This, That, and the Other

I have lots of little bits and pieces to share today and since I know you're waiting with bated breath I'll dive right in.

I had my first lesson with a local photographer on Friday afternoon. We're starting at the very beginning since that's a very good place to start. Did you know there was math in photography? Nobody told me there'd be math. I really enjoyed the lesson and felt like my brain hit the engage button....it's been on idle for a while now. He left me with a couple of pages of notes which is a good thing because even though my brain engaged it still feels a little bit rusty. He also left me a small assignment to complete before my next lesson which I'll probably try to incorporate into the February photo challenge.

Speaking of the February photo challenge...was there a prompt yesterday? Yes, yes there was. I know I said I like to follow the rules but I took a pass on Sunday's word-'inside my closet'. I recently cleaned and reorganized my closet so it's actually quite tidy at the moment. You'll have to take my word for it though, because that felt just a little too personal to put out there.

Even for me.

ahem.

Back to the weekend...hubs was in Turkey on business last week and returned home Friday evening. We may have opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the fact that he has no work travel scheduled for the next month. Whoohoo!

'They' said we'd have some snow Friday night into Saturday but we awoke to what was really just a dusting. It spit a little off and on all day but nothing accumulated. The temps however, plummeted over the weekend. I guess February felt the need to remind us we shouldn't get too comfy with the milder weather we've had so far this winter.

We carried on with our Saturday plans which included driving closer to the city to attend a big dog show. We've got the fe-vah. Puppy fever to be more precise and its sweeping thru our house. Hubs especially has been stricken, but it's contagious you know. We have a Gordon Setter who is the sweetest thing on four legs and we're in love with the breed.

Look at that face. Setters in general have lovable personalities and that's my #1 criteria in a dog. We knew there'd be a lot of Setters at this particular show and we hoped to talk to a breeder or two.

You don't see a lot of Gordons around and it was so much fun to see a whole gaggle of them. I know a bunch of dogs are not called a gaggle but there are so many long legs in this bunch the word seemed to fit.

We're pretty set on another Gordon but we've also toyed with the idea of an English Setter. Hubs says he'd like one of each-an English, an Irish, and a Gordon. Uh, I might be crazy but I'm not that crazy!

The Gordons are black with tan markings but the English have varying coats. This guy is black and white which in dog speak is known as blue belton. Gorgeous. And guess what today's photo prompt is-'blue'. There ya go.

Anyway, we did meet some breeders and we'll likely put our name in for a puppy to arrive late summer. Gives me time to get my head around it.

We had our 'Valentine dinner' on Saturday evening. Actually we eat out most every weekend but we designated this one as our Valentine dinner because Tuesday doesn't sound as romantic as Saturday. We had a long lovely meal and talked our way thru five courses while the wind whipped outside and snowflakes danced in the moonlight.

Yesterday afternoon we went to see a movie-Safe House. Holy moly it's intense. And there is mucho violence. Can I ask here why parents feel the need to bring their ten or twelve year old child to a movie that has been rated R because it is inappropriate for a ten or twelve year old? Why?? I had a knot in my stomach watching this one and I wondered if they did too. Or if they didn't? Either way it's a problem.

Today I'm heading to the doc's office for some 'jabs'. In England they use the word 'jab' when they're prepping you for an immunization. fyi-if you tell a child they're going to have an immunization they might not catch on right away but if you say jab they pretty much catch on immediately. Anyway, a while back I mentioned some fun plans we have in the works for later this spring and I need the 'jabs' in order to carry on with the fun. Three jabs in one visit. Happy Monday!

Sunshine on My Shoulders

Y'all know I don't blog on the weekends, but I also like to follow the rules. I'm posting a picture for Day 11 of the February photo challenge, just like the rules say.

Are there rules?

In my mind there are rules.

I didn't take this photo today but I did take it recently so I think that counts. Today's prompt-'makes you happy'. As soon as I saw that one I knew I would post a picture of my favorite thing-sunlight on water.

From the smallest puddle to the widest sea, the twinkle of sunlight on the water speaks right into my soul.

All About Self

Continuing with the February Photo Challenge-today's prompt is 'self-portrait'.

Does anyone over the age of 25 really enjoy taking self portraits? First of all, it requires a coordination I'm not sure I possess. Secondly, they're usually super close up. No thank you.When I'm in a photograph I like to adjust 'things'...the angles, my chin, my hair...that's hard to do when you're taking a picture of yourself. Hubs took a picture of me in Central Park that was a close up of my face. Goodness, are those lines around my eyes always there?

