patterns

patterns, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

I took Chris to Town Lake Park to see the fountain, which he'd never seen before. He watched the sequence of the fountains and figured out the patterns. Once he was comfortable with it, he ran into the middle and rescued an abandoned tennis ball without getting wet. Then he threw it back in so someone else could take the challenge.

This is the last shot from my date with my city. What a great day it was!

bikes are for girls

bikes are for girls, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

Not far from the golf course is a huge bike shop. Chris and I stopped in so we could smell all the new rubber. If I ever thought I might want to get into cycling, my mind has been changed. That's a hobby that's more expensive than photography. We saw one bike that was almost $8,000.

We saw this image on the side of a van parked outside the store. It's for a promotion of women's cycling clothing, I think. Anyway, I thought it was cool and it's motivated me a bit to get my bike in the shop and all fixed up. I'd like to ride bikes with my kids this spring.

Duckus Plasticus

Duckus Plasticus, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

Chris showed me a little golf course not far from downtown. I've lived in Austin for almost 17 years and I never knew it existed.

The pond had a few ducks in it and I could tell they weren't your typical ducks because they were a bit on the large side. And they didn't move. I found the whole thing to be a bit surreal.

Olives

Olives, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

An Austin establishment, the Cedar Door, had to move due to all the new development. Now it's near the convention center and it's a much better location, in my opinion.

But when I look at this photo, I feel so lucky that the weather was so beautiful, and the sky so blue, on my day off.

And now I'm realizing that I haven't talked about the weather lately. That's because it's been kind of boring. We aren't having the rain we had last year. It's hasn't been particularly cold this winter and spring is just around the corner.

Chris at Drogo's

Chris at Drogo's, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

Once I got downtown, I walked along 2nd Street until I got to the end. 2nd Street has a lot of new fancy schmancy stores that I had no desire to go into. And no desire to photograph. But near the convention center there's a little Brasilian cafe and I stopped at Drogo's for some of the best hot chocolate I've ever had. I had a few minutes alone to appreciate my hot chocolate and journal a little about my day so far while I waited for Chris to catch up with me.

First Stop: Thunderbird Cafe

First Stop: Thunderbird Cafe, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

After I dropped off the kids at school, I met up with some friends at Thunderbird Cafe. I would have taken a picture of the breakfast panini, but by the time I thought about it, I had already eaten it.

Technically, Thunderbird Cafe isn't downtown, my main goal for the day, but it was a good place to start. I wanted a date with my city, meaning I wanted to go to places I had not gone to before. Thunderbird Cafe fit the criteria. Jennyboo, Jenny, Chris and Carrie met me there. I didn't take any photos of them because it was too early in the morning and everyone got up extra early on their day off just to have breakfast with me. I figured I owed it to them NOT to take their pictures. So you get this lovely latte instead.

Date With My City

Date With My City, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

Yesterday I went on a date with my city. I had the day off but the kids were in school so I decided it would be a good day to go downtown and see what's up. We've had a lot of new development lately and I was curious to see what was new.

lonely

lonely, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

cock

, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

I find this amusing. But I also think fart jokes are funny so don't mind me.

angelic

, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

Another from the San Marco cemetery.

watching over

watching over 3, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

On Saturday, I found myself all alone in a town I'm not very familiar with and nowhere to be for 4 hours. I dropped my daughter off at the TSU music building for her oboe workshop and then called a friend who lives in that town. She didn't answer her phone so I left a message, got in my car, and started driving. Within 10 minutes I came across the San Marcos Cemetery. It's not a big cemetery but I thought it might have something worth photographing. It wasn't until I wandered down the hill, in the back of the cemetery, that I found the children's area. And that's where I found some angels.

we had a party last night

we had a party last night, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

I think things are going to slow down for me now that the January/February birthdays are over. Maybe I'll be able to get out and take more photographs. Or at least take photographs of people who haven't been drinking.

Nine year olds are still goofy

Nine year olds are still goofy, originally uploaded by MonicaSmoot.

My little man is 9 now. I wonder at what point he'll stop being my little man? Maybe when he gets taller than me? That's only a few years away.