The Last First Snow

It snowed this weekend for the first time this year. I am happy to say that this is the last time I will say that. Well, the last time I will say that and mean significant snow, because I am pretty sure it doesn't snow this much in Houston.

I have always hated snow. I'm not sure if it is because I spent the first five years of my life in Dallas, or if it was the five years I spent in New Mexico for college. Being cold is just not my thing. I always thought it was such a hassle to get all bundled up just to go play in the snow, get cold and wet, and then come back inside without feeling in my hands and feet.

As a kid, the worst part was standing out in the cold waiting for the bus, freezing from head to toe, only to watch the bus slide by my house and decide to keep driving. In high school it was driving to school at 5 mph, hoping I didn't slide into the ditch (because the back of my old car wouldn't cooperate), and then finding out school was canceled. Nice of them to tell me before I left the house!

I am not sad to be leaving this weather. I'm sure it won't miss me either.

Things Only Married People Say

My husband and I were having a "discussion" a couple weeks ago. I don't remember what we were arguing about. It obviously wasn't very important, but how many arguments really are.

I was in the kitchen and he was around the corner in the bedroom (what a great way to "discuss" things, right?). I was getting frustrated, he was getting frustrated. I said something like "No!" to some request he made.

His response: "Fine, then I'll just steal some of your hangers."

Who says that? Married people, that's who. The best way to get back at your spouse? Apparently it is stealing their hangers. Don't worry, though, I stole them back. See who's laughing now.

Some background: I never have enough hangers. One day all my clothes are hanging nicely in the closet. The next thing I know I am trying to hang up my laundry and there are 2 extra shirts without hangers. Obviously it is all my husbands fault. He steals them you know, and now I have proof right out of his mouth!

Science and Engineering Art Fair

Last week I entered 4 of my photos in the Science and Engineering Art Fair at Northwestern.  The fair was set up to show the creative minds of scientists and engineers.  Most of the time I think my creative brain wins out over my logical brain.  Anyways, I was so excited to find out that I won 2nd place for the photography section of the fair.  I am so excited because it is my first time winning anything, or entering anything, for my photography.  It makes me think that I may actually have a chance to start a photography business someday.  Below are the 4 pieces I chose to enter.  The sunset photo was the one that won!

Summer!

I am loving the summer weather around here.  I have been having winter nightmares recently.  In them I wake up to about 3 feet of snow in May.  I freak out in my dream.  Then I wake up extremely relieved that there isn't any snow on the ground.  I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something.  Perhaps it is trying to tell me to move to Houston.  I'm going with the explanation.

Make A Wish

Remember being a kid and believing that blowing on a dandelion would make your wishes come true.  After all of my complaining, sadness, and sorrow I still believe in that dandelion.  I have everything I need in life.  A wonderful husband, family that I adore and whom also love me, a roof over my head, education, food, and great friends.  Make a wish on this beautiful spring day and watch the dandelions take that wish into the wind.

Snow, Snow, Come Today

So, I am writing this from the library where I am waiting for students to show up for tutoring. I pretty much get paid to blog. I thought I was all set to get some pictures off my camera to process and post. I brought some papers to grade. I have a book I have been reading. I was all set to sit here and wait. Turns out I'm not "all set". I brought the wrong answer key, so I can't grade. The book I was reading is still sitting on my nightstand, and I don't have my camera cord with me. Looks like I'm not going to be doing anything I had planned on doing. Oh, and to top it all off, I forgot my laptop cord as well. So, in exactly 1 hour I will be left without anything to do when my laptop dies.

On a happier note, It's Snowing!!!! I know, I know, you think I'm crazy, and your right. Normally, around this time of year, I would be complaining about snow. I would be wining and crying about how cold it is and how much I wished it were spring. The problem is, we haven't had any good snow storms this year. If it is going to be cold there better be snow on the ground, and I don't mean a dusting of snow either. If it is going to be cold I want it to be cold and blizzarding (which apparently isn't a word). I want to curl up on my couch with a hot cocoa and watch movies all day. I want to go sledding or cross country skiing (not like I'll get off my fat but and do it, but I want the option). I want to make snow forts and throw snow balls at my husband. Unfortunately, this winter has been devoid of snow. The roads have been fine. There has been no excuse to stay indoors and do nothing (besides the "it's too cold" excuse).

