8 days of happiness: day 1
May. 13th, 2009 05:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kristinSo, there has been this meme floating around where you post one this that makes you happy every day for eight days. (i'm not sure of the exact terms.) As my journal hasn't been a super happy place lately, much like my head, I decided to do it. Not only can I share some things that make me happy, but it will also get me used to posting more regularly again.
Todays happiness came from my evening walk with my dog. In the 15 minutes I was able to take almost 20 pictures (though I'm not posting) with my dinky little snap and click that had beauty in them. As much as I wish I weren't living here, I realize I am blessed to live in area of physical beauty. Being able to look out a window to the lake (and occasionally all the way to Vermont) is one the best parts of my job.
I am not a great photographer by any means, but here are some of the sights that made me happy today.
I took this one just steps from my yard while waiting for my dog to finish inspecting the trunk.
I love the way the colors of the flowers pop in the sunlight.
This is one of my favorite places in the neighborhood. The people who own the apartment building are very big on public art. They change the theme of the garden every so often. The previous version was the Beatles, but, as you can kinda see, right now it is focused on nursery rhymes.
I wish I could have gotten more picture in, but one of the residents was coming home, and I felt like a creeper taking pictures of their yard, even if it is wicked awesome. I might go back later and take some more.
Look, you can see Vermont! (kinda, if you look closely) On really clear days the mountains are gorgeous.
I've always enjoyed this little neighborhood park. Such a nice place to go and read.
The gazebo is nice in theory, but no so comfortable for sitting. They are pretty though... This is the point in which Chelsea got tired of me taking pictures when I could be paying attention to her.
See, not happy with this photography nonsense at all! (fyi, while all the pics have been resized, this one has also been shopped a bit, to blur her tags.)
She tried to drag me away. But, as you can see, brute strength is not exactly one of her abilities.
I let my self be dragged, but only after I got another shot of the gazebo.
And now for something a bit more serious. The park I am posting pictures of it one I have enjoyed for a few years now. I'm not sure what the actual name of it is, but everyone in my family call is Monument Park. That is because of the monument that stands atop the hill, looking out over the lake.
However, that is just a partial shot. When you look at the whole picture, you see why going to the park shows one of the reasons people are getting so upset about Mammothfail.
(ok, i used a rather ominous picture i took a few years ago rather than one from today. however, i think it properly illustrates my point.)
A white man towering over a Native American who is crouched (savage) at his feet. This is what I walk past at least twice a day. And no one in my family has ever talked about it, even though my father had his college education paid for by the government because he is Sioux. People sit in that park everyday to enjoy the lake, just like I do, and we sit there and don't think about the history of that statue, 100 years old this year, commemorating the 'discovery' of an already inhabited area.
Patricia Wrede would like this park, I think. She would be able to look at the pretty lake and well tended gardens and not think about the towering white elephant there. Lois McMaster Bujold could enjoy the park without remorse as well, it seems. And that breaks my heart a bit. (Today I removed her name from my lj and dreamwisth interest lists.)
I will still go to the park. I don't really know that I could avoid it, and feel ashamed whe I do. But last time I took my sisters, we talked about the issues it raises. Kayla, who is only 7, didn't quite understand, but I think Niki gets it.
Todays happiness came from my evening walk with my dog. In the 15 minutes I was able to take almost 20 pictures (though I'm not posting) with my dinky little snap and click that had beauty in them. As much as I wish I weren't living here, I realize I am blessed to live in area of physical beauty. Being able to look out a window to the lake (and occasionally all the way to Vermont) is one the best parts of my job.
I am not a great photographer by any means, but here are some of the sights that made me happy today.
I took this one just steps from my yard while waiting for my dog to finish inspecting the trunk.
I love the way the colors of the flowers pop in the sunlight.
This is one of my favorite places in the neighborhood. The people who own the apartment building are very big on public art. They change the theme of the garden every so often. The previous version was the Beatles, but, as you can kinda see, right now it is focused on nursery rhymes.
I wish I could have gotten more picture in, but one of the residents was coming home, and I felt like a creeper taking pictures of their yard, even if it is wicked awesome. I might go back later and take some more.
Look, you can see Vermont! (kinda, if you look closely) On really clear days the mountains are gorgeous.
I've always enjoyed this little neighborhood park. Such a nice place to go and read.
The gazebo is nice in theory, but no so comfortable for sitting. They are pretty though... This is the point in which Chelsea got tired of me taking pictures when I could be paying attention to her.
See, not happy with this photography nonsense at all! (fyi, while all the pics have been resized, this one has also been shopped a bit, to blur her tags.)
She tried to drag me away. But, as you can see, brute strength is not exactly one of her abilities.
I let my self be dragged, but only after I got another shot of the gazebo.
And now for something a bit more serious. The park I am posting pictures of it one I have enjoyed for a few years now. I'm not sure what the actual name of it is, but everyone in my family call is Monument Park. That is because of the monument that stands atop the hill, looking out over the lake.
However, that is just a partial shot. When you look at the whole picture, you see why going to the park shows one of the reasons people are getting so upset about Mammothfail.
(ok, i used a rather ominous picture i took a few years ago rather than one from today. however, i think it properly illustrates my point.)
A white man towering over a Native American who is crouched (savage) at his feet. This is what I walk past at least twice a day. And no one in my family has ever talked about it, even though my father had his college education paid for by the government because he is Sioux. People sit in that park everyday to enjoy the lake, just like I do, and we sit there and don't think about the history of that statue, 100 years old this year, commemorating the 'discovery' of an already inhabited area.
Patricia Wrede would like this park, I think. She would be able to look at the pretty lake and well tended gardens and not think about the towering white elephant there. Lois McMaster Bujold could enjoy the park without remorse as well, it seems. And that breaks my heart a bit. (Today I removed her name from my lj and dreamwisth interest lists.)
I will still go to the park. I don't really know that I could avoid it, and feel ashamed whe I do. But last time I took my sisters, we talked about the issues it raises. Kayla, who is only 7, didn't quite understand, but I think Niki gets it.
