211/365 Blue Background

                                                   "Sailboat"

210/365 My favorite Color

"Blue Flower"

Big surprise...blue is my favorite color.

This is July 29th's photo.  I am trying to get caught up.

209/365-2 What I Enjoy

                                                      "In the Air"

Well, spending the day on airplanes and in airports is not exactly how I like to enjoy myself, but we are traveling to be with my dad on his birthday tomorrow. That is something to celebrate.

I also always prefer aisle seats on the plane. It's that claustrophobia thing again. It didn't happen that way today so I did enjoy myself while taking those quintessential airplane wing shots today:-).

208/365-2 The Right Tool

"Fingers"

Sometimes your fingers are the best tools around.

Brooke made blueberry and nectarine muffins tonight.  The muffins were much better than my photo!

We are trying to get ready for another trip to Delaware so I didn't have much time ti give to this tonight.

207/365-2 July Portrait - Silhouette

"Sunshine On His Shoulders"

It is a good thing that today's portrait was supposed to be a silhouette.  I'm not sure my subject was thrilled with having to model today so hiding his facial expression was probably a good thing.  But look!  God gave him a halo for his efforts.  Most of the time he is a pretty good sport and for that I am extremely grateful.

206/365-2 Chain Link Fence

"Pick Me"

I had other thoughts for today's photo, but when I was outside working on those, Harley kept following me around the fence.  I snapped this one on a whim.  Harley is going to put it in her personal portfolio in case she ever decides to apply for a spot on one of those Sarah McClachlan animal cruelty commercials.  This expression illustrates what a fine actress Harley really is.  She was outside behind the fence less than five minutes before she assumed her position back on the couch in the air-conditioning.

Here is the somewhat more cheerful (and boring) fence picture, though the vine (weed) crawling through it is kind of cool.

205/365-2 In A Jar

"Color My World"

I am suffering from a serious lack of creativity today so this is as good as it gets.  Sorry!

204/365-2 The Number 3

"Three Is Company"

I forgot to post this yesterday...probably because I was not happy with the results.  I had a vision of how I wanted this shot to look and I just couldn't make it happen.  Oh well...

The shirt sums up perfectly how things roll at our house.  It is even funnier because Weber bought this T-shirt on our honeymoon when we visited Dog Mountain.  From day one the dog has been in charge.

203/365-2 Luminosity

'Archi-texture"

I am not sure that I hit today's prompt of "luminosity" with this prompt though that is what I was hoping for.  This was taken on a busy corner not far from our house where there are many office buildings.  They are all different colors and textures and several of them are mirrored.  When the light is right, this location makes for some kind of cool shots.

The evening light was a little strange tonight.  The "golden hour" did not have much gold to it.  The coloration in this is the result off the sun bouncing off and reflecting onto the various buildings.  I do like all the lines and shapes here.

Perhaps my thoughts were more on just that...lines.  I am also taking a phone photography class.  The current assignment is on photographing lines.  Today's added challenge was to create a black and white photo where the lines are strong.

This is the front of the building that houses the above arch.  In fact the white in the far left of the frame below is the part of the arch that is just out of the frame to the right in the above image.  To me this looks like a slightly more complex Mondrian painting.  This image was taken and converted to black and white with my phone.

"Mondrian in Dallas"

202/365 Hidden Treasures

"Angel in the Grass"

Though I try to keep my chin up and stay positive, every now and then looking down reveals a surprise.

201/365-2 July Where I Stand: Heatwave

'Standing Together"

After an unstructured afternoon, we enjoyed a short arm walk through the park this evening before dinner.  The cool (for Texas in July) temperatures of the last few days are gone but it was still nice to get out and enjoy some fresh air.  We discovered a new picnic spot to try once it is not so hot outside.

200/365-2 As the Sun Sets

"Under the Bridge at Night"

This is day one of my "Phone Period."  I am trying to remain positive, but it is really difficult!

