Equine Affaire

Another first this weekend.

I have never been to one of these shows, so we decided to explore the world of horses. It was really amazing to see so many girls excited about horses and horse stuff - as opposed to being a fashion plate. Did not see one bored face in the crowd, which in itself was quite delightful.

There were saddles, bags, whips, etc for sale. One could see and learn about different horse breeds. One could try out trailers that accommodate both people and horses - way cool! One could attend various clinics on how to deal with traumatized horses, how to teach a horse to jump, how to problem solve behavior issues, etc. It was a 4 day trade show, and each night the highlight was a pony fantasia event (or as Susan called it "Ponies on Ice"), that was sold out, so could not attend.

There is so much I do not know. Maybe I'll sign up for riding lessons.

Magical moments

I've had some of the most magical moments during my morning commute this week. It's been tough getting up when it's dark and coming home in the dark - so I for one am all for the "falling forward". I can enjoy the sun on my morning drive.

It has gotten below freezing the past couple of nights. On my ride yesterday, it was like all the trees were smoking! Now I know that it was just the dew evaporating, but what a cool effect.

In spite of some really windy days, we have lucked out and there are still leaves on the trees - simply beautiful with the sun behind them. While at a very long light this morning, I was not impatient. How could I be as I sat amid soft showers of falling leaves.

Magical moments. They are all around us. All we have to do is simply be present in the here and now.

State of Movies

Anyone else notice how the better the quality of TVs get, the worse the quality of movies?

We went to see American Gangster last night. You would think that with Ridley Scott directing Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, you'd have a great movie. Not. Really disappointing. The idea is a great one (if only I had a buck for each time I said that about a movie!) - the story of a black gangster (never heard of this), and an honest cop - in the era when the gangsters were mostly of European descent and many of the cops were on the take. But what poor execution. The movie really needed an editor - there were entire sections that should have been cut.

Sigh. I do not get out to see movies in the theatres much, so I guess my expectations are too high. Last really good movies I saw out?
1. 300 - what was not to love about this movie?
2. The Departed - a great story, really well done.

On the other hand, am currently watching a DVD of The Talented Mr. Ripley while on the treadmill, and love it all over again. Great acting. Good story telling.

During the trailers (does anyone still call them this?) last night, I saw that there is a new Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep movie coming. And, here I go getting excited again.

Pats Rock

Oh, I know that I sneer at all the hype of our undefeated season, blah, blah, blah - but that was an awesome game yesterday. Pats versus Colts - both undefeated and someone had to loose. The first time Brady gets the ball, we are 3 and out. Must admit that I started to worry - though it was a good sign that we held the Colts on their first drive. As much as I do not like Manning - the guy is a play maker. That was the best game of the season so far. All of us in Bean Town are simply loving life today. Now if only the Celts and Bruins would shape up!

Visual Journal

Here are some new pages from my visual journal. I love that I have no idea what the pages will look like until I am done. (Click on images to enlarge)

Afternoon with boys

This past week had the boys over for a visit. It was a nice day, so we went on an expedition around the yard. We looked for coyotes, jumped off rocks, chased Rafiki and picked up leaves to paint.

Luke is quite the photo buff. I have tried 2 different kids cameras - and have really disliked both of them. Both brands made by Disney. So have returned them, and am now searching for a low megapixel adult/starter camera for him. Let me know if you know anyone getting rid of an older digital point and shoot.

Spooky

Halloween has gotten to be less and less of an event in our neighborhood over the years. This year I think we only had about 15 kids come trick-or-treating. The bad news - not many cute kids in adorable outfits come to the door. The good news - I have bags of good candy all for me.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Not only did the Red Sox win the World Series, but the Patriots continue their undefeated streak.
We are simply not used to this kind of joy. We burn bikes, flip cars over, we climb light poles and jump off them into crowds....

Of course the real sign of a true Boston fan - we all know deep down inside that it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes.....

Book of Bella

I've decided to make photo books for all my n's this year.
I made one for Bella and Luke a couple of years ago, and they loved them. Why is it that the oldest kids always get all the attention? Well, this year will do one for all 5. I've decided to make all the books 4x6 - easy for little hands to handle.

Here are 2 of my fave pages from Bella's Book.
























You can see all pages of her book here.

200th Post!

I find it hard to believe that I am up to my 200th post. Where has the time gone?

In celebration I leave you with this quote:

“Dare to be wise! Begin now. The man who puts off the day when he will live rightly is like the peasant who waits for the river to drain away. But it flows on, and will flow on for ever.”

--Horace

Latest Audio Book

Just completed The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards.

A story of love, loss, lies and the ties that bind. It's an interesting story about the choices one makes in a instant that shifts everyone onto a different life trajectory.

