~KR (day forty-five — 15 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture: f/3.1
Focal Length: 58 mm
Exposure Bias: 2 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
18 December 2006
Bedtime. And the camera spent the day on the coffee table—unused. So, I parade my little bare feet into the living room and bring the camera back to the bedroom . . . hmmm . . . what charming little still life shall we . . . aha! The teddy bear that looks down on the bed from a nearby shelf smiles at me as if to say, “ME! Pick me! I want my picture taken.” Yep. He’s pretty cute.
Kyle just asked me where he came from, and I told him the little story of this fellow getting my attention as I shopped in a thrift store in Wisconsin a couple of summers ago. He was a little scruffy, but so unique—and heaven knows I like unique! He’s made of that wonderful snuggly chenille fabric they used to make bedspreads out of. And the striped bow tie matches the bottoms of his little feet! I was hooked. So, for less than a buck, he went home with me. His first stop, though, was the laundromat! I figured I had little to lose. He got a thorough bath and came through the experience no worse for the wear. At the end of the summer he travelled with me back to Texas where he’s lived on a shelf next to the bed ever since. Recently, I put up taller shelves, and so he now has a better view.
I had a hard time holding the camera still enough for this shot. Kyle suggested using the flash, but I was adamant that I didn’t want a flash-lit photo. The lighting in the room was great, and I was very frustrated not to be able to capture it. I finally rigged a way to balance the camera on an object leaning on the shelf; got it all set up; holding it with my chin; okay, ready, here we . . . grrrr . . . camera decides it needs new batteries! Very annoyed at the timing, I stubbornly refuse to give up. Off. On. No screen. grrrrr. Try again. Okay, still no screen—I’m gonna take it anyway. I can pretty much tell what I’ve got framed, even though I cannot begin to reach to see into the tiny little viewfinder. So, I snapped the picture. And, voila! This is what I got! I’m delighted. And Teddy looks pretty smug, too!
~MB
Easily one of the most bizarre photos either of us has posted–and it’s getting the comments to prove it. The first thoughts everyone seems to express about it always include the word “creepy.”
Apparently, this is a portion of a sculpture currently housed at DFW Airport, D Terminal. That’s the new very up-to-date and modern (primarily)American Airlines terminal that is home to many fancy restaurants, a Hyatt Hotel and a host of cultural art that would make many a museum director drool. This crazy thing sits right in the middle of the floor, and you can walk all the way around it. It’s sixteen feet tall, and made of cast bronze, acrylic and terra cotta. Kyle’s picture is of the middle section—the acrylic part. The artist titled the piece ”Standing Ovation” which at least *explains” it a bit. If you look closely, the hands do seem to be grouped in pairs, and in positions that hands would experience during clapping. And the sculpture “stands” in the public view. (Actually, it’s suspended from the ceiling!) So, one part double entendre, one part Addams Family, one part dismembered body parts . . . and voila! Modern art.
Especially interesting to me, is that the artist, Anitra Blaylock received an MFA from my own alma mater, TCU and is on staff there, too.
In all fairness, when viewed in its entirety (which I have not done in person, but I have seen the promotional photo) it is far less . . . creepy. It is still very surreal, and I’m not sure it lives up to the vision of the artist whose concept was to create a sculptural salutation to any walking by. It is intended to be a physical rendering of celebration, of human joy and of appreciation of one another. Seems a reasonable expectation for hundreds of lifesize, clapping hands, carefully cast each from a different individual person and representing all ages, races, backgrounds.
Why then, does it result in a photograph that is simply . . . creepy.
~MB
~KR (day forty-four— 14 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
~KR (day forty-three — 13 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 28.5 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Kyle has stopped to take photos of this beautiful garden a couple of times, now. This is a lovely shot from the first day. The garden is a part of an estate I have lusted after for years! Most of my friends, when they visit Texas for the first time, are subjected to a drive-by viewing of this amazing Tudor style house and it’s assorted outbuildings we can see from the road. We drive by this place almost any time we go anywhere. In recent years, the owners of the property have poured mega-bucks into developing and beautifying the land around the house. It always had a nice sloping lawn leading to a fairly sizeable pond, with a pretty little gazebo. Now, the perimeter of the property sports a fabulous iron fence, and the garden has erupted into what appears to be a maze of walkways, arches, follies, fountains, and beautiful plants. This fountain is but one small attraction. And the whole thing is very un-Texan! It seems too green and lush, and a little too “English” for Fort Worth, Texas.
