Market Pictures

I would like to apologize in advance for the picture heavy post. I try not to do this very often, but I'm kind of in a quandary. Like I said in my previous post, I've been working at the Farmer's Market for a good month and a half on the weekends. I've been taking pictures of all the wonderful produce there.

I got a lot of good ones this weekend. My problem comes when trying to decide which ones are "the best" and worthy of putting onto the notecards in order to try and sell them. If you would, please leave me a comment that says which one you like the most and why.

I love all of them for different reasons.

These squash were HUGE, and such interesting shapes.

I like the crisp white contrasted with the red basket.
And I love the shiny bright purple of these eggplant.
These sunflowers were gorgeous.
I love the play of the yellow sunflowers versus the blue morning. Believe it or not, this is more or less straight out of the camera. I did not tweak the colors at all.
Different angle.
Not as bright, but I liked the grouping of three.
I felt like I had to get a watermelon picture that mirrors one I took of cantaloupe several weeks ago.
They are stacked in a pyramid form, and they are so big and delicious looking.
This peaches photo mirrors one I took of tomatoes a few weeks ago.
Okay, this is one of the very first times I was able to get my camera to focus so completely on the object in the foreground and blur the background. I love how sharp these peppers came out.
But I can't decide if I like this one better, because you can see more of the yellow and green peppers on each side of the red.

This seems like it would make a good fall notecard.
So, after the sun was fully up, I went back to the sunflowers.
They were SO bright.

And I tried a different melon picture.
Same melons, but from a different angle, trying to utilize the sun better.
And I just love this one. I love the blue sky, the green melons. It's fabulous, I think.
I had to crop a shadow out of this one, but it's still not a bad photo.
More peppers, but it's a brighter picture.
I don't know why, but these cherry tomatoes seemed to beg for a picture. They are so round and juicy looking. They seemed like they might be perfect.
Just a different angle.
And green beans. This vendor pours his beans out on the table. It seemed like a good picture.
Last but not least, I had to take a picture of this couple. They were so sweet, holding hands through the market. It was easy to see they love each other. (Obviously, I wouldn't put this picture on a notecard, but I wanted to share it with you.)
Well, that's my weekend at the market. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. Be sure and let me know which one you like the best.

Hugs,

Melinda

Farmer's Market

My dad started a business called Gardner Photo Graphix. It's basically a website that displays his photos which you can order on notecards or order prints of. It was a way for him to have a little bit of extra income while "not working" on disability.

I've helped get the website in order, but we've been having trouble with the store part of it for over a year. So while I was visiting my dad in April, I asked him for his supplies and volunteered to try selling at the Farmer's Market in town.

I've been working at the Farmer's Market every weekend for the past month and a half. I'm tired and hot and sunburned. I may have made as much as $100, but I'm not certain about that. (I should keep better records.) In the process, I've learned a bunch of things.

It really is about exposure. In the beginning I thought that I had such a unique product, that I would show up, and everyone would buy lots and lots of notecards, and I would only have to go a couple of times. But it's not. You really do have to be there week after week. Today, I had my first repeat customer. :D

Second, you really do need a canopy or gazebo or some sort of shelter. It gets hot and bright out there. I'm very pink today. One of the older gentlemen bought a "gently used" canopy and decided to sell me his old one. It's a bit worn, but it was probably a $75-80 canopy and he sold it to me for $40. Considerably a lot better than the $100 one I saw at Wal-Mart this morning (at 4:45 a.m.).

Third, you really can't do this to make a whole lot of money. For me, it's all about the fun. It's a hobby. I get to see lots and lots of people. I get to take lots of pictures. I get out of the house by myself for awhile. But I'm not making money. I make enough to cover the booth rental each week and not a whole lot more.

Well, I'm going to go now. I've been up since 4:00 this morning, and I'm tired. I'll have to figure out what I'm going to post next. I don't suppose I can get 500 posts by November 13, but it might be fun to try. November 13 is my 5 year blog anniversary.

But for now.... Goodnight.
Hugs,
Melinda

Blog Post by Word

I am attempting to write my next blog post using Word 2010. I’m not usually one who likes to update all of my software and go for the newest and best. But I must say, after several months of using both Windows 7 and Office 2010, I really like some of these changes.

Hmm, what else shall I say? Shall I talk of the frustrations I have with Sweet Pea and her school work? Should I talk of how much work I’ve been doing in the church’s media room? Should I talk of how the pantry’s clientele has dropped from 15 families to 5 families for a month? And all for the want of a Bible class. I don’t know.

One of my new favorite shows is “Chasing Mummies” on the History Channel. It follows Dr. Zahi Hawass, one of the world’s premiere archeologists, specifically with Egyptian archeology. If you get the chance, you really should watch it.

