Cards, Crabs, and a Flash

I hope all of you mothers out there had a wonderful day surrounded by those you love!

I sure had a great day today, from sunrise and counting...well maybe from 9 am anyway since I slept in!  I actually got way more gifts than I expected.  We aren't big present people except for birthdays and Christmas, so when I had 2 boxes to open I was so excited! 

First Mr. Tide bought me a very cool piece of camera equipment, a bounce flash!  A bounce flash allows you to bounce the light off of the ceiling, or almost anywhere, so that your photos are much brighter but don't have that harsh light which is often created when using a flash.  When shooting interiors of homes, or at dimly lit events, having a good bounce flash is critical.  I got the chance to try my new flash out on Saturday (he let me open it early so that I could use it for my two shoots on Saturday) and it made a HUGE difference! 

I took the picture above without using the bounce flash.  You can see how light the area around the window is, but the further you move away from the window the darker the room appears.

Here is the same basic shot, but with the help of the bounce flash the lighting is much more uniform.  Both photos were sharpened using PS Elements and the second one was lightened slightly, but you can see what a difference using a bounce flash can make.  This was such a great present and will make my photo shoots much less dependent upon the weather, and I can now shoot in low light as well as bright light!  *Happy Dance*!!!  Oh, and if you didn't already know (and no, I don't get compensated in ANY way), if you buy camera equipment from B&H Photo in NYC, be sure to do it through Kate, from Chronicles Of A Country Girl so that she can get a little pocket change out of the deal!  She has a button for B&H on her sidebar, that's what Mr. Tide used, and I know Kate greatly appreciates the support!

Today, I was served a yummy breakfast which included pumpernickel toast, bacon, walnuts, and fresh organic strawberries... yum!  And then it was time for me to open the present from my son and daughter!  They both admit that now that I am a blog-a-holic, buying presents for me has gotten a lot easier.  

And they also know what an addiction I have to dishes, so they gave me these gorgeous melamine crab plates from Pottery Barn!!!  I love anything with crabs on it, I'm a native Marylander after all, and these plates are perfect for summer dinners on the back patio overlooking the water eating corn on the cob, fresh peaches, and what else but...crab cakes, of course!  Thanks Bugs and Angelfish!

They also each gave me a beautiful card with the sweetest handwritten messages inside.  They make me tear up every single year, no matter how old the two of them are!  Mr. Tide tried to buy me a card a few weeks ago, but I insisted that he give me a back rub instead, and I think I won out in that deal!

So there you have it, my wonderful Mother's Day 2010, surrounded by the ones I love the most and lavished with presents, good food, and warm wishes, can you really ask for more than that?!

Oh and did you notice that sweet changing table in the "bounce flash" photos above?!  Well I'll be showing you lots more pictures of that darling nursery one day this week!  It is too sweet, and you won't want to miss seeing it!  

Until then my friends, enjoy your week ahead!

A Mother's Love

I decided to do my Mother's Day post a tad bit early so that I could enjoy a wonderful weekend with Mr. Tide and my own children and I also had a thank you to make, so I didn't want to wait until Sunday to do that either. I hope you enjoy the video at the bottom of the post and that no matter where you live, or whether it's mother's day weekend or just an ordinary Saturday and Sunday, I hope those days will be special ones!

Love comes in many forms. The love we have for friends, family, neighbors, or cherished pets. Even the love shown by strangers over the internet.

I received a wonderful email from Brenda of  a Cozy Little House yesterday saying that she had included me in her Welcome Wagon Friday post where she highlights new bloggers such as myself! I want to give a BIG thank you to Brenda for the wonderful welcome to Blogland and for sharing the love, it means a lot to a new blogger like me!!!

This Sunday is Mother's Day here in the US and that means that many of us will be focusing on our own mothers, or if you happen to be a mother yourself, hopefully you will be showered with love and attention too!

