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Weekly Photo Challenge

 

this week,
“Wildlife in Your Area”
suggested by Here are Linda’s Photos

Wildlife in the United States including Ohio are varied and some species is unique to regions such as the Antelope in the North Western states.  In Ohio, you can’t see Antelope but you can find mammals from Ground Squirrels to Deer, which are Antelope size, but so much natural habitat has been encroached upon by man a lot of wildlife has been forced to adapt or migrate from the area.  I have seen a lot of wildlife one time only and some I see nearly every day.  There are animals native to Ohio I have never seen except in the zoo.  I have seen outside of zoos, Mice, Chipmunks, Black and Grey tree Squirrels, Fox, Coyotes, Groundhogs, Deer, birds from Hummingbirds to Buzzards (Eagles are in the area but I haven’t seen one outside of the zoo), Bears but not in Ohio, and lots of fish in the lakes plus frogs, snakes, salamanders, crayfish and boatloads of insects, some of which I could well do without.

I have a lot of photos but decided to limit myself two 3 images of Mammals figuring to save birds, bugs, and reptiles for later challenges.

My Photos

1-  This is one of many squirrels living in the trees surrounding my house.  If I didn’t have the cat which adopted us, I would get more friendly with the squirrels feeding them to get better close ups.  This photo was taken at the end of our drive and across the street.

 

2-  This is a night photo taken with flash about 15 or so feet from my door.  I have photographed some of it’s buddies only feet from my door some pushy enough to stick their nose in the crack of the door I have open to use my camera.  If they think food is around they would walk right in.  I don’t fancy a raccoon loose in my house.  They are entertaining but they can be nasty tempered.

 

3-  I’m not fast enough to catch the deer.  John is the one who usually sees them and comes in for the camera.  This deer is maybe 50 feet from our front door and I am pretty sure they come on to my porch.  I frightened one in the dark late at night and it couldn’t have been more than 10 feet from me.  They managed to eat my morning glories from how far their head bows down to how far they can reach up leaving leaves and flowers above and below and the stripped areas to grow out again.  We have put a salt block out in hopes of tempting them close enough regularly so we can get photos.  There are a lot of deer around evidenced by road kills.  The animals don’t stand much of a survival chance with the lifestyles we humans think we should be living without animal interference. 

 

Thanks always for your comments and keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

 

this week,
“Seeing Double”
suggested by me PhotoGraphics

When I came up with the idea for this challenge I thought I could, at the drop of a hat, go to the malls or ?? and find sets of twins to take photos of, like the double mint twins.  Well, it isn’t that easy to get to the mall or to find sets of twins, and go figure, any time I don’t need photos of twins, seems there are a lot of tandems being pushed around by mums and dads.  So, I have images without the twins I had hoped for but that should work for this challenge, just not as I had originally pictured posting it.  

 

1- This is as close to a set of twins or doubles I caught while watching for new doubles images.  The bright blue paint and the bright red tail lights caught my fancy so I grabbed this for a “Seeing Doubles” image. 

 

2- There is no doubt there are doubles or pairs all around us.  On this highway drive I noticed the doubles in the yellow lines, the dotted lines, the outside white lines and the metal rails set at either side of the highway. 

 

3- This lonely set of doubles are indicative of the deserted picnic benches at Lake Isabelle Cty park.  The weather has turned cooler and though the sun is shining the coolness of the day has crept into the bones of those who might have come to fish and barbecue.  It’s a rude awakening, Winter is creeping ever closer.

 

4- The same lonesome stillness resides at the other end of the lake, deserted tables, deserted fishing spots, fish swimming by their lonesome in the cool depths.  And the trees viewing themselves in the glassy waters, mirrored as doubles, in their soon to be lost foliage.  

 

So goes the end to another challenge.  Apologies for it’s late posting.

Thanks always for comments and keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

 

this week,
“Any photo in color plus a duplicate in black and white”
suggested by StixAndStonz

I enjoyed this challenge.  I don’t play with black and white often so it gave me the opportunity to select a photo I thought would work well.

 

1- This particular photo was taken June 12 of this year while I was headed for a hair cut.  These two were engrossed in an activity on the curb at one end of the mall.  If the photo had been taken when I was their age I would say baseball cards might be part of the discussion.  As there appears to be only one scooter, it may be they are trying to divvy up time for sharing the ride.  I like catching people in poses with faces hidden.  I don’t think a photo has to have a face to be interesting and in fact because the boys backs are turned to me a totally different story is offered than if they were facing me. 

 

2- Just enough pattern to make the image interesting but uncluttred.

 

Have a super week and thanks always for your comments.

