Drumroll, please.....

I'm FINALLY posting about the France trip!!! We’ve been back a few weeks now and I’ve been busy sorting through the 1300+ pictures I took while we were gone. I kept a journal and intended to go back and type it up to post here with pictures, but the more I read over it…it’s just not that entertaining! I ended up writing up the day’s activities just before going to bed and every entry is essentially “We went here. We saw this. I need to get some sleep.”

So instead, I’ll go day by day and throw up some pictures and keep the dialog to the high points.

DAY ONE – PARIS
We landed in Paris about 9ish. Getting out of the airport was interesting… The taxis were on strike. They were all lined in the right lane, and driving slowly in the left – just enough to keep things at almost a standstill. Apparently this is what they do over there…they get in the way for a day, then it’s back to work as normal the next day. Not sure how effective it is, but nice that they don’t drag it out forever.
First stop was Notre Dame. The bus parked in the Latin Quarter so we walked around the neighborhood, across the river and over towards the church. Here's some random scenery from the walk and the neighborhood around Notre Dame...

Before we went into the church, we walked over to the Holocaust Memorial. It’s hard to describe…you walk down a narrow stairway and eventually into this little cave-like stone room. Very dark and claustrophobic. Down the hallway, there are jewels on the wall for every French person who lost their life in the Holocaust. “Appropriate” is the only word I’ve been able to come up with to describe it. When you consider the atrocities that took place during that time, it’s hard to imagine ever being able to sufficiently memorialize it… But they succeeded in making it uncomfortable and beautiful and moving all at the same time.

The entrance:

The crystals representing those who died:
A sculpture outside:
Above the door: Forgive, don't forget...
Then we went into Notre Dame.....






After Notre Dame, we headed back through the Latin Quarter to meet the bus and went back to the hotel for the night.

And there's Day One! Only how many to go? Any bets on how long it'll take to get the whole trip posted?

I shot Rachel

As much as I enjoy taking pictures, I've never really tried to take them of people. Flowers and scenery are easy. They dont blink and you dont have to worry that they're making a weird face... But I have always wondered how I'd do shooting people and I finally got the chance this weekend...

A few months ago, my friend Rachel was looking at some vacation shots I had taken and asked if I'd come over and photograph her family so she could have some updated pictures to hang. I happily agreed -- but we decided to wait until I had the digital camera - and until things were blooming in her yard.

Yesterday the weather cleared just in time and I spent a couple hours shooting away at Rachel and her fam and we had a blast. Having never worked with living, breathing subjects, I wasnt sure what I'd come away with. Fortunately there were several keepers -- It helped that the three of them are pretty photogenic and not a bit camera-shy... ; )

Here are a few of my favs from the day...

In other news, Mom and I head to France tomorrow with a dozen of her students...back in a week and a half. Will definitely share stories and pictures when I get back... Fingers are crossed that we have an uneventful trip.... A bientot!!

Mother Nature puts me to shame

Here’s the most impressive “before and after” that I’ll ever post and – aside from documenting it – I had nothing to do with it. I went out a few weeks ago with my camera to get some pictures of the poppies (which were gorgeous, but unfortunately they didn’t last long – I should post some of them too…next time…) when I noticed the buds on the two peony bushes around the side of the house.

I’d never seen peony buds before, but I couldn’t get over how…perfect…they are. Perfectly round, kinda shiny. Like little natural marbles. The peonies had pretty much had it by the time I moved in last year, but I remembered them being pretty big flowers and I couldn’t quite believe what that these little round buds were going to turn into.

I also learned from a few of my more botanically-aware friends that the ants I’ve seen all over the buds belong there. Apparently the buds have sugar on them, which the ants eat, allowing the buds to open. Who knew?

If I were a more poetic person, I’d probably mention something about the natural beauty of the world we live in and the need to take care of it and that only in nature would you find that ants and flower buds needed each other…

But instead, after a year of posting Before and After pictures, I’ll give Mother Nature full credit for the most inspiring transformation so far...

Jenny vs. The Garden, part two

As promised, here is the latest installment of pictures from the ongoing Garden Project.

I started with this little section – mostly just weeds to begin with and some random poppies in the corner.
I know they’re pretty, but there’s a whole planter of poppies by the driveway, so I pulled them. If they’re persistent enough to come up again next year, maybe I’ll let them. We’ll see.

Anyway, after I pulled everything, I planted two day lilies that came from a friend’s garden last year. I had planted a few things from him last year and just ran out of steam before I found a place for these two. I left them in the plastic bins I transported them in and figured they would never live through the winter. But they did. And look every bit as healthy as the plants that have been in the ground. So I figured if they’re hearty enough to live in a plastic tray for a year, planting them in a real home is the least I could do for them. The little grassy things in the front should spread out and will have purple flowers at some point. But I don’t remember what they’re called…


Then I moved on to the bigger part of the garden. The section I worked on really needed more attention than the rest of it does, so I mentally split it in half and will get started on the rest of it this weekend if the weather holds up.


I hear hostas are good in shade, so I planted a couple of them – and actually found some tiny hostas underneath some ugly vine-y weed…so I moved them and hopefully they’ll get established and grow too.



The balance of the front garden doesn’t need as much of an overhaul as that section did – I think just a lot of weed pulling and a new layer of mulch and it should be set. Famous last words, I know.

So far I’m still enjoying all the digging. There’s so much to do – I figure I should get as much done as I can before the typical steamy Ohio weather shows up…and while I’m still enthusiastic about the project. I’m sure I’ll lose interest long before it’s really finished…. ; )

Step away from the daisies.....

