'Roid Week 2009

I finally managed to squeak one of my own into the 'Roid Week 2009 Flickr pool. Hurrah!

I'm dashing off to a few school activities but I am hoping to squeeze a second post in today because I have a fabulous artist I want to share with you.

Ciao for now!

Polaroid SX-70

My darling husband surprised me with a Polaroid SX-70 for my birthday.

This is a mighty machine that I've been drooling over for much of the past year. Most people know that Polaroid has ceased production and you can  read my friend Jay's thoughts about it. So not only does this camera need to be modified to fit a different kind of Polaroid film, even that is hard to find and pricey! (We're talking $25 for a 10-pack of 600 film).

Despite all of this, I have fallen in love. I am slowly getting a little better at my exposures. To see some of the ones so far, check out my new set over at Flickr. For more amazing SX-70 goodness, check out the SX-70 Flickr group. Maybe someday I'll get the courage to submit one of my own.

If you're interested, here is a little more reading about this wonderful art form. You can keep up with The Impossible Project here.

Pigtail Party

I am not exactly having a love affair with my hair lately. I know this is a "luxury worry" because my cancer is gone and my husband has found a new job in a terrible economy. However, I cut it short in December to rave reviews from everyone but me. After giving the short do two tries, I am trying to grow it a bit. 

For now, I am only able to make little baby piggies using lotsa bobby pins. But while I wait for my hair to grow, I can have a Pigtail Party with Flickr.

mosaic from Big Huge Labs

Center photo: 

1. Pigtails are like a party for your head!, 

Top Row: 

2. pigtails, 3. The Spanish Alley, July 2006, 

4. Naomi in Pigtails, 5. the_shadow_1, 

Second Row: 

6. Pigtails, 7. pigtails and music, 

Third Row: 

8. Chiara 1, 9. Pigtails, 

Bottom Row: 

10. Flying Pigtails, 11. Desperate Piggies, 

12. Pigtails, 13. pigtails

At the Beach

Here are a few of my favorite photos from my weekend away at the beach. 

The very best part was while I was out walking with my camera, a little dream came true and I met someone very special. I am crazy in love. 

Alcatraz

After growing up in the Bay Area, this girl finally made it out to Alcatraz at the age of 38.

Click on the picture to look through the window. :)

And click here to see what else caught my eye out there.

Yellow: Day Five

Didn't have to work too hard to find spots of yellow around home.

Happy Friday everyone!

P.S. Thanks again Erin for the yellow challenge this week.

Yellow: Day Four

We're home now and I've been a busy domestic bee all day. I've got mountains of laundry in front of me and six grocery bags behind me, but I'm finally taking a short break to post a couple of pictures.

Scenes from our last lunch in Portland...

at Aztec Willies on NE Broadway

Yellow: Day Three

A mosaic at the Portland Children's Museum (PCM)

Fabric art on the wall, also at PCM

A dusting of yellow on a branch at Hoyt Arboretum

One very modern house near Ken's Artisan Pizza
Had awesome pizza & lots of fun with Traci there last night. :)

We fly home tonight so we'll see how much yellow I can find in California for the rest of the week. Ciao Portland!

Yellow: Day Two

All of the following photos were taken at the fascinating Sunnyside Environmental School in Southeast Portland.

They also have a medicinal herb garden, a potato bed and a "no idling zone."
(I'll put that photo up on Flickr when I get home).

Yellow: Day One

Greetings from Portland!

I am logging in from our family vacation to participate in Erin's week of yellow. It is fun enough behind the lens in Portland but it's extra fun having a color mission. :)

Join me all week and you can also check out the Yellow Week Flickr pool.

A sunny way to step off an Amtrak train.

Had coffee this morning with the lovely Andrea.


Taken outside River City Bicycles.
This is where we made Jaden the proud new owner of a 20" bike.
Yes, only we would buy a bike in another city and ship it home.

Fillmore Street

On my grandma's would-be 88th birthday (Saturday, Jan. 17th), I found myself kid-free and husband-free for an entire day/night. Definitely an unusual state for this gal, but I filled some of the time on Fillmore Street. Here are some of the things I saw along my way.

1. A Tree Grows on Fillmore, 2. Lots o' Thread, 3. Just Another Single Speed,

4. New to Me, 5. Huggers, 6. Crowded,
7. Very, 8. Marc Jacobs store, 9. A Rose for a Rose,
10. Flower Shop, 11. Have a Seat, 12. City Hall

FYI: If you want to see larger views of the images, click on the links which will bring you to the photo's Flickr page. From there you can click "all sizes." You can also leave a comment, which brightens anyone's day. :)

Color Week II: Stripes & Plaids Friday

'Twas a busy day and all through the land,
not a photo was taken, not even by hand.
And then what to our wondering eyes did appear,
but the sunset making all chance disappear.

The old blanket for Betty's old cats, who are no longer with us.

The photo book I made Jeff for Christmas.

"It's an 'M'," he said, "for Mama."

'

Color Week II: Pink Thursday

This pink ball will someday be kicked by...

this little foot (my friend's baby Lauren).

Here is a sunny chair by the local yogurt shop,

and my little pillow (from IKEA of all places).

I hope your day has been rosier than mine; despite all the pink, it has been full of disappointment.

Color Week II: Yellow Wednesday

Good morning Yellow Wednesday!
Here I am in my new jammies.

Hey Jaden, thanks for spilling your pencils this morning.
Super inspiring! Seriously!

Mama's got a brand new bag!
Happy New Year to me.
(New wallet too, but haven't "installed it" yet.)

Santa Jeff brought these to me.
Thus inspiring the new bag above.

Color Week II: Purple Tuesday

Apple Headquarters, Cupertino, CA

This photo was taken en route to the Cupertino Whole Foods, where I learned about their photo policy while photographing purple produce: NONE allowed -- not even of one's child! So you are all stuck with one photo for today. Tomorrow will be better!

(PS. I never had a single issue with my P&S camera but my DSLR really ruffles feathers for some reason. This is the 4th instance of trouble in as many months with it from shop owners to crazy suburban moms!).

Color Week II: Blue Monday

Okay I've been offline too much lately so I'm too late to get on the roll call, but I wanna play anyway!

Blue Monday:

this weekend, new blocks eased the pain
of an absent and overworked husband and daddy

the precious handwriting of a kinder

Thank you Sue for the heads up this time and thank you Leya for hosting another!

91

a classic Dutch Tilt by Jaden

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of moving, we celebrated Oma's 91st birthday on Friday, December 5th. Betty served her favorite birthday dinner of cold crab, homemade cocktail sauce and deviled eggs. For dessert, a traditionally delicious scoop of vanilla ice cream with a butter waffle cookie.

More photos in my celebrations set on Flickr.

Trying

During this dark time of my life, I have sifted through my photos desperately seeking color. I found a little to share. I am trying, trying to get through. No sneak peeks for you here, it's a must click.

Evil of me, huh.

Fall on a Windshield

Leaves and windshields have a natural partnership.A big yellow one fell oh-so-elegantly on ours this afternoon and graced us for a bit.

Just Trying to Get a Nut

I can really relate to this guy. I'm just trying so hard to get a nut all the time. Last thing I need is the paparazzi bugging me when I finally get my paws on one.