Ellipsis

Hmmm...Something Seems To Be Missing

2012-01-30T00:00:00.004-05:00

"There will be times when you will be in the field without a camera. And, you will see the most glorious sunset or the most beautiful scene that you have ever witnessed. Don't be bitter because you can't record it. Sit down, drink it in, and enjoy it for what it is!"

~DeGriff

As the title says, something seems to be missing. LOL. I think I might know what it is... this was supposed to be the day when I resumed posting the MONDAY PHOTO SHOOT assignment. And it was not just any old assignment, it was going to be the first assignment of 2012!

Well, here is the thing folks... I have thought long and hard about the MPS and I have come to the conclusion that for the foreseeable future I am putting the meme on hiatus. I don't want to give up the project completely, and shutter it for good, because I enjoy bringing it to you each week. I have some amazingly artistic friends who knock my socks off each week with their wonderful photographs, so the thought of giving up on it completely makes me too sad.

Here is the thing. As most of you already know, I have Type2 Diabetes, which I am doing really well with, but on top of that peculiar thing with my blood, I also deal with Fibromyalgia, which is also manageable, but irritating in the sense that it affects my ability to express myself verbally. It can make for some interesting conversation when I want to try to tell Alan that there is a noise in the car, and I instead of car, I end up saying, oh... say... toaster. Especially when I haven't realized I said toaster. LOL Alan has learned over the years to double check with me before dismantling objects, looking for Gremlins. He is a nice understanding man, who usually laughs with me at how ridiculous Fibromyalgia can be.

Some days it is anything but funny however. The pain associated with Fibromyalgia can be really overbearing. Sometimes my body hurts so bad, I can't even stand for Alan to hug me, or one of my kitties to sit in my lap. It's something you learn to manage, and most days are really good, but in December when I saw my doctor, we found out that I have something new to manage, as if I didn't have enough! Now, it seems, I have a WACKY THYROID. Again, a perfectly manageable condition, but it is going to be a few months of managing before I have it under control. In the mean time I am tired... ALL THE TIME. EVERY DAY! So, for now, I need to do what I need to do.

Alan, the kitties, my health and real life, must come first!

Hey, I might resume things later this year, you never know! If you want me to contact you if/when I decided to resume things, feel free to leave me your email address in the comment thread for this entry, or send me an email at ondinemonet@aol.com. It's my HOPE that I will be better at least by June. It's an election year, and usually nothing inspires me like an election year! LOL. So, my fingers are crossed, and my goal is set. Now, I just need you to wish me some luck... okay?

Hey, it's not like I am completely gone. I can be found most days on Twitter. If you want to follow my micro-blogging efforts, you can follow me. But be forewarned... I am into politics, and pop culture and an assorted variety of random thoughts usually get posted sans filter! LOL. I mostly use it as a way to blow off steam, and clear the cobwebs floating around my head. If you see me there, feel free to jump in and say HI, or SHUT UP ALREADY YOU LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE SO AND SO, or HEY CUTE CAT PHOTO! Whatever. IT'S ALL GOOD!

Thank you so much. I have been really blessed to have all of your participation in this project, since Karen handed the project over to me. And with your help I was inspired to come up with 153 assignments to share with you! I am proud of that fact. But I am mostly PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!

Okay, that's it. GO TAKE PHOTOS. LET YOUR CAMERA SHOW YOU THE WORLD AROUND YOU. SEE THINGS. TOUCH THINGS. USE ALL YOUR SENSES WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR PHOTOS AND LET THEM BE REFLECTED THE PICTURES YOU TAKE.

AS I USED TO SAY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE ROUND ROBIN CHALLENGES...

GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS!

TAKE CARE

ME :)

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

"A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other."

Anonymous

Here is my favorite thing about 2011. You can't make stuff like this up! Hope it tickles your funny bone as much as it did mine!

Republicans Say The Darnedest Things! :)

What? She Never Watched The Andy Griffith Show?

Thankfully, Stephen Colbert Clears It Up For Us!

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Paul Revere's Famous Ride

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! Tee Hee!

Happy New Year Everyone!

-Carly :)

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T05:42:00.003-05:00

"Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity.To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."

-Oren Arnold

From our house to yours... MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #153: Here Come The Holidays

2011-12-05T00:00:00.007-05:00

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!."

