Day 26--Colorful

I've got a "friend" on facebook who is an artist. She paints with several different medium. Her blog address is: http://www.artwithcause.blogspot.com/ just in case you might want to go there and check it out. If you do, leave a comment--we all like knowing that others have seen our posts.

On fb my "friend" has a sister who regularly posts photos of what she makes for her meals. So my friend has challenged herself to post photos of her meals with the goal of making her meals more colorful, and therefore more healthy.

In honor of that, here's my dinner tonight. Chicken caccitore with venison meat sauce & veggies. Pretty good tasting too.

Day 25--Another one...

Last weekend I "dog-sat" for my daughter while she and her family took a vacation to Cape Cod, a place to which I've never been, by the way. Fortunately she lives less than 10 minutes away, and in the direction of the town I often go to for various reasons.

When I saw her tonight, she had a "thank-you" gift for me. I saw the box with a picture of a coffee mug on it, and I thought, "Oh no, not another one..." (I think I've mentioned before that I'm in the process of cleaning out the house, and I refuse to bring anything into it without taking something out of it in exchange.)

There are only two of us here now that the kids have flown the coop, and we're not big-time coffee drinkers, so probably 4 mugs would do the trick for us. My cupboard, however, has significantly more than 4 mugs and I keep vowing to clean that cupboard out.

But, let me tell you, when I saw the mug she had gotten for me, I was impressed. A color I love, a funky shape. Totally unique.

So, I will get around to cleaning the cupboard, but this new mug has a place reserved for it, no questions asked!

Day 24--Finally

Beautiful weather + low humidity=motivation.

Finally.

Before
After

Day 23--Concert

Well, I seem to have lost two days now. I was already one day behind, but now I'm two, and I can't figure out how/when that happened. So since my commitment was for July and July has 31 days, I'll continue until I post Day 31.

Last night I went to SPAC with a friend of mine for the Brad Pasley concert. I haven't been to SPAC in a long time, so before heading out the door, I checked the website to see what was allowed/not allowed on the grounds. Sure enough, under the NOT ALLOWED heading was 'cameras'. So I obediently took my grown-up camera out of my tote, and disobediently put my baby camera in the tote. My thinking was that it might be small enough that it wouldn't raise any red flags when my bag was searched at the gate.

The security guard didn't even blink when he saw the camera in my bag, and after getting inside the gate and seeing that everyone had a camera of some sort, I realized that I might have been duped. I consoled myself with the thought that there probably wouldn't be much to take photos of anyway.

Ha!!! I don't do drugs, but I'm thinking that I might have had some mind-altering experience if I really thought there wouldn't be photo ops there. I couldn't put the camera down, and spent a good deal of the time beating myself up mentally for not bringing the grown-up camera. Finally I asked someone I knew about it, and they said the website probably means video cameras. Hhhmph!

So, I compulsively did the best I could with what I had.

One of the acts on the grounds was Steel Magnolia. I pretty much pushed my way through the crowd to get close enough to get some shots. I'm shameless sometimes.

After two warm-up acts on the stage, one of which was Darius Rucker, Brad Pasley finally came out. Not enough light and too far away, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Next time the grown-up camera comes with me!

Day 22--Comfort Food

It's been raining most of the day today. I was in the mood for some comfort food. Fresh made, still warm zucchini bread with strawberry preserves.

Yum!

Day 21--Driving to Albany

Had to drive to Albany this morning. I haven't been on the thruway during rush-hour in a really long time. Actually it was the tail end of rush-hour and the congestion was due to an accident. Once past that, it was clear sailing.

But I'm still glad I don't have to drive the thruway every day. My hat is off to those who do.

Day 20--Lillies

One of the neighbor ladies has a beautiful lilly garden. Last year she asked me to photograph them. She called again this year, so I was happy to go there and see the beautiful flowers growing in her yard.

Day 19--Fridge Art

Grandkids spent the night Tuesday. I received some new fridge art. Yeah!

Day 18--Back Home or My Cat's Life

While eating dinner tonight on my (newly waterproofed, have I mentioned that before?) deck, I noticed my cat just hanging out on the railing.

