Here's Looking at You, Kids

Project 365 - February 1

My husband's sister and her family visited us for a few days recently and we had a ball!

On our way out this afternoon to do some sightseeing, I noticed a package hanging on my mailbox so I grabbed it and threw it in the car. I couldn't resist opening it while we were en route, as it was from my friend Debbie, a gifted artist who sends me art supplies from her stash once in a while that she thinks I would enjoy. Sometimes she includes a piece or two of her own art as well, which is always a thrill as everything she does is gorgeous (sorry for the shameless plug, but it's true).

This time, in addition to one of her most beautiful pieces of art to date, she included a little bit of fun for Jed. He and my neices had quite the time with the fake moustaches. :)

The Race is On!

Project 365 - January 31

Last winter the swing in our backyard was my measuring stick to track the depth of the snow we recieved (120+"). I was so hoping it would completely cover the entire swing, but alas, it only got up to the bottom of the top rung on the back of the swing. It we get a couple more good storms, this thing will be covered this year! Check back for progress reports. :)

A Bird in the Bush

Project 365 - January 27

I haven't seen as many cardinals here in Maine as I did in Missouri and North Carolina, so I was delighted to find this one perched in the bush underneath the bird feeders. He and his mate hung around for a couple of days, picking at the seeds which had fallen on the snow. A nice splash of color in an otherwise white world.

Kung Fu Kid

Project 365 - January 22

Jedidiah and his buddy Elijah tried out a Kung Fu class this evening. It's offered free of charge as a ministry of a local church, with the interesting twist that the kids have to memorize Bible verses as well as Kung Fu moves in order to earn their belts. Too bad Jed hated it so bad he never wants to go back. :)

Hmm.....

Project 365 - January 21

Jedidiah had his eyes checked for the first time today, and as is his wont, he enjoyed it very much. Until the eye drops, anyway. :)

It's Deja Vu all over again

Project 365 - January 19

The mailbox is getting buried again, although it's not as bad yet as last winter, when only the door was visible at one point.

Wau Bulan Batik

Project 365 - January 17

My artist friend Azlina has a card-making business that has expanded to beaded work as well, including jewelry and bookmarks. She makes the most exquisite cards, featuring embellishments that she hand cuts and attaches individually.

Azlina put out a call for artists to participate in a pay-it-forward endeavor, and I jumped at the chance to join. The deal is that you receive a handmade gift from an artist and in turn send out a handmade gift to three other artists. I received her package recently and it was filled with her beautiful cards and beaded bookmarks as well as a couple of items she picked up at local fairs where she lives in Malaysia. One of them is this batik hankie, made in the design of the wau bulan, one of Malaysia's national symbols. It is a large, intricately designed kite that is traditionally flown by men in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. It is also called a moon-kite as it resembles a crescent rising while flying.

One of the things I love about the internet is the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. It is exciting to learn about the cultures of other countries from folks who actually live there. The pictures Azlina has sent me of her family, her surroundings and the events she enjoys make it easy to daydream about places far different from where I call home.

Brrrr....

Project 365 - January 16

Check out the temp on that thermo-meter! It was a wee bit chilly this morning in Maine.

Daily Constitutional

Project 365 - January 15

We've been enjoying some beautiful walks down our road to the end of the point. With the leaves off the trees, the views are spectacular. Our favorite is seeing snowmobilers on the frozen lake....it's hard not to get excited watching them fly.

Winter Wonderland

Project 365 - January 14

This is the view that greets us as we turn down the lane towards Jedidiah's speech therapist twice a week. I feel like I know this road like the back of my hand, every bump and twist in it. It's a welcoming sight before the hard work of the next hour begins.

