272-274 Eagles with Paige

Today went out "eagle hunting" with Paige. I love looking through the trees and getting all excited when seeing one! I wish this year was a little colder because there aren't many in the area. I didn't think we would be successful at all, but we did see about 5-6 of them. I didn't rent an awesome lens this year, I just used my old Canon 75-300 lens. It doesn't have the lens stabilization on it, but because it was bright outside today, I had some fast shutter speeds going. This lens isn't very sharp anyway. Oh well, one day I'll have some L glass!

270-271 Slutty Brownies from Pinterest

I actually got off of pinterest long enough to try one of the things that I had pinned. Today I tried the Slutty Browniesrecipe. I'm not sure why it's called that, but it wasn't too hard and they taste pretty good.


First, make chocolate chip cookie dough as usual and spread it out in the cake pan like a cookie cake. Add a layer of oreos. Make a brownie mix as directed and spread that out over the oreos. I think I used too large of a pan because neither the cookie dough or the brownie mixes wanted to go all the way to the edge of the pan. It was a little bit of a task to get the brownies to spread because the mix that I chose was a little thicker than it should have been and I had to spread it out and hold the oreos down at the same time.


 


 Anyway, they were yum. I think I'd like to add some chocolate syrup or hot fudge in there too and then they would REALLY be slutty...

 However the most exciting news is that I took the pictures with my new lens! I found a Tamron 24-70 f2.8 lens on Craigslist. The guy was originally asking $400 a couple of weeks ago and then this week he went to $375. I talked him into $325 and went and bought it today! This will be a nice lens for portraits and also for weddings. The last wedding I did, I rented a similar canon lens for the wide aperture and I liked it a lot. Hopefully I'll be using this lens quite a bit in the weeks to come.

256- 267 Chicago Christmas display

While in Chicago, we went to the Museum of Science and Industry. I had never been there before, but it was actually quite fascinating. {Of course, my fascination only lasted through the big scene in the cafeteria...} Before the getaway was absolutely ruined, I managed to see the Christmas Around the World display at the MSI. The different culture groups in Chicago each decorated a tree for the display that represents their culture. Unfortunately, tripods were not allowed, so that led to shots that were less than spectacular, but I still really enjoyed the display. Here are the favorite pictures that I got at this exhibit:


 My absolute favorite tree was the Japanese tree. I must find out how to make these paper ornaments!


 

 Of course, I had to make a stop at the Mexican tree:


 I don't remember what tree the stars were on, but it was really sparkly and pretty too:


This tree was pretty with gold and purple.


Same view, two different focus points:

  I think these decorations added more to the room than anything else:

Day 157 Using texture

I like the pic, but I'm not sure about my processing.  Is it missing something?  Is it too much?  Not sure, but I don't think it's quite right.
EXIF: 1/200 sec, 50mm, ISO 200, f1.8, flash fired.
In Photoshop, I first fixed blemishes with the healing tool.  Then I played with the levels until I got it where I wanted it.  Levels has become my new favorite tool on Photoshop.  It helps so much!
After that, I desaturated the picture and then adjusted the shadows and highlights.  I was satisfied with the picture after adjusting the contrast a little to make it pop.  I thought it was time I should try out a texture because I wanted to make the bricks a little "dirtier".
I downloaded a bunch of free textures {Baking With Mom Ethereal Textures} from the Coffee Shop Blog {one of my favorite sites ever!} and decided to try out "foamy chocolate". 
First I made a duplicate layer from my original layer so I could put the texture on the whole layer.  Added the layer by copying and pasting it, and then erased the texture from the people in the picture.  It was kind of like those trick photography shots I've tried, but I was using it for a portrait instead of making an orange fly...
Anyway, I am going to have to let this one rest for tonight and maybe after a fresh view in the morning I'll know what I should do.  Sometimes when I've stared at a picture for too long my brain goes numb.

Day 152 See below for another post

So this is the second post today trying to get caught up from yesterday. I was sick yesterday and barely got up out of the bed. I felt better today and managed to get the lamp from IKEA finished and went out into the pool for a while and now I'm burned. I can tell I'm still not totally well because I'm completely wiped out.
Since I was up and about, Mendy and I went to take some pictures tonight. First, she took me to "The Barns", a place she knew of in {ummm...where were we again???}. These were some cool old barns with a lot of history. Pics for Day 152 are some pics from the Barns. I'll have more to show tomorrow from the second half of shooting pictures. I'm just too tired to edit them right now.

Day 151 - The effing lamp.

Oh little flowery lamp, why didst thou woo me in Ikea?
Thy beautiful glow with fringed shadows cast a spell on my heart.
Thou didst not show thine true colors.
Thou needest a different cord to shine.

Luckily...my Dad knows how to rewire a lamp and managed to make it a swag lamp instead of a lamp that hooks up to a ceiling mount. He worked on it on Memorial Day and I thought that the rest would be easy. Wrong.

I brought it home and tried to paint it this morning. Well, who knew that 5 bottles of spray paint later I would be done with the 32,000 little flowers and the wires that hold them? Who knew that once the flowers were sprayed they would curl up like little spiders ready to run away? Who knew that I would have to flatten them out with my hands and get paint all over the place?



Who knew that Rich was so incapable of putting a plug onto a wire? Who knew that I would now be afraid of said lamp and would have to pray day and night that it doesn't burn down my house?



I think the lamp looks cool. It goes well with the living room now that it's painted. I'm not extremely thrilled with how I have it hanging. I couldn't find a bracket long enough to hang it from the wall, and I'm NOT drilling a hole in my ceiling which is slanted.

