365 Project -- #274-287

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured

throughout the previous week, and choose my seven favorites.

These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.

October 1 - October 14

Two weeks in one!

After a much-needed break from life, I am refreshed, quieted in my spirit, and ready to tackle my world again.  Thinking about it, it wasn't a break from life--it was life experienced in His peace, at His pace, within His time.

I spent some time with my parents and older brother, traveling up to the foothills of the Adirondacks to my parents' home on Lake Bonaparte.  I've never been up there in the autumn; summertime is the usually the best time for lake vacations.  However, my parents were closing up their place for the winter, the weather was supposed to be gorgeous (it was), and they had space in their car for both me and my brother and all our stuff (which wasn't much).

For my 365 Project images, I'm posting two weeks' worth of images from this little section of God's country.  Future posts will include many, many more images, so stay tuned!

Here we go...

The first morning on the Lake was cold, but beautiful.  The waters were calm and I had the dock all to myself.

[274] Morning on the Lake

My mom and I rode into town (30-minute drive) to the farmers market and to the grocery store to pick up food for the week.  These neat carrots were featured at one of the farmers' stands.

 [275] Market carrots

My parents had a tree cut down at the front of their property, and they had a young lady "chainsaw artist" carve these bears into the double stump.  Amazing, huh?

[276] Tree bears

These mailboxes sit in a row across the street from my parents' home.

[277] Mailbox line

The below would be considered a typical sunset on the Lake.  For a photographer, it's rather "boring" with cloudless sky.  As a child of God, however, I saw it as God's handiwork at the end of the day, peace in the knowledge that He never changes, and calmness for a tired spirit in need of rest.

[278] Blue sky sunset

The below is a typical view of the shoreline on one of our many boat rides.

[279] Autumn shoreline

Some year I'm going to kayak the lake and photograph every leaning house and boathouse, and give you the "Leaning House" tour.  ;)

[280] Leaning boathouse

Over the weekend, my cousins host the Columbus Day Cook-Off, with three categories.  Everyone gets to sample each dish, and vote for his favorite one.  I learned that I have to pace myself!

[281] Columbus Day weekend cook-off

My dad cast his vote for his favorite appetizer.

[282] Cook-off voting

Besides being really adorable, Aidan really enjoyed decorating cupcakes--and eating them, of course.

[283] Yum

Just for fun...

[284] Bob's chair

Just a few clouds wisped over the sky, but combined with several fading jet trails, they made the most spectacular sunset during my time at the Lake.

[285] Autumn sunset reflections

Take about thirty people, three pontoon boats, and one lazy afternoon on the Lake.  This is what happens.

[286] Lazy boat ride

The full moon was beautiful in the cloudless night sky.  Experimenting with taking photos of the Milky Way or attempting to capture images of star trails was out of the question because of the light of the full moon.  So, I opted for a 40-second exposure of the moon over my parents' house.

[287] Moon over the lake house

I have so many more photos to share, so you can be sure that they will appear on several more blog posts.  I'm looking forward to reliving my special time at the Lake!


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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365 Project -- #267-273

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.

September 24 - September 30

After I nearly "crashed and burned" with the previous week's pictures--it was a tough week in almost every way you can imagine--I believe I have made a comeback with this week's photos.  :)

All of my featured images are from over the September 24-25 weekend, which consisted of two very busy and exhausting days (unfortunately fitting with the weekdays prior).  However, both days held a good measure of relaxation and just plain fun.  I'm glad the Lord ordered those days, hectic though they were, for me.

I also have a THEME for my photos!  It is... drum roll...

Picking, and Picking

I begin with our apple-picking trip to Stovers-U-Pick in Berrien Springs, Michigan, about 1 1/2 hours away from home.  Fernando stayed home to get Danny to his college class, and I drove Joseph, Jacob, and Thomas up for the day.  One of my "borrowed" daughters, Gabrielle, shared our trip.  (Car conversation was so much more interesting!)

Several families from church came, and we ended up spending most of the day with Gabrielle and one of the families.  Below is the barn at Stovers.

[267] -- Stovers

Their orchard is laid out nicely, with wooden signs marking each different apple variety.  Apple trees have such interesting shapes.

[268] -- Jonathon apple tree

Well, it rained all morning while we were picking--of course, it cleared up just as we were getting ready to leave!  Below is what I saw all over the orchard--legs!  (Those are my guys picking Northern Spy apples, yum.)

[269] -- Rainy day picking

What a pretty sight all those apple trees were!

[270] -- Ground cover

Of course I brought my complete set of camera equipment, which meant a trip out in the drizzle with my macro lens.

[271] -- Ripe for the picking

Then, on Sunday evening, Jacob and I met my dad and mom at an area church for some picking of a different kind.  The Wintons were appearing in concert; they are a Christian bluegrass group, a father and his two sons.  Simply put, they are amazing.  Since I grew up on bluegrass and country, their music melted my heart and I felt I had come home.  Although I was exhausted, I had a foot-stompin' good time.

Here is a picture just for your reference, so you know what they look like:

The Wintons

Below, one of the brothers (Cody) plays the dobro.

[272] -- Playing the dobro

And below is Jesse, who won the California state picking tournament in both 2010 and 2011.  He and Cody played their "version" of Dueling Banjos toward the end of the concert, and I had a hard time trying to watch their fingers fly over the strings!  You can see the blurry motion of Jesse's hand.

[273] -- Fastest picker in the West

So, the weekend was filled with picking--apples and guitars (thankfully, no noses).  I hope you had a wonderful week, and I look forward to seeing what you've been up to.  As a side note, I will be out of town later this week, and will post images very late again next week.  But I promise I will have some beautiful images--I know this in advance!  (Um, that would be "Lord willing...!")


Capturing the moments of life.

Christine

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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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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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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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