I'm sorry all you DCers, but I wish I was you right now. Life is boring here in the cold, windy, not snowy Chicago. Unfortunately, this "winter weather" we are having right now isn't even going to give us a foot of snow, so I'm out of luck this year. So, I'll take what I can get right now. Maybe next time.

Monotone Beauty

I have a lot of pictures sitting on my camera just waiting for me to do something with them. I will look at them. I will process them, but right now I am just going to bask in the beauty that once was summer. Oh summer, I miss you, please come back to me.

Weeds are people's idea, not nature's

Standing Apart from the Crowd

What makes you different?

Love

I love my husband, and I love that he is coming home in 2 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Don't worry D, I love you more :))

Lace

Painted Bokeh

I love bokeh, that creamy out of focus background that adds texture and interest to the photo. I'm not too pleased with this TTV, but I do love the bokeh in it. It looks almost like a water color painting. I should write a tutorial about bokeh soon, so stay tuned.

Wild Flowers TTV

Bumble Bee

Last flower one, I promise this time. Although, I would say this picture is more about the bee than the flower :)

I have a lot of pictures to sort through from this weekend. It was really great to have family around. I am lucky to have so many people come out and visit me. I wouldn't be able to get through these 6 months without my family. Thanks guys.

Pretty Weeds

I seem to be saying pretty a lot lately, but these are some pretty little weeds/grasses. This weekend I can finally stop boring you with flowers and start posting pictures of people. My sister is coming to visit with her husband from Hawaii!!! I am so excited. They have a fun story that I'll tell you when I take some pictures of them. For now, though, I am still working on my photo walk pictures.

PS. If anyone knows how to get that picture to be a decent size, please let me know. I am obviously blogspot challenged. I have it posting in large format already :(

Pretty Little Fingers

Doesn't this flower look like it has dainty little fingers reaching out to grab something? This is another shot from Scott Kelby's Photo Walk.

Something I learned from Carol Freeman while at the walk was that you have to label your photos in Flickr with the actual name of the flower/animal, and possibly the scientific name. I would have labeled this one, "white flower". I probably will still label it that since I have no idea what this flower is. Anyways, she says more people tend to type in the actual name of the flower than they would type in "white flower" when looking for photos, so you will get more views this way. So, if anyone know what kind of flower this is then please fill me in. To me it will be called, "pretty little white flower with dainty stamen".

Photo Walk

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to participate in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk. I didn't get to actually walk with Scott Kelby, darn, but I did get to hang out with some other awesome photographers. One of them was an amazing, and well known, nature photographer, Carol Freeman. I learned some great tips from her which I will write about in a separate post.

We had a beautiful, sunny, cool morning to walk around and enjoy one of my favorite subjects, flowers. These are the two images that I think I am going to submit for the contest. I would love your comments about the processing, etc. Please feel free to tell me to choose a different photo, and don't be afraid to give me the honest truth.




Perhaps this one instead?

Thank You

Thank you everyone for the nice comments on my previous post. You guys are awesome.

Delicate Edges

Ready to Fall

It has been a busy couple of weeks, and it hasn't ended yet. We were in Ohio two weekends in a row, this past weekend we had some great friends in town for a visit, and next week we are taking a road trip to Houston. I am about a month behind in getting the images off of my camera, let alone processing them. I'm hoping two days in the car will catch me up. On the plus side, I'm finished grading for the quarter!!!!!!

Please pray for my brother. He has been in the hospital since Sunday with pain in his chest and right side, as well as high blood pressure, high fever, and high white blood cell counts. They still have no idea what is wrong with him. Thank you.