Thursday, May 14, 2009

Rocky Road

Well it seems it's not as simple to leap back into the thick of things as I thought.

Yesterday's prompt was guard and my brain just completely blanked. I couldn't seem to come up with a guard at all. Of course now that I say that I know I'll think of something. LOL.

Today's prompt was "rock", and I'm fortunate to have lots and lots (and LOTS) of those!


Happy Wednesday everyone! See you tomorrow!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Carry

Happily for my guilty conscience, the HSMSHS bloggers can carry on just fine without me. Life seems to have slowed back down enough for me to catch my breath though, so I'm back to play again!

Love this photo for "carry"! It was taken at our church fundraiser. We left the poses mostly up to the people we were photographing, unless they got really stuck. He had picked her up (so romantic!) and we were brainstorming another pose, when it was decided that SHE would carry HIM! Funny! I love how they both totally hammed it up too.

Carry on y'all! I'll try to behave myself and post again tomorrow!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

I'm not gone

I realize that I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I miss blogging. I do! I miss playing along with all the HSMSHS gang. I miss YOU!

Reasons I've been away?

1. A visit from my in-laws to prepare for and enjoy (And enjoy I did! I'm so lucky to have really wonderful in-laws!).

2. The local music festival to prepare for and participate in (tomorrow's the last day, THANK GOODNESS).

3. Old friends returned from their summer in the south (still haven't caught up properly with them, though we've called each other a few times)

4. I've started an online Photography course at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Lots to learn and absorb, and a big time commitment.

5. I'm doing a LOAD (LayOut A Day) challenge this month on Flickr (and it's not to late to join! Ask me how!)

6. I've had to shop for new spring/summer clothes for my kids. Because no matter how I beg, they won't stop growing!

7. Speaking of shopping, I have a dress fitting on Monday and have had to try to get ready for that (if only I had lost that 20 pounds!). Shoes, check. Underwear--time scheduled on Saturday. Put off that bra shopping as long as possible!

8. Oh, and a little thing called Girl Guide cookie selling

9. There was a church conference in there somewhere. We billeted people. Which was a first because we're so far from the church itself. But fun.

10. We've also had some beautiful spring weather, so I've been out enjoying it with my family.

11. My LR trial period ran out and I'm waiting for my very own copy to arrive in the mail. So exciting! After processing in LR, it's hard to be happy with just Picasa. So I haven't really wanted to post any recent photos--though I haven't stopped taking them!

EDIT: Just as I typed this, the mailman arrived! Hello LR! I love you!

Why do all of these things happen at once?

So I'm just trying to find my footing, and then I'll leap back into the fray.

Hopefully Monday! Until then, I hope everyone is well!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

SPS with flare

I absolutely love all of the portraits I've been seeing lately that utilize flare. I know you can add it after the fact in PhotoShop, but I really am striving to get my shots right in camera. I'd much rather be behind the camera than behind the computer!

Anyway, here's my latest attempt. Still not quite where I want it, but a fun photo none the less.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Boots

I know it's been a week since I posted last, but I haven't forgotten you! Offline life trumps online sometimes.

Jumping right in with today's prompt though:



Ahhhhh Spring! I'm so glad we were finally able to switch to rubber boots from winter ones, despite the snow on Monday. Oh yes, we had a white Easter!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Easter Memories

Easter is coming? Who knew?

Just kidding! We know, we've just taken a very laid back approach this weekend. Our girls have asked that they be allowed to share a room again, and we've taken the move as an opportunity to paint. As a consequence, we haven't done much Easter prep in the way of decorations and the like in the rest of the house. Today was the big prep day, tomorrow the painting, and then we'll see what magic happens in the rest of the house. Our bunny doesn't come until Monday, so we've a little time, though we really like to observe Easter Sunday. No cleaning! Still, you never know what might happen at Easter time!

While I'm sanding and taping, here's one of my favourite photos from last year's Easter.

Happy Easter to you!
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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Wildlife Photography is for the BIRDS

This morning I woke up to birdsong. I did my morning routine with a smile on my face, for my lawn (which I can mostly see now) was host to some kind of robin convention. I fed the kids and came to the computer to do my usual routine. I checked in with HSMSHS to see the prompt for the day: BIRD.

PIECE OF CAKE!

I smiled to myself, looking out the window at all those robins. Then I picked up the camera, walked to the door....and they all flew away. I wasn't worried though. It was still early, and I had all day to photograph just one bird.

The joke was on me though, for every time I picked up the camera, they all flew away. I swear it was not a robin convention on the lawn, it was a robin conspiracy. Those birds are serious about their privacy!

All day I tried, and all day they mocked me, flitting merrily about when I watched from the windows, but making themselves scare the second I picked up the camera.

Obviously, wildlife photography is not my niche.

But then, a call from the kids: "Mama! The deer are here!"

I did the fastest lense change ever and ran to the kitchen windows. We hadn't seen our deer pals yet since fall, and I had no idea whether or not they'd be in cahoots with the birds. They weren't. They were actually quite pleased to have their photos taken.

Hubby arrived from work just after I'd snapped the first few photos, and I was sure the car would have them running for the woods, but they carried on as if he wasn't there.

Inspired by my success, I went out to see if I could track down a bird. No luck. Perhaps it was because of my assistant:

Did you say bird? Let me help!

I finally managed to ditch my assistant and tramped around, following the sounds of birdsong and peering into the trees. What I ended up with was a whole lot of this:

I eventually found a robin way up in the top of the tree and managed to tiptoe under it for this shot:

But WOW! Those birds really made me work for it!

Next time I'm photographing the Boy's Webkinz.

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