This 365 day project features photos that include words (actual or implied),
text, books,
writing, letters and numbers, signs, libraries, and.... well, you get the idea.


1.31.2010

day 33 of 365

Open-minded.
Eyes wide open.
Open to possibilities.
Like an open book.
Open a can of worms.
Open-hearted.
Open mouth, insert foot.
Broken open.
Open for business.
Open to interpretation.
Open arms.
Open to new adventures.
When one door closes...
...one opens.

1.30.2010

day 32 of 365

We used to play a game when I was younger where you write your name and the name of your secret (or not-so-secret) crush on a piece of paper. Your cross out the letters that the two names have in common, and then calculate your relationship status based on the remaining number of letters in each name. The end results were easily manipulated so that it would come out however you wanted by using a person's full name, middle name, nickname.....whatever worked. The goal was to have it end up with the two of you walking hand and hand into the sunset together, and living happily ever after.

If only connections were that easy. I'm sure we could each fill up a drawer in this old card catalog with the failed connections we've made. The trick is to file them away and move on. There's a sunset waiting out there somewhere.

Do you want to create your own altered card catalog photo? I did this one using picnik, but picasa or photoshop would work just as well. I'll be posting an unedited version of this photo on my flickr page for your free use. All I ask is that if you do use it you'll link to the original and post a link to your resulting photo. I'd love to see what you do with it!

PS: This card catalog used to house the maritime card files of historian and author Henry Crocker Kittredge. The cards have been moved to our library's archives, but the catalog has such character that we keep it in our historic research room, along with other wonderful treasures.

1.29.2010

day 31 of 365

To go with yesterday's symbol of hope, here's one for faith. I dedicate the photos to two of my great aunties. My grandfather was one of 15 children -- let's see if I can name them all: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Gerome, Ashley, Ruth, Sally, Alice, Mary, Sylvia, Faith, Hope, and Charity.

This is a view of the National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It sits on a hill in a little neighborhood above the town, in a sad sort of park with a sign that says "no bike riding or ball throwing." In other words, when in the land of the Puritans, do as they would do.

1.28.2010

day 30 of 365

These are books from the library's genealogical collection, dating back 100 years. I love that they are beautiful, and that they carry the symbol of hope.

1.26.2010

day 28 of 365

Pilgrims go better with Coke.

A 1620 house and vending machine vie for attention on a grey day at the home of our forefathers, Plymouth, Massachusetts.

1.25.2010

day 27 of 365


"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

1.24.2010

day 26 of 365

This is for my daughter's friend Fallon, because it was her idea. Thanks, Miss Fallon!

I'm not a big rofl laughing kind of person, and through some weird anatomical twist of fate, when I try to smile for pictures the corners of my mouth turn down :(

But most things tickle my funny bone, and in a list of things that are important to me, a sense of humor makes it to the top 3.

Yesterday had its challenging moments and a few tears, so today, I'm going to carry this photo in my pocket. Onward and upward!

1.23.2010

day 25 of 365

For the last day of self-portrait week, here is a view of my office at the library from an antique mirror. To read a quick story about random acts of photography and my office, read this post on my other blog. If you follow the link in the story to flickr, you'll see I had my 15 minutes of fame.


1.22.2010

day 24 of 365

We interrupt self-portrait week for a brief weather forecast.

1.21.2010

day 23 of 365

More of me for self-portrait week. Quote from poet and children's book author Lucille Clifton.

1.20.2010

day 22 of 365

I live in Massachusetts, and today am feeling dazed and confused, to say the least.

1.19.2010

day 21 of 365

"Many hands make light work" was one of my grandmother's favorite sayings. Of course it was meant to be a rallying cry for everyone to pitch in and help with the dishes, or shell some freshly picked peas, or polish the silver. Here's my take on the many hands theme, all of them mine. Click on the picture to view large.

1.18.2010

day 20 of 365

This week I'm going to focus on self-portraits. Bear with me.

1.17.2010

1.16.2010

day 18 of 365

After reading the post about our vintage toy the other day, friend and superboy Dan made us a mallet so that we can play with our toy the way it was meant to be played with. How awesome is that?

PS: You can see more photos of Gingham Bear & Iron Giant here.

1.15.2010

day 17 of 365

Partly cloudy here today, but...

1.14.2010

day 16 of 365

My favorite road sign ever. It appeals to the inner 6-year-old in me.

