Day 211

Every day is a beautiful planting day!  Scavenging around for photos, I remembered the seed packets and trowel I was using, grabbed my favorite well worn gloves, and snapped away. 

This is one of my favorite things to do.. anything outdoor, anything planting, anything green!

Day 211

ISO 200, f/2.2, 1/640, 50 mm

Day 210

Memories of Days Gone By.. are right in our backyard. Here's the sandbox right beside the pool. Every once in a while, my youngest and her friends will play (or have a mud pit style moment). But other than that, it's only friends with little ones, or the toys hang out and we look over and have flashbacks of the now teens playing with the Tonka trucks and Fisher Price little people as kids. Where does that time go?

Day 210

ISO 200, 1/2500, f/2.2, 50 mm

(muted colors)

Day 209

My tomatoes are doing marvelously! But, it helps when you look on the plant's label to see what kind they are. I didn't realize I had two cherry tomato plants. 

Oh well. The youngest one uses a bowl of them to "train the dog" (our 8 yr old American Bulldog). She tells her "sit," (she gets a tomato), "stay" (tomato), "paw" (as she grabs her leg near knocking her off balance as she's sliding on the hardwood floor - gets a tomato). 

So see? They were so worth it. *frown*

Day 209

 ISO 200, f/2.2, 1/1250, 50 mm

 

Day 208

Tiger Lily! Do you also think Disney when you hear things that remind you of it? All I can think of is Peter Pan and Captain Hook fighting over Tiger Lily. But, the main thing that goes through my head is Captain Hook growling, "Mr Smee??!" I don't know why, but everytime I walk by these tiger lilies, I think of that.

Day 208

ISO 200, f/2.2, 1/2500, 50 mm

Day 207

This was fun, the straight down slide at Wisconsin Dells. The weather was hot, the lines were not too bad, a ton of kids from teams all over the midwest, it was great! This is our middle one with his 3rd or 4th trip down this slide. I figured I had to capture it one of these days. 

Day 207

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/800, 75 mm

Day 206

Daddy and little one. I couldn't resist. They went to go check out the fishing over by the Wisconsin Duck path.

Day 206

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500, 50 mm

Day 205

Wisconsin Dells! The Ducks are very cool. At least I think they are. I've never been on them, but saw them day after day at the tournament. The same old joke at the same old point. I still want to go! They drive on land and in the water. Too cool!

Day 205

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/400, 75 mm

Day 204

Thanks to a kind father on the team, he made this score board for all of us. Who said that moms don't know what's going on? Very cool. Loved this!

Day 204

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500, 75 mm

Day 203

This is what sisters do when they come to watch your baseball game. She's totally supportive, isn't she? Notice how she took the highest point to cheer and scream? 

Day 203

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/60, 120 mm

Day 202

Even in this heat, we went out to swim in our 92 degree "hot tub" of a pool. We're splashing around and look up and momma bunny is nesting in the camouflage netting under the trampoline. She always has babies in the craziest places. She must have, or is getting ready to drop some more! She could care less that we were in the pool. She must have thought we were safe in our cages and we wouldn't harm her.

Day 202

ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/30, 300 mm

Day 201

Testing the theory, "So hot I could fry an egg on the sidewalk." Well, we did it. Took photos of the process, little one was documenting everything on her flip camera as she professionally described what was going on, and an hour later? Dried up, non cooked egg. :) It was fun, though! Here is a glimpse of our science project.

Day 201 

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/4000, 50 mm

Day 200

SUMMER! This is what we've been waiting for. Our winter was brutal. Now that we have 100 degree weather..

for the next week...

                      ...everyone out! (for a while) 

So, this mom is completely sick of games and computers. The pool feels like a bathtub, but when there's a nice breeze at night, it's perfection! Here's to the little one who braved the temps and listened to her mommy. :) I went in there today as well. Twice to be exact.

Day 200

ISO 100, f/3.5, 1/800, 50 mm

Day 199

Okay, not the fanciest photo by any means, this is our own 365 project, so it wouldn't be today if I didn't post this. 

