Weekly Winners – Week Ending 8.21.10

I didn’t have an exciting trip to Chicago to make my weekly winners for the week more visually appealing, but there were some big events – including an anniversary (ahem), my grandfather’s birthday and (DRUM ROLL PLEASE!) the puppy got his splint off!

You can't beat starting your day with a gorgeous pink sky

Coloring at the birthday dinner for her great-grandpa

There was to be no exchange of gifts and yet... anniversary Chucks

He's kind of wobbly and unsure, but how fabulous to have that splint off!

For more Weekly Winners, visit Lotus and check out the awesome shots on her site, as well as the amazing participants.

Weekly Winners, Week Ending 7.31.10

So, the puppy’s leg is fractured, there was a birthday in the house, and… uh… what else? I’m sorry, summer is just a big giant blur and each day blends into the day before it. It’s probably no surprise, after listening to me gripe about winter and now gripe about summer that I am not a fan of weather extremes — spring and fall? I love ’em though.

"I bet this is how your kids, and grand kids, are going to remember you. They aren't even going to remember you had eyes."

Sugar dusted chocolate chips.

Isn't this the saddest thing you ever saw? Now that he's on the mend, he's got a tremendous amount of energy though. It's kind of translating into aggression. CANNOT WAIT til the splint comes OFF.

I love how my dirty mirror almost looks like fancy bokeh. It's not bokeh! It's toothpaste splatter. Awesome.

Yes, it's probably one of the saddest things I've ever seen.

My kid brought this bear into my office - one more thing on my desk. I suppose if I cleaned it, I could actually use it. The rubik's cubes are for a photo project I haven't done yet.

Check out more weekly winners via LOTUS

Weekly Winners – It’s Mostly About the Puppy

In a week where the biggest thing that happened is that we got a new puppy, I guess you can expect that yes, there’s lots of pictures of the new pup who is so freakin’ adorable (thank goodness, because… I’m pretty sure I’m allergic. Send Zyrtec. STAT).

For more awesome Weekly Winners, go visit Lotus, and the rest of the WW participants.

And be sure to have a very Happy (AND SAFE) Fourth of July!

Yep. He chose us so we choose him.

We're crate training. The first day? It was NOT fun. Little Dude likes his crate much better now.

Yep. He's kind of stolen our hearts with the cute.

He's usually this mellow. Chillaxin' in the grass.

Oh, but wait! We didn't just get a puppy. I bought myself a new lens too.

Happy Fourth of July, y'all!

Weekly Winners, Week ending 6.26.10

I’ve gurmbled and griped a lot this week, but no matter how busy I’ve been or what part of the state I’ve been in, OF COURSE, I had my camera with me. Here are some of my favorite shots. For more awesome weekly winners be sure to visit Lotus and the other participants.

The Dude must live here.

The shutter speed made this look like pieces of glass coming out of this fountain.

Weekly Winners – week ending 5.29.10

For more Weekly Winners goodness, be sure to pop over to visit LOTUS and the rest of the peeps.

Tunnel vision

Welcome Home.

serenity

Prep work for birthday cupcakes

Sittin' in the garden eating worms

oh hai

Weekly Winners – Green Acres Edition

Oh, I LOVE Weekly Winners. All of my weekly winners were taken with my kit lens this week – oddly enough – but I was concerned that my 50 wouldn’t give me enough leeway for possible short distances between me and what I was shooting. And now I’m trying to pick what lens I need to get next.

For more weekly winners, be sure to bop on over to visit Lotus and check out the other participants.

Baby goose - Pumpkin named this little guy PADDLES

This goose is Max. He's a rather attractive little goose, dontcha think?

So tired.

My daughters gathered these from the chicken coops. How cool is THAT?

Miscellaneous farm stuff.

Fencelines.

Weekly Winners, Week Ending 05.08.10

Happy Mother’s Day! This week I was thrilled to finally get my 50mm lens – of course, only one or two of these shots is using the 50, but I can’t wait to start playing with it more and seeing what it can do and getting a better feel for it. Be sure to stop by to see Lotus and the other Weekly Winner participants.

No, this isn't my yard. It's a whole lotta dandelions. Somehow, they are prettier when they belong to someone else.

strings

happiness is...

Lining up to wait for their death. IN MAH BELLEH.

Hideous, isn't it? This is the color the girls picked to paint their bathroom. I will never be in love with it.

And Here We Go.

I may have a problem. Granted, I fully anticipated having a problem when I purchased my dSLR. I knew that there were going to be all kinds of doors opened to me (lenses, and filters and accessories OH MY) that once I caught a glimpse of the possibilities, I was going to start wishing for a money tree. Or a fairy godmother.

There’s a lot of really awesome stuff out there, and while some of which makes no sense for someone like me – one who is just learning or getting her “sea legs” with this camera – I can’t help but be wide-eyed and just goo-goo over it all.

