April 7 Photo: Shadow

The sun streaming through the front room window cast shadows of my terra cotta soldiers from Xi'an, China.

April 6 Photo: Lunch

This morning I headed over to a friend's house to help paint her living room. I got most of the paint on the walls but not all of it. The 'professionals' were painting in the kitchen and hallways. It will look good when it is all done and is making me more determined to FINALLY get around to painting my place. Lunch was a nice treat after we finished the first coat.

April 5 Photo: Tiny

This is my tiny cat. So tiny that my iPhone can't focus in so I had to use my Canon. This little cat usually lives with a little dog inside a little tin box in the shape of a car. It wasn't a very good home since both the tiny cat and the tiny dog have lost their tails from rattling around inside the toy tin with all the other small toys.

April 4 Photo: Someone who makes you happy

Lots of people make me happy and choosing just one is like having a favourite. But I didn't have to make the tough call because I only saw one member of my family today and he does make me happy!

This is my nephew, Sam. Or Sammy. I've been so lucky to have him on my campus as a student these past four years. His university career started with him needing me a lot more than he does these days. I was a sounding board and an editor for his early papers. As the years have passed, he has learned how to punctuate much better and has a pretty good head on his shoulders for making decisions about classes and topics. And he will soon graduate University.

Back when he was shorter than me, he used to come by my downtown office for tutoring. My colleagues remember that little kid who was learning math and can't believe it is the same young man who towers over me now! He hasn't had to call me for much help this year (well there still is the occasionally request for a second set of eyes on a paper) but he always appreciates a free lunch! I knew the photo assignment so yesterday I texted him to invite him for lunch today and he had turned me down because of a group presentation meeting but at the last minute today I got the text - "I think I can come now.. if it's not too late". Yeah! I always enjoy a visit with him and today was no exception.

Tomorrow's assignment is tiny.  Easy for me with my penchant for small things.  And I think I am actually posting this before my cousin!

April 3 Photo: Mail

Today's mail at work - JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS!

Mail is fun to receive. Well, not bills, but real mail. Do you get much real mail these days? Even families with missionaries often use e-mail now - how fun is that?

At Christmas time, some people send Christmas cards by mail. I really do plan to do that someday. I even had it all organized that I would make 2011 the year of sending Christmas cards, but then something happened to completely derail Christmas at my house. Or at least the cards and baking and decorating parts of Christmas. Maybe 2012??

Yesterday was a fun mail day because I have a neighbour who put a little surprise in my mailbox. Not your typical mail though.

Today's mail at work was just like Christmas. BOOKS!! Love getting new books. Even if they are about Grammar.

April 2 Photo: Colour

I used to make Artist Trading Cards. And then I would meet with a group of creative individuals once a month to make some trades and bring home some even better cards.

Today I got a lovely e-mail reassuring me that although it has been some time since I've been able to join in, I am still welcome and on the mailing list. I think I need to pull out my supplies and make some more cards. A four day weekend is coming up. Is it a possibility? How busy will I be? 

April 1 Photo: Reflection

This weekend is the LDS Semi-Annual General Conference, broadcast around the world. And so I have pretty much spent it in front of the TV watching the Saturday and Sunday sessions. And not trying to look presentable to the world so this is as much of a reflection of me as you are going to get.

 I have this picture upstairs in my house. The picture is of the First Presidency of the Church - President Thomas S. Monson, Elder Henry B. Eyring and Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  These men are apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ and have shared some inspiring and important messages this weekend. The assignment is appropriate because that really is a big part of attending conference. Spending some time reflecting on how you are living your life, what your priorities are and what changes you want to make moving forward.  A great way to spend a spring weekend. Lots to think about! They post the talks online at the link above if you want to check out what was shared.

April Photo a day Challenge

Okay - The March Challenge is over and I had fun with it. So here we go with April. And I know I'm posting this three days late, but I've had a fair share of technical issues over the past 5 days. So although I've been taking my assigned photo everyday, I just haven't been able to share them. I'm catching up now.

I've been happy to follow along with my cousin's photos though! She has a great blog here and has been faithfully posting her picture each day. Guilt! But I'm glad to see what creative ways she puts her new camera to use.

