Month: December 2012

A Pick-Up Truck Bed Filled with Legs on a Snowy Highway

Guest blogger again today.  The blog has been a family effort as of late.  I’ve been out here for ten days and going back home New Year’s Day.

Today”s guest blogger is none other than my nine year old granddaughter Anna who shot this scene with her mom’s cell phone from a moving car.

She saw this pick-up truck on the way to swim practice.  What I love is that she saw it, got her mom’s camera on the phone going and captured the shot and THEN she texted it to me saying “I just blogged for you”.  People write to me and tell me they see something and think, ahh Ruth would photograph this.  People have called or emailed suggestions of things to consider photographing for the blog. If I had seen this truck filled with a pile of fake legs in the back

And then there are these moments of serendipity.

I asked her where she thought the truck was going

Her reply   “Probably a dummy store.”    

Anna has shown me photos before to be on the blog but I said We’ll know when it is right!   Today it is perfect.

 

photo-6

by Categories: Family, photo of the day, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 30 Comments

Black Dog, White Kitchen Cupboard, Remote Cable and Presto-

Meet Charlotte- 1/2 Husky, 1/2 Shepherd.  The runt of the litter  four years ago at James’ sister Kim’s farm Red Rooster Acres. She was visiting her cousin Penny.

It was Sunday night visiting Laura and James before the Tony Monaco Show at the Rumba Cafe. I tried to photograph her in the living room, sans flash of course, and it was too dark.  So I asked if I could photograph her in the kitchen.  I had read that photographing a dog with black fur can be a challenge.

Using the white of the kitchen was the key and my new cable release.  And the cooperation and attention of Charlotte. I swear she smiled.  Thanks Shawn (James’ cousin) for allowing me to post her portrait today. When you look at her you can see she is not looking at me, but Shawn!

(My mother’s mother’s name,too)

Charlotte

by Categories: dogs, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Mark Tests My New Remote Cable Release in the Snow

Here I am in snowy Ohio and I didn’t pack boots to come out here for Christmas vacation. Must have been lulled by all that Spring like weather we were having in December.

Mark is the guest blogger cause when he got home at ten Saturday night he  showed me a photo he had taken with his phone of the Christmas lights in the snow.  I asked him to go back out for me and take one for the blog.

So he took out my camera(Canon 5D with a 50mm lens)  and the new remote cable release that just got delivered via UPS and it was set at  ISO 400     f.1.4.    1/60 shutter.  I thought the result was excellent . First time using a cable remote and now he knows how to reduce camera shake.  Tripod in the back of the freezing car and no way we’re setting up unless the snow stops falling.

Thanks Mark. Maybe tomorrow night I will borrow Erika’s boots and trudge around in the snow.

Christmas Lights in Snow

 

 

 

Christmas Lights in Snow 1 (1)

by Categories: Family, Things in the SnowTags: , , , , , , , , , , , 11 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: My 2012 in Pictures

The suggestion of the WordPress Photo Challenge is to select 12 pictures to sum up the year.  As I looked through the folders from this year’s collection and started to pull a few here and there, I remembered what an Art Professor’s comment when he went through my portfolio.  “Hmmmm.  Peopled or unpeopled?”  I was really mixing it up.  You know how I love to find the unexpected- reflection, expression or scene.

Photograph what I am eating or where I am at the moment. When I look at this collection I am grateful for a patient and loving family who allows me to capture them in pictures.  Like Matthew said at his college graduation, ” This is what my mom does. It’s annoying now, but later you’re glad.”

But my 2012 Pictures are Peopled! I read how some bloggers went to see which images received the most hits and then they would pick from those but some of my biggest hits aren’t from 2012.  So this posting is to honor my grown up children’s Pop, who passed last month.  As Matthew said to him, “look at all your descendants” when he showed him the photo of them gathered on the stairs.

You’ve seen some of these before if you follow the blog.  Thanks for looking and clicking the “like” button or writing a comment this year.

Looking forward to 2013.   Happy New Year!

532829_3581776935703_271266138_n
Mark and Erika celebrated their ten year anniversary last August.

 

 

 

steve and the dachshundsIMG_2904IMG_2932 IMG_8983 IMG_9179IMG_9622WEdding Couple Arch

family (3)matthew with family

by Categories: Airedale Terrier, Photography, Weekly Photo ChallengeTags: , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

December’s Electric Bill?

December's Electric BillColumbus Ohio.  About two miles from Mark and Erika’s house.  Erika drove the kids to see the lights.  I propped the camera on the window and was able to catch it but a tripod and cable release would have been useful.  Must be a lot of work to take down all the lights and decorations.  holiday

by Categories: PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

Christmas Mice to Admire and Eat

Guest Blog from Euthemia where my sister is spending the Christmas holidays.

Her friend Joanne brought these to Christmas dinner . Euthemia emailed me the photo of them and then I wrote back to ask if it would be okay to post.  Directions below.  Thanks Euthemia and Joanne. photo-5

 

 

Here are the instructions for making the chocolate cherry mice from Joanne Maier of Glenmont, New York.  
They were a great hit at the holiday table.  

