Welcome Back, Clouds

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"Sky" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/6.4, 1/1600 sec, ISO200
 “Sky” Cedar Park, 2017

こんばんは。How’s it going?

It seems like it’s been a while since we’ve had some fun clouds in the sky here. So it’s nice to welcome them back! 😄 It makes my commute more fun and brightens my day.

Today is the first day of June. 2017 is flying past, isn’t it? Tomorrow is the last day of the school year for my kiddos, which is wild. It just snuck up on me.

I guess time is starting to pass quickly for me, and I should slow down and savor the moments as they happen. This evening I went shoe shopping with my sons… seems like just an everyday thing, but I had a lot of fun with them! (They would think that is weird of me to say) It’s interesting to see how their taste in clothes and shoes changes as they grow up, and also the differences between the two brothers. They are really quite different! I love it.

Anyways, I am feeling a little nostalgic now. 😌

Have a good evening!

またね～

🎶 Pretenders – Show Me

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🎶 Have a great Thursday!

******************

Show me the meaning of the word
Show me the meaning of the word
‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it
They say, “Hey, you can’t live without it”

Welcome to the human race
With its wars, disease and brutality
You with your innocence and grace
Restore some pride and dignity
To a world in decline

Welcome to a special place
In a heart of stone that’s cold and gray
You with your angel face
Keep the despair at bay
Send it away, and

Show me the meaning of the word
Show me the meaning of the word
‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it
I don’t want to live without it
I don’t want to live without it
Oh, I want love
I want love
I want love

Welcome here from outer space
The Milky Way is still in your eyes
You found yourself a hopeless case
One that’s seeking perfection on earth
That’s some kind of rebirth, so

Show me the meaning of the word
Show me the meaning of the word
‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it
Don’t make me live without it
Oh, love
I want love
I want
Love
I want love

Concert Night

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"Final Concert of the Year" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/45 sec, ISO3200
 “Final Concert of the Year” Cedar Park, 2017

Koa and the middle school honors band performed their last concert of the school year. It was fantastic! Unfortunately, we cannot post the video until after July because the performance was being recorded for a contest that ends in July. But it was amazing. I’m always blown away at how good they sound. A very proud papa!

Hope you had a nice Wednesday!

Second Favorite Camera/Lens

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"Tabled Watch" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: SONY SLT-A77V, 35mm, f/2.4, 1/60 sec, ISO400
 “Tabled Watch” Cedar Park, 2017

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today’s photos were taken with my second-favorite camera/lens combination that I own: Sony 35mm f/1.8 on my Sony a77. But really, it’s about the lens. That wide-open aperture produces some lovely bokeh, and even the chromatic aberration is kind of pleasing to look at.

"XA" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: SONY SLT-A77V, 35mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO1000
 “XA” Cedar Park, 2017

The 35mm lens is relatively inexpensive (~$200 brand new), light, and very sharp when stopped down a bit. I love it.

"Anko" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: SONY SLT-A77V, 35mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO640
 “Anko” Cedar Park, 2017

I say it’s my second-favorite camera/lens combination because my Fujifilm X100T is still my favorite. It’s the perfect size for me. While the Sony SLT/lens has killer performance, it’s too big to carry every day. Still, it is a lot of fun!

"Nikon & Empty" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: SONY SLT-A77V, 35mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO800
 “Nikon & Empty” Cedar Park, 2017

I hope you had a nice day!

またね～

Rib Dinner

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"Rib Dinner" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5, 1/40 sec, ISO3200
 “Rib Dinner” Cedar Park, 2017

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today we had a yummy dinner of ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, and baked beans. Everything was homemade except the beans, which were definitely the least delicious item on the menu.

For the ribs, I bought about 9 lbs. worth of pork ribs from Costco, and then used a simple but great technique to cook them. Basically, just rub the rib racks with Dijon mustard, then apply your favorite dry rub. Do this to both sides, then wrap in foil, pop into a 200 ° F oven for 6 hours, then turn up the heat to 300 ° F for about half an hour more.

Next, carefully check if the ribs are tender, and if so, cut them up, then put on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler to caramelize. And that’s it. Enjoy!

"Too Many Ribs" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5, 1/35 sec, ISO3200
 “Too Many Ribs” Cedar Park, 2017

Since we got the ribs from Costco, we had three times as much as we could eat, but that just means that we’ll freeze the leftovers and get to enjoy ribs again in the future. 😄

I hope you had a nice day!

おやすみ～