A Poetic Anatomy: Finding Balance

Occupied

2012-02-15T23:24:00.000-05:00

This evening, Stella spent about an hour lining up dice, building a "train." She found it so engrossing, she did not want to stop to give Daddy a kiss, but ... she finally capitulated.

Photos taken 2/15/12

Proud of My Girl

2012-02-14T20:28:00.001-05:00

Air One is a Christian radio station we often listen to. Soon, one of their DJs will be traveling to Afghanistan, where he will distribute hope and help funded by Air One listeners. One way to donate is to knit hats that will get distributed to children in need. Bridget knit about a half dozen of them, and I mailed them off today.

Photo taken 2/14/12

Isn't She Cute?

2012-02-13T21:40:00.000-05:00

I had my camera out (can you imagine?), Stella saw it, lay down on the floor, and exclaimed, "Take my picture!"

Photo taken 2/13/12

Handcrafted

2012-02-12T22:22:00.000-05:00

Dennis decided that today was the day to pick up where he left off on Henry's guitar. He routed, sanded, taped and primed the back of the Flying V that he and Henry started building about two years ago.

Photos taken 2/12/12

Stopping By Woods

2012-02-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

It was a nice day for a walk, so Dennis and I took one, venturing into the woods just a little.

Photos taken 2/11/12

Laundry Day

2012-02-10T21:34:00.001-05:00

That's just about every day around here.

Photos taken 2/10/12

Thursdays

2012-02-09T21:41:00.000-05:00

I'm cheating a little, because these shots were taken yesterday. Stella hasn't changed much since then.

Photos taken 2/9/12

Jack in Black and White

2012-02-08T22:07:00.000-05:00

From these photos, it's looks like Jack and my dad share more than just a birthday and a name.

Photos taken 2/8/12

Focusing on the Creative Side of Life

2012-02-07T23:33:00.000-05:00

I roped Dennis into writing a reflection for Faith-filled Photographers (please take a peek; he's good), Henry painted a guitar, and I wrote more poetry. It was a good day.

Photos taken (by Dennis) 12/12/08 and me 2/7/12

Playing with Pastels

2012-02-06T22:17:00.000-05:00

My sister is great about buying me art supplies for my birthday. Last year, she sent me Pan Pastels. This year, Dick Blick soft pastels. This evening, I got about an hour to play with them. While it's nothing great, I did enjoy creating it, and I learned a few things about the media.

Photo taken 2/6/12

In Need of a Superhero?

2012-02-05T22:30:00.000-05:00

Since Tom Brady couldn't be a superhero tonight (insert sad sigh here), Stella decided she would take on the role. Cries of "SuperStella to the rescue!" rang throughout the house (when she wasn't sticking out her tongue for the official SuperStella photographer).

Photos taken 2/5/12

A Good Book

2012-02-04T21:20:00.000-05:00

Dennis started reading The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant when he was in high school (maybe even before that). He's still at it.

Photos taken 2/4/12

Orange

2012-02-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

Luke loves the color orange, for two main reasons: 1. the Denver Broncos, and 2. Golfer Rickie Fowler. For Christmas, Dennis and I bought Luke a new Puma golf bag and towel. They were on back order, so we told Luke that his big gift would be arriving late. He was fine with that (especially since he doesn't have much use for a golf bag at this time of year). The bag and towel arrived today, and now golf season cannot get here soon enough.

Photos taken 2/3/12

Thursdays

2012-02-02T22:06:00.000-05:00

Stella still loves pink and purple. She still likes to be a princess, but now the princess of choice is Leia, not Hello Kitty. Her tastes are also expanding to include Bey Blades, Legos, guns, Sorry, Hide-n-Seek and just about anything else Henry, Jack or Sam introduce her to.

Photos taken 2/2/12

Neighbors of an Equine Nature

2012-02-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

Whenever I come back from town (that sounds so "Little-House-on-the-Prairie," doesn't it?), I take the back road. It's pleasant. I see cows, donkeys and horses. On my way home from the grocery store today, I stopped to photograph some neighbors. They were looking smart in their winter coats.

Photos taken 2/1/12

Quality Time

2012-01-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts of the day is the time the kids and I spend reading together. We've learned a lot.

Photos taken 1/31/12

Ping Pong

2012-01-30T22:06:00.000-05:00

Yep, a full-size ping pong table right there in the living room. Why not?

