Trying something new 244/366

My family gave me an iPad3 not long after it came out. Excited to put my hands on it, I ripped it out of the box and began playing. Since that day, I've been goofing around with it, checking the internets, and playing my favorite games. I still used my laptop for serious stuff: posting to my blog and photography editing.

Not too long ago, I starting using it more and wondered if I could post to Blogger. After Googling, I found the Blogsy app. I'm going to put it through it's paces over the ne t week or so to see how it'll work for me.

I'm thinking the $4.99 will have been well spent.

Posted with Blogsy

The last of the season 243/366

Sadly, the last tomatoes of the season have been picked. When my husband told me he had pulled out the vines, my mind flashed to the spring when I'd spend a fair amount of time daydreaming about eating fresh-picked, warm tomatoes.

Posted with Blogsy

Take a flying leap 242/366

Whenever I see a dock, my first urge is to drop everything, run as fast as I can toward the water, and jump. While I am able to resist the urge, I still play it through in my mind, that childlike feeling of abandon. Not thinking (or caring) how far of a drop it is down to the water, what am I wearing that may get ruined, what people might say, or if anyone might follow me off the dock.

Me. Today. Selfie. 241/366

I was challenged to talk a photograph of myself. How weird is this, you ask. Uber weird, at least for me. First, to find a place where I would see not another soul, nor would anyone see me was difficult. Happening upon a flat place at the creek, I set up the camera on a tripod and worked at getting it focused in the right spot. Being more difficult than I thought, I hopped up and down so many times I started to break a sweat.
Then, even though I have a remote (and do know how to use it), I gave myself several good laughs trying to get it to fire without the remote showing or holding still long enough for the shutter to release and me not having moved.
Couple that with having to edit them and being accepting of what I see, I can't say I like the idea of selfies. A wise person did tell me to stick with it and don't edit right away so I'm taking this advice and running with it.

Using macrophotography as therapy 240/366

Nature up close is a whole different world. Getting so close to something that you have a hard time deciding what it was as a whole is very therapeutic for me. It makes me look at the world so differently. More importantly, it makes me slow down and take stock of the image I'm trying to capture.

Fall is coming 239/366

When you walk outside with your coffee and are greeted by cool weather , you know it's going to be a glorious day.

Me. My day. Today. 238/366

Some moments are brighter than others 237/366

Impending rain 236/366

Driving home from errands, I noticed the darkening sky. While I love the way life is framed against blue skies, there's something about the contrast created when the heavens get dark and tumultuous.

I raced home for my camera. Choosing instead to use my iPad, I stood in the middle of my street to capture this moment. Hoping a car wouldn't come racing over the hill at that very moment (like they usually do), I stood fixed in place enjoying the breeze on my skin.

It never rained. Go figure.

My man drives a tractor 235/366

When you own a home, yard work is a necessary evil.

While I love working in the yard, there comes a time when I've had enough. You can see it in the overgrown tomato plants and the weeds in my flower beds. Mind you, it's not horrible, but it's not up to par with the maintenance that occurs at the beginning of the year.

I'm ready for fall. Jeans, pull-overs, and boots will be getting their invitations soon.

Yellow petals blowing in the breeze 234/366

Me and my sneaks 233/366

Afternoon adventure 232/366

Spending the afternoon with my camera was just what I needed. Creativity has been elusive lately so a few hours alone, playing with settings, following no time schedule but my own, was just what the doctor ordered (so to speak).

Spending my time driving was not my intention so I chose a local mill to fuel my practice. I made a good choice.  I was alone so I could change settings as many times as I needed to get it right

I switched between lens' and saw many things I've never seen before. I also realized that our lack of rain had serious;y diminished the amount of water falling over the wall. 

I learned that the red building you see was built in 1907 and was a functional mill, using a water powered turbine to grind corn and operate a sawmill until 1959.

Nature's greeting 231/366

Charlotte: Salutations. 
Wilbur: Salu-what? 
Charlotte: Salutations. 
Wilbur: What are they? And where are you? 
Charlotte: Salutations is my fancy way of saying hello.

One is a lonely number 230/366

No one's here 229/366

Oh, how I'm drawn to this abandoned door. The brown rust and the overgrown vines create a wonder of days past. Who worked there? What were their y dreams? Did they have a family? Did they like the product they created? 

Hello Walking Dead, I just want my coffee 228/366

I had time today to pop over to a small coffee shop near the girls school. Dreams of fresh roasted coffee and a scone peppered my morning thoughts.

After getting them settled, off I went in search of a parking space and a cuppa joe.

As I pulled up the alley, I noticed blue flashing lights and police standing in the intersection. Looking toward main street, I saw clutter littering the street and wrecked, rusted cars with missing wheels in the middle of the road.

I continued around the town square and, after not finding a place to park, asked a policeman where I could park to get coffee. He directed me to a shady spot 3 blocks over.

Eh, ok. Not a biggie. I gathered my items and started walking.

As I approached the coffee shop, an older lady sidled over near me and hissed,"They're filming The Walking Dead." She was into it.

