Sunday 1st March 20010 and the word is PASTEL

Today's word is Pastel. The Art room in my house has a chest of drawers in it and the top two drawers are full of pastels, of all shapes, colours and also water-resist ones. So that would be such an easy image to take, to show for the word pastel. Remember pastel can also mean a pale or delicate shade of a colour. For example, the pastel shade for red would be pink.
l am normally not a pastel person, l love deep blues, bright burnt oranges, reds and l love black. So there is very little pastel in my home or my wardrobe. l was have a hard time with this one and thought l would have to give in and do Pastel crayons. When l had a light bulb moment. On Thursday, l had a while to wait on Waterloo station to see someone, so l went into Accesseries ...just to look you understand. l had a moment of madness and bought a fancy pair of patterned tights! Not what l would normally buy at all but l rather liked them. Here is today's word, Pastel in all it's glory.  l went and put them on especially for you!  !!! Enjoy!

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pastel |paˈstel|noun1 a crayon made of powdered pigments bound with gum or resin.• a work of art created using such crayons : a pastel entitled “Girl Braiding Her Hair.”2 a soft and delicate shade of a color : the subtlest of pastels and creams.adjectiveof a soft and delicate shade or color : pastel blue curtains.DERIVATIVESpastelist |-ist| |pøˈstɛləst| (also pastellist) nounORIGIN mid 17th cent.: via French from Italian pastello, diminutive ofpasta ‘paste.’

the word for Saturday 27.02 .09 is IMAGINATION

Well...today's word is Imagination. If this was to be a painting rather than a photograph, l would be able to let my imagination go wild! If l could compose this image for myself, instead of having to "find" one....boy could l have fun! Anyway, I was in quite a bad mood today and couldn't shake it off. So after doing some bits and pieces, we went out in the Pocket Rocket towards Richmond. Mistake...the traffic was awful and surprisingly, not because of the Rugby, as the match had already started. So we crawled along, at about 6 miles an hour and out of this dark cloud.... came a silver lining! I had found my image. As the traffic was so slow, l saw quite a few shops l had never really noticed before. My image was in a Dry Cleaners shop window. I think they are trying to get you to think, that they could get your cloths as bright and shiny clean like this Angel!" Come on people, use a little Imagination here!

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imagination |iˌmajəˈnā sh ən|nounthe faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses : she'd never been blessed with a vivid imagination.• the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful : technology gives workers the chance to use their imagination.• the part of the mind that imagines things : a girl who existed only in my imagination.ORIGIN Middle English : via Old French from Latin imaginatio(n-), from the verb imaginari ‘picture to oneself,’ from imago, imagin-‘image.’

the word for Friday 26.02.2010 is ENCLOSED

Today's word is Enclosed.  One way to describe this word, is to put a person inside a prison cell which encloses them in a confine space. Or you could put a rabbit in a box and close the lid, which means the rabbit is enclosed in a box. Then you could put a letter inside an envelope, close the flap and you have enclosed it inside the envelope. So l had quite a few ideas, as l started to go and get my pocket rocket from the garage to go shopping at tesco's Supermarket! How exciting l hear you say.  The main garage is surrounded by brick walls and two up and over electric doors. Ah! my image but then l realised there was more to it than just that. The big garage encloses my small garage and my mini is enclosed in the small garage! Three "enclosed" from one image!!!..if you see what l mean!!

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enclose |enˈklōz| (also dated inclose)verb [ trans. ]1 (often be enclosed) surround or close off on all sides : the entire estatewas enclosed with walls | [as adj. ] ( enclosed) a dark enclosed space.See note at circumscribe .• historical fence in (common land) so as to make it private property.• [usu. as adj. ] ( enclosed) seclude (a religious order or othercommunity) from the outside world.• chiefly Mathematics bound on all sides; contain.2 place (something) in an envelope together with a letter : I enclose a copy of the job description.ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [shut in, imprison] ): from Old French enclos, past participle of enclore, based on Latin includere‘shut in.’

the word for Thursday 25.02.2010 is PRESSURE

Today's word is Pressure. Now this could mean, pressure as someone trying to get you to do something you don't want to do. It could also mean the air pressure in your tyres. it could also mean the pressure you feel when someone leans against you. It could be used when talking about how stressed you  feel..."I feel under a great deal of pressure"This word is one of those words that there are a lot of different definitions for but most of them are not very easy to translate into an image! I was at a loss for this one for quite a while. Then l thought... l know l will go and get my old weighing scales with the brass weight out and take that image.Then l remembered, l had leant them to the school for a history lesson. Bother! Re-think.
Went for a walk around the block to clear my head and then l new what my image should be. Earlier in the day l had seen a plastic glove, with the imprints of a car's wheel on it. The glove had been pressed into the dry earth by the weight of the car!

