February Retrospective

February Retrospective, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

59 - Another Masterpiece

59 - Another Masterpiece, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

My dh found the oil pastels that I had forgotten we had, and he and the boys had a blast drawing. Dh showed my oldest son the picture on the left that one of my artist friends had drawn while he was in Spain, and he quickly drew this sketch. Pretty fun!

58 - Runnin' in the Rain

58 - Runnin' in the Rain, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Runnin' in the Rain
I'm Runnin' in the Rain
What a Glorious Feeling
I'm Happy Again!

Well, it was sunny when I started! I was running to my iPod songs (Grease and Dreamgirls and songs inspired by the movie, Amazing Grace) and enjoying every step, but I got caught in the rain. So, here is my flattering self-portrait after sweat and rain!

I love this little run around the lake at the campus where my dh works. There are ducks and beavers and all sorts of interesting birds. My dh even popped out for a loop around the lake with me.

57 - Light Along the Way

57 - Light Along the Way, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

"In the heavens He has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bride groom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs his course with joy." Psalm 19:4-5

To think I didn't want to take the drive to Eugene today to try on the bridesmaid dress because the weather looked like it was going to be bad. It was quite the contrary. It was a gorgeous gift from God. I gasped as I beheld this, and Michael cried out, "Photo op! Photo op!" My dear family was subject to very cold temperatures as I kept the window rolled down and snapped away while the car raced by at 55 MPH, but they are getting used to mom doing things like this.

The next Bible verse I read was the one above, and I thought it was so appropriate.

56 - And the Oscar Goes to . . .

56 - And the Oscar Goes to . . ., originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

55 - All Things Austen

55 - All Things Austen, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

We discussed Pride and Prejudice at "Book Dames Book Club" this morning over tea, scones, and Devonshire cream. I had such a good time, but I was too busy to take a picture during the club. It received an 8.87 on our book rating scale.

AUSTEN ROCKS!

54 - Pure Pleasure of Pride & Prejudice

Tea and Pride and Prejudice, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

I was struck by the purity of the white cup and the pure pleasure of laying on my couch reading Pride and Prejudice this morning.

53 - Smaug and Gandalf the Grey

Smaug and Gandalf the Grey, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Today was the performance of The Hobbit, and our friends' children were two very important characters. They did fabulously!

The most fabulous thing is their dad, who just had brain surgery one week ago, was at the performance and feeling great!

Proud Mom & Dad!

52 - Crocuses by Morning Light

Crocuses in Morning Light, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

I loved the raindrops in the morning sun. When it is on my full computer screen, they are so alive! I love purple. Compare it to yesterday afternoon's picture. I like them both. :)

Spring is coming, and these are always my first flowers to bloom in our yard.

Crocuses in the Afternoon

Crocuses in bloom in front yard, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

This was yesterday's picture that didn't make the cut over "Dolly The Photogenic Sheep," but I really liked it. So, I am adding it for comparison to the one I took today for my picture of the day.

51 - Do You Think This is My Best Side?

51 - Do You Think This is My Best Side?, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

It has been raining pretty consistently the last few days, but I have been longing for some outdoor shots (and exercise!). It cleared up for only a few hours today (It is POURING as I type this - Actually, it is hailing!), and I was able to walk during the boys' music lessons. I walked out to Irish Bend Covered Bridge on the OSU Campus. I wanted to post a cool picture of the bridge, but this sheep just begged me to have her picture taken so I could show you her best side! All women are alike! LOL!

Here is the short Irish Bend Covered Bridge Set on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/gp/52364318@N00/2A2iV5

50 - Home Sweet Home from Another Angle

50 - Home Sweet Home from Another Angle, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

This is looking the other way out our French doors that go out onto a covered deck where we BBQ. This is also my computer area off the kitchen.

49 - Happy Birthday Mr. Knightly

49 - Happy Birthday Mr. Knightly, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

We had a nice dinner for our main man on his 45th birthday. He is such a great man!

48 - Shopping Day

48 - Shopping Day, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

I love the way my grocery store (Fred Meyer - isn't that a funny name for a store?) displays its produce in these baskets.

