You Capture - Shapes

Shapes.

Honestly, Beth. Way too easy.

Shapes, shapes, shapes.

I had ideas for You Capture running through my head yesterday when the phone rang, and a neighbor's dinner invitation made me smile.

My excitement quickly turned to horror upon realizing I had a smeared shape of toothpaste on my shirt and several shapes of baby cereal in my hair. I did not have the shape of deodorant under my armpits, and in fact, it had been several days since I showered.

My one pair of jeans that actually fits has sprouted an interesting shaped hole in the knee sometime that morning.

(Stay with me folks, I do actually have a photo and believe me we're getting there.)

But then I looked at my boys, and they were happy and busy coloring shapes with dry erase markers and an educational wipe-off book. Suddenly, I realized there was a chance (however slight) that in the next fifteen minutes they might not kill each other.

So I threw caution to the wind, told the boys to play nicely, and jumped in the tub with the baby.

When I heard the boys giggling, I was fairly certain they were using their markers to decorate our white cat with strange and unusual shapes.

But oh well, instead of checking on them, I grabbed my camera.


And for goodness sake, I do believe that is some sort of a shape in her hand. Yes, it is. It is a seal, and just like you and me, a seal does also have a shape.

Unbelievable. I got a shower, and my You Capture photo.

Mission accomplished.

My job is done here.

I Heart Faces - "Hands-On Fun"

This photo is one I took two years ago with our old Point & Shoot, the first summer we were here on the farm. Chasing after frogs and snakes is one of our favorite summer activities, and the boys still talk about the day they caught a 'Smooth Green Snake'.

Yes, we looked it up.

It was the best snake ever!


I am dreaming of those long summer days...


Visit I Heart Faces to see some absolutely amazing entries in the "Hands-On Fun" photo challenge.

Four things

We are exactly twenty-six days now (if I counted right), from the official start of Spring.

Out here on the frozen prairie, the Vernal Equinox really doesn't have any useful meaning. Chances are equally good that we might be slogging through ankle deep mud or digging out from another fifteen inches of snow, or (the most likely option) pumping flood water out of our basement (much to my oldest boy's pipe/hose/pump obsessed delight).

I have four things for you today, all vaguely related to our changing (sooner or later) seasons. Good thing February is a short month, I don't think I could endure it much longer.

1. Lately I've had an overwhelming urge to shovel out the chicken coop. Either that means Spring is nearly upon us (as all responsible chicken caretakers know, you clean out the coop twice a year, Spring and Fall) OR else it means the poo is piled up so high in there that... well, nevermind. Don't worry, I'm not going to show you a picture of that. Do you want some eggs?

2. I was very surprised to find a half-inch long vegetable growing in my house.

I did actually measure it. One half inch, and such a cute little baby! Can you find it?


It's like the winter garden version of 'Where's Waldo?', only a whole lot more fun don't you think?

Now, if that doesn't make you want to fondle your heirloom seeds and fire up your grow lights, nothing will.

Couldn't find it?

Here is the handicap version 'find-the-surprise-veggie' photo. No excuses, that cutie is centered and backlit in this one.


Just to please my mother, I think I'll call him Jose. Jose Jalapeno (on a steek, Mom, on a steek).

3. It is taking an extreme amount of self-control to keep from grabbing my stash of seeds and making a huge potting soil mess in my kitchen. I know it's too early yet. My garden swamp won't be dried out until the end of May, if I'm lucky.

Good thing I have lots of chocolate in the house.

I'll be OK. Thanks for asking.

Jose Jalapeno will satisfy my desire to watch something green grow, and give me strength.

4. Our house seems really short, and so do our trees. That's what happens when you have this much snow.

I'm not sure what that has to do with the arrival of Spring, but this is my blog and I'll write whatever I want.

The end.

Chasing thawed flies

How many freeze-thaw cycles do you suppose...


a fly can go through, and yet,


still prove to be a formidable target,


to a determined fly-hunting three year old?

Icy sunrise

This morning, as I was driving with my kiddos, I suddenly wished I had my gun, loaded and ready to go.

Truly, it is not often that I am overwhelmed with gun-toting desire.

No, the kids were behaving. And anyway, I only shoot them with the camera.

I was at a stop sign in the middle of nowhere. As required, I looked to my right and to my left. Sometimes, even in the middle of nowhere, there is traffic. But then I looked to my right again, because something other than a vehicle was coming down the road, and it took a moment to register in my brain.

A skunk! Literally running down the road towards us.

There is so much snow in the ditches around here, when wildlife travels, it now often uses the same roads we do. I've seen the deer do it. And the pheasants too, although they will take to the wing when absolutely necessary.

But a skunk? Barreling down a county highway in broad daylight?

I wanted to shoot it.

I've done it before.

But alas, I had no gun. So we sat there and watched that skunk come bouncing down the road. Not only could we see it, we could also smell it.

I think I've mentioned before how easily entertained we are?

Now it's your turn to be entertained, however briefly. Here's some more ice. An icy sunrise, to be precise.




You can thank me by shooting any skunks which may happen to cross your path. But be warned, make certain you know the exact location of that skunk before you jump off your front step with a loaded weapon.

And once again, don't ask me how I know.

But do tell me which photo you like the best of those two.

You Capture - Kisses

Go on and try, my little princess. It's obvious that you want to.


I hate to rain on your froggy parade, but I've just never seen one turn into a handsome prince.


But I won't stop you. Sometimes life's lessons must be learned the hard way.


How is that working out for you, sweetie?


Yeah, I know. Rip his legs off, then.

Ice

We have lots of ice.

Winter is starting to feel like prison. Except that I really have no idea what prison is like.

I feel trapped.


But there is still beauty.

And I am hopeful.