Photos 65-71/365

I found a new, faster way to upload a week's worth of photos at once so I should do better at keeping the site updated with my 365 shots. One catch - I started out posting the week with the newest photo back, this new way to post actually post in chronological order as the photos are named. Hope that doesn't confuse anyone. Thanks for looking. Enjoy!

65/365 ~ Baby Braelyn
She was born 1/11/11 - it's about time I met her. Less than two months old and she is holding that head up waiting on Aunt Paula to snap, snap, snap. Isn't she a doll?

66/365~ Ms. McGee stands at the ready to pay out big bucks at this year's Vintage Carolina event.
When I was in school, I had five teachers who influenced me greatly. Three of them were English teachers, Ms. McGee being one of those three. I will never forget the two years I spent in her classes. We read 'Gone with the Wind' and it was the start of my love affair with that novel and with reading in general. We dissected poems which led me to always look for the symbolism in poetry. My favorite dissection was "Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me." Ms. McGee taught us to love Poe, too. I probably still have some of the papers I wrote in her classes and I can still remember sitting in the desks lined up for spelling bees. I formed many of my best friendships during English class with Ms. McGee. When I look back and think about it, I definitely rank her at the top of my class! Thank you, Ms. Shirley McGee for instilling in me a love of learning I still have today!

I chose this as my photo of the day because I know there are many of my friends out there who also had Ms. McGee. I thought you all would appreciate seeing that, while we have all aged dramatically, she looks the same as always!

67/365 ~ Spring has Sprung!! [So sue me, I couldn't pick just one today :)]

The tree on the left is at the in the Walker's yard in Penrose. I had the sunroof open and it smelled so wonderful, I had to get out and take its picture. And the daffodil, or jonquil as my mother calls it, was in full bloom at the Woodfield Inn. Not sure what kind of tree it is but here is the info on the flower we call daffodil.

There are two derivations of the name. One is that of the youth of Greek mythology called Narcissus, who, in at least one of many variations of the tale, became so obsessed with his own reflection as he kneeled and gazed into a pool of water that he fell into the water and drowned. In some variations, he died of starvation and thirst from just sitting by the edge of the pool until he gave out, gazing at his reflection until he died. In both versions, the Narcissus plant first sprang from where he died.

The other derivation is that the plant is named after its narcotic properties (ναρκάω narkao, "to grow numb" in Greek).[6]

The name Daffodil is derived from an earlier "Affodell", a variant of Asphodel. The reason for the introduction of the initial "d" is not known, although a probable source is an etymological merging from the Dutch article "de," as in "De affodil." From at least the 16th century "Daffadown Dilly", "daffadown dilly", and "daffydowndilly" have appeared as playful synonyms of the name.

The name jonquil is sometimes used in North America, particularly in the South,[clarification needed] but strictly speaking that name belongs only to the rush-leaved Narcissus jonquilla and cultivars derived from it.

68/365 ~ Drive
Nothing but an ugly box, right? Wrong. What's in that box is the result of four years of drive. Four years of blood, sweat, and, yes, a few tears. The contents of that box represent my middle child's drive to succeed. And I'm afraid to open it. I'm afraid if I open it I will start to cry. I'm afraid if I open it I will realize that my sweet little mischievous middle child is almost grown. I'm afraid that if I open it she will be gone, moved to Charlotte, and working out in this big old mean world. I think I will wait and let her open it. Then I might not cry. I might just see the big smile on her face and smile with her instead! Come home soon, Amy. Your college graduation invitations are waiting :)

69/365 ~ “What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.” - Ellen Burstyn
It's weird but of all the photos I took today this is the one that speaks to me. Yesterday, Elaine took photos of the falls and they were roaring and I said to myself I need to get over there. I expected to find it deafening but what I actually heard was the quiet. I took a few photos and just sat in this chair quietly watching the water rushing by. Today I traded places with that normally serene and slow moving water. Today I sat still while the water rushed by. It was nice.

70/365 ~ My new toy. Can't wait to learn to use this.
It's for editing photos and a lot more. "Need precision? Pick up the pressure-sensitive pen to edit photos, create personal greetings, make sketches, and mark up documents in your own handwriting." And the great thing about it is that is was bought with gift cards I received for my birthday, Christmas, and United Way donations. Yes, I actually held onto them for almost 6 months. Usually Best Buy gift cards don't last a day in my purse :)

71/365 ~ Nuclear Challenge

Today we ate at Beef O'Brady's in Arden and watched Carolina win again. While we were there, these boys from TC Roberson decided to take the Nuclear Challenge - eat 15 of Beef's hottest wings in 15 minutes. I can't eat one. The guy on the end was sweating something fierce with 6 minutes to go. The fourth guy from the left did it in record time: 2.38 minutes. I asked him if he swallowed the bones, too. Dude, how did he do that. They say redheads are fiery - maybe it's the wings :)