53/365 Sweet Treat

"Truth In Advertising"

I don't know if the prompts this week aren't inspiring or if my photos are just uninspired, but I am not feeling the photographic love right now.  Maybe this is because I have been at home for two days grading papers and doing laundry.  Perhaps I need to get out into the real world over the weekend.  Whatever the problem, I apologize for the less than exciting pictures.

I may just be bitter about today's prompt being sweet treats because I am trying not to eat so many sweets right now.  Today's photo is of Popcorn Indiana's Black and White popcorn, popcorn drizzled with dark and white chocolate.  It is amazing stuff; it's crispy, sweet, crunchy and delicious just like the packaging claims.  I am addicted to it.  The only lie they tell on its package is that they say that each bag contains five servings.  I'm fairly sure it's more like two.  Now you understand why I need to stay away from sweets.

52/365 Performance

"Good Vibrations, Please!"

As a clarinetist, I am always at the mercy of my reed for a good performance.

51/365 Look Up

"Bubble Wrap and Chicken Wire"

I have learned that Wednesdays are not days for me to expect anything good to come of my picture taking.  I have so little time for the things I need to do forget the things I want to do.  I was hurrying across campus this afternoon and first noticed the slim tree framed by the edges of two buildings.  Then I saw the "art" - I believe it is bubble wrap encased in chicken wire.  This certainly is not what I expected to see when looking up.  I had my phone in my hand a took a few shots.  I'm not happy with any of them.  They were all taken from eye level.  I probably would have liked them better if I could have shot from the ground up.  I wasn't willing to do that at that particular moment.  So this is what I got - mostly disappointment.  I may go back this weekend and try again.

In a desperate attempt to make myself feel better, I took this shot, again with my phone, looking up at home.  Its only redeeming value is that this is how I feel on Wednesdays - fast and furiously moving in circles!

"Whirling"

Tomorrow will be a much slower paced day.  Thank goodness!

50/365 A Tree

"A Tree Begging To Be Noticed"

I am fortunate to be able to walk the mile and a half to and from work (school) each day.  This way I get some exercise and am able to do a little to reduce my carbon footprint.  As I am walk, I am usually thinking about my destination - what do I need to do when I get to school or what is waiting for me when I get home.  On the edge of campus, I pass this tree twice a day some days but have not given it much attention. With today's prompt, I was intentional about noticing the trees as I walked.  This is the first time that I have seen the yarn draped around this tree's branch.  Who knows how long it has been like this.  Seeing this oddity today makes me wonder what else I miss as I make my way through my busy days.

49/365 Favorite Snack

"Peanut Butter and Celery"

"Hello World!"

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope you have a good week.

48/365 Color from the Garden

"Dandelion"

Though the temperatures around here have been fairly mild during the month of February, it is still winter; nothing is blooming yet.  When I read today's prompt, "color from the garden," I knew that I was in for a challenge.  I figured the best I would be able to do was to photograph the bright red berries on the holly tree.  Ever optimistic, I decided to take a stroll around the yard.  As I suspected there wasn't anything . . .except this cheerful little dandelion.

It is funny how in a sea of brown grass and bare trees the bright face of this dandelion is so stunning.  It is not but an inch in diameter yet it jumps out from the barren ground.  It screams of life, of possibility, of hope.  As I think about the coming spring that will bring with it  the blooming flowers and trees, I realize that in a month or so this little dandelion at best will go unnoticed and at worst will be considered a nuisance, a weed.

Have you ever felt like this dandelion?  In one context or to one person you are beautiful and meaningful and in another or to another you are merely an annoyance or a distraction from what is supposedly truly important. I really thought about this today.  I know,  kind of crazy to ponder the existence of a dandelion, but I realized that it and I have so much in common.

I was fortunate to have colorful flowers to photograph - just not in the garden.  This is the bouquet of flowers that Weber gave me for Valentine's Day.  They too are quite beautiful - in a different way than the dandelion.

"Valentine's Day Bouquet"

Beauty comes in so many sizes, shapes and colors in flowers . . . and in people.  

47/365 Emotion

"Canine Bliss"

Before the year is up (or maybe the month), everyone in my family is going to start running every time they see me heading toward them with my camera.  They are all fair game as far as I am concerned.  Today was Adidas's turn.  He was so intent on chewing his bone, though, that he barely even noticed me.

He did stop to give me one of "those looks."