Scavenger Hunt Sunday 10-28-2012

Welcome back, or if you are new to my blog, Welcome! I can't believe how quickly time passes. Its already been a week since my last Scavenger Hunt post, and also 2 months today that I lost my best friend Maddux. It seems like just yesterday in so many ways, then again, it seems like forever since I have seen his face, and kissed that big fat squishy muzzle. I still miss him so...I love you buddy.

Anyway, I dont want to be depressing, nor do I want to get depressed, so on with my post. This week the weather was very uncooperative. My time out in nature, or with my camera at all, was short and sweet. I was able to have an hour here or an hour there, but due to no sun, and lots of rain, it was very limited. I had hopes for a bright sunny day with low wind, but that just didnt happen. So, I had to make due with what I was given.

For this week, the prompts were a bit of a challenge for me. Not because of subject matter, but because of me being limited on my out of the house time. Then you add in that I am basically a nature photographer, and couldnt find much in nature to use for my shots! No nature = challenging for me. They are as follows:

PATTERN(S)
MACHINE
SIGNS OR LOGOS
ROCKS OR STONES (darn, too bad I used my rock shot for stacked last week)
SPARKLE

And, here are my shots for these prompts:

PATTERN

I liked how the repeating pattern of the bridge was reflected in the water as well.

MACHINE

No idea what it is, but I loved the blades on it! Some kind of farming machine I assume.

SIGNS OR LOGOS

I had to go with this one, because its not often I see my name spelled correctly on anything, let alone a sign!

ROCKS OR STONES

Came across this quarry wall while out for a drive.

SPARKLE

Is it obvious why I chose this shot for sparkle? Kind of blinding me right now :)

Nurture Photography Week 4 10-26-12

Week 4 of the Nurture Photography Photo challenge already! Fall is really winding down here already. Many of the trees are completely bare. Some are still glorious too, you just have to travel a little farther to find them. The weather this week was not at all cooperative. It rained 4 days straight, and when it wasnt rainy, it was foggy and misty, so not the best for photography. Did I let it stop me? NO! I have no problem driving around and shooting from my car :) Anyway, the prompts for this week are Red and Foliage. I have my choice to do either one or both. I have been doing both, and am doing that again this week. Enjoy your weekend!

RED

I was walking along the river, when this beautiful Red-Bellied Woodpecker landed on a tree pretty close to me. I love the way the light is hitting him. It looked like he was resting there, sunning himself.

FOLIAGE

There was just something about the lighting in this shot that I liked. It has a mini sun flare, and I loved how the edges of the leaves are all lit up in glowing sunlight. Here I complained about all the rainy foggy days, yet picked out 2 shots so full of light!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday 10-21-12

Hi! Welcome back to Scavenger Hunt Sunday. This week flew by, I honestly dont know where the time went. I was able to spend Saturday out in nature for a much needed soul cleansing. When I am down, feeling sad and confused, that is where I need to be. I can face the world after spending time in the 

woods. I dont know what it is, but I do my best thinking and planning while walking alone next to the 

river. I smell the smells, take all the sights and sounds in. Even the bugs dont bother me, I just snap a couple pictures of them! Anyway! The prompts for this weeks hunt are:

Orange or Pink (In honor of Breast Cancer awareness week)

Faceless Portrait (aim for a selfie)

View from the top

Cozy

Stacked

Here are my interpretations of the prompts:

ORANGE OR PINK

Imagine my surprise to see this beauty this late in the season.

FACELESS PORTRAIT

Ugh...I hate photos of myself! At least I didnt have to show my whole face!

VIEW FROM THE TOP

This is about as much from the top as it gets in Janesville.

COZY

Newest Grandson Brady, looking cozy in his chair.

STACKED

My favorite shot of the day, had some fun playing with rocks and the lighting was perfect.

Nurture Photography Week 3 10-10-2012

Hi, and thank you for stopping by my blog! The prompt for this weeks photo challenge is Orange/Warmth. The weather wasn't the most cooperative this week, couple that with my time constraints, and I wasnt able to fit in much time for Photography. I was able to sneak out to the Pumpkin Patch a couple weeks ago, and of course, there was a lot of orange there. I am also posting a simple shot of an orange leaf I took awhile back. Hope you have a wonderful week! Check back next week for my photos! Here are my photos for this week!

