181 / 365 What’s Up, Doc?

I only have a couple of houseplants that I really baby throughout the year.  My favorite is this rabbit’s foot fern.  The stem of the plant looks like a furry paw growing out from under the foliage.  New fronds grow from the stem, as seen in the photo.  I love a plant that makes me smile.

180 / 365 Frog Blog

Five weeks ago we added floating boogie boards to our pool to help critters rescue themselves when they fall in.  Some of our friends think we’re crazy, but I’m a believer… we’ve only had one casualty since the self-service program began.  In fact, the frog in the picture is the first “save” I’ve had to initiate since May, and I’m not convinced it really needed help (the hose attaches to the side of the pool).  However, just in case, I reeled it in and sent the critter hopping on its way.

179 / 365 Feeding the Multitudes

Some time ago two renegade plants began sprouting on a small hill next to the church parking lot.  As they grew, my office buddy P and I watched them closely and finally determined that they were a type of squash.  We thought the preschool teachers had planted them as a science lesson, but that was not the case; the plants may have reached their destination by way of the annual church pumpkin patch.  Regardless, they have started producing fat round yellow squash.  We harvested the first batch today, and P is going to make a squash casserole tonight and serve it to our colleagues at our staff meeting in the morning.  I feel like a pioneer.

178 / 365 Smart Choices

H and I stopped by the market to pick up a few food items, and it struck me how different our shopping lists are.  Can you guess who’s dreaming of what for dinner?

177 / 365 A Blogger’s Lot

During a recent souvenir shop visit, H discovered this decorative tile and suggested to me that the guy who wrote it must have a wife who is a blogger.

176 / 365 Talkin’ Laundry

This is a picture of H’s clothes hamper, stationed next to the washing machine, ready to be unloaded.  It reminds me of an unexpected laundry conversation that we had this morning as we were taking an early walk through the neighborhood.  It began when two manly men, deep in conversation, came jogging by.  It was obvious that they had traveled a good distance because their t-shirts were soaked in sweat.  Once out of earshot, H began to express his thoughts:

“Those guys are really going to smell when they get home.  Those t-shirts must stink – they have to go into the wash immediately.  Just think if they went into the hamper, everything else would smell. No way are those going into the hamper!”

Having said his peace, H was quiet for the rest of the walk.  I never knew he felt so strongly about laundry.

175 / 365 Is This Really Necessary?

P had a check-up at the vet today, and while we were waiting on the doctor I took the opportunity for a few candid shots.  He made a point to play the “pleading big eyes” card to persuade me to take him home.  I did… but only after his exam was done.

174 / 365 Hey, What’s Going on Over There?

There was a rumble in the garden one afternoon earlier this week.  H and I heard birds squawking and screeching all the way at the far end of the house.  Downstairs from the porch I could see several crows sitting on the back fence and a family of blue jays (I say family as if they’re listed in the church directory) giving them the what-for – swooping at them and jumping back and forth from the ground to the fence.  I tried to sneak out for a closer look but they spied me and departed.  I could swear that I saw something in the claws of one of the crows as it flew off.  I hope I didn’t witness a kidnapping. 

173 / 365 Flushed With Excitement

My maintenance skills have come in handy today at home and at work.  By 9:30 a.m. I had already discovered a sprinkler head in our yard that was not working properly (still buried under mulch), fixed one of the air-conditioners at church (timer needed adjusting), and repaired the toilet in the girls' bathroom by the gym (missing chain in the tank). When they see this fancy toolbox, they call me “Maintenance Girl Extraordinaire.”  Perhaps it’s time to add a mask and cape to the ensemble.

172 / 365 Behind the Scenes

P the cat is not allowed downstairs because his elderly, arthritic legs have a hard time making the climb.  (In addition, his kidneys are unpredictable.)  Instead, we let him roam around  most of the upstairs where H spends his workday and I have my office.  Because curiosity sometimes gets the best of P, we’ve blocked off the top of the main stairs with a baby gate, which means that we are obliged to use an alternate route at the far end of the house.  H and I laughingly refer to this stairwell as the service entrance.  We have been trained too well; on those rare occasions when we take down the gate (for company, say) we walk right past the main stairway without thinking.

171 / 365 Turning Up the Volume

This is the week of Vacation Bible School at Mt. Zion; 285 children have been registered.  The sanctuary has been transformed into a rock ‘n’ roll concert stage for the “Jesus Rocks: All Access Tour.”  It’s been a wild morning.