A woman gives birth to twins one snowy night. Her husband, a doctor who delivers the twins, decides to give away his baby girl who is born with Downs. The story traces the impact this decision has on the lives of the characters in the novel. An interesting book.

Go Sox!

Members of Red Sox Nation are sleep deprived and thrilled beyond words. The Sox are in the World Series! Again! Many people had to wait a life-time to see them win, and this week we get the chance again. So we might all be red eyed and a little more irritable than normal, but come Wednesday, things go up a notch or two. Go Sox!

Oh, and it would be remiss of me not to mention the spectacular performance of the Patriots - who are undefeated this season. Will they get to the Super Bowl undefeated? Brady was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and I hear that brings with it all sorts of bad karma.

Onward! It's a lovely time to be a Boston fan.

Geocaching

I've heard about this craze, and also know several people who love it, so when I mentioned at work, that I had never done one, the guys promptly organized one for today. And what a beautiful day it was to be outside seeking a little Tupperware box. I found it - and earned a new nickname, Eagle Eyes.

Our destination: "Hot Prospect" at N 42° 23.626 W 071° 15.035

Description:

A quick exploration into a public green space with a long and varied history, the cache is located in Prospect Hill Park in Waltham. The original cache coordinates have been modified based on commentary; signal accuracy at the cache site on the day it was placed was ranging between 35 and 65 feet but there was still a great deal of foliage on the trees.

Finding the cache itself can be a fast excursion, although it is located a short distance off the main trails and therefore requires a small bit of hiking. Prospect Hill is made up of about 250 acres of green space on the west side of Waltham, just east of 128. Information about the park is available here.

Along with the cache itself, the area is filled with weird bits of discarded history, including a decommissioned Cold War radar site at N 42 23.313 W 71 15.233. Two giant cement water storage tanks cover a large section of the park, and burned-out concrete huts are scattered across the hillside, either other parts of the radar installation or possibly leftovers from a period in which Prospect Hill was a ski area. There are some nice views of Boston and the Blue Hills now that the foliage has dropped for the season.

FMI: http://www.geocaching.org

Head Of The Charles

A fantastic day to be out along the Charles River for this event.
































You can see the entire photo album here.

Recent Reads

Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking by Julieanne Kost

I've spent many years when I flew as much as 3 times a week, so this book really brought back memories. It is amazing what we can take for granted. When I first started flying, I loved the window seat - who could resist the view of the scrolling earth below? As I got weary of business trips - early mornings, late nights, bad food, etc, planes were just a way to commute to work. I requested aisle seats - it was easier to get up and stretch, and faster to get out of when I landed.

Over the years, I have captured my share of images too. I'm going to have to dig them out and look at them again. There are several memorable trips when I was indeed in the window seat - flying from Trivandrum, Kerala to Male, Maldives was one such breath-takingly beautiful flight.

I tend to fly less these days, so am able to appreciate again the joys of air travel.

Photo Collage

Here is a collage of photos from today.















You can also see this album here.

Fall Colors

A wonderful fall day. The show outside is so distracting. It takes a strong will to make it to work most mornings these days. These are some of the colors in our yard. Beautiful colors, great new camera....what more can a girl ask for?

Anticipation

Okay, I am so excited, I could barely sleep last night. I finally got something I have been coveting - yes I realize that that's breaking a commandment - but cannot help myself.

Those of you who know me know that photography is one of my passions. I made the leap to digital several years ago, and have had a wonderful time with my little Canon Powershot S30. But (you knew there was a but coming) I cannot count the number of times I've wished that I had my lenses with me.

Well, after years of reading reviews, specs, and lots of touching, I finally came to the conclusion that the right camera for me is the Canon 40D. Picked up the body yesterday and ooooh baby, is it the coolest! My lenses are so happy to be back in circulation. The only question is what to do with my old film body?

Breathing Room

Sometimes every deadline seems to arrive at once. The past couple of weeks have felt that way - last week of the quarter (and the usual madness that entails), prep for the quarterly sales meeting, launching new messaging/packaging, a board meeting, etc, etc, etc.

That is all now in the past, and there is an immense sense of satisfaction in getting it all done, and done well. The secret my friends is not new and not earth-shattering. It is simply this:

1. Write it all down
2. Prioritize each item
3. Break each item into small do-able parts
4. Create a compelling event when each little piece must be done
5. Track all little pieces each week
6. Complete projects
7. Give yourself a a well deserved pat on the back AND
8. A little breathing room before you plunge into the next list of projects ahead.

