Tuesday, June 1, 2010

A challenge...

Several days ago, Pam at Pam's English Cottage Garden left me a challenge on her blog to post the 8th photograph of the 8th album, tell about the picture, and pass the challenge on to 8 other bloggers. Here is my list, in no particular order, of the 8 other bloggers to whom I am offering the challenge: {A Charlotte Garden} {Confessions of a Serial Tiller} {sweetbay} {Rihanes odling pa balkongen} {Rock rose} {A Tidewater Garden} {Secrets of a Seed Scratterer} and {Lost in the Landscape}. I didn't think the 8th photo would be difficult - I did hope it was a good one, though! - but I have to confess I was a little confused about the 8th album. Was this the eighth album on the bookcase? And would that be chronologically or simply the order in which they were stacked? And what about all those pictures still in boxes? (Can you tell that my pictures are, uh, somewhat disorganized?) Would it be a digital album? From the ones on the external hard drive? Or the ones on the laptop? And do I count albums oldest first or from today back? As you can see, I was making this much more complex than it truly had to be. So, I finally decided that I would start at the bottom of the photo files on the laptop, which would give me older pictures rather than the ones from 8 days ago, which would already be on my blog, exclude the few miscellaneous pictures that were just tacked on, but in no album, and start counting the albums, skipping the one labeled "Sample Pictures," because that came with the computer and wasn't actually mine. I held my breath and ended up on an album titled "People." I briefly wondered what I would find, clicked it open, and counted again. And look at the adorable picture I discovered!




This picture was taken at my brother's house in the fall of 2006, shortly after the birth of their 2nd child. My daughters and I had gone down to stay with them so I could help out my sister-in-law. Julie is holding baby Danielle, with Danielle's big sister, Charis, looking on.




I had decided to post the challenge picture today, but didn't know yet what else I would show on my blog. And then I had a Brilliant Idea. Since my brother and sister-in-law and their daughters were visiting this week-end, I could show you how the girls in the picture have grown. The cutey just above is the baby in the challenge picture!




Charis and Danielle were thrilled to have a "photo session" in my garden and Julie didn't mind, either.




Charis wanted her picture taken with the pot containing the "blue flowers" a.k.a. Lobelia. The pot also has the Wintergreen that her cousins helped me plant.




Oh, so sweet! Aren't gardens wonderful places?


Have a beautiful day!

10 comments:

lostlandscape (James) said...

What great photos and a great story to go with it! (And thanks for adding me to the list of the challenged--er, "challenged?" that didn't come out right, but you know what I mean...) I think "Charis" is a great name that isn't used enough, and Charis herself seems pretty thrilled to have that wonderful name.

Daricia said...

Awwww! Aren't they precious?! How sweet. Your garden looks pretty, too. I am like you as far as what to consider the eighth album. My pictures are all over the place! I'll see what I can come up with.

Anonymous said...

Such cute nieces!! :)

~ K ~

Rock rose said...

What a lovely photo of a special occasion. I took a similar route to my 8X8 photo. However, I couldn't possibly post the photo. It was of my husband on halloween night- dressed up in the most ghastly witch costume with horrible fangs of teeth. ( It would have scared everyone away from visiting my blog for ever). We all took a turn at being the "witch" and even managed to scare some children away. It would have been nice to post the next photo which was of the family taken the next day at the Dallas Arboretum, but it wouldn't have been an honest post. Thanks for including me in the challenge.

Ruth said...

Lancashire rose - Your 8x8 picture sounds great, but I understand; I was concerned lest the picture come up something I didn't really want on my blog! Have you done an 8x8 challenge before or was this in response to my challenge? Thanks for coming by! :)


K - Yup, very sweet nieces! :)


Daricia - You have fantastic pictures so it'll be great to see what you have! I almost "cheated" and just picked a picture, but I thought that wouldn't really be in the spirit of things, so I did find a starting place for counting to an 8th album. Thanks for coming by! :)


James - Yes, Charis is a beautiful name. And Charis is quite a girl, too! I added you to the list of "the challenged" :) because I know you do amazing photographs! :) Thanks for coming by!

sweetbay said...

Adorable pictures. I still don't exactly get the challenge. lol I'll have to think about it a little bit.

Pam's English Garden said...

Ruth, Your challenge picture is adorable! Incidentally, I found mine on my laptop exactly how you found yours. Your daughter and nieces are so lovely. All the children in our family are boys ... I envy you, as I would have liked a granddaughter. I am glad you are teaching them to appreciate flowers. Your garden is beautiful. Thanks so much for accepting the challenge. WELL DONE! Pam

Ruth said...

sweet bay - I know what you mean! I had to think about it for a few days, too! :) I also clicked back through several blogs who had issued the challenged.

Pam - THANKS! :)

Les said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and including me in your challenge. My post is now up, but as luck would have it the picture is one my son took. So if you were expecting a nice flower or a lush landscape, you may be disappointed.

Here is the link:
8X8

Ruth said...

Les - Thanks for accepting the challenge! Sometimes it's fun to see what else is going on in a garden blogger's life! :) Your landscape and flower photos are always so beautiful. And when I think about it, I think my daughter, Kirstin, took the photo that ended up as my 8x8. :)