In A Flourish

It didn’t just wilt up and die like the rest of the plants.  No…it went out with a flourish. 

Saying Goodbye to Winter

I was cleaning up outside this evening and found a plastic tub that had fallen just beneath the deck.  I pulled it out and found a clump of ice with some dead leaves stuck to it.  Well, you know me - I had to run inside and get the camera because everyone who sees a clump of ice with a bunch of dead leaves stuck to it knows this is a prime photo opportunity, right?! 

(Okay, so I’m alone on this.)

But, considering it was the last sign of cold weather left in my yard, I grabbed the opportunity and shot off a few frames.  This was my favorite of the bunch…

Not Long Now

This weekend, I got some really cool shots of the ice that formed along the rocks and tree roots inside a waterfall.  For a couple of moments I remembered how beautiful winter can be when it’s not being judged for how long it takes me to scrape it off my car.  Instead, I saw the softness and beauty of all that white stuff I’ve been  cursing these past couple of weeks. 

Shame on me for forgetting that winter can be truly beautiful.  Don’t believe me?  Zip up those high top boots and go for a walk in a forest.  Oh, sure, I am still chomping at the bit for spring to make an appearance - but that walk in the woods reminded me of the quiet beauty of winter and got me over that desperation for warmer temperatures that I’d been feeling. 

Outdoor Oyster Bar

I needed a change of scenery so I headed over to the Parkville Nature Sanctuary this morning and walked through the woods for a couple of hours.  I ran into one family on a nature hike and a fellow photographer who knew the waterfall would be a great place to shoot in weather like this.  I’m still working on the waterfall images but this one was a quick fix.  Taken up close with my new Canon 100mm macro lens it only needed a quick crop and a little brightness added.

Doesn’t it kind of look like an oyster on a half shell at a fancy restaurant? 

No matter what it is, I’m rather “lichen” it. 

The Beauty of Brown

It actually rose above freezing this afternoon so I grabbed my camera bag and headed over to a nearby lake.  Winter was overwhelming me…from the snow to the ice to the bare naked trees.  I tried to go with it…tried to find something good in the little bit of color that broke up the black and white landscape.  Finally, I found a touch of brown.  BROWN.  Dull, boring BROWN. 

I threw the photo in PS Elements (because I am not far enough along in my reading to even attempt CS3 yet) and I did a levels and saturation correction.  Then I pulled in a midnight glow action, increased the  contrast and did a quick sharpen.  Lastly, I went to the lighting effects and pulled in a flashlight look, sticking it right behind the middle of the leaf. 

Voila!  Brown became beautiful…

Mellow Yellow

It snowed again today.

I thought I was going to cry when I saw it coming down.

But then this little guy showed up.

And, before I knew it, I had mellowed right out.

Going ‘Camo’

I came home at lunch today to let my pugs out and noticed a young bird sitting on the ground by the side of my deck.  Luckily, the dogs ran right by him.  I noticed him, however, and ran inside to retrieve my camera, lock the dogs safely away, and then returned to get a few images of this little feathered guy. 

I’m always shocked at how well these birds can blend in with their surroundings.  God truly gave them the ultimate camouflage…

A Midwinter Night’s Dream

I must be in a really “reflective” mood right now.  I seem to always end up at the water’s edge, right as the sun is setting, tree branches bouncing around on the surface of the water, with an image looking like something out of a movie.

And I keep wondering…haven’t I seen this all before in a dream?

Dinner Out

Will that be a table for one?

Icy Hot

True, this ‘icy hot’ won’t loosen any tense muscles but, if you stare long enough, it does help unwind the mind.