It was unbelievably hot today. Not quite yet June and the recorded high was 98.
Yes, Ninety Eight stinkin' degrees.
It was well into the 80s when I was walking the dogs this morning and I felt overdressed in a t-shirt and shorts. The dogs were game for the walk, but halfway through their tongues were lolling. When we got back inside to the sweet, sweet land of central air conditioning John promptly flopped on his side and passed out. Dell, meanwhile, marched to the dog bowl, laid down facing the water dish with his front legs outstretched on either side of the bowl, and proceded to drink every last drop of water.
It's supposed to be another scorcher tomorrow and then the temps drop back to the 80s again. I hope so, because it's way too early to be this hot.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Hey Nineteen!
Today you get double post goodness, not only is it Memorial Day, but it is also our nineteenth wedding anniversary.
Nineteen years, four kids, and three houses. We have been very, very busy. And I wouldn't trade away any of it.
Larry stated that he looks forward to at least another 40 happy years together. To that I reply, as I did 19 years ago, I do.
Happy anniversary to my sweetheart. You make everything in my life better.
Nineteen years, four kids, and three houses. We have been very, very busy. And I wouldn't trade away any of it.
Larry stated that he looks forward to at least another 40 happy years together. To that I reply, as I did 19 years ago, I do.
Happy anniversary to my sweetheart. You make everything in my life better.
Stars and Stripes Forever
In honor of Memorial day I present the Skyhawks band's rendition of the Stars and Stripes Forever.
This was part of the spring 2011 concert and was the closing piece. It was a rousing end after a wonderful tribute to all of the branches of the US armed forces. Representatives were found for each branch and had their anthem played as they marched down the aisle.
This was part of the spring 2011 concert and was the closing piece. It was a rousing end after a wonderful tribute to all of the branches of the US armed forces. Representatives were found for each branch and had their anthem played as they marched down the aisle.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Pie!
Strawberry season is starting to wind down. It's been a great year for strawberries in Virginia and I kind of went hog wild this year and bought quarts and quarts of those delicious red berries.
As a result I've made one strawberry shortcake cake, two strawberry rhubarb pies (the breakfast of champions!), and I still have a quart and a half to go. The amazing thing is I still love them.
As a result I've made one strawberry shortcake cake, two strawberry rhubarb pies (the breakfast of champions!), and I still have a quart and a half to go. The amazing thing is I still love them.
Friday, May 27, 2011
MCP Project 52: Need for Speed
This week's theme was 'Need of Speed," and it got knocked out Saturday morning. There is nothing like a game of soccer to show a need for speed.
This was Max's last game of the season. He's settled into a fairly good midfielder, in fact all the kids had really come together to be a good little team. They have learned their positions and consistently pass the ball.
And it has paid off.
They have won most of their games, including their last one. I think the most impressive win was the second one of their double header last weekend.
It's been quite a season.
This was Max's last game of the season. He's settled into a fairly good midfielder, in fact all the kids had really come together to be a good little team. They have learned their positions and consistently pass the ball.
And it has paid off.
They have won most of their games, including their last one. I think the most impressive win was the second one of their double header last weekend.
It's been quite a season.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Filthy
It's just amazing how filthy Nate can get. He acquired this particular set of dirt "leggings" from playing three lacrosse games last Saturday.
I new he was grubby after spending the day playing in a lacrosse tournament. I just didn't realize how awful it was until he removed his cleats and socks. The stark contrast pf his very pale feet to the decidedly brown legs emphasize exactly how filthy he got.
This is definitely an aspect of living with an athlete I will *not* miss while the kids are on summer vacation.
I new he was grubby after spending the day playing in a lacrosse tournament. I just didn't realize how awful it was until he removed his cleats and socks. The stark contrast pf his very pale feet to the decidedly brown legs emphasize exactly how filthy he got.
This is definitely an aspect of living with an athlete I will *not* miss while the kids are on summer vacation.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Artist of the Week: Pink Panther
The artist, or rather artists this week is Jake and his high school band. Last Friday was their spring concert and one of their songs was "Pink Panther." A song, by the way, that is one of my all time favorites.
The concert was very enjoyable and the musicianship was great. I think they did a bang up job, none of the awkward moments that were all too common in middle school. We could tell that the kids had put a tremendous amount of effort and were definitely enjoying the music.
Not bad for a high school band.
The concert was very enjoyable and the musicianship was great. I think they did a bang up job, none of the awkward moments that were all too common in middle school. We could tell that the kids had put a tremendous amount of effort and were definitely enjoying the music.
Not bad for a high school band.
Banquet Season
Right now it's not only the end of all our sports, but the school year is drawing to a close as well. And this means it's banquet season.
So far we have had two and, of course, they landed on the same day. Larry got to take the older boys to Jake's robotics banquet and I took the twin's to Rebecca's soccer banquet. Both events were fun and a good time was had for all.
Now this was just the tip of the iceberg. By my calculations we have at least three more in the works. Max's soccer team will be next week, Jake will have another with band and then Nate's lacrosse team. Then there is the potential for Jake to have one more if show choir decides to have one and if he wants to attend.
Whew.
Fortunately each and every one has genuinely nice families involved. The only tricky part part is if the parties are all scheduled at the same time, but I'm not too worried.
So far we have had two and, of course, they landed on the same day. Larry got to take the older boys to Jake's robotics banquet and I took the twin's to Rebecca's soccer banquet. Both events were fun and a good time was had for all.
Now this was just the tip of the iceberg. By my calculations we have at least three more in the works. Max's soccer team will be next week, Jake will have another with band and then Nate's lacrosse team. Then there is the potential for Jake to have one more if show choir decides to have one and if he wants to attend.
Whew.
Fortunately each and every one has genuinely nice families involved. The only tricky part part is if the parties are all scheduled at the same time, but I'm not too worried.
Monday, May 23, 2011
GTCA
This week I'm letting my inner nerd loose. I love this YMCA parody celebrating DNA enzymes. The whole thing is a hoot. I have my friend Paul from way back in my lab tech days to thank. He posted a related video from the same company and from there I found this gem.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Not Enraptured
Oh I'm not talking about the big old bust of a rapture from yesterday. Clearly I wouldn't be among the select few, because I'm Jewish and I thought the whole thing was ridiculous from the get go.
No I'm talking about ticks.
I utterly loathe the little blood sucking monsters. I know they fill an important niche, but I want them gone. I would happily pack their little bags and buy them bus fare if they would leave me and my family alone. It's the time of year I look longingly towards the dogs flea and tick preventive and wish it could be used on humans. DEET works, but the stuff reeks to high heaven and eventually washes off.
Now I have to avoid the woods and do periodic tick checks on the kids and be horribly itchy from the odd one that ends up on me.
Seriously if I was Empress of the world the little buggers would be out of this plane of existance.
No I'm talking about ticks.
I utterly loathe the little blood sucking monsters. I know they fill an important niche, but I want them gone. I would happily pack their little bags and buy them bus fare if they would leave me and my family alone. It's the time of year I look longingly towards the dogs flea and tick preventive and wish it could be used on humans. DEET works, but the stuff reeks to high heaven and eventually washes off.
Now I have to avoid the woods and do periodic tick checks on the kids and be horribly itchy from the odd one that ends up on me.
Seriously if I was Empress of the world the little buggers would be out of this plane of existance.
Friday, May 20, 2011
MCP Project 52: Spring Fever
This week's theme is spring fever, which hit here quite a while ago. Now it's more dreading summer and the impending 90 plus temps.
However we have had a bit of a reprieve lately with some gorgeous mild weather amongst the endless rain. Weather I'm very thankful for after our downstairs air conditioning unit went belly up. I've been dreading the moment, which was long over due since the unit turned out to be 24 years old and qualifies it as older than dirt. So with the actual spring weather we have been able to take our time in pricing systems and get the whole shebang replaced before the warm weather hits again next week.
Anyhoodle, for me spring fever hits when it's time for me to set out my teeny tiny deck garden. All I grow are Sungold cherry tomatoes, basil, chives and some sort of slicing tomato. A couple of weeks ago I got my tomato plants and here they are, full of flowers. I can't wait for the deliciousness that will soon follow.
However we have had a bit of a reprieve lately with some gorgeous mild weather amongst the endless rain. Weather I'm very thankful for after our downstairs air conditioning unit went belly up. I've been dreading the moment, which was long over due since the unit turned out to be 24 years old and qualifies it as older than dirt. So with the actual spring weather we have been able to take our time in pricing systems and get the whole shebang replaced before the warm weather hits again next week.
Anyhoodle, for me spring fever hits when it's time for me to set out my teeny tiny deck garden. All I grow are Sungold cherry tomatoes, basil, chives and some sort of slicing tomato. A couple of weeks ago I got my tomato plants and here they are, full of flowers. I can't wait for the deliciousness that will soon follow.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Tower of Mud
I spend a fair amount of my time schlepping back and forth various field around the county. It's pretty easy to tune out while tromping down well worn paths. Most of the time I'm juggling a chair, a book, and a camera while avoiding low hanging branches and shoe sucking mud.