(PS: This image was created using Poladroid -- try it!)

the rules

I'm interested to hear the rules that others have set for themselves when doing their 365 projects. I know that with my schedule, I could soon drive myself insane if I tried to post a photo on the same day that I took it every day. So I gave myself some wiggle room. Here are the rules I set for myself (so far, anyway!):
  • Thou shalt post a photo every day.
  • Thy photo should be taken within the week OR
  • If it is an edited or altered photo (I work on vintage and texturized photos) it shalt be done in the past 24 hours.
  • At least once a month, thou must takest a photo of thyself and post it.
  • Thou must stick to the theme, OR twist it to thy liking.
  • Thou must havest fun, or else stoppest immediately and do something else.
OK -- I'm getting my thees and thous mixed up, but that's the general idea. What rules have you set for yourself?

1.13.2010

day 15 of 365

This is a photo of my father, which I just edited for a project we're doing for National Library Week, held in April each year. I'm creating a series of READ photos fashioned after the National Library week posters that feature celebrities reading their favorite books. If you've never seen these posters, you can check them out on the American Library Association website.

My grandmother, who took this photo, was an accomplished photographer. She studied with some notable photographers of the day, including Clarence White. My father was 2 years old when this photo was taken in 1931. Throughout his life he was an avid reader, so I have no doubt that even at 2 he was absorbing the contents of that newspaper like a sponge.

If you want to see other photos in this series (and there will be more as the project progresses), visit the READ! set on my flickr photostream. These will be printed and displayed throughout the month of April at the library.

1.12.2010

day 14 of 365

I'm two weeks into this project, and I thought it was time to say hello and tell you a few things about myself.

This is me.
I have two amazing children.
I work here.
I also write this blog.
I'm thinking about trying rock climbing. Please talk me out of it!

What are you trying this year for the first time?

1.11.2010

day 13 of 365

Hannah made me take a picture of this number on the front of the Goodwill store, and when I asked why she told me to go home and look it up. So I did. You learn something new every day!

1.10.2010

day 12 of 365

I was cleaning out a cupboard at the library last month, and found an old broken camera with a roll of film still inside. The roll of film sat in my car until yesterday, when I took it to be developed. Definitely 1980s-1990s vintage, with pictures of a family of girls and their parents, making funny faces, sleeping, and playing recorders. I liked this little ghost-of-Halloween-past the best. Are those some kind of pre-Uggs she's wearing? Also, her little note is pinned to her as if by becoming a ghost she's also somehow lost her voice.

Oh, OK -- I can't resist. Here's another photo that was on the roll of film. If you know this lady, please tell her I found her photos.

1.08.2010

day 10 of 365

I love vintage toys -- this one sits on the hearth in the living room. It's got a funny name, and is an example of old-time amusements -- a little one-note, a little politically incorrect by today's standards. People visiting our house can't resist playing with it and testing their strength (all it takes is a good jab with your index finger). The little mallet that originally came with it disappeared -- I scour thrift shops to see if I can find another one. This was made by the Royal Tot Manufacturing Company of Brooklyn, NY, whose other claim to fame seems to have been a series of little percussion cap miniature atomic bomb toys, which "allowed children to pretend they had the power to drop the mighty atomic bomb on the targets of their choice." Wow!

1.07.2010

day 9 of 365


A little librarian humor. You can entertain your friends and family (or just yourself) and generate your own cool catalog cards at the Catalog Card Generator at blyberg.net - a library geek blog.

1.06.2010

day 8 of 365

Since I am a redhead, this sign spoke to me (click the photo to view large). We won't discuss the whole "shooting while driving" issue -- all I can say is that I've moved past denial and I'm trying to quit.

1.05.2010

day 7 of 365

I've been reading the latest PostSecret book. Here is one of my own secrets, revealed. It happened when I was just 19, only a few years older than my children are now. So today, I send this out into the universe and set it free. Be at peace, Jay.

1.04.2010

day 6 of 365


I bought these band-aids last week and realized when I got them home that they have braille lettering on them. This is the first product I've noticed with braille -- and I got to wondering if I've been really unobservant, or if this is a new packaging standard. The curious librarian in me looked it up, and lo and behold, came across this article. Now I want to learn to read braille myself, especially since I don't know what this sign outside my office says. Here's where I'll start.

1.03.2010

day 5 of 365

This is the Sandwich fish hatchery (click the photo for a bigger view), where they have fish -- mostly trout -- of all sizes, including some giant brown and rainbow trout that are pretty tempting to touch even on a cold snowy day. They had a little visitor last January who not only touched but had a few meals while she was there.

1.02.2010

day 4 of 365

On Cape Cod, even the trash cans are closed for the winter.

1.01.2010

day 3 of 365

Thank you, Whitney, for inviting me to take your picture. Your button says it all.