Mother's Day at my house is bittersweet since the loss of my own mother, and for the last six years this holiday has taken on a whole new meaning for me. With each year that passes I realize more and more the huge influence my mother had upon the woman I have become. It was her strength, love, support, and sacrifice that brought me to the place I am today and what has allowed me to be the kind of mother that I hope I've been to my own beautiful children.

Mr. Tide was blessed in the same way with a mother who guided him and gave him the love and support that not only made him a wonderful husband, but an amazing father! I'm thankful to report that my mother in law is in great health, and since the death of my own mother we have grown much closer even though distance keeps us apart. And the love we share is one which I cherish and hope to have for many years to come!

While out taking pictures of the peonies and roses in my yard today I was struck by how much motherhood is like a beautiful blossom. Although we never really know how long each bloom will last, they leave an indelible mark on this world. They bring joy, beauty, and happiness to those who are lucky enough to be surrounded by them. And even as they fade and their petals drift off in the wind, we are much richer to have had their fragrance and joyfulness in our lives, if only for a while!

I made the following video to honor both of our mothers and although lots of tears were shed in its production, I can assure you that there were many more smiles than tears in the end. I'd like to give special thanks to Mr. Tide and his father for all of their help scanning and emailing pictures for me to use in the video! Be sure to turn up the volume before watching the video.

To all of the Mothers in the world who are giving of themselves tirelessly and often thanklessly, I wish you all the Happiest of Mother's Days!!!

The Neverending Vacation

Wednesday was another day filled with scouting shots for magazines, with more to come this afternoon.  I love taking scouting shots, seeing beautiful homes is a definite perk of my job, but not being able to show you all those gorgeous homes until after they get picked up by someone and published is a complete bummer!!!

It's all I can do not to show you these homes that make me giddy when I walk around them!  Both of today's homes were breathtaking, one I had visited before, the other was brand new to me and was as delightful as my friend Susan had described it!

They are both in such amazing settings, right along the water, with views to die for.  And as I snapped away at both the interiors and exteriors of these two homes I had to wonder to myself...if you live in such a beautiful home with heavenly views...do you ever really feel the need to go on vacation?!  Isn't just waking up to those views like being on vacation every day of the year?!

I know that when you live in homes like the ones I photographed today that there are plenty of places besides the beach where you can vacation, but I'll let you judge for yourselves! 

What if your home was a charming, rambling cottage nestled in the woods with a beautiful patio and outdoor shower?

And you could sit on your patio and take in that view?  Or gaze upon the water while taking a bubble bath, or from any room in the house for that matter?

And when you tired of that view you could meander to your front yard and sit on this bench and watch the birds and the deer?

What if you lived in a 4 story house, nearly surrounded by water, and when you woke up each morning you were able to look out at this?

And you could come out here in your PJs and drink a cup of coffee or tea?

Or when you went up to your cupola you were able to stare out at this lovely view?

And when you wanted a change of scenery, you could go to yet another deck and look at this view?

As the sun was setting, maybe you would come out here and sit with a glass of wine and a good book or the latest issue of your favorite magazine?

And then end your day here, with a meal overlooking the water?

So, if those were your views each and every day of the year...would you ever go on vacation?!  I'm not sure I would!!!

Faithful Flip Flops and a Winner

You know how a pair of shoes, a certain t-shirt, a bracelet, or a pair of jeans can become like an old friend?!  Well meet my old friends, the zebra flip flops!  I bought these Reef flip flops over 10 years ago while on vacation at Kiawah Island, South Carolina with Mr. Tide's entire family.  We had gathered on the island for a week of fun in the sun and I decided that I needed a new pair of flip flops to celebrate the occasion!

Now if you've never owned a pair of Reef brand flip flops, let me just tell you that they are WAY comfy, over a decades worth of comfy in fact!  I've worn these on every vacation since that one many years ago.  And they've seen plenty of salt water, sand, and mud right here in my own neck of the woods too!

