Holiday Gift ideas: Post #1

I thought it might be fun to post a few gift ideas for the approaching holiday season. As for me, I have all my gifts already purchased and most are wrapped as well.

No, wait! Don’t leave. I’m only kidding!

I can’t stand when people say this in November. I'm a late shopper and I like it that way. I begin on the day after Thanksgiving, online because it’s easier. And I like wrapping things just before the Big Day. Wrapping is one of my favorite things to do. And I’m being serious here.

The ideas I’m posting are small ones, and most are from blogging pals. I’ll be posting more suggestions in the weeks to come. So let’s begin, shall we?

The 2011 Bush Calendar from blogging buddy Bush Babe from Australia. She’s a former photojournalist, having worked at a metropolitan newspaper in Australia. Part of the proceeds go towards HeartKids Australia, a charity that’s dear to her family’s heart. The calendar is a tad pricey to ship to the states (13.00) but I love her photography. It’s a treat to see Australia through her eyes. Available [here] on Bush Babe’s etsy site.

Fearless Nesting’s etsy shop is where I found this cute little wool felted cloche hat. Free shipping on this item, too. The shop owners are the handcrafters of raku pottery and Lili (one of the owners and a blogging friend) also makes beautiful wool felted purses.

The Hip to Be Square loom, offered by another blogging buddy. My friend, Hilary at the Crazy as a Loom blog has created a high quality potholder loom. It comes with enough loops to make 8 potholders and refills are available. If you’d like to see more photos, I reviewed it [here].

I love these cards. They’re not from a blogging pal but I found them in 2008 on etsy at The Mincing Mockingbird. They’re fun and unique, especially if you like birds. The site also carries art prints and magnets.

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After work tomorrow, I’m headed for a long weekend trip with friends. I’ll be taking my camera (of course) and will try to post once or twice while I’m away. I heard there was high-speed internet at the hotel. So I’ll see you when I get back and hey, maybe even before!

Until later, my friends . . .

I love reading a good book

I am reading the most wonderful book. I’m sure most of you have either heard of it or have already read it. I’ve had it in my cart at Amazon since mid-summer and when I bought the new camera lens last week, the book came along as well.

It’s The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and it came as a surprise to me that it’s compromised entirely of letters back and forth to each of the characters in the book. It takes place after WWII and features Guernsey Island in the English Channel, which was under German Occupation. I’m only about a third of the way through and I already don’t want it to end.

I started the book this weekend and Sunday was a sterling day here in Maryland. In the afternoon, my husband and I enjoyed sitting outside in the perfect weather. I brought out a glass of a shiraz and some pretzel sticks with mustard and settled down for a nice read.

I processed these photos with some new actions I just purchased from Shana Rae at Florabella. Yes, actions! I love Florabella textures and today I purchased the Vintage action set as an early birthday present to myself (as was the camera lens). If you click on the link, it’s a couple of posts down. The photography is incredible and the before and after shots are a must see.

The photo above was processed using the Sweet Vintage action. I also used a texture on it but am such an airhead that I can’t remember which one.

This photo was processed using the Retro Vintage action with Allure (warm) texture.

I love the name of the action I used on this one. It’s called RETRO Lollipop. I also used a slight burnt edge on the overall photo. The sky in the original one was a rather glaring shade of blue and I liked this one much better.

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I’d like to answer a couple of questions from the comment section yesterday.

A little red around here today, but mostly grey. Hey, don’t you have red hair? My youngest sister, Ginny, is the one with the red hair in our family. Mine is brown, but it does have red highlights.

How many years have you been seriously taking pictures? I got my first real camera when I was 21 years old. It was an old Nikon. I’ve never been serious about taking pictures. If I were, I could have probably been much better than I am. It’s always been a bit of a lark to me. I enjoy photography, but there’s so much I don’t know.

Can I bend your ear for some feedback on a project at my place? Sure Bush Babe. I headed right over because I love visiting Australia when I come to your blog. And your calendar is going to be awesome. I was crushing on it as soon as I saw it. (And am jealous).

I don't have a clue how to use Photoshop. But it's on my to do list for the new year. All of you gals who use it drive me crazy with all the cool effects you're able to do. Listen to me. If I can do it, you can. I bought a book by Scott Kelby. And I googled tutorials and practiced constantly until my husband was so jealous of Photoshop that I thought he’d divorce me. It would have been fine, too, because I would have still had Photoshop. So, ha!

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Until tomorrow, my friends. Thanks for your continued friendship.

Vignette #2: White

The snow has continued to fall quietly all morning. I found myself sitting in the breakfast nook, concentrating on a jigsaw puzzle, when I glanced out the window and saw how beautiful everything had suddenly become. So before I could talk myself out of venturing out there (it was still snowing), I quickly bundled up, grabbed the camera and was outside.

I continue to be fascinated with the clothespins. I just like ‘em is all. I like the vintage wine action at Florabella, too.

