My Midlife Creativities

2012 31/365 Stacked

2012-01-31T05:22:00.000-05:00

One of Paul's woodpiles.

Thanks for visiting my blog today. You might like to subscribe to my midlife creativities by email. You'll be sent a confirmation email, so check your inbox and be sure to respond so you'll receive updates. I pretty promise never to sell or spam your address!

2012 30/365 Peek-a-boo Baby

2012-01-30T10:22:00.000-05:00

New lamb!

2012 25/365 Snowy Feathers, Staring Contest

2012-01-25T07:24:00.002-05:00

2012 24/365 Snowy Feathers - You Lookin' at Me?!

2012-01-24T07:21:00.000-05:00

2012 23/365 Snow Bottles

2012-01-23T06:10:00.002-05:00

2012 22/365 Snow Petals

2012-01-22T09:47:00.000-05:00

2012 21/365 Lantern

2012-01-21T11:24:00.002-05:00

2012 20/365 Breakthrough

2012-01-20T09:01:00.000-05:00

2012 19/2012 Leafy Greens

2012-01-19T07:37:00.000-05:00

Sun. Warmth. Green. Despite the mild Winter so far, I'm ready for Spring!

2012 18/365 Stop SOPA

2012-01-18T12:28:00.000-05:00

To learn more: http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/ and http://mashable.com/2012/01/18/sopa-dark-ages/

2012 17/365 Finally!

2012-01-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Finally! Snow! It hadn't snowed here since our freak storm in October. Annie made this snow-person - complete with banana peel hair ;-)

2012 16/365 Little Late Night Catalog Shopping

2012-01-16T19:49:00.000-05:00

I seriously need to get out in the world and take some photos! LOL!

2012 15/365 Sun Catcher

2012-01-15T09:35:00.000-05:00

2012 14/365 Amazing Sushi Cake!

2012-01-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

Emma and her friend, Ally, made this cake from scratch! It was truly a work of art!!

2012 13/365 Green

2012-01-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

Craving a beautiful spot to take some photos...maybe a trip to the Butterfly Conservatory is in order...In the meantime...a leaf from a beautiful house plant recently gifted to me.

2012 12/365 Rock Circles

2012-01-12T05:45:00.000-05:00

2012 11/365 No Lifeguard on Duty

2012-01-11T07:42:00.003-05:00

2012 10/365 More Like Africa than Milford

2012-01-10T07:43:00.000-05:00

2012 9/365 Lettuce!

2012-01-09T05:21:00.000-05:00

Photographing lettuce makes me strangely happy. The lighting, color, texture, and shape of it - LOVE! Been on a "green smoothie" kick around here. This is a shot of the Boston lettuce included in today's smoothie. Yum!

2012 8/365

2012-01-08T08:21:00.002-05:00

2012 7/365

2012-01-07T07:56:00.002-05:00

2012 6/365

2012-01-06T07:15:00.000-05:00

2012 5/365 Beach Stones

2012-01-05T06:02:00.003-05:00

2012 4/365 Simplici-tree

2012-01-04T06:16:00.000-05:00

Breathing deeply, welcoming simplicity. Annie gifted me this tree branch several days ago. I find it's starkness so beautiful after all the lights and tinsel of the previous occupant of this spot (Christmas tree).

2012 3/365 Propped

2012-01-03T05:59:00.000-05:00

It's like the Prince and the Pea around here -- poor Paul is trying to find a comfortable spot while recuperating from his cervical surgery.

2012 2/365

2012-01-02T05:39:00.000-05:00

Evidence of how very fast time moves. Resolving to slow down and keep focused on the moments that make up this year.

Photo taken and edited on Paul's iPad2...messing around.

2012 1/365 Possibilities!

2012-01-01T06:01:00.002-05:00

Welcome 2012!

2011 365/365 Back Lit

2011-12-31T05:55:00.002-05:00

Pretty green flowers back lit by the Christmas candle light on the sill of the window above my kitchen sink ~ caught my eye yesterday.

