In Living Color

Today's post is more about the amazing period party I was able to attend last weekend, but this time, the photos are in color.

Above, you have the two group shots from the end of the evening. Now, we'll go back to the beginning of the evening and hit a few more of the highlights.

Karen, Margaret and Me

Karen, Margaret and I met at my house to get into the dresses. S was on call to drive us if we couldn't get all that fabric behind the wheel. He worked very hard to shove us on into the truck and send us on our way. Mr. Mark was kind enough, at the end of the evening, to shove us back in the truck so we could drive home. What a sight we had to have been!

In the truck.

Yes, that is the bottom of my dress on the right. And, the bottom of Karen's dress on the left. Fabric everywhere! We got a few strange looks from other drivers. We thought about stopping at IHOP on the way home, but we were just too tired by then. It also takes a lot of energy to carry that fabric around.

Mark and Brenda waiting for their photo.

And, as I said yesterday, when we arrived, someone took our photo in the front room. While photos were being taken, people milled about, getting to know one another and checking out the costumes.

Two "confederate" couples.

That fabric, again.

Some of the other colorful ladies.

The chatting continued all night long.
(Margaret, Karen, Melly, Catherine)

It was sometimes hard to get through.

Our table at dinner.
Mark, Brenda, me, Margaret, Karen.

The centerpiece.

My food plate.

The cake table.

The cake detail. Recognize it?
If not, go rent the movie, "Gone With the Wind."

An "authentic" 1860's plastic champagne glass. Right?

Miss Melly thanking the crowd.

The guests eating cake.

After cake, before heading upstairs, we took some more photos and visited even more.

Ms. Brenda.

Miss Melly and Mr. Mark.

Ms. Karen photographing Ms. Brenda and Mr. Mark.

We did, as you know, eventually make it back upstairs for the dancing portion of the evening.

Dancing the Virginia Reel.

Waltzing.

Notice the two photos above. The top one was taken without the flash. Please note the difference. I prefer, as you know, to not use the flash. See how beautifully golden that photo is? But, it is not as crisp because the light was low. I had the ISO up to 1600, but still, at times, with movement, I had to turn on the camera to not have blur. Some blur is fine - but all blur is a little hard to decipher!

I was using my 18-55 lens so I could zoom in and out, which doesn't let in as much light as that 50mm f/1.8 lens I like to use, but that lens is slightly magnified. And, sister, in that dress, I was not going to be getting up and down to move all around the room to get the right distance. So, I went with the other lens.

It seemed at times that just an "ooch" more light would have gotten me where I wanted to be - it was right in between enough and not enough light. Thus, I went back and forth between flash and no flash a lot. I like the no flash photo, but the flash photo also does itself justice for other reasons.

The Gone with the Wind pose of Norbert and Melanie.

Me, on the way out. Farewell.

Thanks again, Norbert, Catherine and Melanie, for a wonderful party, even for this Yankee.
And, one more time, Miss Melly, Happy Birthday!