Recent Reads

1. The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

Not sure how I stumbled across this book, but I found it an quick and interesting read. It's told from the POV of a young girl in 17th century Persia who is much loved by her family. Dad dies, and they have to move to the city to seek shelter with Dad's half-brother, and are essentially treated as servants. The girl (who has no name in the book), is fascinated by rug making and is a quick study. The book follows her life, and though at times I wanted it to hurry up already, for the most part it held my interest. I find the entire idea of a short-term marriage fascinating on so many levels. If both parties agree, they can have relations without the legal bindings that go into any long-term support of the woman and her extended family. Creative moral loop-holes are found in almost every religion and culture and I'm always intrigued by them.

2. A Three Dog Night by Abigail Thomas

Another fascinating book that I stumbled upon. We've all read about the heart-breaking stories of what happens to a woman when her husband dies. This amazing gem of a book is a memoir of a woman whose husband does not die, but suffers brain trauma. It is a small, amazingly written book about how she copes and thrives. It takes one's breath away to read her story.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

The last in the series, and I was really looking forward to it. What a disappointment! I think she simply ran out of story. I have really enjoyed reading most of the books in the Potter series, but this one did not grab me even at the halfway point. I especially disliked the final chapter - the view into the future - a little too Hollywood for me. Ah well, cannot expect every read to be brilliant I suppose.

Topsfield Fair

It's been ages since I was last at the Topsfield Fair. There is something really cool about all the serious kids and adults with their show animals. Should make a note to go to these events as a photo excursions - it's a visual feast.
12x24 LO:








Left page detail:















Right page detail:

Latest Audio Book

I just finished and absolutely loved "Teacher Man" by Frank McCourt.

Told in the same witty and self-deprecating style of his other memoirs, this is the story of his 30 years as a high school teacher in New York. I enjoyed every minute of it. McCourt has a wonderful way of blending current and past events in his life in a seamless, highly entertaining story. Every teacher should read this. Actually anyone who attended high school should read this. And since he reads the audio book himself, you really get a sense of having been to long dinners with him.

Colors of Fall

What an incredible fall we are having. Created a 12x12 LO of pics from a walk. Click image to enlarge.

Where's Rafiki?

Sometimes a picture says it best.

Movies Worth Watching

I for one am tired of all the usual junk that Hollywood produces these days. Five lights in the darkness of moviedom are:

1. Little Miss Sunshine - really quite a remarkable little movie.
2. Jesus Camp - got me thinking about fundamental Christians, and fundamentalism in general.
3. Infamous - so much better than the other versions that got all the hype.
4. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert - an oldie, but one goodie.
5. Shall We Dance? - brilliant casting, wonderful dancing, what's not to like?

Recent Reads

Where Women Create: Inspiring Work Spaces of Extraordinary Women by Jo Packham

There is something really fun about seeing how people organize their creative space. This was a quick and fun read. And I got loads of ideas - now I just need the time to implement them.

















Galen Rowell: A Retrospective by Galen Rowell

Had never heard of this photographer before and I am in awe of his creative talents. Really remarkable photographs.

Visual Journal Pages II

What fun to play with color!

Visual Journal Pages I

My visual journals allow to me to play and create anything I want. Whatever captures my interest. Where ever the creative juices take me.
A quote I take to heart - "Allow yourself to make bad art".

Rafiki

Always dressed impeccably for whatever life throws this way.

Menopause

- The Musical











Saw this show last night. Absolutely delightful. Been ages since I've laughed so hard for so long. If you have not seen it, and it comes to your town, run out and get tickets.

Beautiful Photo Book

I would highly recommend "Work: The World in Photographs" by Ferdinand Protzman.

"Work is a subject that is both worldwide and personal. It is a shared endeavor at the very core of our identity. From the glamour of a Parisian fashion show to the grit of an African diamond mine, there are countless ways to make a living. The book illuminates scores of them—many in never-before-published photographs—offering revealing glimpses into various eras and cultures and engaging the reader with entertaining text and informative captions."

Patriots Debacle

Those of you who read an earlier post, know how disappointed I was with Michael Vick. Well, that is nothing compared to the news about the Pats cheating. Even now, I sit here shaking my head as I type this.

The victory last night was a resounding thrashing of the Chargers, but, I gotta say that their successes are now tainted. Did they win because they were cheating all along? It really is too bad. Once you realize that someone is not trustworthy in one area, then everything they do is up for grabs. How can you trust anything you hear? And if in fact there is enough evidence to justify the current penalties, why is BB not suspended? Lots of questions and no satisfying answers.

Though it is sweet to watch Randy Moss. He makes very difficult things look easy.

Quote of the Day

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
- from a very accomplished gymnast who is the daughter of a co-worker.

Podcasts

I have an iPod mini, and have had it for about a year now. The strange thing is that I've only ever used it for music. So for every audio book I've listened to, I've had to schlep around a box of CDs in the passenger seat, and swap out CDs as I finish them.

