My Girl & Her Six Brave Brothers

Do you see the snake?

There it is! It was huge…huge…

We (the parents) found a rope swing on an adult boat ride. We thought the kids would like it and we brought them back that evening. The girl and three of the boys jumped into the water and excitedly made their way to shore…

…until they saw the snake and screamed like little school girls – the boys that is. The only girl in the group stood her ground and waded closer to get a look and try to scare the snake away. At least I think that’s what she was trying to do.

Two of the boys swam back to the boat and crawled in. Mr. Chris said he turned around and LCAT Eric was standing behind him. Uh huh…

LCAT Kegan’s curiosity got the best of him and he backed up enough to get behind the girl.

The other three boys in our boat taunted them from safety of 15 yards away. I want to tell them that taunting is really not a very nice personality trait, especially if you can’t back it up.

I just thought this photo was funny. LCAT Kegan gettin’ out of Dodge as quickly as he can, all the while screaming, “We got your back (girl), we got your back!”

The snake ran (slithered) away and the girl called the all clear. At which point, six 16 year old boys then jumped into the water. My father used to call that type of behavior “chicken —-.” He swore a lot; it always made me cringe even as a little girl.

I know I just made you cringe.

But before they could swing, the girl had to get the rope up to the boys. Whenever I witness the girl’s quiet toughness, I wonder how society is run by males. It’s just not possible.

All clear boys!

I was proud of the girl and very afraid too. We had no snake venom antibodies with us you know? Anyway, someone told me that snakes cannot bite under water because if they opened their mouths they would drown. Nice to know.

You enjoy your swing little girl. You saved the day.

I just love her.

The Pet Parade – Sheba Style

I’ve been waiting for the Pet Parade! I’m playing along with my good friend Gayle (who I just love) and the talented ELK over at Shutter Sisters. It’s a family affair!

My doggie of choice is Sheba, our neighbor for the last 7 years. Seven years for a dog is a long time and Sheba was a young pup back then. Now she’s an old dame. Gray, slow, and calm.

She watches over the kids. A much younger and more energetic dog has moved into her house…poor her. But she’s taking it well.

What a good old dog…

Please enter a photo in my Hello Love – Family contest! You can win a free canvas for your photo. I would love to see all your submissions…

Hello Love ~ Hello Canvas Giveaway

Update: Entries are now closed. Winners will be announced on Friday!

It’s not too early for the dog days of summer, it is certainly hot enough. It seems especially appropriate then that Hello Canvas has graciously offered to cool things off with a canvas giveaway – on this site – for you.

On top of the wonderful product they offer, I can say they are very nice people as well. A pleasure actually. Imagine my delight in their offer! And I can’t think of a better way to thank you for coming here and visiting. It gives me great joy to read your comments; it’s no little thing.

If you have been visiting a while, you will know how much I love my family, warts and all…so if you would like to win a 16 x 20 inch canvas from Hello Canvas, then please leave me a link to a photo that best represents family to you.

I know families come in all shapes, forms, and sizes so please don’t feel shy.

How it works:

1. Leave a comment here with a link to a photograph on your blog or flickr site that best illustrates “Hello Love – Family” to you.
2. Photos will be judged on how the photo best illustrates the theme.
3. If you could pass the word and share I’d be most appreciative, but I’m just glad you are here. Really.
4. Enjoy!

Only one link per person please. And only we can only judge those photos that are shared here through this post.

Who will judge? Because I know many of you who come here and so many are fantastic photographers, I don’t feel like I can truly be objective as a judge so I asked my good friend and photographer extraordinaire himself, Danny Douglas of Danny Douglas Photography to make the determination on the winner. Note: The judge is on a strict low-calorie diet so no bribing with candy allowed.

The contest closes on Wednesday, August 4. And another will open…

Also – Hello Canvas has offered to give you 10% off any one one of their great products for a month. Fabulous! Please use the offer code hellolove when ordering.

Disclaimer: I know some of you are not photographers but let me give you some ideas.

1. Ever had your family portrait done? Get your photographer to send you a digital copy.
2. Ever taken a great vacation photo? Well, it would look great on canvas.
3. Ever wish that you had more photos of you as a child? Don’t make your child wonder the same thing. Take their pictures now!

You’ll never regret it, never.

Thanks for coming by and submitting a photo and best of luck to you!