47 - Masterpiece

47 - Masterpiece, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

Paul has been working on this for days. He is so proud of his careful coloring and measured squares. When I complimented him on this work of art, he said, "Maybe it will make your picture of the day."

How could I deny him that simple pleasure?

I took picture after picture and was frustrated with every shot! Paul said, "Mom, give me the camera." In one shot he had it. So, even though I didn't take it, I had to include his picture (of his picture) and eat humble pie.

46 - Home Sweet Home

46 - Home Sweet Home, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

It is the four year anniversary of moving into this home (actually, we got the keys on Valentine's Day, but the BIG move was the day after). So, I am celebrating by posting a picture of a part our home!

This is the view from my computer area off the kitchen into the dining room/living room area. We home school on the couches.

45 - Valentine Words of Encouragement

45 - Valentine Words of Encouragement, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

This was delivered to my door playing "I Think I Love You" by David Cassady of the Partridge Family. He was my junior high crush. So, it was appropriate to have this seranade me this morning.

44 - Sleepless

44 - Sleepless, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

A night meeting had me wide awake and "thinking" in bed for an hour. So, I just got up at midnight and processed some disappointment that I was feeling. The meeting wasn't bad, but it was surprising for me to hear the outcome of some things I realized I had my heart set on. It was good to pray and be at peace even in the midst of the disappointment. It is well with my soul. Thus, the smile. I was asleep by 2:30 a.m. with no pressing engagements the next morning. So, there was no loss in it and much more gain. I love the quiet of the night, and I miss not having insomnia like I did back before I married dh. I can't remember the last time I couldn't sleep at night.

I was reminded of Beth's photo by computer light. So, I copied you! I love having closure on the day's photo by 1/2 hour into the day! Hope you don't mind the copycat, Beth. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

43 - Eager Beaver

43 - Eager Beaver, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

This creature changes the landscape more than any other creature, except man, according to the IMAX movie on Beavers.

Taken at Stewart Lake on the Hewlett-Packard campus.

42 - Iovino's on the River

Iovino's on the River, originally uploaded by carolfoasia.

I loved the interior of this Italian restaurant that used to be in a hole in the wall and has recently moved to the ground floor of a new condominium development that is right on the riverfront. I loved the colors and the "stadium seating" that goes up toward the back of the restaurant. I also love the food!

PLMT Pancetta, romaine, mozzarella cheese and salsa fresca topped with basil pesto-marscapone. Served on grilled ciabatta with grilled chicken breast.

This was our Valentine's Date. Our kids were gone all day. So, we went to church, out to a late lunch, reading at the library reading room, and dessert at Cold Stone. It was a great day!

BTW, I had no idea how EASY it is to post to your Blog from Flickr! All this time, I was uploading to my blog and then going over to Flickr and uploading all over again. This posts to my blog in one easy step! I noticed Julie and Margaret have that subtitle at the bottom, but I didn't realize it was that! WHO KNEW!?

January Retrospective

Stealing from Ampersand who stole it from Julie! How fun!

"Nonsense and Beauty have close connections" E.M. Forster

41 - Window to the Soul

"The eyes are the window to the soul." Ancient Proverb

40 - A Day with the A's

My Son, "P", and "I" at the top of Chip Ross Park

They spent the night, and we played basketball in the driveway,

(Yes, I can still dribble and shoot. This 47 year old still has her "hoop groove"!)

made movies, (Hilarious, and I will post them on UTube someday!)

wrote Get Well cards to I and P's dad, listened to a Tolstoy short story, and hiked up to the top of Chip Ross Park for nature journaling, tree climbing, and beholding the beauty of the town below.

If you click on this and make it bigger, you can see how my town in nestled in this lovely valley!

See the whole set at:

http://www.flickr.com/gp/52364318@N00/Zt5L38

It was a fabulously fun day!

39 - Forever Friends

Tonight is a slumber party. I hear jokes and laughter and thumps coming from the other room as these four young men settle down to sleep. My kids are on the right and left, and their two friends (brothers) are on the top and bottom. They have all been friends since they all popped out of the womb, and I have been friends with their dad since I first saw him in the OSU Athletic Training room back in 1978 wearing a shirt that said, "Throwing for Jesus" on the front and "Lifting for Jesus" on the back. That was 29 years ago, and now that same OSU athlete and father to these two children (and two more at other homes) has Stage IV Melanoma cancer that has grown into a walnut sized tumor in his brain.

