Day 310- January 31, 2011 - Blue Sky

Yesterday while at the park walking I looked up as
I past under a pine tree.......

Made for a beautiful site.

Day 309 - January 30, 2011 - Playground Play

Day 308 - January 29, 2011 - Lockers

Last May when Nashville had the FLOODS and so many

places were under water, that included my niece's school.

She attends a private school where the parents have an active

and helping hand in most everything that involves the kids.

This includes setting up for plays (my brother plays a role in

this) to moving things to the upper level of the school when

the flooding started. From my brother I understand that

parents and teachers alike joined at the school to make

this happen and to save as much as they could. Its amazing

what can happen when everyone joins together.

Even though it was near the end of the year the

children had to finish up the year at local area churches.

But with the outstanding help and hard work the school

was ready to reopen when school started back.

From the cleaning up, the painting, the hauling off,

the replacement of floors (including gym), replacement

of doors to the lockers. It was already to start a new

school year.

Last night was my first time to be back in the school.

My niece was in a skit for the drama class. My brother

pointed out the nice new floors and lockers that had

to be replaced on the first floor and I realized just how

much work went into just this one building, this one

school. There are still places around town that are not

finsihed, that will never be the same again.

The bright new floors of Holly's school and the

new lockers had me looking down the halls through

the lens of my camera. This is what I saw.

Thanks for stopping in,

Day 307 - January 28, 2011- Faces

Holly, my youngest niece is a born actress.
She was always entertaining us with little skits that
she would come up with but it really took off one year
when she took a summer drama class through her school.

For one week the kids attended this class, tried out for parts,
learned the lines and then just 5 days later, they would put on a play.

Holly won the part of Ms. Hangan in Annie the first drama class she
attended. I can't remember a time that I recall laughing that hard for
so long. The girl nailed it with her part. She speaks clear, she
knows her lines and the facial expression that go along with each
line is amazing.

From there the next year she won the part in the summer drama
play as Alice in Alice in Wonderland. The desire to act was now
in her blood. She went on to have a part in the local theater here
in town one November.

When she was old enough (9th grade, I believe) she was able
to actually join the drama class at her school. She has played
several parts, and might I add, very well. She also played a
nice witchy woman, then to become a dead woman in the
Mouse Trap.

On January 28, the drama class decided to put on a couple of
small skits. One was "12 Reason to not put on a play" and
another was "12 Ways to Screw Up a College Interview"....
the latter was the one Holly was in. She was one of the interviewers.

These skits were put on and produced by the students. Since it
was not one of the two larger plays that the students work all
year to put on, camera's were allowed for this one. So, me being
the camera bug that I am, I had mine with me and was able
to capture some of the facial expressions of Holly has she played
her part.

Check out the different faces of Holly......
Thanks for stopping in,

Day 306 - January 27, 2011 - THE SHAME

Dakota aka THE KING is in trouble.

He got hold of one of my grandson's stuffed toys.
The monkey up in the top center of the pic is
Dakota's but the blue one was not.

He hung his head in SHAME!
Sorry for the blurred pic, my point and shoot does not do
well with movement.

In this pic as if he is saying, "yes, I did it, I am so sorry"!


Thanks for stopping in,

Day 305 - January 26, 2011 - AGAIN

Tennessee, the Nashville and surrounding areas don't
usually see a lot of snow. Our thing is more ice. This year
we were spared from the ice but we have had at least 4 snows
measuring in my area from 2 -4 inches. Although its pretty.....
I AM OVER IT!

I had a talk with Mother Nature and just told her that if
she could not dump a foot of this white stuff.....she needed
to stop messing with us!
Taken from the computer room this morning....

My bush outside the computer room window.

Looks very pretty settling on the top of this bush.....but

it was not a foot of snow. I have not been out to measure

but I think around 2 inches again.

Anyway, apparently Mother Nature as decided to not listen to

me and decided since I demanded....I mean requested she

stop this, she is not about to....

Thanks for stopping in,

Day 304 - January 25, 2011 - Have a sit down

In yesterday's post I told you about the fund raiser
that I do every year. The theme for the fund raiser
in Chair-ish the Kids.......and it is centered around
Chairs!

