Fifty-two on Friday-Week Fifty-two!

A blog circle of photographers from all over the world, both amateur and professional alike, sharing their interpretations of a common theme.  At the bottom of each post, click the link for the next photographer until you come full circle, back here to my blog.

"light"

As 2012 comes to a close, so does my Fifty-two on Friday project. After completing a 365-day project two years ago, I didn't think that one image a week would be hard, but at times I struggled.  I struggled to be more creative.  

I struggled to learn new techniques.  

I struggled to learn to ways of processing. 

 I struggled to learn how to use new lenses. 

All of that struggling, though, has made me a better photographer who is learning to think outside the box, to be more creative, to understand that there will always be something to learn, to be patient with myself as I continue to improve.

For this week's image, I'm choosing to share our Christmas tree.  With a solid foundation this tree would continue to grow and branch out in different directions...a little taller, a little fuller...with each day of nature's nutrients.

And now, filled with lights, it's the promise of new a beginning.

It's, kind of, a metaphor of my journey into seeing the light.  

 To continue around the circle and see the light the other two photograhers saw, start with  photographer

Faye Kingston of  Miramichi, NB 

Fifty-two on Friday-Week Fifty-one

A blog circle of photographers from all over the world, both amateur and professional alike, sharing their interpretations of a common theme.  At the bottom of each post, click the link for the next photographer until you come full circle, back here to my blog.

"peaceful"

  As I was decorating the tree earlier this week, I came across this guy.  It's something that my husband has had since he was a kid.  It's kind of funny how things get reinvented.

The elf-on-the-shelf shenanigans have been posted on just about every social website I use.

This elf though has been sitting peacefully in my tree every year for the past thirty years and hasn't done a mischievous thing yet this year, either.  

 

And, just because one of my most favorite times of the day brings me the most peaceful moments, I thought I'd share a picture taken with my cell phone a little bit before 7AM this morning (Thursday).  I haven't processed this at all.  Well, with the exception of my watermark!

Now to see what kind of  peaceful images the other two photographers in my group found, start here with Faye Kingston, Miramichi, NB Photographer 

Fifty-two on Friday-Week Fifty!

 A blog circle of photographers from all over the world, both amateur and professional alike, sharing their interpretations of a common theme.  At the bottom of each post, click the link for the next photographer until you come full circle, back here to my blog.

"freshly baked"

The weeks leading up to Christmas always bring an increased desire to be in the kitchen.  Truth be told, it's not my favorite place to be!  For weeks, though, I've been scouring magazines and recipe books for new ideas, but to get started on my holiday baking I go back to a couple of old favorites. 
Way back in 2003 I started baking a batch of cookies for the boys to enjoy during "finals week" while they were in college.  I have done it every year since then.  This will be the last year I will be baking that batch of cookies, or at least sending it off to one of my boys in college. 
 I bake two different kinds of cookies.  The usual chocolate chip and then the cream cheese press cookie that was a recipe of my moms.   
I actually, double the double recipe and make an insane amount of cream cheese cookies.  Since I was baking by myself and at 5AM before I had to go to work, I just made the double batch. Two hours later, the cookies were baked, the cookie sheets and cooling racks piled high on the counter, the rest of the mixing utensils lay in the sink, and I was off to work, but not before enjoying a a couple of these cookies for breakfast!

 And, yes Kevin, yours are in the mail!  

We have five photographers participating this week.  To see what the other girls are baking
 start here with  
Christa Paustenbaugh of  Okinawa, Japan 

Fifty-two on Friday-Week Forty-nine

 A blog circle of photographers from all over the world, both amateur and professional alike, sharing their interpretations of a common theme.  At the bottom of each post, click the link for the next photographer until you come full circle, back here to my blog.

"red"

For this week's post I am sharing some of the images I captured on Tuesday while visiting Longwood Gardens.
Longwood is a personal favorite of mine and I'm so fortunate that I am able to visit frequently. 
With no further adieu...

 To see what the rest of the circle found that was red, start here with photographer 

Christa Paustenbaugh of Okinawa, Japan