Welcome! Please stay and browse awhile. Each of these images represents a special moment to me, and Im delighted when others enjoy them. If youd like to contact me about any of my photographs feel free to leave a comment.
- ABSTRACTS IN NATURE
These images are, for the most part, captured in the camera, using multiple exposure settings or the technique of moving the camera or lens in specific ways while the shutter is open. A few are reflections or achieved with the Orton effect, which is done by combining sharp and blurred versions of the same image with digital software.
- ABSTRACTS/SPECIAL EFFECTS
- ARCHITECTURE/ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS
- ASSAWOMAN BAY STATE WILDLIFE AREA, DE
These photos were taken in mid August in or near a most interesting wildlife area between South Bethany and Fenwick Island in Delaware near Bethany Beach.
- BALTIMORE HARBOR - MAY 2010
- BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE - SPRING 2009
Located near Cambridge, Maryland, this beautiful refuge is a photographer's delight. These photos were taken on a Montgomery County sponsored Meadowlark Nature Center field trip.
- BLACKWATER, CHINCOTEAGUE, ASSATEAGUE AND PRIME HOOK NWRs
I returned to Chincoteague with two photography friends for a three-day trip in November of 2011. The snow geese hadn't made their appearance yet, but we found plenty of other wildlife to shoot and made our first trip up to the Assateague end of the park and stopped for an evening at Prime Hook on the way home.
- BOMBAY HOOK, CHINCOTEAGUE, AND BLACKWATER REVISITED
In November 2009, a group from the Gaithersburg Camera Club headed to Chincoteague, a favorite destination. My friend Loan and I included Bombay Hook and Blackwater NWRs in our weekend trip as well. The music is by Kevin MacLeod.
- BRIGHTON DAM SPRING DISPLAY
- BROOKSIDE GARDENS
We are most fortunate to have an outstanding public garden Montgomery County, Maryland. Brookside Gardens celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009 and the spring display was particularly beautiful.
- BROOKSIDE GARDENS - REVISITED
- BUTTERFLIES
- CADES COVE IN OCTOBER
Some views from a 2009 visit to the Smoky Mountain's famous attraction, Cade's Cove. You will see lots of experimentation with High Dynamic Range HDR effects--some natural, some more "painterly"-- and digital effects filters. Once the site of pioneer homes and farms, this is a popular tourist destination.
- CHILDHOOD/PEOPLE
- CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND and BLACKWATER NWR
These photos were taken on a camera club trip in mid November 2006, a great bird watching time of year and just a few days before the Assateague lighthouse closed for renovations.
- COLOR and LINE, CRITTERS and CLOUDS -- SEA AND DISNEY WORLD PARKS -- ORLANDO, FLORIDA
- CRACKLE GLASS ABSTRACTS
These macro images are sections of small crackle glass pitchers, which were positioned along a window sill on a spring morning.
- CREATURES
- DAVIS, WEST VIRGINIA
In October of 2011 I joined Nikhil Bahl's West Virginia photography workshop for 4 days. We stayed in the Blackwater Falls State Park Lodge, made early morning trips to Dolly Sods, Spruce Knob Lake, and the Canaan Valley, and shot in the evenings at the lodge's Elakala Falls, Lindy Point, and Pendleton Overlook. (See www.nikhilbahlphotography.com) Here are a few images from what was a truly wonderful experience. The music that plays along with the slide show is by Kevin MacLeod.
- DOWNS PARK, PASADENA, MD
This spacious park, on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay, offers a variety of subjects on a sunny morning ...
- ELLICOTT CITY, MARYLAND
Here are a few images from a late afternoon walk around the old town section of Ellicott City on a warm day in early April. The "painterly" interpretations have been created with the help of a variety of Topaz digital filters and the red and white abstract appeared after several applications of Photoshop's Polar Coordinates filter.
- FLOWERS/PLANT LIFE
- FRANCISCAN MONASTERY, WASHINGTON DC
According to their website, "the Monastery of Mount St. Sepulchre, designated a National Historic Site in 1991, has been a place of worship and pilgrimage for thousands of visitors since the church's dedication in 1899." These photos were taken on two visits to the grounds during the springs of 2008 and 2010.
- FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND
Covered bridges, rural countryside, wooded parkland, Civil War battlefields and an historic old town center make Frederick County a natural draw for photographers. This group includes photos taken at different times of the year and many are the result of experimenting with high-dynamic-range exposure-combining software.
- FREDERICK, MARYLAND
The Frederick "old town" section offers lots of photographic opportunities. These are from an April photo shot with some photographer friends.
- HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK, Alexandria, Virginia
- LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS, MONKTON MD
The Pleasant Valley Farm was purchased in 1929 and renovated and expanded by a bon vivant Anglophile with a love of the hounds and foxhunting, an avid collector of art and home furnishings related to his interests, and a self-taught gardener. Harvey Ladew first saw topiary on a trip to England in the 1920s, and once the expansion of Pleasant Valley house was completed in 1937, he turned his attention to creating garden "rooms" throughout the grounds, using the art of topiary in nearly all of them. Ladew Gardens is now a self-incorporated historical landmark and a wonderful place to visit. The topiary pruning is done once a year, according to a docent who leads house tours (no photography is permitted inside), so probably even better times to visit are in the spring and fall. These photos were taken in nearly record-breaking hot weather, in between blooming periods. See www.ladewgardens.com for more information.
