Getting In The Christmas Mood

I'm a bit late getting into the Christmas mood this year.  I'm not sure why.  I've listened daily to Christmas music, watched an extraordinary amount of Hallmark movies, made 12 pounds of fudge and I've even begun to delve into my holiday DVD collection.  But I'm still feeling a bit Scroogish.  Maybe it's the fact that there are no children in our house.  Whatever the cause I fear that Christmas will come and I won't be ready for it.

To combat that possibility I plan to go to Christmas Town as much as possible.  Hopefully there will even be a snowy day here and there as well.  So far we've only gone once.  We braved the opening day.  The park opens at 2 and we got there at 3.  You would think the traffic would have thinned out by then, but no.  The main parking lots were almost full already.  It actually took us 1 1/2 hours to park, redeem our passes and get in.  All in all not too bad for opening day.

I have 29 days to get ready!

The first place we headed to was Holiday Hills.  It have a retro them that brings me right back to my childhood.  Lots of Rudolphs and large Christmas bulbs.  Great music as well.  We normally like to eat the buffet in the Dasher's Diner.  But this year they moved the traditional Christmas food over to behind the Festhaus.  They put up large heated tents and have the buffets in them.  It's probably best as it has a greater capacity.

Love the retro theme!

The Pompei was spectacular as always.  According to Busch Gardens there are 1,584,000 lights in the Polar Pathway area.

More beautiful than can be captured in a photo

We had a lovely day at Christmas Town.  The ice show 'Twas The Night was fabulous.  We also saw Scrooge No More and enjoyed it very much.  The actor playing Tiny Tim was different from last year, I think.  The one last year was missing several teeth and was completely adorable.  He was perfect for the part and really seemed to enjoy performing.  The boy this year was good but I kind of missed that toothy smile!  Hopefully I can get some good photos in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime I have several more pounds of fudge to make and Christmas cards to prepare.  I am determined to get them in the mail earlier than Christmas Eve!  If you have any suggestions on how to get in the hap, hap, happiest mood please leave a comment.

Sharon

Spring Is Upon Us At Last!

Last week it was snowing.  Today I'm wondering where I put my shorts!  Most likely they're packed away in the attic.  I'm too lazy to look for them so I'll just have to suffer (enjoy) the heat.

It's hard to believe it's time for Busch Gardens to re-open.  I can't tell you how much I'm so ready for it.  Around here the kids are going on spring break and Busch will be open next weekend.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good weather.  There is a funnel cake with my name on it.

Busch Gardens is so pretty in the Spring.  They really put a lot of work into the decor and landscaping.  They always open just in time for Easter.  The Easter Bunny is in residence in one of the shops by the Festhaus and the kids line up to have a turn at sitting on his lap.  Maybe one of these days I'll give it a go myself!  NOT!

This isn't a bunny but he's definitely a cutie.  When I grew up in the mountains we had an owl that stayed by our house.  I've always had a love for them and I especially love the little ones they have at Busch.

Wishing you a wonderful Spring and Happy Easter.
Sharon

Fall Photos and a New Topaz Labs Filter

I am so far behind!  Not that that's anything too unusual but the pressure is starting to build up on me.  I took lots of photos this year but unfortunately real life and two jobs have taken up a great deal of my time.  I have barely scratched the surface on my processing tasks.  What a bummer.  Hopefully after the holiday season I can take a break and just work on my photos.

Topaz Labs has just released a new special effects filter called Texture Effects.  I should mention that I LOVE Topaz Labs products.  So when this new one was released I just couldn't resist.

I played around with it the other night just for fun.  These products are so easy to use you can just jump right in there and get some cool effects.  But they are also very powerful editing programs that can give you some amazing effects if you take the time to really work with them.  There is a bit of a learning curve because there are so many options and effects but fortunately Topaz Labs has many webinars and videos to help you get the most out of the program.

On this first picture I had had some difficulty with my camera settings.  I seem to have trouble at night under red lights.  Hopefully I will figure it out some day!  It was much darker than it appears and the area was lit with red spotlights.  Very creepy but didn't translate well in the photo.  I wanted to see if I could salvage this mess and get a usable image with a dark, old world vibe.

Scary ladies at the Busch Gardens Unearthed Haunted House

This next one is just a standard amusement park shot.  I do love the carousel horses at Busch Gardens.  They are painted authentically and the park really keeps them in great shape.  I thought I would give it a somewhat grungy neon look.

Here are the original photos.

 

If you like to play around with special effects you might like to give Texture Effects a try.  They offer a free 30 day trial version.

I'm really hoping to get my fall photos posted before Christmas catches up with me!  It's not likely to happy but I can dream, can't I?

