All fluff, no substance

I was rewarded with an inch of new fluffy snow this morning. No wind to blow it around so everything was nice and pristine which gave me the opportunity to revisit my favorite curly bush. I just loved the way the snow lay on the branches, accentuating the curves and bends. The contrast of the wonderfully white, fluffy snow against the roughness of the bark is heavenly.

Settings: ISO 100, F5.6, SS 1/125, Focal length 68mm, Manual shot in RAW. Post processing using the steps given by Benjamin Kanarek.

Hard water

Finally...it feels like winter. We had a beautiful snowfall...and now it's melting as quickly as it came. I'm glad I had the chance to get out and snap a few shots for the water challenge. I love snow. I remember the fun of making snow cream as a kid...yummmmm. Everything seems so peaceful in a snowfall. It really gives you a sense of peace. I'll be posting a few shots over the next couple of days. I loved the texture of this shot with the nice white pristine snow against the rough texture of the tree stump and the stuff (I have no idea what it is) growing on the side. We have these stumps around our fire pit. They came from a group of 3 trees that blew over in a big storm a few years back. They make nice cheap seats for the fire pit...and sometimes interesting photographic subjects. I'm adding a B&W version of this shot. I like the color, but the B&W has such great texture. Trying my hand at B&W conversion.

Settings: ISO 100, F 5.6, SS 1/45, Focal length 78mm, shot in manual in RAW. Lighting adjustment and defog in PSE5.

My hometown

I finally got to get out and about today and snapped a few pictures around my town. One of the most famous sights to see around here is our castle. It was built by a single man, working alone without machinery. He built this castle on the riverbank using river stones that he gathered himself and making blocks using cement that he formed in milk cartons. It is a fully functioning home and events are held there all the time and a very popular haunted house. (It reportedly really is haunted) It is a really cool place to visit and tour and quite unique.

Settings: ISO 100, F 6.7, SS 1/125, AWB, focal length 42mm, Orton technique applied.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Be careful what you wish for. This winter has been unseasonably warm. All I was wanting was a nice snowfall. Well, we did get the dusting of snow but also what goes with snow...cold. I really wasn't wanting that part to tell the truth. It did afford me the opportunity to get outside and get some nice icy pictures anyway. This shot is of icicles hanging off the cover for the hot tub. I took it with my fisheye lens to try to get a cool effect. Didn't get quite what I was after but I like the shot anyway.

Settings: ISO100, F 4.5, SS 1/250, 17mm focal length. Shot with Pentax 10-17 fisheye and lightened in PSE5 with duplicate layer on screen. No other edits done.

Home Sweet Home

I love my house. I love the fact there is plenty of room for all of us. I love the fact that we have woods behind our house that is park land that will never have houses on it. I love being able to see wildlife out my window, even though I live in a metropolitan area. Although living with nature can be a challenge, deer eat just about anything, it is definitely worth it. I am a lucky person that gets to have this all right outside my window in my back yard. This buck was hanging out in my yard today with another buck just a teeny bit bigger than him. It's unusual to see bucks, and to see two together is really unusual. Usually I will see a buck with a herd of females. I'm guessing these guys were bachin' it and don't have their harems yet. Photo was taken out my dining room window as I didn't want to go outside and scare them off.

Settings: ISO 1600 (very cloudy day ouside), F 6.3, SS 1/15, 200mm.

Me x 100

This is as close to a self- portrait as you are going to see here. I hate having my picture taken and am just not really comfortable putting myself out there in that way. This is my work station for my photography (I have another computer I work on). I love my NEC Opticlear monitor. Everything is so crisp on it. To go along with my stepping out of my comfort zone just a bit I decided to do the 100 things list. I started this list on Two Peas, and I'm going to keep it going to see if I can find 100 things about myself.

1. I have 4 kids, the oldest of which is about to graduate college (impossible, I'm still a kid myself).

2. I love to travel, just hate to get ready to travel.

3. I do my best thinking in the shower.

4. I am a very shy person.

5. I hate small talk.

6. I can type around 100 words per minute or so.

7. I hate to exercise...big time. (maybe that's why I need to drop a few)

8. I hate making decisions.

9. I'm not a very good cook.

10. All of my brothers are fantastic artists...I got none of that gene.

11. I have always wanted to play piano. That's why we have a piano and nobody plays, I can't stand the thought of getting rid of it...kind of like giving up on my dream.

