3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

365project

Day 68/365: Super Bowl, Go Packers

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Day 58: Go Packers

I’m not a big sports fan, I like college football better than pro, and normally only watch a couple of games per year of NFL Football. Doesn’t mean that I can’t follow a game and know the general rules, just don’t ask me what blocking is, I have still have no idea even though it’s been explained to me numerous times.

But I do like the drama and excitement of the Super Bowl. If it’s a close game, which was definitely delivered in Super Bowl XLV. I did have a favorite team, the Green Bay Packers. There is something about a pro football team that still has the guts to play in “real weather” the way football was designed. Rough, tough, down and dirty. Reminds me of the days watching football with my Dad when the teams played in rain, sleet and snow.

Roughing the quarterback wasn’t an issue then, it’s football, the goal is to tackle the guy with the ball. So, getting back to the Green Bay Packers. They are the only team still owned by a city, not by “fat cats” with millions of dollars and expensive sky boxes who just want to own a football team. This bonds the fans with the team and the players with the fans. Not to mention you have to be a little crazy to go shirtless in freezing weather to watch a game. That’s dedication. Lambeau Field is the oldest pro sports stadiums in the country and the proximity of the fans to the field is second to none. They can literally reach out and touch them. Better than that…

The Packers do this thing called the Lambeau Leap.  Many players after scoring touchdowns literally leap into the stands to be embraced by their fans. This is awesome!!!!

Day 67/365: Hastings Honor Choir

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Day 67: Hastings Honor Choir

Just a little bit about the Hastings College, High School Honor festival. It is the oldest honor music festival in the state of Nebraska, now in it’s 41st year.  The choir and band only accepts juniors and seniors, while the string orchestra is open to all high school students. This year the clinician was Dr. Daniel R. Afonso Jr. and the students spent 6-7 hours a day Friday and Saturday practicing their pieces for the concert on Sunday.

My son is in the middle of the above picture, a senior, and sings Bass II. Until a year ago he never tried out for honor choirs.  He was accepted for Hastings last year, ECNC last fall, the University of Nebraska Omaha BOCH Festival last month, and two years ago sang at Carnegie Hall in New York City with the Elmwood-Murdock choir in a mixed ensemble. Quite a set of accomplishments in the past few years. Yeah, and he hates for me to brag about it too. But what are the chances he’ll ever read this? Slim to none.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to him sing. In six months he will be leaving for Marine boot camp in San Diego, CA and starting a career as an MP. I am more and more proud of him every day. I hope, somehow, that he will find a way to continue singing.  Maybe on a base somewhere a group of them will start a group, enter a talent show, or just be goofing around one day with ditties and form a group like the 4 Troops.

Day 67: Extra, full Honor Choir

Disclaimer: I know, the top photo is not one of my best, very amateurish Photoshop eiditing. But hey, the purpose of this blog is to stretch not only my photography skills but to get better in Photoshop as well.  I was experimenting with layers, selecting colors, and skewing images. I accomplished that.  So my goal for the night was complete. Considering the lighting and the distance I thought the pictures turned out decent.  I tried to improve it in Photoshop but was only slightly success.

The second picture was photoshopped too…I removed a random trombone player intruding on the choir and pushed the bleachers together.

Day 66/365: Winter Neighborhood

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Day 66: Snowy Neighborhood

The view down my street in Elmwood, Nebraska. A small community (technically a village), population 687, give or take a few.  This was a few days after a snow and the sun had finally come out. I know compared to my Connecticut friends this snow is nothing. But, last year we can get 8-10 foot drifts with just a foot of snow, so this year we’ve been given a break.

Learn More About a Small Town in Nebraska

Day 65/365: Winter Snow Drift in Nebraska

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Day 65: Nebraska Snow Drift

In Nebraska snow plus wind equals amazing snowdrifts. I love how the wind creates works of art. The wind travels across miles of empty fields collecting snow and deposits the very dry fine snow into very high drifts. It only takes a few inches to create several feet worth of drifts. This last storm was only six inches but resulted in a few 4-6 foot drifts.

Day 65: Waves of Snow

 

Nothing you want to be out in while it’s blowing, white out conditions with zero visibility created black ice this time and resulted in hundreds of accidents in Omaha and Lincoln. The interstate was closed for a short time. The Elmwood-Murdock school district, and other surrounding towns were closed for two days, one day for the storm, the next to open the many miles of country roads so the buses could get through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 64/365: Cat’s Winter Silhouette

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Day 64: Cat in Winter

The sun finally came out after three days cold  winter weather and this cat took full advantage to sun bathe in the middle of the street. Took several of them, but I liked this one the best.  There was something that I like about the back of the cat’s head rather than her looking at me.

I’m not sure of this her name,  it’s my neighbors cat and just another photo opp on the way to the mailbox.