That being said I do try to notice what is around me.
And last week I was rewarded when I espied little towers of mud in the half filled drainage ditch. The crayfish (crawdads) have been very busy with all the wet weather we have been having. They have been industriously building their towers along any waterway they can find.
Usually the towers have smooth walls, somewhat like the dribble castles I'll make on the beach. But this one is a bit different, it looks more like little balls of dirt were stacked together to form the tower. It was a rather unique structure. I'm glad I noticed it and that I had my camera with me.
That being said I do try to notice what is around me.
And last week I was rewarded when I espied little towers of mud in the half filled drainage ditch. The crayfish (crawdads) have been very busy with all the wet weather we have been having. They have been industriously building their towers along any waterway they can find.
Usually the towers have smooth walls, somewhat like the dribble castles I'll make on the beach. But this one is a bit different, it looks more like little balls of dirt were stacked together to form the tower. It was a rather unique structure. I'm glad I noticed it and that I had my camera with me.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Artist of the Week: Frieze
Max is this week's artist.
Last weekend Max had not one, but two soccer games. One of them was a rescheduling of an earlier game that was cancelled. If I remember correctly the opposing coach wasn't going to have enough players to field a complete team, never mind having no subs. The first game was at 9 am and the second at 11:30am.
Since I was going to be watching a lot of soccer I dragged my camera along. I figured that with 2+ hours of soccer I should be able to get a few decent shots of Max in action.
And so I did.
This one is a bit out of focus (except for his right cleat), but I think that just emphasizes the motion in the shot. Max is on a mission and nothing is going to slow him down. And the best part of the day was that Max's team was able to win both games. Not too shabby considering how closely matched the teams were.
As for Max's art, there is a tad less motion. In fact, it's a frieze. He has the whole family pictured, including the dogs tucked into the corners (one of the times that it really pays off to have dachshunds).
The building and frieze were outlined lightly in pencil and then drawn over with crayon. The background is a light wash of watercolor. I love the colors he used and the light touch. I think Max did a splendid job on his artwork.
Last weekend Max had not one, but two soccer games. One of them was a rescheduling of an earlier game that was cancelled. If I remember correctly the opposing coach wasn't going to have enough players to field a complete team, never mind having no subs. The first game was at 9 am and the second at 11:30am.
Since I was going to be watching a lot of soccer I dragged my camera along. I figured that with 2+ hours of soccer I should be able to get a few decent shots of Max in action.
And so I did.
This one is a bit out of focus (except for his right cleat), but I think that just emphasizes the motion in the shot. Max is on a mission and nothing is going to slow him down. And the best part of the day was that Max's team was able to win both games. Not too shabby considering how closely matched the teams were.
As for Max's art, there is a tad less motion. In fact, it's a frieze. He has the whole family pictured, including the dogs tucked into the corners (one of the times that it really pays off to have dachshunds).
The building and frieze were outlined lightly in pencil and then drawn over with crayon. The background is a light wash of watercolor. I love the colors he used and the light touch. I think Max did a splendid job on his artwork.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Nate and John Go Skateboarding
Nate has decided to train John to ride a skateboard. So far John has been very game, as long as he gets a few pieces of kibble. Dell was not included in this endeavor because he gets a bit hysterical when kibble is being doled out.
Until today Nate has only been doing John's training sessions inside. He'll gently push the skateboard while John sits on top. A few times Nate has rode along with John, usually seated with a few forays into standing (Nate that is). Today John came out onto the driveway while Nate was goofing off on his skateboard. We decided to see how John would do outside. Music by JewelBeat. Download your free music and free sound effects at www.jewelbeat.com.
Until today Nate has only been doing John's training sessions inside. He'll gently push the skateboard while John sits on top. A few times Nate has rode along with John, usually seated with a few forays into standing (Nate that is). Today John came out onto the driveway while Nate was goofing off on his skateboard. We decided to see how John would do outside. Music by JewelBeat. Download your free music and free sound effects at www.jewelbeat.com.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Picasso, Come And Gone
Today was the very last day you could see Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris at the only east coast exhibition of its seven city international tour. How a museum in a city the size of Richmond beat those in New York and Boston is a complete mystery to me, I'm just happy that I was able to go.
I have been mulling over a visit not long after the initial announcement. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is not at all far and it would be silly of me not to at least try to see this rather landmark exhibit. Then a few weeks ago, out of the blue, Jake mentioned to me he would like to see the Picasso exhibit. A week later Rebecca saw a billboard and asked if she could go see Picasso.
Having two children independently request to see the show got me moving. The hard part would be coordinating their schedules. On my own I would in all likelihood go midweek in the morning, but that would not be possible with two school age children in tow. Which left us with the weekends. With only two left I decided that the penultimate weekend would be the better choice.
So we settled on Mother's day, sometime in the afternoon. I was able to buy the tickets in advance, guaranteeing us admission for when we wanted to go. And it was a good thing I had bought the tickets in advance, because the ticket holders line was ridiculously long.
Rebecca was a bit bored at first, the works at the beginning of the exhibit had a very muted color palette and were rather drab. About halfway through Rebecca started to perk as the the canvases became more. Jake meanwhile, is very much like me and we both carefully examined each work.
I wish I could share images of the exhibit, but photography was expressly forbidden in the galleries. So instead I have pictures of "Large Leaping Hare" by Barry Flanagan, a sculpture that was a big hit with Jake and Rebecca. You can see them silhouetted in front of the big picture window by the Hare in the top photo. The middle picture shows some of the details in the gilded bronze statue.
As for the last picture...
Rebecca requested that I snap a photo of her being menaced by the huge beast.
I have been mulling over a visit not long after the initial announcement. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is not at all far and it would be silly of me not to at least try to see this rather landmark exhibit. Then a few weeks ago, out of the blue, Jake mentioned to me he would like to see the Picasso exhibit. A week later Rebecca saw a billboard and asked if she could go see Picasso.
Having two children independently request to see the show got me moving. The hard part would be coordinating their schedules. On my own I would in all likelihood go midweek in the morning, but that would not be possible with two school age children in tow. Which left us with the weekends. With only two left I decided that the penultimate weekend would be the better choice.
So we settled on Mother's day, sometime in the afternoon. I was able to buy the tickets in advance, guaranteeing us admission for when we wanted to go. And it was a good thing I had bought the tickets in advance, because the ticket holders line was ridiculously long.
Rebecca was a bit bored at first, the works at the beginning of the exhibit had a very muted color palette and were rather drab. About halfway through Rebecca started to perk as the the canvases became more. Jake meanwhile, is very much like me and we both carefully examined each work.
I wish I could share images of the exhibit, but photography was expressly forbidden in the galleries. So instead I have pictures of "Large Leaping Hare" by Barry Flanagan, a sculpture that was a big hit with Jake and Rebecca. You can see them silhouetted in front of the big picture window by the Hare in the top photo. The middle picture shows some of the details in the gilded bronze statue.
As for the last picture...
Rebecca requested that I snap a photo of her being menaced by the huge beast.
Friday, May 13, 2011
MCP Project 52: Window Light
This week's theme was window light and yet again I went to my go to subjects, the dogs.
I feel a bit repetitive using them so often, but they are around me all the time. There is also the added bonus of the dogs being willing to do almost anything and not whining about the whole process. So as a rsult I use them as models for a goodly portion of the MCP Project 52 assignments.
So I'm not really going to the dogs, it just looks that way. And hey, at least I have John and Dell keeping an eye out for me.
I feel a bit repetitive using them so often, but they are around me all the time. There is also the added bonus of the dogs being willing to do almost anything and not whining about the whole process. So as a rsult I use them as models for a goodly portion of the MCP Project 52 assignments.
So I'm not really going to the dogs, it just looks that way. And hey, at least I have John and Dell keeping an eye out for me.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Artist of the Week: Cake
This week's artist is my little traveling companion Rebecca. Today she got to accompany me to an impromptu trip up to Fredericksburg.
I had a set of ring markers from another club dumped on me waaaay back in October. I had a lot on my plate back then and promptly forgot about them. Low and behold last night the owners of the said markers realized they were missing and put out a call for them. I promptly piped up that I had them and would be happy to met up with whomever and get them out of my garage. This led to some intense emailing back and forth this morning with the end result that today was the best day for all concerned. I decided that Rebecca would accompany me since I had to pick her up from school at roughly the same time I needed to hit the road. I grabbed a bunch of movies and figured between the DVD player and homework she would be entertained. Rebecca loves going places and the promise of dinner out was the icing on the cake.
And icing is what it's all about this week.
Our elementary school offers after school enrichment a couple of times during the school year. Currently Max is enrolled in Chess and Rebecca is taking cake decorating. The classes met one day a week and last about an hour. The instructor provides the undecorated bake goods, frosting, and various decorating tools. So far Rebecca has decorated a half dozen cupcakes, a chocolate cake and cookies.
