Broken

Broken
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.
~Vincent Van Gogh

Here's Lookin' at You Kid!

Here's Lookin' at You Kid!
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I finally got around to developing my first roll of film through an Ultronic Panoramic (a junk store cheap camera).
I had wanted to send it off to be developed so I could actually have color, but....something happened at the end of the 12 exposure roll. It kept winding and winding....as if it were an endless roll of film!
Since I figured I must have ruined all or at least part of the roll clicking away like a mad woman, I decided it would be best to just throw it in a batch of diafine (for b&w film) and was shocked to have images after all!
Most of the images look like they are rather dark and contrasty. I have no idea if it's the film, the camera or what.
I may, or may not, post more from this batch later.

This is one of my kids being cute because he knows I'm shooting him AGAIN!

I had good news this week! Some of my photos sold over at Your Ky Photos! That's a start in the right direction.

Macro World

entangled
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I went camping with our boy scout troop this past weekend. Saturday morning we woke up to a dew covered world. We camped right next to a small lake, the kind that doesn't see many campers or fishermen, so there were lots of grasses, wildflowers and cattails growing near the water's edge. A perfect place to wonder around with a camera and macro filters in the early morning's light. I haven't visited the macro world as much lately, and I thoroughly enjoyed the mini vacation of exploring the things that lay just within reach and sight if we just slow down, sit down, and look closer.
You have to learn to look slowly, and watch where you put your feet, your hands and your lens, you can find so many things in what seems like a small space to us.
I found spiders and their webs, woolly worms, frogs, and water drops on everything! Oh how the water drops glisten like jewels in the first warm rays of light!
In my home world I would never imagine going on such a grand adventure before my first cup of coffee of the day. But when on an adventure, rules are meant to be broken!

Chevy Truck

Chevy Truck
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I'm getting back to finding new ways to look at my images. Photographing cars and trucks at car shows can be such a challenge, because it's so hard to isolate what I want to be in the shot. There is always a bright colored car parked next to light colored ones, which reflects in the one I'm shooting, plus I try not to capture people who probably don't realize they may be in the shot. I don't always have time to wait for them to move, but I don't want to make them hurry up just for me. Most of the cars and trucks at the shows can only be truly appreciated when you slow down to look at the details inside and out. The owners often put much time and money in these rolling works of art, they enjoy seeing people take pleasure looking at them, and hear what they think about it. Stopping to talk to the owners, even for a minute can be so rewarding. You find out so much more about the car that way. When you hear how much it means to them and what they've done to get it to the condition it is (or keep it the way it was), makes it that much more beautiful and special.
Unfortunately, I don't get to stop and talk to near as many owners as I would like, at any of the shows we go to. I hate it when I can only click the shutter and move on. Summer heat can make it more challenging to get out and chat with the owners. It can really sap my energy and hospitality.
I hope that going back to edit some of these shots can help bring out what is so special about some of these cars and trucks. I never get tired of looking at them! I hope you don't either!

Summer's Last Glow

Summer's Last Glow
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
This year has been a year of seasons of every kind, and it's not over yet!
There are physical seasons we all see as weather, and there are spiritual seasons we each experience, often alone, sometime with others.

Physically, this year began much like many we have here in Kentucky; mild, sometimes cold, but often warm enough to grill something outside. But that normality didn't last long, and by the time the first month came to an end, winter played a cruel hand on us.

When spring finally came I looked for our dogwood trees to bloom. One usually blooms white, while the other blooms pink. This year they didn't bloom. They weren't damaged very badly by the ice storm, so I don't know why they wouldn't bloom. It was a part of spring I had looked forward to, and I missed it very much.

Summer has been mild for us this year. No drought has plagued us this year, which is a relief. But the pendulum swung far the other direction, and for many parts of the state, floods were almost the norm. In my yard, floods did not occur, but the cooler air and extra clouds has effected how the garden has grown this year. The summer mantra everywhere this year has been, "it's been a bad year for tomatoes". Even so, I have an abundant amount of cherry tomatoes being processed in my kitchen this week, as the little red bombs grow like weeds in my yard!