-Amanda Bradley

Hi Folks

This will be our last Monday Photo Shoot for 2011! I am taking a little time off during the holiday season to catch my breath a bit. Things have been busy behind the scenes of Ellipsis, including the gift of a new camera (Fujifilm Finepix S2950) from my hubby Alan! So, while I am getting to know the ins and outs of the new toy, I will be busy out and about snapping away and thinking of you! Take lots of photos during the holidays, as you know, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

See you back here on Monday, January 30th 2012

EMPS #153: HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS.
December has a ton of holidays, and ready or not, HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS! So, show me what you have to do to get ready for them. For this assignment, I don't want to see decorations, I want to see the boxes that they are stored in. I want to see someone up on a ladder hanging decorative lights. I want to see a parks and recreations staff putting a Christmas tree in place, or hanging holiday banners on street lamps. Let's see all the work that goes into making the HOLIDAYS sparkle!

Extra Credit: BOWS. It's a simple one this week for the Extra Credit portion of the assignment. Show me BOWS. Any color, any style, I just want to see some pretty BOWS.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #152: In The Clouds 11/28/2011

Leovi

Jama

Ranu

Karen

Carly (Yep, that's ME!)

Participation List for EMPS #153: Here Come The Holidays 12/05/2011

Leovi

Jama

Karen

Be sure to check back here on Christmas and New Years for my holiday wishes for you, as well as, any updates or sneak peaks regarding the Monday Photo Shoot in 2011! Have a wonderful, magical and safe holiday season! See you in the NEW YEAR!

January 30th 2011 TO BE EXACT!

-Carly

EMPS #152: In The Clouds

2011-12-04T19:07:00.005-05:00

A cloud does not know why it moves in just such a direction and at such a speed... It feels an impulsion... this is the place to go now. But the sky knows the reasons and the patterns behind all clouds, and you will know, too, when you lift yourself high enough to see beyond horizons.

~Richard Bach

EMPS #152: Clouds

I have been a cloud watcher since I was a little girl. Always fascinated by the shapes, and colors and different types of clouds. I sat and pondered why some moved slower than others, and wondered what it might be link to ride on one. Where did clouds go when the passed by? How does a cloud die? It was always so interesting to me. When I took up photography as a creative outlet, clouds became even more fascinating to me. I had hopped for some cloudy conditions this past week, but alas it was not to be. So, here are some clouds from the archives. These are my among my very favorite cloud photos, hope you enjoy them to!

The View From Mt. Tamalpais looking down on San Francisco

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #152: In The Clouds

2011-11-28T00:00:00.005-05:00

"Fantasy, abandoned by reason, produces impossible monsters; united with it, she is the mother of the arts and the origin of marvels."

-Goya

EMPS #152: IN THE CLOUDS. NOW CLOSED!
Okay, enough with autumn already, let's do something completely different. Let's tap into some fantasy, shall we? This week, I want you to produce a fantasy IN THE CLOUDS! Simply take a photo of some clouds, either this week, or maybe use a photo of clouds you have in your archives, and create a photo using your photo editing software that depicts what you "see" IN THE CLOUDS.

Extra Credit: Take a photo of the reflection of an object in a mirror.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I visit your submissions each week, however I no longer leave comments or feedback unless specifically requested. :) If you want me to leave you some feedback feel free to let me know when you leave the link back to your submission!

:)

Participation List for EMPS #151: Thankful 11/21/2011

Leovi

Freda

Jama

Karen With A Second Entry HERE

ME (I participated along with you this week!)

I enjoyed seeing your assignment submissions this week! Well done! Okie doke, see you next Monday with an all new assignment! Have a great week!

-Carly

EMPS #151: Thankful

2011-11-27T15:34:00.003-05:00

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.

~Stanley Horowitz

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #151: Thankful

What am I thankful for? Above all else, Alan and the boys. But from a creative point of view, if you know me, then you already know about my love affair with autumn! The light, the sounds, the colors, the first smell of fireplaces, the taste of apples, pears and heirloom tomatoes. It's all life affirming to me!

See...

The Monarchs in Pacific Grove, California

The Hummingbirds at Pebble Beach, Monterey California

From Autumns Past

Beautiful, colorful, soul stirring, delicious autumn! I LOVE EVERY MOMENT OF YOU!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Phot Shoot #151:Thankful

2011-11-21T00:00:00.003-05:00

"The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest."

-William Blake

Just a quick reminder everyone, you must leave me your full link back to your assignment entries. I don't accept hyperlinks, but will make exceptions in certain cases. Please email me if you have difficulty leaving your link. Thanks.

