July 28, 2010

My photo for today is not an actual photograph. It is a mental snapshot I will carry with me. I did have my camera with me at the time the photo op presented itself. In fact, that is why my previous Project 365 attempts failed. My camera is not a compact point and shoot that I can tuck into my purse or pocket. It is a substantial piece of equipment that I always carry in its case. Previous attempts to take a picture each day failed because I got tired of always lugging my camera bag with me, especially in the winter when I was wearing a heavy coat. But I have been diligent this month since (re)starting Project 365 and carry my camera with me almost all the time. So, the reason I don’t have an actual photo is not because I was unprepared. And it’s not because I missed the shot. That happens to me a lot. The hummingbird has left the hibiscus by the time I get my camera focused. Or I get the shot, but when I load my photos onto my computer, it’s blurred. And I’m not a big fan of staging, so I’m usually resistant to trying to recreate the moment. It feels like cheating somehow. But that wasn’t the case either. The thing was that this moment was just too sweet, too tender, to intrude upon. My uncle is in a hospice care facility. A once-vibrant man is slowly withering away. After battling numerous illnesses and ailments for many years, my uncle doesn’t have any more fight left in him. Or, more to the point, he has the fight in him but it appears with decreasing frequency and intensity. Today, I sat with my aunt while she kept vigil at his bedside. A few days ago, he tried to get out of bed and fell, so the nurses have pushed a few heavy, overstuffed chairs next to his bed to hopefully prevent another fall. Physical restraints are not in keeping with hospice philosophy. My uncle knew my aunt today, but thought I was one of the nurses. Typically, he is what you would call a good patient. And today, even though his skin was unbearably itchy and a sore on his upper arm was bothering him, he was courteous in his conversation with the various nurses about these symptoms. His eyes had a puzzled cast to them as he listened to one nurse explain that she had already given him the medication to soothe the itching and already put a bandage on his sore arm. When she left the room, my aunt knelt on one of the chairs and leaned over the back to reach her husband. While she adjusted his blankets, his eyes never left her face. She looked at him and softly told him the medicine would start working soon and gently stroked his face. This moment was my photo for today.

July 27, 2010

The marigold. They're such cheerful, hardy, tolerant (heat and being ignored by the gardener) flowers. The bud . . . The petals of the flower peek through . . . (see how they look like it's going to be a yellow marigold?)
Ta-da! It's a big, beautiful, orange marigold.

July 26, 2010

That's right . . . my view of the ceiling fan from the sofa. On the plus side though, last night the oppressive heat broke and we were able to open windows today and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.

July 25, 2010

A collection of novels by author John Steinbeck, which used to be my Dad's.

July 24, 2010

Ventured out of the air conditioning and into the blast furnace to buy lemonade from two enterprising girls. Only 50 cents for a refreshing glass of lemonade . . . and, for those who were in a hurry . . .

July 23, 2010

Isn't "wrenched" a great word? Say it with me now . . . wrenched. It's so descriptive. It sounds almost exactly like it feels. Anyway, day 3 of wrenched back-itis found me once again reclining most of the day. But late in the afternoon, I felt well enough to walk and sprinkle multi-colored flecks onto the newly painted garage floor. (You can see the before and after comparison at the bottom of the photo.) That's right . . . after someone else braves the oppressive heat, pulls everything out of the garage, sweeps the floor, applies a sealant, and then rolls on the paint. What makes all the difference? The application of the speckles!

July 22, 2010

Day 2 of wrenched back-itis. This is the view I had of the outdoors from my prone position for the day.

July 21, 2010

This is what I spent my day doing after wrenching my back early this morning. (Do not adjust your screen. This photo is black and white. What else for a photo of crossword puzzles?!)

July 20, 2010

One of my favorite spots in town. But not located "in town" because it's too nice. Or too cool. Or would attract people. Who drive. Cars. It's the Grover's Mill Coffee House and sitting outside on a warm day, drinking my favorite coffee - a decaf mocha no whip cream, hot or iced - is always a bright spot in my day. The people who work there are friendly and helpful and, although they can't understand why we sit outside on some pretty hot days, they are more than willing to bring our drinks out to us. I love to see a crowd there, because then I know the coffee house will stick around!

July 19, 2010, Part 2

A brief respite from the "drought." And a chance to play with my macro lens! Rain drops on a hibiscus bloom.

