Day #213 U S A U S A

I love watching the Olympics and have since I was little. It's one of the things on my bucket list. As I was watching swimming these guys really caught my eye. With technology what it is today I could capture this picture. Backed the televised program up to them and froze the screen. Turned overhead light off, closed curtains, got tripod and I was ready. lol  

Day # 212 Busting Loose

I really like walking around the lake at the Washingtonian Center when I stop to check out the stores. It was hot but the little breeze and shady spots helped. With some amazing skies I walked to the mirror building to see what kind of pictures I could get. Really liked two of the shots but this is the one I finally choose. Now back to watching the Olympics.

Day #211 Quick Trip

 

My oldest flew in from San Francisco yesterday morning and is now on his way home this evening.Was a great day having both sons home and family over for a big birthday celebration. We miss him and Margaret already.  Happy Birthday Bob, hope your flight home is an easy one.

Day #210 This Won't Hurt A Bit

With things set for tomorrows birthday celebration I took a break and found a few Eastern Tiger Swallowtails (I think). They seem to really be enjoying the zinnias.

Day #209 P Mantis Cheers On USA

While sitting on the porch I spot PMantis on the wishing well. I go get my camera and he's moved to the roof and jumps to the flag that hangs from the side of it. Boy has he grown. As I wait for the opening ceremonies of the olympics to start I think P Mantis would make a pretty good gymnast.

Day #208 Under The Power Line

With volleyball at 9:20 thought I'd go early and see what kind of sunset picture I could get and also help me stay awake. The late games are not my favorite. With clouds and rain moving in no sunset to speak of.  Plenty of power lines in the fields so that's where I headed after walking around the lake. Stood directly under one and took a couple shots. Won two lost one was an ok night of VB.

Day #207 HaPpY BiRtHdAy To Me

Can't believe I turned 55 today. How did time go by so quickly? I feel blessed to have been raised by two loving parents. I shared a childhood with my sister and two brothers. Literally we are one year apart from each other (my poor mom) and have grown very close as adults. I married my wonderful, amazing husband 36 years ago and we raised two incredible sons that we are so proud of. While there have been sad times in my life the happy times far outweigh them. I truly am living the dream .................. 

Day #206 Whirling Sunset

The carnival comes to Mt.Airy,  a small town about fifteen minutes from the house. This is the first picture I snapped just as the sun set. I like the look of the evening sky. I never ride carnival rides but I've also never taken a picture a day. Holding four tickets in my hand I wait in line to ride the ferris wheel and see what kind of shots I can get. As I sit in the chair I even ask the guy to make sure I stop at the top. Who has taken over my body and mind? lol

Day #205 Ready For Our Debut

Last weeks sunflowers are now past their prime but this one row is just peaking. I decided I'd stop by on the way home from running errands. I pulled into the gravel lot and noticed the closed sign. Guess they're closed on Mondays but there are three people mowing and weed wacking. What the heck all they could say was to leave. They didn't seem to mind and I got my picture. Might go back and try taking 3 or 4 shots closer and merge them into a panoramic view, that way I think I can capture the line but they will be larger.

Day #204 Say Cheese

An afternoon movie and dinner with one of our favorite couples my sister in law Carol and her husband Randy. Yes we saw Batman and I wonder if movies will ever feel the same again. On the way home we passed the cow pasture close to the house and a few were enjoying the large puddle that forms when it rains. Knowing stopping for a picture probably wasn't something Bob wanted to do I hopped into the drivers seat when we pulled into the driveway and headed back. I asked them to say cheese and this was their response. I got my pictures and Bob got to mow the lawn before it got to dark.

Day #203 Cement Shoes

It rained all day today. A major intersection has been undergoing repairs for the last month. It usually happens during the middle of the night. Guess their behind schedule that they're working on a Saturday afternoon in the rain. Never realized the cement on the road was so deep. Wonder how long their boots last and do they carry a box in their cars and trucks to put them in at the end of their shift.

