Que bella!

October 15, 2013 Photo of the day: "Que bella!"

"Beauty is mysterious as well as terrible."
~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

Isn't it curious how we can be attracted to things that aren't good for us? Why is it that I feel compelled to photograph this deadly plant, its berries and its blossoms? Yet, who could resist the beauty of these violet blossoms with their bright yellow centers and fresh green foliage laden with raindrops? Beauty is tempting, but knowledge is empowering!

Hey Boo!

October 14, 2013 Photo of the day: "Hey Boo!"

"Until I feared I'd lose it, 
I never really loved to read.
One does not love breathing." ~ Scout Finch

Don't worry, I won't give anything away! If you've read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, you recognize this post's title and you know why this remarkable novel is featured in most high school American Literature courses, including mine. If not, my title is simply appropriately spooky for an October blog post! My students are working their way through the first book of this American classic and have already formulated a number of theories about Boo Radley, Scout, Jem, Dill, Atticus, and the rest of the Maycomb County residents of the novel (and no, it is not a how-to book!).  If you haven't read this 20th Century masterpiece, do yourself a favor and add it to your reading list. While you're at it, treat yourself to the 1962 film featuring Gregory Peck's brilliant performance as Atticus Finch. If you enjoy the novel and the film, there is also an excellent Harper Lee documentary on Netflix called Hey Boo!

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"If you can learn simple trick, Scout, you'll get along better will all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." ~ Atticus Finch

White Picket Fence

October 13, 2013 Photo of the day: "White Picket Fence"

"Love recognizes no barriers. 
It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls 
to arrive at its destination full of hope." 
~ Maya Angelou

Wildflowers

October 12, 2013 Photo of the day: "Wildflowers"

"To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour."
~ William Blake

These delicate wildflowers mingling with the tall grass along the side of the road perfectly illustrate the vision of Project 365. Sometimes a beautiful photo waits patiently, visible only to the most observant. In the excitement of the changing leaves, amid the most vibrant colors of autumn, these delicate white blossoms could so easily go unnoticed. How important to keep our senses and hearts open to the quiet beauty that whispers to those who are present enough to pay attention!

Sunbeams

October 11, 2013 Photo of the day: "Sunbeams"

“A single sunbeam is enough
 to drive away many shadows.”
~ St. Francis of Assisi

The days are growing shorter.
The sun already hangs low in the sky,
but its beams are still warm and bright.

Spooky

October 10, 2013 Photo of the day: "Halloween Décor"

I don't go all out for Halloween,
but the Spooky Tree is a tradition.