shirley - behind the lens

Frosty

2012-02-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Still no snow here, but some frosty mornings.

Linked to This or That Thursday

Chicken Hawk

2012-02-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

That's the cat's nickname these days.

We recently learned that Sam the Siamese's previous owner had a habit of feeding him chicken nuggets from the table. I think the story was the youngest son was a bit of "loose eater" (our term, not theirs), so bits of chicken would fall to the floor and Sam ate them. We never made the connection until we left some chicken out and found Sam on the kitchen island, next to the plate, the veritable "kitty that ate the canary" look on his face.

OK, so now we do give him treats occasionally. But he has this sixth sense about chicken being prepared, pacing the kitchen, getting a bit underfoot. Forget about chicken nuggets / KFC (in the picture) - he knows as soon as you walk in the door. And the Chicken Hawk starts his stalking.

Hope you don't have a cat stalking you this Wednesday.

Linked to Wordful Wednesday

Swirls and Drops

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Sometimes inspiration strikes just by looking outside on a rainy day.

I was initially drawn by the rain drops hanging off the branches, but I didn't want to take my camera outside in the rain.
[OK, maybe I didn't want to go out in the rain]

I shot this from the front door instead.

For Texture Tuesday, the same photo, with two texture layers - Kim Klassen's Lola and Lily:

And so you don't think I'm a complete wimp for avoiding the rain, I did go outside later and captured one of those drops using my iPhone and the macro lens of the Olloclip. I really love this little attachment for my phone!

Sunday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2012-02-05T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm on a roll - three weeks in a row, I've managed to complete the Photo Scavenger Hunt.

Strike A Pose:

Can you believe what Sam the Siamese puts up with?

Footwear:

These represent the current and future - I'm currently limited to wearing my slippers and the fuzzy low clogs across from the slippers. I'll have to wait a bit to wear the running shoes for serious running. The same goes for any shoe with a 2" heel. But I'm determined to wear them as soon as I can.

Hobby:
I run, play violin, sing, take photos and cook. Here's a bit of cooking I did today:

Crepes and coffee for breakfast - a treat this rainy, dreary Saturday.

Shiny:
My son plays a shiny saxophone:

Color Me Green:

Green is my favorite color, and these are leaves from an orchid in the house.

Foggy Mornings

2012-02-04T14:45:00.002-06:00

Although I don't enjoy driving in it, I love the mysterious look of the landscape when it's foggy outside.

Taken with the iPhone 4s, snapped quickly while I was stopped at a 4 way stop, so they are a little blurry.
Converted to Black and White using the Photogene2 app.

P365+1 Week 5 - Progress

2012-02-03T19:37:00.001-06:00

It was a week of progress - my knee has healed more, so I discontinued the use of crutches and my mobility has improved immensely.

On Saturday, Jill brought over some get well gifts - a card signed my the members of my soccer team, a bottle of red wine (she definitely knows my love of red wine!) and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. They really brightened my day, because I was feeling a little down:

On Sunday, I attended church and spent the rest of the day cooking. I made Chinese dumplings, something I only do once or twice a year, since the process is time consuming. But I couldn't go anywhere, and it kept me busy, active and kept my mind off my knee. The end result was delicious, too!

Monday evening - playing around with the Camera+ app and its self timer feature. I'm downloading photos I took of Saturday's flowers.

Tuesday afternoon, before my violin lesson - I arrived early, so headed to the local park and tested out the Fisheye lens of the Olloclip.

Wednesday morning - a major milestone - I made a trip to the grocery store by myself. It was my first visit to the grocery store since I tore my ACL, two weeks ago. I went early in the morning when the parking lot is empty to increase my chances of getting a parking spot close to the entrance.

As a bonus, most of the items I needed were on display together, making the trip easier on my knee. Some days it's the little things that make a big difference.

Thursday - I met with an orthopedic surgeon concerning the next steps with my knee.

When I first received the news that I had torn my ACL, the health care group that we use referred me to one of their orthopedic doctors. But the next available appointment was four weeks away and I didn't want to wait that long. I found another orthopedic doctor that is within our insurance policy's network and was given an appointment immediately. This doctor came recommended from one of my co-workers, and I feel very comfortable with him. After doing some research on him, I learned we share a bit of similar backgrounds - we both attended MIT as undergraduates. The doctor explained the details around my injury, the options for treatment (surgical and non surgical) and when I told him I wanted surgery to have my ACL reconstructed, he walked me through the entire procedure. I don't think I've ever spent so much time with a doctor before - over 30 minutes. While I don't wish surgery on anyone, for me, this is what I want. My surgery is scheduled in two weeks.

Friday afternoon -

I was practicing violin when my son got out his saxophone, plopped down his jazz band music and asked me to play with him. I know this sounds like fun, but the problem is the saxophone is a E-Flat based instrument, while the violin is a A major based instrument. This means when he plays an 'A', I would have to play a 'C' to get the same pitch. I can't transpose music quickly enough in my head, so we played a couple of the easier pieces together and still had fun.

Bonus photos (because I tend to take more than one photo on any given day) - the weather all week long has been spring like - highs in the 60s, and cool in the evenings, which means fog in the morning:

This morning, I spotted an asterisk in the sky - formed by plane contrails:

That was the week! I am bound and determined to get out for a little photo walk around the 'hood this weekend. I think my knee is up for it.
I hope you had a wonderful week and a great weekend.

It's All in the Details: iPhone vs DSLR?

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

Macro shots of my violin, taken with my Nikon and my iPhone:

Can you tell which were taken with the iPhone? I used the Olloclip macro lens, which I love. But it does require a good light and a steady hand. You have to get really close to the item to get it in focus. But talk about shallow DOF - something I didn't think I could get out of my iPhone....

Edited to add - the 2nd and 6th photos in the collection were taken with the iPhone - the others were taken with my D300.

The Beautiful Prairie

2012-02-02T06:00:00.000-06:00

There are days when the wind howls and blows across this flat land, the endless gray skies and treeless prairie strain the eyes.

Then we have mornings like this one, which started out foggy but burned off to a sky of spun silk and golden sun.

Instead of taking the main road to work, I headed down a back road which took me past this cool shed / barn.

Both photos were taken with my iPhone4s and adjusted slightly using Photogene2.
Linked to This and That Thursday and Rural Thursday

February Calendar - Desktop Wallpaper

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's the start of a new month and a month with a bonus day this leap year. January flew by in a flash and I expect the same will happen with February.

With the start of the new month, I am offering a February Calendar for your computer's desktop wallpaper:

Click on the link to download from box.com: February Calendar.

Here's to a great February!

Transformed

2012-01-30T20:29:00.000-06:00

Playing around with a photo I took tonight.

The original:

Wowza, that's quite magenta.... In reality, the flower is a deep purple, which is probably the most difficult color for a digital camera to render well. I just liked the spikey center.

So, playing around in Lightroom, I applied the Bleach Bypass preset:

I prefer the pink and shades of brown to the bright magenta.

Finally, for Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday, I added her simplicity texture, multiply blending mode at 75% opacity:

Which version do you like the best?

Bits and Pieces of Me

2012-01-29T19:23:00.000-06:00

It's the end of January which means it's time for the {in the picture} link up with Christy, aka Urban Muser.

I've taken at least one selfie each week in January:

It's not too late to join in - just go here on Urban Muser's blog for the details.

Something Old, Something New to Scavenge

2012-01-29T18:03:00.000-06:00

Just when I thought I didn't have the photos for this week's photo scavenger hunt, I got a little creative and I dug into my archive.

Here's a doughy smile:

I made Chinese Dumplings today and arranged a rope of wrapper dough into a smile.

Stand Alone:

Caesar, our horse, standing in the cross ties at the stable.

Rusty or Something Old:

The scroll of my violin - it is an antique French violin, made by Amati Mangenot around 1930.

Artificial:

I went into my archives for this one - some silk flowers I have in my office at work.

Repeating Pattern:

A belated good luck symbol for Chinese New Year. Taken with the Fisheye attachment of the Olloclip on my iPhone. Chinese New Year was about a week ago, but we're still celebrating a little here with traditional Chinese food.

I had a fun time finding this week's items - next week's items: Strike a Pose, Footwear, Hobby, Shiny and Color Me Green.

I hope you have a fabulous Sunday evening!

P365+1 Week 4 - Cats, Horses and Camera Toys

2012-01-28T12:15:00.000-06:00

With my knee injury, using my iPhone for my daily photo has been a blessing. I can no longer carry my purse with the DSLR in it - the purse is too heavy and I am worried I would drop it.

I spent last weekend confined to the house, but I still found interesting things to take pictures of [mainly because I was bored out of my mind!].

Saturday morning was super cold and windy, but the sun was shining and the cats basked in its warmth.

I stayed home from church on Sunday and Hannah woke early to peer out the dining room window.

Monday - I had the MRI on my knee and Erica got her braces off, but she wouldn't let me take her picture. Teenagers! Instead, Sam hung out with me, trying to vie for my attention.

Tuesday - I went back to work at the office and got the official word from the doctor's office that I have a torn ACL in my left knee. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in late February - a long three weeks away - that was the earliest appointment they had! After work, I took the kids to have passport photos taken. I waited until Erica had her braces off because I thought she would appreciate having a non metallic smile for these photos. So much for that plan.....

Wednesday - Look what came in the mail! This is what happens when I'm laid up with a bum knee - I start shopping....

A vintage Kodak Brownie camera. It's in great condition and I plan to buy 120mm film and try it out.

Thursday - A visit to the stable to see Caesar. Because of my knee, I am unable to go into the stable area - the ground is too uneven and today it was super muddy due to heavy rains that passed through the area. I'm relegated to the car and I got some reading done. I'm reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

Friday - yet more camera toys (I told you I spent too much time online shopping)

The Olloclip attaches to the iPhone and comes with three lenses - macro, wide angle and fisheye.

Here is the first macro shot I took:

The stitching details on Caesar's bridle. We were again at the stable, I was again stuck in the car.

In the stable, Erica took this picture of Caesar with his winter blanket:

Since Caesar's winter coat doesn't come in as thick around his upper body, we bought a blanket for him to wear when the temps dip below 20 degF. We think he looks quite formal with his wrap.

The Brownie Hawkeye

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

I blame my knee injury for this, but truthfully, I've had my eye on a film camera for at least a year, ever since my workplace auctioned off a vintage Canon AE1 SLR camera they found in a back room closet. I placed a bid on that camera, but didn't win.

