Dog Days of Summer

The phrase, "the dog days of Summer" refers to the wicked hot, sultry days
of July and August.
And it's certainly arrived in Wisconsin and in many parts of the U.S.
 

 

I love Summer, maybe it's because I was born at the end of July.

I'd take a Summer day over a cold, snowy Winter one...anytime.

I thought Grace and her friends Miles and Lydia were quite creative (and cute)

  riding their scooters up and down the sidewalk through the sprinkler.

Keepin' cool - Sunday Snapshot

{What you do on a blazing hot Summer day} 

(Lots of giggling going on here).

A month ago when I bought the Summer pool membership,

I had no idea that this would be the hottest Summer on record in over 100 years.

It's been as handy as a snow blower in the Wisconsin Winter.

Both Grace and Will were initially afraid to try the water slides, tube slides

and lazy river but we can't say that now.

This pool has been a blast for all of us and a welcome relief from the heat.

The first snapshot of the girls under the wall of water was

taken with my Nikon d700.

50mm 1.4 lens

F/2.5

ISO 200

1/4000 sec.

Spot metered.

Edited in levels and curves in photoshop to my taste.

Please stop by Stefanie's Sunday Snapshot for many more images.

July - Sunday Snapshot

{Summer sky}

"Like painted kites, those days and nights
They went flying by
The world was new beneath the blue
umbrella sky..."

 Excerpt from "The Summer Wind", lyrics by Johnny Mercer

I have quite a few photographers that I admire and one of my favorites
is Audrey Woulard.
I just finished re-reading her book,
Natural Enlightenment Photography.

I consider Audrey a master of light and color.
And secretly I like that she shoots with the same camera as me. ;)
I don't claim to be any Audrey Woulard and it was fun to put my own spin on some of the things she uses
with her photography style.

For these photos I did what Ms. Woulard does with her clients as far as I styled Grace minimally
with clothing and props.
Less was definitely more here as the setting of the blue- green water, the weathered pier
and endless blue sky spoke volumes.

These were taken in pretty much full sun at 11am a few days ago.
The pier and water worked as natural reflectors.
With the first image, I was facing West...hence the brilliant blue sky.
 I deliberately wanted to capture that color.
It was one of those perfectly clear days
without a cloud.


In the first image Grace was looking back at a family of ducks
swimming toward the pier.

Nikon d700
35mm 1.4 lens
f/2.5
ISO 250
1/5000 sec.

Edited in Lightroom and  then Photoshop with Florabella's
Classic Bright action on a low opacity.


See many more images at Ni Hao Y'all's Sunday Snapshot!





(Grace's dress and hair clips are from JCrew).

We love Summer! - Sunday Snapshot

{Will with his first snow cone of the season}

It many not be Summer officially on the calendar but it's here where we live.
Our Memorial Day weekend consisted of warm temps, snow cones, playing in the sandbox and backyard and getting together with good friends.

Our school is out for the Summer on Friday and Grace and Will are awfully happy about that.

Grace and her new bike. It's a little big for her and it's taken some time getting used to riding.
She paid for half of it, we matched her on the other half.

Summer in the Midwest is about kids running through the sprinkler.

 Brings back so many memories for me!

My own clean edits (to personal taste) using Curves and Levels in photoshop.

 Settings on the top image of Will:

 Nikon d700 

85mm 1.4 lens 

f/1.6

 1/1250 sec. 

ISO 200

black and white Wednesday - late Summer

Grace and Will on the beach as the sun is setting, on the last evening of our vacation. 

I have more pics of our time away but will put them up on facebook sometime this week.
Our Summer has flown by, it's hard to believe that September is only
2 weeks away!

Sunday snapshot - vacation days

So as I look back at the many pictures from our little getaway recently,
I can't help but smile and remember this special place.
I think I'll call it one of the best kept secrets as far as vacation spots in the U.S.
My husband and I started coming up here before we adopted Grace, so this
was a first for our two littles.

