The Dragons of the Insect World

Dragonflies are very interesting insects.  They are a challenge to photograph especially the very large ones, which I have yet to get.  The Autumn Meadowhawk are quite easy to photograph, because there are so many and sit still long enough to get a photograph.

Autumn Meadowhawk

This Four-Spotted Skimmer are easier to photograph in the morning when they haven't had a chance to warm up yet.  I have also nicknamed this photo "Darwin", because it reminds me of Charles Darwin and the photos he had.

Four-Spotted Skimmer



Yet another Skimmer this one is a "Twelve-Spotted".  They too are easiest when photographed in the morning.  They look very similar to the "Eight-Spotted" (as was pointed out to me) and could also be mistaken for the "Common Whitetail".

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

I want to thank the folks at BugGuide.net.  I go to this sight to ID all my bugs.  I have to say sometimes it gets dare right buggie!  Sorry, had to do it.

On another note.  The first half of my show season is over and I can now get back to business.  Office business that is.  I was really starting to wonder if this was going to be a good season.  Since last year was really bad, but I will say the first few shows wasn't looking so good either, but my August shows proved to be way better!  My faith has been restored!  I still have about 4 or 5 shows left to do this year.  I am very pleased that my "Photo Art" is doing so well (which includes textures and hand coloring and hopefully (next year) some HDR).  I think I have found my niche(s) in my photography.  As I develop my niches more, you will see more changes in my photography, my presentation and so much more.  I am excited about next year.  I expect to be doing many more shows and my booth display will be getting a facelift.

As for the cookie business, well not so good.  I added another farmers market this year, and that should have brought my sales way up, but instead I am just breaking even.  Which isn't good.  I also found myself spending so much more time (4 days) being devoted to The BlackHorse Cookie Company and so little time (1 maybe 2 days to prepare for the next show which would be the next weekend) for Cindi Ressler Photography.  My cookies are becoming more of a job and not a passion.  It isn't much fun anymore either.  So after careful thought and doing the pros and cons of it all The BlackHorse Cookie Company will ceased to exist as of December 31,2011.  

It's a little sad, but at the same time I will be able to devote all of my time promoting and selling my photography.  My true "Passion"!

You know as I writing this I am actually crying, because I put everything I have into The BlackHorse Cookie Company and to see it fail is very hard.  But I must move on and I can honestly say I tried!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

It's March!!!!!

The sun is out, I hear the constant dripping of melting snow coming off the roof and the temperatures may get into the lower 40's.  Yeah Spring is on the way and my day is getting better and better all the time!  A couple of photos that remind me of Spring and what I can look forward to.



Fledgling Sparrow

I have a pair of Sparrows who have been nesting in my barberry shrubs for the past several years and this photo is one of their fledglings.  There has been a group of Sparrows hanging around the bird feeder all winter and I wonder if it's the whole family.

Siberian Iris

These are some Siberian Irises that I grow in my garden I also have them in purple.  Looking forward to seeing them in the spring.

I almost feel like singing , but I don't want to spoil the mood.

The past few days I have been going through my photos and inventory getting ready for shows which will be here before I know it!  I have an aweful bad habit of waiting until the last minute.  But I always get the job done and ready to go!

This weekend if I get my paper in time I am going to be having me a hand coloring party.  I like the textured black and white hand colored, but I think I am going to hand color them without the textures to see how I like it.

Well the Cookie business will be kicking off as soon as May 1st.  Yicks!  Still waiting to hear from the Brewer Farmers Market.  Hopefully soon.

I am getting so anxious and excited about getting this season under way!

Some Minor Changes to My Blog

German Chocolate Sandwich Cookie

I have decided to incorporate my Cookie Business blog with my Photography Business blog.  Since the reason I started the Cookie Business to help support the Photography Business so I thought it appropriate to converge them together as one blog. 

With that said.  Let me tell you about my day thus far.  I have a meeting Thursday with the Rockland Farmers Market.  This is a regular meeting to get things ready for market which starts May 19th.  At a previous meeting I had mentioned that I was going to bake pies for market this year since the vendor who would normally sell them won't be there this year, and I figured since I can make a killer Apple Pie with a flaky buttery crust, I thought I could also add Blueberry and Strawberry Rhubarb Pies.  So I told the group I would bring in samples to the meeting.  Okay I am so not a fruit pie maker.  Just Apple Pie.  So I got my crust ready and it's in the refrigerator.  Now for the filling.  I added all the necessary ingredients sugar, cornstarch (thickener) lemon juice.  Now in the past when I have made Blueberry pies they were always too runny, this time it was thick, but the flavor was off.  I think maybe it might have been because the blueberries were in the freezer too long.   So I think I'm on the right track and with more practice perhaps I could come up with a great Blueberry pie.  But for now no go.  The crust was great though! 

So on to the next experiment.  Peanut Butter Granola Bars.  I did everything as planned, crunchy peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, almonds and of course dark chocolate chips.  The bars have great flavor, but are not forming the bars like they are suppose to.  Maybe more cooking time next time.  At this point I am thinking that this isn't my day to be in the kitchen. 

So I am down to my final recipe that was a backup in case the other 2 didn't work out.  Whoopie Pies!  I absolutely love these!  This recipe is from my Gram and I cherish this recipe and the memories that go with it dearly.  At one point making the filling in the past it always seemed thin, but I followed the recipe to the letter.  I mentioned to Mom what was going on and she asked if I was whipping it until stiff.  That isn't on the recipe, but when I did it, it worked.  So what happened today?  I'm telling you it's not my day in the kitchen.  Anyway I may not have let my milk and flour thicken enough or I got carried away with the Marshmallow Fluff.  The cookies are great!  So tomorrow after groceries I will make the filling again. 

You know there are just some days that I shouldn't be in the kitchen and today is one of them.  I have also realized that maybe I should stick with just cookies.  I have a good assortment of them and they were enjoyed my many last year.  Kind of the saying "Don't fix it if it isn't broke", "Stick to what you know".  I know cookies and I am sticking to it.  So there!

After dinner I plan to do some hand coloring.  Waiting for some ink to arrive so I can do more printing in preparation of shows.



So Chow for Now!