Summer in a Jar...

Day 31 of 395
The prompt for the day was orange. I want the orange of summer flowers, I want it now. Right now. Today in fact. I looked up and there it was. Summer in a jar.
Anne

The Country of Boyhood

Day 30 of 365
We live in a relatively new country called boyhood. We've lived here for over 4 years now. I enjoy it completely and I love finding special little boy things perfectly placed in our home. Especially hand made day dreams like this. My Andy recalls this land from his own journey there many years ago. Completely charming. Mostly.
Anne

Matty's Art

Day 29 of 365
Paint and glitter... my Matty loves such stuff. I take after him ;-) I had fun playing with the prompt texture and toying with the foreground, middle ground and back ground. I like playing. The art work was on top of my dresser waiting to be hung up and was curling on itself. Struck my fancy.
Anne

The Entertainer

Day 28 of 365

His hands are going a mile a minute, his feet momentarily still and the kid is singing out his heart. He remembered each word to the Thomas song. He is my favorite singer. I think it is the bear slippers, that and he can carry a tune. I can't, so I am in awe.

Anne

Waiting

Day 27 of 365

Waiting for spring. Flower boxes and no snow, no ice. Just waiting and noticing my deck rails are not straight as arrows.

Was a Sunny Day

Day 26 of 365
My work space has no window, it is in the basement. This is my little bit of sunshine. Love it.
Anne

Vintage Moments...

Day 25 of 365
I love old cameras, new cameras ... any camera. These though are extra special. The Argus was my Uncle's and The Kodak Brownie was his sister's aka Mom's. Yes, I have some sweet photographs taken by them, however, I also treasure the instruments that took them. Say cheese :-)
Anne

Water...

Day 24 of 365

Water is used in brewing coffee ergo this is a beloved photograph of water. Yes. I partake of this magical elixir so I can run after my sons, apparently I am not the only parent to do so, after all America runs on it.

Anne

The Hands of an Engineer

Day 23 of 365
Joey loves Thomas the Tank Engine more than my words can convey, he is just like his older brother. Joey helps set up the tracks very carefully, just a few pieces... so he can with great concentration guide Thomas through tunnels and across bridges. Those little two year old hands are very careful with his friend Thomas.
Anne

A Father's Sweetness....

Day 22 of 365
Andy is such a part of the boy's daily lives. He even takes time before going to work to help get them ready for their day. This is his love given so freely in every day acts. These are the sweetest of moments... in the utter chaos of our morning routine he is there.
Anne

Change...

Day 20 of 365
I laid the special edition of the Globe on the desk of the 1st African American Dentist to practice in Massachusetts, my children's great grandfather. That old metal motorcycle and rider is my children's grandfather's. A quiet man who worked for the post office, one of the federal jobs a black man could get. Now a black man holds the highest esteemed office anyone could have. They are no longer with us, so this is a tribute to them. May President Obama have wisdom, compassion and strength.
Anne

Dreams are Fragile...

so precious and when given voice and joined by millions of voices those dreams become strong and step closer and closer to being. Never, ever, let go of your dreams especially when those dreams lift US ALL up. Thank you dear Martin and thank every last one of you who embrace these ideals that are self evident that all people are created equal.

Here are the words of Martin Luther King. It is his day today so tomorrow will be all our day.

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."2
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

The Maker of Small Snow Squalls Day 18/365

January 18th, 2009

It started snowing late last night and did not finish until late this afternoon. We promised Matty and Joey that we would all go outside and play after nap time. Silly us. Nap time became anticipation time. It had nothing to do with watching, singing with and dancing to the concert at the Lincoln Memorial that was televised today. No, nor the beautiful speeches that brought tears to this momma's eyes or the knowledge that the promise of a better tomorrow had arrived. Not at all. It had nothing to do with this momma whispering to her sons as she danced with them that they too one day could reach for the stars. Nope. It was the anticipation of playing in the snow. Really. Matty reached for the snow and made his own moment of joy and wonder. I love these moments and I loved today.

