Halloween

238/365

I thought we were going to have plenty of time today, with Halloween being on a Saturday and all. But everything happened so fast... There was a flurry of costumes, make-up, neighborhood parties and trick-or-treating, and then it was all over, and I had no photos!

Looking back, I think the flaw in the plan was my OctoMom costume. It's hard to cart around eight babies and a camera....

Haunted House

237/365

The Munsters must be moving in next door. Today, their advance team landed, and set up everything just the way they like it. Wrought iron fence, stone pillars, headstones, gargoyles, skeletons, cobwebs, cauldrons, bats and a coffin (lower left) are all in place. Spooky lighting completes the mood.

I'm starting to feel like I better step up my efforts in the costume department for their party tomorrow night. Any suggestions?

Managing Expectations

236/365

I finally pulled the trigger on a purchase I have been considering for a while now... Since I had a little cash from my recent brush with employment, I figured the timing was right.

In the ultimate irony, my first batch of shots with my new equipment bears out the old adage, "It's not the camera, it's the photographer." By the time I got the new battery all charged up, it was quite late in the evening, and the tide of inspiration was at low ebb. Also, performance anxiety was creeping in -- could my photos ever justify this beautiful new camera?

Lamely, I took several shots, mostly variations on the "self-portrait in the mirror" theme. Managing expectations being the key to success, I went with the out-of-focus one. Things can only improve from here.

Fallen Foliage

235/365

I hate to see this happen.

Gourd-y

234/365

Farmers say it was a bad year for pumpkin growing around here. Too much rain, not enough heat. I wonder if that explains the warts...?

The Dood Abides

233/365

Do you think dogs can tell time?

A few minutes before the girls were due home from the bus stop, Wally planted himself in the doorway, and gazed expectantly down the driveway. Patiently, he waited and watched. He didn't budge until they appeared, and then his tail started to wag...

Leaf Peeping

232/365

Fall colors are reaching their peak around here at this very moment. It's a great show this year.

Bead Work

231/365

About a month ago, I mentioned that I was working on a project, but I wasn't free to share many details back then.

Well, the project turned out to be my very first paid photography gig! I was unsure about my qualifications for the job, but I had promised myself at the beginning of this Project 365 journey that I would remain open to whatever opportunities to grow and learn I encountered along the way. Plus, my subject -- the beads, above -- and the company behind them are all about supporting women and inspiring them to reach new goals. How could I not try?

For a couple of weeks, these seven little beads were my obsession. I took hundreds of photos. I learned a lot, mostly through trial and error. (Emphasis on "error"...) And now, I am happy to say, all of the photo images at confidencebeads.com are by me!

Limbo!

230/365

Skeletons, pirates, ghosts, princesses, Nascar drivers, doctors, zombies, rock stars, Wizard of Oz characters, Indiana Joneses, flower children, go-go dancers, vampires, football players, baseball players, hockey players, fairies, witches, cats, dogs, bunnies, giraffes, gypsies, Super Marios, Harry Potters, swamp things, flappers, Spidermen, geishas, poodle-skirted 50's girls, Batmen, police officers, mimes, devils, cowboys, wizards, ninjas, X-men, rappers, Jokers, Pippi Longstocking, mermaids, leprechauns, Alice in Wonderland, Robin, sumo wrestlers, various Munsters, bumblebees and an ipod were all in attendance at the school Halloween party...

The Harvest

229/365

No jack-o-lantern candidates left at our local pumpkin patch. Just these little guys, which are cute, but not quite big - or orange - enough.

The Painter

228/365

Her stated career goal is to be "an artist who works at an aquarium."

Surfing in October

227/365

Of all the things I thought we'd be doing on a weekday afternoon in late October, this was not on the list...

Creepy

226/365

I set out to capture a completely different photo tonight. Then I saw this guy. It wasn't until I was looking at the shots later that I realized something is missing...

Head of the Charles 2009

224/365

225/365

Billed as the "world's largest 2-day rowing event", the Head of the Charles Regatta has become quite a happening at our house in the past few years. We look forward to the team from our alma mater coming to stay for a few days, and enjoy mingling with old & new friends along the banks of the river.

When the weather cooperates, it is a quintessential New England fall experience. Blue skies, orange leaves and red brick are the backdrop along the Charles River, and the course is thronged with tweedy spectators and animated undergrads.

More often than not, though, the weather is less than ideal. Today it was brutal, starting off cold and rainy and turning snowy. Only the hardiest fans remained, but the rowing continued.

If I had been thinking, I would have taken more care to set up the exact same shot on both days. Also in hindsight, I should have gotten up on that bridge for some shots.

Next year....

This Old Window

223/365

Charming, but drafty. If you put your hand up against the sill, you can feel the breeze. Time to shut the storms.

