The Annual Camping Jamboree

For the past sixteen years I have gone camping every Memorial Day weekend with a bunch of lunatics. Some years there were 20 of us, other years there were only 5 or 6... but the core friends get together and have some fun in the woods. When Michael and I met, he jumped into the friendly fray and fit in like family... Addams Family. It's an eclectic, strange and wonderful group and we've seen each other through a lot. I toyed with the idea of posting some "then and now" pictures, but I treasure my life and decided I'd better not.

Here is a nice, non-feud-inducing picture of a little cottage that's on the land where we camped last weekend.
See, nice picture, nice, nice. No yelling!

Karen's Visit

The weekend before this last, Karen came up for a visit and to take Michael and me out to celebrate my birthday.

Saturday afternoon we went to Jenness Farm and I traded some of my postcards in a display box for Goat Milk Soap and Lotion. It was a good visit! We met Rhun (I think I spelled that right) their 4 month old border collie -- what a sweet, smart boy. We also got to feed some of the goats, scratch the pot bellied pig, and collect our "Goat of the Month" card featuring Consuelo, a San Clemente Island Goat.

Later, we went to the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium to see a show about Black Holes in the dome theatre. It was cool and at times gave me vertigo. I don't know if it was the swooping cinematography or the information overload that made my head swim.

Our day was capped with dinner at The Common Man restaurant in Concord. The food was delicious and their Key Lime Pie was perfect.

Thanks Karen :o)

Lilacs

Oh how I love them.

Knock, knock. Who's There?

Tongue tied cats!

I snapped these pictures the other night, walking to my car after work. Whenever I walk around Portsmouth I see things and think, "That would be a cool picture..." but I don't usually have my camera with me.

I love architecture, especially doors/doorways and windows. So often, old buildings have much nicer details and craftsmenship than things that are built today. There are many beautiful, historic places in town and I'd like to take pictures of them all! Of course, some are private residences, so that would probably get me into trouble... good thing I don't usually have my camera with me...

Another Year Older

Saturday was my 39th Birthday. Yikes! I don't know what tiptoe-ing around 40 is SUPPOSED to feel like, but I don't think I feel that way. Michael and I took the day off and enjoyed the fine weather. Here's a picture of us on a sand bar having a picnic lunch.

Forgive me, I'll get around to a more personal "thank you" -- but thanks for the Birthday cards, phone calls, funny messages and gifts. Y'all be hearin' from me shortly...

Zombies in the Back Yard!

Saturday night we had a fire and Michael did his best zombie impression. "Brains! I want to eat your brains!"

Before the sun set completely, I took this picture looking up at the oak trees.

Leo's Bribe

The orange dervish kitty HATES to be shut out of a room. When I'm working in my office late at night, he sits outside the door and howls. When that doesn't work, he will push cat toys, elastic bands, bread twisties, leaves, hair accessories, and recently - cat chow, under the door -- trying to bribe me into letting him in my studio.

Yesterday Michael and I spent some time outside working on the yard and flower beds. Leo could hear us talking and working -- and was desperate to get out where the action was. As we went in and out of the cellar for tools, we had to be careful Leo didn't slip out, he was lurking just inside the door howling.

Look what I got a picture of:

Although it was very cute, it didn't earn him a trip outdoors!

Cynthia de Mayo

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Cynthia... Happy Birthday to You! Here are some "Then and Now" pictures to celebrate your 24th -- you've gone from being a cute and clever little girl to one of the smartest, strongest, most beautiful women I know.

I love you Cynthia, Happy Birthday!

A Work in Progress

Yesterday, on and off, I worked on this mahogany bowl. I'll probably finish it this weekend, although I really want to get the flower beds into shape... so maybe it won't get done... hmm... I never really know what's going to happen!

If the weather is right, I've got an idea for a photograph that I've been talking to Michael about. He's a good sport, listening to my half-cooked ideas and projects -- and encouraging me anyway! Ha!

Thanks, Honey :o)

BBC, Earth Day and Us

I was reading BBC News and came across this article that mentions the SolaTubes we installed a few years ago. Low impact home designs/improvements/products are great. It is the small things we can all do that add up to big changes.

Here I am popping up from one of the holes we cut in the roof, and our friend, Mike Lambert showing us how it's done. (We've since installed a ridge vent and re-shingled the roof and it looks a lot better than these pictures.) We put two of these in the dining room and they're excellent! It is MUCH brighter and at night the moonlight is beautiful.

Last week, in observance of Earth Day, we switched some of our bulbs to compact florescents. As more bulbs give out, we'll continue to switch over.

It's good that more people are becoming interested in energy and resource conservation. I hope it is our next cultural revolution... rethinking our priorities, and using our technology and capabilities to ensure the health of our planet.

Pictures from Yesterday

Here are two of the pictures I shot on May Day. The daffodils and pansies were taken on my way to work, across the street from The Music Hall. The flowering tree is after work, walking towards the new Portsmouth Library.

May Day

Ever since I was very young I thought May Day was a cool idea for a holiday... dance around a may pole, random acts of flowers left on doorknobs... another reason to celebrate spring. On the way to work I took a couple pictures of flowers to post here, but I have no way of getting them off the camera until I get home. So, I surfed around for May Day images I could use and two of the nicest were from Hawaii. So Happy May Day Honolulu Star Bulletin, hanaflowers and any of the people who got my childhood "bouquets" of colorful weeds -- probably with roots attached.