Leftovers

So, I'm almost always faced with this same dilemma whenever I fix beans and rice of what to do on the third day when there really isn't enough left for a full meal. In the past, I've tried extending the dish by adding onion, sweet pepper, and even corn. This time, however, I tried diced tomatoes with very pleasant results. 

Can't exactly say the same for the photo. Somehow I've got to figure out a way to provide better light over my stove. The two tiny halogen lamps in the hood above have the effect of spotlighting portions of what I'm photographing and leaving the rest in the dark. So I'm thinking the only solution is to set up some kind of additional studio-like lighting.

Maple Mustard Salmon

Tried my hand a couple of nights ago at a salmon glaze made of stone-ground mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice (with zest), garlic and thyme. I was eager to use up some of the maple syrup someone gave to me for Christmas and to see if I could shoot this photo at ISO 100. The latter worked, but required an exposure taking a full 13 seconds! I at first thought maybe my shutter was stuck. :-)

Packard

Seeing this was like stepping into a movie set in the 1930s.

Bricks

'Tis the Season

Williamsburg, Virginia

Construction Zone

The Greensprings architects (aka beavers) have been re-imagining the swamp. You can see their most recent handiwork in the dam to the left. Their HQ, if you will, is in the background to the right. 

They've been at this job all winter, chopping down trees, hauling them to the construction site, putting them in place, all with the seeming blessings of our local authorities who evicted them from their original work site after their endeavors apparently threatened the integrity of a popular foot bridge. 

Viola Swamp

 

When I saw this photo I took of Greensprings again this morning, I couldn't help but think of a character out of a series of children's books I used to read to my children. Miss Nelson (aka Viola Swamp) was a substitute teacher. Viola Swamp was a strict substitute teacher who always instilled order in a class full of rambunctious kids whenever Miss Nelson, the class' regular teacher, was away. So much so that the children always looked forward to Miss Nelson's return.

I personally can't ever remember a substitute teacher like "the Swamp". For me, it was always the other way around. It was the regular teacher who brought order out of the chaos the substitute teacher left behind. As an older adult, I now have a deeper appreciation for all that teachers, regular and substitute, have to go through to educate our children. As they say, if you can read this blog, thank a teacher! :-)