Scavenger Hunt - August 4, 2011

Stairs
A hiker's backyard paradise is where I live and run the trails... this is the stairway to the back woods.  We often see deer and other animals wandering and enjoying the natural landscape.  This has been a 4+ year project - power spraying and clearing with my husband's favorite toy - his John Deere tractor  - We have created this wondrous beauty of a rock where once was a pile of dirt and weeds.  

Macro

Beautiful mushrooms in our woods!

 Clouds 

Our trip to Mt Hood, OR was amazing in July - I haven't had a chance to share all these photos so I thought this one was perfect for this category.  

 Abstract

Sharing our project from yesterday.  It took a while, but Schuyler insisted on making a "home made" soccer goal.  Ingredients:  Raised flower bed wood, sheet, safety pins, rope and of course duct tape! Voilla!  

Smile
The best smiles of the week! 

Schuyler's first day of 4th grade! 

Elizabeth the bus driver!

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive 
4. Link up to Ashley on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.
5. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours (we have so many new participants each week, this is the only way I know to be inclusive).
6. Have fun! 

First Day of Fourth Grade!

Schuyler's first day of fourth grade was a success!

Starting out with a healthy breakfast of Eggos & a Chocolate Protein Shake (mom's recipe!)  :)  

Favorite color:  Green

Favorite clothes:  Anything athletic with NO zippers

Teacher:  Ms LaVigne (Schuyler says she is "fit"!)

School:  Chestnut Hill Community School (a new school this year for Schuyler!) 

Friends:  Veronica, Erick, Chris, Jared, Frankie, Evan & more!

Soccer Team:  U10 Stingers - PVJSL

Pack 57 Cub Scouts -- first year Weebelo :)

Looking forward to a great school year!!

Below are a couple of my favorite photos from the first day of school... when moms are allowed to take photos all morning!  ;)

      

Kara's Carrot Souffle

This is a great recipe that my marathon friend - Kara - brought to our Boston Marathon 2011 party.  YUM!  Got to try it myself and soon.  When I do I will add a photo!  Photo below is of all the local Belchertown girls who ran Boston with my guest Dream Team girl Jill!  
  

Recipe:
* 7 cups chopped carrot (about 2 pounds)
* 2/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
* Cooking spray
* 1 teaspoon powdered sugar


* Preheat oven to 350°.


* Cook carrot in boiling water 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Place carrot in a food processor; process until smooth. Add granulated sugar and next 7 ingredients (granulated sugar through eggs); pulse to combine.


* Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.



** I used WAY less sugar and no powdered sugar on top. Most of the rest was the same...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - August 28

Our trip to Mt. Hood this summer put us behind on our boating summer activities this year.  It has been a late start and we haven't got out on the Connecticut River as much as we would like, but the times we have been out there have been amazing, relaxing and memorable.  I love photography on the water.  Everything just seems to pop!  I am sharing all boat adventure photos below taken in the past month and love everyone of these shots.  Hope you do too!  

Old and New

This is our boat on the right (new - less than 3 years) next to another Moomba that is an older model.  We have met the couple that own that boat and they are water skiers too.  It is a fun place to be in the summer, with other people that enjoy playing on the water like we do.   We had to pull her out of the water to prepare for Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene and she got to spend some quality time with her old "friend" the Mobius.  :)

Night Photography

Schuyler loves to play on the boat -- his smile and "dance" are fun to watch!  This late trip with the Challenger coaches proved to get some cool night photos. :) 

Music
The quiet of the docks without all the boat --- the quiet before the storm --- I can hear the "music" when there is no noise, no people, no action -- soothing beauty - the music of the river.   Hurricane / Tropical Storm Irene is looming and all the boats are off the water and put to rest in order to get the docks out before craziness hits!

Cheesy

Schuyler being cheesy, refusing to say "cheese",  but actually giving me a great shot of him -- being CHEESY.   Hanging out on the boat with his friend Chris.

Sun

Schuyler last ride in the sunset. 

Gorgeous wake! :)

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
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. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours 
6. Have fun!

The "Wild Ride" on the CT River!

   

Twas Ever Thus

Grafiti below the bridge on the Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge in Northampton.... I took this photo when we were out on the Connecticut River on our Moomba.  A sense of peace on the water overwhelms me and the photography on the water just seems to "pop"

"'twas ever thus"

a quote derived from a poem written in 1817 

by Thomas Moore

Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour,  

     I've seen my fondest hopes decay; 

I never lov'd a tree or flower,  

     But 'twas the first to fade away. 

I never nurs'd a dear gazelle,     

  To glad me with its soft black eye, 

But when it came to know me well,      

 And love me, it was sure to die! Now too —

 the joy most like divine      

Of all I ever dreamt or knew, 

To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine, —       

 Oh misery! must I lose that too?

