It's All Good....

So...Two nights in a row, outside, in the cold and dark.  Mind over matter while I'm out there but, when I finally made it home today?  Holy Crap.  My knee was swelled up so bad I couldn't bend it to untie my shoes.

Thank you, Mara.

Don't get me wrong, I had a blast chatting up the drivers and my yard-dog buddies gave me pizza (with ham and GREEN OLIVES!! - that I actually ate!!) and hot chocolate and my friend gave me some little foot warmers that I put in my coat pockets.

Don't get me going about the other Officer who thought it was tooooo cold for him to stand out there (I think the coyotes freaked him out some).  Did I mention that he is half my age - and I'm a GIRL?  Geez.

Well, after I was able to finally peel out of all my layers, I gingerly made my way into a steaming Epsom Salts bath.

It sucks getting old...

I think I fell asleep for a tiny bit.

All the Perks of 3rd Shift.....

Hmmm...Security is a glamorous job.  Somebody has to do it, might as well be me. 

As you can see, I had the utter delight (I wish I had the capability of underlining that twice) of sitting post outside last night - for 8 (EIGHT) hours.  Did I mention that at one point it was 22 degrees?  And that there is a nice (sarcasm) port-o-potty out there?  Uh, if you know me, you know that is NOT an option and at that temperature, my hind-end probably would have stuck.  It's not the location, it's the fact that I have a hand washing OCD and the germs....my god...they must be astounding.

I have to admit, though, I did have some fun.  The yard-dog bought me a hot chocolate (see the potty paragraph above), a driver gave me a fortune cookie (and if you knew the driver you would understand my concern when he asked me to read the fortune out loud - I asked him if it was one of those "naughty" fortunes - thankfully it wasn't) and another driver tried to run over me - twice - because I made him angry.  Karma's a bitch, buddy, right?  Did you say "hi" to those Boone County Deputies I contacted?

At one point, I called inside on the radio to report the temperature.  When all the guys made whiny noises and asked me who I was complaining to, I gently reminded them that this is now a regular post and I have to fill it every night with somebody.  Boy, the tuned sure changed then.

Well, Chuck Norris and I braved the cold and made these 2 photos to share.

One of my "post" (chair)....

And one of my view from the corner...
 

My one buddy didn't show up, though.  What's with that, dude?  Having fun out there with you all was the only reason I volunteered to freeze my ass off last night. 

Well, today is another day...

Just One...

So....I have only one photo to share today.  I must confess...I took it last week on my way home.

A Gingko...At the Campbell County Library.

Simply Gorgeous.

Enjoy.

Weekend Escapades....

Well....This weekend Mara and I had some adventures.  Saturday night we went to see the new Thor movie.  Woohoo!  It was pretty good, lots of action (and Mr. Hemsworth shirtless for a - very - short time).  We went to the 10:30pm showing so it was a virtual ghost town afterwards....

Then we moseyed over to Walmart for some middle-of-the-night hijinks.  After marking my territory there (inside joke), we tried to get some Taco Bell.  They were closed at 2:30am!  I thought they were all open until 4am - I was sorely disappointed. 

Sunday, after watching my soccer match, we headed over to the Art Museum.  This weekend was one of my favorite events - Art in Bloom.  Designers, florists and garden club groups are given a piece of Art in the Museum that they are to interpret in a floral arrangement.  Some of them are really, really good.  Some, not so much.  I know that sounds a little snobbish, but my mom was an accomplished florist for most of my life and I worked at a wholesale florist for 9 years.  I've seen the whole gamut.  Believe me.

I tried photographing some of the arrangements but the lighting was not very flattering.  So, instead, I made photos of some of the art that caught my eye, this trip.

Warhol...

Netsukes...

 
Degas (holy crap!)...

One of my Angel girlfriends...

Beautiful women...

Dutch precision...

And my FAVORITE piece in the Museum...Rape of a Sabine Woman...

Giambologn..

  
Here's one of the Beehive Gingers in one of the flower arrangements.

I have a story about taking this photo.  The painting the designer was depicting was "David with the Head of the Giant"  I thought everyone knew the story of how David slew the giant with his slingshot.  The name of the painting is RIGHT THERE on the plaque next to it...the name was also on the description of the floral arrangement.  Well, I had to wait for about 5 minutes to take my photo because there were two ladies discussing the flowers and the painting.  I was eavesdropping (as I am prone to do) when I overheard one lady ask the other if that was Santa Claus' head.  For Real?!?!  I was so light-headed I had to sit down for a moment...

I have a habit of photographing the interiors of elevators.  The lighting is usually pretty cool and you can get some great shapes and shadows...

It was a successful visit.

After the Museum, we decided to find a nice restaurant.  On the way back to Bellevue, we passed this cutie (I actually saw him in three different locations)...

Giambologna

Mara decided on Don Pablos for our lunch/supper.  No matter where I go, there is always something to photograph.  Food, Mara's view of Cincinnati, more food, the interior of the restaurant, more food, hot sauce and Mara in the restroom...

After we left the restaurant - too full to move (I was hatin' life all night long), I spotted this cool mirror - making this cool tableau...

Reminds me of M. C. Escher...

Morning Has Broken....

Well....the project of stopping to take a photo of the patchwork of colorful trees on the side of the expressway has failed. First day is was so overcast that there was no hope for anything worth shooting. Today, the sun was definitely up - and blazing into my eyes. Even if I had been able to pull off the road, I would have been forced to wait for a while to get the "right" light. Today was also a school day and I still had homework to do and a nap to take before class. :)

I was able to photograph this teeny-tiny perfect little maple leaf I found on the ground at work - once on the desk and once on the dash of my car. It was so cute. I made it into a charm on a necklace when I got home.

Well, this miniature specimen inspired me.  I drove around town and collected a veritable kaleidoscope of richly hued leaves - Gingko, Maple, Oak. I remembered that I have a small leaf press!  I have everything set up and we will see how it turns out in approximately 3 weeks.

Since I wasn't able to get my tree photos, I decided to post the ones I took of the sunrise this morning.  How beautiful!  It makes everything that comes after seem that much brighter.  (Check out that airplane in the second photo - makes you realize just how tiny we are in relation to the universe.)

Cat Stevens inspired me...I remember loving this song from choir at church - my 7th and 8th grade teacher was somewhat of a flower-child nun-in-the-making.  I couldn't sing work a lick, but I deeply appreciated the music.  Nostalgia...yeah.

Enjoy.

A Little More of This, A Little More of That...

Okay....I have more Fall-yish to share today.  The one shot I want is on the expressway on my way to work.  But, like I stated the other day, it's dark when I drive to work and dark when I leave.  Although, since time has changed this weekend, it may be doable on the way home.  We'll see tomorrow morning.  I'll make sure to STOP the car and pull over this time.  :)

Here ya go...

One photo of the morning sky...from Walmart's parking lot.  (See?  You can find pretty stuff at Walmart!)

And my Lunch Treat to myself today - Applebee's.  Mmmm-hmmm...

Yay for me!  And...it tasted even better than it looks.  Holy. Crap.

It's All in the Numbers....

Alrighty then...two days of overtime.  Sixteen hours of utter boredom.  Two aching butt-cheeks.  One "artist" with a magical camera at her disposal.  Here are:

Two photos dubiously labeled "The Fires of Hell"...

(I need to stop doing that.)

Three photos of sticky stuff on the windows...

Two photos of the new lobby and the (kinda crappy) view...
 

and Three photos of electrical stuff...

Doh!!
 

One Happy Camper...

I love finding the little stuff.  Thanks for allowing me to share!!