August has just slipped away from us, schools are in session, and the air is changing. When the wind blows, the walnut tree gets more bare, the nights are getting cooler and it feels good to sleep with windows open again. I see squirrels hunting for walnuts, and the starlings are beginning to flock.
In my spirit I feel the windows closing. The days I used to spend surrounded by my children are fading. One more has left home. He hasn't gone far, yet, but I am feeling the emptiness that eventually comes to all mothers when their children leave home to make their own way in the world. I am left to finish raising one more, and look forward to the days when they all come back again. Their voices are sorely missed here, but they will return again!
Who knows what the remaining months will bring us, here, weather wise and other wise. The signs are all around us, the seasons are changing already. There are still plenty of warm days left, but the cool ones are creeping in.
So get out and enjoy the warm days, the cool nights, and each other. For the end of a season is not the end of all things. New things, new people, and new experiences lie just ahead, around the corner where we cannot see them waiting. Take time to enjoy the changing of the seasons too!

Glowing Grill

Glowing Grill
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

The other day while looking through some of my most recent photos, I noticed that I haven't been playing around with post processing very much lately. This is one area of photography that I love to play with.
I took several shots of a few cars and trucks at a cruise in the other night, but they just didn't turn out the way I wanted them to. They were images I really wanted to keep, so I decide to play, and I felt like an artist who hasn't held a brush in a long time! It was fun, even though I was feeling a little rusty!
After a few attempts at different effects I got this one that I liked best. I like how it brings out the reflections in the chrome and polished surfaces, and the contrast. To me, it just seems to bring out the character of a cool old truck!
This one, by the way, was a 1950 GMC. A model we don't see as often at the local car shows and cruise ins. This truck parked next to us, and I had to control my drool over it, I really enjoyed looking at it a lot!

Over 600 Views!

Over that last few months I have been passing out little cards to direct people to this blog, and I have been getting more views. I don't get any comments, so I wonder who is taking the time to stop by and what they think of what they see.
My previous post I described my most recent trip to a local car show. I have uploaded more photos of that event to the YourKyPhotos web site.
I have links on this site directing viewers to that site just to make it easier, as I know typing in a url can be a test of patience, and even a gamble if you are prone to making typos.
That site where I sell selected photos lets me, as a contributor, see how many people are viewing my photos and albums, and I must say I'm quite impressed with the large volume of visits to my recent album. The current count is over 600 and still counting. Why am I impressed? I only passed out 3 business cards during that event, and I seriously doubt there were even half that many people at the event itself!
Now, I'm the first person to admit that math is not one of my strong suits, but that is quite an astounding number for this small town gal.
But I'm not celebrating this simple milestone. Why? Because out of all those views of an album containing only 13 photos, not one single order has been placed! I would like to think if my photos are good enough to be looked at hundreds of times, they are capturing someone's interest in some way, and the photos are also (if I do say so myself) worthy of ordering a print or two!
So if you are one of those fine folks who is taking the time to visit my blog and visit my folders in YourKyPhoto, the best way to share those photos with your friends and family is to get a print or two made! Tell everyone who took the photo, and tell them where you got it so they can get a print of their own! The best thing about photos is sharing them and the memories they capture for you!
While you are here, leave me a comment, or email me one. I would love to hear from my viewers, and I would especially love to hear from some of the folks I've met at the various events. A please don't be shy about ordering a print or two from me, I'd really appreciate and I'm sure you'd enjoy having it!
Thanks for stopping by!

Perryville Cruise In

Perryville Cruise In
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

It's been a summer of car shows, and there's no sign of it dwindling yet!
Last week while reading my local newspaper, I saw that a Cruise In was planned in Perryville. Their first time giving it try, it sounded, as they are trying to raise money to fix up the down town area. Perryville is a little bitty town in western Boyle County, Kentucky, just a few minutes from where I live. It's a cute little town, fairly quiet most of the year, with the exception of one weekend in October when there is a Civil War reenactment at the Battlefield. If you enjoy seeing small town America, this is a great little place to visit, but to capture the small town charm, try to avoid Battle weekend, because the area is just swamped with tourists then, even though the battle is a real treat to visit, too.
The Chaplin River runs right through town, and history has shown it to get out of it's banks from time to time, even causing the fire department to post a truck on each side of the bridge to be able to help either side of town in case of an emergency when the flood waters would cover the bridge you see in the back ground in this photo. .
The river has been tame this year, and it provided a lovely backdrop for the car show on this hot and sticky summer day. Those of us who were able to find the shade of a big tree were very grateful.
The car show started at 4pm and was to last until 9. There wasn't a huge turn out, but it doesn't take many cool cars to draw a crowd, and have some fun. Every car show we go to we see new cars and meet new people, and this one was no exception. No two car shows are ever alike, and we always come away from one feeling like we've made new friends. I only wish I had the time to meet everyone there, as it seems every car that shows up represents a great story about how it got there or just the interesting people who own them.
We also had some entertainment at this car show. A local Elvis impersonator showed up to distract us all from the summer heat with his talent and warm personality. A true performer who obviously loves his audience!
Good bbq and a bake sale rounded out the event, as well as seeing familiar faces. For those who missed out on it this year, be looking for it again next year. Maybe we'll see you at the next car show!

