Summer Gardens

135/365

I just love old barns and country stores and antiques etc. I want to tell you about a new find that I visited today with one of my best friends and country store shopping buddies....the one and only Nancy I. :-) It's called Summer Gardens and it's located on Rte 106 in Plympton MA.

http://www.historicsummergardens.com/

It's a wonderful old post and beam barn filled with antiques, country furniture, home accents, folk art etc. and can't forget to mention the beautiful flowers from the garden out back. I bought myself a handwoven cotton rug for my kitchen which I placed in front of the sink. ADORABLE........and the best part is that it's machine washable so I hope to get lots of wear and tear out of it.

We were told by the proprietor that the barn is filled with goods during the Fall and Christmas season............yes, my favorite times to decorate.......so you WILL be seeing a return visit to this place here on the blog within the next few months. If you're in the area, please stop by and visit. It's a gem of a country shop! 

Last Light

134/365

I liked the way the last of the remaining sunlight was illuminating the treetops down at Island Grove in Abington this evening. The cloud reflection was an added bonus to add a little something extra to this landscape.

The Specs:

Panasonic LS3, ISO 125, 1/160, f2.8

Camp Granada? :-)

133/365

Hello Mudder - Hello Fadder

Here I am at - Camp Granada

And it's very - entertaining

And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining

I went hiking - with Joe Spivey

He developed - Poison Ivy

You remember - Leonard Skinner

He got ptomaine pois'ning last night after dinner

Take me home, oh Mudder, Fadder

Take me home, I hate Granada

Don't leave me, out in the forest

Where I might get eaten by a bear-ear

No I don't want - to-oo scare ya

But my best mate - has malaria

You remember - Jeffrey Hardy

They're about to organise a searching party

Take me home, I promise I will not, make noise

Or mess the house with oth-ther boys

Oh please don't make me stay

I've been here one whole day

Dearest Fadder - Darling Mudder

How's my precious - little bruddah

Let me come home - if you miss me

I would even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me

Wait a minute - it's stopped hailing

Guys are swimming - guys are sailing

Playing cricket - gee that's better

Mudder, Fadder kindly disregard this letter

Ay! it's my turn to bat!

I visited this camp today, and the previous song was playing in my head! Don't you just love that little jingle? It always puts a smile on my face. Anyways, this was such a pretty little place. I can't tell you now why I was visiting there, but I'll let you know on another day here on the blog, so stay tuned for "the rest of the story!"

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 320, 1/250, f5.6

Great Blue

132/365

I had a fun time shooting down at the Rockland Duck Pond this evening. I got in my car and started to drive out, happy and content with what I had shot, knowing I had something for today's photo. And then............there it was..........this beautiful Great Blue Heron! Needless to say, I pulled over and got some shots of this beauty. I really like the lighting in this shot. It was late day, and the sun had just gone down around the other side of the pond. There was a blinking yellow traffic light to the left behind the heron on the street. I waited for the light to blink each time I pressed the shutter, knowing the reflection would imitate a sunset reflection. Ta-dah! I was right and am happy with the colors of this shot. I just love when unexpected things like that happen!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, 1/250, f5.6

We laugh, we cry, we share, we're friends!!!

131/365

It was girl's day out today. These are a few of my closest friends from my hometown. Life is so funny.......we meet people along the way and we get blessed when we find those special people who instantly become our friends, and we know they will always be a special part of our lives. From left in the front is Joan, behind her is "the other Carol" :-). On the right is Suzanne in front and Mary in the back. There are a few other girls who couldn't make it today and noticably missing is Nancy I who is a frequent commenter here on the blog. We missed you today Nancy but we have some fun shopping trips coming up!

We had lots of laughs, and a few happy tears.......especially with all of the talk about Miss J's engagement.

A special thanks to these special friends for being such good sports and allowing me to put them up as photo of the day today. I love you guys!!!! :-)

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away".

 ~Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 100, 1/20, f4

They say the planning is half the fun.......

