i'm house sitting for vinnie. he lives downtown. it's amazing. i could totally live here.
listening to glen hansard singing.
could i end the year better?
maybe. but i'm not trying.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
ending.
this was the sky tonight.
i'm house sitting for vinnie. he lives downtown. it's amazing. i could totally live here.
listening to glen hansard singing.
could i end the year better?
maybe. but i'm not trying.
i'm house sitting for vinnie. he lives downtown. it's amazing. i could totally live here.
listening to glen hansard singing.
could i end the year better?
maybe. but i'm not trying.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
have you ever wondered...
i did this meme on facebook...thought i'd post it here for you non-facebookers.
i had to come up with 25 facts about myself...it was fun, but it took me three days to finish. (c:
===========================================================
1. I love words. One of my favorite websites is www.m-w.com…and yes, that makes me a nerd.
2. You know that quote “Jack of all trades, master of none”? yeah, I feel like that pretty much sums me up.
3. I guess if there is only one thing in my life that I am a master at, it’s probably cookies. I make really good cookies.
4. I was in a family band when I was 15. We didn’t have a bus. We had a Camry.
5. Music is a huge part of my life. Huge.
6. I’m pretty even keeled. I don’t anger or excite easily…and even when I am angry or excited, most people can’t tell.
7. I love to write. For me, it’s cathartic. Therapy. I just don’t like letting other people read what I’ve written.
8. My favorite street in Colorado is Montview between Colorado blvd. and Quebec. The homes there are gorgeous and the trees are amazing.
9. That being said…trees fascinate me. I think they are lovely and mysterious and they always make me smile. I love them in any season…when they are flowering in the spring, shady green in the summer, indescribably beautiful in the fall…but I think I love them most in the winter.
10. I got a tattoo of a frog on my back when I was 20 and I now wish I had gotten something different. But I like the tattoo on my wrist, and that’s the one I see everyday…so who cares? (c;
11. If there was any place in the world that I could go right now, it would be New Zealand.
12. I appreciate the people in my life. I am a hard cookie to crack and anyone with the patience to stick around and get to know me has my respect. They are some pretty amazing people…those that I have the privilege to call my friends.
13. I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf, but I’ve never lived near an ocean…and to be perfectly honest, I think (what with my autrocious sense of balance) I would be horrible at it.
14. I am supremely jealous of the people in my life who can write music. It is a gift I wish I had.
15. Coming up with 25 things about myself (that I’m willing to share) is incredibly hard…
16. I left my heart in Africa when I was 17.
17. Rain makes me happy.
18. I’ve only read 3 novels more than once. I’ve read ‘The Princess Bride’ 4 times, ‘A Slow Walk In A Sad Rain’ twice and ‘Persuasion’ twice.
19. I love photography. Creating, absorbing, appreciating…
20. I have 2 phobias. Birds and knives.
21. When I’m sick, one of my favorite things is a blanket fresh out of the dryer. try it next time you're sick. it's amazing.
22. i abhor clothes shopping. shopping in general makes me cringe, but clothes shopping makes me want to go postal.
23. i’m a homebody. i like going out...but not in the party sense. i like quiet.
24. the first thing I notice about a guy is his hands. then his teeth. Gotta have good teeth.
25. I am so much like my mom that it’s scary. and i’m okay with thati
i had to come up with 25 facts about myself...it was fun, but it took me three days to finish. (c:
===========================================================
1. I love words. One of my favorite websites is www.m-w.com…and yes, that makes me a nerd.
2. You know that quote “Jack of all trades, master of none”? yeah, I feel like that pretty much sums me up.
3. I guess if there is only one thing in my life that I am a master at, it’s probably cookies. I make really good cookies.
4. I was in a family band when I was 15. We didn’t have a bus. We had a Camry.
5. Music is a huge part of my life. Huge.
6. I’m pretty even keeled. I don’t anger or excite easily…and even when I am angry or excited, most people can’t tell.
7. I love to write. For me, it’s cathartic. Therapy. I just don’t like letting other people read what I’ve written.
8. My favorite street in Colorado is Montview between Colorado blvd. and Quebec. The homes there are gorgeous and the trees are amazing.
9. That being said…trees fascinate me. I think they are lovely and mysterious and they always make me smile. I love them in any season…when they are flowering in the spring, shady green in the summer, indescribably beautiful in the fall…but I think I love them most in the winter.
