Strange Days

On the first day of my summer vacation I started ripping apart my bathroom. It might take all summer to finish rebuilding it. Let me just say that if your thinking about getting one of those “bath fitter” type of deals, don’t! Really. They leak and then it’s all down hill from there. I also built a deer fence for our garden. It’s very sunshine-y. The summer is moving right along.

 Once life has accelerated to light speed, it’s hard so slow down.

Angela and some strange doll.

School’s out for summer….

Today at 3:23 pm it was official. My first year of ph.d. school ended when I sent my media law professor my law paper. This week I had two exams and one paper to turn in. Last week I had two other papers due. I think this was the hardest quarter of my life and I’m frickin’ psyched it’s over. It was also Jack last day at preschool which made me sad. My little boy is growing up. Sometimes I feel like I’m missing the best part of his life. So now the summer starts and everyday will be “fun-day.” I will be gutting and renovating my one and only bathroom and have to read about ten book. No-big-deal. I say “Let the games begin!”

We also made gingerbread men as a celebration for school ending and all of us passing.

Moonshine and Motorcycles

Todays Memorial Day parade was a little sad: five veterans and five motorcycles. There were more spectators then last years. The Moonshine Festival, on-the-other-hand, was a little disappointing too. No moonshine either.

 

Moonshine Festival, New Straitsville, Ohio

Memorializing Putt Putt

It’s not that Jack and Dylan are the only subjects I ever photograph these days. It’s not that I’m a doting dad who wants to show the world how proud he is of his two boy. (I am but that’s not the point I’m trying to make.) It’s the fact that they are two people that I have access to all the time. And they are simply worth photographing. Every photographer should photograph their own lives-their own families. Who has better access? Who has the time. Who cares as much as me? 

Save the big Yellow House

Send letter, email, cake, or call your local congressman, senator, county commissioner, or mayor: Paul Wiehl at  pwiehl@ci.athens.oh.us

 

Mother’s Day

As the spring quarter gears up into high speed, I find myself spending less and less time at home. I have been using my “office” more and more and I don’t really like it. Home is where my family is; where my life is the most fun (and the most demanding). I like my home.

We discovered a robin’s nest in the rafters of the “potting shed” we have. It’s not really a potting shed, just an extension of roof next to the garage. We discovered it because every time we went back there, Momma Robin would get mad at us and chip loudly. We left them alone, mostly. About a week ago, I noticed their little heads popping out and Saturday, I wanted to photograph them with their necks stretched out waiting for worms from Momma Robin. 

I guess a neighborhood cat found them.

Tonight, I buried all three chicks on the side of the garage. I though Momma Robin might like them close by.

The sun comes out

And the sons, too. Finally, the weather warms up. Spring is here. The boys seem to like the outdoors (once they finally get outside). The swing was a good idea.

 

Poetry in the First Grade

Last week Dylan recited a poem he had written in his class. Parents came to listen, drink coffee, and snap for their kid in a beatnik kind of way. It was quite amusing. There were poems about the fish in the ocean, numbers (by the daughter of a physicist), God, and all sorts of things. Dylan’s was about “pokemon.” I wish I was back in the first grade.

Today, my youngest son Jack, registered for kindergarten. A friend of mine who’s son will be starting next year,  mentioned how weird it was, referring to our children entering school and leaving the home. I didn’t think it was too weird; maybe a little sad but Jack stopped being “our little baby” a while ago. I’m pretty excited. He gets to join his brother in “big-boy” school. Soon, he too, will be writing poems, probably about pokemon.

 

 

Birthdays and Spring break

It’s amazing how little time there is when school is “on.” My second quarter in grad school is part of the past. Tomorrow starts my third. We are leaving our spring break with much accomplished. Sherry’s birthday, trip to the Columbus Zoo, trip to Ole’ Miss where I ‘presented’ my first paper. Good times.

 

 

 

 

 

Snow and Ice

This was a pretty tough week: Dylan’s school was cancelled all week and school is starting to crank up. Yesterday OU closed for the first time in seven years. I am not sure if that’s true but they don’t close very often. It was very beautiful and what was really amazing were the sounds. We took a walk to Sells Park and the wind blowing the ice-covered trees was incredible. The tree falling in the distance got me a little scared but our little hike was well worth the trip.