My Best Photo

Day #300

Today is the last day of the year. The end of 2018! We celebrate tonight by saying good bye

 to the old year and we welcome in the New Year. We remember events of this past year, and we make plans and resolutions for the New Year. 

The photo challenge asked me to post my best photo of 2018. It was hard to decide. There was our trip to Nova Scotia, and my trips to Nanaimo and Airdrie. There was the great BC forest fire, and family events like the wedding of my son to my daughter in law, and the birth of my grand daughter. 

View Bug has honored this photo with 'Community Choice Award', which I think is very cool.

And they also entered this photo in the Photograph of the Year Awards.

I will let you know how I did! 

I have started my 365 Days of photos by Jewels on March 6, 2018 and my last photo will be posted on March 6th, 2019. 

I wish those crazy people who have been following me an Amazing year ahead! Stay happy and healthy.... 

See ya Next Year! HAPPY NEW YEAR !!


Jewels 

 PS

This was one of my high points... traveling to Nova Scotia, and visiting Oak Island. Something I heard and read about as a child... and of course watching on the History Channel on TV. 
Happy New Year... Jewels 

Gift

Day #299

 

 

There is always

one gift each 

Christmas that

creates 

a 

wonderful 

reaction!

That 

awww

factor!

Every Christmas

my children 

and their

spouses seem

to always 

find that

one gift

that 

shed's a

tiny tear

and my

heart goes

AWWW !

 

 

Gift

I look at this ornament

and I smile 

at each

of the names

on this 

glass 

heart.

Each one

so very

special

and priceless! 

 

 

 Thank you

See you again

tomorrow

 

Jewels 

Blue Hour

Day #298

 

One of my photo challenges for December was "Blue". 

 

The Prince George Area had received a snow fall warning. So, after 24 hours or so of snow fall we started to dig out. 

This photo was taken at gazebo deck level, shot with "Live View". The early morning had a blue cast.

Photographers talk about shooting photos at the golden hour or the blue hour.

 

.... truly a  Winter Wonderland in our back yard. 

Blue Hour

Thank you for taking a look!

See you very soon!

Jewels 

Book/Weekly Planner

Day #297

 

 

One of my favorite traditions in the gift giving department of Christmas, is to make my own Weekly Planners. I review my photos from the current year such as; every day life, my trips, family and put together the Weekly Planner. I try and make sure I have included my families  Birthdays, Anniversaries, and all holidays are listed. 

 Calendars are also used to help people manage their personal schedules, time and activities, particularly when individuals have numerous work, school, and family commitments. People frequently use multiple systems, and may keep both a business and family calendar to help prevent them from over-committing their time.

 I use it as a mini journal when I am traveling, keeping track of money, bills, who called and when... mail and emails sent and received.... Costco Photo Centre invoice numbers. When I pull my planner out of my purse... I get tons of compliments !!

Book/Calendar

 This years Weekly Planner just arrived, and now is in the mail to my children and a few are sent to special people in my life! 


See you next time, and thank you for taking a look!


Jewels 
PS.. not for sale yet.. maybe I should consider.. thoughts??? 

Guess!!

Day #296


Guess!

Guess what this is!! 
Leave your guess 
in the 
comments 
below! 

Guess


I will 
let you 
know tomorow
of what
this is!


See you tomorrow!

Jewels

New

Day #295

There is Light Snowflakes falling 

from the sky,

Everyone has gone back to 

the business of

being employed

I 

have my 

coffee cup in hand

Christmas Tree lights on

and
wearing

my 

New

Slippers! 

The best time

of Year! 

New

Nice 

Toasty and Warm

Thank you !

See you very soon1

Jewels 

Christstollen

Day #294

 

 

 Memories of Yesterday

Family gathered 

around the

Christmas Tree

wrapping paper scattered

sound of thrilled 

and pleased

adult voices!

Phone calls,to Airdrie

thank yous!

Greetings, wishes

and James excited 

Merry Christmas voice

Video chat to kids

in Nanaimo

Grand children growing

Sharing with Grandma

their surprises from

Santa

Coffee, baileys

snacking on 

cinnamon buns

and "Christstollen"

Tummy is full

evening is quiet

egg nog night cap

and studying photo's of

the

youngest grand child's face

Merry Christmas to you all. 

 

Christstollen

It was a wonderful day, full of memories that will not be forgotten! 
Merry Christmas to one and all!
Thank you for checking in and reading my blog!

See you next time!

Jewels 

Self Portrait in PJ's/4,3,2,1 day before Christmas

Day #293

 

 Today's photo
challenge 

was a self portrait..

I am still in my PJ's

the city is asleep

I thought I would have

fun with 

my cell phone!

 

Self Portrait...in PJ's

 

 Four days before Christmas 

my true love gave to me...