I purchased my coffee, corrected school papers, and sat enjoying the quiet. Before long, my curiosity got the better of me and outside I went to stand in the sun waiting to see something.

It was absolutely fun to see the work that goes into shooting a television show. The transformation to the small town was remarkable. But as for watching an actual scene being shot, nada. I started to feel really bad for the actors who had to stand in the sun waiting for their turn to look scary.

I eventually left to drive back to the school and was happy I was able to get my coffee and glad I'm not an actor.

Waiting with Grandma and Grandpa 227/366

What a sweet boy he was. He hopped up on the chair and pushed his Hot Wheel truck around on his leg making soft truck noises. At one point, he stood up and rolled it on the window ledge. Grandma asked him to sit and he sat and proceeded to stare off into space making the truck noises. I could have sat there all day and watched him make facial expressions.
Finally, my name was called and I was taken to the back. After looking in my ear for 0.2 nanoseconds, she stated I clearly had an infection. When I asked if she needed to take a closer look, an emphatic NO came out. I think I might have even heard a small giggle. Surely that giggle had nothing to do with the fact that I waited almost 2 months to come in because I swore it was allergies causing the problem.

Drops in both ears four times a day.Yippee for me.

Back alley view 226/366

L.C. Smith & Corona meet Apple 225/366

Advances in technology continue to amaze me. Sitting in my study chair reading on my iPad, I glanced over at my grandfather's Smith Corona typewriter. Thinking about him, I wonder if he would be PC or Apple faithful.
I straddle the fence using a PC laptop and an Apple iPad. Somehow, I don't suspect he would be a fence straddler.

Fungus macro 224/366

I couldn't resist pulling out the Olloclip to capture the beautiful pattern of this mushroom. Looking at life through a macro lens opens up textures and patterns you've walked past for years.

Gray skies and dark clouds 223/366

Walking and praying was the order of business this morning. Overcast weather covered me as I looped round and round the parking lot waiting for my swimmer to emerge from therapy. Entertaining myself is something I've gotten better at over the last few years. At least the temperature wasn't unbearable and the rain waited until we got home.

Momentary reflection 222/366

When I heard the rain pounding the ground, I grabbed my camera and went out to the front porch. I wanted to capture the deluge that was happening.
My sidekick wanted to go too. Out the door I went, pushing it open a little further than normal to allow him an extra second to follow me. Snap, snap, snapping away, I didn't look to see where he was. After a few minutes, I glanced over my shoulder and guess who I saw?
Yep, there he was, sitting just inside, waiting for me to notice him. I knew had to act fast because as soon as he noticed me looking at him, he'd jump up.
I love this image of him. It reminds me of the patience he has with me, his want to please, and his desire to be next to me always.
I unlatched the door and out he walked to enjoy the rain.

When things aren't what they seem 221/366

it might help to change your perspective.

Patience is a virtue 220/366

My eldest gathered proof of her existence and we stood in line to get her driver's permit today. The trip ended with her driving home...on the road...with other drivers...going 45 miles per hour. {Eeep}  My baby is not  a baby anymore.

 P.S. She did great.

P.P.S. Because they are closed on Mondays, Tuesday is THE busiest day at the Department of Driver Services.

P.P.P.S. The process is so archaic. There has to be a better, faster way.

Hello Napolean 219/366

The Napoleon Bonaparte Broward "Dames Point" Bridge makes me swoon every time. It's height above the water and its majestic beauty create a giggle in my chest when we cruise up and over the peak. I think I am most drawn to the lines of the cable that seem to help the illusion of upwardness. (Yes, upwardness is now a word.) 

All you need is love 218/366

Hipstamatic love 217/366

We took the girls to the beach for a last hurrah before school starts. As always, the weather was beautiful during the day and rainy in the evenings. One night was down right treacherous with heavy rain and violent wind.
One child got sunburned regardless of the fact that I used almost an entire bottle of sunscreen on just her. The other child would have slept on the beach, if we let her. The hubby boogie boarded with them and walked on the beach with me.
I spent my vacation looking at life through Hipstamatic. I am SO in love with the Adler 9009 lens paired with the Blanko Freedom13 film. I just can't get enough of it.
Happy Saturday!

Sandy feet 216/366

The bird whisperer 215/366

Or maybe just the bird feeder...

Musings from the coast 214/366

Our time at the beach has been full of sand, chlorine, great food, friends, laughter, and sunscreen. While it is HOT, being near the ocean makes it ok. Somehow, salt and sand makes most things ok.


We met friends for dinner at a local whole in the wall. Pulling in, the first thing you see is a small cinder block building. Walking in, you are enveloped with the most amazing smells. Our friends are regulars and when the waitress saw them,she  immediately brought a bucket of Corona. Fried oysters and fried crawfish served as appetizers. Dinner was a perfectly cooked, seared tuna with wasabi over sesame ginger greens.

We laughed and shared stories until it was time to go. Standing in the parking lot, we noticed a rainbow. What a great end to a wonderful day.