P52: Macro

Well, kind of. Sort of. Not really, actually. I don't have a true macro lens (yet . . .), so I just use the long end of my Tamron. I had hoped to catch some of the blooms popping up on the Mall (Silly flowers! It's February!), but ran out of time and daylight, so I scrounged around my backyard for something, anything.



Meh. This was actually my favorite shot from outside, not macro by any means, but much cuter.

P52: Stranded

Not the most creative interpretation. Since we are in the midst of potty training a certain little Peanut (don't worry - that's the last you'll hear about it), Chris had an awesome idea that involved showing two tiny legs swinging from a great big potty. But I'm sorry, Internet. I just can't release a potty photo out in to the wild like that. And I know that a good portion of folks are breathing a huge sigh of relief, including my future teenager.



And a bonus shot from the same "shoot". He may be nekkid but I think this will require a little less therapy to get over.

Project 52: Language

I've been toying with the idea of doing a Project 52, taking a photo related to different theme each week. There are a few out there that you can follow - Paint the Moon has one, My 3 Boybarians has one. Those are fine but I realized that my  photography group essentially has the same concept going on, in the form of a "Picture of the Week" contest. So, I'm going to shoot for each of those POTW themes as my own version of a Project 52. I doubt I'll enter the contest each week but I do plan to photograph something in those categories and blog them. Lucky you!

This week's theme was language.  Neither of these images is stellar, I know. But what the hell? If I only posted stuff that was good, you wouldn't have anything to make fun of behind my back.

Just beachy

What was that? I'm sorry? Oh, it's been how long since I posted a photo of my adorable child in his ridiculously cute hat on the beach? My apologies.



Whoo! I feel so much better now! In case you hadn't guessed, we spent another weekend soaking up sun and getting sand in strange places on the shore. It was a pretty low key weekend, we ate in a lot and dodged many thunder showers.



And when it rained, we practiced walking the dog, undeterred by obstacles like chairs or kibble.

(And WOW, what a difference a few feet in ceiling height can make when you're bouncing a flash!)

When it wasn't raining, the beach was absolutely perfect. We have a secret little spot (no, I'm not going to tell you) that is rather unpopulated anyway, but the tricky weather scared away more folks than usual. The sun skipped in and out of clouds, a nice breeze was blowing, and the Peanut splashed and splashed and splashed.


(This could explain the filthy state of my lens for the rest of the trip).



We are doing our best to embrace what little of summer remains.



Also, cupcakes. We are also embracing cupcakes. But that's more of a general philosophy and not season specific.

Hey, good lookin'

Watcha got cookin'?





(Mashed potatoes, for the record.)

Sandcastles in the sand

(In case you aren't familiar with the work of Robin Sparkles, click here)

This past weekend featured a different cast of characters - Pop Pop and my cousin Kelly and her family. Chris finally got to live his year-long dream of playing the slots at Ocean Downs. No pictures of that unfortunately, but I can tell you that we were the youngest people, aside from those wearing camouflage.


Sand crab.


She is a pistol.


And sometimes a good sport.


The Peanut pointing out a plane to Laney and a helpful iced coffee banner for Mommy.





The newest member of the mamarazzi!

Lather, rinse, repeat

Have I mentioned how much I love summer?




Little goofball loves his sunglasses.





(I named that one on the right Mellow. Mellow Yellow, get it? I am SO good at this!)



Le sigh.

A Bawlmer tradition

Honfest in Hampden, y'all! A fantastic celebration of the grand tackiness found in and around Baltimore. Also, a great excuse to eat street food and wander around with open containers and wear spandex.




Why do I always take pictures of port-o-potties?


What the hell kind of bird was that and how big was the cat?





Did you see how big her hair was?? Wait, was that a dude?


Our favorite hon.


Stroller tray = trough.


Enjoying a "velvet Elvis" concoction.


The crab cone from Gypsy Queen Cafe.
Up yours, Coldstone. (I don't really mean that.)

Habit-forming

This was not going to be another pretty flower post. But then it was.



It was this or the cell phone pic of my kid covered in yogurt. This is way better, Internet. I promise.

Floral fanatic

Well, not really. But I was so pleased with my peony photo that I thought I'd use some other blooms to play with textures and other editing tricks. These are from Chris' favorite - a crazy rose bush on the side of the house.



This experiment has not helped my 100 mm macro lens lust, though. Um, honey? Remember how you asked me what kind of jewelry I'd been eyeing lately? Scratch my answer about necklaces. I just remembered, I really want a a red ring.

Cultivation

Previously, we discussed my general lack of horticultural skills. But I completely forgot about one giant botanical success.

My great big beautiful peonies!



Pretty pink balls of perfumed fluff. I love them. I planted the bulbs years before they actually started to flower and was starting to give up hope when one spring they finally started to peek through the soil. My grandmother always said they needed ants to bloom, and these seem to have them by the truckload. They're still gorgeous, but ick.



Also, I have a giant patch of chives that I can't seem to kill. We never eat chives, except when I'm desperate and out of onions. I don't know what possessed me to even buy that one little pot so many years ago. But they do have cute spikey flowers to photograph, if nothing else.



Oh yeah, and I found one other thing in my garden that I've managed to keep alive and well for a few years:


No green thumbs there, just brown paws. Brown paws full of MUD.

La vie en rose

The restaurant where we had lunch yesterday handed out long stemmed roses to all of the moms that were dining.



This was what it looked like after the Peanut tried to sweep the living room floor with it. But it's still the first flower I've received in a long time that wasn't purchased while waiting for a stop light, so I'll take it.

Teaser

I haven't written up tonight's recipe yet, but here is a sneak peak of the star ingredient:



Welcome,summer. Now, get crackin' on some fresh tomatoes, would ya?

Accessories make the man

Just playing with some actions and templates. And faaaabulous accessories.

Beach bums

As you could probably surmise from Friday's post, we were away this weekend for our first beach trip of the year. Thanks for not robbing us, Internet strangers!

The Peanut loved the beach just as much as he did last year. He has lost his taste for eating sand, but not for running headlong in to the surf. Why are toddlers so obnoxiously suicidal? Friday was our only real day at the beach, Saturday and Sunday were a bit too chilly, but it was positively gorgeous. And there was hardly anyone there. Probably because it was still, um, April. Rock on, Global Warming.


Doing his best George Burns impression.



A sad little turtle Chris found.



Enjoying the kite festival on the boardwalk.

Clairebear at 4

How sweet are her little blond curls in the breeze?

Squeaky clean

My post-bath baby, in black and white.

I tell you, black and white conversions do wonders for my hideous bathroom. Photoshop is way cheaper than renovations.