Thursday, December 31, 2009

It's That Time of Year

The past few days have found me taking a look back at last year's blog posts. I laughed a little, smiled a lot and even gave a silent amen to a photo or two that looked particularly good to me in hind sight. And then I thought it might be fun to share it all with you...one more time.

I really wanted to put a slick slide show together. Set it to music and really wow you with my talent. Sadly I'm not that talented. I waited too long to start (must put stop procrasinating on my list of resolutions for 2010) and since I didn't know how to do it I was forced to settle for the next best thing, a very long list of photos. I tried very hard to limit myself to two pictures from each month. Once again I failed and in some cases failed miserably. So, sit back, relax and pour yourself a cold one...it's not going to be a short trip.

We started 2009 with our first cruise of the year, a long awaited vacation to the Panama Canal in January.






Allie and Gabers paid us a visit in February and brought their parents along with them.




Our Moms also spend some time soaking up the Florida sunshine in February and my sister, not one to be left out, joined them in early March.


Also in March a visit to Shark Valley.....


and a visit from Robin & Jim.


April found me flying high above Marco.



and Doug confined to his recliner from those now infamous softball injuries.


We took to the high seas again in May and made our way to Bermuda.


had dinner with the Freys in their (soon to be) new house,


and I convinced Katie to pose for me. My first non family photo shoot.


In June we were Alabama bound,


there was an alligator in the canal

and wild flowers on Marco.


Henna and I signed up for obedience classes. She passed, I did not.


Gabe and Allie came calling again in July. We celebrated Gaber's first birthday,


and hit the beach with Mom & Dad, Uncle Chris & Aunt Jen Jen.



There was even fish for dinner.



K made her annual pilgramage to Marco and was introduced to No Seeums and


I spent a few days in SC with the grandkids where they freely dispensed some back yard wisdom. Whew July was certainly busy.


In August we hit the road. This is where it got extremely hard to pick only a couple of photos for the month. August and September where chock full of fun and family. It was hard to choose.

There were brief stops in Nashville and KY before a much longer stay in Pennsylvania. We spent time with both sides of the family and even ventured to Pittsburgh to take in a Pirate baseball game.






All too soon we left Pennsylvania behind and made our way north to Maine. I fell in love and hope one day to return.


While there we reconnected with old friends.


September rolled around far to quickly and that's when I saw my first real, live moose.


We moved from the inland lakes to the Maine coast and ate lobster rolls for lunch every day for a week.


Soon it was time to head south, but not before a stop in CT and a visit to NYC and Ground Zero.


We ended our road trip in SC and had the pleasure of witnessing Allie's first soccer game. She is our princess, but she was not the star of the game.


No sooner did we arrive home when October knocked and we set sail again. This time to the Caribbean to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of our good friends the Freys.

October also included the opening of the Artist Colony at the Esplanade.


It seemed November was on the scene in no time at all but I did manage to schedule an early morning photo walk on the beach.

and then the big event of the year took place...The Turkey Bowl Cruise.


And that brings me to December. I experimented in the digital dark room and did some artistic soul searching.


and now I'm going to wish you a Safe and Happy New Year.

Good-bye 2009 - Hello 2010

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Self-Discovery

Ever since that fateful day in November when my neighbor commented on my "professional photographer" status I have been in flux, a state of confused self evaluation and exploration. I am happy to report that forward progress has been made. I have reached a place that allows me to accept (albeit reluctantly) the adjective professional placed before the noun photographer.

Last week I spent several hours going through the exercise of writing an artist's statement, asking myself questions and putting pen to paper to record the answers. In the process I have discovered the following:
  1. I love color.
  2. I enjoy the advantages that the digital darkroom affords me. And, I make no apologies for venturing into the endless possibilities that is Photoshop and the many plug-ins that accompany it. Photography purists have their place in the world. It's just not my place.
I know what you are thinking...what's the big deal? We knew that about you a long time ago. And so did I. Now I accept it.


Acceptance is good.



