SOCC Saturday: "Bear"

"Bear"
"Bear" is my the Godbout Family pet that they adopted from a private rescue.   I will get more of Bear's story later, but he is a great friend of Oakley's that he got to play with this winter when we were coaching skiing on the weekends.  "Bear" is surrounded with love from the wonderful Godbout family and it such a beautiful puppy.  :)

Lynne brought Bear to the house to have me take some photos to send to the

 Northeast PYR rescue. 

PYR rescue for their calendar fundraiser that has raised money to support the efforts of this great organization.   Please let me know which of the 4 (3 more below) I have posted here you like best!

Look of love

These photography mems are my new favorite to participate.  It really is motivating me in my photography and I really enjoy all the work of the others participating.  

This is the first time participating in SOCC Saturday & Sunday - SOCC stands for Straight Out Of the Camera.  Which is great for me because the editing is not something I have quite figured out ---- all my photos are unedited.   Link below for more great photos! :)

The Rock

True Companion

Majestic

Please comment below - which one do you like best?  Bear was not an easy pup to photograph as he was on a leash with Daniel (11) -- he loves to RUN!  But these shots you can't see the leash or Daniel - so I think they turned out great!  Lynne was happy! 

Macro Friday - "Lakota"

"Lakota"

Here is Lakota (named after a Native American Tribe)- my neighbor who lives at the bottom of the driveway.   I have another great photo of this beautiful horse that is really cool for a macro of Lakota taken for 12of12 early this year...   We have watched her grow up at the "farm" at the bottom of our driveway.  She is one of my sweetest animal friends- and puts up with Oakley pretty well.  I run each morning by her and Shadow (her older sister - you may have seen her photo here too) and she is the first to run to the fence to say hello.  Almost as good as having your own horse....  I really love these horses....  :)

I am running late on all these challenges, but I was thinking about this photo and with all the craziness in life, I finally found it and posted it to share!   This is the first time participating in macro friday (connecting through Ashley Sisk) - another great challenge to inspire my photography skills and eye.  Link here for some more great photos!

Fourth of July: Our Nation's Bird

We have been spending our time on the Connecticut River on our boat and the fourth of July was spent with family and friends.  There were not a lot of red white and blue outfits or parades, just a bunch of people having fun, grilling on the backside of their party barges and spending time with their kids jumping off the back of the boats, tubing, skiing and jet skiing on the river.  Here is the post to our adventure ----->

But what we did see is our favorite bird - the bald eagle - "Our Nation's Bird" - She flies in the same area that we dock and I was able to get these shots of her with my 18/300 zoom Nikon lens.  I love the zoom and sometimes use it as binoculars alone.  :)  It was so tough to get close enough to get any kind of photo and now I know why the sport photographers have the "mega" zooms on their cameras.

Above is my favorite - I think mainly because you can feel her strength and determination - and below I have a couple below that would have been perfect if they were just a little clearer and closer.

I hope you like these photos --- they seem to give a sense of peace from a once almost extinct bird with such strength & beauty.

 High in the sky 

And away to fields....  I love how you can see the large wing span in this photo.

Black & White Wednesday

- 

A Peckhaven Farm beauty!

by Nancy E. Photography

(Please note: I also posted this photo in the June Scavenger Hunt along with other Peckhaven pics!)

This photo was taken in June at the family farm where my dad grew up is now owned and operated by his younger brother Joe & son David with my Aunt Pat in Saratoga Springs, NY.  It is a family effort to run and own a farm as there is always milking to be done, cows to be fed, fields to be plowed and a house to be kept.

I remember when I was young my Grama Vi lived in the back of the farmhouse while Joe and family where in the front and the new portion of the house.  Now they rent to a family, but I look at the front shaded area and remember the tire swing - look high into the sky and see the old Oak tree just reaching up - so big it towers over the house.

It is a beautiful area - filled with family love - a place of peace .

N

It's Black and White Wednesday
To see some fabulous images, click on over to

The Long Road to China 

And because this is my first post to black and white wednesday I am including some all time favorite photos from my archives (taken in 2004)

Little Ashley on her birthday - 

On the playset

Schuyler & Oakley

June 2010 Photo Hunt Challenge

Here is another photo challenge - I may be late for June (depends if they accept it) - but I thought it would be fun to post on my blog none-the-less.... I will just be going into my June archives and see what I can find - and I am glad that I took a ton of photos in June!

