Really enjoying my new camera

[Maestro]

It the Digital Rebel XT SLR.

Here are two pics of one of my favorite subjects, my daughter. BTW, I love taking pics of my son but the bugger won't stay still enough for a good shot. I usually get him "in action." ;)





And here in the Dallas area, we have suffered from some horrific storms lately. Last week we had what we thought was a tornado rip through my neighborhood. We found out that it was only straight line winds, but when they clock in at over 80 mph, that is bad. It took our 14' diamater trampoline and threw 250 yards into the back pasture. It's destroyed. It ripped the metal tubes like they were chopsticks and knocked down part of my fence as the trampoline was on the way out of the yard. In fact, this is the first day I have the Internet since last Wednesday. My isp was knocked out by lightning strikes to every tower it owns in the area.

Here is what is left.



Now we have to save up more money to get a new one. My kids are not too happy about this.

[redqueen]

1. Wow... glad nothing more precious than a fence was in that thing's way.

We used to have a pool like that. Stray cats ended that fun.

Lovely pics... your daughter is too cute! Thanks for sharing!

[Maestro]

3. Thanks.

We are careful to watch out for any stray animals, but really, this neighborhood is all dog. I haven't seen one cat anywhere.

I feel guilty. Here is a new pic of my son.



We have been repainting the inside of the house. During a break my son decided to see what the view looked like from the top of the ladder.

[MuseRider]

2. She is beautiful!

So is your place. Those straight line winds can do a lot of damage. I always lose lots of branches at the farm when we get that. A trampoline? I can imagine that thing really took off.

About your son.....I have tons of pictures of mine when they were little and in almost every single one at least one of them is making a dumb face with a finger stuck up his nose. I used to get so frustrated but even now at 19 and 21 they manage to do something dumb just to mess with me. I swear, anyone seeing my family photos would think we were really, really stupid.

She is a beautiful child.

[Maestro]

4. Thanks.

Those straight line winds were scary and it was accompanied by hail and about 2 1/2 inches of rain in just about 45 minutes. This is the wettest July that I can remember here in North Texas in a long, long, time.

My son is really a character. He's very funny, but you can't ask him to pose for anything. I'm sure you understand.

Here is Mrs. Maestro by the way.

[MuseRider]

5. She is also beautiful!

Wow, surrounded by beautiful women and a son who is a character. Does it get any better than that? Parenting is the best job out there, I do miss it, the every day stuff that is. It is a job you do not get laid off of.

How does it feel down there? Up here in Kansas it is very odd. It has been hot but not too hot and pretty wet but not as bad as last year. BUT it feels just awful outside. I work outside and have for years but I can't remember feeling this uncomfortable in these temps ever before. (it could be age but then I don't think that accounts for all of it)

Normally out on the prairie there is always a good breeze, this year nothing. It is as still as can be. It is just a very odd summer.

[Maestro]

6. Well thanks again.

I'm sure she would appreciate that. I love parenting too but right now it is very difficult as I have studies to complete and my kids don't quite understand that. In fact, I shouldn't even be here at DU. Argh!

The weather down here as been unusually hot. We started hitting 100 degree days back in June which is quite rare. Then with all this rain, the humidity is extremely high. It is very sticky outside.

[micrometer_50]

7. Looks like quite the windstorm.

I'm glad you and yours are OK.

Your photos of your children take me back many years to when my
children were young:







:applause:

[Maestro]

9. Yes, we're fine. Thanks.

My wife and I were actually on I-35 going south to San Antonio just before the F5 tornado leveled Jarrel, Texas back in the mid-nineties. We saw several tornados that day. It was a horrible day to be on the road that day.

On a brighter note, that top pic of your daughter is precious. :)

[micrometer_50]

12. When I was a young boy in Montana

there was a windstorm so strong, that it took the top
of one of my father's grain bins and deposited it abot one half
mile from its original position.

Thanks for seeing my daughter.

[48pan]

8. Nice pictures.

Love them digital cameras. They are getting better all the time.

[Maestro]

10. And this one is an SLR

which means that 35mm lenses can fit on it. It's awesome! Any lens that fits the 35mm version of my camera also fits the digital. I never realized until about a year ago how much a good lens can really make or break your pictures.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Trampolines are too dangerous anyway

Tell your kids to suck it up. There are starving kids in Africa who have no trampolines.

Great pictures, BTW.

[Deja Q]

13. Or Americans starving as well... but the bigger story is this:

Appreciate what we have; for the next day it will be gone.

I think we need to teach our youths to make their own music instead of drooling over which color ipod they should buy...

[Maestro]

17. We had netting around it to protect the kids from jumping out.

The netting acted like a sail and allowed the wind to literally pick up the trampoline and throw a couple hundred yards.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. I have seen that netting.

Never thought it would make the whole thing sail away. What a drag.

[DS1]

14. The Canon sensors really pick up colors well

I love mine

[Maestro]

16. They sure do.

When I compare photos I took with my old point and shoot and the DSLR, there is no comparison.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Your pictures are really great

and I was just funnin with ya about the trampoline. :)

[Maestro]

18. Sure you were.

Your secret hatred of trampolines is shining through. There is no turning back now! ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I will admit

I saw a kid hurt on one when I was a young thing and it scared me silly.

But I really was serious about your pictures. Gorgeous family.