March 2012 Calendar for your Computer Desktop

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Tomorrow is the start of March! Even with an extra day, I can't believe that February is over....

With the start of the new month, I am offering a FREE download - The March 2012 Calendar for your computer's desktop wallpaper:

You can download the file from box.com at this link: March 2012 Calendar

Here's to the start of Spring!

Happy Leap Day!

I'm not able to leap for real, but here's my take for today's Leap Day:



Taken with my iPhone, using the self timer function on Camera+.
Triptych created using the PicFrame app.

I think the brace makes my leg look like it belongs on a Cyborg. Or Transformer. I don't mind it and for whatever reason, I think it looks OK today.

How will you "Leap" today? However you do leap, please leap safely - I don't want you to get hurt!

Not So Winter White

It's the end of February and we're all thinking "spring". It's unlikely that old man winter (who hasn't been around at all this year) will rear his head again, but you never know.

Because it doesn't feel like it's winter, here's some not-so winter white for your Tuesday.



And because it's Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen's, here's a version with two of Kim's textures




Have a beautiful Tuesday!

I'm In the Picture - February Selfies

Lots of "stuff" happened in February.

I uploaded pictures. The act is not so interesting, but the significance of this photo is that I used a self timer for the first time. The iPhone doesn't come with one, but many camera apps do - I used the Camera+ app here.


I got a haircut. I generally get my hair cut once or twice a year, so this qualifies as something different.

The woman who cuts my hair does such a great job that as my hair grows out, it still looks great. Hence, the once or twice a year cut.

I had my ACL in my left knee reconstructed. Three days after that surgery, I am doing my leg lift exercises to restrengthen my leg. Easy, no... painful at times, yes.... but in the end I'll be able to run again, so it is all worth it.


And less than a week after my surgery - I am able to drive! I am amazed by how fast the body heals.


So that's February's collection of selfies. Hopefully, as my mobility improves, I'll be able to shoot some more "creative" selfies. And it's never too late to join in. See the button below for more details!

One Week Later

Not only are they gorgeous fresh, tulips have this way about aging so gracefully. From the curve of their stems as they start to droop, to the gentle opening of their petals. Grace in still motion, each day a subtle change from the last.

Like a shy girl, hiding.....


Slowly revealing her inner beauty.....


And Inner Strength .....


Today's shots are SOOC - I have a new photography tool that I used to take these, making the SOOC possible - I hope to share soon, but I'm still trying to take thing easy for now. Hopefully I'll be able to get out to shoot something other than these tulips!

I'm Back

Thanks for all the prayers, good thoughts, well wishes yesterday and today. I am very blessed to have a great support group and it doesn't matter if that support is through this blog, facebook, twitter or next door.

The surgery went well and I am finally feeling strong enough to get online. That anesthetic can really keep you down for a while!

Just popping in to say "hi" - I'll be lying low for the next week or so and probably won't post much.

I hope you have a fabulous rest of your week!

So Today's the Day

I started out writing "the Big Day" but I deleted "Big" from the title, because, in the grand scheme of things, it's really not that big.
I'm not getting married, giving birth, starting a new job or moving, and I consider those to be bigger.
And guess what, I've done all the above.

So not such a Big day, but not your every day run of the mill day, either.

I'll be heading into ACL reconstruction surgery around noon. The surgery will take between two to three hours and entail [skip this part if you don't want all the details]
Removing part of my patella tendon, which will be used as my reconstructed ACL
Drilling holes in my tibia and femur (which one is which, I can't remember - one is the top leg bone, the other is the bottom. Aren't you glad I explained that?)
Threading the previous patella tendon through the holes and attaching them to the bones with screws.

See, just keeping it to "reconstructing my ACL" sounds so much nicer, doesn't it?

I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous. I sort of am. But I know I have people praying for me and all that other stuff.
So, if you are so inclined, I do appreciate your prayers for me, the doctors and people involved with today's events.

Oh yeah, and since I won't be able to eat or drink until after the surgery is complete (that will be around 3pm!), please pray that I don't become so cranky that Scott wants to leave on the doorstep of the surgery center and drive off to eat a hamburger in peace. OK, he would never do that, but I could become cranky.

Thank you for listening.

And because I can't have a blog post without a picture, here's something totally unrelated to take your mind off all this knee / ligament / ACL stuff.


Catch you later with my "bionic knee".

Colors of February - Happy Valentine's Day

Tulips a Deux

More tulips today, one treated with a texture and the other, well, not.

Sorry, I'm not feeling all that verbose this morning.

I thought I uploaded the non-textured version of this one, but I obviously didn't since I can't find it.



