October Photo Hunt!

It has been a  wonderful challenge in my photography skills to take part in the Scavenger Hunts online and reach to take the photos needed for each challenge. I had a tough month getting out there due to the end of my cancer treatment, but got some great photos to enter and am so happy to share my favorites all at once with all of you. Hope you like my photos - please leave a comment if you stop by!

1. In Disguise

Crisp

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2. Fall Colors

A Jack O’lantern

A Shot from the Ground

We had the pleasure of visiting our friends Ed & Kaz in Florence, MA.... as we were chatting I was drawn to the church reaching up high to the sky.  The whiteness against the blue sky was amazing and I got this amazing shot that fits perfectly for this category. 

a Landscape

There is nothing more beautiful than the fall colors in the landscape of your own backyard.

a Fall Tradition

Pumpkins, Apples all mixed together to create a Pumpkin Applesauce Bread - a masterpiece in the kitchen - when creating this bread you can smell the aromas of fall -- cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg & ginger.  :)

1. Books
2. This book was a gift from a dear friend Jean Zahn from Virginia Beach, Virginia.   I have had the honor to  have meet her in her volunteer role working with the American Cancer Society.  Her husband Terry Zahn was the producer and narrator for the first ever Relay For Life video that is now in more than 5000 communities nationwide.  He is known as the "Voice of Relay".  Her love and support of me as a long distance Facebook / Farmville friend has been amazing through my diagnosis and treatment.  The book "What to Eat during Cancer Treatment" is a best seller in the ACS bookstore and really has been an amazing resource for me when completely frustrated not knowing what to eat during different stages of symptoms and more.  Here is the collection of all the goodies and inspirational card she sent to me and it truly brightened my heart as well as my day!  :)  

1. Faces formed in Nature 
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4. Tilt-Shift Photography
5. My attempt at Tilt-Shift photography -  sharing my experience making  Popcorn Balls for our annual 
6. Pack 57 Cub Scout Halloween Party  

 

1. Bokeh
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4. Black & White with Selective Coloring
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7. Dining

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2. Child/Children
3. One of Schuyler's best friends all dressed up in costume for the birthday party.  
4. Looking dapper in his outfit for sure!

1. Best Photo taken October 23^rd
2. ^{My friend's the Godbout Family adopted this beautiful PYR as a rescue because the owner is too ill to take care of him.  His name is Tyler.}

Something from the Kitchen

Chocolate is always in our kitchen.... chocolate chips and dark chocolate treats & of course Schuyler's favorite - M&M's.  Here is a colorful shot of some peanut M&M's in a Simon Pearce Champagne glass.  It works beautifully for this category.  :)

1. Something Vintage
2. This is the Clapp Memorial Library in Belchertown, MA - a beautiful vintage building inside and out that we, as a community are fundraising to support its restoration.  The dollars raised at the Monster Mash 5K went to support The Clapp Memorial Library.

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2. Something Creepy
3. This child's costume won the MOST creepy costume at Schuyler's Ninth Birthday Party 
4. Don't you agree?! :)

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2. Something Golden
3. "Toryfield's Master Oakley" 
4. My running partner - 10 year old beautiful Lab - Golden in color, golden in his heart.

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2. A Self-Portrait
3. Me - this is 3/4 way through my cancer treatment earlier in the month of October.  I like the darkness in the forefront and the Christmas Photo collage in the background.  The frame of the mirror frames the mood.  I hope you like it too.

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2. Link here for more great photos and to participate in the Photo Hunt Challenges.
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Scavenger Hunt Sunday - October 31, 2010

Yippee! 

Scavenger Hunt Sunday is here again!

 I have such a fun selection of photos this week because of Halloween it has brought a smile to my face trying to chose which ones to share for each category.  

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do!  

Please leave a comment if you stop by!  

I love to hear from all of you!

My Town

I love our town and through all of our involvement in school activities, Schuyler's sports and Cub Scouts, it has been fun to get out on the Common and enjoy the latest events.  This weekend was the "Monster Mash" Dash & 5K.  I took some great shots at the Dash and here are my favorites!  I placed 4th and ran a 23 minute 5K.  I wasn't feeling that great and realize now it was that trip and body slam to the ground that may have bruised some ribs.  :(  But - these photos are so fun it is almost "healing" to share with all of you!  The first one is the friendly energetic librarian / race director! :)(  The second is all the little girls getting ready for their dash!

Something Vintage

This is another from "My Town" series, but the Clapp Memorial Library is raising money to continue its renovations and restore this historical / vintage building.  The funds raised at the Monster Mash were directed toward this Library funding.  

Tilt-Shift Photography

Love this photo of the popcorn balls that I made for the Lupa Zoo Halloween Party.  I didn't quite get the Tilt-Shift idea, but think this might qualify.  They were quite yummy too & I posted the recipe below.  :)

Dress Up 

Schuyler and friends at the Lupa Zoo Halloween Party.  This is the third year we have gone to this wonderful event.  The Lupa Family is always so generous to open up the Zoo after hours and the kids all get a chance to get up on stage and perform a skit or tell some jokes.  These are my favorites from last night! 

