friend Tori at his favorite restaurant: The Melting Pot. After eating more cheese than a person should eat in one sitting (disclaimer - I am not complaining. I. Love. Cheese.) this little number was presented to us. They call it "Flaming Turtle."

So what's on my mind? More like "who." A dear friend who opened his home, heart and family to me and Chris when we moved here. And his wife, Mandee, who I've known for more years than both of us would like to admit. Their two boys who we've "adopted" as "nephews." His parents who are simply "Grammy" and "Ba" to us and his sister and her family who welcome us to their holiday celebrations. That's who.*

Happy Birthday Tori. Here's to your first 40 and here's to 40 more!!

*This Flaming Turtle Fondue that nearly put me in a sugar shock is a close second.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 23: Movement

I took these photos a few years ago in our old back yard in Enterprise, Alabama. The property management's landscapers left quite a bit to be desired. We ended up mowing our own lawn but not before Fenway got to enjoy the deep grass.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 22: From a High Angle

Dracaena Rikki

Photo a Day Challenge Day 21: Where You Slept

Katrina George slept here.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 20: Fave Photo You've Ever Taken

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs - 1986

Fave photo you've ever taken. This one was a no brainer. In the summer of 1986 I flew on a plane for the first time ever and visited Colorado for the first time ever. I fell in love. With Colorado, not flying, but that's another story for another time!

The beauty and enormity of the Rocky Mountains was something for which this Jersey girl was not prepared! And then I saw it: The Garden of the Gods! Impossible to do justice with words (and nearly impossible with photos) basically the Garden of the Gods are a bunch of "blades" of red rock jutting out of the earth. If you have never been there, you really must go.

Armed with my Pentax K1000, several lenses and loads of black and white film, I snapped away.

This is where my love of photography was ignited. I was a photography fanatic when I was a teen. Took every photography course I could in High School (Mr. Glaser remains a favorite teacher to this day!) so when summer was over and I got back to High School I developed this film (remember film?!) and printed it in one of my classes. I took this on an overcast day and had to mess around with the printing exposures. I was obsessed with getting this one "just right." In the end, this is the photo that Mr. Glaser deemed me his "Little Ansel Adams." Now, professionally framed, it hangs in my home.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 19: Imperfect

“The things that make me different are the things that make me.” ~A.A. Milne

Photo a Day Challenge Day 18: Something We Don't Know About You

No penicillin for me, thanks.

I feel like I'm an open book...not much to hide. I love baseball and am a rabid Red Sox fan (I mean...my dog's name is Fenway, after all!). I'm a proud second-generation Swedish/Norwegian with a huge, we-put-the-'fun'-in-dysfunctional family. I'm left handed. Creative. Love to take photos. I've only had stitches once. (They're in my chin, thanks to my big brother's "help" up the stairs when I was 2.) I have never broken a bone but I've sprained one pesky ankle numerous times and had chronic rotator cuff issues in both shoulders. I have a heart murmur, but how do you represent that in a photograph? I once swallowed a very small goldfish on a dare (ok maybe a lot of you didn't want to know that).

When I was 22 I discovered something *I* didn't know about myself. I had developed an allergy to Penicillin (and Amoxicillin...all the "cillins"). So I wore this bracelet for a bit at the recommendation of my doctor but haven't worn it in years...at least a decade. I figure it isn't likely I will be unconscious and have an emergency need for an antibiotic. And now you all know so if you're with me, you can say "No penicillin!"

Photo a Day Challenge Day 17: In Your Bag

Wallet, ID, tissues, etc. Typical bag fair. One thing I always have in my bag is my little leather change purse. It was bought in the Carribean, a gift from my dear friend Sara. She and her husband (who is my husband's best friend- see the Art post) have been our confidantes and have been there with us through thick and thin. She bought this for me on her honeymoon which means I have had it in my bag since 2003. My how time flies!

Photo a Day Challenge Day 16: Out and About

Sweetwater Brewery: A Man and his Lizard...and his Dog...and a Beer.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 15: Yellow

These flowers have lasted over 3 weeks now! Best. Mums. Ever.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 13: Art

Adam Houser original

This piece of art was a gift to my husband from his best friend, who happens to be an amazing artist. We have several of friends who happen to be amazing artists, actually, this assignment made it tough to choose. I chose this because it has a balance of dark and triumph*.  Also its coloring made it an easy "Warhol" subject.

* If you want to hear an amazing description of this piece and the meaning behind it just ask my husband. In fact, because of his deep love and connection to this, Adam and his wife, Sara, framed it and gave it to Chris for his 30th birthday.

Photo a Day Challenge Day 12: From a Low Angle

Sweet Fenway