Dear Photograph

I cannot take credit for this brilliant idea.  There is a website dedicated to the art of "taking a picture of the past in the present" (link below).

I had a wonderfully nostaglic night looking for old photos that might work for this purpose.  I headed to my childhood home with several photos in hand.  Imagine my surprise to arrive on Lafayette Street, to find the house for sale.  Is there a message here for me?

In any case, here's the photo I chose.

Dear Photograph,
Now I remember why I don't wear short hair or a bikini!
(circa 1967)

Standing there curbside, the memories came rushing in...

But, what if I could talk to that little girl?  What would I tell her?  Several things:

1. Relish your childhood (life is going to get rough)
2. Love harder (they will not be here for long)
3. Don't quit the piano!
4. Make smart(er) decisions
5. Go to college
6. Take better care of yourself
7. You turn out okay
8. You'll live a fulfilled life

To participate in the process, go here:

Summer Photo Prompts

Geez, I can't believe how fast time goes.  Seems like summer will never get here and then when it does...it flies by!  It's half over!

I'm creating this list for myself, but am sharing it here in this forum.  Maybe if I put it out there in the universe, I will truly get to do some fun summer activities and get some great photos all in one fell swoop.  When fall approaches, I hope to have at least half two-thirds of this list crossed off and will share the photos.  Should make for some interesting and fun summer memories.

Here's my to-do list:

1. Go to the drive-in movies (there's still one left!)
2. Eat corn-on-the-cob (roasted on the grill)
3. Go to a Farmers Market
4. Take in an outdoor concert
5. Go to a carnival (Elitches might count)
6. Dine al fresco
7. Read a book!
8. Ride our tandem bike somewhere anywhere
9. Go camping and/or fishing
10. Go shopping at an outdoor mall
11. Go to the zoo
12. Take Gracie swimming (where do you take dogs to swim?)
13. Cook out
14. Eat watermelon and spit the seeds
15. Buy a yummy treat from the ice cream truck
16. Let Gracie hang her head out the car window
17. Lay on the grass and star at the clouds or the stars (counts as two?)
18. Look for a rainbow
19. Make (not buy) banana splits
20. Make potato salad (using my mom's recipe)
21. Bring my golf handicap down!
22. Get a new summer (hair) do
23. Go the pool
24. Eat strawberry short cake
25. Get a new pair of sandals or flip flops
26. Go on a picnic (with my cute picnic basket)
27. Make sun tea
28. Get a sun tan (where you can see the lines)
29. Feed the ducks (loved to do this when I was a kid - my Grandma used to have a drawer just for stale bread for this very purpose)
30. Eat a popsicle (do they still make root beer & banana flavors) (or how 'bout a bomb pop?)
31. Swing on a swingset
32. Wash my car MYSELF (in the driveway!)
33. Eat a root beer float (better yet, make them)
34. Wiggle my toes in a stream or a lake
35. Go on a motorcycle ride
36. Blow bubbles
37. Make a jello salad
38. Cook breakfast in the mountains (I loved this too when I was a kid)
39. Watch the sun set
40. Walk in the rain
41. Go on a hike
42. Watch the fireworks
43. Go to the mountains
44. Go to a Rockies game
45. Make s'mores
46. Go to the flea market
47. Climb a Fourteener (as in mountain)
48. Make home made ice cream
49. Grow (and HARVEST) some vegetables
50. Go 4-wheelin'
51. Make a fruit cobbler

I feel like that's a pretty good start...but I feel the need to make the list much longer.

Poor Bill.  Right?

Happy Birthday

artwork courtesy of Kerri Bradford

nuf said.

Happy National Camera Day!

Pretty sure this is the first camera I had. 
Gosh, have I always been a shutterbug?

Did you know that today is National Camera Day? However, I pretty much celebrate my camera EVERY day.  My camera(s) is an integral part of my daily life.  Thanks to my new iphone, I take quick snaps here and there to capture precious moments (and a lot of general every day silliness).  I  never have to miss a moment and there's no shortage of snapshots to go around.  I wonder...might I be getting a little over exposed?  Naw.

So today, take a moment and celebrate any kind of camera you have close by.  Marvel for just a moment at the technology.  Give thanks for the special memories that each picture gives to you.  Go ahead and give your camera or smartphone camera a kiss today.  Better yet...get out there and snap a picture -- or two.

Completely Obsessed!

Okay.  So I blogged about the new iphone (birthday present), right?  Well, can I just say that I am completely obsessed over the Words with Friends game?

I had heard about the game and couldn't wait to give it a try.  It was my third download from the App Store (free!).  Words is nearly an exact replica of Scrabble.  Not only that, but after a quick sign up process using my email, I was playing “scrabble” together with some unknown opponent.  I was pleasantly surprised.

You see, this stirs a favorite childhoold memory.  As soon as I was old enough to spell, we played Scrabble.  As soon as I was old enough to hold cards, I learned to play Hearts.  Cards and Board games were a mainstay at our house.  I have still have many, many board games in the closet.  (OMG, I'm a closet board gamer!)  I even have the Deluxe edition of Scrabble.  Trouble is, I can NEVER get anyone to sit down and actually play any of them.

That's why Words is so great.  You can play it anywhere and you don't have to be in the same room together.  And, you don't need a dictionary.  You don't have to challenge a word played.  It either works or it doesn't.  Simple really.  Not only do you play the game in near real time, you have the option to chat with your opponent (perfect for talking trash so you don’t have to switch from your game to the message center).

I'm still learning about my phone.  It amazes me!  My favorite feature has to be the push notifications. They work like a champ. If I am doing something else (like reading a book on my Kindle app -- another blog entry?) and forget that I am playing, it beeps and reminds me that it is my turn!

Overall, the game play is enjoyable, only having to wait 30 seconds to a minute between turns.  However, I have run across several players who take hours, if not days, to take their turn.  Infuriating!

For not costing me anything, this is a pretty sweet game app that has definitely found a place on my new phone.  I have gotten my friends and family members hooked as well (and some of them don't have iphones).  Winning?  About 90%!

Up for a game?

Reflections

Sitting back at my desk on a Monday morning and just thinking about Memorial Day and all that it means. Those who have lost a loved one. Those that have passed.  Those nameless families wandering through the cemetary.  Those children carrying flowers. Those thousands of similar, plain, stark, white tombstones.  Those that have given their lives for our freedom.  Those flags.  Oh, those flags.

Those that are our part of our history.  Those who made us who we are.  Those that we miss.

Grandparents.

Dad.

Mom.

Happy Monday

How was your weekend?  Ready to face another Monday?  Are you rested?  Refreshed?

Me?  Not so much.

Here's a hint how I spent my weekend (and the last 7 days)!

Productive?  I think so!
.