10. I got a tattoo of a frog on my back when I was 20 and I now wish I had gotten something different. But I like the tattoo on my wrist, and that’s the one I see everyday…so who cares? (c;
11. If there was any place in the world that I could go right now, it would be New Zealand.
12. I appreciate the people in my life. I am a hard cookie to crack and anyone with the patience to stick around and get to know me has my respect. They are some pretty amazing people…those that I have the privilege to call my friends.
13. I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf, but I’ve never lived near an ocean…and to be perfectly honest, I think (what with my autrocious sense of balance) I would be horrible at it.
14. I am supremely jealous of the people in my life who can write music. It is a gift I wish I had.
15. Coming up with 25 things about myself (that I’m willing to share) is incredibly hard…
16. I left my heart in Africa when I was 17.
17. Rain makes me happy.
18. I’ve only read 3 novels more than once. I’ve read ‘The Princess Bride’ 4 times, ‘A Slow Walk In A Sad Rain’ twice and ‘Persuasion’ twice.
19. I love photography. Creating, absorbing, appreciating…
20. I have 2 phobias. Birds and knives.
21. When I’m sick, one of my favorite things is a blanket fresh out of the dryer. try it next time you're sick. it's amazing.
22. i abhor clothes shopping. shopping in general makes me cringe, but clothes shopping makes me want to go postal.
23. i’m a homebody. i like going out...but not in the party sense. i like quiet.
24. the first thing I notice about a guy is his hands. then his teeth. Gotta have good teeth.
25. I am so much like my mom that it’s scary. and i’m okay with thati
Saturday, December 27, 2008
crepes are the new black.
christmas...it was a good one this year.
some highlights:
- christmas morning with the verdecchio's eating fresh crepes made by andy.
- being christened by charlie.
- being inappropriately funny with mare and danielle on the ride to mindy and andy's.
- hanging with james and corrie, mom and dad.
- eating pumpkin cupcakes.
- dinner with alicia.
- picking gram up from the airport and getting hit in the face.
hope all of your christmases were fantastic. here's to '09.
some highlights:
- christmas morning with the verdecchio's eating fresh crepes made by andy.
- being christened by charlie.
- being inappropriately funny with mare and danielle on the ride to mindy and andy's.
- hanging with james and corrie, mom and dad.
- eating pumpkin cupcakes.
- dinner with alicia.
- picking gram up from the airport and getting hit in the face.
hope all of your christmases were fantastic. here's to '09.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
the big picture.
so...if you haven't noticed...i like pictures. a lot. i like taking them, i like looking at them, i like being inspired by them, i like finding people who are talented in the craft.
one of my favorite websites is the big picture. basically it's news in picture form. the "stories" are relevant and the work is incredible. the most recent stories are more human interest than top news, but still very interesting.
some of my favorites from the past include...
2008 olympics some of my faves of the group: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 16, 17, 21, 26, 27, 28, 32, 35 and 39
olympic opening ceremonies these are all so amazing...favs are hard to pick. absolute fav is second to last tho...
2008 paralympic games again...like 'em all. i wish even just a little bit had been televised.
california wildfires favs: 4, 9, 11, 18, 22, 24 and 35
hurricane ike favs: 2, 6, 11, 14, 16 and 28
antarctica favs: 2, 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 31 and 32
afghanistans korengal valley favs: 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27 and 31
bhutan crowns a new king favs: 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18 and 21
the next president favs: 1, 3, 6, 12, 13, 16, 18 and 28
air racing favs: 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13 and 17
in afghanistan with the ISAF favs: 2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 30
recent scenes from north korea favs: 8, 13, 15, 20, 24, 30
these next ones are pretty heavy...but some stories need to be told no matter how difficult.
congo's crisis worsens
refugees
sichuan's earthquake
mumbai under attack
after the smoke has cleared
cancer awareness month
one of my favorite websites is the big picture. basically it's news in picture form. the "stories" are relevant and the work is incredible. the most recent stories are more human interest than top news, but still very interesting.
some of my favorites from the past include...
2008 olympics some of my faves of the group: 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 16, 17, 21, 26, 27, 28, 32, 35 and 39
olympic opening ceremonies these are all so amazing...favs are hard to pick. absolute fav is second to last tho...
