Another Year Comes to an End

The sun sets on another year. Good-bye 2007, hello 2008!

Christmas Past

I enjoyed putting this year's Christmas photos of Bethany & Matthew together so I thought I would do a few photo cards from Christmas past. This was Matthew's first Christmas.

More Christmas Photos

It's an English tradition to have Christmas crackers at the dinner table. The crackers always have a novelty, a joke and a hat. This photo shows Bethany (age 4 1/2) and Matthew (age 20 months) wearing their Christmas hats. Matthew's was a bit big for him but a piece of Scotch tape soon fixed that!

Christmas Photos

Matthew & Bethany on Christmas Day

Christmas Table

I thought I would use Christmas Day to try out Sue's new camera (Olympus). This photo was taken at my sister's dining room table.

Boxing Day 2007

I didn't know what would be appropriate to post on Boxing Day so I checked out my photo archives and found this photo of Chutney in a "box".

Merry Christmas to All

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Christmas.

Christmas Eve

The stockings are being hung up in anticipation of Santa Claus.

Christmas Excitement

With only three days to go until Christmas, I guess my great niece, Bethany and great nephew, Matthew are getting excited waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus.

Christmas Greetings from the Past

Taken at the heritage village, Balls Falls Conservation area.

Alpaca Redux

I'm posting this photo of an Alpaca again. I recently entered a number of photos in the Twenty Valley photo competition. I didn't win but this photo was put in the December Twenty Valley Association Newsletter:
http://www.20valley.ca/pdf/TwentyValleyNewsletterIssueSixWinter0708.pdf on page 4.

Christmas Greetings from Beamsville

Since it's getting closer to Christmas 2007, I thought I would post some e-mail Christmas Greeting Cards from the past that I made in PhotoShop Elements. This is the church at Balls Falls.

Christmas Church

A Christmas tree ornament from the past. I remember these type of ornaments from the sixties. You would put a Christmas tree light in the back of the ornament and it would light up the church, house, etc. We purchased a few of these ornaments from an Antique store in Vineland. These ornaments were made in Japan which were considered "cheap imports" at the time. They have now become collectibles. This photo was taken with the Olympus camera.

Another Wood Carving

Photographed at the Totem Pole and Wood-Carving Park on the Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls.

A Zamboni Good Enough to Eat?

While getting ready to take some photographs at a recent Skate Canada competition, this colourful Zamboni machine came out to re-surface the ice. This gave me a chance to check the lighting and set up my camera.

Collage of Santa and Friends

My niece asked me to make a collage of her daughter, Bethany, and her friends for a Christmas gift frame that Bethany will give to her two friends, Holly and Isabella. The Santa photo is not mine but the surrounding photos were taken at Bethany's 4th Birthday party.

Sky at Dusk

We were driving along Fourth Avenue in St. Catharines the other day and noticed this sky. Fortunately, I had my camera in the back seat of the car and shot this photo through the windshield. Since traffic was just ready to move, I didn't have time to worry about composition.

Another Wood Carving

Photographed at the Totem Pole and Wood-Carving Park on the Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls.

Mountie in Deep Thought!

The Totem Pole and Wood-Carving Park on the Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls is closed this time of year. However, this wooden Mountie was guarding the gate and seemed to be deep in thought!

Christmas Cactus

Taken inside the museum in Port Colborne.

Great Skill

Our friend's daughter, Andrea and her dance partner, Guillaume, competed at the Skate Canada Senior Challenge on Sunday.

Silouette of Two Skaters

My best friend's daughter, Andrea was in a Skate Canada seniors dance competition yesterday. This photo is of Andrea and her partner changed to a black and white silouette in Photoshop Elements. They placed 6th in the competition which was not too bad considering this is the first year Andrea has skated with her new partner.

Carriage House, Port Colborne Museum

Last week we visited Port Colborne to have tea and Christmas pudding at Arrabella's Tea Room. The Carriage House is in the Heritage Village next to Arabella's.