Sharon

Looking Forward to Fall

Darkastle At Sunset

Funky Mood

I'll admit it.  I've been in a funk for the last couple of weeks.  This time of year is always depressing to me.  I just hate to see the end of Summer.  And so here were are in the very last week before school starts and it's a sad, sad time.  Already the days are getting shorter.  Can't say it's any cooler since it was 94 humid degrees today.

Howl-O-Scream Countdown

The only bright spot in the near future is the start of Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens.  It opens on September 25 and I'm happy to report they've already started some preparations. They even have a three new haunts this year.

Here's one of the new haunts.  Looks promising.  This one is replacing 13:You're Number's Up.  I liked 13.  In fact, it was probably my favorite.  But it was a few years old and I'm glad to see something new going in.  I'm very curious to see what is behind the boarded doors.  Here is a preview of Unearthed.

One of the other new haunts is called Cornered.  Busch has just released Cornered preview as well.  Kind of reminds me of Children of the Corn!  Terrifying!  I don't know if I can handle being chased through cornfields.

Lumberhack looks to be zombie lumberjacks.  Can't wait to see that one!  Zombies are so scary to me...but now as scary as clowns.  I still wish they would bring them back.  Maybe it's just my personal phobia but the clowns were the creepiest.  Once I was just standing there having a conversation when I felt something on the back of my neck.  Thinking it was a bug I reached up to swat it away.  I felt something I didn't recognize so I turned my head and came face to face with an evil clown.  (Insert scream here)  He had his nose on my neck!  Gives me the heebie jeebies just remembering it!

Sharon

#howl-o-scream, #busch-gardens-williamsburg,

Fun and Interesting Photos

In my last post I shared some pretty spring photos.  Now I'd like to show some of the more interesting and fun sights I've captured.  If you pay attention there is usually something interesting going on around you.  You just have to look.  Of course there's also a plentiful supply of things you wish you had never seen but that get burned into your memory permanently.  We won't go into that right now!

This lizard is not beautiful in the ordinary sense but he had PERSONALITY and that makes him beautiful in his own right.

The is one of the rescued eagles that live at Busch Gardens.  His wing is injured but he is majestic none the less.  There are a few of these rescued birds in the park.

Funny story that has nothing to do with what I'm talking about... A couple of weeks ago as I was driving on a busy highway I noticed a very large bald eagle sitting on top of a telephone pole.  It's not unusual to see hawks and vultures in that area but I've never seen an eagle, especially one sitting on a pole.  He was massive.  Then right after I passed him I also passed a fender bender.  Guess I wasn't the only one who noticed the eagle!  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of him...or the accident.

Here is one of the drummers from the show in Italy.  Amazingly his smile and energy don't dissolve in the heat.

What can I say?  These two are just perfect examples of how to have fun at work.  I didn't think they noticed me trying to sneak a photo.  But then they suddenly struck a pose for me!  Great attitudes!

Beefeaters in England

And now for something completely different...  This little corner of Italy is decorated in an Asian theme for the Food and Wine Festival.

Very colorful

I just realized today that June is almost over.  Why do the summer months go by so fast?  There must be some scientific explanation.  People are already planning Independence Day activities.  I'm not ready for it.  Once again I will try to fit in everything I want to do this Summer and at the end of it I'm sure once again I will have failed to do half of them.  I guess I'll just content myself with the half and hopefully capture them in photos so I will have something to look at as I sit under a pile of blankets next winter!

Sharon

The Colors of Busch Gardens in the Spring

It's been awhile since I've blogged.  I try to make time for it but time is one of those things that just seems to get away from me.  Like everyone else I don't have enough hours in my day.

I did manage to take a few opportunities to get out and about...with my trusty camera, of course.  Here are a few of the scenes that caught my eye.

I see you admiring my beauty!

What a lovely

Handsome fellow

Enjoying a lazy afternoon

Busch Gardens in full bloom

Serene in green

Electric England

Busch Gardens is known as one of the most beautiful amusement parks in the country.  It's a wonderful place to practice photography.  The only downside is having to fight the crowds.  Why do people insist on walking in front of me when they surely can see the camera in front of my face?  It can be very trying to the patience.  Thankfully we have season passes so we can go during the less popular hours.  We love to go at the end of the day just to do a little walking (for exercise) and then treat ourselves with ice cream or funnel cakes (to cancel out the exercise)!
Sharon

#photography, #Busch

Recapturing The Christmas Spirit

I don't know about you but I was starting to run out of Christmas steam around the middle of December.  It all started out pretty well.  Thanksgiving weekend everyone quickly got into a holiday mood.  Jolly, jolly!  Christmas Town opened and even though the crowds massive people were happy and didn't seem to mind.

