Another food experiment

Food fascinates me. Cooking with it, photographing it, and of course, eating it. I have a lot to learn, but I'm having fun along the way.

I found another tulip photo that I really like from the White Flower Farm. I played around with the image in "SmartPhoto Editor" a little, but I kept coming back to the original. Here it is!

For mothers everywhere

Last Sunday was so absolutely gorgeous as we rode out to White Flower Farm in Litchfield, CT. The flower gardens there were inspirational. I thought about Mother's Day coming up this weekend and how lucky I am to be able to spend it with my children, and wished that my mom was close enough to see more often.

For my mother

I've come as a spring

to lay beside your blossoms

To feel the glory of happiness

and spread your flowers around

    ~Rumi

For my children

Something new

Ever wonder what a grape tomato dropped about 12 inches into a bowl of milk looks like if you could freeze it at the moment of impact? Yeah...me too. So I practiced for about an hour, and almost got it right. Using a faster flash, I was able to get close. I will work on the focus and lighting. Now, when I look into the refrigerator I see so many possibilities!

Birds during the storm

I finally captured the cardinal that has been teasing me for weeks! He still is not focused perfectly...that's why I didn't crop him so closely. He's just too quick. I managed to get a few of his friends too.

I'm not a bird watcher

At least I never used to be. Tom hung two feeders outside a window, so that I could practice shooting (photos) in the dry, warmth, and comfort of our home. It was harder than I imagined, and began to notice which birds fed at certain times of day. I began to study their eating etiquette, or lack there of. I've also begun to notice characteristics that I've never really thought about before, such as differences in the woodpeckers colors, which birds are more aggressive, and which birds prefer the oil seed over the other stuff. 

I still don't know their names, except the names I give them (like 'red guy', or 'mean face' or as is the any with any bird with blue feathers...'bluebird'). Any bird with red feathers, I call a cardinal...so I am guessing this might be a female cardinal. But I could be way off base. 

In light of last week's tragedy in Newtown

I woke up last Saturday, knowing I would be able to see my beautiful daughter Jamie. I could hug her, kiss her, and smell her hair. I could hear her laugh, and wipe away her tears of fear. I could listen as she talks about better ways to keep her kindergarteners safe. I am filled with joy because we have jokes that only we 'get'. My heart explodes when she tells me she wants to be like me...as a mom and as an educator. I feel selfishly grateful that I can do all these things because we are both safe. 

I am one of the lucky ones.

Playing with light on the tree

I thought I'd experiment for a bit with my timing and exposure on the tree. Tomorrow, when I am not so tired, I'll try to get more creative (and perhaps delete these). They are, admittedly, weird. 

First signs of winter in Vermont

An old favorite

I came across this old photo I took while searching for a photo to frame to donate to an art show. all the proceeds will go to victims of Hurricane Sandy. It was very satisfying to bring it to life again and for such a good cause. 

Pre-dawn moment on the way to work

Birds of a feather

I am just beginning to shoot images of birds. Admittedly, I am not that great at it...but, I've come a little ways in trying to get something close to being focused. These have been taken in the last few months

Last bits of fall color

Another night at the fair

I'm not a big 'fair go-er". In fact, I haven't been to one in years and years. But, I like to practice playing with light. And a fair offers many opportunities to practice night time photography. Here are a few of the ferris wheel in various stages of movement. The first was taken the night before the fair opened.

Farmer Joe

It took me a while, but I finally stopped in to meet a neighbor. His name is Joe. I have been walking by his farm for years, admiring the old barn, the old house that I'm sure is full of wonderful old things, and the out-of-commission farm equipment in the fields. What was supposed to be a quick Saturday morning greet, turned into a terrific conversation with a very interesting man. He is full of local information, gossip, and quick wit. I was there for a very long time, before I asked him if he minded me snooping around with my camera. He didn't mind at all.

From my neighbor's garden

I stopped by a neighbor's house to chat and take a few photos of the flowers along the stonewall in front of her house. 

Madison

We were lucky enough to have Madison visit for a week this summer. We went to Mystic, went shopping for school clothes, went to the beach with Jamie, and went nuts on the way home playing car games. Probably the most adventurous thing we did was to go to Brownstone Exploration Park (The old Portland Quarry) with some friends. Take a look at the slide show of the day!

Click here to view the slideshow

Glass Blower in Stonington, Ct

We took Madison to Mystic Seaport. On the way home, we decided to look for the glass blower that had designed this really cool glass sculpture at the aquarium. Not only did we find him, but we stayed for a while watching him practice his craft.