The patio off the breakfast nook.

Sigh.

And sigh some more.

Standing at the edge of the wood, all I could hear was the tiny pellets of sleet hitting the snow. Then it would turn back into flakes. Yesterday my husband told me that “the outer loop is back open again.” I asked him which one, around DC? Baltimore? What was he talking about?

Then he told me, “no . . . the outer loop around the property.”

Ah! Now I see. Well, unfortunately it’s filled in again with the snow, but I could see where he’d already started making the path again.

More birds, although it’s getting to the point where the glass is so covered with snow and moisture that getting a decent photo is next to impossible.

Above, a male ‘slate-colored’ or ‘dark-eyed’ juncoe awaits a turn at one of the feeders.

A white-throated sparrow covered with snow pellets.

Oh, why hello.

I’ll continue to check in through this storm. As I write, George is asleep on his couch. He and his master were out all morning shoveling and walking. I can hear him dreaming and yipping in his sleep.

Two friends have had their submissions posted in Pioneer Woman’s shallow depth-of-field photo assignment and I was so happy for the both of them. Sprucehill and Bush Babe’s entries can both be found by clicking the links to their names. Many of the entries are nothing short of amazing, so be sure to check out some of the beautiful photography this assignment offers.

Way to go, my friends!

Until later then,

PS ~ Forgive me for posting so often. It helps keep me from going cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

All photos taken with a Nikon D80

Webcams, cold weather and cool video

I loved reading about the weather in everyone’s neck of the woods (from yesterday’s post). It made me feel more connected to all of the different places where everyone lives.

Most of us are experiencing really cold weather, but in Australia where my friends Bush Babe and Annie live, it’s full on summer.

My husband visits several webcams around the country and his favorite is the one in Bar Harbor, Maine. It’s at one of the busiest intersections, looking towards Geddy’s Restaurant and the parking lot at the harbor.

Webcam - Geddy’s Harbor, Maine

He also visits the one at Ocracoke, off the coast of North Carolina. It’s a familiar place to us and interesting to see in the different seasons.

Ocracoke webcam

Are there any webcams that you visit?

 

It’s very cold here in Maryland. My fingers feel frozen as I sit under my throw blanket, semi-watching Survivor tonight.

I’m working on making myself a CD of some of my favorite Christmas tunes to play in the car. And I think I’ll add this one to it. It’s by Fleet Foxes and the video is pretty unique. Hope you like.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Until tomorrow, then . . .

He called me Sugar

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments from yesterday’s post ~ the one with the raindrops on the pansies. I loved how those photographs came out and am so glad you did as well. I had some excitement this morning when a couple of readers wrote to say that one of my entries for ‘action’ is in Group 5 over on Pioneer Woman’s site. Woot! It’s pretty much of a thrill to have a photo featured over there, especially when there are so many entries. Blogging friends Beth McWilliams and Bush Babe have theirs featured as well. Beth's is in Group 2 and BB's is in Group 4.

I’ve got a few photos from the rousing weekend we had here at the manor house. The weather forecast called for nothing but rain, so it was an unexpected pleasure to have the sun burst through the clouds early Sunday afternoon. Although it was a pretty steamy day, it was a good one.




After we had our chores done, my husband and I relaxed under the shade of the dogwood tree out back. I took this picture from his chair, after he’d gone inside for something.




The view from our seats. The patio by the breakfast nook is to the right.




I got some more plants potted and some baskets done, lining some with moss and then ran out of planters.

My husband bought a weed whacker this weekend. It’s a gas-powered Stihl and he was actually happier than I’ve seen him in awhile. He also bought a pair of headphones to drown out the noise of the engine. These have a built-in radio in them.

This is a photo of him as he’s heading over to give the headphones to me because a song came on the radio that he thought I would like. I didn’t know he was heading over to where I sat when I took the photo. And honestly, he’s not always this sweet, but when he is, life always feels better. Here’s the song he brought me:

Pink – Glitter In The Air

He said it sounded like something I might like.




The reason I have no planters is because someone has used them for all of his giant aloe plants you see there against the stone wall. There’s at least a half dozen of them and they’re in my biggest and nicest planters. But I don’t care if it makes him happy. They’re only planters, after all.

And hey, maybe we can whip something up using aloe juice. Got any recipes?

I live with an Amish man.

Anyone who knows my husband in real life knows that he wore an Amish straw hat for years when we were young. It was practical, he said.

He hasn’t worn one for about 20 years. But he bought one over the weekend when he went to Amish Land to get supplies.

We wore the dog out.




The squirrels wore the cat out.

Miss Blackie is becoming a very good squirrel chaser.




I sat in the shade Sunday afternoon, hoping to catch some goldfinches at the feeders but they were playing it cool and staying away. I did catch this male house finch, though.




And these two. They make a cute couple, don’t they?

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Thanks for coming by. It’s always nice to have you visit. Until tomorrow, then . . .