"All's well...

...that ends well.  With an apt subtitle of, "We don't let no stinkin' food poisoning AND the Apocalypse get us down!".

"Class of 2015"
Hatboro-Horsham High School
Horsham, Pennsylvania

But it was a rocky road getting there.  And the "getting there" was seriously questionable at times.  We had the soon-to-be graduate stricken down by food poisoning the day before graduation.   Therefore, graduation party plans were cancelled at the last minute. Then we had apocalyptic weather descend upon us that threatened to blow us all into oblivion come graduation evening...

"Looming  Skies"
(no, this is not a black/white photograph)
Horsham, Pennsylvania
IPhone

But in the end, good Karma flexed it's muscles.   Empty seats were set on the football field...

"Stage is Set"
Hatboro Horsham High School

...and filled with the "Soon-to-Be's"...

"Soon-to-Be's"
Hatboro Horsham Senior High School

Family filled the stadium bleachers.  One eye on the sky, the other on the field.

"Big Bro"
Thing #1
Hatboro Horsham High School

As the sky darkened, speeches were shortened.  Diplomas were presented and names called in a pace which increasingly picked up momentum. Yep, those speeches weren't abbreviated quite enough.  We all would rather have had more time given to the graduates, and less to the administrators. But on the plus side...one can never hear enough metaphors on life from school officials, right?!?!?  Winds blew harder.  Caps flew off heads when they weren't suppose to.  Gowns whipped in the wind along with the flags.

"Gone With the Wind"
Thing #3
Hatboro Horsham High School

And right before the skies opened up, the graduates celebrated.  Soon followed by a mad exodus and dash to shelter.

"Cap Toss"

Hatboro Horsham High School

Horsham, Pennsylvania

It could not have been timed to the split second more accurately.  Unfortunately, the result was there was no time to celebrate with classmates. Mother Nature could not contain herself any longer.  All that was left to do was to go home and dry off...

"The Aftermath"
Real Life/Still Life

...invite some family, and take advantage of the decorations and cake from the cancelled graduation party the day before.  See?  It all works out!

Ahhhh, the best laid plans of mice and men.  And school administrators and parents.   And a spur of the moment decision to swing by a  Popeye's Chicken drive thru.  And...Accu-weather.  All's well that ends well.  Despite the rocky road it took to get there.

Congrats to all the graduates of the Class of 2015!

Here's where I "link up" today

(Song-ography on Tuesdays.  Click on photo for a full description.)

"Coming in for a landing...

It's a bird...

"Final Approach #1"
Horsham, Pennsylvania

It's a plane...

"Final Approach #2"
Horsham, Pennsylvania

Nope, it's birds...

"Touch Down"
Horsham, Pennsylvania

Coming in for a safe landing in the morning haze.

Here's where I "link up" today.

(click on image for description of Song-ography)

Next Tuesday's Song-ography title suggestion is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"  by Billy Joel.

Come back and link up!  (blog, instagram, flickr photos welcome).

Yes!...

...I'm back.

Winter.  Philly, on ice.  Shaken, not stirred.  No fun being iced over and left without power.  But I'm finally here.  Yes!  Haven't had time, or the Internet, to look at the photos I took amidst the ice.  But I do have some observations.  And I also have some photos I took of the winter calm, PRIOR to the storm.  Before the branches fell and wreaked havoc.  (FYI, none of these photos are black/white...on purpose).


1.  30 hours without electricity or heat.  I was not designed for roughing it (no one I know is surprised by this observation).  May name is Kathy, and I am no Laura Ingalls.  Truth is, we are lucky.  There are still hundreds of thousands without power here in the Philly area.  I am grateful to the caravans of power trucks that have mobilized from other states to help out our local linemen get us back up and running.

"Beauty before the Beast"
Horsham, PA

2.  Why is it that going outside right now to 50 degree temps would be delightful, yet trying to sleep indoors in the same temperature feels sooooo much colder?!?!?  Thermal shirt, hooded sweatshirt, sweat pants, socks, five blankets later...I was STILL freezing and couldn't believe I could not see my breath when I exhaled.  Yes, I tested out the theory multiple times.