The cake, pictured here, was made last week. She decorated the whole thing. First frosting the cake, using a stamp (sort of like a cookie cutter) to mark out the flowers, and creating the flowers. I think she did a lovely job and persuded her to hold off serving it until Mother's Day. Because, really, it's the perfect thing to serve your mom on her special day.
So now we'll have two cake decorators in the house. Maybe someday Rebecca will want to tackle her own birthday.
I had a set of ring markers from another club dumped on me waaaay back in October. I had a lot on my plate back then and promptly forgot about them. Low and behold last night the owners of the said markers realized they were missing and put out a call for them. I promptly piped up that I had them and would be happy to met up with whomever and get them out of my garage. This led to some intense emailing back and forth this morning with the end result that today was the best day for all concerned. I decided that Rebecca would accompany me since I had to pick her up from school at roughly the same time I needed to hit the road. I grabbed a bunch of movies and figured between the DVD player and homework she would be entertained. Rebecca loves going places and the promise of dinner out was the icing on the cake.
And icing is what it's all about this week.
Our elementary school offers after school enrichment a couple of times during the school year. Currently Max is enrolled in Chess and Rebecca is taking cake decorating. The classes met one day a week and last about an hour. The instructor provides the undecorated bake goods, frosting, and various decorating tools. So far Rebecca has decorated a half dozen cupcakes, a chocolate cake and cookies.
The cake, pictured here, was made last week. She decorated the whole thing. First frosting the cake, using a stamp (sort of like a cookie cutter) to mark out the flowers, and creating the flowers. I think she did a lovely job and persuded her to hold off serving it until Mother's Day. Because, really, it's the perfect thing to serve your mom on her special day.
So now we'll have two cake decorators in the house. Maybe someday Rebecca will want to tackle her own birthday.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Homeland Security Redux
Just over a year ago I posted how the boys take their self appointed roll as watch dogs very seriously.
This time around I'm showing them at the ready by the front door. I don't think I would have chosen that particular style of front door with the flanking side windows if we had built the house. I'm sure the original design process did not include ease of viewing for dachshunds as a feature. That said, the windows really are at the perfect height for the boys to gaze out and survey their domain.
When ever starlings, squirrels, or other dogs dare set foot on our lawn the boys are at the ready to charge out and defend our home.
This time around I'm showing them at the ready by the front door. I don't think I would have chosen that particular style of front door with the flanking side windows if we had built the house. I'm sure the original design process did not include ease of viewing for dachshunds as a feature. That said, the windows really are at the perfect height for the boys to gaze out and survey their domain.
When ever starlings, squirrels, or other dogs dare set foot on our lawn the boys are at the ready to charge out and defend our home.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Horlogery - The Watchmaker
Just a short little film about a watchmaker.
I love all the intricate and tiny gears that make up a watch and it's fun seeing a little bit of a watch's assembly.
I love all the intricate and tiny gears that make up a watch and it's fun seeing a little bit of a watch's assembly.
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Happy Mother's Day!
I hope all the moms out there of all types had a good day.
I got to attend the Picasso exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art with Jake and Rebecca, stuff myself with take out Chinese food (I'm not a big fan of restaurants on Mother's day, there are inevitably crowded, loud and rushed), and have some chocolate cake beautifully decorated by Rebecca.
Oh, and lots and lots of hugs from Nate and Max.
Overall it was a lovely day.
I got to attend the Picasso exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art with Jake and Rebecca, stuff myself with take out Chinese food (I'm not a big fan of restaurants on Mother's day, there are inevitably crowded, loud and rushed), and have some chocolate cake beautifully decorated by Rebecca.
Oh, and lots and lots of hugs from Nate and Max.
Overall it was a lovely day.
Friday, May 06, 2011
MCP Project 52: First Thing in the Morning
This week's theme was "First Thing in the Morning." Not a bad theme to work with. In fact I ended up with a couple of possibilities.
I considered using the clematis picture from yesterday, I love the little drops of dew on the outstretched petals. However it is somewhat a generic shot. Very pretty, but not a whole lot of meaning.
Instead I submitted this picture of Dell and Nate.
Every morning my children stretch out on the couches, huddled under blankets. Without fail Dell greets them first thing after being fed and let out. He rears up and places his paws on the edge of the couch and frantically kisses what portion of my children's faces and hands he can reach. We've all learned that no matter how sleepy you are it is always a good idea to have your hand out to fend off Dell's rather enthusiastic greeting first thing in the morning.
I considered using the clematis picture from yesterday, I love the little drops of dew on the outstretched petals. However it is somewhat a generic shot. Very pretty, but not a whole lot of meaning.
Instead I submitted this picture of Dell and Nate.
Every morning my children stretch out on the couches, huddled under blankets. Without fail Dell greets them first thing after being fed and let out. He rears up and places his paws on the edge of the couch and frantically kisses what portion of my children's faces and hands he can reach. We've all learned that no matter how sleepy you are it is always a good idea to have your hand out to fend off Dell's rather enthusiastic greeting first thing in the morning.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Morning Blooms
I'm slowly getting the hang of my new camera.
Some things I like more, others less than my previous camera.
The macro feature is greatly improved. With the previous camera I would often have to keep re-shooting a picture until I would finally get the right spot in focus. My current camera is far more cooperative.
The clematis picture is pretty much straight out of the camera, all I did was crop it down a bit. he focus was perfect, you can clearly see the little drops of dew that dot the surface and the background is nicely blurred.
As for the peony, it truly is straight out of the camera.
The bloom is still mostly furled, but in a day or so it will open up and delight me with all it's chaotic glory. I just love the messy look of a fully opened peony and I love the color of this one in particular. Our peonies are amongst the very few plants we have put in. The deer aren't terribly interested in the peonies since I started planting them years and years ago and for that I'm very grateful.
Some things I like more, others less than my previous camera.
The macro feature is greatly improved. With the previous camera I would often have to keep re-shooting a picture until I would finally get the right spot in focus. My current camera is far more cooperative.
The clematis picture is pretty much straight out of the camera, all I did was crop it down a bit. he focus was perfect, you can clearly see the little drops of dew that dot the surface and the background is nicely blurred.
As for the peony, it truly is straight out of the camera.
The bloom is still mostly furled, but in a day or so it will open up and delight me with all it's chaotic glory. I just love the messy look of a fully opened peony and I love the color of this one in particular. Our peonies are amongst the very few plants we have put in. The deer aren't terribly interested in the peonies since I started planting them years and years ago and for that I'm very grateful.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Artist of the Week: Shoebox Guitar
This week's artist is Nate.
I took this picture of him while we were on vacation at Shenandoah River State Park. The fishing conditions were terrible with the river running very high and fast. You can see a little bit of the whirlpools and eddies that dotted the surface of a very angry looking Shenandoah river, but Jake and Nate had fun learning the basics of how to cast and reel a fishing rod.
Each morning they would be eager to go out with Larry. At first they would bring home badly tangled lines that I would patiently tease apart and reel back up. But as they got the hang of things the tangles and snarls diminished. Which was a good thing, because I was getting tired straightening out fishing line.
As for Nate's artist endeavor this week, it too involves fishing line.
He was partnered up in class and assigned to make a musical instrument that can play eight notes from materials at hand. Nate and J. settled on making a one string shoebox guitar. The end result was pretty good, below is a video of Nate playing their creation.
I don't know what the teacher thought of it, but I'm impressed. Nate was even able to roughly tune it. Hopefully we will find out soon what his grade is.
I took this picture of him while we were on vacation at Shenandoah River State Park. The fishing conditions were terrible with the river running very high and fast. You can see a little bit of the whirlpools and eddies that dotted the surface of a very angry looking Shenandoah river, but Jake and Nate had fun learning the basics of how to cast and reel a fishing rod.
Each morning they would be eager to go out with Larry. At first they would bring home badly tangled lines that I would patiently tease apart and reel back up. But as they got the hang of things the tangles and snarls diminished. Which was a good thing, because I was getting tired straightening out fishing line.
As for Nate's artist endeavor this week, it too involves fishing line.
He was partnered up in class and assigned to make a musical instrument that can play eight notes from materials at hand. Nate and J. settled on making a one string shoebox guitar. The end result was pretty good, below is a video of Nate playing their creation.
I don't know what the teacher thought of it, but I'm impressed. Nate was even able to roughly tune it. Hopefully we will find out soon what his grade is.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Intensity
Rebecca has certainly evolved as a soccer player.
When we first signed her up it was almost comical. She loathed practice and would only cooperate after I threatened to deny her post game snacks if she did nothing during practice. During the games she would be a bit more animated, particularly if her ball was used as the game ball, because by gum nobody else was allowed to touch her ball. Then there was the time she had a snit and stood there, arms folded and ignoring the ball, even when it was at her feet.