Good-bye to 2011. What a year. I'm done with you, my friend. Done. I welcome the haze time often brings -- the way it will soften the memories of this year, back light the dark and scary times and highlight the beauty. Bring on 2012 - I've been waiting for you and the promise of a fresh start.

2011 364/365 Jumping by the Light of the Moon

2011-12-30T05:48:00.002-05:00

Actually, they are jumping by the light from a strobe lamp!

Very cool!

And, great fun!

2011 363/365 Hibernation

2011-12-29T06:28:00.000-05:00

Just exhausted! My jammies and slippers felt very good last night. I'm ready for some deep hibernation.

2011 362/365 Supercalafragalisticexpialadocious

2011-12-28T05:49:00.001-05:00

Having fun with Bananagrams this week!

2011 361/365 Stretch!

2011-12-27T05:21:00.006-05:00

This photo, one of the series used for our trampoline set up stop motion video, makes me smile. All of us stretched out like that. We accidentally assembled the frame upside down and had to flip it over. It was quite a comical undertaking, made possible by the fact that (for some strange reason unknown to me) we have a rope hanging from a tree in the front yard. Paul (who, during this project was known as "He Who Shall Not Swing Mallet") in his neck brace was able to attach the rope so brother Eric and I could lower the frame -- well, anyway, it was pretty funny and I'm so happy to have caught this moment (Annie actually released the shutter on this one).

Here's the video:

Trampoline set-up stop action from Paul Bogush on Vimeo.

2011 360/365 Good Karma!

2011-12-26T13:20:00.001-05:00

Such a pretty girl, our Karma!

2011 359/365 For Santa

2011-12-25T05:50:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011 358/365 Baking in the Kitchen and Cartwheels on the Deck

2011-12-24T10:59:00.000-05:00

Great way to spend Christmas Eve day!

Cartwheeling and baking!

2011 357/365 Solstice

2011-12-23T06:07:00.002-05:00

Bring the light!

Shot at Old Sturbridge Village, Candle Light Christmas

2011 356/365 Bridge Through the Window, Bridgeport Hospital

2011-12-22T04:49:00.004-05:00

Paul's surgery went very well yesterday! Blessings! Happiness! Bringing him home soon ~ it will be tough for a bit, as he recuperates, but yipee! The scary part is over.

Sky Bridge, shot from my breakfast table inside Bridgeport Hospital's main entrance. Fairy lights and shadows from the trees inside can be seen reflected in the glass.

2011 355/365 Something Ordinary, Something Normal

2011-12-21T04:37:00.000-05:00

Paul is having this done today:

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
This procedure removes a diseased disc (discectomy) through the front (anterior) of the neck (cervical). After the disc is removed, the spine must be stabilized. This is accomplished using a cervical plate and screws (instrumentation) and fusion (bone graft). Fusion is similar to glue that hardens over time to create a solid construct, which stabilizes the spine.

Since this blog is all about me, me, me...I can say his surgery is a little stressful for moi. I have issues when it comes to medical procedures such as surgeries.

Anyway...I'm sure it will be fine and all that jazz. In the meantime, the hustle and bustle that is the week before Christmas for a mom in suburban paradise roars on and the impending surgery is happening with or without me liking it, so I find myself trying to control things and make some order out of chaos. I've cleaned closets, cabinets and drawers at home and at work. I'm organizing and work, work, working. Tonight, I was comforted by the ordinary and normal act of chopping a salad for dinner, thinking about how Paul really exemplifies being "the rock" of our family. He's our glue. Our center and the girls and I, his satellites. Anyway...chop, chop, chop.

Just keeping grounded in something ordinary, something normal. It's a pretty salad, eh? Yummy too, with chicken, Parmesan and dressing.

Breathe in, breathe out. It will all be OK. It will. And, let's hope for less surgery in 2012. Dad, Mom, and Husband. That's quite enough for me!