Well, I need to go. Today is National Waffle Day, and Dale thinks we should have waffles for dinner. This means I need to go make the batter. I wonder if he would be interested in bacon bits and cheese in his waffle. Hmm…

Hugs,

Melinda

P.S. FYI, I wasn't able to publish with Word today, for the simple fact that I can't remember my password. LOL Maybe tomorrow. :D

Blog Voice

So, I sat there in my bed last night thinking about my blog voice. It seems to me that I'm talking to a friend. One that maybe I haven't seen in a long time and one who might think they know me pretty well, but maybe doesn't. This isn't really a journal (I wouldn't put that online). It's more of a conversation of sorts. Or the ramblings of my crazy mind, but according to my husband, that's pretty much the same thing. LOL

Just so you know, that's the reason I can't seem to settle on the "perfect" background yet. I haven't found the one picture that really describes me as I am today. I love learning about Egypt, I love reading, I love taking pictures, I have been known to quilt and paint and crochet, I'm a homeschool mom of 2, a loving daughter, and a Christ follower. Trying to find the one background that encompasses all of that and yet isn't too busy or distracting or makes the type hard to read is actually somewhat difficult. Don't be surprised to see my backgrounds change. :D

Hugs,

Melinda

Contemplation

Okay, I have a question. How do you balance? I'm trying to figure out how to add an exercise routine and add a daily Bible study plus all the crafty things I want to do. I know I'm "off-balance" in a big area (i.e., Facebook), but I'm also trying to homeschool two children, as well as get a shaky business to grow some legs. Not to mention the normal homemaker stuff of keeping hearth and home. How do you balance it all out?

Hugs,

Melinda

On Homeschooling

This is our second year to homeschool. I love it. I really do. Sweet Pea is at an age where she (usually) comprehends what I'm trying to teach. We went with Switched On Schoolhouse for this year, and so far, it's been wonderful. It can be a bit particular with answers, but I think that's okay. I think she needs to learn that discipline.

Little Bit on the other hand..... Whew, it's been a ride already. I had been debating and second guessing myself it seems like every time I turn around. I had really thought, as late as May that I needed to send her to public school to Kindergarten, so that she could "learn how to learn." But I would sit there and have honest to goodness struggles with myself. Turns out, so did Dale. So we decided to homeschool instead.

Now, every time I sit down with her at the table, she's wiggling or goofing around or I don't know. But it's been enough to really frustrate me and drive me bonkers and make me wonder if I shouldn't go ahead and send her on to public school. But in my heart of hearts, I knew I didn't really want to do that.

So... Dale and I made the decision and talked with someone last night. We filled out an application and paid an enrollment fee, and as of last night, Little Bit is enrolled in our church's preschool program for the year. Amazingly, I feel a HUGE burden lifted off of my shoulders. Their philosophy is very similar to what I wanted in that they will be teaching her the process of learning. She will get to be with other children twice a week. And... I don't have to teach her all by myself. Someone else will be there to help me!

I'm amazed at how much better I feel about this school year already.

Hugs,

Melinda

Trying again

I want to continue to write, but I honestly feel swamped with my time. Over the next few days (weeks), I'm going to be trying to reorganize and re evaluate my priorities.

I guess my question is, for the 10 or so of you that "read" my blog, what do you want to see? Are you my quilting friends that I've had for years now, or are you my new homeschooling friends? Do you believe in God? Do you go to church regularly? How about photography? Or Egyptology? Or exercise?

I'm at such a crossroads in my life, that in trying to identify my "voice" on this blog is going to take a bit. It will help me to know what my "readers" want to read.

Anyway... maybe I'm just a rambler. Maybe I'm just rambling in the wind, and the wind is going to take my mind wherever it wants. Who knows what kind of posts I can come up with? Will you stick by me even if I seem totally random?

Goals for me and my blog (and my website and my exercise routine and our homeschooling efforts and housecleaning and flossing and etc.........):

• Develop the habit of writing every day or week.
• Develop the habit of finding posts to write about it.
• Stick with it.

Okay, I think that's enough for now. Hopefully, I'll be able to focus myself and be more efficient. Now, to go find that shower.....

Hugs,

Melinda

In the store....

In the grocery store this afternoon, Sweet Pea says to Little Bit, "Little Bit, if anyone ever asks what your favorite flavor of ice cream is, tell them American Cheese."

ROFLOL. Even the cashier was laughing. :D

Hugs,

Melinda

Worn Out

I am absolutely worn out. Between starting school (yes, we started "early"), VBS prep, and VBS itself, not to mention all the pantry stuff I've got going on, and oh, did I mention my dad's been in the hospital again?... I'm worn out ... I told Dale earlier, it's not even necessarily a physical exhaustion as much as a mental exhaustion.

We're trying to find a way to take a vacation. Or a stay-cation. Or even just get out of town for the weekend. We're also trying to find a low cost way of doing that. LOL. So far, it looks like we may be going camping this weekend. I don't know. I hope it isn't blazing hot still.

And yes, we started early. I'm hoping to go for year round school, eventually, but taking a month off was what we needed this year. There's a plethora of reasons for it, and if you're interested, I'll list them, but for now, just understand, that's what we chose to do.

Okay, I'm off. I'm going to go read my book for as long as I can, before I go to the library and get my books that are on hold.

Hugs,

Melinda