After that somewhat disastrous season we had her sit out the next. There was no point wasting her time and the team's time if she wasn't going to try. However she still had to schlep to all her siblings practices and by the end she warmed up to the idea of trying again. At least then she wouls have something to do.
Now she has become a fairly intense and competitive player. Like her brothers, she is not afraid of the bigger kids. When she gets knocked down she pops right back up. Oh and she has a wicked tackle and is not afraid to use it. This intensity is evident in the above photo. She is very intently watching the ball and moving up the field alongside, ready to pounce if it comes her way.
Rebecca has come a very long way from her first foray into soccer.
When we first signed her up it was almost comical. She loathed practice and would only cooperate after I threatened to deny her post game snacks if she did nothing during practice. During the games she would be a bit more animated, particularly if her ball was used as the game ball, because by gum nobody else was allowed to touch her ball. Then there was the time she had a snit and stood there, arms folded and ignoring the ball, even when it was at her feet.
After that somewhat disastrous season we had her sit out the next. There was no point wasting her time and the team's time if she wasn't going to try. However she still had to schlep to all her siblings practices and by the end she warmed up to the idea of trying again. At least then she wouls have something to do.
Now she has become a fairly intense and competitive player. Like her brothers, she is not afraid of the bigger kids. When she gets knocked down she pops right back up. Oh and she has a wicked tackle and is not afraid to use it. This intensity is evident in the above photo. She is very intently watching the ball and moving up the field alongside, ready to pounce if it comes her way.
Rebecca has come a very long way from her first foray into soccer.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Lil Buck and Yo-Yo Ma
A fascinating collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma and Lil Buck.
I've know about and have appreciated Yo-Yo Ma for years. He plays beautifully and seems to completely immerse himself in his music and yet still maintains a wonderful sense of humor.
Lil Buck was a complete unknown.
From what I gather here (scroll down), Charles "Lil Buck" Riley is a classically trained dancer from the New Ballet Ensemble and School in Memphis, TN and he is currently know for his Memphis jookin' (a sort of street dance form that originated in Memphis).
Ah! Now I understand how he can move in that strange mix of classic and modern dance.
Anyhoo, it was a wonderful collaboration and well worth wattching.
I've know about and have appreciated Yo-Yo Ma for years. He plays beautifully and seems to completely immerse himself in his music and yet still maintains a wonderful sense of humor.
Lil Buck was a complete unknown.
From what I gather here (scroll down), Charles "Lil Buck" Riley is a classically trained dancer from the New Ballet Ensemble and School in Memphis, TN and he is currently know for his Memphis jookin' (a sort of street dance form that originated in Memphis).
Ah! Now I understand how he can move in that strange mix of classic and modern dance.
Anyhoo, it was a wonderful collaboration and well worth wattching.
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Dewdrops on Flowers
My chives have up and bloomed on me. I think this is the most and earliest they have bloomed in the 8+ years I have grown them.
They have been happily growing in the same pot and keep coming back year after year. All I ever do is water them and periodically cut them back when I need chives for a recipe. They have become my favorite plant. I don't what I'll do if they give up the ghost.
Oh and on an unrelated note- I took this picture with my new camera and I'm pretty darn pleased with the results.
They have been happily growing in the same pot and keep coming back year after year. All I ever do is water them and periodically cut them back when I need chives for a recipe. They have become my favorite plant. I don't what I'll do if they give up the ghost.
Oh and on an unrelated note- I took this picture with my new camera and I'm pretty darn pleased with the results.
Friday, April 29, 2011
MCP Project 52: Princess For A Day
This week's MCP Project 52's theme was another easy one. Who better than to photograph for "Princess For A Day"than our very own little princess Rebecca? The hard part was getting the weather to cooperate. All this week it was been very wet with some fast moving thunderstorms, but today was glorious.
I told Rebecca what this week's theme was and asked for if she would like to help me. She was more than happy to don her princess dress and come outside with me. I had her pose on a our garden bench and got a nice demure shot, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Rebecca was game to continue on, but she balked at the idea of being in our castle (I thought it would be cute, she thought it would be ridiculous). Instead I sent her out onto the lawn and try spinning around.
That was exactly what I wanted.
Amongst the giggles, the dizziness, and the missed shots I found the image I wanted. The arms outstretched, the lawn dappled in sunlight, and the blurred motion came together at the very end. It still isn't perfect, but it is just right.
I told Rebecca what this week's theme was and asked for if she would like to help me. She was more than happy to don her princess dress and come outside with me. I had her pose on a our garden bench and got a nice demure shot, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Rebecca was game to continue on, but she balked at the idea of being in our castle (I thought it would be cute, she thought it would be ridiculous). Instead I sent her out onto the lawn and try spinning around.
That was exactly what I wanted.
Amongst the giggles, the dizziness, and the missed shots I found the image I wanted. The arms outstretched, the lawn dappled in sunlight, and the blurred motion came together at the very end. It still isn't perfect, but it is just right.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Brandie New
About two weeks ago I lost my camera. My beloved Fujifilm Fine Pix E900 that I knew so well. I *think* I left it on the field after one of Rebecca's soccer games or at the table when we picked up a hot dog from the concession stand next to the parking lot. Either way it doesn't matter, the camera was long gone when I puzzled out what happened three days later. Jake was extremely generous and offered the use of his camera while I sort things out. So I've been using a borrowed camera and researching like mad on what to replace my missing E900.
My requirements are the same as the last time I went looking, viewfinder is a must and the batteries would ideally be regular AA or AAA batteries.
It turns out that the viewfinder requirement is a rather tall order. Manufactures are phasing out viewfinders on point and shoot cameras in favor of larger LCD screens. Which really irritates me, on bright sunny days it's almost impossible to see anything on the LCD screens. Picture taking becomes a sort of point, shoot, and pray you got the image you want. The DSLRs still have viewfinders, but right now I don't want to go that route.
After a lot of searching I settled on a Fujjifilm S1500. I really like the feel of the Fujifilm cameras and the software to download pictures from the camera to your computer is pretty good. Overall the camera has mixed reviews, but I think it's pluses outweigh the negatives.
Now I just have to wait until the weather clears to put my new camera through its paces.
My requirements are the same as the last time I went looking, viewfinder is a must and the batteries would ideally be regular AA or AAA batteries.
It turns out that the viewfinder requirement is a rather tall order. Manufactures are phasing out viewfinders on point and shoot cameras in favor of larger LCD screens. Which really irritates me, on bright sunny days it's almost impossible to see anything on the LCD screens. Picture taking becomes a sort of point, shoot, and pray you got the image you want. The DSLRs still have viewfinders, but right now I don't want to go that route.
After a lot of searching I settled on a Fujjifilm S1500. I really like the feel of the Fujifilm cameras and the software to download pictures from the camera to your computer is pretty good. Overall the camera has mixed reviews, but I think it's pluses outweigh the negatives.
Now I just have to wait until the weather clears to put my new camera through its paces.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Artist of the Week: Champion of Record
A very tired Dell is this week's artist.
Part of the deal when we got Dell was that ideally he would be shown and, hopefully, earn his championship. I'm a fair handler albeit rusty, but his co-owner and friend is a wonderful handler. She would be more than happy to show the boy, all I had to do was keep him fit and pay entry fees.
So we have been showing him on and off for a couple of years now. To become a champion (at least in AKC's eyes) Dell needed a total of 15 points, which are earned by defeating other smooth dachshunds with a point scale assigned by the number of dogs entered. The more dogs, the greater the number of points, which range from 1 through 5. With the absolute minimum number of dogs in competition being 2 (you have to beat at least one dog to get a point). Also point totals of 3, 4 and 5 are called majors and the dog must earn two majors under two different judges.
Phew
Dell initially racked up the points, but lately we've had a bit of a dry spell. Our problem was that in order to finish Dell he needed one more major. The the economy being what it is and the cost of gas people are no longer showing as much. The most frustrating was when one time Dell won and the major broke. There had been enough dogs entered, but one didn't show up in the ring and as a result there wasn't enough dogs to qualify for three points, so the points dropped down to just two (ie the major broke).
All through out his campaign Dell has been his cheerful goofy self, giving kisses and wagging his tail. We had even passed him off to other handlers and each time they had nothing but praise. One person even gave him a ride from the show back to near where we lived and confessed that it was very tempting to just keep him for herself. She never would, but if Dell needed a home...
Anyway this past weekend Dell finished and finished big. He became a Champion on Friday and the next day earned a Select ribbon in the class he was moved up to. What made it even more impressive was that a Junior handler (ie a child ranging from 9 to 18) showed him both days. Our handler is very good friends with the child's mom and they ended up swopping dogs all weekend. Dell didn't care, he was just happy to be there and have people pay attention to him.
However the whole ting was exhausting and he's happy to be back home.
