Daily Photo ~ The Creative Exchange ~ 7-31-11

Butterflies and Daisys


"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. “
 ~Lao Tzu


This post is linked with Lisa Gordon’s The Creative Exchange.

A Macro Monday in the Garden ~ 8-1-11

All on a Saturday Morning


"Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience."  
~Ralph Waldo Emerson


This post is linked with Macro Monday at Lisa’s Chaos.

Mosaic Monday of a Hiking Family ~ 8-1-11

This is Buddy, my hiker husband, and this is my favorite shot of him.

Since he is leaving for the Long Trail on Wednesday, I thought I would

 post the photo as well as a collage of him, Gene, granddaughter Eloise, and me. 

These photos weThis is Buddy, my hiker husband, and this is my favorite shot of him.

Since he is leaving for the Long Trail on Wednesday, I thought I would

 post the photo as well as a collage of him, Gene, granddaughter Eloise, and me. 

All of these shots are form my archives. Double click on the mosaic to enlarge it.

Today I went out and got him a heavy duty case for his iPhone (can’t have him tripping and breaking it)  and a solar charger. I want that phone to be working at all times
 so there will be lots beautiful shots to post.


"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown,
 for going out, I found, was really going in.”
  ~John Muir, 1913, in L.M. Wolfe, ed., John Muir, John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, 1938

This post is linked with Mosaic Monday.

Shadows and Water ~ 7-31-11

Five Duck Family

Lake Robertson ~ Rockbridge County, VA

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.”

~Michael Caine

This post is linked with Hey Harriet’s Shadow Shot Sunday.

and 

Watery Wednesday.

Daily Photo ~ 7-30-11

Does this bridge look familiar? For those of you who have not seen it

 during the different seasons, it is our “Bridge to Somewhere,” 

the “somewhere" being our house across the creek. 

Well, my husband is about to leave to hike that part of the Long Trail though Vermont to the Canadian border that he did not hike when he did the Appalachian Trail 10 years ago. Today I carried his pack downstairs to weigh it...16.6 lbs without his sleeping pad and 17.8 lbs with it. NO tent! No passport! I carried it out to the bridge, shot these pictures and uploaded them SOOC. We leave to drive to Lynchburg, VA, Tuesday night, and he leaves on Antrak at 5:00 AM Wednesday...crunch day for him and for our government....I sure hope he does a better job of hiking than our elected officials have been doing for us. He will be gone 3 weeks. I will be posting photos from his hike as he sends them to me on his new iPhone. 

Here it is... all 17.8 lbs sitting on the bridge...and he still has stuff to put in it. 

 He’s 5’5” and weighs only 135 lbs and still  has to put in his food

for the first 4 days, odds and ends, water, water, water, and his Crocs.

Jack to Buddy: “Dad, are you REALLY going to leave me for 3 whole weeks?

 How am I going to handle Mom for all of that time? I hope she 

doesn’t  forget to feed me because that has always been your job."

Buddy is definitely a Mountain Hard Wear ~ Leki man.

Before going back in the house, I just couldn’t resist shooting the pack

 and his stick  sitting there underneath the tree at the edge of the creek and bridge.

"Nobody trips over mountains.  It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble.  Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” 

 ~Author Unknown

This post is linked with Louis LaVache’s Sunday Bridges

and

mary/the teach’s Ruby Tuesday.

Daily Photo ~ 7-29-11

Tall Grasses beside Lake Robertson
Rockbridge County, VA


"Man's heart away from nature becomes hard."
  ~Standing Bear

Weekend Reflections ~ 7-29-11

This shot was treated with a vintage texture.

Reflections at Lake Robertson

Rockbridge County, VA


"There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures."  ~James Thurber


This post is linked with Weekend Reflections.

Weekend in Black and White ~ 7-29-11

Welcome Home

We just had to stop for a rest at this rock to ponder the idea of finding graffiti on top of the mountain, and yes, that it the hand grip from one of the hiking sticks poking out its head on the lower left.  Then we started wondering just where “home” really was.
      

Where is there not any graffiti to be found?

Now shall I walk

or shall I ride?
"Ride," Pleasure said:
"Walk," Joy replied.
~W.H. Davies


This post is linked with Weekend in Black and White.

Daily Photo ~ 7-29-11 ~ Skywatch Friday

The Bailing Is Over for This Farmer

Hogback Mountain in the Distance

Kerrs Creek ~ Rockbridge County, VA


"There is no reason to fear the wind if your stack of hay is well ties."
~Old Irish Saying


This post is linked to Skywatch Fridays.

Daily Photo ~ 7-28-11 ~ Signs, Signs

This evening my husband and I went out to Lake Robertson to take pictures with our new iPhones. We do not have a clue what we are doing, and it is almost crunch time. Bud leaves on the 2nd of August to hike the Long Trail from Vermont to one foot into Canada. He wanted the iPhone so he would have a phone as well as a camera all in one... less weight in the old backpack. Plus, he will be able to post directly to his hiking FB page. These signs were down where the boats put in and are SOOC or should I say...SOOiP.