199/365-2 Layers

"Make the Grade"

I have to say that this photo was not taken today, but back at the end of June when we were in Delaware visiting my dad.  Rarely do I use archived photos for my POTD.  I did so today for two reasons:

First of all, I am suffering from separation anxiety because I had to send my DSLR back to Nikon as the result of a recall - extraneous dust particles showing on images due to a faulty shutter mechanism.  I have noticed such spots.  If I see them, I know that they are bad!  I packed my camera and printed the packing slip and shipping label.  Weber took it to UPS.  I didn't even go.  Sending my camera away was nearly as traumatic as sending my first kid to kindergarten!

I have my old DSLR, but the battery will not charge.  I'm sure I have a second one somewhere.  Finding it is tomorrow's chore.  To soothe my soul, I also registered for an online iPhonography class.  I have wanted to get better at taking photos with my phone.  Now is the time.  

The second reason that I used this photo today is because it is the subject of an object lesson.  I took it at sunrise.  Obviously my settings were way off and it is seriously overexposed.  When I looked at it on that day in the context of sunrise photos, I deemed it an epic fail.  Today, however, looking at it again in the context of photographing layers, it is kind of cool.  I am drawn to the monochromaticism and the various textures.  Who knew that beaches are graded each day at sunrise?  Thankfully I did not delete this photo back on the day I took it.  (My camera cards are much like my email; I rarely delete anything.)  For some reason, when I was thinking about today's prompt, this image popped into my head and I was able to go back and find it.  The lesson here is that first impressions are not always the best.  Take time to fully appreciate what you actually see, not what you want to see.

Below is the day's runner-up, also taken on the same day.

"Layered Beach"

I will try not to whine and be too much of a baby while my camera is gone, but it is going to be a long couple of weeks for me!  When I looked at the above photo, the spots, which are the reason for the recall, are quite obvious.  Looking at this makes me feel better about sending my camera back for repairs.

198/365-2 View From Above: A Meal

"Sweet Snack"

I have developed a terrible nighttime sweet tooth. Tonight I tried to appease it with a tasty peach, but the chocolate, oatmeal, and ground almond cookies were also calling my name. I put them both on the plate and realized that, with a little imagination, they looked like a sunflower. I snapped a photo. Then I ate it all.

195/365-2 An Old Bridge

"Not Leaving On A Jet Plane"

I am a firm believer in bloom where you are planted, even if that means that you are expected to grow and bloom in conditions that are less than ideal.  This philosophy made our travels home from San Diego quite pleasurable when others might have been seriously frustrated and angry.

We left San Diego Monday afternoon on a 4:15 flight to Dallas with a connection in Phoenix.  The first leg of our journey, San Diego to Phoenix, was flawless.  We were scheduled to leave Phoenix on a 6:30 flight, apparently a popular flight time since the seats were oversold.  The gate agent asked for volunteers to rebook on the later flight to Dallas, one that departed at 9:40.  The airlines offered vouchers for future travel as an incentive.  Since we had nothing pressing on our schedule for the following day, the fact that we would be arriving in Dallas in the middle of the night was no big deal.  Once our original flight had departed, the agents started to print our new boarding passes only to discover that the flight we thought we were going to be on, the last flight out of Phoenix to Dallas that night, had been canceled.

The USAir staff was super apologetic and friendly.  They said that they would get us a hotel room in Phoenix for the night and we could fly out first thing in the morning to Dallas.  The only catch was that we would have to connect through Tucson.  At that point, the wheels in the brain started spinning.

At the NOAH conference, we met some lovely new friends who happened to live in Tucson.  Though we had just seen them a few days earlier, it would be kind of cool to see them again.  As Weber made a phone call to them and I talked to the USAir representative, it turned out that there was one more flight to Tucson that night.  And the next day, there were seats on a flight later in the afternoon to Dallas.  When all was said and done, we were able to fly to Tucson and spend the night.  The next morning our friends met us at the hotel and we had a lovely together.  They then dropped us at the airport for our flight home.  For us, this whole chain of events turned out to be a wonderful blessing.

