Day 334 - A Birthday Party

Today the Thai Society that my wife belongs to had a surprise birthday party for one of their members.  The party was held outdoors in 30 degree temperatures.  We were there for 3 1/2 hours and my feet were cold, however the food, as usual was delicious.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Some of my favorites was theses grilled Mackerels 

And these grilled sweet rice cakes.

Thanks for looking

Tom

Day 333 - Lighting of Easton

We went down to Easton this evening for their traditional kick-off for the Holiday season.  We arrived around 6:30 PM and our plan was to stay there till the lighting of the Peace Candle.  However, it was cold, so we got a few pictures, then headed back home.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

There was Ice Carving

And people in the streets

Of course there was my wife.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tom

Day 332 - Thanksgiving Day

Well today I was up at 5 AM to rotated the turkey in the brine, then back to bed for a couple more hours.  After dropping the wife's car off for some maintenance, I finished preparing the turkey then into the oven @ 10:30 AM.   From 10:30 AM to 4 PM was spent in the kitchen cooking and getting the table set:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Except the last image @ f/8

Turkey was out of the oven and on the table

at 3 PM

The remainder of the food was done and on the table @ 4 PM

As we all gathered to give thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to you all

Thanks for Stopping by

Tom

Day 331 - Pre-Thanksgiving Cooking

Today was spent cleaning the house ad started to do some pre-cooking for tomorrow's dinner.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Started out making my Kale & Peppercorn Stuffing...

Not sure why I cry every time I make this.  Is it because of the many memories of

Thanksgiving past or is it because of the number of onions that I have to chop

for the stuffing?

The final product...

ready to be popped into the oven tomorrow.

Next was to work on the Giblet Broth...

To my surprise there was no liver or heart with this turkey, so only the

neck & gizzard for the broth.

Along with the above, made the Honey Brine for the turkey to soak in overnight, and currently have the candied sweet potatoes baking in the oven.  When they come out, done for today.

Lastly, had a surprise for today...

A dear old friend stopped by and took me to lunch.

He was in the area closing on the sell of his house,

so he decided to stop before heading back to Myrtle Beach, NC.

See you all tomorrow.

Tom

Day 330 - 29 Days till Christmas

Today I spent most of the day indoors.  Cleaning the house and getting ready for Thanksgiving.  Since there is only 29 days till Christmas, my wife and I decided to put up the Christmas tree.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Did one in color

The other in BW

Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Day 329 - Farmstead in New Tripoli

After seeing my clients this morning, I took a quick drive North on RT 100 to capture this Farmstead in New Tripoli.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Color Version

BW Version

Thanks For Stopping By

Tom

Day 328 - Blue's @ Blue Mountain Winery

After church today we decided to go to our favorite winery to pick up some wines for our Thanksgiving dinner, before heading to the store for the remainder of the ingredients for the Turkey dinner.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

So we hooped into the Boxster and headed out..

...it was a brisk cold day, but a beautiful day to drive

the back country roads.

 After arriving at the winery and purchased the wines for dinner, 

we got an extra bottle, unpacked our picnic basket..

...sat back and listened to some fantastic blues

Thanks for Stopping by

Tom

Day 327 - Blistery Evening

After dinner, we headed down to the Bethlehem Steel Stacks to take a photo for out Christmas Card.  As we arrived, the wind started to pick up, but not to be stopped by a little wind I put up a flash stand for a off camera flash, put the camera on a tripod took a quick test shot.  Then the wind kicked up and blew the flash over.  With luck, nothing broke, so we tried again but the flash stand would not stay up in the wind.  By that time we called it quits as it was becoming very miserable and I don't think our faces would of beam any yuletide cheer.  So we packed up and headed over to the Christkindlmarkt.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Our test shot

Then indoors to warm-up

 To see Santa for some sandbags for Christmas.

To keep the stands erect in the wind.

Thanks for Stopping By

Tom

Day 326 - Lying Down on The Job

This morning I headed over to Jaindl's Turkey farm to pick up a turkey for our Thanksgiving Dinner.  After getting the turkey I took some of the back roads home.  As I was passing through Bath on Rt. 329 I noticed this Railroad Crane lying on it's side.  So I pulled the car over and managed to squeeze of a couple of shots before a couple of men chased me away.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

That's it for today.  

See you tomorrow.

Tom

Day 325 - Opening Day

Today was opening day for Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt.  So after my wife got off of work, we headed down to the old Bethlehem Steel mill to walk around...

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

The Steel Stacks Lit up in their Christmas Colors...

Doing some window shopping...