"Search for beauty without features, something deeper than any signs.” 
~ Francesca da Rimini 

This post is linked to Lesley’s Sign, Signs.

Daily Photo ~ Texture Tuesday ~ 7-27-11

Experimentation with Texture and Adjustments

 For a long time, I have been wanting to learn how to shoot still life photos against a white background. Yesterday I finally found an old and heavy wooden box with oval openings on the sides for gripping at our local “antique” mall ($8.00). From there I went straight to Wally World, picked up a can of white paint for $3.00,  two 50 cent foam brushes, drove home, and gave the box a single coat. Now the fun has begins.

Our prompt from Kim this week was “DREAM.” Well, it has been my dream for ages to learn how to use textures to enhance my pictures. I have taken two of Kim’s classes, have her recipe book, subscribed to her kitchen, but I am still struggling with the technique. For this shot I used her “frosted” texture in conjunction with the CoffeeShop Vintage Frame. 

.

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change - this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope; 
And out of hope, progress.” 

~Bruce Barton (August 1886-July 1967)


This post is linked with Kim Klassen’s Texture Tusdays.

Daily Photo ~ Ruby Tuesday ~ 7-26-11

How much red can a man want? 
All of these belong to the same family.
"If everything comes your way, you are in the wrong lane.”
  ~Author Unknown

This post is linked with Ruby Tuesday.

Sunday Bridges ~ 7-24-11

 Oh, Happy Day! 

I found another vintage bridge in Rockbridge County.
Collierstown at the Old Potter’s Mill

 Vintage 1916

In disrepair, for sure...

This old bridge is about 5 miles from the house, but on a road I do not travel often. It was 104 degrees outside when I was taking these shots on Friday. The exterminator was here to rid us of fleas, so Jack and Trouble and I had to be OUT of the house for 4 hours. Put my babies on the back deck where it was very shady, and I hit the road with my sack lunch. 

"Knowledge of other people's beliefs and ways of thinking must be used to
 build bridges, not to create conflicts. “ 

~Kiell Magne Bondevik

This post is linked with Louis LaVache’s Sunday Bridges.

Daily Photo ~ 7-25-11

This One’s for You, Mickie

Thanks for all of your kind comments. 

I really did go right out, moved the hibiscus, and shot the shadow.
If you want to see Mickie’s beautiful hibiscus shadow shot, click on her name and you will magically arrive at her blog - ForGetMeNot .


"Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.” 
~Junichiro Tanizaki


This post is linked to The Creative Exchange.
For my hibiscus I used Vintage Frame 12 from The CoffeeShop Blog and “frosted” from Kim Klassen. 

Shadow Shot Sunday ~ 7-24-11

Rita in Her Rocker

“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do,

 but it won’t get you anywhere.” ~Glenn Turner

This post is linked to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Daily Photo ~ 7-24-11

 Grasses Along Side Lake Robertson

Rockbridge County, VA


"A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.”
  ~William Wordsworth

Daily Photo ~ 7-23-11

Flowers beside Lake Robertson
Rockbridge County, VA
"Adopt the pace of nature:  her secret is patience.”
  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Daily Photo ~ Weekend Reflections ~ 7-22-11

Stuck in Hot I-81 Traffic for Hours

We were directly behind this tractor trailer, and the reflection is of another red one that was smack dab behind us. We were in a T-T Sandwich for over 2 hours. Not Fun!


"Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”
~Kurt Vonnegut


This post is linked to Weekend Reflections.

Daily Photo ~ Weekend in Black and White ~ 7-21-11

The Blue Ridge in Black and White


"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
  ~John Muir


This post is linked with The Weekend in Black and White.

Daily Photo ~ Skywatch Friday ~ 7-22-11

Ominous Rain Clouds Moving In

Camp Maxwelton ~ Rockbridge Baths, VA


"The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.“
 ~Dave Barry


This post is linked to Skywatch Friday.

 

Daily Photo ~ 7-21-11

Staying Cool and Sippin’ Wine beside the Creek

Because of the lack of rain, the creeks are carrying little water. There was some rippling over the rocks, but otherwise all was very still. It was about 5:00 when Buddy and I spotted this couple as we were hiking up the hill along Laurel Run, and they offered us a glass of wine. Now, that is real hospitality.

"I am not old but mellow like good wine.”

 ~ Stephen Phillips

This post is linked with Watery Wednesday.

Only one month left ’til school. Think I’m going to need some of Tweety’s tonic to get me in the mood to return! 


“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” 
~ Herm Albright


This post is liked with Lesley’s Sign, Signs.