Photos taken 1/30/12

2012-01-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

Eighteen years ago today, there was no Luke, no Bridget, no Henry, no Sam, no Jack — not even Stella. Dennis and I had no idea where we were headed, but it's awfully nice to be here.

Photo taken 1/29/12

When Life Gives you Lemons

2012-01-28T22:17:00.000-05:00

Take pictures. This evening, I chose a poem from Ireland in Poetry, and knew I'd do a photo of a lemon. So I started shooting, and — as usual — kept shooting.

Photos taken 1/28/12

Shall We Talk about the Weather?

2012-01-27T20:06:00.000-05:00

It snowed overnight, and the backyard looked lovely. Soon enough, though, it was raining, and the rain was freezing. I think it's still doing it.

Photos taken 1/27/12

Thursdays

2012-01-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

Stella decided to stay in her jammies all day. Here she is this evening, wearing what she wore last night, and this morning, and right now — as she sleeps.

Photos taken 1/26/12

A Lovely Surprise

2012-01-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I run on Doyle Time, which means that I'm not exactly punctual. Heck, I still have Christmas gifts to mail. Since I'm not uptight about being on time, I try to extend the courtesy to others. In fact, I think that getting birthday cards and gifts after the big day is nice; it sort of "extends the season." Yesterday, I received a lovely card stuffed with Barnes & Noble gift cards from my Aunt Olga. (I'm sure I'll be able to find something to spend those on.) Today, I received a gift from Olga's daughter — my cousin — Helen. And what a gift it was: one of Helen's beautiful plein aire oil paintings. It's already hanging in my new studio.

Photo taken 1/25/12

Still Tebowing

2012-01-24T23:08:00.000-05:00

Henry received his birthday gift from Auntie Mo yesterday: a Tim Tebow game jersey. Henry loves it, and Luke is jealous.

Photos taken 1/23/12

Silence

2012-01-23T22:07:00.000-05:00

I experience very little of it, so when I'm suffused in it, I take notice. This morning, Luke and I were awake before anyone else. I was saying my morning prayers, and he was reading The Fellowship of the Ring. I could hear the ticking of clocks, and I knew I had to capture the moment (which ended about two minutes later, when Sam came downstairs).

Photos taken 1/23/12

Just in Case

2012-01-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

I generally bring the camera with me to church now, just in case I get the opportunity to get some good shots.

Photos taken 1/22/12

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

2012-01-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

My stamping and crafting supplies have been packed away for a long time, and for a year or more, I've avoided my local rubber stamp store. Since Wednesday, though, I've been working on cards every day, and today, Bridget and I visited the shop again. Hello, my name is Cheryl and I have a problem ...

Photo taken 1/21/12

A Creative Soul

2012-01-20T21:53:00.000-05:00

Today, Stella decided to a be a fairy princess and put on her pink wings, her Hello Kitty tutu and her fuzzy slippers.

Photos taken 1/20/12

I'll Get It

2012-01-19T22:08:00.000-05:00

I received a pleasant surprise at teatime: a phone call from my wonderful aunt, Beverley. She's Dad's little sister, and she's the glue that holds together the Doyles, who are scattered hither and yon. She was calling to catch up and let me know the results of Uncle Bobby's surgery. If you'd be so kind, please send up some prayers for Bobby Doyle, who is fighting cancer.

Later in the evening, the phone rang again. This time, it was Mom's sister Olga, who — since Mom's death — has done more than anyone else to make me feel like there's someone down here on earth watching out for me.

Chatting with them was a lovely way to spend part of my day.

Photo taken 1/19/12

A Birthday in the Life

2012-01-18T22:37:00.000-05:00

I need to change my profile. I'm now 44. It was a nice day. Bridget made chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. I took the kids to a rubber stamp store, so they could buy me gifts. I came home and played with my stamps (as did Bridget and Stella). Luke baked a cake, and Bridget frosted it. I unwrapped the mittens Bridget designed and knitted for me. And I received lovely cards from Mr. and Mrs. Freeman, Bridget (the hand-stamped pink dahlia) and Dennis. (Oh, I almost forgot: I got a number of phone calls from well-wishers.)

