you capture::faces

Time goes by very quickly.

They grow and change every day.

Taking a gazillion pictures is completely justified when I capture moments like these.

These beautiful faces are only a fraction of the beauty that is within their hearts.

sisters::friends::daughters::blessings

i should be folding laundry's-you capture::faces

macro monday...cheater edition

Well, another Monday seems to have gotten away from me. I think perhaps I was distracted by all of the snow. Okay, okay, I just forgot. Maybe I should rethink Monday. Anyway, to fulfill my macro promise here is a picture that I took last June. Oh, how I wish it was already June and my tiger lilies were blooming again. I do love the vibrant orange. These are certainly one of my favorites. And this shot in particular is a personal fave because I managed to capture the crisp, bright, beauty of the flower with the nice blurry background. I'll have to check my other computer for the particulars of the shot and add that part tomorrow. For now though...soak up the color of summer!

(f-stop 2.7~exposure time 1/100 second~iso100~focal length 6mm)

happy monday night...xo ANG
Yes, Haiti is still in need. Please do what you can. Need a starting point? Just click on one of the links at the top left there.

it's not groundhog day yet...

so why does it feel like I've been through this winter storm already? Seriously, there is more than a foot of snow on the ground...again. This time though, it's much colder. I did brave the unbelievably cold temperatures this morning to grab the Sunday paper. I had to dig my way out then carefully trudge down the front walk to retrieve it and man, oh, man, it was cold! But it was so beautiful I asked Tim to grab my camera for me. So if you heard anyone saying, "Who's that crazy lady taking pictures of the snow -in her bathrobe and boots-when it's only ONE degree outside?" Oh, well, that would be me :o) I couldn't help it, the morning sun was sparkling on the snow. Here are some shots from yesterday while it was still snowing. We spent time inside, warm and cozy. There were dolls, dress-up clothes, and play food everywhere! We also managed to do some reading and cookie making.

We did make our way out into the snow yesterday while it was still snowing. It's a fluffy snow this time. The girls made snow angels, cleaned off the slide and see saw and played on those. We managed to tolerate it for about an hour...it was only 16 degrees and the wind was blowing. Then we came in and enjoyed some hot chocolate with marshmallows. Mmmmmm.

Just one more picture for you. Our front porch rocker...yes, the screened in porch has several inches of snow inside because of the wind. And our chairs on the back porch are full of snow. I just sat out there in the sunshine the other day and did a little crocheting. Boy, this weather is crazy. I am ready for warm weather. Ready, I tell ya!

Today after the temperature rises considerably we'll probably make our way out into the snow again. But there will be much enjoying of the cozy warmth of the house, too.
I am so thankful for shelter and heat and safety and family. Please don't forget about the needs in Haiti. If you want to help just click on one of the links up at the top left of the page. xo ANG

you capture::color

There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice. ~John Calvin

The other day I came across the I Should Be Folding Laundry blog with a great challenge called You Capture. It's a picture challenge...perfect practice for my goal. This week's challenge is COLOR. During these long weeks of overcast, wintry weather it's fun to look for bursts of color, especially if you can find some color outside when everything is so bleak. The other day I captured these little overachievers pushing their way up through the ground just reaching for the sky on a warm and sunny 50 degree day.

(f-stop 6.3~exposure time 1/200 second~iso 200)

Hopefully these Dutch Irises are strong-willed and deeply rooted because there's another winter storm coming tonight!
Just a reminder...Haiti is still in need. If you can and want to help just click on one of those links up there on the left. The need is still great. xo ANG

inside::outside

When it's cold and too windy to tolerate the bone-chilling temperatures, this is how we spend our time inside.

Drawing new, especially fancy, characters with big sparkling eyes and the rosiest of cheeks. Entertaining each other with cabbage leaf silliness while dinner is cooking. Sorting the laundry in the dining room beside the nice warm ceramic heater...hey, it's gotta get done so I might as well be warm and toasty.

When we have a gem of a day in the midst of January and the temperatures reach the low 60's we spend our time a little differently...outside.

We take walks to visit dear friends. We enjoy the bright blue sky and the neighbor's very cool tree.

The neighborhood playground gets a visit, too. A couple of scooters and a couple of friends make the warm day even better.

Inside or outside, just remember to enjoy it all. We are very blessed. And even though Haiti is fading from the news, please remember that they are still in need. If you want to help please click one of the links up there on the top left. xo ANG

macro monday...umm, i mean tuesday

I'd like to start by reminding you about the needs of Haiti. My missionary friends have been doing great things and have seen great things happen, but more help is still needed. There are two buttons over there on the left...see 'em? If you'd like to help...those are great places to go.
Now, I'd like to try something new here at the Clothesline...macro monday. Okay, I see that Monday got away from me and today is actually Tuesday but you'll cut me some slack, right? Okay, so here's what I'm thinking...I'd like to learn how to use all of the features on my camera to the best of my ability. That's right, I plan on getting books and doing some research so I can take better quality even more pictures. My favorite feature is macro (okay, really, super macro) and I use it a lot during the spring and summer--outside--in the natural light--when the sun is blazing hot. No problem. However, taking macro pictures without good, natural light is a problem . They're fuzzy or grainy...noise, it's called. Well, I don't like it, not one bit, so I plan on learning how to use my camera and the knowledge that I gather to reduce the noise. Here is a picture I took last week when the sun peeked out for a few minutes.

(f-stop 3.2~ exposure time 1/100 second~ iso 1600)

I was trying to photograph (in my bedroom with the sun shining through the window) a project that I am working on, but Shadow was so interested in my camera that I decided to capture him instead. Just look at those cute little white whiskers! They cleverly distract you from his insanely sharp teeth...I digress. This is what I know...the higher the iso, the more noise will be in your picture. He was standing in the sunshine pouring through the window so the noise isn't as bad as it could be. However, that is the highest iso number on my camera and usually the noise is so much worse. The massive amounts of natural lighting really helped this shot. When taking this picture I controlled the f-stop but everything else was automatically set by the camera. Next time I need to manually lower the iso and the exposure time to let more light in because as it looks here in Virginia it'll be cloudy-rainy-icy for a while. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, my wonderful husband got me a snazzy little tripod for Christmas so when I want to take really good pictures in less-than-perfect lighting I can do so with ease...after all, the slightest movement will mess up the whole thing.
Any thoughts or helpful tips on taking better pictures will be welcomed, absorbed, and applied! Happy macro monday...eh, I mean tuesday. xoANG