Part of the deal when we got Dell was that ideally he would be shown and, hopefully, earn his championship. I'm a fair handler albeit rusty, but his co-owner and friend is a wonderful handler. She would be more than happy to show the boy, all I had to do was keep him fit and pay entry fees.
So we have been showing him on and off for a couple of years now. To become a champion (at least in AKC's eyes) Dell needed a total of 15 points, which are earned by defeating other smooth dachshunds with a point scale assigned by the number of dogs entered. The more dogs, the greater the number of points, which range from 1 through 5. With the absolute minimum number of dogs in competition being 2 (you have to beat at least one dog to get a point). Also point totals of 3, 4 and 5 are called majors and the dog must earn two majors under two different judges.
Phew
Dell initially racked up the points, but lately we've had a bit of a dry spell. Our problem was that in order to finish Dell he needed one more major. The the economy being what it is and the cost of gas people are no longer showing as much. The most frustrating was when one time Dell won and the major broke. There had been enough dogs entered, but one didn't show up in the ring and as a result there wasn't enough dogs to qualify for three points, so the points dropped down to just two (ie the major broke).
All through out his campaign Dell has been his cheerful goofy self, giving kisses and wagging his tail. We had even passed him off to other handlers and each time they had nothing but praise. One person even gave him a ride from the show back to near where we lived and confessed that it was very tempting to just keep him for herself. She never would, but if Dell needed a home...
Anyway this past weekend Dell finished and finished big. He became a Champion on Friday and the next day earned a Select ribbon in the class he was moved up to. What made it even more impressive was that a Junior handler (ie a child ranging from 9 to 18) showed him both days. Our handler is very good friends with the child's mom and they ended up swopping dogs all weekend. Dell didn't care, he was just happy to be there and have people pay attention to him.
However the whole ting was exhausting and he's happy to be back home.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
That Was Spring
I guess our spring was last week when we went to the Shenandoah River State Park. The leaves were just out and we had a few cool days. Lovely spring weather that was only marred by the wind blown eddies of pollen.
Now the temperature is parked in the upper 70s to mid 80s with forays all the way to 90.
Ugh.
I'll just keep looking at lovely pictures from our vacation to remind me of cooler weather and when the trees began to leaf out.
Now the temperature is parked in the upper 70s to mid 80s with forays all the way to 90.
Ugh.
I'll just keep looking at lovely pictures from our vacation to remind me of cooler weather and when the trees began to leaf out.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Been Fishin'
Things have a bit lean here because last week was spring break and the start of Passover. We decided to take off to Shenandoah River State Park for a few nights and try a little fishing, a bit of hiking and exploring in Luray Caverns. We had hoped to do some rafting as well, but the Shenandoah river was still swollen and angry looking after the recent flooding. When the river is a bit friendlier we'll give the rafting another go.
Aside from the aborted rafting, we had a great time and were able to pretty much do as we planned. It wasn't the best conditions for fishing, but all the boys had a chance to learn how to cast (Rebecca made her own pole and stuck with that). Nate and Jake got a good idea on how to cast and were fairly enthusiastic. Next time we go out to fish they'll be ready to go.
It was a lovely break and we all had fun.
Aside from the aborted rafting, we had a great time and were able to pretty much do as we planned. It wasn't the best conditions for fishing, but all the boys had a chance to learn how to cast (Rebecca made her own pole and stuck with that). Nate and Jake got a good idea on how to cast and were fairly enthusiastic. Next time we go out to fish they'll be ready to go.
It was a lovely break and we all had fun.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
MCP Project 52: Furry Friends
This week's theme was "Furry Friends" and was dead easy considering the amount of pictures I take of our dogs. The only trick was we were traveling for spring break sans dogs. I just had to make sure to snap a few pictures after we got back and before the deadline.
I was just able to pull it off with this rather contented looking picture of John with Nate.
We have just gotten back from a little jaunt to the Shenandoah river valley and John was retrieved from the kennel shortly thereafter. A good time was had by all, excepting the plethora of ticks and the lack of canine companionship. But now Nate has John to cuddle with again and we are (mostly) tick free.
I was just able to pull it off with this rather contented looking picture of John with Nate.
We have just gotten back from a little jaunt to the Shenandoah river valley and John was retrieved from the kennel shortly thereafter. A good time was had by all, excepting the plethora of ticks and the lack of canine companionship. But now Nate has John to cuddle with again and we are (mostly) tick free.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Happy Passover
This year we got to use our brand new Seder plate. I found it by accident while getting Kosher for Passover supplies. We needed one and I couldn't resist.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Happy Birthday Nana!
To celebrate here is a picture of my mom with her first dachshund before she was a mom.
I know she went out with friends today, tomorrow she'll get flowers (oops on my part, silly weekend got in the way of the delivery schedule).
So happy birthday mom!
I know she went out with friends today, tomorrow she'll get flowers (oops on my part, silly weekend got in the way of the delivery schedule).
So happy birthday mom!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Suggestions Welcomed
I lost my beloved Fujifilm Finepix last weekend.
Fortunately I regularly download pictures so I didn't lose any pictures as well. Jake has generously offered me the use of his camera. He even went so far as just flat out giving it to me, but I can't do that to him. His Canon is a nice camera, but I'm thinking of going a step up.
So suggestions are welcomed, nay encouraged. At this point I still want a point and shoot, but with the potential of manual controls and I absolutely require some sort of viewfinder. The LCD screens are a very thing, but I don't like how the glare bright sunlight completely washes them out. One interesting camera I've recently learned of is the Ricoh GX100.
So any ideas or recommendations?
Fortunately I regularly download pictures so I didn't lose any pictures as well. Jake has generously offered me the use of his camera. He even went so far as just flat out giving it to me, but I can't do that to him. His Canon is a nice camera, but I'm thinking of going a step up.
So suggestions are welcomed, nay encouraged. At this point I still want a point and shoot, but with the potential of manual controls and I absolutely require some sort of viewfinder. The LCD screens are a very thing, but I don't like how the glare bright sunlight completely washes them out. One interesting camera I've recently learned of is the Ricoh GX100.
So any ideas or recommendations?
Friday, April 15, 2011
MCP Project 52: What others think
This week was another theme I was less than thrilled with, but I think I basically fulfilled it.
Sort of.
I originally was going to take a bunch of pictures and make a photo collage. However, I got lazy/ inspired and settled on a still life instead.
The duck has about three aspects going for it. Larry thinks I'm "just ducky"(most of the time), it dressed like a little pilgram and that's my heritage, and I do a fair job personifying the quote from Michael Caine “Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.”
The two little dachshund pins are pretty self explanatory as are the blue ribbons with the pretend baked goods. At the last minute I threw in the Swiss army knife because I have a well known practical and handy streak. And the whole mess was mostly done with toys and set up on our Little Tikes castle which symbolizes the whole being a mom thing.
It's not the greatest picture, but in the end I did have fun setting it up.
Sort of.
I originally was going to take a bunch of pictures and make a photo collage. However, I got lazy/ inspired and settled on a still life instead.
The duck has about three aspects going for it. Larry thinks I'm "just ducky"(most of the time), it dressed like a little pilgram and that's my heritage, and I do a fair job personifying the quote from Michael Caine “Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.”
The two little dachshund pins are pretty self explanatory as are the blue ribbons with the pretend baked goods. At the last minute I threw in the Swiss army knife because I have a well known practical and handy streak. And the whole mess was mostly done with toys and set up on our Little Tikes castle which symbolizes the whole being a mom thing.
It's not the greatest picture, but in the end I did have fun setting it up.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Geese on the Move
When I saw this little family of geese trudging along the road today I had to pull over and take pictures. It wasn't safe to just pull over so I ended up turning off and parking the van in a neighboring parking lot. I then grabbed the camera and cut through the woods to met up with the geese. They got a bit spooked by me and crossed over to the median while I watched on about 10 feet from the edge of the road.
Sadly my pictures turn out, the camera kept focusing on the bracken between me and the birds. Luckily I had the good sense to try shooting a movie and I was much happier with the resulting footage.
The clip above is a common sight this time of year. Our local Canada goose population have nests dotted about and every day you can see them waddling along the road to pond located next to an office building.
Amazingly very few geese get hit by cars, I only remember one in the past decade we have lived here. Local drivers know to be on the lookout and will even stop for wayward birds on the road. It's hard to tell in my movie, but the cars are being driven at significantly lower speeds than would the norm on this stretch of divided road.
Sadly my pictures turn out, the camera kept focusing on the bracken between me and the birds. Luckily I had the good sense to try shooting a movie and I was much happier with the resulting footage.
The clip above is a common sight this time of year. Our local Canada goose population have nests dotted about and every day you can see them waddling along the road to pond located next to an office building.
Amazingly very few geese get hit by cars, I only remember one in the past decade we have lived here. Local drivers know to be on the lookout and will even stop for wayward birds on the road. It's hard to tell in my movie, but the cars are being driven at significantly lower speeds than would the norm on this stretch of divided road.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Artist of the Week: Mola
This week it's Nate's turn to be the artist.
