Team-Up Thursday

During my month taking part in Picture Spring, I was lucky to "meet" some lovely ladies online - talented photographers who inspired me to try harder than my usual shoot-from-the-hip style. Tammy was one of those ladies, and I am almost daily blown away by her leaps ahead of me in producing beautiful images.

This week we partnered in the Team-Up Thursday project, the theme being "Water". I took hundreds of photos of waves and surfers in San Francisco Bay, trying to keep the Golden Gate Bridge in the composition somewhere. I thought I'd need something iconic to make me look good.

But in the end, I liked this one for its simplicity.

waiting for a dog, originally uploaded by à la mosey.

Tammy is located on the opposite side of the continent in Florida and I was sure she was going to come up with something stunning for me to measure up to. She doesn't disappoint. Here is her gorgeous photo - just look at those clouds!

With the Tides, originally uploaded by Tammy Lee Bradley.

Because we are bi-coastal, we thought we'd do a little extra photo showing us dipping our toes across the continent from one another - from the Atlantic to the Pacific! Here's mine, and yes the water was freezing.

sfbay, originally uploaded by à la mosey.

See Tammy's post here, and our diptych here.

you know you're tired when...

...rather than finishing the encyclopedic blog post you started three days ago and just don't have the energy to finish, you post a picture of what you had for breakfast instead.

what we had for breakfast, originally uploaded by à la mosey.

And really, you can't go wrong with waffles and blackberries from the farmer's market.

could you say no?

Me neither.

first day of summer...

...and out came the pool.

first day of summer..., originally uploaded by à la mosey.

This year, however, I wised up and bought an electric pump. Which saved me from the back and arm breaking exhaustion of the hand pump, but has deafened me and probably most of the neighbourhood. Which is handy for blocking out a certain kindergarten graduate (as of yesterday!) singing at the top of her lungs in the other room.

Like my own six year old self of thirty-*cough cough*-something years ago, Sweetpea was delighted with both the freedom of summer and also the catering to her every whim (popsicles! floaty! come play with me! come play with me more! make the water warmer, mummy! how about another popsicle?!) which I will have you know is lasting exactly today and no further. I gave her a day's grace since she was inconsolable after saying good-bye to her teacher and to school for the summer. Nutty kid.

Moods are on the upswing around these parts, you'll be happy to hear. If only so you don't have to hear me whining about allergies and crankiness and wah wah wahhhhhh.......

Go HERE to watch a feel-good viral hug. I dare you not to smile.

ice and compression

We had what to all appearances should have been a splendid day. Sunshine. Allergies were minimal, temporarily. A cool breeze to offset the blazing sun (summer has arrived, after a cold wet spring). Our local street painting festival, one of our favourite events of the year.

For various reasons, the day went sour. First for him, then me. The chalk festival was as inspiring as ever, but some expectations for the day were unmet for my English hubby. Other events transpired and my mood, tenuous at best these days, spiraled downward. To the point that when English hubby, at home later, said that he was going to head out for a hike on his own, my thoughts were "Just go, already!"

Moments after leaving, he collapsed back through the doorway having twisted his ankle on the way down our steps. It's a severe sprain, his ankle obscenely swollen. All evening he iced it for 20 minutes every hour, knowing that he would then suffer through excruciating cramps before his foot warmed up again. Then cringing as I wrapped it tightly until the next time a bag of frozen blueberries was called to do its work.

Sweetpea, having been shushed and shooed away while her Daddy writhed in pain, did what she does best - retreated to her room to make him a card, the drawing on which cracks him up.

English hubby spells s-h-i-t, forgetting that Sweetpea now knows how to read. She promptly writes it down and asks what it means. I alternately stifle hilarity, engage in discussion of what words are appropriate for a six year old to use, and wonder if we've overprotected her given that she's never heard it and that she calls h-a-t-e the H-word, which I also think is hilarious.

I contemplate my navel and wonder not only when lungs capable of sucking in a full capacity of oxygen will return, but when joie de vivre will knock again at my door. I recall the best advice I ever received at a time of hitting emotional rock bottom, from my father, who said "Sometimes you just have to walk it, babe." I'm walking it. I choose health and happiness. I choose. Can anyone hear me?

Our moods improve while watching toads deliberately fall from cliffs like Wile E. Coyote (oof! ouch! ack!) to escape their predators on the Discovery Channel Life series. English hubby, resting his foot on three pillows, strokes my hand. We discuss the day and although neither of us believes in fate, acknowledge that a sprained ankle diverts the attention nicely. I bring him Advil and more ice, and gather pillows and pajamas for his no doubt restless night in the guest room.

I wonder if ice and compression work on the psyche.

in the tall grasses

Who is that in the tall grasses singing
By herself, near the water?
I can not see her
But can it be her
Than whom the grasses so tall
Are taller,
My daughter,
My lovely daughter?
--Irving Layton

in the tall grasses, originally uploaded by à la mosey.

(Dedicated to Anne Marie, who pointed me to this delicious poem which evoked so perfectly the photo I took yesterday...)

there was a child went forth

In seven days my baby will be done with kindergarten.
She reads, she writes.
Although because she writes phonetically, I often require her translating services when reading her stories.
She still automatically takes my hand when we are walking together or crossing the street, but will drop it if she remembers her desire to flex her independence.
She prefers school to being at home.
But can easily spend hours immersed in drawing or creating new worlds in the living room.
She is fascinated by bugs, science, the environment, books, and art.
Although she no longer wants to be an astronaut, she now wants to be a teacher or firefighter or someone "who helps people".
When she was two she wanted to be "a man who plays the guitar", but now informs us this is impossible except for a very few species who can change from female to male.
She prefers friends "who make good choices" (yes, she really said that).
She still believes in fairies although I may have shaken her confidence in the tooth fairy after forgetting to exchange a tooth for coins a few months ago.
She feels sad that she hasn't seen a real unicorn or experienced "real" magic yet, but is hopeful.
She alternates between wanting my help, and then doing something like closing the door I've just opened and opening it again herself.
She talks incessantly, which is obviously a throwback to a previous generation because it is an impulse completely foreign to me and English hubby.
She is endlessly distracted, and can spend half an hour in the bathroom talking to herself in the mirror and creating a whole world of make believe when she should be brushing her teeth.
She cries out in frustration when reminded to make her bed, but when asked to help with a chore occasionally says "Of course I will! Why wouldn't I?"
She frequently stuns me momentarily silent with her insights.
She is growing up so quickly that for the first time in her life I feel the need to turn back the clock and just have it all slow.... down..... so I can catch my breath and savor each moment.


A triptych of visits to the zoo over the years, the last with English Daddy this past weekend.
(click to see larger)

Title refers to "There Was A Child Went Forth" by Walt Whitman

eyelashes to die for

If I'd had lashes like these growing up, my self-esteem would probably have been much better than it was. I hope she appreciates 'em. (Thanks to English hubby's genes...)

ivory and lashes, originally uploaded by à la mosey.

This image begins another photography project for me - I'm following along with a two week session called Creativity Boot Camp, just to keep my creative juices flowing...

(I'll be posting my images on Flickr if you're interested in seeing what I'm up to.)

coffee haiku

Pollen fills the air
I breathe in caffeine goodness
Glaring at the trees

hello, coffee, originally uploaded by à la mosey.