Sprocket Holes!

img072
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I'm finally making progress with film!
There are so many demons to battle when learning new things. It seems like every time I try to do something, the computer sees me coming, spins some sort of Wheel of Misery to decide what it won't do for me this time!
If it's not the external hard being full, then it's something new going wrong with the scanner! Then dvd software won't let me burn photos to make space or something else the scanner is doing to keep me from scanning. Yes, I have lots of scanner trouble! even after finding a 'new' one on Craig's List! It's new in the sense it had never been used before, it's just not the newest model. The family is still on a budget, ya know!

Well, battles are being won, and I'm finally pulling ahead in the scoring department in that regard, and starting to have fun with photos again! If a gal can't have fun, then why do it? Right?
We are having amazing weather lately, some days are too hot to believe, but we are also having an unseasonable cool spell. It's been like autumn in July this past week, and I haven't heard anyone complain! It made for great weather for a car show Saturday.

The car show was a great chance for me to finish up a couple rolls of film in two different cameras. I'm totally loving my Canon EOS 750, and very automatic film camera. It;'s a bit heavy, but I can swap lenses between it and my digital, and it's one camera I don't have to think about settings and exposures on. I just cross my fingers! ha ha!
I cannibalized (slightly) a Kodak duaflex so I could have at least one that functioned as an actual camera. When I bought the Duaflexes I didn't intend to use film in them, so I wasn't concerned about their funtions. But then I decided to give the sprocket hole thing a try and the best functioning Kodak needed a film winding knob. That's the extent of the cannibalizing, though! I did have to take the camera apart and clean the lenses and view finder real good. I thought my first roll of fillm run through it looked a bit soft. Soft is ok for some things, but they were dirty, and that never helps make a better image!

I also got around to replacing the light seal in the Fujica AX-3 hubby found in a pawn shop over a year ago. I found a 50mm lens for it on ebay, and our first roll of film in it showed a serious light leak. We got the replacement kit for it not long after that, but just kept putting off what seemed like a yucky chore. And a yucky chore it was! But it was worth it, breathing fumes of lighter fluid used to clean the old sticky seals off really isn't much different than breathing fumes from fingernail polish! No sooner than I had that finished and the camera cleaned up, I had a roll of 12 exposure film in it to test it, and it looks like the problem is fixed! Developing my own film is starting to have it's advantages!
I have another roll of film in the Fujica, but it's not finished yet. I'm anxious to see how it did, though. I hope I get some more photo ops soon!

The Fujica is a fun camera to shoot. It's light weight and versatile. It's the same model as the one hubby and I bought when we were first married, but foolishly sold when we starting going point & shoot and digital. It didn't take long to regret that move and I swear I'll never ever sell another camera again! You just never know!

We have been to a couple car shows over the last couple months, so there are plenty of photos of cars in my photo stream for those of you who like to drool over such things.

I also have become involved with a new online project started by the folks at my local newspaper office. I already have links to it from here, just look at the bottom of the page and you'll see YourKYPhotos. On the right sidebar is a link to their Facebook page for those of you who are on Facebook. Some of the photos I (and other area photographers) take around the area are for sale. You will find photos from many area events, not all of them this year, some are form the last couple of years, as we have some really big events happening around here from time to time. So please take the time to check that out, and buy any you would like prints of. All the photographers are regular folks like me, who love taking photos, and this is a chance for us to make a little bit of money from our hobby.
Have a great summer!