This is my last picture of him with his long hair. Oh, it's still long, just not flowing to his shoulders. He wanted the haircut and after the initial shock (really it was just an inch and a half, but his natural curl makes it look shorter) he basically likes it. One of these days he is going to go for a crew cut, but not for a while.
The funniest reaction was at school the next day. Nate told me that one friend blurted "It's not long any more! You don't look like Jesus anymore!"
And honestly, we thought it was hilarious.
As for the not so flowing locks artist it turned out he too had an artwork at the school district's big arts and sciences show. He decided that since Max and Rebecca had given Larry and I their invitations he didn't have to bother. Nate knew we would go and he would tell us when we got there. That and the invite got lost in his backpack.
Earlier in the year he had Art class. The class explored various forms of art one of which being molas. And as a side note reading about molas has made me realize that my decision nigh on twenty years ago to have one sewn on the back of my jean jacket was very appropriate. Anyhoodle, in Nate's class they made molas out of construction paper.
The colors he chose are vibrant and contrast beautifully with the black overlay. Nate did a lovely job on the animal cutouts and captured the essence of the mola. It immeadiately made me think of the one I have that once was on my jacket. I need to dig it up one of these days and take a few pictures.
This is my last picture of him with his long hair. Oh, it's still long, just not flowing to his shoulders. He wanted the haircut and after the initial shock (really it was just an inch and a half, but his natural curl makes it look shorter) he basically likes it. One of these days he is going to go for a crew cut, but not for a while.
The funniest reaction was at school the next day. Nate told me that one friend blurted "It's not long any more! You don't look like Jesus anymore!"
And honestly, we thought it was hilarious.
As for the not so flowing locks artist it turned out he too had an artwork at the school district's big arts and sciences show. He decided that since Max and Rebecca had given Larry and I their invitations he didn't have to bother. Nate knew we would go and he would tell us when we got there. That and the invite got lost in his backpack.
Earlier in the year he had Art class. The class explored various forms of art one of which being molas. And as a side note reading about molas has made me realize that my decision nigh on twenty years ago to have one sewn on the back of my jean jacket was very appropriate. Anyhoodle, in Nate's class they made molas out of construction paper.
The colors he chose are vibrant and contrast beautifully with the black overlay. Nate did a lovely job on the animal cutouts and captured the essence of the mola. It immeadiately made me think of the one I have that once was on my jacket. I need to dig it up one of these days and take a few pictures.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tick Tock - short film by Ien Chi
Tick tock, you have 5 minutes left in your life. What would you do?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Quiet Weekend
I didn't do a whole lot of driving this weekend.
Larry and I divvied up the kids and I ended up only taking Rebecca to her game. Larry took Max (his game conflicted with Rebecca's) and in the afternoon took Nate. And I'm happy to report that in all three games our team won.
Woo Hoo!
Then all I had to do was run the crew up to Richmond for Hebrew school.
The rest of my time was spent reading and picking up the hundreds of sticks from the lawn so we could mow. The lawn still doesn't look great, but at least the weeds and grass are all at the same height. I won't even talk about what the dogs did, except that it took 15 bags of soil and a 5 pound bag of grass seed to fix their mole hunting activities.
Having dachshunds is not conducive to having a perfect lawn.
Otherwise it was a lovely weekend with the added bonus of Meryl coming for dinner.
Larry and I divvied up the kids and I ended up only taking Rebecca to her game. Larry took Max (his game conflicted with Rebecca's) and in the afternoon took Nate. And I'm happy to report that in all three games our team won.
Woo Hoo!
Then all I had to do was run the crew up to Richmond for Hebrew school.
The rest of my time was spent reading and picking up the hundreds of sticks from the lawn so we could mow. The lawn still doesn't look great, but at least the weeds and grass are all at the same height. I won't even talk about what the dogs did, except that it took 15 bags of soil and a 5 pound bag of grass seed to fix their mole hunting activities.
Having dachshunds is not conducive to having a perfect lawn.
Otherwise it was a lovely weekend with the added bonus of Meryl coming for dinner.
Friday, April 08, 2011
MCP Project 52: Fusion
This week's theme was fusion and it had me stumped for quite a while. I considered driving into Richmond and photographing a couple of places with fusion in the name, but it didn't thrill me and it wasn't worth the time or gas.
In the end I opted for something far quicker and local, a trip to the library. After a five minute search for books with fusion in the title I was able to pull four books off the shelves: "Fire From Ice- Searching for the Truth Behind the Cold Fusion Furor," "Fusion Fitness," "Cold Fusion- The Making of a Scientific Controversy," and "Feng Shui Fusion." They made quite a motley assortment. I then quietly went to the back wall of the children's section, cleared a shelf, set up my books, and took a picture.
This was definitely my least inspired picture and, so far, my least favorite assignment. I was able to figure out something in the end, but I certainly wouldn't call it my favorite picture of the week. That honor would go to all the crab apple pictures (With and without bees!) I took earlier in the week.
In the end I opted for something far quicker and local, a trip to the library. After a five minute search for books with fusion in the title I was able to pull four books off the shelves: "Fire From Ice- Searching for the Truth Behind the Cold Fusion Furor," "Fusion Fitness," "Cold Fusion- The Making of a Scientific Controversy," and "Feng Shui Fusion." They made quite a motley assortment. I then quietly went to the back wall of the children's section, cleared a shelf, set up my books, and took a picture.
This was definitely my least inspired picture and, so far, my least favorite assignment. I was able to figure out something in the end, but I certainly wouldn't call it my favorite picture of the week. That honor would go to all the crab apple pictures (With and without bees!) I took earlier in the week.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Spring Blossoms
This picture is why I love our crab apple tree.
I love the little pink flower buds, all tightly furled and nestled amongst the young leaves. Then they burst forth, the petals softening in color to a delicately blushed white. Pale yellow stamens boldly reach out and beckon to all the bees. The blooms posses a delicate scent that fills the air without overwhelming.
The rest of the trees in the background, excepting the forsythia- another spring favorite, are still bare. Just the barest hint of color before leaves fill their barren boughs.
I'm always grateful this time of year that our crab apple was planted near the house right by kitchen windows.
I love the little pink flower buds, all tightly furled and nestled amongst the young leaves. Then they burst forth, the petals softening in color to a delicately blushed white. Pale yellow stamens boldly reach out and beckon to all the bees. The blooms posses a delicate scent that fills the air without overwhelming.
The rest of the trees in the background, excepting the forsythia- another spring favorite, are still bare. Just the barest hint of color before leaves fill their barren boughs.
I'm always grateful this time of year that our crab apple was planted near the house right by kitchen windows.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Artist of the Week: Drawing From Memory
This week we get a double dose of artists.
Max and Rebecca both had art works selected for the school district's big arts and sciences show. Which is a pretty big deal, space is very limited and the art teachers try to pick the best of the various projects across the grades. Not every kid gets to be included during their academic career.
So you can imagine our delight when we got invites for both Max and Rebecca. The show is open to the public, the invites are given out to the children whose works have been selected, thus insuring that the parents are aware and motivated to come. I know most years we don't bother since our weekends are so jam packed with sports. This year, however we made the effort to attend.
First up is Max's piece.
The assignment was to draw something from memory. The memory Max chose to draw is described below the picture in a short paragraph:
Last, but not least is Rebecca's contribution to the show.
The teacher in charge of displaying the artworks placed Miss Rebecca's picture roughly adjacent to Max's creation. It is common knowledge around the school that Max and Rebecca are twins so she felt that it was only right that their pictures be near each other. I liked it because I could get both the artists and their respective works in the same picture.
Anyhoodle, Rebecca also drew a picture from memory. Her picture was about our summer vacation:
Stylistically Max and Rebecca's pictures are very different and I like the fact that they were free to interpret the assignment in their own ways.
Max and Rebecca both had art works selected for the school district's big arts and sciences show. Which is a pretty big deal, space is very limited and the art teachers try to pick the best of the various projects across the grades. Not every kid gets to be included during their academic career.
So you can imagine our delight when we got invites for both Max and Rebecca. The show is open to the public, the invites are given out to the children whose works have been selected, thus insuring that the parents are aware and motivated to come. I know most years we don't bother since our weekends are so jam packed with sports. This year, however we made the effort to attend.
First up is Max's piece.
The assignment was to draw something from memory. The memory Max chose to draw is described below the picture in a short paragraph:
I was watching TV but then I heard Nate. I looked outside the front door. I saw Jan and Dell with a turtle.From what I've gathered the turtle spotting occurred around sunset. You can see Max standing by the front stoop under a very colorful sky. It's a very bold picture, especially for Max. I like that for once Max has filled up the whole sheet of picture and it's not with his usually teeny tiny figures. It is a very compelling drawing and I can see why it was included in the show.
Last, but not least is Rebecca's contribution to the show.
