This week’s photo scavenger hunt theme was Something To Eat. Here is some of what I found!
The week three theme is Something Clean. I will need to ponder on this one. Wish me luck!
Want to play along? Here’s a photo of my challenge.
It looks a little rough and wrinkled because I dragged it around for four days back in the spring but never did anything with it.
Earlier this year, my Pittsburgh pal and I went on a little adventure that involved a bookstore crawl around her city and some exploring around Bedford, Pa. She had found a photography scavenger hunt that included nearly forty prompts like photograph something the size of a mouse, something hard, and something blue.
While we both did a great job documenting our adventures, we both failed miserably at the scavenger hunt prompts. Part of the problem for me is that I was so happily engaged in seeing and photographing new things, the prompts seemed less important. Plus, there were so many options, it was a little overwhelming.
But I held onto my worksheet thinking maybe I would revisit it someday.
Well, friends, someday has arrived.
I got to thinking about the need for a creative look at daily life when just hanging out and doing the same things. I feel creative when walking strange ground but need a boost when everything feels familiar.
Instead of taking a few days to work on all the prompts, I’m going to use one a week and see what I see.
This week’s prompt was Something Red.
None of my photos turned out great but I ended the week with about a dozen that are decent.
I truly believe that we see what we seek. If you are looking for a white car, you will only see white cars. If you are looking for things that are scary and divisive, that’s all you’ll ever notice. If you are looking for things that are red, rest assured there’s a lot of red in this world.
This is a great creative exercise because it can be done about anywhere. My main rule for myself is that the pictures can’t be heavily edited – a little cropping is fine but not a lot of other manipulation. The first image did get a little manipulation because I had to snap it through a dirty windshield. Don’t worry. I wasn’t driving,
Vintage radio.
A real working vintage drink cooler at Stella’s Mercantile.
Laundry.
Another vintage radio. I’m sensing a theme here.
Fiesta!
Last, but not least – you knew I had to work in some books!
This week’s theme is Something To Eat. Want to play along? It’s a fun game you can play to help you see your world a little differently!
Around here CALM is the name of the game. Scout has been really sick, a malady I’m certain is brought on by anxiety. He went back to the vet yesterday for more tests and I continue to force him to take pills twice a day. Have you ever tried to give a cat pills by yourself? It’s a life skill I seem to have mastered with my boy, at least. Sadly, when we are done, he turns to me (his tormenter) for comfort.
Otherwise, I’ve been trying hard to keep his little world calm and somewhat predictable. By extension, my world has been calmer as well. In fact, I’m home again today. I’ve been home a lot lately with time to do some cleaning and organizing, reading, and kitty cuddling.
I’ll also be listening to authors talk about their books this weekend through something called Roswell Reads Rewind. Basically Roswell, Georgia has a city wide reading project that involves bringing in major fiction authors to speak about their books and to sometimes speak about their writing process. Once a year they post all those videos of past events online for a single weekend. It’s wonderful to go at your own pace and have a front row seat to all these smart people who have given the world books truly worth reading.
Last night I listened to Lisa See talk about her “overnight success” after spending twenty years writing books. Today I’ll revisit some favorites that I watched last year including Ron Rash, Ann Patchett, and Rick Bragg.
Around here, books and reading matter. Not only does reading entertain, it broadens horizons, educates and increases empathy in a world where these things I value seem to have gone out of vogue.
That’s part of the reason it irritates me to say there’s a good chance I’m going to DNF a book today. It sounded great but it has taken the author a full third of nearly 600 pages to get to the actual story of the book and I find that I’m just not that interested.
Do I care what happens next or if the main character is ok? Not especially.
Around here, we call that a bad sign. I’ll give it fifty more pages before deciding that this may just not be the book for me.
Around here, we understand that all things are not for all people and we move on.
I do wish I could be out doing something fun today. There’s probably a car show or a museum exhibit I would like to see. October is my favorite month for activities and time in nature. I know I’m missing out by not being on the hiking trails but there’s an event happening at Lake Hope today so that wouldn’t be peaceful and the Hocking Hills parks will be as busy as Times Square by noon.
Around here, we recognize that lots of people have FOMO or the Fear Of Missing Out but we believe in JOMO.
That’s the Joy of Missing Out.
At this moment, I’m in comfy pjs, still lounging with my little cat who adores me even when I make him take medicine and leave him at the vet to be poked and prodded. It’s a beautiful fall day and I have a quick errand to run so maybe I’ll stop for a few pictures on the way. Otherwise, around here is where I will stay and be glad for the calm of a quiet day mostly at home.
Whether you’re staying in or headed out on adventure, I hope where you are is as happy as this.
In the heart of Stockbridge, Massachusetts sits a colonial era landmark that still invites travelers to lay down their weary heads and stay a while.
The Red Lion Inn actually began as a small inn around 1773. According to the Red Lion’s website, Silas Pepoon created this welcome stop for stagecoach travelers between Albany and Boston.
In the centuries since, a number of owners have cared for and grown the hotel and its influence in the Berkshires. For the last fifty or so years, it has been the Fitzpatrick family that has taken it to the next level in terms of physical growth and making it a year round destination.
We didn’t stay there, opting instead for a more cost effective option outside of town but we did pop in to their gift shop and to look around part of the first floor.
There are numerous places to sit and relax in public areas. I really liked this spot near the stairs.
And this one.
It feels every bit its age in the best way possible with high ceilings, gorgeous woodwork, and windows with a view. I could imagine myself curled up with a good book in this room some cold winter day.
Don’t think I’m weird but I was charmed by the wallpaper in the ladies room. Ok, maybe it is a little weird but I like it anyway.
Lots of famous people have stayed here including US Presidents lIke FDR and Teddy Roosevelt, celebrities like Bob Dylan and Oprah Winfrey, and literary giants like Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Someday I’ll stay there but for now am just glad we looked around for a few minutes on our way somewhere else! Want to learn more? Here’s their website.