Clocktower and technical difficulties

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Do you remember the post where I said there was a clock tower being built in my hometown? I would put the link here, but I am having major technical difficulties at the moment, :-(
 My laptop has decided it does not want to come on vacation with me tomorrow. It has taken some sick time. This is not good......seeing as though I need it to down load 10 days worth of RAW images. My son N has come to my rescue........he is letting me borrow his laptop for the trip. I am using it right now, practicing loading photos. The biggest obstacle is I will not have any Photoshop to use while I am away to process my images. Soooooooo, I just downloaded Picasa, a free photo editing software program to N's laptop.
Thanks N for saving the day. I can't tell you how appreciative I am, but I think you already know that!

Back to today's photo. It's the pseudo clocktower in my town. I snapped this photo this evening as I was leaving the pharmacy.By the way.....it was not 12:00 midnight when I snapped this photo....guess the clock has been erected, but it's not working yet!
                                                         The Specs:
                                          Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/13, f2.8

Fresh out of the oven

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Miss J and I are baking cookies tonight. Half will go with me to Vermont.......the other half will stay home for the kids.

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/20, f2

I'm a loooooooser

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Just checked my Friday night ticket. How different would my life be if it had been a winner? Oh well. At least it gave me an idea for a photo op. I am so busy.....have little to no time for photography this week. I'll make up for it next week though. Promise. :-) Hang in there with me. I should have some good stuff coming..........

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/10, f2.1

Smiling Faces

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I'm feeling somewhat stressed out. Ok.....truth is I am totally stressed out. I am leaving on Friday for a 10 day foliage photography trip. I have lots to do to get ready to go, but nothing done yet. Yes, I am a procrastinator, but honestly, I have had little time, as tomorrow is my day 5 in a row working (unusual for me but work is crazy busy and I am needed there.)

I am donating one of my photo prints to the hospital for a fundraiser raffle. I need it there by

tomorrow.I had to go to Michael's tonight to buy a frame for the print. Add it to the list. :-) I couldn't help but smile when I saw this row of happy faces in the store. They not only put a smile on my face, but they also made today's photo of the day. Cross that one off the list. :-)

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 160, 1/60, f2.5, -1/3 ev

Pick a pumpkin.....any pumpkin!

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Have you picked your pumpkin yet this year??? :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90,18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60, f6.3, -1/3 ev

What a wonderful party!!!!!

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Do you remember the barn my nephew Greg was building for his wedding reception?

http://carolsviewofnewengland.blogspot.com/2010/09/barn-raising.html

Today was the party and we had a fantastic time. Jess was just glowing and it's just heartwarming to see my nephew Greg so happy!

I wish them both a lifetime of good health and happiness! Thanks guys for giving me the honor of photographing your special day. I have hundreds of photos to sort through. I'll post here on the blog when I have them up on my website.

Love you both! xxoo

Antique Cars

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Here's my Father In law standing beside his newly acquired 1924 Model T. The vehicle behind him is his wife's 1947 Buick Roadmaster that her father bought brand new after World War2.

"Driving Miss Daisy"

Model T interior. Notice the 3 foot pedals.......C is for clutch, B is for brake, and R is for reverse. (I say thank God for modern technology when I'm behind the wheel of my car) :-)

Door handle:

Each Friday night during the summer months, an antique car show is held in the WalMart pocking lot in Halifax MA. All proceeds go to the Children's Hopsital in Boston. My Father In Law and his wife attend the show each and every Friday evening, proudly displaying their vehicles. Tonight was the last show of the year, so I decided to head down there......with my camera in tow of course.

Happy Fall!! :-)

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It's finally here! My favorite season, and I'm looking forward to all of the Autumnal photographic opportunities that lie before me.

Todays photo is of the North River in Hanover MA.

The Specs:

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

Say yes to the dress

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Here's Miss J leaving the bridal shop tonight.......with her newly purchased wedding gown! :-) Although we were not planning on getting her dress so soon, we couldn't resist taking a look at Lillian's Bridal Shop going out of business sale. This dress fits her to a "T" and once she tried it on, we knew it was "it". I'm so happy for her. :-)

The Specs:

Panasonic LS3, ISO 80, 1/60, f3.2

Jenney Grist Mill

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I did my civic duty this morning......went to serve jury duty at the Plymouth MA Courthouse. I was excused at 11:30, so I took the opportunity to do some photographing. I ended up at the Jenney Grist Mill in Plymouth.

http://www.jenneygristmill.org/

The Specs:

Photo one: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/15, f20, -1/3 ev

Photo two: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/10, f22, -1/3 ev

Neutral Density filter used on both

It's all about the light

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One of the very first things we learn when taking up photography is the importance of light. The play of warm late day light hitting the bottom of this tree trunk and some of the lower greenery, turned this ho-hum scene into a very pleasing subject to photograph. On any other occasion, I would have passed this by, but the light just drew me to photograph it this evening.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 1000, 1/30, f9

color and cattle

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I was really surprised by the amount of color there was at Wheeler Pond in Barton VT this morning. Although this is not typical for most areas, as they are still in the early phase of color, I did notice there were "pockets" of color in certain areas.

