Shoot Three II - "Boston! II"

So, how did you do? It was Minnesota! 
Remember "Little House on the Prairie?" And, I am guessing being the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" might help to drive up those coastline numbers! Carol, Joani, Elaine, Mommy Beth, and Doris knew MN. Also heard from Michelle with a couple of guesses and Mike P.


Still in Boston because I wanted to check out the Christian Science Monitor area since it was a short walk from the library. I have seen some amazing images of this structure. On my photo lifelist is to return some evening to shoot this place at night!

Bear with me - when I was choosing the picture to share with you I was torn between the color and the B&W. I went back and forth and finally decided you were getting BOTH! Hey, it is my blog!!

Thought for the week. . .

Found these most interesting outlooks on life

Talent is God-given; be humble. 

Fame is man-given; be thankful. 

Conceit is self-given; be careful. 

~ John R. Wooden

N i f t y   F i f t y
Here are some interesting facts about one of our fifty states. Do you know which one? This state boasts of being the:

home of Amelia Earhart, first woman granted a pilot's license by the National Aeronautics Associate and first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

home of Dwight D. Eisenhower our 34th President

home of silent comedian Buster Keaton, of early film success

home of the first black woman to win an Academy Award was  Hattie McDaniel. She won the award for her role in "Gone with the Wind."

Leaving you with a smile, I hope. . .

In a democracy, it's your vote that counts. 
In feudalism, it's your Count that votes.

(And, on my Blog, only I count!!!)

Shoot Three - Boston!

So, how did you do? Michelle and Mommy Beth knew it was Connecticut! Joani and EMO did check in but didn't offer a guess.


For some reason, Shoot Three didn't happen until May! Not sure what was going on in March and April so that my camera didn't get any kind of a workout?

Taking my camera into Boston is one of my favorite annual activities as there is always something to shoot. In 2014, I made three ventures into the Hub. My main reason for this first trip was the Boston Marathon Memorial set up in the Copley Square Library. They temporary exhibit was coming down to be put back into storage until a more permanent site could be found.

The organizers collected all of the running shoes left behind and made this most interesting arrangement. Many of the shoes had messages written on them. I wonder how many of these people returned for 2014? I'm guessing just about all of them!

Thought for the week. . .

Found these most interesting outlooks on life

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back. 

~ Chinese Proverb.

N i f t y   F i f t y
Here are some interesting facts about one of our fifty states. Do you know which one? This state boasts of:

being the home of author Laura Ingalls Wilder who lived on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove.

                 

being the home of the Hormel Company of Austin which marketed the first canned ham in 1926. In 1937, it introduced Spam. 

having 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined!

Leaving you with a smile, I hope. . .

Shortest distance between two jokes: 

A straight line! 

Shoot Two - "Rachel"

So, how did you do? It was Massachusetts! Tip of the lens cap to Carol, Michelle, Mommy Beth, Joan-i, Michael P., and first time responder, Jim W! 

First public elementary school: The Mather Elementary School was in Boston (Dorchester) - a side note - I student taught there - well after it first opened its doors!
Oldest co-ed: Hingham (Derby Academy)  
First college in America: Harvard 

Bonus: Weathervane atop of Derby Academy!

My second opportunity to click away came the following week as I joined two other HDP members for a model shoot in Lynn. The Greater Lynn Camera Club hosts a portraiture event during the winter doldrums. There were supposed to be four to six models to be photographed but for some reason only one showed up when we got there. A few hours later there were a couple others there on the scene. 

This is Rachel. . .

I liked her eyes and I thought the hat helped to frame them well. Even as a monochromatic, she is a beautiful girl!

Thought for the week. . .

Found these most interesting outlooks on life, in general.

Do not go where the path may lead,
go instead where there is no path and leave a trail! 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

N i f t y   F i f t y
Here are some interesting facts about one of our fifty states. Do you know which one? This state boasts of being the:

home to the first hamburger (1895), Polaroid camera (1934), helicopter (1939), and color television (1948).

