The Birthday Boy at 16

While I am sharing yet another photo of one of my kids, this one was particularly challenging as his skin is not optimal right now due to the usual teenage stuff. So, I had to use the spot healing tool a lot. I don't think you can readily tell that I did, however I wish there were an easier way to correct this kind of problem.

Anyway, my "little guy" turned 16 yesterday. This was him right before we sang to him and had birthday cake.

Boy I So Fizzled Out....

I took a few photos of the snow but not many. It was too darn cold to go outside for me, let alone take my good camera out in the 20 degree temperature.  Ruby was not sure she liked the snow and started her 3 days of "withholding" until Monday.  Thankfully, she is now allowing the outdoors to be her potty again...  This windmill usually gets put away at the end of September and then we put it back out in the spring.  For some reason, it didn't get put away this year, and thus another winter photo op!

I hope to get a few photos of my decorations and post them.  I am disappointed with myself for not being able to keep with the daily photo the second half of the year but I am shooting for once a week photo in 2010.

I Heart Faces, Pet's Week - Week 49

This week's theme is pets - right up my alley!!! And, I have one absolutely willing subject - Ruby.

Be sure to go on over to I Heart Faces and see all of the other lovable nonhuman entries!

I Met Pioneer Woman

I went to a book signing today and met someone who has inspired me to be a better photographer. Her name is Ree Drummond and she is an absolute doll through and through.....and she sang for us too!

Her blog is a wealth of information on cooking, photography, home schooling, and just plain fun. 

What I Awakened To - Sparkling Moon

Is it just my imagination or does it seem that after a heavy rain, the outside world just seems to sparkle. This moon is what I awoke to this morning, and the reason I ran outside in my PJs to capture it on my camera. It just sparkled, as did the entire morning - I even had a difficult time driving because of the brightness, even while wearing sunglasses.

What a glorious view this was! Although the clarity isn't quite what I would have liked, it'll just have to do.

Tis The Seasonings To Be Jolly

This set of salt and pepper shakes has fascinated me for a few years. They belong to my sister-in-law and I love them. She has two sets - one for each end of the holiday dining table. I wonder if she'd really notice if a set disappeared..... :o)

Fun With Textures

These are a few photos I have taken over the last few months. Tonight I was experimenting with adding texture to them. I found a website called Graphicmania.net and they had FREE downloadable textures.

 

Any thoughts? Does it add anything? Detract anything? I liked the old feel to the lighthouse and the grunge feel to my son's photo in his Santa hat. Not as happy with the dog photo....

Sunset In The Neighborhood

Despite the clutter of cars and trees on my street, I still manage to capture some nice skies every now and then.

Sweeeeeet Things!

Sugar cookies are sweet....... I tested just to make sure.

Dogs... can be sweet...sometimes - not this particular day.....

And fall hydrangeas, even though most of the vibrant color is gone, are still sweet... I put dry ones in a vase in my family room. I love them!

I Heart Faces - Autumn Beauty

This is my entry for this week's theme. I actually took this photo of my daughter two years ago. She is perched in our favorite tree. The colors were stunning on this particular Thanksgiving Day so I had to capture it. Glad I got it because now I have a photo to enter the theme this week!!!

Be sure to visit I Heart Faces to see all of the other great entries!!

It's Raining Red!!!!

We are currently in the midst of a Nor'easter so we are getting a lot of rain. Our front lawn is getting a "red rain" thanks to the Japanese Maple tree we have.

My Every Day Life - Dull, But I Wouldn't Trade It

Glimpses of an everyday life.

I could drink this every morning! My house would be immaculate from the burst of energy I would get!

Looking quite bored.....

Afternoon snack - yummmmmmmm.

My baby, Ruby.

Don't Fear This Lion

This is just our kids' high school mascot having fun at the homecoming game.

I Never Get Bored Of Sunsets

And I've been know to trip over things in my haste to grab my camera to photograph them. This is one taken in Avalon, NJ, right on the bay. I love it when the sun gets to this point in the sky, not just for the beautiful picture it gives us but because you can actually watch the sunset unfold in a matter of a few minutes. I just never get tired of it.

A Simple Plume

This is a plume that goes atop the band members' hats. They are distributed to the kids just as they are getting ready to perform their field show at the high school football games and collected as soon as they come off the field. This way, the plumes will stay new looking longer. I think they're sharp looking!

Halloween Eve

I didn't have a digital camera when the kids were small so all of my photos of them are on paper and will need to be scanned. But, I had already scanned these two pics for a school project. These are my kids when they were 3 and 5.

Lots of Photos This Week

I took photos this week and then, to cap off the week, hubby and I went away for the weekend and I took some more photos there.








I don't know how that didn't bother his ear!!!