Fun Size

222/365

No, this isn't the trick-or-treat candy. Still way too early for that. This is the pre-Halloween candy supply. It's like an appetizer...

Dental Cares

221/365

I would rather do just about anything than go to the dentist. But, I went this morning anyway, like I'm supposed to. And - not to brag or anything - it was one of those, "Look, Ma! No cavities!" kind of visits. So today I would like to pay homage to my floss. And my "buzzy" toothbrush. Thanks, guys.

Applesauce

220/365

I know what you're thinking. "Wow. Applesauce. On a plain white background. Not very exciting..."

I'll have you know: that's chunky applesauce, thankyouverymuch.

When the "scratch & dent" department in the produce section of the market starts to fill up with apples, I know it's time to swing into action. I grab up several packages of slightly bruised, homely-looking fruit, bring them home, and set my helpers to work, peeling & chopping. We end up with a pot full of apples, which cooks down to slightly less than half a pot's worth of sauce. But they don't even wait until it cools. Before it's even done, they are lined up at the stove, spoons in hand.

Maybe that's not exciting... but it is satisfying in its own way.

Preparing for Takeoff

219/365

Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts... Well, as soon as they are installed, that is.

It's a kit plane, and it has been a work in progress for a while now. To be fair, it is slightly more complex than the kind of kit you might get at Hobbytown. And if you have a day job, like the partners in this project do... you get the idea.

I'm told it's "almost finished."

Will it fly before these 365 days are up? Stay tuned...

Pumpkin Pansy

218/365

It's last call for blooms at the windowbox. Temps are supposed to get down into the 30's overnight this week, so it won't be long before these colors are all gone. I stuck the pansies in there at the end of the summer to fill in some empty spaces among the hardier plants. They were multi-colored, but this is the first I've seen them with orange blossoms. Perfect timing.

The First Race

217/365

The perfect antidote to too much birthday party the night before turned out to be a day with the boys.

While it was still dark this morning, I loaded up the minivan with rowers and drove to New Hampshire for the Novice team's first regatta. The day was ideal, if a bit overcast, with leaves almost at peak and mild temps.

If you'd like to see more images from today, click here.

Saved by Spoons

216/365

The birthday party, in its last half hour, was about to tip into the realm of chaos. Cake had been eaten, presents opened, the movie abandoned. The card game was a desperate attempt to re-establish some order to the frenetic activities of nine little girls. It worked!

Pierced!

215/365

The long-awaited and much hoped-for earrings have been installed! She chose a pair with her "birthstone", which, according to Claire's, is a pink cubic zirconium. The whole affair was quick, and relatively painless. And the ear-to-ear grin highlights her new jewelry quite nicely.

Eleven

214/365

It's her birthday today. The anticipation of this day has been running high for the past few weeks, and this morning, she awoke thrilled that it was finally here. Getting older, for her, cannot happen fast enough.

She probably wouldn't believe this, but I remember how it felt to be in such a hurry. Every gesture, every declaration, every eye roll is familiar to me. The stumbles on that journey still make me cringe, and I cheer for the triumphs. We are in for an interesting ride, she and I.

But for now, enjoy one last look at her bare earlobes. After a long-fought debate, we are conceding this latest battle, and she'll be getting her ears pierced tomorrow....

Happy Birthday!

Searching...

213/365

Some days, it's hard to find. Probably a bad sign that I resorted to looking in the dictionary.

At the Rink

212/365

Second practice this week. And it's only Monday.

The Hansons' Little Sister

211/365

Since Prince Firstly left the sport a couple of years ago, we have led an easy life, uninterrupted by the demands of youth hockey. Well, all of that changed today...

Mystery Girls

210/365

A rainy Saturday is the perfect time to swing by the library and stock up. The girls are into mysteries -- in fact "Mystery Girls" happens to also be the name of their band, which they have formed with some neighborhood friends. But, that's a story -- and photo -- for another day...

Reader Participation Wanted!

209/365

It's probably painfully obvious that I didn't spend a lot of time creating photographs yesterday.... Of the few that I had, this was at least amusing. Or curious. Or maybe just odd.

It reminds me of those create-a-caption contests you see in the paper sometimes, where readers are invited to submit the caption to a wordless cartoon image.

So how 'bout it?

Gone to Seed

208/365

Martha Stewart would probably be appalled by the landscaping efforts around here this season. We have gone from low-maintenance to no-maintenance. Here's a tip for you, though... A plant that looks cool, even as it dies: it's a good thing.

Pomegranate

207/365

Pomegranates are funny. I wonder about how people ever came to eat them in the first place. Distilled into beverages, they seem to be everywhere these days, from pomegranate juice to pomtinis. I didn't realize this until now, but pomegranate is the flavor of grenadine syrup. Which, being a Shirley Temple drinker from way back, I have always enjoyed.

(ps: Click here to see another example of pomegranate popularity...)