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Kenzie, I saw
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Kenzie, I saw
Kenzie, I saw that you won second place in the art contest this month! Good for you!
submitted by Elizabeth W., age 12.5, Somewhere
(October 3, 2009 - 7:04 pm)
(October 3, 2009 - 7:04 pm)
Ohhh, well, the public school system in Maine decided to waste thousands of dollars buying a laptop for every single public schooler in Maine (I think from grade 6 to 12!). But, of course, since I'm homeschooled, I'm just about the only eighth grader in Gorham without one... Haha... So I'm stuck with my Toshiba. :):):) Oh well! :)
(October 8, 2009 - 8:29 pm)
:)
Yup, I'm glad I got one for Christmas a few years ago. :)
(October 9, 2009 - 1:15 am)
Oh yeah, and I'm too lazy to go check in my old mags.... :) :)
(October 8, 2009 - 10:30 am)
Haha, here's my picture that, tee hee, didn't win. :)
I still like it, though. :)
We like it, too, Kenzie! It's really hard to pick the winners when we get so many great entries. I'd say everyone who learns to capture a great photo is a winner!
Old Cricket
(October 7, 2009 - 7:18 pm)
Ooooh, pretty Paige! I really like it! :):):)
(October 7, 2009 - 10:29 pm)
Ooh pretty, do you live near a lighthouse????????? If so, LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(October 8, 2009 - 12:55 am)
Wow. That's really pretty, Kenzie. :) The grey storm
clouds make it even better. :D
(October 8, 2009 - 2:07 pm)
Well, thank you, Old Cricket, Julia, Laura, and Megan!!! :):) And Laura, yeah, since I live in Maine (which has a total of over 60 lighthouses!!), AND I live near Portland (wwwwooooaaaaah, lighthouse world!!), there are LOTS of lighthouses nearby! :):):) But this one is the Portland Headlight, which is one of the most famous lighthouses in the US, and is just about the biggest tourist spot in Maine (haha, big tourist spot... Maine isn't a very big tourist spot anyway... haha...). :) According to Wikipedia, it's the "most photographed lighthouse in North America", and I've actually heard that somewhere else, too. :) Anyway, it was ordered to be built in 1700s by George Washington! It's standing in Fort Williams, my favoritest place in the state! :):) Fort Williams is this big park-ish type of place that has a small beach, tons of hills covered in grass (haha fun place to have a picnic!), paths through random tree area things, lots of old, historic forts used in some war, and the lighthouse. :) And, of course, just about the most stunning view of the Atlantic. :) (hee hee, I feel like I'm making a commercial for it!)
Anyway, ever since July, I've been going there once a month (always on the 18th, except in July I went on the 14th) to take pictures of the park. Then, when I get home, I put the pictures on a calender-making program on the computer. (each month, I have one picture ((usually artsy!)) of the lighthouse, and tons from around the park) Eventually, on Christmas of 2010, I'm going to buy a bunch of copies of the finished calenders and give them to everybuggy I know!! AND IDEA! IDEA!! IDEA!!! :D:D:D I'll send one to you, Admin!!! :) Hee, hee, hee!! YAY!! :):):) Oh, and, I'm trying to make the pictures related to the month. Like in July, I kind of had July-ish photos, like with lots of red, white, and blue. In August, I used lots of summer photos (my mom was the "model", wearing a bright blue shirt with fish on it!), and in September, we stayed at the wooded area of the park in the trees. I suppose on Sunday, I'll try to capture the real Maine beauty of fall. :):) Wow, I just typed a lot!! Don't worry, you don't have to read it all!! When I'm excited about something, I type a lot!! :):):) Sooo, to make it interesting, I'll add some more pictures! :)
(October 8, 2009 - 8:52 pm)
Kenzie and anyone else, would you like to hear my lighthouse story? A friend gave me a 1000-piece lighthouse puzzle for Christmas a few years ago. It has pictures of lots and lots of lighthouses from all over the USA. When we were nearly done putting it together, we noticed Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, Port Huron, Michigan. Now my maiden name is Gratiot and it is an unusual name. Anyone who has it is related to me. When I was a little girl my famly and I crossed from Canada into Michigan every summer at Port Huron, but we'd never heard of that lighthouse before!