:)

EMPS #151: THANKFUL NOW CLOSED!
This coming Thursday is THANKSGIVING in the U.S., but THANKFULNESS is something everyone can relate to. We can be THANKFUL for many things and I think it is a good time to share with what we hold most dear. Creativity. Family. The ability to nurture. Home. The beauty of a sunrise or sunset. Our pets. Good books. Our health. The health of those we love. The list is really endless, and I will be looking forward to seeing what you are THANKFUL for!

Extra Credit: Show me your favorite THANKSGIVING dessert. If you don't celebrate THANKSGIVING, that's okay, simply show me a traditional dessert you enjoy from any other holiday you enjoy!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation for EMPS #150: A WALK IN THE PARK 11/14/2011

Leovi

hapzydeco

Jama

Mike

Karen

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #150: A Walk In The Park

2011-11-14T00:00:00.005-05:00

"I saw old autumn in the misty morn standing shadowless like silence listening to silence."

- Thomas Hood

EMPS #150: A WALK IN THE PARK. NOW CLOSED!
Let's take a walk, shall we? Let's take A WALK IN THE PARK. I want to see what the middle of autumn looks like in your neck of the woods. Is it full of gorgeous fallen leaves? Or do you live in a place that rarely shows any sign of autumn? It's all good! The point of these assignments is to get to know each other, and share our love of photography. Let's do that by sharing what our life looks like right now. For this assignment, NO ARCHIVED photos... instead, go take A WALK IN THE PARK and show us what you find!

Extra Credit: Please share with us, in one or two paragraphs, about the park you chose to photograph for this assignment!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #149: Happy Harvest 11/07/2011

1. Leovi

2. Jama

3. Karen

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #149: Happy Harvest

2011-11-07T00:00:00.004-05:00

"The true harvest of my life is intangible... a little star dust caught, a potion of the rainbow I have clutched."

-Henry David Thoreau

EMPS #149: HAPPY HARVEST. NOW CLOSED!
It's HARVEST time. Time to celebrate. This EMPS assignment is a pretty easy one, and there is lots of room for interpretation. You can choose to photograph the best of a harvest bounty of autumn vegetables and fruits, or you can maybe get a little metaphorical with it. Perhaps you are in the autumn part of life, or someone you know is, well then, take this time and celebrate it! As always, feel free to be creative... let the challenge take you where it will!

Extra Credit: Let's take a look back at spring 2011. Reach into your archives and show me the best photos you did of spring.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #148: Sweet Halloween Greetings 10/31/2011

Karen

See you next Monday with an all new assignment! :)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #148: Sweet Halloween Greetings

2011-10-31T00:00:00.007-04:00

"This Halloween the most popular mask is the Arnold Schwarzenegger mask. And the best part? With a mouth full of candy you will sound just like him."

-Conan O'Brian

I am a little under the weather, so I am closing this week's assignment an hour earlier than usual. :) There will be a new topic posted at midnight! :)

EMPS #148: SWEET HALLOWEEN GREETINGS NOW CLOSED!
Today is October 31st... HALLOWEEN! If you have known me any length of time, then you know that HALLOWEEN is my favorite holiday! You also know that I have a sweet tooth that goes straight to my soul! Put the two together with my love of photography and what do I get? I got the idea to make the subject of this photo shoot... SWEET HALLOWEEN GREETINGS! Just grab a bowl of candy, or a delicious HALLOWEEN CAKE, or even some marshmallow ghosts and create a HALLOWEEN GREETING!

Extra Credit: Show me a HALLOWEEN COSTUME that either you, or someone you know is wearing this year!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #147: Earth Tones 10/24/2011

1. Hapzydeco

2. Freda

3. Tina

4. Leovi

5. Jama

6. Carly (Hey, That's Me!)

7. Karen

It made my week to see all your wonderful photographs! Awesome Earth Tones! Well done all around! Have a HAPPY, SAFE AND SWEET HALLOWEEN! See you next Monday!

-Carly

EMPS #147: Earth Tones

2011-10-30T16:23:00.005-04:00

Moss Beach, California, October 24th, 2011

That time of year thou may'st in me behold,
When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.

-William Shakespeare, Sonnet LXXIII

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #147: Earth Tones

I LOVE AUTUMN... :)

Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary, October 28th, 2011

An Autumn Duck, Golden Gate Park, October 2007

From For Ellipsis

There is still time to play! This assignment doesn't close until 9:00 PM ET! But if you can't make it this week, check back tomorrow to learn what next week's assignment will be.