130/365

Guess what we've been doing all night?????

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60, f11

Love is in the air :-)

129/365

I am so happy and honored to tell you that Miss J was proposed to by her boyfriend Steve on Saturday night!!!!!! We are so happy for them both, and we welcome Steve into our family with open arms. He did the traditional thing, and asked Mr S and I for our permission and our blessings to marry our daughter a few days ago. I have been crying happy tears ever since, and I couldn't wait to get back from Vermont today to see the two of them. They really are a wonderful couple, and I am so happy to see my daughter with a man who treats her so well and loves her so much. I couldn't ask for anything more for her. No plans have been made as yet, but I already see some Bridal Magazines here at the house. Let the fun begin!! :-)

The Specs for photo one:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/100, f11, white vignette added in post

The Specs for photo two:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/60, f11, converted to black and white, slight vignette added and framed in post

Island Pond

128/365

I'm sorry for the delay of getting day 128 posted. I could not get any wi-fi last night.......technical difficulties.......so I am posting a day later. Some say I am always a day late and a dollar short.......but that's another whole thing..... :-) This shot was taken at Island Pond in VT. We went to an estate auction at a home right along the pond. This was shot in the backyard of the home. What a piece of Heaven on Earth! The three white steepled churches reflecting in the water make a lovely quintessential Vermont scene. By the way,  I got some fun little bargains at the auction.....we always have fun at the Vermont auctions. It's a favorite thing to do up there!

I know the farm theme may be getting pretty boring for you, and I'm going to stay away from the farms for a while.......but I just have to post just one more farm photo here just because. :-) I took this yesterday on the way home from the auction......we stopped at a "Barn Sale" and I just loved this view into the chicken coop and wanted to post it here on the blog.

The Specs for photo one:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/80, f16

The Specs for photo two:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/50, f9

Different farm, different state

127/365

On the road again. :-) Greetings from Vermont! In keeping with the farm theme, today's farm photo was taken along a dirt road in Brownington Vermont. There are farms galore up here in the Northeast Kingdom, but this one today was a new discovery. I just love driving along the country roads up here and going off the beaten path to find photo ops. The bright red barn, the silo, and the curve of the road (Thanks to my friend Al for his curve on the road inspiration!) are the three things that made this photo today's winner.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/200, f9, -2/3 ev

Cohasset Harbor

126/365

It was a spectacular afternoon at Cohasset Harbor..........warm temperature but not too hot, blue skies with some puffy fair weather clouds, and a wonderful breeze blowing off the water. This lighthouse and little blue skiff caught my for todays photos. However........I have one more photo that is my FAVORITE from today. I'm not sure if you remember........but on Father's Day a few weeks ago I was out of town, and promised that I would post a photo of my Dad. Well, here he is today doing what he loves to do most, which is sitting outside along the seashore. He was in his glory today!

The Specs:

Photo 1: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/640, f8, -2/3 ev

Photo 2: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/160, f14, -1/3 ev

Photo 3: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/1000, f8, -2/3 ev

Succulent

125/365

Freshly picked peaches from CN Smith Farm in East Bridgewater. The woman in the shop used the word succulent to describe them. She was right! I set up a pseudo photography studio in my kitchen to photograph these beauties, and gave them a proper frame to give them the "Ta-da" that they deserve. :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60, f18

Don't let the sun go down on me

124/365

It was a beautiful sunset tonight over Wessagusset Beach in Weymouth. This photo is straight out of the camera, except that I cloned out a bit of sun flare. Was taken while sitting in the car. I can't wait to get my legs back!

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/1000, f4.5. -2/3 ev

Summer Still Life

123/365

Mr S bought me some tomatoes at a farmstand yesterday, and he surprised me with a beautiful sunflower. In the meantime, lots of my camera club buddies have been visiting a sunflower farm in Connecticut this week, and showing some beautiful photos that they took there. Since I am not physically able to tour the sunflower farm with them, I came up with my own thing. When life throws us lemons, we make lemonade. When life throws us sunflowers, we make.......oh well, never mind. :-) You know what I mean, I'm sure!