This is what you get when it's 100 degrees outside, and you tell the kids no more xbox or computers for a while! Geesh! 

Here I have my entire Costco family size package of red cups stacked past my light fixtures. Oh yes, it can be done! 

Thanks, son.

Day 199

ISO 200, f/2, 1/25, 50 mm

Day 198

Proof that Chicago could actually have it's own vineyards! This is my next door neighbor's grapes growing just fine. Now granted, they're crammed in between a fence and a garage, but they're growing!

Day 198

ISO 100, f/2.2, 1/1000, 50 mm

Day 197

More flowers! This is the Rose of Sharon bush/tree that I took a photo of them gone to seed with snowflakes on them. This is them in July/August. Aren't they beautiful? 

I know, more flowers.. I had to. Plus is anyone else feeling a little uninspired? Maybe it's just me. I really need a vacation! Somewhere different. This city living is getting the best of my photo creativity. Downtown is one thing, but living next door to house after house after house.. you get what I mean.

Day 197

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/3200, 50 mm

Day 196

Another gorgeous sky tonight! Love the blues, but don't love the power lines so much. So, I cropped that out. :) 

Day 196

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/6, 135 mm

Day 195

Call it total lack of inspiration, but I call it... Evening "Monster House." This is what the house reminded me of when I took it. Have you seen that movie? This photo looked a little spooky! The sky was gorgeous! So I went out to see what I can get, and I liked this because it was just different. Not the greatest photo however..

Day 195

ISO 200, f/3.5, 2.5, 18 mm

Day 194

Waiting in the airport for our oldest to come home from Uganda! So, the youngest made a sign with real flowers, then we also adorned the headband. I'm kicking myself about not getting better photos of my oldest's return. They were so blurry because we were all so excited to see her!! 

Day 194

ISO 400, f/2.2, 1/50, 50 mm

Day 193

LOVE these along side the road everywhere! They are tiny, delicate, bright blue flowers that sparkle along side the freeways. I found a place on the side I could stop. I couldn't let this season pass without getting a couple shots of them.

Day 193

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/4000, 50 mm

Day 192

Sorry, I've been a little AWOL. My oldest just came back from Uganda last night. I've been running around like a "chicken with my head cut off" and if you're on my facebook, or know me, you know why that saying is so funny to our family right now! If not, I'll tell you. My oldest was the girl who didn't want to starve in Uganda, apparently. They had chicken for dinner one night with the orphanage, and that's just the norm. She and another team member (a guy) volunteered to.. well.. do what needed to get done to get dinner rolling. Let's just say, she wouldn't have starved in the Little House on the Prairie days. I would have.

This photo is from our lake house visit. I have been taking photos everyday, but none that I chose to put up on my 365 blog. Now that I am halfway through this, I'm still trying to decide where I'm going with this as far as a theme. I've decided, I really don't have one. Random photos on random days. :)

Day 192

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/200, 50 mm

Day 191

From the excitement of Saturday's game, to a more serene photo today. The chairs at the game were pretty cool with the baseball numbers on each of them marking the section. 

Comiskey Park is a great place to watch the games. It is now called US Cellular, but as we're not thrilled with the name change, it will always be Comiskey Park to us! 

We'll be back, park, we'll be back!

Day 191

ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/160, 75 mm

Day 190

What a great day today was!! My husband took us to a White Sox game. Those are always so much fun. Bought some box tickets behind the dugout, so we were out of the sun since it was 86-90 degrees today! He gave the kids some money to spend, and their eyes were darting back and forth from the cotton candy man to the Italian ice scoopers. 

Little one (middle tan glove to the very right of the player closest to the dugout) tried desperately to be thrown a ball from the players as they came back to the dugout, but never quite got in that perfect place. It's okay, someday she'll catch one, or be a lucky recipient! 

