མགོན་པོ།: 31/366

Our beautiful Tibetan Mahākāla or Goinbo, meaning "lord" or "protector", mask hangs in our entry and it is the first thing to greet you to our home.

Mahakala is regarded as one of the most powerful forces as in the end all things succumb to the forces of the infinite nature of time itself. … Mahakala is able to swallow the whole Universe. Mahakala is relied upon in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. …

Mahakala is typically black in color. Just as all colors are absorbed and dissolved into black, all names and forms are said to melt into those of Mahakala, symbolizing his all-embracing, comprehensive nature. Black can also represent the total absence of color, and again in this case it signifies the nature of Mahakala as ultimate or absolute reality.

Mahakala is almost always depicted with a crown of five skulls, which represent the transmutation of the five kleshas (negative afflictions) into the five wisdoms.

Mahakala masks are typically hung above doorways to homes or temples in order to keep out evil forces. ~Source

Here is a photo of the full mask on our wall:

Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used: ProCamera, PhotoStudio, Camera+, iWatermark




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Tree: 30/366

Tall tree in our yard. Love the height and shape. Lounging on the sofa looking out towards this tree is very picturesque. Your view is above the rooftops and watching birds fly to and fro is so calming.




Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  Camera, Snapseed, Camera+, iWatermark



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Waiting: 29/366

Rainy Sunday. When moving here, I was warned of the rain and thought nothing of it. Being raised in fog and much more a night owl than a sun worshiper, I didn't think it would make any difference to me or my mood. After 3 years, all these gray days really do take a toll. Last month sunset would have been around 4:20 pm and sunrise around 8:00 am. That's 15.5 hours of darkness and it gets really dark around here. I can barely see the roads at night. Even for me it's too much gray. It does get sunny in the summer and in July we get a nice reversal with 15.5 hours of daylight. I think my perfect weather is a slightly chilly day, allowing for a fallish wardrobe, with bright sun. Although, I do love to see fog rolling towards me as well. What can I say, I'm a true San Franciscan.






Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  ProCamera, Snapseed, Camera+, iWatermark





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Misfits: 28/366

Discovered the show Misfits today. Brilliant! We started the day devouring homemade waffles with bananas on top and we ended up watching the entirety of Season 1 of this British show. Don't judge, it was only six episodes. Sometimes you just need a lazy day. Lazy day......lazy photo.






Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  ProCamera, Camera+, iWatermark




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Y and Z: 27/366

A snippet of our mantelscape. As some of you know from his blog, my husband goes by Yesmar online, which happens to be his name backwards. My name starts with the letter Z and Z has been a long time nickname from friends and family. Also, when writing out our name together it naturally tends to come out as Ramsey & Zarina. I think you get the idea. Basically since we met, we have been Y & Z. I basically love this and take it as fate more than coincidence.

The owl couple are the sweetest wedding favors I've ever received, given to us at my friend's wedding a few years back. They were handmade in Peru, I believe out of tiny gourds, and have sterling silver accents. So awesome!





Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  ProCamera, Snapseed, Camera+, iWatermark

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Signs Of Life: 26/366

A macro of the tiniest signs of life in our garden today. I have no idea what kind of plant this is but the tiny bright red pods stand out amongst all the bare branches.





Taken with: iPhone 4S, Photojojo Macro Lens for iPhone
Apps used:  ProCamera, Camera+, iWatermark




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Brrrrainsssss!: 25/366

The Zombie Apocalypse beings in our master bath. We love these finger puppets. I positioned them so they kind of look like they are making out and dining on each other at the same time. Yes, I am a bit weird. They live atop a shelf next to my French Milled Skull Soaps, which it seems, I can't bear to use because I love them too much, even though there are four. We've threatened to make a video with our zombie puppets, maybe one day. I can only imagine how silly it would be and how insane we may come off.



Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  ProCamera, Camera+, iWatermark



Until we actually make a video, enjoy the best Zombie ever:

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Honey Bear Don't Care: 24/366

Love these Honey Bear jars we get from local Moon Valley Organics located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range. The honey that comes inside is the best, yum! They don't come with the cute bonnet, those I get from Zira's Grandma Lucy's freeze-dried treats. The combo makes me swoon and I am starting to accumulate a wee stash since I discovered the pairing. Not sure what I will end up doing with them besides ogling in delight. The Honey Bears don't seem to mind the extra frills or attention.




Taken with: iPhone 4S
Apps used:  ProCamera, Camera+, iWatermark






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