Out and about with a new lens...

What can I say, I wanted a new lens for my birthday...a wide angle lens (16- 35).  Since we have the cash back rewards from our credit card, we used them to purchase the lens.  It is always nice when you don't have to pay full price.  I got up early before church, and went to try it out.  I love it.

I loved the bokeh in this. (the dots of light)

Just a little different view. 

I was so happy to see some color and vegetation.  It has been so dry around here.  Obviously, these plants get watered.  (Pictures taken at Smith's Bird Sanctuary).

60 years + 1 day...

"Pleased to look forward, pleased to look behind, and count each birthday with a grateful mind." -Alexander Pope

I am so grateful for life, friends, and family.  Today, I am 60 + one day.  Warren got up early...very early, like 5:00 a.m. to go for a bike ride.  The phone rang at 5:45.  I thought it could be Caprock with a  call for Warren from a mother who needed help for her sick child, but the caller ID told me it was Warren.  I figured he had another flat tire.  He does have those occasionally, and I have to go pick him up from some remote road somewhere around Roswell.  That was not the case this morning.  He called to tell me to get myself out of bed, and go take a picture of the wonderful sunrise.  I had asked him to do that if there was a good one.  I think it took me too long to get ready, because the sun was up quite a ways by the time I drove out where I could see it well.  I liked it anyway and thought it was still pretty.

My 60th birthday was very good.  People called, packages came, friends took me to lunch, and I had a family party, and it rained.  It seemed like it rained a lot, but my water class told me we only got 1/10th of an inch.  We have had clouds gather every afternoon, but no rain.  I was so glad to see it rain.  I felt like it was a birthday gift from God.

Rain on my windshield as I was stopped for a red light.  

It looks like a lot of rain.  I just wish it really was.  I am happy to have a little rather than nothing.

My friend, Holly, took me to lunch at Cattle Baron.  We had shrimp and crab remoulade salad which I have never had before.  It was delicious, and it will be something I order again.  So, so good!

This is a type of the salad.  I got this picture from the internet.

Holly and me at Cattle Baron.  She the cute balloon attached to the miniature roses, and the cute package.  

The best present of all: Friends.  Holly and me.

When I got home, Warren had the table decorated and was blowing up balloons.  True love for sure!

Didn't Warren do a great job with the decorations?  I was impressed.

Next he finished putting the cake together.  I wanted the cake by "The Pioneer Woman". http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/05/chocolate-strawberry-nutella-cake/

Pioneer Woman's cake.  (taken from her website)

We actually made a few changes in the cake.  We did not use white flour, but almond flour, and instead of sugar, we used light Agave nectar.  It is supposed to be a lower glycemic index.  Not that it mattered by the time we did the chocolate ganache (instead of nutella), and whipping cream!  Here's our cake.

Our cake.  We frosted the sides with ganache, which the Pioneer Woman did not do.   I bet ours was better, and would win in a taste test.

Here is Warren hard at work on the cake.  What a man, what a husband!  I am blessed!

Then we had the party.  WooHoo!

These candles were supposed to have flames that matched the color of the candles.  They did sort of when they all got lit.  It was so pretty.

Singing Happy Birthday!

Me with my grandkids. (Photo by Laurie)

Blowing out the candles. (Photo by Laurie)

Lighting the candles...okay, these are out of order.  Oh, well.  (photo by Laurie)

The cake and ice cream were eaten, Yum, and then I opened presents.  Lots of presents, all very good, useful, and wonderful.  I like cards, too, almost as much as presents.  I got some pretty fantastic cards.

Card by E.  There are 60 candles, and a 60 as my hairdo, and 60 on the chair in the picture.  Pretty impressive that she did all that, and counted the candles.  

Card envelope from my daughter-in-law, Jordan.  I love how she incorporated a candle in the letter "b".  So clever.

It was a great day.  Today, I have a few elements to keep the table simple, but also to remind me of my birthday.  I cannot believe I am 60!

Balloon and flowers, and cupcake salt and pepper shakers from Holly.  Thank you, Holly.

Oh, yes, the cat supervised it all from a sack that had all the birthday decorations in it.

I am 60 today...

"When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable.  There is unspeakable dawn in happy old age." -Victor Hugo

I sure hope that quote is true, because right now I am not very happy about the dawn of my old age.  More aches, and pains, wrinkles, and weight.  That does not speak of happy to me.  I am happy I am here, healthy, and for my wonderful family.  What is great about old age is grandkids.  Thank God for grandkids!  I think they make us younger at heart and in spirit.

I wanted to do something to commemorate my turning the big 6-0.  I enlisted the help of Jerry Holm, and we put together a fun picture.

