photographs taken at my house by lotus designs
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Butterflies
The kids and I sent of for some caterpillars a few weeks back, and they arrived in a little jar full of food. We watched them for many days, as they ate and pooped and spun silk, and then they crawled up to the top of the jar and wrapped themselves up in their cocoons. You know what happens next.
Fresh Butterflies
Fresh Butterflies
Monday, June 28, 2010
From the Front Porch
I moved to a new home at the beginning of April (not the home mentioned in a previous post), and am now mortgage-free! Woot!
Unfortunately, 2 months after moving here, I broke my ankle. It has been challenging and humbling and painful, but I have still managed to snatch some moments of joy. Had I not moved, I'd never have been able to enjoy the beauty from my front porch that I have here. Even staying on my porch chair, broken ankle elevated, I was able to gaze upon all this beauty:
To the East
To the South
To the West
Straight Down
And Back to the SouthEast
How lucky am I? (Broken ankle and all.)
Unfortunately, 2 months after moving here, I broke my ankle. It has been challenging and humbling and painful, but I have still managed to snatch some moments of joy. Had I not moved, I'd never have been able to enjoy the beauty from my front porch that I have here. Even staying on my porch chair, broken ankle elevated, I was able to gaze upon all this beauty:
To the East
To the South
To the West
Straight Down
And Back to the SouthEast
How lucky am I? (Broken ankle and all.)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Wildly Interesting
There's a hole in my living room floor. My living room floor is an old pine subfloor, likely dating from 1904 when the house was built. Why, after over a hundred years, this house still has a soft-wood subfloor in the living room is beyond me. (And notice I’ve not done anything about it either.) One day several years ago when I was on Living Room Layout #12™ (I like to rearrange), I leaned back in my current computer chair and the leg of the chair went straight through a known weak spot in the floor. I won’t regale you with an account of my resulting awkward descent to the floor. This post is about the hole that resulted.
Periodically, Bubba, a formerly feral one-eyed cat, will escape out the back door and immediately go under the house. He'll bat his paw up through the floor to play with the other cats or get our attention, and even the kids can pet his cheek with a single finger through the hole in the floor, while ordinarily he won't let them anywhere near him. And when I’m not looking, they will drop stinky pieces of tuna or other meat in the hole. This does not please me, although Bubba appreciates the efforts.
There may or may not be another unknown cat living under the house. Just because I’ve seen the same cat running in and out from under my house for months does not necessarily mean anything and I refuse to add him to the list of cats who already live with me. (Yes, I’ve finally been approached by a stranger in a store saying, “You’re the cat lady, right?”) The under-the-house cat is unofficial.
It’s not just the cats under the house who are drawn to the hole. Here is a view from above:
Before I shoved my camera at the hole with the flash, I lived in blissful ignorance. For in addition to the above, there are also some unidentifiable lumps, old chewing gum, a pencil stub, too much hair, a KEY (no, no, please no), and a full-sized towel. This is not a large hole. The towel mystifies me.
But this picture takes the cake. Does anyone else see the evil demon alien baby in there or is it just me?
I’ve named it Fluffy.
Yes, the wildly interesting thing in my life is a hole. There is something profound in that somewhere.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
My Big Backyard
Before:
The fence on the right side of the picture is falling over, there is a wire mesh fence separating everything from the garage on back from the rest of the yard (all unusable), the back gate is completely pathetic and impossible to close, and there is a mostly demolished (and extremely unsafe) shed on the back right. The garage roof also let through regular daylight and puddles.
Not only did the group of Christian youth (and 3 adults) fix our fence and garage roof as discussed, but they also removed several dead bushes and many trees growing too close to the house and power lines, they fixed the swingset so the kids can finally swing again, they weeded the front garden, they emptied the garage of more than half of the junk that has filled it since before I moved in three years ago, the weeded the section of the alley for which I'm responsible, and they salvaged and reused a lot of material in their projects.
After:
See my pretty stripey fence on the right? And the smoothly operating gate in the back? And the non-existent wire partition so that now we have a big backyard? And Sophie is swinging on the left as well. Before they left, they also folded all the laundry on the line and brought it in. Oh, and get this! They Gus-proofed the yard! Gus hasn't escaped once since they left.
