katie: normal girl

October is under way and September already seems so far in the past.  As I looked back on all of the wonderful photos that I took during September I couldn’t help but realize just how great the normal life of a normal girl can be.

I’m so grateful for all of the normal bits from September:

1. One little gecko gets in the house and I’m packing my bags and heading for the door!  Luckily, I came to my senses at the last moment (partially influenced by the threat of loosing my deposit because I abandoned my apartment…but for good reason, those little buggers are creepy) and decided to catch and release the little guy back into his natural habitat.  It was only later that I discovered he is referred to as a “house gecko” and by removing him and placing him back outside, I inadvertently destroyed an ecosystem.  Human destruction – 1, Nature – 0
2. Storms in the distance always make the most beautiful pink sunsets.
3. Crackers topped with apple, cheese and honey…all shared with a delightful group of friends and family!
4. The last of the in-season peaches…mmmm.  I’m missing them already.
5. The beacon of home.  This sign is like a big, cozy blanket welcoming me back to the city.
6. “WE ARE OUT OF HAY!”  The problems of life, right?
7. The full moon peaking out between the clouds.
8. As summer comes to an end, so too will the summer showers, and it will be a little while before I get to see these lovely rainbows that appear in the sky almost daily.
9. A lovely evening with a dear friend at a local theater season-opening event.
10. A reminder of family, as my passion flower bursts into bloom and reminds me of the man (my great-grandfather a.k.a. pop-pop) who first taught me about these wonderful plants.
11. All season I’ve watched a little family of birds call this box their home.  It looks like they’ve moved on for now but I expect I’ll see them again next year.  ’Till then, happy flying, dear ones!
12. Another lovely storm-induced sunset.
13. A fun evening exploring history and science with friends.
14. Is there anything better than freshly popped popcorn served in a big ol’ tub?
15. Salted, soft pretzel?  Yes, please!  These always remind me of New York City and walking to Central Park.
16. The beet is cut into the shape of a heart, it’s a heartbeet…hehehe.
17. Yet another lovely evening with another dear friend and a luxuriously soft chinchilla!  Fun animal fact: Humans have 1 hair per follicle, while the chinchilla has 60! That’s what makes them so soft.
18. Browsing the stacks with a hot cup of cocoa.
19. For those of you who haven’t lived somewhere flat before, you may not have seen this but that dark portion below the clouds is the edge of a rain storm as it moves across the landscape.  I remember my amazement the first time I realized that it wasn’t more clouds…it was rain.
20. And finally, one of my favorite snacks, fresh purple grapes. I love it when they’re nice and fresh and pop in my mouth as I bite down on them.  I’ll keep a bowl full on my counter and munch on them all weekend.

I hope all of you had a wonderful September and are enjoying your October!
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We’re already half way through August and I finally had a chance to look back at some of the pictures I took during July.  I thought I’d piece together some of the good times and create a collage to share with you.  As I look back on July I remember all of the fun I had and realize how grateful I am for all of the wonderful friends and family in my life.  I also realized just how great the normal life of a normal girl can be.

I hope all of you had a wonderful July and are enjoying your August!