Back to our new friends...there are some people that instinctively you are drawn to before you really understand why.  Then, as you begin to talk with each other, that energy that initially drew you together begins to make a whole lot more sense.  

Richard and Mary are older than we are; they are retired. We're not bitter though; really, we're not!  Like us, their careers were in the fields of education and public service.  We share the same anniversary, which we all celebrated while in San Diego.  Their 43 years trumps our four for sure.  Their hotel room in San Diego was directly above ours.  Richard and I, the two with albinism, share similar views on how albinism has and how it has not impacted our lives.  Over brunch, we shared countless stories of our lives and came to know more about one another. We discovered a shared understanding of the power of the labyrinth as a spiritual tool.  I'm sure, given more opportunities to converse,  other  common interests, experiences, and shared intellectual ideals will emerge.

Thank you Richard and Mary for your friendship and hospitality during our unscheduled visit to Tucson!  We hope to see you both again soon.

196/365-2 Red

"Unpacking NOAH"

This photo is more appropriate to this blog post than it is to the photo prompt "red," but it will have to do double duty here if I am to have any chance of catching up with posts and photos!

Traveling to the NOAH  (National Organization for Albinism and Hypo-pigmentation) conference was an awesome adventure all the way around.  We spent lots of time enjoying food, fun, information and time with friends both old and new.  Many of us have said that these conferences are like a great big family reunion; I truly felt that as we walked into the conference center and I was greeted by my best friend from the previous conference in St. Louis, whom I have not seen in two years.  

Here are some of my observations, revelations, and simple musing from my week with NOAH.

 1. The NOAH family comes to know you by who you are on the inside, not the outside.  Most of us can’t see well enough to judge by external appearances.  The upshot of that is that there is no need for any of you to worry about those extraneous chin and nose hairs.  To those of us with albinism, they don’t exist.  That said, if you notice them on us, a friendly pluck is OK.

2.  If you want to know how to navigate mass transit, ask a PWA; we are experts!

3. Sunscreen is the preferred drug of choice.  The good news is that sharing lotions and sprays is much safer than sharing other drug paraphernalia.

4. The Red Hat Society has nothing on the hats at a NOAH conference.

5. The Swedish Bikini Team is not a fictitious group, but rather an up and coming professional sports organization.  Swim On!

6. No matter how blind, or blonde, we are, we can always find “The Spot” at night.

7. There can be as many birthdays as there are pieces of cheesecake.

8. Hotel security guards do not provide condoms.  (The drunk girls inquiring were not part of NOAH.)  This was an exchange that you only had to hear, not see.

9. A NOAH conference is the only gathering where a Pigmento can loose his or her significant other and experience that same feeling of panic that PWAs feel when in a large crowd of people.  This is just another service offered by NOAH so that those with pigment don't feel left out of the learning.

10. Pale is in; red is not.

11.  NOAH friends are forever!

194/365-2 Beautiful Light

"Airport Fountain"

I am way out of sorts as a result of our trip to San Diego.  I am still catching up on photos and have taken them out of order.  It feels strange to be behind, but that is the way of it.  We have had quite the adventure over the past two days trying to get home.  Though we are tired, it was all good.  More on that later.

This photo is for the prompt from last Sunday.  Since we have spent much of the last two days in various airports,  there was not much to photograph except frustrated, tired, and a few angry people.  We did see this cool fountain in the Phoenix airport.  The light was really fascinating, though this picture doesn't really do it justice.

I know that I am babbling here.  I think I'll go to bed, in my own bed,  and try again tomorrow.

193/365-2 Centered

"Sacred Center"

I have walked by this plant, whose name I do not know, several time a day for nearly a week.  To me, there is something beautifully fascinating about the sacred spiral that is the blueprint that creates the layers of petals.   I have also come to realize that I have a love of natural monochromatic images.  I love the gradient green tones in this.  The spiral in combination with the greens, to me, make this image cry out with a sense of abundant life.