Birds of a Feather

Project 365 - January 13

A slight snow shower greeted our avian friends this morning as they tried to get to the sunflower seeds already buried by Sunday's snow storm. If I was a better person, I would have cleaned that snow out of the feeder. It's embarrassing that I didn't even think of it till just now. I imagine there'll be opportunities to make it up to them, though. :)

Little Science Guy

Project 365 - January 12

Jedidiah is taking a preschool science class on Monday evenings, which he is loving even though he has a bit of an aversion to touching slimy stuff. His expression says it all...pleasure with a side of anxiety. lol

Sending a Boy Out to do a Man's Job

Project 365 - January 11

We woke up this Sunday morning to a snowstorm that lasted all day and dumped over a foot of snow. Normally Jedidiah enjoys his job of fetching the paper...this particular day, I'm not so sure. He has the bag with him to put the paper in, as he is prone to picking it up by the crease and dribbling out the contents all the way back to the house.

It's taken a long time to train him properly, but it's starting to pay off. :)

An Invitation to the King's Banquet

Project 365 - January 10

Imagine receiving an invitation to dine with the king at his banqueting table...it's not such a stretch anymore for the ladies in my Bible study group. The host church turned a very ordinary room in a very old church building into an exquisite Persian dining hall, and we enjoyed an evening fit for a queen. All this, to kick off our new study in the book of Esther. I wish I was a better photographer with a better camera...I'd love for you to see the elegant place settings complete with royal favors, the lovely servant girls, the delectable delights. Definitely an evening to remember.

Child's Play

Project 365 - January 8

This picture is rather grainy, but I think it adds a little to the atmosphere of the shot. I mean, what could be dreamier than being comfortable enough in your own skin to run around and play in your underwear? And what better way to play than with a moving box and crayons? :)

Twilight Time

Project 365 - January 5

This is the view from my desk...my computer's not the only reason I never want to leave it. :)

I'm a Happy Boy

Project 365 - January 3

Jedidiah is a sweet-natured, happy boy, but you'd never know if from his photographs. He is uncomfortable in front of the camera and assumes the most hideous fake smiles you've ever seen when asked to pose. Unfortunately, I don't have a high-speed camera, so catching him smiling and laughing unawares is a challenge...thus, our photo albums are full of shots such as this. I sometimes wonder what his descendents will think of this solemn little boy when they look at the pictures of my happy little boy.

*Extra credit to anyone who recognized the title of this post as the title of a song and can name the singer!

Oh, the Humanity!

Project 365 - January 2

My parents are visiting us from Virginia for the holidays, so we took them to see some of the sights we hadn't covered in their first two visits. One of them was the Maine State Museum, which we took them to on January 2, and which Tracy and I had enjoyed very much on a previous visit. However, we had somehow managed to overlook this hideous piece of propoganda. It's a good thing Tracy wasn't there to see it in person...I shudder to think what a scene it would have been when the security guards threw him out.

Click on the image to read it, but brace yourself first if you're a Southerner.

A New Year, A New Project

Project 365 - January 1

ScrappyGurl started Project 365 this year, which involves taking a photograph each day and journaling. What a treasure that scrapbook will be in years to come!...snapshots and details of a year in the life of her family.

She agreed to post them on her blog so I could keep up with her life from a distance, and I decided to return the favor. Not that it's much of a bargain for her, seeing as how she is married to a rock star and has rock star kids, but one thing I have that she doesn't have is three feet of snow on the ground outside my windows! :) If there's nothing else interesting to photograph some days, I'll let her, and you, have a peek at the seasons in Maine...winter, mud, 4th of July and fall.

Since I'm a little late getting started, I'm going to post pics from as many days in January as I have. This first one is the motley crew that is my family, assembled for our annual New Year's Day meal, a true Southern delicacy....ham, for plenty...turnip greens, for prosperity...black-eyed peas for good luck...and cornbread and stewed tomatoes, just because they're good. So far, it all seems to be working. :)

The Making of a Blog

This blog was created by accident, if you can believe that...

I was new to Blogger and trying to figure out how to post to the Mid-Missouri Letterboxers' blog...in the process I inadvertently created a blog, and the message I wanted to post to the lbing blog got posted to my own.

So here I am, two years later, posting my second message. :)

Don't know if I'll continue, but it might be a fun experiment to pretend like I belong in the 21st century....