Monday, January 13, 2014

Yesterday....

Yesterday was the scheduled "reunion" of all of us that went to the Photography Workshop to the Smoky Mtns. back in October.  Oh what fun to gather with all my photo family that I spent 5 days with in Tennessee.  I must say, we all cleaned up really nicely.  In Tennessee we were dressed for hiking, loaded with layers and layers of clothing, make-up and hair kinda took a back-seat, so yesterday seeing everyone all "dressed up" and lookin' good was a real treat along with just visiting, eating and viewing photos from our special time together.

We had our gathering at "Lovell's of Lake Forest" a beautiful restaurant....now there is a story here to be told....  My traveling partners, Susan along with Jim were both from the northern suburbs. (fyi, I knew neither one until that morning when we introduced ourselves)  We met up at my house which is much further south and took off on our adventure together.  Now we spent 6 days together, traveling, eating, classroom time, taking a kazillion photos and not once during this time did I wonder if Susan Lovell was any relation to Jim Lovell, ya know the astronaut that was part of the team of Apollo 13 (in case you are still wondering who the heck is Jim Lovell, just watch the movie, Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks portraying Jim Lovell then you will remember.)  It wasn't until the last night, when only my traveling companions, Susan and Jim and our instructor Lou were having dinner together, all the remaining classmates had already headed for home, but we decided to wait until the following morning to take off.  It was then that I discovered who Susan Lovell really was.  Oh my, surprise, shock and awe were written all over my face.  And it wasn't until last night over dinner that she really talked about her Dad and growing up during the time he was an astronaut.  I wasn't the only one surprised, most everyone else did not put two and two together either until last night.  Anyway, we had a great spread of food, casual but yummy, wine aplenty, and lotsa laughter.


Lou is having another workshop in the Smoky Mtns. in April, but since I am going to a photography workshop in late March into early April in Charleston, SC (be still my heart) I don't think I will register for this one.  I can't leave my kids that much.  Leaving for Phoenix the end of this month for 10 (yippee) days and then again in March, is a challenge.  Having animals always presents a problem when traveling but there is no way I would give them up for the few times a year I travel.  My daughter always cared for Toby, but now that I have two and with her 1 dog and 3 cats it is too much. Oh what's a Mother to do?

Anyhoo...on my way home last night I spotted a little grocery store across the street from the restaurant called "The Sunshine Market"...and thought, I need some flowers.  Now that Christmas is over and all the prettiness from the holidays has wilted away, I need a little color on my kitchen sink.  And, no surprise, it's red.   The little primulas, one of the early, early signs that spring will return is now adding cheeriness to the kitchen.


And do you have as much trouble with photographing reds as I do?  Trying to get the brightness but not over exposed is always a challenge for me.  But I gotta say, using Lightroom 5 really helps in the editing.  And fyi, taken with my 50mm....someone asked what class this is.  The class is given by Kim Manley Ort.  Here is the link to her website where you can find all of her workshops... Kim Manley Ort Photography .  I don't know if anyone can join the workshop now, we are in to our 2nd week out of 4, but she may offer it again in the future.  Our challenge this week is street photography.  This will definitely be a challenge for me, not that I don't love street photography it's that I am not sure how many people are going to be out and about during this horrid weather.  It has warmed up but the predictions for the week are back in the deep freeze once again.  Oh Phoenix come to me baby.

And thought I would share a few of the shots that I displayed yesterday from my trip to the Smoky Mtns.











This is why they call them the Smoky Mountains...



OK, that's enough.  Got alot to do today, busy week ahead.  Hope yours
is a great one!!

And thanks to those that suggested Whirly Bird app...now I'm hooked.

"We owe it to each other to tell stories". ~ Neil Gaiman

Until next time....


20 comments:

  1. really beautiful set of shots - glad you had a good reunion, too.

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  2. Deanna, the photos from the Smokies are breathtaking! I love the tree branches against the sky especially. How neat that you and your friends from the workshop could get together. I hope your week goes well!