170 / 365 Jesse Benjamin Bateman Day

This picture of my father just cracks me up… what an outfit!  He was never really known for his fashion sense, but that was Dad.  He had his own way of doing things, and he didn’t mind expressing himself.  I don’t think he ever tried to be anyone but himself, and I have always been in awe of that quality.  Even today, as I try to be my own person, I realize that I don’t do it nearly as well as my father did.  Luckily, if I pay close attention, I can feel him tapping me on the shoulder and nudging me in the direction of confidence and self-assurance.  I’m glad to know he’s with me.  Much love to you Dad, and Happy Father’s Day! 

169 / 365 Storms a-Brewin’

H and I sat on the patio at Houlihan’s this evening and watched as a thunderstorm approached.  It was pretty dramatic as the clouds blew across the sky.  It’s the third day in a row that we’ve been blessed with rain.

168 / 365 Can’t Resist Quality Time

My sister and I have gotten into the habit of meeting for coffee on Friday mornings to spend an hour or so catching up.  Today, however, because I had a hair appointment and she was leaving town, it wasn’t going to happen… or so I thought.  Just as I was shaking off the loose hair from my shirt I looked up… and guess who was peering in the window with two lattés in hand?  She had managed to squeeze in a little extra time before heading out.  What a sister! 

167 / 365 Remembering

H’s uncle died this past weekend while we were in Washington; his funeral was today.  He was ninety-six years old and lived in New Zealand.  Because he had fought in World War II, he was on our minds quite a bit while we were exploring Arlington Cemetery and the numerous war memorials around the city.  The picture above was taken at the new World War II Memorial.  Even my niece remarked how soothing and reflective it was to be in the midst of this place.

166 / 365 Tight Abs

The Gap at one of our local shopping centers is doing some renovating.  H and I recently walked past the store and noticed a tear in the paper covering the windows.  Curiosity got the best of me and I peeped in only to discover a meeting (of sorts) going on.  It looks like everyone’s been working out.

165 / 365 Running on Empty

I’ve ridden in many taxis, but I’ve never been a passenger in one that was about to run out of gas.  As we bounced towards the airport, reggae music rocking the car, our cab driver suddenly wheeled into the exit ramp of a gas station so packed with cars that they were hanging out into the street.  Without a second thought, he blocked two lanes of departing cars and jumped out of the vehicle to pump a small amount of fuel.  Once the transaction was complete, he slid into the seat (we’re not sure he paid), backed up, and rolled on out into the traffic, proudly announcing, “and that’s the way it’s done.” 

All H could say was, “I’m impressed.”

(Stunned, I didn’t think to take any pictures at the gas station, so instead, I’ve shown you the airport terminal that we reached in record time.)

164 / 365 Journalism + Media + Technology

My head is still filled with the sights, sounds, and tastes we experienced on our weekend trip to Washington.  Before leaving on Sunday, H and the kids and I visited the Newseum, a museum that explores five centuries of news history through print, photos, video, digital technology (including the Internet), and hands-on exhibits.  It was absolutely fascinating.  Above, H is in the 9/11 Gallery, studying an impressive display of front pages from around the world reporting that infamous day.

163 / 365 Crime and Punishment

Who would have thought that the Crime and Punishment Museum would be such a hit!  Two hours of standing in stocks, shackles and jail cells, taking quizzes, breaking into safes, solving crimes, sizing up our fitness for the police force… and that was just the first floor.  The car above was the original 1934 Ford seen in the movie “Bonnie and Clyde.”

162 / 365 Lots of Lines Today

We continued to cover a lot of ground today, both outside and inside.  We visited the Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, the Air & Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and followed this all with dinner in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.  We all agreed that one of our favorites today was the Roosevelt Memorial, a beautiful open-air commemorative on several acres following the progression of his twelve years in office.  There are paths, sculptures, waterfalls, and gardens… and this representation of a Depression-era breadline.

161 / 365 We’re Not the Only Ones Here

We arrived in Washington D.C. at 1:15 p.m., took the subway to our hotel to drop off the suitcases, and started walking.  You can tell it’s summertime here because of the heat and the crowds, but it’s been a day full of sightseeing.  We got back to the hotel at 11:00 p.m.  The kids, H, and I are pooped!

