Monday, March 30, 2009

A Borrowed Virgin

-------------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell
My friend, Elaine, found this lovely on her walk the other day and offered her for my last virgin-a- day post.
Elaine takes gorgeous photos and shares her daily life.
You should visit and see what she shares.
She wanted to help.
Tomorrow is the last day of the auction.
Please help if you can.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Wanna meet my neighbors?

No, not the evicted ones -the police have all of those pictures! But the ones that live here...in that penthouse..(this was a few weeks ago) soon to be hidden by all of the most beautiful green. Click to enlarge and see what I saw yesterday...
Isn't he (she?) the most magnificent thing you've ever seen?
Right here in the middle of the city?
In a city park?
With all those noisy soccer players and kids flying kites?
Dogs running off leash?
On the way to the bus stop?

Yesterday as I was on my way to the library, I was " auditorily" accosted by the most amazing sound. I knew just what it was, hearing it for a few weeks now and began to search for the source. None of the above distractions were around so I knew it was directed at me. And it was unrelenting. Finally I found her (him?). And I swear, this Cooper's Hawk was directing me to take these pictures.
Now!
(s)he shouted,
this direction!
over here!
aren't I beautiful?
look at me!
look at me!

So I stood there, snapping pictures and getting closer little by little, knowing that if I missed this bus to the library, it would be another 50 minutes before the next bus.
Cooper stayed very still for a few minutes, stopped yelling at me and I got these shots. Not bad for how shaky I was trying to snap these without a tripod, holding my arms close to my body to try to steady the camera as I bent backwards to see him (her?). HawkWatch tells me that there about 40 pairs in the city that they track. Last year was the first they tracked them in my park.
I'm off to search for a hawk stencil to use in my new class!! Love this spring stuff...

Friday, March 27, 2009

Another virgin and a treasure

Look what followed me home from my walk yesterday.
I added it to my collection. It made me happy.
Don't forget to check out this auction to benefit these children.
The auction is only open until March 31.
grace in small things
1. not knowing if it was flowering trees or snowing coming down out side my window
2. finding out it was both!
3. dreaming of white hydrangeas
4. finishing my taxes!!!!
5. watching Fred Astaire dance in dove gray spats

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

A virgin a day..with good reason

Blogger and I haven't been getting along for the past few days.
I've trying to post these images for the last few days.
Blogger saw it differently.
I am trying again because this is important.
Please go here and here and help. Auction ends March 31.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Have you ever...

Last night, after 2 very long days I was ready to post my last Winter Blues. I started uploading some great images of blue doors and I had this great title "When one blue doors closes..." and you know how Blogger takes some time to up load images and that little whirly thing spins and you watch it and then your eye lids start to droop. And then you kinda sorta wake up and wonder why the computer is still on and why are you sleeping sitting up? And you just turn off the computer and go to bed? And then you wake up at 3:30 and go..."Hey wasn't I uploading something?" And then you go back to sleep? And then again about 5:30pm you think did I dream that I was posting something? What was that important thing I was going to say? No? Hasn't ever happened to you? Hum...well here is a picture of where I have been for the last 2 days. The Science and Technology Building of the Southwestern Indian Polytechnical Institute, facing a field that had cows, geese and llamas. Beautiful, eh? Back tomorrow with deep stuff...maybe. If I can remember. Does that ginkgo stuff work? Do you have to remember to take it for it to work? What was I saying?

Grace in small things
1. Good conversation with lovely people who retired to his grandfather's farm and hearing them wax eloquently about their garden and greenhouses and grandchildren.
2. The end of a very long conference
3. A gem and mineral show to look forward to
4. Comfortable shoes
5. Llamas sneezing...do you think they are allergic to Jupiter too?

Friday, March 20, 2009

Putting Blue Together






This shoulda been yesterday's post...check back for another one later.
Bus stop art

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Winter - Blue Shadows

Grace in small things
1. 74 degrees!!! Sorry m.
2. Mourning doves
3. Raspberry tart
4. Laughter in spite of deadlines
5. A new class to look forward to!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Winter Blues and St Patrick's styling

This is a window in the library at the College of Ed. One of my favorite things about working on campus is the number of small children that are always around. I was surprised by the sound of children's voices when I first started there. Today was field trip day. On the way to the bookstore to buy shiny red folders, I passed at least 3 groups. My favorite was a preschool group dressed entirely in greens. Bright, neon green tee shirts that said if lost call.... But each child had their very own take on accessories. One had on green rain boots that were frog faces with googly eyes. Another one had on a twirly green skirt that she couldn't resist twirling in to the consternation of the grownup in charge of her. The others were all decked out in various shades but one of my all time favorites was the very small boy with a GIANT green clown wig that would have been huge on any one of us. He could hardly stand up straight but resisted every effort to make him take it off. It was fascinating to watch the grownups try to talk him out of it. But best of all was the very small girl who had on tights - green of course, and the tee shirt. Nothing else. I wonder if her mama saw her before she left the house. Of course the whole outfit was not complete without the green glitter derby that came down to her eye brows and did I mention that she had very long blond hair under that hat? So with her long blond hair, the hat down to her eyes and the green limbs, she kinda reminded me of Cousin Itt meets the Green Lantern..am I showing my age?
More Winter Blues here

Grace in small things
1. The kindness of neighbors
2. A bit of sunburn on my neck
3. The sound of the hawks in the park
4. Potlucks!
5. Being able to open a window in my office

Monday, March 16, 2009

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Just doing my job...

Wonder, beauty and all things marvelous...check

Grace in small things:
1. Blooming trees
2. Rain
3. Almost Friday
4. Nice people to work with
5. That moon...

Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Sheriff of wonder, beauty and all things marvelous.

Paula has decided that we should be the sheriffs of wonder, beauty and all things marvelous. I think I am up for the job and here is proof from the last week. I learned how to do transfers on all kinds things including glass, safety envelopes, dictionary pages and weird paper, pretty much anything that didn't move. I slathered myself in wabi sabi and slapped paper on paper and started some journal pages. Saw sunset in a tree and of course, that marvelous moon dance.





On another note, I thought about participating in Seth's disintegration project but the way the wind has been blowing here, someone in Arizona, California, even Hawaii or maybe Mexico would have to be the ones to document the final post in May! Ah...spring in New Mexico...