After that, I've gone to eBay, scrolling through the endless collection of vintage SLRs and box cameras, bid on several, seemed to lose every auction. I thought I wanted a 35mm film camera, but started reading up on medium format cameras and decided it would be something different for me to play around with. After all, isn't that what this thing called photography is all about - trying new things.

I did some research and found a great site that outlines the ins and outs of the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and decided that would the camera to buy. Because what good is a camera if you don't know how to use it?

OK, they are super cute to photograph:

It came with the original box and user manual.

The camera is in mint condition - I don't think it has ever been used. It is an earlier model, as evidenced by the metal winding knob. It doesn't support an external flash, so it was made between 1949 and 1951. It's probably the oldest thing we own now!

Now to buy some 120mm film. Not that I think it will produce Hasselblad like images, but it will be fun to experiment with.

Linked to This or That Thursday:

Through the Looking Glass

2012-01-24T20:02:00.000-06:00

This is what happens when I'm out of commission and not able to go outside with my camera.

I'm finding different ways to shoot things outside from the inside:

My neighbor's backyard, taken through a drinking glass. I was drinking a big glass of water when I noticed how the bottom of the glass distorted the window in front of me, like a fisheye lens.

See the bent lines? Those are part of the windows, normally straight. Hey, I'm always on the lookout for weird things like this!

Changing subjects - my knee injury - first of all, thank you for all the well wishes. I found out today that I have a torn ACL (the Anterior Cruciate Ligament). Truthfully, this is the diagnosis that I expected and while it's certainly not something I wished for, I know it is treatable through surgery and I am confident I'll recover. So no marathon for me this year, but I won't let this stop me from trying in 2013.

Lessons Learned

2012-01-23T17:38:00.000-06:00

Since injuring my knee on Wednesday, I've learned several things:

Crutches look easy to use, but in reality there is nothing "natural" about sticking these contraptions under your arms, planting them and swinging your feet forward.
Crutches do get easier to use with time. The problem is thinking you have mastered them. That's when you could wipe out. Fortunately, no first hand experience here!
Stairs are quite frightful when you have a bum knee and are using crutches. I understand why ranch houses are popular for folks with knee issues.
There are a myriad of ways to maneuver up the stairs when you are on crutches. My son has determined at least 5 different variations and has demonstrated them all to me. I've stuck with his first one - if it works, there's no reason to risk falling down the stairs trying something else.
Crutches can serve as pretend guns. Just ask my son.
You can't carry anything when on crutches. I am thankful for pockets.
Heavy doors are impossible to open when on crutches. I am thankful for those automatic doors and people who hold open the manual doors.

I have a new appreciation for folks who have permanent mobility challenges - you really take those basic things for granted.

Windows to the Outside

2012-01-22T19:30:00.000-06:00

I'm home bound this weekend, so this is what I found around the house. I love windows and I wish we had more or at least better ones.

1. Side Glance, 2. Frost on the Trees, 3. Looking Outside, 4. Catching My Reflection

Linked to Mosaic Monday and the Photo Of the Week Challenge.

Sunday Selections

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

First some random thoughts:
Hubby is mourning a little bit today - Syracuse basketball suffered their first loss of the season last night.

I'm home bound again and starting to get a little stir crazy. I probably need to start reading those books I never seem to have time for.

Now some photos for this week's Photo scavenger hunt.
Sunset:

Actually taken two weeks ago - for whatever reason, I wasn't outside to catch the sunset this week.

Black and White:

Monday night dinner at a no-frills sushi restaurant

A Day in My Life:

I get to watch hubby and Samuel cat relax on the couch. A Day in Sam's life is quite grueling - nap, snuggle, eat, pounce on the other cat then snuggle some more....

Four:

Four Fabulous finds -
Upper Left: $18 coat (Aeropostale)
Upper Right: $12 long sweater (Target)
Lower Left: $12 ruffle sweater (Target)
Lower Right: $17 lacy sweater (Hollister)
Can you tell I have teenagers in the house? Whenever I am forced to shop at their stores, I try to find something for me.... Sometimes I find something cute and not too age inappropriate.

Colorful:

A salad I ate Saturday afternoon. Spring mix, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette, crumbled blue cheese and a sprinkling of trail mix (nuts and dried fruit). Really yummy!

Saturday Morning

2012-01-21T15:25:00.000-06:00

It's a cold Saturday, and with my knee injury, I am unable to go anywhere outside. Fortunately, the bright sunshine makes up for my lack of mobility and I am thankful I can hobble around with my camera inside.

The Morning Sun:

Sam awoke mid morning and promptly found the warmest spot in the house.

I hope you are having a great Saturday!

P365+1 Week 3 - Quite The Change of Plans

2012-01-20T17:56:00.001-06:00

We started the week with snow, sprinkled in an altering event in the middle and ended with more snow.

Last Saturday, January 14 - Shadow in the snow:

I was out taking photos out in the snow after my morning marathon training run.

Sunday, January 15 - Snowball fights:

The boys were taking advantage of the first snow. They tried to build a snow ramp, then decided there wasn't enough snow for sledding and went to option two - flinging snow at each other.

Monday, January 16 - Sushi:

An impromptu dinner out at a "new to us" restaurant - and the sushi was consumed in three minutes. The restaurant abuts an Asian grocery store, so after dinner, we bought all sorts of fun Asian snacks like Pocky and Moochi. Yum!

Tuesday, January 17 - Trying to Stay Warm:

I purchased this coat Saturday afternoon while at the Aeropostale with my son. I love the hood feature, it's warm and best of all, it was only $18.

Wednesday, January 18 - Sunny Start:

The day started off nice enough. I love sunny mornings in the winter. Unfortunately, things didn't end so well Wednesday night....

Thursday, January 19 - The Result of Wednesday Night, aka, my marathon training is over:

While playing soccer, I turned wrong and my left knee gave out a huge popping noise and then it gave away. The popping was so loud, the players on the side of the field heard it. I can't bear weight on it without it feeling like it's going to give out from underneath me. Had an X-ray today and an MRI scheduled for next week. Needless to say I won't be running any time soon.

Friday, January 20 - Today's Office:

I'm working from home today, trying to keep off the knee. Note the bag of ice next to the mouse - my knee has swelled up and I need to get the swelling down for the MRI to be effective (advice from a good friend).

What a difference a week makes, and while not necessarily the good kind of difference, in the grand scheme of things, things will be OK. I'm fairly certain, based on conversations with others, that I will be able to run again. I won't lie - I'm disappointed that I won't be able to run that marathon this year, but there will be other opportunities in the future.

I hope your week wasn't as "exciting" as mine!

Instagram Tricks - Drop Shadows Using Photogene2

2012-01-18T18:31:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that I'm a huge Instagram fan. I am using my iPhone and Instagram for this year's P365+1. I previously wrote a tutorial on How To post Vertical photos in Instagram. Since then I've learned how to get a drop shadow effect in Instagram and that's what I'm writing about today.

First of all, you need to have an photo editing application that creates the drop shadow effect. I use the Photogene2 app. Seriously, at $0.99, it offers so much power for the money. I use it for 99% of all my iPhone post processing.

In Photogene2, select the photo you want to edit and click on the wrench on the bottom of the screen to bring up the editing menu, shown in the screen shot below:

Select the Preset Menu, and then Select Frames in the Preset's sub-menu, and scroll through the variations until you see Drop Shadow:

Click on the Apply button at the upper left corner of the screen to apply the drop shadow to your photo.

The Photogene2 background defaults to Grey, so now you have to change the background to White. Select the Enhance Menu

Then Scroll to the backgrounds selection and select the white "radio button" to change the background to white:

Export the photo to your camera stream. If your photo is already cropped to the square format, you can open up Instagram and post it. Note that if you use any filters or frames in Instagram, that will impact the drop shadow. I opt for no filter (Normal in Instgram).

Here is the end result:

If you have a non square photo, check out my How To post Vertical photos in Instagram post for further instructions.

If you want to follow my on Instgram, my handle is @shirley319. Happy Instagramming!

From A Japanese Restaurant

2012-01-18T07:53:00.000-06:00

I'm playing catch up with the #POTW52 / Photo of the Week challenge. The concept is simple - take two photos a week, using the month's prompt as a guide. January's prompt is Black and White, which is probably why I'm behind. I find it hard to visualize Black and White while shooting.

I'm not quite sure what makes a Black and White photo "work" over a color photo, but I chose this one because of the varied shades of light illuminating the scene. We just sat down to dinner at a local Japanese Restaurant and the place was nearly empty. Five minutes later and these empty tables were full. It's a no-frills place when it comes to decor, but the sushi was delicious!

[sushi picture taken with my iPhone / Instagram]

Captured While it Lasted

2012-01-17T15:30:00.000-06:00

Last week's snow is all gone today, washed away by rain and warm temperatures [55 degF yesterday - didn't see that predicted by the weatherman]. If you ever think that tomorrow will be a great day to get the camera out and take a picture, think again. It may be all gone tomorrow.

No more of this:

Or the white background on this one:

What's keeping you from capturing a bit of beauty today?

Coming Out Of the Snow

2012-01-16T20:21:00.000-06:00

Some dead plant branches sticking out of the snow, I converted the photo to Black and White, then to a pencil sketch using Topaz Adjust. Finally, I added a black/white oil paint texture. Not my usual post processing, but I thought I'd try something different for the POTW52 challenge.

The 2012 Family Calendar

2012-01-15T20:59:00.000-06:00

Every January I put together 8x10 composites for our family calendar. I always felt I was "running behind" because I set the calendar to start on January. Last year I got smarter and set the starting month to February. But it's now the middle of January, and I still hadn't started on the calendar.
Until today....
Somehow I managed to get the composites done in one afternoon.

The slideshow will scroll through all the months. I created the composites in Photoshop Elements, using elements I've found on the internet.

I am also linking to Mary at Little Red House and Mosaic Monday. I hope you have a great evening.

Winter Is Here - A Photo Scavenger Hunt

2012-01-15T07:32:00.001-06:00

I'm participating, for the first time, in Ashley Sisk's Photo Scavenger Hunt. Each week, there are photo prompts to look for. For some reason, I actually remembered some of the prompts, and with the recent snow, was able to get some shots. This week we have Stacked Up, Winter Wonderland, Sweet, Hole and Frozen.

Stacked Up:

Winter Wonderland:

Sweet:

Hole:

Frozen:

This scavenger hunt was easier than I though - all the photos were taken yesterday, in the house or in the backyard. I think the key for me is to write down the prompts and have them in the back of my head while I am out and around. I hope to participate more in the future!

