IN SHADOW

My new iris with the tag so I remember what's there.

In Shadow

Charlotte changing out of her tap shoes after her dance recital.

I LOVE...

Completely cheating - a picture of a picture. Only Michael missing from this. This is what keeps me going.

I love...

I love this project and taking photos on a daily basis.  And I love that I am not the only one in the family with an interest in photography!

Humor

I have this terrible habit of not being able to throw out correspondence.  If you have ever sent me a postcard, birthday card, christmas card, thank you letter, random note... chances are I have it packed up in a box somewhere.  I have been doing this since I went to school... boarding school... at the age of 9.  That's a WHOLE lot of letters and cards.  I am getting MUCH better now - these days I try and just save one birthday card each year  (even though it pains me to put the others ones out in the recycling).  This is the one I saved this year.  It made me chuckle.

HUMOR

Ran over to the baseball game today where Jack Piekos was pitching. A mom on the bleachers asked "where is the 'I'?" and the girl felt compelled to explain that they intentionally spelled his name wrong. The mom was thinking they are weird and the kids were thinking the mom was weird that they had to explain. I just found the whole thing pretty humorous. Oh to be in high school.....

HOUSE/HOME

There are bees swarming our holly tree but no one can find the nest so I found this birdhouse on my bike ride.

House/Home

We had two very special visitors today. I've known both of them since they were babies.  Now one of them is visiting NYC to celebrate his 30th!  They scheduled time out of their partying schedule to visit our home, our little green house in the woods.

Hope

The hope of the future!  This little peanut smiles every time I see her.  I hope this picture makes you smile.

HOPE

Hope. My idea of hope has been redefined. I hope that the money from these bracelets will spare even one family the pain we have felt.

HOMEMADE

So I posted a picture of something that meant a lot to me but an hour later I actually made something homemade. Homemade mozzarella! This is really delicious but I have to work on my shaping skills. Right at this very moment its still warm.

Homemade

Ok so you can't eat these but they did come out of our oven today.  Does that qualify?  Never heard of these before, but Charlotte received them from her godmother and we have been baking shrinky dinks on a daily basis ever since.

HOLIDAYS

Memorial Day Weekend means something different in our house. There's a huge sale at the store so Michael has to work all weekend :( and Matt has a baseball tournament :)

Holidays

Most Memorial days weekends include 1. American flags everywhere (even on beer cans)  2. barbecues with friends and 3. A trip to the beach.  The latter may not happen this year due to the lousy weather but we will be hosting a barbecue, thereby taking care of points 1 and 2 listed above.

High Contrast Shot

I struggled with this theme.  I had hoped for a bright blue sky (instead it was overcast).  Then I saw a friend in awesome bright red pants with a black jacket but the picture turned out fuzzy.  So instead I have these brightly colored pens.  They look like they are made for children but these are NOT washable and Annabelle likes to draw all over her own face.  We try to hide these.

HIGH CONTRAST SHOT

From the Friends Of Carly Fun Run

HIDING

Hiding, in plain sight, behind a chain link fence and an iron gate with a large chain, a privet hedge loaded with poison ivy, is a building on the grounds of St. John's Oakdale campus. The entrance is on a curve and you would never notice it. I was very tempted to get a closer look but its boarded up. It is a very interesting building without the graffiti.

Hiding

Behind the curtains.  A favourite hiding spot.

Hero

I remember getting out of the subway that morning on 47th street and thinking 'what a beautiful crisp September day'.  Thirty minutes later the world changed.  This is a little memorial outside the Port Jefferson Fire Station.

HERO

I call these Pre-Heroes :)
Heroes-To-Be
Heroes In Training

If you walk through those doors, you are a hero in my books.

HEAVY

Today I went to a magnificent business called Spirit Ironworks right in Bayport. In this picture, the anvil on the bottom is from around the Civil War time and was forged in England. The one on top is from the 1920's and forged in Brooklyn. The man who owns the place was so accommodating and if I had had more time, I could have spent the day there. He is a collector and 'user' of anvils - an ironmaker and blacksmith. There was a fire to the left of this, where the embers were glowing scarlet and the warmth coming off it made me want to stay there on this damp day. He had another anvil twice the size of these that was 400 lbs. Since he knew the theme was 'heavy' he picked up the top one, put it on the other and said, "Now you have really heavy." I found his place absolutely fascinating.