Ahhh, my cat's life...I surely do wish I had her life sometimes. Her main object(s) in life is to occasionally eat, chase mice once in a while, look pretty, be affectionate and lower my blood pressure.

She's pretty good at it!

Day 17--Sunday at Amherst

When leaving the new, schnazzy dining hall through the rear entrance, you must go through this building in order to get down to the street. There's always a bevy of construction happening on this campus, and right now they don't have all the walkways open.

Anyway, going through this building was not a hardship. You can see how beautiful it is, and of course, as photographers, we couldn't resist using it as a subject.

Day 16--Saturday at Amherst

So, Saturday at Amherst is the day when there is a featured speaker for the night session, preceded by announcements, thank-yous, dates for next year's conference, awards, etc. In order to get to the auditorium, you have to walk past the pond. I don't remember ever seeing these fountains in this pond before.

The total attendance count was 1,127. Zowie! Lots of photographers in one place.

Day 15--Friday at Amherst

Well, if there was any such thing as a human being acutally melting, that would have been me at Amherst on Friday. And yet, I know there are other places in the country that are dealing with much worse weather. That was small consolation though.

Anyway, I got registered, put my belongings in my hot, very hot room, met my friend and headed off to the new, and truly amazing dining hall on campus for lunch.

Three sessions in the afternoon and then dinner. Good grief--this dining hall was amazing. So many choices and with an atmosphere of an eat-all-you-can buffet. So I found the Asian bar, found the chopsticks and enjoyed.

After dinner we walked over to the campus center to do some "window shopping" at the vendor section, then decided it was time to head to class. Only, when we got to the door, this is what greeted us. I did have an umbrella with me this weekend. Sure did!! Tucked safe and secure in my suitcase back at the dorm. Hmmmm.

So we sat out the storm, hoping we wouldn't be too late to get into the next session. It was quite a display. Hard rain, much thunder and much, much lightening--very close, too close, thank you very much!

But the rain finally slowed down enough so that we could get to our session.

We were headed to the last session of the evening when it was dusk. Since the previous session I attended was about "Night Photography", I decided to grab a few shots on the way to the next building. Remember though, I only had my point and shoot, so these aren't really keepers, just practice. The green color in this next image is kind of funky, but I really like it.

Day 14--Packing Again

Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for the far-away exotic destination of.....drumroll please....Amherst, MA. It's time, again, for that awesome weekend of being completely, totally, unabashedly imerged/submerged in all things photographic. The weekend when about 1,100 other people are consumed by the same passion and are actually excited and eager to talk about any and all forms of photography. Be still, my heart!

So even though, in my eagerness, I wanted to pack 5 days ago, common sense reigned. I waited until tonight, because, as you know, if you pack early, the one thing that you're totally convinced you won't need until you arrive at your destination that is stashed at the very bottom of the suitcase, is most definitely the item that you must have, right now!, or the earth will stop spinning. Know what I mean?

But when you pack for two days, it takes, what?, 10 minutes! And you can get the pillow in there too. Nice!

Day 13

Well, I missed a day yesterday. My excuse is: illness. But today I'm fine and hopefully back to posting every day. Well, every day except for Friday and Saturday---aaarrgh! Well!!! I'll take photos both those days and post when I return home on Sunday.

Now that we have that taken care of, here's today's post.

One of my hiking friends is a photographer, and two of the times we've gone hiking this year we've taken our "grown-up" cameras with us. Each time she has taken multiple images in order to create a panorama.

Then yesterday, a facebook "friend" posted an image that she created from multiple images. So I decided to try one for myself. It's been a long time since I attempted one.

This is an 11 image pano, taken in Minaville. The road doesn't really curve so much, but I guess that's the nature of the multiple images.

Day 12--The Big Bus!

Today was another hike. Up to Gleasman's Falls in the Utica area. It was a beautiful walk, about 6 miles round trip and not much elevation. The Falls were a little diappointing and there were no vantage points from which to shoot them, but the time outdoors, with good friends, today made it worth it.

However!! I seriously feel like I've been hit by a BIG bus right now. So no photos of homestyle trivia. These hiking images are all you get tonight.