P365+1 - Week 2 in Instagram

2012-01-13T19:56:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning, I stretched after a short run:

I have to admit, I almost never take time to stretch, unless I am in some sort of group fitness class where the instructor runs through a stretching routine. Well, this morning I was still sore from a soccer game from Wednesday, so I took that extra time to stretch.

Sunday morning - the first group run:

I've officially signed up to run my first marathon in April. Because it's my first, and because there is a great local training program, I signed up for it. Today was the first run with the training group, and while I don't like running on Sunday mornings (because I'm normally in church), I decided to go in order to meet the pace leaders. It just happens that I know the leader for my pace group (the guy in orange). We had a great 12 mile run.
The photo is fuzzy because when I run, I put my iPhone in a plastic baggie, and I took the picture without thinking how that would impact the camera lens. I really wasn't going for an arty look, LOL!

Monday afternoon - at the orthodontist:

This should be my daughter's second to last orthodontist appointment. In two weeks she's scheduled to get her braces off (FINALLY).

Tuesday morning - my daughter's breakfast:
\
I'm a pushover and make her breakfast and lunch every morning. As for the "coffee", I take my coffee, pour her about two ounces, then add 8 ounces of hot water. Then she adds the flavored creamer - a lot of it. Oh, and my coffee is 1/3 regular, 2/3 decaf. I think she just likes the creamer....

Wednesday night - indoor soccer:

The reason why I can't walk up the stairs on Thursday.... Somehow I signed up to play on a women's soccer league. I can run long distances, but I will tell you that sprinting and kicking require a different set of muscles because I am so sore! I know my legs will adjust in a couple of weeks, but for now they are in pain. Oh, we lost tonight's game, but we're getting better.

Thursday - Winter's back:

Our first Winter Weather Advisory which resulted in several inches of snow, which then blew around due to the 30 mph winds. Welcome to winter on the prairie. The 60 degF temperatures we enjoyed on Tuesday are but a faint memory now.

Friday - Lunch break:

I passed up a lunch invite to a local Mexican restaurant. I ate there yesterday and I needed to eat my healthier salad.

Are you doing a P365+1 this year? Using the iPhone and Instagram has made it so easy. I hope your week has been a great one and enjoy the upcoming weekend!

Ruby Red

2012-01-12T05:55:00.000-06:00

Well dang, somehow the post I wrote last night got nuked, and I don't really remember what I wrote, other than I posted this picture of a freshly poured glass of wine:

Linked to This or That Thursday:

We're under a Winter Weather Advisory today, and I hope your weather is nicer than ours!

Like Spring, in the Middle of January

2012-01-10T20:15:00.002-06:00

We can't complain about the spring like weather we've had the past few days - like winter forgot to show up this year.

No worries, it will be back tomorrow night - a blast of cold and snow is on its way.

We took advantage of the perfect weather, clear skies, longer days with a visit to the stable.

As a bonus, friend Jordan and her mom groomed Caesar before we arrived, so all Erica needed to do was saddle him up and the girls were ready for their first trail ride of 2012.

The sun was going down, so they timed things just right.

I was concerned it would be too dark when they finished, but I didn't care when I saw the scene in front of me as they walked back to the stable.

A perfect ending to the day.

Linked to Communal Global.

Pin It

Baby David at Eight Months

2012-01-08T19:23:00.000-06:00

Back in May, I photographed a friend's newborn:

Little David has grown up so much in the last eight months!

My friend, Nancy, was telling me the story of how little David did not like going to the normal photo studio, so I offered to go to their house to see if David would put up with me and my camera. I really enjoyed our time together and I hope they enjoy the photos.

Linked to Mosaic Monday at Mary's Little Red House

The Wine Collection

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

We MUST fit the demographic that wine sellers target.

It all started so innocently with a mailing from Laithwaites Wine - their introductory offer of 15 bottles for $90, which included shipping and handling. Wow, that was $6/bottle! Being the cheapskate that I am, I ordered the 15 bottles.

They arrived right before Christmas. Note - the shippers can't simply leave the wine at your doorstep - an adult has to sign for it. Fortunately, I was home for the delivery.

It was fun opening up the box - 15 bottles of beautiful red wine!

Since our trip to Italy last year, I've been somewhat obsessed with Chianti wines and Italian wines in general. We received two bottles of Chianti in this shipment.

There was a rouge bottle of white in the shipment - a mistake - I called up the company and they shipped out the proper bottle, no questions asked. So customer service looks good.

And the wine? We've consumed 4 bottle so far, and each has been really good. We're storing the bottles in the basement and we joke that we now have a "wine cellar". Scott has researched some actual wine racks so we can store them properly. Can you say we're hooked?

Prairie Sunsets

2012-01-07T11:37:00.001-06:00

I often take pictures of the sunrises and sunsets - they are just so amazing around here.

Last week's sunrises and sunsets were all gorgeous - and you can tell the days are getting longer.

P365+1 - Week One: Starts

2012-01-06T21:16:00.000-06:00

So far, 2012's P365+1 has been pretty easy - 6 days down, 300 to go!

I really like using my iPhone for this project. It's so convenient to snap a capture, process it a little and upload it to my flickr and Instagram streams.

Day 1, Sunday Jan 1:
A windy afternoon visit to the stable. The strong wind was coming from the North, so you know it was a cold wind! I could barely keep from blowing over as I took this picture.

Processed using Photogene2 - I think I used the bleach preset as a starting point. Then in Instagram, added the Early bird filter

Day 2, Monday Jan 2:
It was another COLD and windy day - like gusts up to 40 mph. I managed my first run of 2012 - 6 miles in the crazy weather. We received a dusting of snow - enough to cover the front porch. Even Sam, who loves to go outside didn't venture past the refuge of the front porch.

I lightened Sam's face using Photogene2 (yes, you can dodge and burn using the app), created the diptych using PicFrame and added the drop shadow using Photogene2 again.

Day 3, Tuesday Jan 3:
Single digits in the morning as we started the work week. Brrr!! The cold temperatures really emphasize the steam coming from this unit at work.

A simple Instagram Filter applied - Sutro

Day 4, Wednesday Jan 4:
After almost two weeks off, I had to get back to violin practice. As a result of my daughter re-arranging her bedroom, the furniture here is "new to this room", but with the late afternoon sun, it makes for a nice, airy music room.

I applied the Rise Instagram Filter

Day 5, Thursday Jan 5:
It's back to school for the kids! Two weeks of staying up late and sleeping to noon are over. They were dragging a bit this morning, but heck, it's Thursday already, so I think they are getting off easy....

Instagram again, Hefe Filter

Day 6, Friday Jan 6:
A warm end to the week - it hit 60 degF this afternoon. The sunrises and sunsets have been beautiful all week long and today was no exception. Taken at the stable, the girl was taking advantage of the warm weather with the horses.

I had an Instagram version of this, but I messed up the transfer to flickr, so this is pretty much the original photo.

Bonus iPhone photos! Because sometimes you can't stop taking photos....
After this morning's sunrise - contrails in the sky

Spotted at lunch, outside a restaurant. Actually, I didn't spot the pair of boxers in the truck - an observant co-worker did. But I was the only one who took their picture.

I had to lighten up the doggie in the driver's side (Photogene2) and then I brought the adjusted picture into Camera+ and applied the Clarity enhancement to cut away the haze from the windshield.

I hope you enjoyed this week's photos!

Cold Snap Melt

2012-01-05T22:19:00.000-06:00

After a chilly start to the New Year, it's warmed up (to 50 degF!), which means the ice that formed over the pond is going to melt away. I caught some of the melting ice before it was all gone.

Makes one appreciate a little cold snap now and then.

Linked to This or That Thursday

2012 Photography Projects

2012-01-02T19:26:00.000-06:00

The First DSLR Photo of 2012!

Start of the new year always brings the promise of fresh beginnings and new projects to try.

For two years, I did a Project 365, taking a picture every day and blogging about it. I took last year off - I got a little burned out by the demands of a daily photo - the year off allowed me to relax a little.

This year, I will be starting another Project 365+1 (+1 because of the leap year), but with several differences from what I had done in the past. This year, I won't blog every day about the daily photo. I think a weekly summary will be sufficient. I also plan to take all the pictures with my iPhone. Any edits will be accomplished using the apps I use on my iPhone, too.

I've also signed on with several friends from twitter - a weekly photo challenge based on a monthly theme. Two photos per week tagged with the twitter hash tag #POTW52. Add photos to the flickr group Friends Photo a Day Challenge or post to your blog. Pretty simple. January's theme is Black and White and I need to get hopping! I'll do this challenge using my big camera.

The last new project - a commitment to take at least one self portrait each week, as a part of Urban Muser's In the Picture Challenge. I started something similar in October and will continue. I think a monthly blog post with the selfies is all you'll have to endure!

Which Camera to Use this Year? Both, of Course!

So, three newish projects, on top of weekly memes I've been involved with - [Texture Tuesday, This or That Thursday, etc], and the occasional post about what's going on in my family's life. I also want to complete a new Blurb Book which features all the photos I took last year. Yikes! It's going to be a full year!

Welcoming In 2012

2012-01-01T21:30:00.000-06:00

Wow, Happy New Years! Bye 2011, Hello 2012!

We managed to welcome in 2012 at our friends' house - we ate, drank and played games and managed to all stay up to usher in the New Year.

We played a very intense game of Mexican Train Dominos.

I'll disclose that I finished dead last. I started the game out thinking I wouldn't have any issues - afterall, the last time I played, I won. Well, I underestimated the group I was playing with.

Buck - can you tell how intense he is?

Buck won the first 6 or 7 rounds.

Next to me, Leah and her dad, Dan:

My "hand":

I actually came close to winning this round, but I think I still lost and was left with too many points.

We took a little break in the action when Henry brought in one of his pet rats. Yes, I said rats. Apparently, they make good pets - they are very friendly and intelligent. More so than a hamster, but you have to get past the fact that they are rats. And the long tails are a little freaky.

Scott got up close and personal:

In the end, Dan, came from behind to win the game.

Then the kids went out side with noise makers, sparklers and silly string:

At midnight, we all toasted to the New Year!
I hope you had a wonderful New Year's Celebration!

Last Week in Instagram

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

I didn't have the chance to take many photos with my big camera, but my iPhone filled the gap.

