::: Embarrassing Childhood Photos :::

My mom gave me a small little "brag book" a couple weekends ago with Mickey Mouse on the cover that was full of photos from our first trip to Disney World when I was 5 years old. She had found it - where else - at my grandparents' house. :) Figured I'd like to have it... well of COURSE!

Not sure why I want to humiliate myself on my own blog, but once a picture junkie, always a picture junkie.

The neat thing is, I remember this trip like it was yesterday.


Look at that gap toothed smile.


Can you feel the glee? I remember wanting to wear that dress every.single.day.


My mom, grandma, and I...


When she handed me the album, the FIRST thing I did was flip furiously to find this photo, because I remember Tigger insisting on writing on my mom's back SO clearly! =) I thought it was the funniest thing ever.


Yeah. I'm no different today.


And to all my friends with little ones... thankfully in the age of digital, I know you all are crazy snap happy when you go to Disney World. But look how much your kids will LOVE these when they grow up!!! =)

There are more from this trip that my mom has framed in her house... Mickey and I hand in hand walking away that I think my dad took. But these all might have been taken by my grandpa, I can't remember. Notice neither he nor my dad make an appearance... hahaha!!!

::: Signs of Spring :::

* Street sweepers.
* An open Dairy Queen.
* Crocuses.
* Bunnies in the yard.
* Open windows.
* Crazy Shoreline traffic.
* The sudden realization of the desperate need for a pedicure.
* Back pain from rigorous spring cleaning and solo mattress flipping.
* A bulldog who refuses to come in, busy basking in the sun on the deck.

Ahhhh... all signs that it's officially Spring here in Connecticut!!!

Nothing original, but I still love to see the very few flowers and plants I have sprouting up! =) (And I love breaking out the extension tubes for macro stuff.)







And apparently, I live in an aviary. Or some freaky Alfred Hitchcock movie.


HAPPY SPRING!

::: Family Resemblances :::

The photos we've been coming across cleaning out my grandmother's house are like buried treasure to me. As I've mentioned before, I've never really seen any photos like these, so each one is a new surprise.

This is a photo of my great-grandmother for whom I was named, Julia Harrison (my full name!), and her siblings. I know nothing about any of them, but you can pretty much guess she's the one in the bottom left. =)


If you know me in person, it's sort of uncanny. =) Granted, I don't think I've ever scowled at a camera in my life... nor do I think I ever ever look as irritated as she does. Though my mother would probably say I gave her that look a few times as a teenager. Haha!

What boggles my mind is how my grandmother, mother, and I all look exactly alike at all random stages of our lives. I had no idea it went beyond my grandmother to my great-grandmother! I can't wait to find more...

Good riddance, Winter!

Hellooooo Spring!


As most of you know, I'm a die hard winter fan. But never in all my life have I been so happy to watch it go. I am longing for sun, lounging on the deck, grilling, snoozing at the beach, weddings, flowers, green grass, no propane deliveries, iced coffees, tank tops, and most importantly, FLIP FLOPS. =)

It's truly the simplest things in life that make me laugh...

For instance, a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home from work resulted in THIS guy hopping into my basket and accompanying me home.




I don't know what on earth he is. He was all alone in a crowd of leprechauns and leprechaun hats. So of COURSE I had to rescue him. I have the biggest soft spot for misfits.

But there I stood in Stop & Shop, laughing. He resembles Cookie Monster but without the copyright infringement, I suppose.

And now he sits on my counter, begging to be snarfled down, taunting me. I don't even know what he actually is, food-wise. He's roughly the size of a cupcake, so I'm willing to bet there's a cupcake hidden somewhere under there, below 5" of blue, cavity-inducing (haha) icing.

I suppose this isn't terribly blog-worthy... but the simplest things make me laugh (and pretty much everyone will tell you I laugh A LOT.) I think it's terribly important to enjoy the simple things in life. =)

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable. ~Helen Keller

Life certainly is a daring adventure! =) It's been an interesting week here at the Salty Grape, so I really welcomed the weekend with open arms. I spent some time decompressing and snapped a few shots of local spots that I've been meaning to document forever. One in particular, as it turns out after many years of just sitting dormant, has finally been purchased. There is construction going on inside and even a liquor permit sign outside! The end of an era... (I doubt they saved any of the red vinyl booths. =( It was just such the classic 70s eatery.)



Down the road a wee bit, one of the goofiest clam shacks... don't you love the little hand painted smirking clam on the sign?

A little further down the road, at a farm stand that is positively hopping in the summers. Not so much today!

And just a little randomness that always makes me smile every time I drive past. =) These are a little set back from the road, so you never see them unless you turn your head and look. And when you do, they surprise you.

Hope everyone is enjoying the bee-you-tee-ful weather!!! This "free spirit" is off to clean the house since I put it off earlier. =D

Newfies, and kitties, and chickens... OH MY!

I'm always up for a challenge. And I know spending time at my friends Corrie & Doug's house is a perfect place to go. Not only do they have 4 kitties, 2 Newfoundlands (which I find VERY challenging to photograph - big super black furballs on bright days are HARD!), a shepherd/husky mix, and a flock of chickens (who supply me with the most delicious eggs on the planet!) but they've just welcomed a new 10 week old Newfie puppy to the brood. =) Annnnnnnd... they are babysitting a friend's 8 week old, to boot!

I can't decide which of the hordes of photos to post! Cuteness seriously abounded.







Oh dear. Mom's first reprimand.



OK, she's chewing on her own foot here...

HI!!!

Oh my gawd, I want to smooch my own screen.

OK, OK!!! I get the hint, Holly! =)



Isn't she so pretty?

OK, back to the bundles of fluff.

This quickly became one of my favorites photos ever. Before I even got home to see it full size. Can you stand the adorableness?

OK, they crashed hard after all that rough housing, so I got to give the chickens some love.





Roo the Rooster... isn't he handsome?

He's so friendly!!!

Do I have a Future in Foul Fotography?

These are all taken with a 50mm... I wanna get my 70-200 so I can get some good closeups without getting in their faces. =)

OK, puppies awoke from their nap.

And out came the Big Dogs.

Tango supervised.

Sierra worked the camera.



Awwww!



If she wasn't going to turn out to be 150lbs, I think I might have tried to stuff her in my Beetle.

And lastly, two of their absolutely BEAUTIFUL kitties... they are the sweetest, most stunning cats I have ever met, and they're all Maine Coon rescues. Turkey was in hiding, but I'd photographed her before... and someday I'll have to meet Druitt.

Lovely Luna







And Handsome Hobbit



Thanks, as always, for having me over, guys!!! XOXOX -J

All the photos can be found by clicking here:
Newfies, and Kitties, and Chickens... Oh my!