May 9 - My Mothers Day @ the Zoo

When Hubby asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, I knew right away what I wanted. I wanted to spend time with my family having fun, and creating memories. So instead of a plant, jewellery, perfume, or chocolates, we went to the zoo. We haven't been for a few years, and with The Kid now a teenager, I doubt that she will want to go on many more of these family outings. It was a wonderful day.
Along with the zoo trip, my kids made me a scrapbook, and each of them made me a card. The words inside made me cry - (something I don't do too often ) My 12 year old son thanked me for helping him with "the blues". The Kid told me that I am an everyday hero to her, and that one day she hopes to be as good of mom to her kids as I am to her. The Little Man's card was cute too, he used pink ( my favorite colour) and blue ( his favorite colour), and he was sure to point out the lipstick that he had drawn on his mother day picture of me. My funny, strong middle son.

love em!

me and the big kids

the boys and I

me and the bunch.

May 8 - My Mother's Day with My Mom

It's not until you become a mother

that your judgement slowly turns

into compassion and understanding.

- Erma Bombeck

I spent Saturday night celebrating mother's day with mom. We had roast beef for dinner, complete with gravy to make any mother proud, mashed potatoes, and Grandma's salad. After dinner we headed down stairs to play Beatles Rock Band. Yup, my mom's a rock star, she did amazing! I can't remember the last time that I had so much fun with my mom. It was an awesome night, one that I will hold close to my heart forever.

May 7

Have a look at the two pictures below. Notice how the first image has a slightly yellow or warm cast to it, while the second photo is cooler - and a better likeness of the pure white jug. The only change that I made was to the white balance setting on my camera.

The white balance setting on your camera is there to ensure that you do not have an incorrect colour cast; so that any object that is white in person is also rendered white in the photo. In the old days of film, this was done with different filters that attached on the lens of the camera.

With the first image, the white balance was set to shade On the day this was taken, the sky was overcast, not very bright outside, so the shade setting wasn't a horrible choice. But because I was not happy with the colour of the picture, I changed the setting to cloudy. I feel that it makes a much better image, because the colours in the image are truer to the objects in person.

To change the white balance on my camera, a Nikon, I need to go into the tools menu, but every camera is different. If you are unhappy with the colour of your photo, reread your manual, it will point you in the right direction.

* white balance set to shade

*white balance set to cloudy

DIY Canvas Wall Hanging

I was feeling creative so I decided to create some art out of the gift bag that my anniversary present came in.

Supplies:

• canvas ( I got mine for $2.00 at Dollarama )
• gift bag
• paint ( dark for edge, and a base coat )
• white school glue
• photo

Here we go....
Step 1,
I cut out the saying from the gift bag. If you don't have access to a pretty gift bag, you could use a computer print out.

Step 2,
I base coated the front of the canvas with acrylic paint.
I used a darker colour to paint the edge of the canvas, but I thought that using ribbon would look nice too.


Step 3
I spread the glue in a thin layer on the canvas, and another thin layer on the back of the gift bag . I carefully positioned the gift bag onto the canvas, and brushed on another layer of glue. Working out any air bubbles.

Step 4 ( not shown )
I printed out a picture of my hubby and I on card stock, cut it out and, glued it to the canvas in the same manner as I did the gift bag.
(Just a warning, the computer ink ran when it came in contact with the white glue, in the future I would either test, or apply the glue only to the back of the picture.)



and ta da, the finished masterpiece,

May 6

I love this graffiti, it makes me think.

Why not go for it?
why not wait it out,
why not believe,
why not disbelieve.
Why can't it be me or my turn,
why not someone else?
Why not?

May 5 - Thursday Self Portrait (on Wednesday )

Inspired by my good friend Jenn, I visited my local library. Jenn loves the library. Personally I don't get it. I mean there are some peculiar people at the library. Like the woman over stuffing her bag with books -( lady, there free, come back next week.) Or the teen couple making out at the computers - really? cant find a better place? My favorite was the librarian, who made it her mission to insist my daughter use her given name, ( both Charlie and I were not made to comply, just Kenzie. ) At least Sergeant Books let me off the hook, she waived the embarrassingly high overdue fees. I got a bundle of books, and I promise to return to the twilight zone, I mean library to get the books back on time.

