Writing,shopping and setting up props

I'm trying to get a little more creative with my writing so I recently purchased this book. Now,don't worry there will always be stories from a day in my life ;) I just want to beef it up a bit. My plan is to someday write better,captivating descriptions about my old house photos and hopefully get them into a book. Someone that inspires me by her descriptions is one of my contacts on flickr - you can see her work here. www.flickr.com/photos/mcmorr/ My own book - now won't that be great !! I will give you progress as I go.

OK, my title shows setting up props. Well here are a few that I have ready for my photoshoot on Sunday. I will have those posted next week.

What do ya think? This rocking was given to me by my Grandma Johnson a longggggg time ago. It is in immaculate condition. I got this because I was the fist grand-daughter. Ahhh !
This is wrapping paper :)

It was time to update some pictures so what better time than right after a hair appointment. I had finished with the snow look on my backdrop and wanted to get the lighting set so here ya go - ME!

And yes - I HAVE been good ! This is my new hat for the shopping trip for Black Friday. My mom,sisters and sister in law get together every Black Friday to get some deals ! Well this year it was just mom,Gina and myself. Lori had to pick up her daughter,Kathern (sis in law) was tired from her first time of having her family over to her house for Thanksgiving dinner and the other shopper Kim (brothers GF) was tired too. So us 3 meet up at Wal -Mart at 5:00 AM for the fun to begin. Mom makes us wear Santa hats so we are easy to find - it's a traditional thing :) Now can she find us in the store....no ! This year was actually funny - she told us while having breakfast that while at Younkers a lady asked her for the price of something in the store.....why ?, cause all the employees had a Santa hat on ! HA !!

Are we nuts ? YES! This was the crowd I pushed my way through at 5:00 AM to get my Garmin Nuvi for $97.00 at Wal-Mart this morning. I got it,plus more. The crowd was pushy and rude - I think after Thanksgiving they need to start being a little nicer and give thanks that someone don't turn around and smack some sense into them ! I had to go out and have a smoke while Gina held my place in line. This is getting more nerve racking every year but - I will be back at it again next year so I need to get over it :)

Time for breakfast - when you get up at 3, by 7 you are hungry ! We done out usual traditional thing and went to Perkins - the food is so good there !! It was not too crowded when we got there but by the time we left - the line had formed. Now it's off to the casino !!

This grand piano was calling to us ! What a crew - Liberace we are not !! But it was a good photo op ! The spots are dust or at least I think it is. I sat the camera on the piano and used the timer so I could get in this shot :) The next one is mom playing and Gina singing - yeah right ,we didn't want to run everyone off - they are faking it - HA !

Hey look it is a big tree- let's pretend to decorate ! I don;t think anyone saw us because no straight jackets were ordered :)

Day is done and boy was everyone exhausted !! Mom & Gina found yet another great shot at a picture. The only problem was, they didn't want to get up ! The time is now 2:00 PM - we are going to Long John Silvers for lunch then I am headed home - my feet were killing me and I was BROKE !! They were going to hit a couple more stores- not this gal.

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination. "-Oscar Wilde

Holidays Are Upon Us !!

It's that time of year - get out your measuring cups and all that holiday bakeware and let's make some fudge !!


Chocolate fudge


2 sticks butter ( watch those thighs grow)
5 c. sugar ( yeah that's right lots of energy zappers)
1 can evaporated milk ( not that healthy skim stuff wither - why bother)


Bring this all to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 8 minutes. Set that timer and stir !


After your arm is about to fall off ( 8 minutes) remove from heat and add:


1 tsp. vanilla ( that's the small measuring spoon)
1 small jar of marshmallow creme ( that ooey - gooey stuff, not licking the spoon)
20 oz. of peanut butter or 1 large bag of chocolate or butterscotch chips ( not all at once,hence the word or )


Stir all of this together and pour into 8 x 12 pan lined with waxed paper.


Cool - cut - enjoy !!