This was the only other hiker we met on the trail today. Well...him and his dog. The poor thing was rescued from the shelter about 5 years ago, and even all these years later is still timid and afraid of people because of his abusive history. Looks like he's got a great home now, though.

Then, as per our tradition, we headed to town for an early dinner. This is one of the streets in the little town of Lowville.

This is as good as it gets today.

Day 11

Several years ago I heard about a self-assignment that involved taking a certain number of images before getting out of bed in the morning. Although I never followed through with that particular assignment, I did something like that this afternoon.

I was in my bedroom photographing something that I'd been thinking about for a while. It wasn't working though.

It was a beautiful afternoon and the late day sun was streaming in through the windows. So I just lay on the bed looking through the viewfinder to see what would work. Very fun!

Day 10

Well, it's that time again. Pine's farm stand is up and running--actually it has been for several weeks. They sell the best produce in the area--with corn on the cob (that they grow themselves) and peaches being their piece(s) de resistance.

So today I finally remembered to go that way and stop for peaches. I haven't eaten any yet. I'm waiting a day or two till they get softer and more juicy, but the waiting is difficult. They are sooooo good.

They are serving a very good purpose until I begin eating them though. They were my subject for my daily post.

If you haven't ever had Pine's peaches, make a trip there and get some. You won't be sorry.

As I was getting ready to get in my car, I noticed these flowers--some in larger hanging baskets, some in these smaller pots. I succumbed. I bought one. Hopefully I'll be able to keep it alive through the summer.

Day 9

For most of the early part of the day today, it looked like it would rain, but it didn't. Late in the afternoon it began to clear up, but then I heard a strange noise and when I looked out the window, it was pouring down rain. Weird.

Well, folks, what is this a picture of....??? Let me tell you--it's pooling water drops on my newly WATERPROOFED deck--hooray, hooray! The grunt work was worth it.

Now I can walk on my clean, wet deck without taking my life in my hands--no more slipping and sliding on dirty, slimy 2x4s. Aaahhhhhhh.....

Day 8

Yum!!!

Day 7--No Exceptions

I went down to the DMV today to renew my driver's license. (btw, I don't like this photo any better than the one on my existing license and I'm stuck with it for the next 8 [EIGHT] years. Sheesh!)

Anyway, while I was standing on line, I saw this sign on the window. I couldn't resist taking a photo of it. I don't usually applaud anything that NYS does, but this gets my vote.

Gee..... I wonder if NYS will get sued by the Federal Gov't for doing the right thing like Arizona is????

Day 6--Remembrance

I've never been a big fan of "collections", but over the years I've started a few, only to lose interest or run out of space to display them.

I love these angel statues. I once mentioned my interest in them to a friend. Being perceptive, she stored that info away in her memory bank, and sure enough, when I opened my birthday present from her months later, there was this angel. Each one has a phrase on the bottom. This one is the "Angel of Remembrance". So appropriate, dontcha think?

Thanks Trish.

Another person gave me one of these angels. So now I have a collection of two. Two is good! Or should it be three? Three makes a better composition, at least that's what all the photography teachers say. Hhmmmm, I may have to treat myself to another. In the meantime, I love my collection of two.

Day 5--Summerville Red

Okay, the deck is clean and ready for waterproofing, but I was anxious to get started on my bedroom. Accent wall and trim=Summerville Red.

What's interesting to me is that some people actually like to paint and choose to do it for a living. Hhmmmm, no accounting for taste I guess.

Day 4

No 4th of July festivities for me. Just some fireplace decor.

Day 3--Ordinary Things & and an Extraordinary Hike

NOTE TO SELF:

Don't wait 8 years to clean the deck again!

We went to Cascade Pond for our hike yesterday. It was a spectacular day. Before arriving at the trailhead, our driver saw these folks on a lake and did a quick u-turn so we could photograph them.

About 1/2 mile up the trail we came upon a wooden bridge that afforded us this view.

Along the trail.

Cascade Pond is near Blue Mt. Lake. On the way home we stopped at one of our favorite restaurants in Indian Lake. After eating dinner, we headed across the street for dessert.

Happy Birthday, America!!!!