X Marks the spot

104/365

I had my pre-op appt this afternoon.......having knee surgery in a few weeks for a torn miniscus. I wonder if they will let me bring my camera in the operating room to take my photo of the day? I should have asked the suregeon today when I saw him.......NAH!!!!!!!! :-)

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/30, f2.8

Thank God for flowers

103/365

I made the time to get out shooting today........it wasn't easy to find the time, but it was worth it!! I am still in Photoshop mode with all of my Maine photos. The daylillies are in full bloom.....so gorgeous!!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 2500, 1/100, f9

Photoshop attack

102/365

I'm in Photoshop mode and this is where my brain has been all night. Sooooooo tired......I need a vacation from my vacation! :-)

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 100, 1/30, f2

Dice Head Lighthouse

101/365

This is one of the lesser known lighthouses along the Maine coast, but is adorable....a very sweet spot with beautiful grounds. Dice Head Lighthouse is located in Castine Maine, along the mouth of the Penobscot River. I'm so glad we stopped here to photograph on our way home today. We also stopped at Fort Point Lighthouse in Stockton Springs as well. I will be making a new album on my website with all of my Maine photos from this week. I will let you know when it is ready and up on my site.

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/640, f4

Bubble Pond

100/365

Day 100 for my photo a day project!!!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!! :-)

It was a mostly cloudy day here today but Bubble Pond in Acadia National Park was still very pretty nonetheless. Yes, a blue sky would have made a better photo for sure, but how can you complain when mother nature provides such a beautiful landscape???

We had another wonderful day and we were wildlife magnets once again. :-) We head home tomorrow but will take a detour or two along the way to stop for a few photos. Diane has been a wonderful traveling companion, and we're still good friends and don't want to kill each other. :-) I could stay here longer for sure......this is the life........but I can't wait to get home to my family. Reality awaits.

The beginning of the day/The end of the day

99/365

Sunrise over the Margaret Todd Schooner in Bar Harbor and moonrise taken on the way back to the motel after a sunset shoot and dinner in Bernard. It was a beautiful day here today......got more bald eagle shots out on the boat today that live on the harbor islands.......got a lighthouse shot from the boat, and some harbor seals as well. Great day for the wildlife.....also got an albino-ish deer who was staring straight into the lens of my camera. A very surreal moment. A very productive day indeed!

A dream has come true!!!!!

98/365

A photography dream of mine has been to photograph a Bald Eagle in the wild. It came true for me today and I am so happy!!! This moment has made the whole trip for me.......anything else that happens from here on out is just icing on the cake.

Tomorrow promises sunshine and we are taking a 3 hour private boat tour......we are leaving the motel for a 4 am sunrise shoot. (Yawn) :-)

All roads lead to someplace

97/365

Left tge house at 4:15 am. Hit some rain and lots of fog. The above photo was taken in Stonington.......a picturesque fishing village. I'm sure it would have been even more picturesque without the fog, but it was pretty nonetheless. We arrived in Bar Harbor at 7:15 pm. A long day......but we had fun. At one point we got a little lost (Ok maybe a lot lost) I thought we were never going to be found again, but Diane reassured me "All roads lead to someplace" Maybe you had to be there......but for some reason I could not stop laughing at that. It's our new motto for this trip!

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...........

95/365

Whenever I pack a suitcase, Abby is right there with me, in the hopes that she will be able to come along. She was right there with me today as I was packing........she's hard to see but she's the fluffy black thing beside the pillow. :-) She will be so disappointed when I leave tomorrow without her, but she will have some consolation when she sees Mr. S is staying home with her.

My friend Diane and I are leaving before the crack of dawn to drive up to Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park in Maine. The plan is to stop along some of the coastal fishing villages and lighthouses on the drive up, weather permitting. At this point, the weather isn't looking like it's on our side but we are trying to be optomistic. We will be meeting lots of our camera club buddies up there and it should be 5 days of photography bliss. We will have wi-fi in our motel room so I will be able to post a photo and updates each day.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 2500, 1/60, f5.6, -1/3 ev

Just waiting for my Daddy

94/365

Rudy knows that Mr S will be coming home soon......he's keeping vigil until the big event!