Chocolate

 I was going to "cheat" and use the same popcorn ball photo with the Hershey bar, but I decided to play around with some M&M's in a champagne glass and this is what I came up with for chocolate.  Very colorful! :)

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots). 
4. Link up here on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.
5. Have fun!

Popcorn Balls!

• This recipe was a HUGE hit at the Lupa Zoo Halloween Party last night!  It was a memory of my childhood when we used to get popcorn balls when trick or treating in the neighborhood.  Seems like no one makes this classic anymore, so I thought it would be fun to try out this recipe.   Enjoy!
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• 3/4 cup light or dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup marshmallows
• 5 quarts plain popped popcorn or 3 microwaveable bags (light or plain style)

Directions

1. After popping, I placed the popcorn in my biggest Tupperware bowl I could find. I shook the popcorn to REMOVE the kernels (very important). 
2. Then, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
3. Grease hands with vegetable shortening (or spray them with PAM) and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools.Place on a tray and serve at room temperature or wrap in plastic wrap.
4. Variations include adding carmel or peanut butter.  

Happy Halloween!

Skis for sale! Winter is coming!

Yay!  Winter is around the corner and we are cleaning out our ski closet to make room for new skis.
Offering a few pairs on craigslist and I wanted to put together a blog post to get these out on facebook and have the detail in case I need to refer back.  Please comment and let me know if you are interested in any of these skis.  We would prefer not to ship, but can deliver them up to Mount Snow once we start the season after Thanksgiving.

Only interested buyers please inquire
In person sales only

• Rossignol Classic CS70 Skis w/axial2 Ti 1 - $600 

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  2 pairs available at the $600 price (each)
  Brand new - only skied twice.

MSRP = $1250

Description:
No-holds-barred, WC sandwich construction with Oversize technology to produce the ultimate aggressive all-mountain, short-turn fall-line ripper. Technical skiers, seeking a powerful and high-performance classic construction ski with a modern, all-mountain sidecut will crave the perfect blend of power and agility of the CS70. LENGTHS RADIUS SIDECUT 155 10.7m 124/70/114 165 12.3m 124/70/113 175 13.9 124/70/112 Classic CS 70 Features • Sandwich Y58 World cup laminate: Race-proven construction of wood core, fiberglass, and metal laminate lay-ups with vertical sidewalls provide optimum racing flex patterns. Traditional sidewalls create direct edging pressure. The Snub Nose round tip profile extends the ski's sidecut beyond the snow contact point for turn initiation. Put the ski on edge, bend it, and the sidecut increases, creating super-strong turn initiation. The square tail shape loads the tail for a powerful turn exit. Increased waist widths provide improved stability at speed. • TPI2 binding system: An easy, tool-free integrated ski/binding interface system. A control beam combined with Twin VAS (Visco material that absorbs vibrations and facilitates rebound) is integrated into the ski's construction. The TPI2 bindings simply slide onto the control beam for tool-free adjustment. • DIN 4-14 • Wood Core: Wood cores provide ultimate feel, power and durability. Rossignol now uses more wood cores throughout the product lines to produce the best responsive feel with maximized stability.

Hart Javelin Skis - $300 

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Brand new - Hart Javelin SL skis for sale at $300

MSRP = $675

With its quick turning characteristics and aggressive kick, it's the preferred SL ski for gate chasers or those who just like their turns tight and numerous. Upper metal edges for durability and control. A truly delightful ski for skiing all mountain when not competing.

Length: 166 cm Sidecut: 112-65-97 Radius: 12.5
This pair of skis has no bindings included.

Dynastar Exclusive Fluid Women's 163 cm with binding - $175  SOLD!

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Dynastar Exclusive Fluid Skis + Nova Exclusive Fluid Bindings - Women's ski. Feel the flow of the Dynastar Exclusive Fluid Skis while carving GS turns down intermediate & expert-level groomed runs and making your way through the moguls. 2007 model - skied a limited number of times and are in like new condition. Looking for a happy home! :) price: $175. In person sales only.  MSRP = $575

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - October 24, 2010

It's Scavenger Hunt Sunday and I am so excited to be participating again!  I haven't been feeling that great with the end of my treatment upon me (a 6 month regime you can read more about on my "The Toughest Marathon of My Life" blog - if you haven't been there lately I just posted a great story of the marathon).  I have used photography as one of my things to focus on for healing and it really has benefited me greatly.  SO this week - I am back - after running the Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10 - I can finally feel like life is back to normal.  At least for now.  :)  

Here are my interpretations for this week.  Please leave a comment below if you have stopped by!  Thanks!