- LAKE FRANK, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD
Some favorite views of a reservoir I am fortunate to have within walking distance. I'll be adding to this album off an on. Apologies for all the Color and Cloud versions, but that was a spectacular morning I may not be lucky enough to see again.
- MCKEE-BESHERS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
Located on River Road in Western Montgomery County, Maryland, McKee-Beshers WMA is a 2,000-acre tract in a mixture of woodlands, fields, wooded bottomland and managed wetland impoundments (green-tree reservoirs). The WMA shares a common boundary with the National Park Service Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to the south and borders Seneca Creek State Park, a 1,200-acre public hunting area, on the east. A large section of the tract is planted with sunflowers every year.
(The three heron photos at the end of the group were taken at another location along the Potomac River.)
- MONOCHROME
- NATIONAL ZOO VIPS
Local zoos are an amateur photographer's paradise...You just never know what you might see...
- SCENICS - Various Locations
- SHENANDOAH
These were taken in White Oak Canyon during a drizzly May morning on a photography workshop with Joseph Rossbach.
- SNOWMAGEDDON -- 2009-2010 -- In Our Backyard
The winter of 2009-2010 was a record setter for the Washington Metropolitan area and elsewhere. This album records activities taking place in our immediate surroundings during those snowfalls and the clean up afterwards. Being snowbound and without electricity for 2 full days left the family photographer with lots of time on her hands.
- SOUTH DAKOTA -- THE BLACK HILLS
A family wedding in July 2008 was the motivation for a first trip to South Dakota, where we spent 5 days enjoying wedding celebrations and touring the beautiful area in and around Custer State Park, near Rapid City. Unseasonably heavy rains had broken a years-long summer drought and transformed the July landscape to a lush grassland dotted with wildflowers.
- SUNFLOWERS
Each summer brings a wonderful display of sunflower fields in Poolesville, MD, on the grounds of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area.
- UNDER THE BIG TOP
Here are a few scenes from a recent Ringling Brothers show in Baltimore. The images were photographed from the grandstand, at some distance, so Topaz filters have been used on some to create a painterly effect.
- WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD
Exploring the Hagerstown area with a fellow photographer on a beautiful March day.
- YELLOWSTONE AND THE GRAND TETONS
At the end of September 2007, I spent 10 days on a wonderful photography trip with 20 members of my local camera club. Many of my friends and family wondered if I would ever get any of the photos from that trip on my Phanfare site. Finally...here are a few of my favorite images from these outstanding national parks. The music is "Living Voyage" by Kevin MacLeod.
- Travis and the Lake Shore Basketball Team
Travis (Number 10) and his team enjoyed a win over the competition on January 14th.
- New Year's Day Birthday
Ed took over most of the photography responsibilities for Gramma JJ's birthday and did a fine job. Jaydin stayed in Rockville for a special overnight visit which also gave her some quality time with cousin Riley!
- Christmas 2011
The Garnetts hosted us for Christmas eve, including dinner with Ed's folks, overnight in Pasadena, and opening gifts with Travis and Jaydin on Christmas morning. Later Christmas day Michael brought Riley by for her presents and a nice visit.
- Travis's Strings Concert
Travis was among the 100 Bodkin Elementary students who took up a stringed instrument for the first time this year, most of them choosing the violin. Congratulations are due to music teacher who took on the challenging job of teaching them how to play! The school's winter concert gave the beginners a chance to demonstrate their new skills alongside the intermediate and advanced string musicians. These are a few "long shots" (taken from our seats behind several rows of "heads") of Travis and the students sitting around him.
- Jaydin's Nutcracker Show
Jaydin's dance class participated in the Anne Arundel County Rec Department's first annual holiday performance of an adaptation of The Nutcracker.
- A Visit to Riley's Preschool
This was Riley's last day of co-op preschool before the 2-week winter break. Amanda was one of the parent helpers that day, along with William's father. Each child picks a book to read when they come in from morning playground time, which was when I arrived. Then they sing their morning song and put their photos on the attendance board while the parents get the table ready for their snack, which included a special treat from Riley. After snack they had free play and decorated their art project bags with stickers to take home. Then they met in the gym room with the movement teacher and had lots of fun with music and dancing and a parachute and sponge balls and an obstacle course! Back to the classroom for story-time -- The Night Before Christmas -- and a few choruses of Jingle Bells before saying their goodbyes.
- Jaydin and Travis -- Sunday School Christmas Program
The Mount Carmel Methodist Church Sunday School students put on a Christmas program for friends and families. Jaydin did a find job in the chorus, and Travis had a speaking part!
- Riley and the Christmas tree
Riley wore such a pretty dress to Paw and Gramma JJ's house for an afternoon visit that she decided to let us take some more pictures in front of the tree...I've put all but the blurriest ones up for her parents to see, so be warned! We were delighted she was willing to sit for so many shots after having a "don't take my picture" attitude for such a long time.
- Grandkids in Rockville
Travis and Jaydin came home with us after our wonderful Thanksgiving day with the Garnetts and spent the weekend in Rockville. Michael brought Riley for a "play date" with her cousins. After decorating gingerbread houses and dancing to Christmas music, the children posed for some photos in front of the tree...with mixed success, as you will see. (Disclaimer: the Nikon D300 is in the shop for repair so these were taken with a Panasonic Lumix LX-3. The photographer has not yet figured out the proper settings for consistently sharp results with a minimum of digital noise!)
