First Photos With My New Camera: Outside From Small To Large

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 / Ally Bean / 34 Comments

Over the weekend I bought a new point & shoot camera. It is a Nikon COOLPIX P520 18.1 MP Digital Camera with 42x Zoom. It will replace my Nikon COOLPIX P90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x Zoom that I’ve enjoyed using for many years.

This new camera is similar to the old one, but has more bells & whistles on it. *yeah* I’m looking forward to learning about each cool thing that my P520 can do, but for these photos I just winged it. This camera is, after all, a point & shoot model, so why not go with the obvious?

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[Hello FTC! It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? I haven’t bought much lately. Huh. Well, just as a reminder, please note that I’m not being paid for my opinion here. I’m just explaining my experiences without any compensation whatsoever. That’s the way I roll, but then you knew that.]

The Last Snow Of The Season… Or So I Imagine

March 9, 2013March 9, 2013 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

On Wednesday we had what I imagine will be our last snow of the season.

It was the kind of snow that covers everything it touches with what appears to be wallpaper paste or cotton balls. This snowfall didn’t slow things down like early and mid-winter snow does. In fact, by mid-day Thursday the streets and sidewalks were clear.

But while it remained on the trees and bushes, the heavy snow made for some pretty photos. There are times when the grayness of winter is quietly stunning.

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{ maple leaves on a snowy branch }

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{ snow-covered rosemary in a pot }

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{ view outside through the front door sidelight }

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{ moss + snow on the trunk of a tree }

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{ a view into our ravine from high above }

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Odds & Ends

February 28, 2013 / Ally Bean / 19 Comments

:: I’m waiting at home today while my car, Olivia, is in the shop. She is a 10 y.o. Honda Accord Coupe. Yesterday I went in for an oil change, knowing that there’d be more to it than just that. At ten years there has to be.

Apparently at year 7 something involving the timing belt [belts?] was to be done. But I didn’t do it then. Probably because no one at the dealership told me to do it. Whatever.

So I’m having it done now. And this, people, is why I like Honda Accords. They are very forgiving about maintenance schedules, which is a good thing when they belong to a person such as me. That would be a woman who means well, but often forgets to have the oil changed on a timely basis. A woman who maintains her car based on whims– and prayers.

:: I got a new slow cooker [aka crock pot] for Christmas. Did I tell you this before? Probably not. Exciting news such as that I usually keep to myself because I wouldn’t want you, gentle readers, to be jealous of my good fortune!

My new slow cooker is shiny and bright red– and works about a hundred times better than the old one. Considering that I have the time today, I’m going to research some new recipes to make in it. Clearly I know what herbs + spices are available in our kitchen. Plus we have a busy weekend coming up, so fixing and forgetting a meal sounds like a good thing to do.

Anyone got a favorite slow cooker recipe that I should know about?

:: I’ve mentioned this before but as a refresher: Murphy Brown had Eldon, the painter– while I have Greg, the landscaper. And it being on the cusp of spring here, Greg has been in touch. Actually he first phoned me in January, but I dodged his calls because I didn’t want to talk about gardening. Couldn’t I just have one month off?

However, Greg is nothing if not clever. He started emailing Zen-Den, who then started forwarding me photos of shrubs and bushes and such– so that I’d decide a thing, or two, about this year’s spring garden clean-up & replacement ideas. [We’ve been at this residence close to 14 years now, so lots of the original bushes are near the end of their vitality.]

And you know what? Much to my surprise I’m rather pleased to be looking at photos of + details about green growing things. I think that I’m ready for spring.

In The Garden On A Mild Winter’s Day

January 12, 2013January 12, 2013 / Ally Bean / 20 Comments

Yesterday afternoon we had a few hours of weak sunshine. I went outside for a walk around the house and was pleased with what I saw. Instead of the usual winter grays and tans, I saw some pops of color.

{Red: Holly Berries}

{Orange: Dried Sedum}

{Yellow: Dwarf Grasses}

{Green: Creeping Thyme}

{Blue: Afternoon Sky}

{Brown: Dried Leaves}

Around here winter is best known for its gloom, but seeing a bit of color in the garden yesterday made me forget that fact. Instead, I was treated to a preview of what spring has to offer. Warmth + hope + cheeriness.