Well, It Isn't Shave Ice.....

So, today's assignment was "waterfalls". It was a workday for me (as for everyone else in our mvp group), and I wound up being at the office until very late in the afternoon (later than I expected to be). I had an idea of where I would go for the shoot, but first I had to go home and do the "dinner" thing, sigh. It was still light after supper and would be for another hour, but it was getting cloudier and cloudier and I knew that my waterfall would be in very dim light by the time I got there.

My husband came up with another idea that worked out fairly well. I can't say that this is an actual waterfall, but it's certainly falling water. When we first arrived, I wasn't too impressed, but the photos look better than I hoped they would.

On the way home we stopped at Karen's (nee Dufel's). My husband ordered a strawberry shortcake with ice cream. It isn't a Shave Ice, but it was coconut ice cream (very yummy-I had a taste) and he enjoyed it anyway while I remembered eating my last Shave Ice in Haleiwa.

While hubby was waiting for his order I took a few shots inside Karen's.

In just a few weeks these shelves will be full of wonderful jams and preserves. My favorite is Cherry Preserves. I look forward to this each summer.

"If you want to find a new hideout in the woods, you'll have to leave the trail."

(from: Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me)

Morette's Again

Photo meeting night again. Morette's for dinner again. While I was waiting for the others to arrive, I took a few shots inside the restaurant with my point and shoot. None of them are really sharp because the camera was on a slow shutter speed. In the lcd window, and without my glasses on, they looked surprisingly sharp. Put them on the computer, and reality hits.

The next two images were done in macro mode, but I guess I was trying for a little more macro than the camera could handle. (translation: I was too close)

This last image is from the cover of the menu.

Only two more weeks left of meetings, then we're done until Oct. I'll miss the meetings. I'll miss Morette's.

Washington Park

Went to Washington Park to photograph the tulips in macro mode this afternoon.

It was very windy--too windy to do a good job with macro. I've photographed the tulips often enough that it's becoming a challenge to get any shots that are different and interesting. I don't think I succeeded doing that today, but here are two of the very few that I think are acceptable.

Another Flower

I don't know when I'll be back to the house tonight, so I decided to post early today. When I first got up, around 7 am, I looked outside and saw some tulips beginning to open up. Aha! my photo for the day, I thought. The light was beautiful. So--grabbing a few images (none of which were fantastic or particularly creative), I was reminded of something I know very well.

So I decided to make a mini-lesson of it. (this first image should be the last--sometimes this site just won't let me do what I want to, and I don't have time to fiddle with it).

I took this shot, thinking, o.m.gosh, how beautiful the light is! Then I realized how washed out the flowers would look.

So I created some shade and took another. How much better the flowers look! (please disregard the pathetic composition)

So the lesson is: when shooting flowers, don't if they're in bright sun. (Reminder to my mvp friends--the TulipFest is right around the corner and the tulips are probably planted and partially blooming at this moment.)

Sunday, April 26

Leftover Easter flower

Another Abandoned House

I was in Troy today. I came across Sage College Campus by accident. It's really a gorgeous campus and I couldn't resist taking some shots.

Below, two students sunbathing in the beautiful weather.

I also came upon this scene. I guess it was Earth Day, and there was a group of people who had gathered to clean up a little park. There was a DJ and a barbeque grill--it looked like everyone was having a good time. Below, these two were taking a break while enjoying the view of the falls.

Then on my way home after passing through Amsterdam, I found another abandoned house.

The front door was wide open, so of course I went in. The barn in the previous image is on the same property as the house.

This Is A Long One Because...

1) I first have to vent (in the hopes that someone will recognize their rude behavior and change their ways, and

2) I have a lot of images I want to share today.

First: I was in Radio Shack today. There was only one salesperson present and she was helping an older gentleman (and I use that word loosely)with his order--they appeared to be winding down and I knew they'd be done soon. The gentleman's cell phone rang while he was talking to and receiving help from the sales representative. He ACTUALLY reached into his pocket and ANSWERED THE PHONE!!! I just stared at him in disbelief, and of course the sales person couldn't say anything--she works for a corporation (or whatever Radio Shack is) and she has nothing to say about how to treat rude, rude, rude customers.

After he left (and I should have done it while he was still there) I suggested to her that she put up a sign saying customers on their cell phones wouldn't be helped until they put their phones away. She sighed and said she couldn't do that without corporate permission. (by the way, she is the manager of that store).

