Danelle M Photography Blog

MAY SNOW DAY

2013-05-01T13:26:00.003-06:00

We were surprised with a snow day today! And yes, you need a lot of snow to get a snow day in Colorado. And yes, it really is May 1.

If you remember last summer's fires, you know that all this snow is a little miracle. You can read more about our May snow day here.

SNOW BIRDS

2013-04-17T10:48:00.000-06:00

I know, I haven't posted here in forever. I'll blame it on the holidays, the busy life of teenagers, and some winter photography blahs. The funny thing is, it's the wintery weather we're having that brought me back!

We've had 14 inches of snow since Monday, with 4-8 still on the way. School got out early Monday, started late Tuesday, and finally today we're having a full-blown snow day! Yesterday when the snow subsided briefly, the trees and bushes out back filled with birds looking for something to eat. There were lots of robins and these beautiful Mountain Bluebirds.....

I LOOKED FOR THE HELPERS AND FOUND TEACHERS

2012-12-17T09:52:00.001-07:00

I don't have any new photographs to share with you today. With the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays, I haven't taken the camera out much the past few weeks. And that's okay. Because I want to share something different with you today anyway. I posted the following on my personal blog Saturday, but wanted to share it again because I know that many of you, like me, struggled with sending your children back to school this morning.

There are no words to express the depth of my sadness over what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary yesterday. If I dwell on it for more than a moment, the tears start to flow. If Facebook is any indication, my gut reaction was the same as many other parents. More than a few questioned whether they could trust other people with their children anymore. Many had a sudden urge to homeschool. Right now, I imagine nearly every parent in America is wondering if the time has finally come to lock their children up at home and throw away the key.

But when I got up this morning and read some of the reports that are emerging of heroic teachers who did everything they could to save the lives of their students, it dawned on me very quickly that I will, in fact, be sending my children back to school on Monday. Because there are still people in this world I trust with my children. And many of them are teachers.

I realized, as a began a frantic search through my photo archives this morning, hoping to find photos of all of my children's teachers, past and present, that with rare exception--every one of them would have done exactly what the teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary did.

Teachers who huddled with their students in bathrooms and closets, whispering words of comfort to frightened children. Telling them they loved them and that everything was going to be okay. Teachers like 27 year-old Victoria Soto, who died shielding her students from the gunman as she tried to usher them into a closet.

Those teachers did for those children exactly what I, as a mother, would have done for my own kids. And I believe that every one of my children's teachers would have done the same thing. I wish, right now, that I had a picture of every single teacher my kids have ever had. Because if you could see them with my kids, maybe you could catch a glimpse, however small, of how much they care about them. Love them even. Not as much as I do, of course. Not even close. But enough that I am willing to put my children's lives in their hands for 6-7 hours a day, 5 days a week, 9 months out of the year.

If the events of 2012 are any indication, our children are in danger of being shot not only at school, but at church, the mall, the movies, and just walking down the sidewalk. And as my children get older, I realize that many of these places are places they will be going without me. And although locking them up and throwing away the key is a tempting solution for keeping them safe, it is not a practical solution.

So I am filled with gratitude today as I realize that of all the places in an often dark and unsafe world where my children will venture without my protection and, heaven forbid, fall into harm's way, school is a place where they are almost certain to be in the hands of loving, caring adults who will do everything in their power to protect them and keep them safe.

The love and concern of a caring adult, someone other than a parent, is a powerful force in the life of a child. I cannot measure the impact it has had on my own children, but I suspect it has been great, judging by the things I hear about their teachers as we drive home from school, or as we chat about the day around the dinner table.

I assure you, I have some opinions about how we could have prevented the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary and what we need to do to make sure it never happens again. Including giving up some of our guns and some of our misconceptions about the mentally ill. But as horrific and heartbreaking as the events in Connecticut are, the influence of marvelous, caring teachers in my children's lives is not on the list of things I am willing to give up just yet.

Perhaps you've seen the sentiment from Fred Rogers that's been makings it's way around Facebook the last few days.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.”

The teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary were most definitely helping, even before the first responders were on the scene, and certainly before the television crews showed up to cover their heroic deeds. We may never really know the many ways they risked their lives to help children that day. Which is one of the reasons I won't be locking my children up or homeschooling them any time soon, at least not because of what happened in Connecticut.

I do not know, I cannot even fathom, what leads someone to kill 26 people, 20 of them children. Most of all, I cannot imagine the anguish that the families of the victims are feeling, or the depth of faith that is required for them to simply carry on.

This is what I do know. That for reasons I don't always understand, horrible, evil things happen to good people, but it doesn't mean that God doesn't love His children. I know that somehow, in ways I also do not understand, Jesus Christ can help people heal from even the most terrible grief and loss. I know that prayer is real and powerful, and that our prayers on behalf of the people of Newtown, Connecticut will somehow be felt and bring a measure of peace, however small. I know, as Mr. Rogers said, that there are still caring people in the world--lots and lots of them.

