Caption This - On Hold

Hi all. This being Sunday, I'd normally be posting a Caption This entry and asking for your help in coming up with something zingy and fun. I'm going to put the fun on hold for a bit because I'm just not feeling particularly zingy and/or fun right about now. And when I get this way, I prefer to have less rigidity and structure around me. Call it yet another quirk of Carmi.

So I'm not going to cancel CT completely, but I do want to set it aside for a bit so I can get back to the kind of freer-form blogging that I used to do but got away from as I evolved two weekly traditions - Caption This and Thematic Photographic - here.

I'll keep TP up and running for now, but given the fact that nothing's inviolable, I may yet have news on that front before long as well.

I guess I'm getting reflective as we prepare to say goodbye to 2009. It's been a difficult year from where I sit, and I'd be remiss if I didn't shake things up a bit before the transition to 2010. I'm slowly learning to let go of things before I necessarily figure out what I'm going to grab on to next - it's what reminds me of life's unpredictable beauty. If anything, I believe this kind of admittedly minor change will help me continue to focus on the things that matter most to me: My wife, our kids, our life and our future.

Thank you for your understanding, and I do hope you continue to share this bloggy journey with me. I'll still be writing and shooting and sharing, albeit in a slightly less formalized form.

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New York, NY, November 2009

Thematic Photographic is exploring "elsewhere" this week. While I originally suggested the theme as a way of sharing photos taken far from home, it also seems appropriate that it applies to people who, for reasons often beyond their control, end up far from the things that matter most. Either way, it's clear to me this tragic soul may as well have been in another world the morning that I surreptitiously took this. Please click here to share your own elsewhere-themed vision.

Somewhat oddly, I didn't want to take this photo. As I've done at various times in the past, I found myself wrestling with the basic morals of right-vs-wrong as I walked down the street and noticed this man. I didn't want to violate his peace and quiet - or, obviously, his privacy. But at the same time I felt his was a story I wanted to tell, albeit quietly. So I stayed respectfully up the street and used the zoom. As I write this, I'm back home, watching the freezing rain fall from a steel-grey sky just outside my kitchen window. I hope he's not being forced to endure this, and I hope he has a warm kitchen - or any place - to retreat to when things turn nasty.

Your turn: Please caption this photo. Just click the comment link and go for it. Click here for Caption This background.

About last week's photo of a fuzzy Honda: I still hope to meet the driver of this car someday. Despite the aerodynamic disadvantages of this kind of adornment, I think the world needs more of it. Pearl takes it with "Poetic license!" Pearl lives in Toronto, and over the past few months has been an invaluable source of guidance and support for me and my family. She's about as "good soul" as it gets. Please drop by her blog to congratulate her. I'm willing to bet you'll stick around and come back for more.

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London, ON, March 2009

About this photo: We're looking at the world just a little bit differently this week. If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, please click here.

Whenever I see something that makes me smile, I feel the need to share it. All part of that Tikkun Olam/repairing the world thing. I didn't get to meet the owner of this car, but I sure hope whoever he/she is (though I'm betting it's a she) knows that it's a welcome addition to the suburban landscape.

Your turn: I need a witty, snappy, happy caption for this photo. Drop your suggestions into a comment - repeat as often as you wish over the next week. Click here for more info on how Caption This works. I'll announce the victor next Sunday. Speaking of victors...

About last week's photo of a unique guy on the library steps: Thanks to you all for your great suggestions for this very evocative photo. Honorable menschens go to:

• Hilary: For confirming this person's real identity, Jason Mitchiner. Coolness!
• AussiePomm: "Body builder"
  
• Mel Fraase: "Wrestling with knowledge."
• Pamela: "Don't judge a book by its cover."

Pamela takes the double with "Speedo reader". She lives in Washington State, and her writing and photography never fail to make you wonder why you're not looking at the world just a little more thoughtfully. Her blog, The Dust Will Wait, is a definite must-read.

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New York, NY, November 2009

About this photo: This picture supports this week's Thematic Photographic theme, buildings. Click here to dive in.

The scene, earlier this month: My son and I are walking up New York's 5th Avenue. As we pass the New York Public Library, we notice the somewhat odd spectacle of a guy in minimal superhero-like garb, pacing rather anxiously atop the broad staircase that defines the building's entranceway. The steps are a beehive of activity on this crisp, brilliantly sunny Saturday afternoon, and only a few people bother to watch this guy.