The cleaned out enough of the garage that I was able, for the first time, to get one of the back garage doors open. Our yard feels so spacious (it has increased in size by 1/3 at least), the garage has possibilities and will finally free up space in the 2 little closets in the house, and we are all spending more time outside. Thank you to the workers who provided free labor, and thank you to Mom and Dad for paying for the materials. There is no way this little blog post can convey how huge this is for us. HUGE.
The kids were infatuated with these wonderful people and I took lots of pictures of them together, but I won't post the group shots since I don't know if the others want their faces plastered all over the internet.
The fence on the right side of the picture is falling over, there is a wire mesh fence separating everything from the garage on back from the rest of the yard (all unusable), the back gate is completely pathetic and impossible to close, and there is a mostly demolished (and extremely unsafe) shed on the back right. The garage roof also let through regular daylight and puddles.
Not only did the group of Christian youth (and 3 adults) fix our fence and garage roof as discussed, but they also removed several dead bushes and many trees growing too close to the house and power lines, they fixed the swingset so the kids can finally swing again, they weeded the front garden, they emptied the garage of more than half of the junk that has filled it since before I moved in three years ago, the weeded the section of the alley for which I'm responsible, and they salvaged and reused a lot of material in their projects.
After:
See my pretty stripey fence on the right? And the smoothly operating gate in the back? And the non-existent wire partition so that now we have a big backyard? And Sophie is swinging on the left as well. Before they left, they also folded all the laundry on the line and brought it in. Oh, and get this! They Gus-proofed the yard! Gus hasn't escaped once since they left.
The cleaned out enough of the garage that I was able, for the first time, to get one of the back garage doors open. Our yard feels so spacious (it has increased in size by 1/3 at least), the garage has possibilities and will finally free up space in the 2 little closets in the house, and we are all spending more time outside. Thank you to the workers who provided free labor, and thank you to Mom and Dad for paying for the materials. There is no way this little blog post can convey how huge this is for us. HUGE.
The kids were infatuated with these wonderful people and I took lots of pictures of them together, but I won't post the group shots since I don't know if the others want their faces plastered all over the internet.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Imbolc 2008
The Imbolc candle.
Imbolc is halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. We think of it as Mother Nature being pregnant with Spring, or the Earth being wrapped in the cocoon of winter, halfway through the waiting to become a butterfly. Check out my little butterflies, in their cocoons and with their wings.
And the photo of the day:
We also made runes for the first time, and our divination was quite interesting and enlightening. That will remain in the family, but we're happy to share the blessed rune box, sculpted by Marian and decorated with runes.
Today was a lovely day of rituals, blessings, magic, nature, exploration, connections, and more. Happy Imbolc!
Imbolc is halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. We think of it as Mother Nature being pregnant with Spring, or the Earth being wrapped in the cocoon of winter, halfway through the waiting to become a butterfly. Check out my little butterflies, in their cocoons and with their wings.
And the photo of the day:
We also made runes for the first time, and our divination was quite interesting and enlightening. That will remain in the family, but we're happy to share the blessed rune box, sculpted by Marian and decorated with runes.
Today was a lovely day of rituals, blessings, magic, nature, exploration, connections, and more. Happy Imbolc!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
So, my oven caught on fire awhile ago...
...and it just hasn't been the same since. We had already made plans for baking for the holidays, so we've been eating gingerbread batter and peanut butter-chocolate chip cookie dough.
We are seriously classy.
(My ex-in-laws are fixing my stove for my Christmas present! Tomorrow. :))
We are seriously classy.
(My ex-in-laws are fixing my stove for my Christmas present! Tomorrow. :))
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Perhaps my chance will come.
"I will study and get ready, and perhaps my chance will come." --Abraham Lincoln
I'm spending my day attempting to finish my research for my sociological paper on trangenderism in childhood and adolescence. Happy thanksgiving!
Plans for the day fell through, so the kids and I are on our own. They're painting and coloring and playing together nicely, and I'm trying to work toward my future. We'll be having sausage and beans for dinner and chocolate-covered frozen bananas for dessert. We'll talk about all we are thankful for, and perhaps create some new traditions of our own. The day isn't about feasting, since spending a week's food budget on one meal simply isn't an option, and we won't be spending it with friends or family, but we do have each other. I love my little family, and I have much to be thankful for: my children, my home, my critters, my education, my spirituality, my strength. And antidepressants.
