Crossroads, and a New Leaf

Crossroads, and a New Leaf, originally uploaded by marierush.

The new year poses the opportunity to let go, instill new, and soar...Happy New Year, everyone!

Bald Eagle in Fleming Island

Bald Eagle in Fleming Island, originally uploaded by marierush.

So, it isn't very often that a. an eagle flies over your head, b. you have a camera with you, and c. you remember your camera because you are in awe...

Sometimes. the Lights Bring Things Into Focus...

, originally uploaded by marierush.

Like in this picture. It is the juxtaposition between the new lights and the new tree, and the 1800's furniture...

That is what makes it all come together...

Hugs,
M

Is it possible she is only seven?

, originally uploaded by marierush.

She is silly, and serious. She is a tomboy and all girl. She is salty and sweet. She mixes up "morning dew" with "Mountain Dew." She is seven and sixteen.

Stunning Sunset Last night

, originally uploaded by marierush.

Surprising..as there weren't very many clouds, but nonetheless, it was beautiful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, everyone...there is so much to be thankful for!

My Girls

, originally uploaded by marierush.

I love them...even when they give me 1 hour of cheesy grins in exchange for one genuine photo...

Rose Bokeh {hearts}

Rose Bokeh {hearts}, originally uploaded by marierush.

Sweet, colorful and yummy...have a great weekend!

Hearts

Hearts, originally uploaded by marierush.

What fun! This is my first attempt at shaped bokeh...I'll look forward to using this in some of my shoots in the upcoming weeks! It is a silly-fun technique! Thanks to my patient teacher, Tammy!

Dare to b Gr8

Dare to b Gr8, originally uploaded by marierush.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. ~Judy Garland

The pumpkin patch priced all of their pumpkins by the glorious stems, so I rolled with it.  I'm going to make a conscious effort to a. "roll with it" more often, and b. write more on my blog.  As much as I love the photography aspect, I feel that it is important that I explain a bit of the *lalalalalalalalalalalala* that goes on in my mind when I capture an image and feel like it deserves a spot on my blog.  I'm rollin' with it...hope you roll with me!

Daddy and His Angel

Sometimes the perfect shot doesn't even have any faces. Can you feel the love? I can.

The Sun Came Out for Me Today!

So here is my tribute...

~Marie

Photographic Bucket List

I have a photographic bucket list.  A list of things I want to capture with the lens, but all of the planets have to align first.  The planets aligned twice today. Three if you count the fact that I got a job, but I digress (hooray, me!)

Without purchasing a special filter, I have wanted to capture a dreamy sun kissed image, that flares like fireworks.  I have also wanted to capture a leaf while it is actually falling.  Like, seriously, I have to have a tree that sheds, a breeze and enough light to see it.  Oh, and the perfect shutter speed, and focus and click--all at the same time.  While patiently waiting for my leaf to drop (yes, I did wait-staring at the tree like a watched pot) I saw the sun through the leaves.  I actually caught it!  Here is today's shot.

With that shot under my belt, I continued to wait for a breeze and a dead leaf to find each other at the same time.  I won't tell you how long I stared, but I will show the shot.  Next time, I'd like to have a blue sky background instead of the pines, but, hey, I'll take what I can get these days!

I'll reveal the whole bucket list soon...
~Marie

Dear Teacher,

Dear Teacher,, originally uploaded by marierush.

Thank you for taking the time to write my daughter a note today. It was the first one she has ever gotton, and it made her day. And mine.  Look at all the positive words, all in one place, right near her name.  It has a place of honor on the front of our refrigerator. And it might be there forever.

Sincerely,
Grateful Parent

The Transformation

Some folks have asked me about my bus picture, so I will try to explain how I turned this:

Into this:

This was a one time shot.  Out the window of my car, only two school buses go to the school, and this one had already dropped off the students, so it was empty.  The first issue was the necessary crop.  The truck was not in my mind's eye, nor was the drainage ditch in the forefront, so they were chopped. Then I took it into Photoshop and played with it. You can use pretty much any editing program to do what I did, whatever came with your camera, or Photoshop Elements. I boosted the exposure to lighten it a bit, and then saved a copy.  So then I had two pictures, a light one and a dark one. I opened a new file and brought in both pictures as layers (dark one underneath).  I created a third layer and I painted over the blacks in the bus using a teeny tiny little ole' paintbrush, and then reduced the opacity to about 24% so it didn't look goofy.

Then, to make the fall leaves pop on the leftside (to give them the appearance of depth) I removed the upper left quadrant of the lightest layer with my eraser tool, at about 50% opacity, to reveal the darker layer a bit.

