Dear Sweet Darby

 

Some of my favorite shots of Darby.  I was more pleased with this shoot than I was 2 years ago.  I always think I'm not learning but this shoot proved that I AM learning....albeit, slowly, but learning.  I noticed more harsh light on her face and things that protrude from the back of her head.  I've still a long ways to go but I'm happy to realize that things are 'starting' to sink in. 
It was a great day and we had a blast.  She loved all the images!  We just need to start copying some poses and taking with us.  That was the hardest thing we had to do was think of great ways to pose her that looked natural.



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No image today..just something I want to get off my chest.  Darby came by yesterday afternoon and we spent the day out taking photos of her.  She loves to do it and never complains if it takes too long or if I'm too slow.  We took about 100 shots but I haven't had a chance to look at them yet.  Last night we went to the movies and watched Nanny McPhee Returns.  We enjoyed the movie and each other but got back out to the truck to a disappointing surprise.  I thought I'd hit the lock on my key throb but must have hit the wrong button and we were running late and I didn't do a double check to make sure.  My purse and her purse were in the truck...mine was same as empty cause all I had in it was my billfold, checkbook and phone and I had taken my billfold and phone in to the movie with me.  Darby, through....had a stash of stuff...her camera, mp3 player, Nintendo and about 15 games for it, her billfold (no money) and her makeup.  Some damn thief got in the truck and took both purses.  I'm sure they were extremely disappointed with mine but ecstatic with hers!!!  Mine didn't even have any checks in the checkbook...just the registry cause I use my check card 99% of the time.  I do miss my brand spanking new Mitsi purse. Have just had it a couple months and it had my favorite cover on it!  But, I'm totally sick about Darby's loss.  I'm going to call my insurance to see if any of it would be covered but if not, I plan on replacing all her things. We reported it to the police but I'm not holding my breath of anything being returned. 

What makes me so mad is that people do it in the first place!  Why can't all people be honest?  Why do they have to stoop to stealing instead of just making an honest living.  I didn't sleep but a few hours last night cause I was so mad!  If I ever find out who did it, they won't be safe to be around me!  I feel so sorry for Darby cause she saved her money to buy the camera and she bought the games herself too.  Just kicking myself in the butt for not double checking the locks!  Or, at the least, leaving her purse at home!

Just blowing off steam!

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Boats

Just one of the houseboats that are gathering for the Stern wheel festival in Marietta. This always looks so fun to me to travel on the river in one of these adorable house boats. I'm sure I would get tired of it real quick. May go up tomorrow and watch them race.
The color for next week is orange.

Another for the Blue Week

I didn't get this off my cell phone but got a shot of it today with my Sony.  I've noticed it before but hadn't really paid attention to the blue one until this week.  I love the color of it and also like the way the plates look on the wall.  I've also posted a full view of them.  Just like how they show up on the white shed.

Your color pick for next week!  But, we still have till Sunday to post the color blue.

Sunny Blue

Here is my image of blue....this is my new yellow knock out rose and the new blue birdbath I bought.  I couldn't resist the rose as it was marked down to 4.00 and they are usually 20.00 around here.  I prefer the double knock outs but they don't make a double in yellow.  I've planted it along the fence and added the bird bath beside it.  I'm on my way to making my fiesta ware wall.  I'm going to paint my wagon orange and then I want to add some Adirondack chairs in red and yellow.   Then I'll plant my hanging planters with all those colors combined.  I can't wait till next Spring to get it all done!

My snap of something Blue.

Blueberry Crisp for dessert tonight. This is so easy but sooooo good.

I put what ever fruit I'm using (tonight it just happens to be blueberries) in a 8 x 8 baking dish mix a little crisp mix in with the fruit than sprinkle the rest evenly over the top. Bake at 375° for 45 to 50 minutes or until topping is golden brown.


CRISP RECIPE

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup soft butter

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal

I have used this recipe on peaches, apples, and blueberries and they have all been wonderful.

Can't wait to see what you come up with for Blue.