A Season for Everything

There is something just magical about springtime and summer. Sure, you could say it's all about the rebirth of plants, flowers, and the stirring of hibernating animals. I share the excitement of seeing the first squirrel running about, the first flower bloom (I take photos of all these things!) and the sounds of the world awaking. It doesn't matter if it's the sound of birds singing again or children playing or dogs barking, the dead silence of winter breaking gives my spirit and creative nature new hope.
With warmer weather we look forward to all the chances to play again. I like to play in the dirt, and make my garden grow and feed my family. I look forward to each stage of the gardening season, from crocus to tomatoes! Plans to attend festivals, car shows, parades, anything we put off because the weather keeps us inside, become reality again. But the true reality is the work behind making those plans successful. For the garden to even think about holding my tomatoes and squash, the ground has to be tilled, fertilized and mulched. It's backbreaking work, but it's always worth it! This spring we had the added work of cleaning up what the ice storm ripped apart in our yard, but nature was still chugging along. These daffodils bloomed as soon as the debris uncovered them!

As a family we are experiencing all the normal things of life. In just a few short months we have seen the set backs of a job layoff, the joys of prom night and graduation, the thrill of putting a new engine in a car and hear it roar back to life, and the bitter sweetness of taking our two sailors to the airport, then see another son joining the service as well. But these things get recorded in family history as an image or just in our memories, and we keep on, moving on, because we know life is a mixed bag, and there are many great things coming, not just bad.

Car show season is going into high gear. One of our sailors is sailing the high seas, physically, but his heart is home behind the driver's wheel of his '73 Charger. We keep that spirit alive for him by taking care of his car, driving it, and taking it to car shows. The work of washing, waxing and vacuuming the car is not so fun, but just as the work in the garden has it's rewards, so does the work in the driveway! In March Eric came home for a few weeks and he wanted to work on his car. He had dreams of making it more powerful, and as a family we helped him make those dreams come true. It is a real family project, memories and work combined!

.
My calendar is filling up, and time is becoming more accounted for, which means I can't write too much this time. This weekend alone we hope to fix the transmission in an old farm truck we bought to fix up and drive, and also attend a local festival, which I'm sure will result in new images to share. The county fair starts this week, and I have things to get ready to enter for that on top of everything else.
I have been learning to develop my own black and while film, so I have some film just anxious to be exposed this weekend and throughout the summer. I have taken TTV photography an extra step and am shooting video through the viewfinder. I hope to capture the spirit and fun of the festival this weekend with that. I have other photographic experiments going on as well, and hope the results are worth sharing soon.
Here is a video I did from a car show in Somerset a couple months ago using my new ttv rig:



Enjoy Your summer....it won't last long!

Citrus

Citrus
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Winter is dragging it's feet this year, everyone I know seems to be more than ready for spring to begin. We all long for warmer days so we can bask in the sun, shed some extra layers and stop shivering! Even the cats just keep looking for a warmer place to spend their days and nights!
Sometimes the only way to get through a tough season is to start thinking about things that give you warm thoughts. For me, I have starting planting seeds for my summer garden. I have tomatoes and herb seedlings coming up already, seed catalogs are starting to arrive, and more have been ordered.
A challenge in the Macro Monday group in Flickr spurred me to find something to fit the weekly theme, "From the Fridge". It's always fun to see what other people come up with for the same theme, but it seems that my fruity entry is also helping others think warm thoughts as well.
We had just been to the grocery store and I stocked up on a few citrus fruits in hopes of making a real nice pitcher of Sangria. That evening was just warm enough for hubby to throw some burgers on the grill, while I sliced fruit and took photos. The the whole combination of burgers and wine combined with a bowl of homemade salsa and chips, was nicely reminiscent of a summer day.
The saying goes that it's always darkest before the dawn. This year we are hoping that it's coldest before spring. We just don't know how many more storms and arctic cold waves we can endure!
So here is a photo to help everyone out there hold on just a little bit longer. Spring is just around the corner, and soon I'll be posting photos of crocus and daffodils again!

Our Turn

Our Turn
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

FINALLY!
between 4-5 pm Saturday we got power back! What a relief!

cable guy

cable guy
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

The only thing that could make our day any better than having the sun come out and shine was to see workers show up and reconnect us to the modern world. Our cable company actually got here before the power company did!
Progress!!

Icy branches

Icy branches
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

against a blue sky, the sun making the ice look more like glass. Already you can see where some has melted and fallen off this tree.

Saturday the sun came out and ice began melting and falling off of everything. The new danger of going outside was staying away from anything that could drop a chunk of ice. It was falling off tree branches, power lines, and roof tops.

It was too pretty out to stay inside. Photos were the excuse to go out. The warm sun was the reason to stay out.