- Thanksgiving with the Garnetts
Kim's generous in-laws once again included us in their Thanksgiving dinner celebration, as they have done for the last several years. The meal was out of this world (we don't know how they manage to make it better every year!) and a festive time was had by all, even though Travis and Jaydin were both on antibiotics. Unfortunately, the photographs don't do the day justice, but we hope they capture the highlights (look for Jaydin's artistic turkey place cards!). We've included a lot of the blurry ones in for their sentimental value.
- Mountain Road Panthers vs SAC BU9 Blaze Jrs. 11-19-11
Travis's soccer team played in an end-of-the-season tournament at Anne Arundel Community College the weekend before Thanksgiving. Here are some photos of the action during the game with the SAC BU9 Blaze Jrs. These were taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC FH25 p&s with an 8X zoom from up in the bleachers. All have been cropped to focus on the action at the moment. Travis is number 8. Unfotunately his team was not victorious, but Travis made some great saves as goalie during the second half.
- Garnett Boo-Birthday Party
About twenty children and their parents gathered on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Jaydin's 6th birthday along with a favorite holiday. A rare October snowfall failed to dampen the spirits of the Boo-Birthday guests who braved the elements to continue the tradition of a neighborhood trick or treat parade. Unfortunately, the photographer was not so courageous, so a record of that part of the evening is missing. However, this album holds plenty of photos of the rest of party to more than satisfy the curious!
- Travis's Baseball Game in Upper Marlboro
- Riley's Preschool Visit
Gramma JJ spent a morning at Suburban Nursery School Co-op as a guest of the "Bluebirds." Outdoor play, a fire drill, circle time, snack time, free play, art projects and a special session with an enthusiastic music teacher were on the agenda that day. Amanda and another mom, Sarah, were the morning's parent helpers.
- Riley's Videos
Riley has discovered that it's great fun to see yourself in a video. Here are some samples. You will see her enjoying a gift from her cousins and talking about her stuffed cat. I've rotated some of the film clips so the longer segments will be "right-side-up."
- Bodkin Race for Education, Kindergarten
Jaydin enjoyed the chance to run around the field and visit with friends from the other kindergarten sections.
- Bodkin Race for Education, Grades 3 & 4
Travis took part in his second Bodkin fundraiser. All day various groups of students ran, jogged, or walked their way around the playing field for about an hour, joined by faculty and family members and cheered by volunteers from both groups.
- Riley and Mr. Dee
Some photos of Riley and the "new" family cat, Mr. Dee (also known as "Dee Dee"), who was a shelter cat until his recent adoption.
- Back to School in Pasadena
Hurricane Irene delayed the start of kindergarten for Jaydin, but Travis started third grade the week before. A few days of power outages provided some extra local "beach" time before schools were reopened and Jaydin became an offcial Bodkin Elementary student like her brother.
- Rehoboth Beach August 2011
Paw and Gramma JJ spent their August beach week with the Pasadena Garnetts this year. Aunt Cima, Uncle Preston, Donovan and Logan joined them the first night. Despite periodic thunderstorms throughout the week, we found plenty of time for the beach, the playground, Funland, miniature golf, souvenir shopping, morning workouts (walks for JJ!) and nighttime ice cream expeditions. Ed worked his magic with the gas grill out back most evenings, once with the able assistance of Uncle Preston. Travis and Jaydin impressed us with their increasingly capable wave management skills.
- Summertime News
Here are a few photos from some of the summer's activities. You will see Travis as Lego Camper, magician's helper, and DC Zoo-goer and patient poser for JJ; Jaydin as first time off the diving board jumper and with Travis as workout champs; Riley as garden tour giver and with her folks dressed for a party; and all three grandkids for a visit in Rockville with Kim and Michael.
- School's Out in Pasadena
Creative chalk roadwork in the driveway and a trip to a local park were the highlights of a recent visit with Travis and Jaydin. We're working on a brother-sister portrait, but it seems to be an ongoing project! The next weekend Jaydin visited Paw and Gramma JJ and the National Zoo...
- Lake Shore Graysox -- 2011 Season
Travis made the Lake Shore 8 year old travelling team this season, a commitment shared by all the playersl families. Grandmom and Pop Pop were faithful fans and made every game they were in town for. Here are photos from the games Paw and Gramma JJ were able to see.
- Riley's Recital - June 11, 2011
Riley and about 12 or so of her fellow ballerinas put on a delightful show for friends and family to demonstrate how much they had learned in 10 Saturday morning classes at Long Branch Rec Center with Miss Betsy.
- May 31st in Pasadena
May 31st was a busy day with Jaydin's preschool graduation picnic, gymnastics class at Docksiders, and then a swim party at Ms. Toni's house. Gramma JJ's new Lumix FH-25 got quite a workout...
- Jaydin's Recital _ May 28, 2011
Here are lots of photos of Jaydin's class and also the other dancers from the Anne Arundel County Recreation Department program spring recital held at the Chesapeake Arts Center in Brooklyn Park, MD. I've included even the blurry ones, in case the families of some of the dancers weren't able to take any photos and might like to see them.
- Jaydin's Recital - Rehearsal Videos
Here are a few very low quality videos from Jaydin's rehearsal. I've uploaded them at Kim's request so Jaydin will have something to practice from until the performance this weekend. I've put up two copies of the final video because I tried switching from landscape to portait format in the middle of the dance and I don't own Quick Time software, which my Lumix camera uses, and I lack the technical know-how to edit the digital file properly...Sorry about that!
