Health

Fresh lettuce from the AeroGarden, red onion, a touch of gorgonzola with a splash of olive oil and flavored balsamic vinegar.365/2011

H is for Hand

This is my hand, with 58 years of weathering and experience. On it is a Claddagh ring. John gave me one when we were were courting & visiting Ireland withy parents. When we got engaged, his sisters told him he had to buy me a diamond. I refused--I wanted my Claddagh ring as my engagement ring. The original ring was handmade and thin. It broke when we were on our honeymoon in Ireland in 1979. He bought me a replacement in Clifton in Connemara. The stone is green Connemara marble. I've worn it over my white gold wedding band for 32 years now. The reason I wanted the Claddagh ring over the diamond is the symbolism: the heart stands for love, the hands for friendship, and the crown for fidelity. And that's what makes a good marriage. It's what I hoped for 32 years ago--and what I have been fortunate enough to have for all these years. 365/2011

Bedtime

When I was growing up, bedtime was when the street lights went on.
365/2011

G is for Granddude

Aidan, the older of our two granddudes, in a quiet moment after dinner.
365/2011

Groups

People gather in groups at the cafe at Barnes & Nobel.
365/2011

Nuts

Walnuts and pecans at Stew Leonard's (a huge meandering total trip of a grocery store--at our house, dinner is what's been on sale at Stew Leonard's. They specialize in fresh whole foods, like these nuts.)
365/2011

F is for Family and Food

I couldn't get the whole table in the shot, but here--getting serious about Thanksgiving dinner--are Aidan, Christian, Sierra & John. The rest of the family completed the circle--the first time in years I have had my whole family here for Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for so much.
365/2011

E is for Elevator

Apparently now functioning. Me, I take the stairs. 365/2011

Fly

Two Canada geese lift off over Paper Goods Pond. They aren't heading for Canada--the geese here have completely forgotten where Canada is. But they make an elegant silhouette against the sky.

D is for Dictionary

...and, apparently, for this type of fly.
365/2011

Crooked

My granddude, the budding anarchist. After we built this elaborate track, he deliberately separated the section of the bridge and almost studiously ran the train into the void. Reminded me of an Addams family cartoon.
365/2011

C is for Cookies & Coffee

In the middle of a hectic pre-Thanksgiving day, we stopped at the Starbucks in Newington. We brought our own GF chocolate chip cookies (Betty Crocker!) 365/2011

Refreshing

This is Brianna. She is the delightfully refreshing waitress at Iliano's in Meriden. Iliano's serves gluten free pizza. We go there on a regular basis to meet with friends. Having Brianna as our waitress makes it even nicer.
365/2011

Hiding

Someone eats a solitary lunch hidden with a forest of upturned chairs.
365/2011

B is for bug

As it gets cold, box elder bugs appear in our office building. They are harmless, just seeking refuge from the cold. 365/2011

A is for Apple

I've finally decided to take on the alphabet, beginning with a classic.

Slick

Slick and sleek: the architecture of the Convention Center in Hartford.
365/2011

Yardwork

Leaves are falling off the trees much later than usual. Now we have to rake them up...plus we have to deal with all the tree damage and branches down from that freak October storm. Lots of yardwork.
365/2011

Mouth watering.

Aidan was delighted that his lollipop was root beer flavor.
365/2011

Frosted

This is a photo of one of our maple trees taken just an hour or so after the snow started on October 29. Snow doesn't usually fall while there are leaves on the trees. Who'd have thought that that an accumulation of a few flakes per leaf--substantially less than an ounce -- would have done more damage than hurricanes?
365/2011

Wild

The sky tonight reminded me of the line from Alfred Noyes' classic poem, "The Highwayman": The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas."
365/2011

Dairy

Nearly every weekend includes a trip to Stew Leonard's. Stews is a sprawling grocery store (complete with automated singing cows, chickens, bananas, cheese and milk cartons) that specializes in basic whole fresh foods. For us, the week's dinners ate based on what was on sale at Stew Leonard's. One of their prized products is fresh mozzarella, made there as you watch. More often than not, you can snag a ball of it that is still warm. There is no better cheese on earth.
365/2011

Square

The keyboard of my computer at work.
365/2011

Thriving

Over 100,000 customers are still without power in Connecticut, including more than half the homes in nearby towns like Avon and West Hartford. No wonder business at the cafe at Barnes & Noble is thriving.
365/2011

Playful

The lights came back on yesterday afternoon! Just in time...We weren't able to take the granddudes trick or treating on Halloween, as the streets were too dark, so we planned on a pumpkin hunt after dark in our yard. With so many in the state still out of power, I wasn't sure we'd get it back in time. But we did, and the dudes had a blast. Afterwards, they proved that classic toys are always the best: they were completely engaged in constructing a complex train track layout with wooden trains.
365/2011

Soothing

I'm going to be honest--these are stressful times. It's Thursday. We've been without power now since Saturday. There are no realistic estimates as to when there will be restoration of power. They are telling us Sunday by midnight. We live on a main street in our town, so it's not like we're out at the distal end of the lines. It's easy to feel tense and angry and frustrated. But the lack of lights lets us see the sky. And that is one soothing element that I need to keep in mind.
365/2011

Black

This is a photo of a Connecticut Light and Power repair truck. Don't see one? Well, neither have we. There are no substantial estimates as to when our power will be restored. The electric company is saying that Sunday is the goal. I have to admit I'm getting tired of driving miles to get a hot shower, of cooking on the porch or in the garage, of having to go to the library just to charge my cell phone, of feeling cut off from the events of the world due to having limited access to news sources. On the other hand, our community as a whole has been handling this so well. There's a real feeling of camaraderie at the library, which has become the town gathering place. We do have the woodstove, so we're not freezing (though using sleeping bags in a frigid bedroom is getting old.) Seeking hot water gave me an unexpected opportunity to see the granddudes. There is wifi at the library, but it's under a demand it wasn't built to handle, so it's very slow. I miss visiting all your blogs! I promise to be back if ever one of those elusive trucks appears.
365/2011

Asymmetrical

My two granddudes have radically different personalities. Aidan, the older one, is quiet and cerebral; the younger one, Craig, is physical and rambunctious. This photo captured them both so well.
365/2011

Floor

Between floors, actually...Still no power at home (estimate by utility company is Sunday) so I was delighted to hear it had been restored at my office building. I drove into Hartford, looking forward to lights & electricity & even computers with Internet access--only to find the power had gone off about 10 minutes earlier. Two co-workers were stuck in the elevator & had to be rescued by the fire department. The fire truck was being waved into the parking lot when I got there. I was relieved to find the building was not aflame. We were all sent back home again. Usually people love getting an unexpected day off, but the majority have no electricity at home. Many have no heat & were looking forward to a day of being warm. I just wanted to charge my cell phone!
365/2011

Generous

With 70% of the homes in our town out of power, people are desperate for light, heat, Internet access, functioning electric outlets to charge phones & computers, as well as a shared community experience. Our library is providing all that plus friendly, cheerful, helpful librarians (like Val's Aunt Betsy.) People are taking advantage of this in droves. Thank you, librarians!
365/2011