sharleenstuartAmy at Morikami Japanese Gardens and Museum
Posted on January 29, 2016
I love going out with Amy. As a mom, these are special moments, captured in the click of a button. Especially now that she is living so far away. I managed to convince her that she needed to take walk through the Morikami Japanese Gardens and Museum. The grounds are stunning, the walk is about a mile long. If you are looking for a place that captures the beauty of nature and the subtle hints of the Japanese culture then Morikami is definitely worth a visit.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Jen: November 2015
Posted on January 28, 2016
In December Jen asked me to take some photos of her for her Christmas Card. I love working with her. She is a stunning lady and a beautiful person all round. I have wanted to get out into a park with lots of trees and Jen was up for doing that as well.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a story: Festive 5: December 2015
Posted on December 31, 2015
I started collecting Santa’s in 2001. I fell in love with all the different varieties you could find in the USA. My Christmas tree went from an assortment of ornaments to my favorites and Santa’s and Christmas balls. Then my tree went from small to large, and from a variety to Santa’s and Christmas balls. My objective was always to try and find unique and different Santa’s.
This year however, for the most part it was only the two of us at home, and the 2 felines, one of which had never spent a Christmas in the house. I was not sure how he was going to react to the Christmas tree. I also worked until the 23rd of December and really did not feel like putting up a multitude of decorations. Perhaps one day when there is grandchildren that may happen but this year it did not.
So this year only two of my tree’s layers went up and only my Santa’s, the lights and some icicles went on. The first image is my small tree, taken with my new lensbaby sweet 35. Below that are just a few of my favorite Santa’s.
Christmas lights with the help of the lensbaby sweet 35
A Wizard with an umbrella (?) Santa
Snowflake Santa
Scalextric Santa This one reminds me of a Christmas growing up when my parent bought my brother a set. We had endless fun with it and of course, I continuously crashed my car.
Jester Santa One of my favorite collectibles has been clowns. This guy captured my heart immediately.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend Sharon at Sharon Meyer Photography and see what he has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Leave a little love on their page as well.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: Festive 5
Posted on December 28, 2015
This time of the year gets really hectic and a unanimous decision was made to do a Festive 5 this month. I am good with that. When we first moved to the USA, I quickly realized that Christmas as it was, was going to change. There was no family anymore besides the 4 of us. I used to love having all the family over for Christmas lunch. For me there is nothing nicer than spending time with family.
So in 2001, as I pondered Christmas, I also realized that there were other families, just like us with no families either. So started the journey of Christmas in our home. Over the years, numbers changed. We started out with 4 family and a total of 16 people, 8 adults, and 8 children. One year we had 56 people. That was tight but we managed. It just so happened that year, a lot of parents came in. The group number had obviously grown as well.
Then a lot of folk got transferred to Texas and numbers dropped again. This year we had 6 families, 12 adults and 6 little children. I like to decorate and make things look pretty.
This year when I went to Targets for something else, I happened to spot some ornaments that gave me the idea of this theme. When we went to Sanibel Island, the theme was re-inforced. This year we had a South Florida Christmas at the beach theme. It was certainly different from the traditional red, green and gold, and it was so simple to do. Merry Christmas from South Florida. May 2016 be a year, rich with blessings, good health, lots of laughter and joy, and most importantly filled with love for yourself and for other.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my sweet friend Colleen Putman/NYC and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Don’t forget to leave a little love on their pages.
30 Minutes recently changed their name to Journey to an Artist. If you want to know more about Journey to an Artist head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on with the group Journey to an Artist that you are sure to want to check it out.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Lensbaby learning curve…
Posted on December 26, 2015
I have been very impressed with the artwork I see taken with a Lensbaby. I have also wanted one. So when a fellow photographer advertised hers for sale, I decided that I would like it. It is a learning curve, that is all I can say. Focusing is done manually. It does not auto focus with the camera.
However, I love the effects. I felt like I managed to capture the direct on, although on enlarging one image a realized that where I thought my focus was, was actually not there but higher up. Oh well, time and a whole lot of practice will hopefully make a world of difference. Here are a few of the Lensbaby images I took on my first walk out and about with my new toy.