This is the window of a restaurant we ate in called "The Mad Batter" - the breakfast there was absolutely delicious!!!



This is the southern most tip of the New Jersey shore and is known as Cape May Point - this is the wreckage of a concrete ship called "Atlantus" that was built in 1918. It broke free of its moorings and has been resting here since 1926. This part of the beach is also a great place to find Cape May Diamonds.





I am imagining this is Wife goose yelling at Husband goose - who seems about as attentive as a lot of husbands do to our ranting.....



A tired carriage horse awaiting his next fare....


And there will be more!!!!

Where Is He???

My son had a Halloween party last night. This was his costume (I knitted the hat!!!). He won a prize for most creative but nobody knew where he was to give it to him :o)






A front view - have you seen him???

Life Has Interrupted My Fun

I cannot, hard as I might try, to stay on daily photo posting. Too much has happened and by day's end my concentration is so poor that I can't get organized enough to post. More importantly, I've fallen behind on my visiting of my fellow blogger's blogs - something I am resolved to fix - very soon.

I still am taking photos (and losing ones that I have taken). I saw these flowers on my walk the other night and thought they were lovely.

THE Best BBQ, Day 278

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at one of my brothers' houses. I didn't have a burger but I did have a piece of chicken and I have to say it was the best BBQ chicken I had ever eaten. It was marinated overnight in some blend of seasonings and then slow baked in the oven, and then at the last minute thrown in the broiler to crisp it.

I can almost taste it again just by looking at this.... My niece did email me the recipe and I am going to try it at home!

Thank You, Day 275

First, I just wanted to say thanks for the good thoughts regarding my mother-in-law. She was THE BEST Mom a daughter-in-law could ever ask for.

I've been taking photos - maybe not every day in the last couple of weeks, but I have amassed quite a selection and I feel like I have really fallen behind in posting them. Actually, I don't "feel", I "know" I have fallen behind.

Anyway, here are several.





I took the dogs for a walk the other night and saw this bird on top of the telephone pole. Fortunately, I was able to cut through a neighbor's backyard and get my camera. I think it's a falcon but I'm not sure.



These are our good friends - and coincidentally the couple who arranged a blind date between me and my now husband. We get together for dinner once a month and have been doing this for about 18 years. Next month it is my turn to host the dinner - which ALWAYS has salsa and chips for an appetizer - it's a tradition ever since Jeff (the guy in this photo) got a bowl of salsa knocked on to his brand new white sneakers about 15 years ago. No dinner is complete without the salsa and chips.





Had a dinner party a little while back and took this shot of the glasses.






Playtime at our home this week - the two dogs are getting along great!




Tonight's sophomore dance - my son and his date. It was a very welcome ending to a long day as we said goodbye to mom/Grandmom.... I think having the dance to look forward to was a big help.

Since I put this post together, the dance has since ended and he had a wonderful time.

Grandmom "Reets" 10/28/15 - 9/28/09

UPDATE - Sunday, 9/27/09 - The doctors say Mom is preparing for her journey. If anybody deserved a nonstop flight directly to heaven, it is Mom.

This is my mother in law who I love dearly. She is not doing very well right now and was admitted to the hospital a few hours ago, however it does not look too good.

Hubby is on his way home from the hospital right now and then hopefully all four of us will make the drive up together tomorrow to see her.

Next Photo Set, Day 264

I am posting my photos, it seems, in fits and spurts and am trying not to get too uptight about the fact that I can't seem to get to my blog on a daily basis. I know that once we are done with the beginning of the school year activities and the housebreaking/training of the puppy, I will get more time. Plus, I am committed to making sure I am done my work day by dinnertime. These past 6-7 months, I have been typing in the evening too which just doesn't bode well with blogging.

So, without further delay, here are some photos "in a clump" - I've been taking pictures on an almost daily basis, however I do still have a fair amount from vacation that I want to post too.




No swimming flag raised on the beaches while Hurricane Danny was out at sea.



This photo is an oldie from April 24 of this year showing the first meeting of our two dogs.




This is our two dogs now playing together.






The bigger seagull was not about to share his pretzel find with the smaller gull.





My son and husband assembling our beach cabana.

Multiple Photos, Day 259

I took a ton of photos of this sunset from atop of the house I was staying in a couple of days ago. The colors in person were so much more vibrant...





The necklace my daughter just strung while on vacation. Each bead was carefully considered before she purchased it. I loved it when she was finished and we had a fun time planning it together.






The woman we purchased Ruby from - she absolutely loves her beagles and twice a year holds an event where owners of beagles can gather together for a few hours and chat. She gets to see the puppies she brought into this world - Ruby gave her a few wet kisses as a thank you.





Look mom, no legs!!!




My sister, my friend.