23-29/365 Rule of thirds

There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs. ~Ansel Adams

16-22/365 Repetition

Playing catch up today! Been busy with taxes. They are D.O.N.E.

This week's theme is "repetition".















Between repetition and forgetting, it is a marvel that a new thought ever struggles into existence. ~Mason Cooley

14 & 15/365 Winter

Captured some sunbursts on the icicles.
And my chilly pitty, Butch. :)

13/365 Teddy & the Snowman

Someone pointed out that they'd not seen Teddy, my most favoritist, non-complaining, cooperative model evah, lately. So, I roused him from hibernation to get a snow photo. He had a ball building a snowman this afternoon. :)

Day 11 & 12

We've still got tons of snow (though it's getting kind of crunchy/icy now) and our snow day is turning into a snow week. We'll probably be trading our spring break for this week. :) As crazy as it sounds, I'm loving it. I just wish I could get a kid or two to cooperate for snow portraits. I adore snow portraits but everyone in this household is meh about it.

Day 11 - Snow Angel, made by me! Haven't made one in YEARS!!



And Day 12...I found another acrobat. This one's on stilts!


When it snows, you have two choices; shovel or make snow angels.

10/365 Acrobatic snowflake

We had a bit of excitement today.
Firstly, we got about 10 inches of snow! But we awoke to find my youngest's bulldog was missing. NO doggie paw prints anywhere. We called & looked. Dh took the 4wheeler out & about. I was afraid he'd gotten hit and was buried in the snow (I can say that now...earlier, the thought brought tears). I convinced Kaleb to go out & play in the snow for a bit and while we were out there, out of nowhere, Butch sneaked up behind Kaleb & sniffed his butt. *L* NO idea where he's been but we're so glad he's home.


Now, for today's 365 photo. After Butch came home, I decided to grab some photos. The snow was no longer falling so I thought no chance for snowflake macros. But then, I noticed this little guy balancing on one leg.



Kindness is like snow - it beautifies everything it covers.

6-9 of 365

A bit behind on blogging but I'm still chugging along w/ the 365.

A reminder, the theme is resolutions...

#6, my resolution is to get my photos off of the computer & have them printed!
These are some metal prints of our Christmas snow. LOVE how they turned out.




#7, enter more contests!
Got the official email on Friday that I'd placed in the Outdoor Alabama photography contest! I'm hoping to find a few to enter this year!



#8, my last resolution is to try really hard not to let my 365 "go down the drain". I crack myself up. :)



#9, a new theme! Winter. Appropos since we're expecting about a foot of snow! But until then, one of my winter traditions is feeding my little feathered friends.



Caught up for now! :)

5/365 Gratitude

I've had some rough months recently w/ my olders. My faith was totally shaken and my trust in them diminished. I guess I should mention, in hindsight, it was nothing that was "that bad". They were just making choices that I didn't agree with. I had myself a big ol' pity party and my youngest, bless his heart, tried his best on a daily basis to pull me out of it...which he finally did. :) I finally realized the other 2 are grown. They will make dumb (IMHO) choices and there is not a thing I can do about it but offer advice and pray for them. I still have the youngest to raise and he deserves the same attention the other 2 received.

So, today's resolution is to remember daily to be thankful. I am so grateful that I have good kids...and yes, they are good kids. I see what some of my friends have to deal with with their kids....drugs, teenage pregnancy, etc and see just how blessed I really am.

4/365 Dejunk, declutter, determined

I will arm myself with Bounty, Pledge and paper towels. I will toss out all the mismatched, broken, missing part whatzits without thinking twice. I will apply elbow grease and polish and wipe 'til it all sparkles. I will declutter & dejunk! Tomorrow.

To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing. ~Eva Young

3/365. Don't worry, be happy.

We had Chinese today & this was in my fortune cookie...

So another of my resolutions is to just be happy. I know it won't always be THAT easy but, it's something I'm definitely attempting. :)

To worry about tomorrow is to be unhappy today.

2/365 Resolutions/52 Week Challenge Beginnings

My Christmas cactus finally bloomed!!

It came from my husband's grandmother. It bloomed shortly after she gave it to me....14 yrs. ago. I've had buds on it but they'd fall off every year. I've almost killed it more than once by setting it outside to give it a cold shock & forgetting to bring it back in. This year, it got buds and I totally expected them to fall off. Well, some of them did but 3 didn't! I got blooms!

And how does this shot fit into my themes?

Resolution because I want to learn to use light more effectively. This is window light. The light was so strong that it made the background go black, effectively blocking out the clutter behind (umm, another resolution that needs to be made).

Beginnings because this it the first of what I hope will be many flower shots this year!

"As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time." ~Denis Waitley

New Years Meme

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Raised a couple of baby chicks.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I almost did. My Project 365 was one of my resolutions & I stuck it out until Nov. I will attempt it again this year. The weight loss one though, well, we won’t talk about that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My pony, Pearlie.

5. What countries states did you visit?

We stayed close to home this year. We went to Mississippi and Tennessee a couple of times.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

An Olympus E5

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 27, the middling graduated from high school and the youngest graduated from elementary.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Placing in a couple of photography contests.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Tough one. My biggest disappointment is not completing my P365. Also, not building my business like I’d planned.

10. What was the best thing you bought?

My new computer!

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My husband. He so kept me from falling apart when I was about to. And my youngest. He helped a lot too. :)

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?

No one personally but I’d have to say Amy Bishop, the UAH professor who went on a shooting spree earlier this year.

13. What song will always remind you of 2010?

I don’t know of a particular song that will stand out this year, really. Oh, that Whip My Hair one…just because I’m so sick of hearing it.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Been more organized. Not let things that were out of my control get to me. Exercised.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worry. Eat. *L*

16. Did you fall in love in 2010?

I am always in love.

17. Who did you miss?

When school started back, I missed hanging out w/ Syl & Lori.

18. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a. sadder than this time last year but happier than I was in the summer.

b. about the same.

c. poorer. Here's to not having to bail the kids out so much this year....um, should add, bail out of their messes. Not jail. *touch wood*

19. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Not personally. My mom & hubby did though.

20. What is your biggest wish for the new year?

That my kids are happy. And that during their pursuit of happiness, they don’t drive me to drink.