Zach and I stop and wonder what his deal is. Street performer? Narcissist? Disturbed individual? Combination of the three? Either way, we conclude it's too cold to be outside wearing so little. We mull over the spectacle for a few minutes before we continue on our way, another indelible New York Minute in a day that seems full of them.

Your turn: Please come up with a caption for this image. Simply click the comment link and submit as many suggestions as you wish. You can be funny, smart, irreverent, or any combination of these. All I ask is that you have fun - and spread the joy. For more background on how Caption This works, please click here.

About last week's photo of a pedestrian crosswalk signal: No one ever wants to be out of time, especially with three lanes of cars waiting to turn you into an urbanized pancake. Mel Fraase takes it with "Saved by zero."

If you haven't yet met her, Mel is a professional photographer, wife and mom whose work will utterly blow you away. She doesn't simply take pictures: She tells life stories through her lens. A definite must-visit.

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Montreal, QC
October 2009

About this photo: It's orange. Well, at least part of it is. If you're feeling in a particularly orange mood, Thematic Photographic hopes to hear from you. Right this way...

Montreal isn't known for being pedestrian-friendly. Its drivers, legendary across the continent for their often misplaced aggressiveness, tend to see the average biped as an annoyance, something standing between them and the cold beer waiting at home.

Like many cities, Montreal's been installing timers and pedestrian lights at major intersections. They won't stop a two-ton missile from plowing through the crosswalk, but they're better than nothing. And they can be entertaining when you're waiting for the munchkins to get back to the car so you can get on your way.

Your turn: It's been a while since we captioned. Sometimes, life gets in the way. It's still in the way, of course, but I figured now would be as proper a time as any to restart Caption This. If you've got a witty title for this pic, click the comment link and have at it. Head over here for background on how Caption This works.

About our last Caption This photo: I posted it September 20th - a lifetime ago - so I'm under no illusions that anyone even remembers this sad scene of a building in the midst of demolition. But in the hope that folks are ready to tune back in, here are our honorable menschens:

• Jean: "Door to nowhere."
• Emme Rogers: "Urban genocide."
• Thom: Destruction for progress."

Steve Gallow takes it for "My door is always open for you." I like how you can read that in any number of ways. Steve is in the midst of a year-long personal challenge to not only post a photo per day, but to explore the lessons learned each time out. His photos are wonderful, and the stories behind each one will keep you coming back for more. Please drop by and congratulate him.

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London, ON
March 2008
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About this photo: It's urban week all week long, and this scene supports that vision of our not-quite-natural surroundings. To see where it all began - and hopefully share a Thematic perspective of your own - head over here.

The building that once stood around this forlorn doorway no longer exists. For the record, it was a worn out, utterly forgettable three-storey apartment block at the edge of a neighborhood that most of us would usually avoid at night.

The modern apartment building that is now going up on this site will soon welcome new tenants - and hopefully a new sense of security and community for a part of town that has long had little of either.

Your turn: Got a creative caption for this photo? If so, please click the comment link and share as many suggestions as you wish. Winner gets posted next Sunday. If you're new to Caption This, click here to see where it all began.

About last week's photo of a bird in flight: We're two weeks into the school year here, and I already miss the beach. Nothing stops us from returning, of course, but the day just isn't the same when you're not surrounded by crowds of like-minded city folks, all hoping to escape the heat. Maybe we simply need to reset our expectations as the temperatures continue to fall. Until then, this photo reminds me of what it felt like to have warm sand on my back and the sound of our happy children in my ears.

Mojo's "Mile High Club" takes the cake this week, because it gave this scene a much needed dose of levity. If you've ever wondered whose work I study to try to become a better photographer, please visit his blog, Why? What have you heard? for confirmation. In a word, he's got vision.

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Grand Bend, ON, September 2009 [Click to embiggen]

About this photo: The sun is shiny. Coincidentally, this week's Thematic Photographic theme is shiny. Are you shiny, too? Of course you are. Head here to close the loop.

