A Little Reprieve from our Cabin Fever (7/52 - 52 Project)

 

On one of our very rare above zero days we decided to

venture out to frozen Lake Mendota.

The sun was shining and Grace and William quickly

grabbed icicles and had a little pretend swordfight.

 

 

 

 

 

I got to thinking that writing their names or drawing in the snow is

similar to what they do at the beach in the sand.

Only instead of wearing snow gear they have their

swimsuits on.

 

 

 

 

If you didn't know the lake was completely frozen over

you might think it was a gigantic field of snow.

Until you see the fishing shacks, piers pulled out of the water

and boats in dry dock.

It was fun to take a walk out on that big lake

and get out of the house for an hour.

 

 

Winters in the northern Midwest are cold and long but March is just around the corner.

And we are thankful for that.

 

 

 

 



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.

 



Purple Love

Her favorite color is purple, all forms of it.
 Lavender
 Orchid
Plum
Violet
Fuschia
though a deep Purple (as in her coat) is her preferred hue.

 She loves to wear purple clothing

and accessories.

Her current favorites are a black and purple striped zebra

top with  matching earrings.

Have to get a photo of her in that one soon. ;)
And I will, I want to remember this age forever.

Her newest idea is to have a purple bedroom,
we will have to see if we can make that happen.
Maybe this Spring?
I love this girl.

{Lots and lots of snow}

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our Winter in Wisconsin started Dec. 19th with a blizzard,

 leaving us with 20 inches of snow in 24 hours. Since then it's snowed a few inches now and then. 

It looks like our snow is here to stay for a while. 

And a certain 10 and 7 year old are pretty delighted!

While they were playing, Grace picked up a snow boulder 

(that's what I call them) and decided to carve a heart.

 (Her idea, which I thought was quite creative).

Sunday Snapshot - With Spring's Arrival Comes Changes

It seems that the only constant in life is change.
People come and go. Things come and go.
Neighbors change. Houses change. Kids grow up.

Some of life's changes come with challenges.

We've had our share lately with my husband losing his job recently.
We'll be busy wrestling with some of those challenges, so I may be blogging less.
The biggest challenge is that fear of the unknown and not knowing if we will move or stay.
You have to prepare as best as you can for whatever life may throw at you.

I've thought long and hard about whether to even post this and 

pretend like everything was just fine.

But it isn't.
It really isn't at all.

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.

Favorite Photo Friday - Snowy days

Old man Winter has finally arrived in these parts,
with snow and more snow this week.
Tomorrow's forecast is another 6-8 inches and there's already
talk of school being cancelled (which rarely happens here.)

This is our pup Zoe's first Winter and she LOVES it.
I think because she's a lab/husky mix she's absolutely built for snow and cold.
She and Will are big fans of laying down in the white stuff.

I have fond memories of me as a little girl playing for hours with my siblings

making tunnels and snow caves.

Why is it that children don't seem to notice cold faces and frozen fingers?

It's because they're having so much fun!

My snow bunny Grace.
I love the snowflakes in her hair and on the hood of her jacket.

I shoot quite a few snow pictures here in Wisconsin,
thought I'd give my camera settings:


F/ 2.2
1/2500 sec.
ISO - 160
50 mm lens

Edited with Florabella's
Classic Workflow Photoshop Actions.
I used Classic Color at 50%
and Basic Color Boost at 25%,
with Highlight Protector added and a little sharpening.

black and white Wednesday - yellow hat

Last Friday we actually ventured outside for a little while.

It finally got up into the 40's.

Some snow is still on the ground and we are pretty deep in mud, muck and slush.

The above are Will's reactions as we first got on the sidewalk.

I felt inspired by a yellow hat that I found for Grace,

and wanted to try to get a portrait of her wearing it.

(She was trying to pick Will up and carry him around. She's usually successful.)

The giggle fest commenced,

honestly they were just delighted to be outside!
And not wearing all the heavy Winter outer layers that are necessary here.

There was some hat throwing (a la Mary Tyler Moore?)
(Grace's idea.)

We managed to get to our destination which was a bridge over a creek.

I was able to quickly capture a serious shot of Grace looking down.

And the portrait I'd been dreaming of in the pretty little hat...

You know it's funny...

in my search for the perfect image, I didn't find it in the portraits.

I mean, I'm very happy with them but

I found it in the ones of Grace and Will playing, laughing and having fun 

on our walk down to the bridge.

Sometimes (I think), the journey often is as important as the destination.

It's Black and White Wednesday, I  hope Spring is arriving where you live!

black and white Wednesday - my heart

For you see, each day I love you more
Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

~Rosemonde Gerard

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

~ Heather Cortez

In my daughter's eyes

Everyone is equal

Darkness turns to light

And the world is at peace

This miracle God gave to me

Gives me strength when I'm weak

I find reason to believe

In my daughter's eyes

~Martina McBride

At 8 years old I'm a big part of her world.

Right now we are best friends and confidants, sometimes she asks questions and we talk...
about life, school, friendships, creating things, her dolls, dance, God, China...you name it, we talk about it.

In five years I don't imagine we'll talk quite so much...
but I hope so.

It's been such an honor to have been chosen to be her mother.

For now I live in the present and relish these magical times

and special moments that a mother and daughter can share.

Grace is all that is good, with the kindest of hearts.
The definition of a gentle soul.
An angel.

Grace and I went out on Sunday afternoon in search of a place with beautiful window light.
We found it at the Memorial Union at our nearby university in a quiet study room which faced North.
It was snowing over the lake and so peaceful.

These were edited with Florabella's new Luxe II actions. For the color versions I used 'Smitten'

and the black and whites, 'Film w/grain.'

Hop on over to Lisa's Black and White Wednesday to see what she's up to

and many more beautiful black and whites.

joy of love and 5/52 - blizzard

The blizzard hit our area of southern Wisconsin around 3pm Tuesday afternoon.

School was let out early and that never happens,

Fortunately we were prepared well and it was great fun

for all of us to be together on Wednesday

and wait for the wind and snow to stop.

We already had 10 inches of snow on the ground and the blizzard left another 15-16.

This was taken of Grace late Wednesday afternoon after the plows had come by and

my husband had finished shoveling and snow blowing.

Yes, sometimes I wonder...why DO we live here?

 Other than living in North Carolina and California for a total of 10 years,

I don't know any other way.

I'm a Midwest girl through and through.

 But, I can do without the blizzards.

The joy of love assignment for today was 'what they wear.'

Thought the above one of Grace was appropriate for us this week!

Happy Friday.

joy of love day 4