- Turtle Sighting in Pasadena
Local naturalists study animal behavior in the form of a small turtle that turned up in the front yard...Not fond of being "studied," the small critter made a bee-line for the woods...well, maybe it was more of a "turtle-line"!
- Mother's Day 2011
Paw and JJ celebrated Mother's Day on Saturday with Kim's family. Ed cooked up a great dinner for everyone and we all watched Animal Kingdom win the Kentucky Derby. Gramma JJ was breaking in a new camera -- at least that's her excuse for the burry pics!
- Jaydin and Buttercups
Hanging out while your brother plays soccer can be deadly boring for the little sister, but Jaydin stayed in good spirits long enough for some photography. Buttercups had been the nature topic of the day in her pre-K class that morning.
- Soccer Scrimmage -- Boys vs Girls
Travis's soccer team, The Mountain Road Crushers, had a great time scrimmaging with friends from the girls' Mountain Road team, The Fireballs. Until this year, their teams had been co-ed, so many opponents were former team buddies. The Fireballs even helped the Crushers out by lending them a couple of players to fill holes in their lineup -- true sportsmanship!
- Aunt Linda's Visit
JJ's sister Linda spent a May weekend in Rockville, the first time back in nearly five years, we think. She saw part of a baseball game, photographed two of JJ's favorite photo sites, attended a butterfly exhibit, spent time catching up with various other family members, went out to dinner one night, and was the perfect guest!
- Easter Week
Lots of family time during Easter vacation week...
- Grandparents' Day at Bodkin Elementary - Mrs. Benson's Class
Travis hosted all four grandparents in his second-grade classroom as part of Grandparents' Day at his Pasadena MD elementary school. His teacher, Ms. Benson, made all the visitors feel right at home as the students completed their "family tree" projects.
- Jaydin in Pasadena
- Riley and Artwork in Rockville
During a recent visit with Paw and Gramma JJ, Riley painted a beautiful picture. While she was working on it, Gramma JJ decided to test the portrait settings on her new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 camera.
- Jaydin's Show
- Travis's Soccer Game -- March 20, 2011
What an exciting game on a breezy chilly afternoon at the Lake Shore sports complex...Final score was 3-3...Coach Justin's blue team seemed to have a lock on the win for a while, but the red team managed to tie the score in the second half. Hopefully all the blue players at least and most of the red team are included in these photos. Photos of single players are purely a result of opportunistic shooting on the part of the photographer: the player happened to kick, throw, or walk right in front of the lens! :-)
- Basketball Tournament
Travis was fortunate to be able to participate in another week of basketball games beyond the regular season...This "travelling" tournament team had little time to practice together, but even though they didn't have the best record for the week-long tournament, they had a lot of fun playing a game they all enjoy. They were a scrappy, energetic team and were a lot of fun to watch. These photos were taken with Travis's Canon P&S, so pretty noisy.
- Travis's Basketball Team in the Playoffs
Travis and his teammates showed they could hustle and gave it their all on their final game of the Lake Shore regular 7-8 age group tournament.
- Riley's Third Birthday Party
Michael and Amanda hosted a birthday party for Riley on January 30th in Chevy Chase. The little girls painted and play-dohed, decorated cupcakes and chased bubbles to celebrate Riley turning three!
- January Visits from the Grandkids
- Calico's Album
On January 15th we adopted Calico, a Dilute Tortie kitten who was about 8 weeks old. She has lots of personality and doesn't seem to mind having her picture taken, so you can expect to see a lot of updates to this album.
- Travis and the Basketball Team
Lots of -- unfortunately mostly blurry -- shots of the basketball players having a fine time chalking up a win on the Bodkin Elementary court early one Saturday morning. If you open the album and click on the first photo, you can use the right arrow key to move through all the pictures pretty quickly. That's a feature I love about Phanfare, the ease and speed with which you can browse through many photos.
- New Year's Day in Rockville
Uncle Mike helped Kim's family celebrate Gramma JJ's birthday and watched the U of M game with Paw. After a delicious carry-out dinner from P. F. Chang's, Michael, Kim, Travis, Jaydin and Gramma JJ went to Brookside Gardens to see the annual Festival of Lights display while Ed and Paw stayed home to keep tabs on the football scores.
- New Year's Eve in Rockville
The Garnetts were in town for a New Year's Eve party, so Aunt Kim brought Travis and Jaydin by to give their Christmas gifts to Riley while she was visiting Paw and Gramma JJ.
- Riley opens her Christmas surprises
Paw and JJ went to Chevy Chase for a Christmas visit with Riley and Michael and Amanda. Riley also demonstrated some of the features of her new bed. You will see that she moves pretty fast, creating photographic challenges!
- Christmas Eve and Morning at the Garnetts
Ed and Kim served both sets of grandparents a delicious multi-course meal of crab cakes, stuffed pork loin, and autumn vegetable melange. Everyone was careful to save room for Grandmom's delectable cheese cake dessert, too. JJ and Paw spent the night in Pasadena and were on hand for a Christmas morning gift exchange and to see what Santa had put under the tree for Travis and Jaydin. Reliable St. Nick didn't let them down!
- Christmas Cookie Baking with Riley
Riley wore her new Christmas dress to Rockville and struck a delightful, spontaneous pose by the Christmas tree. She proved to be a stalwart cookie baker and decorator, though not too thrilled when Gramma JJ pulled out the camera again, hence the head down, eyes closed grin in the last frame!
