Day 14: Super baby

Today was lovely and hot, David, Rosina and I went into Woodstock and had a look round (David brought me a giving birth day present, hehe, of a ring) and we went for a spot of lunch, then to the park. The park was lovely to play in, and I took alot of beautiful photographs. After the park we went to meet Parvaneh at Cory's house, and Rosina played for a while with Amelea. This evening we are going to watch a film called Candy with Heath Ledger in so we shall see how that is.
      The main photograph today is of our beautiful Rosina grabbing onto the monkey bars while David was holding her, she is going to be an adventure kid when she is older (Roxy she has taken over from us).
      I also wanted to add two more photographs of my beautiful little girl, one with her Daddy and one with Amelea. I know i use Rosina alot in my photographs but she is my best model.

Day 13: Down at the bottom of the garden....

These are two moose...... Well not in this state, but they are in the Natural History Museum where we went today. David and myself had a day to ourselves without the baby (who we did miss). We went to NEW YORK CITY BABY! We have been twice before on this holiday so decided today we would hit the Natural History Museum, which was very interesting. Afterwards we had lunch and then spent the rest of the day wandering around Central Park, and Time Square. It was a gorgeous hot day and we had a lot of fun spending time as just the two of us, thank you Parvaneh and Richard for looking after our Rosina.
       Todays picture as you can tell isn't taken at the bottom of the garden, but is of stuffed Moose in the mammal section of the Natural History Museum. The photograph was taken through glass in a very dark room, and has come out looking like a painting, which i like.
       I also wanted to add a photograph of the both of us, also taken by myself very amateur style but a nice photograph with a natural light source coming through into the photograph.

Day 12: Happy 1st Birthday

Happy 1st birthday to my gorgeous daughter Rosina, today was a very special for us all. We had a lovely morning involving opening her birthday presents. We got her a American girl doll which she is a little young for but it is something special she can keep and treasure forever. As my Dad gave us money to chose a present for her, we got her doll some cloths with it. We also got her a toy tool box which she loves playing with. Parvaneh and Ricard gave her a beautiful painting of a frog holding heart balloons, a Parvaneh Holloway original :) For a treat we took her to the baby gym where she got to learn how to do roly polys and backwards rolls. Then we went out for a buffet lunch, where she got a lot of attention off everyone there. A friend Chester is 59 years her senior so in the afternoon he came round for ice cream cake which is delicious.
      Today photograph, or I should say set of photographs is of some of the special moments from throughout today, including the birthday card that David and myself made her.

Day 11: Reservoir sunset

Hot, hot, hot has been the weather today here, and so I've heard, in England too. Stop complaining though people, and enjoy it while it lasts. It's better than rain! We took advantage of this lovely weather and meet up with a friend, Joan. She lives in a place called Olive which is very much in the deep countryside, but they have a lovely outdoor town pool which she took us all too; so we enjoyed an afternoon of swimming. Then we went back to her house, for dinner including barbecued pork which everyone enjoyed eating in her beautiful garden.
      The main photograph I have chosen, is of the last rays of the sunset going behind the Catskill Mountains, with the reservoir in front. It is a beautiful place we saw on the drive to Joan's house. So on the way back I took the opportunity to take some photographs and even in the dim light, there is added mystery, and the beauty of the place is still there.
      I also wanted to add a very cute photograph (today for all you dogs lovers out there) of Joan's very lovely dog Harper Lee.

Day 10: Water

Rosina hasn't been sleeping well recently, seems like she is having nightmares of something as she wakes up early and its not as though she is hungry, it is very saddening. But luckily she is still her happy self in the day time, and isn't too hard to settle. Today has been quiet we didn't do much this morning, then David, Rosina and myself went to the mall this afternoon and found some new shoes which is nice :)
     I found today picture the hardest so far, I took some in the mall and worked for about two hours on photoshop with them this evening trying to make something more from them, but it just isn't working as well as i hoped. Its getting late now so i decided to use this other picture I took today, of Rosina playing with the water from the bathroom taps. As you might be able to tell I love photographing hands i feel they say so much about a person and are very interesting.

