Monthly Archives: May 2012

A Day With My Granddaughter

It’s been a while since I posted pictures of Elle.

“Gramma!” she squeals and my heart sings.

Click on any image.

We were drawing pictures on the driveway. She’s a better artist than I am.
Covered in chalk dust, she laughs out loud as Daddy stands by.
Wonder what she is thinking….
The chalk dust had faded somewhat and the hair style had changed slightly, but she’s still toying with me and playing with the camera.
She “posed” against this wall.
The 2-year-old asserts her independence.

Happy Mother’s Day, Martha Ann Fromme Howard

In my father’s handwriting on the back of this photo: “This is why I fell in love with Martha Ann Fromme.”

Martha Ann Fromme before she married my father

Stephen and Martha Howard on their honeymoon

Stephen and Martha Howard 62 years later

My parents sired 10 children. They are pictured here with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchild.

Sunday Post: Work

When I saw the topic of this Sunday’s Post, I wondered if I should go out and find someone working; however, I remembered I had shot quite a few images of people at work during my stay in China last summer.

I find it interesting that I still have not gotten comfortable taking similar pictures here in my own city and country. I guess there’s something about being a tourist that gives me (in my mind) license to shoot just about anything.

And now, I’m off to the gym before returning to my work, prepping my lessons for the week. I hope you all have a satisfying and productive work week.

Laoshan Moutain near Qingdau: The aroma of her food was enticing, but I passed on it. Now I wish I’d indulged.
Beijing: I think he has a difficult job.
Beijing: This soldier stands guard at the Forbidden City. He looks so young and alone.
Beijing: He makes beautiful china in the Hutong area; unfortunately, I could not afford any of the beautiful pieces.
Beijing: She cooked my delicious meal when I dined in a private residence in the Hutong area.
Qingdau: She was working so hard to sell her ears of corn.
Beijing: My tour guide through the Forbidden City…I’d been in the country only two days and was still afraid that I’d get lost, but he made sure that I was safe. His English is nearly flawless and his talks were informative and interesting.
Beijing: Olympic village, just outside of the Bird’s Nest, on his way to another job.
Feicheng: Diane, one of the participants in my workshop, teaching her students as they prepare for their English exams.
Feicheng: I understand that this is a nightly event in the city where I worked. I walked around the city only twice in the 4 weeks I worked there; I spent my evenings in the hotel, usually preparing the next day’s lesson. This summer, I vow to experience more of the local life.
Shanghai: I bought some of his bread and was surprised that it tasted salty, and not sweet like the Indian Fry Bread that is sold in Arizona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What 4th Grade Looks Like

Have you ever seen Gregory Peck’s remarkable portrayal of Atticus Finch in the film version of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird?

Mary Badham’s Scout is just as I’d imagined her to be when I read the novel.

Take a look at her hairstyle, which mirrors mine when I was a kid — brown, straight, with bangs — frequently messy.

However, for special occasions (school picture day, for example), Mother would cut it, perm it, curl it (bobby pins in my hair overnight … much more comfortable than the enormous cylinders I wore each night during high school … but I digress.)

The picture below shows me in 4th grade, the year of my first bad experiences in elementary school. Prior to this, I was blessed to be taught by three sweet women,  Sister Mary Jerome, Sister Rita, and Mrs. Buechlein, who praised and encouraged everything I did; I blossomed as a student.

On the first day of 4th grade, Sister Mary Jerome yelled at me. During her introductory speech / lecture, she asked if there were any questions. I raised my hand, stood up (the law at the time), and happily announced that Mother had given birth to my brother Andy the night before. She crossly told me that such a comment does not belong in the classroom and to save it for recess. I withered, and the tone was set for the entire year. I did not bloom again until I survived out of her class.

I find it appropriate that my one physical memento of that year is this picture which reveals the horrific hairstyling techniques of my well-meaning mother.

“We’ll eat you up — we love you so!”

This article celebrates one of my favorite authors, Maurice Sendak, who left our world yesterday…. I read Max’s tale to my sons (each one both Max and “wild thing”) countless times. The book, with the edges of its spine chewed by a long-gone cocker spaniel, still sits on my bookcase, waiting for my next “wild thing” to snuggle up and listen to Max’s story. Don’t we all want “to be where someone love[s] [us] best of all”?

“We’ll eat you up — we love you so!”

Gray Golden Mood

It’s raining, a wonderful and rare event here in Phoenix, and the sky is gray, reflecting my mood.  It’s been a difficult work week. There are two weeks left of school; we are in the midst of testing (my content area requires a minimum of five days of testing), and my freshmen are not responding well — lots of misbehavior which is wearing me down.

I need to grade papers this evening, but before I do, I must get into a more positive frame of mind. I always feel better after playing with images and blogging. I like the mood of these shots of water in the golden afternoon sunlight….kind of soft, mellow, and peaceful, soothing my troubled spirit.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unfocused

When I saw the weekly photo challenge, I thought “well, this is EASY!” because I have files of unfocused shots. Recently I assisted my son (the “real” photographer in the family) on a photo shoot … engagement shots. After I was no longer needed to hold the lights or reflector, I picked up my camera. I got a few cool shots but a LOT of terrible and unfocused shots.

The bride-to-be is delightful and it was heart-warming to witness a couple in love dancing, laughing, and playing.

 

Didn’t get it!

Last night I hiked to the top of the mountain to get the fantastic shot of the year. Hmm … that didn’t happen. After I got over my self-congratulations at making it to the top (really, it was a hefty hike with my photo backpack & small bottle of water), I casually wondered how I would get off the mountain in the dark. While waiting for the moon to rise, I enjoyed the expanse of the valley of houses below me and the glorious colors as the sun set in the desert. Around 7:10 PM the highly anticipated moon began to rise. On the top of the mountain, I was not able to move my tripod to a position to get the shot I wanted. In this shot below, we see the rising moon next to one of the mountains. You can see the homes in the foothills.

I wasn’t satisfied and tried to get a closer shot.

By this time, I was thinking “Holy Cow, how am I gonna get off this mountain without falling, breaking my leg, hitting my head on a boulder, and lying here all night?” (Actually my language was much more colorful … remember? I teach teenagers who are comfortable emitting gutter language and I have found the trashy words flying out of my mouth.) Just to cover my bases, I had texted my son who can track my cell phone and call out the calvary if needed.

With the help of my tiny flashlight that I keep in my photo backpack, I made it safely to the base of the mountain. I waited. I waited. I sat on a lawn chair. I ate an apple. I ate some chocolate. Still that moon did not rise above the mountain … the one I’d just descended.

I decided that this was ridiculous, got in my pretend SUV and headed out of the mountain park. As soon as I passed the gate (“Do not back up! Your tires will be punctured!”) I saw THE MOON peaking around the edge of the mountain.

I parked illegally (totally out of character for me) and pulled out the tripod & Nikon.

And now you have it: My adventures with the moon on the mountain. But, to my dismay, I did not get that award-winning shot of the orange-tinged moon rising over the horizon. So, to soothe my bruised ego, I finished the night with a juicy hamburger topped with corned beef and swiss cheese, accompanied by a cooling dark beer. Good Night Moon.