This is my project for this year. I just need to touch
up some of the white areas and put a sealer on
it to protect it. Thanks for stopping in,

Day 304 - January 24, 2011 - The Chair

For the last 6 years I have been an artist
for a fund raiser for The Kids on the Block, a
local non - profit organization that teaches children
about lifes issues, illness, and just about daily life
using puppets. This will be my 7th year. Check them out at ~
http://www.starsnashville.org/about-kids-on-the-block/

My first year my grandson, Caleb and I painted a childs
rocking chair, the next yr. I painted a stool, then for 3
years I did a painting, last year was my first year to
donate some prints of my photography. Tje theme for
the yearly fund raiser is Chair-ish the Kids, it is centered
around chairs.

I started this years project with a wooden kitchen chair.
Primmed it, and painted it black. Then I could not decide
what to do next.......

until yesterday.

Here is the starting of my Kids project for this year.
Check back later in the week to see the finished product.

Thanks for stopping in.

Day 303 - January 23, 2011 - Expecting

Since I got my camera 2.5 years ago....for a hobby, I have
done several weddings, lots of senior class photo's outside,
damage from a break in for an insurance company, photo's
in a town planner calendar, kids, babies and even a
caregivers brochure. But I did not have any pics of
expecting mom's.

My youngest grandson is 4 months old and I really never
thought about taking "expecting" shoots until I started
seeing many pics around just the last month or so.....

So where was I to get an expecting mom?

I have a great nephew due in April so his Mommy
seemed the best to ask to be my subject....I mean
model. Susan was very good at doing what I asked
and played right along with my request. Thanks
Susan.

Now, thanks to her and baby Coleman aka Cole. I have lots
of expecting Mom shots.
Thanks for stopping in,

Day 302 - January 22, 2011 -Gotta Love this Face

This is my 3rd grandson, Braden. He spent the
night with Nana last night and he preceeded
to show me what he can do......

This look I see his eyes saying, "Please Nana, help
me, I don't know what to do with this extra arm
once I turn over"

I sat a toy in front of him and look at the concentration

while he trys to get his hands to go where he wants them to.
Watching cartoons.....and loving that fist.

Thanks for stopping in,

Day 301- Januray 21, 2011 - The Melt Down

After the 2 inches of snow we got Thursday night
in less then 3 hours I got up to frozen roads.
The temp had dropped so much or the evening hours
that my street was a solid sheet of ice.

Anyone that knows me knows that I don't risk it
by venturing out in snow or ice. By 10:30 the
temp rose 1 degree but the sun was out and the
road began to melt.

With that I decided to head to work. As I stepped
out on my porch I veiwed this site in my holly
tree just off the porch. Beautiful......so I headed
back in for the camera.
Notice what appears to be droplets near the bottom of the
pic, that was what was melting and pouring over my gutters.
Got it in the drip!

That evening when I arrived home after work and the
temps had begun to drop again, the site was a little
different.

Such a cool shot.

And right above that last shot I had this view.

We are having a meltdown today with a temp of 27! And sunshine.

With possible snow to come back in tomorrow night.

Enjoy.

Day 300 - January 20, 2011 - AGAIN????

I don't live in the north. Here in Nashville, TN. we
don't usually see a lot of snow. Most we get each year
is ice, then a touch of snow on it......

This year has been a complete turn around for us. We
have not see a lot of inches in snow but we have had
a lot of days where it snowed.

Well, its at it again. Expecting 1 - 3 inches in this area. I just went
out and measured and we are just a touch under 2 inches.

Started to snow at 3 almost on the nose and now 2.5 hours
later we have that mentioned amount.

Now I love snow, always have....if I don't need to get out in it.
But when I say I love snow let me say I LOVE A LOT
OF SNOW!

So I state now for all to hear....read, MOTHER NATURE
if you can't give me a foot (or at least 4 to 6) then please
stop dumping on us with this little bit here and there.

Bring it on!

Day 299 - January 19, 2011 - You have been framed

Linking up to Gail at My Repurposed Life.....go by
and check her out.