- Visit from Gordon
What a treat to see nephew Gordon. It had been at least 7 years since Paw and JJ had seen him and nearly 35 for Kim and Michael!
- Mt Carmel Sunday School Christmas program, Dec. 12, 2010
Several Christmas programs took place at the Mt. Carmel Methodist Church where the Garnetts are members. The Sunday School presentation was held in the main church while the preschool show took place in the classroom area.
- Thanksgiving 2010
Ed's parents invited Paw and Gramma JJ to join the Garnetts for a delicious Thanksgiving feast again this year. After dinner, Travis and Jaydin came back to Rockville to spend a couple of nights with their MacArthur grandparents. They were not thrilled to be leaving their Garnett cousins in Crofton (much less Ed and Kim!) but all in all they seemed to enjoy their time in Rockville, especially when Uncle Mike brought Riley for a visit!
- Travis and the Panthers
Travis played center for the Panthers 70A tackle football team, his first time playing center. The players had an outstanding season, making it to the final playoffs and earning the runner-up trophy.
- October - November with Riley
Riley hasn't been keen on having her picture taken lately, but now and then Gramma JJ gets lucky...Some of these are experiments with the "self-portrait" setting on the Lumix camera. Apologies for the messy background in the vet series, but we take our photo opportunities as they come!
- October/November at Home with the Garnetts
Halloween costumes -- Indiana Jones influence -- Jaydin does an impromptu dance -- poses with her dolls -- Travis at the Wii --
- Bodkin Fundraiser -- October 26, 2010
On October 26th, Bodkin Elementary, in Pasadena, MD, held a fund raiser race to earn money for school programs. Students and teachers raised over $33,000 in pledges and gifts. At scheduled intervals during the school day, each class ran the quarter mile playing field for nearly an hour as lively music pumped over the crowd. Many volunteers manned stations around the course and checked each student off on a file card worn on their wrists to keep track of the number of laps accomplished. The first and second graders were on the field at 1:15, and Travis was among the enthusiastic group. As you will see, everyone enjoyed this lively event and the children took it very seriously.
- Orlando in October with the Garnetts
- Team Martin Run for Gina - October 13, 2010
Over 500 participants and many friends and family members gathered on the grounds of a suburban private school on a beautiful October evening near Orlando, Florida, preparing for a fund-raising run in memory of Gina Selepak Martin, who had been the athletic trainer at the school for many years and a close childhood friend of Kim's. This was the event's second year raising money for the school and for Gina's son's scholarship fund.
- Jaydin Cheers -- October 2010
Jaydin's cheerleading squad performs for a night game. You might recognize one of her coaches!
- Bulldogs' Rainy Soccer Game
The Bulldogs demonstrated their increasingly skillful soccer moves during this Sunday afternoon game as they added another win to their record.
- September Saturday in Pasadena, MD
No, not a Rose Bowl parade, but in Pasadena, Maryland, this was Homecoming Day for families of young football players like Travis and cheerleaders like Jaydin, plus Horse Appreciation Day for the whole community. Uncle Michael and Riley were on hand to enjoy this beautiful September day, too. (You might see a familiar face coaching the little cheerleaders, and another measuring downs for the football players!)
- Brookside Gardens Visit - September 2010
- Montgomery County Fair 2010
Highlights of the fair this year were posing with JJ's winning and non-winning photos, watching the birth of a calf, visiting the bee exhibit, petting the bunnies, being entertained by the magician, and relaxing in the soybean "sand" box...We hope Riley can join us next year!
- Fairweathers' Open House
Our good friends held an open house for family and friends while their son and his family were visiting from Australia.
- Michael and Riley visit Jaydin
While Kim and Ed were in Las Vegas celebrating Ed's brother and his wife's anniversary, JJ stayed with Jaydin in Pasadena and Travis stayed with Grandmom and Pop Pop and his cousins in Crofton. Uncle Mike brought Riley out for a visit. We went on nature walks and introduced Riley to sea monkeys and tried very hard to share our toys...
- In Crofton with the Garnetts
Family dinner at Kim's inlaws...crabcakes on the menu and sports in the side yard after dinner.
- Riley at the Playseum
Riley is fortunate to live a short block from a Playseum, a wonderful children's center with crafts, storytelling, and all kinds of educational toys. These were all taken on the same visit with Michael at the end of July. You will see Riley's great sense of humor in these photos.
- Rehoboth Beach -- July 9 - 16, 2010
- Garnetts in June
Ed and Kim are on their way out for the evening.
- Lake Shore Tournament Baseball game, 8U team
Some photos of the action on the field as the Lake Shore 8U players won their first tournament baseball game.
- Riley in June
- Father's Day in Rockville
Everyone gathered in Rockville to celebrate Father's Day. With Paw's favorite foods in mind, Amanda and Michael brought sweet potatoes and peas and Ed made carpaccio and succulent crab cakes...Quite a feast...with the afternoon highlight being a swim in a wonderful neighbor's backyard pool...What a treat!
(Free Music: Radio Martini by Kevin MacLeod)
- Jaydin's Gymnastics Olympics
Jaydin and her fellow mini gymnasts invited family and friends to a season-ending demonstration of the skills they had learned at Docksiders Gymnastics Center in Severna Park, MD. Despite the less than ideal conditions (an electrical problem had knocked out most of the power and all of the air-conditioning in the large facility), the young athletes showed impressive mastery of the equipment as they went through pre-planned stations in two small groups. The audience carefully picked their way from one staging area to the next, through the maze of wires and mats, cameras at the ready, in an effort to record every hop and tumble. Next year I'll bring my flash attachment so there will be fewer hard shadows and fewer red eyes to deal with!
