Close-up

Sometimes you just have to get right up next to plants when you take their pictures.

Breakfast

I'm trying to incorporate breakfast into more of my mornings. This was one of the tastiest thus far, albeit by uninspiring electric light of predawn.

Coping

This is how I've spent my weekend coping with the germs my students so generously gave me this week. Lots of tea and sleep. Thank goodness I'm almost back to healthy now that the new week is starting!

Clouds

It's hot (another 100-plus degree week), but at least there are clouds!

Strategy

I have a finite willingness to lose to my husband at strategy games, so he was happy for a chance to play against optimistic cousins this summer.

Rose of Sharon

Curry chicken

I've discovered a new dinner favorite: curry chicken salad. It's ridiculously easy (mayonnaise + curry+ chicken + celery + grapes + cheese), and oh-so-very tasty.

To and fro...

The view on the way to and from work today. The morning and afternoon commute are quite different, almost like night and day (oh, wait a minute...)

Remain

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in me and I in you,
you will bear much fruit;
apart from me you can do nothing.

Succulent

Calling a plant a "succulent" always makes me laugh, since I generally think of succulence in terms of tastiness. The plants don't look tasty in the least, but they are attractive.

Alert

Getting up at five a.m. now that the school year has started is less exciting than you might imagine. This morning, I made coffee to console myself for the early hour. Happily, I was much more alert today than yesterday because of it. I'm not keen on the thought of a coffee habit, but it is a fun treat!

Sunset

Froglet

Dad and I spotted this tiny tree frog when I stopped by the Chippewa Nature Center a few weeks ago. It was not very cooperative, but I managed to catch a shot of it in its natural habitat--an asphalt path.

Kilter

Taking pictures of flowers from off-kilter angles is my favorite photography activity. Clearly.

Summer night

Peel

The apple peels left over after making apple sheet cake were unexpectedly pretty!

Coneflower

Spotted on a walk at the Chippewa Nature Center.

Sister time at the Zinc

French onion soup, creme brulee, sister-time, and great atmosphere outside. What's not to like?

Light

The light on my granny's balcony was great one evening as we were helping her settle in, and Benjamin uncharacteristically cooperated with my compulsive photography. The combination resulted in a great portrait!

Pooch

A portrait of Blondie--friend of man, destroyer of dogs.

Tobico

Tobico Marsh in Bay City is a glorious place to go for a walk. Not only is it the very first state park my parents took me to when I was a wee tot, but it is now conveniently right next to my in-laws house. The flora and fauna are also very accommodatingly photogenic.

Glorious summer!

...and we're back! Back from seeing family, and Michigan in all its glory. Back from moving to a new apartment. I've eaten many tasty deserts, celebrated a birthday, gone for some glorious walks, and taken a mountain of pictures. I'll be posting many of them this month, but of all of the pictures from Michigan, this is probably my very favorite. Enjoy!