eggs and ice luminaries

I know I have been talking a lot about the weather, so this time I promise not to mention it. As you can see from the above picture, even though it was 50*we still have some snow left. I shot this as an assignment for my photo class. Love the beautiful colors of the fresh eggs from the local farm on Millstone Road in Wilton, CT. This weekend we had our annual wine party and it was a hoot! We challenge friends to come up with a certain varietal to submit to a blind tasting. I must say, our guests are beginning to get very wine savvy. This year was Spanish reds and I don't think there was one bad one! Tim from the Schoolhouse at Cannondale catered and the food was off the charts great! It was a lovely time and we enjoyed catching up with some good friends. I finally pulled off these ice luminaries that I had been dying to make. They were beautiful lighting the steps to the door. I will see if I can get a picture posted of them. Here's what you do: For each luminary you need a bucket like the kind you wash a car with, an empty 28oz tin can with paper label off, some rocks to weigh it down, and water. First, take a bucket, fill it part way (about a 1/3) with water. Place outside in freezing temps until solid (mine took two days). After first layer is frozen, add empty can on top, weight with rocks and pour water around weighted tin can. Place outside again in freezing temps. Should freeze solid in about two days. Once solid, pour hot water in the tin cans and let sit for 10 mins. Pull out the tin cans and pour hot water over outside of bucket to loosen luminaries. Place outside and add a small, 2 1/2 inch pillar candle and you are all set. Plan to do at least a week before. It's a way to enjoy that freezing weather!!!! xo

53 days and counting..............

The mercury finally moved today. I thought for sure it was stuck below freezing!! It was gorgeous today-almost 50*. Makes me even hungrier for spring! Kids are beginning to bounce off the walls. How great was that super bowl? As much as I wanted the cardinals to win, the steelers really deserved it with all that effort! The boys thought it was an awesome game-yes they stayed up to the bitter end. Regan said "who needs sleep?" Yea, that's what he thought until this morning came.....everyone was a bit tired. I don't think we'll do that for awhile. All right, the new things coming....a little hint.........it has something to do with a camera......and kids, outside.......at weir farm or ambler farm........stay tuned for more info!

the weekend

The weekend is here. First basketball game done and won (phew!) Two more to go. Kids are already wishing for spring. 55 days and counting! Still lots of snow on the ground and wow, it is a sunny, balmy 21*. Thanks to the sun, I was able to get this shot of the shadow of our weather vane on the house. Looking forward to even more warmer weather and when I can get out and take some good pictures. Lots of new things in store for my shawnsthings friends for the spring. I am working on new ideas and ways to freshen up spring. Check back for hints!! xo

round four for snow

Weather man is saying 4 more inches plus, yes, rainy, sleet-y, icy weather tomorrow. Yay! I did get more canvases and I have my pastels and my camera to keep me busy. sheesh. I am counting the days until the first official day of spring-March 20. Sigh. Only 58 days. Sigh. Only so much indoor tackle basketball I can take. Sigh.

pastels

I have to say at first I didn't know what to expect from myself in the pastel class. It has certainly been MANY years since I last took an "art" class and after walking into the class at Silvermine late after a snow delay, I found the talent there INCREDIBLE! Now, after the second class and many, many trips to the art store, I am offically addicted to pastels. It is a wonderful medium that can be massaged into realism or impressionism or anything in between. Who knew three hours would fly by so quickly! Still taking lots of photos too.

more photos

Yes, I've been out in the cold to take some photos. Brrrr! The first is of the barn in my backyard while it was snowing. Looks cold, doesn't it? The second of old fuel pumps in the village across the street. Love the patina. It sure isn't easy in this weather to meet my challenge, but I am working on it. Learning to LOVE my camera (though a few lenses wouldn't hurt) I am also making strides in my pastel class. I purchased some additional pastels and I LOVE them!!! The colors are so vibrant. Who said tools do not make the mechanic???? The kids think it's hilarious that I get to go to "school" and take art classes only. My littlest one wonders why I am taking math and english at my "school". There was an attempt to connect art and math, but the communication was lost somehow.

Are you kidding?

TGIF!! Yes, it really was 1* when I woke up this am. What you may not realize when you talk about the high being 14*, is how cold will it be in the am. Yep, 1*. Thank goodness it's moved up a little since I snapped this......When is spring again???? The good news is that the icy, snowy conditions make for some interesting photos. It is also the time of year when the winter shows are releasing new paper lines. It is like fashion week for paper. I have already previewed some of the new designs and they are stunning! The art classes are going well-I am enjoying stretching my creative legs a little. I needed a kick in the pants! Long weekend ahead of us! Maybe some skiing-though I think there will be mostly lots of hot chocolate! xo

high temp to only reach 14*????

OK, so this is where I begin to complain about the weather-specifically the temperature and what it "feels" like. Friday I think the high is going to be 14* but it will "feel like" ZERO with the wind. I almost wrote "wine" instead of "wind"......must be me thinking about wine to ward of the frigid temps!!! How many more days until spring???? Anyway, this weekend we got ANOTHER four inches of snow with a crispy coating of ice. Yeah, I said ICE! When we asked the kids "Why don't you go out and build a snowman or have a snowballfight?" SOMETHING!!!!!! Anything!!!! (we were going a little stir crazy this weekend) They just looked at us and said "That isn't the GOOD kind of snow!" UGH!!!! They were right, it was awful, so we decided to paint instead. Good thing I stocked up on acrylic paints and canvases. If you've never done this with kids before.....BEWARE! It is highly addicting. We went through a total of 14 canvases (not including the one I did) and many tubes of acrylic paint. The good news I have instant art for the bare walls in my hall!! It is sensational, however, to see three kids get caught up in the moment, not wanting to stop even to eat. This morning my littlest one didn't even want to go to school. He just wanted to paint. Guess it's time to go get more canvases!! It was a good weekend, indeed. xo

Let there be Light!

Today I looked out the window to my back yard and saw the most beautiful light shinning on the bare trees. Even winter can have some beauty. The different colors of brown and grey with the sunshine beaming down is simply stunning. It made me pause and take out my camera. Isn't that what being in the moment is all about? I played a little with the photo and enhanced the values to what I visualized when I snapped the shot. Enjoy! xo

ice storm

Nothing beats the feeling of getting an extra two hours sleep when you are trying to recover from the West Coast/East Coast vacation. This morning was one of those rare treats of waking to the 6am alarm, checking the news, only to find out the kids have a two hour delay!!! Ahhhhh, like having an extra day in the weekend! Not wanting to leave even a minute of my extra sleep to chance, I turned over and managed to sleep all the way up to 8:40!!! DECLICIOUS! Kids were well-rested and ready for school and I was able to get some of these shots of the beautiful ice stacking up on the plants and items outside. Hoping to keep my promise of shooting something that moves me everyday, here are my shots! xo

Katie peering over the Grand Canyon.

The "vortex" in Sedona on our way from AZ to Utah. Dave and the boys ponder life.