More blue skies and mid 80's for the weather here today in Southwest, Florida. I keep reflecting on this image of the wind surfer that I took and just can't begin to imagine the exhilaration he feels as he flips and twirls above the wave caps. Although similar to the shot I shared the other day, I had to share another one. These guys are out in the ocean surfing like this for hours and hours on end. The amount of strength they must carry in their arms has to be ungodly. I wish I had some of it for carrying Kenidi around all of the time. :)
Brent and Brennen are working on our garage today. They are unloading and organizing tools - manly things - from boxes that Brent had yet to tackle of his. We also took more boxes of "stuff" to storage again today. It's amazing how much we just don't use on a daily basis. (i.e., our big ol' thick and bulky winter coats) Did I mention that they don't have coat closets here in Florida? Guess that isn't something they are used to needing. Strange but understandable. I however don't want to hang my coats in my master closet so I guess they will be staying in boxes for now over in storage, waiting on trips back and forth to Indy before we shall need them again. I used to have a coat fetish - like some women have a shoe fetish. But now...I guess the coat era is coming to an end. No need for even a jacket here. Brennen and I went to the gym/fitness center in our neighborhood last night and then walked around the neighborhood after that. It was dark - about 8-8:30pm last night - and I worked up a true sweat. I had brought a sweatshirt with me just in case the temp was a tad chilly during our walk. However, it was still 78 degrees as of that time last night. Little did I know how warm it would still be at that hour. Again...coat. era. is. over.
Did I tell you that I was changing out my camera lenses over top of a cement sidewalk at the Naples Botanical gardens the other day and ultimately dropped & busted my 12-24mm wide angle Nikon lens? Yeap, sure did. I even had a UV filter over my lens but it never stood a chance - the filter or the lens. They both shattered on impact. Yeah...I was finishing up this shot here...
and this one...
When all of a sudden, the clouds went over the sun and I went to hurry and switch out my wide angle lens with my macro lens. In my midst of hurrying, the wide angle lens fell straight to the ground - cracking and busting on this paneled sidewalk you see in the images above. I stopped dead in my tracks and almost vomited. I knew before I even reached down to pick it up that the UV filter couldn't have saved the glass with that kind of impact. The lens was a goner. THANKFULLY, I have always allowed the camera guys at my local camera store to sucker me into extra warranties. The lenses come with a one year manufacturers warranty but that doesn't include drops or water damage. So...I have always opted to buy the "extra" warranty called the MAC Diamond protection. It is coverage against not only drops but also against water damage for three years. Needless to say, I have just discovered that it is worth every bit of its weight in gold. Due to having that warranty, I am getting my wide angle lens replaced for free. Well...not free but for that $150 I initially paid for the extra warranty. Thank you camera dudes for suckering me into the MAC diamond protection each time I purchase camera equipment. I will continue to be suckered from here on out without second guessing a thing. :) Moral to this story...if you are in the market to buy a new DSLR or have recently bought a new DSLR or new lens, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you invest in the extra warranties for the products you purchase. A camera and their lenses are like a woman's purse, you are BOUND to drop them at some point or another. I have dropped my camera twice since owning it. Thankfully, Big Pappa is a T-A-N-K and has survived unscathed with each of the 2 drops. However, had it broke, MAC to the rescue with the diamond warranty protection. YAY! I'm totally sold on this extra investment. Totally. If all goes as planned, I should have my wide angle lens back within 10-20 business days according to their repair department. If they can't repair it, they send you a new one. Not only did I drop one of my most expensive lenses in my arsenal but it is also my favorite lens aside from my 50mm 1.4. I'm definitely having withdrawals without it - especially when shooting at the beach. However, thankfully because of this warranty, I'm still breathing instead of still being on my knees and vomiting back at the Botanical gardens. :)
The kids are doing wonderful in school. Brennen got an interim report from his new teacher and even though it was only two weeks worth of grades, they were great scores and her comments about Brennen made us very proud. He has adjusted to his new class and his new friends very well. His favorite part...going to school in shorts and a t-shirt everyday. Kenidi still has behavior issues getting on and off the bus each day (meaning she drops to the ground and won't walk on or off) but her teacher has assured us that they are having "great" days in class together. We get a nightly report in her backpack and are happy to report that she is even pottying on the potty again while there. This is HUGE. So...we are hoping that after the first of the year, we can really focus full force on the potty training with her again. Keeping our fingers crossed for success when we do attempt it. When we took her to the Naples Botanical Gardens this past week, she was burning up in the heat. When she gets hot, her seizures/epilepsy had a tendency to act up. I then begin looking for quick ways too cool her down. Thankfully, the garden had a children's area full of water spouts and fountains. By the time we left, she had to be stripped down naked and forced into a dry diaper in the back of my car. In a nutshell, this is the set of events which transpired and led to her nakedness...