Enjoying a bit of the red wine I bought (I bought 15 bottles through a mail order deal)

Zoom zoom:

The Gingerbread house that never got assembled - the kids got distracted by their new toys. We ate it instead, which is something that never happens.

It's me taking a walk in the late afternoon. It was a little windy.

Sushi for lunch!

First snow of the season on Tuesday.... on the morning I had to go back to work .....

By the afternoon, all the snow had melted away....

Thursday morning commute - it was a beautiful day!

Practically in the Backyard

2011-12-27T15:30:00.000-06:00

A really nice feature of our community is the Parks and Recreation department - they've done a wonderful job of creating green spaces all around the city, some close to the "urban" areas, some weaving through the neighborhoods, all designed to encourage interaction with the natural habitat of the prairie.

A new park is under construction, a mere half mile from our house. A year ago, it was just an open field, but now there are trails, a gazebo and pond area.

This looks like a fishing pier of some sorts.

Another view of the pond:

I've been running the park trails since I discovered them, about a month ago. Since then, the pier and bridge in the above pictures have gone in - perhaps they are targeting an official spring or summer opening.

It's nice to run here, along the water, especially on sunny mornings:

Solitary Flight

2011-12-26T12:00:00.000-06:00

Taken while I was on a solitary walk. It was amazing to see him soar in the sky.

Christmas Goodies

2011-12-26T11:05:00.000-06:00

As predicted, not a white Christmas (unless you count the white frost on the grass - the kids didn't and declared "it didn't seem like Christmas".

But it was a very nice Christmas indeed - we are truly blessed and so fortunate in our lives.

Some of the goodies -

Another pair of Uggs for my daughter. I stick with the knock offs to offset the cost.

Just when I thought the kids had grown up, hubby goes and buys them (or really, himself) a slot car track and race set. It's not your normal Hotwheels cars set. This is a heavy duty set that takes up the entire length of the Dining room. Even the grown ups can be kids again with this set.

Smells like Justin Beiber? I doubt it, but it does smell nice.

A lovely new camera strap for me, purchased by my daughter. Wow, she definitely knows what I like because it is perfect.

Of course, there was so much more, but I'm to the point where I don't want to take pictures of everything. It's too tiring, even the cat had to take a nap under the tree when it was all over:

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and January 2012 Screen Saver Wallpaper

2011-12-23T14:21:00.000-06:00

Is it too soon to be talking about 2012? Really, January 2012 is just around the corner.....

I started making 4x6 calendars for friends and family 2 years ago. I create the calendars using photos I have taken over the past year, adding on a monthly calendar grid in PSE. The most difficult part has been picking out the 12 photos and finding calendar grids I can easily use. This year, I found several grids at the PhotoShop Elements User blog. The blog post includes instructions on how to use the templates.

Since a 4x6 photo is a standard size, having these printed at your normal photo finisher is very cost effective. I normally use mpix.com to print mine, but I always run a "proof" set off at the local Walgreens.

Last year I started using the jpeg file as the wallpaper on my computer screen. This year I am making these files available for download.

Each month, I'll create a post with the download link and include a link on my side bar.

Download the January 2012 Calendar Wallpaper File Here or use the links in the preview below:

It's my small way of saying Merry Christmas and a Happy 2012!

A Not So White Christmas

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

It's not looking good for a White Christmas. It won't even be close, with forecast temperatures in the high 40s the rest of this week and next.

We'll have to settle for some "Prairie Snow".

I know, it's not quite the same thing.

But still pretty in its own, sparse way.

The sun is expected to shine brightly these next several days, and we have family flying in for the holidays. That's what's important, not the white stuff on the ground.

Christmas in Perspective

2011-12-20T20:23:00.001-06:00

Last week I posted a link to a song on Facebook. I was feeling a little overwhelmed, probably depressed and certainly angry about something insignificant in my life. Because I know I have such a blessed life and to be angry about something insignificant is purely me being selfish and unappreciative of the blessings that have bestowed upon me.

But that's the way I feel sometimes. I know we all feel that way, maybe even more so during the busy holiday season.

I'm going to share some songs tonight - one is the same song I posted to Facebook.

If you read my blog regularly, you know that I am a huge Sara Bareilles fan. Her cover of Joni Mitchell's River was released in 2008, but I never bought it until a couple weeks ago, which is weird because I normally buy her recordings as soon as they are released. Maybe I didn't need to hear it until now. And when it rains it pours, because the only TV show I regularly watch, Glee, also covered the song last week. Like I was feeling justified in my feeling blue.

It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer, singing songs of joy and peace
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

But it don't snow here, it stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
And then I'm gonna quit this crazy scene
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

As a counterpoint, another Sara B song, this one just released (and promptly purchased) - Love is Christmas, to help me put things more into perspective...

I don’t care if the house is packed,
Or the strings of light are broken.
I don’t care if the gifts are wrapped,
Or there’s nothing here to open.

Love is not a toy, and no paper will conceal it.
Love is simply joy that I’m home.

I don’t care if the carpet's stained; we've got food upon our table.
I don’t care if it’s gonna rain, our little room is warm and stable.

Love is who we are, and no season can contain it.
Love would never fall for that.

We sing oooooooooooooooo

Let love lead us, love is Christmas.

Why so scared that you’ll mess it up? When perfection keeps you haunted.
All we need is your best my love, that’s all anyone ever wanted.

Love is how we do, let no judgment overrule it.
Love I look to you, and I sing.

Let love lead us, love is Christmas.
Let love lead us, love is Christmas.

Finally, a small clip of a song our church choir sang last Sunday - I sing in the choir and we perform once a year - at Christmas. The song, Hope is Born Again really touched my heart last Wednesday and snapped me out of my funk....

I couldn't find a full recording anywhere online (even though I know we were recorded during our performance, but I'm sure due to copyright restrictions, our church doesn't publish them online), and the best I could find was a promotional compilation:

The song starts at 3:37

Winter Chill
Icy day
Christmas cheer feels far away
Heavy heart
December blue
Night falls hard on this solitude
Somewhere in the twilight
A star of wonder shines
And a carol breaks the silence
To remind this heart of mine
God has stepped across the sky
From the other side
He came near to us
He is real to us
The Father reaches out his hand to every child and man
Hope is born again

I hope that if you are feeling overwhelmed this Christmas season to remember the Gift that is Christmas. Blessings to you.

2011 Christmas Card

2011-12-20T15:00:00.000-06:00

I previously posted about our yearly Christmas Card picture and now the picture has been transformed into a physical card:

Yes, I couldn't help but break out the heart bokeh filter again. The picture is a little dark because I took it at dusk with no natural light, but it does the job.

This year I had to do something different for card display - in previous years, we had the baby grand piano to use as a huge display area, but it now resides at my sister's house in North Carolina.

I ended up buying several photo display cable / magnet sets - I purchased one when visiting Michigan with friends back in October. The cables measure 6 feet long and hang off a nail or thumbtack in the wall (or in my case, I just taped them to the wall). Stong magnets hold the photos / cards in place along the cable. You can see the cable behind the card in the photo above.

Here's my quick and dirty display area in the house:

You can buy these cable systems at PhotoJojo, although I bought mine through Mishu Designs, as that was the brand name of the single set I purchased in Michigan. I love how versatile they are - you can purchase decorative magnets to match your decor or the changing seasons. I think I need to buy some Christmas magnets to spruce up my display....

Sparkles

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

I finally got some free time to take pictures of random ornaments on random trees.

Because none of these ornaments are from our tree - I see pretty ornaments and just start snapping away....

Even if the tree is in the middle of a lobby and you can tell by the reflection in the ornament. Sometimes you just have to stop and take a picture.

Snowy Sidewalks

2011-12-18T20:25:00.000-06:00

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing, people passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you'll hear

Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas day

We added the Christmas Bakery to our fledgling Lego Christmas Village this year. I saved last year's Santa's Workshop from the big Lego pit (aka the black hole in my son's room - thousands of Lego pieces from many Lego sets) and stored it in our Christmas decorations box. Brian was quite excited when he opened the box with the pieces and promptly recreated Santa's Workshop and added the white street snow for all the villagers to walk on.

Then the bakery arrived last week:

I love all the details in these sets.

It's the closest to a snow-lined street scene we'll encounter this year, as I'm afraid we won't get to experience a white Christmas in real life.

It Don't Mean a Thing If You Ain't Got that Swing

2011-12-12T13:00:00.002-06:00

.... so doo-whop down ... to the Middle School Band and Jazz Band concert.

My son has impressed me with his self motivated interest in playing the saxophone. I figured it would be a fleeting fancy, to be replaced by some other "hobby du jour". After all, musical instruments require practice, patience and you don't sound good just because you score a 100% on the Guitar Hero video game. You have to seriously work at it.

And of course, there is that "band geek" persona that seems to come to life when the kids enter Middle School. Not that I care about this sort of labeling - I played in the Orchestra all through school, perhaps one of the lowest form of musical geek there is. I know I loved (and still love) creating music and that's why I stuck with it all those years.

To open up the evening, the symphonic band played:

The band "uniform" - tuxedo shirts, black pants and black shoes. The shirts were specially ordered at the beginning of the year, but since the boy lives in blue jeans and white t shirts, we had to make a special trip to find black pants. Let me tell you, shopping at Kohls' on a Saturday night during the Christmas shopping season was not fun. And I don't even want to talk about what we went through to find black dress shoes in a size 7. Suffice it to say, we bought up a half size and I hope the shoes still fit him in the Spring....

Much to his chagrin, Scott and I happened to nab front row seats in the audience. And the girl next him - her parents just happened to be sitting next to us. I think their expressions say it all.

The 6th Grade Symphonic band played three pieces. I video taped a couple of snippets of their performance, but I'll spare you the details....

In addition to symphonic band, he's playing in the Lower Jazz Band (aka, the Lab Jazz Band), kind of the "starter" jazz band. At the start of school, he didn't want to play in the jazz band, but somewhere along the way he changed his mind. As the jazz bands meet at 7am before school for practice, there must be real desire to be a part of this ensemble.

I love the informality, the "coolness" of jazz....

Truthfully, I love jazz band. I've kept my opinions to myself, because I didn't want to influence my son's decision to participate. Secretly, I was thrilled to have him involved. So cue the extra proud Mom smile when he stood up for a solo:

I think he was pleased too.

Puffs of Cotton

2011-12-10T15:21:00.001-06:00

We had our first official snowfall Friday morning, although I'm not sure if the dusting really qualifies as "snowfall". At least the roads were clear and the drive to school and work not impacted.

There was enough snow to form puffs on the yews at work.