They are tried and true, and like any good friend they've never let me down!  But it's time to let them go, not to the recycle bin, or that big flip flop heaven in the sky, but it's time they were "stay at home" flip flops.  I know they'll be sad to give up their jet setting life of going to Lowe's and the grocery store, but hey I'll still take them for walks and out in the kayaks.  But they just aren't fit for public consumption anymore so I must say adieu to them for anything other than close friends or blood relative viewing!

Knowing that my funky black and white flip flops were about to retire, I found some new ones while out shopping at Ross last week!  They aren't Reef sandals, but hey I'm a girl who loves a bargain so I picked them up anyway.  I'm sure my kids will make fun of their day-glo yellow color, but then again they made fun of my cool black and white ones too and I still wore them for over 10 years!

They are Natural Sport flip flops by Naturalizer, and they even have Dr. Scholls massaging gel insoles, so what's not to love about that?!

I've already broken these babies in, and they're already a little dirty even after just a few day's wear, but I live in flip flops from April to November if I can get away with it!  Will they last me a decade?!...I don't know, but I'm sure I'll get my money's worth out of them regardless!

Ok, enough talk about my tootsies and flip flops!  It's time to announce the winner of the great book Waterside Cottages by Barbara Jacksier, featuring Brooke Steuart's beautiful beach house!  

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and to all of you who spread the word about this great book!

The winner is the lovely Suzanne of Privet and Holly.  Suzanne and her family lost a beloved family pet today, a wonderful dog named Sasha.  I think sweet Sasha was looking down on the random generator and thought that Suzanne deserved a little something special today!  Suzanne, please email me so that I can get the book sent off to you!

A Little Night Music

Well, I've decided to add a Playlist to my blog.  I placed it near the top and made it so you have to click on it to hear the music should our musical tastes differ greatly!  I'm a bit eclectic when it comes to music, I'm all over the map as a matter of fact with who and what I listen to!  And although my musical tastes vary, I would love to have a vintage radio like the one above to listen to all of my favorite radio stations!  The radio belongs to the homeowners whose beautiful house I showed you in an earlier post.

I often find that having a little background music is food for the soul so I hope that at least one or two of my song choices will be like eating a big 'ole slice of lemon meringue pie, or maybe a hot fudge Sunday!

Enjoy!

Colorful Life

You guys make me smile each and every day.  Your wonderful support and comments brighten even the most hectic and stressful day!   I find so many cool and interesting ideas from you talented folks, I wish there were more hours in the day to try everything you show me! 

Thanks so much for showing the love to my friend Kristin and her blog where she chronicles the life of her family with their 5 biological children and 1 adopted child from Ethiopia!  Your support means the world to her!  And a big thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments about my son's senior prom, he had a wonderful time and I stayed up WAY too late, so Sunday was spent just hanging out and doing a whole lot of nothing!

This venture in to Blogland has been a wild ride full of surprises and wonderful people.  I am amazed at the generosity, support, and general kindness of perfect strangers across continents who reach out to me in ways I never imagined!  And I can't believe that over 300 of you have signed on to follow me, I truly do appreciate each of you, and I hope to continue to bring you posts that will keep you coming back for more!

Today I am supposed to head out to shoot some houses, some for my blog and some are scouting shots for magazines, but the darn weather isn't cooperating!  It's cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms, and without a bounce flash it's not a great time to be taking indoor photos, especially when the location of the house is as gorgeous as the house itself! 

So instead of bringing you a post on houses today, it looks like all I have to show you are these flower shots that I took last weekend!  I do think that the colors found in nature are amazing and each time I see these vibrant colors it makes me want to paint walls, buy new bedding, or simply accessorize with some of these strong pops of color!  I'm working on re-doing our back patio which is in desperate need of a makeover and I can just see it all decked out (no pun intended) with cushions or an umbrella in some of these fabulous colors!