You can still join in! I mean - really - I obviously don't have a problem with playing catch-up so why should you? :-)

If you share your photos on Pinterest or Instagram or Flickr or... any of the social media where you tag things (including here) you should tag your photos with #photoadayApril

Or just go to one of those social media sites and search for that tag.  Here's the results for a search of pictures on Instagram. There are A LOT of people doing this as well! And because it is a world-wide activity, some posts will be for the day before and others will be a day ahead.

Okay, I need to stop writing and get to the photos...

March 31 Photo: Where I Relax

Where I relax with my books, movies and music.

This weekend is all about relaxing in front of the TV - more in the next post!

March 30 Photo: Toy

Small toys from the Toy Tin

I keep a round tin of small toys for when I have younger visitors to my home. There is a selection of larger toys for even younger visitors but it has been quite a while since I have pulled that one out. It is amazing to see the kinds of stories and play that can come out of such a random collection. A little tin of imagination.

March 29 Photo: Feet

March 28 Photo: Trash

It is the end of another semester. Time to total up the grades, prepare the report cards, file away teaching materials and clear out the dated materials in archives. The bin holds the evidence of a busy semester now at a close. I miss this process. As all the teachers are busy wrapping up the term and packing up before a short break. I am in high gear. Consulting, assisting, and planning. Interviewing incoming students, so eager for the spring semester to start. Looking ahead, not looking back.

March 27 Photo: Your Name

Letters taken from signs at the university on my lunch hour.

So today's photo assignment is 'your name'. I'm not particularly fond of my name. I don't like the songs I've heard with my name in it. Definitely not The Four Seasons with "Sherry Baby" or Journey's "Oh Sherrie". Ugh. Now I do appreciate how it is spelled though. Sorry if you have the 'rry' at the end of your name, but I like the one 'r' followed by an 'i'. That part Mom and Dad, you got right.

The other part you got right is my middle name. Diann. Named after an awesome lady, my aunt! I love the spelling of my middle name as well but mostly that I share it with Aunt DaVeeda who lived with us as she attended University.

I was almost Sheriann, Sheri Ann, Sherry Ann, Shelley Diane, or Sheri Ann Emilie. Now the Emilie part would have been good - I would have shared that with my mom and great grandmother. But of all the choices on the list below, I guess the name I got was the right one.

The original list - and the winner is...

March 26 Photo: Key

I can actually find my keys now.

I seem to be rough on key chains. They don't last long. So you don't see the keychain from Germany of an ampelmann from my trip to Europe with my nephew or the keychain from Mexico of some Mayan hieroglyphs that my niece gave me from her family vacation. But you can see the keychain from the Cirque du Soleil tribute show to the Beatle's  'Love' from a trip with my sister!

I guess I need to go on another trip soon. :-)

March 25 Photo: Breakfast (and upcoming conference weekend!)

Breakfast on Fast Sunday (thanks for the tulips Mom!!)

Today's photo assignment is breakfast but it fell on Fast Sunday. So what would have been a picture of yogurt, fruit, eggs and a plunkett (is that how it is spelled?) from mom turned out to be a photo of an empty plate. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, once a month we forego two meals and make a contribution equal to or above the value of the meals to the Fast Offering fund.

Typically this Sunday falls on the first Sunday of each month but next weekend is special because it our Semi-annual General Conference, held in Salt Lake City and broadcast to members of the church world-wide.With all the interest in what being a 'Mormon' means in the USA with Mitt Romney's run for the 2012 presidential nomination, it may be a conference that gets more attention than ever by those outside the faith. 

We are lucky to have local television broadcast the four sessions of conference so that we can enjoy the speakers from the comfort of our couches. And those without the television broadcast can now use their computers to watch conference live. And the solution that many still rely on is to head over to the local meetinghouse where the conference session is received by satellite. And within 8 hours, these sessions are available online in 70 different languages!

I know that there are a lot of families with traditions around watching conference.  Some have special conference activity booklets for the children, bingo cards or even special foods (I remember cheese and cracker trays). Others contribute to shared notes on Google Docs or tweet quotes and highlights with the hashtag #ldsconf for those unable to watch the conference live. You may even see a repeat of what happened last October, when the names of speakers started trending on Twitter during the sessions!  What are your plans or traditions for Conference weekend??