The 5 Senses
My interpretive choice for this category is our dog Oakley.   His sight is amazing as he "sees" those deer from a mile away before he goes running in the woods!  Oakley hears the UPS man from miles away - ok only kidding - but he barks when the delivery guys come up the driveway - it is his job!  Taste?  Oakley loves FOOD so obviously has a keen sense of taste! :)  Touch - although Oakley doesn't have hands to touch, we love him so much we pet him and hug him so much, he depends on our touch.  Smell - let's go back to the food again..... plus the fact that dogs when they are "checking you out" and meeting another dog for the first time discover eachother by smell.   SO with all that here are my latest favorites of my #1 pet model = 

"Toryfield's Master Oakley"   i have been searching for photo contests for this first photo as it is one of the best photos I have taken of him and really would love to see it published.  Let me know if you have any ideas.

Child/Children (October 2010 item)
This was tough with all the great children photos I have in my recent photography - so I am sharing more than one here.  Enjoy!  Schuyler's ninth birthday was a costume party and it was so great to get these kids in action on the zip line and in costume!  Here is a LINK to Schuyler's party if you want to see more - there were some AMAZING photos even though the time was short before the nightfall.

Chris - Dressed in a 1950's suit - he just looked amazing and I captured his look, with a great smile.  He is one of Schuyler's best friends, soccer team mates and we really think he is such a great kid! 

Conner - He is so full of personality and energy - - this photo really shows his spirit!

Oliver - Such a photogenic child.  My best friend Sue Ann made the trip from Connecticut and it is always such a joy to photograph Oliver.  This one was my favorite of the night.  His green jacket and the green grass background  really is his color!  

Dining(October 2010 item)
Celebrating our 3rd wedding anniversary!  :) We had such an amazing time.  We have worn our "wedding clothes 4 times now - on the honeymoon, our 2nd anniversary and then last night on our third anniversary!  I am more in love now than ever and have married the most amazing man!  :)  Here is a shot of the martini list!  The below is a bonus photo (getting ready for dining) where I used my timer and had to go back and forth in those darn heels to get the perfect shot!  : )

Night
Schuyler's ninth birthday celebration -- the rock was the hit of the party with our zip line starting from the top!  I love the night sky in this end of day party photo!  I will try not to have a party at this time period again because I really have a hard time with the lighting of photos when the sun is going down.  :(  SO these are the last photos of the night!

Sky

Foliage is at its peak with the colors just "bursting"!  I love the reflection in this pond photo with the red leaves framing the edge.  :) The below photo is on my running loop and I am constantly trying to figure out how to properly frame the beauty.  The refection photos are my favorite because you get double the color!

Here is a link to all my foliage photos if you would like to see more!

 

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots). 
4. Link up here on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above. 
5. Have fun!

Pumpkin Applesauce Bread

Fall is here and the foliage is in full bloom.  In New England we look around at the beautiful "bursting" colors of red, yellow, greens and orange and feel the cool brisk air.  It is a season where the leaves fall to the ground and the trees stand strong.  Pumpkins, corn husks, squash, and mums of all colors don the doorsteps as the Halloween decorations come out and the days get shorter.  I love this time of year!  We have started to move the wood from the pile to the house and need to get out there and chop some more before the snow starts to fly.  Apples season is almost complete and hot apple cider is my latest favorite along with my favorite Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte.  That is.... a   "Nonfat, Grande, Triple Shot, 1 pump Pumpkin spice with extra whip cream AND sprinkles"

That was me not trying to be complicated.  :)

We love our Vitamix and have used it mainly for smoothies for recovery and building muscle with whey & soy protein combinations with strawberries, OJ, bananas, Physique & Performance (Shaklee magic)  But when in apple season the blended apple with Penzey's Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon warm in the microwave is my all time favorite comfort food. 

Recently I have been breaking out some pumpkin bread recipes and served a carrot pumpkin for Schuyler's party... but today with the applesauce flowing I found a few variations on a Pumpkin Applesauce bread and made my own variation.  Being the only one to test so far -- I will say it is incredibly YUMMY!  Try it yourself - I am posting the recipe below! 

Thanks for stopping by!   Please leave me a comment!  I love comments!

I got some great photos today of the foliage and am sharing those along with this post - but have begun to love the foodie shots.....  let me know which angle and photo is your favorite that i have here and also if you think there is something you do with food photography that I should try.   I love our teak table dressed with a harvest runner, wooden candle holders, Simon Pearce dishes and the pewter bowl with the apples.  

Nancy's Pumpkin Applesauce Bread

Preheat oven to 350 F

Grease 3 loaf pans

Mix together in Kitchen Aid Mixer - in this order (wet first - dry second): 

1 cup Egg Beaters (or 4 eggs)

1 cup freshly made pureed pumpkin

1 cup freshly made applesauce 

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 apple juice or water

3 1/2 cups flour 
2 cups white sugar

1 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp Penzey's Vietnamese Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Cloves

Optional:  1 cup walnuts and/or 1 cup raisins
PS: You can use canned pumpkin and applesauce in a pinch! :)


Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg & sugar on the top before baking

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes - test with a knife to be sure it is done. 

Cool in loaf pans for 10 minutes

Enjoy!

Happy Fall!

This above last photo is my submission for Macro Monday.  Enjoy!  

More Massachusetts Foliage Photos from Nancy E Photography - enjoy!

Click on the photo to link into the gallery.