The teacher in charge of displaying the artworks placed Miss Rebecca's picture roughly adjacent to Max's creation. It is common knowledge around the school that Max and Rebecca are twins so she felt that it was only right that their pictures be near each other. I liked it because I could get both the artists and their respective works in the same picture.
Anyhoodle, Rebecca also drew a picture from memory. Her picture was about our summer vacation:
Last summer I went to my family's beach house. I was happy to go there. I had a lot of fun. I found lots of shells. I also played in the water. I had a grate time!Rebecca's art teacher is unaware of this, but this is a rather accurate rendition of the beach by my cousin's house. The beach is not on open water, instead we are nesteled in a bay with buildings clearly visible across the water. Rebecca also seems to have an intuitive grasp of the rule of thirds. She has placed herself in the lower third (Well really half. But the effect of sky, water, then sand makes it thirds.) of the picture on the sandy beach. I like her decision not to color the sky, instead just having a few clouds, the sun and some birds.
Stylistically Max and Rebecca's pictures are very different and I like the fact that they were free to interpret the assignment in their own ways.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Bee-tography
Sunday was gorgeous, bright and sunny with a light breeze. My favorite tree in our yard was pretty much in full bloom. And I happy to report that this year I haven't needed to vacuum out tent caterpillars from the aforementioned tree.
Yay!
The crab apple instead has been abuzz with bees. So many in fact that a loud thrumming noise was audible a fair distance from the tree. A bit intimidating at first, but we soon realized that the bees were far to busy with the flowers to pay us any heed.
I took advantage of the bees' preoccupation and spent a good forty five minutes taking pictures of them. I was literally sticking the camera just inches away from the bees and merrily snapping pictures. The only incident I experiance was when a bee bounced off of my hand as it bumbled through the blossoms. A bit freaky for, but the bee didn't even seem to notice.
If you click on the above picture (or here) it'll take you to my Flickr account and the full set of bee pictures I took. I'm particularly proud of the fact that I even got a bee in mid-flight. Too bad it was headed away from the camera.
Yay!
The crab apple instead has been abuzz with bees. So many in fact that a loud thrumming noise was audible a fair distance from the tree. A bit intimidating at first, but we soon realized that the bees were far to busy with the flowers to pay us any heed.
I took advantage of the bees' preoccupation and spent a good forty five minutes taking pictures of them. I was literally sticking the camera just inches away from the bees and merrily snapping pictures. The only incident I experiance was when a bee bounced off of my hand as it bumbled through the blossoms. A bit freaky for, but the bee didn't even seem to notice.
If you click on the above picture (or here) it'll take you to my Flickr account and the full set of bee pictures I took. I'm particularly proud of the fact that I even got a bee in mid-flight. Too bad it was headed away from the camera.
Monday, April 04, 2011
Exit Through The Gift Shop - UK Trailer
We got a Roku a few weeks ago and I'm just starting to watch the movies that are available for free on Amazon prime. One of them was this movie, "Exit Through the Gift Shop."
I loved the movie. It's a fun sort of kind of documentary of street artists and a rather compulsive videographer. This trailer gives just a taste of the madness.
I loved the movie. It's a fun sort of kind of documentary of street artists and a rather compulsive videographer. This trailer gives just a taste of the madness.
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Donors Choose 2011
It's time for the big Tomato Nation Donors Choose Fund Drive.
This year's goal is $250, 000. Yes, you read that right, a cool quarter of a million dollars for the classroom. The best part is that you, the donor, gets to pick which project to fund.
You can select your hometown, some rural outpost, or deep in the urban jungle. The projects range from art supplies, musical instruments, gym equipment, computers, or a table that is better designed for the classroom. Whatever strikes your fancy and you can choose how much you donate.
So you can start at the Tomato Nation super page or you can go your own way. At the very least just take look.
This year's goal is $250, 000. Yes, you read that right, a cool quarter of a million dollars for the classroom. The best part is that you, the donor, gets to pick which project to fund.
You can select your hometown, some rural outpost, or deep in the urban jungle. The projects range from art supplies, musical instruments, gym equipment, computers, or a table that is better designed for the classroom. Whatever strikes your fancy and you can choose how much you donate.
So you can start at the Tomato Nation super page or you can go your own way. At the very least just take look.
Friday, April 01, 2011
MCP Project 52: Just For Fun
This week's theme was just for fun and I was able to find an image right off the bat.
I took this picture last Sunday after I had dropped the kids off at Hebrew school. It had snowed that morning and I decided to snap a few pictures before retreating indoors to read a book while waiting for school to end.
There is a cute residential street just a block over and decided to would be a good place to find appealing subject matter. I love taking pictures of flowers covered in snow and I knew there are plenty of flowering plants in both gardens and pots along the street.
I was not disappointed. However my favorite image was of this lone bright red tricycle parked on the sidewalk. It had clearly spent the night outdoors and was wet with melted snow. I loved the trike and how it was reflected in the puddle on the sidewalk.
Originally I had only my cell phone, but I eventually fetched my camera to take a higher quality picture. It was only an hour later, but all the snow was gone and the puddle was quickly disappearing. I was pleased enough with the second, drier picture and decided that this little bit of childhood on the city street was a good candidate for "just for fun."
Because really, bright red tricycles are just for fun.
I took this picture last Sunday after I had dropped the kids off at Hebrew school. It had snowed that morning and I decided to snap a few pictures before retreating indoors to read a book while waiting for school to end.
There is a cute residential street just a block over and decided to would be a good place to find appealing subject matter. I love taking pictures of flowers covered in snow and I knew there are plenty of flowering plants in both gardens and pots along the street.
I was not disappointed. However my favorite image was of this lone bright red tricycle parked on the sidewalk. It had clearly spent the night outdoors and was wet with melted snow. I loved the trike and how it was reflected in the puddle on the sidewalk.
Originally I had only my cell phone, but I eventually fetched my camera to take a higher quality picture. It was only an hour later, but all the snow was gone and the puddle was quickly disappearing. I was pleased enough with the second, drier picture and decided that this little bit of childhood on the city street was a good candidate for "just for fun."
Because really, bright red tricycles are just for fun.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Lavender Living
I've been meaning to take a picture of this house for years.And not just anytime of year, oh no it had to be in springtime when the red bud trees and the weeping cherry are in bloom. And as you can see here I got my shot.
And you may ask yourself why was it necessary to take a picture now.
Well it's because this time of year you can see how weeping cherry's blossoms almost match the color of the house. You can almost see for yourself in this picture. The cherry tree is on the far, far right hand side and tucked near the red buds.
And you may ask yourself why was it necessary to take a picture now.
Well it's because this time of year you can see how weeping cherry's blossoms almost match the color of the house. You can almost see for yourself in this picture. The cherry tree is on the far, far right hand side and tucked near the red buds.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Artist of the Week: Photography
This week Larry gets to be artist of the week.
Yes, that's my husband from way back. Long before I ever met him. He is such a cute little boy, you can definitely see the resemblance with our children, Nate in particular. I like to think we would have been friends, we have so much in common. However, we grew up world's apart and didn't meet until college.
And we have been together ever since.
Anyhoodle, enough with the mushy stuff. I'm writing here about art and the art form in question is photography.
For the most part I'm the family photographer. I spend the most time with the kids and I like to take pictures. But once in a while Larry is able to wrest the camera from me, usually it's when we are on vacation or a family outing. And the pictures he takes are always interesting, he's no slouch with the camera.
Thus bringing us to one of my favorite pictures.
This picture was from back in Nov., 2010. Larry took it when we were visiting a friend and giving the kids a chance to ride a horse (well in actuality it was a pony, a really nice pony). Since I was the one who had he most experience with horses I was the one wrangling the kids. Mind you Larry can ride as well, but I was the one who had taken years and years of lessons.
So I was busy with the kid and pony show and Larry had the camera. He took a ton of great photos that day. Rebecca, Max and Nate (Jake was home for various reasons) were having a great time and all three got to ride by themselves all the way up to a trot. There were lots of smiling faces that day.
But this picture I think was the best. Rebecca is leading the pony to the barn with our friend. We had just fetched our steed from the pasture and were bringing her in to be groomed and tacked up. The backlighting and long shadows make a very compelling image and I love the little bit of lens flare.
I just think this is a spectacular shot.
Yes, that's my husband from way back. Long before I ever met him. He is such a cute little boy, you can definitely see the resemblance with our children, Nate in particular. I like to think we would have been friends, we have so much in common. However, we grew up world's apart and didn't meet until college.
And we have been together ever since.
Anyhoodle, enough with the mushy stuff. I'm writing here about art and the art form in question is photography.
For the most part I'm the family photographer. I spend the most time with the kids and I like to take pictures. But once in a while Larry is able to wrest the camera from me, usually it's when we are on vacation or a family outing. And the pictures he takes are always interesting, he's no slouch with the camera.
Thus bringing us to one of my favorite pictures.