"Flown the Coop"

3.  Heat can not be overrated.  Television and Internet can.

"I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends"

4.  Eavesdropping is a great form of entertainment when you have no television, especially when it involves IHOP wisdom.  After venturing out to get a meal which involved a 40 minute circuitous route (normally a 5 minute drive) due to fallen trees and power lines...Thing #3 and I finally found an IHOP open.  The topic of conversation in the booth  behind us?  "Would you rather be stabbed or kidnapped?"  Personally?  I just want my heat back on.  So I would answer "Kidnapped" if it involved taking me to a warmer place.

5.  The cream always rises to the top, even amongst Philadelphians.  We ARE the city of Brotherly Love after all.  I was continually amazed by the pleasant attitudes, willingness to help, and the good nature of everyone I encountered.  Except possibly for the couple sitting in the "stabbed vs. kidnapped" booth.  The lady who preferred to be "stabbed" complained to the waiter about her eggs not being hot enough.  I would venture the waiter wished her to be "kidnapped".  Immediately.


Glad I'm back.  I apologize to those who I normally link up to, that I had to miss joining in this week.  Barring any more ice storms, I'll be back at it next week.

Here's where I'm linking up today ..."The Party's On"

Please join me on Sundays for Song-ography.

This week's song title is the Danielle Bradbury's "My Day".

Song-ography, the "Home for the Holidays" edition...

(posting early today as I'm hitting the road for a short New Year's Eve get-away. disclaimer:  vicious attack dogs and large-sized humans will still be occupying my house.)

This was a bittersweet Christmas for me.  The last Christmas where it will be just the five of us. We will increase by two next year.  Holidays will have to be shared, and traditions altered.  I am blessed our family is growing, that we love our new additions, and that my Things are happy.  I'm just not good at sharing, and will have to learn to refine that talent.  I want my Things to chase their dreams, but to always know the road that leads them home.  Especially for the holidays.

"There's no place like home for the holidays,
'cause no matter how far away you roam...

...if you want to be happy in a million ways

...for the holidays you can't beat
home sweet home."

- (no place like) Home for the Holidays

There's always a road that leads towards home.

**********

Next week's Song-ography will be the first of 2014!  How did THAT happen?!?!!?  In keeping with the spirit of new beginnings, and 365 days laid out before us full of the unknown and unlimited possibilities, next week's Song-ography song is...

"Unwritten"

Natasha Bedingfield

Thank you for embracing Song-ography in 2013.  I hope 2014 brings you a year full of photographic challenges that push and expand your creative boundaries to new heights, and that Song-ography is one of those catalysts.  I look forward to being on the journey with you.  Happy New Year and bring on 2014!

P.S.  You can now find me on Facebook. Please hop on over to You'll Shoot Your Eye Out and give me a "like".

An InLinkz Link-up

Tis the season...

"Winter at Sunrise"

Horsham, PA

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date.  Probably because I'm too preoccupied with my camera these days.  Christmas is gonna be here before I even have my presents wrapped if I don't soon back away from the Canon.  At least I have presents.  Thank goodness for overnight shipping. Tis the season...

1.  I procrastinate too much.  Didn't use to be like this.  I've gotten much worse.  

2.  I get distracted too much.  Didn't use to be like this.  I've gotten much worse.  Look...a squirrel!

3.  I'm eating too much.  Okay, I've always been like this. I've gotten MUCH better at it.  

4.  I'm sitting around on my butt too much.  I go in spurts with this.  I've got a date with the gym January 6th when I hope to re-establish our on again-off again relationship.  It says so on my calendar.  IF I don't get distracted or procrastinate.  Hope I remember to look at my calendar.  Look....a chocolate chip cookie!

5.  I'm tired too much.  Who knew procrastinating, getting distracted, eating too much, and do nothing could be so exhausting?!?!!?

The worse thing about all this?  I sound EXACTLY like my teenager. Hmmmm...I'll worry about that tomorrow.

Here's where I'm linking up today ..."The Party's On"

Please join me on Sundays for Song-ography.

This week's song title is "Silver Bells".

Bloomin' Blooms...

of the Magnolia variety, in my little Philly 'hood...

"Magnolia Magic"

Horsham, Pennsylvania

So enjoying all the bloomin' going on around here.  It's like Spring on steroids.