Oh how I love my new camera...let me count the ways

Still playing with the new camera (obviously). I don't think I've put it down! Oh, the functions - I wish you could see the happy happy dance of joy I do with every new setting I learn!

Here is a smattering of the photos I took yesterday at my friend's house, in her wonderful garden - you can see the rest here.

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!

My new camera arrived yesterday! So of course, I've been playing...

spiderweb between the birdnetting of the pea/bean trellis

Sadie in macro

Spider trail in crabapple branches

Web-strewn clothes pins

Stellas in a neighbor's yard

Tallulah in mid-lick

Foggy Mt. Vernon St.

I'm very pleased with this camera's capabilities, so far...and I haven't even read the book yet to find out what else it can do! The fact that it picked up the spiderwebs and the cat's tongue in mid-lick, that's something my old camera never did! And that was my greatest disappointment with my old camera; it just never picked up the subtle details of a shot.

I bet you know what I'll be doing on my lunch break today...

Friday Night Stroll

Dinner by the river with the best friend. A stop at a vintage clothing store to find the perfect little apron. Peeking in shop windows. And an ice cream cone to end the evening.

A photographed stroll around Hallowell, Maine.

1. Rusty, 2. Glow, 3. Haunted, 4. Juliana, 5. Watcher, 6. Amid the Clutter, Nature Prevails, 7. Art?, 8. Here Kitty Kitty, 9. Looking Down, 10. By the Stars Above, 11. Wild, 12. Tenant Parking, 13. Reflection, 14. Rose Among the Thorns, 15. Spiral

More photo's here.

Quiet Friday Joy

Being perfect is the work of being yourself ~ Susan Reimer-Torn

Snap Happy

I know I already posted today, but I’m doing the digital camera happy dance of joy right now and I have to share.

This past weekend the battery door on my camera broke. I was forced to tape it shut, lest the batteries come flying out. At first I was kind of surprised by my lack of emotion for this happening. I mean for someone who carries a camera with her everywhere, I wasn't heart broken. Now I am in no way anything more than an amatuer dabbler in the field of photography, pretty much a point and shoot kinda gal, but for a while now I've been feeling like I just wasn't getting the pictures I wanted from my Olympus, so that coupled with the lack of emotion led me to realize that maybe it was time for an upgrade.

Now my little Olympus still works, so I wasn't really seriously considering buying a new camera right away, but I thought I'd just check out some: price them, compare them, read reviews, check out who was using what on Flickr and how their photos turned out. I’m not sure what led me to the Canon Powershot a580, but once I read the specs on it (8 megapixel resolution and 4x optical zoom lens, 2.5" LCD screen, 16 shooting modes, face detection system, video with sound and on and on) and this review, then saw this picture taken with the same camera and compared all of it to what I was getting out of my little camera, I knew that this was the next step for me.

I went from website to website, comparing prices to find something that would fit my budget, seeing who had deals, the good reputation and the better shipping. And after several sites and the lowest price being about $135, I thought, "Hmmm...I wonder if Dell carries it?" (after the purchases I've made through them, at least I know I can trust them). So onto the Dell website I went and what did I find? The a580...ON SALE...for cheaper!! Hey, any savings is good...AND they had free shipping. I also splurged and got a 4 GB SDHC memory card, which will hold like 2,000 high-res picts! Sooooooo PSYCHED!

It's still just a little camera, I know, without a ton of bells and whistles, but I think it will be just what I want and it fits my budget, so I'm happy. :^) Now I just can't wait for it to arrive so I can play!!

A Break in the Clouds

Finally, we're getting some sun! It's been so bleak and dreary (yet muggy) around here, so even thinking about taking pictures was futile! Here's looking up the driveway to where the fence used to be (you can see it at the very back of the picture - it's going to a burn pile along with a few other things soon!)Ah, to be fenceless...I forgot just how spacious my backyard is when there isn't a bunch of crap cluttering it!
My poor peonies have been getting beat by the rain



And the veggie garden is flourishing (though it needs desperately to be weeded). Here are the cukes and radish.

the peas and beans climbing for all they're worth
pumpkins
Tomatoes (lets hope they do better than last year!)
and Zucchini with some morning glories growing in the corner.
I really need to get in there and clean up, maybe tonight after work...maybe. Who's to say that I'll be in the mood?

Tilly and the Wall - new to me music

So I'm really digging the band Tilly and the Wall. They've been around since 2001, but they're new to me and I highly recommend them!

Give a listen...

TO THE JELLYFISH FIELDS!

I spent the weekend at my folks house with my brother and my cousin and Saturday night, we went lookin' for jellies and horseshoe crabs on the Damariscotta River...then we headed to the store for steak, shrimp and all the fixings for a yummy BBQ meal (that we ate at like 8:00/9:00 at night!)

Mini-Quilt Monday x3

Here I am, continuing to play catch up on the mini quilts. God only knows what I have left - being sick left my memory completely junked! But now that the double ear infection, the almost sinus infection, the throat issues and the allergic reaction to Zyrtec D out of my system...I'm feeling much better now!

But...for your viewing pleasure are the 3 latest:

Title: "Stitch and Bitch" (mini-quilts week 15)

Materials and Techniques: cotton fabrics completely handstiched...a technique that I despise! I have nothing but awe and respect for those quilters who sit there handstitching full sized quilts...I think they're absolutely insane...but it takes a tough constitution to work on something like that!

From Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, Apr. 2007 issue

Title: "Country Kitsch" (mini-quilts week 16)

Materials and Techniques: cotton fabrics in a nine patch and solid formation. I'll be honest, I really don't like country florals...I'm not sure what it is about them that makes me cringe, but they do. I tried them, because they were in my scrap bucket, but I still find them hideous!

Title: "Flutterby" (mini-quilts week 17)

Materials and Techniques: pieced solid cotton fabric with a floral print (not country floral mind you!), embroidered with flowers and butterflies, and one little bee. I love to embroider! I don't often do it, but I love the way it always comes out. Even when it's bad, it looks good...well, sometimes.

As soon as we get a not-so-dreary day, I'll have to take pictures of the garden...it's growing by leaps and bounds! AND...my brother took down that horrible fence in the back yard! Being sick, I lost 2 weeks of working on his bedroom, so the poor guy is sleeping on the couch. I feel bad, I wanted to have the last of the sheetrock up, but it just hasn't happened. Soon, hopefully.

What to do when you're sick...

Quilt and paint! It doesn't require a whole lot of effort if you really take it easy, or if you have most of the quilt top finished and only need to do the center block. I started this one about 3 years ago, but never finished it. It's definitely different...well for me. And there's that one purple block that just doesn't belong; I just don't know what was up with that. If I'd been smart, I would have taken it out and replaced it before I started stitching rows together.
I also made a slip cover for one of my couch pillows - I love this fabric...I think it's a Kaufman. Mum bought it for me.
Finishing the coffee table was easy - I sat on the floor the whole time.
And when the coffee table was done, I moved onto canvas...'cause I was bored.
Now I'm just waiting for the Doctor's office phone to stop being busy, so I can see if I can get in and find out why I haven't been able to hear well out of either ear for the last three days, why the cough persists and why my nasal passages feel like they're going to explode! Then I have to take the dog to the vet...again...for shots.

**Update** I have a double ear infection to go with my throat....ugh!