Saturday afternoon bowling

Saturday afternoon bowling, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

Went to the Plaza Lanes, Saturday... Lisa had some free tickets for a game so we thought what the heck ... We all loved it - 10 frames is just about enough bowling for Miles and Kate.... I broke 100 but just barely... and Miles tied with Lisa.... Kate didn't do too bad herself. I'm sure we'll be out bowling again soon.

Miss Kate

, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

After supper, we all went out and watched a rainbow... I tried to explain what a rainbow is to Kate... but it was hard... the best we could come to was that the rainbow flies like the birds up in the sky after the rain.... Works for me....

Dinner

Dinner, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

Kate gets dinner ready - chicken soup and an apple pie (I hope).

She's having a blast with the kitchen stove Grandpa Marv made for her this Christmas - Oh yeah... the stereotypical roles are played out here and it begins at the tender age of two... but I'm sure that its harmless.

Doing the Goose Walk

, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

Kate, Miles, Lisa and I walked down to the Glendale cemetery to the pond to feed the ducks / geese on Saturday... Kate really got into feeding them... and walking like them...

After we got home, washed our hands and took off our shoes, I began to wonder if someday we'll be afraid to do this for fear of the bird-flu...

Scary to think about and didn't dawn on me or Lisa until way later in the day just how very real and dangerous and potentially small the world is becoming.... Perhaps I see this more clearly now that I realize that the world is not for me alone to inhabit....

Look !

Look !, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

Miles.. Caught him with a quick "Hey"... A sincere look of "What?"

Lisa and Kate

Lisa and Kate, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

a brief moment... sending off Miles to Grandpa and Grandma Schettler's for a week away from home.... We missed our little guy a bunch.... Needless to say.. Miles had a blast. Kate kept saying... "where is Miles.."

It was quiet around the house.

Happy Mom...

, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

Lisa indulges me with some face time and a "photo-shoot".... One of my first attempts at using a handmade diffusion panel in front of the lens. Available light (interior artificial lighting). Diffusion panel made of nylon (white) stretched over black foam core.

Interested in learning how analogue filters effect the digital image for "in the camera" effect.

Adjusted light balance and reduced color tone

Walk on water...

Walk on water..., originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

A great day (afternoon) to just be out on the Ice... Grandpa Marv, Miles, Emily and I had a wonderful time... more pictures posted to my flickr stream...

Grandpa's best knot

Grandpa's best knot, originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

One of my favorites from our visit back to Storm Lake over the holidays... Miles and Grandpa Marv are quite the fishing buddies... Teach him well Grandpa...

Miles

Miles
Originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

This is an "old" snapshot from our visit over the Christmas holiday when we went back home to Storm Lake and went ice fishing with Grandpa Marv... It was fun to lay down on the ice and just watch what happens....

Windows...

Windows...
Originally uploaded by Matt Niebuhr.

We had a wonderful lunch and a mutual "day off" on the last Friday of the year. Browsed around some camera shops (Thanks for endulging me), a new / old salvage architectural place downtown and a lunch at Beggar's Banquet. It's been a good year. Can't wait to see what the next brings!

Another walk in the woods on Christmas Eve day

Originally uploaded by mniebuhr.

Miles and I went to the woods south of the Art Center today. It was cold and rainy but we still trudged through the weeds. We found many interesting things. Like these berries.. "natures ornaments". Of course according to Miles, we were "hunting" for deer... and luckily we did manage to chase up one lone buck, a whitetail deer. Miles was happy. He had his binoculars out and was scouting around the entire time. We had a great time, got wet and muddy... and helped each other enjoy the morning. A great way to celebrate Christmas.

my honey bear

my honey bear
Originally uploaded by mniebuhr.

Life is like a good morning greeting from my honey bear....who always has a smile...

First Snow Fall

Yippie.

National Weather Service
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON
Wswdmx

Urgent - Winter Weather Message... Corrected Spelling National Weather Service Des Moines IA 123 PM CST Tue Nov 15 2005

... First Winter Storm Of The Season...

.A Strong Low Pressure System Will Lift Northeast Across Missouri And Illinois Today And Tonight... Spreading Snow Across The Upper Midwest. Very Strong Winds Will Occur Late Today Into Wednesday Morning.

The First Snowfall Of The Season Will Spread Across The Area Today And Gradually End Tonight. Snow Accumulations Of 3 To 6 Inches Are Possible With The Lightest Amounts Over Southwest Iowa To Near 6 Inches In The Waterloo And Mason City Vicinities.

In Addition To The Snowfall... Very Strong Northwest Winds Of 25 To 35 With Gusts As High As 55 Mph Will Develop Tonight. Thus... Near Blizzard Conditions Maybe Possible Overnight... Depending On How Fast The Snow Freezes And Its Depth. Wind Chills Will Also Fall To The Single Digits.

A Winter Weather Advisory Means That Periods Of Snow Will Cause Travel Difficulties. Be Prepared For Slippery Roads And Limited Visibilities.

A Winter Storm Watch Means There Is A Potential For Significant Snow And Or Blowing Snow That May Highly Impact Travel. Continue To Monitor The Latest Forecasts.

Miles dimple in the leaves

Just what might you find in the bottom of a leaf pile... I just don't know - but it's fun digging down to see!

Miles buried in leaves

A little bit of goofing around in the leaves is healthy for the soul!

Miss Kate in the leaves...

Kate and Miles helped rake leaves last weekend...of course more are now in the yard.. but the pile was big and soft and perfect for "Superman dives" !

American Gothic (Revisited)

American Gothic (Revisited)
Originally uploaded by mniebuhr.

On a recent return trip from Eastern Iowa, I discovered this! The house in the background of Grant Wood's "American Gothic" painting. The house was sitting quietly alone under the street light... no one was home.

Milkweed

Milkweed
Originally uploaded by mniebuhr.

From Mom and Dad's flower garden back in Aurelia...on a wet cold fall day. We found lots of great seed heads - purple cone flowers...milkweeds...all sorts of great places for birds and butterflies!

Take a walk in the woods...

Take a walk in the woods...
Originally uploaded by mniebuhr.

We went together, Lisa, Kate, Miles and I for a walk in the woods last Sunday.... Reminds me of Thoreau

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

--Henry David Thoreau