TUM - Clock

What an exciting few weeks.  I loved having my mom and dad visit, it was so, so sad to see them leave, especially since I don't know when I will see them again.  And then just after they left, we had winter storm Nemo.

Nemo did more damage than any other storm since we arrived, including Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Sandy.  We could not drive down any of the streets leaving our house, because there were trees and cables down everywhere.  Big trees.  We lost power for four days (and therefore heat) and we lost all comms - no internet, no phone, no tv.  We were all fine, thankfully, and nobody we know was hurt.  Friends had trees down in their yard, a few people had trees and branches come through their roof, but we are all okay.  We also got about 18 inches of snow, a foot and a half.  And I think the storm made it onto the list of the top five worse storms in the history of Boston based on snow fall within a certain time frame.  Let's just say it was horrendous. 

We eventually went out and bought a generator to power the furnace.  We did not want to face freezing pipes on top of no heat, because frozen pipes burst.  After the storm there was a lot of cleanup, and this week we had another storm, only 8 inches this time, and without the wind, but some people lost power all over again.  I can't even imagine.  Although the generator we bought also powers some lights, the fridge and the electric frying pan so we would be okay, but still.

I am glad that we live where we live.  The communication from the state of Massachusetts leading up to the storm, including a ban on all movement during the height of the storm, their communication about the severity was dead on, and their mobilization post storm was incredible, the National Guard was mobilized to help with rescues and tree removal, and electricians were brought in from as far a field as Minnesota to help with the restoration of power.  It was truly amazing.   And despite the enormous amount of damage, we were out and about and the roads were cleared and power restored within days.  I don't think we would have had such a recovery in other parts of the world.

Storms aside, snow aside, winter aside, I am in a funk.  I think the last few days have been such an emotional drain, the farewell, the worry about the storm, the frustration at being powerless.  Literally.  And Mark and I have both been sick.  I haven't felt like doing anything, and everything feels like an effort.  I hope I snap out of it soon.

Clock seemed an appropriate theme for this week, because we were holed up inside, listening to the wind and watching the clock, waiting for the storm to pass.  It battered and blew and huffed and puffed for 24 hours, unrelenting.  Mariette's picture was even more apt, since her clock was broken and icy looking, so we will start with her image:

 And then my picture, all our clocks are digital so I wanted a different take:

And finally Claire, this is of her daughter looking through her favorite clock:

Lovely Claire.  Well, that's it for me this post, our next theme proved to be delightfully challenging, so until then . . .

TUM - Drip

Oh . . . my . . . word.  I had this great idea about colored paint drops falling into clear water in a vase, and photographing them from the side.  And it worked.  Except it didn't.  I am still in a funk, and didn't have the patience in the end just gave up.  BUT given the amount of snow we have had, and the warm weather after, and then the snow, and then the warm weather, and then the cold . . . well, you get the picture!  So I got the picture, and I saved me from myself:

Mariette's is just lovely, and she got it because she had the patience to take hundreds of photos for 'the right one' - good for you Mariette!  Nice photo!:

And then we have Claire, with her exquisite photo of Skyla with a drop of cream:

I finished on Claire's photo because next week's theme is as feminine as her photo, and since all our takes are so different each week I can't wait to see what everybody does with it!  See you then!

TUM - Edge

Okay, nearly there.  This was a very, very interesting theme.  In the end, since I couldn't find anything in my natural world that satisfied my desire to do it justice, I had to . . . you ready for this?  Stage it! - gasp!  I do find I am doing that more and more with this blog, and I think that's a good thing:

 

 I would have liked to spend more time on this, and try to get in the whole handle, but given the 45 seconds I had before my daughter got tired of holding the torch, I think it's a passable shot.  Linda joined us this week, so she is next:

My handsome nephew's strapping calves as he used the edge of the step to flex his muscles ;-)  Did he know he was posing for TUM Linda?

Mariette:

The orchid that came back from the edge of darkness to spread joy in this world in pink and white!  Orchids always make me think of my gran, special lady - she loved them.  Nice Mariette.

And Claire:

A young girl, on the edge of her seat!  I remember the anticipation of those days, pity as we get older things become less 'wooo hoooo!!!!  OMG!! I am so EXCITED!!  yippeee!  can't wait!!!!' and more 'I am looking forward to Friday night . . .' - live it up girl!

It is going to be a challenge to find a creative take on next week, instead of just the obvious.  I don't know what I was thinking, but if I have power after the storm and time will tell, I will get my photo done!

TUM - Love

Such a loaded word.  And I thought I would have PLENTY of opportunity with my mom and dad visiting - I haven't seen my dad in nearly five years, and my mom in two-and-a-half, and it is too long.  Our time together was so precious, and it felt like love lay over this house like a delicate veil, so delicate you hesitate to touch it for fear it will disintegrate, or disappear and just like that, it's gone.  Has three weeks passed already?

We didn't take many photographs, strange how that sometimes happens when on other occasions you use up multiple memory cards and run your camera battery flat.  I think it was because the visit was so loaded with emotion, both joy and sadness making it bittersweet.  I tried so hard to live in the moment, wrap my arms around each treasured memory, and burn the images of my mom in my kitchen, my dad in my dining room, or driving them around in my car into my mind so that when they had left, I could recall them in spirit and remember what that was like.  It felt almost too sacred to try and capture on camera.  And since it was impossible to feel the love without feeling the pain of saying goodbye again, this topic is as loaded as the word.  

