Nate’s Notes: Snow Adventure (It’s All A Lie!)

“Come”, they said. “There’ll be snow”, they said. “It will be fun”, they said. So…they said.

This was the beginning of the lies.

 I was promised a snow adventure. No, no, no. Lyla and I were promised a snow adventure. I believed them, so I agreed to convince Lyla to get in the car to be trapped for hours and hours. We did. And I kept hearing about snow and fun. The lies just kept coming.

“It will only take a few hours”, they said. It took almost 6 hours. Or so they said. That could have been a lie too, for all I know. It seemed like days.

 “It will be fun”, they said. As soon as we got there, they made us be calm, and then made us go to bed.

“There will be snow”, they said. I didn’t see any snow.   I saw sun, trees, pine needles, rocks, moss, and pine cones. “Look at all the textoos Momma!” …uuuhh, wait… WHO said that??!!! Did that come from MY mouth????? Great. Just great. No snow, no fun, AND I sound like THEM. I should just lay down by the tree and wait for a bear to get me. It would probably be more fun.

We went on a walk, and DID find a little snow, but nothing to write about (ha ha…get it?).

 

See...nothing to write about. A LITTLE snow.

See…nothing to write about. A LITTLE snow.

“Let’s go on a hike now”, they said. “It will be fun”, they said. “It will be short”, they said.

Okay, so who takes a 2-year old and a 3-year old on a hike?? And I heard someone say it was a couple miles!!! WHO DOES THAT???!!! Seriously. WHO????!!! Come on. Are you kidding me??!!! I USED to think my Momma and Daddy were the smartest people in the world, even superheroes. Now I have my doubts.

 

There was only one thing left to do…no bones. I suddenly lost all ability to walk, move or be supported by my bones. Works every time. “It will be fun”, they said. “ I’ll show them fun”, I said. How fun is it carrying two 35-pound squirmy toddlers in thin air and sun for miles? Sure, there were amazing things to look at, but I was too busy with my plan of protest to help Momma find those things. From the sweat and grumpy faces I saw, I was pretty sure I had taught them a lesson! Success.

Feeling satisfied with my success, and even proud of Lyla for joining the protest, I continued their punishment by refusing to eat lunch. And then kicking things. And then losing all bones when they came near me. More success.  

 

A lake.

A lake.

She made me proud. No bones.

She made me proud. No bones.

Later, because there was no snow, we went out to a playground. Barely amused, I felt a little hope when I was promised to see a beaver and beaver house.   This could be good.

 

“Let’s go”, they said. “It will be fun”, they said. “ A small hike”, they said. FREEZE! STOP!!   I wasn’t taking these lies again. They seemed to be slow learners. So I suddenly had a horrible pain in my foot and had to limp. I added a whine just to drive my point home. I limped so good (so bad?) that Momma’s face went soft with love….and…wait for it….she….CARRIED ME!   Lyla was on her own this time.

 

It was genius.   I got to be carried by Momma, AND she told me about all the cool stuff we were seeing. No snow. BUT…we saw bear claw marks on a tree, flowers, a little creek, different leaves and trees than what live by us, butterflies, squirrels, crazy looking people, and finally…a beaver house!!!  

 

Okay, okay. So the weekend wasn’t a total bust. But that doesn’t change the lies. Oohhh, that is going to stay with me awhile.

While I’m healing, you can look at some quick pictures of what we saw. “It will be fun”…he said.  

The same lake. It's just water!!

The same lake. It’s just water!!

The walk near the beaver house.

The walk near the beaver house.

Bear claw marks!

Bear claw marks!

 

Nate’s Notes: Now THAT Is Texture!!

My Alaska trip was probably the most fun I have had all year. And I know fun!! Who wouldn’t enjoy a big ship, new friends, crash-bang-booming huge ice cubes, endless hallways to run in, and more watermelon than you have ever seen??  Every day was a new adventure, a different place. My mind had soooo many pictures in it already, and we weren’t even done with the trip! Momma always changes out a little square thingy in her camera when there are too many pictures. Seems like I should be able to do that so I could make more room in my head for the rest of the trip.

You know we littles soak up all the stuff you big people are feeling right? So all my happy big people made the trip even better!   Papa and Gram-Spam smiled all the time, and told us new stories. Momma and Daddy laughed and showed us new things. Uncle Tim and Auntie Kate played with us and made us smile. Auntie Kisstine, MoMo, and Bookie played with us too and took us to painting and music! I just felt so…so…so…happy!!  

It's probably best for everyone if you read this!

It’s probably best for everyone if you read this!

Until one of the last days. It started out super happy, with more BIG ice cubes and breakfast. We laughed, we played, we ran, we told stories, we read books, we watched the big water. And then the water got bigger. And bigger. And bigger. And it all went bad. It started with Lyla…she started whining and drove me nuts. She looked funny too (funnier than she usually does- he he he). Then Momma started to look a different color. Then Gram-Spam. Then Daddy. There were weird colors, strange noises, sick faces, sad faces…and then…it started. Lyla was first again…all over the floor. Then all over the deck outside our room. Then all over the bed. Then Momma. And so it went. Papa played with me even though he looked a little strange too. But he was the only one that could move.