Sunday, December 27, 2009

Bearcat Bob

My husband, who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent, spent several weeks in November cleaning out our garage. When you live in south Florida storage space is at a premium. "Stuff" somehow makes its way into the garage and condominiums begin sprouting in any and all unoccupied territory. Before you know it the garage has become a metropolis of wobbly towers and low rise complexes. Thus this cleaning was a major project requiring both soul searching and stamina. Not to mention the many lectures I endured regarding the classification of junk, clutter vs. keepsakes.


It was during this time that the "Bearcat Scanner" was uncovered. Originally belonging to my father it made it's way to Tennessee for a brief stint with Chris before migrating to the tropics. I have fond memories of my Dad spending his evenings sitting in his chair listening intently to the static fire calls and police chatter that constituted emergencies in our bustling town. (Perhaps bustling is one adjective too many but you get the drift.) However, that was long ago in a galaxy far far away and in the present the scanner does not work. It is broken. Its antenna has been severed and the tip is rusted. The little red lights still dance and blink merrily across it's face but the offensive static is silent. (I'm having a hard time seeing the problem with that.) It soon became the focus of Mr. Nameless to fix it, to restore this relic to its former glory and spend hours in "his" chair listening intently to the static fire calls and police chatter of our even busier island home.

Hours were spent researching the project. It turns out that the company who makes this electronic marvel exists no more. However he is nothing if not tenacious and somehow unearthed a die hard in Port Jervis, NY who actually locates and sells the little "crystals" that make the Bearcat hum. Excitement filled the air. Sadly when the new crystals arrived and were installed, the Bearcat remained stubbornly silent. "They must be the wrong crystals for southwest Florida" he stated. I was arm twisted into contacting the local PD in an effort to discern which frequency the local emergency departments hang out on. The news was not good. I didn't completely understand the techy jargon but the bottom line was that the new radio systems used by police and fire across the U.S. operate on technology far beyond the capabilities of the little Bearcat. End of story. I wish.

Mr. Nameless briefly changed his focus and began to research the latest and greatest in police scanners. Then promptly ordered himself one to be wrapped and placed under the tree on Christmas morning. But that was a mere distraction and soon his attention turned once more to the Bearcat. He located two on Ebay using the alias of "Bearcat Bob." (One must protect one's true identity when dealing in cyberspace.) He lost one to a higher bidder but secured the second one for $1.99 plus shipping. It cost him $13.25 to have the scanner shipped but it's Christmas, who's counting?


What are you going to do with two I asked? "Spare parts" he replied. "But why" I insisted. "Even if you get it working it still won't be capable of picking up anything. You are spending a lot of time fixing something that will remain useless. I don't understand." "It was your Dad's" he offered. "I want to restore it for him." (He is no fool. He knows that if he throws my Dad into the mix I will weaken.) I shook my head and walked away trying to make sense behind the reasoning of my once practical husband.

In the meantime Christmas morning arrived and the new scanner was unwrapped and powered up. There are no little lights dancing merrily across its face but it is sleek and the static is less offensive. There was a period of frustrated concern as we listened intently for four hours before the first Marco emergency unfolded on Christmas morning. And that had something to do with a barking dog. (We're in store for a lot of excitement in the weeks ahead.)


What happened to the Bearcats you ask? The last time I saw them they were sitting in a corner of the clean garage, a thin coating of dust already gathering on their box. The foundation for the next generation of condos waiting to inhabit our home.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Nothing Left to Say

except to wish each and every one of you a very 

Merry Christmas.  

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Curiosity Killed the Photographer

What do we have here? It appears that Santa (or U.P.S.) has made a pre-Christmas delivery to my house. That little blue box on the right looks particularly compelling. Perhaps I should take a closer look.


Could it possibly be a brand new Nikkor 24-70mm, f2.8 lens? The one that I have been pining for since Cindy introduced us last April? (Friends with more equipment than you can be both a joy and a curse.)


There doesn't appear to be a card on the package. Did Santa forget? The box is the right size for a lens. It's the right shape too. If I carefully removed the tape I could peek under the wrappings and no one would know would they? I wouldn't dare try that with the red box resting beside it. I know that there is enough tape on that package to keep 3M in business for years (I love ya B). But the blue one looks vulnerable.


Sigh...I'm too honest to peek. And besides I would suffer with the guilt for days. There would be gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands and I would out myself. So I will wait


But I won't like it.