12-of-12 Project

I've decided.

2010-08-28T12:49:00.000-04:00

I've decided to combine my two blogs into one.

Since I started blogging, I've had two separate sites... one for my writings on random stuff and one for my 12-of-12 Photo Project (this one). I'm not exactly sure why I set it up that way, but I did.

Recently, I've been wondering why I did it and deliberating as to whether or not I wanted to move to just one site. Today the decision finally came down and I've merged my blogs into a single site.

From now on, my 12-of-12 can be found here:

http://a-sky-full-of-stars.blogspot.com/

Please come visit, see my photos and read my ramblings.

August 2010

2010-08-12T21:09:00.001-04:00

I wasn't sure what kind of shots I'd get today...
... it started out a little rainy, then got sunny.
... it's a work day.
... I didn't have anywhere particularly "fun" to go.

But, it's the 12th, so I needed to gather 12 photos for the 12-of-12. For more info, visit Chad Darnell's page... he's the guy who started this all & who posts the links to other 12-of-12ers.

6am:
Time to sweat with Debbie Siebers.

7am:
Since I'm in the basement (with the camera), I stop at the "Wall" and snap a shot of all the yummy goodness that I've been making since June. What's your favorite jam? Apricot, Cherry, Cherry-Almond, Nectarine, Blueberry, Blueberry-Nectarine, or Strawberry?

8am:
Walking out the front door, camera in hand, and who is visiting my Rose of Sharon? The hummingbird! (see her just to the right of the highest flower?)

9am:
UGH! I hate road work. It happens ALL SUMMER LONG in Buffalo, NY. Maybe it's because we have 8-months of winter!??!
I couldn't help but think of Frankenstein when I saw this cement "face". The rain even gave if the look of hair.

work...

(nothing to see here)

work...

6pm:
Home again & I have a couple new flowers in bloom this month.

Got a little "artsy" with this shot. My dad made me this bird house years ago... but it was never occupied. Now it sits just outside my front door.

7pm:
It was a warm & humid day today. What better way to cool down that with some "light" reading. I'm almost done with David Copperfield by Charles Dickens; page 814.

From where I'm sitting... the world looks like this... ahhhhhhh.

Then, I moved to another chair, to see things from another angle...

(this squirrel had to be almost 100-feet off the ground!)

View from the porch:
The Trumpet Vine has flowered (making my front yard Hummingbird Heaven) and the new grass is growing. It wasn't a spectacular year for my flowering plants... but with all the shade we get, I shouldn't be surprised. Maybe next year, I'll add more hostas to the gardens; they love shade.

Hope you're having a wonderful August. See you next month!

July 2010

2010-07-12T21:21:00.012-04:00

It's Monday... BLAHhhhhh!
So, does that mean boring workday photos?
No No No! NOT THIS MONTH!

I planned my day so that I'd be around Niagara Falls - The Falls - at lunch time, so you are in for a visual treat today! That, AND, I have a new 18-200 lens for the camera (since I broke the original 18-55 last week; dropped it on the stone driveway. Oops). So I was excited to try it out... and what better place than Niagara Falls?

But first, the important stuff. Many thanks to Chad Darnell for starting the 12-of-12 Project! If you want more information or want to participate, visit his website then get out your camera!

Sooooooo... do you wanna see my pix?!?!
Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?
Of COURSE you do!

6:30AM @ Home:
Okay, so I have one boring Monday picture. My first-thing-Monday-morning ritual is my weekly weigh-in. Now, I'm not all hung-up on my weight, but I do use it as a barometer. Over the years I've determined "my range" - if I get beyond that range, I need to kick the workouts up a notch.
This photo also follows one of Chad's original 12-of-12 rules... the 12-of-12er must be in at least one shot each month (can be just an arm/leg/face/etc).

Like my pretty pedicure?!

Now for the really good stuff...

12:00-1:00PM: Niagara Falls State Park, Niagara Falls, NY

As always, if you'd like to see larger versions of the photos posted here, click on them to enlarge them. Also, if you're interested in an aerial "map" of the park, with points-of-interest labeled, visit www.exploringmonkey.com for this amazing shot. (Thanks, Exploring Monkey!)

It was a slightly overcast day, with a chance of rain, so the colors aren't as brilliant as they might have been had it been sunny.

I started at the eastern Pedestrian Bridge and crossed over the American Rapids to Goat Island. The Niagara River breaks into two branches that form the three waterfalls.

Then I followed the foot path to Terrapin Point & the Canadian Falls (also known as "Horseshoe Falls" because of it's shape).

It's amazing how close you can get to the water. Just past the guardrail is the fast-moving Niagara River.

On the right side of this next shot, you can see the Maid of the Mist - a boat that takes you to the base of the Falls.

On the north side of Goat Island, are the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Below is the American Falls.

Looking down to the base of the falls. On the left side are the people visiting the Cave of the Winds, where you can go "behind" the Falls (and get a spiffy yellow poncho, to keep!).

The beautiful Bridal Veil Falls...

But wait...
There's someone out on in the water...

Hey Lady!

NO... don't do it!!

You have SO much to live for!!

WAIIIiiiiiiitttttt!

Tee hee... it's just a duck.

"Living on the edge"

5:30PM @ Home:

I was hoping to have a beautiful lush garden to share with you today, but the dry weather hasn't been kind to my plants. We've had plenty of sun and warmth, but I haven't watered, so the garden is a little sparse. Here are a couple shots from around the yard.