I did find something to photograph, a little card my daughter made for me to let me know what a cool mom she thinks I am.  The love of a family as seen through the heart of a little girl . . .

Claire's picture is precious.  The love our animals have for us is so unconditional and wholesome, lovely, lovely photo Clarie:

And Mariette, who took a photo that she loves to tell us how much she loves this hobby.  I do too Mariette love this hobby, and I love your photo.  

If you would like to take more frosted photos, we are expecting a blizzard with one to two feet of snow to hit tomorrow night . . . it's a North Easter - they are always mean and nasty and have wicked bad tempers!

That's it for me this post, our next theme had me thinking of Shrek all week long: 'I'm a donkey on the edge!!!!'

TUM - Star

Gracious, my mind and body feels weary - like I need a good long sleep.  That's how you always feel when you have a cold I guess.  You also feel lost in a heavy mist, and seem to understand or perceive the world around you rather than participating in a world that is in clear focus.  A little dangerous when you are trying to take photographs and 'clear' and focus' are the main objectives!  Here is my take:

Itsy-bitsy starfish earrings.  So sweet.  Next up, Mariette:

I knew what this was right away - all the years working in hobby stores I guess.  Paint, specifically made for models (planes, trains, boats etc).  Tamiya must be the hobbyists choice because it is international brand (hence identifiable across seas) and crazy popular.  Then Claire:

Cute!  I think I need to borrow that for the next 4th of July ;-)

Well ladies, that's it.  I hope this email isn't as foggy and disconnected as I feel today.  Thanks for visiting!

TUM - Grey

I took our photo early this week and sent it off.  TUM photo - check!  Had I waited until last night I could have captured the lovely grey mist that wrapped itself around everything and softened the landscape.  But then again it was also quite wet and cold, so maybe not.  Me first:

Like I said in an earlier post, I am not driving myself crazy with photography magazines and experts - so, given my circumstances, I like it well enough.  Claire up next:

Just lovely Claire.  Truly.  It should be the cover of a novel!   And finally, Mariette:

Mariette didn't love her picture and decided to call it quits before she got fed up.  I think it is lovely, nice angle Mariette.  (Don't feel bad, if it were me I probably would have smashed the plate in a tantrum!)

And finally, Linda joins us again!  YAY!  Here is her pic, my sweet niece wrapped in a grey towel:

And yes, we are jealous.  A hot summers day, and swimming in January.  Sigh.  I could tell you that we are in for a dusting of snow tonight, but I don't think that will have the same effect, well, maybe on it would on Kayla Fern!

Well, that's it for this week, next week we go to dream land . . . I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight . . .

TUM (or is it really TUF?) - Sugar

Well, the die has been cast and we have the themes in place for 2013.  I don't want to start 2013 with all sorts of promises - but I have been feeling for a while that I need to put more effort into my photographs and stop relying on my iPhone so much.  I was doing splendidly with this hobby a few years back, but the more I read, and the more I learned, and the more photography magazines I poured over the more frustrated I got.  I started getting gear-envy.  This remote clicker, that lovely flash, diffusers, lens ring lights, fancy tripods, beautiful lenses and then . . . sigh . . . camera bodies.  My camera body is probably about 7 years old now, which is old for digital camera technology, and I started to outgrow the functionality it offered.

In addition, I haven't had access to my own computer for years and once the photos are in the camera, I didn't have anywhere to put them, and I didn't have decent enough software to play with them either.  And I didn't have time.  Eventually, about two years ago I put my camera away in the back of a dark, dark cupboard.  

It is only recently when I took on an assignment for a friend and dusted my old trusty off that I realized how much I have missed it.  And how much I do enjoy taking photographs.  So I have brought my old friend out of exile, and have decided that I should just enjoy the process, and play with composition and light and subject matter - which is where the art really comes from anyway, and just enjoy it.  That being said, in a promise to myself to try and spend more time playing with the hobby, here is my shot this week:

It's a start.  It was taken in my kitchen amidst the coffee rings on the un-wiped counter and breadcrumbs while I waited for the kettle to boil.  I took this one too, although it didn't speak to me as much:

We do these sugar crusted cranberries here, I wanted to make some and photograph them because they are so pretty, but these fake plastic berries - definitely not cranberries - on a $2 Christmas wreath is as close as I got. 

And finally, I had to reboil the kettle twice more because I got carried away:

And this one . . .

My husband eventually did get his tea, and I think I may have some Christmas card prospects for next year!  

Back to our theme, Mariette also found herself in post-Christmas mode I guess, her photo is just gorgeous!!!  Mariette, if you have a lot of these left, put them in a ziploc bag, smash them up and bake the crumbs into sugar cookies, you won't be sorry:

And Claire, so very nice to have you back.  Here's wishing you peace and love in 2013:

Next week won't be as sweet, or as colorful, but it presents a delightful challenge!  No more books or magazines for me.  I have decided my camera and I are going to voluntarily excommunicate ourselves, I am not going to read a darn thing and I am ignoring the experts.  I am going to let the subject matter speak to me, and the light, and I am going to just enjoy taking pretty pictures and getting reacquainted with my old friend.