My funniest story about their dad relates to "I" who is on the bottom center. His mother's water broke, and she asked me to come to the hospital for his birth and take pictures. As I was getting the camera ready, the nurse yelled, "Help Me!" I turned around and said, "I don't know anything about delivering a baby!" She said, "Not the baby, the dad!" I looked down and saw their dad fainted and flat on the floor. I was put in charge of dragging him out of the way so he was out of the path of the baby delivery! I was three months pregnant with the one on the right at the time, and their dad is a 6 foot 3 inch former javelin thrower. NO SMALL MAN to move!
I ended up going to the nursery to supervise the weighing and the measuring of "I," filling in for his dad because dad was too sick to move. It was a very comical situation.

With all the laughter coming from the other room as I type, I can't imagine what it would be like to fear the loss of their father to this hideous disease. Prayers and tears here.

38 - Pleasure

This is a place that gives me great pleasure. It is the reading room of my library. It is on the opposite side of the Children's section. It is the "old" part of the library built in 1931. It has a beautiful wood ceiling and pretty windows.

I chose a color of B&W that gives it an antique sort of look and also keeps with the B&W self-portrait theme.

I sit here while my kids search for books. It is quiet, and I love it when the sunlight pours in the windows as I sit in the wing backed chairs. It is not only pleasure, but it is also peace for me.
My favorite memory of this place was when I was going through an incredibly difficult time in 2001, and I sat here all day and read my Bible and prayed and something just lifted. It has always brought me incredible peace to be here because of that memory.

37 - Running Away From Camera

I got this idea from the photo website that Julie directed us to where this guy set the self-timer and ran away from the camera at all these different places. I am modifying it with my son running away from the camera during our walk this afternoon. This is our street. Great walk. The conversation was worth getting up this morning. I learned a ton about my son.

36 - Leftovers!

I wanted an afternoon snack, and it hit me. I have leftovers from the Super Bowl party! I thought the colors were so pretty in these tortilla roll-ups. My friend, Lisa, usually brings them to parties, and she didn't on New Year's Eve. So, I "requested" them for the party. She made me up my own plate for the day after! What a gal!
.

35 - Super Bowl Sunrise Over the Three Sisters

I woke up at about 7 a.m. and saw that the sunrise was beautiful! I scurried to get dressed, and I missed that initial sight that I saw when I first woke up, but this was lovely. I just couldn't decide which I liked best! A great morning. (This is the same hill that I took a picture from yesterday, only this is facing east rather than west.)

34 - The View from Hospital Hill

"The heavens are telling the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring
the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night
reveals knowledge. " Psalm 19:1-2


On the way home from my time with
my mentors, I turned off the highway
and went over the hill to my house and
beheld this sight. I went into the
medical offices parking lot and shot this
3:15 p.m. shot. This is one of my
walking routes. I love the layer upon
layer in the landscape of trees and in the sky.

Studying Romans 1 this
week about God being evident in creation coupled
with doing this Project365
has really caused me to open my eyes and SEE the
beauty that surrounds me.
It has been such a big blessing in my life. Thank you
God!

33 - A Necessary Evil

Three cans full of shredding.

I had every intention of going to the lake at dh's work this afternoon to take pictures of the ducks while receiving a tutorial in wildlife photography from dh (This is his specialty), but the fog came in, and the light wasn't going to be as good. So, I did the next best thing: I tackled my office! (NOT!)

Consequently, I didn't even get outside today. I usually file at least once I month, but I realized that it had been five! So, I got in front of the telly and watched all the Friday news shows on PBS tonight and culled and shredded and filed! Now, I am all prepared to start my taxes! OH JOY!

Such is my ordinary life.

32 - Morning Tea in Brown Betty

I am too exhausted to take lots of pictures today after taking a photojournal of the day. Carol24 is on Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52364318@N00/sets/72157594511856428/

I hope you enjoy it!