At this point below, she is literally bathing in it...
And then of course we get the ever famous, "I ain't leavin' - I dare you to just try and get me out of here!" when it came time to go home...
Yeap, that is Kenidi for ya. She stole the show for everyone who stayed around long enough to watch it play out. Brennen got a kick out of shooting with my old "Razzi" again while there. He really enjoys taking pictures. I love that! And as his Mom, I really enjoy shooting with him. Both kids were off school all day yesterday for a "Hurricane make up day." If you are my facebook friend then you've already heard about this. Hurricane make up days are waayyyyy different than the snow make up days we are used to back in Indy. The cool thing about yesterday was that because there haven't been any hurricanes this year, the school had a free day. A free Hurricane make up day = a free beach day for us Hoosiers. It doesn't get any better than that. I absolutely love seeing the older boys walking to the beach within groups and with their surf boards in hand. That sight screams RADNESS~! One of these days I'm going to jump out of my car like a crazy woman and ask if I can snap their photos. It would make for an awesome eclectic shot! I often wonder how cool it must be to have grown up on a beach - day in and day out. Brennen and Kenidi have no idea how lucky they are at this point.
For now, I'm going to wrap up this long winded post of randomness and go check on my boys and how the garage project is coming along. Stay tuned for the Build-a-bear winner announcement tomorrow. (Sunday) Thanks to each of you who took the time to play along and enter the give-a-way. xoxo, Angie
Boy...I sure haven't had a whole lot to blog about lately. I feel like a broken record. Photography, photography, photography. I guess this new course really has it's hold on me. I love that though. I am meeting some wonderful new friends across the country and abroad in places like Australia, Canada, etc., and it's incredible because we all share the same passion. It's so fun to have them critique shots for me and for me to see their work - which is amazing I might add. With that said, it's Friday and I'm just checking in with all of you AGD followers. Nothing much to report. Well, maybe other than the fact that we found out Kenidi is anemic and I'm having a heck of a time getting the iron supplements down her. Can you blame her though? If anyone has any clever suggestions, hit me up, will ya? Her hemoglobin level was 10 (should be between 12-15 I guess) and her ferritin levels were 2.9 - they should be between 150-300. Can you believe that? 2.9? They seem to think it is because she drinks so much chocolate milk. Therefore, I'm having to wean her off it because that is really all she drinks throughout the course of the day. Who would've guessed that milk can "induce" anemia. I swear I learn something new everyday.
On a fun note, I got some tweets (a.k.a. twitter)/facebook/emails from a couple of you this week alerting me that JoAnn's had some new beach items in stock. And...drum roll please...it was all 40-50% off. I love a bargain. So...I mosied that way and found some new accessories for the house. Thus, the photos above and below. I was practicing some shots with one of my camera lenses (50mm 1.4 Nikon lens) and incorporating using my speed flash with it. Therefore, I opted to take some still shots of my JoAnn's loot. The above is a basket with just some nautical style balls in it. The shot below is of some glass bottles that I fell in love with. I have a thing for old, vintage, glass bottles. Although these weren't vintage, they matched the colors in our great room perfectly. And for $3.99 - who could pass them up?
It's still raining here in Indy. Yeap, a week straight of rain. Gotta' love it. With that said, aside from the photography course, I've been reading a ton. I jumped up and down with glee as I was checking out at the grocery the other night and found this new release of a LIFE book on Jackie Kennedy. All of you know that she rates right up there with Audrey (Hepburn) for me. I love them both. Such class, such grace, such style. Thought I'd let you guys know this new copy is out there in case any of you are interested in purchasing it for a coffee table book or something. Like I said, I got mine in the check out line at the grocery. I'm sure they are available anywhere. It houses amazing pictures of her and her life.
