Road Trip

Driving on the Betsy Ross Bridge over the Delaware River, from NJ to Philadelphia, looking north. Ran Pioneer Woman's seventies action, coupled with one of Michelle Black's textures.
I like driving, although I wasn't doing it when this photo was taken. Have a great day, all.

Skywatch Friday sunrise

To give credit where credit is due, this is one of my husband's photos. He took it this morning during a glorious sunrise as I was leaving for work. This is the top of the house where we live. To get up there, one has to climb a ladder and then do some tricky footwork. Not for the feint of heart.

White-throated sparrow

A Sparrow took a Slice of Twig
And thought it very nice
I think, because his empty Plate
Was handed Nature twice--

Invigorated, waded
In all the deepest Sky
Until his little Figure
Was forfeited away--

~ Emily Dickinson, c.1872

Where I live

Still fooling around with textures. This isn't the one I would have chosen first for this picture, but it is a newly downloaded one and I wanted to use it. Hope your day is a good one.

Hosta blooms

I am still playing with textures. It's like a new toy. And it's fun. Took these last summer. Played with them today. I love digital photography.

Blowing bubbles

I thought today would be sad. My friend's father lies dying and we went to NJ pay our respects today and show our support and love for these friends who my husband and I have known since we've been teenagers. But there was only love that we found. The father was asleep in a luxurious recliner in the living room, surrounded by family. A great-grandchild was the center of attention as she cooed softly from the hospital bed in the same room. The kitchen overflowed with even more family. Children drew quietly at the table, adults conversed, and I felt nothing but calm. After coming home, I went through my photo files and found pictures of happier times for this family, two summers ago when the father was feeling much better.
This is his granddaughter, Laura, who is holding her nephew Mason. Mason is the father's great-grandson.
And yes, Mental P Mama, I used the Orton effect. Some photographs just want me to do that to them.

Only the heart may know

Silent Sea, tell this to me
Where are the children that we used to be
At picture shows where nobody goes and only the heart can see
Starry skies, soft lullabies
Where do they go when their melody dies
To a day, far, far away, that only the heart may know
That only the heart may know

~ Dan Fogelberg

I can dream

Took this last winter at a state park in Delaware. It was cold on that beach! But let's pretend that it was warm. And that we are in a beach chair with a really good book. And there is a little cooler full of Coronas next to us. And life is good.

My cup runneth over

I took these last year. Spring will be here soon.

Muted mosaic

Did you really think I would stop it with the mosaics? C'mon, you know me better than that.

Backyard in mid-February

I took this photo on Saturday, Valentine's Day, and it was so nice outdoors in the sunshine that I set up a chair and a table (for my tea) and sat for a spell, taking pictures of the birds at the feeders. We plan on fixing that falling-down grapevine there. And my husband wants to put in a small garden soon.
I ran PW's Seventies action on this photo and then used a texture I found on Deviant Art. It's one of my new favorites. And I like when my husband brings me tea. Sometimes I wish it were vodka, but hey. Tea is fine.

Hike to the Light

This is a shot of Turkey Point Lighthouse at the very head of the Chesapeake Bay. It stands at the end of a peninsula and is just over a mile hike from the parking area. I ran PW's Seventies action on the photo and laid down a thin texture.

My Funny Valentine

I spent Valentine's Day doing a number of relaxing things, after I returned from My Favorite Honda Service Place down in Dover, DE. One of the things that I did was to sit in the sunshine with my zoom lens near the dogwood tree out back. It was cold yes, but in the sun it felt good. I added PW's Seventies action to the shot, then used a texture from Michelle black. The End.

Up on the roof

Hope you weren't expecting roses and sweet sentiments, because today I'm posting a photograph that I was fooling around with in Photoshop. It's got an old-time texture applied to it that makes it look very vintage. Well, I think so. I took it in August from the roof of my son's apartment village in NYC.
Happy Valentine's Day, Matt! I mean, if you're reading. Which I highly doubt. But I'm just saying.

Vestry windows

I found this photo while rummaging through my massive folder collection that I store on an external hard drive. I opened it up in Photoshop and added a texture layer to it. The stone already looked pretty cool but this helped even more. I'd taken this in Jim Thorpe PA early last June when I took a trip there with my gal pal, Karen. What the hell? I just said gal pal.

Memories

I've been noticing that a lot of bloggers are going to their file photos and looking for pictures of flowers, the sun, and warmth. It's just a heartening sight.
I added a texture layer to this not-too-great shot of some tulips in a vase and I think it's ok. It's not making me want to write home about it, but it'll do. Have a good day today, all.

Magnolia seed pod

I guess I never realized how fuzzy these really are. Boy, the things you learn when you're lying on the ground.

Another day, another bluebird

My husband was out taking photos this morning and captured another bluebird. I used the Orton Effect on it, a technique I've described in my other blog today.

Red leash

I just uploaded this into PW's Group Pool. I liked how the eye is led to the red leash just before seeing the view. This was taken on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, at Crystal Beach Manor. Will you look at the love in that dog's eyes!

A walk in a winter field

This was taken last month after an ice storm. It was frigid outside. I added a colored texture to the original photo and I just like how it looks.

Faded beauty

Another in my week-long obsession with textures. Has it been only a week? Maybe it's more. What I find most difficult is choosing a photo and completing I see in my mind's eye. Sometimes I find something I wasn't even thinking about in the first place. Like this photo, for example. It was a not so great picture of a white petunia in bloom, and one of the last of the season. And now I think I actually like it.

Skywatch Friday: February sunset

Sunset last weekend in Maryland at our house on the hill. I used a texture on this that I downloaded from DeviantArt. I kinda like it.
To visit skies from all over the globe, please go to the Skywatch Friday site. Have a great weekend, all.

Quiet bird

My husband was taking pictures again. This is probably the same bluebird from a post below. It was a quiet day. Nothing too exciting here.

Hidden gem

Yet another in my current obsession with textures. I suppose that someday I'll grow tired of this, but for now . . . well, me likey.
This is a little bloom that I came across deep in the woods one day last spring. I am already missing those woods like crazy. So I won't think about it anymore.

Bluebird of Happiness

My husband took this photo today of a bluebird in flight. I added a little texture because I've been into that lately. I'm thinking I probably should have left it alone. But I'm gonna go for it. So there.

Sue asked that I show a copy of the original, so here it is.

At the birdbath

A mourning dove sits at the frozen birdbath, getting her bearings. This picture was pretty boring, but I liked the dove. So I added a blue cast marble texture to the entire photo, using the normal blend mode. Then I brushed the texture off the bird. I think I like it.

I remember summer

And yellow, and warmth, and thinking that everything was going to be okay. Remember when that was? I can still think all this when I look back in my photo files. And you know what? It will be okay.