Miss Ann

Recently my friend, Holly, asked me to photograph her grand-mother.  All I knew about Grandma is that she loves to gamble in Deadwood and never passes up a coupon for a good breakfast.  At the ripe young age of 98, I had to take this opportunity not only for me, but so my friend would have a portrait of her grand-mother.

Good advice for anyone.  I'll take that advice and run with it!

Holly was not prepared when I told her to get in there with Grandma.  Grandma lit up and insisted.  Grandma got her way.

I simply cannot express how spunky Miss Ann is!  I am blessed to have had the opportunity to have met her, and see her kind spirit.  A beautiful example of a gracious, warmhearted, vivacious woman.

Her complete gallery is on my website.   www.csnowimagery.shootproof.com

Family Portrait Session

Each year I get the privilege and honor of photographing my good friend and her family for their annual Christmas card.  Every year we pick a different location just to change stuff up a bit.  This year the weather presented us with challenges but we were able to over come!  Despite the rain (and all my doubts) we were able to have their best family session yet!  

This collage is going to be their 2017 Christmas card.

Bradley gained his angel wings 4 years ago.

Doing this families portraits is always a growing experience for me in photography as I am able to look back on past years photos to see how I'm doing. 

A Couple of Adventures

I was finally able to get out and do a little exploring last month.  A trip up Vanocker Canyon lead me on a bit of a goose chase looking for a trail head.  Did a little more research and figured out where the trail really was.  Sturgis Dams are in a very pretty setting, just not the easiest trail I've ever hiked.  Still enjoyed it though.

Ida and Casey didn't get to go as I was on a trail I'd never been on and didn't know what I was getting into.  Can you not see the disgust in their eyes knowing they had to stay home.

The butterfly migration was definitely happening this particular week.  Not positive what kind this is as I heard conflicting reports on the variety.

Along the Sturgis Dams trail.  Fall colors just starting to set in make for pretty sights.

The reds were quite captivating.

Fall textures along the trail.

We were also able to get the camper out again (hoping it's not the last of the season!) and headed over to the Missouri River.  Friends bought a little place in a community on the river, so we loaded up and went to check out the area, having never been there before.  Staying in the state park, we were surrounded by mature trees brightly colored as we continue into the fall season.  Game, Fish and Parks Dept had just put the "salmon ladder" in so we were able to watch a simulated salmon migration.  THAT was pretty cool!  Hoping we can get back over when the fish are really jumping.  The natural instinct is amazing.

Making the last jump into the holding tank.

Looking for Another Jump

Looking to the left of the photo, you can see multiple salmon right on the surface.

When I first looked at this in the camera, I thought I had captured 2 fish, belly to belly.  Turns out it is the fish's shadow as it is jumping!  At the back of the holding tank, there is no where farther to go.

Capturing these fish as they made their "trek" up the ladder was one of the more difficult scenarios I have tried to photograph.  Maybe not the absolute best shots, I'm still happy with how they turned out.

Lastly, a camping trip is not complete without a little r-n-r.  We are quite good at that!  Just a couple cell phone captures.

Friday night in our camp.  Happy dogs, happy people, and of course, a Connie fire!

I have the BEST camping partner!

Because Sometimes I Like to Play with My Food

Going to a BBQ today and I'm supposed to bring the dessert.  I thought about making one of my stand-by's, but my friend Sharon showed me a picture that inspired me to play with food!  Maybe it's silly, but I think it's cute!  Hope everyone enjoys tonight.  😋😋

Life's Achievement List: ✔✔✔

I really love this pic of Bill and Sue!

All these years Bill and I have traveled back and forth to either Ohio or West Virginia I have wanted to stop at Niagara Falls but it seemed like time was always in the way.  I've heard of them, I've even seen photos of them, I've probably romanticized about them - being they used to be the honeymoon capital and all, but I'd never seen them in person before, until.....

Last month we were back in Ohio for us to attend and Bill to officiate his cousins daughters wedding.  This time we took the time to go up to New York and see the falls from both the American and Canadian sides.  With Bill's sister Suzy along for the ride (Charlie and Flo weren't able to join us), I was finally getting the chance to see what all the fuss is about.  The fuss is real.  August being a dry part of the year, only 4.2 million cubic feet of water comes over the falls per second.  Let me repeat that so it can really sink in....4.2 million cubic feet of water per second flows over the falls during the heat of August.  That's a lot of water!!!!  Cascading, awe-inspiring water flowing.

I was surprised and amazed at how clear the water was.  It was crystal blue like glacial water.  All of the rivers I've seen back East are murky so I expected the same of the Niagara River - I was pleasantly surprised!  We didn't have time to take the Maiden Mist (American boat) or the Horn Blower (Canadian boat) up under the falls (next time) but after viewing the falls from the American observatory, Bill and I took the elevator down where I could hike over close to the falls and almost feel the horse power of all that water flowing over the edge.  I've seen water falls...but I ain't never seen anything like that! 

An enjoyable time.  I walked through the State park crossing the river several times, watched the water from the observatory, then we went to the Canadian side so I could set my camera up for the light show.  Both the Americans and the Canadians project lights onto the Falls; American side is red, white and blue while the Canadian side is all the colors of the rainbow.  I'm sure it has something to do with you driving across the "Rainbow Bridge" to get to Canada.

  

Visitors Last Night

This year's fawn crop includes many, many set of twins and they frequent our yard regularly. They are pretty used to everything around here. I got up to get my camera, it truly didn't bother them. They weren't fond of Ida walking around, but only one lifted it's tail and couldn't decide if it should be alarmed or not. Eventually they went down and got a drink and moved on. I enjoy watching them.

  

 

Mother Nature's Light Show

When the phone rang last night at midnight, I saw on caller ID who it was, I knew instantly something was wrong.

Bill and I sat up on the front porch watching the storm roll in over the hills.  Our hills create pretty spectacular sites, last night was worth staying up and watching.  Just as we went to bed, there was a lighting strike we knew for sure hit real close, just wasn't quite aware of HOW close.  That is until the phone rang.  

Our neighbor up the road was up late worried about all the lightning and how dry our ground is.  Thankfully, she was worried and decided to scan the hills surrounding their place one last time before trying to sleep.  Sure enough, one of those close strikes did hit the ground and start a fire.  

We have an awesome Volunteer department; their efforts in the middle of the night combined with the neighbor going up on his 4 wheeler before any responders arrived, and the landowner getting there with his side by side with a water tank they were able to contain the fire and get it out by about 2am.  The fire was in a spot only accessible by 4 wheeler; sure am glad the guys arrived with lots of water and Dan had a tank on his side-by-side.  Last night ended on a good note.

I took these shots of the storm coming in about 2 hours before the strike hit that started the fire.  Night photography is something I really struggle with, but I do like the strikes with the flag lit up by them.