Day 9: H'orderves

Today Parvaneh, Rosina and I went shopping again, while Richard and David did some cleaning thank you both for that :) I manage to find myself a bargain of a $120 dress for $32 so I was very pleased with that. We also ordered Rosina another ice cream cake for her birthday on Tuesday. This afternoon i carried on with Rosina birthday card which is nearly finished now and looking pretty good. Then in the evening Elaine and Chris came round for some drinks and we served h'orderves.
      Today's picture is as you can tell a photograph of the platter we laid out and the wine. I felt although a good photograph, the subject was slightly mundane so this sepia colour tone gave it a more interesting feel, and enhanced the photograph itself.

Day 8: Bonding

Today started off rushed with me waking up with ten minuets to get ready so that we could go to the library for a music/reading group for Rosina. After the library we looked in town at a thrift store and I managed to get the book of 'The cat in the hat' for $2 so i was pretty happy with that. When we got back Sonya was round, and we all had fresh bagels and vegetables for lunch. In the afternoon David and Parvaneh, played with Rosina and Sonya in the studio while I drew Rosina's birthday card (perhaps I will post a photograph of it once it is complete). Half joining in playing and designing the card took up the majority of my day by which time it was bath, dinner and Rosina's bed time.
       Today main picture is of Rosina and Sonya, they love to cuddle and play together as i have mentioned before, but their active spirits and vast amounts of energy does make getting a good photograph of them together difficult. It normally ends up with one looking the wrong way or various other problems. But in this photograph I feel I have captured the special bond between them both.

Day 7: 31 years

Happy anniversary Parvaneh and Richard. My lovely Aunt and Uncle celebrated 31 years of marriage today.  How wonderful it is, to think that they are still in love and as happy as ever 31 years later, and they were not much older then me when they first got married. We spent a lot of today talking about this time 31 years ago, hearing funny stories. For lunch we celebrated by going out to Phoenicia, to the best pancake cafe, Sweet Sue's. Of course, we all had pancakes (mine were chocolate chip). This afternoon everyone was very relaxed. David and I started on Rosina's birthday card. He is doing the writing, I am doing the drawing and we shall probably both colour it.
       Today's main picture is obvious, and a lovely photograph of the ever happy couple, looking very much in love. I took the photograph at lunch so, unfortunately, the lighting wasn't brilliant, but for this photograph its more about the subject.
       I also wanted to add two more photographs, of the pancakes which we had today. They were so big we ate some, and have some left over for pudding tonight. I feel that the photographic skill in these photographs is good, and adds to todays blog.

Day 6: Mm's and M

It's raining, its pouring, the old man is snoring, he went to bed and bumped his head and didn't get up till the morning. This is all I felt like saying this morning, as it was raining, thunder and lighting. Not good weather for America. I think we may have brought it with us from England. So today was a good day for old fashioned shopping. Parvaneh, Rosina and I went to a few shops, and did some cloths shopping. On instruction of my sister Roxy, who was shocked I hadn't brought anything for myself while on holiday, I got myself a beautiful new dress, which is very floral but gorgeous (perhaps a photo in the making in the next few days...). We also stopped for amazing ice cream sundaes, which Rosina happily helped us eat.
     Today's picture is just something fun, I didn't really see anything inspiring while shopping so decided to play around with lego. I wanted something colourful and fun. Mainly to show the happy mood I'm in while staying here :). Also for all you cat lovers out there, one of the playful lovely kitties, Mika having fun with string.

Day 5: Beautiful nature

Today has been one of those quiet days where you don't really do anything at all. Rosina slept really badly last night so I was very tired. I didn't do much with myself the rest of the day either. Rosina had a play date with Amelea, a very cute 10 month old, who came over with Cory her Mother, but sadly Amelea was teething and was generally not her usual happy self so my intention of getting a photograph of them together playing didn't really work out. When David got home from carpentry, him and Rosina had a nap on the sofa so i went for a walk around Parvaneh and Richard's garden which is 8 acres of woodland.
        My main photograph today, hopefully not a boring one is of my favourite tree. It is surprisingly one of the closest to the house and every time i sit out on the porch i stare at how big and beautiful it is, so i wanted to capture the size and beauty of it in my photograph.

