Colonial Williamsburg

March 5: After spending a cold, rainy day in Jamestown, we spent a chilly evening in Colonial Williamsburg in a ghost tour. It wasn't a ghost hunt, but a tour of buildings that are said to be haunted. Our guide was an excellent story teller, too, and sucked us all into the stories of past residences.

There was this one house that has a creepy reflection. The first photo is front of the house. The second photo is the creepy window:

The next day we returned for a self guided tour of this colonial town. It is a bit reminscent of Mormon communities, but very cool.  Everything is made and repaired using colonial methods. The employees have completed years of apprenticeships and they maintain the town. It was very interesting to chat with them as we walked through the open buildings.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures, but the full day of photos are found here.

If ever you find yourself in Virginia, take the time to visit Jamestown and Williamburg. 

Friday Night Videos

It was the last week of class this week and as usual, it was busy! I finished and presented my final photography project and was very pleased with how it turned out. I will post those photos after I receive the grade.

Tomorrow we are walking the MS walk here in Salt Lake. My family has been fortunate in avoiding this illness, but it has a high incidence in here in Utah. I have many friends who have immediate family members with this diagnosis. It is an emotional walk, especially when crossing the finish line.  Here is a video highlighting the necessity of finding a cure.


If you could speak to, and be heard by, one million people, what would you say? 


One photo I've longed to take, is a star trails photo. But what if you couldn't see the stars any more? I think I shall see this movie when it's released:


In my journey to better health, I ran across this video, which is a trailer for a movie which discusses how advertising and our approach to food has changed from nutrition to popular ad campaigns.

The Powhatan and Jamestown

Back to our visit to Virginia. We stayed in a very nice condo in the Historic Powhatan Resort, which was our home, essentially. 
A couple of my favorite photos taken:

 After one rainstorm, was this fiery and amazing sunset!

 There was one single swan swimming in the pond/lake (depending on who you asked).

On a rainy day, we visited Jamestown, Virginia. I've never thought a ton about it, but it was surreal to walk through the town and consider the history of our country.  It was a bit sobering and I really enjoyed that there wasn't a crowd of people visiting with us.
Here are the photos I loved :

We hid from the rain in a shelter and found this Powhatan girl re-enacting life in the past. I struggled to get the correct camera settings to use the natural light coming in from a small doorway. That was the only light source, and I LOVED the way this photo turned out.

We didn't stay as long as we would have liked but we explored all we could before the rain made it through out clothing and skin down to the bone. 
Lucky for us, our condo had a magnificent bathtub and steam room. Yay!!!

Friday Night Videos

Testing out the "new" blogger look....we'll see how that goes. 

Here's video #1: a blind kitten learning to play for the first time...so cute!:


Video #2: - I enjoy the motivating videos as I find them...Maybe It's My Fault:


Video #3: Another great TED video:


Video #4: Wish I could do this with any and all pedofiles:

Virginia - Dahl Family

Eric and I took a little trip to Virginia in March. He's been wanting to show me his old romping ground in North Carolina for a long time. I really wanted to see Washington DC while we were in the vicinity so we created a home base of Williamsburg, Virginia.

We flew out on the red eye flight on March 3; yup. I'm that far behind. We flew into Newport News and were to check into our condo sometime after three o'clock. A couple of weeks before we left, I'd emailed my friend MaryAnn to find out their address so I could send them a package. She sent me her address and I was surprised and thrilled to see they live in Newport News! Yay!!

I was ever so excited to see her and Shaun and their cute family. I've known them for a long time and I don't think I realized how much I'd missed them until I saw them.

MaryAnn was gracious enough to let us hang out with her and the 10 month old twins and 7 year old Ezra. It was wonderful to catch up .... she's doing what she wanted to do and I'm happy to see it. I can say this: 10 month old twins are more than a handful!!! eeeekk!!

Here are some of the pictures I took of them on the first day and then the day before we came home a week later.

And Friday, March 9:

It was very nice to hang out and catch up and I'm looking forward to seeing them again in the next couple of years.

Friday Night Videos

After a very long and busy week, I came home on Friday night and collapsed into my bed. So, here are the videos I found to use for my videos:

Just because I've not been getting my zombie fix the last few weeks, and won't for several more, doesn't mean I can't enjoy it,right?


This reminds us all of my brother...and I love it!! (not to mention the song):


My sister took Flat Stanley for a little journey through Spain and Scotland:


Speaking of April, you should follow her on Youtube as she records her own journey in Spain...here's just one of her recent videos:

Another List of Things that Must Go

I have been accumulating these for a while.

1. My best sleep comes right before and during the time I need to get up in the morning (5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.)

2. Trainees with long fingernails who come to class and can't type. My observation has been that these ladies don't type very well anyway, then they have these terrible long nails.....cut the nails!

3. Yelling...loudly...horribly...at children. They are children! Teach them. Don't yell at them.

4. My debit card has the words: "See ID." Yet, I get asked MAYBE once a month after several interactions at the grocery store, fast food, book store, restaurants....you name it. Finally one person will ask. I've gotten to where I hand both my card and my ID over, and they still don't check!!!

5. Commercials where the husband is portrayed as an idiot with no clue about how the family is going and the wife is so much more knowledgeable. Husband: what are we going to do about blah blah blah problem?
Wife: oh, I already checked that and here's the solution: Product name
Husband: Product name?
Wife: Yes, Product name will do....blah blah blah and solve the problem.
Husband: Squirrel! (or some ridiculous comment to the like.)

6. People who say, "you're too young to have a bucket list." Maybe, but I think I want to create a list of things I'd like to accomplish, see and/or visit before my life is over...These will become a bit of a priority over other things that aren't on my list. And nobody is ever to young to create a road map for themselves.

Friday Night Videos

I love TED talks:

My beautiful nephew, Mason, as recording by Sandy:

Largest Rope Swing (scary):

My sister makes me laugh!! I love this video, "...favorite dog hands dow...oh!" LOL! :

Weirdest thing EVER!! This (evil) cat barks like a dog, gets caught and suddently begins to Meow:

Mad Pride

My cousin, Tyler, started a group on ESPN for the March Madness Brackets. There was no money...it was only to "play for pride"....I have always loved making my ridiculous picks.

It's funny to see how people make their picks: "I want to go to this state, or town..."

I used zero skill...I tried to guess where the upsets would be (and was wrong). I had to decide which one and two seeds would be overthrown and which ones wouldn't.

I made my picks and left it that. A few people at work scoffed at my picks...and I figured, you make your picks and I'll make mine. I watched the scores but didn't get into the games too much this year, until that last few games.

When all was said and done, I came in 2nd...... yup ....that takes true skill...

....or it's an accident. I'd like to say it was skill, but alas, it was pure luck and nothing more. LOL!

Tyler, I hope you do this again next year. It was fun! Thanks for setting it up.