I figure *this* is really how the other half lives!!
~MB
~KR (day forty-two — 12 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 58 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
I’m too far behind. With the great goobly demands of the new job, it’s a wonder I can even squeeze in a photo each day much less try to write about it. So, in the interest of getting caught up, I’m choosing to work rather than write (hi, boss!) and will let Marita Beth compose the words for the photos (expect a sudden increase in the quality of writing). I, will just attempt to get all the photos in the weblog so that at least that part is complete.
Cheers.
~KR (day forty-one — 11 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 58 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
17 December 2006
Another lovely weekend day—little to no expectations—which means no disappointments!
We were leisurely about rising, relaxed about the morning hours, and went to see our second movie of the weekend in the early afternoon. Eragon is a delightful, and somewhat predictable fantasy involving dragonriders and swords and bad guys with black magic vs. the pretty young boy with the dragon. The dragon’s name, she having hatched from a large blue egg, is Saphira. A little trite, but charming. Not quite as charming, however, as the little dragon hatchling herself. She hadn’t even found her land legs yet before I leaned over to Kyle and whispered “I want one!!!!” I was hooked! Of course, the speed with which she dispatched a rat at less than a day old had me reconsidering that a little bit. I mean, after all, what chance would a lazy cat have against a two- or three-month old dragon? But, then the scenes of the beautiful adult Saphira in flight pulled me right back into my old Anne McCaffrey-inspired dreaming days! Perhaps again tonight, I will dream of impressing my very own dragon or fire lizard.
If I do, I’m sure she’ll be wearing a harness decorated with fleur de lis!
I’m really pretty surprised to realize that this is the first picture I’ve taken in this 365-day project, of a fleur de lis! Perhaps such photos will not be as commonplace as photos of the cat or dogs, but I’m sure this won’t be the last one.
~MB
16 December 2006
What a beautiful day! We were up early—in fact Kyle worked for a few hours this morning until we went out to see a movie. Incidentally, the new Charlotte’s Web is just as good at making you cry as the old animated one was! I think I saw the entire second half of the film through a fog of tears. Such a fabulous story. And just as touching today as it was when E.B. White wrote it in 1952. And when I first read it in the late sixties.
After the movie, the sun was warm and the air was crisp, and Kyle was willing to humour me when I suggested we take the dogs out for some playtime. We walked a few blocks away, to the local elementary school, and tossed the non-frisbee brand flying disc <grin> more than a few times. These two beautiful, crazy dogs of ours would kill themselves chasing a frisbee if you let them! They run and run and run. I guess it’s their “job.” We had fun, took some photos, and walked back home.
Pretty much a perfect Saturday.
~MB
15 December 2006
Benign Positional Vertigo. That’s the technical name for it. I’ve been dealing with this stupid thing on and off for about five years. It’s not painful like the back problems I face. It’s not completely debilitating like the migraines I used to experience. And it’s not as totally scary as the crazy heart palpitation thing that happens sometimes. But, it’s pretty disconcerting. And a little scary. And just darned annoying.
It’s an inner ear thing–no known cause . . . and no practical treatment. Oh, there’s a crazy exercise you can do that might help if you do it a few times a day and a few days in a row. Oooh, and it will make it worse before it might make it better! And there’s a little known manipulation some doctors know how to do, that might help quicker. But, it’s obscure and afterwards you have to stay upright for 24 hours. Untreated–it just goes away on its own. Sometimes hours, days, even weeks later.
In the meantime, I deal. And on days like this, it’s harder to deal—about as bad as it gets. I was fine until early afternoon when I innocently looked up! I was in the attic when it started–I was assessing the holiday decorating I want to do, and I happened to look up at the roofing nails that protrude through the plywood. Bad idea. Getting down from the attic was fun.
So, when the day drew to a close, and I still hadn’t taken a photo, I got the bright idea to try to capture in a photograph, the icky way I’d been feeling all afternoon and evening. So, this does it pretty well.
~MB
14 December 2006
These little lights were teasing me all through my meal at No Frills Grill. Simple, happy little lights. I wish life were like that more often!
~MB
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