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pressure |ˈpre sh ər|noun1 the continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by something in contact with it : the slight extra pressure he applied to her hand.• the force exerted per unit area : gas can be fed to the turbines at a pressure of around 250 psi.2 the use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something : the proposals put pressure on Britain to drop its demand | the many pressures on girls to worry about their looks.• the influence or effect of someone or something : oil prices came under some downward pressure.• the feeling of stressful urgency caused by the necessity of doing or achieving something, esp. with limited time : you need to be able to work under pressure and not get flustered | some offenders might find prison a refuge against the pressures of the outside world.verb [ trans. ]attempt to persuade or coerce (someone) into doing something : it might now be possible to pressure him into resigning | [ trans. ] she pressured her son to accept a job offer from the bank.ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, from Latin pressura, from press- ‘pressed,’ from the verb premere (see press 1 ).

the word for Wednesday 24.02.2010 is TEXT

Today's word is Text.  What exactly is text? A dictionary defines it as...Text is any of the forms, versions or editions in which a written work exsists. Text is all around us, from newspapers, laptops, sign posts, televisions, books, magazines, text messages on your mobile and you can see it in so many other places. So l had many choices but how to make it interesting enough to make you stop and actually want to look at the image. So where to start? I am sitting in my kitchen thinking about text...it is on every can or bottle in my fridge or store cupboard and the newspaper on my table is nearly all text! So off to town with my shopping list..more text..signs on buses, road signs and all over the walls of my chosen coffee shop. Then as l was having my coffee, l looked at the items on the table and realised l had the interesting image l wanted for the word TEXT.

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text |tekst|noun1 a book or other written or printed work, regarded in terms of its content rather than its physical form : a text which explores pain and grief.• a piece of written or printed material regarded as conveying the authentic or primary form of a particular work : in some passages it is difficult to establish the original text | the text of the lecture was available to guests.• written or printed words, typically forming a connected piece of work : stylistic features of journalistic text.• Computing data in written form, esp. when stored, processed, or displayed in a word processor.• a text message.• [in sing. ] the main body of a book or other piece of writing, as distinct from other material such as notes, appendices, and illustrations : the pictures are clear and relate well to the text.• a script or libretto.• a written work chosen or assigned as a subject of study : the book is intended as a secondary text for religion courses.• a textbook.• a passage from the Bible or other religious work, esp. when used as the subject of a sermon.• a subject or theme for a discussion or exposition : he took as his text the fact that Australia is paradise.2 (also text-hand) fine, large handwriting, used esp. for manuscripts.verbto send a text message: : I thought it was fantastic that he took the trouble to text me.DERIVATIVEStextless |ˈtɛks(t)ləs| adjectiveORIGIN late Middle English : from Old Northern French texte, fromLatin textus ‘tissue, literary style’ (in medieval Latin, ‘Gospel’ ), fromtext- ‘woven,’ from the verb texere.

the word for Tuesday 23.02.2010 is UNEXPECTED

Today's word is Unexpected. Today, Tony and l went to the Queen Mary's Hospital for some more tests and unfortunetly there were no seats for me in the Suite. So l went and spent an hour or more in the Hospital Coffee..not bad coffee actually. Anyway, after l had read a newspaper, l started thinking about today's word. There were so many images in the hospital l could have used for this word but it would have been either morally or legally inappropriate. So after we had finished in the hospital, we left to go to the carpark. Firstly, we had to go to the ticket machine and pay for the privalage of using the hospital! While we were paying, l saw from the corner of my eye, this lady came to pay for her parking, at the next machine.