I felt really good though!!   I just kept running and jumping and yelling, “Weeeee! This is so fun!!! Make it go higher!!!!”. But everyone else around me gave me an angry face and told me to never say that again. Never ever ever. Never.  Before everything got cleaned up, I thought maybe Momma should take pictures because she is always saying she needs more texture pictures. And THAT was texture!!

But I felt so bad for her and Daddy that I didn’t say that.  

And this happened. All. Night. Long.

RSWL: West End Salvage

Some of the things I enjoy most about being in “the field” taking pictures for our websites, are the stories behind each picture, or the stories we come away with from each field adventure.   The stories behind a scene or object give life and depth to our work.  

For the same reason, I also enjoy spending time with my husband, Chad, finding items in barns, at yard sales, and even at the dump recycle center!   Some people call it picking…some call it finding.   We don’t care what you call it, we just like looking for unique items and uncovering their stories.   For example, we just brought back from our recent road trip to Minnesota, some lightning rods (unusual in California), old farm equipment, taxi cab lights, and slides of animal brains and blood samples from the Mayo Clinic.  Okay, that list may end on a weird note, but they are conversation, statement pieces.   We may keep some, or we may sell it all.  If we sell it, we will include the story for the future owners and hope they appreciate it as much as we do.  Again, the stories add depth and life to the items. 

West End parking- We Made It!!!

West End parking- We Made It!!!

West End Warehouse

West End Warehouse

Yes, I’m getting to my point- West End Salvage.   West End Salvage in Des Moines, Iowa marries the adventure of photos, textures and stories.  This past winter we discovered this gem while watching HGTV, when it aired this series which follows the store, its owners and designers.   We were so impressed that we made sure to stop at West End Salvage on our way to Minnesota… and it was worth every minute.  We became completely enchanted as we wound our way through each of the four floors of this 50,000-square-foot warehouse.   Pleasant surprises and unique treasures live on each floor.  As we checked out, ordered amazing coffee from their café and chatted with owner, Don Short, we left inspired by the items, the designs and the stories. 

If you haven’t heard of West End Salvage, discover it at HGTV’s website for episodes by visiting HGTV-West End Salvage Otherwise, you can browse and explore the floors of fantastic finds at their home website West End Salvage.  

 

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Nate’s Notes: Left Behind

Last week Uncle Tim and new friends, Jon and Tina, came to visit us.  I already knew I liked Uncle Tim because he is going to help with my tree fort.  Tina and Jon…I liked them instantly for their laughs and kind faces.  They played with my cars and trucks and bouncy balls.  They sat at my level and smiled a lot.  Pretty much they were super cool.  At least I THOUGHT they were cool.  And then…

They pulled out cameras.  Just like Momma.  My head started to hurt.  My eyes watered.  NOOOOO!!!  Not you guys too??!!   Had Momma gotten to them too?  Or were they all to blame for Momma and her cameras? Even Daddy had a camera.  Not only did they come with cameras, they talked about cameras, and pictures, and textures, and numbers of pictures. Strike one.  Go ahead…feel sorry for me.  You better sit down though; it gets worse.

I pretended not to care too much about the cameras, though I had to stop myself from “accidentally” spilling my drink cup on them. I could totally use toddler clumsiness to explain that away.  However, my self control seems to be increasing, darn it. I had begun to accept this cameras-everywhere-world as they discussed our field adventure for the next day.  We were going to explore Mare Island.  I had heard Momma and Daddy talk about how cool this place was.  I was going to see cool rust patterns, pretty broken glass, gauges, old brick buildings, burned wood, great colors and peeling paint.  I was going to see a big big crane-claw for the first time!  Okay, let me grab my camera too, pathetic as it is.  Let’s go!

The next day came, and I woke up early, ready for the adventure ahead.  Momma announced it was time to go, and then Grandma Sue was at the door.  Wow, she is coming too!!!  This will be great.  Maybe Papa and Gram will be there too!!!   And Daddy!  Oh man, I almost peed it was that exciting.  Self control folks, self control.   And then Momma left…and I stayed.  She left.  She left me home.  She left me behind!  She left me behind to be with THEM!  Strike two…

Photo taken without me. Broken glass...LIKE MY HEART.

Photo taken without me. Broken glass…LIKE MY HEART.

Peeling-Paint_286

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like I said, I THOUGHT they were cool.  As if all this wasn’t bad enough, they all came to MY home, after I had been left behind, and talked about the adventure at Mare Island!  Yep, they ate pizza and drooled over the images they captured with those cameras.

One more strike.  They have one more strike.  They are on thin ice if you ask me.  I’m all broken up over this.

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Nate’s Notes: My First Camera!!!

I know what you’re thinking…I’m too young to handle the responsibility of such valuable technology and equipment.  Well, wait till you see my photos!  I know Momma needs help with taking pictures because she is always saying she needs more shots.   Daddy has had a lot of super hero duties lately, so I thought I could help.

