Good Things Happened: black and white photo challenge

A few weeks ago, one of my friends sent me a photo challenge on facebook:  "7 days. 7 black and white photos of your life.  No people.  No explanation."  So I did it and posting them here, too.  I liked the way black and white changes the mood of a photo.  A couple of them were just throw away photos that looked as if they told a story, when changed to black and white.  I followed the rules for the facebook challenge by not giving any explanation, but I'll give one here.

I was waiting for my typical-for-a-Friday-night take-out Chinese food at my favorite little neighborhood restaurant when I read the facebook challenge on my phone.  Photos of my life, I thought.  No time like the present, and lifted my phone for this shot.  The challenge did specify no people, but I decided that meant no friends or family members.  I love the way these three at the restaurant always hustle around getting orders ready.

The next morning, this old friend who can't walk easily anymore, was being pulled on this wagon-like device by his owners.  The look in his eyes as he gazes at his "mom" just exudes love.

 The Saturday before that, in Black Mountain, North Carolina. This is one of those "throw away" shots that worked out well in black and white.

 I posted this one in color in August.  I only noticed that leaf, there in the middle, in the black and white version though.

 And I posted this one from the September retreat weekend in color.  It got the most accolades on facebook.  Love those shadows on these old pews.

 On the sixth day, I was getting ready to head up to the mountains with my sisters, and was outside watering the plants, when I noticed this little tree frog.  It hopped out of the plant I was watering and took refuge on this rail.

And on the seventh day - this lovely view of the Hiwassee River.  I never get tired of this scene and loved the misty look of the black and white photo on that morning.

Just because, pure magic and cyberspace messages

- Picking up a $5 bouquet of flowers at the market, just because.  And putting them in a vase I once gave my mom for Mother's Day.

- Friend Judy, on her way to Hilton Head, South Carolina nine hours ago, posts on facebook:  "Look at that crazy big moon!"  Which inspires me to step outside at 5:45am to see the moon.  It is crazy big!  Beautiful and glowing.  And the birds are enthusiastically singing, having this time mostly to themselves, except for a lone woman looking at the moon.

- Facebook inspires mixed feelings, but there have been so many good and beautiful things posted the last couple of days:

- Friend Ann posted a beautiful tribute to her Aunt Juliette, who has passed away, "She was loved by everyone who met her."

- Second cousin Anna posts this surprise this morning:  "Saw baby Doodlebug sucking its thumb for the first time today on ultrasound.  At 13 weeks, he or she now has fingerprints--amazing!!!--and is "fearfully and wonderfully made."

- And a young lady, Lara, I used to work with at my corporate job, posts about a coworker who is departing for another job:  "I am so incredibly happy for her, but also sad.  I will miss her face and it's reminded me of all those I've worked with in the past that have touched my life in one way or another."

Amen to that!  I am so happy to have you all in my life and cherish your comments.  Have a lovely weekend, my friends!

Pit stop, cat hotel and caped crusaders

- I have no photo this morning, so am going to the desktop for saved photos.  Somehow this photo of great nephew Monroe makes me fast forward in my head to when he actually is behind that wheel.  (Note the hand on lower left holding on to him - he can't stand on his own yet.)  Love those cheeks!

- Anyone who ever had a cat will get this.  :)

- Caped crusaders wash the windows at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.  (Photo on facebook.)  I can only imagine the excitement of seeing that from the inside.  Lovely that they did that.

A smattering of good things from my desktop.  More good things are sure to come this weekend for all of us.  May it be a good one!

Purple, timing is everything and focus

- A coworker spotted this purple wildflower among the weeds behind the printing company.  And since there was so much admiration of it, he added some honeysuckle discovered back there, too.  Lovely.

- A niece posts her status on facebook as "Loves him. :)"  It's been wonderful seeing her so in love with a young man who has been in her orbit for a few years.  The time was finally just right.

- Being awarded $60 for saying what I think about paper towel designs.  Not bad for an hour's work. :)

Potential firewood, puddles and chocolate = good

Photo by TS, taken with iPhone

- Niece's husband posts this picture on facebook of a fallen tree with the caption "Irene comes to Tudor City." Tudor City is the neighborhood in which they live in New York City. An uprooted tree is not really a good thing, but his friend's comment made me laugh, "Dude i hope this was not your favourite tree!"

- The little film posted on facebook of their toddler daughter running around in circles in the rain. Soaking wet and delighted with the puddles.

- All things from the internet today. A headline posted on The Atlantic, "Good News at Last: Chocolate Is Good for You! Maybe" The article by Marion Nestle can be read here. Her conclusion: "a little chocolate is delightful. A lot is not. As in all matters pertaining to diet, everything in moderation." But somehow I still think that is a bit of good news. :)

Blue hydrangeas, whispering and oversleeping

- Another sign of summer, the owner of my company brings in hydrangeas from her home garden. I find it fascinating that you can make the blooms turn from pink to blue by adding aluminum to the soil it is growing in.

- Our receptionist at work, a lovely young woman with an equally lovely voice, has temporarily lost her voice from a cold. She whispers to visitors when they walk in and they whisper back.