Boy was l surprised when l looked up and realised it was a man in a kilt!Ha

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unexpected |ˌənikˈspektid|adjectivenot expected or regarded as likely to happen : his death was totally unexpected | [as n. ] ( the unexpected) he seemed to have a knack for saying the unexpected.DERIVATIVESunexpectedly |ˈənəkˈspɛktədli| adverb : [as submodifier ] an unexpectedly high priceunexpectedness |ˈənəkˈspɛktədn1s| noun

the word for Monday 212.02.2010 is DIVERSITY

Today's word is Diversity. This is a word that is bandied about in all areas of the media, all over the world but do you know what it actually means? Where l live in london, there are so many different nationalities and so l am used to seeing people from India, Chinese, Somalia, The Middle East, Jamaican and so on. Then we had different religions such as Muslims, Jews, Sikh, Christians, Hindus and so on. So what does it mean to be living in a diverse community? I thought about this for along time and l found it hard to think how to explain it. Eventually l came to this conclusion, "Diversity" means that society is encouraged politically and socially to be tolerence of people from different backgrounds. Then l looked in the dictionary and wow..l was right!ha!
When l was thinking about this word and wondering what l was going to shoot, l  remembered the sign in the window of the Funeral Directors in Roehampton. I think this sign says it all!

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diversity |diˈvərsitē; dī-|noun ( pl. -ties)the state of being diverse; variety : there was considerable diversity in the style of the reports.• [usu. in sing. ] a range of different things : newspapers were obliged to allow a diversity of views to be printed.ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French diversite, from Latindiversitas, from diversus ‘diverse,’ past participle of divertere ‘turnaside’ (see divert ).

the word for Sunday 21.02.2010 is HARNESS

Today's word is Harness. It would be easy to show this, with an image and no words and you would still

know what the word was! But how to make it interesting is another thing all together. I was thinking about this, as we were sitting on a bench, opposite the open Golf Course, on Wimbledon Common. No image came into my view, so after our rest on the bench, we started off toward the Common and home! Then round the common came my image! or rather 2 images for the one word! I just couldn't seperate these two. They are both just under 2 years old, not sure which was oldest. The reason they are both looking in the same direction, is because their "mum" had gone back to the car to pick up her camera! They never took their eyes off her!

I know this one image day BUT....hey... l make the rules!

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harness |ˈhärnis|nouna set of straps and fittings by which a horse or other draft animal isfastened to a cart, plow, etc., and is controlled by its driver.

• an arrangement of straps for fasteningsomething to a person's body, such as aparachute, or for restraining a young child.verb [ trans. ]1 put a harness on (a horse or other draft animal).• ( harness something to) attach a draftanimal to (something) by a harness : the horse was harnessed to two long shafts.2 control and make use of (natural resources), esp. to produce energy :attempts to harness solar energy | figurative harnessing the creativity of graduates.PHRASESin harness (of a horse or other animal) used for driving or draft work. •in the routine of daily work : a man who died in harness far beyond the normal age of retirement. • working closely with someone to achieve something :local and central government should work in harness.DERIVATIVESharnesser |ˈhɑrnəsər| nounORIGIN Middle English : from Old French harneis ‘military equipment,’ from Old Norse, from herr ‘army’ + nest ‘provisions.’

the word for Saturday 20.02.2010 is OPTIMISUM

To-day's word is Optimism. We went for Tony's second walk today to Wimbledon Common. You would think thiat this word would be an easy one and ypou would be right but l had quite a job. Children trying to do things above their capability, dogs trying to carry a stick 3 times its width and quite heavy for that at that. On the common there were loads of dogs doing this but if onkly they would stay still long enough for me to take an image! It was getting quite cold and so we decided to turn round and go back. There in front of me was my image.

This child was trying to cycle through this mud puddle!!!very optimistic....she had to get off and push in the end! very sweet!
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optimism |ˈäptəˌmizəm|noun1 hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something : the talks had been amicable, and there were grounds for optimism.2 Philosophy the doctrine, esp. as set forth by Leibniz, that this world is the best of all possible worlds.• the belief that good must ultimately prevail over evil in the universe.DERIVATIVESoptimist |ˈɑptəməst| nounORIGIN mid 18th cent.: from French optimisme, from Latinoptimum ‘best thing’ (see optimum ).