There are quaint little villages that have Norwegian, Icelandic and French Canadian influences,
that have names like Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Bailey's Harbor
and others.
We stayed in Ephraim which is known for it's views of Eagle Harbor off Green Bay,
and it's charming white buildings and stone fences.
You can see why Door County is sometimes called the 'Cape Cod of the Midwest.'

(At historic Anderson dock in Ephraim, WI as the sun is starting to set).

Some of our favorite parts of the trip was our time at Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor,

swimming twice a day, the beautiful sunsets, delicious tart cherries, perusing a few antique shops, the food,

 seeing the lighthouses, wine tasting and watching the sailboats on the bay.

The best part...spending time with the people I love the most, my husband and Grace and Will...just us.

Looking forward to returning again soon, someday!

black and white Wednesday - a day at the beach

Smile and say 'cheese!'

"Happiness is a summer breeze, sand between your toes, and your best friend by your side."

~ unknown

(Will showing a little of his gymnastics capabilities).

 Living in Wisconsin we appreciate Summer, no matter how hot and humid it gets
 because Winter lasts just way too long here.

I'm making a promise to myself to look at these pictures again when I'm shivering in January and February
and longing for warmer days.
They'll help me remember our time last week at the beach
in the quaint little town of Ephraim in Door County, WI.

We brought sand pails, shovels, a raft and Will's fish floatie.
And though they were all used and played with, it was the 2 vintage cameras
that I brought that were the biggest hit.

Even though it was all in fun and not for real as far as them taking pictures,
the element of 'pretend' is still much of Grace and Will's play.
(which I dearly love)

Below is Will just before he went out in the bay (with Daddy of course).
And also one of him as he's taking a little rest wrapped up in his towel.
Swimming (rather kicking with a floatie supporting you) evidently is hard work!

(Will getting ready to hit the waves).

(And Will taking a little snooze).

The Summer has flown by.
Yesterday I registered both kids for school...when I look at the calendar
we don't have much of this season left.

We start school Sept. 1 and I have mixed feelings about that.
I'm going to miss these two being with me during the day.
So we'll be making the best of the time they have left.

It's Wednesday!

See what's going on at Lisa's ' black and white Wednesday' for many

more black and whites and some fabulous photography.

black and white Wednesday - first days of Summer

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer...
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It may not be officially Summer on the calendar but we know it's arrived when

we see docks and sailboats in the water.
It's been too beautiful not to spend as much time as we can outside.
We're so lovin' these warm hot temps outdoors.
We've waited a long time for them.

(Lake Mendota).

 
Tomorrow is Grace's last day of school.

The word 'excited' doesn't even come close to describing

how she's been feeling about it.

Do you remember that feeling?

The anticipation of it all...and to be finished with school after all that hard work.

She'll be in 3rd grade!

We're looking forward to a fun and relaxing Summer. 

I try not to plan too much this time of year and love the slower pace.

Grace and Will like to play with their friends as much as possible, have sleepovers,

 run in the sprinkler (which they've done for the last 3 days), swim, read,

 ride their bikes and scooters and eat their fill of peaches, blueberries, watermelon and sweet corn.

Summer time food to me is the best!

(Cute little sign - in Wisconsin, Winter is never far away.)

Will is going to "Camp Kindergarten" for 3 weeks (mornings),

in July to help him transition to Kindergarten in the Fall.

All the kids here attend it.

In August is Miss Grace's birthday and then a family vacation.

We won't be leaving the country this Summer, aren't traveling far and I can't wait!

These were taken on Sunday at the Memorial Union on the shore of one of our large local lakes.

It's a great location, that's a 'just plain fun' hang out kinda place,

and is awesome for people watching.

The frozen fruit bars were a hit.

These 2 always manage to attract quite a bit of attention wherever we go,

and we get many smiles.
And they happily return them.  :)

(Our 2 littles with their Daddy.)

Hoping your Summer is all you want it to be, and then some!

Since it's Wednesday again,

hop on over to The Long Road to China for more black and white photography.