faded blossom / dusty bloom

solo post - L, Nikon

I hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July. Mine was very laid back - spending most of the day just relaxing in the hammock with a new book. But the day was set off to a good start by going to church with my parents. There was uplifting patriotic music and the sermon was one of the best I've ever heard in my life. Truly. Such a great way to start the day. The day ended with a blast by lighting a few flowering fireworks at home. I continue to hear them going off throughout the neighborhood. T has gone off to enjoy some more fireworks with her friends.

sunlight / daylight

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

“Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, filling it with a steady and perpetual serenity” - Joseph Addison

lasting beauty

solo post - L

Today was absolutely gorgeous. The temperatures were lower or at least it seemed that way because there was such a nice breeze all day long. I have to say I accomplished absolutely nothing – but I'm ok with that for today. The hydrangeas are so beautiful and abundant this year. I love how some hydrangeas change color on the bush as they mature and the fact that they dry so well - their beauty lasting for years.
My brother is in town for his 30th high school reunion. I can't wait to hear some of the stories he will come back with tonight. You know the classic, " so and so who was gorgeous back in the day is now over weight and gray haired", or more likely these days people have aged very well and possibly even look better. It will be interesting to hear how people have changed and what they are doing, how many children they have, who married their highschool sweetheart. Some might even have grandchildren I suppose. Back then my brother was labeled the handsome one, funny and a lady charmer – he still is, but he's still single. Most days I think he is ok with that, but I sure wish he could find someone just right for him.

inspire / admire

L - scannography / T - Nikon

She wore it in her hair, then brought it home to me. T knew that I would like to scan this – a pink lace hydrangea to add to my scannography collection. I need to add some new work to my shop – this inspires me. / he picked some flowers for me, i wove them in a band of grass and wore it in my hair. we listened to fleet foxes, drank in the sun and talked. it was good to see him.

just a day

solo post - L

Not much happened this day but that's ok.
Actually now that I think about it I did get quite a bit accomplished today. This morning I graduated from Boot Camp's 6wk session (I'm signing up for the 6wks summer with T); then I finally planted some plants that I bought a few weeks ago and took a few photos of the ones blooming; then I scrubbed my deck. Don't you hate it when a product claims something that is not true – like "no scrub" deck cleaner, just spray and rinse – HA. I scrubbed and scrubbed and it still wasn't getting clean and then it started to rain. I was kinda of glad for the rain – I was getting tired of scrubbing. So I came inside and took some photos of kodi at the window. I also did some reading at a good photo website I found and signed up for a seminar for T and I to take together. And by tonight I was feeling the need to get something else accomplished so I cleaned out my very messy kitchen junk drawer. I won't show you a photo of that – it would be embarrassing. There's just some things that I have a hard time knowing exactly where to put so they end up in that drawer, but it was getting so full you couldn't find anything if you wanted to. I'm sure some of you have drawers like that too. right?
So I guess the day wasn't a wash after all.
T had her own agenda today, editing photos from a show last night, cleaning her car, and catching up on some tivoed shows, and now is off with friends. I think I'll go read.

beauty remains / remaining beauty

L - Nikon D40x 200mm / T- phone pic

I just love the delicate petals left behind on the hydrangea bushes - there's beauty that remains in this plant all year long, but I can't wait to see the color of the summer blossoms - color so soft - a plant reminiscent of grandmothers house. There's unexpected synchronicity tonight. I don't usually see the relations until I start to write my part. T's image also shows some beauty left behind in a decaying old house , perhaps someone's grandmother's home? / across from our new house is an abandoned paradise. it's the kind that i love- white with a front porch and adornments around the door. i went with my friend zach to investigate. the front door was barred and locked, so we went around to the back to check it out. there was a pile of stuff in the back - we were amazed at what the people had thrown out- cds, teapots, movies and books. the books were waterlogged, but the places that had disintegrated inside them created interesting sentences. wished i'd had a real camera with me.