Now, I know this is not rocket science, but it honestly never occurred to me to use my iPod to listen to books and podcasts. Well, got that resolved this past weekend, and have been having a ball. I'm always on the search for good podcasts, so let me know if you have one you'd recommend.

Oh, and I was in the Apple store the other day and really love the newer ones. Might have to upgrade soon! :-)

Recent Reads

Vacations give me a chance to wallow in my reading, and a couple of books I've ingested lately are:

1. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
My book club book for August. I absolutely loved this book. Desai's writing is lyrical and non-linear. Her story of the various losses that impact her characters is told with gentle empathy. The loss of love, family, culture, faith, roots, etc. Simply brilliantly done.
This is not an easy book to read. I was not able to simply blow through it. I found that I had to take pauses every several chapters to let it all sink in.

2. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Another book I loved. Have you ever read a book sparingly, and slowly, so as not to finish it too fast? This was one of those books for me. I was grabbed by the first line. And oh what beautiful language. I loved the characters and was not prepared for the ending. Simply delightful.

Isn't life grand when you are surrounded by wonderful reads? I so agree with the quote " a reader never goes to bed alone."

Recent Audio Books

Listened to 2 audio books last month - both very different in style.

1. Life's a Beach by Claire Cook
Classic chick-lit. Light and fluffy. I think Amazon's review of 4.5 stars is grossly exaggerated - I would give it 2 stars at most. Could not imagine reading this book, but it was not a bad listen for commuting.

2. 3 Weeks with My Brother by Nicholas Sparks
Billed as a travel essay - which it really is not. This is a well written memoir that gives us insight into the life of the author. The trip with his brother is the back drop, for the real story - his life, loves and losses. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Summer

12x12 LO of a recent camping trip.








Details of left and right pages:

A Walk in the Woods

Another 12x12 LO









Detail of left and right pages:

Faces of Luke

A new 12x12 LO.
Click on image to enlarge.

Moon Walk

The moon has featured prominently in my life recently.

Yesterday morning, S and I had a breakfast picnic as we watched the lunar eclipse. It started around 4:50am and lasted for almost 2 hours. We drove to the park, but there was a huge cloud bank in the way. Moved over to the golf course and were treated to the most spectacular sight. I drew sketches of what I saw - will post the page later. When the moon dipped behind houses, we moved back to the park to continue watching. It was a beautiful morning. Chill in the air. Huge moon getting eaten. And then sun rose behind us. The eclipsed moon dipped again behind a cloud bank towards the end, so we missed the last bit - but no complaints here. There was only one other family out there watching. Amazing what wondrous things happen while most people are asleep.

The huge moon was distracting again later last night on our way to dinner. I'm amazed that there were not more accidents as motorists got lost in the sight. And then this morning (it's dark again by 5:30!), the moon lit up my walk. It was a one bunny day. To be honest, there might have been more bunnies about, but I was blinded by the lovely lantern in the sky.

Summer Music

The Summer Music Series in Lowell is one of the gems of the town.
It's a perfect way to have a picnic, enjoy lovely summer evenings and listen to awesome music.

We recently checked out 2 concerts:
One of them was my first Indigo Girls concert. The place was packed with people of all ages, and I liked their music - turns out I know some of their songs. Melissa Ferrick opened for them - she was good, but not as great as when she is in her angry/rocking mode. Met up with friends A&M for a fun picnic and a great night under the stars.











I discovered Koko Taylor several years ago - a chance encounter with an NPR show. I love her music. What a voice. Koko's concert left me feeling a little strange. I guess I had no idea that she was 77 and it felt uncomfortable to sit and expect her to entertain us. It's funny how people don't age in your mind when you don't get regular updated. Her band really rocked, though it was strange that her manager gave false information about her. Shemeika Copeland opened - a young woman with an incredible voice that will only get better.

What's up with Vick?

The 4 most recognizable QBs in US football are (in my fave order) Brett Farve, Tom Brady, Michael Vick and Peyton Manning.

Vick is exciting to watch - he makes things happen. When the news broke earlier this year about dog fighting on his land, I bought into his denial - it was not me; i have no idea of what might have happened on far flung corners of my land, etc. Why? Because I did not want it to be true. I could not believe that he would be that stupid. Well, he fessed up this week. What an idiot (for doing it, not for fessing up). There go his endorsements and he's very likely to do jail time. This is not something he's going to be able to shake off. There is sense of disgust directed at him.

How do I feel? To quote Armand in "Birdcage".... betrayed, bewildered......

God-father-less

My god-father passed away recently.

I had always thought that I was his only god-daughter, so was surprised to learn when I visited him in May that he actually has 3. One is my cousin, and one a total stranger - a lovely person I met for the first time. There might be others I have yet to learn about.

Though I thought of my uncle often, I never really gave much thought to having a god-father. I am surprised at how much I miss having one.