The word for today Friday 19.02.2010 is Transition

To-day's word is Transition. ( forgot to post it yesterday!!!but here it is now!) 

I struggled with this one for quite a while and l wasn't sure l would achieve my objective today. Only failed once before! I could think of so many ways to talk about the word but to show an image that shows transition without needing words..whew! "Moving from one thing to another in image form". I thought about changing from child to adult, Music sheets into actual music and so on. I spend a lot of time during my walk, thinking about this. I was on my way home, walking up wildcroft road about about half past eight in the evening and it was quite dark. I had become quite miserable because l had not found my image. Then, just as l got half way up the road, l spotted my image.

As it was quite dark and l did not have my tripod with me, l was worried that it wouldn't be clear enough. Fortunetly l think l got away with it. These two ballons were tied together, one balloon up and one transformed into a deflated balloon!

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transition |tranˈzi sh ən; -ˈsi sh ən|nounthe process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another : students in transition from one program to another | a transition to multiparty democracy.• a passage in a piece of writing that smoothly connects two topics or sections to each other.• Music a momentary modulation from one key to another.• Physics a change of an atom, nucleus, electron, etc., from one quantum state to another, with emission or absorption of radiation.verbundergo or cause to undergo a process or period of transition : [ trans. ]the network ought to be built by the federal government and then transitioned into private industry | [ intrans. ] we have transitioned from a high-intensity combat operation to a support role in the community.DERIVATIVEStransitional |- sh ənl| |trønˈzɪʃənl| |trønˈzɪʃnəl| adjectivetransitionary |-ˌnerē| |trønˈzɪʃəˈnɛri| adjectiveORIGIN mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin transitio(n-), fromtransire ‘go across.’

the word for Thursday 18.02.2010 is FRAGILE

Today's word is fragile. Don't know if other people feel the same but l find there are words l like the sound of and others, that make me feel like some one has scrapped their names down a blackboard! Fragile, luckily, is a word l really like the sound of. It sort of swirls round my mouth in a soft sounding way!! I was quite shocked, to see how little there was to explain "fragile" in my laptop's on-line dictionary.
I can think of fragile as in un-fired pottery, or fragile meaning weak as in a new born baby. You read about fabric being old and therefore very fragile. As l started my journey to town, l was doing my usual route, when on the floor l saw my image.

This pigeon feather is so tiny and very fragile. Soft to the touch, fluffy and so fragile, that if you rub the feathers up the wrong way, it bends and will brake.
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fragile |ˈfrajəl; -ˌjīl|adjective(of an object) easily broken or damaged.• flimsy or insubstantial; easily destroyed : you have a fragile grip onreality.• (of a person) not strong or sturdy; delicate and vulnerable.DERIVATIVESfragilely |ˈfrajə(l)lē| |ˈfrødʒə(l)li| adverbfragility |frəˈjilitē| |frəˈdʒɪlədi| |frəˈdʒɪlɪti| nounORIGIN late 15th cent. (in the sense [morally weak] ): from Latinfragilis, from frangere ‘to break.’ The sense [liable to break] dates from the mid 16th cent.

The word for Wednesday 18.02.2010 is PRINT

To-day's word is print. As an artist, my mind instantly went to printing as in mono-printing or printing with a screen but l thought that was so obvious, that l started to think on other lines or l tried to. I thought about  being "in print" or "out of print" when talking about books. Then my mind turned to prints as in finger prints and printer ink, didn't seen to be get away from print as in printing. Making marks on material or paper and many other materials. Photographic prints and printing as in designing. Anyway after failing to get away from print as in ink and paint ect, l thought l would go and check what the dictionary said, to try and get my little grey cells working! The only thing l got from that was, "being printed on her memory"..not that useful. So armed with my ideas, l set of to go to Putney to go by train to Central London. I walked all the way down to the Green Man pub, still without any more ideras. Then as l got to my bus stop, there was my image......Animal prints! Thought this lady looked great. I know it is thought rude to take someone's image without their permission but...l like living dangerously!

Two animal print bags and an animal print scarf..great outfit..very striking don't you think!.

