Rain or Shine. Or Both.

Don't you love just love the different types of weather?

Yesterday morning I pottered around in the garden, pruning our random tomato plant
and uprooting the zucchini two plants that refused to grow before sitting on 

the porch swing chatting with my best friend who lives overseas.

This morning, after a night of pouring rain,
it had slowed to a steady drizzle so I stood on the back patio
admiring the rain drops that lined the foliage of the jasmine vines. 

I kept watching them drop and decided I needed to grab my camera and take some photos!

The light was amazing! 

Who would have thought?  A rainy day?  Good lighting for photos?! 

I guess that's how we learn, eh?  By doing.

As I was peering through the lens, my eye found a little hidden wonder ...

A gorgeous dragon fly seeking shelter from the wet drops.

And the beautiful white flowers that had opened opened earlier in the week
were tightly shut, protecting their delicate centers from the rain.




Such little beauties.



This little one didn't shut quick enough and was pulled over by the weight of the rain.
I still thought it was beautiful though ...

I do love the rain. 
And the shine.

Do you?

Drops of Water

I've been trying to practice shooting with my camera in manual mode.

These water droplets were fun subjects to practice on.

I just love how delicately they hang from these twirly bits of my passion fruit vine.

And off the unopened blooms ...

rain drops on roses

~ the up side to getting caught in the rain at the garden store the other day ~

day 107 {puddle} 365

day 89 {droplets} 365

day 78 {chive} 365

day 72 {drop} 365

day 65 {drip} 365

it was absolutely hosing down earlier

so i got out my tripod and messed
with camera settings and had
just gotten them right to
catch some cool rain
drop shots and
just like that
the rain
stops
!!!

day 46 {feet} 365

I didn't post yesterday. I was sick at work, then sick in bed, then sick at home group, then sick awake-unable-to-sleep-because-i-took-a-nap in bed again ! I think maybe I'm sick because I have gotten stuck in the rain a few times ... and had to walk through water like this a few times to get the kids to school. Nothing major, just a little cold. Totally something I can just get on with my day through. But then yesterday morning I fell down the stairs on my way into work. I'm ok but I instantly got an upset stomach and a headache and they are both still here ! If I didn't have so much work to do, I would probably stay home today ....

photo taken on my iPhone

day 7 {rain flower} 365

~ on the roof of my car ~

**

taken with my iPhone4

day 1 {dill} 365

We've all seen 365 projects all over the web, right ? Right ! I've been wanting to do one ever since I first saw them popping up. But ... until now, I just haven't.

So ... here we are on the first day of 2011 and I've decided ... today ... I decided today ... that this year is the year for my 365 ! I'm going to post ONE photo a day on this blog.

I want to use this year to improve my skills with and learn as much as I can about my camera and photography ! This is one way I'm going to do it ...

My only rule is this ... the photo must be taken on the day I'm posting. And I'm only posting one.

Here we go ...

PS ... I'll still be posting other posts, like corner view and list it tuesday and various other miscellaneous things that pop into my head ... they will just be along side this year long project ...

Corner View ~ Rain {drops}

i love rain drop on flowers

Want more Corner View ?

{park water}

*

We had a 'severe weather warning' in our neck of the woods the other day.
Places nearby flooded.
The police ordered all of the schools to close.
I had to get the kids early.
I picked Alia up at about 11:00 but had to come back for Jono.
He had been on an excursion (field trip) that day.
They had to come home early.
Total bummer.
But better safe than sorry.
There were kids not far from us that spent the night in their school
because the flood waters had them trapped.

We didn't get flooded ... although, this park might lead you to believe otherwise.



The kids had a blast and told Rory later that
playing at the park was like being in a swimming pool !



For me, these are the memories that childhoods are made of.
I remember as a kid, being able to go to end of the street, to the 'playpen'.
It was a big concreted area that was fenced in.
Don't know what it was for.
We rode out bikes in it.
When it rained,
it would fill up with water
and we loved to splash around in it !!
I love that my parents let us do that kind of stuff !
The kind of stuff kids love !!
I also loved it when my Dad would hydroplane the car !!



The kids kept asking me when the storm was coming.
Beats me !!
I kept watching for it but this was all that I saw ...

oh i love a rainy night

Quick ! Quick ! Come inside !
That rain is crazy and the wind ... sheesh, it's so strong !



Have a seat.
Alia's made you some raisin toast.

It was clear for a bit this morning.
Overcast but not raining.
The kids got to play outside for a little while.

And I did a bit of painting.

But then, the sky opened up.
Just like yesterday.

Rain.

Rain.

Rain.

Just look at my laundry basket.
I washed and hung about four loads of washing (two days ago) before I knew it was going to rain.
Of course it wasn't dry before the down pour started ...



I'm not complaining.
I don't mind a rainy day or two.
But I would have like to take the kids to the beach today.
They were home from school because
the teachers were all on
STRIKE !!

I won't tell you what I think of that nonsense ...

They go back to school tomorrow.
I wonder if the teachers achieved what they wanted to achieve ?

As for us, we found ways to amuse ourselves indoors.



Alia built a cubby house for her and her dolls.
They watched Strawberry Shortcake from inside it.



Jono spent a lot of the day on the couch, reading.
Our kitty cat could be found on the chair beside him.

And me ?
What did I get up to on this fine rainy day ?



I think I taught myself how to embroider !
Don't know if I'm doing it right.
I have a book that my sister in law loaned me and I tried to follow the stitches.
Here's my practice pieces.
I just made up the patterns using the stitches I was learning ...

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ Week 6

Hosted by Sandra at 'Diary of A Stay at Home Mom'

On my bedside table:
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - loving this book ! It's fascinating !

On my TV:
Nothing at all. It's 11:00 pm and as soon as I finish this I'm hittin' the hay !

On the menu for tonight:
Nothing. The kids and Rory had leftover falafel from last night. I had a black olive salad.

On my To Do List:

1. finish this post.
   
2. go to bed.

New Recipe I tried last week:
I tried all new recipes last week !!
My favorite one was Lemony Chicken and Israeli Couscous Deliciousness !

In the craft basket:
I've added two things to Ravelry !!! :)

I am still working on a little purse. I've made another dishcloth. I'll have to show it to you. Soon ... I did a little embroidery on it. I don't know how to embroider but I saw this little idea in a knitting book so tried it out. Loved it. Gonna do more.

Looking forward to:
MOVING INTO OUR NEW HOUSE !!!! not long now ..... the finance came through last week so it's all a go !!!

Homemaking Tip for this week:
Your broom will not appreciate you running over it with your car ! I speak from experience ...

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
My talented friend Rachel, and her post on the amazing activity center she BUILT for her kids ! If you click on her photos they will get bigger ...

Favorite photo from last week:

Sashimi from my birthday lunch.

Lesson learned the past few days:

See homemaking tip ....

On my Prayer List:
My family

I love a rainy day ...

Don't you ?


PS ... Simple Beauty will have it's first guest blogger over the weekend.
He's in his bedroom now working on a rough draft of his post.
He's going to tell us what he thought of the book he just finished ....
I haven't given him any parameters and he'll be typing it himself.
Can't wait to see what he comes up with !!