The cute brunette in the pink leotard is Jaydin's good friend Ava, whose mom took even more photos than I did!
- Jaydin's Preschool Picnic
To conclude another successful year, Mount Carmel's preschool staff hosted a picnic for students and families at a local bay-shore park. Jaydin has one more year at Mount Carmel before she joins Travis at Bodkin Elementary. Most of these photos are of Jaydin and Ms. Tammy's class.
- Jaydin's Second Spring Recital
Jaydin performed in two different recitals this month. This dance program is run by the Anne Arundel County Recreation Department. Jaydin's class did the 5th performance out of a total of 40 -- a dance marathon! Kim was the dance "mother" who kept the group occupied back stage until they returned nearly two hours later for the finale (You may notice the mysterious absence of half the class by then). The photographer swore she would sit quietly without clicking the camera for any but Jaydin's group, but alas, she could not do it. The colorful costumes and talented, graceful, and downright adorable performers were just too tempting.
- Travis's Soccer Game
This was the first spring season game Travis's Rockville grandparents had been able to attend. It was an exciting one, as you will see.
- Jaydin's Annapolis Academy Recital
This recital was the year-end showcase for Ms. Jen's Annapolis Academy students and Jaydin's second stage performance.
- Riley in May
Just a few more photos of Riley at home and the park...She's almost 2 and a half, and not as tolerant of the camera as she used to be. The park is especially challenging for the photographer as she is quick as a bunny and very engrossed in her real and imagined activities. (On another park visit, when the swallowtails she'd been watching disappeared, she became intent on capturing imaginary butterflies in everyone's favorite colors and placing them on her shoulders and mine for safe keeping.)
- Michael's Birthday Picnic
Amanda hosted a surprise dinner party picnic for Michael's birthday in the park behind their condo. Michael really was surprised, the weather was perfect, the food outstanding, and a grand time was had by all!
- Mother's Day in Pasadena, MD
Kim and Ed hosted the whole family on Mother's Day this year. Ed worked his grill magic and served a most elegant paella. The beautiful day was perfect for outdoor activities with the cousins, and the TV watchers had plenty of sports to choose from. The mothers and grandmothers went home feeling thoroughly "honored" with lovely cards and flowers to remember the day. (Next year we'll have to come up with some way to relieve Kim and Grandmom from kitchen duty!)
- Travis and the Royals
The Royals' May 1st early morning game continued their winning streak (even though no one keeps score...). Everyone had a great time, with lots of the young batters connecting with the ball or following through with well- formed, enthusiastic swings, and the fielding was definitely above par.
Gregory was the team's game ball winner on this beautiful sunny morning at the Lake Shore sports complex.
- Paw's 75th Birthday Weekend
Steve celebrated his 75th birthday all weekend: Lamb and carpaccio with the Garnetts in Pasadena on Saturday and carryout from his favorite Mexican restaurant with the Chevy Chase MacArthurs on Sunday.
- Riley in April
Riley loves to visit Meadowside Nature Center when she comes to Rockville. Here are some of the things she likes to do there and the creatures she likes to say hello to. After a long morning at Meadowside, it's nice to come back and have snacks with all the Waterview Drive creatures!
- Opening Day in Pasadena, MD
Lake Shore little league baseball players and their families enjoyed beautiful weather for the annual parade and ceremony that starts off each new baseball season.
- Easter morning at the Garnetts
Ed and Kim hosted an Easter morning brunch for the family. The cousins enjoyed Easter gifts and and egg hunt and the grownups followed them around with cameras. Because of the Garnetts' canine houseguest, the Easter Bunny wisely decided not to do a jelly bean hunt inside this year.
- The Garnetts in March
This was a busy month: Kim's birthday, Sibling fun, Creative accessorizing, Elementary School programs, and a sweet-natured, furry houseguest.
- Riley in March
Once the piles of snow began melting away and the weather improved, activities picked up again. Here we see Riley enjoying using a spoon Michael used when he was little. In another group, Michael and Riley show Gramma JJ around the National Zoo on a beautiful Saturday morning, giving Amanda a break so she can catch up on her coursework. Riley wasn't too fond of the camera on that day, so most of the photos were taken of the animals and will appear in another album, currently "under construction." In the third group you will see Riley's enthusiastic participation in a Gymboree music class. Every week a small group of preschoolers is introduced to a different type of music. This week was rhythm and blues and once things got going, Riley had no problem with Gramma JJ clicking away on the camera. Too many of the photos are pretty blurry, but the high level of energy and fun comes through, we think. You will see Riley's little friend Rebekah in some of these photos, too.
- Riley in February
Riley was back at the sink in Rockville for her favorite water play at Paw and JJ's house and built a cozy napping spot for the Lizard, too. The next weekend, the whole family got together in Chevy Chase for a belated bagel birthday celebration for Riley.
(The photographer is facing a steep learning curve with the new camera...all of the birthday photos were taken on the "Food" setting!)
- Travis's Winter Sports
Travis played basketball again this winter, but also tried indoor soccer for the first time -- as a regular in the goalie position. Here are a whole bunch of blurry action shots to record the fun he has been having.
- Jaydin Cheerleading Demo
Jaydin's cheerleading class was invited to take part in a half-time show at one of Chesapeake High School's basketball games. The varsity cheerleaders coordinated a group pyramid move at the end of the routine.