Day # 202 Unthinkable Things Happen

Was an overcast cloudy, gray, rainy day and another very sad day for the USA. What happens in a young boys life to make him do the unthinkable. So many innocent lives lost and so many others hurt when all they did was choose to see a movie at the wrong place and time. With the dreary weather, long day at work, and this morning news getting a picture was not on the top of my list. The spent daisies in my yard seemed to fit the day.

Day # 201 You Gotta Have Friends

Noticed these sunflowers growing at Rockhill Orchard the other day so I pulled in today. Was on my way to lunch and Costco with a girlfriend so I took a couple quick shots. Yea for color !!!! Was almost a b&w week.....

Day #200 Looking Back In Order To Go Forward

Just a fun selfie of my hands to celebrate 200 days of pictures . It's been a wonderful adventure so far and has gotten me off the couch and seeing so many places that I would not have seen. Looking at flowers, bugs, clouds, and everyday things with a different eye.  I have learned so much and wonder what the future holds for the rest of my project. Only time will tell, see you tomorrow............

Day #199 Crazy Hot

This little Sun God hangs from the swing in my backyard. As the temps top 100 again this summer he seemed the perfect POTD.

Day #198 I'm Covered

Went in search of three historic covered bridges with a girlfriend today. We found two but gave up on the third. Will try again another day and I only needed one picture anyway. This is the Roddy Road Covered Bridge it is a small, one lane king post wooden covered bridge near Thurmont, Frederick County, Maryland. It crosses Owen's Creek near Thurmont. It is 40 feet long, 16 feet wide, with a 12 foot-8 inch clearance. It was built between 1850 and 1860 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Just noticed this is my third b&w. humm.....

Sadly after todays outing my camera has stopped working. Seems to do everything but take a picture. Called Nikon and was told to mail it in for service. It's packed up and ready to go out tomorrow. Don't know how long it's adventure will be so I guess my point and shot will have to step up to the plate.

Day #197 Mobile Homes

No plans today till I opened the Frederick Post newspaper about noon and saw ENCAMP RE-ENACT boldly on the front page. Reading the article there's a Civil War encampment and re-enactment happening about 30 minutes from the house. BINGO somewhere to go. This was a first for us. I got plenty of pictures and their tents set up among the trees really was a sight to see.

Day #196 High In The Sky

After yesterdays hometown parade and fireworks today brings a car show, banana split eating contest, large model train show, open house at the firehouse, fun and games for the kids, radio station remote, and a Md. State helicopter landing. What to pick,what to pick.... Not sure I really captured the feel of how high this ladder on this hook and ladder fire truck goes but it seemed to go forever. Rain is on the way so no blue skies today. Another successful Damascus Days weekend........

Day #195 As you shoot across the Sky

Hometown fireworks today after the annual hometown parade. Got some wonderful pictures of the parade and I'm calling my first attempt at fireworks a success.  (O:  Had done my homework on how to take them and remembered to take the paper I had written the camera setting on. Where in town to set up ??? Got lucky there..... Think the hardest part was choosing one for my POTD. SOOC except for the crop....
                                           Happy Friday The 13th........ mine was

Day #194 I Think I Can...I Think I Can

Found out that Hank The Tank would be leaving Walkersville, Md. today and how often do you see a train on the back of a semi ?  It was my first. Told it takes about an hour and a half to get him ready to leave the station. Got there as they were pulling him on to the trailer. Took some pictures and went to grab something quick to eat while I waited for this picture. Next year if Hank returns I will get that picture of him crossing the tracks over the river.

Day # 193 Orange you lovely

Took a short ride to Blackhills Park hoping for some kind of inspiration . It was late afternoon and the sunlight was hitting the butterfly garden just right. Not sure where all the butterflies were unless they were disguised as bees. At the moment this mexican sunflower was beeless........

Day #192 Red White Blue

Just a view of my porch rail playing around with depth of field. No real inspiration today other than making sure I take a picture.

Day # 191 Heaven Bound

Took a trip back to Brookside Gardens to visit the butterflies and walk the gardens. The storm last night  finally broke the 100 degree days. It was a lovely overcast 80 degrees and felt wonderful.  Was hard to pick but this plant really stood out in the gardens. I got low and shot up toward the sky since that's where it leads your eye. Think it was at least 6 feet tall.