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 320, 1/125, f2.8

Another one to cross off the list

93/365

I have a list of places that I want to visit and photograph in the state of Vermont. One of these places I was lucky enough to find today. It was an "accidental" find which makes it even better in my book! We were driving from the Western side of Vermont where we stayed the night last night over to our house in Barton which is in the Northeast section of the state. As we were driving along, we passed the sign which read "entering Jericho". I no sooner said to Mr S "oh wow we're in Jericho. There's a red mill in Jericho that I have been wanting to photograph"................"oh my gosh........there it is"!!!!!!! Who-da-thunk! :-)We turned around and I got out to take a series of photos of the mill and waterfall. If you would like some history about this old mill you can find it here:

http://www.jerichohistoricalsociety.org/mill.htm

On another VERY IMPORTANT note, today is Fathers Day. Because I was traveling, I didn't have a chance to see my Dad today. I called him to wish him a happy Fathers Day. I will post a photo of him in a week or two. I'd like to wish all of the Fathers reading this a very Happy Fathers Day to you!!!!!!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/250, f8, -1/3 ev

A Wedding in Vermont

92/365

The daughter of very good friends of ours got married today. The reception was at the Catamount Golf Club in Williston Vermont.........a beautiful venue for a wedding. As you can see, not only was there dancing on the dance floor, but also the driving range was a step outside on the deck. The LPGA just may have to keep an eye out for an up and coming star.......the flower girl Susie! :-)

We're staying in a motel tonight as the wedding is an hour and a half drive from our Vermont home. It's been a very long day. Mr S is already snoring. :-)

Congratulations to Katy and Peter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School's out for summer!!!

91/365

I just had to stop to take this photo today as I was driving past Wessagusset Beach in Weymouth. Those 2 bikes just screamed to me that school is finally out for the summer. Let the good times begin! :-)

"If there were no tribulation, there would be no rest; if there were no winter, there would be no summer."

- St. John Chrysostom

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/640, f10

Let's hear it for the boy!!!!

90/365

When my nephew Brian was born, I called him "the boy" and to this day that name has stuck with me.......he's still "the boy". It was a chilly evening for a ball game, but you'd never know it by the constant smile on this kids face. :-)

"When baseball is no longer fun, it's no longer a game."

----------Joe DiMaggio

The specs for photo one:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 3200, 1/500, f5

The specs for photo two:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 3200, 1/500. f5.6, -1/3 ev

Kitchen bric-a-brac

89/365

Never went out after work today so found todays photo in my kitchen.

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/25, f2.3 vignette added in post

soft and fuzzy :-)

88/365

These little goslings were oh-so-adorable today down at the pond. This photo is heavily cropped. I respected their space and kept my distance. I think I had a smile on my face the whole time I was there. Just heartwarming to see them!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, IDSO 200, 1/1250, f5.6

Glories stream from Heaven afar

87/365

When in doubt, head to the cemetery. That may sound like a strange motto.....but it has worked for me since doing this 365 day project. There are many photos on this blog that I have taken down at the cemetery. I LOVED the play of light tonight that I found in one of the out of the way hidden corners. It was so peaceful........spiritual in a way.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 1250, 1/60, f4.8

Sorry, but this isn't Mr McGregor's garden. :-)

86/365

I was so happy to see this backyard visitor today. Just the other day, at work, I was saying I haven't seen any bunnies in the yard for a year or two. It's great to know that at least a few of them are surviving and thriving.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/400, f7.1

Frozen drinks?

85/365

No frozen drinks tonight.........it's damp and rainy and chilly and miserable outside........not the type of weather conducive for a frozen drink. Maybe next time..........

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/8, f2.8, vignette added in post

Jay Graduates!

84/365

We attended Jay's high school graduation tonight. Where does the time go? It seems like it was just yesterday I was attending his graduation from preschool!

We are so proud of him. I am proud of the young man he has grown up to be. I am so proud of all of his accomplishments! He has amazed me through the years, and I have learned more from him I think, than he has learned from me!

We raise our kids with a solid foundation, teaching them right from wrong, teaching them the importance of moral values, and when our job is done, it's such an amazing feeling to know that you have succeded!

The world awaits you Jay!!!!!!!! Thank you for being you!!!!!!!! We love you!!!!!!!!!

"My Wish"

I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,

And each road leads you where you want to go,

And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,

I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.