But then the stress began to build...the dreaded Christmas Countdown.  Every year (usually the day after Christmas) I swear to myself to get my shopping done way in advance.  And like most people I promptly forget my vow in the following months.  Between shopping, finishing up my custom orders, mailing my Etsy orders, sending Christmas cards (I actually did this year!), and making 15 pounds of fudge I started to feel the strain.  My happy holiday spirit slowly drained away.

I listened to Christmas music all day at work and watched countless hours of Hallmark Channel.  I also watched some of my Christmas DVDs.  I especially love the Scrooge movies.  My favorite is the Alastair Sim version, I think.

I did my best to stay in the holly jolly mood and was doing pretty well up until that last week.  Then I hit the wall.  Crash, boom.  Maybe I overdosed a bit on the Hallmark Channel.  Who knows. But I definitely wasn't in the right mood.  Christmas came and went with me never fully recovering my jolly.  I didn't even mind having to return to work on the 26th.  Not much, anyway.

On the weekend after Christmas. my sister and I decided to go back to Busch Gardens one last time.  We also dragged the hubbies along!  Not really.  They are usually cooperative as long as there is food involved!  The park was nicely uncrowded and the weather was perfect for me and Sis.  It was 65 degrees.  Here in Virginia the weather is like a box full of chocolates (random Forest Gump reference).  We were overjoyed with the 65.

My sister just bought a new camera she wanted to try out so the two of us were snapping photos of everything just for fun.  It made for a nice change.  I'm usually the only one forcing everyone stop and pose for photos!  We meandered over to the Santa's Workshop.  I actually tried to get photos of Santa a few times on previous visits but with the crowds it was just impossible. I figured today would be my best shot.

We took our positions at the window like a couple of peeping Toms!  There was a tiny baby sitting on Santa's lap.  It was adorable.  The baby was looking up at Santa's face with a look of curiosity and wonder.  I knew it was only a matter of time.  Sure enough the wonder turned to "what the hey?"!!  So the family photo time came to a sudden end as mom retrieved her screaming baby.

Now was our chance.  We quickly got our cameras up to our eyes and then it happened!  Santa saw us and made eye contact.  And then he waved!  HOLY COW!  For a split second I remembered what it felt like to be a a six year old on Christmas morning.  I snapped photos like crazy.  I knew this was a moment and mood I wanted to capture.  Then Santa actually gave us two thumbs up!  I was so surprised I forgot to take the picture.  Hopefully Sis kept her head better than me.  I was too busy being a six year old again!

We left Santa's Workshop excited and laughing like a couple of kids.  And I believe that the two thumbs up was a sign.  Santa was giving us heads up that we're already on his good list for the next year!

Busch Gardens has the best Santa ever.  Just my opinion.

Sharon

#christmastown, #buschgardens, #santa, #buschgardenschristmastown,

Second Trip to Christmas Town

Everyone in Town is in the Christmas Mood!

That might be an exaggeration, but from the crowd at Busch Gardens it just seemed that way.  I have never seen it that crowded during Christmas Town.  It was unbelievable and somewhat inconvenient, but festive all at the same time.

Of course I wanted to see the Scrooge No More show again.  That seems to be the hot ticket this year and it totally lives up to the hype.  We wanted good seats so we got in line very early.  After standing in the cold for 30 minutes it was a relief to get into the theater 30 minutes before showtime.  It was so cozy in there we were very tempted to take a nap!

I'm still working on my showtime photography skills.  It's hit and miss with me.  I tend to take photos that are perfect except for the main focus being overexposed.  Bummer.  This is such a beautiful show I really hope to take some photos that represent it well.  Maybe a third viewing is in order!

Of course Scrooge No More is my favorite show, but for some reason Hubby loves Miracles.  I think maybe part of the reason might be that he can sip his mug of hot chocolate while enjoying the show.  The show is in an outdoor theater but they have heaters and the outside walls are enclosed in plastic to help keep out the cold.  It works pretty well.

This year Christmas Town has added many photographic opportunities.  You can have your picture taken with one of the Clydesdales decked out in jingle bells.  There is a polar bear in Italy, a penguin in France and this adorable snowman in Holiday Hills.

There are also some spots just perfect for family Christmas photos.  The massive tree in front of the Festhaus comes to mind.  And don't forget Santa's Workshop.

I definitely will not be having my picture taken on Santa's lap!  But I might just get one with the happy snowman!

Sharon

#Buschgardens, #christmastown, #christmastown2014

It's Officially Christmas Time

Christmas Countdown in Holiday Hills

Busch Gardens Christmas Town is open!

This year Busch Gardens opened Christmas Town a week early.  Unfortunately due to my sprained ankle I didn't get to go to opening weekend.  But hubby and I did go on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Probably not the most convenient day as it was one of the $12 discount days.  The place was packed.  It took us forever to get in the park.  The traffic was lined up on all roads leading in.  I even heard later that it took someone almost 2 hours to get in.

