The Shadow

The Shadow








This one was taken many years ago - long before personal computers and digital cameras were even a thought.

My camera has always been at my side. As a teenager I took a lot of teasing, but it never discouraged me - "you just never know what you are going to see" has been my motto from the first day I held one.

I remember the day we took this shot. When using film, you had to get what you wanted in a couple of frames - it was too expensive to waste too many shots.

It was my husband's idea, and we had it all planned out.

First, we would find a not too traveled road at the right time of the day so it would cast a nice shadow.

Since we wanted to be moving to create the action effect on the tar, we practiced different speeds.

And I couldn't be holding on to him and the camera at the same time - it was too heavy for just one hand.

We removed our motorcycle helmets as they didn't look too great in the shadow.

As for the motorcycle jackets - I kept mine on, and he removed his so it would give us some space in between us so we didn't look like one giant blob on the bike.

Going slow enough that his motorcycle boots were barely skimming the pavement's surface, my husband carefully guided us along as I snapped off two frames.

This one ended up being the better of the two, and using a slide scanner I was able to make a digital image of it.

It is a great memory!

Wordless Wednesday - Friday Edition - Nature's Curves

Nature's Curves








One of my favorite things to do at the ocean is to walk along the shore - but not the smooth beachy areas that most people prefer.

Don't get me wrong - I love the smooth beaches along the water's edge - but there are usually way too many people around.

Walking along the rockier, more untamed areas, one can find treasure - nature's gifts that are undisturbed as most people don't like the rocks, seaweed, or broken and crushed shells.

The outgoing tide left little tunnels in the sand - each little stream finding it own direction and creating these beautiful curves.

The camera cannot do justice to all the details that were there.

If it wasn't for the rocks and the little patches of seaweed, the water would have ran in a straight line right down to the ocean's edge, and this little treasure would not have been created.

And if there had been people walking around this area - one footstep would have obliterated it.

Glad I was able to catch it before the tide came back in and erased it forever.

An Old House

An Old House








Old and boarded up and not in a great neighborhood - this was the only description I could think of when reading a snippet in the newspaper last week.

A woman in Chicago won an online auction for a house in the next state over - for a whole $1.75.

There were actually eight bids on the auction, and along with the winning bid price, she also had to pay the back taxes of $850.

She was quite happy that she wouldn't have to take out a mortgage in Illinois, her home state, as they are not something that is easy to get these days.

She had no plans to move into her new home, but she was hoping to sell it and make a profit.

I got to thinking that if the house is in the condition that I am thinking it is, she may be holding it for a while - it would be hard for any buyer to get an Illinois Mortgage or one in the next state either.

She had never even seen the house or the neighborhood - and she bought it.

I love a good deal, but sometimes when they seem too good to be true, they usually are!

ABC Wednesday - L is for Love Washing Away

L is for Love Washing Away.............








My daughter was writing words in the sand as we walked along the beach.

Most of them were still intact as we walked back - all except this one.

The tide was slowly coming in, and one rogue wave had us jumping and quickly moving out of it's way.

By some very lucky chance - I was able to catch it before it completely wiped out the word of LOVE.

Her response to the wave's action was perfect for the title - Love is being washing away.





This is the third round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Large Green Leaf for Green Thumb Sunday

Large Green Leaf for Green Thumb Sunday







Green Thumb Sunday Blogroll

How to join Green Thumb Sunday


We stopped at a country auction one Sunday afternoon, and as the boys we checking the outdoor items, I was wandering around the grounds.

Other than tons of people and lots of stuff, there wasn't too much that caught my interest until I saw the only plant around, besides the grass and trees.

In a beer barrel planter, just outside the large tent, I found a huge plant with huge, thick leaves.

There were no flowers, and there were only about five leaves, but they grew taller than me.

Their vein patterns were quite vivid, and the green color was like an artist had painted them.

I don't know what they are, and I would say it is an annual plant since the barrel looked like it had been there for several years.

I got a few sideways glances as I stood behind this plant, photographing these large leaves up close - but in my opinion, I got the deal of the day with this one!

ABC Wednesday - K is for Kilowatts

K is for Kilowatts.............








A bit boring as far as a photo goes, but it does do well as a stock image.

This little meter tracks our electricity usage and it measures that use in kilowatts.

I really hate to see that little dial in the middle spinning so quickly that you can't read it - the dollar signs add up way too quickly!

Luckily it was slow during this picture - the numbers are readable for once.

In this country we usually use the Imperial System for measuring that includes inches, pounds, and gallons.

We measure our electricity in kilos, which is part of the Metric System.

I think each of these systems work as long as one is used exclusively. I have a problem when I try to convert one to the other.

I bet most people don't even give it much thought as most of the world uses the Metric System, so there is no need for them to convert.

We will catch up someday!



This is the third round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.

Hunting Season is Drawing Near

Hunting Season is Drawing Near








The leaves have turned and many have began to fall and dry on the ground.

The boys have been talking about hunting and are on the computer checking the dates for the various game seasons.

Bow season has already opened, and we have done some walking in the woods around our home to check for tracks.

This early season is my favorite as the weather is still gorgeous and we are not all bundled up in layers to keep warm.

For the boys, the bow is also a lot lighter to carry than their rifles. All the accessories they need to carry that goes along with their black powder weapons is included in belt packs and vest pockets.

They still carry their knives and other hunting gear, but the bows and arrows are lighter to lug around.

Of course all the shooting I do is with my camera and I don't bring any extra lenses with me - the woods are too dark for my longer, slower ones. I am so used to carrying my camera with me everywhere I go that I hardy even feel the weight of it any more.

As soon as the black powder season opens, the boys will be retrieving their weapons from the gun safes and readying them for their morning hunts.

They are very meticulous about their rifles. They thoroughly clean them after each time they are used, and at the end of the season, they are oiled and stored safely away.

They go through them again at the beginning of the season. They also prepare their bullets, as they use black powder which needs to be measured and packed correctly.

Then there is the sighting to make sure the scope is aligned correctly with the barrel. Any bumping or even just leaning against the scope can throw it off.

I always look forward to these hikes with my boys in the woods. Nobody seems to mind that they do not find anything when I'm with them.

Of course I find a lot to shoot - the trees, the mushrooms, and the woods with it's unique light.