Chalk Art

This past weekend we went to the Chalk Art Festival in Lincoln Park with our good friends C and K. There were some pretty darn good sidewalk chalk artists. We saw them all before the rain started pouring down. Here are some of my favorites.

Love this one, it is definitely my favorite.

Dr. Suess, I love you!

3-D kitties

One of Derek's favorites.

This definitely made me want to buy some sidewalk chalk and make some art. The best I have ever done are a couple flowers and a house.

Rain, Rain

Go away, and only come back often enough to water my plants for me, but not everyday, and not when it is 55 degrees outside. Please, and thank you.

We have had a lot of this lately, combined with some cold weather. Who knew that it was mid-June already. You could have fooled me. My brain and body thinks it might be April. The only good thing about all of the rain is that I don't have to water my plants. There is nothing good about the cold, nothing at all.

On a happy note, my roses are blooming this year. The previous owners of our house thought that it was a good idea to cut every plant on the entire property down to their roots. (The previous owners did get forclosed on, but that is not the plants' fault.) The roses didn't like that idea and decided to hide out last year, but this year they are back full force. I am so excited, almost makes me forgive the rain, almost.

PhD = Permanent Head Damage

How I feel most of the time at school. Apparently I am not the only one. This is written on the grad student chalk board in the basement of our building. Apparently you loose your ability to spell once becoming a graduate student. Although, your creativity for finding words that start with P, H, and D increases, so it is a loose some win some situation.

Vote

Did you?

I know I said this blog is politics free, but you should still vote (Heather, I'm talking to you).

Radiant

I'm so happy to have the hubby home. I tend not to sleep well when he is gone, although the dog growling out the window in the middle of the night doesn't help. There is also a trend of pipes breaking or something flooding when the hubby is gone too. This time the bathroom flooded, last time it was the kitchen, the time before that it was also the kitchen. When is he ever going to learn that he can't leave me here alone. Although, when he is gone I get to watch whatever I want on TV, and eat as much chocolate as I want :)

Thanks for the tips on backlighting, Irene. This is one I took yesterday before I figured out I should be on spot metering :) Not too bad, but I'll move up to trying it on people tomorrow.

Lily Pads

My grandma and grandpa have lived in the town I grew up in for over 40 years. Their house has always been the central house for family events. It was the perfect place, too. Grandma had horses, which I loved, the yard was big, but most importantly there was the gravel pit.

The gravel pit was just that, a place where they used to "mine/harvest" gravel. What was left were two pits that have since filled with water. Before I was born the kids of the neighborhood used to swim there, but for some reason I never did. I think it was the stories of leaches that scared us away from swimming. We had our own memories to make.

Every family reunion we would go fishing. Of course, we always needed to buy a new fishing rod because the ones from last year either broke or we lost them (how you loose a fishing rod is beyond me). My dad would always take the Blue Gills off the hook because they were too spiky, we could handle the Bass on our own. He was also the one we called when we got the line stuck up in a tree, I'm sure he loved untangling fishing line every ten minutes. Now that I look back on it I couldn't imagine the kids of today, with their computer games and cable TV, sitting still long enough to catch a fish, but we would spend hours up there.

The gravel pit was also the place to go to catch frogs for the frog jumping contest at the Geauga County Fair. One year we spotted the biggest frog we had ever seen. We snuck* up behind it and just as we reached out it jumped into the water and disappeared under the mud. We spent the next couple of weeks waiting for him to come back out because we knew he would win the jumping contest for us. Eventually our time had run out and we had to pick a different frog to jump. I don't remember if we ever won or not, but just the act of trying to catch frogs made it fun.

(apparently "snuck" isn't a word recognized by mozilla)

When my pony, Lady, was still alive I would spend hours riding her around the gravel pit. We would sit under an apple tree and I would feed her apples, which she loved. She was old, so the only thing we ever did was walk around, but I loved just being up there with her. (I have to admit that Lady wasn't actually my pony, she was my Aunt Rhonda's, but when I was at my Grandma's I always thought of her as mine.)

When I was visiting home a couple of weeks ago we had a picnic at Grandma and Pappy's house. I was excited to go up to the gravel pit and pick blackberries and blueberries. We used to come home with buckets of berries and blue stained fingers. This year, however, it was different. The little part of the fence that had been slightly tilted for years was now fixed and there was a lock on the gate. Grandma never kept a lock on the gate, the gravel pit was open to all.

I guess this is where I should say that my grandparents didn't actually own the land that the gravel pit was on. An old couple, that our family has known since my grandparents moved there, owned it and let the entire neighborhood use it. They let my grandma keep her horses back there and even gave her two gates to access it. Slim was the man's name, which was actually very fitting for his slender physique and Ethel was his wife. I just loved their names, Slim and Ethel. Slim died several years ago and Ethel followed a couple years later. About a year ago someone new bought the land with the understanding that the gravel pit was open to all, at least that's what they said would be the case.