So I did some research (easy on the Internet) and discoverd that the lighthouse still stands. The next summer we went to see it and had a private tour. It's very close to the Blue Water Bridge that we crossed over every summer, but the bridge is so high that we never noticed the lighthouse.
Then some time later, I noticed a friend wearing a cardigan sweatshirt with lighthouses all over it. One of the lighthouses on it was Fort Gratiot Lighthouse! I said to my friend, "That lighthouse is named for my ancestor, General Charles Gratiot! You have to give it to me." And she said, "No, you can't have it. It's my oldest, most favorite sweatshirt." I looked at the label inside and tried to locate the store where she got it or manufacturer , but no luck.
Back to the Internet. I searched "lighthouse cardigan sweatshirt" and found the exact same sweatshirt at a store in Michigan! I phoned them and asked if the sweatshirt did in fact have Fort Gratiot Lighthouse on it. There are probably about 100 lighthouses on it (they're small), all labeled. And, yes, it did have Fort Gratiot on it. So I ordered it, and now it's my favorite sweatshirt. And then I ordered one for each of my two sisters. And it also shows several other lighthouses I've visited, too.
(October 8, 2009 - 10:59 pm)
Wow, Admin!! :):) That's really cool! I looked up the lighthouse, and it's really pretty! Aren't lighthouses cool? :) And that's really cool you found the sweatshirt!! :) Does it have the Portland Headlight on it?? Hee, hee... :) And, I have to say, I never knew you were a girl. :) I always pictured you being a guy. Of course, since there is more than one Admin, there probably is a guy, but still. :)
Yes, lighthouses are cool. The ones on my sweatshirt are all lighthouses of the Great Lakes, in Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New York. None on the oceans. One of us is a guy.
(October 9, 2009 - 1:19 pm)
Wow Admin, that's a great story!!! I found out once that we may be distantly related to a really important chieftain in ancient Ireland.
Oh, and I have a cousin who's almost directly related to Eleanor of Aquitaine!!!!! Isn't that cool? I used to day dream that if suddenly my cousin became royal, I'd be in the lap of luxury. Bah. Silly day dreams. :)
Only one guy? I thought there was like, maybe two guys, and three girls, or something. I forget, how many of you are there?
Also, I was just wondering, is there anyway we can know your names? Or is that not allowed? I don't mind, I'm just curious. :)
(October 10, 2009 - 11:40 am)
Hmm... I guess we can't?
(October 10, 2009 - 11:16 pm)
We'll think about that Laura and get back to you. If you don't get an answer, ask again in a few days.
Admin
(October 11, 2009 - 10:29 pm)
Wow, that's so cool, Kenzie!!!!!
There is a one in a million chance that I may someday spend a month actually LIVING IN A LIGHTHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!! It has to do with my Dad's stuff... EEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! Cross your fingers for me!!!! :)
You take really gorgeous pictures too. I'm glad to see that you care about making it sharp and clear, it bugs me when people take a blurry picture and then frame it, you know?? (er, no offense to the people who do that)
You know, I have cousins in Portland... maybe I should visit them some time. It looks BEAUTIFUL there. :)
Hey, do you know them? They're adults, Ted and Margaret. :)
(October 9, 2009 - 1:16 pm)
WHAT??? You have relatives in Maine, AND YOU'VE NEVER VISITED IT??? Lots of people think that Maine isn't a fun place to visit, and, haha, it probably isn't way too amazing, but, I mean, if you came in autumn and hung out in the Old Port (a REALLY cool part of Portland that's right on the ocean, smells like fish, and is filled with shops and restaurants), it'd be pretty fun! :) And you could go to Fort Williams with me on the eighteenth! :) And, ummm, I bet we could find something else to do... Like, ummm... Um. Like go to Boston. (: And, hmm, I don't think I know a Ted and Margaret... Same last name as you?? I know a Ted and Stephanie, and another Margaret and, uhh, I don't know his name, but know Ted and Margaret. Sorry. :(
I agree about people who frame blurry photos. Ew. :P :)
And, yes, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME TO LIVE IN A LIGHTHOUSE!!! :D:D:D I hope you can some day! :) If you want...?
(October 11, 2009 - 4:39 pm)