4/365 Fur

"Fur"

Harley definitely has the most interesting fur of all of our furry family members so the above picture is my "official" picture of the day.  However, I can't play favorites.  Adidas wanted his picture taken too so I posted them both.  He has handsome fur don't you think?

"Fur #2"

3/365 Repetition

"Repetition"

Repetition is one of those words that conjures up both positive and negative feelings.  People talk about the repetitive nature of their jobs and that usually makes its way to them saying that their job is boring.  The message here: repetitiveness = boredom.  Yet, repetition also creates comfort, security and a sense of well-being. Babies like the repetitive motion of being rocked.  Adults like routine to their day whether they want to admit it or not.  And, engaging in repetitive motions -  like hanging laundry on a line, knitting, doing dishes or weaving - allows our bodies to stay busy but our minds to be free, free to stay in touch with what is going on inside ourselves.  There is truth to the Shaker saying, "Hands to work, hearts to God."

As I thought about today's prompt, I wanted to take a picture that was both an image of repetition but also of the comforting aspects of repetition.  We try to sit down together at the dinner table every evening.  This routine gives me comfort and joy no matter how chaotic or unpleasant the rest of my day has been. Repetition can be beautiful.

2/365 New Beginnings

New Beginnings

In case you haven't figured this out by now,  today's photo prompt was new beginnings.  I had been thinking about what I might photograph today that might give this prompt somewhat of a creative twist.  I had come up with a few ideas for "set-up" pictures, but then I went to visit a friend.  She is fostering this revues feral kitten until a permanent home is found for her.  Once I looked into these pleading eyes, eyes that are just asking for someone to love her, I knew this had to be the image that represents new beginnings for me today.

Today was a cold day by Dallas standards.  This little critter was lucky enough to find someone to bring her in to a warm home, give her a soft bed to play on and pillows to hide under, plenty of food and water and most importantly, someone to love her.  There are so many animals out there right now that are lacking all of these things.  In this economy, as people struggle to feed their families and themselves, pets are often neglected.  It is easy to see how and why this happens, but that doesn't make it any less heartbreaking.

If you have a few extra dollars, consider donating some food to your local shelter.  They are strapped for resources during these cold months.  If you too are struggling to feed your family, perhaps you have some old towels or blankets that you could donate to a shelter.  These seemingly simple gestures will go a long way to help these homeless animals and the people who care for them on a daily basis.

As you journey through 2013, be aware of the new beginnings you encounter and the second chances you are given.  Each is a gift deserving of thanks.

1/365 Purpose

"Purpose"

We still receive an actual newspaper at our house.  Mornings just wouldn't seem right without that trek down the from sidewalk to gather up the Dallas Morning News before sitting down at the table with a cup of coffee and a bowl of yogurt or oatmeal.  Reading the paper before heading to school in the mornings gives us at least a sense of what is going on in the world before we walk head-on out into it.  And on days when I am not up to facing the ugliness of life around me, I ignore the headlines and listen as Weber reads me the comics.

In this morning's edition of Dear Abby (Yes, I read Dear Abby almost every day.), rather than responding to the dilemmas of specific readers, "Abby" offers two pieces of advice that speak to all of as we begin the new year.  The first is from the credo of Al-Anon and the second is from the prayer attributed to St. Francis.  The entire article can be found here.

As a Franciscan tertiary, this prayer attributed to St. Francis speaks to me at a deep level, despite the fact that it is often over- and mis-used.  It describes the person that I so desire to be.  So today, a day on which we find ourselves determined to make this a good year by committing to promises and resolutions, what better way to remind myself that I do strive to be an instrument of peace and a sower of love, pardon, hope, faith, light and joy than for these words to be my  first image of Capture Your 365, the 2013 edition.

January 1, 2013

So here we are, the beginning of another new year.  January 1st brings with it that clean slate kind of feeling - like fresh sheets, an empty laundry basket, a newly weeded garden, a freshly fallen snow.  Or, if you are a cat, a litter box that has been completely dumped and changed rather than just scooped.  The obvious question here is, how do these feelings translate into a meaningful life during the rest of 2013?

Like most of us, I could resolve to lose weight, eat better, sleep more in the new year, but it seems easier to say that I plan to live a more intentional and purposeful life.  What does that look like?  I don’e really know, exactly.  What I do know is that I plan to be open to life’s possibilities, whatever they may or may not be. 

By making myself open to possibilities in 2012, the past year revealed how important photography as a way of personal expression is to me.  To those of you who walked with me through the 100 days of Visual Cents, I appreciate your support.  I learned so much during that project about photography, myself and other people.  It was truly a life altering endeavor.