So again...not a whole heck of a lot going on. Pretty mundane actually. Next week will prove to be much more exciting. I'm sure of it. We have a pretty low key weekend here starting this evening. Brennen has a friend over right now. Kenidi is sound asleep on my lap - recouping from her sicklies this week and I'm enjoying the free time on the computer while I await Brent to get home from the office. The kids have a school flex day on Monday (snow day that was never used) so they get a three day weekend this weekend and we are all super pumped about that. They will be missing the latter end of school next week (Thursday and Friday) so they really only have a 2 day week next week. More on why they are missing school to come. Or should I say pictures to come. Ha ha!
For now, I'm off to finish some editing as well as to tackle getting some AGD orders ready for Karen. I hope all of you have a superb weekend and that sun shines where you are...cuz' gawsh knows it won't be shining here in Indy anytime soon. Wink wink! ;) I think Mother nature has it out for us Hoosiers this year. All that snow - now all this constant rain. BLEEECCKKK! Soak up the rays for me should Mr. Sunshine show his face in your neck of the woods, will ya?
Don't ask me what this post is for - because truthfully - I don't know. I was just so happy to get out for an hour today and take my camera with me that I just started shooting anything and everything that I could possibly get my hands on. It was a sunny and almost 70 degree day here in Indy today. Therefore, I began to notice all of the colors that were popping amongst the sunshine this afternoon. The normal mundane and not so pretty things, were actually pretty for once. Or at least I thought they were anyhow. :) Doesn't take much to impress me now does it? Few red stop signs...
At different angles of course - never head on and straight...
And some pretty lines. I love lines. Love architecture. Amazing how much "leading lines" can do for a photograph. I'm always thoroughly impressed with the simplest of lines. Just the normal everyday - usually way boring - stuff.
Like these typically hideous dandelions that we all detest to see as they begin popping up when Spring hits. I found these in an open field across the street from our house because gosh knows Brent would never allow a dandelion to live and breathe in our yard. Ha ha! They just seemed to scream at me today from across the way. So bright. So vibrant. So cheerful. Even though they are normally known as being "pests" in the spring time, I loved getting down on my belly and snapping these at their level today. Now...my neighbor thought I was nuts as she came by pulling her son in his wagon. But hey...I've never claimed to be normal - let alone sane. ;)
And lastly...you really know that you are itching to photograph something in the Midwest after old man winter has cooped you up indoors so long that you begin snapping shots of none other than...
You guessed it...
A fire hydrant.
I've been eyeing this bad boy out my den window for weeks just dying to get out there in an effort to try & come up with a neat angle or a neat shot for this bright and oh so yellow guy. Today was the day. Again, my neighbor thought I had completely lost my mind. At one point, I even began to question myself as onlookers and passer bys slowed to try and figure out what on earth I was doing with my camera on a fire hydrant. At one point I just began to laugh out loud at myself and shake my head. The whole scene got real comical there for a bit. But hey...at least I had my moment in the sunshine today with Big Papa, right?
On a final note...I just wanted to thank all of you for your blog comments, private emails, and your facebook messages last night and today regarding my post about the book "GIFT FROM THE SEA." So many of you ran out to buy the book today, purchased it on eBay, or had already read it previous to the topic here last night. I'm so very glad you guys are getting your hands on it. Your comments in your emails about friendships and family members really confirmed that I am not alone. I'm thankful for all of you and your transparency. Maybe it is our age - where we are all at in life - who knows. Obviously though, many of us are coming to the realization that it is time to fill our pitchers back up and shed the negative. And on another note, I plan to begin reading the book "Cold Tangerines" tommorow. Should any of you want to read along with me, I'd love to do a book club sort of thing and get your feedback on it when we are all done reading it. Should you have any interest in joining me as I dive into another highly recommended novel, shoot me an email and let me know. OK?
Until then, enjoy your night. We just got in from the park and are ready to enjoy dinner with Daddy. I hope all of you are enjoying your prelude to this stellar weekend we have ahead.
Much love, Angie
PS...No cheap shots at my fire hydrant images either. I know where your minds are going. Sicko's! HAAAAAAAAAAAA!
