Ode To Joy. . . Flash Mob Style

I came across a link this morning. It's a different kind of Flash mob.
The reactions of the crowd were as entertaining as the flash mob itself.

Here is Friedrich Schiller and Ludwig van Beethoven's Ode to Joy. . .

It was a great way to start my day!

Shoe Love

Holly and I did a little shopping a few weeks ago and came home with a few nice things.
I don't actually like to shop but I sure do love pretty clothes. . .

And  I seem to be starting a bit of a shoe collection.

Aren't they beautiful?

They are also the most photographed shoes in the city. At least, Henry seems to think so.

Taking pictures in a primarily white room is a skill in itself.  And obviously one I have not yet mastered.

White balance.

Something we don't cover in my photography class until tomorrow night.

It may result in this fabulous pair of shoes having to stand still for another endless photography session.

Poor things. . .

A Little Summer Inspiration. . .

So I came across this beautiful video while visiting Mcmaster and storm.

The video was created for the summer release of Kinfolk magazine.

It's entitled An Ode To Summer.

And it is.

Click on this link and check it out. (Can't figure out how to upload a vimeo video to blogger. Any one know?)

Now I'm off to plan something special for dinner.

A picnic perhaps?

Picture via A True Edwardian/Victorian Tea Lover's Corner.

How do you think the boys (Henry included) would feel about a picnic like this beautiful one??

Do you think they'd love me enough to dress up??

And haul all the props to the picnic site???

Of course they would. . .

Playing With My Camera

I spent some time this week playing with my camera, working on becoming comfortable changing ISO, shutter speed and aperture to get the correct exposure.

It's been great fun.

My next class is tomorrow night.

I can hardly wait. . . I love learning new things. . .

  I am however, driving poor Jada crazy. What kind of a walk is it when you are told to stop every 5 seconds to have your picture taken?!

Beating The Heat. . . part 2

We were all starting to wilt in the heat and there was no end in site.

What to do. . . what to do. . .

The big problem was the humidity.
We're  just not used to humidity here in Alberta and it was making it impossible to cool the house off at night.
No one was sleeping.

Crankiness became rampant. ( at least. . . I was rampantly cranky. . .)
A solution had to be found and it had to be found quickly. . . for everyone's sake.

I was a woman on the edge.

The fan was going 24/7, following me from room to room.

What to do. . . what to do. . .

I went shopping.

I managed to find what was likely the last pool in the city and with a little reorganizing, I made room for that lovely pool.

I had to fence it in as I was fairly sure Jada would enjoy it even more than the rest of us. . .

But she has sharp nails. . .

Morgan was the first one to come home.
He was thrilled.

Until he stepped in the water.

"It's cccoooold!!"
" Can I add some hot water?"

"Sure!"

5 buckets later he gave it a try.

It took him 20 minutes to inch his way into that pool.

He toughed it out for 5.

Just long enough to feel as though all the work had been worth it.

The temperature dropped today, as did the humidity.

But the pool will be waiting.

This is Alberta after all. . .

Wait five minutes and the weather will change.

Beating The Heat. . . part one

Visit Dairy Queen. . . .

Share with your dog. . .

Movie Night

It's been a rather crazy summer so far. . . .

I'm always astonished at the way bouts of asthma and unexpected family happenings can cause time to whiz by at the speed of light.

Henry spent two weeks on a 'roughing it' fishing trip with friends and, as I am totally incapable of using the great outdoors as my bathroom, (not to mention totally unwilling) I stayed home with the kids and my garden.

I took four days during the first week he was gone to have an 'at home' holiday, eating meals in the garden and spending the rest of my time hanging out in my favorite chair, working my way through the stack of books I'd put on the one side and the stash of snacks on the other.

Best 'at home' holiday ever!


And. . . because my kids and I are rather geeky. . . . (some of us more than others). . .

We spent four (looong)  evenings watching The Lord Of The Rings trilogy in Blue Ray. . . extended edition.
Those extra minutes really did make a difference to the movie.

I love summer holidays. . .

We're all about the comfort on movie nights. . .

Although I seem to have gotten the short end of the stick this time!

Jada wouldn't miss movie night. . . or the possibility of a handout!