12. I took Latin in high school. Real useful, huh?

13. I carry around a tube of chapstick in my pants at all times.

14. I hate sand and I don't like salt water...but I love the beach.

15. I do believe it's all about how you treat people in this life.

16. I hate hypocrites.

17. I met my DH at a bar. His friend was picking up my friend.

18. I hate to clean...but I love to vaccuum.

19. I hated to read in high school, now I love to.

20. I love Italian and Mexican food.

21. Growing up I was a very picky eater. Now I have a DD that is the same so I sympathize with her.

22. Red is my favorite color.

23. People think I'm very organized, but I'm not.

24. I procrastinate big time.

25. I used to work on my own car when I was young.

26. I owned an MG Midget that had no reverse gear. Picture Flintstone reverse. Loved that car.

27. I don't think I'm very attractive.

28. I hate to have my picture taken. I think I've taken maybe 5 good pictures my entire life.

29. I can have a very dry sense of humor. My older DS has inherited this.

30. I love British humor...same for DS.

31. I regret not going to college.

32. I have a large collection of Dept 56 Snow Village.

33. I used to sell Longaberger baskets...just for the discount to build my collection.

34. I love to be crafty, just hate to make decisions about what to do.

35. I have been to London once, absolutely loved it.

36. I can think of lots of things for this list in the shower...how come I can't remember them?

37. My first kiss was my next door neighbor when I was 5.

38. I hate whining.

39. Dog hair on everything makes me nuts. Why did I get a Golden Retriever?

40. I love Lucky Charms cereal...and Cocoa Puffs too.

41. When anything ails me, I immediately have to take a hot bath.

42. DH and I were on welfare for a short time while he was in school. The worst experience of my life.

43. I have no particular hidden talent. It must be really well hidden.

44. I was a comedian in school.

45. I am a smart aleck and it gets me in trouble sometimes.

46. I did not have a close relationship with my mother. I envy those that do/did.

47. I was on drill team in high school. Yep, one of the cool kids LOL.

48. I am anal about certain things, and lax about others.

49. I used to cross stitch. The back of my stitching looked as good as the front. (see # 48)

50. I have a deviated septum and huge tonsils. Poor DH.

51. I have always had a thing for trees and houses.

52. I am a Christian but not religious.

53. I'm not sure if I can make it to 100 LOL.

54. I used to hate yogurt...now I love it.

55. I could never be a vegetarian.

56. I like sweet wine, hate dry.

57. My brain is filled with tons of useless knowledge. I kick butt at Trivial Pursuit. Don't ask me to do a math problem though.

58. I hate to be touched while sleeping.

59. I am proud of my kids and the people they are.

60. I never want to be a portrait photographer. I really don't like taking pictures of people at all.

61. I am not a very affectionate person. I have to work hard at being affectionate.

62. I love a good pen.

63. I love to cruise office supply stores.

64. I once held down 3 jobs while DH was in school.

65. I love sausage gravy on scrambled eggs.

66. I have to wear slippers or shoes constantly or my feet get cold (except in summer).

67. I hate the smell of sauerkraut. Blech.

68. I love to smell the coffee grinder at the grocery store...but I hate coffee.

69. I hate being short.

70. I have lots of freckles and burn easily.

72. I have a temper.

73. I am forgetful quite often.

74. I love just spending an evening at home with my family watching movies.

75. I love snorkeling.

76. My dream homes are a vacation home on the beach and a cabin in the woods. Neither has to be huge.

77. I have videotaped football games for several years (high school and peewee) and made videos for the teams, but I prefer photography.

78. I had a guy ask if I was a midget once. I'm 5'2" for goodness sake!

79. I get tired being around people quite often, hence the cabin in the woods in #76.

80. I don't mind being alone at all.

81. Poi is disgusting.

82. I love reality TV. Never miss Survivor or Amazing Race. (I would be awesome at AR BTW LOL)

83. I'm a huge fan of My Name is Earl (see 2peas avatar) and The Office. Both of those shows make me LOL...literally.

84. I'm very excited that 24 is coming back on in a couple of days. I've been anxiously awaiting this. We have all the seasons on DVD.

