January

I sat down to write a Thankful Thursday post & this is what happened instead. I knew I wasn't really in charge around here!

January

January is my mother
with her hand on my head
gently holding me in place.
I won’t be running out
into the road on her watch!
She is humming some
somnolent tune and
although I am awake
I feel my eyes slide shut,
feel them slide sideways
looking for that aproned lap.
I’ll just rest a while
here in the womb
of the year.

The Bug
1/12/12

Becoming the City

Becoming the City

I add an extra coat of mascara

Using the spiky skyline as my muse

Those chock-a-block avenues

Call for excessive eyeliner

But I set aside the scarlet lip dye

Don’t want to compete

With the sound of sirens

This is a Magpie Tale. Please go here to read other stories. 

Monday Miscellany

Four short days in a time zone only one hour different from my own, and my internal clock is kaput. Well, it was never very reliable in the best of times – for example, there’s no alarm at all. But last night I tossed & turned & this morning I did not want to get up. However, I did manage to get to work on time – I can’t stand not knowing what’s going on so I always look forward to my first day back. I just wish it started around noon instead of 8:30.

I really did enjoy our time in Chicago – and now I’d like to plan a trip back to check out all the stuff we missed this time. Dr. M had memorized the map of the area around our hotel so we didn’t have any trouble getting around (yes, he is one of those people, whereas I instinctively head in the wrong direction about 85% of the time). I just need to get in better physical shape so I can do more walking. But not down that Miraculous Shopping Mecca Mile or whatever it’s called – sure it’s all shiny & pretty, but I don’t like to shop. I didn’t mind looking in the windows, but that’s as far as I was going to go.

We drove home yesterday, meandering through Indiana. It was a nice way to get back into my farm country groove. Plus, the convenience store where we got gas had Cadbury Eggs – score! I know they’re left over from last Easter, but still…

Lastly, look what Dr. M found! If you don’t hear from me for a while you’ll know why – ha!

Well, here’s hoping that last night’s restlessness translates into lots of beauty sleep tonight – heaven knows I need it!

P.S. I promise to get caught up on my blog reading soon!

2012 Project 365 - Week 1

Well, this has been QUITE a week! The return of the cardinals, our first real snow, and a trip to Chicago! In fact we’re still in Chicago today – travelling home tomorrow. As you might expect, we have a ton of pictures. I didn’t include all 100 that we took at the Art Institute, but it might feel that way by the time you get to the end. Ha!

Sunday, January 1^st       

I baked bread to take to church. It was a Butter Braid (Bavarian Cream flavor) that I bought from my niece for a fundraiser, so all I had to do was let it thaw & rise & then bake it. It was pretty yummy.

After church Dr. M & I went on a short ramble. We needed to bring the new year in properly – with sheep. Heh.

Dr. M took a picture of the moon that night.

Monday, January 2^nd  

We woke up to snow on the ground!

I took a picture of my footprints out to the garage. I had the day off and as I recall this is the only time I left the house that day.

Tuesday, January 3^rd

I had to work today, so Dr. M took these pictures of birds in the back yard. Can you spot the hawk?

 

Wednesday, January 4^th

We drove to Chicago today. But before we left, Dr. M got these great cardinal pictures.

The view from our hotel room

Thursday, January 5^th       

Today we drove down to the Art Institute. Before we left Dr. M took another skyline picture.

And then we checked out Millennium Park. Here I am in front of the bean. Did someone say it would be cold in Chicago? I’ve been hot the whole time!

Here is a small sampling of the pictures we took at the Art Institute. I was so glad that we met a couple of our good friends there – I would never have taken the time to see as much as we did without their eagerness.

Would you believe that this is called Penguins? Ha!

Friday, January 6^th

Dr. M’s panel was today. Here’s a picture of him looking all professorial.

Close-up of his tie. Yes, those are sheep. And one little black one.

Cool picture of a crane reflected in a tower.