I took these pictures the other day. 

My books!

My books!

My Legos!

My Legos!

My cars!

My cars!

Benson- My dog dog!

Benson- My dog dog!

My books, my dog-dog, my Legos, and my cars!!  Aren’t they great?!  I really love the lighting and the blurry effect.   Now THAT is texture.

Well, I was happy to take more, but Momma came into the living room and found me with her camera.  She had some interesting things to say.   She looked like she had eaten hot sauce (I’ve tried that!!!) and was holding her mouth in a weird smile.  Obviously she was excited to have my help Clearly she knew she needed me!   For some reason, though, she walked slowly to me and gently took the camera from me.  She then put it up on a very high shelf.  Hmmm.  That’s strange…but then she told me she’d get me my own camera to use.  Oh! Well, THAT makes sense. 

Later that day, she gave me my very own camera!   I was excited until she put it down on my desk.  After I recovered from the initial shock, I managed to climb to her camera and capture these images to show you…the horror.  THIS is what she gave me to work with!

I’ve never been so insulted.  Look at the silly person that pops up when you push the button…and the grainy view through the lens.   I just looked at her with her goofy smile and blinked.  This was a baby camera!  For babies…NOT me!  Today, her smile was NOT spreading to me.  Today, I needed to be alone. With my camera.  

THIS is what she gave me??!!!

THIS is what she gave me??!!!

Grainy view through lens...*sigh*

Grainy view through lens…*sigh*

No comment...*sigh*

No comment…*sigh*

No comment...*sigh*

No comment…*sigh*

 

 

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Random Stuff We Like: CameraBag2

No, I’m not talking about the latest carrying case for your camera.  I recently was introduced to CameraBag2, a photo effects desktop app designed to make it quick and easy for anyone to creatively edit photos.  Oh, and it’s fun!  Who doesn’t want or need more fun?

1962 style effect with Safety Film border

1962 style effect with Safety Film border

Silver effect with Eroded border

Silver effect with Eroded border

Plastic style effect

Plastic style effect

Here are my Top 10 reasons I quickly fell in love with the app, making CameraBag2 another Random Thing We Like (or love in this case).

  1. It is easy to use– The main editing screen remains uncluttered, making the interface easy on the eyes, straightforward, and effortless to explore.
  2. You can experiment with many different styles (about 20) to apply to your photo ranging from the nostalgic 1958 look, to the old-time saloon effect, to the crisp and clear wedding style.
  3. The rollover preview feature for each photo effect makes it quick and easy to see the image in real time before you apply the style.
  4. You can choose from over a dozen different borders to apply including some fun ones like Eroded, 35mm Bleed, and White Slide.
  5. A number of Adjustments can be made to your photo.  I was surprised to be able to crop, straighten, tweak the brightness, color, tint, exposure and more!
  6. The Quicklooks feature allows you to see your image with each style, border or adjustment effect side by side.  This is easy and great for those who need visual comparison to make a decision!
  7. You can combine multiple photo effects, like tint, with matte finish and a safety film border…kind of like layers!
  8. It’s cheap!  I paid $14.99 on Steam.
  9. This really is for anyone.  Sure, photography purists may scoff at the “cutesy effects” and deem this app shallow…but why not get anyone and everyone engaged and excited about taking and editing photos?
  10. Did I mention it is fun?  It encourages experimentation…which is fun. And cool!  You can see some of our fun on our www.tmgclearedart.com website.

I would recommend this to anyone to try.  Visit Steam today to begin your editing bliss.  Have fun!

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Nate’s Notes: Super Heroes Only Work Monday-Thursday

Fridays mean I get to hang out with just Daddy for a while.   Apparently super heroes only work Monday-Thursday. Fine by me!  This means we get to ride in the big vroom vroom truck (which I’ve noticed has interesting rusty metal texture!), listen to music really loudly (but at an acceptable decibel level for my developing ears), take care of our animals, and, right now, get firewood!  I’m serious; we are actually getting firewood RIGHT NOW.  Everyone thinks I’m doodling or something, but this is work people!  I drool and giggle just a bit to throw people off.   Anyway, Daddy is loading up the truck with the wood as I write this.  A few of the sticks have landed close to my window and I’m able to see the moss and lichen growing on them!  Cool!  I bet it is squishy…hmmm…wonder how it tastes?

Moss_Lichen_022It is kind of green like my veggies.  Mmmm….veggies.   And then there is different bark texture.  Momma said that different bark texture means different kinds of trees.  This bark looks like some of the trees at our house!!  Wait…did they cut down our trees!!????  And why is it called bark?  Where are the dogs?   You big people talk funny.

Dancing Flames

Dancing Flames

The coolest though, is when we get home and Daddy uses his super powers to make the fire.  Those flame thingies are so cool…(in a non-weird way!) … they almost dance and move in a way like nothing else I’ve seen in my life yet.  I could stare at the fire for hours. *Yawn*.  It actually makes me…*yawn*… kind of sleepy…*yawn*…just thinking about it.