And...it's a wrap!

 
"If a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it's as though I've neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up."-Richard Avedon....I have stuck with this blog for the last 364 days..some days good, some days boring and a few days great...it's been an interesting and creative venture, but today is the final blog..and while I will miss searching for that perfect snap each day..I am happy to be at the end of the road...who knows, after a little time off, maybe I will miss it enough to start all over again..but for now...thanks to all who followed the ride.

Drink up...

 
One more day and then it's VACATION break...need I say more!

A hopeful sign...

 
Today I noticed the edge of my patio peaking out from under what was 2 feet of snow...a hopeful sign, let's hope this thaw continues for a while.

Nothing better than a warm fire...

 
just wish I had one tonight..thank God for friends with crackling fires.

Happy Valentine's Day...

 
Once again, my student Maddie outdid herself with her cupcake stunners...she is becoming the unofficial "Cake Boss" of our classroom...too pretty in pink not to show off on my blog today!

"Olivia" inspired Artwork....

 
Today was the last class in our series on art inspired by Children's Literature...we focused on the character Olivia the Pig. In the lesson Olivia becomes an artist and paints her own version of a Jackson Pollock "splatter" painting...so the student's work was inspired by Olivia, who is, in turn, inspired by Jackson Pollock's art...ain't art grand!

Click your heels three times...

 
..and repeat after me.."There's no place like home,there's no place like home!"...especially on a wonderful Sunday in the cold, dreary winter!

Mass Production...

 
Getting down to the wire, so mass production of Valentine Cards is in full swing...(Hallmark would be so much easier,but it's just not in me).

Taco night...

 
Lauren got me a taco shell mold for Christmas,and I finally got around to trying it out...Leah is a mexican food junkie and she has been begging me to make tacos lately. The shells came out great...Taco Bell's got nothin' on us! Thank God we don't have to "run for the border" any more!!

Bluebirds of Happiness...

 
"The bluebird carries the sky on his back."-Henry David Thoreau....this afternoon I looked out our classroom window into the courtyard and there sat four little bluebirds on a branch, basking in the sunny winter weather.

Colorful Cupcakes!

 
One of my students has taken a real interest in making home made candies and colorful cupcake creations. Today was her birthday and she brought in some of her delectible treasures-all made by herself...so colorful I told her they should be on my blog-so here they are!

Taking it on the chin...

 
So cold out lately that even my favorite horse, Rambo, had to take it on the chin...icicles that is...thank God they have their warm winter blankets on when they graze out in the meadow these days.

One Fine Fish...

 
The after school art class worked on art inspired by Dr. Seuss's "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" book, today. The kids did a great job capturing the silly side of Seuss's fish...and the red striped background was a nod to the infamous Cat in the Hat..well done!

Blue skies shining...

 
...blue skies, nothing but blue skies, shining at me...amazing what a little sunshine and bright blue skies can do for your mood!

Cupcake Cake....

 
For Dave's birthday I decided to borrow my friend, Traci's cupcake pan and make a giant chocolate cupcake cake..a little harder than directions explained, but still came out nicely, though a little crooked like the "leaning cupcake of Piza"...Happy Birthday Dave!!

We Love Spring...

 
Yes we do...and when I saw this catalog arrive in my mailbox today from Pier 1, I realized that this season won't last forever...so I might as well go with the flow (or snow, as the case may be).

Hell Freezing Over..

 
After weeks of snow upon snow,hours of digging out, days of boredom sometimes descending into random bits of madness...we get a lovely ice storm yesterday...is this what happens when hell freezes over? Crazy, insane and relentless weather...and yet so beautiful..I am torn!

The new addition...

 
I'm thinking of carving out an add-on room to my house...this block of snow is about 5-6 feet high and wraps around my back porch...and since I predict it will be with us for quite a while, I might as well stop trying to fight it and do something creative with it..I'm thinking a wraparound sofa and big screen T.V. for starters.

Remember these...

 
Even in the depths of winter it is still possible to remember the beauty of what's to come...a nice surprise from a parent of one of my students, to brighten my day....try to remember, spring is just around the corner,(OK, maybe down the road..across the bridge...up the hill...and across the river...but -oh yeah..it's still out there, buried under all that snow!!)

SURPRISE!!

 
After a few snowdays and false starts, the kids in my class surprised me with a birthday party this afternoon...they made me cupcakes, popcorn, and home baked bread..then they showered me with handmade cards, flowers and a spa gift certificate...such a wonderful class..such a wonderful teacher...I am a lucky woman!

She's over it!!

 
"We went to Lauren and Taylor's for a double birthday dinner to celebrate Dave's and my birthdays (which are 5 days apart)...after dinner Dave worked for a couple of hours on their driveway and sidewalks with his snowblower....Lauren was most appreciative as she has had it with winter, and slip sliding all over the place in her "cute" little car!

Black and White Brunch...

 
Thanks to my dear friend, Traci, for hosting a beautiful brunch for us this a.m. She really outdid herself, right down to my favorite lemon cake with Black and White birthday candles! I am lucky to have such wonderful girlfriends and that is truly the best gift one could get for her birthday, now isn't it!

Calm Chloe....

 
"The idea of calm exists in a sitting cat."-Jules Reynard (Our cat Chloe; not the least bit excited to have some of my birthday cake today)

A little bowl of cheer...

 
White seems to be the color of the moment, but now and then you have to shake it up with a jolt of color...and what better color is there than red! A small bowl of summer sweetness on a winter white snow day (again)!

Season of Ice...

 
"Wind high and cold, the sun low, short its course, the sea running high. Cold has seized the birds' wings; season of ice, this is my news."-Irish Poem, 9th Century (The seagulls were so cold at the beach, they didn't even move as I came up on them to take a shot)