Some of the images were taken straight on so the blur was around the image. Some were taken with the lens angled left or right. That affects the area of blur.
Practicising with the lensbaby
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: November 2015
Posted on November 30, 2015
It’s hard to believe that 2015 is almost over. I am not sure where it has gone. The year has been full of events, some good, some not so good. 2014 ended on a not so good bang. 4 days before I was due to have foot surgery, Amy had a challenging accident, knocking out 3 teeth and fracturing her upper jaw. That set the tone for the rest of the year.
I was recovering from the surgery which in itself has left additional challenges to my foot. At the same time I was driving to and from Gainesville every time Amy had surgery. Throw into the mix a new job description. I retained the work I was doing and added in a whole lot of new functions. It was a real learning curve, with good days and bad days.
I brought home a street cat, whom Amy named Simba. He should have been called Shadow, because that is truly what he is. He is adorable and we love him. Well all of us except Moonshine. She is not too crazy about him. He hides and as soon as she come near him he is in full “I am going to get you mode”. Moonshine lives in the upper levels of the house, because Simba does not seem to jump too high.
In August we had a wedding. Cameron and Kathryn got married. What a time of blessing. However, weddings involve a lot of work, and I had my fill from developing a slideshow, to designing a guest book, to doing all the flower arrangements less the bouquets and buttonholes, to hosting a rehearsal dinner. We have been very happy to welcome Kathryn to our small family.
We had a short break at the beach with Amy, and then it was full steam ahead to get her ready to fly out to her new home in Macedonia. While I was very excited for her my heart was heavy with the thought of saying goodbye. With that comes the worry for your child. Will she be okay. Will she be home sick. Will she like her host family. Phew, lots and lots of emotions.
And then it was the adjustment period of an empty home. Suddenly I feel bone weary. I am tired. This has been a long and hectic and emotional year. I am ready for a rest. I want to just sleep and yet I do not sleep alot.
So when it came to doing my 30 minutes this month I was brain dead. I wanted to do something different but I did not know what. I thought of going to a big cat refuge but it seemed like it would take too much energy. I was stumped. I recently read an article about taking the same item in a number of different scenario’s and so this is what I have done with my 30 minutes this month.
Each year a friend and I host a Christmas dinner for our study group. She offers her home and sets the tables. I coordinate the invites and the Christmas message. So here is my preparation for the evening ahead.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit, Julia Forsman | A Rock and a Soft Place Photography and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on at 30 minutes that you are sure to want to check it out.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a story: November 2015
Posted on November 30, 2015
The other day I walked outside and I thought to myself truly Florida does have snow, it just comes in a different form. The lawns are covered with tiny white flowers.
My version of snow in Florida. Made up of tiny little white flowers which are weeds.
Either side of us the properties look like this. They are out in abundance and apparently prolific. White like flakes of snow little the grass.
Today I went outside with my macro lens and just looked around our garden. We have weeds. Not as prolific as the white snow but smatterings in the form of variety. Weeds are weeds and most people do not want them in their gardens. I only the other hand get down on the grass and up close to the tiny buds that hang around our garden. Of course it is my fault that we have weeds. If I did not feed the ducks, they would not pass on the seed, which encourages the weeds…you know they cycle….
Here are a few that I captured today. Weeds can be beautiful even if they are annoying in the garden.
Weeds can be beautiful.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend LUPJi Photography / North Virginia Photographer and see what he has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Leave a little love on their page as well.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Noah E: 12 days old..
Posted on October 31, 2015
I have had the privilege of knowing his mother for some years, his father a little less and now this little man.
This is the first time I have attempted to take photographs of a baby so young other than Noah’s first 48 hour photo’s. One thing I have learned from this short session, is that babies move and photo’s blur. They also do not like to be moved around a lot. Noah seemed to be more comfortable on his back and so most of his photo’s are taken that way.
Here is Noah at 12 days old..
Before you were born,
we dreamed of you, imagined you,
we prayed for you.