2008 paralympic games again...like 'em all. i wish even just a little bit had been televised.
california wildfires favs: 4, 9, 11, 18, 22, 24 and 35
hurricane ike favs: 2, 6, 11, 14, 16 and 28
antarctica favs: 2, 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 31 and 32
afghanistans korengal valley favs: 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27 and 31
bhutan crowns a new king favs: 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18 and 21
the next president favs: 1, 3, 6, 12, 13, 16, 18 and 28
air racing favs: 2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13 and 17
in afghanistan with the ISAF favs: 2, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19 and 30
recent scenes from north korea favs: 8, 13, 15, 20, 24, 30
these next ones are pretty heavy...but some stories need to be told no matter how difficult.
congo's crisis worsens
refugees
sichuan's earthquake
mumbai under attack
after the smoke has cleared
cancer awareness month
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
regrets of photographs
i love this time of year.
most of the leaves have fallen leaving graceful skeletons in their absence. the sun sets quicker tucking itself behind the mountains hastily, but leaving inexplicable beauty in its wake. almost every evening the sky is transformed into a canvas of oranges, pinks, reds and purples...but only for fleeting moments. even during the day the sun seems warmer. not temperature-wise mind you...i'm talking color here.
i went shooting last week one afternoon after i got off work. it was about 2pm which really isn't that great of a time of the day for light, aesthetically speaking. but because of the time of year that it is, the sun was unusually low in the sky and the light was almost golden. too lovely not to try and shoot something. anything.
here are some results from that day...
i started a new job this week. it's full time which means that now i'm working until 5 and don't have the opportunity to catch the sunset if i so choose. however, our offices face west and from my desk i am afforded a view of the sky. it's almost not fair.
the sky tempts me and begs me to try to capture it...even tho i know it's not possible even when i am able to try, but that doesn't stop me from trying. but i sat at my desk this evening watching the sky move from lovely to brilliant to indescribable as i worked thru reports.
whitney even texted me to get outside and start shooting if i could. i just told her that i was working and didn't have the opportunity. i didn't have the heart to tell her that i had watched the whole thing unable to do anything about it. but maybe this will make her be on the ready. now that i don't have the same opportunities that i did before.
whit: first lesson should be this weekend.
most of the leaves have fallen leaving graceful skeletons in their absence. the sun sets quicker tucking itself behind the mountains hastily, but leaving inexplicable beauty in its wake. almost every evening the sky is transformed into a canvas of oranges, pinks, reds and purples...but only for fleeting moments. even during the day the sun seems warmer. not temperature-wise mind you...i'm talking color here.
i went shooting last week one afternoon after i got off work. it was about 2pm which really isn't that great of a time of the day for light, aesthetically speaking. but because of the time of year that it is, the sun was unusually low in the sky and the light was almost golden. too lovely not to try and shoot something. anything.
here are some results from that day...
i started a new job this week. it's full time which means that now i'm working until 5 and don't have the opportunity to catch the sunset if i so choose. however, our offices face west and from my desk i am afforded a view of the sky. it's almost not fair.
the sky tempts me and begs me to try to capture it...even tho i know it's not possible even when i am able to try, but that doesn't stop me from trying. but i sat at my desk this evening watching the sky move from lovely to brilliant to indescribable as i worked thru reports.
whitney even texted me to get outside and start shooting if i could. i just told her that i was working and didn't have the opportunity. i didn't have the heart to tell her that i had watched the whole thing unable to do anything about it. but maybe this will make her be on the ready. now that i don't have the same opportunities that i did before.
whit: first lesson should be this weekend.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
holy goose crap, batman.
so i get a frantic call from whitney tonight asking me where i am and what i'm doing and do i have my camera handy. apparently the sunrise was unreal...i was just chilling at home and had no idea. i peeked out the window and saw immediately why she was being so spastic.
the red in the sky was overwhelming and the first color to register to my brain. the clouds were a lavender edged in bright red, orange and fuschia...it was incredible. i immediately began regretting where i live. too many houses...too many light poles...too many whatever. i jumped into my car and drove to the closest "open" area i could find which was sloans. i knew i didn't have much time, i've missed capturing an incredible sky by minutes many a time.
my sight was still pretty impeded because the majority of the incredibleness was south of where i was and there was just too much in the way.
then there were the geese. lord knows i have a problem with birds, but i really really really don't like geese. they are quite unkind.
the area of the park where i needed to stand to get a decent view was covered in a flock of geese. at least 50 strong. but the sky was just too lovely. so i took the leap.
i walked amidst the hoard and they did well at moving aside at first and i went along taking pictures and murmuring threats to any of the fowl who thought it might be fun to start something. for a few minutes we had this uneasy balance of me in their midst and them not starting trouble...but i could see the deviousness lurking behind those beady bird eyes. i was snapping away when i heard a rush of wings and not 5 feet from me a large portion of them decided it was time to fly. i let out a little "woah there", jumped to the side and skipped out of the way. i could see the others had the same intent so i slowly moved away from where i was to let them fly away. after a moment they did, and i was able to get on with it.
oi.
i got a few shots. but not anything that did the sky any kind of justice...the oranges and reds just didn't translate well. plus, had i the forethought and the time, i would have brought the tripod. as it was, most of this was shot at 1/25 or less (usually less).