I'm no quitter though, and I'm determined to see this challenge through to the last day of the month. Enjoy your weekend everyone...

'In every corner of our life, to lose oneself is to be the gainer; to forget oneself is to be happy. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

A Door By Any Other Name Is Still A Door

Today's prompt for the February photo challenge is -'front door'. I need to tell you we've had more than a few. I know a lot of people who've lived in the same house all their married lives but we are not those people. We've opened many doors to many houses we learned to call home. A door is just a door. It's what's behind the door that's home.

Door Number 1...this door opened to newly wedded married life.

Our first together home.

Just us.

An ugly couch and a TV sitting on a wooden crate. Behind this door we learned to manage our money, our time, and our expectations. We learned to make plans.

Opportunity knocked on this door and led us to Door Number 2. A rented townhouse while we figured out which end was up in a brand new city.

We did.

Door Number 3...our first 'house'.

Kids signing papers for what felt like gobs of money. A messy back garden transformed into a small slice of paradise. Fun neighbors. Time for some grown up furniture.

A baby on the way meant a whole new kind of bliss.

We learned to make room for more love.

We carried that with us to Door Number 4...another house.

Far from our roots. A door behind which just-us became just-us-three. Better than bliss. It was here we learned how to love in 3-D.

We struggled to find Door Number 5.

Insane real estate markets in Northern NJ. Always. Especially in the late 1980s. Interest rates above 10%. Add to that a crazy commute.

Then. A ray of sunshine.

Just-us-three became a family of four. Complete behind this door. We learned the well of love never runs dry.

We welcomed a move.

Door Number 6...breezes off the Bay. Crab feasts and water skis. Ballet and music. Kids on the backyard swing. Home. Let's never leave. This is bliss.

Behind this door we learned about growing pains and bedtime prayers. How to pick a crab and ride a bike. How to grow up girls.

Behind this door we discovered the current of life can flow suddenly fast round an unexpected bend. We learned its best to grab an inner tube and hang on for the ride. We learned to never say never.

Which brings me to Door Number 7...the one where adventure called our name.

We walked thru this door and never looked back. It was the door that led us inside to a whole new outside. The door to a world of people and places and opportunity we had never considered. It was behind this door a family grew rock solid together in the game of life. Cemented. We learned to stamp all that is behind this door onto our hearts.

We left door Number 7 open just a crack.

We like to look behind it now and again.

But we walked on through Door Number 8.

Behind this door is an empty nest. Just us. Still learning. Like a long time ago only different. Behind this door are full hearts. And our tapestry of door upon door.

Love is in the Hodgpodge-Volume 65

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! I'm so glad you're playing along today. Don't forget to add your link to the bottom of my post so friends can come a-callin'. Here are my answers-

1. What is something you are loving right now?

Conversation hearts.

Just keepin' it real people.

2. Paris, Venice, New York and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Of the four, which one would you most like to visit?

Well now. This one is tres difficile. Or molto difficile depending on which city I choose. It won't be New York because as much as I love NYC when it comes to romance France and Italy rule.

I am in love with Paris. I'd like an apartment on the Champs Elysees with those wonderfully tall windows where I could throw open the shutters and let the magnificent light in. Paris is all about the light. It's a city made for strolling and sipping champagne. Plus everyone is speaking French which, let's face it, makes even a grilled cheese sandwich sound like something more than a grilled cheese sandwich.

But Rome. Roma. Italy.

I've said it a time or ten here that Italy is my happy place. Paris may be about the light but Italy is all about the air. The air is intoxicating. Dreamy. Romantic.

And then there is the water. Venice. Spend a few hours in Venice and you understand why people fall in love there. Or remember why they fell in love way back when they were just a couple of crazy college kids.

The thing is, I've been to all of these cities and my memories of times spent there are muddy-ing up the waters and make choosing just one impossible. I seriously don't care. You could put me on a plane, not tell me which of the three we were headed to, and I'd be happy no matter where we landed.

3. Are you a romantic?

Yes. Hopeless. I walk thru life wearing rose colored glasses most of the time.

I still believe in fairy tales.

Hubs has to add a gentle dose of reality to my dreams now and then which I can appreciate. I also appreciate that he can be counted on to make a romantic gesture when one is called for...he's got a bit of the romantic in him too.

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?

An Affair to Remember, Love Actually, Sweet Home Alabama...those are three of my favorites. You can't expect me to answer with only one when I've just told you I'm a romantic, can you?

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends....which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question.

According to the quiz I'm Kanga-'You are warm and loving and great with children. People know not to misbehave around you or they'll end up in time out.'