2011 354/365 Joy

2011-12-20T06:50:00.000-05:00

Each year there are folks who receive photos of our girls for Christmas. Often we give a copy of their school photos. This year we decided to use a candid photo of both girls together. I wrapped them all in brown paper that I stamped the other day.

Here they are all stacked up.

The photos were fun to take and edit too. These were the two finalists:

Each person is actually getting both photos -- some have photo one in front and some have photo two in front -- the other is tucked behind. It was just too hard to choose!

We of course, can't have a photo shoot without it turning into silliness! This photo, while not making the "gift cut" is actually my favorite and I put it up on my desk at work.

I hope you are having time for quiet moments and some silly times this season. Joy - it does a body good!

2011 353/365 Instead

2011-12-19T06:25:00.000-05:00

All along the process of bringing about the preschool, we examined and assessed its feasibility. We decided that for now, it makes most sense to keep our spaces dedicated to the folks who live here -- we really have just enough for us. And, when considered with other factors, on the shelf goes that (wonderful and amazing) preschool idea.

Never a dull moment in this house of dreamers! The decision to keep our playroom dedicated to our children was followed by a spurt of creativity in what would have been the indoor classroom. (I stamped some fun wrapping paper too!)

So, we are back to normal (ha!) around here and looking forward to many more craft-ernoons together!

2011 352/365 Blue Christmas

2011-12-18T08:01:00.000-05:00

2011 351/365 Christmas Past

2011-12-17T07:35:00.007-05:00

These lights are on my Mimi's ceramic Christmas tree...one of my all-time favorite treasures. A little melancholy today...missing folks...

2011 350/365 Iced Berries

2011-12-16T06:26:00.000-05:00

2011 349/365 Morning Pile

2011-12-15T06:03:00.000-05:00

One day the sheep may have this added to their space, for now it's just a pile, made magical by the morning light on the ice encrusted scene.

2011 348/365 Wrap and Stamp

2011-12-14T06:10:00.000-05:00

Been crafting with Annie this week. So nice!

We got the idea for this at Whip Up. It was great fun!

2011 345/365 Brisk

2011-12-11T07:35:00.000-05:00

2011 336/365 Hey Buddy!

2011-12-03T06:44:00.000-05:00

One of the recent visitors to my (soon to be) preschool's bird watching station.

2011 329/365 Nature's Own Dali

2011-11-26T16:29:00.000-05:00

Cool!

2011 322/365 Shifting Focus

2011-11-19T08:43:00.006-05:00

My daily photography practice has given way to a daily practice of walking -- the early morning moments I would spend editing and posting photos are now spent outside greeting the day on foot. My eye is forever seeing photos as I go though - all that daily photography has made it so I notice details that make the whole walk experience rewarding.

In addition to the daily practice of a morning walk, all of my spare moments have been consumed by my next big thing...that "coming soon" change that I mentioned several posts back: The Preschool at Shaggyhill Farm, LLC. Oh, yeah. It's coming! A nurturing, developmentally-appropriate, play based, part-time preschool. I'm so stinking excited I could burst! Beginning Spring 2012, I plan to begin offering a Friday morning program for children ages 3 and 4 here in my home at the farm, followed by more programs in the Fall.

I'm so thrilled and nearly all of my creative energy is focused on this endeavor right now as I go through the tedious (but necessary) steps in becoming licensed and the fun parts of planning the program (oh, and keeping the doubts at bay!). Of course, photography is part of it all ~ although I will most likely round out this 365 project by posting once a week.

So much big fun heading this way!

2011 311/365 Snow Grid

2011-11-08T06:14:00.000-05:00

2011 310/365 Frosty Textures

2011-11-07T06:08:00.000-05:00

2011 309/365 Sunday Blessing

2011-11-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

A photo taken with my camera:

A photo I took without my camera: The sun light, right now, as it's touching and illuminating the untethered wisps of Annie's ponytail into spun gold; and how it is kissing her sleepy nose and shimmering on her sweet cheeks as she, curled on the couch, dives into reading her new book. Blessed way to start the day.