So my rant for the day is--if your phone rings when you are being helped, or even if you're in line for service--for goodness sake, have the class to just let it ring!

Whew! okay, now for today's post. I got motivated this morning and after running some errands in Amsterdam, I went over to the south side (the best kept secret in the area). There were some abandoned buildings there (surprise!), and I spent quite some time photographing them. Bridget, you don't have to bail me out of jail this time!

Following are just a few of what I captured. A totally photo rich environment. A great field trip on a beautiful balmy, blue sky day. Enjoy.

A little bit of graffiti peeking out--I so wished I could get up there...

I'm showing this next one in both color and black and white. Which do you like best?

I'm pretty confident that I followed in Steve's footsteps very nicely today.

I Can't Believe It!

Jayme gave us her assignment for today this past Monday. (three days ago because she thought it might be a topic we'd have to really think about--she was right) I've been thinking about it since then. I was even thinking about it this very morning. So tonight when I sat down to write my post for today, I checked out the other MVP blogs first. All I could think was, I Can't Believe It!! I completely forgot to do the assignment. You know....the mind is a terrible thing to lose!

The assignment was "wisdom". Hmmm, just a little too abstract for my taste, but I did have an idea that I was going to try. Too late now, though.

Anyway, I went to a friend's house this evening for dinner and games. The game was, much to my chagrin, Trivial Pursuit. I can't think of a game that I'm worse at, but they needed a 4th player and I warned them ahead of time that I was bad, bad, bad at this game--I felt kind of the way they all feel when I suggest playing Boggle. So it was a little pay back for them.

While we were playing I took a few photos, and luckily I got a couple of the Trivial Pursuit board. So even though it's a stretch, I'll use this image for my "wisdom" photo. I never really think of knowing a lot of trivia as being particularly "wise", but I guess it is in a way.

A piece of decor from my hostess' home.

Bottom line: Scripture has the answer. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The Yellow Brick Building

Tonight I went to my photo club meeting. But first several of us had dinner at Morette's as usual.

Several of my friends had to leave Morette's earlier than I did in order to get the meeting hall set up for the program. Luba and I were the only two left. We chatted for a while and the conversation rolled around to, guess what--photography. Go figure!

We just started talking about what to do with all the images we take, when Luba suggested that we head outside and take more, 'cause, you know, we don't have enough saved on our hard drives, external hard drives, flash drives, media cards--not to mention all the images we've had printed and put into photo albums, scrap books and enlarged.

Well, I thought some more images was a really good idea--there's an awesome yellow brick building right across the road from Morette's, so that's where we headed. The building is closed up--I don't even know what it was originally, but the yellow is sooo enticing.

Following are just some of the images I made using my point and shoot. Enjoy!

Oh, and I learned something new about my point and shoot--it does macro!! I'm psyched.

Deception

Many years ago, when I cared, I planted a small flower garden in my front yard. Over the years it has gone to wrack-and-ruin and each year I vow to remove the wooden border and mow it down. I haven't managed to do that yet.

When I pulled into my driveway this afternoon, I noticed that some daffodils had bloomed--tenacious little things! So I decided to get some shots of them. Most of the images are really bad, and the one I posted is pretty pathetic too, but bear with me, there's a point to this.

It's long been known that photography can tell whatever story you want it to depending on the way the photo is taken, ie. the perspective, the lighting, the lens used, what's included in the frame, or omitted, etc. (I'm not even talking about the deception one can create with Photoshop)

So if this first image were the only one I posted, it would appear that I had either planted a great garden, or come upon a nice flower bed.

But just to show the truth of the situation, I took a wider view of what used to be my nice flower bed. Unraked, weedy, grungy, unkempt...

All of this to say that things are not always as they seem. A good lesson for me, as well as for all of us. Don't judge without all the facts. Don't jump to conclusions without all the facts.

On the other hand, the lesson could be--make lemonade out of lemons. So what if my ex-garden is a mess--I can still enjoy the beauty that blooms in its midst.

What's the moral? Don't know! Glean what you will and what you need.

Monday

Cloudy skies all day

Rain now

40 degrees

Chili for supper

Shortbread for dessert

YUM!

My Favorite Hymn

Today was my first day back at my NY church. It was really good to see everyone again. To my great surprise and pleasure, the first hymn we sang was my favorite. "And Can It Be That I Should Gain". It was also the last hymn we sang at my last Bible Study in my church in Hawaii. What a treat!

My second favorite hymn is Amazing Grace--and to my even greater surprise and pleasure, that was the last hymn we sang today. God is good, even in the little things!

