Horse farms and Spanish moss

On the way to Gainesville,FL

Face Time

Gus and Cotton and I had some face time with some of our favorite people - Micheal and Elaine - this weekend.  They are our former trainers and we hadn't seen each other in quite a while.  But as it usually is with friends you haven't seen in a while, we picked up as if we'd never left off.  And Gus and Cotton were beside themselves to see them.  Fur flew, pink tongues slurped, tails wagged, tummies were scratched...and when it was all over, Michael and Elaine left with plenty to remember Gus & Cotton by:  lots of yellow fur!

Tuesday Not-So-Still Life

I could have taken the yellow out of the photo, but in the early morning, before the sun comes up and using the light over the sink, this is what it looks like. 

Cozy. 

And a certain yellow dog monitors the status of breakfast.

Even after he's eaten.

Bottle Light

This was in the window in the West Atlanta Anthropologie store...I kept going back to look at the light through the bottles and took a quick photo. I should photoshop out the tall pole...interestingly, the glass bottle refracts it somehow and it doesn't show up through the bottle.

Everyday

I've read that it is a good creative idea to have a photographic theme that you pursue over your creative lifetime.  I suppose it gives you a fixed reference to measure your progress and to try different approaches...a friend said her dad took a photo of an empty chair wherever they went, and he had hundreds of them. Or maybe I read that somewhere.  Anyway, I thought that was a neat idea.  I've been thinking what mine might be.  The chair idea is a really good one but I thought I should give figuring out my own a go.

In the meantime, I've been seeing the beauty in the everyday.  The way the dogs are back lit when they stand in the doorway to the hall and "grrr" to get my attention, or the way the light falls across the floor.  This is one of those things I saw when I was focusing on something else.

This is one of two items I bought at the primitive art show that happens around my birthday every year.  I love them hanging on doors and have moved them a couple times.  I like the idea of art tucked here and there.

Morning Sky

I took my coffee to the back steps this morning since one of my dogs tunneled out yesterday in the blink of an eye.  I am out of ideas about how to secure my fence...short of pouring concrete in a narrow channel under the fence.  It's a lot of fence to do that, so I've avoided it. 

Have a good one!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hanging' with the Hawk

Sunday, I was sitting on the steps with the dogs when I heard a furious Blue Jay screaming.  I scanned the surrounding trees and saw nothing.  Then a large shadow crossed the ground, and when I looked up, this hawk was crossing my yard and landed here.

Close up:  See his eye?!  This is with my 55-200 lens fully racked out.  This lens is not what I'd call a professional grade lens, but when I cropped the photo, I could clearly see him eyeing me, or probably the glint of the lens.  "You eyeing me, boy?" [Name that movie]

Soon the furious Blue Jay was joined by a crack head Mockingbird who tempted fate by dive bombing the hawk.

And in a fit of goodwill, the hawk forebore ending the Mockingbird's singing career and decided to stretch his wings.

I would guess the hawk on that limb was about 300 ft away from where I was on the deck.

Ahoy, Valentine!

Saturday Evening Bullets

• Today was a slow day.  Coffee on the sofa, perusing my new book of classic photographs, walking dogs, laundry
• I forgot about the neighborhood food drive until I walked the dogs.  By then it was too late.
• One wild cat chased another wild cat up a tree.  Gus was beside himself with wanting to help.
• I want a remote control for my camera. I love my 50mm lens. 
• The antique children's desk looked more interesting in the late afternoon sunlight. 
• My Adagio tea order arrived. 
• Dinner with friends tonight.
• I should be getting ready for dinner with friends tonight.
• My computer is ready to retire, but I can't decide what to replace it with.
• Apple or PC - That is the question.

You're the Best!

My stamping left a little to be desired, but I like the banner!

Dare

This is a medium format camera that a friend gave me.  It was once her grandfathers.  I've been toying with getting it cleaned, because it seems to be in good working order, and maybe the person who can service it can tell me how to load film and take photos. 

I've been wrestling with how to take a photo that illustrates a dare.  All I've come up with are things that would illustrate a dare for me...but they might not be a dare for you. 

Sometimes it feels like I am daring to take pictures...that I shouldn't really because who am I to think I can do this anyway? 

Have you read about Vivian Maier? I think I'm spelling it correctly.  Anyway, a guy bought a box of negatives at auction to round out work he was doing on Chicago. When he started looking at the negatives (there are gazillions and undeveloped film, too).  It seems she is joining the ranks of the famous street photographers of her time.  Google her.  I think you'll enjoy the story.

Homemade Valentines

In a fit of creativity, I made some valentines for family and friends using old pages from a German poetry book, watercolors and cardboard. 

I was thinking I could mail them as postcards, but now I think I have to round up some envelopes.  And quickly.

We Saw Our Shadow

January

Jan 14th in Atlanta...Ice still covers parts of Atlanta.  We weren't ready for this!