Two beers last night, and I was partied out.
My novel came to a standstill, but it's more I've ever written towards one before. And it doesn't have to stop with November.
This has been an insane month. Just nuts. I never thought this would be my life.
I'm spending my day attempting to finish my research for my sociological paper on trangenderism in childhood and adolescence. Happy thanksgiving!
Plans for the day fell through, so the kids and I are on our own. They're painting and coloring and playing together nicely, and I'm trying to work toward my future. We'll be having sausage and beans for dinner and chocolate-covered frozen bananas for dessert. We'll talk about all we are thankful for, and perhaps create some new traditions of our own. The day isn't about feasting, since spending a week's food budget on one meal simply isn't an option, and we won't be spending it with friends or family, but we do have each other. I love my little family, and I have much to be thankful for: my children, my home, my critters, my education, my spirituality, my strength. And antidepressants.
Two beers last night, and I was partied out.
My novel came to a standstill, but it's more I've ever written towards one before. And it doesn't have to stop with November.
This has been an insane month. Just nuts. I never thought this would be my life.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Where am I?
I feel like I've been dropped on another planet in an alternate universe. This month everything has changed. My present has changed dramatically, my future looks very different, and even my past doesn't seem the same. I know someday I will look back on this time and I hope I will take pride in the fact that I made the right decisions; I have a lot of life-changing decisions to make, some of which will affect others considerably. Please let me make the right choices.
I'm doing the best I can.
I sometimes feel I should be angrier with him. But I have enough going on in my life without adding an extra negative and draining emotion to the mix, so alongside the sorrow and disappointment, I feel compassion instead of anger. He's going to lose everything. This is the life that my family and I thought we'd saved him from, and it turns out that nobody could save him from himself. It's very humbling and disheartening.
He is such a sad and angry and miserable person, and I'd never want to be in his shoes. As hard as my road is right now, I'd still choose it over his any day. At least I'm surrounded by love and light and laughter and learning and goodness and beauty.
I'm doing the best I can.
I sometimes feel I should be angrier with him. But I have enough going on in my life without adding an extra negative and draining emotion to the mix, so alongside the sorrow and disappointment, I feel compassion instead of anger. He's going to lose everything. This is the life that my family and I thought we'd saved him from, and it turns out that nobody could save him from himself. It's very humbling and disheartening.
He is such a sad and angry and miserable person, and I'd never want to be in his shoes. As hard as my road is right now, I'd still choose it over his any day. At least I'm surrounded by love and light and laughter and learning and goodness and beauty.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Marian and I showed off our prowess to ourselves today; we fixed the broken dryer, did every catbox in the house, and generally kicked some productive butt. Amazing what we can accomplish around the house when the car is in the shop.
My car, Suki, has a brand new shiny muffler and exhaust pipe. Not only is her roar down to a purr, but the kids have declared that we need to either clean the underside of the car or speed up the dirtying of the new parts so that Suki will match herself again.
I got a call that my new glasses were in, and rushed over after dinner to pick them up. Unfortunately, they've misplaced one of the new pairs, so I came home with just the black ones. (I'll get pictures of the others when they come in.)
Do I look funky, sophisticated, and Sapphic? If so, these glasses are miracle workers, because I actually feel nauseous, dizzy, and headachey. It's been nearly 8 years since I exerienced the effects of new glasses and a new prescription. Yowza.
Happy full moon. Left the kids out of this evening's ritual and enjoyed my solitude and clear vision. I wish the camera could even begin to capture the beauty of the evening.
My car, Suki, has a brand new shiny muffler and exhaust pipe. Not only is her roar down to a purr, but the kids have declared that we need to either clean the underside of the car or speed up the dirtying of the new parts so that Suki will match herself again.
I got a call that my new glasses were in, and rushed over after dinner to pick them up. Unfortunately, they've misplaced one of the new pairs, so I came home with just the black ones. (I'll get pictures of the others when they come in.)
Do I look funky, sophisticated, and Sapphic? If so, these glasses are miracle workers, because I actually feel nauseous, dizzy, and headachey. It's been nearly 8 years since I exerienced the effects of new glasses and a new prescription. Yowza.
Happy full moon. Left the kids out of this evening's ritual and enjoyed my solitude and clear vision. I wish the camera could even begin to capture the beauty of the evening.
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