dear old state

[see larger image on flickr]

it's penn state's 156th birthday today!

penn state has given me unforgettable memories, amazing friends, and life-long lessons...she's inspired me, motivated me, and made me so proud to be a part of dear old state.

"for the glory of old state,
for her founders strong and great,
for the future that we wait,
raise the song, raise the song.

sing our love and loyalty,
sing our hopes that, bright and free,
rest, o mother dear, with thee,
all with thee, all with thee.

when we stood at childhood's gate,
shapeless in the hands of fate,
thou didst mold us, dear old state,
dear old state, dear old state.

may no act of ours bring shame
to one heart that loves thy name,
may our lives but swell thy fame,
dear old state, dear old state."
- fred lewis pattee,
penn state's alma mater

 

phil was right

it's in the high 40's/low 50's here today.  the sun is shining.  the snow is melting.  you can feel the excitement on campus...the anticipation of no jackets, outside seating downtown, and studying on old main's lawn.

that cute, furry punxsutawney phil was right....spring is coming!

although i will miss my beloved snow and pretty winter scenery...i'm excited for warmer weather and spending more time outside :)

believe in love

[see larger image on flickr]

"all you need is love, love
love is all you need."  
-the beatles [listen / watch]

although part of me that isn't a fan of valentines day...its commercialization of romance and its tendency to make those without a significant other feel inadequate...there's another part of me that gets excited by the celebration of love.

love is about romance [which i'm hoping cupid can help me out with this year ;) seriously.], but love is so many other things too...

love is family, friendship, memories...
love is patience, and generosity, and kindness...
love is forgiveness, acceptance, and courage...

we sometimes forget to believe in love, but valentines is a day to remind us to believe - not only in the magic of romance - but in the beauty of our relationships with others...and with ourselves.

...hope you have a happy, happy valentines day filled with ALL KINDS of love!

p.s. i also did a little decorating around the apartment...flowers, chocolates, and doilies [oh my] :)

bokeh

i got a special surprise from laurie this week...a bokeh kit for my camera!


bokeh is a photography term that means "blur" in japanese.  it's a really pretty effect where all of the out-of-focus light in your photo turns into pretty circles [see my attempts on flickr].  now, what's really awesome is that when you put a bokeh filter with a specific shape over your lens and set your camera's aperture really low, then you can get the bokeh in the shape of your filter.  it's a really amazing effect!




i had tried to make my own filters out of scrapbook paper over christmas, but the effect didn't quite work.  so i'm really excited to try it with this kit!  now all i need are some pretty twinkle lights :)

frost

i was editing some photos this weekend and they reminded me of one of my favorite poems.  it's a classic by robert frost about a solitary horse ride through the silent, snowy woods...the poem itself is just so simple and peaceful.  i thought i'd share it with you this morning - happy monday :) 

stopping by woods on a snowy evening
robert frost

whose woods these are i think i know.
his house is in the village though;
he will not see me stopping here
to watch his woods fill up with snow.

my little horse must think it queer
to stop without a farmhouse near
between the woods and frozen lake
the darkest evening of the year.

he gives his harness bells a shake
to ask if there is some mistake.
the only other sound's the sweep
of easy wind and downy flake.

the woods are lovely, dark and deep,
but i have promises to keep,
and miles to go before i sleep,
and miles to go before i sleep.

[see larger images on flickr:  branches, bark, trunks, pinecones]

winterberry bird

"be like the bird that,
passing on her flight
on boughs too slight,
feels them give way beneath her,
and yet sings,
knowing that she hath wings."
-victor hugo

i took this photo on my winter walk.  in the original photo the bird is very gray and blends into the background...it was hard to make him stand out against the beautiful bright winterberries [i don't actually know what winterberries are, but that word just sounds so pretty - so that's what i'm calling these red berries :)].

the processing on this photo took awhile, but the wonders of photoshop helped this little bird stand out [see larger image on flickr & before/after below].

i'm really learning a lot in my new photography class and from just playing around in photoshop.  it's nice to have a creative outlet from all of the reading and writing!

i have another presentation today...hopefully it will go well.  then....it's the weekend!

before

after

hoping for shadow

it's punxsutawney phil's big day today.  will he or won't he see his shadow?

i don't know about you, but i'm hoping he does.  i'm loving these rosy-cheek, scarf-and-mittens, snow-covered, wintery days...

i took this photo in front of old main on my way downtown.  the processing is from my new iphone app, instagram [which i'm totally in love with it :)]