The Calm After the Storm

I like storms.  I like them much better when I'm not worried about a tree falling on my house but generally I enjoy a good storm.

I tend to look down when I walk.  I always have (so I can't blame that on balance issues).  I'm trying to remember to look up more often.  This evening, the sky reminded me to look up.  It was beautiful.

Still, there wasn't a visible rainbow.  I keep looking but haven't seen one lately.  As the storms are predicted to continue, maybe one will show soon.

Nature in the City

One of the things I love about where I live is that it's very urban but there is nature all around.  I spend my time running from here to there, barely having time to look at things.  So, as stated earlier, I've decided to document some of the prettier things I see.

I spend a lot of time walking by a vacant lot in Rockville.  The whole area is built up - there are high rise offices, apartment buildings, stores all around.  I usually park in front of the empty lot.  It's got a large chain link fence around it and concrete and toppled-over light fixtures inside.  There's not much to see there.

But the sidewalk is overgrown with all sorts of weeds.  Most are green and unattractive but there's a patch here and there that hold beauty.  I love the morning glories in the morning.  But they hide in the afternoon.  There's prickly things with purple fluffy tops.  There are mini daisies.  So many things to distract me as I walk.  I love it.

I have no idea what the above is.  It looks like it will hurt me (or tickle, depending on the area of the flower) but it looked at me like "Take my picture!".

Again, no clue what this is but it's beautiful.

When I saw the purple top on the prickly part, I thought of the bad kid from The Incredibles.

The morning glories are beautiful in the morning.  I always whisper "good morning, glories!" as I pass them.

They look sad in the mid afternoon 90+ degree heat.

Pollen Tickles My Nose

It does.  Yet on a (nearly) daily basis, I stick my nose in flowers.  I know it will give me a headache.  I know my allergies will be triggered.  But I like to smell flowers.  I have, however, gotten better about keeping a tissue in my purse to remove the pollen - this after years of walking around with a yellow-coated nose.

The improvement of cameras in phones is a great thing in my world.  I take pictures on a daily basis.  I always have.  I used to attribute it to wanting to leave my mark on the world.  I figured one day I'd have kids and if I were to die while they were young, I wanted them to know me.  The best way for me to do that was to take pictures of the things that make me smile, laugh, or leave my nose yellow.

I never shared my work.  Ever.  Then I started writing What Would Judi Do? and people started to read my writing.  Occasionally I'd add a photo here or there and it was well received.  So now I'm starting What Does Judi See?.  We'll see where this goes.

So, welcome to my world.