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60, f18

On the mend

122/365

Mr S took me out for a ride today and look where we ended up! :-) Yup, it was worth the wait.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/400, f10

I feel the love! :-)

121/365

When I woke up in the PACU yesterday, I was informed that I had a flower delivery waiting for me!!!! They said it was from my co-workers.....that a very nice young man came down and dropped them off for me! (Thanks Matt....I just know it was you! )They told me they usually don't get flower deliveries in the out patient OR and that I must work with some very special people. Yup......I sure do!! I am so blessed to work with such wonderful people. As corny as it sounds.......we are like a big extended family....and my beautful flowers and card put a very big smile on my face. Some of my coworkers lurk here on my blog....come on......you know who you are LOL......so here's a great big hug and thank you to you!!!!!!!!!

The Specs:

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

Blurry-eyed!

120/365

Surgery went well today. The surgeon repaired a tear in my miniscis and cleaned up the cartlidge behind my knee. The world around me was quite blurry when I came to. Still feeling kinda queazy but glad I managed to get my photo done for the day.

It's Mr. S's Day!

119/365

Happy Birthday Mr S!!!!!!! We had a wonderful dinner tonight to celebrate Mr S's Birthday. We went to Giannaros in Quincy....it's his favorite restaurant. I can't remember the last time we all had dinner together in a restaurant so it was extra special to have all 3 kids and of course Miss J's bf to all be there.

Tomorrow is my surgery so I won't be getting out to take photos for a few days. Just indoor photos. It's probably a good thing. I think I need to stay away from the local farms for a while. I'm thinking that Mr Crankypants farmer called the police on me.......they put an APB out on me and my vehicle........and all of the local police are on the alert for a woman with multiple cameras who has a farm/manure fettish. Perhaps they think I'm a terrorist who is staking out the farms. I may be planning a terror plot involving tractors and manure....................

Stay tuned........ I'll still be photographing and blogging post surgery.........nothing's gonna stop me now!!!!!!

Holy Sh*t!!!!!!! :-)

This photography business is going to get me in trouble one of these days! I had a close call this evening. In keeping with the "farm theme" I seem to have going, I went to a sod farm in Whitman to take a shot of the tractors and farm equipment being stored in an open lean-to. As I was setting up, the farmer came out of his house and was not too happy with me. I gave him a sweet smile :-) and asked for his permission to take a photo. His response: "WHY????" :-) He never did give me permission, so that was a total bust. I drove for 10 more minutes and stopped at a farm in Bridgewater. I loved this whimsical cow manure sign! So, Mr Crankypants Whitman farmer.........I found a better farm for my photography. So there! :-)

Here's where I got into even bigger trouble. I thought this cow manure sign and shovel was pretty funny, so as I was actually standing at the edge of a pile of sh*t to take this photo........guess who pulls up??? A Bridgewater Police Cruiser (all I could think about was uh-oh......"N" is going to kill me.....I sure hope I don't get into trouble here) LOL :-) I explained to the polite officer what I was doing. He grinned (I can only imagine why) and drove off. WHEW!!! I escaped becoming a criminal!!!!!!

118/365

Which brings me to this last photo that I took. I loved the reflection of the tall silo in a puddle!!!! I converted it to black and white and rotated it 180 degrees and voila!!!! A creative abstract.!!

