Just a few things  to change the scenery !

Our weather is still very iffy, nice days, not so nice days but it has amazed me how much I have had my windows open this winter.  I haven’t seen anything much for photo taking of late so will just upload a few graphics I have done playing with my photos.

Some desktop wallpaper I put together

A cousin’s cat in a frame I made,
my photo of course.

 

Some greeting cards I made and always my words, I talk too much to ever use someone else words on a card I make.

My photo and graphics work

A different perspective on the same background.  The first is a photo and the second is called a tube.  People make them for use in graphics programs. 

My deer photo and the frame is a photo I took of a dusting of snow.  The background is a photo taken by another girl in the group.

Always an alltime favorite, my granddaughter and my graphics work.

Enough for now, tomorrow is my big day so I am not sure when I will post again but I know there are better days ahead. 

Until the next time be well,

 

Happy Valentine’s Day
Xanga

I Am A Romantic

Especially on Valentines Day

Romantic  reaches to medieval times, knights and their ladies and castles.  I don’t know of many castles here in the United States but I actually live within 5 or so miles of one.  A few photos of castle, Chateau La Roche, built by a single determined man with his only help, his boy scout troop.  The material, a lot of the local river rock.

There are no knights on white horses or damsels in distress but the local castle is a conversation piece and something you don’t find in many neighborhoods unless you live in Europe. 

You can tour the facility.  It isn’t nearly as large as those found overseas but the real interest lies, I think, in the fact there were no legions of workers who built it.  Mr. Andrews was a man who wanted a castle and he was a boy scout leader.  His dream after seeing castles in Europe was to design and build one of his own.  He did it with scout help (they poured the concrete bricks in milk cartons).  Amazing!  The river rock comes from the Miami River which runs in front of the castle, a stones throw away but far enough to exhaust a man carrying the many buckets of rock the castle needed for its size.  The Castle includes a nice view of the river with picnic tables to lunch at.  For a quiet outing and unusual photos, it’s a good spot in Loveland, Ohio. 

Winter time with snow would be a prime view but the road to the castle is one of the steepest inclines in our area.  We (husband and I) haven’t become brave enough to drive the roads in snow and ice. 

Two Castles:  We actually have two castles in my neighborhood.  This one is a copycat face with a business inside, the local roller rink.  It sits at the end of my street just a little to the right, another stone’s throw.  Picturesque for a little neighborhood, don’t you think?

Happy Valentine’s Day,

 

There are times,

words can’t do it

Because I love to write, I wouldn’t trade words for all the tea in China but sometimes there are no words.  When I display photos I want more than what I can think to say.  I want the spirit in the photos to reach out to you so you can see what I see and feel  what I feel.  I hope these photos do it for you. 

A single day after the Groundhog saw his shadow, a packaged tour of a gift. 

I didn’t get outside as early as I wanted to.  Already this gorgeous snow is pulling together wet and tight, not as light as it fell but look at how beautiful it is. 

Close up and personal, it was about 2 or so inches deep. 

An even closer shot of this cotton candy from the heavens. 

Even boards are beautiful and see the tiny hiding spaces.  Maybe, some little creature found a warmer sleeping spot inside. 

A naturally framed view. 

Is there anything more beautiful than snow hugging a tree and snuggling up to plants. 

I think Puxatawny Phil might be wrong, look at these Daffodils coming up. 

Would you believe this is a part of my Bittersweet plantings, snaking across the landscape. 

Bring in the sunshine and it all lights up. 

I took almost 200 photos this morning.  Aren’t digital cameras wonderful?  The whole time I was out there in this wonderland of nature I could hear the dripping from the trees.  Once in a while it would catch the top of my head or my glasses or camera all melting more quickly than it fell in the night.  Notice all the little drops in the snow, it was like rain from the trees and the birds were singing in appreciation the whole time I was out. 

This is, I think, a railroad tie lying, rotting.  Covered with snow and branches look like antlers at its head.  Maybe it’s a super size slug waiting for a thaw. 

The melt is on, all of this gorgeous snow was gone in just a few hours running from the trees to the cutouts rain, snow and time have carved in our yard after many melt downs.  A good snow can have the creek running on the other side of the brush roaring and that same creek washed out a huge concrete overpass causing it to fall in on Christmas day years ago.  The thud shook our house.  Whatever surprises it brings, I love the snow and hope I always feel the thrill I felt today when I looked at it.  I hope you felt some of my excitement.

Until the next time,