Lovely Day Lilies

My 1st Hollyhock! (almost)

Black-eyed Susan (and friend)

Not sure I'll get to this tonight (posting 12-of-12 photos is taking some time...), but I am working on a new knitting project. It's going to be a baby blanket for an expectant friend. Her shower is next month, so I better get a move-on.

The more important item of note is the bag... my wonderful & talented niece, Emma, drew/colored/painted the picture, then her school had the artwork printed on stuff. Now I have a perfect tote for the yarn, needles, etc. LOVE IT!

And finally -

The View from the Porch

As I mentioned earlier, the heat has really dried everything out. If it rains tonight or tomorrow, like the weather people predict, I'm sure the flowers will really pop! But for now, my lawn is dry and my gardens meager. OH, but there is one change you might notice. Yesterday the hubby and I removed all the old, rotten railroad ties that bordered the walkways and replaced them with large stones. I'm so happy with the way it turned out. Now if the grass would fill in, it would be perfect!

If you're keeping track, yes, there are 13 pictures this month. I couldn't help it. It couldn't decide on which one to bump out, so I left them all in. I actually took 84 pictures today, but some of them didn't turn out or were dups or weren't worthy of posting here with this month's "full" set.

Thanks for visiting! See ya next month!

June 2010

2010-06-12T19:16:00.003-04:00

What an amazing, incredible, exciting day!

A perfect day for the 12-of-12.

Thanks to Chad Darnell for starting this project - 12 photos, on the 12th day, of each of the 12 months. Check on his and the other 12ers' photos at his website, then join in next month!

8am: Off to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Buffalo, NY.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the 5K run/fun walk. As I left my driveway I was hoping and hoping and hoping for no rain. The weather folks said 50% chance starting late morning, 80% chance starting around 1pm. YIKES!

Lots of PINK!

9am: Arrival at Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY

Here I am with my teammates - we are Althea's Army! (that's me on the far left)

My first timing chip (the circular thing on my shoe)! I'm officially official. Yes, my shoes are pink - they are also officially official - Susan G. Komen New Balance Shoes!

9:45am:

At this point, I turned all my stuff over to my friend and first "guest photographer" for the 12-of-12, Phyllis. She offered to snap a bunch of shots along the race route since she was walking and I was running.

Thanks a million, Phyllis! You took some great shots, really capturing the events of the day!

10am: The Race begins!

I'm off and running... hoping to set a personal best (it's gotta be, since it's my first race. Right?) During training, my best 5K was 37 minutes.

Cheerleaders at every mile...

... and almost 8,000 runners, walkers, strollers, dogs, and wheelchairs.

11am: Relaxing and listening to the awards ceremony.

What a gorgeous place to celebrate... the Delaware Park Rose Garden.
My time? 36:10 minutes. I did it, bested my 5K personal record. It was a tough run - hot, humid - but it was a great challenge. I have to thank my friend Melissa's boyfriend, Dave, for the coaching/motivation/jokes along the way. I would have succumbed to walking around the 2.5 mile mark if it wasn't for him.

Noon: Spit for the Cure

WHAT?!?!
Yep, you're reading correctly.
I shared some of my DNA with Roswell Park Cancer Institute before I left today's event. RPCI's research group is collecting samples to investigate the differences between cancer patients, cancer survivors, and non-cancer patients - to see if there's a genetic link to the disease. I have no idea what will happen with my "donation", but at least I know I'm helping with science!

4pm: Home, a berry nice thing!

Strawberries are fresh - just picked today - so it's jam-making time!
First batch is done, I can't wait to have toast tomorrow morning. (Hmmm, do I really need to wait till morning?)

A View from the Porch:

The gardens and the lawn have grown and grown. The leaves have really filled in, too. Check out the Trumpet Vine on the tree, it's gone crazy!! No flowers yet, but soon. In the meantime, I should probably mow the lawn, it needs it.

Happy June! Enjoy the summer!

Oh, if you're interested in the rest of the set that didn't make the "officially official" June 12-of-12, click here.

P.S. Next time I post here, I hope to be able to call myself a TRIATHLETE!
(July 3rd, here I come!)

May 2010

2010-05-12T21:44:00.007-04:00

Well this is just great...
it's a work day and it's raining (again!).
Will I ever get a really nice day for my 12-of-12 this year?!?
You wouldn't think so.
Next month the 12th falls on a Saturday and I'm running in my first 5K - the Susan G. Komen Race for Cure - so it's gotta be a good day. Right???

Either way, thanks as always, to Chad Darnell - creator of the 12-of-12 - who had the brilliant idea to have folks from around the world post 12 shots of their day on the 12th day of each of the 12 months. Visit his site to see more 12-of-12ers... and post your own!

And on with the show...

7am

The kids had the chance to do exactly what I wanted to do... they stayed in bed and slept late. Notice there is no longer any space on the bed for humans and all the pillows are occupied.

On my way into work, I stopped at the bike shop to check on the status of my bike. It's getting a tune up in preparation for the triathlon... a little less than 8 weeks to go.

As I was walking back to my car, I heard a what sounded like a ton of rushing water behind the shop. I was right. The rain really got the creek riled up.

9:30AM

Need gas (not bad at $3.07/gallon). No, the sexy little Camero is not mine... but it was nice to include in my shot. (I tried to be inconspicuous... taking the picture out my back window.)

3:00PM (approximately)
The rest of the morning and into the early afternoon there was nothing interesting to photograph.

Then I passed by "The M.U.L.E" - those of you who played video games in the 80's might recognize this guy. The "8-pixel" Mule you would use when you went to 'hunt the wumpus'.

It's actually part of the Niagara Power & Pump Plant in Lewiston, NY. Not sure of the exact purpose this giant metal box serves, but it's always there... the hubby and I are pretty sure it's a crane of some sort.

Spring in Buffalo has arrived... the ice is gone from the river and the boats are returning to their slips.

5:30PM

Almost home... I couldn't resist stopping by another waterfall. This is an updated shot of the same location photographed in March. Again, no more ice and lots of water flowing thanks to two days of rain.

When I get home, it's time to let the kids out and take a peek at the gardens. Any flowers yet?
Not many... except my Purple Myrtle.

The corner garden is doing well. No blooms yet & it needs mulch, too. I'll try to get to that this month.

7pm

Time to swim! I don't usually swim on Wednesdays, but I found out on Monday that the pool is closing for construction on Friday (they're ripping up the old tiles and putting in new ones, so we'll have a nice new pool this fall). So I got one last workout in before I need to find a new place to swim. UGH!

NEW SHAMPOO!!

I know, who gets excited about shampoo??? I don't usually, but when the hubby and I were on our "honeymoon" last week, the lodge we were staying at had this amazing smelling shampoo for the guests. We had to see if it was available here... and, well, it was! HOORAY!

(NOTE: If you want to see some really nice photos - loads better than today's 12 - click on the 'honeymoon' link above. Good stuff).

After the swim workout, it's time to relax with a book. This is what I'm reading now...

The Elegance of the Hedgehog, the May selection for my Book Club. Not sure about this one... kind of a downer thus far. Maybe it will pick up once I get past the first few chapters (I'm on Chapter 3 now). Anyone want to comment??? Love to hear your thoughts.

A View from the Porch

My final shot for May is my monthly view from the front porch. The lawn got its first mowing of the year on Monday and has been soaking up rain showers since then, so it's looking lush and green.

That's it for another rainy month around Buffalo. Around here, it's 'May showers bring June flowers' - so next month you should see LOTS of color. I know you'll see lots of Pink since the Komen Run is all about the Pink Ribbons.

See you then!

April 2010

2010-04-12T21:29:00.005-04:00

A 12-of-12 on a Monday... ick. Oh well. I did my best to be creative while going along with my day. I brought my camera into some interesting places (and got a couple funny looks), but hey! It's the 12-of-12. I had to!

Be sure to visit Chad Darnell's page and the other 12-of-12ers, too.

8am:

We have some new "neighbors" in the area... BEAVERS! Tho I haven't seen them yet, I have seen their handy-work. I've been told they can take down trees like this in about 5 minutes.

Noon-ish:

LOTS of errands to run today during lunch time. First... a trip to the doctors to get my Tetnus vaccine and PPD test. Not fun, but I hafta get it done (for work).

This was fun... down the road from the doctor's is my favorite 'Animal' store to get food and treats for the kids. Gus, the owners hound dog, wasn't in today, so no puppy fix during my visit.

Errands done & had about 10 minutes before I had to visit my next customer, so I stopped at this nice spot for lunch.

Evening:

The Bug checks out the goodies I bought home for him & Mackie. They approve!

Time for a quick walk before puppy dinner & then off to swimming.

While the kids eat, I have a chance to take a peek at my three new (loaner) books! I can't decide which one to read first... might just dive into all three at once. :P'''

Random photo time!

This weekend the snake (Tsunami - our 9-plus foot Jungle Carpet Python) sloughed her skin (she shed). It's an amazing thing to watch if you haven't seen it before. She did a great job... only one tear in the whole thing. Here she is smiling at you:

Here's a view the whole thing. You will notice, the skin is inside out... it is pealed off like one lonnnnng sock.

When I went outside to take my "View from the Porch" photo, I couldn't help notice my Hostas... peeking out of the ground. I LOVE all the new growth in spring.

Finally... it's off to the pool. I haven't calculated my distance yet, but it was probably close to a mile (I hope so, at least).

The View from the Porch:

What a difference a month makes! This shot has looked virtually identical the last two months (snow and snow)... but not today! We've have temps in the 60s, 70s, and 80s these last few weeks so the snow is gone and the plants are poppin! The crocuses emerged and faded in March - now the lilies, hosta, and all things green are starting to grow. HOORAY!

March 2010

2010-03-12T17:51:00.022-05:00

12 photos
on the 12th day

12 months of the year

Thanks, as always, to Chad Darnell, originator of the 12-of-12 Project.
Not the most exciting or creative photos this month... could it be because I woke up to rain after a BEAUTIFUL, warm, sunny day yesterday? Hmmmm, maybe. TGIF, everyone!

6:30-8:30am: Home

These aren't the sneakers I wore for my workout this morning... but I just HAD to include them in my 12. I bought them last weekend so I could start running/training for my first Triathlon (in July). In addition to their very cool colors, I'm totally psyched that by buying them, a donation is made to the Komen Foundation - to fight breast cancer!

Instead of jumping in the car first thing this morning, my team had an 8am conference call, so I got to stay home for a bit. Let's see - computer, phone, coffee, bagel - I'm ready!

My favorite boy, TaterBug, was hangin' out - giving me the sad eyes when I was on my way out the door after the call. The good news? Only working half a day today!

51-degrees out! HOORAY!
Rainy, tho. BOO!

BTW - that's Spot, the cow, on the right

9:00am - Noon: Buffalo, NY

I was back in Buffalo again this month. These shots are taken in and around downtown.

City Hall

The Federal Court Building

Buffalo Savings Bank Building

(Now M&T Bank, the Electric Tower in the background)

The Electric Tower

1:00pm: On my way home!

A TON of snow has melted these last few days - temps have been in the 40s and 50s - so the creeks are turning into fast-moving rivers. AND, little run-offs are turning into beautiful waterfalls. This one is a hidden treasure on Route 240.

Our little girl got some new shoes, too!
Winter may be almost over, but the kids still need boots for those rough terrains we hike through sometimes. Here's Mackie trying on her new NeoPaws.

A view from the porch -

Can you see the mist? We're making our own fog today - with warm air and cold snow. We still have over a foot of snow on the ground, but it's receding quickly. I expect the majority will be gone by next month, assuming we don't get any major storms between now and then... which one can never count out in March.

This month's shots are kind of a "half-12-of-12" since they were all taken before 3pm. Not much happened since then: I read for a bit, did some chores, and now we're contemplating dinner. If anything photo-worthy happens tonight, I'll be sure to add it... a bonus shot, if you will. If not, I'll see ya next month!

February 2010

2010-02-12T20:50:00.012-05:00

Remember those potpies I got the day of our last 12th? We just had them for dinner. YUM!

It's February 12th, folks! Time to participate in Chad Darnell's 12-of-12 Project. What's the 12-of-12? You really should know by now, but if you don't... it's a fun photo project that has you post 12 photos from your day, on the 12th of the month each month of the year. Chad says this is the last "official" year... we'll see if we can get him to keep it going. :)

So what happened today? Today's theme, as it turns out (not by any conscious decision), was "Buffalo Buildings & Food". Strange, I know... it's how things went today. Take a look:

Breakfast with Jerilyn!

After months and months of trying to set a date, we finally got one. HOORAY! Pano's Restaurant in Buffalo, NY is a must for visitors to our city.

Below is the view from our table (on the 2nd floor of the restaurant). Elmwood Ave is an eclectic street... with businesses and residences all in one.

(Jer, if you're reading this, it was SO good to see you - we MUST dine together again soon. If we start planning now, we might see each other by June.)

Move that bus!

I never thought the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition would come to Buffalo... but they did! Last fall they visited the West Side and built this home for the Powell family.

I told 'im we already got one!

Bet ya didn't know that Buffalo has a castle. Well, technically no. But the Connecticut Street Armory sure does look like one. See for yourself...

Lunch time!

It's midday and I'm getting hungry. I have an apple and some grapes, but that's not enough. But what else to have? Then I drive by this place...

This is the birthplace of (Buffalo) Wings! In 1964, Teressa Bellissimo, owner of the Anchor Bar of Buffalo made these for her son and some friends as a late night snack. The rest, is history!

I didn't have lunch at the Anchor Bar, sadly. I'm trying to "be good" and not eat high fat foods like Chicken Wings. So, instead, I opted for this:

Take-out sushi.

Oh, and this is part of the reason why chicken wings off the list of lunch-time foods. Earlier this week I registered for my first Triathlon. It's not for a while now (July 4th weekend), but I want to get into shape sooner rather than later. This book was a gift from a friend. "Don't take the title the wrong way" she says... "just read it." So I am. And I'm loving it so far. Jayne Williams, the author, makes me feel I can easily accomplish this goal I've set for myself. Easily. With training. Training starts later this month (sort-of already has with my daily workouts).

BINGO!

If I didn't already have other plans for this Saturday night, it's possible I'd be coming here. St John's Grace Episcopal Church is the host location for Buffalo Gay Bingo!

This ain't your grandma's bingo... this 1000-times more colorful, rowdy, and there are WAY more drag queens in the room (or so I assume... ya never know). Plus, after each winner is announced the whole group shouts "B*TCH" at the top of their lungs and points at the winner. (we were all thinking it, after all.)

Around the corner from St. John's are these beauties... there are LOTS more like it in the area, but these two are my favorite from the day.

A view from the porch -

Finally, here's the 2nd in this year's series of Views from the Front Porch. As mentioned in January's 12-of-12, each month I'm going to take a picture of the same "corner" of the yard, while standing on my porch. Not much has changed since January... still have snow (altho not as much as some in the country right now), but the days are getting longer and there's the promise of warmer temps soon.

Well that's all for this month!

Remember to kiss your Valentine on Sunday (and everyday).

{{{Hugs}}}

January 2010

2010-01-12T17:43:00.023-05:00

Looking back on last year's Jan 12-of-12, I guess January is my hibernation month. Interesting how this project has become a "reference archive" of sorts.

Today, unfortunately, was a "sick day"... felt lousy most of yesterday, then totally crashed after work. This morning I woke up with a slight fever so decided to stay home and rest.

BUT, it's a 12-of-12 day... so, around 1pm, when I started feeling a little more human, I started taking some pix. You will see that today's set is FAR from my most creative, but it's the 12th... so I tried my best to catalog the day as best I could.

As always, thanks to Chad Darnell for the excellent idea (12 photos on the 12th day of each month). To see Chad's site and the other cool people who post their photos, click here.

Had to scrap the workout this morning. I've been doing a great job of getting up at 5:30 each morning and doing 30-45 minutes of cardio/weights. But not today. Hopefully tomorrow.

One reason for my need to get in shape (aside from a simple desire to look & feel better) is our upcoming vacation to Sequoia National Park & Kings Canyon. I can't wait! Five days of hiking amongst California's giant trees! WOO HOO!!!

Spent a lot of time in front of the computer today. This is my current wallpaper. I LOVE this picture of the kids. I took it January 2nd while we were playing in the newly fallen snow.
This shot is a pretty typical scene for my two... Mackie tries to hip-check the immovable TaterBug - she thinks she's tough. He thinks she's nuts. (She is.)

This little guy sits on the table next to the monitor. For those that don't know, it's s geode (rocks that have crystal growth inside). I picked this one up a a Gem & Mineral Show back in October. Isn't the crystal structure fascinating??

I ate lunch with the birds (well, sort of). Outside my dining room window I have this and 3 other bird feeders. The Goldfinches love me for it. They're wearing their winter colors now, but in the spring the males turn brilliant yellow... and sing their little hearts out.

Nap time!

Rarely will you find ME in photos... I'm always the one behind the camera (and I like it that way). But since the original rules (per Chad) were to include one's self in at least a few shots, I'd try to oblige this time.

Ya know... it's tough it is to find cool things to take photos of when you're stuck in the house.
I found these two knot projects when I wandered into the kitchen. I don't know exactly what I'd call them... keychains? lanyards? I dunno... but they were fun to make and turned out pretty cool looking. The bottom one, by the way, is made with glow-in-the-dark paracord, so assuming the cord was "charged" you could see it at night. I tried to take a picture of it, but it doesn't photograph well in pitch-black.

I got a special delivery!

Okay, I'm sure for many people, a box of pot-pies is not high on the excitement scale. But for me, these were an AWESOME sight! $3.50 gets you tons of yummy veggies and chunks of turkey in a perfect little pie. We buy them by the case! Yummmmmm, can't wait for dinner.

Finally, I'm borrowing this idea from one of the other 12-of-12ers (I can't remember who it was, so apologies to them). Each month they posted a photo of their home/yard that was taken from the same spot each month. It was so cool to see how the landscape changed over the course of the year. SO, for each month of 2010, I will post a picture like the one below, taken from my front porch.

I'm curious to see how long it takes for the snow to melt!

December 2009

2009-12-12T17:23:00.020-05:00

It's Saturday! And, it's 12-of-12 day! What could be better?
OH, I know - almost 2-straight days of snowfall and then a GORGEOUS sunny, snow-sparkling day to snap some photos.

But before I get to the snaps, first I need to thank Chad Darnell for his brilliant idea of making a photo diary of the 12th day of each month using 12 photos. Thanks, Chad!

So, as I mentioned, it's been snowing and snowing and snowing here. It started Thursday. I went downstairs to work-out at 6:15am and by the time I got back upstairs, everything was covered with a thin coating of snow... and it was really coming down. I live in "ski country" so I'm no stranger to snow. In fact, this is one of the latest "first snows" we've had in a long time. (We've had snow mid-October in years past). Thursday was the first REAL snow we've had this season.

This storm was a "lake effect storm" - the Great Lakes produce bands of snow clouds that are almost identical in shape to the lake itself. (If I had thought about it, I would have grabbed a picture from the weather.com... oh well.) Lake effect storms tend to stay in one place, maybe "wobble" north and south a few miles, then dissipate. This week's storm threatened to stay till today, but in actuality, fizzled last night. All total, the weather people say we got 22.2" of snow in 48 hrs.

So let's get to the photos already!

6:30am - Time to sweat. I have been faithful to the "promise" to myself back in October... weights/cardio, 3-5 days a week. Today was day 5!

Workout complete. Chores complete. Time to play!

11:30am - 1:30pm - Wandering around Sprague Brook Park in Concord, NY

The slopes aren't open yet... next week, they say.

Burrrrrrrr

The pond is frozen, but the cattails won't give up!

Giant marshmallows? Sadly, no. Snow covered rocks.

Not that you can tell from these photos, but the snow was really deep... 2-feet in spots... and since we are the first adventurous (crazy) souls to come out here on foot (no skis/ snowshoes/ snowmobiles) it was a tough walk. I burned a TON more calories during the hour we were out here.

4:00pm - The kids really enjoyed their walk, too. Here's what they look like now.

TaterBug & Mackie

They are so snuggly now that the weather has turned cold. And with our walk today, they'll just want to sleep for the rest of the night; PERFECT, since I have a "Sock Exchange Party" to go to at friends' house. They won't miss me one bit!

The sox I have to exchange tonight fit in quite nicely with my 12-of-12 this month... here, take a look and let me know if you agree.

Happy Holidays!

See you in 2010!

November 2009

2009-11-12T20:56:00.014-05:00

I had some great ideas about what I wanted to do for today's 12-of-12.... a picture every hour from 6am till 6pm (selecting one from each hour for the 12 shots of the day) and I REALLY wanted to get a picture of a cow (since I was going to be doing a lot of country driving today).

I failed on each count.
BUT... I did get some really cool other shots.

8AM-ish:
On my way to Corning, NY. It's cold this morning... hovering around freezing.

Noon-ish:

In Corning, NY... the home of Corning Glass & the Corning Museum of Glass.

Glass was an integral part of every building.

Here's one of Corning Glass' HQ. Slightly hidden by this pretty tree, but you can still see all the glass that surrounds it.

If you'd like to see more shots of the Corning Glass campus, click here to see the pics that didn't make it in the final 12-of -12 cut.

6PM-ish:

Back home... no more leaves on the trees and it's getting dark, fast.

My new obsession... knot tying.

Finished this one tonight...

before

& after

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Created by Chad Darnell, the 12-of-12 is a photo project where participants post 12 photos from their day on the 12th day of each month. Go check out his site for other great photos! See ya next month.

October 2009

2009-10-12T19:27:00.011-04:00

Is it the 12th already??? Wow, time is flying. Here's my set for the October 12-of-12. Created by Chad Darnell, the 12-of-12 is a photo project where participants post 12 photos from their day on the 12th day of each month. Enjoy!

It's Columbus Day here in The States, so a number of people have a holiday/vacation day today; I didn't. BUT, I took the day off to recover from our 4-day trip to Fairhaven/New Bedford, Mass. It was a wonderful relaxing, slow-moving day.

10:00AM: We started the day off right with a breakfast of Massa (Portuguese Sweet Bread) French Toast - the bread came from an amazing little bakery down the street from our friends' home in New Bedford, MA.

Heavenly!!

I enjoyed the warmth from the fireplace and spent some time correcting a major boo-boo in my knitting project afterward.

3:00PM: We need a walk & pumpkins!

This week, we start up our exercise routine again. The weekend was full of food, food, food, so it's time to get back on the wagon and back into shape. The Forestry is just the place to start...

Mackie asks Daddy for a cookie.

Please, Daddy?

4:00PM: On the way out, I notice a few things that I've never paid much attention to during our walks here (which are at least once a week).

A soft-leaf plant; today holding a fallen Maple leaf.

How impressive the ends of the logs look today... so much activity on what should be such an inert piece.

C'mon, TaterBug! Time to go.

Today was also PUMPKIN day. We stopped at a local farm to grab a pumpkin and some gourds for the start of our fall decorating.

6:00PM: We'll get another pumpkin on Saturday, and carve it up for Halloween. But for today, we tried out something new... making Spiders out of gourds! We found this cool little kit while shopping at The Sea Witch Gifts in Fairhaven, MA.

Here's the before:

... and the after!

7:30PM: As I type, the pups and I are relaxing by a lovely fire (again). There's been talk of a marshmallow or two in a bit. Gotta finish posting, first. I'd hate to get marshmallow goo all over the keyboard. So, to sign off, I'll share our fire with you. Can't you just feel the happy warmth radiating through the monitor? :)

Cheers! See you next month!

September 2009

2009-09-12T19:34:00.000-04:00

Today is the 12th of September, so it's time for the 12-of-12! Created by Chad Darnell, the 12-of-12 is a photo project where participants post 12 photos from their day on the 12th day of each month.
Since today is a Saturday (with lots of free time for most people) the folks at Podcacher have suggested we make it a Geocaching 12-of-12 and post pictures taken during our caching adventures today. I'm not a "power cacher", but I go out geocaching almost every weekend with my family.

10am - Shopping!
Today was not much different from a typical Saturday... but to start, we all met at the East Aurora Farmers Market.

You can find the most amazing fruits, veggies, and flowers at this market, not to mention the honey, breads, and other fresh hand-made stuffs.

Noon-ish - GEOCACHING!!
Once we stocked up on market goodies, we made our way to Marilla Town Park a few miles away to hunt a couple geocaches. What a beautiful little park! Very well kept and two geocaches to hunt.

Geo-kids - ready to go!

The two-legged Geo-kid made quick work of the first hunt. Not many trade items fit in this cache, so we signed the log, then headed off to the second cache in the park.

I hoped to be able to place the "Viney Crush" travel bug into our 2nd cache of the day since the cache page said the container was a large Tupperware box.

The question was... could we find it?

We DID!

We finished our walk back to our starting point, but before we left this great little park of the day, we took a group photo of our caching crew. Here we are celebrating two successful finds - HOORAY!

Geocaching can really work-up an appetite, so we headed back to Mom & Dad's to have lunch together, then went our separate ways. I still have to log my finds on geocaching.com... but not before the final photos from my September 12-of-12.

5pm - Cherry Jam!!!
Earlier this week I got 10-pounds of sour cherries from a local organic grower. I made one batch of jam, but had enough cherries for two (plus some extra for a pie). So, before they went bad, I made batch #2 tonight.

Before

During
After

It's 8:30pm now and I'm ready to relax after a wonderful, yet busy day. I took a WHOLE lot more than just 12 shots today... choosing which to post was a tough decision. If you're interested in seeing more of the set, visit this link.

Farewell to summer, and hello fall. See ya next month when I'm sure there will be some new colors in the mix!

August 2009

2009-08-12T20:49:00.001-04:00

It's that time again... time for the August 2009 12-of-12. Created by Chad Darnell, the 12-of-12 is a photo project where participants post 12 photos from their day on the 12th day of each month.

I was a little worried that I wouldn't find anything fun to shoot today since today was a work-day. SO... I got a little creative in my routing and took a few minor detours to get some shots from the more interesting parts of the Finger Lakes (in Central New York). I'm posting the pix within the blog this time, so there's no separate link to get to them (and I can add more stuff about each shot).

BTW, I ended up with 54 pictures from today. I didn't realize I took that many. Paring it down to 12 was tough.

I started the day in Geneva, NY. This town sits at the "top" of Seneca Lake and is considered to be in the heart of the Finger Lakes region.
- A friend of mine who grew up in Geneva describes it as the "middle finger" because if you look at the hand print-like layout of the lakes, Seneca is exactly where your middle finger would be.

NOON:
At lunch, I visited two parks that provide views and access to the Lake. It was a bit overcast, so the pictures aren't as dramatic as I would usually hope to achieve.

The weather was warm, hovering around 80-degrees, and humid. (The weather has been rather volatile this summer - a number of intense thunder storms and rain on almost a daily basis).

A woman at the park was sharing her lunch with the seagulls - I interrupted their meal on my way back to the car and couldn't help snap this shot with everything lining up so perfectly. Catching one in flight made it even better.

Before my lunchtime was over, I made a quick stop at the Geneva Farm Market & Fruit Outlet. I could have spent A LOT more time here, but limited myself to the essentials... apricots and plums (oh, and apples and honey). I will be making jam in this week out of these little sweeties. Apricot is, hands down, my favorite jam with red plum coming in close behind... great fruit flavor, tart but sweet. YUMMMMMM!

2:30-ish:

On to Canandaigua! This town is just "down the road" from Geneva on Rts 5&20 and sits at the top of Canandaigua Lake. The picture above was taken during a short break I had before heading on to the next town. You wouldn't know it from the photo, but we didn't have a whole lot of blue sky today.

To get to my next stop, in Honeoye (giving you lots of practice with Native American Names today, aren't I?) I traveled up Main Street in historic Canandaigua. These are just two of the amazing, well manicured homes I passed along the way.

I wasn't expecting to stop in Bristol... but I just HAD to when I saw this view. Pretty amazing having such expansive farming areas just outside of this quaint little town.

4PM:
I thought I was going to get rained on in Honeoye, NY. The clouds were thick and the sky was much darker than it was just a few miles ago.

This is a shot of, what else? Honeoye Lake.

I drove half-way down the road that follows the lake to find a place that wasn't marked "Private Property - No Trespassing" where I could get a picture of this lake. I was almost ready to give up when I saw the "Sandy Bottom Park & Nature Trail." This is where I was able to catch this view of the northeast corner of the Lake.

My last stop of the day was in Lakeville/Livonia, NY. Here, there is a great little park called Vitale Park (named for the donors who made the park possible), you can picnic, swim, park your boat and just enjoy being near the water. I took a number of pictures here, but whittled them down to two to stay within the 12-of-12 guidelines.

These two gulls were just begging to have their picture taken.

Looming above Lakeville were some pretty puffy clouds. Not sure if they'll bring rain today or just make some amazing designs in the sky.

If it wasn't getting late (almost 5pm), I would have stayed to make cloud animals out of what I saw.

What does this cloud look like to you?

Almost 6pm:

So, finally, I'm in the "home stretch"... within an hour from home and passing by one of my favorite places... an area where I am always amazed - The Weathersfield Wind Farms!

The pictures don't do these incredible machines any justice. They are IMMENSE - 265 feet tall with three 120-foot blades. Each of the 1.5 megawatt turbines can generate about 4.3 million kilowatt-hours a year — enough clean energy for about 500 homes.

I can't help but get all Sci-Fi when I drive through this area. It's simultaneously a little 'War of the Worlds' creepy and walking on the moon amazing.

So, that's my day... a lot more FUN than I expected it would be. Glad I challenged myself to make a 12-of-12 set on this Wednesday work-day.

See ya next month!

2009-08-11T18:33:00.000-04:00

Oohhhh... tomorrow! Challenging myself to finding some good shots on a work-day. Maybe an attempt at black-n-white??? Depends on the weather, I think.

July 2009

2009-07-12T20:08:00.000-04:00

This month's 12-of-12 is an expansion of the theme from June... mainly, all the nature that surrounds me. I played around with the macro setting on my camera this time, so I got some pretty close-up shots (well, close-up for an 18-55 mm lens).

Photos were taken at my home and at my parents' place - about 30 minutes north of me. I started shooting around 11am and quit just before 5pm.

In the last shot, take a close look into my pup's eye. Funny - I'm the photographer... it's not very often when I'm the subject!

CLICK HERE FOR THE JULY 2009 12-of-12

June 2009

2009-06-12T19:41:00.000-04:00

I did it! It's been a few months since I've had an entry into the 12-of-12. Today I was inspired by the color green and the fact that Spring (with hints of summer) has sprung and it's BEAUTIFUL around my home.

Link to 12-of-12 Photo Set

Blog update:
Ha ha ha ... I just read my blog entry from May - I noticed that I made a comment about the green-ness of everything - hoping for inspiration in June. Well, I guess it worked.

Ya gotta love Mother Nature... a wonderful source for getting the creative juices flowing.

May 2009

2009-05-13T20:17:00.000-04:00

So, one would think... if someone got a cool new camera, she'd be ready for the 12-of-12 this month.

Ready. Yes.
Motivated. No.

What's my problem?
I think it's a bunch of things, all piled up that is putting me in this funk. And it's stupid sh*t. I am healthy (very healthy for that matter), I have a decent job with great benefits, my marriage is solid and fun, what more can someone ask for?

I know - this is getting WAY beyond photos.

Gimme another month. Maybe my attitude will turn around in June. The weather has been fantastic these last few days - and I've had LOTS of gardening time. Maybe next month I'll have some "green" inspiration for my 12-of-12 set.

March 2009

2009-03-13T08:26:00.000-04:00

Well... I had the best of intentions today. Took the camera in the car with me as I left for work and even had a theme in mind for my photo set, but sadly, inspiration and opportunity eluded me today.

Maybe next month?

February 2009

2009-02-12T19:38:00.001-05:00

Thanks, as always, to Chad Darnell for creating this fun event called the 12-of-12 - the rules are simple, 12 photos to document the 12th day of each month. For those who want to know more about Chad & his Project (or to see other participants in the 12-of-12), visit his site here.

