For Brett and Lynda

Dear Ones, here is evidence to the crime. As if you needed more! Oh dear!

ALPENTAL REVISTED

Brett and Lynda left mid-day on Monday - the most perfect blue-sky day we have had in months. We hope they got a good view of Mt. Rainier from up there! Grandpa and I took advantage of the weather and dry roads to check out our old mountainside "neighborhood". So, for you all who continue to verbally go down memory lane, here is a current glimpse of why we all loved it so much!

Our previous home, snow tunnel only - there IS a house down there!


View of Chair Peak from alongside our old home:

Bringing rocky slope of Guye Peak up close, from our road:

From the lower loop road, with Denny Peak in background:

ALPENTAL REVISITED

Above: starting down the road from in front of our preious home.


View from big curve of Oberstrasse

Howell's previous home: in there somewhere!

Howell's previous home

FIRST OF FAMILY WEEK-END SHOTS

Well, candid shots get the job done! Except that somehow I managed to NOT get Becky, Heidi, or Jessica. Next time you 3 will be featured in large format! Speaking of large format: having a picture get taken of me was a good thing. It has urged me to start exercizing and taking better care of myself. Thanks, Tori!





Of course, we also missed Caleb. Someone else took group photos so I hope his face on the webcam shows up! We had a great time! Thanks, Carter, for turning 18. Thanks all for coming.

FAMILY WEEKEND IN FEBRUARY

I don't have to label these! I tried to just snap candid shots, and some are not in focus; others have too much or too little light, but here we are, all together. And of course, getting one of Carter is the biggest trick of all!

Flowers are Fading and So Am I!

I am still practicing; guess I will be for a long, long time. Actually, practicing is fun; it's trying to learn from what I am doing that is hard. My tulip bouquet is fading. I was practicing macro depth of field in these, as I moved myself around, back, and closer.
Specifically here, I was trying on purpose to focus on the tulip base from the back while having the obstacle of the stem being gradually closer to the lens. I don't know how to do that. But you are my family and I can send practice shots!

Nikon Firsties

Dick brought home a bouquet of tulips just so I could practice on fresh flowers! What a guy! So, on went a different lens. This was a challenge to start with something I have never before done: selecting aperture for depth of field. I took these without tripod and in front of a window where outside it was charcoal-dark. There was just the tiniest hint of "daylight" left. No artificial lights in the room. I wanted the tulips to appear back-lit (as they were, even though dusk-lit), yet bright and with shallow DOF.


I wanted this white one to show its ever-so-faint pink edges and a sort of glow. I think I over- exposed here!
Same back-lighting at dusk; tulip leaves. I love the color my camera puts forth! I do NOT like to enhance my photos; I love whatever Nature puts forth to stay that way. This is so natural; just like the fresh green the stems really are and I am pleased. I can be pleased with the color because it is simply part of my great new camera. I can't take any credit for it. But I am happy to see it.

Nikon Firsties

Okay, here are some some samples of photos from my new Nikon. And I mean NEW. Wednesday evening we were priveleged to attend a string musical presentation at the high school where Griffin is learning cello. It was a difficult challenge for my camera - more like shooting a moving target behind shrubs - but I am pleased with how close I was able to "bring" Griffin.

He loves his cello, and others young cellists' elbows, ears, arms notwithstanding, I loved watching his facial expressions.
This was a quick grab shot. The beautiful varied thrush was in our back yard this morning and offered me the chance to practice focusing through limbs and far away. Of course, he didn't want to show his face, but for now, backside was enough for me!

INTRODUCING...!

Well, here he is - my new camera and his attendants! Finally, after saving and after months of research, this is the one I chose. He has been out of the box just 3 days and I am excitedly learning. I am also s..l..o..w..l..y learning, as on this particular curve I am on the floor of Death Valley, taking cautious steps toward the tip-top on the summit of Mt. Everest! It will be a grueling climb, but I hope I will learn, really learn, with every step.
My Olympus point-'n-shoot is called Gideon by me; I am still pondering for Nikon's name.