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print |print|verb [ trans. ] (often be printed)1 produce (books, newspapers, magazines, etc.), esp. in large quantities, by a mechanical process involving the transfer of text, images, or designs to paper : a thousand copies of the book were printed.• produce (text or a picture) in such a way : the words had been printed in blue type.• (of a newspaper or magazine) publish (a piece of writing) within its pages : the article was printed in the first edition.• (of a publisher or printer) arrange for (a book, manuscript, etc.) to be reproduced in large quantities : Harper printed her memoirs in 1930.• produce a paper copy of (information stored on a computer) : the results of a search can be printed out.• send (a computer file) to a printer or to another, temporary file.• produce (a photographic print) from a negative : any make of film can be developed and printed.• write (text) clearly without joining the letters : print your name and address on the back of the check | [ intrans. ] it will be easier to read if I print.2 mark (a surface, typically a textile or a garment) with a colored design or pattern : a delicate fabric printed with roses.• transfer (a colored design or pattern) to a surface : patterns of birds, flowers, and trees were printed on the cotton.• make (a mark or indentation) on a surface or in a soft substance by pressing something onto it : he printed a mark on her soft skin.• mark or indent (the surface of a soft substance) in such a way : we printed the butter with carved wooden butter molds.• figurative fix (something) firmly or indelibly in someone's mind : his face, with its clearly drawn features, was printed on her memory.noun1 the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication, esp. with reference to its size, form, or style : squinting at the tiny print |bold print.• the state of being available in published form : the news will never get into print.• a newspaper or magazine : [as adj. ] the print media.• [as adj. ] of or relating to the printing industry or the printed media: the print unions | a print worker.2 an indentation or mark left on a surface or soft substance by pressure,esp. that of a foot or hand : there were paw prints everywhere.• ( prints) fingerprints : the FBI matched the prints to those of the Las Vegas drug suspect.3 a picture or design printed from a block or plate or copied from a painting by photography : the walls were hung with wildlife prints.• a photograph printed on paper from a negative or transparency.• a copy of a motion picture on film, esp. a particular version of it.4 a piece of fabric or clothing with a decorative colored pattern or design printed on it : light summer prints | [as adj. ] a floral print dress.• such a pattern or design.ORIGIN Middle English (denoting the impression made by a stamp or seal): from Old French preinte ‘pressed,’ feminine past participle ofpreindre, from Latin premere ‘to 

the word for 17.02.2010 is DECAY

Today's word is Decay. As soon as l looked at today's word list, l knew what my image was going to be! Well actually, there will be a 2 images to show decay! For the last week or so, l have been taking images of a banana on the end of a stick. I know that sounds strange but you will understand it, as soon as you see the image!
                                                                A ripe banana

                                                                                

                                                                A decaying banana

I promise you l did not set this image up. I found it at the bus stop at the front of my flats!

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decay |diˈkā|verb [ intrans. ](of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi : [as adj. ] ( decayed) a decayed cabbage leaf | [as adj. ] (decaying) the odor of decaying fish.• [ trans. ] cause to rot or decompose : the fungus will decay soft timber.• (of a building or area) fall into disrepair; deteriorate : urban neighborhoods decay when elevated freeways replace surface roads.• decline in quality, power, or vigor : the moral authority of the party was decaying.• Physics (of a radioactive substance, particle, etc.) undergo change to a different form by emitting radiation : the trapped radiocarbon begins to decay at a known rate.• technical (of a physical quantity) undergo a gradual decrease : the time taken for the current to decay to zero.nounthe state or process of rotting or decomposition : hardwood is more resistant to decay than softwood | tooth decay.• structural or physical deterioration : the old barn rapidly fell into decay.• rotten matter or tissue : fluoride heals small spots of decay.• the process of declining in quality, power, or vigor : preachers warning of moral decay.• Physics the change of a radioactive substance, particle, etc., into another by the emission of radiation : the gas radon is produced by the decay of uranium in rocks and soil.• technical gradual decrease in the magnitude of a physical quantity :the decay of electrical fields in the electromagnets.ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French decair, based on Latindecidere ‘fall down or off,’ from de- ‘from’ + cadere ‘fall.’