Marching into spring... finally.

This year continues to fly by. I haven't been posting nearly as much this year, as you can see. The winter here in Florida has been unusually cold, which has really taken it's toll on the yard. But I think Spring is finally here. We've been spending a lot of time cleaning up, pruning, and planting spring color. Friends are coming to visit in a few weeks, so we want to be sure it looks as nice as it can. We would be doing these things anyway, but with company coming, it gives a little more motivation.

Well, I've completed my guitar lessons. Mostly. I missed the last couple sessions. The truck finally died, so we spent one weekend shopping around. I can't remember why I missed the previous lesson, but I felt like I was so far behind at that point that I blew off the last one. That's okay, I really just wanted some direction and good pointers. And I got that. So I'll continue to practice on my own and maybe in the fall sign up again.

I'm still taking pictures. I have a shoot this morning with a three year old. She's a friend of ours. A beautiful little girl, so this should be easy. Her mom wants Easter pictures. Hopefully I get a couple of good ones.

I'm off to Orlando in a couple weeks to attend Photoshop World. I've been to a couple of Scott Kelby's seminars, but never the BIG one. I'm really excited about it. I know I'll go feeling all inspired which will later turn into overwhelmed. But it doesn't matter. I know I'll have tons of notes and materials to review.

Speaking of photography and Photoshop, at our monthly neighborhood gathering I met some really interesting people. Kent and Jules Follett are photographers who specialize in the entertainment industry. Jules just published a giant photobook called Sticks n Skins - featuring drummers from famous bands. Some I'm familiar with, some not. But it's an incredible book. Check it out. Turns out they are just a block or so from my home. They invited me over to check out their studio any time. I sure I'm going to take them up on it. I love meeting interesting people, and I'm sure I could learn a thing or two from them too.

End of January already...

Well we're one month into the new year already. It's happening fast. Although I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions (as I said earlier), it's still a time for new and renewed ideas.

I've started the year by finally signing up for guitar lessons. So far I've enjoyed it. I would be much farther along if I spent more time practicing. But life gets in the way. There are other things to do, dogs take care of, and work.

This year I'll also continue to work on my photography. I've gotten my feet pretty wet this past year, so it's time to expand a little bit on it and start to do something new with it. I'm a little tired of the standard landscape shots and candid pictures of the dogs. I'm inspired by all the artistic photography I see on Flickr (my favorite haunt lately).  So, we'll see how it goes.

Have you started anything new this year?

It's that time of year...

It's that time of year again when the entire world (it seems) starts to look back on the year and make promises for the coming year. There were a lot of bumps, scrapes, and all out crashes this past year, but somehow I manage to come out of it unscathed (knock on wood). So what will the next year be like?

I'm not one for New Year's Resolutions. In fact, there has been only one that I have ever stuck to. "I will never again make a New Year's Resolution." You've heard the expression, "avoid disappointment, aim low." That seems to have been my mantra lately. But I am starting to feel like it's time to do some thing.

I don't know what that "something" will be yet. Will the Costa Rica vacation finally happen? Will I finally sign up for lessons and learn how to play the guitar? Will I go back to school and complete my degree? Will I finally loose 40 pounds? I don't know yet. But those are all things rattling around in my brain. Who knows. Maybe all of the above. Maybe none. But one thing's for sure... I won't be making a list of promises come New Year's eve.

Gettin' things done

This a good day to get things done. I took the day off, so today I voted, bought a guitar tuner, went grocery shopping, bought a yoga DVD I've been thinking about, and finally took pics of our new vegetable garden.

Voting wasn't bad. Our precinct isn't too big, so I think I only waited for about 2 or 3 minutes. On the way out running my errands, hundreds of Obama signs seem to have sprouted overnight. It was kinda cool to see that display in my mostly republican neighborhood.

I found my way to a local music store and bought a guitar tuner. Someone at work told me about them. I never knew such a thing existed. I'm gonna go try it out today. While there, I saw a flyer about classes starting in January. $89 for eight weeks! Sounds like a bargain to me. I'm seriously thinking about checking that out.

I picked up the "A.M. Yoga" DVD too. It has five twenty-minute sessions. Monday night I go to a class, and it's something I look forward to all week. So I may try to do this a couple mornings a week too. Still not great at it, but I think I hit a milestone this week. A lot of the poses that I struggled with seemed to have clicked this week. Love it.

About three weeks ago, we built a small raised bed for vegetables on the south side of our house. We planted grape and cherry tomatoes, zuchini, summer squash, basil, radishes, mixed lettus greens, jalepenos, and yellow and red bell peppers. Next we're going to build a trellis and plant some beans and/or maybe snowpeas. The tomatoes are doing really well - lots of little blooms already.

We've also been talking about extending the fence on the north side of the house closer to the street. That will give us a place to put a couple rain barrels and a compost pile. We haven't had a place for a compost pile in a few years. And with all the yard debris we produce, it's just a good idea. BTW - did you hear that the recycling company in Pinellas county is going to stop accepting glass for recycling for the next year?! Bad timing - since St. Pete is JUST starting their curbside recycling program. Apparently there is a real glut in recycled glass. Yet recycled glass items are still exhorbitantly expensive. Go figure.