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #147: Earth Tones

2011-10-24T00:00:00.003-04:00

"If it thunders on April Fools Day, expect good crops of corn and hay."

-Unknown

EMPS #147: EARTH TONES NOW CLOSED!
It's autumn. and EARTH TONES are everywhere! This is an open assignment, simply choose and earth tone and show me the result!

Extra Credit: In a separate photo, show us some pastels!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #146: Foregrounds and Backgrounds 10/17/2011

Hapzydeco

Freda

Suzanne

Jama

Karen

Thanks everyone for the awesome turnout, I am so glad you enjoyed the assignment! It always warms my heart to see your entries and know you are still supporting this project after all this time! You guys only get better with your photography! See you all next Monday with a new EMPS assignment!

:)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #146: Foregrounds And Backgrounds

2011-10-17T00:00:00.003-04:00

"Despite all the things we all experience, like heartbreak and pain, it takes being able to get through it to realize the beauty of life. All the negative makes you realize the things that matter. It puts the petty things in perspective."

-Jason Peters

EMPS #146: FOREGROUNDS AND BACKGROUNDS NOW CLOSED!
This assignment is a bit more detail oriented. For this assignment please create a new photo that concentrates on both the FOREGROUND AND BACKGROUNDS in detail. Meaning, please create an image that shows one or the other in fine detail, while keeping the other in enough focus to tell what it is.

Extra Credit: Take the same subject and show the opposite result.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #145: AUTUMN DECORATIONS 10/10/2011

Karen

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #145: Autumn Decorations

2011-10-10T00:00:00.002-04:00

"Summer ends, and autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night."

-Hal Borland

Folks, I will no longer be commenting on your photography submissions. I will of course be continuing to visit your submissions each week, but if you specifically want some feedback, or if you have an questions or concerns, feel free to drop me an email and I will answer you promptly. :)

EMPS #145: AUTUMN DECORATIONS NOW CLOSED!
Of all the seasons, I seem to do the most DECORATING IN AUTUMN. I have cinnamon brooms, wreathes, pumpkin candles, stuffed bears holding stuffed pumpkins... you name it, I have it, and it's all sitting here ready to be displayed! I have everything from apple baskets to Thanksgiving pilgrim candle holders. So, show me your AUTUMN DECORATIONS or the AUTUMN DECORATIONS of someone you know!

Extra Credit: Scarecrows... creepy or just too cute?

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #145: Faces 10/03/2011

Freda

Hapzydeco

Jama

Karen

See you next week with an all new Monday Photo Shoot assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #144: Faces

2011-10-03T00:00:00.007-04:00

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face."

-Victor Hugo

Folks, I will no longer be commenting on your photography submissions. I will of course be continuing to visit your submissions each week, but if you specifically want some feedback, or if you have an questions or concerns, feel free to drop me an email and I will answer you promptly. :)

EMPS #144: FACES. NOW CLOSED!
This is a pretty simple idea... FACES. It's up to you how to do the assignment. Human FACES. Dog FACES. Cat FACES. Clock FACES. You get the idea.

Extra Credit: Use your photo editing software to create a collage of FACES.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #143: Pick An Emotion Any Emotion 09/26/2011

Jama

Hapzydeco

Karen

Have a good week everyone! Go out and take advantage of the warm weather while we have it! I will be looking forward to seeing your submissions this week!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #143: Pick An Emotion Any Emotion

2011-09-26T00:00:00.007-04:00

"But some emotions don't make a lot of noise. It's hard to hear pride. Caring is real faint... like a heartbeat. And pure love... why some days it's so quiet you even know it's there."

-Unknown

EMPS #143: PICK AN EMOTION, ANY EMOTION NOW CLOSED!
Happy. Sad. Amused. Angry. Indifferent. Lonely. Wistful. Moods and EMOTIONS we all have them. Let's try putting those EMOTIONS into our photography. Go for it, I will be looking forward to your submissions this week!

Extra Credit: Share with us how it was to do this assignment this week. Did you find it difficult to do? What was the biggest barrier to doing the assignment, and what was the easiest part? Did a particular emotion pop into your mind right after reading what the assignment was?