You could definitely tell there were a lot of newbies in the park.  They had that totally lost look about them.  And for some reason they always want to stop right in the middle of the path and block everything up.  Somewhat trying to my patience.  But since I was nursing my bum ankle I wasn't exactly sprinting through the park anyway.

Dasher's Diner Buffet

We decided to give Dasher's Diner a try.  It's a buffet that's located in the Holiday Hills village.  In all the times we've been to Christmas Town we have never eaten there for some reason.  I kind of think it was due to Hubby's penchant for Festhaus German sausages.  But I persuaded him to step out and try something new.  I will say that Dasher's Diner is my new favorite place.  I started out very modestly with a salad, roll and chicken leg.  Then I moved on to chicken and dumplings, mashed potatoes and gravy and grilled vegetables.  Very yummy.  On my next trip I got Swedish meatballs (on Hubby's recommendation), more mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.  The vegetables make everything OK don't they?  I definitely think they do.  There was also a dessert bar.  I chose cherry cobbler.  All in all a very yummy and satisfying meal.

The Festhaus all decked out with lights

The park is beautifully decorated.  At night it's really stunning.  If you can stand the height I recommend going up the Nacht Tower.  I did it one time.  Beautiful but scary.  You really can see the whole park from up there though.

Each country has a different theme.  My favorite village is Holiday Hills.  I love that retro American style.  It really screams "Christmas"!  I also like France.  It's so pretty in blue and white.  OK, now that I think of it I love it all!

German village

There is a new show this year called Scrooge No More.  In my opinion this show is worth the admission price all on it's own.  I think this is the best show Busch Gardens has ever had and I have seen them all since the late seventies.

The sets are beautiful.  The special effects were top notch and the talent was way above what you normally find at an amusement park.  You don't want to miss this one.  I hope to go back soon and get better pictures.

Sharon

#ChristmasTown, #WilliamsburgChristmas, #BuschGardens, #Scrooge, #holidayfun,

Appalachian German Kriskindlmarkt

Busch Gardens Christmas Town

Let the Christmas festivities begin!

As Busch Gardens is busily preparing Christmas Town for opening day, I can almost taste the peppermint fudge hot chocolate.  Much as I would like it to be 75 degrees, the steam rising from a mug of hot chocolate is heartwarming as well as traditional.

Next weekend is the grand opening.  Busch decided to open a week earlier this year.  Since I sprained my ankle last weekend I hope I'll be ready for it.  Maybe I can get a nice fellow to push me around in a wheelchair?  Nah, never happen.

I came across a new Christmas festival that looks interesting.  It's about 3 hours away but might be worth the trip.  I've already missed the cutoff for dinner reservations so I'd just have to setting for the traditional German festival food.  I will not mention this festival to Hubby until I definitely decide to go.  At the mention of German sausages it will be hard to live with the Sausage Crazed Madman!

They call it Kriskindlmarkt III.  It's going to be held next weekend, Nov. 21-22.  I suppose if I'm not up to walking Busch Gardens Christmas Town I could head up to Clifton Forge for this festival.  It couldn't possibly involve as much walking. And I have until the end of the year to go to Christmas Town.  I'm blessed to live in an area where there are so many choices!

Sharon

 

Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream 2014 - Clowns vs. Pirates

Freak Show Where The Clowns Lived 2012

Welcome To The Freak Show

This time of year Busch Gardens is in full scale Halloween mode.  Howl-O-Scream has gone through several transformations over the years.  Some good. Some not so good.  The general consensus is that they should bring back the Haunted Train and the Scary Clowns.

I don't remember ever riding the Haunted Train, but I definitely remember the clowns.  They were all over the place and would sneak up behind you.  Once we were in Ireland and I felt something on my neck.  I put my hand on my neck and OH MY GOSH.  I got a handful of CLOWN NOSE!  This clown had crept up on me and put his long plastic nose on the back of my neck.  I screamed pretty good.  Of course hubby saw him do it and never warned me.  That reminds me...I still owe him for that one.

It takes very little effort for clowns to be scary.  I don't know what it is about them but even the "normal" ones are creepy.  Add some jagged teeth and the terror kicks in.  Anyone remember "It"?  Argh!

Speaking of argh...They got rid of the clowns and replaced them with pirates.  Now I like Johnny Depp as much as the next girl, but scary he is not.  The pirates this year are a bit dead looking, which is an improvement from last year.  And I will say that the makeup and costumes are fantastic.  But pirates will never be as scary as clowns!  Except maybe in "The Fog".  That was pretty scary.

Pretty Pirate at the Pub

Now That's Scary!!!

Sharon

#buschgardenswilliamsburg, #howl-o-scream, #scaryclown,