Photos 1/18/12

Painting

2012-01-17T20:36:00.000-05:00

When I get out my acrylics or watercolors, I know that I won't be alone for long. Stella, Jack, Henry and Bridget all joined me this afternoon.

Photos taken 1/17/12

The Birthday Boy

2012-01-16T21:55:00.000-05:00

Eleven. Henry is eleven today, and I think he gets sweeter all the time. Since Dennis had to travel today, we celebrated yesterday with cake, gifts, and hugs between brothers.

Photos taken 1/15/12

Thinking about B

2012-01-15T23:02:00.000-05:00

The POD group on Flikr has an ABC challenge going on for 2012: Every two weeks (starting Jan. 1), the letter will change and we are challenged to take and post a photo that is inspired by the current letter. We are now on B. Thus far, I've come up with many subjects that start with the letter: Bells, Bubbles, Buttons, Beads, Bulbs (and Bokeh).

Photos taken 1/15/12

A Little Silver Bird

2012-01-14T12:34:00.000-05:00

My aunt was an Avon Lady for at least 25 years. I still own many of the collectibles she gave us, including a silver bird that I keep in the master bathroom. Stella likes it, and I one day came up with a game to play: hide the silver bird. Stella asked to play today. She said, "Let's play hide the silver bird. You go in Daddy's office." So I did, and she hid the bird.

She called me back to the bathroom, spread her arms wide, and said, "You'll NEVER find it." Then, she proceeded to show me exactly where she had hidden it.

It was my turn next. I hid it on one of the sconces and turned on that light. I told her to look for the yellow light. She turned her head this way and that and finally found the light that was on, along with the silver bird (after I helped a little). The next time it was my turn to hide the bird, Stella came into the bathroom, moved her head around, and asked, "Which light is yellow?"

Photos taken 1/14/12

Snow

2012-01-13T23:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's snowstorm was a long time coming, and the kids have been making the most of it.

Photos taken 1/12/12

Thursdays

2012-01-12T23:20:00.000-05:00

You've seen a lot of Stella as of late, but Thursday is her day, so here she is again.

Photos taken 1/12/12

Creative Thinking

2012-01-11T22:00:00.000-05:00

When it's time to get dressed in the morning, Stella is not afraid to embrace her artistic side.

Photos taken 1/11/12

Book Lover

2012-01-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

Stella is a lover of books, just like the rest of us.

Photos taken 1/10/12

Big Brother

2012-01-09T22:02:00.000-05:00

I was taking pictures of Bridget for her new blog (please check it out here), when Luke insinuated himself into our photo session.

Photos taken 1/9/12

Tebowing

2012-01-08T22:32:00.000-05:00

You may have heard that the Denver Broncos beat the Pittsburgh Steelers with one play in overtime tonight. You may have heard, because Luke's chants of "Tebow! Tebow! Tebow!" probably reached your ears or your Twitter stream. Next week, the Broncos meet the Patriots here in New England. I figure it will be a great game whether Tim or Tom prevails, but you can guess who Luke will be rooting for.

Photos taken 1/8/12

Looking Up

2012-01-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

I've become a sky watcher. Throughout the day, I look out the window. Is the sky blue? What do the clouds look like? Where's the sun now? It's not because I'm concerned with the weather. It's because I'm concerned about my camera and what I can capture with it. After a beautiful blue morning and cloudy early afternoon, the clouds moved on and the sun came out, shining with that gorgeous golden light that I love. I grabbed my gear, hopped in the car and headed west, stopping at a couple of lakes, then a neighbor's driveway, where I caught the sunset.

Photos taken 1/8/12

A Dad and His Daughter

2012-01-07T18:49:00.000-05:00

I wish these shots of Dennis and Stella were sharper, but knowing Stella's impatience, clicked quickly.

Photos taken 1/7/12

In Motion

2012-01-06T23:08:00.001-05:00

We got some snow, finally. The kids wasted no time in getting outside and staying outside. After dropping Luke off at the Y and stopping for some shots of snowy fields, I arrived home and found Sam and Henry sliding on the large patch of ice near the garage. They took turns running up to the ice and sliding across it in various poses, such as the Pencil Slide, the Speed Bonus, and the Tebow.

Photos taken 1/6/12

Thursdays

2012-01-05T22:50:00.001-05:00

Stella says she likes Sorry better than Payday, but that didn't stop her from getting involved in the round of Payday I played with Luke and Sam. (I won.) Don't worry about the Band-Aid on Stella's arm. She and Jack both needed Band-Aids last night, because they both cut their arms "so deep down you can't see the blood."