I often point my camera at the sky. It'll always return something different, and it'll always be challenging because cameras don't necessarily like having their sensors bombarded by a gigantic bag of galactic gas. The sun may be 93 million miles away from our planet, but it still does insane things to the exposure meter.

So as I recorded a lone bird flying under the shiny source of all known life on our planet, I smiled at how peaceful the moment felt, and how I'd like to spend more time sitting on the ground wondering about the ever changing world above.

Your turn: Please come up with a smart-sounding caption for this image and share it in a comment. Participate as often as you like, as we encourage serial captioning. For more info on how Caption This works, click here.

About last week's photo of my father in a cemetery: This was a very hard picture for me to shoot, as it forced me to think of a lot of things I'd rather not think about. But life's got a way of evolving in its own way, and we rarely have the chance to fundamentally change the route it ultimately takes. So we accept whatever it is that gets thrown at us. Honorable menschens - and sincere thanks - go to Lissa for "Grave reflections" and Quilly for "I still grieve."

MorahMommy takes it for "Through my father's eyes." As many of you know, she's my wife, and she encouraged me to take this journey on this day with my father. It's through her eyes that I've been able to have the life that I have. If you haven't had a chance to introduce yourself, please drop by her blog, Adventures of Motherhood, and say hi.

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Montreal, QC, July 2009

About this photo: Thematic Photographic explores "perspective" this week. I thought this capture had perspective in spades. Head over here if you've got some perspective of your own.

I had taken my father to a couple of cemeteries in Montreal on this grey day, ostensibly to visit the graves of my grandparents and other family members. However, what had started as a simple exercise in locating and cataloging the resting places of people so instrumental in my young life slowly evolved into something quite different.

That's because I initially thought I would see the day through my lens. Instead, I ended up seeing it through the lens of my father. This shift dawned on me as we approached my paternal grandfather's grave. As I watched my father pay his respects, it seemed immaterial for me to take a picture of my grandfather's gravestone when what really mattered was that his son had come for a visit. So from that point forward, I deliberately hung back and watched him step through this very reverential process.

In the end, it was a perspective that opened my eyes on a number of levels - and in some respects, in ways I do not wish to face just yet. I suspect I'll be writing about this experience again sometime soon.

Your turn: As parents age. Please discuss. And if you'd like to suggest a caption for this photo, we're taking those, too. Click on the comment link and go for it: Winner will be announced next week. Please click here for more background on how Caption This works.

About last week's photo of a ship looming over the neighborhood: This was a hard shot to get, as it was late-ish evening and the light was fading fast. Still, I don't get here often, so it was either an iffy shot, or nothing. I'm glad I took the chance. Honorable menschens this week go to the following good folks:

• Terri: "Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore"
• Anne: "Promenade deck."
• Pamela: "Big Berth-a."

Klaatu takes it this week with "If you are trying to tell us that picture has not been photoshopped. You're full of ship." His blog, You Humans Are Silly, is a delightfully different view of the world. He is also one of the nicest-funny people you'll ever meet.

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Related entries from this shoot:

• Someone was here
• Bird on a stone

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Toronto, ON, May 2008

About this photo: It's Thematic Photographic's big week, and we're sharing big-themed pictures all week long. Click here to share your own outsized views of the world.

Toronto is a neat place, and it gets even neater the closer you get to the water. As the city continues to figure out what its waterfront neighborhoods should look like, fascinating juxtapositions between everyday life and a working Great Lakes port make for fun photography. Have fun with this one.

Your turn: Got a snappy caption for this photo? Click the comment link and share it. (Instructions here.) That's all there is to it. I'll announce the grand victor next week. And speaking of victors...

About last week's photo of our son skittering across the beach: I think the little man will be pedal to the metal well into adulthood. As the planet looks for new sources of energy, I'd like to suggest him, as he seems to manufacture it just by being himself. He's a true delight, and your captions suggested the very same thing. This week's honorable menschens go to:

• Robin: "Shady proposition." (Along with wishes for her daughter's fast and full recovery from oral surgery.)
• SRP: "James and the Giant Beachball."
• Stephen: "Going coastal."

Pamela wins it with "Noah's arc." Her blog, The Dust Will Wait, is a remarkably rich window into the life of a wife and grandmother who chooses to look more closely at the world than most. It's a vision I'm sure you'll enjoy.