Happy Birthday to me!

Photos of us...

"Just the two of us, building castles in the sky.

Just the two of us, you and I."  -Bill Withers

Warren and I went out to take some photos of the two of us, mostly because I have been so horrible about getting pictures of us this year.  Like I said before, my 2013 family album may be pretty slim if I do not get busy.  So...

One of our 30 day June challenge prompts was: books.  I had an inspiration photo for this set up, and asked Warren to help me stage it.  We carried out tons of books, piled them around; I set the camera settings, and Warren took the picture.  He is very good putting up with all my ideas, and very good at getting taking awesome photos.  I thought we were going to need my reflector, but the white pages of the book did a nice job of lighting my face, which Warren pointed that out to me as I was posing.  He is so good.  I think our picture was very successful.  Notice Maggie in the left side of the picture.  She's studying the books...or me, or something else.

My book photo...

After our book photo, we decided a good spot for a photo shoot was the Ice House on Virginia.  Actually, I decided.  Warren drove.  The back of the building has great texture, and character.  Since there is a sign that says, "No trespassing", I got permission from the owner before we went.  Permission is important...I do not want to get arrested.

The back of the Ice House.  I love all the old doors, different stone, and brick work...so cool, and so is the guy standing in front of everything.

 I sure would like to see the inside of the Ice house.  I plan to arrange that sometime soon, too.  If the inside has as much character as the outside, I am going to love it.

I like this dragon graffiti, too.  Love the colors,  and the man standing in front of it.

My turn...

Now us...

I cannot leave out the cat.  She is part of us, too.  She was watching the book photo session with great interest.  She sniffed and checked out the books, then went to lie in the grass.  I cannot remember if I have already posted this picture.  What can I say, I am getting older.  Tomorrow is my birthday.  Old people forget, and repeat things.  And maybe pictures.  

Father's Day...

"McKelvys are smart." -Warren McKelvy

Today we honor all our dads.  I happen to think we have some very special ones in this family starting with the Senior McKelvy who made all the other branches of the McKelvy family possible.  Ian's family had us over for lunch and treated us all to Zen Diner take out.  Yum!  Followed by chocolate chip cookies, and ice cream.  Even a bigger YUM!

Eyeing the food.  

Watching the present unwrapping.

Cards from the G-Kids.  E's card said, "we wish you a happy Father's day, we wish you a happy Father's day, we wish you a happy Father's day, and a Happy New Year."  Everybody cracked up!  Clever girl.  

Yeah! Rush Tea!

Son and father.  Two awesome men, and Dads.

Now from this side.  Still awesome, still Dads.

Warren is thinking, "oh no, more pictures."  At least that is what I think.  Ian is being nice.  

I have done a very poor job this year of taking photos of Warren and I together.  Our family album is going to be rather thin if I do not get more of us together.   That's just what I did.  Take photos.  I promised Warren it would only take about 5 minutes, and I kept my word.  He's happy, and I am happy.

Yeah for us.  I am so glad God gave me such a wonderful man.  

Okay, the cat was wandering around, so I grabbed her.  She was more interested in some birds than photos.

I have no clue what she is looking at now.  It is the best I could do.  Cats do not pose.   Actually, cats rarely do what you want them to.   Maggie included.  She's a pretty free spirit.   

Happy Father's day!

Our Sunsets...

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." -Rabindranth Tagore

On Saturday, the picture we were supposed to capture for our 30 day June challenge was a sunrise or sunset.  Well, I did not make it up in time for the sunrise, so that left the sunset.  Clouds filled the sky in the later evening, and I was afraid I was going to miss my sunset as well.  I went out anyway in hopes of getting a sunset.  Boy, did I get a sunset, and other surprises as well.

This is three pictures stitched together.  On the left, is Capitan Mountain, center: the sun setting, and to the right: a storm on the horizon.

A promise from God...

There was actually a double rainbow, but it did not capture well.  

When I drove up, and parked my car, there were two antelope looking at me.  They looked at me as if to say, "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"  One ran off, but this one seem offended that I was actually in his territory.  He looked at me for a long time, then ran off with his head held high.  

I wanted to take some lightning pictures, but not out in the open.  Warren and I had spent some of the afternoon scouting out possible places where I could photograph lightning without getting wet, or standing in the open.  I thought we had found the perfect spot, at a building that had a carport covering the back of it, and it was in an area that did not have trees, or buildings blocking the view.  After my sunset pictures, I drove to the spot to take lightning shots.  Unfortunately, my perfect spot was lit up like a Christmas tree.  It had a ton of security lights on, which ruined my plan.  Oh well.  Back to scouting out potential spots.