Photos taken 1/5/12

Learning From My Mistakes

2012-01-04T19:01:00.001-05:00

Today at Faith-filled Photographers, I presented a lesson on shutter speed. Perhaps I should have been thinking about ISO. After completing a few errands this morning, Henry, Sam and I went to the lake to take some pictures. It was so cold (about 18° F), though, I didn't take the time to look closely at my camera's settings. Yesterday, I had cranked the ISO up to 800 to get those naturally lit shots of Jack. With the ISO so high, I ended up with grainy shots. Oh well, it turned out to be a real-life photography lesson.

Photos taken 1/4/12

Good Lines

2012-01-03T22:37:00.001-05:00

When we get a movie from Netflix (either a physical DVD or something available instantly), we generally watch it a number of times. This gives all of the kids plenty of fodder for good quotes. Hearing Stella say, "Hey. How ya doin? Name's Flynn Rider" is incredibly cute. Today, Jack was spouting lines from Kung Fu Panda 2 like, "What do scars do? I don't care what scars do." and "Your dad, the goose. That must have been quite a shock." When Jack says these things, he gets the timing and inflections just right. He cracks me up.

Photos taken 1/3/12

Time to Get Back At It

2012-01-02T23:13:00.001-05:00

There's nothing like the Christmas break to make a homeschooling mom feel like she needs to regroup, get organized and catch up on any subject that seems to have gotten ignored. So, instead of drawing with the new Coloursoft pencils I got for Christmas, I spent teatime working on art and history assignments for Luke. He'll be busy tomorrow.

Photos taken 1/2/12

Naptime Reading

2012-01-01T21:10:00.001-05:00

When it's time for Stella to take a nap or go to bed for the night, I lie down next to her and nurse her to sleep. I've did this with each of the other kids, when they were babies/toddlers. They seem to benefit from it greatly, and so do I: I get to read many, many books. In the past few weeks, I've read the bottom three (at 1:30 this morning, I finished Ethan Frome: a sad story, but worth every moment of sorrow). This evening, I started in on Remarkable Creatures, which was a Christmas gift from my lovely friend Anne.

Photo taken 1/1/12

Thursdays

2011-12-29T22:28:00.001-05:00

Stella has caught a cold. Thankfully, it's been pretty mild, and this evening, when I got out my camera, she was happy: happy to make me work at getting a good shot. She'd shut her eyes or look down or run away. And now, I'm tired.

Photos taken 12/29/11

Puzzling

2011-12-24T23:49:00.002-05:00

This year I've made a conscious effort to just chill about Christmas. Presents will get wrapped, cookies will get baked (maybe), cards will get written out and mailed (most before Christmas), so the other day, as I sat down to my afternoon cup of tea, I started a jigsaw puzzle. Henry and I have worked at it (a little here, a little there) for the past three afternoons. It's been nice.

Photos taken 12/24/11

To Eat or Shoot? That is the Question

2011-12-23T21:46:00.001-05:00

About a month ago, Chaz, one of my Flickr friends from the UK, started a new Flickr group called P O D (Photographic Obsessive Disorder). I didn't think I fit the description, but joined anyway.

Fast forward to this morning: I started thinking about making a yummy treat to go with tea. I went with brownies (from a mix: Better Batter Gluten Free — absolutely incredible), not because I felt like eating chewy, chocolately goodness, but because I could visulize a photo setup with them.

I now feel like I fit in with the rest of the P O D members.

Photos taken 12/23/11

Thursdays

2011-12-22T20:21:00.001-05:00

Stella is a girl of many moods, and there are times when she displays most of them in a matter of minutes.

Photos taken 12/22/11

All Wrapped Up

2011-12-21T20:41:00.001-05:00

Dennis took the week off, and it's been nice having him around the house. Yesterday and today, he and I shared a pot of tea, wrote out Christmas cards and wrapped gifts. We're ecstatic that there will be no late-night, Christmas Eve wrapping marathons this year. We're finished with the gifts for our family.

