Today I have a few pictures to share with you from a trip to the zoo. I was able to go with my friend Miss Charlene to a special activity for young adults. It it an honor to interpret for her. (She is deaf.)

I loved how these shots came out of the flamingo and giraffe. The giraffe is my favorite animal. Also below is a photo of a dragonfly I spied while on a walk with my children. We always take the camera with us on our walks and we always find something educational on our treks.

Do you snap shots while you’re out for your walks?

How often do you find something educational while you’re out?

I post a field trip series at my blog called “Field Trip Foto Friday”. Since I’m on my way out of town this weekend and don’t have time to do something new, I thought I would share a re-run with you of one of my favorite field trips we took last school year (this past April). A wonderful thing about these pictures are that they were taken with my new Canon 40D in the deep darkness of a cave! Caves are awesome places - one of my favorite places to visit. There’s just nothing quite like the quiet, moist, cool cave scene. I’m a spelunker at heart.

Enjoy!

Only sixty short minutes from the St. Louis Arch is the buried underground cave where Jessie James once hid from authorities. His ’strong box’ safe (from the train robbery at Gadshill, Missouri) and a few of his rifles still remain in the cave. Even farther back in history, the Meramec Cave (nicknamed “America’s favorite cave”) was a source of saltpeter (potassium nitrate) used in manufacturing gunpowder.

The Confederate troops destroyed a Union held gunpowder facility inside the cave in 1864. The cavern was called “Saltpeter Cave” and its largest room, “The Ballroom”, was used as a dance hall through the late 1800’s and in to the early 1900’s by locals.

Later in 1933, a cave fanatic named Lester Dill discovered the ‘upper levels’ in the cave. The upper rooms hold the cave’s most unique and prized formations, including the “Stage Curtain” (which is some 70 feet of ‘cave drapery’). [This room was used for political gatherings, musical concerts, gospel meetings and more. You'll get to listen to music and see a colorful light show in the "Theater Room" today when you tour the cave. Apparently, Meramec is still inspiring musicians today.]

After the discovery of another room containing artifacts traceable to the infamous James, the cave gained national attention and became a popular stop on America’s Route 66. Bumper stickers, barns and billboards led the way for stage coaches and motor cars and a tourist attraction was born.

Interestingly, the cave used to allow drive-in viewings and formations were broken off to be sold in the gift store. We got to see a few of these broken formations and their agate-like banded insides on our visit.

Some of the oldest black and white postcards of this time are still available to buy when you visit, although you won’t be able to take home any stalagmites or stalactites any more!

The cave has a wonderful list of formations (”speleothems”): flowstone, soda straws (also called spaghetti), columns, draperies, bacon, popcorn, shelfstone, and botryoids to name a few. The “Wine Table” formation in the cave is one of only two known ragonites (the other apparently is in Italy somewhere). Ragonite formations are the most rare cave formations in the world.

Meramec Cavern was my favorite part of the trip from Texas to Michigan and back. It was our only fun stop on our long drive to Arkansas from St. Louis on day 6 of our Robofest vacation. We got there just after they had been flooded and remodeled.

Not only was the gift store fun, the cave a delight, and the ranger knowledgeable, but they had a diner - and we just happened to be hungry for lunch.

I wish that I had taken a tape recorder with us when we went in to the cave. The icing on the cake for this field trip was the fact that we had a PRIVATE tour led by one of the rangers who has been at the cave for more than ten years.

Our cave ranger was even featured on one of their postcards. He was amazed at how much my son already knew about cave formations and geology (Kaden’s favorite reading topic besides bugs).

Not only did we have the ranger’s complete attention, but we got to do a lot of things that most visitors don’t get to do… like hold Jesse James’ rifles, take extra time exploring and taking photos, and enjoy an extra “moment of complete darkness”! I love it when they turn the lights out in the cave. I’m just crazy like that! Cave darkness is darkness and quiet you can ‘feel’.

If Missouri was a bit closer to Texas, I would certainly go back to Meramec as often as we could afford the trip. Even though it wasn’t the cheapest of attractions, it certainly was the most fun on our Route 66 jaunt. My son spent his twenty dollars from Grandma in the gift store there on a wooden gun, and my daughter bought a few things as well. We spent a little extra time lingering at the caverns and ended up getting to Arkansas just before midnight… but the detour was certainly worth it. Meramec holds a special spot in our little spelunking hearts. We hope that gas prices don’t deter travelers from being able to visit, and those who are traveling by take the time to re-discover this burried Route 66 treasure.

