This summer we made a weekend trip to visit my family in Baltimore. Here are the first few shots that I took. But there are more to come so stay tuned. My kids absolutely loved the Maryland Science Center.
I had my kids three years apart, but their birthdays are one month apart. Between the four of us in the family we celebrate our “burfdays” (as Carter calls them) from April to July. We have the last one this Sunday. Here are a few snaps from Robert’s 7th at Hunt Club Farms. The kids were tired, hot and dirty, which in my book makes for a good day.
This would only happen when Pappa's watching.Getting sassy in his hat
Every year we pack up the kids to head to the relatives in western PA. Lovely farms and people everywhere. I shot everything. Here are the first ones that I’ve sifted through.
A classic silhouette goes nicely in any room. For a black and white image, it’s surprising how expressive they can be.
Silhouette sessions are $75-$150 (5″x7″ to 11″x14″). All sessions include one printed image and a set of 50 enclosure cards. Other packages available upon request.
A friend of mine who is a great photographer was generously giving away some free actions. Here’s what I did with them. Help yourself at Willette Designs.
original photo of my man, BrianFaded Photo ActionSummer Haze ActionBlack + White ActionBeach Blanket Bingo Action
This represents some of the moments of my family’s trip to Hatteras. We go every Memorial Day and Labor Day. The kids love the water, the sand, the kites, the food and ice cream at the mini-golf place.[slideshow]
If you know me, you know that I am a bit obsessed about food and nutrition. I count calories, but I don’t always pay attention to the total. Nothing stops me from indulging in senseless food pleasures (especially if have the justification of a run earlier that day.) My will is very strong, my willpower is not. I am a little overweight, actually a little more overweight than I normally am. This winter has gotten the best of me.
I have always been a big girl. And so, I come by my food obsessions honestly. In light of that, I read an article today that takes a little pressure off those of us who obsess, fight and lose the battle of the bulge. I almost find it irresponsible to make a note of this article, but I find the science intriguing.According to the article,
” there’s little risk to carrying a few extra pounds. And there may even be some benefit. Indeed, people who are 10-to-15 pounds overweight appear to have no greater risk of dying than those of so-called “normal” weight. Other studies have shown that those who are overweight are no more likely to die from cancer or cardiovascular disease. Also, being a little overweight may help stave off osteoporosis. And it can make you look younger, too.”
I had a wonderful girls weekend this past Friday and Saturday. It was a nice time to get away from the normal pace of raising two small boys, dealing with the laundry or the cat litter (two of my least favorite things), and generally preparing and organizing all that goes on around here. My husband, meanwhile, invited two couple for dinner on Saturday night. I got home at 5:30 and our guests started coming at 7:15. Less than two hours after coming home, dinner was not served, but we had fun. We ate lots of hors d’oeuvres and drank a few glasses of red wine. Dinner was served at 8.
Menu
Julia Child’sPotage Aux Epignards (Spinach Soup)
It was pretty good, anything with that much butter and cream can’t taste that bad. It took no time to prepare. French cooking doesn’t have to be hard. It can be, but it isn’t always.
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Brick Fried Chicken
from Lynne Rossetta Kasper’s How to Eat Supper. It was wonderful and juicy. You actually cook a butterflied chicken in a skillet with a brick on top of it. Don’t let the title fool you; this is sauteed, not deep-fried. I heard once that sauteing was a snobs way of frying. However, you get some of the crispy skin, but it is not coated like that brand formally known as Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Arugula Salad
with strawberries and polenta crisps (I used this recipes, but cut them a lot smaller for crisps) I dress most any salad with balsamic vinaigrette and this was no exception. I keep a bottle on the counter all the time. It’s easy to make and a little goes a long way. (1 part balsamic vinegar, 2 parts extra-virgin olive oil, a tsp or two of Dijon mustard- depending on how much you’re making. Blend together with a whisk or right in the cruet.)
(we skipped this, because there was already enough food on the table and I had really forgotten about it until the last minute.) I have made this recipe before, though and it is a great, easy side dish. My husband would prefer that I add roasted pine nuts or walnuts next time; he likes the crunchy nutty taste with the chewier taste of this oversized couscous.
Vanilla Ice Cream with homemade chocolate sauce and orange zest
This I adapted from Julia’s chocolate sauce. I added a little orange zest, because, why not? Her recipe is great plain, but it comes in a much longer recipe for profiteroles. Those are a thing of beauty, but not for a dinner in two hours.I didn’t have time to take photos of the event, but here are some taken of the aftermath. Well, this is what was on my counter the next morning. I was so exhausted, that I didn’t clean up until Sunday morning.