 
24 Maraschino cherries with stems
Waxed paper
1/2 cup chocolate chips
24 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped
48 almond slices (match pairs by size)
Icing – 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1 teaspoon of water
Black food coloring
Red food coloring
Drain cherries, pat dry. Cherries, unwrapped kisses and paired ears need to be lined up ahead of time on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper.  Microwave chocolate chips 15 seconds at a time until melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.    Hold the cherry by stem, dip and swirl til covered in chocolate, put on the side so tail sticks out and on the front, push on a Kiss to make the head.  Where the Kiss meets the cherry, put in the two ears, and keep doing it until you finish.  Make icing, take a small amount and add black food coloring, another small amount for red food coloring, and the rest will stay white.  Put icing into 3 different baggies and cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag.  Make the eyes white with a black dot in the middle, and use the pink for a nose.
by Categories: Cooking and EatingTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

Lala Loved the Ukelele!

Laura really, really wanted a ukelele.  She thought her husband was getting one for her.   He gave her birthstone earrings instead!

She and James came to Mark and Erika’s today  after having been at James’ family Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. We had a festive time opening presents and watching the kids play with their new toys.  Preparing a nice dinner, too.

So this was one of the fun moments of Christmas for me.  She wasn’t expecting her mom to get her a ukelele.  But I did!

Thanks Pittsburgh Guitars on Carson Street, SouthSide!

The man who sold it to me suggested I put her face on the box on top of the model’s and I added James’ face from a photo I cut up of the two of them.

He told me he was selling at least a ukelele or two every day.  This one came with a gig bag and a tuner.

It was just a good time as I sat on the floor, grabbed the camera and caught her excitement.  Laura learned a couple of chords and Matthew accompanied her on the guitar.  Seeing her so excited felt wonderful.

(and yes that is Cardinal Donald Wuerl, born in Pittsburgh,  in the right hand corner of the television and the photograph)

Laura got her Ukelele

by Categories: Family, Music, PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

Murphy Waits for Santa

Kids asleep. Presents wrapped. The adults listening to Vince Guaraldi. The homemade cookies left for Santa on a special plate but I have to tell you this is the first I’ve seen a bowl of raw cauliflower and another of water for the reindeer. We always did carrots.
I was looking for a paper clip to try to weave in a loose end of yarn on a knitting project/gift and Marlene produced a package with two yarn needles! Talk about timing. We went to the four o’clock and then Mark and Matthew picked up Persian takeout- another first for Christmas Eve.
Definitely a foggy Christmas Eve. Laura and James coming in the morning. All is quiet, all is calm. Wishing all blog readers a peaceful day, whatever you’re doing on the 25th.

20121224-234216.jpg

by Categories: dogs, PhotographyTags: , , , , , 8 Comments

Angel Lava Lamp

No kidding.

Plugged in and sitting on top of the piano at Mark and Erika’s house.

And I found myself watching it for a long time, the sparkles rising and falling, catching the light.  Now photographing it was a challenge.

Too much light and the sparkles disappeared.

I was fascinated by the glittery colors inside floating and glimmering. This is the best I could capture it.  I thought it was a lot of fun.

 

angel lava lamp

by Categories: PhotographyTags: , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Surprise

Seven surprises!

The weekly photo challenge: surprise.

I’m thinking about Stef’s Three Daily Delights blog and how she faithfully lists three delights from her day.  Thanks Stef for the inspiration.

Here are 7 surprises captured by the handy iPhone, save #2,shot with Canon 5D.

1. Jack found the fresh snow when he opened the front door Saturday morning.  That’s my unpacked suitcase by the front door.  Surprise!

jack finds the snow

2. My wonderful DIL Erika sent a hot cup of coffee out with Anna as I was watching the kids play in the snow in the backyard.   (this is the only shot with the regular camera) Yes, that’s a Roadside America souvenir travel cup. Surprise!

coffee in the snow

3. Penny the Golden Doodle actually watches TV(Christmas Vacation) at Laura and James’ house.  Matthew and I arrived Friday night and ate delicious bowls of chili and cornbread, after a 6 hour drive in the snow and traffic (usually a 3 1/2 hour trip).  

Surprise!

Penny watches TV

4. My SIL James’ parents sent the wonderful gift of perfect, juicy pears.  I sliced one and it disappeared in seconds. Thanks Chuck and Sharon.

Surprise.

the gift of pears

5. Thursday afternoon I was stuck in traffic in the rain and saw this pink building and two pink vehicles for Bread and Pastries. This is the true color, not enhanced!    Surprise.  

Bread and Pastries Truck

6. Anna(9) baked a cake all by herself then took a sandwich bag, turned it inside out and filled it with buttercream and then snipped the tip of the corner off and proceeded to decorate the chocolate cake.  

anna makes a cake

7.   Kerry, the student teacher(Art Department) did some serious baking and made special message cookies for the last day of school before Winter Break.  Surprise!

carrick Cookie

by Categories: Weekly Photo ChallengeTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments