Winter Sunset (Sunday Snapshot & 6/52 - Project 52)

 

 

I feel like we've been hibernating lately.

We stay indoors almost all the time.

It's just way too cold to go outside

and definitely too cold to be outside taking photos.

 

 

 

 

Taken a few evenings ago of Grace in the amazing light as the sun was setting

behind the trees

showing these purple and golden hues.

We stayed outside for exactly 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

I do notice the daylight is lasting longer.

Hey, Spring arrives in 38 days!

 

135mm lens - 3.2

1/500

ISO 800

 

 

 



Making the Best of It (Sunday Snapshot)

 

As the Upper Midwest is just about to turn into the North Pole temperature wise.

We are staying inside our warm and toasty home.

 

 

 

School is cancelled tomorrow and probably will be Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

When Dan and I were young and couldn't go outside because it was too cold,

we played board games, cards, read books, did crafts, and teased our siblings.

 

 

(And who said swinging was just for Summer?) 

Tomorrow we plan on baking cookies, maybe do some crafts with Grace,

and I'm sure there will be some playing on ipods and the Wii.

 

 

 

 

These (obviously) were taken when it wasn't 50 degrees below zero

like it will be tomorrow.

Please stay safe everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

project 52 - frost and snow (1/52)





Bitter cold and a

new dusting of snow...still, I

remember summer

 

~ Charles de Lint

 

 

 

 

It started snowing here in early December.

Wisconsin folks are probably experts about snow and frost (if there's such a thing),

and I'm amazed at the different kinds.

And because I'm a detail person I suppose that's why I notice these things.

This recent one arrived and is called

a 'hoar frost.'

These incredibly beautiful fern-like ice crystals form on the snow,

tree branches, wires or any frozen solid surface.

 

The best part of capturing the frost was the walk I took.

Peacefully quiet and calm.

 

I decided to commit to a project 52 this year and

possibly take one photo a day in February, but will see

about that.

 

35mm 1.4 lens

f 2.8

ISO 400

1/8000

 

Oh, almost forgot to say Happy New Year

and I hope that 2014 is a good one.

 



Merry Merry! (Sunday Snapshot)

 

 

Well it definitely was a Merry one.

All those days of preparation, shopping, wrapping, baking and cooking...

then it's over awfully fast.

 

 

 

 

 

And all that getting ready is worth every single second,

to see their faces.

 

 

 

 

 

We had a quiet, low key Christmas with my own family,

(Dan, me, Nick, his girlfriend Lindsay, Grace and William).

 

 

 

 

I put my camera down after I took these and didn't pick it up again,

which is good for me to do now and then.

Over the weekend we spent Saturday at my parents house with my 3 siblings

and their families.

A very, very fun evening and as always I laugh till I cry

when I'm with my two brothers and sister Betsy.

 

 

I hope everyone's Christmas was lovely!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Merry Christmas

"Christmas my child, is love in action."

 

~ Dale Evans

 

 

 

 

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,
The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

~  Author Unknown

 

 

 

 Behind all the commercial-ism of the season
is the simple story about a family trying to get through difficult times.
And a baby born in a manger.

 

 

 

 

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

~ Luke 2:10-11

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

May you find the blessings of Christmas - peace, love and hope...today and always.

 

with love,

Dan, Gail, Nick, Grace and William

Getting into the Christmas Spirit (Sunday Snapshot)

 

 

 “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” 

~ Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

 

I've often wondered, what is the Christmas spirit?
What does that mean?
It seems like people are happier, kinder
and more giving.
It's a shame that it goes away after Christmas is over.
Maybe we can all try to keep Christmas in our hearts
all year round.

 

 

 

 

These were all taken this week...

the bits and pieces that I saw of Christmas around me.

Vintage tree decorations that come from my mother in law's family,

Will's school Christmas program, Grace performing at a benefit for a local

charity that helps families, and the lights at a nearby tree lot.

I see Christmas in all the details.

I leave shortly to photograph the live Nativity at our church tonight.

I hope you see Christmas around you.

 

 

 

 



Keeping Christmas in my Heart(Sunday Snapshot)

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.

 

  ~ Charles Dickens

 

As much as I enjoy seeing the Christmas decorations and giving gifts to people I love.

  It is easy to feel a lot of pressure to get the decorating & shopping done, the cards sent, the presents wrapped and all of the other activities going on this time of year. 

 Unfortunately, it is way too easy to forget about the reason for the season. 

