Weekly Header Challenge -- Something Old

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

I'm joining the group above for this weekly challenge.

Visit the other participants' blogs to see their entries!

Theme ~ Something Old

Chosen by Tom.

Here is the image I used for this week’s theme:

Something old, right?  Well, this is my dad, and he's 85 years old.  I'd love to be able to say "I'm 85!" one day.

Every year since my son Danny was born, my dad cheerfully partakes in a double celebration with his grandson.  My dad was born April 13, and Danny was born on April 16.  Here was this year's cake, made by me:

Lots of laughter as we attempted to sing Happy Birthday in one key!

Finally, here I am with the two birthday boys.

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- Textures

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining the group above for this weekly challenge.

Visit the other participants' blogs to see their entries!

Theme ~ Textures

Chosen by me.

Due to a crazy-busy week, I'm extremely late posting this week's Header Challenge.  Here are my images showing textures.

Abstract -- watercolor wetlands.

Abstract -- Water reflections.

Leaf edges.

 Tree bark.

 Soft and moist.

I love how a one-dimension image can show not only depth and perspective, but texture as well.  These were just a few of my favorites.


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- In the Kitchen

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ In the Kitchen

Chosen by me.

Since it's winter, I've been in my kitchen a lot.  Cooking and baking are not only fun, but they keep me warm!  These images are all from the past two months; to start, here is the full-frame version from my header:

Homemade ravioli!

Over on my family blog, I post lots of recipes.  I like sharing them with the cyber-world, and I want to eventually include all my favorite ones for easy access when I'm away from home.  Or, you know, if my house burns down and I lose my recipe binder...  So, I take lots of pictures, not just of the finished product, but of the process as well.  Here's one image of my ingredients, ready to be turned into Bay Rice Pilaf:

I love a good salad, and though I don't eat many of them during the winter, I have to satisfy the craving when it occurs.

Salad with peas, tomatoes, and cranberries.

A new recipe for me is this delicious Ham Chili, which I paired with cornbread made in my cast iron skillet.

Whole-wheat biscuits make a delicious and healthy side dish.

Here's the finished product:  Bay Rice Pilaf.

Finally, here's a new cake I tried--Almond Cream Cake, for Jake's birthday (he had friends over for his "Games 'n Grub" party).  It looks nothing like the picture showed me it was supposed to look in the original recipe, plus Jake bought me blanched sliced almonds instead of regular plain ol' slivered almonds.  The cooked frosting--my first attempt at such a recipe--was a disaster, but I doctored it and made it work.

The Games 'n Grub (board games, card games, etc., plus food = Games 'n Grub) was a ton of fun, and we ended up in the kitchen for dessert, which was said cake above.  While we were singing Happy Birthday, our very own Craver (who, with his wife, partied with us!) grabbed my camera, set it to auto, held it up, and snapped this picture:

Birthday in my kitchen!

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- 50

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ 50

Chosen by me.

Here is my uncropped header image and the reason I chose this week's theme:

This is Cake #2 made by my friend Becki--she sent it home with us after a surprise party.

I turned 50 a few days ago!  Yes, hard to believe since I still feel like I'm 16 on the inside--though my body tells me differently, lol.  Our town turned 50 this year, too, and they put up large "50" signs around town to celebrate.  I thought we'd visit one of the signs and have a photo shoot.  Although I didn't snap the shutter, I fixed all the camera settings and gave Fernando photography lessons with each pose.  This is one he did a good job on.

For my 50th, I decided I'd have more than one day to celebrate this milestone.  Here are a few treats from this past week!

Andy's Ooey-Gooey Concrete.

Here's Becki's first cake.

My friend Tressey brought these over for me.

I have more pictures of my birthday week--which isn't over yet--but I'll save those for another post.  Hope you enjoyed my birthday week sneak peek!

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- Macro

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Macro

Chosen by Kathy.

I love this theme!  I have tons of macro images, so I'll stick with my most recent, with a couple of beginner shots thrown in .  Here's my header, uncropped, below.  The guys spotted this adventure playing out in my front porch garden, so of course I ran in and grabbed my camera and macro lens.  The spider went into hiding after a little bit, so I was there at that perfect time.

Back when my macro lens was new, I took this image:

Insects are fun to shoot close-up, and grasshoppers look so friendly, don't they?

Here are my most recent macro images.

Side view of Pixie Meadowbrite Coneflower.

Top view.

My woodland hydrangea blooms both blue and pink!

A macro lens can capture tiny flowers on the forest floor that you normally don't even see, like this toadshade below.

Coral bells, "marmalade" leaves.

I found some bright orange toadstools in the mulch of my garden walkways:

Another great macro subject is food.  Yum!

Chocolate Skillet Cake.

Ice cream with fresh whipped cream and homemade hot chocolate sauce.

Just before I donated my wedding dress to Goodwill, I took some pictures (I think I posted them here for you earlier this year).  Here's a macro image of my veil, and my final macro image to share today.

Happy week to you!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- Recent Images

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Recent Images

Chosen by all of us.

I frequently take pictures as the weather warms, so this week's theme is an easy one for me!  Let's begin with my double rainbow, which I actually anticipated (usually I'm clueless).  Storms had headed off to the east on this particular evening, and I guessed that with the late evening sun, there would be a rainbow.  I was pleasantly surprised that there were two, and the most complete I'd ever seen.  Living in the suburbs means that rainbows will be cut off by houses, buildings and trees.  But this one was pretty amazing.

I discovered a new recipe:  skillet cake.  Made right in my cast iron skillet, this is a super moist cake with a not-too-sweet frosting.  I've actually made it three times since my first attempt!

Our state homeschool conference was held last week, and I coordinate the struggling learners portion of it.  I invited Melinda Boring (great last name, huh?), who is anything but, to come speak to parents who are homeschooling their struggling learners and special needs kids.  Here is her most popular workshop, packed to the gills and overflowing into the hallway.

Meanwhile, back at home, Danny was dog-sitting for the director of the health clinic at which he volunteers.  Meet Daisy, a sweet and slightly goofy (and fat!) yellow lab.

My garden is coming along nicely; here are the green beans I planted, albeit later than I wanted.

We had 1/4" hail a few days ago, and I snapped this shot from the patio doorway.

I'll leave you with something sweet--not like my chocolate cake, though!  Naturally sweet strawberries, coming in like gangbusters in my overflowing strawberry patch.  We've picked three gallons so far, and short of eating them all, I may make strawberry preserves.

Happy week to you all, and see you soon!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Weekly Header Challenge -- Something that Begins with C

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Fishing Guy 

Kathy 

Imac 

Lew

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Something that Begins with "C"

Chosen by me.

For this week's theme, I stuck with pictures I've taken this year.  It was fun to scroll back through the first few months of 2015 and look at my images in a new light--what begins with "C"?  I found some good ones, I think!  Here is the image I chose as my header:

Cookie Cake -- double "C"!!

In case you want the recipe, click here to get started.

On to some more "C" images!

Candle.

Crafts.

Closet!  (It's new--a Christmas gift!!)

Cleaning--thanks, Danny, for cleaning the meat juice off.

Cherries--must have more than one on my ice cream.

Cajun seasoning--I'm going to make my own; this stuff is awesome but expensive.

Coyote tracks.

And with that, this C-hristine is signing off to enjoy a beautiful day, hopefully at the Arboretum with my camera!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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