Oh My Darlin'...

268/365

Clementines are back!

The Rink, Phase 1

267/365

You know winter's coming when Mr. CM says it's time to put up the rink. The boards went up today, next comes the liner, then the water. If all goes according to plan, Mother Nature will do the rest.

There's an App for That

266/265

It was an accident, I swear. That its replacement will require an upgrade is mere coincidence...

Round 2

265/365

Going to someone else's house for Thanksgiving dinner is great, except for one thing: no leftovers the next day. So this afternoon, I roasted a turkey, and whipped up all the fixins. It was a lovely, leisurely afternoon of cooking, and I didn't have to clean the house for guests.

We're all set for the weekend now.

Happy Thanksgiving...

264/365

...from our family to yours.

Used to be, we were a family of five. Now we are sixteen -- and counting. I was able to get a couple quick shots of all of us, just before the bird was served. Though I wish my flash hadn't died, I am thankful that everyone's eyes are open in this one.

More Spots

263/365

Still gray and wet out there.

A Bright Spot

262/365

The days are short, and skies are gray. Getting out with the camera is becoming more of a challenge, and I suspect it's not going to get any easier as winter wears on. So, I was determined to shoot outside today, despite the gloomy forecast. Any guesses where I ended up?

Mucho Cocoa

261/365

There's "Super Family Size", and in the back, that must be "Duggar Family Size".

Why we have both in stock, I do not know. The kids have recognized the surplus, though. They're doing their best to assist with the spend-down, and have taken to helping themselves at breakfast, or after school. I think this means all the Halloween candy must be gone...

Shhh...

260/365

It was a big day for the little guy. First the baptism, and then grandmas and aunties and cousins to entertain afterwards... who can blame him for not making it through the whole party?

Pratt

259/365

In what will have to suffice as the weekend's only "date", we snuck out for a cup of coffee & a walk in the cemetery.

'Nastics

258/365

Cartwheels, round-offs, handstands, headstands, walkovers, bridges...

She's spending lots of time upside down these days. Or is it downside up...?

Stop & Go

257/365

Every morning, he rolls out of the driveway and on his way.

For his sake, and mine, I try not to watch.

Mary's Baskets

256/365

When our cousin Mary passed away suddenly this past summer, we knew that her generous spirit would be missed. One of the causes she championed was the collection of Thanksgiving food baskets for needy local families. Her officemates continue this tradition, and they invited us to help with assembly today. We had many hands making quick work of the task, and I think everyone was grateful to have such a fitting way to honor her memory.

Râpe à Fromage

255/365

Exciting news: I got a new cheese grater.

When our old one broke a few weeks ago, I figured we wouldn't miss it. I don't like having lots of single-purpose gadgets cluttering up the kitchen drawers, anyway. For example, I don't own a garlic press. Or onion goggles. Or a rice cooker. But, I digress...

So, we have been soldiering on, scraping hard knobs of parmesan up and down the slippery, sharp slope of the the box grater. And... it turns out, we did need a new grater, after all. It only took a few shredded knuckles to convince me.

Atop Turkey Hill

254/365

The trees are bare, the sun is low in the sky, and there's a nip in the air, but what a relief to see a clear blue sky again!

Dawn Patrol at Dusk

253/365

Another day ending, and I'm playing "beat the clock" with the remaining daylight...

My Helper

252/365

A rainy Saturday left us with not much to do. So we made cookies.

The Pond

251/365

It was one of those days, with little time for photo-taking. Finally, with rain and darkness approaching, I stopped the car at this pond, and challenged myself to come up with something. Anything...

Team Meeting

250/365

I wish I had been close enough to hear what they were talking about...

Veterans Day

249/365

Young and old came out for our town's Veterans Day observances.

C is for Camera

248/365

Today's post is brought to you by the letter "C"...

As a member of the first generation of kids to learn their letters from Sesame Street, I knew I wanted to recognize today's very special anniversary. (In case you haven't heard, Sesame Street turned 40!) But digging up some Sesame St. swag around here was more difficult than I anticipated. I couldn't even find a rubber duck! It used to be, you couldn't walk through the house without tripping over Elmo and Big Bird, or stubbing your toe on a Cookie Monster board book.

I explained my predicament to my youngest. By virtue of birth order, she is probably less familiar with the canon than her siblings -- by the time she came around, they were controlling the remote -- but she knew just what I needed, and where to find it. This set of flashcards was clearly the victim of a random act of arts & crafts, but what a perfect find!

"CM" -- with a camera.

You say "Goodbye", I say "Cello"...

247/365

I'm sure I don't need to spell it out for you, just how I found myself lugging a cello on a walk of shame through a dingy music rental shop. It's a timeless tale, full of dashed hopes and broken promises... Enthusiasm was strong at the outset of the relationship, but over the past year, interest waned, turned to neglect, and finally, to indifference.

It's ok. We're moving on. Her new love? Chorus.

Frostbitten

246/365

Must've gotten pretty chilly last night. Today, all but the hardiest plants were shriveled, leaves browned and drooping. But there's still plenty of color left, if you know where to look.

Art Project

245/365

With three kids, we have seen more than our fair share of masterpieces, brought home from school, or camp, or playdates. It would be impossible to keep them all, but I've never felt very confident about sharing that reality with the artists... Though, I think maybe we have stumbled on a solution here: take a picture, it lasts longer.

Yard Work

244/365

This is not terribly clever photography. But, this ginormous pile of leaves was the scene outside my kitchen window today. With Mr. CM taking this year off from raking, we've turned over the leaf-gathering to the professionals. Those guys don't mess around.

The Second Cup

243/365

It's a long story... but I'm working on a project for a class, and I set out to photograph my coffee this morning. In the process, I made an important discovery. Don't even bother to try to shoot the first cup of the day. Drink that first, then shoot the second cup.

Update: You can see how my homework turned out here.

Bake Sale

242/365

Because, in the post-Halloween week, everyone's looking to stock up on sweets, right?

Social Dance

241/365

Step, together --- side step!

The class is called "Social Dance", and it is a step back in time, designed to "introduce children to the basics of social dance and etiquette." The dress code requires jackets and ties for boys, party dresses and white gloves for girls.

Fascinated by the concept, I stayed to watch. Several dozen boys and girls filed in -- some eager, some grimacing -- and took their seats around the perimeter of the room. Gents on the south side, ladies on the north. The instructor, a youngish (you know, my age) man, demonstrated proper handshakes, and introductions. The boys learned how to offer their arm to a young lady, and then the couples went through a receiving line, and learned how to take their seats. (There's rules -- who knew?!)

Before too long, the kids could do the box step with ease. The class was almost over, and I wondered what the fifth graders were thinking. Would they come back willingly next week? Just then, the soft music stopped. The instructor had one more dance to show them. Some quick directions followed, new music started, and pretty soon, they were all "Stayin' Alive". Mr Manners apparently has an inner Travolta. Should've expected as much from a guy my age....

Can't wait to see what they learn next.

The Gardener

240/365

Talk about green thumbs... About a week ago, she was painting the rocks and toadstools for the garden. Then, she arranged them in the dirt, sprinkled in the seeds and watered. She left the whole thing on the (not particularly sunny or warm) kitchen table. In a week, the grass had grown almost six inches!

Look closely, and you can see that the occupant of the garden is also quite pleased.

November 1

239/365

The day after Halloween was quiet and subdued, thankfully.

Fueled by candy, we enjoyed an afternoon walk at one of our favorite spots.