Both sides now

When I was a kid children's books were my favorite thing, and the art in them really impacted me and I would be willing to say they shaped me as a photographer. Case in point, I used to have this book called Both Sides Now and it was the lyrics to Joni Mitchell's song illustrated by Alan Baker and it had pictures of a butterfly in it, which as anyone reading this that knows me knows that I love butterflies. Anyway I took pictures of a swallowtail butterfly this weekend and one of the pictures I got really reminded me an illustration in the book. So, here is my picture and here are the lyrics/story from that book.

Rows and floes of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons evrywhere
Ive looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on evryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way
Ive looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
Its cloud illusions I recall
I really dont know clouds at all

Moons and junes and ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As evry fairy tale comes real
Ive looked at love that way

But now its just another show
You leave em laughing when you go
And if you care, dont let them know
Dont give yourself away

Ive looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
Its loves illusions I recall
I really dont know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
Ive looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange
They shake their heads, they say Ive changed
Well somethings lost, but somethings gained
In living evry day

Ive looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
Its lifes illusions I recall
I really dont know life at all
Ive looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
Its lifes illusions I recall
I really dont know life at all

Memorial Day weekend

I spent most of memorial day weekend helping my mom around the house, we finished the mosaic pot that we started on Mother's day. It turned out to be so cool, I cannot wait for our next undertaking which will be a table that needs a new mosaic top! We also went around to a bunch of different green houses buying flowers to plant on the deck and in the new mosaic pot. I love helping her plant flowers so I was especially glad that she waited for me to go. These are some pictures of one of the little greenhouses we stopped at in our travels.

Giving Garden

We got a donation of more compost, and I remembered my camera this time. The garden is looking so great and it is totally ready to plant now, which...drum roll please...we are planting tomorrow!! I am so excited and I know all of our little seedlings will be so thrilled to spread their roots in solid ground. More pictures to come from the planting of the Giving Garden, so stay tuned! Until then, enjoy overall pics of the garden and of us working, as well as Lauren's van full of hay which we used to make pathways between the buddy plots and the learning garden!

Driving

I got stuck in five o'clock traffic on my way to Detroit and snapping funky sky pictures kept me from getting too bored.

Anna and Lucy

Heather, Ryan and Vinny live above Anna and her beautiful kitty Lucy. I love their house and I really love Grosse Pointe Park, it has some really cute neighborhoods.

Vinny, again!

Heather, Ryan and Vinny relocated to Grosse Pointe Park and I visited their new apartment and took some more adorable pictures of Vinny who is now 4 months old. He is so hilarious and their new place is super cute :)

Summer school

I am making a concerted effort to take more pictures this summer. Starting with a few of my favorite classmates from my first summer class. Dave and Nicole are two of my favorite people at Eastern and I met them both in the Fall in our Women's History class. I really like this class so far and it seems to be going incredibly fast. I just hope I find some inspiration to write my final paper...hmm I will keep thinking.

Sunday in BGKY

On our last day, Frank and I were able to meet up with Elinor, Pauline and Charlie the family that I spent most of my last year at Western documenting. It was so great to see them and they looked just the same. Pauline was her same old spunky self, she asked me how old we thought she was and I teased her and said 80, to which she proudly responded that she was 96. I don't think my last year in school would have been the same without these wonderful people and I am so glad we got a chance to visit before we headed back up to Michigan. The drive home provided some mild entertainment, including the Touchdown Jesus.

Friday in BGKY

Frank and I drove down for a quick trip to Bowling Green May 15-17. Friday night we met Meg for dinner at El Mazatlan, where Meg and I shared a pitcher of Margaritas and lots of laughs. We discussed the concept of a reality TV show called Real Big Love which involved Meg and I both marrying Frank for insurance purposes making Meg and I sisterwives. Matt joined us briefly before heading back to the lab for the entire weekend to finish the EOY slideshow. After dinner we visited Sara at Spencer's which was crazy busy and fun.

Backyard at home

While I was home for mother's day weekend, I snapped some pictures in my backyard. I love nature pictures (feel free to pass judgement all you Photoj's out there) because it is how I first became interested in photography about ten years ago. I used to head out to my neighborhood in Lansing armed my Grandfather's Canon tlb, which I still have and should throw some film in for old times sake.