Say cheese, OMG.

If I have learned anything from my mother over the years, it is how to behave in church. And here's one thing I can guarantee you: my mom wholeheartedly disapproves of picture-taking during a worship service dedicated to our Father who art in heaven.

Nevertheless, my camera and I strolled over to St. Patrick’s Cathedral on a recent lunch break to nose around. It’s tourist-central, of course, so even during a mass, it’s jam-packed with people taking photos. And one thing I noticed on this visit was, since today’s cameras let us take photos using an LCD screen instead of a viewfinder, this fact--particularly in popular tourist spots--can create an interesting tableau of people with outstretched arms.

To me, within a church setting, this looks very much like someone raising their hands up in prayer, as if asking the Holy Ghost of Digital Photography to bless them with a few decent vacation pics, dear Lord, especially-after-all-this-blasted-walking-and-expensive-New-York-City-food.

So here’s how I saw it. And since they’re pictures I took of people taking pictures in church, I have a feeling I’m getting a double dose of going-to-hell points for this one.

(Sorry about that, Mom.)

Hiya, hydrangea.

The guy at the flower stand this week took a lot of his time trying to convince me to buy his roses--but I was not having any of it (as you may recall, I've had an unsuccessful run with roses so far in my One-Bouquet-a-Week Challenge). This week I only wanted big fluffy-fat somethings to go in a new fat glass vase I had just scored for $3 at a thrift store.

Those fluffy-fat somethings turned out to be hydrangea, a flower which holds a soft spot in my heart. They remind me of two non-fluffy women that I love: my mom and my dear friend Courtney.

When my mom was born, my grandmother received a hydrangea plant at the hospital, and when she got home, she planted it in the yard on the side of their house. My mom has carried clippings of that same plant and grown it in the yards of several of the homes my family has lived in, and one version of it blooms near the side of her own house today. One day, I hope that same plant will grow on the side of mine.

Courtney? She's as lovely as the flower, which is one of her favorites. I carried hydrangea in her wedding as a bridesmaid, and I absolutely cannot see this flower without thinking of her. Meet her over at her own blog here.

(Happy Friday, my lovely non-fluffy flower girls. Thinking about you both today!)

8 cute aprons

The only thing I like better than a sweet apron is someone serving me something sweet while wearing one.

Caroline Blavec Lilac & Purple Cotton Apron, €75, shopjenesaisquoi.com

Get 15% off for Mother's Day with code MOMDAY. (Thanks, Lindsey!)

Tea Pot Apron, £36.00, Teresa Green Design

The Simplicity Apron in Canvas, $55, Inklore

Cafe Apron, $48, Studiopatro

Cafe Apron, $20, KoideStudio at etsy.com

Apron, $55, lestoilesdusoleilnyc.com

Linen Cafe Apron in Gingham, $40, Inklore

Light-blue Linen Cafe Apron, $35, Bloomsong

Images linked to their sources

A Day at the Office

You know, considering how much of our lives are spent at our jobs, you'd think that we'd have a few more pictures of the workspaces that we lay our eyes on at least five days out of the week. (Are you with me here?)

I happen to have had my camera with me at the office this week, so I snapped a few photos of the things that make up my every workday. I almost wish I had record of the other offices I've lived in over the years--would be interesting to see how I've grown. Or at least to see how many tchotkes, mousepads, favorite pens, and photos of boyfriends managed to survive each office move.