Arachnophobes Need Not Apply

So heading out to the garage this morning, Austin brings to my attention this spider, which happened to be blocking the door we needed to get through in order to get into the garage. The spider was was pretty big and I thought maybe it was a small tarantula. We had tarantulas running around our property in So. CA, but even then I hadn't seen any except in October and November and they were much bigger.




Being adventuresome, I got a ruler and the spider obliged me by sitting still for me to get a good scale photograph.

Upon closer inspection, I learned that the spider wasn't really hairy.




It was just carrying a bunch of baby giant spiders on it's back.



So anyway, spider time was fun and all, but I had to get Austin over to the high school to buy his yearbook. I told the Austin and Amanda to step back just in case the spider bolted their way when I opened the door. Well as I opened the door, the giant creature instead went into the garage. Not good. I opened the big roll up garage door hoping it would head out into the far wilds and fresh air, but upon seeing the light the spider quickly retreated further into the garage. But I, still holding the ruler in my hand, decided to lightly flick the spider out the roll up door. Great idea. And it worked. Except as I flicked the spider, tens of the baby spiders fell off the spider's back and began scattering in all directions on my nice cool garage floor. Giant spider tried to run back into the garage. I quickly pressed the button to close the big garage door. The Mama spider was trapped outside while the baby spiders began to figure out where the Mama spider was and ran toward her. There was plenty of room between the garage door and the frame for the spiders to reunite, so I felt pretty good about that.

Meanwhile, we open the bay door to the garage stall I needed opened in order to get my van out. As we backed the van out and I started to close that garage roll up door. Austin then says that he saw that giant spider dart back into the garage. I left the garage door open all day hoping it would somehow, some way, miraculously run back out.

But I have feeling we will be over run with wolf spiders in our garage before the summer is over.

Books and Covers

Why we love Susan Boyle

I'm assuming that most everyone has heard or heard of Susan Boyle's performance on a British talent show called, "Britain's Got Talent."

She has become quite the sensation. But why? We have all heard fabulous singers before. We have probably even heard better. So why is Susan's performance so extraordinary? I think her popularity has exploded for several reasons.

Number one is that Susan was judged on her appearance before ever given a chance to prove herself. She reminds us of how shallow we as a people have become, or what we expect from others as a society based on first glance alone. Before she takes the stage, Susan confesses that she has never been married, or even kissed, and that she lives with her cat Pebbles. Naturally one is to assume that it is because she is crazy and eccentric. I mean look at her right? Anyone who has looked less than perfect in the world's eyes, or has held on to a standard not recognized by society instantly connects with Susan, before she ever takes the stage. The classic, "Judging a book by the cover."

Number two is that Susan represents those of us who were ridiculed or teased during our lives. Susan stands up on stage and stoically endures the eye rolls, snickers and words being exchanged in low whispers among the audience as she speaks about her dreams. Most of us who were teased would never be brave enough to ever reveal our dreams. Our hearts would not allow any more rejections. Oh how we would have LOVED to have shut everyone up, brought them to their feet, lapped in their praises, just moments after they all made a joke of us. Susan has done what millions of the down trodden could not, not only proved the taunters all wrong but won their admiration to boot.

Another reason? Susan's age. Let's get real, people who want to have a career in the performing arts had better be well on their way by the time they hit 30. Doors are closing then. Actually in many careers, you are no longer considered a shooting star once one reaches a certain age. Susan reminds us that it is never too late to chase a dream. At this point in time, as our population ages, she has given many the inspiration to just try. As Susan said when asked why she hasn't fulfilled her dream, "I have never been given the chance before. But here's hoping that will all change."

Susan represents the 90% of the population who are not exceedingly gorgeous. Those who have lived a life of mediocrity. Who have worked hard, putting dreams to the side as they lived up to obligations and to the challenges of life. Susan's choice of song was also one of pure irony. She sings, "I had a dream my life would be so different from this hell I'm living. So different now from what it seems. Now life has killed the dream I dreamed." And really, who can't somehow relate to something in that?

Who else is happy about Susan Boyle's new found fame? Well I'm thinking it has to be Elaine Page. I think Susan Boyle has now made HER more famous than ever. I mean really, Elaine gets a shout out heard by tens of millions of people outside of Britain! Most of them probably saying, "Who is Elaine Page?" and then promplty logging on to Goggle.com. Sweet!

The Thrill of the Hunt

So after Sunrise service it was time to begin the egg hunt.

There were plenty of eggs to be found all filled with candies.
There was also a golden egg, full of 5 $1 gold coins. Everyone wanted that egg.



Amanda wanted the golden egg badly, but it was found by Jonathan.



She took the realization pretty hard.




But after some clever negotiating (Jonathan gets the coins and Amanda gets the egg), every one seemed just a little happier.



Happier and ready to pose for a group shot.



Although Derick may have been a little miffed that he didn't find the golden egg.