Tonight is our last night in San Diego.  The memories made and shared here with friends both old and new surpass words.  I will try, however, when I get home to share the fabulous experience that I have had this past week here in San Diego.

I am still trying to play catch-up with my daily photos and blog posts.  This is actually Saturday July 12th's photo.  

192/365-2 Gone Fishing

"Pacific Sunset"

I am missing my photography time!  I think I now know what an addict going through withdrawal must feel like.  I am finding myself very uncomfortable with the fact that I have no time to give to taking pictures.  We did get to the beach for just a few minutes tonight right at sunset.  I  am sure there is someone fishing out there somewhere:-)

191/365-2 On A Windowsill

"Have A Coke"

This was taken a few days ago.  I love this bottle of Coke with my name on it.  It was given to me by one of my friends at the NOAH conference.  It is so hard to find things with Kris spelled with a "K" rather than "Ch".  I wonder what prompted Coke to do this.

Weber and I celebrated our fourth anniversary today.  We had a fun day but unfortunately it was a day that resulted in no photos of the two of us.  I'l have to work on that this weekend.

190/365-2 Left Behind

"Left Too Soon"

This is a grave of a young girl who obviously left behind many loved ones.  This photo was taken in a cemetery in San Diego's Old Town.

189/365-2 On the Ground

"Feeling Like Chicken Little"

This was our first image of the hotel as we arrived in San Diego Tuesday morning.

188/365-2 Macro Monday - To the Point

"Point of Reflection"

'Write to the Point"

I am still a believer in handwritten everything - journals, cards and letters, lists and agendas.  Confession time: I am terrible about putting things on the calendar on my phone, just ask Weber!  In my antiquated style, I also love fountain pens.  They do require more care and attention to use, but they feel oh so good gliding across the paper.

I had a hard time choosing which photo to be "the one" today.  Unfortunately, this is not because I had two outstanding choices, but rather I was not completely satisfied with either.  There are aspects of both that I both like very much and dislike.  Usually I can have a discussion with myself and ultimately decide on a photo for the day.  That was not the case today.

I think I just have too much on my mind tonight to make anymore decisions: we are leaving tomorrow morning on a 6:15am flight to San Diego.  I tried to pack lightly and efficiently; however, I'm not sure that I was successful on either count!  Oh well, I think I have all my clothing bases, and body parts, covered.  I am more concerned that my camera bag is packed completely than I am my clothing.  Now that I think about it, I may have lied above; I need to go pack another bra or there may be parts left uncovered; then I need to go to bed.  If I stay up much later, going to bed is going to be pointless.  Maybe that should have been the focus for today's shot!

187/365-2 Happiness

"Happiness"

There was nothing particularly special about my day today, but I am nonetheless pretty darn happy.  I was grasping at straws, well actually gum balls, as far as today's photo goes; I was "extracting happiness from common things."  I must say, it feels good to be able to do that.

186/365-2 July Selfie - A Favorite

"Linen Love"

I am not very good about naming "favorites" of anything.  Not food, or books, or movies, or restaurants...nothing.  It all depends on the day.  Today's photo is supposed to reflect something that is a favorite piece of clothing, or jewelry, or shoes...something that is worn, I guess.

I do have some favorite jewelry, by it is bracelets and rings and right now my arms and hands look awful because of having had some pre-skin cancer spots removed so those were a definite no-go.  I decided that during this time of year, my "favorite" is linen.  Because much of the time I have to wear long sleeves and pants despite the summer temperatures, I am a big fan of linen clothing.  It is cool and comfortable.  And, much of the time, styles that are made from linen are oversized, another big plus in my book!  This goes back to my serious claustrophobia; it is not only sunglasses and hats that make me feel closed in, but also clothing that fits even the least bit closely.  I may have been the one teenaged girl who got in trouble with her mother for wearing "sloppy" (translation: not form fitting) clothing rather than things that were too tight.  The only thing about my "style" that has changed in nearly fifty years is that my mother is not around anymore to yell at me for the way I dress.

