59/365 Up Close and Personal

"Icing on the Cake"

During the month of February it seems like everyone except me photographed a cupcake in response to one prompt or another.  I finally succumbed to peer pressure.  Here is my icing on the cake as we bid farewell to this month of sweets and treats.

58/365 Essential Equipment

"Reality :1, Creativity: 0

For Monday through Thursday, this is the essential equipment I need to get through the day - lesson plans, keys, name badge and a pencil.  I have accepted the fact that Wednesday's photos are not going to be my most creative; however, this is as real as it gets.

57/365 From The Side

"Handle On Life"

What makes someone think that photographing an everyday door handle is a good idea or even an interesting idea?  When challenged to photograph something " from the side,” most people would think profile - of a person.  I never said that my mind works in the same way as most people’s.  Or, for that matter, any people’s.

I took this picture a few days ago, but intentionally for today's prompt.  It is the handle, from the side, to our back door.  It was a rainy morning.  I had let the dogs in and out through this door several times already because they would not commit to their task on the first excursion out due to the rain.  Something about the light from the house and the rain hitting the handle drew my attention.  I spent more time than I am willing to admit trying to find exactly the right angle from which to take this picture.  There may be no other ordinary doorknob alive to have received that much focused attention!

The longer I stayed with this project the more I thought about this handle and the more metaphoric my thoughts became.  From this angle I can see both the inside and the outside handles.  I myself use them many times a day to move back and forth from inside to outside.  I also use each of them to aid others (mostly dogs) to move from inside to outside and vice versa.  Inside and outside are separated only by a relatively thin door and each is accessible because of these handles.  Traversing between our internal and external selves is also accessible via the “handles” that we have on life.

We all have an internal and external, or public and private, self.  There are parts of this self for which we grab the handle and open wide the door to let these parts run free.  Then there are the parts that remain locked behind a closed door, a door whose handle is out of reach and maybe even out of sight.  There are also external forces knocking at our door, hoping that we will grab the handle and fling wide the door to invite them in.  Likewise, there are thoughts, feelings and ambitions equally trapped on the other side of the door, in the room marked ego or fear.

What does it mean to "get a handle on life?" Simply stated, I think it means to use these handles to get "things " on the right side of the door, remembering that this is a two way process.  Things on the inside may need to be let out and others on the outside may need to be let in.  Our job is to know when to use which handle. 

I had quite an existential discussion with myself regarding this image.  Or perhaps, I was simply trying to rationalize taking pictures of a door handle.

56/365 A Cup Of . . .

"Measure Of Love"

It is funny the things to which you find yourself drawn.  This tin measuring cup belonged to Weber's mom.  Though I never knew her, I hear Weber's stories, read recipes written in her hand and hold this measuring cup and somehow feel like maybe I do know her.  Both the blessing and the curse of marrying at fifty years old, plus or minus a few years, is that neither of us had to deal with mother-in-laws.  It is kind of odd, however,  never having known the woman in whose home I now live and who, most importantly,  gave birth to the person I love and with whom I share my life.  The person she was is reflected beautifully in the amazing son that she raised.

55/365 For The Love Of Music

"This Is Why We Sing"

Music has been a huge part of my life since I started taking piano lessons at age four.  (If you are calculating, that is 47 years.)  I am very fortunate to have a job teaching music theory.  Though there were so many ways that I could have approached this prompt, I knew immediately that my photo of the day would somehow include Resounding Harmony.  Singing with RH is, to me, what music is all about.  It is about sharing the power of music with my fellow singers in the chorus and as a chorus, sharing this passion with the community.  

As the lyrics to the song in this photo say, "Music builds a bridge, it tears down a wall.  Music is a language that speaks to one and all.  This is why we sing, why we lift our voice, why we stand as one in harmony . . ."

54/365 Framed

"I've Been Framed"

It is amazing how much you can get done on a Saturday when you get up at 6am!  We were up early because I had a 7:30 dentist appointment.  (This appointment was original at 9, but Erin needed an emergency root canal and rather than make her get up for the early time, I swapped with her.)  After we had both endured having our mouths tromped through, we went shopping for some accessories to go with her new bedroom furniture.  It took visits to a few different stores, but we accomplished the task at hand just in time for lunch.  Chicken sandwiches and burgers at Smash Burger replenished our energy reserves.  She then headed home to do homework.  I thought that maybe I would have a little nap.  Then I thought again, deciding that I really didn't want to waste a beautiful Saturday afternoon sleeping.

Weber and I tossed around ideas about what to do.  He has just gotten a new video camera.  We agreed that we would go take pictures/video somewhere. (That took a lot of arm twisting on his part :-)) My hope was that this would get me out of my creative slump.  We ended up going to Addison Circle, a niche community not too far from home.  We had no real idea what we might find to photograph; we were just out for a little adventure.

One of the first things we came upon was a place called the Polk A Dot Bakery.  This reminded me of Brooke, both the bakery and the polka dot parts,  so we had to go check it out.  Everyone knows that you can't go in and look around a place like this and buy something.  That would just be rude!

 Weber got carrot cake and I got this amazing cupcake.

Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting is my absolute favorite!  This cupcake was perfect because the frosting was neither to sweet nor too heavy.  In addition to a variety of baked goods, their menu also includes light meal options.  Finding the Polk A Dot Bakery was an added bonus for our day.  The atmosphere was great, more like a coffee house.  There are lots of tables both big and small, inside and outside.  People were reading, chatting, playing games and some were just watching the world go by.  For those of you who live in the Dallas area, this place is definitely worth a visit.

After our snack we got back on track and  took lots of pictures and video.  Because I was trying new things hoping to learn something new,  I took lots of pictures that are not worth posting, but from which I learned a fair amount.

Here are some of the ones worthy of sharing.

We came upon this little guy (or girl( who also was enjoying an afternoon snack.

Once finished, he/she wasn't interested in our company.

We found a small fountain that provided an opportunity to practice stop action.  Unfortunately, though I gained some insight into the technical aspects here, the light was terrible so the pictures themselves aren't great.  For some reason that I can't quite articulate, I really like this image taken at the edge of the fountain area.

It was while I was taking these shots that Weber turned his camera from the squirrels to me.  Turnabout is fair play.  I took a picture of him, which is the one that became today's picture of the day.  It will serve as a wonderful reminder of how we spent February 23, 2013.

Further on we found a large bed of tulips, proof that spring is indeed near.

No. this picture is not crooked.  All of the tulips were bowed toward the sun in the west.  The sea of pink was beautiful.  The trees, however,  are not quite ready for spring.

We had a lovely afternoon.  I'm feeling a little better after my week of being in a creative slump.  Hopefully today's experiences will keep me inspired through the next week and beyond.

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.