Sichem Defiance at Port Colborne

This oil tanker was going through the Welland Canal to Lake Erie. Notice the ice forming around the anchor. This was a very cold day in Port Colborne!

Abandoned Truck Close-up

A closer look at an abandoned truck on Twenty Road.

Abandoned Trucks

While driving along Twenty Mile Road yesterday, we spotted these old trucks. The last time we drove along this road, there was only one. Could this be a graveyard for abandoned vehicles?

Christmas Decorations

The stores in Jordan are decorated for Christmas. This penguin is all set!

Three Weeks Until Christmas

With only three weeks until Christmas, Santa is busy taking orders!

More Lights

Another photo of the lights around Dufferin Islands.

Festival of Lights

Niagara Falls hosts the Festival of Lights each year. The best displays are around Dufferin Islands where this photo of Noah's Ark was taken.

Goderich Berries

My fellow blogger, "photoshopphlake" has been posting berries lately so I thought I would join him.

Vineland Estates Winery

Taken just before sunset. Vineland Estates Winery was one of twelve wineries you could visit with a 20 Valley passport. Each winery was serving a white and red wine with matching cheeses. At Vineland there was an added bonus of Icewine chocolates for tasting - dark and milk chocolate.

Another Matthew Photo

I've not been feeling well this last week so have not been up to posting to my photoblog nor taking any new photographs. Therefore, I'm just posting another photo of my great newphew, Matthew, taken a few weeks ago.

Equal Time

I showed a photo of my great newphew, Matthew, yesterday. To be fair, here's a photo of his sister, Bethany who slept through most of our visit. It wasn't the company, she had a bit of a tummy upset.

Matthew's "Mug Shot" - Literally!

My niece wanted some photos for use on a Christmas gift "mug". This is one of the pictures she chose of my great nephew, Matthew. It may be his first "mug" shot!

Leaves in a Line

There were a few leaves remaining on this branch. Taken in Guelph, Ontario.

Last of the Autumn Leaves

Leaves on a child's slide. Taken in Guelph, Ontario. To view on black background go to: http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/onblack.php?id=2010770206&posted=1

Punting on the Avon (Christchurch, New Zealand)

I was informed recently that this photo has been listed in the fourth edition of the Schmap Christchurch Guide. I won't get any compensation but I'll get credit and my photo will be widely distributed.

Cattail Creek Wine

Cattail Creek Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake had it's grand opening yesterday although the winery opened to the public in September. Cattail makes some very good wine at reasonable prices.

Friends Under the "Flame"

It's an annual tradition for the group that goes to the Ottawa Food and Wine Show to walk past the eternal flame by the Parliament buildings (inside joke!). The light relections above our heads makes an interesting shot. The photo was taken by the person we work for (from New York) and with her camera.

Finger Lakes Panorama

Three photos of a Seneca Lake vineyard merged together using PhotoShop Elements.

Through a Winery Window

Taken from the tasting room of a Finger Lakes Winery.

Squash at Whitty Farms

More vegetables taken at Whitty Farms.

Old Car at Whitty Farms

Taken at Whitty Farms and altered in Photoshop Elements.

New York State Wine Pouring Team!

Since Sue and I will be working at the Ottawa Food and Wine Show starting on Friday, I thought I would post this photo taken by someone else.

Statue in Sepia

This statue was taken at Whitty Farms and changed to sepia using PhotoShop Elements.

Fall Peppers

Taken at Whitty Farms.

Best Part of Fall

Crisp, red apples. Taken at Whitty Farms.

Erie Canal Sign

Sign seen while going through the Erie Canal Locks.

Our Latest Addition!

We've adopted a stray kitten that Sue has been feeding since May, 2007. The mother had 5 kittens. We're not sure what happened to 3 of them but 2 survived. The other kitten was taken to the SPCA. We won't name the kitten until we're sure it will fit in with our family of 3 other cats!