Like nature's ornaments.

I'm linking up with the Mortal Muses and their special 14 Days of Many Muses Musing. They are offering great giveaways, so check them out!

A Little Frost

2011-12-09T20:36:00.001-06:00

It's the time of year when every week night is filled with some combination of holiday parties, concerts, rehearsals, end of semester projects and other end of year "stuff". I haven't had the opportunity to sit down at the computer since last Sunday evening, but I was glad to have a free Friday evening to get some recent photos off my camera.

From earlier in the week - a brief glimpse of the morning sun illuminated the frosty grass for about 5 minutes.

The Lavender in the garden is frozen, but still beautiful

Here's to a relaxing weekend!

Instagram Tricks - Posting Vertical Photos in Instagram

2011-12-04T20:45:00.000-06:00

Have you ever wondered how Instagrammers post vertical pictures to their Instagram feed?

I know that one of the unique facets of the Instagram app is the square photo format. However, I follow some talented Instagrammers who post vertical and horizontal photos, even photos with drop shadows. I've always wondered how they did it.

Enter the power of the Internet, and I've found an app that formats your vertical and horizontal photos specifically for Instagram. The app is called Squaready and it is free. It's a very simple app - you pick the picture and it puts a white border around it. When you export it to Instagram, it opens up the Instagram app and it's ready to go.

To illustrate further, some screen shots from my phone.

This is the main screen once you open the app. Tap the Folder to select the photo you want to use. It brings you to your camera roll, and you select an existing photo.

It brings the selected photo on to the palette where you can resize or move. There are sizing guides to help. In this example, I brought in a film strip type photo (taken in IncrediBooth),

Then I reduced it a little and moved it over.

Tap on the upper right export icon and the following dialog pops up - I always choose Send in Instagram Format.

Instagram opens up and your photo is ready. You have to select the Normal filter. Other filters will change the color of the white background. The exception is the Inkwell filter which transforms it into Black and White.

In your Instagram feed, it looks something like this:

Even horizontal photos can benefit from this app:

Because if you use the Instagram app, you get those black horizontal bars:

So go ahead and take those portrait photos into Instagram - buck the square format once in a while.....

Now, to figure out how to add a drop shadow.....

I'm on Instagram as shirley319 - hope to see you there!

Camera Phone Friday - Looking Like Christmas

2011-12-02T15:30:00.000-06:00

As much as I love my big DSLR, I love the convenience and instant sharing capability of my iPhone camera.

In the past week, we picked out the Christmas tree and decorated it - it's beginning to look like Christmas around here:

No, we didn't pick out an artificial tree from here - I just liked the pretty store display...

Here's our tree in the car:

Nothing says Christmas more than the red poinsettia:

And decorations on the tree:

Today's photos taken with my iPhone 4s.

Nikon Camera Recommendations - Holiday 2011

2011-12-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

Normally, I don't use this blog to make recommendations around camera gear, but one of my friends asked me for a suggestion, and I emailed my responses to him. I thought there might be others who would benefit from the information I shared with my friend, especially with the Holiday season upon us.

Note - my recommendations are just that - recommendations, and my sole opinions - there are many, many other sites that provide similar advice and I'll link to those sources at the end of my post.

My friend wants to upgrade the family camera from a point and shoot to a DSLR. He has an old film Rebel and two lenses. Their kids participate in a lot of sports and are very active.

So the initial questions I always consider when choosing a camera:
   Who will use the camera and
   What will they be capturing?

In my friend's case, I gathered that
He and his wife will be using the camera (casual / beginner camera user)
They want to capture their children in sports and other activities (action shots).

Another very important question to consider is that of budget -
How much money do you want to spend?

I wasn't given that information from my friend, so I suggested a range of cameras and lenses for him to consider.

For DSLR's I always recommend either Canon or Nikon systems, as they hold the highest market share for DSLRs. I personally use a Nikon DSLR system and know more about the Nikon DSLRs and lenses. I am less in tune with the Canon line up but know that for any given Nikon camera or lens, there is some Canon equivalent.

My friend already has some Canon gear. Because of this, I recommended he look at Canon instead of Nikon.

But I couldn't just leave things open ended like that, so I gave him the following recommendations for a Nikon system, with the following criteria in mind -
   They will need casual / beginner camera user
    They need to capture fast action

Option 1: Nikon D7000 body, $1200

Source - Amazon.com

Option 2: Nikon D5100 body, $750

Source - Amazon.com

I like the D7000 over the D5100 due to its Auto focus capabilities - features like 3D tracking, 39 focus points and 7fps (frames / second) can really give you more "keepers" when it comes to shooting sports. The D5100 in comparison has 11 focus points, shoots 4 fps and doesn't have the 3D tracking feature.

However, I could almost sense the air sucking into my friend's lungs due to sticker shock. I personally have no problem plunking down four figures for a camera body, but for first time DSLR buyers, it's probably a bit of a shock. Hence, my alternate recommendation of the D5100.

Once you have a camera body, you need at least one lens.
Again, the lens depends upon the requirements of the user. In my friends' case, their kids play baseball, softball, soccer and basketball - a zoom lens of at least 200mm is best. There are several options, but the most versatile in Nikon's line up right now is the Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S lens. It is $900.

Source: Amazon.com

A less expensive option - the Nikkor 55-200 f4-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX which is only $150 right now as it is on sale. This could be paired with another lens to cover the wide angle, the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens, which is $200:

Source: Amazon.com

Source: BH Photo Video

As you can tell by the links I've used, I like purchasing my camera gear from B and H Photo Video and Amazon. If given the choice, I purchase from B&H - their customer service is top notch.

Note, I don't participate in any affiliate programs, so I don't benefit in any way from the links I've posted.

An excellent resource to research cameras:
dpreview

So my friend is considering the Canon equivalent of the D5100. Another one of my bloggy friends, Puna, just let me know that she received an early Christmas present - a D7000, which replaces her old D40! What camera gear are you hoping to receive this Holiday Season? I hope you get what you wish for.....

Shadows and Light

2011-12-01T18:09:00.001-06:00

Passing the guest bedroom this afternoon, the sun caught my eye. It was a gorgeous, sunny start to December.

The nice thing about December - of course there's Christmas - but I look forward to the days start getting longer after December 21.

How was your start to December?

I know I'm late, but I'm linked to This or That Thursday

Bokeh Christmas Tree

2011-11-28T19:35:00.001-06:00

I found the heart bokeh filter I made last year - it was in one of my several camera gear "boxes", kind of my junk drawers for camera stuff I don't want to store in the big bag. But I found it nonetheless:

We placed the tree in a different spot this year and I couldn't fit the entire tree in thee frame without hitting a wall. So I used the reflection in the window instead to get this shot:

I would love to figure out how to make smaller bokeh orbs, but for now, this will do.

The Rest of the Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-28T06:30:00.000-06:00

It's tradition for our family to pick out the Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving. I guess that's officially "Black Friday", but we don't participate in the early morning "door buster deals" anymore. I used to get up at 5am to hit a couple stores, but I learned I didn't like the crowds or waiting in line. Plus, we pretty much do all of our shopping online.

So back to the tree - it always seems that the weather is nice and sunny and this year was no different. We always go to the same store and we normally pick out a Balsam Fir tree. This year, the kids wanted something different - a Scotch pine tree. I always take a picture at the store, with the chosen tree:

So I can look back and see how much the kids have grown - here's the picture from 2008:

Once we pick out the tree, we wander around the store because there's so much pretty stuff to look at.

Another tradition associated with our tree picking adventure is the tree almost falling off the top of the truck. It never fails - we have to stop two or three times on the journey home (a whopping 4 mile trip) to re-secure the tree. Well, this year hubby got smart and put the tree inside the truck instead.

So the tree is up and I hope to take some new "tree bokeh" photos in the coming weeks, like I did last year.

In the Garden

2011-11-26T13:01:00.001-06:00

I spent Thanksgiving afternoon cleaning up the yard - when the temperatures are above 50 degF, and you've stuffed yourself with turkey, it's good to get out and moving around.

I also found some nice things to photograph in the garden:

The thyme that has survived the recent frosts. I used some in today's meal. There's nothing better than fresh herbs.

Sam, the Siamese, on the prowl.

He looks all intense, but he was chasing a leaf. Then he went inside and took a nap. Oh, to be a cat!
I hope you have a relaxing Saturday!

Camera Phone Friday - Recital Hall

2011-11-25T05:30:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday, I had the privilege of performing in a beautiful concert hall on campus.

Inside, on the large stage, the acoustics are so wonderful, I couldn't even imagine such a beautiful sound coming out of my instrument. I almost lost my place in the music as I became lost in the melody swirling around me.

The details on the ceiling - reliefs of lyres, horns and other musical elements - designed specifically for the love of music.

I managed to play without getting too nervous - for this recital, I played Schubert's Violin Sonata, D 574 in A Major, Massenet's Meditation from Thais and the Bach Double Concerto, which was performed with a group.

I hope I get to play there again.

Today's photos taken with my iPhone 4s.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2011-11-24T16:50:00.001-06:00

We eat Thanksgiving Dinner at 11:30am - it's something that Scott's family always did growing up, something we adopted in ours. Growing up in Massachusetts, we always had a High School football game to attend in the morning, so Thanksgiving Dinner was in the afternoon.

I like the 11:30am meal - we don't eat a large breakfast, are hungry for the Thanksgiving Feast. Then leftovers all afternoon.
The bonus this year - the kids didn't even wake until 11:00, so they got up and were hungry for turkey.

I have a love/hate relationship with these pop up thingies - for many years, they never worked for me - dry turkey resulted. So I bought an instant read thermometer, and the things start popping - always about 20 minutes before I think they are supposed to pop. Once the turkey is done, it never fails - the kitchen erupts into chaos, the carefully planned timing out the window, the once clean sink fills with bowls, pot and pans.

But the food gets to the table

The cats circle the table, knowing they're going to get some special food.

But not before we scoop them up for family pictures.

Time to eat leftovers - Again, I wish everyone Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Cactus

2011-11-24T13:54:00.001-06:00

Or maybe it's a Christmas Cactus that is, like the rest of the world, skipping over Thanksgiving and bombarding us with "Ho Ho Ho" and "50% off door buster deals for Black Friday".

OK, it's just a plant that decided to bloom and doesn't have ulterior motives.

But it does look a bit Christmassy...