Anne

Home is where the snoozing couch is...

or the opportunity to hold a person. A small person. A small person who snores. Yes, he does, while drooling into his mommy's shoulder. Do I care? No, I don't because I wait for this moment every day :-) Yes, I have heard about makeup. I know, I should try it some time.
Anne

Day 16 of 365 How to be mad and make your mother...

smother her laughter. Matty doesn't like rules, he takes after me;-) So when told not to tickle his brother at the dinner table he decided to get down to the business of REALLY driving momma nuts. I know he was playing for the reaction, but I don't think he was expecting the camera to pop out. I suspect we are not ready for dining at the Ritz, maybe next year? Tell me, please, do all four year old boys act this way or are we just that special?
Anne

Day 15 of 365 Baby It Is Cold...

outside and will be colder tonight. It is soup and stew making weather. Time to bake breads and make home made hot chocolate. Wool socks and sweaters, old flannel lined jeans make their cozy winter appearance. Pull out the eiderdown, fluff the quilts and snuggle someone real close... the temperatures going down tonight and the mood is just right for cuddle bugging this night.
Anne ... hehe can you tell I read an enormous amount of children's books?

14 of 365 Scientist

These are working hands, they seldom rest. They are scientific tools used for exploring and discovery. They are the hands of a two year old boy. May we all use our hands so well.
Anne

Day 13 of 365 Joey is...

my dancer, singer and a big fan of the Big Cheese himself. I love how his arms seemingly match Mickey's pose.
Anne

My Inner Window... day 12 of 365

I love this old house. You can see the mishmash way the old farm families who lived here added on. Our front entry way was a much later edition. I love that they kept the window :-) Our house rambles and is well worn as is becoming of a dwelling built in 1697.
Thanks for dropping by...
Anne

Hot Times at the Washingtons...

or how to warm the winter chills away. Home made spaghetti sauce stirred with an old wooden spoon. Comfort food pure and simple. What are your favorite winter comfort foods, you know the ones that warm up your kitchen and your family?

Anne

My Present...

This is the little cast iron stove my mother gave to me as a young girl. I have it by the kitchen sink as a daily reminder of play times long past and a lady who bought a stove for her daughter because it reminded her of her childhood ... where she learned to cook on an old iron stove. They lived on Long Island Sound in New London CT. She remembered a retired ballet dancer who was visiting for the summer. The lady had gained some weight but had not lost her spirit nor her love for leaping... and she demonstrated her talents with great gusto and prowess. The lids on the old stove would leap and rattle with her moves as if it was dancing with her. I loved her memory. I love my little reminder.

Anne

Day 9 of 365 Memories

This is the 2ND Church in Newton. It greets me when I am leaving work. I played with my aperture and liked what I saw... if I had a tripod you might have liked it better ;-) This church has memories for me, my mother's best friend attended there and many a time I was invited to attend special events there. I miss my mother and I miss Helen. Lovely memories.

This was to be the 3 prompt post, however, I have misplaced that SD flash card. I had taken a bump photograph of one of my dearest friends. She is 25 months along and pregnant with twins. We found out later one of the babies was in distress, please just take a moment and say a prayer for her. She is 25 weeks along and each day is offering renewed hope. I shall not go into details, for that is not my place. Just please offer up a prayer for wee Tara... she is responding well and may she continue to do so. I thank you from the depth of my heart.
Anne

The Green that Amazes Me...

Day 8 of 365
Geraniums delight me in the colder months. I bring them in every fall and their blossoms hold me till spring.
Anne

Watching Green...

Day 8 of 365
Green I delight in... it is my kitchen clock... my Kitchen walls.

Ever Green?