2011 308/365 October Snow

2011-11-05T07:46:00.000-04:00

Remarkable for us to have snow and foliage!

2011 307/365 October Snow

2011-11-04T08:37:00.002-04:00

It really was beautiful!

2011 306/365 October Snow

2011-11-03T08:35:00.000-04:00

2011 305/365 Breakfast, anyone?

2011-11-02T07:48:00.001-04:00

No power=creative food prep - and YUMMY!
Waffles, french fries, and homemade breadsticks on the wood stove and nachos heated with a propane torch. Good eats and good times! Thank you, Paul for keeping us warm and fed!

2011 304/365 Single Leaf in a Remarkable Scene

2011-11-01T07:17:00.001-04:00

Do you see that single orange leaf in the midst of our snow-encrusted side yard?

2011 303/365 Boo!

2011-10-31T18:44:00.002-04:00

My favorite stick figure and vampiress ~ in the midst of all the snow and such, we were able to trick or treat in Auntie's neighborhood. Boo!

Some towns postponed Halloween until this weekend due to snow, debris, downed power lines and a lack of lights making for a very scary situation - and not the fun kind!

2011 302/365 Another Sort of Pumpkin on the Deck

2011-10-30T06:25:00.002-04:00

We had to bring those misty morning pumpkins in off the deck to make room for 14 inches of snow. That snow and the morning sun drew another sort of pumpkin outside. This is the beginning of what was an amazing and strange week. We where without power for 5 days, getting it back last night (November 3), but others are still without and I wish them all the best as they wait it out.

2011 301/365 Misty Morning Pumpkins

2011-10-29T14:44:00.000-04:00

Right now there is a half foot of snow on the deck railing, but earlier this week it looked like this:

2011 300/365 On my way

2011-10-28T14:31:00.000-04:00

Shot this on my way out for a morning walk this week:

Been neglecting My Midlife Creativities a bit, because I'm cooking something up! Something big. And, life changing! And, well, wonderfully creative, but not quite ready to be unveiled.

2011 299/365 Solo Boat and Birds

2011-10-27T07:23:00.002-04:00

2011 298/365 Peggy

2011-10-25T20:22:00.001-04:00

Just fell in love with this little solo boat, moored in a tiny inlet between Narragansett and Newport Rhode Island.

2011 297/365 Sail Away

2011-10-24T06:37:00.000-04:00

Nice image for a Monday morning - both the idea of an escape as well as a wish for smooth sailing for the week ahead.

2011 296/365 Changing

2011-10-23T07:51:00.000-04:00

Little by little it all adds up.

2011 295/365 Morning Walk

2011-10-22T06:17:00.002-04:00

I walked/cycled my 500 miles in 365 days. Time for something new. I'm trying out walking every weekday morning (one week so far) and sometimes I bring my camera. This barn sits on the corner near my house. It was beautiful in the dawn lighting this week. Paul tells me the barn is pre-1800's.

I'd really love to photoshop (or picnik shop) out that tree peeking above the roof line, but my skills aren't nearly up to that task yet!

2011 294/365 Country Road

2011-10-21T08:12:00.000-04:00

2011 293/365 Autumn Reflection

2011-10-20T05:12:00.004-04:00

It's slow going, but I'm working on some fall photos around the local area. The weather, slow to turn leaves, and my schedule have made this very difficult. It's an interesting challenge though! And, I've been using this as an opportunity to explore some new editing processes.

I was also lucky to have a lovely assistant on this particular day.

2011 292/365 Oh, the sheep!

2011-10-19T09:34:00.000-04:00

Our sheep just crack me up! Their poses are stunning in their beauty and ridiculousness. They are just so very funny as they watch over the pasture. A perfect combination of regal and silly. Love.