March 24 Photo: an animal

Okay, now I remember why I questioned the wisdom of sharing a personal blog. Is the polite word to describe me "quirky"?  Here is a small part of my miniature menagerie. I collect small things. Mostly small animals and birds. Mostly sheep, cats and birds of all kinds. The sheep are just an extension of my sheep postcard collection. (so if you are ever anywhere that you see a sheep postcard, please keep me in mind!)  The cat - well I can't have the real thing and don't intend to go the hairless cat route (shiver!), so I have a few. And the birds. Aren't they fun! But small and I don't want this to become a "thing". You know how you find out someone likes monkeys so then every time they have a birthday or it's Christmas, you buy them something else MONKEY. And then how what was a small monkey statue becomes monkey pajamas and monkey backpacks and monkey dishware and monkey towel sets? Yeah, like that.

Because this is just something I do. And it is small. And when I do get the OCCASIONAL small animal, I can be happy, instead of thinking - "oh not another one... where will I put it and will he like the other monkeys".

That said, this little collection above as most things in my home, comes with some stories. Only I've forgotton some of them. So if you gave me either of these two sheep, please remind me of the story because I remember the stories of the sheep from Sam and the sheep I bought in Jerusalum at Jimmie's Bazaar (not pictured). 

The cat is from a bazaar in Egypt - just as we were leaving Alexandria, I spied it in a corner of the shop in a cubby hole with packing materials and some pricier - out of reach items. It was so tiny and looked like just the kind of treasure I would like to take home. Who knows where it came from. The shop keeper kind of scratched his head and said it was very old and had been there a long time but it could just be the kind of story they tell a tourist. I was already buying papyrus and pens as souvenirs for the nieces and nephews and I asked if he could just add it in to the price I had already negotiated. He did and I slipped it in my pocket to be my own Egyptian good luck charm. 

The little felted owl was a special Christmas present from my niece. (or should I say my sister?) It was a fun thing Madi and I had found as we were browsing around Etsy together and she remembered and got her mom to order it for me for Christmas. Isn't he great? Made by Lauren Alane who has all kinds of sweet birds and other crafts that you can check out on her blog (which will lead you to her shop) Take a look at the little valentine owls! They go SUPER fast so if you want one, you have to be quick!

Oh no, I can't remember the story of my little orange bird. Utah? Seattle? Banff? As I go to write this, the memory just snuck off to have a peanut butter sandwich and got stuck somewhere in the back of my brain. Oh well, he's awesome too.

Tomorrow's challenge is Breakfast. Better go grocery shopping or all you will be seeing is Cheerios!

March 23 Photo: Moon

Cloud cover tonight and no moon to take a picture of. So here is a moon that is on my living room wall. It is from a pair of pictures that used to hang in my grandparent's farmhouse. I smile when I see these too.

March 22 Photo: the kitchen sink

March 21: Delicious

Photo challenge today was "delicious" and I figured that I would have to be creative since I was going to be eating pretty simply after that buffet the night before. But you can always count on the kitchen island at work. Our office is pretty consistent in having temptations close at hand but this is over the top. A student had brought these to class (her husband had made them!!) and the extras made it back to the office. I resisted but it fit my photo assignment perfectly. If you are wondering - mango mousse deliciousness in a marble chocolate cup. How tempting is that!!

March 20 Photo: Before / After

Photo assignment - before and after was perfect for our Stage West night out and the dessert buffet. Only this isn't really the after, the staff replenished the food so that there was never a truly "After" shot for me to get. And I wasn't going to wait next to the food to see the end result because the play was starting!  (Photo note: taken with my iPhone and then set up using an app called PicFrames. I also use Instagram for many of my photos taken on the go)

The play was The 39 Steps - a favourite of mine since I saw it in London and then again at Vertigo theatre last season. This was the same cast as Vertigo - 4 actors playing 150 roles and a lot of fun. I enjoyed picking out all the Hitchcock references - most were fairly in your face.... but I am a fan and it was fun to make note of them throughout!

One of my favourite scenes for the physical comedy below!