More Baskets

Longaberger Baskets

This is one of the photos I took today of my neighbor's really cool Longaberger (not sure I spelled that right) baskets. I don't like the handle not being up - so I'm going to retake it tomorrow - hopefully I'll get a good one that I can post! Sure is fun branching out into other areas of photography!

Something Different

A little something different for me to expand my horizons with! I just got a remote shutter release for my camera - i.e. a remote control that pushes the button on my camera to take the photos so I don't shake the camera. Very necessary when taking low lighting shots - as I just discovered. Best $12 I've spent! Considering my shaky hands - this may get LOTS of use!!!

Stuff

Just some more photos I've been taking of our area.

Success!

Ok, so I'm just an average person living an average life - I've come to realize this isn't such a bad thing. But today was anything but average! Today started out as a totally crummy day and then....................shock - complete and total shock (and amazement)! I have submitted 8 photos since December to a photography contest. This contest is a big deal and really gives bragging rights and name recognition to the winners. They get thousands of entries per month - and you can only submit 1 photo per day - so we're talking thousands of people that participate in this prestigous contest. Well, out of the thousands (this month there are already over 1900 entries and the month isn't even over!) of entries, one of mine has won the "Editor's Pick"!!!! That means that my photo moves on in the contest! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!! Anyway, it's the one above and I took it last Spring of the kids while they were pulling weeds out of the tulips. I have always loved it and apparently someone else does too!! YIPPEE! To be honest though, I don't want to win the contest, I only want to be a finalist. Sounds weird but the finalists get this really cool camera bag that costs nearly $200. The winner just gets a free website - nice, but don't need that, thanks! - really want that camera bag! LOL! Anyway, this the photo that won the Editor's Pick! Yippee!!! Woo Hoo!!!!

Roses are Red

Similar photos - can't decide if I like the darker photo or the lighter. What's your take?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day from a couple of little rugrats!

Flowers

These are just some shots of tulips I've been playing around with to work on my composition. Thought they turned out ok.

Student of the Month!

Zachary brought home the monthly PTA newsletter yesterday and much to our astonishment and great surprise - he was chosen as the December Student of the Month! When I asked him about it, he said "oh, yeah - I forgot to tell you" - like it was something that happens everyday!! When I told him how cool it was and how special that he would be selected for it, then he opened up more about it and told me how he got his "picture taken and everything". Now it's not something that might be "embarrassing" but it's now seen as something "special". You just gotta love that male thought process...............

Glorious Fog

Ok - so this doesn't look foggy. Mike brought me home some flowers and this was one that was in the bunch and I thought it was really pretty.

Now for the fog:








The fog, at times, was so thick I couldn't see my shoes when I was standing up. It was really kinda creepy like something out of a horror flick - and since I was out in the middle of BFE - my mind did have some fun making my blood pressure and heart rate elevate with every little sound (i.e. scared the wee outta me!)! The pictures sure seem like they were worth the fear. I'm having some fun now that I am learning the manual controls on the camera. I've got a whole lot to learn yet and I'm getting there - just not sure where I'll be when I get to wherever it is I'm going though.......but the process sure is fun. I guess that old saying of "wherever you go, that's where you are" applies..........

Oh............. and yes, I got the flowers because Mike was sucking up for ticking me off. Sometimes it's good to be a red-head!!!!!

Sunrise - Sunset....and a few others

Sunrise


Sunset


Hmmmmm, getting puzzled working a puzzle?


Outside fun with friends! (We ended up with between 8-10 inches from the Winter Storm Thurs/Friday. Notice they are on top of the mountain of snow! Thank you Mr. Snowplow Operator for dumping that in our driveway for us to shovel!)


Snowball fight!!!!


Avalanche! Look out below!!! This is the overhang on one of our basement's egress windows. We've just been watching and waiting for it to go - it's still hanging on.

Mike's latest work of art! This is the 2nd tv stand he built. It's pretty impressive, I think! Not to mention I'm glad it's done so I can quit smelling fumes from stain and polyurethane!!

The completed original work of art that spurred woodworking 101.....

My old dilapidated coffee table that was a white-washed pine (like the cabinet holding it underneath). It's now got new knobs and a new coat of stain/polyurethane with a bit of a distressed finish. Of course, it was distressed before from hot wheels being crashed in all different ways - but now it's more of a "decorator" distressed instead of a "Oh, you have children?!" distressed - thanks to 3+ hours of sanding. Now it matches tv stand #2! LOL!