Quick Links:
Meramec Caverns’ Official Site
All about Caves (the virtual cave)
The previous day from our Longest Field Trip Ever

Love in Him,

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

This week I get to share a picture I took in my neighborhood one day. In my homeschool I get to study photography. My mom, Sisterlisa, lets me use her camera and I hope to have my own someday. I love taking pictures of flowers and pets. This wheel barrel is in a neighbor’s yard and it makes me feel at home to see this picture. Do pictures ever make you feel like you’re happy, relaxed, or like you’re in another country?

I used the macro setting on this picture, and I focused in until the auto focus gave a sharp look to the barrel and the background became blurred just a bit.

I like when I can focus on something like that. My mom says that we will be able to frame this photo in our home. Do your children study photography?

I adore snapping shots of beautiful flowers every spring and summer. Many times I’ll take my camera with me as I’m running errands and actually stop alongside the road to capture a gorgeous bloom. I’ve even stopped to get a shot of flowers in a restaurants parking lot! Anywhere there are flowers, my kids know I’m going to stop. It’s gotten to the point where my children will shout at me to stop because they see a perfect scenic spot for mom to get a photo that can be used on her blogs. ;O)

Yellow is a flower I am naturally drawn to. Yellow brings me happiness and warmth and stopping to smell the roses, or just to take a picture of them brings a peace into my soul. I am so thankful that the Lord gave us flowers! What a beautiful way for us to remember that god loves us! He didn’t have to make flowers so beautiful yet he did. He could have made them with pollen and without the color and variety, yet He chose to create so many different kinds of flowers and I really believe that it was part of His plan to show us that He loves us. These Black Eyed Susan flowers are wide open and shows me they’re incredible strength and trust in the Lord that they are protected. The pollen is easy to get to for a busy bee or butterfly and gives such a welcoming feeling. I know that I will be planting them one day if I ever do get a chance to move to a new home. Right now we aren’t able to due to space limitations, but I still take every moment I have to get a picture of the ones my neighbors have. ;O)

Another flower that shows the same friendliness is this coneflower. While it’s leaves take a more downward trek, some may say this flower is a little sad, yet it’s in such a way that still draws me to this gorgeous gift from God. The colors remind me of the sunset that the Lord allows me to see from time to time. You would think that with their spiney center that a bee wouldn’t be able to get any pollen from it, but quite the contrary; the bees love this flower! I still receive a happy feeling when I see this bloom, yet it’s in a more subtle peaceful manner than the Black Eyed Susan.

I really believe that flowers play a great part in our emotions and maybe that’s why we enjoy receiving them from our loved ones. One more flower I’d like to share with you is one of my absolute favorites, the sunflower! There was a time when my husband and I were apart and we agreed upon the sunflower as being the flower that reminds us of our love for one another. My husband would regularly stop along the highway just to pick a sunflower for me. This sunflower I found one day as it was hiding under a neighbors awning. Partially in the shade this flower was still quite healthy, yet due to the weight of the seeds growing within it’s head it somehow made me feel like it was pouting. I don’t know how much weight each sunflower can bear, but this one flower looked like it was bearing as much as it could handle. There are times when we feel the weight of our burdens and maybe there are moments of discouragement when you feel like you just can’t handle the load. Yet in God’s eyes, when we persevere He sees such great beauty in us.

What kind of a flower are you? Can you think of a flower that has brought you peace, happiness, joy, or love? What was it about the flower that made you feel that way?

Have you ever purchased flowers for yourself just because that bouquet kept calling your name? What drew you to those flowers?

What else do you see in my flowers?

While we were on vacation this month, we spent some time working on Aunt Susan’s patio garden. Some asked me how it came out so I thought I’d share the pictures during my Foto Friday. Aunt Susan lives on a small lake and her living room sliding glass door opens to see a view of the lake. She has two areas to have flowers in, as you see below.

She had chosen this old chest of drawers from a yard sale to use just for displaying flowers in her yard. She liked the vintage look of the dresser and had it sealed to protect from water. She likes that the paint has peeled back giving it that older look. My father-in-law, who my children adoringly call Poppop, drilled holes in the bottom of plastic boxes and placed them into the drawers. These serve as the pots for these tiny gardens.

For the hot dry climate in their city, we had to purchase plants that can resist the heat and withstand not being watered every day. The most ideal choice is cacti. However, Aunt Susan likes a nice cactus, she doesn’t prefer to have ALL cacti, so we found some various flowering succulents as well.

