Isaac

I loved watching Isaac pick his dandelions and make wishes off the poofs as he blew his little heart out. In this photo I shot a continuous series of photos to catch him as he skipped through the grass picking 'wishes.' Then spontaneously, he just dropped into this thick patch of grass and rolled and kicked with delight. What a treasure to watch his innocence explore nature with joy.

Autumn Skies

I'm really enjoying the spontaneous autumn skies, from sunny to stormy, soft and ethereal to stark and mysterious. I took this on my way home from work with my digital camera firmly grasped as I stuck it out the moon-roof to photograph this passing of the storm.

Welcome Autumn

I am thankful for clouds because without them we wouldn't see spectacular light exhibits like this. This was a beautiful way to end the first day of fall. :)

Jacob

Played with composition, cropping, hue/saturation, finally filters and a little embossing...I love Photoshop! Jacob, may the innocence in this image remind your mom you won't always be a handful! :)

Backyard Bloopers

Not very flashy, artistic, or creative, but sometimes documenting an event, or place in time is worth more words than any digital manipulation can inspire. Ode to our first home disaster...

Thank you E for your help. Thank you Dad and P for the room and board. Thank you Babe for the day in the future when this will be something we laugh about. And finally, thank you God; this could have been so much worse!

It did make an attractive sound with the water flowing...anyway.

:)

Sun Setting

I always find it interesting that the sun seems to travel faster when rising and setting. I realize it's most likely just an optical illusion because there is a target to compare it to, as in the horizon, but I like to think that the sun reacts as we do on any work day. It is in a rush to get to work on time, and when the shift is over, it can't get off the clock fast enough. Ok, so it wouldn't pass in text books, but all the same...it was a lovely light display when the sun 'punched out.'

Moon Rising

I admit this photo doesn't do it justice. I shot and erased about a dozen pics as I watched the moon rise in the east tonight, about 10:30 pm. Finally, I played with the image in Photoshop and here it is.

I'll have to experiment with similar photos in the future; it was so poetic, beautiful, mysterious. After it finally topped the trees, I watched the moon float into the sky from my living room window.

I hope you're able to get an idea of the fantastic view I had tonight. :)

Blog a Frog

Typically I would have freaked when I saw a frog stuck to the side of my house the other night, but since starting this blog I realized Photo Op!

To make a short story shorter, :), the next morning the frog AND the spider were no where to be seen.

Midnight munchies, perhaps?

Follow the Sun

~Helianthus~

Growing up we didn't have enough sun or protection from nibbling deer to grow these magnificent annuals. I never appreciated Sunflowers until I began my current job 2 summers ago. Next door to our office is a fabulous display of Sunflowers, the shortest at least 4 feet tall, and reaching into the sky at over 6 or 7 feet, I'm guessing. They aren't the most graceful of flowers, but their worship of the sun as they rotate to follow it's journey through the sky each day is a dance worth admiring. I finally took a few minutes today to capture their beauty, before the first fall freeze knocks them down.

Mid-summer's night's dream...

Just too cute. :) I wonder if we'll ever know what they're dreaming...

(Gotta love that hue/saturation.)

Personal-eye-zing

No photo today because I was motivated to make a more personal banner for this site. It's a work in progress, as I learn more about web sizes and how to manipulate the templates. I inherited this maple tree from my Grandma (it was only about 6 inches when she potted it up from an old tree I grew up with, and it is now about 5 feet tall and flourishing). I couldn't resist the example of nature's perfect form in full view.

Let me know if you have any suggestions. Just like my blog, I'm a work in progress. :)

Perfume Delight

I may later post this same image, in full color, because it is gorgeous just as is. However, I couldn't resist a little "play time" in Photoshop; I've always been drawn to sepia tones.

As a house warming gift, my cousins gave us this Perfume Delight rose. I never lived anywhere with enough sun to grow roses well, and I've been happy so far that I've been doing alright with the shrubs. I may be tempted to start a collection of rose shrubs...uh oh!

If I could photograph the sweet, delightful fragrance this lovely bloom produces, I would. When will Microsoft come out with a scratch 'n' sniff download? ;) Having some gardening experience, I'm pretty sure this Perfume Delight would not smell the same if by any other name.

Back 2 basics

Well, as a first post I was anxious to get something up. :) I enjoy the opportunity to brush up my Photoshop skills, beginning with a basic 101 on Hue/Saturation.

This was the first of just two times we took our puppy swimming in the local creek. After the second time I started believing in water bacteria (aka "don't drink the water")...needless to say, I can't cater a sensitive puppy tummy after a quick swim on any regular basis, so the lawn sprinkler will have to continue to suffice.

For a photo off my new point-&-shoot, she's an easy practice model. Please forgive me if I feature her faces, antics, and activities too often; we don't have kids yet...