I guess they didn't like the idea of us using their property because locks on the gates definitely implies "Keep Out" to me. When my grandma told me they didn't want us using the gravel pit anymore I was devastated. How could these people take away something that was such a part of our history. They must not understand what it means to us. At least that is what I told myself when I jumped the fence with my camera, a bowl for berries, and my cousin in tow.

I jumped the fence to find the grass mowed (we never mowed the grass, it was supposed to be natural), and picnic tables scattered around both of the ponds. Along with the picnic tables at the far pond were some trucks and people, but I was going to be stealthy, they would never notice me.

I got several pictures taken, including the one of the lily pads, and a couple blueberries in my bucket before two men in a golf cart road up to us. Who rides a golf cart through the gravel pit, it's supposed to be natural, you're supposed to walk.

The driver asked what I was doing back there.

I said, "Picking blueberries and taking pictures."

He responded, "You know this is private property right?"

Umm, excuse me?

I said yes, "but we have always used the gravel pit, my Grandma lives here." With a tone of innocence to my voice.

"Ok, but next time let me know your going to be here," he tried.

Yeah right, I am not going to call every time I want to walk around the gravel pit.

I know he owns it, I know it is private property, but to us it belongs to everyone. I thought he knew that. I have not yet let myself believe that the gravel pit is gone to us forever. I keep hoping that this man will just go away, or just leave us alone. I want my kids to have the same experiences as us. I want them to catch Blue Gills that my husband will have to remove from the hook for them. I want them to come home with blue stained fingers from picking berries. I want to catch that giant frog with them and enter it in the fair. I can't think that these are experiences that they will never have. That they will just be stuck looking at the gravel pit through a locked gate. I won't let it go, I won't let this piece of my memories disappear behind a padlock.

** One of my other hobbies, besides photography, is scrapbooking. If you are interested in entering a scrapbooking giveaway head over to Carolyn's site.**
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A Weekend at the Cottage

We went up to the in-laws cottage on Lake Erie this weekend. It was so nice to relax and not have to worry about anything. I took a nap two afternoons in a row, and there are some unfortunate pictures to prove it.

It is funny how things can change over 9 years of going to the cottage. The first time I went up there kids were everywhere. There was a baby, some toddlers, and some teenagers (me being one of them). It was fun shooting marshmallows at the little buggers and playing in the lake. Now, it is a completely different story. There was not a child in site. A couple marshmallows were shot, but overall the day was filled with sitting around, eating food, taking walks and riding bikes. Someone needs to start popping out some kids so we can feel young again (hint hint hubby).

Here are some of my favorite shots of the cottage.

The back dock out onto the bay.



We used to jump off of this dock into thick, black, muck. It was so much fun and disgusting all at the same time. Now the grasses have grown up and the water has dropped so there is no more muck to play in, which is probably a good thing.



My sister-in-law and I built this swing with grandpa. He passed away a couple years later, but we have the memories and this place to remember him by.



Me and my puppy. She was such a good girl and followed my everywhere, some of the times without a leash. Our little girl is growing up so fast.



I have lots more to show you so stay tuned.

Where in the World was Carmen Sandiego (aka. Kim)?

Hello? Is anyone out there? Knock Knock, anyone there? Ok, so I decided to go on vacation and now that I am back I fear that I have lost any one who may have read this blog at one point or another. I apologize to anyone who has been waiting for my next post for over a week and got nothing in return. To make it up to you, lets play a game.

Where have I been for the last week and a half? If you can guess from these pictures then you will receive... verbal praise from me :) Ok, I know that isn't much, but I am a poor graduate student who has absolutely nothing good to give away and has no idea how other blogs can afford to give away fun prizes (if you know how, please fill me in).

Here is a picture from each of the places I was in (2).





Sorry about that last shot, I couldn't find a picture of me in the second location so this one will have to do. The hint is the red brick trail.

Computer Guts

This week my computer has disgraced me. It decided that it was going to take control and make its own decisions, it thinks it is smarter than me (although, since I just used the word "it" five times in one sentence it very well may be). So, suddenly, in the midst of a productive week, it decided I was being too productive and turned itself off. Completely black screen, no warning at all. Wasn't that nice?

To uncover the problem of the auto-destruct computer we (meaning my husband) had to take it completely apart. Leading to this gruesome scene. My adviser actually gasped when she saw this.



The culprit, the cooling fan. It wasn't doing its job so the hard drive decided the weather was too hot, and it couldn't work under those conditions, so it shut itself off. Nice.

So, to show it who's boss, who gets decide when it is quiting time, the computer needs to be punished. It's punishment: showing its guts for the world to see. Go ahead, don't be shy, take a look at my computer's guts.




In the meantime, my desktop is getting the love this week as I drag it to and from school until the new fan comes in. Unfortunately, Mr. Desktop isn't as light and portable as Mr. Laptop (don't tell him I said so, he is a little upset about is boxy figure).

The Week from Hell

And I still have three more weeks to go.

It all started last Sunday.

Sunday:
Wake up early to go to the farmer's market, drive half an hour, and discover the farmer's market was on Saturday.

Decide you might as well get some work done. Go to school and discover that you forgot your laptop.

Wait around town for an hour because you are supposed to meet someone in the afternoon. Get a call from them that they are sick and can't meet.

Decide it is finally time to go home. Once you get home you get a call from the husband that he is back from his trip and wants you to pick him up.

Drive around Chicago for a couple hours looking for the Sonic that 5 people told your husband was there. Apparently you need to really, truly, believe in it and know the secret password for it to appear. (If anyone knows of a Sonic in Chicago please be honest and give exact directions to where it is). Settle on Thai food (so not Sonic).

Monday:
Spend the day studying for an exam. Take the exam and struggle on one problem, only to find out later that he forgot to teach that part and is throwing that question out.

Tuesday:
Spend the day preparing for lunar and meteorite samples. Sit through boring class.

Go to graduate student night out. Invitation specifically says that sandwiches and appetizers will be served. Get there as hungry as can be to find no food left. When food is finally brought out it tastes like it was soaked in lighter fluid, yummy.

Wednesday:
Probably the best day all week: Lunar samples are here and we got to have dinner at Tiffin on Devon, definitely yummy. I learned more about ArcGIS this night than I have all quarter in class. Now I can finally get some work done around here (after I blog, of course).

Thursday:
Spent all week preparing to teach a class about meteorites, only to have it last 20 minutes. Either I talk really fast, or I don't really know very much about meteorites.

Go to a department picnic. The sun was shining all day long, but as soon as I step out the door the clouds come out and it becomes freezing cold, funny how that always happens. (The picnic was actually really nice, I can't complain. The food was amazing, and the friends are always nice.)

Friday:
Work on summer funding proposal. Run around with head chopped off.

Head home to Ohio for the weekend, YEA!!!!!

Saturday:
Spend time with the family.

Eat too much food

Take cousin's senior pictures for her. I think I got some good ones, I'll post a couple later.

Sunday:

Go to the Blossom parade. Look down for one second and have a piece of candy thrown at your head. It still hurts too.

Go to the cottage in Sandusky, eat yummy Cracker Barrel, and watch Indiana Jones (Awesome). Have a headache at the end of it all.

Monday:
Wake up with a headache. Attempt to get through the day. End up back in bed for a couple hours. Make husband go to the store to get you Excedrin Migraine. Lay in bed some more. Wake up without the pain but all jittery from the excessive amounts of caffeine in Excedrin.

Pretty much miss the entire day because of stupid headache, and then have to leave to go back to Chicago.

Finish proposal in the car, finish two essays at home, go to bed.

So, it wasn't that bad, but the thought of having three more weeks left, while every other school in the country is done with class, really makes me want to jump off a cliff.

Sorry about the lack of posts. The regularly scheduled program will resume when school is over. Until then you are stuck with randomness. Oh, and I forgot my camera cable today, so I will post pictures later.

Spring Cleaning

It is time for a change. When I was a kid you could expect my room to look different every time you walked into it. Not just because there was a different pile of clothes on the floor, or new paper sprawled across the room. No, I had to move my furniture around every couple of months. My bed was always looking for a new and better wall to be on, and I had to find a better layout to make the room look bigger. It just felt so refreshing to try something new.

So, If you see a change in my blog once a month, don't be surprised. This month is a spring theme because I am so very happy that it is finally spring.

The font for my title can be found at Fonts for Kids. Thank you to Burg Baby for her help with the colors.

Why you should live in a house for more than a year.

1) You will have the opportunity to actually unpack all of the boxes. (This one is embarrassing) That "Moving Sale" box was from 4 moves ago. It made it all the way from New Mexico.





2) The craft room won't just be a place in the basement you run down to to grab a pair of scissors and a marker. The craft table won't just be a catchall for things you don't know what to do with. (Yes, that is my craft table, and I wonder why I can't get anything done.)



3) The perennials you planted last summer will get the chance to grow instead of being dug up and transplanted.

4) The animals will understand what the word "home" means, and won't think you are just visiting. (This will be Midnights 8th home if you count my mom's house).



5) You will remember which drawer the spoons are in.

6) You won't have to patch another hole in the wall made by hanging giant mirrors.

7) The credit card company won't think that you are on the run. (This didn't actually happen, but I'm surprised they don't think we are running from the law.)