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

The sun played peek-a-boo with the clouds for most of the morning. When it came out, it made the ice sparkle like jewels. It's so strange to think of something so destructive in such a way, but remember all the turmoil and pressure a diamond has to endure to become a priceless gem.
We hear that adversity builds character. If that's true then we will have some real characters walking in our midst around here! I know my story is not so dramatic or special, compared to that of others.
I mostly just wanted to blog this to make it easier to share with friends and family. I also hope that it might help someone realize how important is it to be prepared for emergencies. There may be some who read it who are simply curious about what it was like. That's fine. I am a curious person, and I believe curiosity leads to learning.
To be honest, I want to finish this. I want to post the photos I want to post, say the things I feel like saying and try to get this whole ordeal behind me and move on. And it was an ordeal, it was traumatic in it's own way. It made us put life on hold for a few days, it made us stop and think about things that we don't often think about.
I was glad I had the camera to not only document the event, but to capture some of the beauty in it's midst. I honestly know what to take pictures of now. That was quite a distraction from what has become ordinary and mundane.
One thing that a person must remember when going through something trying (I remember telling myself the same thing while in labor with each of my children)., "it won't last forever". Yes, it's more difficult when you don't know when it's going to end. But knowing it will end, is sometimes all the hope you get.

Crews

Crews
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

More signs of Hope.
I was walking the dog Saturday morning and looking at how the sun danced with the ice, when I saw several trucks roll up the street and turn up the street behind us. So Ollie and I walked up a bit to see where they were going. They were gathering behind the factory there, probably getting ready to put in another long day.

Icy Holly

Icy Holly
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Saturday morning started out pretty much the same as the rest of the week. It was cold over night, the inside of the house was cooler than the night before, but we have camped in colder weather!
We still had to boil water in front of the fireplace to make coffee in the french press. At least I no longer had to grind my coffee beans in a pestle and mortar, we had bought ground coffee while at the store the other day. We were tired of cooking, so meals were consisting of coffee or cocoa and instant oatmeal for breakfast, cup ramen and pepsi for lunch. The night before it was canned chicken and noodle soup heated by the log for supper. The cats were happy with their cat food. My mother in law and her dog were able to go back home on Friday, so the animals seemed to be less edgy, but still cold.
Late Friday night, KU had stopped by the house but were not ready to turn us on yet. We fell asleep with the window blinds open hoping they would come back during the night to hook us up. Tarzan must have sensed something too, he was more restless Friday night. He kept going to the windows to look out.
By this time we could see the crews were getting closer to turning us on. A street light and a neighbor behind us were back on. It was exciting and depressing all at the same time. We had hopes of borrowing a generator for a couple hours just to get our freezer re-frozen. The food was holding up pretty well, but wasn't going to last much longer.

The forecast for the weekend was for a warm up. That was good news for the most part, but then we wondered if the garage would continue to stay cold enough for the milk, eggs a other items from the refrigerator to stay safe.
It's so hard not knowing.

Hydrant

Hydrant
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Friday morning I walked around the neighborhood just a little bit for more photos. The sun was trying to come out from behind the clouds, making the ice everywhere sparkle like diamonds when it did peek out.
The weekend forecast was for much warmer temperatures which would most likely melt the ice and snow. So I wanted to get out and take a few more photos before it was all gone and before we got busy with cleaning up the mess.
I didn't take as many photos on Thursday than other days of the week. The whole ordeal was wearing me down, it was getting a bit depressing at times. Looking out of the windows on Thursday was much like looking out the window on Wednesday. We had to try to wash some dishes, make sure candles and oil lamps were ready before dark, and I tried to get a little quilting done.

Multi-purpose

Multi-purpose
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Thursday came, and still no power. My mother in law's dog had been left at her house, and the nights were getting colder as the week wore on. We began making plans to go get the dog and go to the store for extra batteries, cat food and things to eat that were simple to prepare. We didn't know how long we would be without power, or how long we'd be under a boil water warning and wanted to be able to conserve butane.
We went to the garage where our camping gear is stored and found a rack we usually use over camp fires. We found that placing it beside the gas log put the water pots closer to the flame and would do a slow, yet good job of boiling the water. We were now able to heat and boil water without using up butane fuel.