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Deerfield Beach, FL, January 2007

That's our youngest munchkin, Noah, tearing headlong toward the surf at the only speed he knows. I was trying to get an artsy beach umbrella perspective, and ended up, somewhat accidentally, with his sweet little form in the corner. Even when he's rendered in a tiny scale, he manages to delight anyone who sees him.

(What the hell am I talking about? Head over here for the Thematic Photographic summer extravaganza. Don't delay...fall's coming.)

Your turn: Please come up with a snappy caption for this shot. New to Caption This? Follow this yellow brick link for more info on how this insanity works.

About our last photo of my father-in-law's instrument panel: It's slowly turning into one of my favorite recent pics. There's an order to it that appeals to me. And it reminds me of how much fun I have with my family when we're running errands and doing the everyday things that everyday families do. So without further ado, our latest honorable menschens are:

• Dana: "Idling away."
• Melissa: "En-gauge-ing."
• Robin: "Yes, we're there yet."

SPwriter, aka Steve Parolini, takes it with "Going nowhere fast." He's long been a supporter of Caption This. More importantly, he's an editor who's always been a supporter of anyone who has a literary question. His advice and guidance are legendary. And appreciated. Click here to learn more about him.

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Laval, QC, July 2009 [Click image to embiggen]

About this photo: Thematic Photographic explores lines all week long. This photo apparently has many of them, so I hope you enjoy pondering the possibilities. Do you want in on the TP madness? Of course you do! Click here to start the fun.

I have a fundamental aversion to sitting in one place with nothing to do. I can't stare blankly at a wall, for example. I have to pick it apart and catalog every last detail and blemish. And I won't be satisfied until everything I've identified has a corresponding story behind it.

"Yes, officer, that brownish smudge beside the stove is where I shot the intruder with my blow gun. He disappeared into the night, but not before he wiped his bloodied hand on the paint and grabbed the last of my dog's chew sticks. I think you might want to try the vet first."

So as I sat in my father-in-law's car while he was in the bank, I thought it would be neat to explore his instrument panel with my lens. The car is new, and since his kids are all grown up, everything is as pristine as the recent day when it rolled off the assembly line in Brampton, ON.

And as I mulled over something in a line-ish theme, I realized this one fit the bill oh so nicely.

Your turn: Please click on the comment link below and suggest a snappy, creative caption for this image. You may enter as often as you wish. Winner's announced next Sunday. If you're new to Caption This, click here for more background - and say hi to the old ladies while you're there.

About last week's picture of Zach watching the laundry: Since this photo was taken, the laundry room's undergone still more hastily planned chaos, as our almost-20-year-old HVAC decided to stop HVACing. I don't know about you, but providing basic things like heating, cooling and hot water strikes me as one of those core requirements of parenthood. Sure, we could have used the money to, I don't know, eat. Or maybe drink ourselves into a drunk-enough stupor that none of this would have mattered anymore. But at least now we don't have to stand beside the A/C unit and wonder why it's dripping a torrent of water into the drain while the vents blow warm-ish air. Using half the energy will be a bonus, too.

And through it all, our kids continue to find reasons to ooh and aah over the laundry machines. Our house sure is strange, but we love it that way.

This week's honorable menschens are the following lovely folks:

• Dana: "Soap opera."
• Tabor: "Mom, come watch kitty!"
• Anne: "Do I have to watch this channel?"

Thom takes it with "Mom...Dad...when does the movie start?" Thom hails from Hawaii, and everything he posts on his blog is woven with the friendly, family-focused, laid back vibe that makes this place #1 on everyone's wanna-live-there list. The world needs more good guys...Thom's certainly one of 'em.

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London, ON, July 2009

About this photo: The laundry extravaganza continues. You can be a part of it, too, by following this link. Freshly clean goodness awaits.

I wasn't kidding when I said our kids set up shop in the laundry room after we got the new washer and dryer up and running. So fascinated were we all by the reality of actual machines that actually worked, we gathered as a family in front of the two newest robotic additions to the household and stared at them as they did their thing.

Here, Zach takes his turn on the step stool we set up just for this occasion. I know it may seem a little strange to be excited by something like this. But we've always written our own script when it comes to stuff like this, and if it results in a happy shared memory for our kids, then it's anything but strange to us.

