Crystal Labbato: In a Day

The journey continues and this week we take the long trip back from New Zealand,  leaving the warm summer sun behind and head to Northern Kentucky ( Just south of Cincinnati ).

After making a sneak  appearance in Anna’s Day in December, the lovely Crystal Labbato invited us to spend a day in her company.  Take a walk in her shoes for one day and see how things look through the lens of her iPhone.

 *****

Most days start looking at these three extraordinarily sexy legs.  These belong to Ben (Benjammin if you are cool).  Ben was rescued from a shelter with a broken front right leg, and fostered by my dear friend Elaine before and after it was amputated.  If you would have asked me 2 years ago about ever having a dog, I would have shown you the door.  But on our first anniversary my husband and I thought we’d bring Ben home for a day and see how it went.  We never took him back.  So here we are, getting ready to chase some squirrels and raise some hell on this frosty winter morning.

It’s fitting that I start this talking about Elaine, because I’m spending the day with her and her two insanely adorable boys.  I am a graduate student recently set free from term papers and the impending avalanche of books on my dining room table for winter break.  I love this woman.  We’ve been leisurely wasting entire afternoons together for over a decade.  Today will be no exception.  Anyway, I’m hoping to make it through the day without eating these children, they are just that cute.

We go to the recently renovated Washington Park in downtown Cincinnati.  It is nothing short of fabulous.  The sun shines and all sorts of people are meandering by and through.  As we are working on polishing up our swinging skills, two people dressed in these crazy post-consumer-waste (cardboard, cereal boxes, and the like) costumes march up to the gazebo and proceed to play their drums and dance for about a half hour.  After a few snaps, me and Elaine’s youngest dance with them.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called Cincinnati “the Queen of the West.” Often even now she is simply called (with great affection) The Queen City.  I’ve lived in the Greater Cincinnati area for nearly 20 years and I just want you to know, she has never looked soooo good.

After Washington Park, we head to one of the Queen’s beloved chili parlors (get whatever chili you are thinking about out of your head, Cincinnati chili is nothing like that).  As we are having lunch I glance at the TV.  They are broadcasting the first tragic announcements from Sandy Hook.  Let’s be frank, this is not the most flattering selfie.  But I am with three of the people I love the most in this world, and we are safe, and I am clearly deliriously happy. I want this for everyone, always.

After lunch we four set off for a hike.  The sun takes the chill out of the air.  We find this incredible wall in the middle of the woods, painted up and down with cats and rainbows and children’s names.  After much debate, Elaine’s oldest allows me a shot or two.

One of the things I love most about Cincinnati is that you never really have to drive far to enjoy the beauty of nature.  This nature preserve is only a few miles from downtown, and just over the Ohio River, Kentucky’s rolling hills and dirt roads await.  I hate commitments.  I hate saying I am city mouse or a country mouse.  Here, I can be both.

*****

Juxt thanks you, Crystal  for taking part in the series!  If you would like to see more of Crystal’s photography, you can find her on Instagram.

If you would like to be involved in the series, please take a photo that tells a story of your typical day and tag it on Instagram #inaday_juxt.

Alternatively, join in the conversation in the comments below and let me know if you would like to be involved.

You can follow all the photographers who have taken part in the series >>>HERE