20 March 2007

Happy Spring! 

Yep, today is/was the first day of spring.  I was confused, and so I did some research . . . and it seems that the first day of spring, or the Vernal Equinox, is creeping forward in our less-than-perfect calendar.  Most of us have spent our lives thinking spring started on the 21st of March; many of us knew that the actual day wasn’t consistently the 21st, but was often the 20th (it was only actually the 21st, 36 out of the last 100 years); and still fewer of us knew that as of well, now—the official date is the 20th.  In 2016, it will actually fall on the 19th!

Another day of sewing, but this time, begun with a fun breakfast date with my father-in-law, or “good-father” as they used to say in older times, and a fruitful fabric-shopping stop.  The afternoon saw a lengthy phone call with my mama, and finally a fitting with a Scarborough actor.  This is in fact, the only photo I took all day, and it’s awful, I know.  But, it captures the day.

So, now the days are longer than the nights, and the opening day for Scarborough Renaissance Festival draws ever closer.

~MB

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19 March, 2007

I always post the day (or sometimes several days) after I have taken the photo. This prevents me from taking a photo and posting it then taking another photo that is somehow better, different or more pertinent than the one already posted. And, most days, I take more than one photo so the conundrum does occasionally arise. This morning when i awoke, one of my first thoughts was “crud! I forgot to take a photo yesterday.” Boy was I thankful, and surprised, when I uploaded my photos from the 18th only to find that I had, in my hurry-flurry of a day yesterday, actually taken three photos. All three are of the same subject; this is the best of the lot.
I’ve recently taken a new cube at work in conjuction with my new job responsibilities and I’m not completely settled into it yet. So, with all of these interesting bits & bobs of a corporate cube life, it’s no surprise that there was a subject waiting for me, even with the limited abilities of my camera. This is a box of push pins of assorted colour that has travelled with me from job to job for years. Now, it’s here with me, occupying the exact same job it always has — nothing.
I’m sure there’s a corollary in there somewhere.
Cheers

~KR (19 March, 2007)

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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18 March,  2007

Once again, my beautiful smiling dog to the rescue. Daylight was just beginning to fade and I hadn’t left the house and had no intention of doing so (except perhaps a trip to the pub). So, I looked about and there’s my pup sitting at the back door smiling at me (you can tell he’s smiling when he pokes his tongue out). I snapped it, and there you go. He’s an integral, important part of my life and in this, my effort to chronicle my daily journey through this year, is a fitting subject for the photo of the day.
Cheers.

~KR (18 March, 2007)

To alleviate confusion later, you know, when we publish our Year in Photos (yeah, right!)–anyway, I had already used the title “Happy Dog” a while back, and it is a photo of Cormac.  So, I amended this title to reflect that. 

~MB

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/3.2
Focal Length: 45.7 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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19 March 2007

In the midst of all the deadlines and craziness that is our March, today was a breath of fresh air.  Kyle’s Dad, Ralph, otherwise known as Himself, (or just Da) came for a visit!  He had spent the weekend visiting with his mom whose health is failing.  Stopping to spend his last day in town with us, and knowing that I’d be practically chained to the sewing machine, he took me to lunch, and then we spent the whole afternoon together in my workshop, chatting while I worked.  Now, as I write this, he is at Kyle’s soccer game, surely cheering for the Strikers!

He’s a special man, and I’m proud to be a part of his family.

~MB

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18 March 2007

Quite possibly one of the most bizarre and yet least interesting photos I’ve ever taken.  Other than a twelve-hour workday sewing and the regular Sunday trip to No Frills, the most exciting thing that happened today was our trip to Lowe’s to buy supplies for a shelving project for the East Wind Games booth.  This is the stuff in the back seat of Kyle’s car.  Woo freakin’ hoo!  I wish I’d thought to take the camera into the store . . . that could have been interesting!  Oh well, next time.

~MB

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17 March, 2007
Happy St. Patrick’s Day

This is by no means the best photo of the day in terms of lighting or even necessarily composition. However, it most adequately defines the day.
We started the morning by sleeping in a bit, then made a quick trip to Scarborough Faire to visit my East Wind Games shop. Next week is clean-up day and I needed to assess the width and breadth of the effort that will be needed next week (I hate clean-up day!). A run-in with a certain member of the management staff who continually makes and breaks promises left me hollow and angry and frankly, depressed. That any one person can care so little about his fellow beings really just rankles me and makes me shake my head in wonder, disgust and depression.
However, the day was to look up with a trip to Central Market on the west side of Ft. Worth. We arrived at Central Market, found a fortuitous parking spot and emerged just in time to hear the familiar voices and sounds of the Trinity River Whalers singing “Drink, Drink, Drink.” Yes, the day was looking up.
I went inside, purchased a four-pack of Wexford Irish Cream Ale while Marita Beth found a spot to sit, where we sat for the next 3 hours. After the Trinity River Whalers, we were treated to the Jack Burleson Trio then Beyond the Pale. All the while this young lady kept up her spirited Irish Dance routine with the occasional break to take a much-needed breather. She was oblivious to her complete lack of skill and continued at it hearing praise and encouragement from every quadrant of the patio. She was not a good dancer, but for what she lacked in skill, she made up for in enthusiasm. It made my heart smile.
Cheers.