Because we have plans this evening, this photo was taken outside with terrible light conditions.  Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.

185/365-2 Bursting

"Fireworks"

Today was bursting with friends, food, fun, and fireworks.  

In all of those "f" words, there was also favorite fail.  I don't even know what happened with this foto photo, but there is something kind of funky about it that my weird sense of aesthetics kind of likes.

Some of my favorite shots of the evening were surprises.  I think it is their simplicity that appeals to me.

The next one reminds me of a sunflower.

I loved all of the different colors in tonight's fireworks.

I hope everyone had a fabulous fourth!

184/365-2 American

'Freedom"

183/365-2 Essentials

'Groggy Doggie"

This morning, our boy had surgery to remove an abscessed tooth.  He didn't seem to be in any pain beforehand, but his face was swollen.  The essentials for him over the next few days are antibiotics, doggie ibuprofen, and canned food.  Needless to say, he is much more thrilled with the canned food than the pills.

He was not a happy camper when we picked him up at the vet.  we paid his bill and then they put us in a room to meet with the vet for his discharge instructions.  I discovered that parents are parents whether it is to kids or dogs.  While in the exam room, I could hear a dog whining; I knew it was Adidas.  I waited a few minutes.  They didn't bring him to us and the whining didn't stop.  I recognized the sound as his "I need to go out."  Finally I couldn't take it anymore.  I opened the door to the secret back area of the vet.  There happened to be a tech standing there.  I asked politely of that was Adidas crying.  She answered , "yes."  I told her that he needed to go out.  she said, "OK." End of conversation, but not the end of my poor boy's whining.  

A less than personable tech finally brought him in to us.  I told her that he was whining because he needed to go out.  Somewhat snappily she said, 'We took him out."  I told her that I was going to take him out at that point.  The poor guy peed buckets!

Adidas settled down a little bit on the way home though he did still whine some.  As it turned out, he was very hungry and thirsty.  He hadn't eaten for nearly 24 hours.  That is definitely a scenario that he is not used to!  I think his legs are also a little stiff from being in a kennel all day.

Our vet's office has four doctors.  Two of them are fabulous, one of them we have never met and then there is the one we saw today.  I think she is probably a good veterinarian, but she has no bedside manner.  Combine that with the rude vet tech and I was not a happy mama.  We missed our normal personnel on this trip.  Live and learn.

 Right now Adidas is mad because he can't have any rawhide for two weeks.  I think he sees his bone as a pacifier.  I am thinking positive thoughts about a good night's sleep for all of us!

182/365-2 Refreshing

"Morning Words"

Our mornings usually begin with coffee and the newspaper.  Sometimes the news is a little too overwhelming and depressing and I'd rather read poetry (not that that it can't also be depressing).  This poem, however, by Anne Sexton, reminds us that there is joy to be found in all of the simple things of our every day.  This is indeed a refreshing thought in a world that so often seems unhappy.

181/365 Graffiti Wall

"Legacy of Love"

I am posting yesterday's photo late because of some minor computer issues last night.  What I thought to be an inconvenience yesterday may have actually been divine intervention, a sign that allowed me more time to think carefully about the photo I was choosing as my POTD.

The is the "Legacy of Love" monument in Dallas.  It celebrates diversity in our city.  On Sunday, vandals spray painted, in red, the numbers "666" on the base of the monument as well as on other locations around the city,  acts that are now being investigated as hate crimes.  I photographed and originally intended to post this hurtful evidence of this hate that is still so prevalent in our society; however, by not being able to post last night, I had time to reconsider.  I decided not to give the vandals any more attention, but to focus on the beauty and the true meaning of the Legacy of Love monument.

Love will conquer the hate of the red paint.