IT'S JULY???

Believing it is July is extremely difficult. Where did the first half of 2010 go? Many things have happened - and at the same time nothing exciting has occurred - since the last post.

Made a trek to Central Market over the weekend. Saw these interesting items in the produce department. They were with the fingerling potatoes, which I've always wanted to try. The sign called these Oca Potatoes and mentioned they were from New Zealand. Feeling adventurous, I bought a few to try. They were different. First, I googled for recipes and preparation suggestions. Seeing them referred to as tubers of the oxalis plant didn't help. I have oxalis growing in the yard and would certainly never eat the little "bulbs" as I call them. Anyway, I cooked them the easy way. Boiled them and served them with butter, salt, and pepper. The verdict: reminded me of a cooked carrot in texture. The flavor was a cross between a yam and acorn squash. So now I can say I've tried Oca Potatoes from New Zealand.


The painting job in the living room is complete. I did not replace the wall decor which got removed prior to painting. Instead, I opted to make a mini-gallery of my favorite photos. I can change them at random. I suppose I could even be thematic if I desired. I am pleased with the results.

Now I am working on reupholstering the dining room chairs. They were covered in a dark hunter green. With the light walls they needed to be brightened a bit. I've selected a floral print on a creamy background. Not a favorite choice, but the price was right so I made myself like it. I have completed a couple of the seats and will share photos when the entire task is finished.

Speaking of photographs, today I officially entered the photography contest at the upcoming State Fair of Texas. Thousands of people submit entries so I am not expecting to win ....or place, but being an entrant is one more thing I can cross off the Things-I-Regret-Not-Doing list.

Until another post...

COLOR MY WORLD??

Recently I painted (with the help of a son) the ceiling and walls in the living and dining rooms. The color was changed from a darkish mauve/plum to a neutral beige. I had a purpose for the change.

I take lots of digital photos and have quite a few favorites. However, since they are digital, the only place they can be seen are on my computer. Someone dear to me thinks FILM is the only way to go because you can have the prints forever. Yes, I agree there are no prints but at the same time, think of all the money one saves by not purchasing bad prints just to get a few great ones! In an effort to compromise, I started printing out some of my favorite shots.

I went a step further and turned my newly painted [but bare] living room walls into my private, one-woman photo gallery. I purchased some cheap, black frames and matted them identically. Now I can rotate favorite pictures in and out. That was all wonderful until I realized all my favorite photos are very neutral colors. Tan, black, rust.... throw in some blue from a sky and some green from a field and you just saw all the colors of my gallery prints. I started noticing things around me.... most buildings are neutral tones, skyscrapers are neutral, most cars are now white, black, silver, beige. What happened to purple, yellow, orange, and lime green? So I set out yesterday morning with the intention of taking photos of C O L O R to replace the 'drab' in my frames.

Farmer's Market is always a great place to find color.

The fish store is halfway between my house and the farmer's market. After the visual treats at the market, we stopped at the fish store. I needed to put a few more fish in my aquarium and rarely venture to the store without my camera.

Look at the color on this little guy!! I think he's some sort of shrimp.

This guy seems to smile. Yes, I know he isn't colorful, but his face was irresistible. So expressive. He looks wrinkled and wise.

This fish amazed me. He reminded me of a rainbow. On his tail there are reddish orange colors and by the tip of his nose we've gone through the entire spectrum of the rainbow... red, orange, yellow, green tints, blue, purple, and ending with white. AMAZING!

Yesterday was a good day. My faithful sidekick was celebrating his birthday. We spent the day doing things he enjoyed. Ended it with a wonderful birthday dinner. Many more happy ones, H... or at this age perhaps I should just wish you more of them??? Just kidding... I was honored to be the one to help you celebrate.

Until another post...

A DARK PERSPECTIVE

Although the local "powers that be" have fallen short of declaring us in a full-blown drought, it is early June and we have already experienced temperatures far higher than normal, with an accompanying rainfall total far fewer inches than is average for this time of year. The grasses along the highways and interstates are crisp and devoid of chlorophyll. The heat is on! There aren't many outdoor adventures planned in the heat of the day. I had my camera sitting in the passenger seat as I ran errands, necessitating some frequent pull-overs to snap a shot or two. This fountain has been going for a couple years. It is in a townhouse development which is failing to develop given the economic reality of the area. But the fountains remain inviting nonetheless.