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #142: Create An Autumn Greeting Postcard. 0/19/2011\

1. Freda

2. Jama

3. Carly (ME)

Thank you for your continued participation everyone! I hope you enjoy this week's assignment! See you next Monday!

-Carly

EMPS#142: Create An Autumn Greeting Postcard

2011-09-23T05:04:00.004-04:00

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

~George Eliot

Autumn Begins Today At 2:04 AM PDT

If you have known me any length of time, you know that autumn is my favorite season of the year. I adore every beautiful moment of it. From the cool, crisp mornings, to the warm early evenings. I would much rather have a bouquet of autumn leaves, then the most expensive roses you can find, and if I am not out photographing the natural beauty all around me, then you can find me in the kitchen cooking up a witches brew of the best fruits and veggies of the season! I don't quite know how to explain it, but there is just something about this season that makes me feel more alive than any other time of year! My energy rises, as does my creativity. I LOVE IT! I find inspiration everywhere! Sometimes, it almost feels supernatural. Autumn just speaks to me on a heightened level of joy and creativity I don't feel at any other time of the year, and over the years I have learned to listen, and obey. :)

The photo above was taken at Apple Hill last October, near the town of Camino.

The photo below was taken in late November, 2005, in San Ramon, California.

So, there you have my Autumn Greeting Postcard. If you would like to play along with this week's Monday Photo Shoot assignment, there is still plenty of time to do so. Just click the link below to be redirected to the original assignment entry where you will find all the details you need to play along!

Happy Autumn!

EMPS#142: Create An Autumn Greeting Postcard

"Every autumn speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

-Emily Bronte

-Carly :)

PS If you visited this page earlier today, you may have noticed that I put the wrong date on the photos! LOL. I knew the date, but somehow, someway, I put the wrong date and didn't catch it until this morning. LOL. Oh well, what can I say? Except, maybe... HUMAN HERE! LOL :)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #142: Create An Autumn Greeting Postcard

2011-09-19T00:00:00.006-04:00

"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in it's sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!"

-Percy Bysshe Shelley

EMPS #142: CREATE AN AUTUMN GREETING POSTCARD! NOW CLOSED!
Autumn begins officially in just a few days, so lets usher it in with a homemade AUTUMN GREETING POSTCARD! Usually I prefer to see new photos submitted for the assignment, but I know that autumn doesn't put on the same show of color everywhere as it does in oh, say, New England states. So, for the purpose of this week's assignment, feel free to reach into the archives! Please put your AUTUMN GREETING on your photograph using your photo editing software, the same as you might see on a POSTCARD. I will be joining you this week, so look for my entry later this week!

Extra Credit: Create a second postcard featuring any subject!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #141: Sand Sculptures Or Mermaids 09/12/2011

1. Karen
The mermaids of Disneyland, Ariel in particular!

2. Hapzydeco
A sand sculpture in memory of the events of September 11, 2001.

Thanks guys, your participation is appreciated! :) Don't forget, I appreciate it when you guys let your imaginations run wild. If you don't happen to live in an area that sees a lot of autumn color, than consider fabric leaves, or silk mums and leaves like you might find at Michael's. Have a good week, see you next Monday!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #141:Sand Sculptures And Mermaids

2011-09-12T00:00:00.011-04:00

"Many do with opportunities as children do at the seashore; they fill their little hands with sand, and then let the grains fall through, one by one, till all are gone,"

-Thomas Jones

EMPS #141: SAND SCULPTURES OR MERMAIDS. NOW CLOSED!
Would any visit to the beach be complete without building a SAND SCULPTURE? :) This week, I would like to see not just the photographer in you, but the sculpture as well! Show me your best SAND SCULPTURE! Now, if you don't happen to live near the beach, or anything sandy at all, then you might choose the alternate choice of MERMAIDS. Feel free to go with your imagination, and think outside the box... or SAND SCULPTURE as the case may be!

Extra Credit: Sand under your feet or soft grass under your feet... which do you prefer? Tell us all about it!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #140: Black and White Photography 09/05/2011

1. Hapzydeco
"The Itsy Bitsy Spider Crawled Up The Water Spout!" Scary beautiful! Nicely creative!

2. Freda
Beautiful flowers, always a good choice for this type of assignment!

3. Tina
Water and clouds and their simple movements.

4. Jama
Jama, who always makes me hungry, brings us a bowl of Sweet Black rice porridge. Jama, someday we must me and share some of our favorite foods with each other! :)

5. JR Cline
A nice round-up of different subjects. The first few make me go YIKES!

6. Karen
Tucson in Black and White. Photographing it in B/W gives it a cool quiet feel. Quite different. :)

Good job everyone! Thank you so much for the wonderful turnout! I know this week's assignment is a bit of a challenge, but that's what this project is all about! Right? Please try your best to join us, and feel free to think outside the box to accomplish the assignment! See you next week, with a brand new Monday Photo Shoot assignment!

