Signs along Highland Boulevard - Tuesday 2/7/2006

Christmas lights are gone, but we still have neon.

That African violet - Monday 2/6/2006

It’s the one that I rescued from my boss’s desk. So it gives me even more than the usual pleasure to see it blooming.

African violets are really pretty easy once you figure out that they need to have water around their roots all the time and be fed regularly. I wish more things were this simple.

No matter how many books they sell on the topic, there is no formula for a fabulous novel, or memoir, or short story. There are elements that will surely help them along, but they have to be infused with a life beyond the words on the page.

Maybe those of us who write need to be willing to risk our hearts to give the tales their own breath.

Dodger vs. the Vegetable Brush Sunday 2/5/2006

I was framing a shot of the vegetable brush when Dodger popped into the act.

Poppy outside Mimi's Saturday 2/4/2006

Down in Laguna Hills. Just so pretty in the afternoon sun.

Chimineria and lavendar Friday 2/3/2006

We’ve had a warm spell and the flowers are all excited about it. Me, too. I have a nice studio to write in, but I tend to sit at this window in our library to write.

Heading Out Saturday 2/4/2006

Following our honorary nephew out of our neighborhood. He stayed with us a few days before heading down to Laguna Hills/Irvine where he’ll live and work. He just arrived from Indiana. He’ll be staying with D’s cousin during his internship, and then hopefully staying on after the three months for the job.

He's been very interested in all the classic cars you see on the road out here, and how there's no rust damage!

Stop Sign Thursday 2/5/2006

Lines and colors.

Something "ugly"

Encountered while walking by the side of the road.

The View From My Desk - Wednesday 2/1/2006

Well, part of it anyway. Just some of the stuff hanging on the divider behind my desk.

I met this guy at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, and I thought, “I’d like to have lunch with him.” That’s sort of my test of how much I like a character in a book or a film, whether I’d take the opportunity to have lunch with her or him.

Maurice-Quentin de La Tour painted this self-portrait in 1764. Doesn’t he look like fun? I think I’d actually bump the date up to a dinner. And drinks after.

Maybe even dancing.

Pony Coin Purse Tuesday 1/31/2006

Made by one of my honorary nephews many years ago. I still have it on my backpack.

I put away my backpack a couple of years ago. Trying to carry more adult-looking bags. But I brought it out of the closet for my trip to Indiana and I’m hooked again. Lightweight, easy to manage compartments, and plenty of room for the papers, books, and notebooks I have never stopped carrying around.

My name is Sundry, and I am a backpack addict.

Long Way Home Monday 1/30/2006

I like signs like this. Simple. Direct.

I Have Not Met Anyone By That Name - Sunday 1/29/2006

Goldilocks? I know no Goldilocks.

I’ve just been napping here on the bed all afternoon.

Freeway Advertising Saturday 1/28/2006

Snapped on the 10 freeway while D was driving.

This sign seems very optimistic to me, for some reason. I like that everything’s written there twice. I exchanged a smile with the driver as we passed him.

The sun was going down as we hit downtown L.A. We'd been to Frank Wilkinson's memorial over on Adams Boulevard. It was an emotional and inspirational celebration of his life.

Music - My First Album

Well, actually the first album I bought myself with my saved up allowance money. This photo prompt got me all sentimental.

I’m dating myself here, but I started being serious about music and buying albums pretty early because my brother, B, was so into it. He said you didn’t really know a musician from just their radio releases. You had to hear the whole album.

I can almost smell the incense burning in the little bitty hippy-ish music shop in downtown Columbia City. They sold jewerly and smoking supplies, too. The guys behind the counter had long hair and beards.

I pretty much stopped going to the old music store where I’d bought 45s. It sold sheet music and band instruments, and the prevailing scent was of dust. The owner gave music lessons in the back room, and I often heard students oomphing away on brass instruments in the background when I shopped there.

This album and so many others felt like dear friends to me through high school. I can’t quite get rid of them, even though the turntable’s boxed up in the garage now. I love CDs for their convenience and clarity, but the experience of buying an LP, finding great liner notes and lyrics printed inside, and even special inner sleeves like this one was a real treat. I moved the records into vinyl lined inner sleeves to cut down on static that drew dust, but I kept good sleeves like this one.

Lunch out - 1/27/2006

At Picanha in Burbank. A late celebration of my birthday and an early celebration of CT’s leaving us for the Disney writing internship.

Good food, good company, but maybe I’ve spent enough birthdays at this job.

CT’s a good example of hard work carrying the talent forward. She’s done so much with her writing in the past few years, and it’s because she kept moving forward. Cleverness alone doesn’t get you this far.

See more progress on: Take a photo every day

Bacon Bandage - Not Just a Fashion Statement Thursday 1/26/2006

Yes, it’s a beautiful alternative to boring blend-in bandages, but it’s also a soothing health-care product! The Santa Ana winds have been blowing, and the skin on my fingers is cracking in response.

Do I have a future as a hand model?

Acton Post Office Wednesday 1/25/2006

Went to the post office yesterday to pick up a package a friend sent me.

The sign on the railing says “Please do not tie horses to railings.” There’s a hitching post around the back of the nearby, though, and people use it to take advantage of the Saturday $3.00 hamburger and fries special.

It works for us.

ST and her Mom - Tuesday 1/24/2006

This amazing portrait of my friend and her mother was created from costume jewelry and newspapers. It’s a very good likeness.

ST is an excellent cook, and the newspaper strips that make up the skin tones are cooking articles. I think the costume jewelry was her grandmother’s.

The artist’s name is Jason Mecier. You can Google him.

I win! I win! - Monday 1/23/2006

Well, actually I bought it on Ebay. But I FEEL like a winner.

It’s a vintage piggy planter. I like using old planters to hold things other than plants, like in this case Q-Tips. I’ve had a little sheep carrying artificial sweetener packets for years.

Bacon Bandages - Sunday 1/22/2006

These continue to crack me up. They look amaziningly gross on your arm.

These were a gift from my well-rounded friend, E. They came with a toy inside: a tiny plastic pig. EEk! She also gave me a book of Walt Whitman’s nature poems with gorgeous illustrations and a nice frame for my photographs. Pretty great.