 

 

 

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this week,
“Your Favorite Music Style”
suggested by Living_Embers

I like a lot of different music.  I have experienced listening to everything from Country / Bluegrass to fifties Rock and Roll to Jazz and a bit of Hard Rock in my home.  I have favorite country singers like Willie Nelson and Hank Snow but my orders if I am ever in need of being wired for sound, while off somewhere in a state of unconscious is to, wire me to the classics.  http://www.classicalarchives.com/

A recall of an Austrian folk song for children which we sang in school choir, called, the Orchestra song and I only remember our use of set 1, 2 and 4 below.  The song was sung in rounds, children were grouped according to the number of sets being used then each sang their set and then all voices combined to sing all sets at the same time.  It was a lovely way to learn music appreciation of an orchestra.

Violins:  set 1
The violins ringing like lovely singing.
The violins ringing like lovely song.

Clarinets:  set 2
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodle doodle doodle doodle dat.
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodle doodle doodle dat.

Trumpets:  set 3
The trumpet is braying,
Ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta ta.

Horns:  set 4
The horn, the horn
Awakes me at morn.
The horn, the horn
Awakes me at morn.

Drums:  set 5
The drums playing two tones
They’re always the same tones.
The drums playing two tones.
They’re always the same.

 

My Photos

1- I have a preference for music that has possibilities of undulating like the twists and turns of a road.

 

2-  I enjoy music that can sound as soft as the wings of a bird in flight hundreds of feet in the air

 

3-  or voice and notes that can reach the deepest of blues,

 

4- or the most tumultuous of stormy grays,

5- with the ability to reflect all emotional possibilities.

6-  The colorful notes of the Fiddle playing Bluegrass and otherwise can be exciting and fun

7-  but the sounds of a Violin within a full orchestra accompanied by a concert Piano and Oboes and Cello and ??? are more likely to reach into the deepest of my sleeps to medicate me.

Thanks always for your comments and enjoy taking those photos.

 

 

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this week,
“Textures”
suggested by JayneBug

Everything is more exciting when textured.  Textures create light and shadow that give color “shape, form and feel” to our views and even words we voice are textured by inflections or change in sound.  Texture is in every emotion from pleasant excitement to heart pumping terror and in the books we read and the pictures we hang we elevate excitement with texture.  There is no terror in my photos but hopefully there is some interest from contained textures and views around my home.  My photos span from April 2009 to September 20, 2009.

My Photos

1- This is the back of our little house, enriched with a great brick texture in a nice earth tone.  This image was taken in April and the sunshine brought up the color.  I have Hosta and Lilies well up at the right hand side along with a bumper crop of Peppermint because of a poor planting decision but it all gives texture and the Peppermint textures the breeze, with a nice smell.

 

2- This is the front or our house and it’s June.  We got a late start at some of the things I wanted to try out.  The upright is one of 5 John seated specifically for Morning Glories.  We have a lot of texture just from the variety of mess and things needed to keep up with the growing textures.

 

3- We planted a very small bit of garden for tomatoes and some okra and summer squash and fenced it to keep the deer from eating it.  Nothing in the vegetable line did well but the Okra plant is lovely.  The spot is too shady and our Summer had record cools.  The flowers managed and the Ajuga is thriving so I’ll set cuttings taken from it next year.  The flowering plants are giving us enjoyable texture and color.  My Morning Glories took their time but finally took off in all spots.  You can see a second upright behind the fence to the left of John.

 

4- Here you see all textures being watered.

 

5- A third upright planted where we can see it from inside the house.  The Morning Glory leaves are beautiful and the flowers opened clear to the top even on the roof.  The reflection is in my picture window and John is the steadiest with the camera so he got to take this photo.

 

6- This is my view from inside and I took the photo today (September 21), just for this challenge.  Next year I’ll plant several kinds of vine including Clematis. 

 

7- A close up from John’s good camera eye.  The Glories give us a lot of pleasure plus color and texture.  I’m hoping the photos shared give you some as well.

 

Thanks always for your comments.

Wishing you some mind boggling textures for your photos and your conversational blogs.  Have a super week.

 

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

 

this week,
“Something Old, Something New”
suggested by MattBarber

I had visitors over the Labor Day Weekend.  My son-in-law “the old or older”, my daughter, “the new or newer” and my only grandchild Eden, “the newest”.  All rationalizing of titles is based on their ages. 

My Photos

1- Mitch on the left, Halie center and Eden sitting on our porch bench, saying their goodbyes as this is a going back home photo. 

 

2- From the first set of photos after their arrival, Saturday eve, Mitch the older and Eden the newest are waiting as Halie the newer backs her motorcycle out of the drive.  They are visiting us for the weekend and Halie’s 20th high school reunion is this evening.  All three are attending.

 

 

3-  Minor adjustments and maybe some instruction going on here before they drive off.  Mitch the older is a seasoned rider but Halie the newer has been riding by herself for only a few months.  My nerves got the best of me during their drive as it’s about 700 miles from theirs to ours.  Total the trip back and its 1400 or more, the planned drive taking 4 days of driving and stopping for the night, shortning the time spent on the road each day.