*full view is highly recommended*
this one, i was facing north and using my car as a tripod...
the red in the sky was overwhelming and the first color to register to my brain. the clouds were a lavender edged in bright red, orange and fuschia...it was incredible. i immediately began regretting where i live. too many houses...too many light poles...too many whatever. i jumped into my car and drove to the closest "open" area i could find which was sloans. i knew i didn't have much time, i've missed capturing an incredible sky by minutes many a time.
my sight was still pretty impeded because the majority of the incredibleness was south of where i was and there was just too much in the way.
then there were the geese. lord knows i have a problem with birds, but i really really really don't like geese. they are quite unkind.
the area of the park where i needed to stand to get a decent view was covered in a flock of geese. at least 50 strong. but the sky was just too lovely. so i took the leap.
i walked amidst the hoard and they did well at moving aside at first and i went along taking pictures and murmuring threats to any of the fowl who thought it might be fun to start something. for a few minutes we had this uneasy balance of me in their midst and them not starting trouble...but i could see the deviousness lurking behind those beady bird eyes. i was snapping away when i heard a rush of wings and not 5 feet from me a large portion of them decided it was time to fly. i let out a little "woah there", jumped to the side and skipped out of the way. i could see the others had the same intent so i slowly moved away from where i was to let them fly away. after a moment they did, and i was able to get on with it.
oi.
i got a few shots. but not anything that did the sky any kind of justice...the oranges and reds just didn't translate well. plus, had i the forethought and the time, i would have brought the tripod. as it was, most of this was shot at 1/25 or less (usually less).
*full view is highly recommended*
this one, i was facing north and using my car as a tripod...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
photo of the week
photo of the week...
and a bonus...
i love texture and when i was roaming around downtown last sunday, i saw this peeling paint and thought it looked pretty cool.
and a bonus...
i love texture and when i was roaming around downtown last sunday, i saw this peeling paint and thought it looked pretty cool.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
last weekend...
last weekend was a lot of fun. my grandfather and his wife came into town for a visit and it was really nice to be able to spend time with them...i haven't seen them since my brothers wedding, so needless to say, it's been a while.
we went downtown for dinner on friday night and totally spaced out that it would be crazy down there due to the fact that it was halloween. there were tons of people down there, but the people watching was quality. (c; i can't remember a halloween in colorado that wasn't freezing...but this year was abnormally warm. it was great for my grandpa and lynne because they live in mesa, so they're not used to the crazy cold.
on sunday, james brought nelson over to meet them. our house is by no means big and i always feel sorry for nelson when he comes to visit because a small living room + a great dane = tight quarters. but he entertained us for a while, then he cleared the room with his atrocious gas. it was good times.
here are a few pics from the weekend...
grandpa and mom (looking sweet)
grandpa and mom (looking more natural)
grandpa and mom...with lynne's head. (c;
nelson being a princess...
this weekend...or at least saturday...was kinda busy for me. i had two shoots scheduled, both very young babies. the first was the newest verdecchio, charlie and his parents andy and mindy. (c: the second was with little caleb evans and his parents josh and marcy. they both did really well considering how young they are, though caleb was able to last a bit longer. here are my favs from each shoot...they're both asleep, but still cute. (c:
caleb, the next bronco...
charlie, holding on to dad...
i rented a few lenses and an off camera flash for these shoots and i had fun playing with the new lenses. i got a 24mm, a 26-135mm zoom and a 200. i mostly used the zoom lens, but i used the 24 for a couple of shots too. the 200 was just too long for the spaces i was working in. i have the lenses until tomorrow evening, so after work i'm going to go downtown to just go on a shooting frenzy. (c: the photo of the week was one i shot right after the shoot with caleb, josh and marcy. i walked out of the house and saw the moon covered in a light mist of clouds and it was just begging me to shoot it. so i did. (c:
hopefully i'll get something interesting tomorrow...