Cookies, enough to share

  3 days before Christmas

my true love gave me Lemax 

people, to add a little

fun to my village

Two days

day before Christmas 

a bag of Mixed Nuts

because he is nuts over me!

One day before Christmas my 

true love gave to me Cider/mead so

we can toast Christmas! 

4, 3 2 and 1 day before Christmas, my true love gave to me

I am wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

See you very Soon!

Jewels 

Lazy

Day #292

 

 

 

Its a lazy day,

the house is clean

tree is up and decorated

meals are planned

the baking complete

gifts are mailed out as '

well as Christmas Cards

Gifts are wrapped and

ready to go into 

the stockings...

So now, 

I am being a bit lazy

drinking home made

Bailey's in 

My Christmas

coffee cup. 

Lazy

Having a lazy day on

the day before

Christmas Eve

such a treat! 

See you tomorrow!

Jewels 

3D Fun and Frozen Feathers

Day #290 & 291

 At Festival of Trees a few years ago, I purchased these 3D glasses... you look at lights, esp. Christmas Lights and you get to see shapes. I used my cell phone to see if it worked out similar like your own eye balls! 

3D Fun

I am not really sure how to use the camera on my IPhone... but I still thought this was cool.. now I need to try my camera! 

This morning we were heading out to do Christmas errands, and the windshield was frozen, Jack Frost had fun painting frost. 

Frozen Feathers

 This reminds me of the transparent glace you may find in some bathroom windows.



Stay warm!

See you tomorrow!


Jewels

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Day # 289

 

 

 

The tree was traditionally decorated with "roses made of colored paper, apples, wafers, tinsel, [and] sweetmeats". In the 18th century, it began to be illuminated by candles, which were ultimately replaced by Christmas lights after the advent of electrification. Today, there is a wide variety of traditional ornaments, such as garlands, baubles, tinsel, and candy canes. An angel or star might be placed at the top of the tree to represent the Angel Gabriel or the Star of Bethlehem, respectively, from the Nativity.^[6][7] Edible items such as gingerbread, chocolate and other sweets are also popular and are tied to or hung from the tree's branches with ribbons. (Wikipedia)

Decorating the Christmas Tree

The first person to bring a Christmas Tree into a house, in the way we know it today, may have been the 16th century German preacher Martin Luther. A story is told that, one night before Christmas, he was walking through the forest and looked up to see the stars shining through the tree branches. It was so beautiful, that he went home and told his children that it reminded him of Jesus, who left the stars of heaven to come to earth at Christmas.


  See you very soon!

Jewels 

PS There is unique Christmas ornament hanging in my tree... the Christmas Pickle. It was a gift from a friend... and apparently it is a German tradition. Doing some research.. it is not. Woolworth's in the 1800's starting to sell glass fruit ornaments for Christmas tree and the pickle was included.  Legend says that the first child/person who finds the pickle in the tree gets a special gift from... Santa.. St. Nickolas or mom... There are a few stories/reasons about the pickle... there are many cool traditions and the stories behind the traditions...  .... have fun searching Google! 

Jewels.

8,7, 6 Days before Christmas

Day #288 

 

 

 

Twelve Days before Christmas

my true love 

gave to me

Flowers because

I am beautiful

Chocolate Orange

because sweet with 

the tart

Taffy because he

loves being

stuck on me

Cookies goes

great with tea and me! 

 

My true love gave to me, 8, 7 6 days before

On the 8th day before Christmas

my true love gave to me

Lemax people to 

add life to the village

On the 7th day before Christmas

my true love gave to me

JD Honey

because I am both Sweet and warm

(love this drink over ice... yum)

On the 6h day before Christmas 

my true love gave to me

wrapped chocolates

because I am full of 

colorful surprises!  

Thank you! 

See you tomorrow!

Jewels 

Frozen Rain Drop

Day #287

 

It snowed here, creating a beautiful Christmas Card effect... then later that night it started to rain! 

 

 

 

 

Frozen Rain Drop

With the freezing temperature, the rain drops froze. If you look very closely, you can see tiny bubbles in the frozen rain drops.  (The frozen droplet is smaller than my baby finger nail)



See you very soon!! 


Jewels 

Christstollen

Day #286

 

 

Christstollen 

 

Stollen

 

 

It is very comforting and wonderful when you are busy baking in the kitchen, and your grown up children find out what you are actually baking. They get excited!

 Christstollen is a family favorite at Christmas time. Mom would make her Christstollen each and every year. She would wrap them up, and even add a red bow to give away her prized Christstollen.

 My mom, a few weeks before Christmas would bake her Christstollen. We could hardly wait for Christmas to get a taste! My Children also have fond memories of mom's Stollen arriving in the Christmas parcel. (Mom's bread are also on the request list..... just saying )

Today, was Stollen baking day. I do not have my mothers recipe... I found one from a bakery in Germany... So, we will see.....