160 / 365 Trying to Travel Light

We’re taking a weekend trip with our niece and nephew to Washington, D.C.  H and I agree that the worst part of traveling is packing.  I can have in my head exactly what I’m going to take, and as soon as I start loading the suitcase I start second-guessing myself.  To compensate, I over-pack “just in case.” 

So far, I’ve put together seven outfits plus a couple of extra shirts for three days, and I can’t go to bed until I’ve cut that wardrobe in half.

159 / 365 Oh, Those Youth!

It seems to me that rolling a yard with toilet paper is a young person’s activity, something that I never participated in as a kid. I always thought that it was a silly thing to do, and the thought of getting caught gave me the shivers.  So imagine my surprise when I walked out the front door this morning and discovered that some trees in our yard had been draped with toilet paper.  It was just a little bit – it’s clear that our neighbor was the primary target, and we just got some of the leftover Charmin – but it was still an unusual sight, and an interesting way to start the day.

158 / 365 Turning Over a New Leaf

After that poor report from my last lab results, I asked my doctor to give me three months to redeem myself.  I promised to improve my eating habits, exercise more, and in general, take better care of myself.  (Sounds like a New Year’s resolution, doesn’t it?). I am happy to report that for the past two weeks I have been making a valiant effort to improve.  It’s a good thing that I actually love fruits and vegetables.

157 / 365 Loopy Larry

H has Microsoft Flight Simulator installed on his computers, and one of its “missions” is a challenge called Loopy Larry.  Taking place at an air show, the goal is to land Loopy Larry’s plane (a Piper Cub) on a platform attached to the roof of a moving school bus as the crowd, whipped up by the announcer’s play-by-play description, roars with excitement.  The bus driver gives encouragement as well.  (It just makes me giggle to think about all this.)  I’ve never tried it, but apparently it is quite difficult to maneuver the plane over the bus and make a successful landing.  H and his nephews and niece love to attempt this challenge… with limited success, I might add.

H and I had recently had dinner at the 57th Fighter Group Restaurant, where we were happily surprised to notice a plane just like Loopy Larry’s sail across the sky. Luckily, I didn’t see any school buses barreling down the runway.

156 / 365 My Turn!

I think a morning shower should be a time of waking up and reflecting on the day ahead.  However, mine have become a bit more rushed these days since P the cat discovered the water droplets in the tub.  It’s certainly not that he’s lacking water in his bowl, so I don’t know what the draw is, but he can spend a good thirty minutes in the tub playing with the liquid beads and pondering life (something I can relate to).  On most mornings he begins slapping the curtain and poking his head in through the steam as soon as he hears water splashing.  I know I could close the door, but it’s just easier to turn everything off and get out than to spend time shooing him away.  Maybe one day he’ll share his insights with me.

155 / 365 Out on the Town

This morning H and I and some of our friends took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta. 

The building is gorgeous and so rich with history.  It was originally built in the late 1920’s as the headquarters of the 5,000-member Shriners organization.  When the Great Depression took its toll, the Shriners were obliged to negotiate a deal with William Fox, who turned it into a movie house.  It eventually became a performing arts theatre and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

I’ve seen several events in the Fox, including The Nutcracker Ballet with my mom many years ago.  If you’ve never been, it’s well worth the trip.

154 / 365 Wood Artisan Extraordinaire

Tonight was the First Friday Art Walk in Marietta, and our friend R (accompanied in the photo by his grandson N) was the featured artist at Limelight, one of the local shops on the square.  His display included beautiful handcrafted wine stoppers and bowls made of exotic woods.  We stopped by to see his work and wish him well.   

153 / 365 A Little Something Extra

I try to drink a lot of water, but some days it’s hard to get those ounces down.  To keep things interesting, I often add fruit for just a hint of flavor and imagine that I’m drinking something exotic.  I like the look of all that color and texture bobbing in the icy tumbler of water; it adds pizzazz to an otherwise humdrum drink.  Hey – whatever it takes!

152 / 365 Morning Conversation

I’ve read that crows are extremely intelligent, so I often wonder what they’re communicating to each other when a group shows up in the backyard (a daily occurrence).  This morning, instead of the typical cawing sounds, I heard rattling chatter and mournful sighing, almost human-like.  It was fascinating and kind of creepy at the same time.  Perhaps they were sharing dark secrets.