just shoot the damn thing....

I'm trying new things with my camera.  I'm shooting with my Tv settings and finding it sharper.  However, shooting in the sun and finding the perfect setting is difficult.  Overexposure has been my problem.  But when I get it right... well, duh.

There was so much spray coming off the falls...I tried to capture it.

  Then I changed the settings... still not happy with it though...

 Just makes it look overexposed... any ideas?

This was my super macro setting...

  I played with the light with this shot... at least 10 different ways.. all with the same setting...

Then it was just finding cool things to take pictures of... 

 I thought it looked like an aerial photograph of an Arizona red rock formation.

peal with me

The earth has a rhythm.  If you are out in nature for a time, you find yourself walking in time with it.  It's not a march, or a tiptoe.  It's how water runs through a stream or how a bird's calls come with it's own cadence. 

After being out on one of the warmest days in March I can ever remember, the morning after had me gasping for breath.  I felt like I was pregnant and completely zapped of energy. 

I sat out in the sun in the early afternoon and apart from feeling the sun soak into my soul, I could not take a deep breath.  Until I heard a robin peal out in the tree above me.  Everything let go and I laughed.  A bubbling laugh that exploded...kind of like milk shooting through your nose at a unexpected joke. 

I have felt my "wings" have been clipped.  Not by anyone in the house or by the seasons.  It is because of the proximity of the streets, houses, people, cars, the amplified gas station attendant a block down saying "PUMP 3, YOU ARE READY", etc.

I pray that robins include me in their bewitchment more often until I can find 5 acres or more all to myself where I can spread my wings.

our endeavor

This was halfway done.  We had painted the trim on the windows and found it to be a huge mistake.

Harley was very patient with all his regular sleeping spots taken. 

See the mistake... Mountain Man kept saying "They shouldn't sell poop to people... it's just not nice."

another way of learning an old habit

embrace life

tell me you love me.....

I made these when I had an intestinal bug....weird, I know.  I was hungry, but I wasn't knowing it was going to get me in the end.  (hehehehehe)

My husband calls them snowshoes.

peanut butter

butter for smoothness

powdered sugar

whip this until it's oh so creamy and dreamy

melt any kind of chocolate you prefer... dark, milk chocolate, or just chocolate bits.

place waffle butter pretzle chips down over waxed or parchment paper
squeeze some of that creamy pb on the chips and then DRENCH them in the chocolate.

I let my kids do the chocolate.  I HIGHLY suggest you do that.

I'm not doing pictures for your sake. 

soft gooey insides

I watched "Chocolat" and I realized I see myself as Judy Dench. 

Don't pity who I am.  Don't you dare pity who I have made into myself just because I am actually living my life as how I see fit.  Also making sure the one I love have fun with me as they see fit. 

Seen as a grumpy woman, only because she can't love the people around her hard enough.

smells like rain, must be rain

I had the windows flung wide open yesterday with fans going at full blast.  Granted it was only 37 degrees, but the sun was shining and I was getting laundry done.  I only hung a blanket out on the lines all day.  It was a wonderful smell of the outdoors... however, this morning it smelled like dirt. 

It rained last night and now it smells like wet snow and dirt outside.  Not necessarily a bad thing... just different from a winter smell.  Spring is coming. 

get a room....

 

My right hand ring from 

Right Hand Man.

My Mountain Man.  

The one who fights to love me 

and loves to fight me.

The rock and the water beating at each other 

to find they are more beautiful after the storm.

Call me Grace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0

pushing up daisies

My father died 10 years ago.  Before he died, he wanted his body donated how ever it could.  His arms, legs and eyes were able to be donated to whomever needed them. I met a man today whose wife was having surgery tomorrow to correct her cataracts.  Even though it was 10 years ago, somehow, I was able to connect part of Dad to the present.  Dad was and is like that.  He finds himself in my life here and there.  Through my children, through little "isms" of my husband, through memories and dreams I live.  I heard a quote, "God is in the dirt."  When I thought about Dad, he was always working in the fields or with the animals, or somehow with his hands.   He had pride in what he did, even though he was only a farmer.  Lived, breathed a farmer, and died a farmer.  When you live and love your life... you find you live forever through someone else's eyes.

snow and superheros

Why is it such a age difference between 4 years old to 5 years old?  

