The Fruits of Our Labors

This year we were fortunate to plant a garden for the first time! It was hard work, but very very rewarding. We just have a little plot of ground in front of our four-plex. When we moved in, it was all grown over with grass and weeds. It took a lot of sweat and tools to get it all pulled out. The soil was better for making pots than vegetables, so we had to sift out chunks of clay and add clay buster. We added seeds, water and time, and voila, a garden!

Our harvest included: many nice green onions, some small white onions, some withered green beans, a plethora of beautiful and tasty tomatoes, a couple stunted carrots, one little head of lettuce, and a variety of squash (acorn, zucchini, winter, and spaghetti) that turned out very strange because they cross-pollinated with each other.


While our harvest was sometimes a little disappointing, we learned a lot and loved watching it grow. We already have a plan for next spring.

Meet Carl and Ellie Fredricksen

Kelly and I had a good Halloween. We went with Julie to Amy and Steve Collier's for dinner and a movie. We like using Kelly's theater make-up skills and we have acting in character together. If you don't know who Carl and Ellie Fredricksen are, watch the Pixar movie titled "UP" (it comes out on DVD this month).

SolidWorks Flashlight

This is a flashlight I have been working on for the last few weeks. I am slowly learning how to use SolidWorks. It is a lot of fun but can be very frustrating because you can pretty much build anything in it then send the file to a manufacturer and they can make the real thing from the file (it capable of doing so much that learning it is very difficult).

(Follow this link to see other examples of things built in SolidWorks http://www.solidworksgallery.com/index.php?category=photoview-360-images)

Marker Render

This semester we are also learning how to render with marker and in Photoshop. This was my first marker rendering assignment. It is the front view of 4 bottles/containers. It has been a lot of fun learning how to use this medium to portray form and surface change. Now we are working with tablets and stylis (computer monitors you can draw on with a special tool). Hopefully I will render something well enough to post here.

Photography Class

So I am taking a photography class and I really enjoy it, check out this one of a Lego.


Ok, how many of you really thought this was a photo? It looks pretty real huh? This is a detailed lego (without the logo on the pegs) that I made in a 3-D software called solid works and I rendered it in a sister software called photoview. I am just learning how to use them and it is so fun. When I build something really cool I will post it.

Fav Reunion Pics Pt. 1

Thanks to Aaron for taking these photos!
Having fun at Castle Park.
Amy is so photogenic.
Sisters, sisters...
A handsome man and his wife and a cute niece and handsome nephew.

"Guess Who!" Contest

Who can tell us who these people are? The person who can figure out who all 4 of these people are first will get a prize at the family reunion. If you know where and when this photo was taken you'll get a bonus prize. For 2nd and 3rd place tell us who the small child reminds you of the most.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

A purchase may improve your chance of winning. Void where prohibited, taxed or otherwise restricted by law. Subject to all federal, state and local laws. Contestants may enter as many times as they like but for an entry to count it must include names of persons featured, your full name, and relevant information including your credit card number and information. This Blogger reserves the right to disqualify entries that contain “inappropriate” content as described in its Terms of Service and FAQ.

This contest is open to all legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia, and U.S. Military personnel (except those persons featured in this photo contest) with APO/FPO addresses, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older. Participation in this contest constitutes entrant's full and unconditional acceptance of these Official Rules.

WHO CAN'T PARTICIPATE?

This contest is open to all legal residents of the United States and District of Columbia, U.S. Military personnel (except those persons featured in this photo contest) with APO/FPO addresses, Alaska and Hawaii, who are eighteen (18) years of age or older (void in Puerto Rico). Participation in this contest constitutes entrant's full and unconditional acceptance of these Official Rules.