Photos taken 12/21/11

Salted Caramel Bark

2011-12-20T20:43:00.001-05:00

Doesn't it look good? It's quite rich, even without the drizzled milk chocolate and white chocolate, but yummy. I have @forgivingmartha on Twitter to thank for leading me to the recipe.

Photos taken 12/20/11

The Family Memory Keeper

2011-12-18T19:56:00.001-05:00

You never knew where a cleaning binge will lead you. Last night, I picked up, dusted, vacuumed and re-arranged the living room in preparation for the Christmas tree. In the process, I rediscovered many old photos, cards, newspaper articles and other accoutrements from the lives of my parents, and a new blog was born. At familymemorykeeper.wordpress.com, I've begun the process of preserving and sharing the history of my family. Please visit.

Photo of my mother, grandmother and unknown woman scanned 12/18/11

Thursdays on Friday

2011-12-16T11:06:00.001-05:00

I got into bed last night and realized that I hadn't done my Thursdays post. The memory card with the photos was in the computer, but I had forgotten to actually download them, choose the photos and create my post. That's why I'm here doing it this morning.

Yesterday, I bought a new bed for Caddie. She slept on it all of last night, but before that, Stella and Jack discovered that it was pretty comfortable. Of course, Stella doesn't like to share, so she wasn't happy that Jack thought the new bed was a good place to hang out.

Photos taken 12/15/11

Thursdays

2011-12-08T22:11:00.001-05:00

Stella was happily sitting in her daddy's lap, until she saw me. I wanted heartwarming, snuggly shots of Dennis and his little girl, but I didn't get them. I think Stella was hungry.

Photos taken 12/8/11

Yummy Memories

2011-12-05T07:29:00.001-05:00

The best thing about baking Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies is eating them. The second best thing is remembering the many special times Mrs. Freeman made them for Anne and me.

Photo taken 12/2/11

Portrait of a Young Lady

2011-12-02T15:16:00.001-05:00

This is Bridget. Isn't she lovely?

Photo taken 12/1/11

Thursdays

2011-12-01T22:05:00.001-05:00

Here she, engrossed in a show streaming through Netflix. It was either "BackArdAgains" or "Pink Panfa," two of Stella's favorites. I'm sure you noticed the Band-Aid on her neck, but there's no need to worry. She likes Band-Aids. Oh, and that third photo? — she had looked away from the TV long enough to notice I was taking her picture.

Photos taken 12/1/11

In the Paper Again

2011-11-28T20:06:00.001-05:00

Luke was named Golfer of the Year by The Kennebec Journal. He got his name and image splashed on the first page of the sports section and scored a teaser on the front page. You can read all about it here.

Photos taken 11/28/11

A Light in the Darkness

2011-11-27T21:38:00.001-05:00

Jessica Maleski, a fellow Catholic photographer, and I have just launched a new website called Faith-filled Photographers. We hope to encourage others to find their creative voices via photography and to put God first in their lives by letting Him inform their artistic visions. In the near future, we will be looking for contributors to add their voices and share with us about the roles faith and creativity play in their lives. The site will include photography lessons and Photoshop tutorials. Thank you in advance for the taking the time to explore the site (www.faithfilledphotographers.com), and please pass the link on to others who may benefit or be interested.

Photo taken 11/27/11

Thursdays

2011-11-24T21:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving. We've had a nice, relaxing day here with Grandma and Grandpa: we've played games, had nice chats, and eaten lots of food. Stella seems thankful for the time she's gotten to spend with our visitors.

Photos taken 11/24/11

Drawing a Breath

2011-11-21T17:57:00.002-05:00

The past few months have been chock-a-block with planning Luke's curriculum; studying science, history and Latin right alongside the boy; my own forays into poetry, romantic literature and web design. My head is dinnlin' (as Seamus in Trinity would say) with thoughts on what I'm learning, what I'm reading, possible blog posts, and the details involved with a new photography project (a collaboration with a fellow photographically-inclined mother of six). I've needed a mental break, so for the past week or so, I've spent my teatimes drawing.

Photos taken in November 2011

Thursdays

2011-11-17T19:57:00.001-05:00

Stella has been on an artistic bent lately. Everyday, she asks for the paints. That, of course, means that she often ends up in the tub.

Photos taken 11/17/11

Veteran's Day Remembrance

2011-11-11T21:41:00.001-05:00

Dad fought in the Korean War, but he seldom talked about his tour of duty there, or any of his time in the army. Born in Nova Scotia, Canada, Dad was a naturalized citizen of the United States. I'm thankful for his service to our country, and for the service of all Americans who fought to protect freedom.