There was a Balloon Festival and Air Show in a community south of Dallas. Wishing to digitally capture a Balloon Glow remains on my list of wanna-trys. Saturday night seemed the perfect opportunity. Except for one tiny little thing; it was too windy and it was called off. Being in the middle of a field, there was no way to call ahead to inquire the status of the event. So we drove to the venue to learn it had never materialized. No problem. Turned around and headed east to a charming town. Waxahachie, Texas. Location of one of my favorite county courthouses in all of Texas. Turned the adventure into one of capturing night shots of the town square as it lit up.

A pub on the square featured live performances. The stage is located in the front window. This young musician had just taken the stage as we walked by.

I continue my love affair with alleys. It amazed me that one light could illuminate so thoroughly. (I rarely use a flash; all these photos were taken using the available ambient lighting.)

For a small town I was amazed at the activity in the downtown square. Music could be heard wafting from several venues, local plays were being performed at two different locations on the square, a wedding was in full swing in the upstairs of another storefront as evidenced by the guests who spilled into the street when in need of a smoke or some fresh breeze. (Mind you, the temperature was 88 degrees at 10 p.m., but cool compared to the 98 high of the day.)

An hour after the first shot... and from the diagonally opposing corner.

As always, I was accompanied by my favorite fellow adventurer. It was a night time adventure that was altogether unexpected, but well worth the time spent. Memories were made and laughter was shared.

Until further adventures...

HAPPY 95th BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA!!

June 6, 2010 is a very special day!! It all started June 6, 1915....

My maternal grandmother, shown here by herself and then with my only brother, celebrated her 95th birthday today.

Grandma is my only surviving grandparent. I think she looks remarkable for 95 years old. I know at times she is in pain, unable to hear, unable to see well, and at times her mind doesn't cooperate with what goes on around her.... so it seems rather cruel to wish her "many more" happy birthdays. So I just wish her a wonderful year.

Until I think of something new to post...

A NEW PROJECT

I've got a new project: I am painting the interior walls of my house to update the place a bit and give it a fresh look. I am starting with the living room and adjoining dining room... mainly because those are the first rooms I see when I enter the house. I want the walls to cause me to sigh with pleasure and a feeling of relaxation. There is a story behind the colors I've selected.

Several years ago I bought some quilting fabrics for no other reason than "they spoke to me". The colors were atypical of anything I'd normally select, but the name of the collection was Surf and Sand (by Marcus Brothers Fabrics) and that, combined with the colors, created a relaxed feeling in my soul whenever I glanced at the fabrics. I've looked at those colors and fabrics for ages, still feeling the pleasure and waiting for just the right project to come along for their use.

The fabrics are shown below: tans and blues.

Fast forward to present day: it occurred to me that if these fabric colors cause such a peaceful reaction at each glance, those are the colors I need to see in my surroundings. Therefore, based on those colors, I am painting the walls peaceful tones of tan, beige, and light blue.

Below is the current color next to the sample I will use. The color on the left is the existing color and the sample on the right is the color I am applying. The dining room on the far end will be the lightest tan shade in the fabrics and the wall separating the two rooms will be accented with the lightest of the blue colors. My sister says I need to throw in another color to add some pop. She thinks coral will be good. I am thinking perhaps a grape color (since the carpet is that color). The budget is tight so it might not get 'popped' for a while.

I am excited about this change and look forward to the finished project. I am painting the ceiling and the woodwork as well, so it will take some time since I will be doing it by myself. Lots of climbing up and down a ladder is on the horizon but it will be time, energy, and sore muscles well spent! Then I can finally make something with the fabrics.... a throw? a pillow?

Until more progress is made....

THE VISIT

Recently I was afforded the opportunity to take a picture of all three of my sons together. It doesn't happen very often these days, but it was wonderful to see them together.



And here is the REAL picture as it was taken.

I've been playing with Photoshop. Oh the things a person can do when they read the manual!

Until the next post...

AN UNEXPECTED TRIP

On Friday I found myself driving to Houston to pick up my oldest son. He'd been living in the Houston area since last summer and decided that was not working out for him so he asked if I'd drive down to get him and bring him back to Dallas. No problem. However, since H went with me and it was only 45 miles (or so) from where his daughter is going to school, we also made a quick stop in Galveston to visit with her for a short time. The seawall was windy, the waves were high, the beaches were covered with high water. There is still evidence of the destruction from the previous hurricane as is visible by the lack of a structure being supported by the piers.