Day 5: Clay

Today I have to admit i have been truly lazy, but as I'm on holiday it is allowed. Waking up at half nine,  doing the usual, after about two hours Rosina goes down for her nap. Today it seemed like a mighty fine idea to join her as i felt tired and had a slight headache myself. So our day really only started at 1! The rest of the day was very relaxed and we stayed in talking to everyone around, Sonya, a 4 year old girl we know, came around with her parents and while her Dad helped Richard she played with me and Rosina for most of the afternoon. Very cute but scary seeing a 4 year old picking up a 1 year old, amazing how strong she is. They love each other and enjoy playing together despite the age difference. David was doing carpentry today so Dennis dropped him off around 5 and then everyone left with Dennis as they had plans. The rest of today I have no real plans, but I need to start Rosina's birthday card as it is her first birthday next week :D
      For today's photograph i decided to pop to the studio and see the co-op potters making their clay, which is really interesting watching how they spin it on the wheel. Pottery has been the only type of art I really could never get into. I have tried many a time and do enjoy it but just never became very good. I love how they use their hands to make exquisite bowls and the like. So i wanted to capture the beauty of the skill in my photography.

Day 4: Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to all the Daddy's out there. Today was David's first Fathers Day which of course made it very special. Rosina got him a card and a red t-shirt saying "Bazinga"; very fun. Me and David went to see x-men first class, a treat as we don't often get to go the cinema these days together. Thanks to my kind aunty Parvaneh who looked after Rosina and went on a lunch date with her. After the cinema we went to a farm which sells raw milk and you can go see the cows being milked which is quite interesting (shown in the photograph below). The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing with Rosina, plus doing walking practice for her as she is so close to reaching this milestone.

          The photograph today is a posed photograph where David held Rosina's hand and they took a walk outside the front of the house while i stood behind taking shots of them. I wanted the photograph to have an old feel to it, like a memory, which is why i decided to put it in black and white. I added the colour of the tops for effect, which even though simple to do I feel for this photograph does add to the meaning.

Day 3: Dripping on Woodstock

What a beautiful hot day today was. David, Rosina and myself were dropped off in Woodstock town centre, and with Parvaneh and Richard busy we were stuck in the town for the whole afternoon. Luckily this didn't matter as we had so much to do with ourselves. There are many shops to look around with lots of trinkets in. Bands playing in the town centre and it's just a fantastic place to have a walk around. We also had a ice cream sundae with hot chocolate fudge sauce on top... i can hear all your mouths watering already in envy.  I am blogging much earlier today then the previous 2 days, which is nice as I'm not rushing to pick the photograph out of, yet again, the many i took throughout todays adventures. As everyday is just a new adventure.
        Today's main photograph i finally chose is quite unusual to look at, and to determine what it is, unless you already know. There is obviously a candle in the foreground of the photograph which is lit, but this also gives a clue for the background which is all old wax. The sculpture is in the store Candlestock in Woodstock centre and the plaque with it reads, 
"Our drip Candle Mountain has been burning every day for the past 40 years. It is now more than eight feet tall, probably weighs more than 500 pounds, and is made up of more than 20,000 candles. But it began with just one."
Every time i go to Woodstock i visit the shop to see if it is still there and how it is changed, i think it is a wonderful thing to look at, with the way the candles have formed it and all the colours involved. 
          I also wanted to add an additional photograph i took today of Rosina, she has been getting her teeth through recently and the front tooth have a slight gap which is very cute, although she will probbly not like the fact i have pointed this out on my blog when she is older, but it is very cute.

  

Day 2: Snake

Day 2 of my photo blog has proved difficult in blogging! I am just learning how to blog and the system isn't the way i thought it would be, but alas i shall get use to it i'm sure. Today was mostly spent with Parvaneh and Rosina, we went to an animal feeding center, where you could bring fruit and feed different animals. They were mostly in cages and you fed them through the bars, which to me seemed odd as in England, when i have been to such places you get in with the animals themselves. It was a interesting place as i got to hear a talk about bees, go to the hive and have a look. I even got to try there unfiltered honey which apparently still had the pollen and even bee legs in... nice.
       Todays main picture is of a corn snake where one of the keepers were showing people, and we did get to touch. it was soft and cold to the touch, but had beautiful colours. It was slivering around quickly, but i managed to get this image which make the snake look like its coming down from the sky. I like the way the colours in it skin matches the background, and the way only the top of the snake is coming into the photograph.