Sunday, December 30, 2012

Scavenger Hunt - Week #23


“Groups/Collectively”

For 25 years, the-big-guy-in-the-red-suit has been a regular visitor to our home late in December.  For 25 years, we have awoken on December 25 to find the-big-guy-in-the-red-suit underneath the Christmas tree, surrounded by packages for #1 son.  Except for this year.

Oh, we found the-big-guy-in-the-red-suit underneath our tree on Christmas morning, just as always.  This time, though, flanked on either side of him were two groups of packages labeled with names.  There was no mistaking the intent of the-big-guy-in-the-red-suit; these gifts were meant for mom and dad and NOT for  #1 son!
Collectively, these gaily wrapped packages symbolize the eternal love of family.  
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Scavenger Hunt - Week #22


The email from our Scavenger Hunt leader read:  

This week you and I must try to photograph......‘MAIL’...snooze...oh sorry...fell asleep with that news!”

I didn’t think the assignment was boring at all.  In fact, I was excited about it,  and knew exactly which image I wanted to capture!
According to the United States Postal Service, in 1888 a stray mutt wandered into the Albany, New York post office.  The dog captured the hearts of the postal clerks and they named him Owney.

Fond of riding in postal wagons, one day Owney followed the mailbags onto a train, and his first trip was from Albany to New York City.  Employees considered Owney their good-luck charm, and he became the unofficial mascot of the Railway Mail Service.  

Post office clerks bought him a collar and added this inscription:  "Owney, Post Office, Albany, New York."  Owney rode with mailbags on trains all across the country, protecting the bags’ precious cargo along the way.  To document his travels, Railway mail clerks attached medals and tags to Owney’s collar.  Postmaster General John Wanamaker even gave Owney a special dog-sized jacket to wear to help display all of his medals and tags.

Owney eventually toured the world when, in 1895, he traveled with mailbags on steamships to Asia and across Europe.  

The story of Owney is told in the exhibition “Mail by Rail” at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.   His adventures highlight the historical importance of the Railway Mail Service.  

If you're ever in D.C., I highly recommend adding the National Postal Museum to your list of "must do" sightseeing!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Scavenger Hunt - Week #21


This week’s assignment was to photograph “The area where you do a lot of your thinking.”  

After some deep thought, I concluded that the answer would most likely be in the recesses of my mind.  While I’ve never seen that particular area, I imagine it could look like this:
A smile is the curve which sets everything straight. 
~Author unknown

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Scavenger Hunt - Week #20


On the list for this week’s Scavenger Hunt:  “Anything you want to take a picture of.”  Well, I wanted to take a picture of my niece, but she lives in the south...far, far away from me.  

I hadn’t even seen her in 2 1/2 years...until two weeks ago, when she spent Thanksgiving up north with family on her other side.  We had a lovely visit...albeit short...the night before Thanksgiving.  Early Black Friday, she caught a southbound train...and I was there to see her off.
I miss you, Lauren!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Scavenger Hunt – Week #18


"Rust"


Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and beautiful with perfect lighting for shooting. I was lamenting the fact that I was stuck in the kitchen and missing a great opportunity to work on this week's assignment. Apparently my husband felt sorry for me, because he volunteered to go hunting for “rust.” He didn't have to search very long to find it!

The pumpkin pies were nearly done baking when he ushered me outside and proudly led me to his find.


I am thankful for having a life partner who is so supportive of me and my hobby!