As you can see it was a bright sunny day and no flash was needed while taking these pictures. While these photos aren’t the kind I would submit to a contest, I do enjoy the colors seen in these snapshots. The brilliant blue of the lake is quite stunning. We did have some cloudy mornings while we were there and I noticed that those mornings would not have been good for photographs of the lake. The water reflects what is in the sky. When you are taking pictures with water in the shot, you’ll get a much better photograph is the sky is blue or even during a sunset when the colorful glow of the sun setting casts hues of pinks and oranges on the waters surface.

Although this shot wasn’t taken by me, we can thank sxc.hu for this free image. You can see how the reflection of the sunrise creates a beautiful reflection in the water. Sometimes photographers will rise early in the morning to catch a shot like this. The wise photographer will take hundreds of shots during 5 to 10 minutes of the sun rising or setting.

You’d be amazed at how different and unique each shot is. Even making a water reflection photo into black & white has a special attraction, as you see here. (photo features Lady Jess and Master Timothy) Do you have any photos of reflections from a body of water that you’d like to share? Please leave a link to a post from your own blog so we may enjoy the photos with you. :O)

You may have noticed that many of the authors on this site are avid amateur photographers and share lots of tips, interviews, and programs related to photography. It’s easy to get excited about programs like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, and then you do a little research and see the hefty pricetags these powerhouse programs carry. Ouch!

I feel your pain, and guess what: the companies that make these programs do, too. You may not realize it, but as an educator you can get serious discounts on all kinds of software, including Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Corel Painter X.

Two popular academic discount distributors are Academic Superstore and JourneyEd.com. Here are examples of discounts on popular titles:

Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium: $594.95 (save $1205.00)
Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 with FREE 2GB Flash Drive: $249.98 (save $449.00)
Adobe Photoshop Elements: $64.95 (save $35.04)
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2: $99.98 (save $199.00)

Many computer programs are more affordable than you think, if you take advantage of the discounts that are available to us as homeschoolers. Happy shopping!

---

I would also like to give a plug for GodlyHost web hosting. The HSBA site is now hosted there and we have had such a wonderful experience working with Paul. If you’re interested in privately hosting your WordPress blog, I would highly recommend this company.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

I am really excited about this week’s Foto Friday interview. As an amateur photographer, Donna Boucher is an inspiration to me. Let’s get to know this homeschooling amateur photographer extraordinaire!

Me: Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My husband of 27 years and I have four children ages ranging from 25 to 8 years old.
I like just about everybody and everything and I’m easily amused ;o)
I have loved photography most of my life.
I think of photography as the most accessible of art forms.

One year ago I bought a digital SLR camera when I saw Ree’s beautiful photographs on thepioneerwoman.com website.

I was totally surprised when she wrote me and asked if I would help her write tutorials for her website. I love sharing what I have learned and I love having a place to talk about something I love so much.

Me: Photography at The Pioneer Woman is an art form. I love the tutorials there!

How long have you been blogging? Homeschooling?

I have been blogging at www.booshay.blogspot.com for nearly five years. I started blogging to encourage young women to love their husbands and children in the spirit of Titus 2.

I have been homeschooling for 14 years. Wow.
My boys were home for a few years, my daughter Emma went from K-12 and Katie is in 2nd grade, currently.

Me: Wow! You have been blogging and homeschooling for quite some time.

You take amazing pictures! What kind of camera do you use?

I have a Nikon D80.
Two lenses.
50mm 1.8
17-55mm 2.8

Me: This is the same camera that I now own and the reason I love your photos and tutorials - you make me believe that I can do that, too.

What are your favorite photo editing programs?

I like both Lightroom and Photoshop CS3.
My goal is to shoot nearly perfect straight out of camera.
But that rarely happens.

Me: Approximately what percentage of your photos do you enhance with photo editing software?

90% edited.
It may be just a sharpen or a lightening or a contrast.

Me: What are your favorite things to photograph?

People especially my little girl. She is my muse.
Landscapes and Cities. You know Paris for instance.

Me: Do you have any tips for composing better shots?

Notice your surroundings. What is in the background?
Are there shadows on the faces? Is the light abundant and pretty?

Me: What is a simple, “anyone can do it” trick for enhancing photos on your computer? Can you show us an example?

Anyone can learn to find the light! Look for the light in your subjects eyes.

[Donna says, "This shot I think anyone can do. I know that the light in my garage is really sweet. So I take a lot of picture in my garage :o) Make sure you are exposing your shot well (enough light) and focus and shoot with a steady hand."]

Me: Now show us something fancy – impress us!!

Backlighting

Me: That’s awesome! I love the glow on top of her head. When I aim people towards the sun I tend to get a lot of squinty eyes.

Do you have any photos that are your particular favorites?