:)

-Carly

9/11 10th Anniversary: Remembering David and Lynn Angell

2011-09-11T00:00:00.004-04:00

"To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die."

-Thomas Campbell

David and Lynn Angell were extraordinary people. I have gotten to know them over the years through my researching of their lives for various 9/11 tributes I have participated in since 2004. In that time I have come to know of their love and generosity, the love of their friends and family, the respect of their peers, and their immeasurable talents. I wish that I could have met them in this life, but that wish cannot be fulfilled. David and Lynn Angell were killed on September 11th, 2001, in an act of unimaginable hate. 10 years later, it still seems impossible. Like that day was all a bad dream, and we have all been engaged in the longest of shared nightmares.

Our world changed that day, and 9/11 means a different experience for each of us. For me, when I think about 9/11, I think about David and Lynn Angell and all the joy we lost when they died. David Angell brought a lot of laughter to the world, through his work in television as a brilliant comedy writer and his work as co-executive producer and co-creator of such shows as Cheers, Wings and Frasier. Both David and Lynn worked together through various humanitarian projects, children's charities in particular, to the better of the world. As I said, they were extraordinary people, and I will never forget them. They will be remembered in the memories of many, and live on in our hearts forever. I remember them not for that dreadful day, but for the gifts they left for us... laughter and love.

Thank You David and Lynn :)

He kept a true good humor's mark
The social flow of pleasures tide
He never made a brow look dark
Nor caused a tear, but when he died.

-Thomas Love Peacock

Love, Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #140: Black And White Photography

2011-09-05T00:00:00.005-04:00

"There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are."

-Ernst Haas

EMPS #140: BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY. NOW CLOSED!
It's time for a different perspective! A BLACK AND WHITE perspective! As always, any subject, and lighting, it's all up to you and your imagination! Run wild! I will be looking forward to what you come up with!

Extra Credit: Frame your photograph using your photo editing software.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #139: Sunflowers 08/29/2011

1. Hapzydeco
A perfect happy deep orange sunflower accompanied by the perfect quote! Awesome!

2. Jama
A traditional yellow sunflower, with some awesome details to really draw the eye in. Lovely!

3. Carly
I played along this week with you! :)

Well done guys! I am so pleased that each of you did sunflowers of different colors. They are lovely flowers and you captured them wonderfully! Hope all my friends in the U.S. have a safe and relaxing Labor Day! See you all next Monday!

-Carly

EMPS Sunflowers... Summer Sunflowers 2010

2011-09-04T19:36:00.003-04:00

"I tell you, the more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."

-Vincent Van Gogh

I was hoping to do a new garden of sunflowers this year, but alas it was not to be. I am still editing some of my sunflower photos from last year, but these remain my very favorites.

Enjoy!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #139 Sunflowers

2011-08-29T00:00:00.004-04:00

"He is happiest who hath power to gather wisdom from a flower."

-Mary Howitt

EMPS #139: SUNFLOWERS. NOW CLOSED!
Of all the flowers I have planted in my garden, I think I enjoy the SUNFLOWERS the most! So colorful. The seeds are delicious, and dried SUNFLOWERS are wonderful for decorating a festive summer/autumn table! I like everything about SUNFLOWERS, most of all, I find it intriging that the turn their faces toward the east as the day moves on! There is something magical about that! Vincent Van Gogh found them inspiring, I hope you do to, because this week is all about SUNFLOWERS!

Extra Credit: Choose a Van Gogh SUNFLOWER painting and do a photographic recreation!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #138: Cheese. 08/22/2011

1.Hapzydeco
Quotes Tiger Woods, and serves up, Angelo's Best!

2. Freda
Bocconcini Cheese anyone?

3. Jama
Pizza and Fried Cheese Sticks! Beautiful! Jama, you always make me hungry! :) I could see us as ladies who do lunch! :)

YUM... Cheese, GLORIOUS, Cheese! Well done everyone!

I will be joining you for this week's assignment, so look for my entry later this week! :) See you all next Monday!

