Project 365 - Fiddle-de-de

Tucked up tight and huddled together,
New spring life awaits its turn to stretch and yawn,
Reaching forward into the days of summer.

Project 365 - Thankful

Today is the 100th day of my 365 photo blog project.  Off and on all day, I have wrestled with how to mark this milestone. What to shoot....what to write.  In the end, I am cheating a bit.

Last fall, my sister came for a week-end visit and on a whim we decided to visit the Pennsylvania Colonial Plantation located down the street from my house in Ridley Creek State Park.  It was a beautiful afternoon.  We took Maddie with us.  The three of us spent our time walking through the past.  We visited with weavers and blacksmiths, furniture makers and farmers, all dressed in period costume and full of colonial information.  We wandered around the barnyard marveling at the sizable pigs lounging in the mud and took our turn at feeding the chickens.

Finally, we made our way up to the farmhouse.  A fire was burning in the parlor hearth taking the chill out of our pink cheeks.  And there seated at the large farmhouse table in the center of the room sat a beautiful little colonial child.  She glanced up as we entered, and seeing Maddie, she immediately issued an invitation to join her as she colored her pictures of cows and horses.  I asked her if it was ok for me to take her picture.  She stopped her work for a moment,  and gave me the briefest of grins.  I asked her name.  "Thankful, " she replied.

And so as I close the first 100 days of the most challenging and fullfilling work I have ever undertaken, I can not think of a better image and sentiment to share.  Thankful.  Yes, indeed.

Project 365 -The May Apple

I spent a good deal of time today crawling around on my belly today.  There are so many plants beginning to emerge.  Pushing their way up through the leaf liter I have been too lazy to rake up out of the garden.  Leaves and flower buds are unfolding, stretching, nodding to the rain that fell today.

The May Apples open like so many umbrellas, popping up and unfurling it's single sheltering leaf.  Later in the month, it will bloom, a single white flower, will  linger there for a bit, like a southern belle under her parisol on a lovely spring day.

Project 365 - The Open Gate

The open gate beckoned to me.  The path is not worn. Who has been here before me? Did they mean to leave the gate open?  Perhaps an invitation or did they just forget to secure the latch?

Project 365 - The Bull Frogs

The bull frogs are awake.  I had lunch with several of them today.  They sat at ponds edge enjoying the sun and the warmer than usual spring temperatures.  They watched me eat my roasted beet salad.  They heard me chatting with friends.  They saw my cheeks turn pink in the same sun that warmed their big green bodies.  They never waivered.  Who knew I was that interesting?

Project 365 - Cherry Blossoms

It is no wonder that we celebrate the cherry blossom.  They burst on the scene just when we need them most.  Like tiny pink butterflies clinging together by the thousands, on criss cross branches, they flutter in the spring breeze.  They do not last long.  A week from now, they will let go of their perch and fall like so much pink snow.  But for now, we celebrate.

Project 365 - The Muse Moves Out

The muse has stepped outside.  Left the building.  She has settled herself up on a rock outcropping in the front circle garden.  Nestled in moss and terra cotte.  If you strike her, her tone vibrates through the rock.  You can feel her cool sound with your hand.  Out in the world she looks small, making her sound huge.  The birds talk back and scatter in confusion.