May 4- Black and White Cat

May 3- Cloud Study

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

from up and down,

and still somehow, its cloud illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all.

365 Project - April 30 - May 2

Slow shutter speed, and slight jiggle of the camera gives this photo of tulips in my garden, an artistic, pastel drawing look. - April 30.

The drive home - I thought the car lights looked pretty. April 30.

Thai Sesame Chicken - April 30.

Saturday brought sore throats, and tomato soup for dinner. May 1.

Night Time Apple Tree. ( Should have cracked out the tripod, feeling lazy) May 2.

The 365 had a theme this weekend. It seems that I was inspired by food and night time photography.

Celebrate Life

To start off the weekend the family took Grandma out for dinner to celebrate her 84th birthday. Grandma will tell me of stories of herself as a girl, a teen, or a young mother and wife. I am always in awe of how much she has accomplished, how brave she has been. As a girl, Grandma rode a cow ( yes I said cow!), in her teen years, she would take the train all by herself to visit her cousins in the States. Grandma shared with me that Union Station was one of her favorite places, with the hustle and bustle of people going places, maybe because her father worked for CN, (although I'm not sure what he did, I must ask.)

In love Grandma was also brave. Grandpa was Catholic, and Grandma is Protestant. Regardless of the church's opinion, Grandma and Grandpa kept their chins up and had 60 happy years married.

What I admire most about Grandma, is that she has shown such strength after such devastating loss. In the last 10 years, Grandma has lost her family. Her son, her husband, her daughter.

Think about that for a minute. Think about the faces at your dinner table - all gone.

The faces at my dinner table, my family, are what get me out of bed some days. They give me joy (and grief), but with them, I feel such emotion that it makes me feel alive, human.

Nobody would blame Grandma for being bitter. She is not bitter, sad some days, but not bitter or angry. What is more, she is so thankful for what she does have - and we are so thankful for her.

April 29 - Fifteen

Fifteen Years and Pounds

Self portrait Thursday

Hubby and I celebrated 15 years married yesterday. He surprised me with taking the day off, and since all three kids were in school, we had the day to ourselves. We went out to breakfast. It was nice to sit and talk to each other - remember the good times and congratulate each other for sticking it out for the rough times too. After breakfast we headed out to Websters Falls. We had never been there before. We had so much fun, lots of good laughs. On the way home we stopped in at the Antique store that we have always been meaning to go to and browsed around. It was a great date. Made me fall in love with him all over again.

For a gift I got him a photo album with pictures of us with a promise to start preserving more memories of us spending time together. I am looking forward to filling it for him.

April 28 - Sugar Shine

I stole the Little Man's push pop for my 365 today. I just thought that it looked stunning with the sunlight streaming through the blue candy - like a stained glass window. I find it ironic that today of all days, I would find the beauty in sugar. But then again maybe it isn't so ironic after all. Since I quit smoking 4 months ago my weight has been a struggle. Its easy to consider sugar the enemy and today I felt like I beat the evil enemy. I ate well, and tried my best to exercise.

Since my knee crapped out on me, I have not been working out. I have stopped running completely, and power walks can only be done on a good day. I mean - I've been active, walking, gardening or riding my bike, but I have not been able to work out. Yesterday I was able to do some low impact aerobics with weights. I was careful to stretch in the middle and at the end of my workout in order to remain mobile tomorrow as well.

Anyway, the point here is that I felt alive. I missed listening to my tunes, singing my heart out, feeling strong and able, as opposed to disabled. Working out for me may never be running again, and while that is sad, I have to grieve and get on with it. Find something new, that will give me the same sense of appreciation for what my body can do if I put my mind to it.

April 27 - The Flag

I love this flag. This Canadian Flag waves proudly in front of the local grocery store. If I recall correctly, the original name of the grocery store was The Supercentre, and to prove just how super it was The Supercentre had the largest Canadian Flag at the time.


I'm not sure if the flag that waves today is the largest in the country or not. However I am sure that on a crisp, windy day, the sight of the flag, against a blue sky, takes my breath away. I love to watch it dance in the wind, the fabric rippling like waves. The flag makes me feel patriotic, and part of something bigger than myself.