July 19, 2010, Part 1

No. It isn't fall. Technically. However, these fallen leaves are from a neighbor's tree that's losing its leaves early due to lack of rain.

July 18, 2010

Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? An instance of re-gifting. I gave my Mom this sundial many years ago for her garden. When she moved from her house, she gave it to me.

July 17, 2010

One of the things our town does right - every Saturday from 9 til 1, local farmers gather and sell fresh fruit, flowers, vegetables, and miscellaneous wares, while local musicians entertain.

July 16, 2010

Wine chilling in an ice bucket at my favorite local Italian restaurant. We enjoyed only one of the two - the Viognier from Blenheim Vineyards (established in 2000, by Dave Matthews).

July 15, 2010

Tiger lilies grown from seeds given to me over 15 years ago and what has to be a disappointed bumble bee since I don't think these lilies provide any nectar.

July 14, 2010

Twenty-three-plus year old gin helped take the edge off of an emotional day. To quote a friend, "old age ain't for sissies."

July 13, 2010

Can you tell the rope is wet? I snapped this photo in between rain storms today. It was hard to complain about the weather, though, since we needed rain desperately.

July 12, 2010

My daughter and I moved this armoire from one room to another today - it wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either. Looks great in its new location, and made space available for a work table in it's former location.

July 11, 2010

Entertained out-of-town guests today and this white orchid was a gift from them. First time all summer, we sat outside for an extended period of time, used the grill, and ate on the deck. Note to self: Start eating outside before you can't anymore and you lament not being able to eat outside anymore.

July 10, 2010

Inspired by reading the "new dress a day" blog, my daughter and I spent some time hemming, mending, and altering some clothes. We turned a couple summer halter dresses into sundress style dresses using this machine, which is a little older than the aforementioned daughter! The sewing machine was a Christmas gift when I was pregnant with the daughter who is now wearing cocktail dresses . . . yikes!!

July 9, 2010

Hosted Bunko and made Rick Sost's Sangria recipe for the first time, which I served in wine glasses adorned with these beautiful hand-made wine glass ID's. The sangria was delicious; not too sweet and not too heavy. Perfect for a hot summer night.

July 8, 2010

In addition to buying our first Jersey corn of the season, I bought fresh cut zinnias from a local farmer's market. As expected, the corn was delicious.

July 7, 2010

I passed this patriotic display, located on Route 539, near Fort Dix, on my way to meet my cousin for lunch. While it seems quite seasonal, it is on display year round.

July 6, 2010

Awhile ago, I met a woman who collects stones that look like hearts. She inspired me to begin looking for unintentionally heart shaped things, like this yellow bell pepper.

July 5, 2010

A sisal fan? Go twine? Ah, no. Someone who wants us to drink good wine. Well, all right. If you insist. Spotted in the parking lot behind American City Diner, Chevy Chase, MD, where one can afford to drink only good wine!

July 4, 2010

Numerous states and ethnicities were represented in the Fourth of July parade which ran along Constitution Avenue. The participants wore costumes, carried instruments, danced, and sang in pretty extreme heat to entertain those who came out to watch. There were many photos I could have chosen, but I chose this one of tuba players whose instruments reflected fellow band members who preceded them.

July 3, 2010

This all female percussion band was playing in Farragut Square. Talk about a workout! They played non-stop for about 15 minutes and drew quite a crowd, which showed their appreciation with applause and monetary contributions - the band is heading to NYC!

July 2, 2010

Heading down to Washington, DC and stopped at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD for lunch. No more tables with umbrellas were available, but we sat outside anyway because it was such a beautiful, warm, sunny summer day and we remember last winter even if no one else does! This is the underside of the umbrella shading the table across from us.

July 1, 2010

No time like the present, no time like today. I've been thinking and thinking about beginning Project 365. I thought it would be a significant way to mark a year. The years go by too quickly anymore, and I'm not one to regularly write in a journal. I keep a calendar, but at the end of the year, all I do is transfer birthdays and anniversaries into a new calendar and recycle the old one. So, as Meg Ryan said in "You've Got Mail," we'll see, "dear void" if I can (1) really take a photo each day; (2) have that photo reflect my day; and (3) continue for one full year. It is somewhat easy in the nice weather months. My challenge will be the winter. But, right now, I feel up to the challenge, so here goes!

Experimenting with my macro lens! I have hundreds of photos of my hibiscus blooms, but thought this might be a nice change. This tightly folded bud will soon be a large hibiscus flower.