Week 3, so far.

Nothing really exciting to report, but I did take some of my favorite pictures thus far.

Day 12: I was passing a local school on my way to a late class and the lighting conditions were pretty perfect. I also took advantage of a clear night to scale a parking garage to try my hand at night photography, including motion/blurring effect of moving cars.

Day 13: After a class, I took a short drive to a small park that had the Red Cedar River running through it. It was warming up so the effects on the ice was pretty cool. Some of my favorite photos I have ever taken are in this batch.

Day 14: A cold, dreary, rainy day did not give way to good conditions during the day, but the cloud cover gave way to some light reflection at night. The view from the other side of the parking garage, looking out over campus. The bottom photo shows the landscape all the way into the Lansing and includes the State Capital building. 

Chicago Weekend

I was lucky enough to spend the past weekend with my best friend celebrating her bachlorette party. While there my picture taking time was limited, but we had a great deal of fun times, laughs, and made some wonderful memories!

Chicago

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

Day 8: Fulfills two resolutions as this is a new cookie recipe I was very anxious to try and can't wait to bring to an upcoming bachelorette party.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT CRINKLE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder

7 oz. chocolate, 65% cacao

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup Nutella

2 large eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 cup confectioner sugar

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line bake sheet with parchment paper

1. Place flour and cocoa powder in a bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
2. Place chocolate, butter and Nutella in a heavy-bottom pan over  low heat and stir until ingredients are melted and combined.; set aside.
3. Place eggs, egg white and sugar in a bowl and beat until the mixture is light in color and thick and fluffy in appearance with large bubbles (mixture will resemble pancake batter). Add in peppermint extract and beat to combine.
4. Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined. Gently fold in flour mixture until no streaks appear. Chill dough for 20 minutes.
5. Place confectioner sugar in a large bowl. Remove chilled dough, using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon drop dough into bowl with confectioner sugar. Push dough around to heavily cover it confectioner sugar. Place covered dough balls on parchment lined bake sheet one inch apart. Bake for 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes, using a spatula press cookie flat.

Polar Vortex Strikes

SO MUCH SNOW!

Unfortunately less than a week into my New Years Resolutions I had to miss a day. I do have a very good excuse as I was driving through the polar vortex including swirling and blowing snow. To make up for missing a day, I read about how to take better photos.

Day 3: As a family we went to the local Martini bar to get a classic martini in honor of my Grandfather's birthday.

Day 4: Before leaving for Michigan I took one more walk around the house, through the deep snow, with my helpful puppy.

Day 6: Today marked what should have been the first day of classes, but that crazy snow, wind and cold I mentioned before cancelled them and did not make going outside very appealing so I attempted to take another indoors picture. 

Day 7: Yet another cold, snowy day that prevented me from going outside out of fear my camera would stop working so here is a picture of my bike tree. 

The First

Seeing as its wicked crazy cold here currently, and only projected to get colder, it seems only fitting that my first posting and first photos all involve winter themes.

Day 1 involved my first try at a long exposure and I will certainly have to work on throughout the year as this one did not turn out exactly how I hoped but still something new.

Day 2 includes a series of photos taken at the local lake that plow into an ice skating rink.