This recipe came from my Granny - she was a wonderful lady and a great fudge maker. I remember as a child,going to her restaurant "Granny's Restaurant" around the holidays and standing in front of her "money tree" ( the customers always put money on there for the girls that worked there) and waiting on her to get the fudge ready to eat. She made TONS !!!!! Well I only made a pan of chocolate and one of peanut butter - that is all I am making this year. I usually do about like Granny did and make a ton but, we do NOT need that around here

OK enough in the kitchen let's get out of the house and go shopping - I hit up some antique
shops, goodwill and thrift stores. I found a couple bargains. All of these hats total cost 10.00 not the plume cost more than all the hats but I couldn't pass it up. I gave 12.00 for it. Oh well - I liked it. When I called my dad to tell him about it he said I should have used a peacock feather - men what do they know about fashion :)




Then it was hit up the furniture isles - I found this little tricycle and chest. The chest needs a little antiquing and a good washin' that it will get this weekend. But for 14.00 for both I couldn't pass it up !















OK- back to the picture taking enough prop shopping ! Mom and I went to Washington ( not the state, but the big town of Washington,Iowa) A friend of mine www.myspace.com/Angieguengerich had taken pictures of her kids at this old house so I got the directions and mom and I headed out. It was amazing !! The first thing mom said when we got out was "can you just imagine all the kids playing in the yard" WOW,she read my mind. This house was huge and the yard was lined with beautiful spruce trees.I took several pictures and even poked my head in for a few.
To see more check out my flickr in a few days. I hope to have them posted by Thanksgiving. Speaking of Thanksgiving - Harley (my lab) had her Thanksgiving meal the other day. I looked outside and from somewhere in my country neighborhood she had added another piece of "her findings" to the yard. It was something of the unknown in a quart jar. Yes she was eating it - or at least trying. I took the pictures of her at first through the window and when I went out she stopped looked at me then licked her lips to get that last drop.


I hope you weren't enjoying your supper while looking at that. It was disgusting but she enjoyed it.

Happy Thanksgiving to each and everyone of you. Remember this poem when you sit down for that feast:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!


Pictures of two beautiful girls and a happy couple coming soon !

Click here

Now if you clicked the link above that will show you how busy I have been.

It was August the last time I added a post boy is that bad or what. I'm going to try to make it a priority to sit down and work on this each week.

Updates -

I had a few of my pictures printed and framed to dress up our dining room and now it is time for more. I have been busy riding around on the gravel roads looking for the perfect picture. I don't always ride alone - a friend of mine Deanna, went with me one day and we found some pretty cool stuff. We came up on an old make shift town of Minerville. You can read more about it here - http://www.thehawkeye.com/Story/Minerville-032708 To bad it is a thing of the past. We walked around and took a few pictures then ended our trip.

Mom and I went out a couple weeks ago and found lots of stuff from barns to old schools to this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/harleypass/sets/72157608593605809/ now this was definitely a good day. Tons of pictures where taken and after 8 hours of riding we were beat !

Rick and I went to Quincy for a car show and to visit this castle that I found on the Internet. Both were very interesting. Rick spent alot of time crouching down to look under and all around cars to get ideas and I was crouching with him to get the pictures. The castle was kinda cool, it sits on the banks of the Mississippi with a spectacular view. When we first walked in I spotted a lamp. At the same time Rick and I looked at each other and I said - "that is like the one I have !" See for yourself. The floor lamp is in the castle - the table lamp is in my living room. I got this after my grandma passed away. It belonged to a neighbor of hers so I'm not really sure where she got it from. I did ask the tour guide at the castle if he knew any information on the one there and he shared a little - the lamp was brought back from Egypt in the early 1800's - WOW I could have a real collectible.

Rick has been busy too - a friend from work gave him a truck - well not completely it cost me sending lasagna to him at work :) But anyway, he has big plans to build his own rat rod. Yep you guessed it, done with one project and now it is time for another.

I have been back to the Dr. and have to have rotator cuff surgery - dang it no picture taking for a while.

It is hunting season here so Rick has been strong at it - nothing yet. I will for sure post when he gets the monster buck :)

Now that was a lot of info squeezed in to try and play catch up. I will sit down on Saturdays to post more.