we went downtown for dinner on friday night and totally spaced out that it would be crazy down there due to the fact that it was halloween. there were tons of people down there, but the people watching was quality. (c; i can't remember a halloween in colorado that wasn't freezing...but this year was abnormally warm. it was great for my grandpa and lynne because they live in mesa, so they're not used to the crazy cold.
on sunday, james brought nelson over to meet them. our house is by no means big and i always feel sorry for nelson when he comes to visit because a small living room + a great dane = tight quarters. but he entertained us for a while, then he cleared the room with his atrocious gas. it was good times.
here are a few pics from the weekend...
grandpa and mom (looking sweet)
grandpa and mom (looking more natural)
grandpa and mom...with lynne's head. (c;
nelson being a princess...
this weekend...or at least saturday...was kinda busy for me. i had two shoots scheduled, both very young babies. the first was the newest verdecchio, charlie and his parents andy and mindy. (c: the second was with little caleb evans and his parents josh and marcy. they both did really well considering how young they are, though caleb was able to last a bit longer. here are my favs from each shoot...they're both asleep, but still cute. (c:
caleb, the next bronco...
charlie, holding on to dad...
i rented a few lenses and an off camera flash for these shoots and i had fun playing with the new lenses. i got a 24mm, a 26-135mm zoom and a 200. i mostly used the zoom lens, but i used the 24 for a couple of shots too. the 200 was just too long for the spaces i was working in. i have the lenses until tomorrow evening, so after work i'm going to go downtown to just go on a shooting frenzy. (c: the photo of the week was one i shot right after the shoot with caleb, josh and marcy. i walked out of the house and saw the moon covered in a light mist of clouds and it was just begging me to shoot it. so i did. (c:
hopefully i'll get something interesting tomorrow...
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
pictures and apologies.
so i have to apologize to anyone following my blog who may be wondering what happened to my promise of a picture a day. i fear i may have bitten off more than i could chew and the longer time would go by that i wouldn't post the worse i would feel and the worse i felt the more i didn't want to post at all. it was a sick cycle. so here i am again. no promises this time, but i'm also not going to go crazy either...i'm going to go with a weekly photo. (c: not that i won't post more than one pic a week, but i'll try to pic a favorite photo from all i've taken that week and share it in a "photo of the week" post.
this week's photo is courtesy of a pretty amazing sunset last night.
here's a closer shot of the awesomeness. (c;
***i recommend clicking on the photos...you'll get a better view and for some reason the color is much better in the larger format***
this week's photo is courtesy of a pretty amazing sunset last night.
here's a closer shot of the awesomeness. (c;
***i recommend clicking on the photos...you'll get a better view and for some reason the color is much better in the larger format***
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
trees.
i love trees. big. little. full. sparse. crooked. creepy. strange. (the stranger the better, in fact) ...wonderboom is definitely a tree that i would like to visit before i die.
those who know me are likely not surprised by this and even tho i've always loved trees, i'm not entirely sure what the appeal is for me. but they make me smile.
i particularly love it when a grove of trees that is nice and uniform has a rebel tearing thru at an awkward angle or sticking out like a sore thumb with a crooked trunk.
here's one from my early summer trip to the maroon bells. note the rebel on the left. (c:
one thing that most may not know is one of my most favorite things about trees is the shadows they cast. this afternoon the sun was warm and inviting (as the late afternoon sun should be) and it made fun shadows thru the trees into my room. of course i couldn't resist and i tried to capture the light.
and if you're not completely bored...here's a list of other cool (famous) trees i'd love to see in person.
tree of life in bahrain
angel oak in south carolina
adansonia in madagascar
te matua ngahere in new zealand
major oak in sherwood forest
diamond tree in australia
methuselah in california
the tule tree in Mexico
curtain fig in australia
kongeegen in denmark
those who know me are likely not surprised by this and even tho i've always loved trees, i'm not entirely sure what the appeal is for me. but they make me smile.
i particularly love it when a grove of trees that is nice and uniform has a rebel tearing thru at an awkward angle or sticking out like a sore thumb with a crooked trunk.
here's one from my early summer trip to the maroon bells. note the rebel on the left. (c:
one thing that most may not know is one of my most favorite things about trees is the shadows they cast. this afternoon the sun was warm and inviting (as the late afternoon sun should be) and it made fun shadows thru the trees into my room. of course i couldn't resist and i tried to capture the light.
and if you're not completely bored...here's a list of other cool (famous) trees i'd love to see in person.