85. Johnny Depp can eat crackers in my bed.

86. I have a gym membership but never go...gotta work on that.

87. I have a photographic memory. If looking for something I have to be able to picture where it is in my mind. If you tell me where something is, I won't remember.

88. I stink at video games, but love to play pinball.

89. Chocolate chip is my favorite ice cream flavor.

90. I like to dip potato chips in ice cream. MMMMM

91. Dead bodies creep me out. I hate open casket funerals. DH and I want to be cremated.

92. I take long showers...got a lot of thinking to do in there.

93. I think I have big feet for my height (size 8).

94. Not a lot of things gross me out. Comes from growing up with 4 brothers.

95. I've always had better relationships with males than females.

96. I wish I could be a girly girl...but just can't.

97. I think I'm pretty witty...sometimes (OK, maybe not now).

98. I go to the bathroom a lot. When travelling I have to put myself on fluid restrictions ;-)

99. I love Vera Bradley purses.

100. WOW...I made it...OK this has to be a good one...hmmmm...ummmmm...errrrr.... I guess I'm spent!

Photo settings: ISO 800, side lighting from Ott lite, F 6.7, SS 1/4, 18mm. Edited in Virtual Photographer and selective coloring applied.

Coolest (or hottest) thing ever!

My favorite place in the entire world is Hawaii. I love the different islands for different reasons. I guess my favorite has to be Kauai for it's slower pace than other islands. However, the Big Island holds a special place in my heart too. It is infinitely interesting and one of the coolest places on the planet I believe. It is on the Big Island of Hawaii that I had one of the coolest (or hottest) experiences of my entire life. I'm a lucky person in that DH and I get the opportunity to travel to Hawaii at least once a year, to different islands each time. We plan to retire there eventually. Being from the midwest, a volcano is nowhere to be found here except at the science fair. Getting to see lava flowing in a surface flow is definitely on the list of rare things for someone from the midwest to experience. Getting close enough to stick your hand in it...that borders on insane. Well, I guess I border on insane because I had to get as close as I could. The heat was unimaginable. It really gives you an appreciation of the earth's power and how fragile we really are. Of course, being the way cool mom that I am (see previous blog entry), I had to call the kids back home (ooooh sorry, you don't get to go this trip) and in my best Dr. Evil voice I had to tell them about the red hot MAGMA. (OK, I know it's technically not magma, but I just love saying it as Dr. Evil.) I have had lots of fun experiences in my Hawaiian travels, many things I thought I'd never do having a fear of heights (ziplining, parasailing), but seeing the hot lava up close and personal has to be the topper.

Settings: ISO400, F 5.6, SS 1/125. SOOC with no processing. HHCC always appreciated.

Talk to Me...

I am addicted to talk radio and podcasts. I always have a radio on at home, not playing music, but playing talk radio. Not national shows, but local stuff on 700WLW. For some odd reason, talk keeps me alert and music makes me relax and want to sleep. When driving and I want to stay awake, I need to listen to talk not music. I'm just wired weird I guess LOL. Last year I entered the realm of the cool moms and got my very own Ipod Nano for Christmas. Of course I had to go out and get myself a cute little pink leather case for it, further enhancing my cool mom image. (OK, you can roll your eyes here) I do have some music on it to listen to occasionally while out walking the dog, but mostly I listen to podcasts on it. My favorites are Flylady and Tips from the Top Floor. Flylady gets me motivated and TFTTF is for my photography bug.

Settings: ISO 200, F 4.5, SS 1/20, 43mm. Shot in manual and altered with Virtual Photographer effect. HHCC always appreciated.

Crocs Rock!

I'm a short person, 5'2" is what it says on my driver's license...but I doubt it. When I was younger I was all about wearing the heels trying to be taller. After getting married I decided I was no longer going to kill myself trying to impress anyone so I became all about the comfort...which didn't include heels. Flats and low heels became my best friends. After all, I'm short...get over it. I'm lucky in that I have a job that allows me to stay at home so I don't have to dress up for work. That means most days my footwear wardrobe includes either tennis shoes, sandals (depending upon weather) or my newest love, Crocs. These are the most comfortable, easiest to wear, ugliest shoe I have ever worn. I wore Earth shoes in high school and these are a more comfy throwback I think. The shape is the same after all. My family just barely tolerates my Crocs just as long as I don't suggest they wear them. I just love all the fun colors but most of the time I wear my navy blue ones so I don't stand out too much, but if I'm in a mood...then the pink ones make an appearance. On a recent trip to Disney World I made the find of the century. They had just gotten in Disney Crocs with the cute little Mickey heads! I had seen them on the Croc website and thought they were cute, but in person - that was a whole different story. I had to buy them, and wear them (insert many eyerolls from the family). So they have come home and joined my little Croc crew, waiting for the appropriate time to be worn (which is right now).