Photo taken 11/11/11.

Thursdays

2011-11-10T20:06:00.001-05:00

Sometimes Stella is so matter-of-fact. This evening, we were playing with the Scrabble Jr. game. Stella would hold up a tile, I'd tell her the letter's name and help her find a matching letter on the board. She got quite good at remembering the names of letters and finding the correct spots for them. Before we had filled up the board, however, Stella decided she need to draw. She held up her hand and said, "Wait a minute, Mom. I'm going to draw with my purple marker now." And she looked at me with that expression on her face (one that I'm sure she's seen on mine) that says, "Give me a sign that you're listening and understand what I want from you."

Photos taken 11/10/11

Thursdays

2011-10-27T21:45:00.001-04:00

We went up to the high school for Luke's golf banquet this evening. Stella enjoyed running around the cafeteria and found the coach's 9-month-old son especially fascinating.

Photos taken 10/27/11

Thursdays

2011-10-20T21:46:00.001-04:00

The weather has been rainy and cold. We spent the day indoors, but we've managed to keep ourselves busy with lessons, games and jigsaw puzzles. Stella loves putting together puzzles and is quite good at it.

Photo taken 10/20/11

Front Page News

2011-10-16T20:57:00.001-04:00

Luke's accomplishment made the front page of the sports section today. I really like the flying divot in the photo. If you're interested in reading about Luke's second-place finish, you can do so here.

Photo taken 10/16/11

My Firstborn Finishes Second

2011-10-15T20:49:00.001-04:00

Luke finished second for the Class B division in the Maine State High School Golf Championship Tournament today. He shot a 74, one stroke behind the champion. Dennis and I are very proud of him.

Photo taken 10/15/11

Thursdays

2011-10-13T22:09:00.002-04:00

Stella talks and talks and talks. Right now, she and Jack are playing restaurant. "Here's your money, Jack." "This is my money, Jack." When she gets up in the morning, she walks to the top of the stairs and yells, "I'm up!" then waits for somebody to come and get her. Stella, Bridget and I stopped by the lake after some grocery shopping this morning. Stella was very busy walking to the parking area to pick up rocks, walking to the water's edge to throw in the rocks, walking back to the parking area ... . I used one of these images for today's poem, picking the verse to go with the shot. For some reason, I love the way this photo works with the this particular poem.

Photos taken 10/13/11

Bundling Up

2011-10-07T21:30:00.001-04:00

Right after Dennis, Henry and Bridget left for Henry's soccer practice, Stella decided she wanted to go, too. Knowing it was chilly out, Stella grabbed some cold weather wear. I added an essential or two before we left the house.

Photos taken 10/7/11

Thursdays

2011-10-06T22:18:00.001-04:00

Sometimes busy Stella sleeps, like tonight, in her stroller, but she's awake now, explaining something to her dad.

Photo taken 10/6/11

Opportunist

2011-10-03T21:07:00.002-04:00

For today's photo/poem, I needed crayons. So, I got some, doodled on paper, and began shooting. Not surprisingly, it didn't take Stella long to get started on her own artistic endeavors.

Photos taken 10/3/11

Paint Chip Poetry (written by Yours Truly)

2011-10-02T21:17:00.001-04:00

Jacaranda is leaving.
She announced this last night
On our cruise down the Danube.

I mumbled Something. Blue
Eyes stopped me short.
Those damned Regale Blue eyes.

Anger made me cold—
Cold as an Iceberg.
Mustering my Dignity, Blue

Eyes stopped me short.
Turning away, I told her,
"Go. Go and Soar."

Photo taken 10/2/11

New Shoes

2011-09-30T21:37:00.001-04:00

Henry and Sam each blow through a pair of sneakers in about three months. We generally buy them shoes at Target, because paying more than $15 for shoes you know are going to soon be ruined is simply too painful. Henry's last pair (Nikes purchased within the last six months for significantly more than $15, because Target had nothing in his size) featured a sole that was attached to the rest of the shoe by a mere inch or so at the heel. While the flap-flap noise that this situation created was a handy way of verifying that it was, indeed, Henry in the other room, the Nikes really had to go. Today, we went to Target, where we bought Henry a pair of sneakers for $14.99 and Sam a pair for $12.99. These are Henry's—size 8.5. The feet of my ten-year-old are now bigger than mine.

