Self-Portraits in conjunction with The 52Frames 2015 Project

Here are some of my self-portraits from the first part of the year while working on the 52 Frames Photo Project.  The themes are listed under the photograph.

#52Frames

"Silhouette"

"Greetings from…"

"Reflection"

"Single Light Source"

"Dress-Up as Microwaving Housewife"

 Last night I dreamt that I missed the deadline for a Challenge.  Luckily it was a dream-I've been working on this project without missing a week since January of 2014.

"Coordinating Colors-Fashion"

Trains, and Sprinkles and Pups, Oh My!, Point of Rocks Maryland Photographer

The Christmas rush is here….I haven't even put up our exterior decorations yet because I've been working on everyones holiday cards and gifts.  Oh well, at least my own holiday card is almost complete!

In the meantime I got into the spirit a little bit with this family.  The little boy happens to be in the same class as my youngest son so I knew him a little already.  They brought their two dogs, Haleigh, who would be considered senior in dog age and then Coco, who is a rambunctious one-year old.

It was a cloudy day which I like, but I wasn't expecting the sprinkles of rain or for it to get dark so quickly.  I think winter is almost here.  We made the best of it and here is what I captured. One image shows the little boy and his friend who showed up with his mom to help with the dogs….I couldn't resist taking a picture of the two friends.

While I was uploading these photos I realize that none of the photos are were color even though they turned out well. Somehow black and white lends itself to train photos but I put one color image at the end just to show off his handsome green eyes and cute freckles.

The Running of the Trains, Frederick Maryland Photographer

We are fortunate to have a friend and neighbor down the road who opens his yard to us to enjoy his model train tracks.  We meet him several years ago when I was the Chair of the Garden Club in Point of Rocks. Pat hosts open house days in which his train enthusiast friends come to ride trains on the track and the rest of us take in the show.  Last week as we were passing by his house, Liam asked when we could visit him.  Luckily he had an open house planned for today.  Pat has built and designed a lot of the structures and has large boxes to protect and cover them during bad weather.  In winter the cars and figures are taken inside.  Here are some photos from it.  

The bottom picture shows where I want to go on vacation (in the little cottages with a red Beetle in front) with the waterfall and water wheel roaring behind.

Above right: Logging  
Above Left: Church
Bottom: I took this photo for my friend Donna as this reminds me of the gas station her grandfather owned in Florida.

Bottom photo was my favorite of the day.  Entrance over a wooden bridge to my favorite little cottages. 

Liam and Luke give you a little bit of perspective in the size of the train and the track.  In fact it's much bigger than the photos show.  They ran around waiting for the trains to round the turns, enter and exit the tunnels and study the town.  

If you are interested in Trains check out my blog post from when we spent the weekend in a Caboose in Natural Bridge, Virginia.

A First Time Visit to Ellicott City, Frederick Maryland Photographer

My husband and I had a rare Saturday without the kids so we decided to explore Ellicott City for the first time ever.  Considering I grew up in Maryland I am not sure what took me so long to discover this place.  It has lots of little shops, one really neat furniture store, historic buildings and a great main street (The National Highway created by Thomas Jefferson) to stroll down.   We will be taking the kids back to see the Log Cabin and the Firehouse both of which we visited as well as the Colored School which has had a great restoration completed and the Railroad Museum.  Considering we live in our own railroad town of Point of Rocks, I think this will be a good addition to their knowledge of the local rail line. We had lunch at Tersiguel's French Country Restaurant which we were recommended and we agree, that it was excellent.  Great bread and the omelet and crepes we ordered had so many flavors and I loved the Frisee Salade. 

Here is my pictorial take on the little city. 

Train track over Ellicott City, Maryland

Oldest Standing Railroad Station in America

Ryan by a caboose in Ellicott City.  Last year we stayed in a caboose with the kids near Natural Bridge, VA.  This one looks a lot like it.

I want my husband and all his male friends to open a Mantiques Shop when they retire.

Look what I found in the creek that flows through the town.

We got to see inside the Firehouse Museum.  

Maryland, My Maryland