Project Black's Last Gasp

Anna Carson's Project Black is wrapping up today. (Well yesterday actually, but it's today here in Israel. Go figure.) I haven't had to look very far for my other project black entries but I have to admit that today's is scraping the bottom of the barrel a bit. It's been a great project though - both shooting my own photos and seeing everyone else's. I'm really looking forward to seeing what she's got for us in September.

This shot shows a common scene in my house - the strap of my ginormous and somewhat battered black bag hanging haphazardly over a dining room chair. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this bag. It's gorgeous, and was a very special gift from a dear friend who put quite a lot of thought into getting me the perfect bag, but it's HUGE. Don't get me wrong, I love big bags, and I love this bag. It's terrific when I've got a lactation consult and have all sorts of things to shlep but for everyday use it ventures over to the dark side (the "dark" side, for project "black". Get it? I crack myself up sometimes.) and becomes The Black Hole of All Bags. I can put something in there and not find it again for weeks. Months even. Still, it's a great bag, especially when I'm shlepping all of my own crap plus all of the kids crap. Unfortunately though it's starting to show some pretty serious wear. It's going to make one last trip to the States, where I will hopefully be able to find a replacement I can love, and then it's off to that great closet in the sky. Unless I can't find/afford a really great new one, in which case it may limp along for a while longer. You just never know...

Modern Spaghetti

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One more for Project Black...
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I've been doing more writing and less shooting the past few days (can't neglect one muse at the expense of the other for too long or they begin getting touchy. Wouldn't want to start a catfight inside my head. There's enough chaos going on in there already...) but something about this view from the back side of my laptop really appealed. Using the physical back of the machine as a sort of a metaphorical sneak peak into the workings of my blog. You'll either like it or think I'm insane. Either is equally acceptable.
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WFMW - When Citronella Candles Go Bad

Here's a tip I just learned last night:

If you have a citronella candle that has burned down, do not under any circumstances attempt to refill it with citronella oil when a replacement candle proves impossible to find. If you do, it will burn just fine the first few times but once the wick has burned down (impossible to see while it's burning) it will suddenly erupt into a towering inferno of flame at least 18 inches high! When your friend panics and pours hot water from the kettle on it (BAD idea - never ever pour water on an oil fire!) it will sizzle and spatter like a thing possessed. Once the flame is finally put out, you will still have boiling oil, that remains quite literally boiling for over an hour afterwards. And then, when it's all over, you will be left with this:
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And believe me, you don't want that.

Stop by Rocks in My Dryer for more helpful hints.

Bannister

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Words and images vie for equal time.
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I was going to sit out today's Project Black to give my words a chance to shine before they were knocked off the top of the page, but when I took these photos this morning I knew it wasn't to be. It couldn't be helped, they were just crying out to be included in the project. Humor the words too though, if you will. Enjoy the pictures below, and then take a moment to read the words which preceeded them, for they contain the essence of my very being, the fitting conclusion to years of soul searching. Aw heck, just click over there and see for yourselves.

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Mosaic Tile

A jet black stone to set off the rest

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Project Black, Day 4

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For my regular readers wondering where all the words have gone do not lose hope, I've got plenty of them in various stages of completion waiting to be posted, perhaps even as soon as later today. Oh and if you were curious (and even if you weren't), the stone tiles shown here are from my master bathroom. The mosaic strip runs at chest height around three walls, including right through the glassed off shower. On the fourth wall there is a large mirror set directly into the wall which is "framed" by the same mosaic strip. It looks fantastic but the angles make it difficult to photograph so you'll just have to use your imaginations.

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The key to my blog

For this week's Rockin' Chair Writers prompt Brian says “If your blog is your home show us around.”

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The first step in showing you around is of course opening the door. The key you see above is actually the key to my roof (I live in a penthouse in an urban suburb of Tel Aviv), not my front door, but it worked better for Project Black than the front door did, so let's just go with it, shall we.

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The kitchen island, pictured in my blog header, looks remarkably like the one where I fed my children breakfast a few moments ago. Oh wait, it IS the one where I fed my children breakfast a few moments ago. Fancy that.

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The rest of my blog home also looks quite like my actual home - reasonably well done up but not designer-perfect, a bit chaotic, more than a bit eclectic, prancing fancifully from one interest to another without a clear pattern or flow, a bit messy but comfy and well lived-in, little bits of interest here and there, and full of love and good times.

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There are essays, and other essays, and photos, and lists, and a few recipes, occasional puff pieces, and all of the other bits of flotsam and jetsam that find their way through my brain to my keyboard, some more successfully than others. Grab a cup of coffee from the pot in the kitchen or from the pitcher of iced coffee in the fridge if you prefer that on this hot summer's day, help yourself to some of Jay's homemade bread, fresh out of the oven, and take some time to look around. You never know what you might find, but there's always an open spot on the couch (or the rocking chair or stool or heck even the floor when it gets crowded) and a welcome to join in the conversation. Kick off your shoes and join in.

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Coke Zero

Click to embiggen

Project Black, Day 2

Project Black - Day 1

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Anna Carson's got her new photo project up - and it's black!