I really like it in black & white

Scavenger Hunt Sunday - August 21

Geometry

Loved this little squirrel the other day - cleaning up after the kids at the Challenger Soccer Camp in Amherst.  See the geometric shapes behind him... natures own background (or should I saw "non-Nature"  ;))

Brushstrokes

Strokes of color -- celebrating Samantha's birthday on the Connecticut River yesterday.  Love Cook's champagne and our fun glasses on the boat.  :)

Hanging by a Thread

Learning how to slalom waterski.  This photo is Samantha, my step daughter "hanging by a thread" trying to pull herself up out of the water on one ski.  It is not as easy at it looks --- and you can see the water in her face, streaming up her nose as she struggles to get this "high" out of the water.  She tried 4 times and to get this "high" is considered a true success of determination.   Next time she will be up and skiing -- guaranteed.

Collage

Learning how to dive with Uncle Jim & Cousin Jason at the Cook Family Summer party.  Schuyler loves the water and it was wonderful to watch his uncle teaching him how to dive.  Jason Cook, his cousin is an amazing diver from Amherst and dives with the UMASS College team.  You can see his twist in the air - just goofing around that afternoon.  Very cool!  

On the dotted Line

I absolutely love the ducks on the river.  When we got there in July we found that one of the mother's had baby ducklings.  So amazing and beautiful to watch her take care of them all --- in a row -- following her --- on the dotted line.  :) 

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate.
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. Creativity is also encouraged!
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. Leave comments for at least five entries around yours 
6. Have fun!

Tutti Fruity Power Shake

My recovery drink of choice!  In preparation of running my 28th marathon in New York City - I have slimmed down by watching what I eat, counting the calories and trying to limit eating and drinking what I love in moderation.  My miles have increased and my recovery is so important to being able to get back out there again and hit the pavement with more miles at a faster pace.  After going through chemotherapy for my lymphoma this past year my body is really in tune to what fuel I ingest.  So the recipe is lots of salads, protein, fruits and water!  My whole grains are limited, but I love Heritage cereal in the morning.
 We love our Vitamix for juicing and mixing our protein drinks.  Best investment ever!

Here is my Power Shake recipe that I zap together in my Vitamix every other day - unless there are high mileage days that just need that extra boost!  Try it! You will love it too!

1 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup Strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 banana
1 scoops Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream flavor)
1 scoop GU2O powder (or your electrolyte powder of choice)
ICE

Optional:  Mix it up with frozen mango or pineapple too!

Blend it up in your Vitamix or blender

Serve it up cold in a frosted mug!

So yummy and refreshing and it give me a LOT of energy!  :)

World Cup Dreams

Our trip to Mt Hood was truly amazing --- every day ---- every moment --- family, skiing, friends, and more.  It met and exceeded all expectations all the way to the ride home.  We met wonderful people, ate at great restaurants, skied GS and Slalom, learning along the way -- coaching and hanging out with some amazing little ski racers and watched Schuyler improve and grow to love the sport of skiing even more than ever. 

This one day all the World Cup Olympic athletes supporting "World Cup Dreams" were at the mountain.  They were in town signing autographs the day before, but little Alexandra Welters heard that they were at the top of Mt Hood and the kids waited for them to return to get these amazing athletes to sign their helmets. A little funny was that Schuyler hiked down and back to the rock on the snow (which was quite a ways) to retrieve a Sharpie for helmet signing.  We saw him hiking in his ski boots as I brought him his skis to ski to mid station (the location I am talking about is almost 8000 feet).  I was pretty proud of him, but totally thought he was nuts (or just has a big crush on Alexandra!)  shhhhhh

We got to meet the World Cup athletes and this website talks more about the foundation, but I was impressed with the work that they are doing to support these amazing young athletes.  Insurance, training, etc... costs a lot and with no support -- this foundation helps them all around.  I really want to get more involved in their efforts - hopefully next year when we return to Mt Hood! 

These photos were my choice for Black & White Wednesday - they are not of the World Cup athletes, but of our own Mount Snow Ski Club kids at the top --- looking so happy and so proud to be skiing at camp that week ---- it was a sight to see!  And my son Schuyler...... got to love that smile!

"Bumble Bee" Beauty

Straight out of the Camera

Photographing flowers in my yard I focused on these bees in my hedges

Beauty of nature
The top photo I really love best!
But the second one where the bee is "in flight" is pretty cool too!
Hope you like these shots as much as I do!
Please leave a comment if you stop by! 




Nancy E

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What are the rules for SOOC Sunday?

•On any Sunday you can post any photo you like (it must be one of your own)

•that hasn’t been tweaked or altered in any way (cropping is OK).

•In other words Straight Out Of the Camera.

•Link to Murrieta365 http://www.murrieta365.com/ in your post so others will know where to go if they want to join in the SOOC fun.

Superman Schuyler!

Looking at the photos I took this past week - this truly is my favorite  --- besides the group pic I posted earlier this week.

This is my favorite photo because you can see the energy in Schuyler's hands, his outstretched fingers, the smile up to the sky, his legs spread perfectly apart and the ribs sticking out really show he is making an effort.  The blue from the pool and the green trees in the background just make the photo feel fresh and colorful!

The boys had so much fun Lucas' 9th birthday at the pool and Schuyler was hamming it up with the "Superman" pose.  So cool.  They grow up way too fast, and I want to enjoy every moment.  I am so glad that I am a photographer and can capture these fun photos and smile so much when I look through them posting my faves of the day!  Enjoy!