366 Project - Day 152 - "Cherimoya"

May 31, 2012 - "Cherimoya"

I'm playing with fruit... again.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 151 - "Sunset"

May 30, 2012 - "Sunset"

Sitting in the car in a shopping center parking lot... waiting for my wife who is buying a bottle of Moscato for later...

The sky is simply beautiful!

Grab my camera... roll down the car window... Zoom... Focus... Snap... Capture.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 150 - "Wine"

May 29, 2012 - "Wine"

Hot day.

Cold wine.

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 149 - "Memorial Day"

May 28, 2012 - "Memorial Day"

In honor of all who have served...

In memory of those who have given their lives...

In hope for those who remain prisoners of war...

And with love and in memory of my stepfather - Sgt. John H. Waterhouse Sr. - United States Army 296th Combat Engineers - WWII - Normandy to Berlin.

Thank you!

*   *   *

(Photo was taken during today's Memorial Day Parade in Danbury, CT)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 148 - "Summertime"

May 27, 2012 - "Summertime"

It's a sunny day... temps are in the 80s... the window fans are all on... the wine glasses are filled with cold, spritzy wine... the grill is fired up... the corn has been cooked in sugar water... the Monaco Grand Prix and  Indy 500 have both been run, and we're getting ready to watch the Coca-Cola 600.

Yep... whether the calendar agrees or not - it's officially "summertime" around here!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 147 - "LG"

May 26, 2012 - "LG"

After almost five years of dealing with laundromats, we FINALLY have a new washer/dryer! We went all-sorts-of Euro-style, and got an LG all-in-one that washes and then automatically starts drying them.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 146 - "Uniform"

May 25, 2012 - "Uniform"

My son's soccer uniform, hanging in his room... waiting for tomorrow morning's game.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 145 - "Texting"

May 24, 2012 - "Texting"

Sitting in the Holiday Diner... waiting for our dinner... my daughter passes the time by texting.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 144 - "Red Water"

May 23, 2012 - "Red Water"

Turning my lens loose on a red glass vase of roses.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 143 - "Extra-Virgin"

May 22, 2012 - "Extra-Virgin"

Pure Extra-Virgin Olive Oil drizzled on a hot sauté pan... waiting for Organic chicken thighs.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 142 - "Eleven Years"

May 21, 2012 - "Eleven Years"


Eleven years!?! Where does the time go!?! 


It seems like only yesterday that we were pacing the halls of the Danbury Hospital Maternity Ward trying to convince Brandon to get on with it and make his grand entrance into the world... and now here we are, 11 years later! How did this happen!?! 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST SON ANYONE COULD EVER HOPE FOR!!!


(lifeisgood!)


*   *   *

366 Project - Day 141 - "Roots"

May 20, 2012 - "Roots"

Despite having a wonderful day, I'm having a very frustrating night.

A quick shot is all I'm in the mood for... so here it is: Celery Root on the shelf in the supermarket.

And that's that!

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 140 - "1948"

May 19, 2012 - "1948"

A quick stop by the Sycamore Drive-In, in Bethel for a burger and a root beer float.

My iPhone captures the pattern in the well-worn countertop. After 64 years only small patches of pattern remain at the back edges of the countertop. Most of the surface is solid red-orange... the designs long-ago stripped by countless sliding plates and cups and arms and elbows. The edges are worn away even deeper... revealing a sliver of brown inner core in front of each stool spot.

History... Beauty... Burgers... and Root Beer Floats.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 139 - "Growth"

May 18, 2012 - "Growth"

San Marzano tomatoes... from seeds imported from Italy... breaking the surface and reaching toward the sunlight.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 138 - "Aliens"

May 17, 2012 - "Aliens"

I'm at the St. Mary's Carnival in Bethel, CT...

... and I'm surrounded by aliens!

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 137 - "Blue"

May 16, 2012 - "Blue"

Simple... Blue... Bottle.

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 136 - "Rainy Afternoon"

May 15, 2012 - "Rainy Afternoon"

Yet ANOTHER rainy afternoon in New England!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 135 - "Pears"

May 14, 2012 - "Pears"

Another day spent playing around with a delivery of fresh organic produce...

... including these Bartlett Pears, who kept posing for me.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 134 - "Limoncello"

May 13, 2012 - "Limoncello"

I'm making Limoncello today!

Peeling lemons... LOTS of lemons... making the house smell all-sorts-of-wonderful!

Now comes the hard part... the wait!