Now that you are here,
we hope for you, we love you
we thank God for you.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
Tell me a Story: October 2015: Oktoberfest, South Florida
Posted on October 31, 2015
If you are visiting South Florida in October, the Oktoberfest in Lantana, is one of the events you really should catch. We have tried to go every year with friends. Having been to beer halls in Munich, this is small scale but it is still a whole lot of fun. Bands are imported from Germany for the event. The crowd gathers, the police monitor, the food is abundant and overall a good time is had. Here is our visit to the Oktoberfest this month..
Cars entering the event are long, the parking cost a lot higher than I would like to pay, but still it is worth the visit. This year we were directed to the parking directly behind the facility which may getting back to your car quick and easy. Of course, the essential part of attending the Oktoberfest – buying the beer tickets.
Once inside you make your way through throngs of people towards the beer hall, where you find beer in abundance and in variety. Prost!!
Along with the beer is a variety of German foods.
Beyond the beer halls is the fairground and children and parents line the edges and the ticket counters to ensure that they get a ridge on the various options.
We sat out in the beer garden and I spent some time looking around and picking up my camera. Every so often I would take myself off for a walk, leaving Rich and our friends to drink their beers.
Traditional costumes were definitely the theme of the day.
Along with the most random of hats, some more conservative ….
than others….
I happened to spot a man play with this toy that transported me back to my youth. I cannot remember what they were called but I do remember playing with a similar kind of toy.
It was party time inside the beer hall, and the band brought out from Germany was having a great deal of fun. Besides the traditional German songs, including the Chicken song, they played a variety of well know party songs such as Abba, and Neil Diamond. The lady below was encouraging the audience to be actively involved. There was singing, and dancing, and shouting out loud.
I wandered back outside to witness my friend doing the actions to the YMCA song. I was a little slow on the uptake and did not get a great shot of the Y, but I had to include it.
Y M C A
Before we knew it, the sun was setting and the evening had crept in.
But that did not stop the party from happening. People drank beer, had fun and were monitored by the local police. I did not see anyone that was out of hand.
Of course, I wandered off again when I heard the bagpipes, and stayed inside for the whole display.
More music, more audience participation, more laughter, more beer. This young lady gave an amazing mimic during the song Mama Mia.
It was dark outside when I wandered back out to join our friends. Of course I went via the fair again.
While this was not my view at the end of the evening, I have to wonder how many had this view when leaving the event. Always make sure that you have a designated driver when attending an event where you may drink a lot of alcohol.
Some see the glass half empty,
Others see the glass as half full,
I just wonder who the hell is drinking my beer.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s Tell me a Story. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend LUPJI Photography and see what he has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month. Leave a little love on their page as well.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
30 Minutes in the Life: October 2015
Posted on October 26, 2015
Recently as the weather has started to cool, I have noticed that the local shopping center has begun organizing music in the small pavilion on it’s property. They put out a number of chairs on the grass and it appears that the music starts around 6pm. The local restaurants around this area have happy hour – every day.
Now there are days that I just do not feel like cooking. I typically cook most days, but this day was one of the days I had come home from work, and did not want to cook. A quick call to Rich and an impromptu dinner date was set up. I was to meet him for happy hour and some music from the pavilion. It just so happened that we met up with a friend who joined us for happy hour. He kept Richard occupied while I snapped away.
The music began, the people arrived, the dancing started, and the drinks flowed…somewhat…
Tonight I became a people watcher, and shot images from my bar seat.
This last photo had to be my favorite image of the evening. Nothing fancy, but it reminded me that you are never to old to hold hands and enjoy each others company.
Dance like no one is watching
Love like you’ve never been hurt
Sing like nobody is listening
Live like it is heaven on earth.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my favorite photographers, Julia Forsman / A Rock and a Soft Place / Istanbul, and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
If you want to know more about 30 Minutes in the Life head over to their facebook page, or to the blog page. There is new and exciting happenings going on at 30 minutes that you are sure to want to check it out.
Look out for time spent at the Oktoberfest later on this week.
If you are interested in seeing more of my photography take a look at my Facebook page or my Flickr Page.
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