This picture was from back in Nov., 2010. Larry took it when we were visiting a friend and giving the kids a chance to ride a horse (well in actuality it was a pony, a really nice pony). Since I was the one who had he most experience with horses I was the one wrangling the kids. Mind you Larry can ride as well, but I was the one who had taken years and years of lessons.
So I was busy with the kid and pony show and Larry had the camera. He took a ton of great photos that day. Rebecca, Max and Nate (Jake was home for various reasons) were having a great time and all three got to ride by themselves all the way up to a trot. There were lots of smiling faces that day.
But this picture I think was the best. Rebecca is leading the pony to the barn with our friend. We had just fetched our steed from the pasture and were bringing her in to be groomed and tacked up. The backlighting and long shadows make a very compelling image and I love the little bit of lens flare.
I just think this is a spectacular shot.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Freestyle Experiment Speedpainting Photoshop
Just a fun movie of someone using their Bamboo tablet interface.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Springtime, Snowtime
This morning we awoke to snow on the deck.
It wasn't very much, a dusting really. However it was enough for the dogs to leave paw prints as they headed out to yard. The sky was gray and sleet rattled against the skylights. I wasn't too keen on taking the kids to Richmond for Hebrew school. I checked the adverse weather hotline (no new message) and watched the news to see if we had a cancellation. No such luck, but I did take comfort from the reports that the roads were not icy. The ground had warmed enough that a single nights dip into the 20s was not enough to cause problems with the wintery mix.
We loaded into the van and headed off to school.
The sleet transitioned into snow and there was less traffic than usual. As promised by the newscasters the roads were fine, just wet from all the precipitation.
After I dropped off the kids to their respective classrooms. I decided to take a little walk in the surrounding neighborhood. I love taking pictures of flowers in the snow and the next street over was in a very quaint residential area called The Fan.
The Fan did not disappoint.
I found loads of flower pots and bushes graced with snow. Again I was stuck using my cell phone's camera, but this was the type of photography I can make work with it. I spent a very happy half hour strolling along a two blog stretch snapping pictures of whatever struck my fancy.
I then headed back home for a bit. Jake's class where he is an assistant, had been canceled. He needed to go back home to work on the boatload of homework he has due in the next couple of days. Interestingly when I went back to the same street a couple of hours later all the snow was gone. I'm glad I had taken the time earlier to catch the ethereal beauty of snow in March.
It wasn't very much, a dusting really. However it was enough for the dogs to leave paw prints as they headed out to yard. The sky was gray and sleet rattled against the skylights. I wasn't too keen on taking the kids to Richmond for Hebrew school. I checked the adverse weather hotline (no new message) and watched the news to see if we had a cancellation. No such luck, but I did take comfort from the reports that the roads were not icy. The ground had warmed enough that a single nights dip into the 20s was not enough to cause problems with the wintery mix.
We loaded into the van and headed off to school.
The sleet transitioned into snow and there was less traffic than usual. As promised by the newscasters the roads were fine, just wet from all the precipitation.
After I dropped off the kids to their respective classrooms. I decided to take a little walk in the surrounding neighborhood. I love taking pictures of flowers in the snow and the next street over was in a very quaint residential area called The Fan.
The Fan did not disappoint.
I found loads of flower pots and bushes graced with snow. Again I was stuck using my cell phone's camera, but this was the type of photography I can make work with it. I spent a very happy half hour strolling along a two blog stretch snapping pictures of whatever struck my fancy.
I then headed back home for a bit. Jake's class where he is an assistant, had been canceled. He needed to go back home to work on the boatload of homework he has due in the next couple of days. Interestingly when I went back to the same street a couple of hours later all the snow was gone. I'm glad I had taken the time earlier to catch the ethereal beauty of snow in March.
Friday, March 25, 2011
MCP Project 52: From The Jewelry Box
For this week's theme, from the jewelry box, it was fairly easy to come up with an idea. The hard part was waiting for a none rainy day that I was available to take pictures. I was just able to eke out a few shots before dinner.
If you look in my Flickr photostream (just click on this picture) I had four different shots I was deciding amongst. In the end this one won out because I like the second earring that is at the edge of the shot and just a bit out of focus.The kids didn't care for this one, but it's my favorite. So in the end I went with the one that I found more visually interesting.
If you look in my Flickr photostream (just click on this picture) I had four different shots I was deciding amongst. In the end this one won out because I like the second earring that is at the edge of the shot and just a bit out of focus.The kids didn't care for this one, but it's my favorite. So in the end I went with the one that I found more visually interesting.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Life With a Teenager
Today I drove Jake to the train station for his big FIRST Robotics trip to DC.
He packed for his trip without and assistance from me other than supplying clean laundry. We had a very rational discussion of how much cash he should bring for meals. He asked if he should bring his laptop and I recommended no, it would be a pain to lug around and it would not be a good idea to leave it in the hotel room. Jake was a bit disappointed, but understood the reasoning (though was a bit surprised).
All in all he is becoming a very reasonable and responsible human being.
However he did end up leaving his camera in the car and I had to remind twice not to wander off from his luggage. So he's not quite there yet, but my boy is growing up.
He packed for his trip without and assistance from me other than supplying clean laundry. We had a very rational discussion of how much cash he should bring for meals. He asked if he should bring his laptop and I recommended no, it would be a pain to lug around and it would not be a good idea to leave it in the hotel room. Jake was a bit disappointed, but understood the reasoning (though was a bit surprised).
All in all he is becoming a very reasonable and responsible human being.
However he did end up leaving his camera in the car and I had to remind twice not to wander off from his luggage. So he's not quite there yet, but my boy is growing up.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Artist of the Week: Totally Amazing
This week's artist is really much more a hero even if a quarter of his story is true.
On that fateful Friday Hideaki Akaiwa survived just fine the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, but he wasn't so sure about his wife. He was certain that she might be trapped in their home which was essentially underwater. Donning scuba gear he somehow made his way to their home the next day and swam inside to find his wife trapped inside, barely able to keep her head out of water.
Does the story end here?
Of course not!
He then went searching for his mother and a few days later, Tuesday, he found his mother and led her to safety from the still swirling waters. And the amazing thing, he still searches on for other survivors trapped amongst the wreckage of his home town.
It's stories like these I like to focus on when everything seems so bleak.
On that fateful Friday Hideaki Akaiwa survived just fine the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, but he wasn't so sure about his wife. He was certain that she might be trapped in their home which was essentially underwater. Donning scuba gear he somehow made his way to their home the next day and swam inside to find his wife trapped inside, barely able to keep her head out of water.
Does the story end here?
Of course not!
He then went searching for his mother and a few days later, Tuesday, he found his mother and led her to safety from the still swirling waters. And the amazing thing, he still searches on for other survivors trapped amongst the wreckage of his home town.
It's stories like these I like to focus on when everything seems so bleak.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Well That's Different
While tooling around the Far West End of Richmond I happened upon this rather... unique vehicle. Looking like something from either Vermont (aka the land that the hippies washed up on when the 60's retreated) or the more modern counter culture scene of Burning Man, it was decidedly out of place in the land of the Volvo.
The picture really doesn't do the van justice. It's hard to see, but if you look closely you can just make out the decoration top. Some sort of assortment or bare branches and/or small bush has been affixed to the top of the van. Very tinsel garlands and ornaments decorate the naked limbs. The overall effect is quite bizarre. I will grant, however, that the quality of the paint job is rather high. Much better than some of the patchwork paint jobs I see all the time.
The picture really doesn't do the van justice. It's hard to see, but if you look closely you can just make out the decoration top. Some sort of assortment or bare branches and/or small bush has been affixed to the top of the van. Very tinsel garlands and ornaments decorate the naked limbs. The overall effect is quite bizarre. I will grant, however, that the quality of the paint job is rather high. Much better than some of the patchwork paint jobs I see all the time.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Tonka Trucks Commercial from c.1980
Possibly the best toy commercial ever.
This is what I love about Youtube, I've been looking on and off for this particular ad and today I found it. I remember loving it when it came out and I have described the commercial to my children. Now they get to see their mother's favorite TV ad.
This is what I love about Youtube, I've been looking on and off for this particular ad and today I found it. I remember loving it when it came out and I have described the commercial to my children. Now they get to see their mother's favorite TV ad.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Super Moon Purim
I, along with a million other people, took pictures of the so called super moon on Saturday night. Unfortunately my house is nestled in the woods and I didn't get to see the moon in all its gigantic glory, but I did get this rather interesting shot through the trees surrounding our house.
Interestingly enough a friend noticed that there is almost a six pointed star surrounding the moon. You have to look at the picture in one of the smaller sizes in order to see the effect. Which is very appropriate because this full moon heralds the start of Purim.
So Chag Purim Sameach!
Interestingly enough a friend noticed that there is almost a six pointed star surrounding the moon. You have to look at the picture in one of the smaller sizes in order to see the effect. Which is very appropriate because this full moon heralds the start of Purim.
So Chag Purim Sameach!
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