The tall pine has the barest hint of green through the softly falling flurry. I love looking out back... it makes me forget the busy road in front of our home. Our backyard is the place for deer, wild turkeys, woodchucks, chipmunks, ground hogs and the little red tailed fox. The cardinals live in the pines, such a beautiful streak of red when they fly by. None in the moment as they seem tired of the snow too. I love the subtle promise of the green.
Anne

Matty Finds Good Humor in Everything....

and I find enormous joy in that. In the middle of yet another storm that leaves us in a icy wonderland there is Matty who said with a warm smile "We are all together!". He is four... he is teaching me a great deal. May all of you be able to find some joys this night.
Anne

The Next Action Film Star or Daddy is about to Groan

Boys are the most amazing little people, so full of energy. Yes, this is a typical moment in the Washington household. We do not simply sit down on the couch, especially if our favorite guys are already there. We climb up the sofa arm and leap with great joy into all cuddle moments. Yes, it is a sign of the depth of our affection for Daddy as much as mad cap two year old thinking. I was actually going to take a "special Matty Daddy Moment" photo when Joey decided to leap into the scene. Yup... the focus is off but I did catch that moment and that is okay :-) Makes my heart happy.

True Perfection ....

is in this the loving face... the perfect tonic to a bad day.

Perfect Colors Playing...

or I couldn't resist playing with my aperture! This is the Christmas Tree... :-)

Perfection attained...

in my cobalt blue drinking glass... ordinary everyday beauty. Yes, there are more photos to come, I could stop at one.

Perfection Admired...

Our Christmas Tree seemingly is admiring its own perfection in the living room mirror. Truly, it has no reason not to, it is lovely in all of it's colorful light. I have the hardest time taking down Christmas Trees. Each one is so beautiful and holds in it's branches all of our wishes and joys of the season.
Anne

I had to take this photo... it was manitory!

Day 5 part 2
I walk past this restaurant window after work, each night I stop and marvel at the lights twinkling with the green glass bottles... a little slice of visual heaven that reminds me of Italy and New Years Eve and so many good times, magical times. It also makes me crave Carmela's lobster and pumpkin ravioli's ;-) Delish. Word.
Anne

Signs, Signs Ever Where There Signs...

Jan. 5th Day 5 of 365



Me thinks these cards are trying to tell me something.... when I figure it out I'll let you know ;-) This is actually a photograph at work, in the retail section. I pulled one card from each deck. I love the various religions represented here and they all seem to be saying the same thing....



enter the twilight zone.... oh wait a minute this has nothing to do with Edward ;-)
Anne

Me, Myself and I

January 4th:
4 of 365

I hesitated posting a photograph of me. Frankly, I've been under the weather. Yes, that is a cloud over my head.... :::insert drum roll::: :::insert groaning sound emitted by blog readers:::
Any way the three of us are truly HOT! ;-)
Anne

Oddly Cold or Care to Swim?

January 3rd:

3 of 365

Matty and Joey wanted to play in the snow and we finally had a warm enough day to do so. The new Spiderman boots needed to frolic in the snow and so did we. The boys completely enjoyed themselves and I had a good laugh when I saw these signs at the lake. The temps were in the balmy twenties after having been in the single digits... perhaps it could be tempting for some daring soul. I love how the town lets you know you can do so at your own risk, humm... are there days when life guards are there? On a side note, I love puggies :-)

Anne

Challenge or There is the Ball!

January 2ND, 2009:
2 of 365
Andy and I took Matty and Joey to The Children's Museum in Acton. Matty was so fascinated by the ball room. Tubing, bells, pulleys... and best of all balls, what more could a kid ask for? He finally managed to insert the ball and was closely watching where it was going. I love how he paid such close attention, his whole being was alert and focused. Matty is my free loving, free spirited, action charged son. He never stays still for long. I am certain it is against all the rules and regulations in the Four Year Olds Handbook to do so and Matty hates to disappoint!

The First Time

January 1st:
This was the first time I caught the boys snuggling on the couch. I love how their feet touched, their shoulders were together while they ate lolly-pops and watched a Thomas DVD. Usually they immediately pose when they see the camera, however, this time they were totally enthralled with Thomas and they didn't realize I was taking their photograph because I was not focusing on their sweet faces. I just love the casual expression of love. I also can never resist little toes.
Anne

365 Photo of the Day

365 photographs, a year in our lives. This blog was inspired by Denise and all the ladies of BASB. I just hope my good intentions become a reality. I started another blog back in July and made one entry. Perhaps I should update that one too, but that might be pushing my luck. So here is to beginnings. I shall be adding a photograph each day with a simple story. Welcome to the lives of the Washingtons, this is our journey.