As I finished that project, I discovered an online community whose purpose is to support its members as they undertake the goal of a picture a day for an entire year.  I have decided to commit to this for 2013.  Unlike with Visual Cents, where I intentionally did not write anything to accompany the photographs, I plan to write about my Capture Your 365 photos - at least sometimes.  These photos come with the same disclaimers that accompanied my Visual Cents photos, they will not all be good but they might be; they will not all be meaningful, but they might be; they will not all be technically correct, but they might be.  What I can guarantee is that they will reflect a part of me.  They will remind me where I was, what I was doing and what was in my heart and mind on any given day during the year 2013.

I invite you to journey with me through Capture Your 365, the 2013 edition.  As always, I appreciate comments, constructive criticism and questions.

I hope that each of you finds a sense of peace and purpose as we greet this new year.

Welcoming 2013

We are having a night of fun, food, family, friends and games at home tonight.  The girls are here with some friends and we had Erin's birthday dinner that she was too sick to enjoy on the 23rd.

Earlier today I decided that is was time to do a little housekeeping - get rid of 2012's dirt so that there is room for the new that 2013 will surely bring.  When things were clean, we were all hungry but didn't want to get the kitchen or dishes dirty so we opted for sandwiches from Schlotzsky's. 

Here is what we got:

Nothing special, but a tasty lunch.

Our total bill -

Welcome 2013!

I wish all of you a happy, healthy and joyful new year!

Like Daughter, Like Mother

Today is my 51st birthday.  I didn't have any big plans, but the ones I did have did not involve being sick.  Last night, I began to feel "not right."  By ten o'clock or so I was running a fever.  By 12:37 am this morning, the actual time of my birth, I was running a measurable temperature of 102.  I was curled up on the couch wrapped in my purple peace sign covered Snuggie that Weber gave me for Christmas and a tie-dyed fleece blanket.  I suspect that I looked like some bad 60's acid trip.  The cat didn't seem to mind though; she was curled up in my lap, probably because I was so warm!  It became apparent that I was going to spend my birthday the same way Erin did - sick.

I had planned to go to the knit shop this morning for just a little while and then my family was to come for dinner tonight.  This morning when I finally woke up around nine, my fever was gone so I decided to go ahead and go knit.  Brooke made me cookies in honor of my birthday to take to the knit shop to share with my friends.  I remember all those treats that I made for the girls to take to school for birthdays and various other celebrations.  The role reversal here seems kind of funny, but much appreciated.

 

These cookies were full of all the things I like - pretzels, graham crackers, oatmeal, potato chips and chocolate chips.  It was probably a good thing that I didn't have to make a decision about what kind of cookies I wanted.  It was a safe bet on Brooke's part to just go with the ones that have everything in them.

By the time I had knit for an hour and a half or so, I was beginning to think that going out was not my best plan.  I could tell that my temperature was creeping up again.  Weber picked me up and brought me some pretty flowers.

 How can one not feel at least a little cheered with bright yellow and orange flowers?

I resumed my position on the couch and slept the rest of the afternoon.  By dinnertime when the rest of my family got here, I had taken some Motrin and my fever was again down.  Thankfully, I was able to enjoy dinner and my birthday dessert.

Brooke made pizza for dinner - one with butternut squash and crispy kale and the other with potatoes and leeks.

There is almost nothing better than homemade pizza.  Except maybe homemade ice cream.  She also made graham cracker ice cream and pretzel and chocolate chip ice cream.  Oh, I did I mention the chocolate and peanut butter torte?  I couldn't let a pesky old fever keep me from all of this yummy stuff!

As is the case with our family, most of my gifts were food themed - a soup cookbook from Mike and a very cool Bento lunch cookbook and various "accessories" from Erin and Edgar.  I did not do well with taking pictures tonight.  That right there is an indication that I don't feel very well.  But, the Bento cookbook and accompanying stuff deserves a post of its own, so stay tuned!

Also in keeping with family tradition, I scratched my fifty one $1.00 lottery tickets.  I am usually not the big winner here.  But, this year is my lucky year.  Greatly helped by this . . .

  . . . a $40 winning ticket, I came out a dollar ahead, winning a total of $52!

All things considered, I had good birthday.  Yeah,  I could have felt better; but,  I also know that things could have been a lot worse.  I wish I had taken more pictures - of the pizzas, the chocolate peanut butter torte.  I didn't.  And that's just the way it is.

I'm going to bed now in the hope that this bug with which I seem to be keeping company moves on by tomorrow.