October Photo a Day :: Hello

"I am so glad I live in a world with Octobers," Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables.

I'm sure I have shared this quote, often, before, but I would be remiss not sharing it today, the first day of October. And it even feels like the first day of a new month in early Autumm. It's not hot, and the marine layer is making it seem possible for rain to be in the forecast (it isn't.) It was cool enough that I was lured into cooking a full meal yesterday, and so dinner was hearty, flavorful, and I am probably even more excited that there are leftovers.

Well, look at this... apparently I am blogging, again. All credit to LaShawn Wiltz, on Insta, who is hosting a Photo a Day prompt for the month of October. I would also like to acknowledge Quiana, Harlem Lovebirds, for sharing the link in her stories. The theme is "Fall," and there are 31 prompts, and since I am running out of steam and motivation to keep making beach walk reels on Insta, it occured to me that this could be a low pressure renentry into posting. Low pressure. Low expectations. Super chill. Don't mind me. I am just trying to psyche myself up, here.

The first five prompts are... 1. Hello 2. Everyday Moments 3. Morning Things 4. Cozy 5. Current view

I am literally taking a deep breath, letting it out semi-dramatically. I am also waiting for photos to load from my phone onto the computer, and I am anxious about how long this is taking. My small, yet daunting, plans may be derailed before I can begin. Well, in the meantime, I can just keep writing.

I figure Hello could be a self portrait, something to introduce myself. So I brushed my hair and went out to sit with the goats and chickens. Why? I don't know. For some reason, probably vanity, I act on an impulse to believe that hairy, wild eyed goats can only help me look better. Or, perhaps cute, farmy animals will raise my appeal, give me some charisma, charm.

Why is the computer being so slow? No. Wait. Okay. Finally. Pictures are loading. Yes, I am blogging in real time, a meaningless point as I am not publishing in real time, and it will be a long time before reader traffic is coming by here, again, anyway Still, I am here and keeping it real, folks. It occurs to me, I may not remember how to get pictures exported and then inserted here. Sigh.

The self portraits? I don't like them. Somewhere, in my head, is a lengthy, likely self-depricating, essay on aging and invisibilty, but I think the bottom line is I am very uncomfortable with how I look. Ada wasn't really feeling it, either, and I couldn't get her to look cute next to me.

Hello! This is 1/31 for an October Photo a Day Challenge. I am Natalie. I love to take pictures, to paint, to embroider, and mentor in STEAM activities, like robotics, arts, and crafts. I love language(s), walking, swimming, cooking for lots of people, listening, and writing. I don't like having to choose a "favorite," because I have many favorite things, in many categories, and they are always changing. At the moment, I would consider "The Martian" my favorite book, and movie. I cry everytime I watch The Martian. I have learned to love riding a bicycle, and I am learning to love other things that once seemed improbable. I love following the planets, and observing constellations.

Guess what?