~KR (17 March, 2007)

Camera: Canon PowerShot A520
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/800)
Aperture: f/2.6
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

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16 March, 2007

I took this photo for a number of reasons.
First, this is a daily journal; and what intrudes most often into our daily lives, but the harsh, ugly reality of gasoline?
Second, the composition was to be a juxtoposition of sky versus sky-high prices, but I’m unhappy with the way that turned out.
Third, it was to be a platform for a particularly vitriolic attack on the policies and politics of big oil and how we, as an American people, allow the corporations to continue to dictate what position in life they keep us; and believe it or not, we are kept. Their artificially inflated prices coupled with the American (human?) need to have more, more, more keeps the poor, poor, the middle-class in a state of numbness closer to moving toward the lower class than the upper class, and finally the upper are ensconced safely in their ivory towers with nary a care nor worry. However, most of my anger was expelled yesterday by a completely different, unworthy experience.
So, instead, I shall just post the picture as a record that says: On this day in 2007, I placed petrol in my auto at this cost.
Cheers.

~KR (16 March, 2007)

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/320)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 2 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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15 March, 2007

Late in the day and again I’ve neglected to take a photo. My pup, Cormac, afforded the opportunity to rectify the negligence when he started a game of run & chase with our other Border Collie. I set the exposure for 1 second in a darkened room and tried numerous times. In this image, Cormac stopped briefly to provide the ghostly image. Unfortunately, the full second image also illuminates a few things I’d have rather kept out of the composition. But, such is the way it is, wot?

~KR (15 March, 2007)

Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 1 sec (1)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 2 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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17 March 2007

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

And it just so happened that this green holiday coincided this year with our very last “free” Saturday!  I will likely pay for it rather dearly in lost sleep later in the week, but Kyle and I spent the entire wonderful day together, much of it listening to live music! 

We started the day with a trip to the East Wind Games booth, to inspect and measure and determine how much work is in store for us next weekend. Then it was up Hwy 287 and into Fort Worth for some Irish music and Irish beer.

We don’t regularly shop at Central Market—it’s not very convenient for us, and it’s a huge grocery store.  Two strikes.  But, they do have a lovely little outdoor patio area that they use for things like live music celebrations!  The Trinity River Whalers went on at 2 p.m. today, followed by a number of other acts, all of whom kept our attention and entertained us well.  We left shortly after five and made our way to the location of the St. Patty’s Day party we’d chosen to attend.  Lightcatcher Winery was hosting an evening of music with . . . The Trinity River Whalers!  Two of the four members of the band we have called friends for years—Micheal and Randy were members of the Blarney Brothers.  We haven’t gotten to see the Whalers perform very often, but every time we do, we enjoy it.  Tonight (and this afternoon) was no exception.  They have a high energy style, and a high quality sound. 

And the Lightcatcher Winery is a neat little place!  We enjoyed a bottle of their “Happy Dog” red and a killer plate of cheeses, crackers, sausage, olives, craisins and the like.  The atmosphere was comfortable and friendly, the place spacious, yet intimate, and the slight crisp in the air made the evening perfect for a party.

This might not be the best photo I took today, technically.  But, I absolutely love the “design” of it.  Pictured here, through the wine glass is Marj Troyer, one of the Trinity River Whalers foursome.

Slainte!

~MB

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16 March 2007

Another in my series of Spring photos.  This creeping phlox plant (or is it plants?) is in my front garden—in one of the zones I haven’t yet cleared of insulative leaves.  It was looking more and more green, until the rain the other day, and at that point it burst into these little white blooms!  I love that.

I didn’t get any gardening done, today, but I had a good day nonetheless.  I still have that euphoric feeling I get after I complete and deliver an outfit to a happy customer . . . Brittney picked up her complete ensemble last night.  Rick and I had one last morning to visit before he headed home to Austin . . . I worked out my banking issues successfully . . . made appointments for Sunday and Monday and most of the days in next week! . . . had a fabulous, although much too short visit with my girlfriend Debra from my college dance team days . . . got a bunch of work done for Emily (and got to see her for a few minutes) and for Shannon and for Leah . . . had dinner with my husband . . . enjoyed a brief visit from Heather as she picked up her new skirt—another completed order . . . It was just one of those days that feels good.

I like days like that.

Note to self:  Don’t forget to wear green tomorrow!

~MB

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