- Oversleeping by 30 minutes (power failure), but waking up in enough time to water outside plants and blog. There was an initial flash of disappointment when I realize that I don't have two more hours to sleep, but then there was having coffee to look forward to and my usual quick facebook read. Friend Shashi is also up and about at 5:30am and writes: "Two cups of coffee down and still don't feel human...going for a third..." I'm with ya sister. :)

Cat and Dolphins, dazzling and internal clock

- Spotted on facebook, this little film of a cat and dolphins playing together was just the best part of my day yesterday. The cat must be accustomed to being around the water. :)

- Hearing that my outdoorsy niece went to a country club dance. I asked if she wore a pretty party dress and her mother said she had no idea. But pictures on facebook confirm that she was dazzling.

- Friend Jerry's post on facebook at midnight, "I hate thunder storms in the middle of the night but even worse tornado warnings on top of that, how am I suppose to sleep?" Apparently he wasn't sleeping, but I slept right through it and after another power outage, am lucky to have my internal clock that got me up a few minutes ago!

Thank you to facebook friends for the hastily thrown together post today! :)

Here comes the sun, stuck and mooned

Early Sunday morning by JMM

- My sister found peace in this rising of the sun on her farm property. I feel peace just looking at the photo.

- My young friend Kathleen, who was handicapped by an accident and must depend on others quite a bit, sent a "forward" about sisterhood - one of those things about friends needing each other and that you must send it to 10 other women, etc. I noticed that she sent it to nine women + her 20-year-old brother and remarked upon that in my reply. She said, "The reason I also sent it to my brother - this is because he's been, mostly "stuck", going thru this with me, but he has always been there for me, even when he was the "annoying lil' nerd" that he used to be! But, I AM his sister, so we're stuck with each other, whether we like it or not, for life!!"

- Having a look at the moon when I emerge from a meeting after dark. Facebook friend Arch posted a photo of it, along with this message, "This is the last full moon before the spring equinox, 2011. March 19, 3:28 GMT (10:28 p.m. EDT), distance from earth: 356,813 km (closest in last 40 years and for the next 19 years), percent full: 99.4 ... Consider yourself mooned!"

Speed Sign, mind refresher and Mr C's on fb

- I switched on the morning news yesterday as I was eating my oatmeal and caught this video just as the man comes into view to stand by the sign. Imagine my initial surprise and alarm. Turns out he was the special guest of "commuter dude" on WXIA-TV Channel 11 with his video gone viral. :)

- This recipe for Creamy Polenta with Mushroom Sauce has the delightful addition of a "Mind Refresher" at the end with the instruction to: "Stand straight, breathe normally, and reflect on patience while stirring the polenta."

- Spotting Mr C's Bar and Grille on facebook and this message: Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.

Lovingly restored, in the Keys and Twain quote

- The Campus Theatre in Milledgeville, Georgia - newly restored by the local university. It was where I used to spend most Saturdays when I was growing up, at double and even triple features. For years, an accountant owned the building and worked out of the offices upstairs, and was asking an astronomical amount of money for the theatre. The college worked out a deal, bought it, has lovingly restored it and even put a coffee shop with a fun name off to the side. A bookstore resides in front and there is still a small theater in the back.

- Friend Jim H. sends this message: "In the Keys on Holiday. Family got to snorkel for the first time. Had some good hole-in-the-wall food, some bad parrot head music - All's well." They are a great family with two young boys - so lovely that they are having this time.

- A friend who is in addiction recovery sends this on facebook: "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." - Mark Twain. Like!

LF Long pottery, Cherry and carb heaven

- This gorgeous plate made of clay was a Christmas gift from my sister, who bought it for me last October at the John C. Campbell Folk School arts and crafts show. The artist is Laurey-Faye Long, who takes her inspiration from Mark Trail comics, Palissy - the French potter of the 1500s, and historic American Art Potteries Rookwood and McCoy.

- A lot has been written about facebook, but I have enjoyed catching up with people who I might have never heard from again. This time spotting the name of a childhood friend and neighbor, Cheryl, who neighborhood kids called Cherry. I remember once calling her Cheryl at school and she quickly corrected me - no, Cherry to you. So I have sent her a message on facebook calling her just that.

- A wonderful dinner from the Rainbow Grocery hot food bar: soy meat loaf (I swear, it is delicious), mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy (oh yum) and braised broccoli with almonds (so good). It was fun to blow off the South Beach Diet for these mashed potatoes. A little bit of carbohydrate heaven.

Down from the mountain, friending and waning

- Still dreaming of the mountains, days after I am down from them. It feels as if you could just walk out onto those clouds and have a nap.

- "Friending" a childhood friend's son on facebook - it is amazing to spot his profile picture and see so much of her in his face.

- Looking up at the waning crescent moon just as a plane flies across it.

Beautiful nibble, beyond sweet and message

Photo by a niece or her friend :)

- Facebook is so great for keeping up with nieces around the country (and abroad sometimes) - in this case, my niece in Portland, Oregon was at a party with some friends and this photo made it into the mix. I love that they combined grapes and tomatoes onto a beautiful plate as a nibble.

- Message from same niece yesterday, referring to a birthday call from last February, made to her when I was visiting my mom: i have the birthday message from you and nana saved on my phone. whenever my voice mail prompts me to erase or save again, i can't get myself to erase... i just love hearing your voices. ...Now that's beyond sweet.

- Another loving message: two of my friends have been domestic partners for 21 years. One packs the other's lunch every day and always includes a boiled egg with a message written on the shell with a Sharpie. Most recent message: "If I could have one last dance with you, I'd play a song that would never end."