The Specs:

All taken with the Panasonic LX3, ISO 400

In the shade

117/365

Went for a Bone Density test in E Bridgewater today, and stopped off at Peaceful Meadows on the way home for some photo ops. I was sweating my butt off in the hot mid-day sun! This was my favorite photo because this cow was smarter than the others, in my opinion......just hanging out under the shade of the big pine tree. Man it was hot out there! There was a sign up that said they have new Frozen lemonades. Ooooh.....those are my favorites. I didn't get myself one today, but while I am home recovering from surgery this weekend, I'm gonna ask Mr S to go get me one. I know it will make me feel better. :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/80, f16, -2/3 ev

Facebook

116/365

I think I'm one of the few people left in the world who doesn't have a Facebook account. I'm having trouble just keeping up with this 365 day photo project! :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/30, f8, vignette added in post

Damon's Point

115/365

A spectacular summer's day at Damon's Point in Marshfield today. For more info, click the following link, click and drag the mouse for a 360 degree view. You will see the exact spot where Mr S was enjoying the view from.

http://www.marshfield.net/panoramas/damon.html

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/250, f14, -2/3 ev

Farms, not factories

114/365

I am in a "farm" kind of mood this week. I went to a farm the other night for photo ops, and I went to a different farm today. I must be missing Vermont. I'll be going to VT the week after next.....after my surgery. A good dose of Vermont fresh air will fix me right up! :-) In the meantime, I disovered this gem of a farm this afternoon. It's located in West Bridgewater and there are photo ops galore at this spot. This is one place I will certainly be revisiting.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/160, f8, -1/3 ev

The colors of summertime

113/365

A beautiful day here in New England! Yes, it's still very hot, but not quite as bad as the past few days. The colorful buoys and American flag against the deep blue summer sky makes for the perfect summer nautical scene in Hingham Harbor today.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/400, f13, -1/3 ev, Poster Edge Filter applied in CS3

On the fence with this one

112/365

I went to a local farm to look for photo ops this evening. I was envisioning perhaps cows or a silo, but what caught my eye was these backlit sparrows on an old wooden fence outside of the barn in the late day light. I hope you like them too!

The Specs:

Nikon D90. 18-200 mm lens, ISO 2500, 1/4000, f14. -1/3 ev

Dog days of summer!

111/365

Abby's favorite thing to do these days is to crash right underneath one of the ceiling fans. Granted, it's not good for the hairdo getting blown about, but in this heat, who has time for vanity?

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/60, f4, converted to black and white and vignette added in post.

Relief

110/365

You really needed the AC today here in New England, as temps were at or near 100 degrees. I didn't leave the house unless I had to. I hope you're keeping cool wherever you are.

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/6, f4

Family Traditions

109/365

Each year on the Fourth Of July, we host a family clambake at my house. We've been doing it for years, and this year was extra special, as we now have our first member of the next generation to take part in the tradition. This is my great-nephew, Ashton. Although he didn't eat any lobsters or steamers this year, as you can see, he's starting to get some teeth and I bet he'll be ready next year!  He had more fun putting the paper plate on his head this year. :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/30, f5.6

Happy 4th of July

108/365

I bought myself this bouquet of red white and blue daisies at the grocery store last week to add a festive feel to the house. I hope you are enjoying your 4th of July weekend.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 50 mm lens, ISO 800, 1/60, f5.6, Watercolor Filter added in Photoshop CS3

Pucker up!

107/365

Went to a cookout at a friends house this afternoon. My friend Patrick is famous for making some delicious adult beverages. He actually saw "Giada" make this drink this morning on her Food Network show and it looked interesting, so off to the store he went to buy the ingredients. Please don't ask me what is in it.......I was told but I forget :-) All I know is it was like a lemonade with fresh blueberries and fresh mint leaves. Yummo!! :-) Thanks Patrick.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 50 mm lens, ISO 400, 1/250, f8

Old Glory

106/365

To quote Eleanor Roosevelt, "Main Street in Hingham is the most beautiful street in America." I tend to agree with her! The front of this stately antique colonial is draped with the biggest American flag I have ever seen. Now, that's showing the American pride!

I wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!!!!!

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/300, f2.5, -2/3 ev

Everything's coming up roses

105/365

More pretty in pink today! :)

On another note, I have my Maine photos up on my website if you would like to view them here:

http://carolsmith.zenfolio.com/

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/500, f9