tree of life in bahrain
angel oak in south carolina
adansonia in madagascar
te matua ngahere in new zealand
major oak in sherwood forest
diamond tree in australia
methuselah in california
the tule tree in Mexico
curtain fig in australia
kongeegen in denmark
Monday, October 6, 2008
beniah
i wanted to share some cute pictures that i got last week while visiting chelsea and her new puppy, beniah.
i am so excited about this little guy! he is wicked cute AND he's a german shepherd (my favorite)!! he's still in his clutzy puppy stage and he "attacks" chelsea's other dogs who just happen to be 2 very large st. bernards (hey...nobody said he was bright) (c; they are remarkably good with him and mostly just knock him over. it's hilarious, but definitely one of those things you have to see to appreciate. (c;
i am so excited about this little guy! he is wicked cute AND he's a german shepherd (my favorite)!! he's still in his clutzy puppy stage and he "attacks" chelsea's other dogs who just happen to be 2 very large st. bernards (hey...nobody said he was bright) (c; they are remarkably good with him and mostly just knock him over. it's hilarious, but definitely one of those things you have to see to appreciate. (c;
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
bowie
my friend whitney finally joined the world of blogging...yay! she posted a cool first blog about attacking a 14er (complete with awesome photos). you should show her some love (there's a link to the right -->)
now i just have to work on anna and chels. (c;
now i just have to work on anna and chels. (c;
Sunday, September 28, 2008
reprieve
video of one of my favorite photographers at work in south africa, set to the music of one of my favorite musicians.
nice. (c:
Cape Town, South Africa from Jeremy Cowart on Vimeo.
nice. (c:
Cape Town, South Africa from Jeremy Cowart on Vimeo.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
oh shirley...
last weekend marked the 3rd annual chick retreat and it seriously could not have come at a better time. last week my mom was out of town for work and my grandpa and uncle were in town, which meant that my dad didn't get the rest he most assuredly needs...therefore, i had a tired, cranky, difficult dad to manage on my own.
vacation was totally necessary.
anna, whit, chels and i made our way up to the ymca at estes on friday night...complete with laughing, craziness, random songs and loud singing. (seriously, we're good enough to take the show on the road) (c;
once we got up there, the cabin was amazing and i was excited to see the stars. there is nothing like a night sky uninhibited by city lights...after we got settled in a bit, chelsea shared the new songs she finished. so awesome. then she took song requests and we sang until poor chelsea couldn't sing or play anymore.
saturday whitney made an awesome breakfast of a tasty egg casserole and sausage. we had planned on going out for a hike before lunch, but we all (well...except whitney) were just worn out, tired, lazy, whatever, and didn't actually get any hiking in. sorry whit. )c:
we ended up playing consequences most of the morning into the afternoon, which was crazy fun! among the consequences...chelsea had to wear a banana on her head for a round, i had to wear a lampshade for a round, anna couldn't talk for a round (unless the total was 99, then she would honk like a goose), chelsea had to play a round standing on the table, i had to balance beam the porch railing...and much more craziness. (c:
after all the games, chelsea made an amazing salad for lunch. then a quiet afternoon until the amazing thunder/lightning storm...so cool. anna did nachos for dinner and after a quick trip to the store for eggs and s'more supplies (and an elk sighting thrown in) we had fun laughing and just enjoying each others company for the rest of the evening. i made french toast sunday morning (all while enjoying the amazing view out the kitchen window) and only burned myself once. go me.
all in all it was an awesome weekend and i want to thank the girls for making it the best one yet! you're all quite amazing, i hope you know. (c:
vacation was totally necessary.
anna, whit, chels and i made our way up to the ymca at estes on friday night...complete with laughing, craziness, random songs and loud singing. (seriously, we're good enough to take the show on the road) (c;
once we got up there, the cabin was amazing and i was excited to see the stars. there is nothing like a night sky uninhibited by city lights...after we got settled in a bit, chelsea shared the new songs she finished. so awesome. then she took song requests and we sang until poor chelsea couldn't sing or play anymore.
saturday whitney made an awesome breakfast of a tasty egg casserole and sausage. we had planned on going out for a hike before lunch, but we all (well...except whitney) were just worn out, tired, lazy, whatever, and didn't actually get any hiking in. sorry whit. )c:
we ended up playing consequences most of the morning into the afternoon, which was crazy fun! among the consequences...chelsea had to wear a banana on her head for a round, i had to wear a lampshade for a round, anna couldn't talk for a round (unless the total was 99, then she would honk like a goose), chelsea had to play a round standing on the table, i had to balance beam the porch railing...and much more craziness. (c:
after all the games, chelsea made an amazing salad for lunch. then a quiet afternoon until the amazing thunder/lightning storm...so cool. anna did nachos for dinner and after a quick trip to the store for eggs and s'more supplies (and an elk sighting thrown in) we had fun laughing and just enjoying each others company for the rest of the evening. i made french toast sunday morning (all while enjoying the amazing view out the kitchen window) and only burned myself once. go me.