[Donna says, "I took this in Paris a few weeks after I bought my camera. It remains one of my favorites. I shot it on Auto."]

Me: Donna, now I don’t feel so bad about still being in auto modes with my new camera. Thank you for teaching and inspiring your readers!

What is your best advice for an amateur photographer like myself?

Learn all about your camera.
Go out and practice every single day.

I promise you will improve!

Me: Thanks, Donna, for a wonderful and informative interview. Didn’t y’all love it? Visit Donna at Quiet Life and Pioneer Woman Photography.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

Photography is such a fun hobby and in our home we consider this digital visual art. We use a digital camera and spend a few days a week walking through our neighborhood and local parks taking advantage of the beautiful world God gave us. I used to make photo invitations and announcements for friends and family, but I kept running into the copyright law with some of my clients photographers. That’s when I decided it was time for me to learn on my own.

I found BetterPhoto.com and started reading through their message board to learn more about how to get my shots to look more professional. Then I became a bit more brave and decided it was time to attempt their free contest. I began uploading and entering one photo a day into their contest, which has several categories to choose from.

It was so encouraging to see people commenting on my photos! The support and encouragement from the other photographers was awesome. Some are professionals, others simply hobbyists having fun like I was. My daughter, Moni, became interested as well and we opened her an account so she could enter her work as well. We were both so excited when we both received several Editor’s Picks and even placed in the next round as Finalists.

When we began to homeschool, we incorporated photography into our ‘art studies’ and I saw Moni soar in her talent! We decided to open our own Homeschool Photography Club at BetterPhoto.com so that parents and children together can explore photography in a safe environment. We’d love to have you join us at Home School Photo, so come on by and open your free account at BetterPhoto.com and request to join us.

Now on to my Foto for this Friday, I took this shot last summer as we were enjoying a drive through the orchard neighborhoods just outside of town.

I used the standard setting on my digital camera with a flash at a distance and I was even sitting in the driver’s seat when I took this shot out the passenger window.

Tips:

-Read your camera’s owners manual. If you lost it you can try your camera brand’s website to see if it’s available online or call their 1-800 number to get one.

-Take shots of the same subjects in morning light and sunset light. For ex: a flower in your yard. You’ll get different effects from the different times of day.

Vocabulary:

Aperature: an opening, usually circular, that limits the quantity of light that can enter an optical instrument.

Focus: the position of a viewed object or the adjustment of an optical device necessary to produce a clear image.

Macro: excessively developed.

Fun Assignment:

Some cameras have a macro setting which is usually indicated by a small tulip or flower icon. When you use this setting you can focus in on an object and while the object becomes crisp, the background will be out of focus. Practice using this setting and use your zoom to come in and out on the object until you get your desired effect. Then try the same shot on your standard setting, without using macro or zoom. Compare your photos and you’ll see the difference.

We’d love to see what your findings so be sure and come back to let us know. You can post your assignment on your blog and bring us the link.

You can view some of our fun photos here:

Dawn

Sprittibee

Sisterlisa

Miss Amanda

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

This week I heard about a new online photo storage and editing program, Adobe Photoshop Express Beta (”beta” means that it’s still in the testing stage). In my experience Adobe products are always first-rate, so I decided to sign up for a free account and see what - if anything - makes Adobe Photoshop Express different from other photo storage and sharing programs like Photobucket or Picasa Web Albums.

Here’s a shot of the user interface, clean and easy to navigate:

“Free Online Software Brings Photoshop Technology to Anyone Taking Digital Photos”

I’ll bet that headline from the Adobe Press Release caught your eye! Here is where Adobe Photoshop Express stands apart from the photo storage crowd: online editing tools. We’re not just talking about cropping and red eye reduction, either.

Take a look at the editing screen. You get a large preview of your image as you test different editing techniques:

Here’s a closeup of those editing options:

Here are examples of what I was able to do with my photo using various Adobe Photoshop Express options.

Adjust highlight, fill light, sharpen, pop color:

Adjust hue:

Black and white:

Sketch:

This is only a sample of the photo editing power in this online service; for every technique demo I’ve given you, there were multiple additional options available.

While Adobe Photoshop Express is capable of editing exposure, saturation, and white balance, it can also perform the most commonly used photo editing techniques such as cropping, rotating, red-eye removal, and touch-ups. Once your image is ready, you can link, embed, email, or download it.

If you’re looking for a service with more than the usual photo storage and sharing options, look no further than Adobe Photoshop Express.

[At the time of publication there is a limit of 2GB storage; only JPEG images are accepted, and the service is open to U.S. residents only.]

↑ Grab this Headline Animator