-Carly

Elipsis Monday Photo Shoot # 138: Varieties Of Cheese

2011-08-22T00:00:00.004-04:00

"The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."

-G.K. Chesterton

EMPS #138: CHEESE. NOW CLOSED!
In case you haven't been paying attention, this summer has been about variety. One certain object, endless possibilities! I LOVE CHEESE. All kinds of CHEESE! I LOVE CHEESE so much that when I considered who I would marry one day, I knew that above all else, they must love CHEESE as much as I do! And when I finally found the guy for me, guess what... he did! :) This week show me the CHEESE!

Extra Credit: Tell us, on a scale of 1 - 10, how much do you like, or do not like CHEESE!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #137: Apples 08/15/2011

1. Jama
Pretty little colorful apples, and the bundt cake they become! Jama's photography makes me hungry! Oh yes, I will have a slice please! :)

2. Tina
Apples, in different stages of life. :) What a great way to do this assignment!

3. Ellen b.
From homegrown apples, to homemade applesauce. What a delicious idea!

4. Karen
Apples in bubbles. It makes sense when you consider that Karen stores some of her fruits and veggies in her bedroom. Trust me, it makes sense. Really. Seriously. :)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #137: Apples

2011-08-15T00:00:00.005-04:00

"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious!

-Unknown

EMPS #136: APPLES. NOW CLOSED!
Golden Delicious. Red Delicious. Granny Smith. Pink Lady. Pippin. Gala. Jonagold. and that's just to name a few! An APPLE a day keeps the doctor away! They are healthy to eat, wonderful as juice and practically sinful as pie! This week we celebrate the APPLE! This is a perfect subject to think outside the box about! You can photograph an APPLE, such as this Pink Lady, or you can photograph an APPLE in another form. APPLE pies, APPLE Butter, APPLE ice cream, APPLE juice, even APPLE dolls will be just fine for this assignment!

Extra Credit: APPLES or oranges?If you had to pick, which would you choose?

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #135: Summer Sunsets. 08/08/ 2011

1. Freda
A red hot summer sunset, that makes me thirsty somehow. LOL.

2. Jama
A very beautiful sunset over exotic Singapour. I have always found sunsets over city skylines to be especially magical.

3. Hapzydeco
A beautiful golden sunset, with just a hint of blue. A very lovely twilight. :)

4. Karen
And to round things out we have a sunset that, at least to me, seems to be saying, "Okay, the hot day is over, but wait till tomorrow!" LOL It's not just a sunset, but a sunset, and a photographer, racing against time!

I loved all your submissions this week! Each of you took a completely different approach to the subject, and the end result was just perfect. The viewer really gets a true sense of all the different feelings a summer sunset can evoke. WELL DONE! You guys NEVER let me down!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot # 136: Summer Sunsets

2011-08-08T00:00:00.005-04:00

"I don't know what you could say about a day in which you have seen four beautiful sunsets."

-John Glenn

EMPS #136: SUMMER SUNSETS. NOW CLOSED!
While summer isn't necessarily my favorite season, I am hopelessly in love the the spectactualr sunsets they can provide. Actually, both summer and autumn can put on quite a show of colors, but for this week lets concentrate on SUMMER SUNSETS!

Extra Credit: Let's give a little attention to a SUMMER SUNRISE!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #135: Soak Up The Sun 08/01/2011

1. hapzydeco
A beautiful field of sunflowers, is there anything happier than that? Yep, a perfect lyric from a Sheryl Crow tune. Lovely.

2. Jama
Oh my, a baby butterfly, emerging from it's protective chrysalis to dry it's wings, by soaking up the sun! A perfect photographic moment, brought to us by Jama and the Sun. :)

Bliss :)

Lovely, lovely images this week! Thanks guys! :)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #135: Soak Up The Sun

2011-08-01T00:00:00.012-04:00

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."

-Anthony J. D'Angelo

EMPS #135: SOAK UP THE SUN. NOW CLOSED!
The happy creatures you see SOAKING UP THE SUN are the famous Pier 39 sea lions! It wouldn't be Pier 39 without them! Oh my, viewing them always makes me crave a long nap in the sun. LOL. They inspire me to SOAK UP THE SUN! How about you? Do you like to get out SOAK UP THE SUN as much as I, or the sea lions do? If so, show us! I can't wait to see your favorite sunny (SOAKING UP THE SUN) activities!