Pelicans. Lots of pelicans flew overhead as I stood on the seawall.

As we were leaving Galveston for the Texas mainland, the refineries were noted to be operating at full capacity. Usually I am leaving Galveston after dark so I don't get to see all these sights.

Another sight that I usually see after dark. The skyline of downtown Houston. On these jaunts to the coast the majority of pictures I seem to capture are through the windshield. More of Houston. I was mainly just playing with camera settings as we drove through rush hour traffic. H was driving, thank goodness. It took hours to put Houston behind us... literally.

Downtown Houston

Some of the buildings are interesting. However, it is tough to decide which skyline is better: Houston or Dallas.

Near Huntsville, Texas is a giant statue of Sam Houston along the interstate. Sam Houston was one of the founding fathers of Texas government.

Again, usually by the time we are driving past this statue it is well after dark, so it was a treat to capture it in the daylight.

The Texas wildflowers are in full bloom as evidenced by the endless blooms along the highways. The colors are wonderful: yellow, purple, white, blue, pink, orange. Sometimes they are in mixed groups; other times there are only one or 2 colors featured. Regardless, the wildflowers form a continuous border along all the major highways and interstates. Years ago Lady Bird Johnson was instrumental in accomplishing this through her campaign to beautify Texas.

It was a long trip, but my companions were terrific and the scenery was exquisite.

Until the next post...

DID I MENTION....

.... that I *love* trains? Particularly old trains; vintage trains; trains from a simpler era? Consider it mentioned!

This past weekend the area was treated to something special. This train, Union Pacific No. 844, is touring the country. Depending on who you believe, this train resides in Wyoming and makes a journey across the country, stops at various cities and eventually makes a return trip to Wyoming. As for whom you believe, the website says Wyoming. The engineer says Oregon. Either way it is the northwest.

This train has the distinction and honor of being considered the last steam locomotive manufactured. It was put into service in 1944. In my mind this date conjures images of soldiers leaving and then returning home, war supplies being shuttled to and from various locations, and more.

We left the house at 6 a.m. Saturday morning to drive to the Union Pacific rail yard west of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. The train's departure time was scheduled for 8 a.m. so we planned for plenty of time to take photographs.



This is my favorite photo. No idea why.... it simply is.

This photo truly gives an impression of the massive size.

The morning had dawned dreary and overcast. As I was on the west side of the train the morning sun broke through the clouds for but a moment and illuminated the steam in a striking manner. I smiled and snapped this photo.

The train is finally chugging toward its destination. Look at all that stream!! And the sounds!! My, how wonderful the sounds.

This photo struck me as interesting. To see this steam engine of a former day moving against a backdrop of the modern era locomotives was very poignant. Even the rail yard workers were caught up in the moment and took time to admire the mechanical marvel.

Gaining momentum....

This too was a poignant shot. Yesteryear moving toward the modern as the train rolled east toward the skyscrapers of Fort Worth.

With the train departed, the return trek to Dallas afforded some smelling of the roses... or in this case, some photos of the roadside wildflowers. The State Flower of Texas... the Bluebonnet.

This was by accident. As I sat in the flowers I managed to capture the interstate signs pointing to both Dallas and Fort Worth.

Despite the overcast, gray skies in Fort Worth, the sky was cloudless in Dallas.

To complete the morning (we were back home by noon), we stopped at the Dallas Farmer's Market to browse the offerings.

It was no later than 9:30 or 10:00 a.m when we visited the market. As evidenced by the lack of jackets and sweaters, it is a typical spring day in Dallas. Morning lows in the 60s; afternoon highs reaching the upper 70s. In all the years we've been going to the market, we've never eaten breakfast at this outdoor cafe. Perhaps one day.

Later in the evening we went to the Dallas Galleria to see a new aquarium that had been installed earlier in the day with help from my cousin the fish-guru. I'd never taken the camera to the Galleria so I thought I'd at least capture the tank set up. Instead I had fun capturing architecture and patrons.

All in all, it was a good day. Oh, and did I mention I still love trains?

Until the next time...