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The past week has been busy, which is why I haven't posted any new photos since last Wednesday.
My mom flew 950 miles for a four-day, long weekend visit which was wonderful, then Seth was gone several days for work, and most recently we found out that the closing on our home in Kansas, which was supposed to be tomorrow, will not be happening as scheduled. Lots of stress and frustration with that!

...and all of it combined has taken me out of the photo-taking mood...
I think it's time for a quick trip to the botanical gardens!

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Enjoying a kale-strawberry-banana smoothie made in my new blender!

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Which do you like best...



Color?



or Black & White?

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We have a bird feeder in our backyard which is full of sunflower seeds for the cardinals.
It's right outside our backdoor, which makes it pretty handy to get a shot.

This week, in addition to deep cleaning 70% of the house, I also took time to watch a live-streamed photography course on CreativeLIVE.com...The Fundamentals of Photography with John Greengo. I've taken photography classes and read books, tutorials, etc so I knew most of what was taught already. But I decided to watch anyway because when it comes to photography, there's always something more to learn!

I was particularly interested in the section on focus.
If you've been with me for a while, you probably know that this is my main weakness.
Thankfully I learned a thing or two from this course and have been able to improve my focusing abilities!
{ hip hip hooray! }

I'm working on two posts for next Monday and Tuesday explaining what I've learned in the hopes that those of you with me in this focusing-is-difficult boat ride will be able to improve as well!

In the meantime, I hope you have a fabulous weekend and will come back this evening for Scripture & a Snapshot!

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While cleaning our patio, Rowan and I found this mushroom growing in the yard.

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This morning has been super productive already...
a trip to the library to return books, a trip to the grocery store where I bought these pears and everything for dinner tonight...the best tacos ever made by my husband...as well as my photo of the day shot, edited, and posted....all before 9am!

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I always love looking at other people's 10 on 10 posts.

...kind of makes me feel like I just hung out with them all day...

And their days are usually more exciting than mine. 

Keeping that in mind, here's how my very-first-ever 10 on 10 day looked:

...so grab a chair and a glass of wine...here we go...

  
  
  

7:54 - Time for new contacts...aahhhh.

8:52 - Deep cleaned the oven...including underneath the burners! Huh, huh?! Yeah! Look at that baby shine.

9:59 - Played "Picture Hunt" with Rowan in her Highlights magazine...I won. 

11:00 - Moving right along to deep clean the microwave...

12:48 - While rinsing some stuff in the kitchen sink, I had this view out my window. Hint: there are two lizards and I don't think they're just hugging...right on my windowsill...oh, the indiscretion of nature! Seth had mentioned earlier that there are a ton of lizards outside...can't imagine how that happened.

1:06 - My Walmart clearance orchids now have three gorgeous blooms! Best $2.50 I've spent in a long time.

2:08 - Any guesses what this is???....I think I just heard someone say it....looking through the vacuum hose attachment. ...because deep cleaning the oven and microwave, washing dishes, organizing the pantry, cleaning the window over the kitchen sink...inside, outside and the screen...just wasn't enough cleaning for me today. I also vacuum-dusted the blinds in our breakfast nook. 

4:37 - Finally finished deep cleaning the entire kitchen and rewarded myself with a few games of MarioKart Wii with Rowan. I'd much rather have had a Coke and about five Snickers bars, but alas, I've gained 5 pounds since we moved....a mere three months ago...so junk food is taking a back seat for awhile. ...although I did eat a king size Payday, but those have a lot of nuts and a lot of nuts means a lot of protein which is something my body needs anyway. 

5:36 - About this time of evening all the neighborhood kids are outside playing in the circle. Rowan was selecting a new outfit as her shirt-with-no-pants attire was mildly inappropriate, despite what those lizards may think. We were playing camera-tag for this photo. 

7:54 - Part of my dinner was a glass of wine and a sweet potato in fries form. Mmmm. 

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White and blue fireworks?
Or perhaps Superman's fortress of solitude?

Nope, just a blurred out sunset through trees with a bit of a camera lift during the shot.

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Today I took a mini road trip to find bluebonnets.

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This is a flower on our bush in front of our house. 

It was a surprise, as I thought this particular bush was strictly an evergreen kind. 

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I only took four photos today.

By the time I got on the plane, which was only 10am, I was exhausted and ready to be home!

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Lilacs on the farm.

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I didn't get all my photos posted on the right day, but I did get them taken on the right day!
...I'll be playing catch up with my posts...

This is a redwinged blackbird that my sister saw on our walk down my parents' country road Saturday evening.

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Today is pretty much all down-time, so I took a stroll around my parents' home and found these pretty red tulips!

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My Grandma passed away Wednesday morning and this was the view on my flight to Iowa.

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This is actually another golf related photo.
Not seeing the connection? Let me explain...

The golf tournament Seth went to on Monday was a fundraiser and at the end everyone was told they could take the centerpiece from their table if they wanted.
Most of the participants were men, and I think it's safe to say that most men who play golf have no interest in bringing home a "used" bouquet of flowers.
...except my husband...
Because he knew I would love it!

...he knows me well...
:)

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My husband recently went golfing and lined up his golf tees on the counter.
This morning this shadow pattern was made from our kitchen lights.
...I thought it was kind of cool...

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This afternoon Rowan and I went to the garden center for some things.
We ended up buying a palate of these lovely fuchsia { I can never spell that word right the first time! } dianthus.

...side note...
You know you're out of shape when you become fatigued from pushing a mulch-loaded cart around the store, and subsequently spell your own name wrong on the signature pad at checkout because you're about to pass out despite being surrounded by oxygen releasing plants.
...ahem...

Anywho, when we got home I grabbed my camera, headed outside and got some flower shots.
Shocking, I know.

You know how sometimes your favorite image out of a set takes a whole bunch of unexpected turns before it becomes your favorite?

This shot was one of those times.

Here's what it looked like sooc...


Yep.
By show of hands, who would have immediately deleted this image?!
...this is why I recommend saving 98% of the images you take and shoot in RAW mode...
You never know when a lump of coal will turn into a diamond...or a really convincing cubic zirconia.

Granted, this image is incredibly grainy, but umm, it's fine art.
And art can do what it wants.
90%, my friends!
90%.

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...I'm a beer kind of girl...

In case you're wondering, this case will last me a while! 

Like most things, it's cheaper to buy in bulk.

;)