The night before the storm hit, I discovered we were very low on cat food. There wasn't even enough for one more day. At the time I had hopes we'd be able to get to the store to get more the next day, but the next day proved more challenging than that.
We had plenty of dog food and figured if the cats were hungry enough, they'd eat it. I was wrong. Two of the cats were happy with canned food I kept in case of emergencies, but Tarzan was picky and wouldn't even eat that. I found some sliced turkey meat thawing in the kitchen freezer and he ate that. Another day he had some leftover hamburger that wasn't eaten at supper the night before. He likes milk, so he even had milk, which was now being stored in the garage because the garage was colder than the refrigerator.
Hubby needed a prescription filled and word on the radio was that the pharmacy was open again. He had extras in his camping gear, which got him through the week.
So we cleaned off the car and headed for Walmart. They were completely out of lamp oil, was restocking propane (which we didn't need), no sign of butane, and almost completely out of candles. It was a good thing we found a better way to heat water, and didn't really need the oil or candles.
We picked up hot cocoa mix, instant oatmeal and cup Ramen, plus a big bag of cat food, and a case of Pepsi. The water was nearly completely sold out, good thing we didn't need that either!

We saw several people we know, including someone we hadn't seen in many months! It was good to see folks and hear they were all doing well.
We finally got out of the store, and headed to Mom's house to get her dog. Her house was cold, but her freezer was still cold. So we got the dog and a sweater for mom and headed back for home. The poor little dog was scared and cold, but she was safe. Outside temperatures that night were predicted to be down to around 10 or less, not counting windchill factors. We felt much better getting her out of there.

Traffic

Traffic
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I couldn't believe how much traffic there was on our street all week.
It seems the east end of our street suffered more damage than on our west end. To make matters worse, there is a trailer park on the east end. I can't imagine what it would be like living in a trailer through a storm like this.
I imagine most the traffic was people checking on others, taking some to shelters, or to the store for supplies.
During the night before I heard freight trains going through on the tracks west of town, and it didn't sound like they were even slowing down. I don't know how the storm didn't slow them down.

By Wednesday, when this photo was taken, we were making attempts to check on my mother in law.
My husband's brother lives closer to her than anyone else and he tried to get to her Tuesday night. He was not allowed on her street because of limbs and power lines down. He was told someone had been up and down her street to check on everyone and was told she was fine. Later, she told us no one had even come to her door.
She is a diabetic, living alone, and someone was trying to check on her. Why would they just lie like that?

So Wednesday, my husband tried to call officials to find out if the street had been cleared enough for him to go get her. We were pretty sure she was without power, because her phone was not being answered, (she has an cordless phone which needs power), which also meant she had no heat. He was given rude and short answers on the phone that were anything but helpful. So he called the radio station to see if someone listening who lived closer to her and could go check on her or tell him if the street was clear.
To make a long story short, he got through, people were listening and helping, and a good Samaritan picked her up and brought her to our house.
Our hometown radio station, was a life line for this community during this whole ordeal. They stopped all their regular broadcasting and turned into a communication hub. People could call in and ask for help or offer help for a wide variety of needs. Information about the water shortage, updates about the power companies, shelter information and much much more was being announced all day, every day. It was a vital tool for people in Boyle County and surrounding counties. At times they even operated by battery power, without lights, without heat, and surviving by volunteers taking them food, calling them and telling them what was going on outside their studio or trailer.
They are our home town heroes! Thanks Charlie Perry and everyone there who helped this community even though your own homes were needing power, trees cut and whatever else. I hope you know just how much you helped this community!

branch on the roof

branch on the roof
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Tuesday night was terrifying!
Our power line was cut from the grid late Tuesday night as a safety precaution. If power had been restored with the damage we had, there was a chance of sparks or even fire. We thought that would help us sleep better through the night, but it was only one less worry on my mind. We went to bed between 11:30 and midnight. The neighborhood was completely dark by then. I fell asleep and slept until about 3am. After that the sounds outside kept me from sleeping any better than an occasional doze.
We had turned on our gas log fireplace a couple hours after the power went out. We let it run a few hours, then turned it off before going to bed. All of our bedrooms are upstairs and most of the heat from the fireplace goes up stairs. The boys both slept in the front bedroom, since the side bedroom was too close to the trees beside the house, and we just didn't know if a branch would come crashing through his windows during the night
Throughout the night, I could hear branches of trees all over the neighborhood crack and pop, and the sound of ice shattering off as they fell surrounded us. Some I could tell were not close, some sounded close, but it was hard to tell how close. It was a fear gripped night, not knowing if houses were being damaged.
I got up several times during the night to try to see what was happening outside. But without street lights, I couldn't see anything but ice. The night was black and gloomy. Occasionally a car would drive by, but their headlights weren't enough to see very much in the yards. One time during the night, I could barely see this branch on the garage roof. I took a battery powered lantern down to look inside the garage to make sure it didn't go through. It looked like it didn't. That was some relief!
All the cats were sleeping on our bed. At one time during the night there was a cat on either side of my feet and one on my head. I hoped the one (Tarzan) on my head would muffle the sounds outside, but he only partially muffled the sounds.
Not only could I hear tree branches snapping everywhere, but I could hear it raining, and I knew that it was more freezing rain, which would weigh the trees down even more. The night seemed to last forever.
When would this nightmare end!?