Photo taken 9/30/11

Thursdays

2011-09-29T21:58:00.001-04:00

Although clouds filled the sky all day, the temperature was very pleasant, so most of the kids and I took a walk down the road. (Luke was at a golf match.) Stella and Jack took turns in (and sometimes shared) the wagon. Henry and Sam rode their bikes. Bridget and I took turns hauling the wagon.

Photos taken 9/29/11

Out and About with Jack

2011-09-28T21:43:00.001-04:00

After Jack and I dropped Luke off at the golf course, we headed to the local greenhouse, where we wandered and chatted and purchased some mums and asters.

Photos taken 9/28/11

Sunset

2011-09-25T21:12:00.001-04:00

Dennis and the kids and I headed to the lake, so I could get some shots for my poem of the day. I got some good ones, but the sunset on the way home was so spectacular, we had to pull over and set up the tripod all over again.

Photos taken 9/25/11

Playing with Legos

2011-09-23T22:07:00.001-04:00

Henry, Sam and I had fun at breakfast this morning. To see more, click here.

Photos taken 9/23/11

Thursdays

2011-09-22T22:08:00.002-04:00

Stella got ketchup or something in her hair, and washing it did nothing to eliminate the tiny dread-lock she was sporting, so tonight, she got her first haircut. She was very good and even excited about the new experience.

Photos taken by Dennis (mostly) 9/22/11

Not Very Far

2011-09-20T23:00:00.001-04:00

Most of you know about my mom's apple pies and my dad's way of evaluating them. Mom made incredible apple pies, but no matter how good they were, they had to compete with Dad's memory of his Aunt Eleanor's apple pie. Aunt Eleanor lived in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Whenever Mom made apple pie, Dad would let her know how good it was by picking a destination somewhere between Millinocket and Antigonish: the closer to Antigonish the better.

I made an apple pie today. Dennis and I were in complete agreement about its merits. It barely got across Millinocket Stream (that'd be about 2/10 of a mile towards Antigonish), but the kids liked it.

Photos taken 9/10/11

My Model

2011-09-19T21:15:00.001-04:00

One-hundred-two days ago, I started my 365-day project of photos inspired by poetry. Since then, my days have been filled with poetry. I have books of verse all over the house, and at least five volumes right next to the old easy chair I moved into my unfinished studio/laundry room. I have fallen in love with poetry and will be sure to include some in my life every, single day.

This afternoon, when I read a poem by Lord Byron called "She's Walks in Beauty," I thought, "Will I be able to get a shot that works with this one?" By the time I got to the last verse, all I could think was, "Bridget. This is Bridget, my beautiful girl."

Photos taken 9/19/11

Sam, Not Stella

2011-09-15T22:39:00.001-04:00

Today's Thursday, but Stella has to move over for Sam, the birthday boy. What a funny kid he is, a young man of contradictions. He speaks in a deep, serious voice, but is the goofiest kid in the house. He likes being with his friends, but has no problem saying to them, "Nope, I can't play today; Mom says I'm grounded," and then shutting the door before they've even turned away. He drops whatever he's doing and comes running when he hears me reading a story to Jack or Stella, but heads up to bed hours before anyone else when he's tired. He's usually louder than a TV at full volume, but when he's up before anyone else on a "school day," I often find him curled up in a chair and wrapped in silence. For eight years, our favorite paradox has filled our house with clamor and tranquility, laughter and tears, rough-housing and tenderness; and and we love him for it all.

Photos taken 9/15/11

Thursdays

2011-09-08T22:43:00.001-04:00

I didn't interact much with Stella at the playground this evening, but she didn't seem to need me around.

Photos taken 9/8/11

Walking on Books

2011-09-02T21:37:00.001-04:00

Stella likes to find the Basher books among the thousands of other books on the shelves, line them up on the floor, then walk on them while singing, "I'm walking on books" in her adorable, little voice.

Photos taken 9/1/11

Thursdays

2011-09-01T21:53:00.001-04:00

Stella loves helping me bake, and she's getting good at adding ingredients to the bowl. Of course, she's quite happy about the fringe benefit of tasting whatever is in the bowl/on the beater (today: M&M Cookie Bars).