I'm linking up with Deb Duty this Turkey Day:

I wish all the folks in the US a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My Eyes, Corrected

2011-11-23T08:12:00.001-06:00

Over a year ago, I posted this photo about my eyes:

Yesterday, I finally took the plunge, went under a laser and had my vision corrected.

Less than 24 hours since the "procedure" (my hubby won't let me say the word "surgery") and I am completely amazed by the result.

How bad was my eyesight? My last corrective lens prescription was -8.0 diopters in the left eye and -8.5 in the right eye. Can you say "blind as a bat"? Legally blind, it concerned me that if I were ever in a situation where I lost my glasses / contacts, I would be completely debilitated. To me, this was the deciding factor.

Will I miss the blur? I mimicked my uncorrected eyesight in this photo, looking outside at a tree and the cul de sac from inside the house:

So far I haven't. I can see rather clearly and each hour, the haze that was present after the procedure continues to fade.

I had to take a picture to remember this event - a not so flattering but real picture of me this morning, before I was allowed to remove the "ski goggles" required post procedure.

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am thankful for my eyes and the technology that restored my vision.

Like A Crimson Rain

2011-11-22T05:30:00.000-06:00

Most of the trees have shed their leaves now and the last three days have been cloudy, windy and downright gloomy. There's a dampness in the air that almost smells like that "s" word. You know, "snow". Fortunately, it's physically too warm for snow right now. But I can tell that white stuff is just around the corner....

Even with the gloom, I was able to find pretty crimson leaves, still holding on to the dogwood tree.

I added Kim Klassen's Pheobe texture, in the soft light blending mode.

Morning Frost

2011-11-20T18:24:00.001-06:00

Silver white sparkles
Sugar crystals dust the grass and leaves
Nature's Jewelry

Linked to Macro Monday.

Camera Phone Friday - Under the Lights

2011-11-18T15:00:00.000-06:00

I normally don't attend local sporting events, but somehow I found myself at two events this week.

First, a football game Saturday afternoon - and it was a perfect fall afternoon for football.

The temperatures cooled off as twilight descended upon the field and the lights came on.

The fans were feeling the cold reality that the home team wasn't going to win.

But the stadium looks pretty with all the lights on.

And leaving the game, we were entertained by this quartet of very talented drummers.

The second event - a basketball game on a cold, brisk night. But we were inside so it was OK.

I thought the arena was cool looking - all illuminated like a spaceship.

And this time, the home team won.

All photos taken on my iPhone4s, Square photos adjusted using Instagram.

Pond's Edge

2011-11-17T05:30:00.000-06:00

I drove back to the pond I ran past last week during my 11 miles on 11.11.11 - I wanted to take more time to capture it on my "big camera".

There are so many textures and colors present, I doubt I've done it justice.

I must remember to go back in the spring and summer.
Linked to This or That Thursday.

It's the Cat's Meow

2011-11-13T20:17:00.001-06:00

Just playing with my macro lens. I love that even with a chocolate face, Sam's whiskers are white. It's a great contrast.

Warm and Sweet

2011-11-12T20:14:00.001-06:00

There's nothing better on a cold November evening than a hot, steamy cup of hot chocolate.

Especially when there's a hint of peppermint in it.

Yum.

11 Miles on 11.11.11

2011-11-11T12:02:00.001-06:00

11.11.11 - a unique date that everyone wants to document. Last week I got the hair brained idea to run 11 miles on 11.11.11, and take a photo at each mile. If I had really been planning, I would have timed it so I finished up at 11:11 on 11.11.11, but I was just happy to make it through the 11 miles.

I used my Run Keeper iPhone app to notify me at each mile and it was my intent to stop, look around and take a picture at that moment. Sounded good on paper, but I'll admit that if I didn't like the current vista, I chose to continue running until I found something interesting to capture. I also mapped out a route I wasn't familiar with in order to "be surprised" by the scenery.

So come along with me for a virtual eleven miles on this 11.11.11:

Along the first mile:

I'll admit I stopped when I came upon this scene - it was too beautiful to pass up.

Around Mile 2.3:

Mile 3, running in the park:

Mile 4:

Mile 5, I followed the trail that winds along a small stream:

Mile 6, now I'm on the road that leads to the Middle and High Schools:

Mile 7, along the back side of the Middle and High Schools. We are lucky the schools were built around several parks.

At Mile 8.5, I was tempted to just stop and get a bagel. Instead, I ate a gel pack.

Around Mile 9, I was running along a busy street, but I saw these pretty flowers growing on the side road:

It's Mile 10 and that bench looks inviting.

I purposely finished up in the park that flanks one of the subdivision in our city. The trees, although past their prime are still pretty.

I treated myself to a nice pumpkin pie latte - a nice warm way to finish up my run.

And here's the entire route, courtesy of RunKeeper. The gray dots represent where I paused the app to take the pictures above.

I really liked the route, although I learned that I prefer running in the parks and on side streets instead of the busy main roads. I guess that's not too big of a surprise.

A post on Veteran's Day wouldn't be complete without a note of gratitude to those who have served in our Armed Forces that keep our Country free. I am truly grateful for all of our Veterans. You make it possible for me to run in the streets safely.

Where Have the Leaves Gone

2011-11-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

Of course, they aren't on the trees anymore.

They are in the pond.

Please ignore that green stuff. Yes, it is algae. I haven't had time to deal with the pond....

Linked to This or That Thursday.

Peaked

2011-11-09T08:27:00.000-06:00

I think the glory of fall has peaked here - pockets of bright leaves still exist, but most of the leaves have now fallen.

A lone leaf on the birch tree:

This tree doesn't want to give up its leaves:

I like its tenacity.

Scenes from the Weekend

2011-11-06T19:12:00.000-06:00

Actually, this collection of photos starts on Friday, which for some, could be considered as the weekend. Friday was just such a nice day from start to finish, it almost felt like the weekend:

1. Morning Friday - My Neighbor's Landscaping, 2. Walking into Work on Friday Morning, 3. Friday Afternoon Violin Practice, 4. My Backyard During Magic Hour , 5. Got Me Thru This Morning's 10 Miler , 6. Soaking Up the Sun , 7. Canter Around the Arena, 8. Street Views, 9. Sunday Afternoon Haircut
All photos taken with my iPhone, processed with the Camera+ and Instagram apps.

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Linked to Mary at Mosaic Monday. She has a mosaic of serious eye candy today.

It's Uncommon

2011-11-06T18:48:00.000-06:00

I've wanted a custom iPhone case ever since I stumbled across the Uncommon site about a year ago. At the time, I couldn't justify a new case for my current iPhone 3G because I knew I would upgrade "soon".

Soon after I got my iPhone 4s upgrade, I found myself sifting through all my photos, trying to decide which image to use. I uploaded my image, and within three days, my custom Capsule case arrived.

I really love it, although my only complaint is that the case is very slippery and I'm afraid I'll drop my phone! But otherwise, I love that it is completely unique to me and one of my creations.

So, as we all start to "think" about the upcoming holidays, one of these custom cases might make a nice gift for the "person who has everything". And we know at least one or two of those types, right?

Fall in Full Glory

2011-11-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

After Thursday's all day rain, it's back to another crisp fall day - chilly in the morning, but bright sun and temperate in the afternoon.

The red maple in the backyard has completely turned, well, red.

I don't ever recall it turning so completely red in previous years. Maybe it did and I never noticed. It certainly caught my eye late Friday afternoon.

And this is the best time of year for prairie sunsets. I normally prefer the sunsets with some clouds because they add lots of interest, but there was something so simple about last night's sunset.

Even caught on my iPhone, it's beautiful:

Go out and enjoy your day!

Camera Phone Friday - Looking Up

2011-11-04T05:30:00.000-05:00

The skies this week have been phenomenal - several beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Monday morning - what a way to start the work week:

Snapped while I was filling up my car with gas. Yeah, I'm good at multi-tasking, although I'm probably not supposed to use my cell phone while filling up...

Wednesday morning -

I've read the presence of contrails or vapor trails (condensation from airplane exhaust) means rain is on its way.

And so it rained all day Thursday.

I admit, this capture looks much better on my little iPhone screen. It's a flock of birds taking off from the ground. With the harvest finishing up in the fields, huge flocks of crows move like water in the air. It's quite amazing to watch.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Waves in the Heartland

2011-11-03T05:30:00.000-05:00

In the middle of land locked Illinois, the only waves we really get to see on routine basis - the gentle waves of prairie grass swaying in the breeze.

We've been enjoying another warm spell - it was warm enough this morning to wear shorts while running (well, at 45DegF it was warm enough for me). The morning sun is so luminescent on days like today.

Today, I'm thankful for the beautiful weather and the beautiful light.

Linked up today with Deb Duty and This or That Thursday.

Gratitude - The Beauty Around Us

2011-11-02T08:20:00.000-05:00

A couple years ago, I participated in a November Gratitude Meme - each day posting about something I was grateful for, leading up to the celebration of Thanksgiving.

While I'm probably not going to post about gratitude every day, I do wake up every morning and thank God for all that He has blessed us with.
Whenever I'm not feeling so nice (and my kids think that is all the time, LOL), I try to remind myself of all I should be grateful for.
Like the beauty of the common things around us.

Sometimes that beauty is hard to see - sometimes you have to consciously go looking for it. But it's there.

I hope you find the simple beauty around you today.

This One Thinks It's Spring

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

In full bloom, the salvia here has forgotten it is Fall.

For Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday, using Kim's "And then Some", one of her wonderful free textures.
I used one layer of the texture in the Linear Burn blending mode at 80% opacity.

Here's the original:

There are lots of examples of this texture in use at Kim's:

Fall Folliage

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Red maple in our backyard is finally starting to turn.

Happy November!

Linked to Communal Global, where you get to see what's going on across the globe.

The Annual Family Photo

2011-10-30T20:02:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's that time of year - the days are shorter, the corn fields have been reduced to stubble and all the stores are showcasing Christmas Trees.

Christmas? Already?

Yes, it seems that preparations for the upcoming Holiday season are encroaching upon the Fall season.

While I ignore all that Holiday "stuff", it does remind me that it is time for our annual family photo shoot, something we've been doing ever since we had baby number two, back in 1999.

Last year, we "expanded" things a bit and included our cats. Here's a reminder:

Ah, good times, lots of scratches and hisses.

This year, no cats. Instead, we decided to go "bigger". Literally. We took our family picture with the newest family member, Caesar, our Appaloosa.

The backdrop - the pasture where Caesar spends his time doing what horses do best - eating grass. And if you look carefully, you can see his mouth full of grass:

It was just a test shot, so it didn't matter......