Color is such a great way to add life to a space.  And drawing from nature's color palette for inspiration is something I try to do as often as possible.  The walls in my kitchen are the color of the water just before a storm, when the wind kicks up and gives it that gray/green hue.  And my living and dining room walls remind me of the sand, while my son's deep green bedroom walls are reminiscent of the lichen on the trees after a good hard rain.

And you don't just have to take your color cues from inanimate objects, check out my neighbor's cat Miss Amy Ann.  I think the soft green of her eyes would be a gorgeous color to use somewhere in my house!

I hope your world is full of sunshine and color today!

P.S. Don't forget there is still time to enter my Giveaway! Click HERE to find out more!

Endless Love

When I went to my senior prom it was 1981 and the song to dance to was Endless Love sung by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie!

Saturday night was my son's senior prom, and although I have no clue as to what the "it" slow song of the night may have been, I do know that very little has changed since my prom so many years ago. 

Girls still look beautiful in their flowing gowns, guys still wear tuxes and look ever so handsome, and the night is still a magical one that marks the end of one phase of your life and signals the beginning of another.

Mr. Tide and I made dinner for my son and his lovely date, and three more of his friends for a total of 5 teenagers at our house before the dance.  It was fun seeing these 3 young men dressed to the nines in their elegant tuxedos looking so grown up! I'm so used to seeing them in casual clothes or board shorts ready to head out on the water, hang out and play video games, or watch a movie. 

And both of the girls were visions of loveliness in satin and tulle, hair and make-up perfectly done without being overdone, and looking like models instead of high schoolers!

As the mother of a son, you often don't get to even see the girls since your son normally picks them up at their house, heads to dinner and the dance, and then drops their date off without ever heading back home, so I was really happy when my son agreed to let me fix dinner for everyone!  I had made dinner for my daughter for both her junior and senior proms, and I loved doing it!

So I thought I would share a few pictures of the table, the flowers, and even the corsage.  I decided not to include any of the kid's pictures, because I'm not really sure how comfortable I would be if someone else put my son's face up on the internet without asking first, so I'll just stick with pictures without people in them!

I used my Wedgwood china, I still love this pattern after all of these years!  And of course you can't use china without also using silver!

Crystal always makes any drink taste nicer, and I bought sparkling cider to serve in the wine glasses!

Since their high school colors are blue and white, I went with white table linens.

And then used a simple arrangement of blue delphinium with white fuji mums to complete the blue and white theme!

They had a yummy meal of filet mignon, petite yukon gold potatoes, fresh string beans, and dinner rolls.  And for dessert we had a choice of homemade brownies topped with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries then drizzled with my mother's yummy homemade fudge sauce, a parfait of sherbet, or delicious Hershey pie which three of the kids brought as a gift.  I don't think anyone went away hungry!

And I just had to show you the corsage my dear friend Mrs. M made for my son's date.  Even the box for the corsage was pretty!

His date wore a gorgeous yellow and lavender gown and so Mrs. M ordered roses in the perfect shade of lavender for the corsage!

I can still remember both of my proms, and I have fond memories of those evenings spent dining, dancing, and laughing with my friends.  I hope that in almost 30 years my son and his friends will have those same wonderful memories about their senior prom!

What do you remember about your prom?!

Tres Jolie Giveaway

 The lovely and talented Fifi of Romantic Country Magazine and Chez Fifi Blog is offering her readers the chance to win some wonderful prizes!!!

You can enter to win an antique french heart marker which is aged to perfection!

And along with the beautiful marker you'll also get this wonderful hand painted wooden cherub!  Wouldn't this be wonderful hanging on a wall above a bed to ensure sweet dreams?!

If those two great gifts weren't wonderful enough, you'll also win this wire Tour Eiffel and with two paper flags with the familiar French sentiments, Amour and Bonjour! 

So all of you romantic lovers of everything French head on over to Fifi's beautiful blog by clicking HERE and enter to win!!  Hurry, the giveaway has been extended but it ends Sunday, May 2nd at Midnight!