all in all it was an awesome weekend and i want to thank the girls for making it the best one yet! you're all quite amazing, i hope you know. (c:
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
progress
the weekend after whit's birthday shindig, she and i went hiking again. this time to fern valley.
but the day before, i finally broke down and got a decent pair of shoes. they are the first real pair of tennis shoes that i've owned (technically, they're trailrunners, but that's neither here nor there). they are amazing. i tell you, after never having owned a good pair of shoes in my life, it's quite amazing to put on a decent pair.
they are bright green. and they are awesome.
anyway. as we made our way up the trail to the valley of ferns, i was doing my typical picture taking thing, but we started talking about her trip to alaska. see, she was talking about the pictures that she took while there and while she was okay with them, she just kept saying she wished i was there to do the picture taking for her. in her case, i truly believe that her lack of amazing pictures is her camera and i keep telling her that every time she says that she wishes my "eye" was with her when she saw something cool.
so to prove it to her, i just handed her my camera and said "here...you be the photographer this trip". she was a bit hesitant at first and i think she kept thinking about what i would take pictures of instead of just shooting what she wanted, but after a minor accident involving a prickly thingy and a little time, she got into it.
here are a few of the pics i took before handing the reigns over...
this is the view at the trail head.
from a cool building near the trail head.
view of the mountains
selective focus makes me smile.
inappropriate bugs. (c:
going up.
angry rock...doesn't it look like it'd bite your hand right off?
there were water droplets collected on a lot of these plants...note to self: if lost in the woods, look for this plant. (c:
cactus. cacti. prickly pear.
after giving the camera to whitney, she had taken no more than 2 pictures before she knelt down to frame a shot and knelt in a patch of these prickly pod like things...the spikes were kind of barbed and she had a hard time getting the one out of her finger. ouch.
we had to get a shot of my new shoes. here's me enjoying the lovely view. (c:
and here are some of my favorites from the shots that whitney took. (c:
all in all, it was a really fun hike. we, unfortunately didn't make it all the way to the valley of ferns because i had to be back in town at a certain time and we just weren't able to do it in the time allotted. i'm sure we'll go again sometime tho.
i will say that it was a bit strange not having a camera while hiking. i felt completely naked at the beginning, but once i got used to not stopping every 2 minutes to take a picture i started enjoying myself and i took hundreds of mental pictures.
and those are the best kind, no? (c:
but the day before, i finally broke down and got a decent pair of shoes. they are the first real pair of tennis shoes that i've owned (technically, they're trailrunners, but that's neither here nor there). they are amazing. i tell you, after never having owned a good pair of shoes in my life, it's quite amazing to put on a decent pair.
they are bright green. and they are awesome.
anyway. as we made our way up the trail to the valley of ferns, i was doing my typical picture taking thing, but we started talking about her trip to alaska. see, she was talking about the pictures that she took while there and while she was okay with them, she just kept saying she wished i was there to do the picture taking for her. in her case, i truly believe that her lack of amazing pictures is her camera and i keep telling her that every time she says that she wishes my "eye" was with her when she saw something cool.
so to prove it to her, i just handed her my camera and said "here...you be the photographer this trip". she was a bit hesitant at first and i think she kept thinking about what i would take pictures of instead of just shooting what she wanted, but after a minor accident involving a prickly thingy and a little time, she got into it.
here are a few of the pics i took before handing the reigns over...
this is the view at the trail head.
from a cool building near the trail head.
view of the mountains
selective focus makes me smile.
inappropriate bugs. (c:
going up.
angry rock...doesn't it look like it'd bite your hand right off?
there were water droplets collected on a lot of these plants...note to self: if lost in the woods, look for this plant. (c:
cactus. cacti. prickly pear.
after giving the camera to whitney, she had taken no more than 2 pictures before she knelt down to frame a shot and knelt in a patch of these prickly pod like things...the spikes were kind of barbed and she had a hard time getting the one out of her finger. ouch.
we had to get a shot of my new shoes. here's me enjoying the lovely view. (c:
and here are some of my favorites from the shots that whitney took. (c:
all in all, it was a really fun hike. we, unfortunately didn't make it all the way to the valley of ferns because i had to be back in town at a certain time and we just weren't able to do it in the time allotted. i'm sure we'll go again sometime tho.