After a few more rejects, this one came close to being chosen:

Oops, hubby's face is covered by one of Caesar's ears.

More rejects and then this one:

Then things went downhill quickly..... Caesar just couldn't keep from eating and became a bit hard to handle.

Yup, the photo shoot is over:

We'll end up using the third photo, even though my hair is a mess, swirling around my head because of the wind. And my daughter really isn't taller than me. Really. Oh well, I don't care, I'm just grateful we were able to get the photo done.

Next task - pulling together the annual Holiday Card. I think I'll wait until after Thanksgiving to get that done.....

Camera Phone Friday - Seen Along the Road

2011-10-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

Many moons ago, I got in the habit of posting my camera phone pictures on Friday - it was an easy was to end the week. I'm not sure why I got away from the practice, but I think it's time to start up again. Because I'm having a ton of fun with my new iPhone 4s camera.

My self imposed "rules":
The picture must be taken by a camera phone (duh)
The photo must have been taken in the past week
I can edit the photo using various photo apps on my phone. No importing to the PC for post processing. (trying to keep things simple).

This week's selections - stuff I see during my everyday commute to and from work / school, etc.

You might think driving along the prairie is boring. But for some reason, it was really pretty this week.

Bringing in the Harvest

The Start of Another Indian Summer Day

We had rain Wednesday night into Thursday morning. But Thursday afternoon, the skies started to clear.

I love the white barn in the picture above. I take its picture often.

This morning, I was running late to work (the kids didn't have school, so I ended up dawdling around the house for too long). I was just leaving the subdivision, but stopped, parked the car and got out to capture the fog creeping along the slough that runs through our neighborhood.

Another shot of the white barn, this time in the morning as the sun was rising.

I post most of my photos through Instagram, but I also use the Camera+ and PhotoShop Express apps to process them before uploading. I love that I can share them easily.

Do you take a lot of pictures with your phone? If so, I'd love to see them!

Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road?

2011-10-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

Do you take multiple exposures of the same general scene?

I admit I do, although I'm trying to reduce the number of "retakes" in an effort to "get it right the first time".

I normally shoot a frame then check the preview (yes, I "chimp"). But recently I have been focusing on the Histogram, to check my exposure.

I find landscapes to be quite challenging - expose for the sky and the land is too dark. Expose for the land and the sky is blown.
I tend to prefer the first option because I know I can bring out the detail during post processing, using the Fill Light Slider in Lightroom.

When I first shot this general scene, the sky was blown. So I adjusted my exposure and brought the viewfinder back to my eye. Lo and behold - something new wandered into the scene.

So I'm glad I messed up the first exposure because the second shot is so much more interesting - you'll just have to believe me because I deleted the first shot.

And why did the chicken cross the road?

To meet up with the rest of his family!

Linked up to This or That Thursday, hosted by Deb Duty.

Dinner on the Prairie - Prairie Fruits Farm

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sunday evening, we experienced a unique treat - dinner on the prairie with friends.

Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery is an organic farm, promoting sustainability and locally sourced food. In addition to peaches, apples, berries, and other produce, they raise goats and make their own cheeses.

A couple years ago, they started offering Dinners on the Farm, featuring locally sourced food, served outside along backdrop of the farm and prairie.

We were invited to last Sunday's dinner and while we didn't dine outside (they have a pole barn now for the chillier weather), it was a wonderful experience.

We arrived an hour before dinner, to enjoy hors d'oeuvres and a tour of the farm and gardens. It was a perfect fall evening, a light breeze and warm for the end of October.

This is the dining area for the outdoor dinners. We are going to have to come back next season.

We got to see the goats. Lisa is the one responsible for arranging tonight's dinner. She's a great friend (and loves the goats).

We roamed around the gardens, encouraged to nibble from the plants. We gathered around these tomato plants and ate them right off the vine - there's nothing better than sweet cherry tomatoes.

Especially with some wine.

With the sun setting, we gathered inside for dinner. Tonight's menu - salad course with fresh goat cheese, honey-fried chicken, shells and cheese, braised broccoli and pecan tart for dessert.

Lively conversation ensued.

A lovely evening out with friends.

Oh yeah, after stuffing ourselves, we bought some fresh gelato and goat cheese. It's all gone now.

Linked to Wordful Wednesday at Parenting by Dummies and Seven Clown Circus

Burnt Orange

2011-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

A departure from yesterday's orange mums, I desaturated these for a different feel.

Then I added two of Kim Klassen's wonderful textures: Stained Linen and Warm Sun.

And here's the before:

Linked to Texture Tuesday.

Colors of Fall

2011-10-24T15:30:00.000-05:00

Any idea what this is?

Growing in my neighbor's yard....

Truthfully, I've never considered using cabbage in the fall landscape. The colors are beautiful, aren't they?

Edited: I've learned that it's not Cabbage but ornamental Kale. Thanks for pointing that out, Laurie!

But I guess orange is the more traditional color for fall....

Wishing you a wonderful, Fall-ish Monday!

Give a Hoot

2011-10-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

Look what our backyard friends brought over yesterday - some owl treats!

They are almost as cute as the deliverer.

But not quite.....
Thanks to Kellie, Maddie and Layne for the yummy treats!

Linked up to This or That Thursday, hosted by Deb Duty.

First iPhone Pictures

2011-10-18T20:10:00.000-05:00

I've already raved about how fast the new iPhone 4s is compared to my old 3G version, and now I get to rave about the phone's camera.

Oh my. Again, super fast and super sharp. Even works well in lower light. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

The very first photo I snapped - of Sam, our Siamese cat.

Decent, although I detect a bit of back focusing. Could be operator error, too - I think I can tap on the area where I want the focus to fall, otherwise the camera chooses for you. I'm not sure what I did here.

A shadow self portrait:

Shopping at the Old Navy, I spotted my favorite animated cat:

Fall themed M&Ms - peanut butter ones - really yummy.

This morning's coffee:

All photos were processed using Instagram, my favorite iPhone camera filter and sharing app. If you want to look me up on Instagram, my handle is shirley319

New Technology and a Look at Past Technology

2011-10-15T19:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I upgraded my iPhone to the latest and greatest version. I have been [patiently] waiting for the new version since the summer, when my two year contract on was up on the old 3G phone.

It's been a slow wait, filled with temptation and longing. I kept my eyes and ear open to any new iPhone rumors, and I hoped for the announcement of the iPhone 5 on October 4th.

But truthfully, the iPhone 4s is a huge upgrade for me just the same. I think a regular iPhone 4 would be a huge upgrade as well. I just don't want to be in this same position, two years from now, waiting again for another iPhone release. See, two plus years ago, I decided to go with the cheaper, iPhone 3G instead of the newest 3Gs. It's been a great phone until the past nine months or so when it has become ssooooo sllllooooww. I was restarting it at least once a day, apps would routinely crash, and it wouldn't support many of the newer apps.

After the iPhone 4s announcement, I made sure I pre-ordered one on the first day (in fact, I think I ordered mine only 3 hours after the pre-orders started). Once I received my shipping notice on Wednesday night, I started stalking my tracking number. I had to leave work early on Friday to ensure I would be present to sign for it - and it arrived about 30 minutes after I got home.

Seriously, it was like Christmas in October.

It was a cinch to activate and set up. I had to re-sync my old phone to iTunes and then sync the new one up in order to transfer all of my apps. That's it.

Compared to the old iPhone 3G, it is blazing fast - no delays with the apps, no freeze ups with the camera, and that Siri is really pretty cool. I used her to text my son and husband.

But this isn't a post just about the iPhone 4s - we do have another new smart phone in the family - a Droid phone that my son picked out.
[yes, I can hear the thoughts now - what kind of mother gets her 12 year old son a smart phone? Truthfully, he saved up all his money for it. I even had him fork over money to prepay 12 months of the data package fees.]

Our assortment of old and new technology:

From left to right: the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 4s, the Droid Bionic and in the back - a Seagate external disk drive.

A closer look at the Droid Bionic:

I told my son that I wouldn't be able to help him with this device, but he hasn't had any problem downloading all sorts of free stuff from the Droid Marketplace. It's a powerful, fast device. If I wasn't so partial to the iPhone, I might have considered one. Oh, but my favorite camera app, Instagram, is only available for the iPhone. So that strikes the Droid...

A look at the Seagate GoFlex drive:

It holds 1 TB of stuff. Wow. And see that the blue in the connector port? That's a USB 3.0 port, also known as SuperSpeed USB 3.0. This can mean higher data transfer rates, although you need a USB 3.0 port on the computer to take full advantage of the increased speed. You can distinguish a USB 3.0 port as they are marked by the blue components. I am using this drive to house my photos while I work with Lightroom and PhotoShop Elements and I haven't seen a decrease in processing speed.

Finally, with all this new technology, I thought it would be fun to look back at the devices we used in the past, just to get an appreciation of what we have now.

On the left: my first cell phone, a pink Motorola Razr, from 2006. That's right, I managed 39 years on this planet without a cellphone. Since it was only a phone, it really didn't get used all that much, even though I carried it with me all the time. In the center: a Palm Pilot IIIx, from 1999. I bought this cutting edge device right after the birth of my son. It was totally rad back then, with it's pea green screen and stylus. It synced with the Palm Desktop software. I remember storing my shopping lists on it. We always said back then that these computing devices would eventually be combined with phone capability.
Finally, on the right, my husband's first cell phone, purchased around 2002. With a simple, dot matrix screen - I don't think you could even text back then.

Looking at these old devices, I guess my old iPhone 3G represents major technology advancements in a mere 6 years. And I wonder where technology will take us over the next 6.

Canon PowerShot XS40 HS

2011-10-13T20:42:00.000-05:00

One of the advantages for being known as the "hobbyist photographer" at work - sometimes the folks at work give you fun photography-centered assignments outside your normal job scope. Case in point - I was asked to spec out a replacement for the facility's aging point and shoot camera. Aging, indeed - the current camera is a circa 2003 Kodak Easy Share model.

The requirements - something that wasn't too small, with a decent zoom and low light capabilities.

I chose the new Canon Powershot XS40 HS with 35x zoom, IS stabilization and sized smaller than a compact DSLR.

They even let me play with it first.

The handling is decent, with an articulating live display screen and an electronic view finder.
In addition to full Auto, there is a command dial, with DSLR modes - P, Av, Tv (Shutter priority in Nikon speak), even Manual Mode and some User Defined modes.
I tried to use some of these modes, but found myself extremely constrained due to the lens capability, especially in Av mode.