BUT - in 30 days, we'll be sitting out on the screen-porch after dinner... sipping some homemade Limoncello!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 133 - "Plastic Passion"

May 12, 2012 - "Plastic Passion"

I'm in the garden center, buying supplies for my tomatoes and basil... and I come across this stack of colorful kid-size plastic lawn chairs.

How could I let such a moment pass by "uncaptured"?

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 132 - "Film Fest"

May 11, 2012 - "Film Fest"

Tonight we're at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, where my daughter (second-from-left) and several of her classmates have an entry in the Connecticut Student Film Festival.

Red Carpet photos...

Flashbulbs...

Creativity...

Talent...

Wonderfulness!

A fantastic evening... and some VERY proud parents!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 131 - "Playing Around"

May 10, 2012 - "Playing Around"

My dog - Leica - is sitting on top of me... playing around with her rope toy.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 130 - "Entenmann's"

May 09, 2012 - "Entenmann's"

I got a major craving today... for Entenmann's Chocolate Donuts.

I know they're just processed crap... but I don't care. Not today! I've got a MAJOR craving!

And now I'm going to fulfill it!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 129 - "Spring Rain"

May 08, 2012 - "Spring Rain"

It's another rainy Spring day in my little corner of New England.

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 128 - "Going Glass"

May 07, 2012 - "Going Glass"

I've recycled all of our old, plastic food storage containers...

... and switched to shiny, new glass food storage containers - with locking, BPA-Free plastic lids.

Bye-bye, BPA!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 127 - "Supermarket Bouquet"

May 06, 2012 - "Supermarket Bouquet"

We're at the store, shopping for dinner... and I come across this lovely bouquet.

Break out the iPhone and snap a few shots before hitting the check-out line.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 126 - "Last Rites"

May 05, 2012 - "Last Rites"

As I've mentioned many times before, I like collect oddities. Strange, sometimes morbid odds-and-ends... often religious in nature.

This is the latest of my odd purchases: A vintage bakelite Sick Call/Last Rites set... complete and in it's original box.

I love it. My wife thinks it's a bit morbid though.

And what exactly IS a Sick Call/Last Rites set, you ask?

Here's what the instruction card that comes with it has to say:

When a priest comes to administer the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, he should find near the sick person's bed a small table covered with a white cloth, and upon it a Crucifix and two lighted candles.

Also there should be a bottle of holy water, a glass of fresh water with a spoon, a plate to receive the cotton used in anointing, and another plate with rumpled bread. Elsewhere in the room should be a bowl of water and towel for the priest's use after administering the sacrament.

When an ill person is to receive Holy Communion only, it is sufficient to have the table and cloth, crucifix and lighted candles, and water and spoon.

A priest carrying the Blessed Sacrament should be met at the door by an adult carrying a lighted candle. He precedes the priest to the sick room but leaves when the priest is hearing the patient's confession. He may return and kneel while holy Communion is administered.

In case of serious illness do not delay in notifying the priest. Give him the name and address; whether the ill one is a child or an adult; if the patient is conscious and able to recieve holy communion; if a physician has attended and his opinion of the danger of death.

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 125 - "Knife Block"

May 04, 2012 - "Knife Block"

Still very sore from this whole wisdom tooth thing... but it's nothing a little "retail therapy" can't help! So I find myself at Bed, Bath & Beyond - buying myself a Kapoosh Knife Block for my Henckels.

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 124 - "Broken"

May 03, 2012 - "Broken"

Woke up with a broken wisdom tooth... and excruciating pain.

Emergency trip to the dentist... where they couldn't do anything because the tooth broke below the gum-line and was a total mess. So they sent me to a surgeon.

Nitrous Oxide and an I-V to knock me out... and the surgeon did his job well. I didn't feel a thing during the surgery... but I'm extremely sore now!

So I'm curled up on the couch with a mouth full of gauze... loaded up on Percocet... half-watching TV.

Life isn't feeling so "good" right about now!

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 123 - "Wine Time"

May 02, 2012 - "Wine Time"

Yep... That's right... It's "Wine Time"!

(lifeisgood!)

*   *   *

366 Project - Day 122 - "Bocce"

May 01, 2012 - "Bocce"

Spending "Festa del Lavoro" at the Vespucci Lodge (Order Sons of Italy in America) in Danbury.


Lots of good food...


Lots of good wine...


Great conversations - partly in Italian... partly in English...


Lots of plans being made...


And... of course... a dozen men standing around the Bocce Court - laughingly arguing over measurements... while smoking cigars and sipping drinks.


Life IS good!


*   *   *