Team Up Thursday, Doors

It’s time for Team Up Thursday again.

The top is Kristina’s photo of her front door. She says there’s a lot of stories told and to be told…I have chills at all the life that still has to be lived.

The bottom one is mine. I was walking around Newport, RI and popped in my head into a restaurant to take a photo of the kitchen (my favorite place in a house) and the cook wagged his finger at me. I’m not the health inspector so no worries.

See more Team Up Thursday shot at Melody’s and Megan’s.

July 29, Jewels Of The Crown

These are pomegranate seeds. I love eating them, I just don’t like getting to them!  But it’s worth it to me in the end…

I’ve Got It All Wrong

I try the best I can to adopt a healthy lifestyle. I do fall off the wagon and I have to pull myself back up again. Speaking of which, I haven’t done any cardio in two weeks. Hello belly.

I’m sitting here, minding my own business, and mending my body when I received a funny email from a friend which tells me that I’m doing it all wrong.

Or as she puts it, “I knew all that exercise and eating right stuff was crap - now there’s proof from a real doctor!!!”

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans

The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Photos are mine. The words are not. I don’t even know if it’s true but it’s funny all the same.

Still resting…

What Deer?

I don’t have the most observant dog.

Lets face it, if I quit my job and stayed home every day, I would drive you crazy.  Still resting I am.

July 27, Five Things About Sinus Infections & Can This Flower Be Saved?

Great title huh?

1. You are sick and you think, “Okay, no big deal. I’ve had colds before,” and you continue with your life thinking it will just go away. You would be very wrong about that.

2.  The symptoms are pain, dizziness, headache, sore throat, fatigue, annoying cough, grouchiness, apathy, ringing in your ears and a short temper with those you love. Sorry lovies.

3. Don’t wait six days before seeing th doctor. I found my current doctor three years ago. I felt like I have been waiting for her all my life. Anyway, she immediately knew what was wrong with me. She always does. I love that. She said, “You have the sinus infection from hell.” Don’t wait to see your doctor, go right away because…

4. You can get medicine to fix it. I asked her how long it would take for the body to fight it off without medication. She said in Europe, sinus infections go untreated. It can take one 12 weeks to kick it without antibiotics. 12 weeks. I said, “Give me something please.”

5. Rest. I love that advice.

It may be psychosomatic but I feel better after only two applications of the medicine. Dare I say that I can’t wait to take some more drugs this evening:)

Here is the above flower before tweaking, playing and editing it all yesterday evening (I’m resting remember?)

For some reason, my camera seems to over saturate bright colors against a neutral or dark background. I don’t know why…I didn’t take this is in vivid setting, which I play with from time to time.

The edited version reminds me of the kind of pattern you would find in an old Hawaiian quilt…

Topaz Tuesday With Dolcepics

I’m playing along with Laura of Dolcepics today for fun edits. I’m also playing along with Bob Towery at Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday for Topaz Tuesday though I’m not always sure that’s he’s playing with me. I’m sort of a party crasher:)

This is Laura’s ”before” pic. I love this photo, I’m really into necklaces lately.

I used the Topaz Adjust “Venice” filter. I thought it just needed a little color pop, and that’s it. Sometimes I think subtle is best though I find it hard to stop sometimes.

Thanks Laura!

Found Photography – I’m Really Into Feature Shoot

As much as I like to think that I’m edgy and creative and one-of-a-kind, I really think that I’m sort of mundane and regular.

Especially compared to some of the artists featured in Feature Shoot, a photography blog that I find very interesting, gross, weird, huh?, and very creative.

There are times when I can’t even look at the featured artist’s work…and there are times when I’m totally fascinated. I believe, that’s the definition of creativity?

In any case, I go back to it time and time again. I say, “Eeeeewww…wow…ick….unbelievable.”

I do like this last series by Marcus Gaab, it’s strange, very, very strange. But it’s strange in a very cool way.

So above is my attempt at being edgy. It’s a catfish that the boys discovered on their outing during our vacation. For some reason they thought it would be funny to put it in the toilet and let one of the other boys find it. That boy would be LCAT Mitchell who walked in, lifted up the lid and was totally freaked out.

It was kind of funny actually…

I made them take it out and dispose of it. It was too big to flush. I don’t know where it ended up. And I don’t want to know.

Anyway…Happy Monday…

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