He grew up overnight.

  

 

You can always apologize later.....

I love this!!!

if .....then what?

Last thought before I fell asleep....


What if the Packers played the Dodgers in a double header of Baseball then Football?  


- I don't think the basemen, especially the catcher would be able to play in the football game.
- I think the Dodgers would win.
- The pitcher would play the quarterback and vise versa.
- It would be played in April.
- It would be played in LA.
- No coaches and no refs.
- Softball rules.
- Tickets would cost $1.

Ups and Downs

I've been skating for most of my life, but I'm still a clutz. Somehow, I think I do ok. Maybe I would really know if someone would summon the balls to tell me I look like a drunken ibis. When my family and I went skating, the kids were playing tag with me. Of course my youngest can only stand and watch us since he pouts throughout the winter season due to the several layers of clothes he is forced to wear.
So every once in a while I would grab him on the fly under his arms and have him barely touch the ice like he would be running on water. Unfortunately, I lost my footing and we both went face first into the ice. My hands caught the ice as I heard some part of my son's face hit the ice. In my head, I'm thinking, "not the nose, not the teeth, not the nose, not the teeth." When I looked at him, I'm not seeing any blood. Then I see the streak on his jacket and I look at his chin. A 2 inch long bright red gash had opened and was dripping, no gushing all over his jacket.

I was about to run him all the way home on my ice skates and drive him to the ER when my husband laughed and told me after my son would stop crying, he would thank me for the start of his scars he would accumulate over the length of his life.

Then he took the tissue away from my son's chin and it was only a 1/2 inch little red V and it had stopped bleeding, thanks to the 20 degree with a wind chill of 5. After 5 minutes of gauze and rainbow band-aids, my son had a little colourful chin guard and bragging rights.

Being part Canadian, I am partial to ANYTHING Canadian.  Saying that, I thought the opening ceremonies were the best ever!!!  I tried to find a video of it, but all I found was more hype on the different achievements of David, the producer than on the actual performance.

anyways, the following 16 days are my "mardi gras" so to speak.. Enjoy!!!!  It is history!

No matter what.... it's still American!

 I love the Muppets....

cravings

The package of frozen blueberries were burning a hole in my freezer... so to speak.  So I dumped them in a glass dish and put my mother-in-law's recipe for Almond Lace cookies on top... only made it more diet-like.
1c oatmeal
1/4c. flour
1t. baking soda
1/2c slice almonds
 1/2 - 1 c. honey (depending on sweetness)
1/2t cardamom
1 egg white
1/4c melted butter
1 pkg of frozen blueberries

 

My 1 year old son ate a 1/4 of it 15 minutes after it was finished... and then I tried it.  It came out better than expected... a little less sweet but tasting very fresh.

And then I made Rosemary Italian bread.... That was a mistake.. I don't mind doing 50 more sit-ups and 30 extra minutes on the elliptical.  

Like a dummy, I feel guilty for going out and leaving the kids with anyone else besides me.   Controlling, maybe.  Thinking my kids are a little too much for someone else, maybe.  I know my place, I know my responsibilities and I know the kids are mine.  My husband secretly agrees with this.  He denies it wholeheartedly, but I know what he's thinking.  I know what everyone thinks.  I can read minds.... and this is why I need to get away!!!!!

So...One night, I'm laying awake thinking about the next "date" (a work banquet) my husband and I are going on.  I am wracking my brain wondering why I think this way.  I finally fall asleep.

hurry up and wait

I ordered my seeds from Jung's catalog while it was snowing. It's tradition. The picture in my head is always larger than life. I'll have to figure out how to keep my dog from peeing on my plants outside of the white fence so I don't get the runs again. I've decided to make a pole bean arbor on either side of the sidewalk that runs from the house to the garage. We might not be able to eat one side of the beans as they will be "outside the white fence". I'm also thinking planting in my landscaped area in the front of the house with cabbages, lettuce and some tomatoes. However, since that is the runway to the squirrel tree, it's not going to be a good idea. I may have to rent some lawn space from my neighbor. Or I'll just pay the kids to run interference for a $1.