And Can It Be That I Should Gain
vs. 4

"Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
thine eye diffused a quick 'ning ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed thee.

Amazing love, how can it be,
that thou my God shouldst die for me."

I hope you're having a Blessed Lord's Day.

Two-In-One

Here you'll see my posts for Friday and Saturday. (this is for Friday)

Friday morning, four of us went to Friendly's for breakfast. The retreat didn't officially begin until around noon, so, as our custom, we headed off campus for some time together. While we were waiting for our order, I decided to take a shot of me and Cindy. So, as I was preparing to snap the shutter with the camera held out in front of us, my friend across the table reached out and helpfully said, "here, I'll take the picture for you", and so this is what resulted since Cindy and I weren't ready.

This next image is entitled, "The Irony of It All" (this is for Saturday)

When I arrived home from the retreat on Sat. afternoon, my husband told me a package had arrived for me the day before. Looking at it I realized it was my lens, you know, the lens that I didn't have for the last 8 weeks I was in Hawaii. On the Friday before I left I went to the camera shop to see if it might just have been there, and they assured me, "no, it hasn't come in yet". But either it was there and they just didn't see it, or it arrived within a day or two because it was delivered here just three days after I got home--exactly one week after I checked for it at the photo shop.

Hopefully it's good as new and I'll get to use it soon.

By the way, as you can see, it's a Tamron. Now I know that Canon and Nikon manufacturers say that you should only use their lenses for peak performance. But for any of you out there who might be looking to buy a very good, very affordable lens (who can't afford Canon or Nikon lenses), Tamron is great. AND, their lenses are guaranteed (or waranteed--can't keep that straight) for 6 (yes six) years. So even though I purchased that lens over two years ago, I didn't have to pay a cent to have it repaired. Not a bad deal.

Thursday's assignment--Bridges

I'm away at a women's church retreat this weekend. My access to internet is VERY sketchy. I could be kicked off any moment, but here's my try at posting my Bridge Assignment. I left early Thursday morning for this retreat and was unable to photograph any bridge except this one below. Very ordinary, actually pretty ugly. But I did it.

Yesterday, "anonymous" left me a comment asking where I am? Who are you please?

3-Amigos

I went to my photo meeting tonight. There was a board meeting first. While the meeting was going on, someone brought my attention to these three. They've been part of the Schenectady Photographic Society for many years, and have been good friends all that time. I had to get this shot.

I tried it in black and white too, but I don't like it as much as I thought I would.

Since I'm back on NY time, I won't have to show my "posting" time any more.

PS--wish I were going to NYC with you three, Steve, Trish and Jayme. Have a grand time!

Magazines, Magazines Everywhere and Not the Time to Read...

I managed to get this image at 11:50 pm on Tuesday for Tuesday. Close call.

The post office did a quirky thing. They are supposed to forward regular subscription magazines. During the past three months, I received several in Hawaii, but I knew I wasn't getting all of them.

Sure enough, when I arrived home to a huge stack of mail that wasn't forwarded, these magazines were included in the bunch. They sure will keep me busy for a while. It's a good thing cause I was wondering what I'd do with my free time now. (just in case you're not sure, that's a joke y'all--the words "free time" and my name in the same sentence are often an oxymoron)

Posted 11:55 pm on Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Plane Ride Home

Okay, it's 11:34 pm on Tuesday and I'm posting late for Monday. I wasn't much inspired to take photos during my trip home, but Monday night on the plane, I realized I needed to get a shot that would count for the image for that day, as it was very close to the end of the day at that point. So you get another boring shot of the inside of the plane.

3-Part Inspiration, Part 3

This post is for yesterday, Easter. The first and second images have already been posted, but I wanted to keep the continuity going.

So this is part 1

part 2

part 3

Although this is actually part 4, I didn't think about it when I decided to do a 3-parter.

This photo below is for Leah. Hope you had a nice Easter, even though I think you were traveling. Britt remarked about how your entrance with the Bunny Cake was quite a bit more dramatic than mine. But at least I kept up the tradition. (ps--the mouth was created from 'dark chocolate' Cadbury Eggs!)

To my MVP partners: I'll be leaving the house pretty soon and I don't know when I'll be back online--but I guarantee that the photos I post will have been taken on the appropriate days. See you all soon.

By the way, anyone who is leaving me comments as "anonymous", I appreciate hearing from you. If you're an acquaintance, or even if not, please leave your name so I know who you are. Thanks.