Like mother like daughter: the blog of Nadine, who is the mom of EllieVellie (Ellie tells me she translates the comments for her mother)
I do like design tutorials, especially ones that teach watercolor effects. The top one on this post looks nice, but then something about the graphic bothers me. I keep thinking it’s almost the Jewish month of Elul, and then it’s almost Rosh Hashana – “Teshuva, tfillah u’tsedaqa ma’aviren et roa’ ha-gezaira” (repentance, prayer and charity avert the evil decree) – obviously, the post was written by someone who has never been touched by a Rosh Hashana service. Read Jonathan Sacks on Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedakah.
I just started reading this book Caspian Rain, book review by Jew Wishes.
Three Women Outside Roberts Florals in Highland Park, New Jersey
These photos were taken in June at a Random Acts of Fun night on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park, New Jersey. Stores show off their wares in a fun way, and at this night there was a concert and face painting, too.
View of the window front of Roberts Florals in Highland Park, New Jersey
A friend once remarked you can buy flowers for cheap at the supermarket in Highland Park. Or you can buy a stunning, custom bouquet at Roberts Florals.
Watercolor Effect Applied to Photo of Girl Walking in Creek
I took several photos of my daughter’s adventurous friend walking in the creek at Howell Farm in Mercer County, New Jersey.
Creek Walk with Colors, Photo taken in August 2009 at Howell Farm, New Jersey
Chickens at Howell Living History Farm in Mercer County, New Jersey
Doorway Marked with a 12 at Howell Farm in New Jersey
Each area of the farm to visit was marked on a tourist map with a number, and in those areas there was a subtle number marking the spot.
Does anyone know what kind of vegetation this is? I don’t think it’s swiss chard; the stems don’t look as coarse. Update: I have been informed by some of my readers (thank you, EGWow, Carletta and Jim) that these are beets. Jim says they need some fertilizer. I guess the farm folks are paying more attention to the animals than the garden.
For more posts with a little red or a lot of red, visit Ruby Tuesday:
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, next to Delaware River
Today we went to Howell Living History Farm in Lambertville, New Jersey, and after enjoying the chickens, horses, a sleepy cat and a corn-fetching dog, we went to Washington Crossing Historic Park. There are two Washington Crossing parks, one on the New Jersey side and one on the Pennsylvania side. Today we went to the Pennsylvania park, with its historic houses (which were all closed, disappointing the girls we had taken), the park that borders the Delaware River. We got to watch the end of the last screening of the day of “George Washington Crossing the Delaware.”
Howell Living History Farm in Mercer County, New Jersey
I took over 200 pictures, so I’m sure some more will be showing up on the blog soon.
Middlesex County Fair at night, August 3, 2009
Yes, more photos from the Middlesex County Fair: night shots capture action and light.
I really don’t like going on the rides, but they are fun to photograph. This photo was taken just a few hours earlier than the one above.
Dhaval thought my sepia photo of the fair was still a bit gloomy, so I added back in a bit more of the colors from the fair. Then I took the sky out of sepia mode, so now it’s really the cars alone that get the sepia treatment.
Fireworks at Middlesex County Fair, August 3, 2009 (Opening Night)
I wish I had read Mason Resnick’s post on Fireworks Photography Basics before going to the fair. And I also wish I knew how to use the continuous shooting mode on my camera inside and out, instead of trying to hunt for it in the dark and running out of time. Maybe next by July 4th I’ll be prepared.
Mason writes:
Exposure tips
Aperture: Most photographers use ISO 100 and an aperture of between f/8 and f/16. The smaller aperture intensifies the colors of the fireworks and prevents overexposure. Experiment and see how the different aperture setting changes the look of your image.
Shutter speed: Use your camera’s “B” (bulb) setting. Start your exposure at the moment the burst begins, and end it when the burst reaches its peak. How long is long enough? For a single blast, a second or two should be sufficient.
Some photographers leave their camera on B and block the lens until there’s a burst, and repeating the process over several bursts. This results in a multiple exposure that can fill the frame with fireworks. Read more.
For more photos of the sky, visit Skywatch Friday: Sky Watch Friday
Middlesex County Fair, August 3, 2009 - Opening Day
The Middlesex County Fair in East Brunswick, New Jersey had its opening day on Monday, August 3, and we had the fun of attending. I found this photo rather dull, so I decided to convert it to sepia (desaturated it then added yellow and tiny bit of red back in). To bring back just the fun colors of the fair, I colored over some areas with the history brush.
Moon on the 14th of the Jewish month of Av (almost full)
By the light, of the silvery moon,
I want to spoon,
To my honey I’ll croon love’s tune.
Honey moon, keep a-shinin’ in June.
Your silv’ry beams will bring love’s dreams,
We’ll be cuddlin’ soon,
By the silvery moon.
Somehow I remember a line in the song that goes “not to fork but to spoon.” The Wikipedia page has some variations of this 1909 song.
So there we (we = husband, daughter and I) are in East Brunswick, New Jersey at the Middlesex County Fair, and I notice the moon is almost full. I think, it’s almost the middle of the month! (The Jewish month is a lunar calendar, so the full moon signifies the 15th of the month.) Why, it’s almost Tu B’Av, the Jewish answer to Sadie Hawkins Day or the Israeli equivalent of Valentine’s Day.
To learn more about this holiday where the young unmarried women used to dance in white dresses in the fields, please visit:
Lobelia Cardinalis, Purple Cardinal Flower, photographed July 2009
You can compare these photos with my photos of the purple lobelia last summer. Those were taken with my Canon Power Shot; these new ones are taken with my Canon Rebel xTi.
Lobelia Cardinalis, centered in the photo, with grey fence behindMystery Flower, no longer there (maybe eaten by the groundhog?)
Update: Sara Rall (on her first visit to this blog, welcome) thinks this may be a moth mullein.