Next photo hunt challenge is in August and I will be ready!  :)
Thanks to my new blog friend / photographer I follow - Ashley -  for linking and sharing these fun ways to share photos and get to be a better photographer!

1. Hilarious Out-Takes

Cold Spring Rams

"Group Photo gone a wry!"

2. Creative Crop

From Peckhaven Farm (where my dad grew up) in Saratoga NY

3. Sun Flare

Heron flying in the sun on the Connecticut River

4. Sweet Dreams

The middle Desjardin boy (boy scout from Pack 57) - asleep early morning at the Relay

5. Work

Peckhaven Farm - the workshop where ALL the tools are stored and organized....  Cousin David shows Steve the lift that helps to fix all vehicles on the farm.

6. Play

From the Year End Picnic Pack 57

7. Cookout/Picnic

From Aunt Milly's Celebration of Life

Cousin Debbie's little Erin

8. Transportation

Another favorite from the Peckhaven Farm

1940 John Deere

9. Money/Currency

Aunt Milly's costume jewerly "better than money"

10. A Fountain

A water fall at Mad River Glen - the fountain of animals.....  and what a beautiful spot!  (archives from April 2010)

11. A Night Scene

Daniel & Schuyler in the camp at the Belchertown Relay - surrounded with glo sticks.

12. B&W with Selective Coloring

A Peckhaven Farm beauty

13. Something Old

Aunt Milly's locket  - a picture of Uncle Bob inside

14. Something New

A new rank as Schuyler becomes a Bear at the Year End Pack 57 picnic

15. Something Borrowed

Kurt & Veronica in Kurt's boss's Stingray!

16. Something Blue

Schuyler is always in blue!  surrounded by color at the World Record Breaking Twister Game in Belchertown!

17. Something Musical

Can you hear everyone singing "Happy Birthday to Nancy.....  Happy Birthday to you!"

18. Something Purple

My dear friend Lynne & her mom before the survivors Lap at the Relay

19. Something Yellow

My favorite from Alex's Lemonade Stand Fundraiser that raised $12K for Childhood Cancers

20. Something Scenic

Peckhaven Farm - from the front of the old farmhouse overlooking the meadows

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Scavenger Hunt-Week of June 27, 2010  

A blog hosting by Ashley Sisk 

This week's items are:

Shutter Speed

Schuyler - yahoo!  :)

Patriotism

I love this one of the Belchertown Twirlers at our Memorial Day parade - check out the shadows -- this one really looks good in black & white too!

Creative Crop

Cropped in the lens -- love the look of the ski in the foreground while Mike takes a plunge off the rope swing!

Time

Is it time for Espresso?  

Flower

I love taking photos of the roses my sweet husband often buys me....  This one is one of my faves I posted to my gallery.

The Courchesne Family on the River

Fourth of July - time for celebration of the birth of our country - time for friends & family.  We love to spend time on our boat - our Moomba Wakeboard / Waterski Boat - that we enjoy so much.  We love to water ski, tube, swim and just relax on our boat in the summer as much as possible.  We slip the boat at the Sportsman's Marina on the Connecticut River ...  recently Gary, the owner has increased the number of boats he houses there as the guy across the water closed up shop.  It makes for a nice family friendly atmosphere, where they rent canoes, kayaks, and "Party Barges" for people that want to enjoy the river.

It is an amazing and beautiful spot.
The Courchesne's - Mike (the dad, cubmaster of Pack 57), Fabiola - (mom and hostess of many fun parties), Christian (the older son 11), Marissa (9 - such a sweet girl) and Evan (daredevil & great kid, friend of Schuyler's) joined Schuyler, Steve & I on the boat yesterday.  I took atoub 800 and saved 300 --- these are my tops from last night's adventure on the fourth!

Vita Mix makes an even BETTER Margarita!

Taken from an earlier post: 
My PERFECT margarita recipe

3 shots tequilla (Cuervo Gold is current TEQUILLA of choice)
2 shots Jose marg mix
1 shot Rose's lime juice
1 1/2 shots Orange (Grand Marnier if it fits the budget)
ice and blend to taste
slice of LIME




NOW the new improved method - - - take your Vita Mix - pack it with ice, double the recipe and add frozen strawberries and extra tequilla "to taste" --- salt if it is regular, skip it if strawberry ---


Yummy! 


Birthday margaritas were the best in the vita mix!