 

4- All three ready to go, Eden rides with her dad.

 

5- They have an audience while starting out.

 

6-  This is Monday morning and the older and the newer are bundled up for their return trip to Virginia.  It rained all night and is still drizzling.  The rain and slippery roads gives me more to worry about.  They called us from each of their stops.

 

7-  I know this is a pastime for a lot of people but when your daughter gets on a 750 pound Harley by herself and takes a trip of 1400 plus miles when she hasn’t been riding long, tell me you won’t worry!  No matter how old or new, novice or seasoned I can’t help but feel a lot of mixed emotion.  Halie has a mind of her own and has passed it along to Eden.  Eden flew in from Maryland where she is now attending university, her first year.  She flies back later on the day of these last two photos.

To be honest I have had a case of nerves and tried to come up with something else to post but this trip wouldn’t abandon my mind where it kept rotating “old and new” rider.  So there you have it.

 

Have a good week and thanks always for your comments.

 

 

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this week, “Reflections” suggested by Czolya & myself, Photographics

“Reflections”, are to me, some of the most exciting photos I take, and as reflections of any kind always catch my eye, on other pages, I believe they appear to me as some of the most exciting photos other people take.  I look for reflections wherever I go and have taken reflection photos in water, on plate glass, mirrored glass and in the sides of highly polished cars.  I have taken photos of reflections in Summer, Winter and otherwise finding reflections in any season equally appealing.

My Photos
For the Week

Click the image to view larger sizes

Plate glass windows are everywhere especially at food establishments.  This window is situated in the wall of a White Castle Hamburger fast food.  I was situated in the car beside my husband who was in the payout line waiting for our order.  It was nearing 4 in the afternoon in April and clearly we were sitting in the shade of the building with the sun catching colors elsewhere and reflecting in the restaurant window.  I had to take the pic and am always glad I carry my camera EVERYWHERE.

 

The plate glass face of Cici Pizza is a great spot for photos weather you are outside looking in or inside looking out as the glass plates stretches across the complete front of the Cici exterior.  This family sat two tables in front of us as we ate.  Their baby persisted in crawling out of his chair onto the table to stand nearly in the families food.  After we left, I sat in our car hoping to catch him on the table again and while waiting I took a few other photos.  What you see here is from the inside of my car through the windshield through the plate glass and across the table.  Trees are well behind me but reflected in the glass along with other colors from business caught by the reflection.  Catching what looks to be a satisfying bite of pizza helped make this photo a fun one. 

 

The baby is up and ready to climb on the table but dad slowed him down.  The window framed it all including the reflecion from the outside world as the baby sequence unfolded.

 

Another day but the same windows at Cici looking from the inside at the night sky and evening lights.  The reflection of the lights at top are inside restaurant lighting that appears as a squadron of UFO in the glass.

 

One of my portraits hiding in the shadow of reflections.  I think we were at the Honey Baked Ham store and I was ready to get into the car but noticed the beautiful reflection in the window.  I love seeing the views captured when I load them into my computer as there is always more than I realized when taking them.  It’s fun and getting a bit of an exposure of myself, I don’t mind sharing, is fun too.

 

Thanks always for your comments.

Have a great week and keep taking those photos.

 

 

 

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Weekly Photo Challenge

 

this week, “Stairs” suggested by StixAndStonz

“Stairs” add a lot to architecture of any kind and they can be totally decorative or useful or both.  Stairs, for some of us, are memorable, recalling the fun of sliding down banisters as children.   I have seen lots of photos/pictures of beautiful stair cases.  I have not been personally acquainted with any of the more ostentatious stairs but I do have a few photos of some I played on as well as a few I admired from the camera’s distance.

My Photos

1- These steps/stairs sit at the front door of the house I grew up in.  Just inside the door there is a staircase running to the second floor.  It was these stairs I traveled up and down every day until about my 25th year and they probably kept me thin.  As they are part of a long ago past and I have none in the home we live in now, my weight is probably equal to all the exercise I have missed over the years away from them.  There was a fence in front of these in the photo with rose bushes covered with pink roses and purple iris grew next to the wall on the right hand side.

 

2- These steps are in a park in Rockford, Illinois and they go down to a large open space along the river.  It was flooded at the time I took this photo but I wanted the photo of the steps more than I did of what was below them.

 

3- This photo is in Dubuque, Iowa (I think).

 

4- This is on the way to Galena, Illinois and I believe its purpose is similar to a lighthouse. It does give you beautiful views of surrounding farmland as there are a lot of stairs to take you way up.

 

5- A better view of some of the steps inside the tower.

