Reflections - Part 2

Friday, March 27

OK, for all the regulars here are a couple of reflection pics of some people you may know. There is Sydney rescuing a Kung Fu Panda from the puddle and the second on she is actually mid-jump. If you look closely her feet are not on the ground and you can see a blooming tree in the far puddle. Too bad I was so busy looking at Syd that I didn't notice that huge piece of litter.

Here are more of Syd trying to help me out. Kyla was too busy reading to be included. Can you see her rolled up tongue in the bike fender?

Here is my self portrait.

Vote for your planet

Saturday, March 28

Don't forget tonight at 8:30pm your local time is Earth Hour. Vote for Earth by switching off your lights for one hour. Show your support by voting against global warming.

This shouldn't be too hard for me. The girls and I are visiting some Grandparents today and they will be spending the night, so I won't even be home. I just have to remember to shut down the computer before I go. Hubby would encourage you to play a boardgame by candle light.

You Capture - Reflections

Thursday, March 26

This week's photography challenge was, well - a challenge. I saw a lot of reflections, but none that really looked great. So I left out all the silly self portraits, reflections found in framed art, and car windows and review mirrors. Also all the ones I made my youngest daughter pose for. I'm sensing a part 2 post for the regular readers. I was going to use this for a shadow pic, but then decided since the sand was wet, it was really a reflection, right? I wish I knew this family so I could send them a copy.

I got this one on a school field trip to some ponds last week.

It seems like all the reflections I saw were bare branches and cloudy skies. I guess we can't all live near pretty pools next to awesome architecture. Here is the Alhambra Castle in Granada, Spain. We were in walking distance to this for a few months.

A cistern in Seville, Spain.

And a couple old pics from a modern art exhibit at the Pompidou in Paris. (That's me in the middle.)

Sydney insisted that I include this one of her from a mirror maze in Prague.To see more reflections go here.

Sweet Potato Love

Wednesday, March 25

Sydney was helping me with dinner last night when she fell in love with a sweet potato that according to her looked just like a baby seal. So I started recording a few things I heard her say because is was so darn funny. After she was done peeling the other potatoes she was playing with her new seal and looking for a place to hide it. The following are all quotes from Syd:

Oh, it looks like a seal, I don't want to peel that one, let's peel one that looks not so seal-y.

Can we never peel this seal?

Is there a place that daddy has never ever gone in our house?

If you can't find it you can't peel it.

He has a yummy body.
Then, she accidentally dropped the sweet potato, I mean, seal right on his nose. She got a very sad face and actually started to cry.

Oh no, now he's cracked and we'll have to peel him.

Now he won't be a seal anymore.

He was so special and cute.

I want a real live seal for my birthday, we can get a blow-up pool for him.

Today I have returned the potato to the vegetable drawer and so far she seems to have forgotten about her seal. I wonder what will happen when we have leftovers?

My First Field Trip

Friday, March 20

I still don't have the beach pictures posted, but I do have pictures from Kyla's field trip to Whitaker Ponds this week. It was my first elementary school field trip, since Sydney was in preschool that day, I was able to tag along. We got to ride the school bus, which is exciting for the kids that live close enough to walk (that's us). It turned out to be educational and fun. I'm sure I missed some of the talk as I was busy taking pictures, so don't quiz me. I did learn that the ponds filter water from the storm drains of Portland. The kids learned about lots of plants and birds. My camera batteries died right when we spotted a great blue heron - darn!

So glad I found Kyla some boots at a second hand store recently - it was muddy! Here they are learning how to properly plant some water tolerant shrubs called Spirea.

Here's Kyla digging a hole for her plant. She ended up using her hands, those gloves will never be the same.After planting it was time to study macro (don't need the microscope to see them) invertebrates. First you have to catch them.

Then you suck 'em up and separate them into ice-cube trays and identify them using provided cheat sheet. A pair of boys even caught a tiny fish. Sorry, it was too hard to take pictures of the water bugs.At the end they returned their water and surviving bugs to the pond.Here's a bonus picture for getting to the end. I did a little editing, but willow trees always look so dreamy don't they?

You Capture - Shadows

Wednesday, March 18

This is week 4 of the You Capture photography challenge. Let see, I need shadows, that means I need light, as in sun, but wait, I live in Oregon - no sun. Every time I think I've found a shadow, it turns out to be a refection because everything here is wet! OK, well it was very sunny at the beach last week, but I still had a hard time. Enough talk, here are the pics.

Here I caught a little fairy.

With the kite holders help we also lured in Pegasus.

Here is an old favorite, not sure if it's the picture I love or the place. If you ever go to Córdoba, Spain you have to visit the Salon de Te. It was a friendly tea house with lots of atmosphere and comfy cushions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day & Art

Tuesday, March 17

I know Paddy's day isn't about Leprechauns and pots-o-gold, but they are Irish - hence the rainbow. Next time I cross the Atlantic I hope Ireland will be on my itinerary. For now we're wearing green, even though we haven't left the house today. Kyla has a little cold and I really encouraged her to go to school after missing three days last week, but I just couldn't make her knowing she would be wiping her nose every 5 seconds and sneezing her germs all over the place. She's been walking around with a tissue stuffed up her nose and I'm resisting the urge to share a picture. I'm happy that the no one has even requested to watch a show today. So far they are happy playing and making art. Here is the art work Kyla did at school after reading Dogs in Space.

At the grade school they had family art night where Sydney painted this ice cream cone.

Sydney is showing a little spring spirit here.

Kyla made these cute little flowers out of construction paper, tape and cotton swabs.

Also the girls and I enjoyed this YouTube art video which was shared on a few blogs I read recently.