ORANGE

WARMTH

Nurture Photography Week 2 10-12-12

Here we are already in the 2nd week of the Nurture Photography Photo Challenge! For this week, the prompts are Yellow and Light. Technically, I could have used the same photo for both prompts, but what fun would that be? This is one of my favorite times of the year, both in temperature and in the beauty of the Fall season. I went out alone last week for a mind clearing photoshoot at my favorite place near home. The sun was beautiful on everything. Even the most mundane of leaves looked spectacular against the glitter that was bouncing off the water. The sun was so warm, I was even able to find a hard working bee gathering pollen for the hive. Here are 2 of my favorite shots of the day.

YELLOW

This worker bee is covered in yellow pollen. He was really taking his work seriously I guess.

It is getting harder and harder to find flowers in decent shape. This guy is taking full advantage of this flower full of pollen.

LIGHT

How can these dying yellow leaves not look fabulous with all of the light bouncing off the water behind them? I just love this shot, it is simple but stunning, in my opinion.

If you would like to see other participants in this photo challenge, click on the Nurture Photography button at the top of this post. You will see lots of beautiful shots there. Have a wonderful weekend, be sure to come back next week for week 3.

I Heart Macro 10-07-12

Hi and than you for visiting my blog. Its been a few months since I last posted any "I Heart Macro" pictures. I have had a rough year, especially this summer. My beloved dog Maddux has been in renal failure since a year ago June. He lost his battle August 28th, 2012. I had been caring for him for months, giving him fluids and many medications, cooking a home cooked kidney diet for him, and giving him all the love he could handle. It was precious time, and I wanted to spend as much of it with him as I could. After he passed, I just didnt have it in me to even think about going out and taking pictures for quite awhile. I am trying to get back in the swing of things, and some days it feels good to be out and about. Other days, I am just still so sad and emotional. throw in a few viruses, pneumonia and sick people in the family, and it takes the wind out of your sails. Enough said, on with the pictures, which is really why you are here!!

 This bee landed right next to me on a dead tree. He even let me get my macro lens out!

 Surprising to still see flowers and bees when its in the 50's outside!

 Loved all the holes in this leaf and the background bokeh.

 Empty pods and pretty background colors.

 FLowers in beautiful shape with the cold nights we've been having.

 Loved the leaf stuck in the webs.

 Spider on the tree right next to me.

Loved the web with all the golden hued leaves behind it.

Scavenger hunt Sunday 10-07-12

Yes! It is true, I have returned to Scavenger Hunt Sunday. I am trying, slowly but surely, to return to the land of the living since losing my best friend Maddux late August. I am better some days, and others, 

not so much. I do find that if I spend some time out in nature, I feel so much better. I have a clearer 

head, a lighter heart, and a better attitude! Seems like deep therapy for my soul. Anyway, here are 

this weeks prompts for the hunt:

Shadow
Keys
Smile
Unedited
Spice

Here are my shots:

SHADOW

I just liked the way the railing shadow looked against the concrete.

KEYS

Ok, I know the prompt was "Keys" I only have 1 worth taking a picture of, and this is it. They just dont make Keys like this anymore. This key fits this lock, and I think they are a piece of art! I set the lock and key on a mirror in front of my patio door. I quite like the effect.

SMILE

It is so hard to get a genuine smile out of my Grand daughter these days. She is always trying to do something crazy or just plain uses her fake for the camera smile. This one was genuine. Her first day of Preschool with her Mommy.

UNEDITED

Straight out of the camera, just the way I like them. Kim and I came across this snake on a nature walk. Not thinking, I laid down on the ground and got within 6" of this garter snake. Mind you, I am terrified of snakes. I seemed to forget all of that to get my shot....lol. At least we got a good laugh after we were done and the snake went after Kim instead of me. I would probably have at least wet myself had it decided to chase me instead of Kim since I was already so close to it. Makes me smile just to think about it!

SPICE

Those fresh Jalepenos added just enough "spice" to my shredded chicken taco. Yummy!

Nurture Photography Fall 2012 Week 1

This is a new challenge for me! Since I love Nature so much, and enjoy taking pictures while on my Nature walks, it sounds like a perfect fit for me. It runs October 5th through November 16th. I like the short time commitment, since once the Holidys roll around, time is a short commodity. The photo prompts this week are Green/Journey. I can either choose 1 of the prompts or both. I chose both *SMILE* On to the pictures.

 GREEN

A green hopper on a piece of green stem with lots of green grass in the background. A surprising find so late in the year!

JOURNEY

This is the path I take on many of my journeys into the woods. I love it here. Time seems to stand still, yet I can lose hours of time here at the same time. Why does 4 hours in the woods seem like the same amount of time passes as an hour spent in front of the TV? I don't know, but I prefer spending it here.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!