Thanksgiving is coming up and that means BLACK FRIDAY !! Yippee !!! Mom, Lori,Kathern,Gina and myself meet about 4:30AM to knock people down and get some good deals. OK, we don;t really knock people down but we do find some deals. We usually come home with bruised heals and lots of shopping bags. I will be taking my camera along that day to get some pictures of the madness that we participate in. So stay tuned for more fun !!

John Fitzgerald Kennedy:"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

What a busy summer this has been ....

This has been one busy summer and it's not over yet ! Chicago-Harley's- Sweet Corn Festival-Swimming-Bird Watching-Flower Gardening- Storm Chasing !!

We went to Chicago for a conference with the company I work for. This was alot of fun and a great time for picture taking for me.

This is the sail boat named Windy. It is very tall. You can take a ride on this and actually be a "hands on helper".Picture taken at Navy Pier.





This was also taken at Navy Pier. I edited it to give it a cartoon look.





Now for a night shot. This is the canal with reflections of Chicago night life.





On one of our many walks around the streets of Chicago we found this beautiful water fountain.Since I'm the one always taking the pictures ,there's never proof that I was actually there. I talked Gina into taking this picture of Rick and I.





This picture just reminds me of Forest Gump - run Forest,run ! It is Bubba Gump's !!!


Now when we came back from Chicago we found an intruder in the dog dish. With the wet season we've had we are destine to have frogs and toads. Well,this toad had taken up residency and was eating the dog food. And believe it or not, he is still here !!


We are also still overwhelmed with the hummers this year. I have counted as many as 10 buzzing around - and it is hard to keep 4 feeders full.



We also have several mourning doves. This one was injured and sat around in the tree all day. When it finally did get down , Harley spotted it and by the time I got outside- it was too late. Sorry for the extremely gross picture but it is part of the story :)



Deer- Iowa - corn & bean fields- YES we have more than we need here. This doe is in our backfield every day,several times a day. I don;t think she is afraid of anything. Once the shooting starts I bet she'll be gone.


In another busy day we went to Burlington to see the "Sentimental". It is a Boeing B17 bomber plane. It was built in the 1940's. This plane has never been in combat but was used in Nevada for fighting fires.You can read more about this plane by clicking this link . http://www.azcaf.org/index.html?var=http://www.azcaf.org/pages/aircraft_bios/B-17G_FlyFort.html


Rick trying his talent out :)












Rick and Brian are working on an old 10 speed that Rick has had for years. They got it all up and going and talk about a work out ! Needless to say it is now parked behind the garage. Yes, I know, we need to get it out and ride ! BUT it is much easier firing up the Harley.




My Cannas are finally blooming. This shot reminds me of a tropical scene with the storm clouds in behind. Storms , now that is a good one. We have had alot of those too. The pictures below were taken at different times but you can tell we have some pretty views of the lightning and clouds rolling in.
The pond picture was taken early in the morning at work.



Now here in Iowa we celebrate every time you turn around. Each town has there own events. In West Point - it is the Sweet Corn Festival. ALL the corn you can eat FREE !!! This is a big time event - more info here. http://www.westpointcornfestival.com/
Rick is trying decide on the biggest ear !
Shuck fest - they shuck 17 tons of corn in less than an hour. The whole town comes out for this. It is held on the Wednesday before the festival.
So my brother is go-cart racing now. This is him - Vernon - the hobbyist ! If it ain't remote control cars it's bigger ones, who knows he may be looking at some Nascar :) You can see some video clips of him on my You Tube site www.youtube.com/harleypass

This sunset picture of the sailboats was taken in Fort Madison. Rick went fishing and I went shooting ! What a great combo.

Alley the alligator- she lets me know how warm my pool is.

I will end this blog with a beautiful scenic picture of Lake Geode. The clouds were just right for this shot. This picture will hopefully be in the 2010 Access Energy calendar. I will keep you posted. They don't announce the winners until next March- so I have a long time to keep my fingers crossed.

As always you can see more of my work at www.flickr.com/harleypass

I will be shooting a wedding the end of September so wish me luck and as always have a great day !!

A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into. ~Ansel Adams