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Sue asked us whether or not our photographs accurately reflect what our life is like (or something like that, I'm too lazy to go back and look at the exact question). It's hard to say for sure. Part of my interest in this project was to "document", for lack of a better word, this year at home, with all the big changes that were happening. The truth is the photos don't necessarily reflect the day-to-day.

I don't, for instance, have a photo of me on Monday carrying all three of my children at once (two in slings, one on my back) up the street from the streetcar stop because the Toronto Transit Commission is all but inaccessible with a stroller (and I'm lucky, I can't even imagine what it must be like with a wheelchair or other accessibility device), and my just-six year-old was in a mild state of shock after her vaccination. In fact, I have very few photos of me carrying any of my children, even though it's how I spend about 90% of time.

I don't have a photo at all from the day when I had a complete breakdown, shortly after a friend gently reminded me that I don't have to do *everything* and shortly before another friend called me to do labour support at the birth of her child. That's #191. And in the spirit of Sue's question, I'm not posting a replacement.

The truth is, the moments which are most indicative of my life this year are the moments when I am least able (or willing) to pick up a camera. It's just as difficult to capture the joy I feel in hearing Joe sing a totally inappropriate song to babies over the baby monitor. Or the laughter shared when we discovered that big sister shouting letters of the alphabet elicited giggles from six month-old infants. Or a quiet moment where Joe and I promised that we would find the time to be friends, lovers and co-conspirators again, rather than just partners in the business of child-wrangling.

But it's all there, in a way.

192:365: New Hutch

193:365: Pee Break

194:365: Child's Play

195:365: A Little Sugar in My Bowl

196:365: Self-Portrait VII: Mind-Full

197:365: Because Sue Asked

198:365: Jumper Discouraged

199:365: Dapper

200:365: Gliding

My goodness...

17 photos to post! I had all sorts of things to say about some of them, but there's just no time. Maybe some day...

Here goes!

174:365: Hide and Seek

175:365: Unfocused

176:365: Howl

177:365: Trailing Behind

178:365: Lunch

179:365: Nosy Neighbours

180:365: Mounted

181:365: The Mirror

182:365: Buried

183:365: The Element of Surprise

184:365: Haunted House

185:365: Desperate Times

186:365: Afternoon Ray

187:365: Against a Wall

188:365: Sweet Broken-Hearted

189:365: Ocean Flour

190:365: Kid-Sized Accordion

Another Accordion Shot

173:365: Practice

Not much to say today. I'm finding it easier to remember to either (a) find the time to pick up the camera at opportune moments or (b) make some time during the day to concentrate on photo-taking. I did an entire study of my daughter's accordion and case earlier today. I am quite proud of a number of the photos I took and will likely post them as a set on Flickr.

I think the best one is the last one. I knew today had to be an accordion photo since it was her first day of lessons. She's been over the moon that she has the chance to take these lessons and her enthusiasm hasn't died since her lesson this afternoon. I was really excited this afternoon when her teacher played "Moon River" (a long-standing lullaby in our house) on the accordion and my daughter was moved to accompany her on the piano (she has no idea how to play) that was in the room...

169:365: Greedy Fingers

170:365: Portrait Wall

171:365: Rainbow Wisp

172:365: Old Faithful

I hear the blog went offline for a while...I've been using an old work e-mail address as my account name for a long time and I imagine the address has now expired, causing Blogger to freak out and shut everything down until I gave them a real e-mail address. Everything should be in working order now.

I'm feeling very...wintery...lately. Like I want to just gather up my loved ones and tumble into a torpor under the slanted ceiling of our third floor bedroom.

Alas, work and school call two of our number forth, and so shuttling, cooking and shopping cannot be stricken from my to-do list, despite the fact that I carry two fifteen-pound phoretic organisms with me everywhere I go. And though the snow that we are expecting this winter is bound to slow me even further than my rapidly-growing children, I was pleased to see so much of it on the weekend and further pleased that it stayed, which it so rarely does in this city any more.

167:365: Snow Geode

168:365: Clown Shoes

Starting Fresh

No, I don't expect to post a photo a day from here on in, but I had a spare moment, so here it is...

166:365: Trusty Steed

I'm Still Here

I know I've been absent for a long time (almost two months since I've posted a photo). I have continued snapping photos but have found little time to choose, edit and post them, not to mention commenting on other people's photos. I'm going to try to get better at all of those things as Project 365 progresses.

One of the challenges I face is that my life is both busy and routine. I don't vary that routine much these days and, even if I do, I'm not finding the time to capture things in photographs. I'm sure many of you feel the same way...I feel I'm recycling themes and subjects a lot these days. My resolution for myself is try to seek out a little more variety.

I will not post 60 photos here today. If you want to see the last two months' worth of my photos, you can find me on Flickr as Snapped Ps. (I'll be uploading them there over the next few days.) I will, however, try to post here more regularly, starting now. And to visit your spaces more often.

I hope you're all well and healthy and snapping away.

Add-On

104:365: Reflections

I forgot that I had already taken a photo today...

Only, I'm still a day behind, but I don't know which day I missed. I'm sure it would be easy enough to determine, but who has the time?

Sometimes

Sometimes the best shots are mistakes:

098:365: Self Portrait 05

Sometimes you hold your breath and hope for them to come out right:

099:365: Under the Bridge

Sometimes you're lucky enough to capture the moment at just the right time:

100:365: Connection

Sometimes your subject just keeps giving you opportunities:

101:365: Expectation

Sometimes you wonder whether there's a story behind it:

102:365: Still Life

And sometimes you are certain that there is:

103:365: Where the Triceratops Roam

I'm not a big fan of modified photos, but sometimes I think that I've got to fool around as much as I can with this project, even if it's just a way to keep things interesting. The first photo has not been modified in the slightest (except to crop it to the standard size at which I've been cropping all my photos, which is slightly less on the long axis than the photo the camera takes). The second photo, I have posted both versions. I like the first, but felt like it needed...something...to convey what I was trying to with the photo. Mainly because I could not capture the peeling paint on the wall or the shadow of the music stand. So am I using photoshop tools to make up for what I lack as a photographer? Perhaps. But I'm comfortable with that.

096:365: Excess

097(Unmodified):365

097:365: Music Class

Has it really been nine days since I last posted photos? Oh, my. No time for chatter, then. Let's get to it.

087:365: Rust

088:365: Dressing Table

089:365: Sentimental on Election Day

090:365: Lamp Shade

091:365: Imprint

092:365: Allan Gardens

093:365: Chariot

094:365: Night of Dread Parade

095:365: Fairy Sceptre