And if one door opens to another door closed,

I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,

                            If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
                                 But more than anything, more than anything,


                        My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
                                  Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
                                 You never need to carry more than you can hold,
                      And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
              I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
                                                          Yeah, this, is my wish.


                                I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
                                All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
                               I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
                                  And you help somebody every chance you get,
                                  Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
                                   And you always give more than you take.


                         But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
                    My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
                             Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
                           You never need to carry more than you can hold,
                      And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
             I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
                                                     Yeah, this, is my wish.
                                              ----------------Lyrics by Rascal Flatts 

                                                                 The Specs:
                                   Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/320, f5

A duck on a sheep

83/365

Doesn't everyone have one of these displayed in their home? :-)

The Specs:

Panasonic FZ8, ISO 100, 1/30, f3.2.........The photo was rather boring as is (although how boring can a duck on a sheep get you may ask) so I did a pencil sketch treatment using Picnik to give the photo an altogether different look.

Love can build a bridge

82/365

This bridge over the North River in Hanover had a nice reflection this morning, making a perfect oval shape!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200mm lens, 1/160, f71., -2/3 ev

Perfect Faith

81/365

Another series of shots for today's photo(s). The other day it was the boys landing in the water, and today it's a male Mallard Duck. I shot this series today down at Island Grove in Abington. Isn't he just beautiful? :-)

"The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply that they have perfect faith..............for to have faith, is to have wings."

------James Matthew Barrie

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/600, f7.1

Pink sky at night, Celtic's delight! :-)

80/365

The Celtics returned home this evening from LA with the NBA Championship Series tied at 1-1. There's lots of buzz and excitement here in the Boston area.

The late day sky was reflecting nicely off the back window of Miss J's boyfriends pickup truck with the Celtics logo this evening. Thanks for the inspiration and the photo op Steve!

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/200, f2.8, -1/3 ev

No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem :-)

I came across these boys jumping off the bridge into the North River in Norwell this afternoon. I only had one chance to shoot them, as it was their last jump of the day. I set the exposure I wanted, gave them the thumbs up all set signal, and off they went!
                          The Specs for all the photos:
            Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/1000, f4.5

Doh A Deer A Female Deer

78/365

I was playing hide and go seek with this deer today down at the cemetery. :-) Literally!!! :-) Well, at least it felt that way to me anyways. Not quite sure how she felt about it.. When we first stumbled upon each other, we both had the same reaction of surprise. She took off so I pulled over and got out of my car and walked around some shrubbery and trees and was able to snap this photo. She then took off again, so I  approached her from the other side........we went round and round. :-)......a few times.......until she finally got sick of me and took off into the woods. I've got a few photos of her backside (what woman wants people to see a photo of that side!) but they weren't very "flattering" so needless to say, I won't be posting them here. :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/125, f5.6

Just lovin' all of the summer fruits!

77/365

Yummy!! One of my favorite things about summer is the seasonal fruits. I was cutting up some of the fruit that I bought today to make a fruit salad, and got the "sweet" idea to use the fruit as the subject of today's photo. I wish the photo came with smelling abilities so that I could share the wonderful aroma with you!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 50 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/60, f3.5

Practicing Panning

76/365

Jay was a willing subject for me after school today to practice the technique of panning. This was my very first time trying to do this. It's a technique that requires practice, so I am planning on getting better results as I get more practice, but here is my first attempt!

The basic idea with panning is that you pan the camera along with a moving subject, using a slow shutter speed, and end up getting a sharp subject with a blurred background.

Thanks Jay for the back to back appearances here on the blog! :-)

The specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/15, f29, -2/3 ev

Looking for a new job

75/365

Does anyone want to hire a 17 year old?  He's at least filling out a few job applications. Haircut not required of course. :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-2oo mm lens, ISO 800, 1/60, f5.6, converted to black and white and Cinemascope effect applied using Picnik

Well, it is half the fat.......

74/365

Due to thunderstorms, I never got out to take my photo today after work. I am now having photographers block. (Is that really such a thing?) I did what any other normal woman would do......I took my frustration and turned to ice cream for consolation. Hence, I got my ice cream fix AND  todays photo all at the same time.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/60, f5.6, a frosty white vignette added in post :-)