Last night, I finally FINALLY ordered my 50mm*. I should have done it weeks ago. All my smart friends told me so (you know who you are). Saturday at my grandparents’ anniversary party, my friend and I stood next to each other and lined up our shots – hers, taken with a 50mm, were clear and crisp. Mine with the kit lens? Meh. They were just a’ight for me, dawg.

But I dragged my feet on that purchase for weeks, and that’s a fairly cheap lens.

There are times when I wish I had fallen in love with a cheaper hobby… like… collecting leaves or making sculptures out of belly button lint… but then? Then I think of how much I love to be behind a camera. The exhilarating feel of capturing a moment, the perfect moment, to treasure forever. The sound of a shutter click.

And then I think, I wouldn’t love any other hobby this much.

Guess I should start looking for a money tree.

*Amazon affiliate link, in lieu of a money tree

Weekly Winners, New York Style

It’s late because of all the traffic, y’all.

You KNOW I love Lotus’s Weekly Winners and so not being able to post my pics on Sunday kind of made me sad. But, I got over it because I was in New York! That’s right. I was on vacay in NYC, so even though I’m several days late I still wanted to play along.

Light fixtures at the hotel. Funky, no?

Window treatment thingy in the hotel room

I could have spent the whole time in Central Park

You may say I'm a dreamer...

I kept thinking of the movie, ANNIE - "If this floor don't shine like the top of the Chrysler Building, your backside will." Miss Hannigan burned in my brain forever.

She looks much shorter in person.

Thursday Ten: The Happy EarthDay To You Edition

1. It’s Earth Day. Whether it’s a day you acknowledge or it isn’t, in our house we TRY to act as if it’s Earth Day every day. In the past few years, we’ve stepped up our recycling efforts considerably and what a MAJOR difference that has made in the amount of trash we set to the curb each week – our garbage can used to be overflowing and now it’s typically maybe half full (or is it… half empty?). But, the funny thing is, Pumpkin and I went to my guitar lesson today and I came home to realize that she’d left a light on in an empty house for two hours. Earth Day, fail. But, we do the best we can.

2. I am now totally and madly in love with Fage 0% Greek yogurt topped with honey. You would think fat free yogurt would have a puny consistency – but seriously? So rich and creamy and totally awesome. (And no, no one paid me to say that, but if they did? I’d say it again. Louder. YUM)

3. Guitar lesson went well this week. Last week was a Grade A fiasco – Pumpkin just did NOT want to be there. This week, I hooked her up with my iPhone and some headphones and the Dr. Seuss apps, and she listened to The Lorax for 20 minutes. PURE awesomeness.

4. So, apparently, there’s a girly-bidness-cycle-tracking app for men. It’s called Code Red. Ladies – do you wish the men in your life had an app like this or does it just seem weird? Men, do you wish you had the opportunity to track it and stock up on Hershey bars in advance? I’m curious.

5. I am LOVING my new camera. LOVE LOVE LOVE. The downside? Do you know how many amazing things you can buy for a camera? How many amazing lenses? The adorable camera bags (I’m lusting after that Belle bag – y’know, in case you wanted to buy me a present for… uh… May Day. Yeah. May Day)? I don’t wish I picked a cheaper hobby – I LOVE photography. But whoa.

6. I saw a snippet of “Food Inc” this morning and I’m definitely going to have to watch the whole thing. Between Food Inc and Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I’m definitely doing a lot of thinking lately about the food supply and what we as a nation are feeding our families. Have you seen Food Inc.? Has it changed the way you shop and prepare meals for your family?

7. This morning, we dropped by the store before taking the kids to school. Had to dash in and get coffee — on the way out, the girls said they wanted a cantaloupe. I didn’t have time to stop and buy one then… but I did this afternoon. Any time the girls have wanted to try a fruit or veggie, I’ve made a point to do it. Even the mango that they took one bite of and decided they didn’t like it (I’m pretty sure it was out of season – that was NOT a good mango). I loved going back for a fruit run this afternoon. And, yeah, I love cantaloupe too. So having one in the house feels very springlike for me.

8. Last night, I finished reading Anna Quindlen’s Every Last One (affiliate link). I have loved Anna Quindlen’s stories since I read Black and Blue several years ago. I love the way she weaves a story, and Every Last One was gripping and unexpected and heart wrenching… and very well-told. Loved it.

9. Project Runway tonight! I was bummed, actually, when Mila won that third slot to show at Bryant Park. I’m not really a fan – but I had a hunch that she’d be the one to get the opportunity.

10. Since getting a new camera, I’ve handed one of my older digitals to The Princess. Holy moley. That girl loves to take pictures. Over 100 pictures in a day. She’s definitely thinking some of her shots through. It’s interesting to see what she sees and how she sees it.