Settings: ISO 200, F 4.5, SS 1/6, Focal length 33mm. Any HHCC is always welcome.

Getting to know you..

Getting to know all about you. OK, well you won't know ALL about me, but by the end of the week you'll know me a bit better anyway. I am a mother, wife, photographer wannabe, computer geek wannabe, transcriptionist, decorating buff, Disneyphile, scrapbooker and many more things. To get my day going, I enjoy nothing more than a nice warm pot of tea. I've tried coffee, just can't stand it. Somehow I feel I'm just not in the "in crowd" because Starbucks has no hold over me. But that's OK, I'll stick with my tea. My usual is Twinings English Breakfast. This morning however I'm out so I went with my PG. In the evenings I love to enjoy a nice cup of green tea. To me, there is nothing better in life than a cold day and a hot cup of tea. That's heaven.

Fishin' for a photo

Played a bit with my fisheye lens today. It's raining outside, again, so I had to look indoors for something interesting. This statue was given to me by my DH for my birthday last year. The funny story behind it is when he bought it online, he thought it was a little statue, like you could put in a curio cabinet. Well, much to his surprise this giant box showed up on our doorstep with an almost 2 foot high statue. We display it in the dining room and I just love it as much as the story behind it.

Settings: ISO 800, F 8.0, SS 1/20, flash used and bounced off wall and ceiling.

Obsession

People say that term like it's a bad thing...well not always. You see, I have this dirty little secret. I'm obsessed with hidden Mickeys. When the Imagineers were creating DisneyWorld, they decided to have a little fun and still are today. On many of the rides and attractions and just around the parks and hotels, Mickey is hiding, waiting to be found. Some are profiles, some are the classic Mickey head shape (1 big circle and 2 little ones for ears) and some are his name. I'm completely obsessed with finding them and photographing them for my collection when we visit DW (usually about every couple of years). My family gives me quite a few eye rolls, but they are right there looking for them along with me. It's fun to find one and be the first to show everyone else. This photo is one that I took at the entrance of the Snow White ride on the mural. There is another one there too that is in a separate photograph. You'll just have to see if you can locate it next time you visit.

Photo settings: ISO 800, F 6.3, SS 1/150, onboard flash used.

Have you ever seen the rain?

Well, I have. Day 2 of rain. If you didn't look at the calendar you would think this was a nice spring rain. The temperature feels like spring. Where is my nice snowy winter??? I love nothing better than a nice snowy day being inside all warm and cozy. Maybe in June...

Photo settings: ISO 400, F5.6, SS 1/90 Focal length 118mm. B&W conversion in PSE5

Now it's time to say goodbye...

It's getting about that time...time to put away the vestiges of Christmas. Every year so much time and care is spent dragging these things out from the basement and garage, and every year we get to a point where we can't wait to get rid of it all. I'm not quite there...but almost. One of my favorite decorations is my Santa that I put on our front porch. He is weathered and maybe just a bit gnarly, but loved just the same. Every year we contemplate getting rid of him, but he still makes an appearance.


Photo info: Shot in manual iso 1600 (accidentally, then cleaned up in Noiseware), F 5.6, SS 1/250, focal length 68mm.

Bokeh me baby!

Here's my first photo of the new year. I have this little tree/bush thing in my backyard. I can't remember what the landscaper said it was called. It has the best curly branches that twist and turn in the most interesting shapes. In the summer, it's covered with leaves so you don't really see anything overly iteresting. In the winter though, that's when the real show happens. I shot this photo with an open arpeture so I could get some good background blur...and some good foreground blur too in the process. I just love me some good bokeh. Heck, I love saying bokeh. LOL

Photo settings: F 5.6, SS 1/45, ISO 1600 (cleaned up in noiseware), 90mm focal length -shot in manual.