Our office was closed Friday, so I spent a good bit of the morning vegging on the couch, catching up on old episodes of Boston Legal. Just before 10, the doorbell rang. I think I had fallen asleep. Since I wasn't expecting anyone -- and I was still in my PJs -- I opted to see who it was before throwing open the door... So I went into the guest room and discreetly looked out the window...

It was Anna, the woman who used to own my house -- the same previous owner I badmouth somewhat regularly... I figure she's visted the blog and is ready to go a few rounds with me. She's standing on my front porch, hands on her hips with the same annoyed look on her face that I got to know pretty well last summer. What could she possibly need to talk to me about? It's not like we got chummy during the closing... She complained nonstop to Jason (our mutual realtor) about changes I was making to "her" house -- it's not like she'd want to come in and see that there is absolutely no evidence she was ever there...

So I opted not to answer -- who needs her unpleasantness to ruin my perfectly peaceful morning off... But I kept an eye out the window as she surveyed the front yard... She took inventory of everything (weeds included, I'm sure, but that's the next post...), walking through the front yard over to the side (where the peonies are *this close* to blooming)... Then over to the other side of the house (I just kept moving to different windows to keep watching) where she inspected my work along the garage and then to the backyard, where she just stood and frowned.

Seriously, what's she up to??? I admit to feeling irrationally annoyed by the fact that she was walking around like she owned the place. I know she lived here for 30 years and I'm sure it's hard for her to see someone else's car in the driveway, but GET OUT OF MY YARD!

Finally I see her get into her car. But she didnt leave. She backed up across the street, and camped out in my neighbor's driveway, still watching the house. I finally stopped spying on her and went back to Boston Legal, but looked out a while later and saw Lily the Neighbor outside talking to her.

Later that day, I went across the street to get Molly's mail and I ran into Lily who says, "I see Anna was stalking your house again."

Again? Awesome.

She explained... Apparently when Anna feels bummed out about her new living arrangements, she comes by the house. I dont know the exact details, but she bought a place with a younger couple -- the thought being that she would buy the house and they would take care of her as she gets older, then keep the house when she dies... And I guess on and off, she debates the soundness of that decision... So that's when she decides to make a visit to Beacon Street. Sometimes she walks around, sometimes she just sits in her car at the street. I cant imagine what it must feel like, knowing that the place you called home for decades has someone else sleeping in it... And for a second, I felt a little guilty for not answering the door and spying on her as she walked the grounds of her old home-sweet-home...

But just before I started to feel too bad for her, Lily says that the reason she was pounding on my door was because she wanted to talk to me about digging some things out of the yard. The yard I've owned for a year. That she left overgrown with weeds. That doesnt have anything exotic planted that you couldnt find at Home Depot. Is she serious? She thinks AFTER A YEAR that she can just come over with a shovel and take what she wants? Now I almost wish I had answered the door. I'm pretty sure I would have laughed in her face.

Speaking of the plants Anna will only be able to dig out of my garden over my dead body... The next post (I promise it will be soon) will feature before and after pics of the second major battle between me and the weeds.

Jenny vs. The Garden, part one

I know it has been a while...again.

Thought I'd share the latest Beacon Street Before and After photos...

Now that the sun is out and the inside of the house is more or less done ("done" isn’t quite the right word - there are plenty more things to do, but they're all on a more long-term to do list...), the landscaping projects begin. The previous owner (aside from having hideous taste in paint) let the gardens go over the last few years or so. I've seen pictures of the yard in its "glory" and she was a really impressive gardener. However, by the time I moved in, the only thing impressive about the gardens was the sheer magnitude of weeds.

I've been a bit intimidated by the idea of starting outside – there’s so much to do it’s hard to know where to start…. (Not to mention…in most cases, I’m not sure what’s weed and what’s plant…) But finally I decided I need to just make a list of all the areas that need attention and focus on one at a time – and not really think about the big (scary) picture.

To the side of the house is a 3x33' stretch of...dirt. And weeds. And small trees that had seeded themselves and were left alone long enough to become pretty substantial (and HARD to get out of the ground).

Sunday morning I dug everything up, turned over the soil and planted a groundcover (dwarf periwinkle). Am hoping I don't kill it - and hoping it will, in fact, cover the ground. I had thought about doing something a little more involved or interesting, but in the end decided I had plenty of other places for "interesting" landscaping. And hopefully a groundcover will make this fairly low-maintenance. The leaves are really pretty – yellowish with a dark green “outline” and apparently in the spring, there are lavender colored flowers.


It definitely feels nice to cross at least one project off the list. This weekend, I think I’m headed for the front yard. Stay tuned...

One of the Coolest Things I’ve Seen in Real Life

During the last summer Olympics, I was glued to the swimming events. I couldn’t remember the US ever having a team so dominating – and of course I was as in awe of Michael Phelps as the rest of the world. (Seriously…is there an event this guy cant swim?) The one thing I remember saying was that I wish someday I’d get the chance to see him – and the rest of the US team – swim in person. A couple weeks ago, there was a swim meet at Ohio State that was part of the Toyota Grand Prix series – and Michael Phelps, Aaron Piersol, Brendan Hansen, Katie Hoff and a few other well-knowns were in it. I’ve seen and participated in my fair share of swim meets over the years, but this was just incredible to watch…

Michael Phelps: 400 IM - Backstroke
Michael Phelps: 400 IM - Breaststroke
Michael Phelps: 400 Free
Aaron Piersol: 100 Back
Aaron Piersol: 100 Back (left lane)
Brendan Hanson: 200 Breast
Brendan Hanson (silver cap): 200 Breast...was neck and neck with Eric Shanteau most of the race and just barely out-touched him...awesome.
Katie Hoff: 400 IM