- January Birthdays
Three members of the family celebrate birthdays in January: Gramma JJ, Travis, and Riley.
- Christmas 2009
Just a few pictures this year...Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at the Garnetts and in Chevy Chase for Christmas dinner...wonderful holiday!
- Jaydin's Dance Recital
Ms. Jen's Tuesday 1:00 dancers join her other students for a recital at Anne Arundel Community College.
- Thanksgiving 2009 in Crofton
The senior Garnetts hosted a festive Thanksgiving feast for the junior Garnetts and the "out-laws" MacArthur. A great day for everyone and a wonderful opportunity for Travis and Jaydin to enjoy little cousin Riley.
- Busy Grandchildren -- October-December 2009
Being snowbound has led to catching up on last fall's miscellaneous photos -- here are some moments....
- Travis's Fall Soccer Photos
Travis and the Bulldogs played their last game of the season under the lights. It was an exciting game and all the players on both teams had a great time and played their best.
- Halloween -- Storytime and the Boo Brunch
It was definitely a Happy Halloween this year as Michael and Amanda celebrated the holiday with a special family outing to a local library program on Friday afternoon and a festive "Boo Brunch" for Friends on Saturday morning. "Hooooo" had more fun? Riley or her parents? You be the judge! :-)
- Travis and the Soccer Team -- October Practice
Lots of energy on the field during this fall practice.
- Riley Sink Playing
Whenever Riley visits Paw and Gramma JJ, one of her favorite things to do is play in the kitchen sink. By October her experimentation with water and its possibilities had advanced to management of the faucet sprayer switch and elaborate soapsuds mixtures. (Unfortunately glare from the sunny window created less than ideal photography conditions on this particular day, but Riley's dedication to her activity is clear enough!)
- Jaydin's Boo Birthday Party
- Cheerleading by Jaydin
The evening before her fourth birthday, Jaydin and her cheerleading squad performed at a flag football game. Jaydin takes this activity very seriously, knows all the cheers by heart, and enjoys the whole process, including the Cheetos break at half time!
- Scott and Katherine's Tennessee Wedding
The second weekend in October was an unforgettable one for the Martini and Miles families and friends. Katherine and Scott were married at the Whitestone Inn in Kingston, Tennessee. The inn was a beautiful setting for a beautiful wedding.
- A 50th High School Reunion
Thanks to the hard work of Towson High School's faithful class of 1959 reunion committee, 125 graduates gathered at Hunt Valley to celebrate the amazing phenomenon known as a 50th high school reunion. Thanks to the gracious hospitality of Sue and Bill, Judy and George and Judy #2 were able to pass the time between official events by enjoying the opportunity to review the "old days" and catch up on each other's current ones.
- Summer Fun with the Grand-children
Water play in Rockville, Park visit in Pasadena, Baseball clinic with Coach Bob, a visit to Brookside Gardens, and some highlights at the Montgomery County Fair.
- Rehoboth Beach August 7-14, 2009
- Jaydin's Soccer Practice
- Luray Caverns with Kim, Travis, and Jaydin
The long drive was definitely worth the trip. We highly recommend the Caverns' new system of self-guided tours with their cassette recorded descriptions of each special feature. The Children's Tour version was a hit with all ages. Those under 4 are admitted for free, so we would have had to pay extra for Jaydin's earphones and cassette, but since Gramma JJ wanted to take photographs, she gave Jaydin her set, which worked out well for everyone.
- Swim Lessons
Once school was out, Travis and Jaydin began morning swim lessons at
Big Vanilla. These photos are from two of those mornings. Small classes and extra instructors really helped to make the experience fun and educational. Warm-up games...usually Simon Says or Red Light Green Light...preceded the lessons, and 10 minutes of free play followed them. The day after these were taken Travis swam freestyle the width of the pool and Jaydin learned diving under the water was lots of fun after all -- with her new goggles!
- Father's Day 2009
The Garnetts joined the MacArthurs in Rockville for a shishkabob dinner, grilled expertly by Ed, and a day of celebrating Father's Day together.
- Travis's All Star Game
- Riley Picks Strawberries
Riley helped Mommy Amanda pick strawberries and beans while Gramma JJ took pictures and enjoyed their company!
- Riley in May
Water play in the front yard has become a favorite pastime, and when Daddy Michael plays too, it's even more fun!
- Mountain Road Soccer Team Spring 2009
- Mother's Day -- May 10, 2009
- Travis's Baseball Game
Enthusiastic Coach Pitch Little Leaguers enjoy their favorite sport.
- Jaydin in May
Jaydin is full of three-year-old spunk and having fun at Downs Park on a May morning.
- Paw's Birthday
The MacArthurs gathered at the Garnetts to celebrate Paw's 74th birthday with cards and gifts and one of Ed and Kim's special dinners. After dinner everyone headed to the local elementary school field for Travis's soccer game. (See Mountain Road Soccer Team for pics of the game!)
- Travis's Coach (Dad) Pitch Opening Game
Grandson Travis is playing on his dad's coach-pitch team this spring. The Athletics had a very successful first game and showed they could make some really good plays and do some solid hitting, too. Paw was especially proud of Travis's unassisted out at first base in the last inning. After the game the team lined up for lots of opening day group photos in front of their beautiful blue ribbon banner!