This month is dedicated to my "kids" seeing as how winter has returned with a vengeance today after a balmy 50-degree day yesterday (yes, temps above freezing are VERY odd for February in Western NY). There's been a nasty mix of snow and rain and wind all day that has made it less than conducive to play outside. Maybe next month I'll have some shots that exhibit more creativity.

Click here to view the February 2009 12-of-12

Here's an intro to the crew:

Mackie is a brindle Mastiff-mix who had a rough start to life... she and her siblings were abandoned at a local shelter one night and found the next day by the shelter staff. Sadly, her sister didn't make it and died of Parvo a few weeks after being found. She came to us at around 21 weeks (her birthday is not known) and had some "issues" at first - like the fact that she was terrified of men. She's almost 5 years old and a total spit-fire. She's super smart and loves to instigate trouble around the house with her "little" brother.

TaterBug is a purebred Bullmastiff who comes from AKC champion bloodlines. He's the little prince who has been totally spoiled since conception. He's a lover, not a fighter and just wants to be held 24-7 (or longer, if possible). We've trained him to give people a "small smooch" since his tongue is 3" wide and can take off many layers of skin if given the chance.

Tsunami is a gorgeous captive-bred Jungle Carpet Python. She's also a total b*tch. When we got her we were warned that she would be different from our Boa in that she would not be as receptive to being handled as he was (arboreal pythons like here live in trees and thus are more skittish than ground-dwelling boa constrictors). So, she has become more of a visual pet (like fish in a take - ya can't pet 'em) than one who likes to hang out and watch TV with you.

And finally the fish - these little guys live in a 5 gallon tank in the kitchen. They used to be in my office when I had a desk job, but now they keep me company when I cook (well... them AND Mackie & TaterBug who anxiously await a morsel that falls to the floor). BTW, check out the 2nd fish photo and look at the little Neon Tetra in the middle of the frame - Do you think he knew I was taking his photo?? What a pose!

Hope you enjoyed this month's 12-of-12. Think SPRING!

January 2009

2009-01-12T19:59:00.000-05:00

I was starting to get nervous that I wouldn't be able to get 12 shots today. Today was a Monday, a work day, which meant my creativity level was pretty low, and unfortunately, I didn't see much during the day that inspired me.

That was until I listened to The PodCacher Podcast (show #199.9). On the show, they talk about a website called "The Human Clock" - here, for each MINUTE of the day, there is a posting of a photo of the time, submitted by fans of the site. (Here's a link to the site - it's pretty cool, you should check it out.) Sonny mentioned something about having a photo for each SECOND of the day... kinda crazy, Sonny, but it got me thinking.

This concept of a photo for each minute of the day gave me my idea for my 12-of-12. Since I had only taken 2-3 shots during my work-day today, I decided to scrap those and try to get 12 "good" ones (at least) in 12 minutes. So, at 7:32 I started the timer and off I went around the house to see if I could complete the....

12 of 12 in 12

It's not my most creative set - by far - but it give you all a small snapshot of what goes on after work on a "typical" Monday evening.

Hope you like it!
- Jill (aka TotalNRG)

December 2008

2008-12-13T10:35:00.000-05:00

No 12-of-12 this month.... Sorry.

The fun day I wanted to have never happened. Why?
Two reasons:

Well, earlier this month I was "displaced" from my job. After a few days of interviewing for another position within my company, I got a NEW one! BUT... this meant training, training, training. I've been reading and taking assessments all day since Wednesday.

But that wasn't the main reason why the camera stayed in it's case.
My neighbors' dog went missing yesterday. I fond out around 11am and went cruising around the neighborhood trying to find her for a couple hours. I felt terrible for the family. Today is the 13th and she still hasn't returned home. Poor kid.

Sorry for the lack of photos this month. I hope January is better, all around.

November 2008

2008-11-13T19:59:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned in my other Blog that I travel for work. I drive A LOT! Everyday, I put somewhere between 100-300 miles on my vehicle.

Today (November 12th) was a work day, so my pictures are taken from where I spend much of my day. I've been calling this set "the view from the driver's seat".

Follow this link.

Enjoy!
- Jill

October 2008

2008-10-20T19:53:00.000-04:00

Sunday, October 12th - Day THREE of our long weekend... we spent every day "leaf peeping" as the locals say. Leaf Peepers are (usually) the city folks who head out to the country to see the amazing colors of the leaves.

The pictures were taken in Cherry Creek, NY, USA (a tiny town about 60 miles south of Buffalo, NY). We left the house at Noon and got home around 6pm... my shots are from somewhere in that time-range.

Click on this LINK to see the full 12-of-12 set.

Enjoy!
- Jill

New fun stuff: 12-of-12

2008-10-20T19:21:00.000-04:00

Today is October 20th. Earlier this month I participated in the 12-of-12 for the first time.

What is the 12-of-12 you ask? I don't know the whole story (will post when I do), but from my POV, I learned about it from PodCacher. They, from what I understand, "borrowed" the concept from a blogger named Chad Darnell. He's the originator of the 12-of-12.

Soooo... what IS the 12-of 12, Jill?!

Twelve photos
taken on the 12th day
of each month.

Neat concept, eh?

I love photography, so I hope to participate each month. I think my major hang-up will be that I want creative photos for each month.... and some of my 12ths are pretty boring.
I guess we'll see.

Enjoy!
- Jill