This one is similar to the original - the same lighting, just a little different composition.


Which do you like better? I know... they're tulips, so you can't go wrong either way....

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Brighten Your Winter

I think this is the latest I've succumbed to the lure of fresh tulips - normally I purchase them in January and here we are, well into February. I blame the upcoming Valentine's Day for marketing these beautiful flowers in the stores.









I just couldn't resist them. And they make me happy - I think it's a win-win.

P365+1 Week 6 - Holding Pattern

Saturday:

It was a rainy, dreary day, perfect for staying inside. I made some crepes for breakfast.

Sunday - two photos - it was a big day. Went to church, then to the grocery store, then made some buffalo chicken dip for the Super Bowl, then met up with friends before the Illini basketball game.

That was the first loss of the day....
Then we went to our friend's house to watch the Super Bowl.

Notice the lack of women in this picture. That's because all the wives are in the Bahamas. [Well, except for me... but I wasn't supposed to be here this weekend, but my knee injury required me to change my plans]
The game was fun to watch, but I was rooting for the Patriots, so, there's loss number 2.

Monday - freezing fog resulted in a frosty landscape. Taken with the Olloclip Macro attachment.


Tuesday - Getting ready for work, I had a feeling I was being watched. Yup, I looked up and there was Sam, peering over the upstairs banister down at me.


Wednesday - Soccer Game - I made it back to the pitch to cheer on the team's last game of the winter session. We still lost, but certainly improved over the last month.

And a bonus photo - the team wrapped up the winter season with a group celebration at a local bar.


Thursday - I got the haircut yesterday, and this morning it felt so light.


Friday - A sprinkling of snow with the wind - winter is back and I've developed a head cold.

I'm wearing jeans for the first time since I tore my ACL. They feel nice (so much better than sweat pants!).

Another bonus photo Friday evening:

Nothing nicer than to snuggle with the cat on a cold Friday night when you have a head cold.

Can you believe we are 6 weeks into the year? My knee is getting stronger each day and I am able to walk fairly normally on it again. But I feel like I'm in a holding pattern, just waiting until next Wednesday when I go in to have my ACL reconstructed. Hopefully I won't be in too much pain after the procedure.

I hope you had a great week and have a relaxing weekend.

Frosty

Still no snow here, but some frosty mornings.



Linked to This or That Thursday

Chicken Hawk

That's the cat's nickname these days.



We recently learned that Sam the Siamese's previous owner had a habit of feeding him chicken nuggets from the table. I think the story was the youngest son was a bit of "loose eater" (our term, not theirs), so bits of chicken would fall to the floor and Sam ate them. We never made the connection until we left some chicken out and found Sam on the kitchen island, next to the plate, the veritable "kitty that ate the canary" look on his face.

OK, so now we do give him treats occasionally. But he has this sixth sense about chicken being prepared, pacing the kitchen, getting a bit underfoot. Forget about chicken nuggets / KFC (in the picture) - he knows as soon as you walk in the door. And the Chicken Hawk starts his stalking.

Hope you don't have a cat stalking you this Wednesday.

Linked to Wordful Wednesday

Swirls and Drops

Sometimes inspiration strikes just by looking outside on a rainy day.

I was initially drawn by the rain drops hanging off the branches, but I didn't want to take my camera outside in the rain.
[OK, maybe I didn't want to go out in the rain]

I shot this from the front door instead.



For Texture Tuesday, the same photo, with two texture layers - Kim Klassen's Lola and Lily:


And so you don't think I'm a complete wimp for avoiding the rain, I did go outside later and captured one of those drops using my iPhone and the macro lens of the Olloclip. I really love this little attachment for my phone!

Sunday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

I'm on a roll - three weeks in a row, I've managed to complete the Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Strike A Pose:

Can you believe what Sam the Siamese puts up with?

Footwear:

These represent the current and future - I'm currently limited to wearing my slippers and the fuzzy low clogs across from the slippers. I'll have to wait a bit to wear the running shoes for serious running. The same goes for any shoe with a 2" heel. But I'm determined to wear them as soon as I can.

Hobby:
I run, play violin, sing, take photos and cook. Here's a bit of cooking I did today:

Crepes and coffee for breakfast - a treat this rainy, dreary Saturday.

Shiny:
My son plays a shiny saxophone:


Color Me Green:

Green is my favorite color, and these are leaves from an orchid in the house.

Foggy Mornings

Although I don't enjoy driving in it, I love the mysterious look of the landscape when it's foggy outside.




Taken with the iPhone 4s, snapped quickly while I was stopped at a 4 way stop, so they are a little blurry.
Converted to Black and White using the Photogene2 app.