Follow this Link to Visit and PLAY with 
the Weekly Photo Challenge
It runs for one full week from Friday mornings to late Thursday nights. 

 

The challenge beginning April 30, 2010 is:

The Unusual on the Road

suggested by me, PhotoGraphics

 

I keep the list of challenges, planning photos I’d like to put up, before the challenge happens.  When I suggested this challenge, I didn’t have any photos for it.  As time slipped by, nothing I saw turned up as more unusual.  I caught more cars and trucks and the occasional Mounty but NADA that eased my mind in preparation for “the Unusual”.  Then, in November, 2009, we spent Thanksgiving at my sister’s in Rockford Illinois. I took photos like crazy and on our return trip, I got lucky and caught the unusual, within about 2 and a half hours. Now, UNUSUAL DEPENDS a lot on where you live.  What is unusual for me may not be for you.  So with that in mind, some photos of things I came upon, as unusual, for me. 

 

My Photos

1- Anyone who is on the road, especially in the country, sees trucks, of this kind, all the time.  This truck is specifict for the transport of livestock.  This one has only a few hogs in it and I was nearly mooned by the hog’s butt, in the hold, at the upper right. 

 

 

2-  Anyone living near the ocean would see boats like this.  I see a lot of small boats but this one, because of its size, is unusual traveling the roads of Indiana.  I’m not positive but I think it would be unusual to see a boat this size on our Ohio river but then what do I know, they may be rampant in wealthier areas.

 

 

3-  A better view to give an idea of size as it goes beneath the overpass.

 

 

4-  Now these are really BIG TIRES.  I can’t recall ever seeing any this big before, ever.

 

 

5-  Here they are on the trailer of a big rig taking them SOMEWHERE where they may not be so unusual.

 

 

6-  And then, this guy shows up.

 

 

7-  I will assume their destination is the same.

 

 

8-  I hope these truckers demand the loads be checked for height before they take on the responsibility of driving under bridges.  Thinking this load has to be worth my house value, maybe two or three times, or MORE.

 

 

9- And next, this shows up.  I haven’t a clue what it is except that it is one BIGG TUBE.  I can picture it rolling down a hill with kids running like gerbils inside it.

I’m sure there are people who see these monsters on the road or around their city every day but for me to have the chance to photograph them was a bit “Unusual” and it made my day “Unusual” to get them for the challenge. 

 

Have a super week everyone and thanks for your visits and comments.

 

Follow this Link to Visit and PLAY with 
the Weekly Photo Challenge
It runs for one full week from Friday mornings to late Thursday nights. 

 

The challenge beginning April 23, 2010 is:

 

   “Red”  

suggested by, Zimbo

 

I love colors / colours for those of you outside of the US. 

Some Colors speak for themselves and Red does it with flair.  In the right instance, Red hops into our senses most beautifully and its variations in shade, showing up in plants, clothing, cars, furnishings, hair color and the blush of a cheek, surround us in all seasons.  Red can be happy or the color I avoid wearing if not feeling my best because it manipulates emotions.

Some of my Photos

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Mums, available Spring, Summer and Fall for your garden.

 

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This planter is alongside the road and borders a filling station.

 

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Zinnia growing along the fence of a friends yard.

 

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I don’t know what these berries are but the line of trees, filled with them, is intense.

 

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The red shrubs are amazing and many are planted as hedge for the fall color.

 

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These trees are in our local park.  They take your breath away when they are in their Autumn dress.

 

Thanks always for looking and for the fun of the challenge.

 

Follow this Link to Visit and PLAY with 
the Weekly Photo Challenge
It runs for one full week from Friday mornings to late Thursday nights. 

 

The challenge beginning April 16, 2010 is: 

   “Minimalism”   

suggested by, GandyWhite

 

Our local park has, beside the bicycle trail, a minimalistic figure.  The photo #1 below is of it and the only thing I found in our area using minimalism, unless you focus on cars.  Cars exteriors are designed in true minimalistic fashion, few lines, one or two colors and lines that help them to move more quickly, against the wind.  Lots of modern buildings use minimalism (marble and mirrors) in their construction and some of the most beautiful rooms in interior design magazines use only black and white for walls and furnishings, brining in potted plants for accents and maybe nothing at all.  Minimalism is simplicity, clean lines, uncluttered, having nothing within to make it appear messy.  We own nothing of the sort, except for our car.  I have, however, uploaded some of my photos minimizing surroundings, accenting what I wanted to see, so minimalized, to simplicity. 

My Photos

1-  The bicycle sculpture sitting in Loveland Park beside the bicycle trail and I believe this is true minimalism.