Me, trying to cool off.

Dr. M’s group setting up for their talk. They all did a great job – lots of excellent feedback from the audience. In fact, as someone said, it was like a big group therapy session for history professors. I enjoyed it a great deal.

Afterward we went to Gino’s for pizza.

The State of the Bug – I’m hungry!

Yum – pizza!

Saturday, January 7^th

Today we decided to drive around Lake Shore Drive. Gorgeous day! And, look Rebecca – I couldn’t jog a block for you, but I did have Dr. M take a picture of a jogger. Heh.

Go to Sara’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants.

Most of our photos are taken with a 12 megapixel Nikon D5000 DSLR, using a 55-200mm zoom lens. This is the camera that Dr. M takes with him most days. We also take pictures with our old reliable 7 megapixel Canon Powershot A710. This is the camera that the Bug uses most of the time. If you’re interested in which camera was used for a particular shot, just ask!

Scenery...

I guess it's time to admit that the dreams of my youth have changed when I prefer this scene:

Cardinals in our back yard

To this one:

Chicago

I used to think I wanted to live in a big city where I walked everywhere & rode the subway. But that's before I fell in love with small town living, with cornfields on my way to work, and with farm equipment traffic jams (well, to be honest, Dr. M gets more of those than I do).

Today as we drove into Chicago I felt my chest tighten & this low level sense of panic. And it wasn't even traumatic at all - our hotel was very easy to get to. And our room is really nice. I guess I just wish it was in the middle of a soybean field or something.

Wait a minute - cornfields? Soybean fields? Was I really born in the North Carolina Piedmont? Who knew that those dairy farming and mill hill working genes would bring forth a daughter of the Ohio farm country? Of course, I don't want to live and work on a farm - I just want to drive through them & feel my soul settle.

But for the next few days I'm in Chicago for the first time. I'm going to enjoy spending time with friends and listening in on Dr. M's panel. I'm going to enjoy this skyline from our room:

Then I'll head home to this view:

Monday Miscellany

It’s been a while since I did a Monday Miscellany. That’s probably been a good thing. And after you read this one you’ll be wishing I had continued its absence. Because the brain? MIA. Which did not keep me from writing this post with a good bit of pomp and hyperbole.

·         We had a pretty good holiday, as is evidenced by the stack of thank-you cards I haven’t written yet. But I think the habit of going to work and being productive has been broken. Actually, I worked pretty hard the three days I went into the office last week. And I’m pretty sure that my one day in the office this week (tomorrow) will be pretty darn busy. I’m really talking about the habit of working around the house. [Brief pause while you all laugh loud & long at the idea that I had a work habit at home before the holiday.]

·         OK, now that that’s out of your system, please consider my floors and all the surfaces not covered by Christmas detritus. Are they not in need of attention? Will they get this attention on this, the last opportunity I will have to clean before January 14^th? We’re all on pins & needles at the Bug household, and we have a suspicion that if the author of this blog would quit writing this post and get off her bum, then perhaps things would happen. Unfortunately those things might not include cleaning.

·         Enough about dirt (and its more benign cousin, clutter). Why, you ask, will I be unable to clean until January 14^th? Dr. M and I are going to a history conference on Wednesday. It’s in Chicago. In January. I’ve never been to Chicago, but from what I understand, I’m packing as though I’m headed to Alaska. I’ve heard it might be cold. In fact, I was fussing about my hair when I realized that my penguin hat might not ever leave my head until we get back home on Sunday.

·         Here’s something completely unrelated to cleaning: it’s snowing! We’re finally getting our first real snow of the season. I can be all happy because I have nowhere to go today.

All right – time to go get the blue devil out. Any minute now. Yep. I’ll just check Facebook one more time, maybe play a little bit of Words with Friends. Then I’ll clean. Really.

