sharleenstuart30 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.
Day 3: At Flagler Beach..
Posted on October 10, 2015
Flagler Beach was the destination for our holiday this year. After a hectic August and in anticipation of a potentially hectic September, we took a weeks vacation at Flagler Beach. It was also a week we are able to spend with our daughter before she headed off to Macedonia for 27 months.
Gamble Rodgers State Park is the place we were staying. The campsite is about 30 steps from the beach and it is my idea of paradise.
If you want to read about Day 1 click here.
If you want to read about Day 2 click here.
Each morning I would wake up at about 6:15 and grab my camera, coffee and head to the beach. Here are some images from Day 3 on the beach.
6:55am and it is still realtively dark out. I am on the beach alone and enjoying the solitude.
The moon was still up and a bank of clouds was blocking the sunrise
There was a small gap in the clouds where the red of the sunrise intensified.
Zooming into the center of the red sky gives and interesting highlight on the edge of the darkened clouds.
A Hawk searching for food.
Flying beyond the red and down along the beach front.
Sunrise stroll along the beach
And with that our day has begun…. Amy’s day in the sun always has repercussions and so we opted not to go to the beach today and instead head up to my favorite town in Florida, St Augustine.
St Augustine is the oldest city in Florida, and it initially established as a Spanish Colony, but eventually fell under British rule. The history and culture is evident when you walk through the old city streets of St Augustine. From the fort, to the Colonial Quarters, to the Irish pub, to the little bars with music playing in them, to the small cemeteries and ghost tours, all add a vibrant character to the city of St Augustine.
You cannot miss visiting the Fort.
A walk along the waterfront allows you to view the intracoastal and all the beautiful boats on it.
Today Amy and I separated from Richard and we started at the bottom end of the Old City walk. The chocolate shop was Amy’s first choice of stop.
Chocolate apples lined the glass display cabinet.
Glazed apples were an alternative.
When then found an earthy kind of store that had clothing and jewelry and various other items. At the back of the shop I found something to capture my attention.
Clowns have always been one of my favotire collections and this clown mask really caught my attention.
Beyond that we headed up to Mi Casa where Richard had found live music, and a stopping point for lunch.
Lunch at Mi Casa Cafe in St Augustine. Taking in some local rock as well.
St Augustine was brightly decorated to celebrate the day of the first landing in Florida.
Flags decked the buildings, lamp posts were wrapped in decorative banners. The shopkeepers said the weekend had been hectic. So glad we came through on the Wednesday.
On arriving back at the campsite, I decided to head out for a while with my macro lens.
A green bee flitting from plant to plant.
Back at the campsite, and the new arrival makes it’s presence felt – love bugs!!. Love bugs are the most annoying flying incests beside horse flies. They fly attached to each other in mating season. There are hundreds of them and they will crawl all over you. Last year one even crawled inside my camera as I was switching lens. Suddenly I could see a bug walking across my view. Not sure if it ever got out or died inside my camera. He’s not crawling anymore.
I love the mechanics of dragon flys. They are the most interesting of insects for me.
A tern flying over the ocean
And before you know it the day is over and rapidly drawing to a close. The sunset this evening was equally as impressive as what it had been the past few days.
Sunset out west at Flagler Beach
Final image of the sunset this evening.
Look out for the rest of the week coming up soon.
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: Day 2 on the beach
Posted on September 30, 2015
August and September came and went in a blur and I am so behind with everything. However, the time has been sweet, rich and full, but it has also been bittersweet. In August we had Cameron’s wedding, and I had a lot of hard work up to and including the day of the event. The event however, was amazing and it was so good to see both Cameron and Kathryn with great big grins on their faces. We then had a weeks vacation which was so enjoyable because Amy came to join us for the week. The bittersweet side of that was within the coming week she would leave us to go and live in Macedonia. It was really hard to say goodbye to both children in one month. Cameron was less of a permanent goodbye since he lives about 20 minutes from us, Amy was a lot harder. It is not a 4 hour drive anymore. That is the downside of children growing up and parents getting older. Thank goodness for Skype. I have managed to have two conversations already with Amy, got to meet her host parent and grandparent, and felt a little more at ease.
This month my blog session comes from our weeks vacation. We headed to Flagler Beach, in Florida, USA. Tell me a Story is about any given day in the month that you wish to share. Day 2 was my choice for Tell me a Story. If you want to read about Day 1 click here.
Day 2 was filled with lots of memories. As you know, waking up in the morning is not one of my favorite things to do, however, on vacation I stagger out in the dark, make a cup of coffee, pick up my camera bag (which is prepared the night before), grab my chair and head to the the beach. Below is the early morning sunrise on Day 2.
This is the first sunrise I had the pleasure of watching. You cannot go to the beach without your coffee and flip flops
A Sandpiper searching for early morning snacks
Slowly the sunrise begins to appear from behind the clouds
I stepped back a bit to include the incredible clouds. Just breathtaking in my opinion.
7:36am Tuesday morning. The sunrise changed to a golden hew.
Company arrived just as I was packing up to leave the sunrise session. I love these little guys
I loved looking at the sunflare peeping out through the clouds.
One last image as I walk away from the sunset. The clouds were absolutely fantastic.
