I'm So Excited!!!

And have to share with all my wonderful bloggy friends and followers.  You know how I told you a while back that I was entering a photo contest?  Okay, I forgive you, I almost forgot about it, but you can check it out here.

Anyways...I GOT AN HONORABLE MENTION!  Not as good as placing, but I got in Vermont Magazine!  One of my photos got published. 

I was a little bummed when the announcement day came and went for their 1st, 2nd and 3rd places and didn't think much of it until my Mother-in-law called me from the grocery store telling me that I made it in.  I think that might have been one of my top girly/happy moments.

So, check it out!  The photo that made it in.  Maben pulling a sled back to the garage after a fun afternoon of sledding.

Vermont Magazine, November/December 2011 Holiday Gift Issue.  Thanks to my MIL I know have 9 or 10 copies.  I would find it highly unusual to find an issue in Texas.

I'm so excited.  You can find my photo on page 35.

They butchered where I live and the write up is kinda corny...but I don't care.  I have a photo published!

Maben was super happy to see his photo in a "book."  He even took it to school and showed it off to all his friends and teachers. 

Butterflies at the Beach?

Today my MIL and I took the kids back down to the town beach at the dam and I discovered a very peculiar thing, butterflies at the beach!  I have never seen butterflies just hanging out on the beach, in the sand.  Colton and I chased a few down for some photos.  I managed to capture three stunning species which I will share with you below.

Monarch

Danaus plexippus

This next one was very tough to get a shot of.  He was a little more camera shy than the others.  These photos had to be zoomed and cropped, so not the best, but still a stunning butterfly.

Question Mark

Polygonia interrogationis

The reason for the name Question Mark is because in the photo below, the white markings on the wing look like a question mark.

This next beauty was very peculiar.  At first I thought it was a monarch until it opened up its wings.  While, the back of him is black, white and blue, the underside of the wings were orange, black and white.

White Admiral

Limenitis arthemis arthemis

Oh and I had to look up why they were on the beach.  After combing a few websites it looks like these are all male butterflies and them hanging out on the beach is called, "mud puddling."  They are gathering sodium and nitrates which are found dissolved in mud or damp sand.  Interesting!

If you haven't noticed, I have been snapping photos, a lot of them.  I am really enjoying my camera and now that I am much more familiar with it.  When I find a subject matter that I enjoy, I take an enormous amount of photographs of it.  I try out different lighting/times of day (if possible) and different angles. 

My in-laws put in a new bird, bee and butterfly garden has given me great inspiration and great subject matter to just keep snapping.  I am sure before my trip is over I will have another great handful of photos to share.  This group of shots is of one type of flower and butterfly. 

Flower: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' or the common name of Magnus Purple Coneflower
Butterfly: Boloria bellona or the common name of Meadow Fritillary
(side note: I believe that is the correct info for the butterfly, I had to look at several guides on the internet and none of them had a great photo, but I did what I could.  If I am wrong, please correct me.)

I love all of these photos and can't wait to show off even more of scenic Vermont.

Happy Birthday Maben

I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to my first baby, Maben.  We spent a very fun filled day with whatever Maben wanted to do.  Here is a quick break down of his best birthday yet!

Maben started the day off throwing rocks and playing in the dirt.

After getting good and dirty, we took a nature hike to look for some wildlife.

We found lots of butterflies and wildflowers!

We retreated for some lunch and a little relaxing time before we charged back up and headed to the dam for some swimming.

Maben loved playing with his "submarine."  He refused to call it a boat, it was a submarine because he kept putting it under water.  (Uncle Scott...he must get that from you!)

I showed the kids some local wildlife...in the form of a bullfrog tadpole.  I still got some skills, catching tadpoles with a bucket, I haven't done this is about 20 years.

This is actually Colton, but I can't resist showing off his face when he came up close and personal with the tadpole.

Maben played lots of catch with Grandpa, forcing him to get fairly soaked while retrieving the ball.

After lots of fun at a Vermont beach, we headed back to the Grandparents house and Maben helped Grandpa pick some blueberries.

We all ate some dinner and then sang some, "Happy Birthday," to my now 4 year old little guy!

I turned a tray of cupcakes into a Capt. America shield.

Maben blew out his candle and then dug into the cupcake of his choice.

Maben and Colton opened up presents from Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the night was spent playing until bedtime.

Maben loved his birthday and both of the kids were so worn out that neither of them fought going to bed.  The only thing missing today was daddy...who is stuck back in Texas having to work.  Birthday #2 will happen after we get back.  What a lucky duck...two birthday celebrations.

Contest Entries

My MIL informed me that Vermont Magazine was doing a last call for entries for their annual photography contest.  The photos needed to be taken in the last two years and had to represent Vermont in any season.  The photos I submitted were for winter.  Shortly after I started my blog, I documented the many covered bridges that I got to see on our family trip to visit the in-laws.  Unfortunately, even though covered bridges scream Vermont to me, none of them really screamed the perfect winter scene.  The photos below did convey the Vermont winter that I wanted to showcase.

The first photo was a sunrise photo after being snowed in from a nor'easter storm.  The view is from the deck of my in-laws in Windham, VT and the hill in the background is Gibbs Hill. 

Nothing says winter more than a kid and a sled.  My son learned to sled on this trip and he had a blast with it.  This photo just makes my heart melt.

I saved my best for last.  I have always loved photos of doors and these just looked perfect with the freshly fallen snow.  That beautiful red, the warmth of the wood contrasting against the snow is just perfect! 

 

Wish me luck on the contest.  I am sure they will have hundreds of great entries...I just hope one of mine makes it to the top.

If you want to see some of my awesome bridge photos, check them out below.

Creamery Bridge

Scott Bridge in Color

Scott Bridge is Black and White

McWilliam Bridge in Black and White