Wednesday, September 28, 2011

365 Project -- #260-266

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured
the week before, and choose my seven favorites.
These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.
Enjoy!!



I am super-late posting my 365 Project post.  I usually post on Monday mornings; however, last week was a nightmare of busy-ness the likes of which I haven't experienced in a long time.  I used to be able to handle those types of weeks in stride--maybe it was sheer youth--but last week I felt as if I were drowning, barely able to tread water to stay afloat.  Ellie, ever faithful, waited patiently all week to be used.  Alas, it was a week sans camera trying to keep up with the currents and eddies.

So, I decided to browse my archives and choose a few photos which didn't make it into my original 365 Project posts for those weeks.  I share them here now, as a reflection of the past year to date.  I've put in parentheses the month the photos were taken.

[260] September 17 -- Spring path (February)

[261] September 18 -- Old autumn (February)

[262] September 19 -- Cityscape reflection (March)

[263] September 20 -- Sunset reflection (May)

[264] September 21 -- Water on coneflower (August)

[265] September 22 -- Carrot harvest (August)

[266] September 23 -- Purity (September)


I promise I have all new photos for next week!  Ellie and I had some good times this past week, and I can't wait to share a more fruitful week with you all next time.  Au revoir!



Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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Friday, September 23, 2011

You Can't Skate Through Life...

...but you can have a party with them!  (Roller skates, that is...)


What fun to shoot a roller skating party--especially a surprise one!  Yes, I got on skates.  No, I did not shoot while on skates; Ellie is too important for me to risk it.  ;)  Either way, shooting this event was a blast, and a challenge.  Think tons of people, lots of action--the fun part.  Then think low light, or next-to-nothing light--the challenging part.  Both ways, it was the highlight of my week.

The initial surprise



Tressey's husband Marc scored big-time with the surprise!




Some of us over-40 folks needed a lot of help...

Marc shared memories of and sentiments to his beloved wife


Then, like a first dance, Marc and Tressey took a skate around the rink a few times...


...which then inspired other couples to get back out onto the rink.



There was a cake--


and a speech--


--and lots of fellowship, games, and fun.


Happy birthday, Tressey!!




Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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Monday, September 19, 2011

365 Project -- #253-259

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured
the week before, and choose my seven favorites.
These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.
Enjoy!!


It's always a great week when there are two special days to celebrate...

I wandered outside with Ellie to take some late-summer late-in-the-day shots of my garden flowers, and captured the below shot of my Siberian bugloss.  You can tell it's near sunset by the golden hue of the image.

[253] September 10 -- Sunset on Siberian bugloss

Also captured last week was Thomas actually doing a science experiment.  I'm now requiring him to complete every experiment in his biology textbook, and so far he's doing a great job.

[254] September 11 -- Biology experiment

Fernando and I celebrated 24 years of marriage on the 12th.  This is where he took me.

[255] September 12 -- Anniversary dinner

He's such a gentleman!  And we shared a fantastic Italian dinner, lots of animated conversation, yummy dessert, and a walk around the block before heading home.

 [256] September 13 -- Holding the door

Back to home life...  Since it's getting late in the gardening season here in Illinois, I needed to get my herbs inside and processed.  I decided to try drying some herbs; this is my first attempt.  So far they're drying normally.

[257] September 14 -- Drying herbs

The below shot was taken on the 14th--my birthday!  I spent part of the day accompanying Danny to college and spending the waiting time with Thomas, who worked diligently on his grammar and algebra.

[258] September 15 -- High school at college

Finally, I snapped some pictures of my birthday gift--yellow and orange roses.  I'm not a huge fan of flowers--I'd rather have something practical and useful--but these sure are pretty.  Along with these colorful roses, Fernando gave me a huge bouquet of red roses--one rose for each year of marriage.  :)

[259] September 16 -- Birthday roses

It was a very special week.  I hope you also had a special week in the Lord!


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Milestone -- 50!

Fifty years is a great milestone in a person's life.  Many people reach this age and have a huge celebration.  Even more interesting is when two people reach 50 years on the same day.  What's most amazing about this, however, is not that they reached 50 years of age.  This beloved couple reached 50 years of marriage.

Seeing that this Godly man ministers to us (and our church) as one of our teaching elders, we had the privilege of sharing in their celebration with their children and their children's children, all of whom serve the Lord.  This is the fruition of what we have been working for all these years with our own children.  It was a powerful thing to see the results of their hard work and what the Lord can also do in my own family.  I'm excited.  :)

Enjoy these moments from their celebration.










 The groom's cake -- a Stetson!!



 Some of the grandchildren

 Caught eating the Jell-O!

 Congratulations, Pastor and Mrs. F!!!


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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Monday, September 12, 2011

365 Project -- #246-252

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured
the week before, and choose my seven favorites.
These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.
Enjoy!!


I had a great Labor Day weekend with a fun family "date" and a "just us two" date Sunday evening.  To start with, here's what our Suburban's odometer read after we got back that evening:

[246] September 3 -- Vehicular milestone


Back up to the two dates...  Below is my favorite sign to see at Andy's, a frozen custard 1950s-style outdoor ice cream shop just a mile or so from home.  :)  This was the location of our family "date."

[247] September 4 -- My favorite sign at Andy's


Yep, it's always good when Andy's is open.  It was a beautiful evening, barely 70 degrees, beautiful cloudless sky...  But what my son Jacob held for me in his hand below was just as beautiful, and delicious!

[248] September 5 -- Andy's Ozark Turtle Sundae


Mmmm...  While I was busy enjoying my ice cream (and taking pictures), Thomas was busy finding a spot to sit so he could mix his custard in with his root beer to make a root beer float.  Goofy teenager.

[249] September 6 -- Making his own root beer float


On the way home (just a mile or so) I commented to Fernando that we had time to catch a sunset at Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve.  We often pass by the prairie area and its creeks and paths, since it's between our house and my parents' house.  We pulled into the driveway, and he hollered, "Everyone out!  Mom and I are on a date!"  And we took off, just us two.  *contented sigh*

We made it with about 10-15 minutes of sun left, and this is one of the earlier--and one of the best--shots I captured.  My honey and I, my camera, a sunset.  Perfect evening.  :)

[250] September 7 -- Prairie sunset


On Labor Day, I captured just a few images, the below being one of the typical scenes that day.  Many families from our church met at the Storm family home for a day of enjoying the parade (which passes by their front door), corn toss, Bananagrams (my new favorite game), and other games.  Oh, plus a cookout at noon, of course!

I like the below shots because--even though there's nothing outstanding, nor did I catch a spectacular moment--I feel that I caught the "normal-ness" of activity on a typical American Labor Day.  The black basketball is in mid-air, on its way to the next shooter, while a slight blur captures the motion of the other boy getting ready to catch the orange basketball for another attempt at a shot.  Nothing special, but I like it.

[251] September 8 -- Labor Day fun


Another busy hectic crazy week greeted me, though I did have time to spend in my garden.  When I was done watering, I spotted a spider web just under the spigot.  Again, nothing spectacular, but I like the blue, and the pattern of the water drops.  I shot with my macro lens.

[252] September 9 -- Droplets on spider web


Here's hoping next week will be peaceful.  Oh, I'm just realizing--there are a couple of really special days coming up to share with you!!

Have a beautiful week in the Lord.


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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