And I know that when I walk through the halls of my children's schools and look for the helpers, I will find them.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-12-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

It's time once again for Scavenger Hunt Sunday. Here are this week's finds.

{Season}

Tis' the season!

{Colorful}

{Weather}

Snowflakes that fall on my nose and eyelashes.....

{Silhouette}

From this summer's trip to Victoria, B.C.

{Calm}

Bath salts.....so relaxing.

SUNRISE....SUNSET

2012-12-05T11:56:00.002-07:00

We have had some gorgeous sunrises and sunsets nearly every day for the last few weeks. Luckily, I've been able to step outside a few times to capture the beauty.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-12-01T22:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to December! Here are my finds for this week's scavenger hunt prompts.....

{Missing}

Looks like he's really missing whoever left him in the car all alone.

{Numbers}

{Purple}

Do you see it? There's just a bit, in the very bottom of the glass.

{Music}

{Bracelet}

THANKSGIVING

2012-11-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-11-24T21:43:00.003-07:00

Thank goodness for Scavenger Hunt Sunday, or I might not have made an appearance at all this week. But that's what holidays are for, right? Here are my finds for this week's prompts......

{Home/Thankful}

My Thanksgiving table centerpiece. I was so thankful to spend a quiet Thanksgiving at home with my family.

{In the Kitchen}

Technically, this was taken on the back porch. But I made them in the kitchen today.

{Couple}

We put up the Christmas decorations Friday! I absolutely love this nativity.

{Bubbles}
Actually, it's those tiny little beads that swell up like marbles when they get wet. Except they're squishy. What are those called?

{Trees}
The weather has been unseasonably warm, and there is still a touch of Fall in the air.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-11-18T07:27:00.002-07:00

It's time for another Scavenger Hunt Sunday. Here are this week's finds.

{Vision}

{Strong}

{Buttons}

{Map}

{Favorite Fruit}

NURTURE PHOTOGRAPHY FALL PHOTO CHALLENGE: FINALE

2012-11-16T13:49:00.001-07:00

It's definitely starting to feel like Fall is on it's way out.....seems like a good time to wrap up the Fall Photography Challenge.

HELPING HANDS

2012-11-13T18:28:00.003-07:00

I rarely, if ever, post anything here that isn't photography related. But today I'm making an exception. Because every time disaster strikes, anywhere in the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is there to help. And sometimes people don't hear much about it.

Thousands of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continue to volunteer to assist in the recovery efforts within the communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. On Sunday, November 11th, thousands of Mormons cancelled their church services and arrived by air, bus and train from all across the country to help.

Whatever your beliefs may be, this is a wonderful example of making a difference. Like the gentleman in the video says, “You feel like giving up and then all of a sudden there’s someone standing there saying, ‘hey, come on, let’s go’ and you’re like, ‘wow…it’ll be okay.’” Sometimes that's all it takes to help someone carry on.

I know we're all busy, and you probably think you don't have 8 minutes to spare right now. But I promise, it's 8 minutes that will touch your heart and make you want to be a better person.

Share this video with any friends and family that might be able to help the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Not only at the Rockaways, but Staten Island, Long Island, and New Jersey. The church is coordinating the efforts, but anyone (both Mormon and non Mormon) is welcome to come and help.

You can learn more about the Mormon Helping Hands program here, and you can learn about worldwide humanitarian relief efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here, including programs to provide clean water, measles vaccinations, disaster relief, vision treatment, and wheelchairs to people in need around the world.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-11-10T22:43:00.001-07:00

It's time for another Scavenger Hunt.....

{Nature}

{Vintage or Retro}

{Whimsical}

{Cooking}

Technically this is a no-bake pie. But you should definitely make it. Right now! Seriously. It was amazing! You can find the recipe here on my food blog.

{Week's Best}

NURTURE PHOTOGRAPHY FALL PHOTO CHALLENGE: BROWN

2012-11-10T09:14:00.001-07:00

I've had so much going on lately, I almost forgot about posting my brown photos for this week's challenge. I actually really like brown, although I'm sure it often gets a bad rap as being a dull and boring color. I disagree!

FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT

2012-11-09T10:22:00.002-07:00

About three weeks ago, I set out with the lofty goal of taking my own family's portraits. There is always at least one moment (usually more) when I wonder why I didn't just hire someone to do it for me. It does get easier as my kids get older though. The key is to take a lot of shots, so you end up with at least one where everyone has their eyes open and a smile on their face.

In the end, I was pretty happy with the way things turned out.

Aren't these boys handsome?

My 12 year-old has shown the most interest in photography of my three boys, so I let him have a shot at photographing his parents. I'd say he did a pretty good job (with some editing by me, of course). The pose was his dad's idea!