Your turn: If I'm not watching television I'm watching...what? And why?

About our last CT photo of a body hanging under balloons in the midday sky: This definitely ranks as one of the weirdest pictures I've taken in a while. It was a hard scene to compose, as I was shooting directly into the sun - usually a no-no for a whole lot of photographic and ocular safety reasons - and ended up using the balloons themselves to shield the shot. Making matters worse: I was in the middle of a crowd of people at the time, so maneuvering around the hot pavement to track the windblown balloons while being jostled by strangers was an adventure in itself. Honorable menschens go to these fine folks:

• Bernie "Klaatu" Madoff: "Hubert couldn't make the balloon payment on his mortgage."
• Gallow: "Anybody got a pin?"

Morah Mommy takes it this time out with "Inflated sense of self!" Her blog, Adventures of Motherhood, is a delightful read (she wrote about our son's birthday today...go and say hi if you wish. I'll hang here in the meantime.)

So, yes, she is my lovely and inspiring wife. And not a day goes by that she doesn't finish my sentences, reflect what I'm thinking or simply read my mind. And not a day goes by that I don't stop for a moment and thank G-d she chose me. Please head over her way and share a happy or two with her.

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Related link: Keeping it clean

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Toronto, ON, August 2008 [Click to embiggen]

Yes, that thing that's apparently dangling in the sky really is what you think it is. I don't think it's real, though, but I stood below, craning my neck into the sun for at least 10 minutes trying to figure that out.

As best I can figure, someone at the balloon company had - and presumably still has - a sick sense of humor.

Works for me!

Your turn: Please come up with a caption for this photo that's funny, charming and memorable. We'll be taking submissions all week, and you can enter as often as you like. Best one wins. Click the comment link to get started. For more background on how Caption This works, click here.

About last week's photo of my kids at the grocery store: I love taking them shopping, even if it means a more expensive - and sometimes annoying - trip in the process. I remember going grocery shopping when I was a kid, and it was always such a vividly detailed experience for me. I hope our kids feel the same way. This week's honorable menschens are:

• Thom: "Look Ma...was this the same price when you were my age?"
• B13: "When mom said fruit juice, she didn't mean peach schnapps... put it back!"

Mojo takes it with "Eggs, wasn't it?" It's something my daughter would certainly say, and she'd say it with that adult-like, all-knowing tone that only she's capable of. If you haven't visited Mojo's blog, Why? What Have You Heard? you're missing out on photography that regularly makes you think, and a world view that'll make you wonder who you're not out there taking more of it in. When I want to raise the level of my game - both through a lens and as a person - I simply follow his lead.

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London, ON, January 2009

I often like to hang back and just watch our kids be themselves. When I'm taking pictures of them - or of anyone else, for that matter - I don't pose them. I'm content to silently capture the moment without trying to influence its outcome. I realize that means our family pictures are far from conventional. But we're far from a conventional family, so I guess it's all good.

On this day, Dahlia and Noah were out on a grand grocery store adventure with me, trying to work our way through my wife's shopping list, and trying to not miss too many of the things on it. As often happens, we were slowed immensely by the overwhelming variety of products on the shelves - does the world really need a full dozen varieties of marmelade? - but they didn't seem to mind at all.

Indeed, I can't wait for our next trip down the confusing aisles. It's always more fun when they're around. And more expensive.

Your turn: Please suggest a caption for this photo. It can be funny, witty or just plain thought-provoking. Click the comment link to get started. And if you haven't yet shared your distant-themed pic for this week's Thematic Photographic, it's not too late (is it ever, come to think of it?) Click here to get themed.

About last week's photo of an F.15C screaming over a couple of kids: Ann's "A fly-by shooting" works on so many levels that it's a natural choice for this week's win. If you haven't read her blog, It's Always a Production, you're missing out. With seeming ease, she shares slices of her family's life, and she shoots like no one's business.

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St. Thomas, ON, June 2009

About this photo: It's aviation week all week long. To take off with Thematic Photographic, click here.

The scene: Traffic into this year's airshow in St. Thomas is unbelievably heavy. It's taken over 2 hours to cover the final 5 km. By the time my daughter and I finally get to the airport entrance, Ontario Provincial Police wave us away from the parking area. I park the wondervan on the side of the main road in front of the airport, hoping quietly that no one will tow me away.