IPYPIASM - The End

I just squeaked in under the wire to post this last poem in a shop. Thanks to Niamh for this great festival! You should definitely go to her site so you can check out all the other participants. I think Ireland won the "not" competition this year. I might have to make a concerted effort to get the US higher in the standings next year!

Anyway, I had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so I dragged Dr. M to Kohl's this afternoon. Yes, I totally removed the gotcha factor by leaving this in the dressing room. But I signed it, sort of, so there's that little risk.

I didn't buy the sweater - it was HUGE!

Here's the text in case you can't read the picture:


In this mirror

you are a whey faced

pig-eyed crone.

Your thighs are members

of the redwood forest

sisterhood.

Your ass is an

entire mountain range.

This mirror lies.

Repeat after me:

I am beautiful

and I deserve

beautiful things.

I am beautiful

and I deserve

beautiful things.

I am beautiful.

  --The Bug, Bug’s Eye View

2011 Project 365 – Week Fifty-Two Too

Well, 2011 is almost over. I have no good or bad feelings about the year (although my hip surgery was pretty cool). It was a year of trying to pay down debt and trying to be productive in our jobs. It was a year of singing in the choir and influencing the youth of today (guess who did which of those – ha!). It was a year of poetry for both of us. It was a year of many many many pictures which brought us much joy. I’m kind of hoping that 2012 brings more of the same (minus the surgery).

So, Happy New Year to you & yours!

P.S. Since week one of this year had just one day in it we’ve ended up with an “extra” week. I’ve decided to call it Week Fifty-Two Too, because it sure ain’t week one of 2012. Of course, I could do like I did last year & call it Week 53 – ha!

Sunday, December 25^th    

Merry Christmas – again! I shared a couple of pictures from this day last week, but decided to put a few bunch more on this week’s post too. First up, Christmas birds! Dr. M took these pictures at my dad’s house.

Another picture of my gift from Dr. M – I’m loving the Burt’s Bees stuff.

My sister-on-law gave Dr. M this sheep pez dispenser, which he hooked on his rear view mirror. Now he really does have sheep wherever he goes. This is my first unsuccessful attempt at a picture – did you know that things dangling from rear view mirrors move while the car is moving?

These are from the sing-along at Dr. M’s uncle & aunt’s house. The State of the Bug – caroling!

 Monday, December 26^th

Rasta sheep. I really love how sheep always stare when you take their picture. To see more sheep and other pictures, check out Dr. M’s blog post here – you’ll enjoy it, promise!

Check out this post to find out what this picture is all about.

Tuesday, December 27^th

Driving back to Ohio today – and guess what we saw?

And ducks.

My second unsuccessful attempt to take a picture of the pez sheep – isn’t it cool?

Wednesday, December 28^th

A squirrel picture for Ellen.

Thursday, December 29^th

Dr. M documented some interesting sparrow activity today. Aren’t these about the coolest pictures ever?

Click on the picture below to enlarge it - go ahead - it's just such a great shot (to me anyway):

Friday, December 30^th  

Synchronized squirrels – too cute.

The Tax Time Pig is tired!

As I was leaving work I saw a double rainbow, which basically “followed” me all the way home – and then I saw the ends of a full rainbow when I drove into town. Fabulous! Of course, I couldn’t get a great picture of any of the phenomena…

Saturday, December 31^st – The Last Day of the Year   

I plan to go put a poem in a shop later this afternoon, but I’ll do a separate post for that. For now, here are a couple of pictures from this morning. Our little tree has attracted quite the following lately!

And, finally, a decent picture of the pez sheep. I know that you were hoping that I’d get one. Ha!

Go to Sara’s blog here to see the blogs of all the other Project 365 participants. Have a great week!

Most of our photos are taken with a 12 megapixel Nikon D5000 DSLR, using a 55-200mm zoom lens. This is the camera that Dr. M takes with him most days. We also take pictures with our old reliable 7 megapixel Canon Powershot A710. This is the camera that the Bug uses most of the time. If you’re interested in which camera was used for a particular shot, just ask!