Happy Birthday Maddy and Livvy

Maddy and Livvy turned six on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. We helped them celebrate with a family party at Sue’s this past Sunday. Here’s a picture I managed to snap through the crowd around the table. Maddy’s cake (the vanilla with the white icing) sat with cooling candles while Livvy’s cake, chocolate, chocolate, is begging for the Happy Birthday song, blowing out the candles and let’s eat cake and ice cream.

Left to right are Livvy, Maddy and their friend Frankie. Love the happy faces of kids. We had a lovely time and I got out of the house for a few hours. Yes! We like parties.

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To the Hospital again and a recipe for a Super Protein Smoothie

Been out of circulation for awhile because I ended up in the hospital again. Turned out to be another bout with MERSA pneumonia. Was in for a week until they figured out what was wrong then they sent me home to a safer environment for someone who is immunocompromised like I am. Eight days on Zyvox (probably the most powerful and expensive antibiotic out there). I finished the course with this morning’s dose. Yeah!

Let’s not dwell on sick. How about a delicious smoothie recipe I’ve been working on. I drink two of these a day now, Mid day and evening (about 8 o’clock or so). The late smoothie keeps my hands out of the candy dish.

Super Protein Smoothie

– 8 oz. bottle chocolate Ensure or Boost (vanilla works too but I love choc.)
– 4 oz. plain organic yogurt
– 1 scoop Swanson goat milk whey protein
– 1 t. organic peanut butter
– 1/2 t. (approx.) organic coconut oil
– pinch nutmeg
– splash vanilla extract (the real thing)
– 1/3 to 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
– (opt) Barley Grass juice powder (try it, you won’t taste it)

Put all the ingredients into your nutra-bullet or other blender and buzz for about 45 seconds or so. Experiment. The yield is about 16 oz. and will give you about 26 grams of high quality protein and all the good stuff in blueberries. The green drink powder can be a nice bonus but it’s optional. Enjoy.

I’m back and hope to get some writing done and published. The twins were six years old Tuesday and we’re having a birthday party today. I’m taking my camera so wish me luck.

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Generations

Here’s the first post from the photos I took over the Christmas Holiday.

Click to enlarge

From left to right: Carmel Jones – my mother-in-law, Daughters Sue and Erin, Twin Granddaughters Maddy in front, Livvy behind.

I took five shots and this one turned out best. I do like it. I used my new FujiFilm X10. I like that camera. It takes good quality photos and it’s not a point and shoot with no control. Can’t wait to get out in the woods (when I’m feeling better and the weather is warmer).

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Mary — Ready for Her Senior Prom

Mary’s (my niece) senior prom was four weeks ago. I took a few snapshots before Mary left for her prom.

Here’s a close in shot of Mary. I took this picture in the front yard, Zoomed in and opened my zoom lens to blur out the background.

We moved to the back yard where the strong sunlight wasn’t as harsh and I could use the bushes as a backdrop. This is Mary and two of her friends. I captured some nice facial expressions with this shot.

My sister Trish wanted a photo of her and Mary. This one turned out half decent. I think there are a few more photos on a fresh roll of film that’s still in the camera. I took a few more pictures of Mary in her cap and gown a few weeks later. I still have 10 or 11 frames left on the roll of film so I better get my lazy self out for some picture taking.

All three of the above photos are from the same 24 exposure roll of Ilford FP4+ that gave me the images I posted earlier this month. Love that film.

I had two cameras with me when I shot Mary’s pre-prom photos. The second camera, my Nikon F3HP was loaded with (shhhh!!!) Kodak Ektar Color film (gasp! Color??). Yes, color. I bought two rolls of Ektar so I could do a little macro photography of flowers and such. I have a few frames and I’m waiting for some nice evening light on some of the flowers Tracy, Livvy and Maddy planted in our yard. Yeah and I’m waiting for some motivation as well.

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