Day 131

No time to take pictures yet again today.  After school, I had to pick GothGirl up and take her to guitar lessons.  Then I came home and walked on the treadmill while she finished up some homework.  We both grabbed a quick dinner in the kitchen and then went down to my craft room to stamp some paper sacks.  My Girls on the Run group has to complete a community service project and they chose to make treat bags for all the teachers and staff at the school.  I volunteered to bring in the decorated sacks, which the girls filled with candy, office supplies (markers, pens, post it note pads, clips, etc.), and granola bars.  They also made a flower pen to put in each bag.  After the bags were filled, we delivered them throughout the school.  All of the teachers were gone for the day, so they would see their surprises first thing in the morning.  Photos taken with my phone.

Due to the lack of photos for today, I’d like to wrap up with the final photos taken on Sunday at the orchard.   The theme for this year’s Team Quest finals was Route 66.  The organizers brought in an old Chevy Impala convertible for the event and housed it in one of the barns.  The kids were told some things about the car and then were later tested on the material that was covered.  At the end of the day when the kids were all occupied with other events, I got the chance to take some photos of the car by itself.  Since classic cars have such neat features, I knew there was the possibility of getting some good photos.  Luckily I shot a few at some great angles and I love how they turned out after final editing. 

Day 100

Since we had made the drive to Indy, I figured we might as well take in an attraction.  We opted for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.  Besides the fact that Indy is a major racing town, the cost of admission was reasonable (so that if we didn’t feel like staying long, we wouldn’t be out a bunch of money).  We were pleasantly surprised from the get-go.  The museum itself was wonderful with all the past Indy 500 winners on display, plenty of memorabilia, a movie about the history of the track, etc. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After exploring the museum, we were able to catch a free shuttle van that took us down to the center of the track where some NASCAR drivers were practicing.  It was quite exciting (and also quite loud) to be right next to the tracks. 

 

 

 

 

If you’re looking for a fun and cheap family outing, I highly recommend this museum.  We really enjoyed our time there.  Truly a great place!

Day 6

I had a hair appointment in a neighboring town today, so I took my camera along.  I snapped this photo at the entrance to Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site just outside of Petersburg, IL.  The site is a reconstruction of the village where Abraham Lincoln spent his early adulthood. The six years Lincoln spent in New Salem, starting at the age of 21, formed a turning point in his career. Although he never owned a home here, Lincoln was engaged in a variety of activities while he was at New Salem. He clerked in a store, split rails, enlisted in the Black Hawk War, served as postmaster and deputy surveyor, failed in business, and was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1834 and 1836 after an unsuccessful try in 1832.

New Salem the town was founded in 1828 by two men who started a small grist mill near the Sangamon River. Unfortunately, the location just off the river was less than ideal and the town enjoyed a very short lifespan. Very few families stayed for more than a few years, and by 1840 the town was abandoned. During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) reconstructed 22 of the old structures and moved one original back to the original town site.

Editing: removal of small sections of sidewalks & parking lots via clone stamp, The Pioneer Woman Boost action, curves adjustment

f/4

1/250 sec

400 ISO  

45mm