Category Archives: P365

Project 365

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday: Five Minutes Before He Disappeared

Meet Wicket, Thomas’ beetle that he grew from a meal worm for a school project. You can imagine my joy when they sent him home so we could continue his upbringing.

This photo was taken just before Thomas decided to let Wicket explore his toy castle.

How a black beetle disappeared so quickly in the space of five minutes left us all stumped. Despite a thorough search, it seems Wicket is now roaming free somewhere in our house. I wish him the best in new life and hope he doesn’t fall victim to the suction of the vacuum when the cleaners come tomorrow.

 

A shocking turn of events

My boy is about to commence his last two days of Pre-K. OK, so maybe I’m more shocked than anyone else, but I can’t believe that my baby is on the verge of beginning Kindergarten, which is called Prep where I come from. You see, in Australia, prep marks the beginning of elementary school (primary school) and I CAN STILL REMEMBER PRIMARY SCHOOL! (Thank you, Miss Fraser).

How did my child get so old? How did I get so old? Why is this happening to me?

Before I know it he’ll be six, and then seven…and then nineteen! It just doesn’t seem right.

And I am completely unprepared. Not only because I am in (a little) denial about the fact that my child is going to be an adult one day (too soon!), but also because his experience of school is going to be so completely removed from mine and I am going to be learning right along with him. I went to Primary school and High School. That was it. There was no middle school, no cafeteria lunches, no fraternities and sororities (ok, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself). My point is that it’s all foreign to me from here on out. I may as well be living in a different country (wait…).

So I have about three months to get used to the idea that I am soon to be the mother of a KINDERGARTNER. Rest assured, I’ll be taking lots of deep breaths and drinking a few glasses of wine to get used to the idea.

Oh, and here’s my photo entry for this week’s I heart faces challenge – bright and vivid. A photo of Thomas (my soon-to-be-kindergartner) taken on the last day of Samuel’s baby daycare before he moves into the pre-pre-K class.

June is really not a good time for mothers…

Just Hanging

This weekend was the first 80 plus degree day in Portland for over 7 months.

Let me give you a moment to think about that – 7 MONTH!

Can you even contemplate the pressure that puts on a person to have a great weekend and  to soak up every single second of sunshine and warmth?

I didn’t quite soak up every second but we got outside for the most part. Kei and Thomas went canoeing on Saturday morning and then headed to T-ball in the afternoon. Samuel and I spent the morning at the park with a “progressive snack” which is just like a progressive dinner except it involves snacks consumed in a variety of park locations that are chosen at a three-year-old’s whim. It took a long time to get from one end of the park to the other but we eventually made it to the playground before I took Samuel home for a nap.

After nap and T-ball, we rode our bikes to Mississippi Ave for some ice cream. The perfect pass time for, what turned out to be, a very warm spring day.

I didn’t take this photo on the weekend – it’s about a week old – but I think it summarizes my Saturday with Samuel perfectly – just hanging out.

It’s also my entry for the latest I heart faces challenge, “From a distance”.

Happy Monday!

Quite possibly the most fabulously perfect day off… ever!

A couple of weeks ago I took a day off just for me. It was nothing like the disastrous waste of a couple of days when I attempted to celebrate my birthday.

No, this one was illness free, perfectly planned and executed AND the sun came out in Portland. Perfect!

And I may have taken just a few photographs to document this practically perfect day…

My morning began at Peets, my favorite coffee place. A quiet, peaceful moment of alone time with my mocha was interrupted by a crazy man who decided to sit at my table. At first he tricked me by looking normal but then he started talking to me. Something about the Olson twins and a fire in the Chrysler building that lead, naturally, to a comment on  the dilemmas of a conjoined twin (one wants to move one way and one wants to go the other – what do they do?). After feigning interest for a while I managed to politely excuse myself and headed off to…

Powells!! Where I spent one full hour browsing photography books by myself . Bliss! And I only bought one book, as tempted as I was to walk away with about 10 pieces of fresh inspiration.

 

Next on the agenda was cashing in a gift certificate for a spa treatment that I was given nearly a year ago. Two wonderful hours of pampering with a foot rub and hot stone massage within, quite possibly, the most relaxing place in downtown Portland. When I left, my whole body felt like Jelly – which is a good thing…

Having finished my only appointment for the day I found myself with NO PLANS. And for a photographer, that means photo walk.

 

And then just when I thought my day was pretty perfect just the way it was, my husband called and suggested we meet for lunch.

I took a quick self portrait while I waited for him to arrive.

And tried to find the meaning in some public art.

Then Kei turned up and, after lunch, I took one of my favorite photos of him.

After saying goodbye to Kei, I decided to take the scenic route back to the Pearl (and my car) with a walk through the park blocks.

Blue Sky!!

A quick stop for some Frozen Yogurt which may become my summer addiction (if summer ever arrives, that is).

 

And more blue skies… I spent a lot of time looking up and soaking it all in.

Next up was a visit to Finnegan’s to pick up some birthday presents for my baby. I looked longingly at these dolls but walked away with this dragon instead – just one of the sacrifices for a mother with two boys. I also picked up some beginner colorforms and a harmonica, which turned out to be the biggest hit with both boys. Think I’ll have to go back and buy another one, if only for a little germ containment.

Finally, one more quick stop at Powell’s for a couple of children’s books, and my day was complete in more ways than one. As Mary Poppins would say, it was “Practically perfect in every way.”

Ladies’ Night

There are many reasons why I love taking photographs, but at the top of the list must be the feeling I get when I look through the contents of my camera and am instantly transported back to the moment when the photos were taken. These photographs definitely live up to that promise. We sang, we rapped, we tried to hit the high notes and the low notes (often unsuccessfully). Most of all, we had a fun night thanks to great company and few inhibitions.

Just a few of my favorites from the evening – all taken using my much-neglected flash. I really need to pull that thing out of the bag more often.

First Up: the birthday girl.

Five Random Things Friday

It’s Friday, it’s sunny and I am looking forward to the weekend. This week has been busy with a mini birthday celebration for my little man, then a sick birthday boy. And of course there was work, lots and lots of work. I need a glass of wine and a little time in the sun – I just hope the Portland weather holds out for just a few more hours so I can enjoy it to its fullest.

To kick off the weekend I thought I’d share a few random things that I came across this week. They made me laugh, feel inspired and remember that there is a life out there waiting for me when I manage to peel my eyes away from my inbox. These things make me happy.

1. Bossypants. Loaned to me by a friend and I’m half way through. Tina Fey is the kind of person I would want in my circle of friends. If this excerpt doesn’t make you want to buy the book right now then I recommend borrowing it like I did. Either way, you need to read this book.

2. A door sign that makes me want to sing.

3. When my 5 year old likes getting his picture taken.

 

4. Creatively sharing your POV. Saw this guy on a Hawaiian cruise a few years ago but didn’t know who he was (true story). Turns out he’s quite famous and very funny and clever – and all in support of a cause that I stand behind.

5. This photograph of my three year old and taking photos from under big umbrellas while we walk in the rain (although that’s not an invitation for the rain to come back…)

Have a great weekend.