April 26 - Bubbles ( just for fun mom )

Yesterday Charlie found a bottle of bubbles left over from a loot bag, so we headed outside to blow some bubbles. Of course I brought my camera to get a picture for my 365. Charlie was feeling particularly sweet, letting me get all the shots I wanted. Then he looked at me and very seriously said, " One more and then we can play - just for fun Mom."

How often do we as adults do things because we have to and not just for the pure joy in doing so? Just for fun. As kids we don't exercise, we run around the playground or ride our bikes. Children learn for the pure joy in knowledge. One of the main reasons that I started my 365 was to be a better photographer, and its only a by product that I am finding joy in it. What have I done lately just for fun, not because I felt I had to? Yesterday, I put down the camera, and enjoyed the moment for what it was. A morning with my wise little man.

April 25 - April Showers Bring May Flowers

It was rainy and chilly today, which is a good thing because so far this spring it has been dry and warm, and the gardens needed some water. I am having a hard time resisting the spring floral pictures. Today I got a shot of these tulips, they remind me of soldiers, tall straight and proud.

The second picture is of a Bleeding Heart bush that I saved from a friends garden. Of course when I dug this little bush up and moved it I wasn't sure of what it was. I am pleasantly surprised, the heart shaped blooms amuse me.

This week I was pretty busy in the garden. I widend a side garden, and added another bed - this one in front of the deck to camofloge the junk we hide under there. Other plans for the garden this year include veggies at the side door and dare I say it removal of the enormus dead poplar trees. ( keeping my fingers crossed - hoping that my BIL, can hook me up with some of his connections )

April 24 - Sundae's On Saturday.

Last night at the dinner table we had a discussion about our favorite kind of ice cream. I have a few categories of favorites. In the category of traditional ice cream the winner is World Class Chocolate from Baskin Robins. Hot Fudge sundaes from McDonald's, and Chocolate Cones from the ice cream truck are a close tie, with the possibility of the ice cream truck beating out McDonald's just by a cherry, because it is not as easy to get. All of us agreed on some - like the sundaes, and the soft serve, but we all choose different "traditional" ice cream flavors. Hubby likes Rolo, The Eldest likes anything with chocolate, The Boy did not specify, and Little Man likes "the blue one - it has gum in it!"
So as a special treat, we got Sundaes on Saturday.


Just as we were sitting down to eat our sundaes, we could hear music. The Ice cream Truck!!!! It drove right by our house. If I was faster it would be a better shot, but we were all laughing too hard. Gotta love irony.

April 22 - Fresh

The little man was full of energy today. I asked him if he would pose with the apple for mommy's picture project and this is what I got. He makes me smile everyday. Brat. ;)

Thursday Self Portrait: Earth Day

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would be changed." - Buddah

Happy Earth Day everyone, go out and get dirty!

April 21 - First Blossom

Catch up Time

April 18 - Laundry Day

April 17 - Storm Clouds

April 16 - Ah Nuts!

Project 365 - April 20 - Washing the Fire Truck

Do something each day that scares you.

I can't remember where I have heard this, but today I did something that scares me. I approached a stranger and asked if I could take their picture. Not quite as scary as running into a burning building, but it did make my heart beat a little faster.

365 Project - April 19 - Crusty Paint

I am sanding the rail to the back deck this afternoon, and was thinking how cool the peeling paint looked. Guess I am a sucker for anything nostalgic- even paint.

Today I Get to Choose.

"You don't get to choose how you're going to die or when. You only decide how you are going to live. Now." - Joan Baez.

A family member is going through some tough times. Tough times is a huge understatement. The doctors are using not quite using the "C" word, but in my books, lymphoma isn't all that great either. Yesterday morning she underwent a biopsy, and we are waiting, hoping and praying for some good news.

Seeing what she and her family are going through really puts a creaky knee and a mid-life crisis in perspective. Today I get to choose how I am going to live.

Thursday Self Portrait: Looking Inward

I cant believe that so much time has passed since I last blogged an entry. Rest assured that I have been keeping up with my 365 project. If you are intrested in checking them out, I have been posting them on my business facebook page ( trishbphotography )
I am going to try a few new things in my 365, the first of which is a self portrait a week, ideally on Thursdays, since it is my kid less day. Today's self portrait is all about taking time to feel my heart beat, and be greatfull. More changes to come...