8) Your family will actually remember your address instead of asking every Christmas.

9) You will actually have people left that didn't help you move over the last three years. (Apparently the rule is that you are only allowed to ask for help to move once every 5 years, we broke that one already.)

10) You will finally have a place to call your own :)

We are dreading packing, so we haven't started yet. There is always something that comes up: we are too tired, we have to go to dollar burger, we have to go to the ballet. We are just too busy to tackle that pile of boxes. And for all of you who think we are disgusting for having a pile of boxes strewn in the basement, you try being forced to move every year and see where you keep your boxes. The end of April is coming way too fast.

I love the scent of paint in the morning

Not really, but I can't seem to get rid of that smell. We have painted four rooms in our new house, and we have three more to go. It feels like it will never end. I am getting a better workout painting this house than I have in weeks. You never realize how many deep leg bends you do while putting paint on a roller.

Today we decided to bring the dog with us. She did pretty well and fell in love with the back yard. I think her and the kitties will really love the new place.

Whatch out, he bites

In our haste to get over to the new house and get work done I forgot my camera. I had planned on showing pictures of our awesome painting skills (and by awesome I mean semi-horrible), but it looks like I will have to show you another time.

Today you get the best picture of me feeding stingrays. Thanks D for taking the pic. I had to filter out all of the pictures of me making funny faces and settled on the one that doesn't show my face at all. These things were awesome. They would slither up the side of the tank and climb halfway out to get a fish. The hardest part was finding its mouth. I had no idea that its mouth was halfway down its underside. One little guy hung out for quite a while letting me pet him. I have developed a new love for stingrays (although they are still behind my love for the walrus).

What's with that weather

I hope the trees still have snow on them in the morning so that I can get a better shot. Let's see... At the beginning of last week it was in the 40s, then it was snowing and freezing for 4 days straight. It warmed up a tad just in time for it to snow again. Monday it rained a little and melted about half the snow and today it decided to sleet and snow some more. It has just been back and forth warm and rainy, cold and snowy for two weeks. I hear it is supposed to get into the single digits this weekend.

If you don't like the weather...

Yesterday I went into the office at about 10am and it was about 40 degrees outside. When I left at 7pm it was about 0 degrees outside. It was literally a blizzard. We always had a saying in New Mexico that "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute, it will change". That was New Mexico, this is Chicago, you can't drop 40 degrees and expect me to be happy. Just another thing to add to my list of reasons why I hate winter.

I tried to take a picture of the blizzard, but I got this instead.

Homemade popcorn; kind of

We used to make homemade popcorn all the time. So much that I bought Derek a popcorn popper thingy for his birthday one year. It was fun for a bit, but eventually it ended up in the appliance graveyard. You know, that kitchen cabinet that you can't reach so you put all of the appliances you never use but don't want to get rid of in it. He insisted on keeping it, three houses later and we finally brought it out again. The problem is, we learned how to actually make homemade popcorn, and it is easier than cleaning the popcorn popper thingy. Take a pot, fill it slightly with olive oil, put in some popcorn and watch it pop. So easy and it doesn't have little parts you have to clean. Now it will make its way back into the cabinet, and will soon be moved to a new house where it will sit for another three years.

Chicago Cultural Club

Northwestern has this club that takes trips into Chicago to do cool things, and they pay for it. Last time we went to the Science and Industry Museum to see the Star Wars Exhibit. It had a bunch of props from the movies and some hands on exhibits to play with. Unfortunately it was Saturday so kids were swarming the place and I couldn't really get in there to play with things. Even though it was a pretty cool exhibit I was glad we didn't have to pay for it, or the rest of the museum. Out of all the museums in Chicago it is my least favorite. There aren't very many hands on exhibits, I love to play with things, and the cool hands on exhibits you have to pay extra for. I did my undergraduate research in physics education, so I was very disappointed in the physics/chemistry/science part of the museum. Basically, they have some computers set up, they are old computers, and there are multiple choice question on them you can answer. Half of the computers didn't work when I was there, and who wants to take a test at a museum. Maybe it has changed since the last time I was there, but I doubt it. My future museum is going to be so much better :)





So, tonight we are going to see Wicked downtown. I am sooo... excited, but disappointed at the same time. The problem with the club is that they only buy so many tickets to these events, so they have to draw names for people to go. This time Derek's name didn't get drawn, and no one else I know is going. So I am pretty much going by myself. No one to share the experience with. I'm sure I will enjoy it, but enjoying it alone isn't as fun as enjoying it with someone. I am not bringing my camera with me because I don't think I'll get the chance to take pictures anyways.

Christmas Cookies

I have to give credit to my husband for this picture, but those are my hands :) Good pic D.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Finally chopped off our hair to donate. It feels so great.