2011 291/365 Tree and Gate

2011-10-18T05:33:00.001-04:00

Searching out the leaves here. Looking for the change. These solo trees are very visually appealing to me.

2011 290/365 Peeping

2011-10-17T05:56:00.000-04:00

We are having an odd fall here in our part of Connecticut. The weather has been strange. And, the leaves are not changing quite like they usually do. Many are mottled and spotted and just curling up and dropping. We did do a little leaf peeping on our farm yesterday. I loved finding this tiny tree all by itself.

2011 289/365 Weeding Basket

2011-10-16T06:39:00.000-04:00

It's feeling a bit like it is time for some weeding. Paring. Culling. Ousting. Cutting back. Filling and emptying.

2011 288/365 Peek-a-Moo!

2011-10-15T14:15:00.002-04:00

That "come hither" tilt of the head...

The "but only if you want to" coyness...

Studly bovine beauty!

2011 287/365 Orange on Pink

2011-10-14T06:35:00.001-04:00

Looks a bit more like spring around here than fall~a great spangled fritillary (thanks, Kim for supplying the name!).

2011 286/365 Purple Pink

2011-10-13T06:28:00.000-04:00

These flowers are right next to the driveway, and they just keep getting better and better! A bit of spring in fall.

2011 285/365 Bee and Flower

2011-10-12T07:34:00.000-04:00

Animals just keep on posing for me! I'll miss these gorgeous pink flowers when they are gone!

2011 284/365 Hit the Beach

2011-10-11T05:52:00.002-04:00

We've had record hot temperatures in Connecticut this long, holiday weekend. Paul and I found a slice of time for a quick walk on the beach.

So nice! Long Island is visible way out there on the horizon.

2011 283/365 Proud!

2011-10-10T09:57:00.001-04:00

I caught Annie's first time on the bungee jumper. (We were at the Southington Apple Harvest Festival.)
I love seeing that sense of pride and accomplishment written all over her face.
You go girl!

2011 282/365 Peaked, A Shot from Our Urban Architecture Photo Walk

2011-10-09T10:45:00.005-04:00

Annie was offered an extra credit math assignment: to create a geometry scrap book. She chose to use buildings as her subjects. She spent some time pulling photos off the internet and then we laced up our shoes, grabbed our cameras, and headed into New Haven, Connecticut to take some of our own photos. The weather is glorious this weekend. We bumped into a Quidditch match and a wedding outside of the Sterling Memorial Library. We also did some birthday gift shopping at 10,000 Villages and (of course) stopped at Claire's Corner Copia for gluten-free flat bread pizza and gluten-free Lithuanian coffee cake.

Hello! Annie's part Lithuanian! Perfection! Best. Math. Assignment. Ever.

If you'd like to see the whole photo walk, head over to the flickr set.

2011 281/365 Butterfly in the Apple Tree

2011-10-08T07:58:00.001-04:00

2011 280/365 Orange Berries

2011-10-07T07:13:00.003-04:00

Loving the approaching fall colors! Triad variation here, for Exploring with a Camera: Color Wheel Part 2.

2011 279/365 Purple Flower

2011-10-06T07:42:00.002-04:00

It was wonderful to find those little flowers within the larger purple flower. So pretty!

Triadic color scheme here for Exploring with a Camera: Color Wheel Part 2

2011 278/365 Photo Shoot

2011-10-05T07:40:00.002-04:00

Triadic color scheme (and proportion) going on here too, Exploring with a Camera: the color wheel part 2.

2011 277/365 Photo Shoot

2011-10-04T05:59:00.001-04:00

Taken during a photo shoot for the class I'm in, Finding Your Eye. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome (which I blather on about on the photo journal)! Three photos stood out from the group of 40 that I took. I'll show you Emma's photo tomorrow. Creating these pictures was incredibly rewarding!

2011 276/365 Enough, Mom!