Further up the road,this Highland Cattle was the perfect model for me:

Only thing..........we really shouldn't smile with our mouths full! :-)

The Specs:

Photo one: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/80, f8, -1/3 ev

Photo two: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/100, f11, -1/3 ev

Crystal Lake View

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Greetings from Vermont! Mr S and I had a wonderful day up here. A few weeks ago, we were let in on a little secret, from our good friend "Hemo". There is an unknown trail up at Crystal Lake in Barton VT. Just a 10 minute hike up, and you are above the lake with beautiful views to the North and South.

Thanks Hemo!!!!! We really enjoyed the hike and view.

The Fall colors are really beginning to "pop" up here. It;s looking like it's going to be another wonderful year for the foliage..

Auntie Carol has some happy news!!!!

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My Auntie Carol just told me that today is the halfway point for her 365 day project. I'm really happy about that! :-)

Yes, it's my halfway point of this project. The time has gone by so quickly. I've learned a lot......still have so much to learn.......but this project has been a wonderful experience for me thus far. And what a year it has been!!! We have had 3 graduations and an engagement all within the past 6 months. The summer was a wonderful summer for photography weather-wise. So many bright sunny days to spend outdoors!

Here's to the next 6 months!!!!! May they be as joyful and productive as the past 6, and I really hope you all stick it out here with me. Your support both publicly and privately means the world to me.

She's baaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!! Todays photo is my great niece Makenna who is up visiting from S Carolina. You may remember her from the "How Precious" post:

http://carolsviewofnewengland.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-precious.html

She's still as precious as ever, huh?????? :-)

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60, f5

Signs of the upcoming season

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The days are getting shorter.........the temps. are getting cooler..........and little by little, the house is getting decorated for the Fall.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/15, f4,2

Gazeebo

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What a Fall feel in the air the past few days. The deep blue skies are so beautiful......no humidity.....just beautiful. I stopped off at Whitman's Pond in Weymouth again this afternoon on my way home from the folks.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200

Photo one: 1/400, f11, -2/3 ev

Photo two: 1/500, f11, -2/3 ev

80th Birthday!

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Today is my Mother-In-Law's 80th birthday. Doesn't she look wonderful??? We had a very nice dinner this evening to celebrate. Also in the photo are my two sister in laws......Susan is standing, and Sharlene is sitting.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones. You hear people complaining about their mother in laws all the time. I have nothing to complain about. I love my mother in law and we have a very close relationship. Besides........she thinks I'm a wonderful photographer. ;-)

Happy Birthday Mom. We love you!!!!!!!!!!! xxoo

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 80, 1/30, f3.5

silhouettes

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Went to the folks this evening. Stopped off at Whitman's Pond in Weymouth after sunset for a few silhouette shots on the way home.

Out of college but still in school :-)

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We went to visit the Open House at the school Miss J is teaching at this afternoon. This is her very first classroom.........she did an AMAZING job getting her room ready for the first day of school tomorrow. There has been a lot of laminating and cutting of construction paper at our house the past few weeks. I have always respected the teaching profession, but I now have a newfound appreciation of the many many many hours of work that teachers put in "behind the scenes".

The theme that Miss J has chosen for her classroom for the month of September is "apples".

I love the look of happiness and excitement in her face. May she always be this happy in her profession. Her enthusiasm, spirit, passion, and gentle compassion are qualities that these prekindegarteners are going to take with them for the rest of their lives. What better way could there be to start the early years of school?

We love you Miss J and are so proud of you! Go get 'em!!!!!!!! :-)

The Specs:

All Nikon D90, 18-2000 mm lens

Photo one: ISO 640, 1/80, f4.5

Photo two: ISO 200, 1/60, f4

Photo three: ISO 200, 1/60, f4

Photo four: ISO 640, 1/100, f5

September 11

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We will never forget.

Remembering those who lost their lives on this somber anniversary....... a day that has changed our lives forever. Please give your family and loved ones an extra hug tonight. Our world is so fragile............

The Specs:

Photo one: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/100, f8, -1/3 ev

Photo two: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/800, f13, -1 ev

The "A" Team :-)

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A very busy day at work today. I was working on P5South.........I haven't worked up on that floor for a very long time. The girls were asking me about my photography, and were very interested in hearing about my blog. They requested if they could be today's photo. How could I refuse? :-)

Thanks ladies!!!!

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO 400, 1/40, f2.4

Pretty dusters?

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Don't know the proper name for these, but I wanted to pick them and bring them home with me. They are so cool! I stopped at Whitman's Pond in Weymouth today after I dropped the folks off, and these were much more photogenic today than the ducks and geese.