It was sounding good until that last bit-ha!

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?

When we lived in Maryland hubs used to get me a decadent, sinfully rich, chocolate cake for my birthday every year. He had a baker make the cake especially for me (see question #3) with a delicate raspberry filling. It was iced with the most scrumptious chocolate ganache I've ever tasted. He has tried his best to get bakeries everywhere we've lived since to recreate the concoction, and while they're all delicious its not quite the same.

I will say that the bakery here in our little town does come awfully close.

7. Share a favorite quote about love.

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."

Henry David Thoreau

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm using my random thought today to post my February photo challenge picture. Today's prompt is 'sun'. I took this picture during our Sunday afternoon hike-

We've been to Highpoint many times, but on Sunday we hiked a different trail and stumbled across this observation deck built into the woods. I know I shouldn't take a picture looking in to the sun but there was no way around it in this instance and I kind of like how it turned out. Here's what you see from the deck-

In my mind, sunshine was one of God's very best ideas.

A Hodgepodge of Pictures and Words

Before I post the questions for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge I'm going to sneak in my February photo challenge picture of the day. Picture of yesterday actually, and the prompt was 'dinner'. Hubs was not home for dinner on Monday evening so I made myself a salad. Do you really want to see what I ate for dinner? Regardless of your answer, here it is-

Tuesday's prompt is 'button'.

I gotta tell ya, some of these prompts are straining my creativity but I refuse to quit. I contemplated taking a picture of my navel (you get it, right?) but thought that might be too much after the salad photo so I went with this one-

I took this picture on Sunday afternoon after a long uphill hike. I know there are shadows and the light is all wrong but my pup was worn out and needed to rest in the shade. She is cute as a 'button' though, don't you think?

And now, what you're really here to see....the weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer the questions on your own blog and then hop back over here tomorrow to share answers with the rest of the internets.

1. What is something you are loving right now?

2. Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered four of the most romantic cities in the world. Which one would you most like to visit?

3. Are you a romantic?

4. What's your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?

5. Everyone loves Pooh bear and friends...which character are you most like and why? Click here for help in answering this question.

6. What's the best chocolate something you've ever eaten?

7. Share a favorite quote about love.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Saturday. In the Park. I think it was the 4th of July

Not really. It was the fourth of February but that Chicago song replayed in my head the whole time I was writing this post so I had to put it out there. And there are more than a few pictures in this post but I believe I told you I have a new camera.

Hubs and I have managed to drop kick the couch slouch habit we sometimes have on winter weekends and have spent many hours out of doors enjoying the very un-winter like weather of 2012. It's still on the cold side here but so far snow has passed us by. We'll all just pretend October's snow madness never happened.

Back to Saturday.

In the park.

Central Park.

I love this place. What a magnificent thing to have in the middle of an enormous city. We spent the day walking and talking and people watching.

Well some of us did. Some of us spent the day harnessing every ounce of hunting prowess she posseses to stalk squirrels. The lawns are fenced off in the winter months to allow for reseeding so I think the squirrels knew they were safe.

They taunted her mercilessly but still, she persevered. She worked so hard she needed a coffee break.

I think my backyard hawk may have followed me here.

No matter the season there's always something to catch your eye in Central Park. There's beauty all around...

and then there's this-

a man wearing spring loaded shoes?

There was also this-

I was super pleased with myself for capturing this girl in mid air. I'm not sure why she was in mid air high above several levels of concrete steps in Central Park but she landed without incident and more importantly, I figured out the sport setting on my camera.

We bought a hot dog from a vendor because pretty sure that's the law here and then we watched two grown men blow bubbles.

They were amazing.

They asked for money to 'keep doing what we're doing'.

Can you make a living blowing bubbles?

We threw some $$ in their hat. The sun shining high in a bright New York sky makes one feel magnanimous.

We strolled along the edge of the park near Columbus circle and as we were walking a young man came along beside us and commented on hubs hat. Hubs was wearing a baseball cap from our girl's university, a small school in South Carolina. The young man was with a group of three young women and another young man and in that small world kind of way that happens to us everywhere we go, they were all graduates of that same university. They're a few years older than our girls but have mutual friends via sorority connections. We talked about our shared love of shrimp and grits, Main Street in Collegetown, and weekend fun in the Big Apple. Stuff like that always makes me smile.

After a long leisurely day in the park we headed to the car and look...we got bargain priced parking today!

We paid the ransom and headed for home.

Six more weeks of this sort of winter?

I'll take it!