Stopping for a rest, before more window shopping

Time to head back to the car.

and do some grocery shopping

Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Day 324 - Old Water Tower

After arriving at the testing center @ 09:00, I entered into the center @ 09:30 to begin a 4 hour grueling test.  At 13:15 I finally answered my last question, took the survey and left the facility.  I sat in my car and just vegetated as I downed a whole bottle of water.  Note, there was no food, water, or bath room breaks during the 4 hours, nor were you allowed to bring in food or water.  The only thing they allowed inside the testing area was the key to your locker and your ID card.

So after starting the car and leaving the center I noticed this old looking water tower:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

3 image HDR

Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Day 323 - Last day to review

Today was the last day to do my final reviews before taking my licensure Test tomorrow.   Tomorrow at 9:45 AM is when it starts.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Studying hard.

Thanks for Stopping By

Tom

Day 322 - A walk to Home Depot

Today after I spent 7 hours preparing for my test on Wednesday, I thought I would take a break and walk to our local Home Depot store.  That walk turned into a  5.5 miles/8.8km round trip.  Along the way, I noticed the old smoke stack in what is now a warehouse complex.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Thanks for Stopping by

Tom

Day 321 - Yelling at Trees

During the sermon at church, the pastor mentioned a unique practice for logging trees in the Solomon Island.  It seemed that some villagers practiced this on those trees that were to large to ax down.  Intrigued, I did what the average parishioner would do and looked it up on the web (during the sermon).  And there it was "Yelling at Trees".  So if it was on the internet an our pastor said it, it must be true.

In a nut shell, the practice is, that early in the morning a group of men would go out to a tree that was to large to cut down.  They would begin to yell at the tree and say very negative things (curse) to the tree.  They would do this for 30 days in a row, then after that the tree would die.  The villagers believed that this practice would kill the life's spirit of the tree.

Now it seems silly to yell at a tree:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

to see if it would collapse and die.  But don't we yell at computers if they don't do what we want; or at a car they might cut us off; or at something that you kick with your barefoot?  But what happens when a loved one does something that anger's us?  What about a spouse that doesn't do what we want them to do, or a friend?  How about the unforgiveness  that we might harbor for perceived wrongs that were done to us?  Those negative thoughts and words we may use?  

Maybe those villagers were on to something.  Maybe they new the power of negative thoughts and words and how the can kill the life's spirit.  So it makes one wonder how many trees we have fallen with our thoughts and word?

Now on the lighter side: 

Here are a couple of more images from today's walk:

Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Day 320 - Apple TV

So, after the two oldest grandchildren and I washed 3 cars this afternoon, we came in bathed them and got them ready for their parents to pick them up.  Now that they have left, the wife and I were just vegeitating and watching some cooking shows on TV.  As I was sitting there and late afternoon sun was coming through the widow, it seemed to highlight the Apple TV as the image for my Picture:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Thanks for looking

Tom

Day 319 - 3 Little Shoes

After a day of driving to the Philadelphia Airport and back.  Getting home just in time to go and pick up the grandchildren.  Got them home, feed, bathed and nicely tucked into their beds.  Time now for a glass of wine.

For today's image is their shoes nicely put away for the night:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

This image I added a warming filter

Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Day 318 - First Reformed Church of South Bethlehem (1870)

Had to run make a run to South Bethlehem at luck today, so while I was there I walked by this old church that looks like it is no longer in use.  I was able to find some history on the church, but it only took me up to 1915, so I really don't know yet what has happened to congregation yet.

As I walked around looking at the church I decided on this two images:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

Broken

Encroaching

Thanks for Looking

Tom

Day 317 - Dixie Cup

Back in 1921, Hugh Everett Moore moved his lucrative new business in disposable paper cups from New York City to Easton Pa on 24th street.  The new factory had a large model of the Dixie Cup mounted on it's roof and became a area landmark.    In 1980 the factory was sold and plans are developed to convert the old factory into luxury Condominiums, however that never happened and the building has been sitting empty as it slowly decays.

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

The image is a Panorama made from 6 images.

Thanks for looking

Tom

Day 316 - The Steps

Today I was driving down to Easton to get a image.  As I was driving down the street, I noticed a set of steps out the right corner of my eye.  I stopped the car, got out and looked at the steps.  There before my eyes was this beautiful mosaic on the steps. So back to the car for the camera and the tripod:

All images are taken with the EOS-M w/EF-M 22mm  @ Aperture Priority set to f/3.5

6 image HDR

Here is a BW Version of the Steps

Thanks for stopping by

Tom