                 

as well as PEZ® Candy is made in this state!

Leaving you with a smile, I hope. . .

A dentist and a manicurist married. 

They fought tooth and nail.

{stay with me they should get better!}

Shoot One - "Snowy Owls"

Well, I am ready to kick off another Year in Review. I think there were about fifteen to twenty different opportunities to click away in 2014. Being fresh out of photo tips, I have decided to include some interesting and thought-provoking quotes as well as some trivia and end it all with a smile and a chuckle, I hope!

Since Blog Year One had a very successful give and take segment with you, my faithful blog followers, I have decided to bring back another opportunity for you to get involved.

So my first shoot for 2014 did not happen until early February. This was a banner year for snowy owls and one of the members from Hockomock Digital had a beach permit for Duxbury. I was fortunate enough to be invited along for this image:

It did take off but with a 500mm lens affixed to my tripod, it was impossible to capture it in flight. He was very graceful in his departure - so I was told!

Thought for the week. . .

Found these most interesting outlooks on life, in general.

You don't drown by falling in the water; 

you drown by staying there. 

~ Edwin Louis Cole.

N i f t y   F i f t y
Here are some interesting facts about one of our fifty states. Do you know which one and bonus points for the city and institution
in which these happened?? This state boasts of:

the first public elementary school in America 
(and, still in use).
the oldest co-educational school in the United States (and, still accepting students).

the first college established in North America 
(still in use).

Leaving you with a smile, I hope. . .

I used to eat a lot of natural foods 

until I learned that most people die of natural causes!


{C'mon, you know you smiled. . . }

That's a Wrap!

Well, that was quite a journey down Memory Lane for me! I enjoyed looking back at where I had been and what I shot - I trust you did as well. Thanks for responding - that's what kept me posting.

Here is my year in review!

What's in store for 2015? I have a few options. The easy one is to go quietly off into the digital cyberspace and give you a break. Or, I could review 2014? It would mean coming up with some fillers as I certainly have the images! And, you really haven't seen anything from me this past year.

I'll weigh my options and let you know in January - just watch your emails!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Nixon's Law 

The man who can smile when things go wrong -- 

has thought of someone he can blame it on.

Steven Wright's Witticisms

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; 
to steal from many is. . .

research.

Week fifty-two - "One Hundred Thousandth!"

My twentieth and final shoot of 2013 took place at My Brother's Keeper, a Catholic charity that brings the love and hope of Christ to those whom they serve. I was a volunteer there for twelve years. During the last few weeks of 2013 there had been a tally of the number of deliveries they had made over the past twenty-five years. 

Christmas Eve was to be extra special this year as the ministry was scheduled to make its one hundred thousandth delivery - fittingly it was Christmas gifts!

Making this momentous milestone were the co-founders (Jim and Terry), the president of MBK (Erich) and two students.

                                      "# 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 th!"

Looking back over the past twelve-plus years, 

I think I was involved in a few thousand of them!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Steven Wright's Witticisms

A conscience is what hurts 

when all your other parts feel so good.

Week Fifty-one - "The Creamery"

Part of my weekend in Stockbridge last year included a tour of some of the homes in the area. We were shuttled in and out of the various homesteads where we were asked to don plastic booties to keep the snow off their floors. I think I spent more time putting them on and taking them off than I did walking through the rooms!

One fun stop was this creamery where the current owners are slowly trying to restore the facility back to its original look - inside as well as outside.

"The Creamery"

I noticed this year's tour features several other homes - almost tempted to drive up for the day - provided it is NOT raining or snowing!

Weekly Photo Suggestion:

Fresh out of them - so . . .

Just enjoy shooting!

 A Pearl of Wisdom. . .

Ade's Law

Anybody can win -- 

unless there happens to be a second entry!

Steven Wright's Witticisms

How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?