2011-10-03T05:55:00.001-04:00

Super supportive and ever pointing out fabulous shots, the family does at times tire of my incessant picture taking.

2011 275/365 Sweetness

2011-10-02T08:22:00.000-04:00

Annie was crowned "Princess of the Faire" yesterday at the CT Renaissance Faire in Hebron, CT. Her title doesn't get her much, it was granted by "The Dragon Who Sells Ice Cream".

Silly fun!

2011 274/365 Misty Morning Sunrise

2011-10-01T08:16:00.000-04:00

It looked pretty good before I messed with it too:

Happy October!

2011 273/365 Double Rainbow

2011-09-30T06:23:00.001-04:00

We were treated to a beautiful double rainbow last night. It was the brightest, most defined, longest lasting rainbow we've ever seen.

I'm so glad the four of us were home to see it together. Such excitement!
The rest of the rainbow shots can be found here.

2011 272/365 Poser

2011-09-29T08:22:00.000-04:00

Another animal seemed to be posing recently. Remember the horse? Check out this rooster!

2011 271/365 Barn and Wagon

2011-09-28T07:46:00.001-04:00

Photo of the barn and wagon at Freeman Farm, Old Sturbridge Village. This is a favorite shot. I'm loving it's composition, the coloring, the simplicity, the wisdom in the aged wood. It is comforting and makes me say, ahhhh.

2011 270/365 Along the Garden Path

2011-09-27T08:14:00.001-04:00

Oh, Love! Caught this glimpse of Paul as he left the Towne House garden at Old Sturbridge Village. The girls were painting watercolors among the flowers as I sat in the gazebo among the beauty. I especially love the bricks and the garden gate. Blissful moments!

2011 269/365 A Horse, Of Course

2011-09-26T07:19:00.003-04:00

This horse was being led into the cider barn where he would be walking round and round to operate the apple crusher. I love this moment as he (she?) turned with a backward glance.

2011 268/365 Thinking Chair

2011-09-25T08:23:00.001-04:00

Pondering today...questions for my photo class...questions for my women's circle later today.

Loving the monochromatic color seen here - Exploring with a Camera, Color Wheel part 1

2011 267/365 Yumminess!

2011-09-24T06:09:00.004-04:00

Caramel apples - just have to have them! Emma and a friend made these yummy delights last night. Delish!

2011 266/365 Autumn Hydrangea

2011-09-23T08:40:00.001-04:00

Happy Fall, y'all!

2011 265/365 Annie's Onions

2011-09-22T06:40:00.003-04:00

Annie planted and harvested this batch of onions. Yummy! They are drying on the lawn - providing another opportunity for me to focus in on something lovely about this place.

2011 264/365 Apple Sweet Apple

2011-09-21T06:58:00.003-04:00

This bowl of appley goodness brought some fall color into the kitchen this week. Looks like another trip to the orchard is in order, the bowl is nearly empty already.
I'm loving the blue of the old pyrex bowl as it holds the muted reds and greens of the apples. I may have achieved chromatic gradation here...from blue through green to red.
I'm linking to The Kat Eye View, Exploring with a Camera, The Color Wheel Part I.

2011 263/365 View from Here

2011-09-20T05:35:00.001-04:00

This view just never gets old. Here the trees are dressed in a misty morning fog.

2011 262/365 Drops on the Railing

2011-09-19T05:49:00.006-04:00

Fall on the deck is a treat!

2011 261/365 Dew on the Deck

2011-09-18T05:58:00.004-04:00

The dew on the deck is another scene drawn to my attention by 9-year old Annie. At times we certainly find ourselves missing those old homeschooling days which ended over 4 years ago, but the girls and I have often thought one of the best parts of building school life is being up to see the sunrise. Some mornings it puts on quite a show!

I feel a rush of giddy excitement today~I just registered for Kat Sloma's Find Your Eye: Starting the Journey e-course!