Just beyond

Just beyond
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

We spent the first day of the storm looking out all the windows, watching and listening to branches fall out of the trees, holding our breath each time. Every hour that went by we wondered if the power would go out. Around noon we lost power for about a half of an hour, then a little later, it went off long enough to reset everything that was on.
We gathered candles, oil lamps and flashlights, all the time hoping we wouldn't need them.
Hope can be fleeting.

Early Glimpse

our small pine tree
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

One of our earliest glimpses of the ice storm when we woke up Tuesday morning as we looked out the back door. The light of day was just beginning. Street lights are still on, and we have power. We know that may not last. And we know the storm is just beginning.
Storm warnings were issued Sunday night so people would have a chance to prepare for the storm. Many people heeded the warnings but had no idea how bad it would get before it would all be over with.

You can see that even this early in the storm the weight of the ice was already an incredible burden for the trees and power lines to bear. This tree does not normally droop at all.

Getting Iced

Getting Iced
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Well... we survived the ice storm of January 2009. We were without power for about 4 days. This storm was no picnic to ride out, to say the least. I will try to make several entries with photos and stories, but that will take awhile. My camera held up just fine, and gave me something to do and a reason/excuse to go outside for more than just walking the dog. I only used about half my memory space, and was about half way through my available battery power. Through photos I was pretty much able to document the storm from my corner of the street.
Right now we are in recovery mode. The fridge has been cleaned out, relatives have been called, the insurance adjuster has been here but we have debris to remove and no chain saw to do it. We will have to get some professionals to remove a couple trees that I have greatly enjoyed. It really is hard to come to terms with their loss. They provided shade, privacy from our busy corner, and were a sound barrier as well as something to focus my camera lens on countless times.
Many photos have already been added to my flickr stream, but as of this writing, all but one of those were taken and loaded on Tuesday during the storm, and before we lost power. I will have to organize my photos, thoughts and stories before really starting the blog entries.

It was a bit traumatic, but we found out we were much more prepared than we may have realized. That will be another topic of my blog. People really really really need to be prepared for emergencies!

Still Life with Dried Roses

Still Life with Dried Roses
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

I think I have found an inspiration for better photos.
I have always enjoyed a good still life, but really have not explored them very much. I have learned a few techniques with Photo Shop this past year, and it is nice to be able to use them in a way that is pleasing to me.
The weather outside is bitterly cold, and about to get colder. There is nothing new outside to take pictures of anyway, so it is a good time to dust off my vintage pottery and look around the house for all these nick knacks I've collected over the years, and give them purpose.

Back in the days when I only had one child I actually tried a few still lifes in pastels. They aren't too bad, I just never got around to framing them, so they sit in the sketch book and rarely get looked at. By now the corners are getting bent from being moved about from shelf to shelf.
These photographic versions are much more realistic!

Jan 9 Queen of the Quilts

Jan 9 Queen of the Quilts
Originally uploaded by surfinsandy23

Not exactly a resolution...but maybe more like guided self-motivation....
I started the year by joining in some 365 groups on Flickr. They are groups dedicated to taking and posting a photo every day through the entire year.
I can be quite lazy sometimes, so thought it would serve as some sort of motivation to keep looking for photos all around me. I've started off quite slowly, but the idea of posting boring photos everyday will soon get me looking for something more worthy of sharing. Kinda like living in a cluttered house...it eats at ya until you do something about it!

The holidays here were nice. We had one sailor come home to visit, but the other one couldn't. Being in Japan makes it much harder. We sent him a care package and he sent cool gifts from Japan that made everyone say WoW! I told him don't worry about not coming home, enjoy being in another culture! Life is an adventure!
Our oldest son will soon be joining him in Japan. He will be assigned to a destroyer in the same fleet and strike group.
Being a mom of sailors isn't easy, but it makes me very proud.

Happy Year to everyone....I hope to post here more often too!