I fooled around a bit with where I wanted the depth, and when I was happy with it, I was done.  I'll be quite honest though, it is much easier to get the shot right out of the camera!  In a pinch though, some thoughtful edits can make a "bleh" picture palatable.  I took the photo for a class I am taking, and the picture prompt for that day was "Me Time."  I felt the bus represented the time that I have while the girls are in school.

Morning

Morning , originally uploaded by marierush.

I'm uploading this tonight, but watch for an update as to how I took the picture (out the window of the car) and what I did to make it feel like I actually put my kids on the bus (which I didn't!)  I'm gonna show you what the picture looked like SOOC (straight out of the camera--which wasn't beautiful!)
~Marie

Alli Girl

Alli Girl, originally uploaded by marierush.

All love, no common sense. Sweet gentle goofball.

Cookie Jar

Cookie Jar, originally uploaded by marierush.

I love it. It clinks and hasn't been chipped, it is filled with skinned-knee-fixer-uppers, it brings smiles, and even when seemingly empty, I know that it is still filled with love.

Antique Remains...

Antique Remains, originally uploaded by marierush.

Saw these beauties in a barn today. I am so drawn to antiques, and years ago I was a collector. Now I am a collector of Strawberry Shortcake dolls from McDonalds...but I digress...these were beautiful jugs on top of an old phonograph.  Just lovely.

...and the spinning wheel--how glorious.  I wonder what it has woven in its time.

I don't know what this machine is, but I loved the colors, and the juxtaposition of the new tire and the beautiful rust.







I posted some more treasures in my Flickr stream (the link on the top right) and I hope you enjoy them.
~Me

My Aunt. My Blessing.

, originally uploaded by marierush.

She is...
my rock
my guiding light
my wisdom (when I have none to be found)
my friend
my listener
my voice of reason (when I have a voice, but no sense of reason)
my blessing.

Love you!

Oh Roxy, You're so Fine...

Oh Roxy, You're so Fine..., originally uploaded by marierush.

Beauty - in projection and perceiving - is 99.9% attitude. ~Grey Livingston

Musings on Fall...

Fall Porch, originally uploaded by marierush.

...hoping it is right around the corner! I am ready for a change.

"Fiery colors begin their yearly conquest of the hills, propelled by the autumn winds. Fall is the artist. "
Takayuki Ikkaku, Arisa Hosaka and Toshihiro Kawabata, Animal Crossing: Wild World, 2005

Owl with Purple Glasses

Owl with Purple Glasses, originally uploaded by marierush.

I am so excited that I have a new photography class starting on Friday! It is called "Picture Fall" (I am so ready for cooler weather) and it will be a blast! I am involved with many of the participants at Mortal Muses through Shutter Sisters (yes, that is a lot of linkage) and they are wonderful women who inspire me! Here is another link to some photography books by the Shutter Sisters team.

This image was borne from a "purple Tuesday" challenge, and it was a challenge. Feeling rather uninspired, I realized that my reading glasses were purple, and, "Hey, I wonder how funny it would be to put the glasses on the 'Big Backyard' magazine?" It made me giggle, and then remember that there are only two more sleepies until I get my photography fall groove on!  Whooo-t!

The Eyes Have It.

, originally uploaded by marierush.

Seriously---are they not beautiful? What glorious, drop-me-in-the-water-now-please blue! I think that if you can capture the eyes, you are more than likely to capture the spirit, and in this little one, it is the spirit of kindness, love, and obedience. I wonder what her mother would say about that last adjective? *wink*

Look into those eyes, and I believe a *sigh* is in order!

The End of Today...

The End of Today..., originally uploaded by marierush.

The years fly, but sometimes the days are so long...it is all so confusing, isn't it? Today left in a blaze of glory...

Thank you to Trisha who called me this evening and said, "Run to the dock--there is a beautiful sunset!"  She was right, and I must be very obedient! :-)

Love...

On the tennis court!

Change

Change, originally uploaded by marierush.

Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

~Frank Herbert

Winston, in Thought

Winston, in Thought, originally uploaded by marierush.

Okay, so that was an exaggeration. I am sure he isn't thinking about anything except when it will be 5 o'clock (dinnertime) and who will scratch him next!

Fence Friday

Fence Friday, originally uploaded by marierush.

Did you know there was such a thing? On Flickr, there is. So, happy fence Friday! Today, I am on the fence - about alot of things...Should I ______?  Insert any number of actions/activities/decisions in there.

It has been a very strange week, but yet, when isn't a week in my life weird? And, while I am at it, don't you find it amusing that weird does not follow the i-before-e-except-after-c rule?

The linear-ness (is that a word?) of the strong and sturdy focused first fence post gives me peace, even though I know a few fence posts down it gets crooked again...but alas, is this not like life?