Like I said, I was pretty happy with the way these turned out. I think family pictures are so important, even if they are sometimes difficult. I can't say it's something we accomplish on a yearly basis, but when we do accomplish it, I breathe a huge sigh of relief!

THIS AND THAT

2012-11-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

I confess, photography has taken a back seat this week. Something about the impending holiday season has put me into a crafting and cooking frenzy. I think I've used more hot glue this week than I have in the previous 5 years combined. I'm sure Pinterest has something to with it. So many ideas and recipes to try, so little time!

My family has graciously eaten all of my Thanksgiving test recipes this week. I've been trying new things in the hopes of sharing some new recipes on my food blog before the holidays. The latest....this delicious baked pumpkin French toast with cinnamon whipped cream.

Since I haven't taken a lot of pictures this week, I'm sharing a few very random photos that I took at the outdoor market a few weeks ago, and am just now getting around to editing.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-11-03T21:47:00.001-06:00

It's the "fall back" edition of Scavenger Hunt Sunday. I know everyone is really looking forward to the extra hour of sleep, but honestly, I dread the night we set our clocks back an hour. Because I have a food blog, and it's so hard to get good shots of my dinner when it gets dark at 5:00 pm. Ha ha! Spoken like a true photographer, right?

Now, on with the hunt.....

{Wild}

Well, sort of wild. This golden eagle is part of a raptor rehabilitation program at the local university. He has an injured wing. Otherwise I could have never gotten this close.

{Welcome}

Although not a very enthusiastic welcome, is it?

{Adventure}

Spotted this hot air balloon at an early morning soccer game.

{Vibrant}

{Classic}

NURTURE PHOTOGRAPHY FALL PHOTO CHALLENGE: PURPLE

2012-11-02T09:36:00.002-06:00

This week's purple photos come to you courtesy of the farmers market. It's such a colorful place!

RESIDENT ROBIN

2012-10-30T20:16:00.001-06:00

Every year about this time, a certain robin moves into our crabapple tree. At least, I'm pretty sure it's the same robin every year, judging by his size. Honestly, he's the fattest robin I've ever seen. Maybe it's all the crabapples.

And yes, that's snow you see in the pictures. We got about 4 inches over the weekend. But we were back up in the 70's today, so it's gone for now.

And speaking of weather, thoughts and prayers are with all of my friends on the East coast.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-10-27T20:47:00.001-06:00

It's time for Scavenger Hunt Sunday. Here are my finds for this week's prompts.

{Patterns}

An old Parcheesi board.

{Machine}

I took this one last month at the car show.

{Signs}

{Rocks/Stones}

I couldn't resist using this prompt for a little Instagram tribute to my wonderful town, Fort Collins, Colorado. This week it ranked #1 on Livability's Top Downtowns of 2012 list. I love the historic old buildings and all of the cobblestone walkways. Even the alleys are beautiful.

{Sparkle}

NURTURE PHOTOGRAPHY FALL PHOTO CHALLENGE: RED

2012-10-25T21:18:00.002-06:00

This week the theme for Nurture Photography's Fall photo challenge is red. It's been my favorite color for as long as I can remember.....no matter the season. We don't see a lot of red in Colorado this time of year though. Mostly yellow, with a few splashes of orange and red mixed in. So I went with another Fall favorite. Apples--of all shapes and sizes--with a few berries thrown in for good measure.

VINTAGE BIKES

2012-10-24T08:45:00.001-06:00

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-10-20T22:40:00.002-06:00

{Pink}

I shared a few photos of this plant earlier in the week. I still don't know what it is, but I was definitely surprised to find it amongst all the Fall colors.

{Faceless Portrait}

{View From the Top}

{Cozy}

He looks cozy to me. In fact, I think he's made of cozy!

{Stacked}

Spotted this stack of books at the vintage market today. I made sure to get out to all the markets with my camera today, because outdoor market season will soon be coming to an end in Colorado.

NURTURE PHOTOGRAPHY FALL PHOTO CHALLENGE: ORANGE

2012-10-18T20:15:00.003-06:00

Orange....it's such a great color, isn't it?

SOMETHING PINK

2012-10-17T13:29:00.001-06:00

I don't know the name of these pretty plants, but I was certainly suprised to see something pink when I went out to shoot fall leaves the other day. It was like finding a little bit of spring in the middle of October.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY

2012-10-13T19:35:00.001-06:00

Time for another Scavenger Hunt Sunday. Here are this week's finds.

{Water}

{Faithfulness}

One of my favorite quotes.

{Then & Now}

{Fingertips}

{Bucket List}

I chose "make cookies" from the Sarah's Fall Bucket List. I have been trying forever to make pumpkin cookies that actually taste like cookies instead of little pumpkin cakes, or muffin tops. And I finally succeeded! The secret? Use the pumpkin in place of the eggs. That's right, no eggs. And they are really yummy. I've posted the recipe here.