Day #190 MOM MOM MOM

Second visit to Joe's to see the baby robin. The rest of the eggs have hatched and he now has two sibling. It's a full nest . Think I spotted mom or dad in a near by tree. Hope to capture mom feeding the triplets on one of my visits. It was another 100+ day but storms are expected to blow through tonight and finally break this heat wave. Let's hope it's not like the last that turned the lights out for millions and brought help from as far away as Canada to help turn them back on.  

Day #189 Riding The Rails

Meet Hank the Tank . He is a 80 year old steam engine that travels the country sharing times of days gone by. Had a good time taking pictures and catching a ride on him. He looks wonderful for his age and is owned by a father and son that take excellent care of him. They even wrote and had a children's book published called "Hank the Tank" go figure.....

Day #188 Natures Light

Took shots on and off from sunrise to passed sunset today and didn't come up with much. Going to go with my first attempt at lightning bugs. I had a mason jar and sat outside waiting for them to start appearing. As I walk around the yard and gather them in the jar my husband comes out and comments "you need to find some kids". Think I caught around ten and waited for it to get dark. Set camera on tripod and waited for them to light my jar . They were not cooperating at all. Used the timer on camera and set to a long exposure hoping one would light. This was the best I got before I finally gave up and opened the top so they could go on with their night. It's been a challenging week with every day reaching close to the triple digits.

Day #187 I'll Protect You

The heat continues as I take a walk around the house and water some of the flowers. I was pleasantly surprised to see a young deer . Went in to grab the camera and try and get a couple shots . Got a couple of shots before I spooked him and he took off across the creek and that's when I saw mom. Patiently waiting he worked his way close to mom.

Day #186 Star Bright

                                                                                                           Bought some new flowers for around the yard and went to a movie today. Todays heat index at 105 and local fireworks canceled I didn't have it in me to travel away from the house to get pictures of fireworks. Hopefully they will be rescheduled and I'll get my chance. Did buy some sparklers last weekend so played around a little with those. Thanks Peggy and Bob for lending a hand with my picture.

                                                   HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Day #185 Foxy

Finally got a shot of Speedy the Fox. Bob spotted him at 5:20 this morning in the backyard. I came downstairs, changed the lens and tried to get a shot through the window. With the sun not up yet it's too dark so I go grab the tripod. This is the best I could get since I forgot to increase the ISO, he would move and the picture would blur. He seemed to be eating the peanuts Bob threw out for the squirrels yesterday.

Day #184 Are You My Mother?

While at the beach my brother causally mentioned he might have baby birds back at his house in Gaithersburg . WHAT, you need to tell me these things. Hoping the nest and birds survived the storm that took down trees and power poles and left 300,000 houses without power on Friday night (his is still out as I listen to the neighbors generator) while we were gone. Yes, the nest was there and after calling Joe and asking if he had a ladder I was set to see if anything was in the nest. I found a very newly born baby and hopefully a couple of brothers and sisters.  Mom was nowhere to be found so I'm a little worried for him.

Day #183 The Journey Continues....

Home from the beach with plenty to do. Finally grabbed the camera before daylight was gone and took some pictures around the yard. Today marks the halfway point on my journey to take a picture a day for a year. I've learned a lot and hope to keep on discovering the world seen though my camera lens.

Day #182 Walking

While we were walking the Rehoboth boardwalk my brother took us to the rooftop of the hotel they have stayed at . The view was wonderful with thousands of different colored beach umbrellas lining the beach. Sadly my camera was back at his beach house. We went back that evening to see some singers at a bar and having my camera we took a quick trip back to the rooftop and the crowded beach had moved to the boardwalk.

Day #181 Together

A weekend at the beach and a new sunset place found. My husband joined me on my photo hunt . While the clouds ended up being so thick the sunset wasn't what I had hoped for but we had a good time and I captured the memory of us looking out to sea.