Photos taken 9/1/11

Sepia Afternoon

2011-08-31T22:30:00.001-04:00

After changing the camera's setting to sepia to get some "artsy" shots, I noticed the sunlight on Stella, then Jack.

Photos taken 8/31/11

Fifteen Years Ago Today

2011-08-27T22:54:00.001-04:00

Dennis and I became parents. Happy Birthday, Luke. We love you.

Photo taken 8/27/11

Thursdays

2011-08-25T22:22:00.001-04:00

It's easy to get pictures of Stella in the bathtub, since it has become one of her favorite places.

Photos taken 8/25/11

Open Door Policy

2011-08-19T19:24:00.001-04:00

I love these shots. (Note the new sidelights. To see what the new entry, laundry room and powder room look like, click here).

Photos taken 8/19/11

Thursdays

2011-08-18T22:00:00.001-04:00

Here she is, playing like the big kids. Henry and Sam use this ladder as part of their obstacle course.

Photos taken 8/18/11

Always Knitting

2011-08-17T22:13:00.001-04:00

Here are a couple of Bridget's recent projects. She created the patterns herself. Isn't she amazing?

Photos taken 8/17/11

Bath Time

2011-08-14T21:30:00.001-04:00

We have a working bathtub. Bob the plumber was here yesterday, working hard on the master bath, and (for the first time in nearly four years) we can take baths. Today, Stella took her first bath since outgrowing her baby tub. She seemed to enjoy the experience. Sam and Jack also thought the tub was pretty nice.

Photos taken 8/14/11

Thursdays

2011-08-11T22:05:00.000-04:00

Stella has not napped at all today, and she is incredibly punchy. In general, she's a very entertaining child, but she's been especially cute the past few days, as she has started telling knock-knock jokes.

Stella: "Knock-knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Stella: "Peein"
Me: "Peein who?"
Stella: "Peein on your shoe!" (uproarious laughter)

Photos taken 8/11/11

Speeding

2011-08-10T21:58:00.000-04:00

A week or two ago, I noticed two plastic tricycles in the shed. Since I don't venture in that critter-infested domicile, I asked Luke to pull out the toys and hose them down. A day or two later, our long, downhill driveway became a speedway. The boys built a ramp near the bottom, and the kids ride down at breakneck speed on the tricycles, a skateboard, a scooter and bikes. Dennis even got in the action yesterday.

Photos taken 8/9/11

Deferred Maintenance

2011-08-07T21:42:00.000-04:00

Dennis's '97 Audi A8 has 170,000 miles on it, and it's been asking for (not quite demanding) attention for a few years now. Dennis decided it was time to lavish a little attention on it, and found a repair shop specializing in European autos down in Wiscasset. He (and a few of the kids) drove down there this afternoon. I (and a few of the kids) followed. After leaving the Audi at the shop, we decided to take advantage of our coastal location and headed to Pemaquid Point. It was windy and rainy on this side of the Atlantic, but that didn't seem to bother any of us (especially Stella, who snoozed in the car for hours).

Photos taken 8/7/11

Thursdays

2011-08-04T22:09:00.000-04:00

Stella is a bundle of energy and joy and cuteness. She talks and talks and talks. She even warmed up to Greg, our fabulous contractor, and carried on very interesting conversations with him. When we drove home from Massachusetts on Saturday, Miss Stella saw no reason to stay in her carseat. I disagreed, and she let us all know how upset she was. After telling her a number of times that she wasn't getting out of her seat, I tried to ignore her. She'd have none of it, though, stopping the crying long enough to tell me more than once, "I talking you, Mama," and just in case I didn't realize that she was crying, she told me, "I crying. I crying, Mama."

Photos taken (most at the middle school, where Henry attended Lego Robotics Camp) 8/4/11

A Birthday for Bridget

2011-08-02T22:34:00.000-04:00

Bridget is now a teen, and she's as lovely as ever.

Photos taken 8/2/11

Swimming

2011-07-30T23:52:00.000-04:00

We spent a wonderful afternoon visiting my mother's sister and her family in Massachusetts. We couldn't ask for much more: fun in the pool with second cousins who have also become good friends; beautiful weather; delicious food and wine; and pleasant chats with genuinely nice people.

Photos taken 7/30/11