I don't think I'm cut out for the DIY business. I didn't enjoy standing in the sun spray painting. I didn't want to spend my time doing that either. I'm glad the lamp is finished!!!

Days 148,149, 150 Memorial day pics

More than 3 pics today because I actually got my camera out. 
Started out the morning by sleeping in.  I took some pain pills last night and my neck wasn't absolutely throbbing this morning, so I managed to stay in bed until about 8am.  That's pretty good for me!
Went and spent the day with my Mom and Dad.  They recently bought 2 ducks for their lake which they are affectionately calling Dumb and Dumber.  They've been living on my parents' deck for a while now and it was time for them to be released and they could finally swim.  So today was the big day.  After chasing them around the deck and getting them into the dog carrier, my dad took them down to the lake and we had to corral around them to get them to go in the lake.
The black duck {Dumber} loved the water and immediately went nuts.  The white one {Dumb} was a little slower to catch on and stuck close to the shore for a while, but eventually got the hang of it.






After that we ate lots and lots and lots of food and I managed to fall asleep on the couch while the TV was on.  I think  Richie and my Dad also fell asleep.  I managed to watch part of Star Wars III with Stephen and then we ate some more.
We drove home and I thought that this picture was kind of cool for Memorial Day.  This motorcyclist was driving close by us and I snapped a picture as he was going by. I'm not extremely patriotic and don't like to wave the flag and sing "Proud to be an American". So, this is my minor patriotic picture for Memorial Day.  You should be proud of me.




On the way home these cows were up close to the fence.  Sometimes they're close and sometimes they're too far away.  Usually when I have my camera they are far and vice-versa.  However, today  I had my camera and they were up close.  One of the calves was even having a snack.  I ♥ COWS!

Day 147 Goodbye A226

I've been in A226 for the last 8 years.  I taught in there for 2 years before the room was "mine".  It's the room where I learned of my  friend Charnelle's death, it's the room where I was standing as the planes hit the World Trade Center in 2001, it has seen many good teaching moments, many moments of joy, many moments of tears, many of anger.

It's where friends have gathered to gossip, share, eat, plan.  It's where I changed from a "young" teacher into an "old" teacher.  It's where I have been confronted by someone over and over as I "challenged her authority".  It's where I made fun of said person.
I packed up and moved out of A226 today.  I had a lot of boxes, and that was after 8 years of staying in that room.  8 years of projects, cards, worksheets, notes, handouts, files.  I threw a lot of old stuff away.  I couldn't bear to throw other stuff away.  I didn't know that moving down the hall would be a little emotional for me.  I did tear up this morning as I was taking the pictures on this post.

I'm looking forward to A225 (down the hall, not next to).  It's a little bigger, it's right by the restroom, it has 4 huge windows, it's closer to my close friends.  I know I'll enjoy A225.  It's probably where I will go from "old" teacher to "retired" teacher.  One day I may be packing up in there "for good".

I am halfway through my teaching career.  This wrapped up year 17.  Another 17 to go.  It's gone by so fast.  I complain sometimes.  I get frustrated.  I can't imagine doing anything else.

Day 146 Oldie

This little cutie is from the first set of pictures I posted on Flickr back in 2008- Just a pic of the kids with a point and shoot camera.  I didn't have time to take one today.  I carried my camera around all day today, but just didn't take a picture.  Go figure.
Anyway, I'm happy I have pics of my kids from their years of growing up because it's hard to imagine them this little anymore.  Just tonight, Richie's voice has been cracking all over the place because it's getting ready to change.  Stephen stayed with Richie this afternoon because they were off of school early and Rich and I were not home yet.  They're growing up.
One day, I'd like Kat Von D to tattoo this picture on me.  I think they're simply beautiful and I know I'll never tire of looking at those faces, even when they have whiskers on them one day.

Editing skills have grown since 2008. I'm actually just as interested in the editing process as the photography process, so I guess this does count for tonight:

Day 145 The Calm Before the Storm

This is while the storm is "a-brewin'".  I'm out in the driveway taking pictures, hoping to get a cool lightning shot, but it's too light out, so I can't just hold down the shutter release cable.  I hope there is lightning out while it's dark so I can get a good shot.  I also hope that it's not raining, so my camera doesn't get screwed up.

Day 144 Chicago in Black and White

Some of my fave pictures from Chicago look the best in black and white. Here they are:






My absolute favorite from the trip:

Day 143 The best hot chocolate in the world!

So, sorry to be on the same thing yet again, but I'm still working on editing the pictures from Chicago and so I'm going to finish up with the pics for today's blog.

There were some people asking for money around the city of Chicago:


I always find them interesting.


Here is one of the little drummer boys doing his thing...


Here is another pic of the city from the drawbridge area where we spotted the homeless people and the drummer boys:


After all of that walking around, we did the Carnivale restaurant that night:





The next day, we checked out of the hotel and headed to Mindy's hot chocolate- This was the BEST hot chocolate I've ever had- in my life- I can't even explain the creamy goodness that the lady brought out. If I could only have one form of chocolate the rest of my life- it would be the hot chocolate that I had that morning:


After the special breakfast we headed over to Halstead Street to a store called the Brown Elephant. After we came out of that we started to get the picture that the area must be a popular spot for gay people. The rainbows were all over and then we ran into this store---LOVE IT!


The people inside were extremely nice and it was a fun little store with all kinds of little trinkets.
I took some pics of my friends "representing" their interests.
Joi- representing the shopping bags:


And Paige, trying to get a perfect shot:


After we left Halstead, we headed out and went to Ikea outside of Chicago. I'm officially hooked and hopefully one day I'll have my awesome lamp up and will get a picture up.
Chicago, Chicago, that toddling town, that marvelous town!