As we climb out and join up with friends who coincidentally arrived at the same time we did (quick aside: G-d bless the iPhone and the BlackBerry) we see a streak from the right. My jaw drops: It's an F-15. Make that three F-15s - F-15C models, the uncompromised definitions of the penultimate dogfighter for over a generation. It dawns on me I haven't seen Eagles fly since before we had kids. They are, frankly, soul-shattering to watch.

Unfortunately I'm stuck on the side of the road, on the outside looking in, in the middle of a wandering - and apparently unaware - crowd. I yank my camera out of the bag, adjust settings and start shooting. No planning, no anything...just wildly following these streaks in the sky and hoping I can stop them just long enough to get something.

They're flying so low that I end up with some neat juxtapositions. Telephone poles, hangars, and in this case, kids. As the Eagles light off their afterburners and turn for home, I think to myself that it just wouldn't have been the same had we already been patiently waiting for their arrival beside the flight line. Sometimes, outside looking in is the best place to be, even if it doesn't seem that way at first.

Your turn: Please suggest a snappy caption for this image. Enter as often as you wish and don't be afraid to involve friends and family members, too. We'll be taking suggestions all week. Click the comment link and go to town. If you're new to Caption This, click here for some background info.

About last week's smokestacks photo: The colder it gets, the better the smoke and steam, so I'm sure it'll be a while before I can capture anything remotely like this. As ever, you all rose to the occasion. Honorable menschens go to these great folks:

• Terri: "Clouded Judgement"
• Pamela: "Hackey Stack."
• Dana: "Fabricating Formations."
• Mojo: "Designated Smoking Area."
• Mel Fraase: "Three Stacks to the Wind!"

Michael Manning takes it with "When will we learn?" Michael is a journalist and one of my earliest, inspirational reads upon becoming a blogger. You owe it to yourself to read him - just click here.

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London, ON, February 2009

Clouds don't always have to occur naturally. The launch image of this week's Thematic Photographic theme, in fact, includes a couple of contrails that over time could have easily blanketed the sky. So when I began thinking about a cloud-themed photo for Caption This, I knew I wanted to include something caused by those big, bad polluting humans.

I thought immediately of the series I shot on a bitterly cold day just a few months back. The goal that day was to shoot a slightly irreverent headshot for a magazine article on cloud computing. Since my extensive entourage was otherwise occupied, I shot the sequence alone in a near-deserted parking lot on the university campus near my house, using the GorillaPod to set up low-angled perspectives from the snow-covered parking lot.

By the time I was finished with the head shots, my fingers were numb and my nose had started to turn white. But that didn't stop me from shooting the chimneys before I retreated to the warmth of the car and headed home.

Your turn: Please come up with a creative caption for this photo and share it in a comment below. Enter as often as you wish - we'll be taking captions all week before announcing the victor next Sunday. For more background on how Caption This works, click here.

About last week's recycling box photo: I admit I enjoy the whole recycling thing. It forces me to tangibly review everything we're throwing out. It also forces me to think twice about the things we purchase or otherwise consume. Much better than the old toss-and-forget philosophy that dominated earlier generations. The following folks deserve honorable menschens for the following gems:

• Pesach: "Where have you bin all of my life ..."
• Dana: "Bin wastin'..."
• Morah Mommy: "Bin today, gone tomorrow."
• Mojo: "Blue is the New Green."
• Robin: "Because it ISN'T easy bein' green!"

Anne's suggestion "What will I be next time?" was particularly resonant. I often wonder the same thing as I stare at the overflowing bin by the curb. The more transparent this process becomes, the more likely we are to incorporate sustainable principles into our everyday lives. In this regard, I hope our kids ask questions like this more routinely than we or our parents ever did. Her blog, Anne's House, is an ever eye-opening window into the world of someone with seemingly limitless energy and creativity.

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London, ON, June 2009

About this photo: Thematic Photographic is exploring all things green this week - both literal and figurative. And since I firmly believe that blue is the new green, I invite you to throw your photographic hat into the ring by heading here.