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  3. Love your shot s and that new little primula! How nice to have this color in the kitchen to remind you that spring is coming. What fun to have a 'get together" in remembering this great photo time in the group. ;perhaps you might want to go back for his fall class again, who knows? Your shots are just lovely. Looking forward to March though. Hope it hurries

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  4. OH AND I LOVE THAT SHOT OF THE CABIN LOOKING THROUGH TO THE COLORS IN THE LEAVES!!!! WAS THAT IN CADES COVE???

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  5. I too find it challenging leaving the boys when we are gone, which too is not often, but it does cut out any spontaneity in our lives. We have a great dog sitter than we use, but she is an hour from our house, thankfully we are usually headed north which is the direction she lives, so we just drop them on the way. In their old age I can't imagine taking them anywhere else. Street Photography is going to be a challenge here too. I am going to a coffee shop tomorrow morning to write, so I am hoping I can incorporate some photos into that outing. Have a great day.

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  6. This is wonderful, I am so happy that you are able to take part in these photography trips. It would be a dream come true for me! I appreciate your prayers for healing, this has been quite a journey, but I know you are no stranger to that...and yet you witness to us through it all. Thank you. When I feel better, perhaps you would like to explore the Kettle Moraine here...we will keep in touch!

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  7. Wow! You've always got so much going on! That had to be fascinating talking to Susan Lovell. And I loved those photos from the Smokies.

    I am eager to see your street photography. You could do a shot in through the window before you ever enter the coffee shop. That would be cool. :-) (I told you I've been thinking about windows, right? Loved that one of Toby!)

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  8. Beautiful shots! I think it's more fun not to know people's backgrounds at first until you get to know them. My husband's friend from bible study started dating a young girl named Noel. We went out to dinner a lot with them and about a year later they got engaged. Later I found out she was Billy Graham's granddaughter. I'm not sure if I would have acted differently around her had I known at first who she was.

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  9. What a lovely weekend you had! And those pictures -- ooo the perfect relaxing and amazing images I needed at the end of a Monday!

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  10. i love the Smokey Mtns. what a gorgeous view. i love the waterfall. you did well Deanna. thanks for sharing your moments with us. ( :
    can't wait to see what you enjoy next. enjoy your week.

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  11. Oh Deanna. That last image is the one I want to shoot. But I don't do early or late, so what's a septuagenarian to do? About the "kids", I have none but am the nonnie on call for my daughter's three dogs and two cats (an inside one and outside one). She'll be going to Belize on a mission trip next month, so I'll be on duty for a week.

    Glad you had fun w/your gallivanting group. Glad you're doing Charleston in the spring and not the summer!

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  12. Goodness, all of these shots are stunners! I've been to the Smokies once as a young girl and have always pined to return. One day...

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  13. What a wonderful reunion you had. These shots are beautiful. I especially love the one taken through the cabin door.

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  14. Charleston - my, my - you are the world traveler! Someday I hope to do the same, but for now, it's traveling around my corner of the world and a week in Florida in 4 weeks! But, I did find a class online tonite that I'm signing up for. I need something to build my confidence more - why are we are our own worst critics???

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  15. Your photos are stunningly beautiful . . . so much to learn, and just think, you are doing it! Exciting times for you indeed . . .
    I look forward to each of your posts . . .
    Happy you are having fun with Whirly Word . . .

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  16. The reunion sounds like so much fun - and how amazing to listen to stories of an astronaut dad! You have trouble with red? - I certainly can't tell!

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  17. How cool is that - all the photography fun stuff and stories of growing up with an astronaut for a dad. You sound like you have an awesome travel year ahead - I can appreciate the quandary of making arrangements for pets in order to travel (I regret that in our neck of the woods there are so few options available - like pet sitters or something).

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  18. I can always count on finding beauty here.

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  19. I love the leaf and the bend in the wood!

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