The Story Of Us

Before we get into today's post I just wanted to address some of the comments in the last post. Many of you noticed that D was no longer wearing a patch.. yes.. the patch is gone. Some of his vision is also slowly returning. It is a slow process but the doctor is hopeful. He still has considerable scarring but we are using a new drop and it is supposed to help with that.. all you prayers and helping so much and we are forever grateful.  Also thank you for all the comments on the 75 cake.. no I did not make it. It was made my a local small business called Spread the Frosting .  1. What is your favorite color?  Red 2. What is your favorite toy/game? Bowling 3. What is your favorite fruit?  Blueberries  4. What is your favorite food?  Burgers 5. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Cookie Dough 6. What is your favorite tv show? White Collar 7. Favorite Movie? Ouija  8. What is your favorite animal?  Gorilla  9. What is your favorite son...

If you recall the steam train I posted a few weeks ago.. well this was the interior of one of the train carriages. Both photographs are of the same carriage.. I shot both from the same place. The first is straight on with the color a true representation of the seats whereas the second was taken with a tilt of the camera and was given a sepia tone finish.  Do you prefer one of the other? I sold more prints of the first and I don't think any of the second. I personally love them both, they both have such different aesthetics.  The sepia prints can be purchased here and here                                The turquoise chairs prints can we purchased here and here                                           Etsy             Instagram     ...

How is everyone doing? Hope summer or winter is treating you well.. we have been busy here. As I mentioned a few weeks ago we had a lot to celebrate in the end of June and we started with my FIL's 75th surprise birthday party.  Our first guest arrived on the morning of the 20th and our last guest left on the morning on the 24th. We had a total of 14 people in the house.. including us. The trickiest part was keeping it all a secret. Thankfully M has a cousin who lives in New Jersey who hosted a sleepover for my in laws to keep them out of the house.  We had a lot of fun.. it was also a lot of cooking and cleaning but so many laughs..  The party favors for all in attendance. a thank you bag for all the out of towners a birthday gazette to honor the birthday boys birth year.. 1950. a birthday banner created by all his children and grands.  and a photo display celebrating him through the years. I don't like to post photos of others without their consent so I will be a li...

                               Chug a Chug Chug - This is a photograph of the Essex Steam Train taken in Essex, Connecticut. I took this photograph in 2008 during a road trip M and I took through New England. This is a Valley Railroad #97, a vintage 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type steam locomotive, built in 1923 by the American Locomotive Company. It's one of the few operational steam locomotives in the United States, consuming 2 tons of coal per day to produce the steam that powers it. It is primarily used for special events like the North Pole Express.  You can buy this print  here . Get Free Shipping with code BLOGGER Prints also available in larger sizes. Contact for more information and special requests. I am open to wholesale and licensing opportunities. Get in touch for more information.                           ...

Summer is coming which means I will be here a little less. We have an international trip planned and a local trip planned. I also want to try to explore a bit more of our own state.  H has four more days of school left and D six.  H will be saying goodbye to Elementary school and had his moving up ceremony last week.  and then we went out for dinner to celebrate at Gosht (means meat in Urdu) in Brooklyn. We had all of H's favorites.. meat and marrow..  In the midst of all the end of year activities we are also planning a surprise birthday party for my father in law who is turning 75. Don't worry, he doesn't even know the blog exists so the secret is safe. While the party is being hosted at a restaurant we have 8 family members flying in and staying with us for a few days.. So we are party planning then planning activities and food and everything else needed to make it a great weekend.  All this coincidentally coincides with D turning 15 so we are adding on a lit...

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett Synopsis -  At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures. Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite ...