another version

image: you may have seen another version of this. 2009.

conversational extracts: I'm going out with a Quaker rapper who tours by riding his bicycle from city to city. Well guys, I just had an early report that Santa was spotted over Greece. and as you know, I'm saran wrappily challenged. when I think about it I just imagine you guys coming here and hanging out, eating supper, relaxing. someone who just wants to take care of you. checks your oil for you and tells you when your car sounds a little funny. "Let me look under the hood for you, " you know?

quotes by: Shelby Thomas, Kim Parker, Bob Hasson.

Evenings Come Earlier

Image: Rural Retreat.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

I don't want them to be anxious about the future.

image: tiny fists. roanoke, va.

"My grandma used to plant tomato seedlings in tin cans from tomato sauce & puree & crushed tomatoes she got from the Italian restaurant by her house, but she always soaked the labels off first. I don't want them to be anxious about the future, she said. It's not healthy."

Brian Andreas

okay

i'm impressed.

The test of a first-rate intelligence

November 29

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

I can't keep up with you, partner.

November 28 - Birthday Time
I will not be rushed on my birthday. Can you please hurry up? Look at him goin'. I can't keep up with you partner, you're too fast. Are you going to play the electric guitar when you get bigger? She is the tree monitor. (The Santa head ornament is) one of my favorites. Ewww what's this sticky stuff all over my hands?? It's sap from the freaking Christmas tree. It's not Christmas without bubble lights, huh Ben? Once Allison finishes her cake we will go outside and look. I can sing a darn sight better than that other guy. Mom's turning the jams up, getting into that holiday spirit. Goodbye, spider friend.
In honor of his birthday, all of today's conversational snippets are courtesy Robert Paul Hasson, who I feel lucky to call my dad.

Comfortable Synonym

November 27

We got our b&j's double chocolate fudge. Have I mentioned how much flowers make me happy? And he just walked in the door like he had walked in there a thousand times. Faded orange. Our jeans are the same. She just hangs out with her dad a lot while he's working on the Jeep. Every time I see these ads I want to punch my pillow. A soul saving love or just the dirt above and below me. Comfortable synonym. I'm feeling pretty good about myself, actually. Hi, don't touch me. This is ridiculous. Don't take my picture. I'm feeling pretty good about myself actually. You're embarrassing me. Blue jeans and fleeces. Wind chimes and portable Swedish fireplaces. Still a lot of dancing. And you give yourself away. Would you rather have grape?


Quotes by: Meg Weckstein, Shelby Thomas, Maddison Bradey, Chris Thile, Stephanie Thomas, U2, Mike Thomas.

I think of your Mama when I sing it.

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven." - George Bernard Shaw
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thanksgiving 2009

November 26
Sleeping in. Helping out. Good morning Judge. Walking a lot. Dancing a lot. Grape crush. Making plans. Passenger seats. New linens. Birthday surprises for Daddy. Baking adventures. Fuschia heels and silver flats. Pony tails and polo shirts. Hugging tight. Holding hands tradition. All creatures here below. Mm what you say. Mammie has a boomerang in her back seat.

Extracted Phrases: Pookie. There will be no xbox tonight. It hurt her. You don't realize your strength. I feel cool air. How did your hair get so dark, girl? Mighty near black. Jet crow black. Yours used to be like that. Partner, that's what we called him. Something about you has changed.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Erin Elizabeth

"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It is probably the most important thing in a person."
Audrey Hepburn
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Now it's time to be very afraid.

image: rain boots. washington ave. september 2009.


My grandfather used to come home from work and he'd stomp twice on the porch with his big boots and he'd say, it's time to be afraid and we'd start screaming and my sister hid behind the piano and I'd hide in the closet that smelled like moth balls and it would get very quiet and then we he would say, it's time to be very afraid and then we'd start laughing and he'd drag us out, one under each arm, and give us toffee and chocolates and to this day whenever someone says it's time to be afraid, I scream for a little while like everybody else, but I'm really just waiting for the treats.

-Brian Andreas, StoryPeople

hello thursday

Here's how I decided to display this summer's Polaroids. Its just two thumb tacks some light pink ribbon and little silver binder clips.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Vestige

"Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety. Other women cloy the appetites they feed, but she makes hungry where she most satisfies." --William Shakespeare
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

No really, I get it.

image: the spyglass. highland ave. july 2009

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
-- Robert McCloskey

My blood is boiling and no I would not like a brownie or a sandwich.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Terrapin Point

image: zane tyler. leesville lake, va. july 2009

A special thanks to two beautiful women and photographers who renewed my blogging spirit this weekend. I'm so glad I got to see all of you. I promise I'm getting on a plane soon.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

take it from the top?

image: laundry+letters, washington ave. june 2009.

"You're the strangest person I've ever met, she said and I said you too and we decided we'd know each other for a long time." --Brian Andreas www.storypeople.com

courage

image: forward. boones mill, va.

Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying "I will try again tomorrow".
-Mary Ann Radmacher

it rolls in from the sea

image: sx-70. pop's brownie. washington ave.

i'll be your harvester of light

and send it out tonight

so we can start again

red cabbage and turmeric

image: a new kind of nest. altavista, va.

I kept thinking this whole weekend that I hadn't realized before now how fun Easter could really be. This time around we dyed these eggs the natural way. And also played Wii a lot. Tennis was my favorite. That and when Mame bowled with us. My shoulder was pretty sore afterward but I laughed so hard the whole time, it was worth it. I played my dad's guitar and sang my heart out until my fingers were purple and felt permanently molded/dented by the strings. Nathanael stopped by and offered me $1000 for Greta. A new dress arrived in the mail today, beautifully tied with a white bow. That was probably my favorite part of today. And also being in the bike fashion show at the library.

"it smells good in here"

image: saturday breakfast. washington ave.


“Evolved individuals know that people who are not intuitive can be dangerous to work with, since they are guided solely by the current appearance of things that are in reality, changing. Evolved individuals seek out others who have intuition and vision - a form of intelligence that comes from cultivating the instincts, observing the direction of change, apprehending the evolution of ideas.”
— Lao Tzu

{via swiss miss}

dance moves

i can only hope i'll have a son who can dance this well.

light fades stars appear

image: painted barn. fincastle, va.


i'm all jumbly:
tea with honey jazz shampoo fresh new pride need careful slowly soft clean russled woods walk tulips instant mailbox full speed break ticket dance black sweet juxtaposition feel tension wake roll stretch extend transform unfurl break loose listen wait breathe pop break lavender texture warm run fleeting snap crank bundle untie unroll twine bail take rest give sweep

good morning thursday

image: limes. washington ave.

i like pretending it's summer. before it really is.

good news

image: self-portrait. washington ave.

i'm back.