Breakfast was had, Richard went to ride his bike and I cleaned house – seems like something was wrong with this picture. Amy eventually dragged herself out of bed and off to the beach we went.
We have the beach practically to ourselves.
Fishing poles were stacked in the best spots of the beach – right where the waves were breaking.
Time to sit back and relax and catch some sun.
A flock of Terns landed on the beach, and Amy decided she was going to go and photograph them. I decided to pick up my camera as well.
Two little buckets without their two little owners.
Searching for fish.
Two lonesome chairs on the beach
Taking in the sun rays
Finally catching a floating umbrella.
This is the life. A beach are and a beautiful day.
The clouds gathered and we headed back to the campsite to wait out the cloud burst. Once that had finished I picked up my macro lens and went for a walk. My objective was rain drops.
At the tip of a branch.
On the tip of a berry.
Simplicity in this image but I loved the movement of the plant towards the light.
Water drops on some of the flowers.
A beautiful flower in amongst the long grasses.
The remainder of a flower after the leaves had all fallen off
The day was drawing to a close. Dinner was a barbecue, and we were just sitting around chatting when we noticed the changing sky. Quickly we gathered up our camera’s and went up onto the boardwalk one site away from us.
Richard and Amy enjoying the sunset – with a camera and a glass of wine
Anyone for a stroll at sunset?
The water tower at Flagler Beach.
The actual sunset that we were watching in the west and the reflection in the east
Sunset to the west
Sunset to the west
I feel like so much was packed into today. They are memories I want to hold on tight to.
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 Renee Marcov/Oregon Coast and see what she has for you this month. Keep following the circle to see what the other photographers have shared this month.
You can find Day 1 of our vacation here. For day 3 of our vacation take a look here.
Look out for the rest of the week coming up soon.
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: Off to the beach we go…..
Posted on September 28, 2015
Summer in South Florida is hot. I mean really hot. Sticky, humid, sweaty kind of hot. Fortunately I grew up with that kind of weather in Durban, South Africa. We are beach people. We love the ocean. We love to be able to do things that involve water. I love the smell of coconut oil and to be able to rest and read.
Every September we take a weeks vacation to the beach. This summer we chose to go back to Flagler Beach in Florida, USA. We typically wait until after the school holidays have finished, when the campsites are empty and the beach hardly has anyone on it. I love it. I have this whole beach to myself. Well sort of. This year we had a lot of fishermen sitting directly in my spot. Not cool guys to stagger yourselves wide enough apart not to allow anyone to get inbetween. That said, I was happy to walk along the beach to get a new spot each day.
This trip was going to be different. Amy was joining us. This was her second last week with us and so she spent the weekend with her boyfriend and friends, and came through on the Monday to join us and stay for her birthday on the Friday morning. Friday afternoon she headed back to say her last goodbye to her boyfriend.
My 30 minutes comes from Amy and my first walk down onto the beach. We did a little bit of “beach” photography as opposed to “street” photography.
Perhaps the most busy day at the beach
We literally walked 100 paces to the board walk from our campsite. From the top of the boardwalk we spotted these two little girls playing at the waters edge. They were so sweet.
As Amy and I headed down, I tried to attempt to capture those last fun moments to hold onto while she is away.
These two little girls played oblivious of who else was on the beach, laughing and running to and from the waves. While it may look like they are alone on the beach, the grandmother was very close by. This was innocence at its very best.
I could not help but take a few more shots of Amy. She is part of my heart and I know I am going to miss her so much.
My photojournalist and English major, ready to head out into the big wide world.
A lady and her pooch soon joined us on the beach, and these little guys had a blast running all over the sand.
The parade of the feathered variety looks promising for the week ahead. Hopefully, I will be able to get the parade of Pelicans as they pass over.
Incoming Pelican
A Sandpiper scrambling for food.
A Hawk cruising and looking for food.
I also managed to find an interesting looking bug. Apparently, this is a Cicada. According to a comment on my photo the cicadas live in the ground as pupae. They emerge after 17 yrs to grow into what you see in the photo.
A bug we found on the railing of the boardwalk
And a different perspective of it which I really like, but some may find a little creepy.
Last two of these little girls playing in the ocean.
I hope we get to see them again later in the week. And one last pic of Amy before I close off.
Amy at the beach
This time with Amy has been a real blessing. I cannot believe we are down to the wire and counting the days. At this point in time we have 11 days and counting. Ugh a mother heart.
Since this week, Amy has left and after 24 hours traveling, orientation, more traveling, texting me at 4am to let me know she was in Austria, she finally arrived in Macedonia. She has spent 1 week with 50 other Peace Corp volunteers being oriented to the way of life in the Peace Corp and in Macedonia. As of today she will travel in a smaller group of about 10 to one of the largest cities in Macedonia, where she will stay with a host family for 3 months while she is in training. At the end of 3 months she will be posted to her area for the next 2 years.
While this is not part of my 30 minutes, this was my plan for the week.
Thank you for joining me for this month’s 30 minutes. This is a circle blog. Please take time to visit my friend, Stacey Markel Photography | Maryland Family & Child Photographer 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.
Click here, for Day 2 of our vacation.
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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