*peace* and hff!

Wildflower

Wildflower, originally uploaded by marierush.

Let her cry, for she's a lady
Let her dream, for she's a child
Let the rain fall down upon her
She's a free and gentle flower growing wild...


Words and Music by D. Richardson and D. Edwards.

photo: me / texture, Kim Klassen

Tendering My Resignation

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of  a 7 year old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it is a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle, skid rocks across the mill pond and make a sidewalk with rocks.

I want to roller skate and play ball in the street, play 'Rover Red Rover', 'Hide and Seek' and ride my iron wheel wagon down the hill.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all I knew were colors, most of my multiplication tables, and a few nursery rhymes. All I knew was to be happy and I was blissfully unaware of all the things that should make me worried or upset.

I want to sleep in a tent in the back yard without worry or fear.

I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe anything is possible.

I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor's bills, gossip, illness, and the loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, kind words, truth, justice, peace, dreams, imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So here is my check book and my car keys, my credit card bills and all my statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, cause...

TAG! YOU'RE IT!
See Later... Alligator

~Author Unknown

Rockin' Camera Bag!

So, I entered a contest today, and wouldn't it be cool to win?  This is the birthday of a camera bag that I looooooong for.  Seriously.  I piiiiiine for it. I know I don't need it (that was for mom), but I *insert whine here* really, really, really want it. now. (Christmas, hint, hint?)  Anyhoo, here is the link to the line of sassy, girly, downright awesome camera bags...

Happy Birthday!

Photo, me.  Texture, Kim Klassen.

Lonely Swing

Lonely Swing, originally uploaded by marierush.

It is still so hot here in Florida (51 days over 90, but who is counting!) that even the swings are unused. It is too hot to sit in them!

I still found it a pretty sight today... I hope you do too!

Grammy Love

Grammy Love, originally uploaded by marierush.

The girls are starting to hint (bigtime) about a trip to see Grammy...they must know that it will be snowing in New Hampshire soon!

Lotsa Purple

Lotsa Purple, originally uploaded by marierush.

I decided to take my camera on a spin around the house today and drummed up these two beauties--a purple bottle and a purple daisy.

Kinda makes the yellow pop, doesn't it? Have a great weekend!

Haiku

Feelings are tender

As the unfurling bud dares

Be gentle with me

The Evolution of Cherry Tasting

The Evolution of Cherry Tasting, originally uploaded by marierush.

It didn't go very well, unfortunately. I am always proud of the girls trying things, and giving it another try...and another try. I read somewhere (probably on the Internet, so of course it is a fact) that a person has to try a taste about 10 times to change a "bleh" to an "umm."

This was "bleh" 2.

8 more times to go!

Tickle Time with Daddy

Tickle Time with Daddy, originally uploaded by marierush.

This is a precious daily routine in our home. Sometimes it happens in a chair, or on a couch, or snuggled in the bed, but it always happens. Daddy tickles.

From me to you...

From me to you..., originally uploaded by marierush.

Such a simple gesture can fill one's heart with love.

A Handful of Posies

A Handful of Posies, originally uploaded by marierush.

I walked into the kitchen to cook dinner, and my daughter had picked some flowers and set them on the counter for me. *awww*

My Love - One of Many

My Love, originally uploaded by marierush.

Such innocent beauty. Tender love. My child. *sigh*

My daughters share the same love I have for the ocean. One asked me this morning if we could go, but alas, too much work today, so I made a promise to her (and to me) that we would go one day this week. Thursday seems like a good day, but since tomorrow is Tuesday, then Tuesday seems like an even better day!

The reasons I love the beach: The smell. The peace. The sound of the ocean and the seagulls. The cool of the water. The waves--and hopping through them. The feel of the sunlight on my skin. The expanse--it just puts everything in perspective.

I believe I can fly...

I believe I can fly..., originally uploaded by marierush.

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly

Photo, me. Texture, Kim Klassen.

Golden Love

Golden Love, originally uploaded by marierush.

She is always there. Waiting. Waiting to love and waiting to be loved.

Light

Light, originally uploaded by marierush.

I took a photowalk around my home the other day, and stumbled across this lamp. I love it. It is rich, and girly, and old fashioned and sends out a great vibe when it is illuminated. Strangley enough, it is in my bathroom! Since getting my camera, I am immensely aware of light and shadows. My girls (who are 7) can spot it now too! They will tell me, "Mommy, the light is just perfect for a shot." I giggle thinking about them saying such grown up things, but I also take pride in the fact that they are aware of what makes a "good shot." Happy Friday, and I hope it is filled with beautiful light...