Tramp Ball

When a playmate comes over to visit, it's time to hit the trampoline for a friendly game of Tramp Ball

First the teams are formed and ground rules laid.

Then it's on to the action of the game.

It's intense....

...and needs concentration....



....courage and strength....

....perseverance...

...trick plays...

...and determination.

Actually I'm not sure what's going on.

Only that it's not too hard to figure out...

...when the ball goes out of bounds.

See, it's hard for me to concentrate on the game when I feel like I'm being watched.

Ya. Like that.

Special thanks to Frederick for contributing photographs for this story.

Location, location, location.

Today I was on a mission. I was scouting out areas where I could take pictures where the light was usually consistently good. I would like a place that I can just run out and take pictures and know that the lighting is going to be nice. Here is a sampling of some demo shots. I haven't adjusted for color, brightness or anything like that, I just wanted to see how different areas photographed within the same camera settings. Today was a partly cloudy, mostly overcast day. Not bad shooting conditions, but here in TN it's mostly what I get day in and day out!

The porch on the outside of our garage and potting shed is nice. I could paint the whole area white so I'd have nice bright white bouncing all around.

Trouble here is that there is a big shrub right in front of the place!




Same spot, just from a different angle. Trouble again is that I'd have to keep the potting shed picked up. Not happening any time soon I'm afraid.



Out on the lawn is nice, but the shade is sporadic and inconsistant.





I thought for sure that the inside of the garage would be perfect. Actually it was a little dark.





Here I moved Amanda away from the door and more into the center. It may have worked out better had she been facing toward the light.




I think this area has potential too, this is the stair well in our garage that goes up to the garage attic. I like this window and the baluster. The stair well is narrow too, so it's easy to get everything in. It would need some paint on the stairs.

Then we head back outside. Here Amanda is leaning on the frame of the garage door opening. This area is shaded all the time except early morning. There is a gravel drive, so the white gravel reflects a nice true spectrum of light.

Same area, only this garage door is closed.

Then we head over to the stacked stone chimney. This is north facing and is in the shade 100% of the time. Once again, light is reflected from the gravel driveway.

And in conclusion....

I finally learned how to use the remote for my camera!

W00T!

Birding

Well, so lately I've been hearing the birds singing and having a great time outside, that I decided that maybe it would be fun to go photograph a few of them. I mean how fun would that be? Stalking little birds and practicing my telephoto photograph taking techniques?

Well it was the most boring thing EVER! OK, I thought fishing could get boring, but not as boring as waiting for some little bird to decide to come over and get near enough that I could even SEE it to take it's picture.

So, not being the most patient person, I just started taking pictures of things to occupy myself until I did see a bird.

I found these LadyBugs on the climbing rose by the front porch. Can I just say that I'm SO over the cuteness of LadyBugs now? They will be cute again to me when I see them munching on aphids.

Things turning to rust are always fun to photograph....and readily available.

This pine tree in our front yard makes me laugh. About 30 feet up you'll find this. I think it looks like an alien thing. It's also like one of those trick pictures where you have to decide if you see an old woman or a beautiful young girl. Or like 2 faces looking toward each other, or a vase. Because this alien looks could be looking right at you with a snail eye thing, or looking toward the left with a big ear sticking out like Shrek.

More riding toys on our front porch.

Hey look birds! It's a house! By our front door! Let me take your picture!

Oh wait, here comes a bird. A sparrow. Kinda boring.

A bluebird! Spring IS arriving!

Another bird. He looks hungry.

And so do these guys.

Guess I shouldn't have such high expectations that birds will land close enough to photograph with these guys watching.

How Fun!

Look, it's my first Photography showing!

Not really. It's just this fun little website that puts your pictures in their own frame things!

http://www.dumpr.net/museumr.php

Fun way t0 waste a rainy Saturday afternoon though!

Behind the Scenes

For Amanda's portraits I didn't use any lighting other than the sun.
The pictures with the black background I took while Amanda stood in my front doorway. I used a piece of black fleece as the background letting it spill out over the front stoop. Next time I do one of these shoots I will put a white sheet or something in front of the door as I have a sisal rug there now and it reflected a subtle tan tone onto everything.

Here is a sample of what many of the pictures looked like right out of the camera.




In order to crop the picture clean with just the black background, I used the clone tool brush in my Paint Shop Pro photo editing software to extend the black back ground area.



Then I was able to crop the photo to an 8" X 10" size with plenty of dark area in the margins.



Isn't digital photography amazing??

The Birthday Girl

We had occasion for a pink birthday cake this week.




Amanda turned 5!




Her birthday party consisted of 8 boys....her 4 brothers and their friends from the neighborhood.

Although we have celebrated a few of her birthdays with enough snow on the ground to sled in, this year it was warm enough for her to put on a princess dress and let me take some pictures.

She insisted on wearing her red boots. At first I said no, but figured that it was her birthday pictures and if she wanted red boots, then so be it.

Which resulted in my favorite picture of the group!