Lonely Bloom

So sad...its the only bloom left on this huge plant and it looks so lonely!  I really, really need to dig this up and move it to some shade but I just keep hoping that the new tree will grow up and help out with the shade issue.  It blooms nicely in the Spring but can't hold up in the heat of the summer...wilts way down and gets lots of brown spots on the leaves.  I cloned them out in this image.

I won't bore you with any more post today...lol....but it did kind of feel good to get the camera out.  Now, if I'd only came up with some images that wowed me! Even used the tripod and I still wasn't happy.


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Late August Blooms

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I captured this, early this morning, whilst waiting for my one hummingbird to return.  I saw it once but by the time I got the camera up to my eye, it was gone.  I hear it a lot when I'm sitting in my chair but don't see it very often.  I should get a hummingbird feeder but he/she likes my flowers and comes back for them.

I like the red of this geranium but it hasn't bloomed as much as I would have liked.  Course, it doesn't get full sun and I think they really prefer it.  It gets hot, afternoon sun but not till after 3 pm and its only for about 4 hours.

The flowers have done fair this summer but not outstanding...was just way too hot and humid, even for them.  

Live Forever Blue

I'm a bit confused...I can't figure out anyway to change the size of the image now. I like the old way better.  

I finally got my blue birdbath.  Still don't have it where I want it cause I don't have the garden bed done yet.  But, it was marked down to half price and I can't refuse a bargain.  LOL...

The Live Forever is just beginning its transition to pink.  You can barely see it on the tips.  The bunch I have down on the corner, under the shade of a big Maple tree, is already fully pink. I might get out and get a shot of it this afternoon.  

Bill and I are being lazy this weekend.  We aren't even going to mow the lawn because its so burned up.  I'm not mowing till it rains again. 

I met Brenda for lunch yesterday and we spent the afternoon visiting. It was nice to have a day of relaxation instead of working all the time.  

Whew...finally figured it out!  LOL...was not clicking on the image right to get the size choices to show up. Just goes to show that its best to read directions first...LOL

Queen Anne's Lace

I thought you wanted to take some shots of some Queen Anne but you have been so busy that I thought I would snap a few before they are all gone.
So far I like this new set up. May change my mind later.

Knockout Rose

When you posted a picture of your Knockout Roses last year that was the first time I had ever heard of them. But after that I started noticing them everywhere and I love them. So I bought and planted two this year. The one pictured here and a lovely yellow one. I so hope they make it through the winter. So thanks for sharing something that was new to me.

I picked up two sizes of this adorable frog jar a couple of weeks ago and I really like how it holds my flowers in just a perfect way while I snap away. You will probably see them used a bunch.

Used Florabella's Retro lollipop action on this image.

Enchilada Casserole

We had this for supper last night....Bill thought it looked so good that he didn't want to wait on me to take a photo....LOL...and it was right up our alley cause we had no leftovers!It was suppose to serve 4 but it served 2 instead...LOL...next time I'll make a salad to go with it. It was suppose to be microwaved but I fixed it in the skillet instead. I cooked the hamburger in a large skillet and then layered the whole thing in my small cast iron skillet and heated it till the cheese melted and the tortillas were warm.

Anyway, I got it off the Kraft site.

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. chili powder
4 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup Sour Cream

Brown the beef and onions in skillet over medium heat. Drain.
Add tomato sauce, water and chili powder and cook until mixture thickens.
(This is where I started using my cast iron skillet.)
Add a tortilla shell on bottom of skillet.
Layer 1/4 of the beef mixture and 1/4 of the cheese
Continue layering using the 4 tortillas.

Cover and heat until the cheese melts.
Top with tomatoes and sour cream.

Handmade by Kristen

This is the birdhouse that Kristen made me. I was going to put it out on the back porch but just couldn't stand to see it get all wet. She has real plants in hers but I didn't see anyway to drain it and figured the wood would just rot away. So...I went to my favorite shop and got some fake plants, the nest and the bird...and moved it to its place in the family room. Stuffed some moss in the hole and tied some raffia on the spigot. Really like how it turned out except the bird doesn't show up very well...needed to be a brighter color.

Hitching Post

Brent & I went to a street fair in Marietta a couple of weeks ago and I snap this shot. Used Pioneer Woman soft & faded action on it to give it the aged look.
As soon as the weather cools down some (and I get my work all done) I want to go back and snap a few more images. There's a old time soda fountain that I want to take the Grands to.

