New Year's Eve at Sunset

What better way to end the year than with a beautiful sunset? :)

The Old Ferguson

As I get older, I find myself wanting to take photos of things from my childhood. My dad is a farmer, and comes from a farming family, so as I child I was used to seeing Fergusons and John Deere tractors around, even rode some with my dad. I don't know exactly how old this Ferguson is, but I know it's been around since before I was born...so it's more than 30 years old, for sure.

I can't get enough of capturing the nostalgia of my past these days, before it all slips away and really is only an image in my mind...

Candles

What is it about candles that people like so much? Growing up we didn't do much with candles, unless the power went out and we had to use them. Even then, the candles were simple and unscented. As I got older, I'd get candles as gifts from people, but I never really had any use for them, except to collect dust. Until one day a year or so ago, when I lit one in an effort to make a room smell better. I started to appreciate the scent of a candle, and I've lit many a candle since then, whether to help the smell of a room out, or just because I felt like it. There's also something very romantic seeming about a candle...maybe it's the scents, maybe it's the dimmed lighting...either way, I like the ambiance it can create. There's also a warmth to them, not so much in actually warming yourself up by them, but more so in their presence. All in all, I've become a bit of a candle person over the last year or so, and I like to try to capture the essence of them with my camera when the chance presents itself.

Fronds at Sunset

Baltimore Aquarium

State Fair 2012

 I always enjoy seeing the animals...especially the farm animals-- must be my roots.

 Biggest pumpkin I've ever seen.

 I'd never paid attention to the produce section before...didn't know there were so many kinds of apples out there...

 Seeing the pottery is always a must for me...buying is optional...

 I don't know about other years, but this year they had a turkey shoot (you shoot at targets, not actual turkeys). The winner gets a frozen turkey (or a t-shirt, if you don't want the turkey). My husband tried his hand at it, but didn't win.

 Neat magnets in one of the craft buildings.

The Village of Yesterday is always one of my favorite places to visit at the fair-- all the crafts (and pottery!) are so neat to see...lots of fine craftsmanship and talent...

Drive to Work

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning.

The perfect way to start off my day...

Through my Window

I love sunlight and natural light in general. My office at work has one window in it, back behind my desk. Countless times during the day I turn to look out that window, not so much for the buildings and structures but these fronds blowing in the wind, sunlight making them seemingly glow.

So peaceful, so pretty...sometimes-- actually, many times-- it's the small things that really make my day. So thankful for the little things in life...

Newest Member of the Pack

Champ is the most recent addition to our family, joining Isabella and Jake in the "pack." He's a sweet little mixed-breed fella, smaller than our huskies (probably always will be), and always wanting to be in the middle of everything. Plenty of entertaining times ahead, I'm sure...

For more photos, see my other blog or check out his photo gallery here.

Instagram: Recent Sunset

Like Camera Awesome, Instagram is a neat app I use on ocassion to take pictures on my phone, and it has neat filter and border effects. I don't use it as often as Camera Awesome because I don't always want the square shape. I don't tend to do much with the social side of it, either, but you're welcome to check out my page here. I have recently discovered a neat website to use with Instagram photos, though-- it's called StickyGram, and you can get get magnets done of the photos you take, sold in sets of 9, and they're the same size as what you see on your phone. Neat gift idea, I'm thinking... :)

Autumn...a Beautiful Time of Year