The change is a-coming

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I was parked in a lot and was struck by the beauty of the backlighting on this maple tree. I took a few shots of some leaves, did some photoshop work on this one, and I hope you like it.

The Specs:

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

Silver Dollars

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My parents have a beautiful bouquet of "Silver Dollars" or Lunaria that was hand picked by my two nieces from their Grampa's garden and gingerly brought to my parents house with love and care. :-)

Mr S and I visited the folks tonight.......so that Mr S could take care of a broken window issue, while I scoped out some photo ops for today's photo.

The Specs:

Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 1250, 1/25, f5, white vignette added in post

Barn raising

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My nephew Greg has been building this barn at his In-Laws house for 2 years. Greg and his wife Jess got married last year in a small intimate ceremony. They were planning on having a wedding reception this Fall, in the barn Greg was building. Well, since then, Jess is expecting a baby, and they bought their first house. The wedding reception has been changed to a wedding reception/baby shower/housewarming party. So much to celebrate and we are soooo happy for them!

The party is in three weeks. I am proud to be the "official photographer" for the day. Mr S and I stopped by the barn this afternoon so I could check out the lighting and scope out some outdoor photo ops. As you can see, the barn is not completed, the lighting isn't even installed yet, but Greg assured us "it's going to be just like "Extreme Home Makeover" and the barn will be done in time.

You'll be seeing photos from the party here on the blog in 3 weeks. Stay tuned!

The Specs:

Photo one: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/800, f13, -2/3 ev

Photo two: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 640, 1/80, f5.6

(I *thought* the ISO was set at 200 and just realized now it was 640)

Homestead Farm Middleboro MA

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I went to the antique tractor show at Homestead Farm in Middleboro this morning. It was a beautiful day.....bright blue skies, temps in the 70's, no humidity, a feel of Fall to the air perhaps? :-)

The animals couldn't wait to get out to enjoy the day too!

The nice weather put a big smile on their faces! :-)

Do you remember this post from a few days ago about Thompson St in Middleboro?

http://carolsviewofnewengland.blogspot.com/2010/08/thompson-st-middleboro-ma.html

In that post, I mentioned GregLessardPhotography.com

Well, I got an email from Greg, and I met up with him today at the tractor show. It was a pleasure to meet him, as I have been admiring his work for a few years now. He's not only a wonderful photographer, but he's also a really great guy. I hope to meet up with him again at some point.

I've met some really wonderful people through my photography, that I otherwise never would have had the pleasure to meet. It's one of the many bonuses of this hobby!

The Specs:

All Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200

Photo one: 1/200, f8, -2/3 ev

Photo two: 1/125, f5.6

Photo three: 1/600, f9

Earl: The un-perfect storm :-)

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Hurricane Earl fizzled past New England last night as a tropical Storm. The good news is the damage here in New England was minimal........a very good thing indeed.

I met up with some camera club buddies at 7:30 this morning to photograph Earl's aftermath and high seas. Yeah, the waves were big, but certainly not as impressive as past storms.

We spent a WONDERFUL morning together in Scituate MA. There was a brisk breeze, sunny skies, and perfect temps in the 70's. I hope you are enjoying your weekend as well!

The Specs:

All Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200

Photo one: 1/4000, f6.3, -1 1/3 ev

Photo two: 1/1000, f5.6

Photo three: 1/13, f36 

Model Home

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Getting my parents to even *think* about moving out of their house is not an easy task. However, for their safety, they really need to move somewhere that is one level living.

Doesn't my mother look right at home sitting in that chair? :-) This place was adorable and has all the emenities they need. And it's safe. And they could walk out the door to the ocean. And they could walk out the door to the store. And they could walk out the door to a restaurant. And I wouldn't have to worry about them on the stairs. :-) And it's only about 15 minutes further away from where they live now. Sounds like a win win situation to me. Now the hard part is getting it all to happen. Please cross your fingers and toes for me that a first floor unit opens up soon. And that they agree to the move when it does.

The Specs:

Panasonic LX3, ISO400

First photo 1/80, f2

Second photo: 1/100, f2.2

The calm before the storm

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I went to Hull this evening with the intention of photographing the Hurricane Warning Flag at the Point Allerton Coast Guard Station. Here's the photo I took:

Well, as you can see, there was no hurricane flag flying. GGGGRRRRR!!!! My sister K was with me this evening. I wanted to go into the station and ask why the Hurricane Warning flag was not flying. She said "Please don't" :-) I really wasn't going to.....:-)

Anyways, I was able to catch the above sunset so it wasn't a total bust. To those of you reading this along the coast, be safe tomorrow night!

The Specs:

Photo one: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 200, 1/640, f5.6

Photo two: Nikon D90, 18-200 mm lens, ISO 100, 1/25, f4.2