 

6- A memorial park in Rockford, Illinois.  It’s a beautiful spot in a very nice park commemorating our fighting forces and it’s set off with some not so steep but sweeping steps.  This memorial, like many, has been defaced by people who think it’s right to destroy memorials to our military as an act of protest.  It’s sad to know how many have given their lives from long past to the present for our freedoms and to see the lack of respect displayed by the destruction in these places.  I look at it as a cowardly act as those who do this don’t stick around to be caught, it’s all done when no one is looking.  So …

 

Have a good week and
keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit and play the
Weekly Photo Challenge

 

THIS WEEK, “Open Spaces” suggested by JanyeBug

“I equate “Open Spaces with Privacy”, as the first thing comes to mind is “W-I-D-E Open Spaces”, where the experience is more than a vacation but a Nirvana. 

True Open Spaces are spots man hasn’t interfered with, totally natural, beautifully unspoiled.  Where I live, Ohio, USA, if there is such a place here, it’s hidden somewhere in a really big park or on a piece of land owned by the rich or famous.  Nothing I have ever discovered is totally unspoiled but is always, in some way, encroached upon by man.  To have wide “open spaces”, I must open my mind completely, ignoring what is, creating what can be a perfect few minutes, or more, away from the normal encounter.

 

My Photos

1- Ohio farmland, and there are a lot of farms in Ohio.  They can be seen on nearly any drive you take in the state and some are beautifully kept up and some are struggling to survive. 

 

2-  Most if not all the farmlands wide “open space” is spoiled with the necessity of fencing, and the real spoiler, litter from travelers and residents alike lodges itself in the grass and around fence posts, as if it isn’t enough to have wide “open spaces” encroached upon by man’s necessities.  

 

3-  There are many beautiful parks with outstanding spots to picnic or play but the wide “open space” is usually visited by more than yourself and if it happens to be garbage free, there are always the signposts as reminders, PRIVACY IS NOT one of the park’s luxuries.

 

4-  If the day isn’t smoggy but clear, due to a fresh rain, to lie on one’s back and stare up at the sky is a terrific option for wide “open spacious” freedom for the mind.

 

5-  Blacking out what is, creating a wide open mind-set provides a wonderful getaway worth practicing.

 

6-  As it’s doubtful I can leave totally behind what man is / does to have wide “open spaces”, for myself, I’ve discovered developing tolerance for things which help create a peaceful / comfortable atmosphere is very rewarding and works best for me.

 

Thanks always for your comments and keep on taking those photos.

 

 

 

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THIS WEEK, “People who work outside of an office (or building)” suggested by me, PhotoGraphics

“Most of my photos”, come from drives I take with my other half.  He drives and I take photos of whatever happens to be going on anywhere, anytime.  If I’m quick enough and paying attention I notice a lot of things different from the norm.  Every once in a while I see really interesting things going on so snap away taking as many photos as I can within whatever time I have trying to get at least one good image.  I only get one chance for some shots of things I may never see again.  People are well worth the time to take snaps of and as the whole world runs on what people do for a living, outside of an office building, I’m bound to see some of what they do if I keep my eyes open.

 

My Photos

to see larger images, click on the photos. 

1- This is the guy who isn’t afraid of heights and without him we would have less obstructing some of our beautiful views, but we wouldn’t be as aware of fun things planned.

 

2- Some of the fun things include festivals and flea markets.  My husband and I used to do some fleamarketing having always enjoyed festivals so setting up to sell fell naturally into place.  To have a market or a festival you have to have people who run a business that caters to crowds of people and food is a top priority.

 

3- After food comes the vendors of about anything you can think of.  Neon signs are popular for collectors and they make a good showing at night by just sitting there.

 

4- To get the food to the markets, you have to have the man/woman who drives the trucks from food plants and this is one of my favorite brands, Trauth.  They are a local dairy and I love their buttermilk for drinking or cooking.  They have great ice cream and juices too, perfect foods for festivals.

 

5- This man handles lots of breads and buns, delivering to restaurants as well as to festivals.

 

6- Without these drivers from UPS and Fed X vendors couldn’t get any of the merchandise like the neon signs in photo #3.

 

7- This man drives the really big equipment used to build new or repairing old highways.  If he didn’t, none of us would make it to the fair.

 

8- And this man drives for hours keeping the grass mowed so we can see where we are headed.

 

9- Festivals and markets always have problems with people getting ill or falling and there seems always to be a fight or two.  Without our emergency medics and the local sheriff department many of the festivals might not be as much fun to go to. 

 

There has to be a ton more outdoor worker choices to photograph.  I enjoy the addition of photos of this type so I try to watch them.  A few I can think of I don’t have are the postman, house painters, roofers, door to door volunteers, school children selling candy to earn money for projects, the local ice cream man who travels our street every day in the summer, the local dog catcher and ???? 

Thanks always for your comments.

Have a super week and keep on taking those photos.