Your turn: Got a funny caption or title for this photo? Click the comment link and share as many as you wish. I'll post the winner next Sunday.

About last week's photo of my foggy street: There's something about a foggy night that just makes my brain shift into a different creative gear. Apparently, I wasn't alone, as a number of good folks made Honorable Menschen with these delightful captions:

• Dana: "Empty Echoes."
• Barb: "Embraceable Dew"
• Sara: "Reminiscing in the mist."

Jinny's "This is how horror movies start" made me laugh out loud, and she takes this week's title. Her blog, A Girl in the Real World, paints a picture of a native Texan with a delightfully full life - husband, dogs, cats, and an ability to tell stories with her lens that will make you quietly say wow when you first visit her site.

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London, ON, October 2007

Even the "other" London gets fog. And when the murk rolls in, I like to take the camera out for some exercise. As you can see, a bit of excess low-altitude humidity can turn even the most average-looking suburban street into a softly mysterious - and oddly quiet - world. I love being outside when it gets like this.

Your turn: Please come up with a creative caption for this photo. It supports this week's Thematic Photographic theme, road (see here for more TP fun.) If you're new to Caption This, click here for more background.

About last week's photo of a strange-looking cloud formation: I'm glad I'm not the only one who stares at the sky. The following honorable menschens suggested these evocative captions:

• Terri: "Jumbo the Nimbus Cloud."
• Anne: "When pigs fly."
• Jean: "Between the lines."

Jean scores twice this week. Her "It's gonna rain elephants" takes the cake - I can only imagine what raining pachyderms would look like. Please drop by her blog and congratulate her.

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London, ON, May 2009 [Click to embiggen]

After the evening storms have swept through the region, we often end up with memorable remnants in the sky. But only if we take the time to look up. For better or for worse, I've got my head in the sky more often than not.

Your turn: I adore when nature paints the sky with something that piques the imagination. What on (or off, for that matter) earth could this be? I'll leave that entirely up to you. Please suggest a creative caption - or name, or whaever you wish - for this photo by clicking the comment link below. Feel free to participate as often as you'd like. Head here for more background on how Caption This works.

About last week's goose pic: I guess I'm not the only one who finds birds in flight to be worthwhile subjects. The following good folks make honorable menschen for their suggestions:

• Colleen: "Winging it."
• Robin: "Free bird."
• Jean: "Miles to fly before I sleep."

David's "Bird Force One" takes it this week. I've been reading his blog, Sugarloaf Mountain, ever since I can remember, and his words have never failed to inspire me. He creates, he builds and he reflects on the kind of world - the natural one - most of us seem to have forgotten. He writes as he lives, and there are lessons for all of us in every word he shares. A must-read.

Caption This 123

Please caption this image
[Click here for Caption This instructions]
London, ON, April 2009 [Click to embiggen]

About this photo: As part of the latest Thematic Photographic theme, we're sharing single-themed photos all week long. It's quite an easy one this time out: if the pic includes only one thing in it, we want to see it. Head on over here to jump in. I promise it won't hurt.

London's home to more Canada Geese than I can count. They're stunning to watch in flight, though I must admit they have quite the nasty streak if you encounter them on the ground. High speed cyclists would also do well to proceed carefully in areas where they're known to gather. Don't ask how I know this.

Still, watching them skim low over the water is one of the simple joys I can never tire of.

Your turn: Please caption this photo. Just click on the comment link below and give it your best shot. Multiple submissions are always welcome, as are collaborations. Be as funny and creative as you wish: I'll announce the winner next Sunday. For more background on Caption This - including instructions - please click here.

About last week's photo of a cotton ball display in the grocery store: I love funny signs, especially those that are created unintentionally. I guess when you're working at the grocery store and are under pressure to keep the shelves stocked, the customers satisfied and the inventory from walking itself out the door, agonizing over word choices on in-store signage probably isn't your top priority.

This week's honorable menschens include the following good folks:

• Jinksy: "On the ball, I see!"
• Dan Brown: "We're breast obsessed"
• Mojo: "Shouldn't your shopping cart feel good all under too?"

Dana wins the prize with "A gal can never have enough balls in her life." I've written about Dana previously - she's a repeat CT winner - so I won't belabor the point beyond this: You must read her. Go. Now. Great blogging shall ensue.