- Lake Shore Baseball First Day Celebration
Each spring in Pasadena, MD, the Lake Shore little league baseball organization hosts a traditional first day celebration of the opening season. Before 8 am teams have begun to gather under trees on a hillside. By 9 am they'll all be in position to parade through the baseball field complex before friends, family and supporters who have lined the roadway. Carrying decorative banners, the teams follow a parade route through the grounds, picking up family members as they go, some of the younger players gleefully tossing wrapped candies to the roadside supporters. The paraders then settle down on the grass before a flatbed trailer that has been hauled onto a side field and transformed with colorful bunting into a stage. After an opening prayer, the league president, county executive, state representative, and two Bowie Bay Sox players who once participated in the Lake Shore program address the crowd from a lectern supported on baseball bat legs, recounting the 40 some years of the Lake Shore baseball tradition and wishing the young players a safe and successful season. A special recognition award is presented to the county executive for his many years of support for the community, raffle tickets are drawn, lucky winners come forward, an accomplished young vocalist sings a stirring rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," the crowd responds with a rousing, "Play ball!" and everyone disperses to sample the games and food booths and to prepare their athletes for the opening games that will take place throughout the remainder of the day.
- Amanda's Birthday Party
The family reconvened in Rockville to celebrate Amanda's birthday with gifts and Thai Pavilion carry-out and dancing and candles in warm cookies. Uncle Ed helped record the day's events.
- Riley in March
Riley kindly allowed Gramma JJ to snap some pictures with the "good" camera one afternoon while Gramma JJ was babysitting.
- Travis's Gymnastics Class
As the only boy in a class of 6-8 year olds, Travis was not always thrilled when gymnastics class was on the schedule this winter, but he always came away from the class enthusiastic about the experience, so he stuck it out to the end. These photos were taken at his group's last session, which open to family and friends.
- Jaydin's Gymnastics Class
As a special treat for family and friends, Jaydin's gymnastics class put on a demonstration of the skills they'd been taught. She was an enthusiastic participant and encouraged her mom and dad to sign her up for the next session -- which, of course, they did!
- Travis's Basketball Game
Travis enjoyed his second year playing on a 5-6 year old team, which met on Saturday mornings at his Bodkin Elementary gymnasium.
- Jaydin's Dance Class
Jaydin's 3-4 year-old dance class held a demonstration of the skills they had learned for families and friends during their final session.
- Jaydin's Rollie Pollie Class, February 17, 2009
Here are a few dozen pictures from a pre-school gymnastics/physical skills class Jaydin's been taking on Tuesday mornings. I was using my little point and shoot, so many are grainy and many are fuzzy... These are mostly photos only a mother (and grandmother) could love, so please browse at your own risk!
- Riley's Birthday Party
Riley turned one on January 28, 2009. Amanda and Michael hosted a family celebration of the event the following Sunday.
- Travis's Sixth Birthday
Travis turned 6 on January 19 and celebrated his birthday with friends and relatives at a Pump It Up party center the following weekend.
- Christmas 2008
- Jaydin's Preschool Christmas Program Debut
Most of these photos are of Jaydin and the classmates standing near her as Ms. Laura's class of 3-year-olds sang "Away in a Manger," but there are some of other Mt. Carmel preschoolers that may be of interest to their families.
- Jaydin's Birthday Weekend, October 18-19, 2008
- Travis and the Chargers, October 7, 2008
Coach Frank and his team of enthusiastic flag football players competed against equally enthusiastic adversaries on one of the coldest evenings in October.
- Rehoboth Beach Week - August 16-23, 2008
The MacArthurs and the Garnetts enjoyed a beautiful week at Rehoboth. Morning walks, a visit to the Rehoboth Art League show, Browseabout Books' story time sessions, getting together with old friends at the Lake Gerar playground, fine dining -- both "in" and "out," daily excursions to the beach for surf and sand, Funland, miniature golf, ice cream, and Paw's nightly movie videos all contributed to a most memorable vacation!
- South Dakota Wedding
On July 19, 2008, Elizabeth Ellis and our nephew Andy Waldschmidt became husband and wife at Custer State Park in the Black Hills. Their marriage was witnessed and celebrated by enthusiastic friends and family from across the United States. Andy and Elizabeth and their parents put together a wonderful weekend of activities for their guests in the beautiful natural surroundings of the Park.
- Orioles vs. Yankees - May 30, 2008
Travis's Coach Pitch team, the Orioles, took on the Yankees one sunny May evening in Pasadena, MD.
- Travis's Preschool Graduation Day at Mt. Carmel
- Florida Trip May 16-19 2008
Michael, Amanda, and Riley joined Aunt Linda, Aunt Pam, and Aunt Judy for a happy reunion weekend to remember Grandmother Patchen With the help of former neighbor and good friend Bill Atkins, we were able to honor her request to scatter her ashes on the small lake behind her long-time home in Eustis. Florida. We think she would have approved of the good time we all had.
- Travis and the Wizards mid-season game
Travis and his teammates practice their basketball skills against another team of 4 and 5-year-olds.
- Travis's Fifth Birthday
Friends and family helped Travis celebrate his fifth birthday (January 19th is his birthday date) with an evening of energetic fun a week later at Pump It Up.
- Jaydin's Second Birthday
Friends and relatives enjoyed a Halloween theme party complete with trick or treating and costume awards and starring Jaydin as Dora the Explorer (and Travis as Jack Sparrow).
- Rehoboth Beach Week
A rainy week in August provided plenty of time for family bonding.
- Wedding Weekend
Embassy Suites, Deerfield Beach, FL