 

 

Christstollen

As I researched a good Christstollen recipe, I had come to realize the long history of the Stollen, plus there are a few other types of Stollen as well... take my word.. or check out Google!

Well, now the time for a taste test... next week for sure on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.. if we can hold out that long!


 See you very soon!

Jewels ... 

New Winter Game

Day #285

North Canada red neck version of Curling 

Robert and I, we were out for a walk to the newest park in Prince George, called; Nechoko Riverside Park. It is a brand new park which opened this fall, which is now closed because of winter. But, we managed to find away in the park and walk down to the rivers edge.

You combine, water, ice rocks and the spirit of a child inside you.... what do you get! 

A New Outdoor Game!

Equipment required:

Ice on a river, pond or lake, 2 to 3 inches thick- DO

NOT WALK ON THIS ICE!

lots of rocks and stones at the edge of the river, pond or lake. 

Rules:

You take turns tossing rocks onto the ice, try and keep them on the ice.. they will slide off and you receive 0 points.

If you manage to toss a rock and it makes a hole in the ice! You have earned 2 points!

If you can manage to toss rocks into the hole, you get 2 points! 

Ricochet your rock into the hole, receive 1 point!  

If the ice breaks off and your rocks floats away... GAME OVER!

New Winter Game

Robert was clearly the winner, he made the hole 2 points and managed to get 3 rocks in that is 6 points with a total of 8. I put one rock in 2 points and a ricochet which is 1 point with a total of 3. And with all the rocks being tossed on the ice..we managed to have some of our rocks float away. (if you look at the centre of the photo!) 

See you very soon!

take care

Jewels 

My True Love Gave to Me

Day #284

On the 11th
day before Christmas
my true love gave to me
Chocolate Orange because
I am both sweet and tart,
On the 10th day before 
Christmas,
my true love gave me,
Salt Water Taffy
because my 
true
love is stuck on me !

My True Love Gave to me

And on the 9th day

before Christmas my true

love gave to me

Cookies....

it is simiply

 'Tea for Two'

 

 

 

Thank you so much!

 

See you very soon!

 

 

(I think I shall open the Salt Water Taffy !)

 

Jewels 

Christms Lights

Day #283

 

 

 

It was snowing outside

last night. 

We turned on our 

Christmas lights

in our 

back yard.

It looked so magical!

 

Christmas Lights

 

I was in sock feet,

the deck was 

wet with 

snow. 

Trying to take 

a 

photo at

night!

I think

It is truly 

inviting

to sit

with 

hot chocolate

and enjoy 

being in

the lights!

Thank you!

See you very soon!

Jewels  (Ps, I will keep practising taking 

photos at night!)

The 12th Day Before Christmas

Day #282

 

 

On the 12th Day before Christmas

My true love

gave to me....

 

On the 12th Day Before Christmas

 

He gave me 

Flowers,

to

remind myself

that even when I do not see

myself that way,

I am

Beautiful.  

Thank you! 

Just smelling these flowers,

tells me 

that the world is

Beautiful!

Thank you!

See you tomorrow!! 

Jewels 

Outside December 12/18

Day #281

 

 

 

Outside, about a 5 minute walk is the Nechako River. That is where I go to take photos, get some fresh air, get some inspiration, explore, collect my thoughts and get some excersise.

Stopping to look at the scenery (have not been here since before Hallowe'en), my mind tends to wander and my thoughts are all jumbling together. 

"Oh how lovely", "Do I have a full battery?", "Did I bring the right lens", How should I compose this photo?", "What should I cook for dinner?", "I forgot my phone", "Don't fly away little bird!", "I should of brought a bag to collect pop cans", "What should I cook for dinner!", "Really! More trash!", "What should I get _____for Christmas?", "What if I fall into the river?!", "I sure hope these pictures turn out!", "Dinner, what to make.", " I really should of brought that bag for empties!", "what do I wish for Christmas?", "I wonder who reads my blog?", "I wonder if it is someone that knows me?". 

Outside December 12/18

I wonder what your thoughts are when you read my blog, or view my photos.

See you very soon!

Jewels 

In the House

Day #280

The photo challenge for today was suppose to be 'A New Angle'. So, since the tree is up and still not decorated, I tried to get photos by laying down, up under the tree. A view from a child's point of view. I was unsuccessful.

In the house we have an owl. So, I did a technique to photograph the owl. 

In the House

  I think the fun part is experimenting, trying something new. Not to give up.... no matter if its carpentry, photography, needle craft, or writing etc, keep trying.. and have fun with it... sometimes take a break with a cuppa and start new! 

Thank you once again!

Time to start dinner... its Curry Chicken tonight!

See you very Soon

take care

Jewels