Nectarine & Cream Cobbler

Made this today for our after dinner dessert. Saw the recipe on Tasty Kitchen at The Pioneer Woman's site and just wanted to give it a try. I have never cooked Nectarine's before but I will be making this again.....Yum..... I'm not telling how much butter is in it.......smile......

Wish you lived closer so I could share some of our tomatoes, cucumbers & squash with you. We have tons in our small garden. Had to put tomatoes in the freezer today and they will be so good this winter in soups & sauces.

Hope you are having fun with your Grands!

Dunn Ranch

I came across this beautiful view on Monday but didn't have a camera with me. I was such in love with it that I took the a700 on the road with me on Tues. Luck was with me by the time I got there around 2:00 with the clouds that had moved in. It was a bit on the breezy side and I didn't have a tripod but I like the shot anyway. It's dawned on me that I've stopped shooting because, in my head, it should be tack sharp and the sky conditions perfect and no wind and the right time of the day, etc, etc, etc....and I'm missing all these beautiful flowers that God is blessing us with. So....I forgot about all the technique requirements and just shot to my hearts content. It isn't perfect but its a great memory of a beautiful view that you only see once a year.

This is Prairie Blazingstar (Liatris pycnostachya) and is growing in Harrison County at the Dunn Ranch. The ranch is home to acres of native grasses that are thousands of years old. The ground has never been plowed so the grasses have never been turned under. In the Spring of the year, you can see the huge piles of ant hills. These ants are believed to also be thousands of years old. They burn it all off about every year or so to control the weed and the ants survive it all. According to their information, the only thing that will kill ants would be plowing of their homes and since this ground has never been plowed, the ants have survived. It's a beautiful site right now with all the native flowers. I'd like to get up there early in the morning to capture images of it when its still and the dew is still on. It's acres of Queen Anne's Lace as far as the eye can see. Plus every sunflower you can image. Awesome!

BTW....how are you getting your images so large? I've tried everything and they still come in small and have to be clicked on to see them larger.

Paper Lanterns

Found these paper lanterns at the craft store the other day and knew they would be a good prop for a snap. Of course I had to lay down flat on my back to get the angle I wanted but I think it was worth it. I know my neighbors think I'm nuts and they are right.

Graceful Curl

Spotted this graceful curl on the Cucumber vine today that the storm didn't get last night. Took me about 20 minutes to capture a good enough snap to post. It's a little breeze here today.

Simply White

If it weren't for these beautiful flowers, this summer could be wrote off as the worse season of the year. I was outside for 2 hours this morning and came in as wet as if I'd jumped in a pool. I wanted to do a bunch of deadheading of my flowers but couldn't stand it any longer. I've got to get out and mow pretty soon and I'm dreading that. I don't know why it has to be SOOOOOO humid! The temp was only about 75 degrees but it felt like 100.

This is one of my newest Hosta plants. I planted it about 2 years ago and it is huge this year and for the first time, it put out these very pretty blooms. I don't usually care for the blooms on the Hosta but I really love this one. This are about 3 inches across and remind me of a day lily bloom. I wish I'd kept the tag that came with it cause I don't know what it is called but I'd love to have some more of them. Just might have to do some dividing of it next Spring. I've got plans for a border planting all along my privacy fence. Right now I've just got some hanging pots on the fence and a couple pots in a wagon . I want to do bright colors there...going to see if I can get those Fiesta plantings going to hang off the fence and then add some bright colored garden art...like bright blue bird baths and such. Then add some colorful day lilies below all of it.

So many plans, so little time!

Tiger Swallowtail Snaps

Spotted this fluttering around outside the sunroom windows yesterday while I was doing dishes. Of course I had to stop and grab my camera and try to get a few snaps. I used the tripod on the first one but I couldn't keep track of all that fluttering around quick enough so went hand holding on the second one. Was using the 70 - 300 and I have so much trouble holding it still, I sway all over the place.

It makes me feel a little drunk.

They aren't perfect if you look to close but I like how they turned out.