Heavy

My scale did NOT like me today.  Can't figure out why.  Maybe a weekend of full buffet breakfasts, pulled pork bbq, imo's pizza, Ted Drewes famous frozen custard, and just the occasional budweiser... If you ever visit St. Louis consider this your warning.

Heartwarming

I didn't grow up with a sister, so when Annabelle was born I had no idea what life would be like for the two girls.  I just hope they have the kind of relationship that my dear friend Carrie has with her sister Meg.  This picture makes me smile on so many levels.  So good to see them reunited this weekend.  Warms my heart.

HEARTWARMING

Adj.

1.

heartwarming - causing gladness and pleasure *capable of arousing deep emotion*   I won't lie - I felt supreme sadness and yet, deep inside, a smile formed in my heart.

Hearts

I heart st. Louis.
I heart Chelsea, kings of Europe.
I heart the beautiful newlyweds.
Congratulations Alison and Greg

HEARTS

Bleeding Heart

Health

At least I ordered the green beans to go with my delicious pulled pork platter at Pappy's smokehouse. Those green beans are the only healthy thing I have seen all day and they were swimming in butter. It was yummy.

HEALTH

Heart Healthy

Hanging

We got to Montauk about a week early... we saw this sign hanging in almost every shop or dining establishment.  And guess what?  We STILL had a good time.

HANGING

Hanging windchimes at Daisy Garden.

HANDS

Hands

Lucky me... We got our hands on some montauk lobster rolls for lunch.

Handbag

I am probably missing some kind of female gene.  Handbags and shoes just don't get me excited.  I use this same bag every single day.  It's small yet easily accomodates the bare necessities.  It's what I call perfect. I see people with big handbags and I can't imagine for the life of me what on earth they keep in there.

HANDBAG

I have had this handbag - I call it a purse - for at least 10 years. Its a bucket bag and reminds me of a feedbag. I love the color. There are no pockets inside. Very simple backpack.

Hair

The other day I bumped into an acquaintance.
 She said "Looks like Annabelle got a haircut."
 I said "yes, she did."
 She said "don't worry, she'll grow out of that awkward stage."

Um.... I don't know you very well and I never said I was worried....

HAIR

This is dog hair. Its everywhere. If I collected it all this time of year I could make sweaters for everyone. I thought this was a really difficult theme and Gemma was throwing ideas my way since I was stuck. I sat for an hour waiting for Shawn to get a haircut this afternoon and didn't even think to get out of the car and take a picture of the barber pole until we were at dinner. I wish I had thought about it sooner.

GROUP OR GROUPINGS

My Mother's Day present. I set it up but technically Matt took the picture.
You can find this at http://www.nelleandlizzy.com/Triple_Ring_103.htm

Group or Groupings

Group of five candles surrounded by a grouping of many colourful cupcakes.    We decided to celebrate a day early since we are all at home together.  Those cupcakes disappeared quick!

GROCERIES

I like to call this Soap Opera Groceries. Ever notice on a soap, they always come home with baguette, carrots with tops and fresh flowers in an environmentally friendly brown paper bag? (the iris are from my garden and the little purple ones are chives gone to seed).

Groceries

And this is on one of my neater days...

GREEN

Green

The best mixed greens in the world are grown right here, in our backyard.  Nothing better than picking your salad leaves moments before you sit down to eat. Thank you Farmer Seb.

GOLD

Two boys studying Chemistry right now.

Gold

Today I had the privilege of being surrounded by people whose hearts must seriously be made of gold. The staff and volunteers at HorseAbility are INCREDIBLE.  Six months ago many of you generously donated to HorseAbility in memory of Olivia and Carly.  Today, twelve kids from Carly's school got to experience the joy of horses.  It was incredible to see.  And I owe Carly's Principal (headmistress) for finding "Golden Rule."  How appropriate.

GLOWING

My neon message to you :)

Glowing

At dinner tonight I asked the family for "glowing" suggestions.  Charlotte recommended stars (too far away).  Seb suggested his personality...  so i ended up with a candle.

Glass

I didn't have much time for a photo today.  These are two glass items from our bathroom.  Not very inspiring.

GLASS

We used to pick up sea glass whenever we were at the beach and always blue.

Generous

Generous?  ME!!!  Sharing MY birthday chocolates with little miss piggy...

GENEROUS