First Two Months Down...Ten More To Go

My first 2 months of doing the photo a day are done and here are collages of all the pictures from January and February. I hope you are enjoying my photos. I am looking forward to spring and summer so I can get outside more.

January 2009

February 2009

28 February 2009 Photo: Double Bubble

I remember going to the grocery store with my mother as a kid. We always went on Fridays to Big M, Big G or Almacs. I was the youngest and everyone else was in school so I had my mom all to myself. Excitement erupted when she would give me some change to go get a double bubble gum ball. My favorite color was red! What was yours?

27 February 2009 Photo: Splish Splash

The snow in our yard is about gone AGAIN...hopefully for good this time! It all melted a couple weeks ago, then we got another 8 inches while I was in Portland, OR. As I was walking in the door today, I noticed the drips coming from the gutter. I hope this is truly the spring thaw and we are done with snow. I know, I know, it's only February...but I can hope can't I?!?

26 February 2009 Photo: GPS and Mud Season

While I was leaving a school in the "country" (aka the sticks), I set my GPS to get me to my next location. I have become an idiot in directions since I got this technology last year. I knew where I was going and how to get back to the highway but like that informercial about an oven...I set it and forget it.

Next thing I know I am driving down a dirt road in the middle of the spring thaw and the mud was thick and deep. My first experience of "mud season" was when I went to school in Keene. We don't have mud season in RI. I had flashbacks of getting stuck in the mud and getting really dirty. Luckily that did not happen this time but I did see this cool barn while I was driving through the mud.

25 February 2009 Photo: I'm Melting...MELTING!!!

I love icecles and and have fond memories of breaking them off as a kid to eat and smash on the ground. I have been trying to take pictures of them all year for this blog. I have seen icecles of all shapes and sizes including one that started at the roof of the house and went all the way down to the ground. I took many photos of them, but I never liked the ones I took...until today!

The sun was catching the icecle just right that it was starting to melt and believe me that is a miracle beacause it is still cold! It took several tries, but I caught a finally drip in the frame of the photograph. I could hear the voice of the wicked witch in my head as I was watching it drip...I'm melting...melting! Truth be told - I am ready for them to melt all the way, ever last one of them. Bring on the spring!!!!

24 February 2009 Photo(s): I Wonder If It Still Smells

I was in Keene, NH today on my way to an appointment in Rindge, NH. I was able to stop and have lunch with my friend Mark. He is the person I "blame" for my career in higher education! Thanks Mark :) I am always amazed how much Keene seems to change everytime I am here, but it is still a quaint New England town. And a bit of trivia for you...it is where the movie Jumanji was filmed.

While I wandering around campus thinking about where I wanted to take my photo of the day, I passed by my first "home" in college. Because I had decided to go to KSC past the deadline, I did not get on campus housing my freshman year and had to live in an apartment off campus. The photo above is my home away from home where I lived with 3 other people. It was a fun year but it was certainly difficult to live off campus your first year of college. Bruder Street has many memories...I wonder if this place still smells like beer?

The photo below is the place that I went to think...I spent a lot of time at Brickyard Pond. I am sad to see buildings surrounding it on all sides now. It is not quite as tranquil and inviting as it used to be.

23 February 2009 Photo: Green Man

This is one of Bill's Green Man carvings. These are another set of items that I never paid much attention to until I met him. Now I notice them everywhere.

From wikipedia, "The Green Man motif has many variations. Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring. Some speculate that the mythology of the Green Man developed independently in the traditions of separate ancient cultures and evolved into the wide variety of examples found throughout history."

I am ready for the rebirth and for spring so get busy Green Men around the world. It's time for a new cycle of growth!

22 February 2009 Photo: Honorable Mention

When I was in high school, the yearbook advisor entered one of my photos into our town photo contest. My photo was titled "Beach Fronds" and it won honorable mention. I was passing by these on the way home from the gym today and it reminded me of my photo so many years ago only these were dusted with snow and not near the ocean.

21 February 2009 Photo: Stare Down

I made it home despite the snow storm in Chicago. In the airport in Portland, I was buying a diet coke and looked behind me and saw Joe Piscopo. I then looked down on the counter and he was buying "bear poop" candy. I was not able to get bumped up to first class because he was sitting in my seat. What's up with that...does he think he is a celebrity or something?

Anyway, I didn't get a picture of him but on the way home we past the farm down the road and the cows and horses were out. I had Bill pull over and found this one staring at me!

20 February 2009 Photo: Reflective Movement

I am on my way home tonight...taking the red eye. My route is PDX-ORD-SYR and in 2 of these 3 cities, it is snowing! I just hope that I am not delayed in Chicago. Anyway, I was going to take the super shuttle to the airport but the idiot at the Hilton neglected to tell me that the last one was at 7:20PM so I had to run to catch the train to the airport. It worked out fine, I just was a bit more rushed than I would have liked but here I am at the airport wishing for safe on-time travel.

19 February 2009 Photo: Beavers Everywhere

During my time in Portland, I walked by these beaver sculptures several times. I thought it would have been funny to take a staff picture with the beavers since Arcadia University used to be called Beaver College but we didn't get everyone to the "beaver dam" for the photo op. So I had to settle for a lone beaver pictures.

18 February 2009 Photo: Narrow Beauty

When I opened the curtains to check the weather, I was welcomed by the sun rising between the buildings downtown. While it only gives me a narrow slice of the beauty of the Portland area, it inspires me to go out and explore if I get a free moment during the conference.

17 February 2009 Photo: Watching You

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? Looking across at the building from my hotel in Portland, you can see into the world of people who don't know or don't care that they are watching. While it is just as easy to see in my house windows, there are a lot fewer people watching on my dead end street!

16 February 2009 Photo: How Do I Get To...?

On our way to dinner tonight, we passed this sign. I thought it was extremely appropriate as I was walking with about 15 people who work in the field of study abroad. So if you are ever in the middle of Portland and want to know how many miles it is to _________ just find this sign.