But I'm not the main user of this camera - the engineers in the plant are, and they don't care about having shallow depth of field!

They want the zoom and this is where this one shines.

The view of the bookcase in my office, as I stand behind the desk, using the camera's widest setting:

A mid-zoomed view, still standing behind the desk:

Zoomed all the way in:

All photos SOOC, taken in AUTO mode and no flash.

I also tested out the camera's Macro Mode:

Meh, it didn't do much for me - I couldn't zoom in to get the detail I wanted.

So this work assignment was a fun change of pace from my normal every day work duties. I also learned a bit about myself and my camera preferences. See, I've been considering a more compact camera to take with me when I can't take my DSLR. I learned that these pseudo-DSLRs aren't a fit for me.

In summary, the camera is great for those who desire a wide zoom capability, decent low light capability in an easy to use package.

Down The Stairs

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since I'm still in the midst of transferring all my photos, software, plug ins, and actions to a newer PC, I don't have any super recent photos to share today. The photo here was taken almost 2 weeks ago, when I was at the lake with some friends - the stairs down to the beach of Lake Michigan.

I used the Topaz Adjust plug-in for Lightroom to process this image - I thought a gentle HDR treatment might enhance the steep perspective I was going for.

Here is the original:

I don't use Topaz Adjust all that often, but I do like the effects you can achieve with it.

Linked to Deb Duty's This or That Thursday

Sara Bareilles Concert, Take 3

2011-10-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

Last night, I had the opportunity once again to see Sara Bareilles in concert. I went with two good friends, and we endured long lines, having our IDs verified (it was a 18 and older club), earning a coveted "older than 21 and able to purchase alcoholic drinks" wristband (as if it wasn't already obvious, LOL), weaving through a thick crowd of college students and settling into seats without cushions. All of this after 9pm at night, past our normal bedtimes!

I don't have time for another summary of the concert, and I'm working through moving my image files from one computer to another one, so the pictures I took are not available to me right now.

Instead, I will leave you with Sara's encore from last night's performance - Gravity, sung completely a cappella. It's not my video, but I am grateful someone tenacious enough to be right up front recorded it. It is amazing.

Self Discovery

2011-10-09T19:53:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of September, I started a mini project to take a self portrait every day for 30 days. I didn't quite get one every day, but managed to stop cringing every time I saw the result.
Really, I'm more comfortable behind the camera - I think it's the control freak in me. But after this exercise, I'm not as camera shy.

I've decided to continue my Self Portrait Challenge, on a weekly basis. It will continue to be just that, a challenge, and maybe I'll discover more about me in the process.

1. Reflected, 2. Sneezing or Singing?, 3. Hair in My Eyes, 4. Windblown, 5. Doing Time, 6. Home on the Range #selfportrait, 7. Squint at the Sky, 8. I've Turned into My Mother, 9. Industrial Reflection, 10. By the Window #selfie, 11. Relaxed, 12. Waiting at the Barn

Linking to Mary at Mosaic Monday. She has a beautiful collection of misty landscapes to inspire you.

Falling

2011-10-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

I drive by the park every morning, and huge row of trees that line the sidewalk have started to turn from green to bright yellow.

Over the years, I've noticed that once these trees start to shed their leaves, it all happens very quickly - within a week, the tree limbs will be barren. Of course, I learned this the hard way, planning to "go back" on the weekend to take pictures, only to be greeted by a sea of yellow leaves at my feet.

I stopped Monday morning to take these and I noticed today that the leaves are more than half gone. What a difference a few days makes.

I wish you a wonderful Saturday.

Broom Collection

2011-10-06T05:30:00.000-05:00

The Lake House where I stayed last weekend was impeccably decorated. My friend's mother in law is the one responsible for creating the relaxed and casual, yet elegant feel of the house. But among the beachy throw pillows, comfy couches and rustic touches I found a curious element present in each of the rooms - a broom.

See, their family was in the broom business, and the brooms serve as a reminder of their family's heritage and history. Can you say cool?

I didn't realize there could be so many variation on something as simple and basic as a broom.
Yes, I took pictures of them all. I'm weird like that!

Linked to This and That Thursdays.

The Rest of Saturday - My Solitary World Wide Photo Walk

2011-10-05T19:16:00.001-05:00

Last Saturday marked Scott Kelby's 4th Annual World Wide Photo Walk. My good friend, Lee was the leader in her town, and I had every intention of signing up with a local group.

But before I could commit to a local group, I was invited to go away for the weekend, something I couldn't pass up.

So I "participated" without a formal photography group, but surrounded by great friends. And really, that's all matters.

The sandy beach in front of the house:

In the summer, I bet the beach is just bustling with activity - cousins, Aunts and Uncles playing with their kids in the sand (which was so fine and soft).
But today, it's just me.

The sun is starting to glimmer on the water and waves. It's going to be a perfect Fall day.

We drove into downtown Holland for some window shopping.

Later, my friends helped me wrap Chinese pot stickers. I made the wrappers from scratch - they are so much better that way.

And after dinner we made a last minute dash to Holland State Park to watch the sunset.

Yeah, it was chilly

Surf's up!

A typical shot of the lighthouse there, but I can't pass that stuff up.

Maybe this would be considered a less typical scene:

So, while I didn't get to formally participate in the World Wide Photo Walk, I was quite happy to be able to walk about and capture all the wonderful things during my day. I couldn't ask for anything better.

The Gurgle Fish

2011-10-02T21:02:00.001-05:00

One of the most kitschy finds from this weekend - the Gurgle Fish.

It's a pitcher with a twist - after you pour some contents from the Gurgle Fish, it makes a gurgling sound. Kellie and Anne thought it was so funny! Apparently, they played with the store model for a long time. Apparently, this weekend retreat was what these moms really needed.

They demonstrated the gurgling just for the rest of us:

On Saturday, we went back to the store to check out the other colors of the Gurgle Fish.

While I'm not particularly drawn to the gurgling feature, the shape of the fish reminds me of Asian fish sculptures. I think my parents have some on display in their home. Of course, this means when I go visit, I'll need to seek them out and take a picture. Just for Kellie and Anne....

If you want your own Gurgling Fish and can't get to Holland, Michigan, you can order one over the internet at The Gurgle Pot.

Weekend Retreat

2011-10-01T23:08:00.000-05:00

I feel so blessed to be writing this from a weekend retreat in Michigan.

A fun, relaxing time with friends.

I am surrounded by beauty and grace.

I am sitting in this chair. The only difference is it's dark outside. And the computer is on my lap. I get to sleep in this room. I'm still pinching myself!

I can hear the waves hitting the beach. Who knew Lake Michigan could be so loud.

My first view of the Lake, from last night. We just missed the official sunset, but the remnants were pretty spectacular.

But what makes this weekend special is the company.

Soaking it all in while I can.

Typical Behavior?

2011-09-28T08:12:00.001-05:00

When Boys get together:

Or When Girls get together:

All on a Saturday Afternoon, (with me trying to take pictures of it all).

Linked to Wordful Wednesday, even though I'm a bit short on them this morning.

Along The Road

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

As most of my commute to work is along the highway through the prairie, one might think the landscape doesn't change much. There's grass. There's corn. It's flat. Really flat.

But over the years, I've come to appreciate the subtle beauty of the sea of grasses and corn. In the spring, green emerges from the brown earth. Soon, various wildflowers shoot up, begging us to notice them as they sway in the wind. In the fall, the grasses turn from green to gold.

Several weeks back, I noticed a familiar flower nodding in the wind - sunflowers. In that ubiquitous grassy area between the northbound and southbound lanes of the interstate. A small cluster of them here and there, then an explosion of yellow flowers for all traveling to enjoy.

Last week I noticed the mowing crews were out - cutting down the overgrown grasses along the sides of the interstate and in the median. Each day, they made their way closer to where the sunflowers grow. Then the small, single clusters of sunflowers were gone, and the larger field, too. I realize these workers have a job to do, that their job isn't to make the interstate pretty, but I was saddened to see the flowers cut down.

Yet somehow, a couple plants were spared from the mower's blade.

If you look carefully, the area behind the flowers are freshly mowed. I snapped this shot because I thought it would be the last time I would see them. The grasses in front of the flowers are now gone. I guess someone thought it would be nice to leave some flowers along the interstate. For that, I am grateful.

The above image was processed using two textures from Kim Klassen. The original photo is here:

The screen shot of my layers in PSE

Linked to Texture Tuesdays.

Cross Country, A Wedding and A Football Game

2011-09-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

Three main events last Saturday. It would have been a little more manageable had the wedding part been local instead of hours away. My husband made it to all three events. I only made it to two events, but substituted in a 3 mile run, a haircut appointment and two loads of laundry.

It was a perfect day for all three events, too - sunny, breezy, with a touch of fall crisp in the air.

The wedding - the union of a co-worker - who we though would remain a bachelor for the rest of his life:

Bryan and Sue make a wonderful couple:

There's no easy way to segue gracefully from a wedding to a football game, but that's what we did - from suit and tie, dress and heels to jeans and orange T-shirts. From heartfelt vows of commitment to rabid fans' screams. From the graceful strains of Pachelbel's Canon played by organ and violin to a boisterous crowd sing along of Bon Jovi's Living on Prayer. Quite a dichotomy of events.

It's a good day when a good friend gets married and the home team wins.

The Spider Webs

2011-09-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

It was another foggy morning, so I was prepared with a macro lens as I ventured outside in search of glistening spider webs. I didn't have to go far - apparently there are lots of spiders hanging around our house!

It's amazing how the water drops form on the thinnest strand of silk, almost in a pattern.

Beads that form like a string of pearls.

For us to enjoy and marvel at.

I'm linked up to This and That Thursday, a new photo link up over at Deb Duty's. I visit her blog on a regular basis.

More of Me

2011-09-21T21:24:00.000-05:00

Some Self Portrait catch up

Last Thursday, on my way to work - waiting at an intersection. My commute is quite easy - only six stop signs and 25 miles from the house.

On Friday, it's time to practice - I'm working on a Schubert Sonata right now.

After these pictures, I decided to go for a different angle.

How's that's for different? My excuse - I'm wearing a dress and heels - an uncommon occurrence. Hubby is wearing fancy shoes too - another uncommon occurrence. I'll get to the reason why in a later post.

Here's the other selfie taken that same day (Saturday):

I had to go to work really early on Monday - I was there at 6am. Fortunately, this only happens once a year or so.