Getting out into the quiet of the snow with Grace was a great way to get back to what is really important: love, family, simple beauty and God. 

 The blessings of the season are with us everyday. 

 We should try to enjoy them as much as we can. 
Time passes so quickly and these days will be fond memories before we know it. 

A Christmas Carol

The shepards had an angel,
The wise men had a star;
But what have I, a little child,
To guide me home from far,
Where glad stars sing together,
And singing angels are?

~ Christina Rossetti
written in 1856



 

 

Tradition (Sunday Snapshot)

 

 

 

 At Christmas, all roads lead home. 

~Marjorie Holmes

 

 

 

 

Growing up my family had the tradition of cutting
down our Christmas tree and as the years have gone by
and I now have my own family, we've continued it.
We moved to Wisconsin 8 years ago when Grace
was a little one of 3. That year Dan carried her
through the tree farm and it was bitter cold!
We still go to the same farm to find our tree and now
my two youngest definitely help and voice their own opinion
on which is the perfect tree.
This year the tree we chose is the tallest we've ever had.

I think I love this entire experience so much because
we get to drink yummy hot apple cider and
the fragrance of the fresh trees outdoors always
speaks of Christmas to me.


(Taken yesterday afternoon, the hazy light was gorgeous)

 

Welcome Autumn (Sunday Snapshot)

If you stand still outside you can hear it...
 Winter's footsteps, the sound of falling leaves.

 

~ unknown

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came,

The Ashes, Oaks, and Maples, And leaves of every name.

The sunshine spread a carpet,
And every thing was grand;
Miss Weather led the dancing;

Professor Wind, the band....
The sight was like a rainbow
New-fallen from the sky....

 

~ George Cooper, "October's Party"

 

 

Autumn is here in Wisconsin.
This week our yellow leaves popped,
next will be the oranges and reds.

It's my favorite season for many reasons but
as a photographer I notice the light is low in the sky, golden
and delicious in color.
This week I took Grace out to a new location and loved the light in the trees.
I can't get enough of seeing these Fall colors
and spending as much time as we can as a family
outdoors.

 

 

School Days

School started last week here in Wisconsin.

Mr. Will is now in 2nd grade and Grace is at a new school (Intermediate) for 5th grade.

Will was happy to be back and loves his teacher.

 

After two weeks, we've settled into the routine of homework and after school activities
pretty well.
And Grace has her first 'official' locker ever,
which she's decorated quite nicely.
She's done great with this transition to a different school, all new teachers
and principal.
We couldn't be more proud of her!

(Walking home after getting off the bus, the first day of school).

 

I'm way behind on blogging but hope to get caught up next week.

Nearing the End

 

When summer gathers up her robes of glory,

And, like a dream, glides away.

- Sarah Helen Whitman

 

It doesn't seem possible but our Summer break is almost over.
In Wisconsin our Summers are surely not taken for granted,
after our long Winters.

School starts next week.
Supplies have been purchased and still need to be labeled.
New school clothes and shoes are ready to be worn.
I do love the routine that the school year brings to our family
but a part of me will miss having them home
during the day.
We've had a fun Summer!

Taken a few weeks ago towards the end of our vacation in Door County.
We've had several Summer trips up to the peninsula over the years, and this is the first
time the cherries were ready to be picked.
So cherry picking we went...
Will found what he called
'a magical sword'
and was a knight for
a little while in the middle of the orchard. ;)



 

 

(Sunday Snapshot) Summer Vacation

 

"Happiness is a Summer breeze, sand between your toes, and your best friend right beside you."

 

~ unknown

 

 

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), It's always our self we find in the sea."

 

~e.e. cummings

 

 

I call it beach therapy, for us also known
as our Summer vacation.
And the beach can be at the ocean, a lake or a bay.
I've had a love affair with being near water for most of my life,
so naturally my children would love water too.

These were taken two weeks ago while we were in Door County
enjoying some time together in the town of Ephraim.
I had great plans for taking even more photos that
would eventually be used for our Christmas
card but that didn't happen.
We came home a little bit early as our oldest son
was ill, thankfully
he's well now.

 I have found that my favorite photos are the ones where I just sit back and observe what's going on.
So I'll let the rest of the images speak for themselves.



(Grace created this woven wreath herself with things she found
on the beach,
a twisty vine and leaves made a beautiful headpiece).
 



 

Please link up with Stefanie's

Sunday Snapshot.