 

2-  Signs are usually minimal in design and color.  I thought this rail crossing sign, at the bicycle trail, was a good example of minimalizing.  I took its photo, with some of its surroundings, to make a minimal arrangement of my own. 

 

3-  This lamp post sits in the park and as I am always drawn to tall or narrow running lines, I took its photo. 

 

4- Then, I stood next to the light pole and put my camera against it, snapping the image, catching some of its height and the blue of the sky for a minimalized arrangement of it.  Personally, I prefer photo #3 as much more interesting.

 

5- This image of a snow covered curve of the road is fairly simplified.  If you can picture it without the trees, road rail, and brush it would be close to truly minimalized. 

 

6-  Another snow covered photo, the ground beside the rail tracks that jump out to make themselves seen.

 

7-  Our dogwood tree planted itself.  It grew from the tiniest twig, I recognized and protected, from my husband who offered more than once to remove it, as an unwanted weed.  Being positive of its identification, I helped it survive to grow to a beautiful full height with the most beautiful of April blossoms. 

 

8-  This image is actually what I would call a portrait, instead of minimalism, of a few of the blossoms from the tree and the world around me that refuses to be minimalized.  

 

Have a super week, enjoy taking your photos.

 

 

Follow this Link to Visit and PLAY with 
the Weekly Photo Challenge
It runs for one full week from Friday mornings to late Thursday nights. 

 

The challenge beginning April 9, 2010 is:  

 “Envy”

suggested by, Sezwick

I don’t like to admit envy but I do have a share of it off and on.  My envy always has to do with things pertaining to our house.  I am envious of really big kitchens, big enough to enjoy visits while eating.  My photos do not pertain to kitchen envys but to house and window placement.  If it were possible I would either move my current house to the top of, or purchase another on top of, a hill, where I could see sunsets and sunrise.  Windows of course would face East and West instead of North and South.  Sunsets! I grew up with them and have never seen one from the house we moved to. Our house sits in a valley and the windows face North and South.  To see beautiful sunsets we drive out and about to catch them, not an all bad choice, but to relax in your living room or on the deck or lawn, while watching the sun going down, is a pleasure I am envious of. 

 

SUNSETS, that’s what I’d like to have views of, from my own windows, SUNSETS

and a biggggg eat in kitchen would be nice. 

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Have a super week, thanks always for your comments
and for putting up with my ENVIOUS ramblings.

 

Follow this Link to Visit and PLAY with 
the Weekly Photo Challenge
It runs for one full week from Friday mornings to late Thursday nights. 

 

The challenge beginning April 2, 2010 is:  

 Food Photos or Meal Preparation

suggested by, Bumblefish

 

I love to eat and enjoy cooking.  If I had time to prepare the numbers of recipes I have collected I might become famous for fast prep of food at home.  I’m an experimenter and have messed up a few attempts for original creations but have never made anyone ill.  I usually try to keep things simple, and I try not to go overboard with numbers of dishes.  There are only two of us to feed at home and though I have fed large numbers in the past, large groups are just that, a thing of the past.

 

 

 

Some Food / Meal photos and a bit of explanation.

 

 

1- This was a simple meal to fix and more than enough for two.  The Chuck Roast was seared both sides in a hot skillet until it loosed itself from the pan.  I put it into a dutch oven, added about a half inch of water, covered it with foil and then a lid and slow roasted at a bit less than 250 degrees all night.  The vegetables are potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery and they went into a pan in the microwave this morning until nearly done then were added to the roast pan for maybe 40 minutes at the same slow oven temp.  The gravy is pre cooked, browned flour with the beef drippings and beef bullion.  The Salad is one large stalk of Romaine lettuce, cut into thin strands, half a large tomato grated, half of a vegetable from Mexico and I forget its name, also grated.  Half a large onion chopped small, and one large avocado cut into cubes.  Everything is tossed with a mixture of Italian dressing and mayonnaise.  I usually add pepper to any of the above but never add salt to the salad or the meat.  The Artichoke in the small red casserole came in a jar, no preparation for it other than put it into the bowl.  My Easter Eggs were dyed with Onion skins.  For dessert we have three fresh fruits, Mangoes and Kiwi and Blueberries, eaten when we feel like it.   We also have Whitehouse Cherry ice cream in the freezer that will make really nice ice cream sodas. 

 

 

 

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A close up of the Chuck Roast (not the best photo) but it was very good, tasty and tender.

 

 

 

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The Salad

 

 

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Easter Eggs

 

 

Have a great week and thanks for the fun of a challenge, your visits and comments.