away for the weekend: January 2017

Sunday, January 29, 2017

photo challenge #11 - something old

my childhood teddy bear
ragged from many years of snuggles
this poor old bear - missing both eyes, part of an ear, and a fair amount of stuffing,
has traveled with me from home to home
- and now resides on my bedroom dresser


I knew a couple of weeks ago that my teddy bear would be the subject of this prompt
-  which brought me into the realm of still life photography
- something I know absolutely nothing about
Reading articles about lights, backdrops, reflectors...
I thought to myself - yeah, I'm not doing any of that
So I moved my bear about the house - seeking a setting that felt right
- and when I placed him on this antique chair,
letting the outdoor lighting provide the backdrop,
it all just sort of clicked for me

Next up - Something New

Do you have a cherished childhood item?
I'd love to see it captured in a photo!

Canon EOS REBEL T3i
EF24-105mm f/4 IS USM, 65mm
1/125 sec at f/4.0



Monday, January 16, 2017

photo challenge - week #10 juxtaposition

I'm running behind
- yep, nothing new, here...

Sooooo - juxtaposition...
Anyway - a couple of weeks ago, during a snowstorm in Boston,
I heard on the news of a man in Copley Square, lying in a hammock
Yeah - he was there, I wasn't - but how cool would that have been?

Then, this morning on my commuter train, 
pulling into the station in Boston, a man is wearing a ski helmet
- goggles and all - ???
I was there - but missed that shot too...

So - thank goodness for Copley Square
- my old reliable


where historic and modern comfortably coexist

Next up - something old
which will likely be late - again
I think I know what I want to do, but need daylight - at home
yeah - I'm not home during daylight hours...
Is it summer yet?

Canon EOS Rebel T3i
EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
32mm 1/50 sec at f/9.0

Thursday, January 12, 2017

thankful thursday -

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup"
Sam Lefkowitz

But this can be easy to forget in this harried, hurried, hectic world
- I get caught up in my daily hurdles and frustrations
- and as I enter a busy time of year in my little corner of academia
- with a frenzy of deadlines looming

this is me


hanging on - tenacious like little Nutkins

and while I generally think of myself as a cup half-full sort of gal
I often need to slow it down - reminding myself to just be thankful for that cup
- and I am -

I'm joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday

- So yeah, does anyone happen to know who Sam Lefkowitz is?

Thanks for dropping in!

Sunday, January 8, 2017

scene and story & photo challenge week #9 - beverages

Okay - yes, I groaned when I saw that my next prompt was "beverages"
- and yet, sitting back, bidding farewell to 2016,
this was our scene for the new year
welcome 2017!


- a bottle of pink champagne - left over from Laura and Jeff's wedding
- a warm fire in the stove, casting a soft glow
- watching Mariah Carey's New Year's Eve performance (?? - yikes...)
- sharing a comfortable moment to end the year
2016 wasn't a bad year for me, but I can't say I am sad to see it go

2017 will bring some substantial changes to our family
- new worries, new adventures...
- but as Greg and I enjoy this peaceful end of one year,
it's with optimism, hope - celebration - that I look forward to the new one

I am joining Sarah @ Paisley Rain Boots & Lee @ Sea Blue Lens for Scene and Story


Canon EOS Rebel T31
EF50mm f/1.8 II
ISO1600
1/13 sec at f/2.2

Thursday, January 5, 2017

away for the week


After the hustle and bustle leading up to the holidays,
Greg and I were fortunate to enjoy a quiet week in Vermont
resting, relaxing, puttering, exploring,
turning off that 5 am alarm - yes!
:-)


I'm especially thankful that our girls were able to join us for a couple of days after Christmas
with busy lives of their own, these "everyday" moments are rare
- they just couldn't pass up a selfie with a snowy mountain background
(and I couldn't pass up sneaking a photo)


Chickadee and I shared a few peaceful moments watching the snowfall


and what would a week in Vermont be
without traipsing through the snow for yet another barn shot?
- splashes of color persevere in the winter scenery

So now it's back to my hectic workaday world
and that morning alarm
- yeah, that's okay...  kind of...
but for this week away - I am thankful beyond words

I am joining Michelle for Thankful Thursday

Sunday, January 1, 2017

photo challenge week #8 - sooc

I hope you all have had a wonderful week!
I actually thought I would spend this past week taking lots of photos
and posting lots of posts...
Ummm - not so much
Christmas was wonderful
and Greg and I have been enjoying some "away" time
it's all good

so - on to this week's photo challenge
ugh
Truth be told, every prompt should probably be sooc - (straight out of camera)
I considered postponing another week
 - but, well - I kind of want to be done with this one.


This little waterfall and mill sits hidden, behind a community theater
in Weston, Vermont.
It's truly beautiful to look at
and yet - when I looked at my photos, I kind of thought - "meh"
it happens - I like it when my photos to speak to me - this one doesn't
- for sooc purposes, though, it works pretty darned well
- anyway -
I shot in both RAW and JPEG - above is the untouched JPEG version


and here is the RAW version with a few Lightroom tweeks
so, next week - moving on to "beverages"
seriously? 

Happy New Year! 


Canon EOS Rebel T3i
EF24-105mm F/4L IS USM
47mm 1/50 sec at f/9.0