The other night while my grandson played games on my
facebook page I decided to use up some time and work on a
craft project that I first saw in blog world. Thanks
to Courtney at A Diamond in the Stuff blog. You can find
that post at ~~
http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/201/01/mod-podge-picture-frame.html
Anyway, it looked like a cute and simple project but I loved it...

You have to start with a craft wooden frame and of all things
I forgot to start the project with a pic of that frame....yikes...

I like black and white together but have just recently started
to use it in my decorating. This project was going to start out
with black paint.....
a brush and my frame.....

When I had painted just around the outside edges on the frame,

and all the back I pulled out the sheet of scrapbook paper

I wanted to use. I traced the frame, inside opening and outside

onto the back of the paper and started to cut. Keep in mind for

the black around the edges to show you need to cut just a hair

or two inside the line you drew.

After that was cut and done I pulled out my mod podge glue

and finish and coated the back of the paper. Applied it to

the front of the frame and smoothed out the bubbles.

Letting that dry abit I went back over it with several coats

of the mod podge and let that dry.

Then taking a black and white photo of my boys (grandsons)

I put it in the frame.

I think it turned out great. It was made for my livingroom

but I ended up taking it to work to sit on my desk. Makes

me so happy to look over at it during work hours.

Thanks for stopping in. Jump on over to Courtney's blog and

check out some of the neat things she does.

Day 298 -January 18, 2011 - Birds in a Nest

Okay, so I know what you are thinking when you read
the title to this blog.....sorry to disapoint you. Although I love to watch nature this post is not about those
kinds of critters!

My son Cory, who lives in San Diego Ca. was cooking one
morning when I called. He was making what he called Birds in
a Nest. I was surprised to hear he could cook but then a little
scared to even ask about the bird/nest thing. But I did. He
went on to explain to me that you cut the center out of a slice
of bread, butter both sides and put it in the skillet.....
Guessing that is considered the nest.

From there you add the bird, actually the egg! Crack
your egg into the center of the bread. I cooked mine
until I could see the center almost done and the bread
was a golden brown, then I flipped bread and egg at
once. Cooking till the egg was done and that side of
the bread was golden brown also.

Yummy looking and it so reminded me of french toast that I decided
that I would eat mine with a touch of syrup on it.

I might add, it was really tasty so I fixed it again the next

morning.

I have been told that this is called different things in different

areas.....

A friend David said that in Australia it is called a Toad in a Hole....

my Aunt Donna in Georgia calls it a Egg in a Hole.....

And Teya tells me that Cracker Barrel serves this and on

the menu they call it Eggs in a Basket.

I for one had never heard of it let alone tried it,

but I will say that once I did, I really enjoyed it.

Thanks son for introducing me to something new!

Thanks for stopping in,

Day 297 - January 17, 2011 - Roll Over

Braden will be 4 months old on the 20th....and
last night he showed Nana that he can roll over from his
back to his tummy!

Not only that, he was reclining in my arms, not sitting up but

not laying all the way back and he pulled himself up in a sitting

position. He has to have some pretty strong tummy muscles!

And on top of all that, he is cutting teeth. His Mom's first

tooth appeared at 3 months. He will be walking soon!! lol

Thanks for stopping in,

Day 296 - January 16, 2011 - Sweetest Words

This photo was taken about 2 years ago of Caleb and I.

Who could not love that face?

And with that face comes the sweetest words sometimes.

Last February, my daughter told Caleb that it was my birthday

that day then she asked him if he knew how old I was, his reply~

"Old, but not so old that I can't love her!"

With words like that turning 50 was not so bad.

Then there was the time about 4 years ago when I was talking

to him from work and he said~

"Nana I love you infinity and beyond".

Or the time he told me I was exquisite....then asked me

what that meant. After I told him he kept telling me just

how exquisite I was.

There are more and more little things like this but this morning he

proceeded to say ~

Caleb ~ Nana I love you

Me ~ I love you too

Caleb ~Love you more

Me ~ Don't know about that

Caleb ~ I do, no denying it.

What a wonderful way to start my day!