Our White Sox played the Twins, they were at a 8 or 9 game loss with them, and today... OH YEAH! We won! It didn't come easily as catcher Ramon Castro fractured his hand as pitcher Mark Buehrle (pronounced burly) threw a fastball and it hit his unprotected hand.

This photo shows the excitement of "what if" as players (left to right) Beckham, Konerko, and Buehrle come running in. Konerko was the one that threw the ball each time to the crowd. He and Buehrle are a big deal in our family as my hubby caught one of his home run balls a couple years ago and got it signed, and Buehrle caught the ball on the day hubby actually got to throw out the first pitch at the game! Yeah, we have a story for everything it seems.. 

Day 190

ISO 200, f/4.5, 1/320, 75 mm

Day 189

This is my new screensaver. I liked the star inside the flower. So summery and patriotic for July! :) 

Day 189

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/2000, 50 mm

Day 188

I love the little bunches of ground cover/flowers that grow along the curbside. Had to get them in my 365! The colors are so beautiful in July! I am dreading the days we have to go back to January again and scramble. But in the meantime, enjoy these flowers!

Day 188

ISO 200, f/2.2, 1/2500, 50 mm

Day 187

I am pretty sure I'm a wildflower girl. I love them the most. Daisies, sticker bushes (whatever they're actually called) flowers alongside the expressway that I can't ever get to... all of these, I love!

I want to line my alley with these, but then they cost money and I'm never back there. So, what a quandary, huh? I would do this for someone else to see, or for me to go take photos of, then how many photos do I need of these.... *trails off with wonder*

Day 187

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/3200, 50 mm

Day 186

Pretty day lilies out at the lake. Last day, had to do a flower walk. And yes, Kristin, I'd love to go for a walk with you! In Indiana, I think every field, garden, grassy patch along side the road, had orange tiger lilies growing. Must be the state flower! *kidding* So it was a nice change of scenery to find these magenta colored lilies.


Please also see my friend, Rose's 365 page! She just started..help me cheer her on! Offer any tips you can, she would appreciate it. Thanks!

Day 186

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/60, 50 mm

Day 185

Happy 4th of July! We were planning on going to the "real" fireworks show, but at the lake they really did a nice job. I grabbed my camera, and did an impromptu session of some "works." A couple came out, and these are my favorite. The little swirly ones..

Day 185

ISO 400, f/7.1, ss .6, 40 mm

Day 184

The younger cousins were playing by the lake just as the sun had set. Loved the dress, braids, hair flowing in the semi-silhouettes. They don't have a care in the world.. just to have fun and be little girls. I still remember that...

Day 184

ISO 200, f/1.8, 1/30, 50 mm

Day 183

This pretty much sums up our weekend. We had lots of fun with our cousins wave running and tubing out at the lake. Did you all have a good weekend? Happy 4th to all of you! 

Oh, guess what? My friend is now starting a 365. Check out her work!  Rose's 365 please stop by and send some comments her way. She'll love it!

Day 183

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/640, 60 mm

Day 182

More midwest storms! This photo didn't do it justice. It's brutal to be stuck in between houses with powerlines everywhere. No hill to stand on, no mountain top to get the entire horizon. Sigh. 

Today is a bittersweet day. We are excited to send our daughter our to Uganda for a 2 week missions trip. She flies out tonight! She has never flown out of the country before, but is excited at the new opportunity to serve and see new places! I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous. It is a dream of mine to go to Africa! We got her a huge memory card, an older digital camera is all we could find (after she lost her newer one), and she's off! She's very creative, so I cannot wait to see what she brings home!

The skies are lovely, they look like cotton candy swirling around. I wish I'd had my camera settings done correctly! NOTE TO SELF! Too high of ISO from the night photos I took before. Oh well! What a newb. ;)

Day 182

ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/2000, 35 mm

Day 181

Pretty! I love hydrangeas. I had some at one time and killed 'em. Sad. I guess they weren't in the best sunlight. I haven't tried any more, but I love photos of them when I see them. 

Day 181

ISO 800, f/2.2, 1/125, 50 mm