i will say that it was a bit strange not having a camera while hiking. i felt completely naked at the beginning, but once i got used to not stopping every 2 minutes to take a picture i started enjoying myself and i took hundreds of mental pictures.
and those are the best kind, no? (c:
Sunday, September 21, 2008
catching up
wow. so, i hope you'll forgive the incredible lack of updates as of late. life has continued to be a bit strange and i'm still learning how to live it. (c:
since i've not been updating, i've got a lot of stories and a lot of pictures...and some of my lack of writing has just been not knowing where to start, but the longer i put it off the more that happens and the more i need to write about and the cycle continues. so i'll just start.
whitney's birthday was on 8/30 (happy birthday, bowie!) but since she was leaving for alaska on her birthday with her sister, she planned a little birthday dinner for the night before. we went to chopstix asian grill (her favorite restaurant) and found out that whitney + jill + anna + alicia + steph + crazy chinese waiter = crazy times. i think a large part of what whitney loves about chopstix (besides the yummy food) is the crazy waiter, maurice. he is one loco dude (or whatever crazy is in chinese) (c: here are a few pics from that night.
whit and her desert made special by maurice.
a close up of the incredible dessert...it was all fruit with some green tea ice cream drizzled with chocolate
whit and her gift from jill...foam finger!!
all the girls. jill, anna, alicia, whit and me
the next day i got a surprise from jill. she was down at my end of town and just wanted to get me to stop being anti-social. (c: she pulled out her bubble maker from camp (she was working as a counselor for 3 months) and made bubbles on my street.
she's quite entertaining.
then we decided to go to sloans just to hang out and talk and she decided that would be the perfect opportunity to show me how to skateboard. yes. me.
i actually did better than i thought i would...or could. i started a bit wobbly, but once i got used to the feeling, i started getting the hang of it. it was only when i got too sure of myself that i crashed. and crash i did.
before we got started...jill gave me a lesson. this would be an example of the wrong way.
and the right way...do you see the slight difference? it's all in the position of the feet.
shadow. yeah.
the master at work.
uh huh. she knows what she's doing, folks.
this is just after i flipped backwards...jill didn't know how to use my camera so it's totally blown out, but you get the idea.
this is the cute old guy that came "rushing" to my rescue. he was a total sweetheart. (jill took the shot as he was walking away...so it too was blown out)
alright. thats it for now...more later. (c:
since i've not been updating, i've got a lot of stories and a lot of pictures...and some of my lack of writing has just been not knowing where to start, but the longer i put it off the more that happens and the more i need to write about and the cycle continues. so i'll just start.
whitney's birthday was on 8/30 (happy birthday, bowie!) but since she was leaving for alaska on her birthday with her sister, she planned a little birthday dinner for the night before. we went to chopstix asian grill (her favorite restaurant) and found out that whitney + jill + anna + alicia + steph + crazy chinese waiter = crazy times. i think a large part of what whitney loves about chopstix (besides the yummy food) is the crazy waiter, maurice. he is one loco dude (or whatever crazy is in chinese) (c: here are a few pics from that night.
whit and her desert made special by maurice.
a close up of the incredible dessert...it was all fruit with some green tea ice cream drizzled with chocolate
whit and her gift from jill...foam finger!!
all the girls. jill, anna, alicia, whit and me
the next day i got a surprise from jill. she was down at my end of town and just wanted to get me to stop being anti-social. (c: she pulled out her bubble maker from camp (she was working as a counselor for 3 months) and made bubbles on my street.
she's quite entertaining.
then we decided to go to sloans just to hang out and talk and she decided that would be the perfect opportunity to show me how to skateboard. yes. me.
i actually did better than i thought i would...or could. i started a bit wobbly, but once i got used to the feeling, i started getting the hang of it. it was only when i got too sure of myself that i crashed. and crash i did.
before we got started...jill gave me a lesson. this would be an example of the wrong way.
and the right way...do you see the slight difference? it's all in the position of the feet.
shadow. yeah.
the master at work.
uh huh. she knows what she's doing, folks.
this is just after i flipped backwards...jill didn't know how to use my camera so it's totally blown out, but you get the idea.
this is the cute old guy that came "rushing" to my rescue. he was a total sweetheart. (jill took the shot as he was walking away...so it too was blown out)
alright. thats it for now...more later. (c:
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