EXTRA CREDIT: Tell us about your favorite sunny day song! Better still, quote the lyrics or maybe embed the video along with your SOAK UP THE SUN submission.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #134: Citrus Fruits 07/25/2011

1. Jama
Shows us some Mandarin oranges from a very creative angle and some YUMMY cakes. DELISH!

2. Tina
All I can say is... COOKIES! :)

3. Karen
Karen shares her very favorite ways to enjoy CITRUS FRUITS! AWWW.... Let me count the ways! Karen, pour me a glass of Diet Crush, I will be right there!

Thank you for your participation this week. See you next week with an all new assignment!
-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #134: Citrus Fruit

2011-07-25T00:00:00.007-04:00

"A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin, what else does a man need to be happy?"

-Albert Einstein

EMPS #134: CITRUS FRUIT. NOW CLOSED!
Oranges, lemons and limes oh my! It's the middle of summer, and CITRUS FRUITS are abundant everywhere! Photographers, grab your cameras and show us the CITRUS FRUIT you enjoy the most! Try thinking outside the box. Love oranges? Great! Show us the orange any way you like! Orange juice, orange sections, orange mimosas, you might even consider orange jelly candies, oh and let's not forget orange marmalade! The same works for limes, grapefruit, or any CITRUS FRUIT!

Extra Credit: Tell us, or show us your least favorite CITRUS FRUIT!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Participation List for EMPS #133: Butterflies 07/18/2011

1. Jama

2. Vicki

3. hapzydeco

4. MaryEllen

5. Karen

Folks, I am continuing to have some issues with carpal tunnel in my hand, so, for the foreseeable future I won't be commenting on your individual blogs, instead I will be making a comment here, next to your name, on the participation list which is posted each Monday. Doing things this way saves me a few steps. Continue to play as usual, I will be around to see your assignment entries each week... I promise. :) I need to follow the doctor's advice... hope you understand. :)

See you next Monday!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #133: Butterflies

2011-07-18T00:00:00.002-04:00

"They seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if they had surprised a butterfly in the winter woods."

~Edith Wharton

EMPS #133: BUTTERFLIES NOW CLOSED!
Monarchs. Buckeye. Orange Sulfur. Vanessa. Painted Lady. All different types of BUTTERFLIES and perfect for this week's assignment, so, grab your cameras and go find them! By the way, moths are also perfectly acceptable for this week's assignment!

Extra Credit: Show us a different kind of winged creature.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #132: Rainbows 07/11/2011

1. Jama

2. Goodies for a Pleasant Life (Blog Name)

3. Hazydeco

4. Karen

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #132: Rainbows

2011-07-11T00:00:00.004-04:00

"One can enjoy a rainbow, without necessarily forgetting the forces that made it."

~Mark Twain

EMPS #132 RAINBOWS. NOW CLOSED!
It's been a while since we took on the subject of RAINBOWS... so let's do that, shall we? Let your imaginations soar with this subject. You can choose one color from the RAINBOW and highlight it, or you can choose to photograph a natural occurring RAINBOW in all it's glory. It's your choice. Be creative, and have fun!

Extra Credit: Put your photo in a frame, using your photo editing software.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #131: Looking Up 07/04/2011

1. Freda

2. Goodies For A Pleasant Life (Blog Name)

3. hapzydeco

4. Jama

5. JR Cline

6. Cheryl Ann

7. Karen (submitted via email)

Awesome turnout this week guys! Thanks so much for keeping this project going with your ongoing participation! As you know, I couldn't do it without you! See you next Monday, have a great week!

~Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #131: Looking Up

2011-07-04T00:00:00.008-04:00

"When I look down, I miss all the good stuff. When I LOOK UP, I just trip over things."

~Ani DeFranco

Folks, we seem to be still having issues with leaving links for entries. PLEASE check your links after you leave them. The link you leave should go back to the entry which is specific to this week's assignment, and should look like this example...

http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com/2011/06/ellipsis-monday-photo-shoot-130-white.html

No additional characters should be present, in the link you leave. I cannot add you to the participation list if you don't follow the guidelines. If you need any assistance please feel free to email me. :)

ondinemonet@aol.com

EMPS#131: LOOKING UP. NOW CLOSED!
Okay, grab your cameras photographers... it's time to LOOK UP! With this assignment you have two options. You can LOOK UP in a literal sense or you can LOOK UP metaphorically. The interpretation is all up to you! If you live in the U.S. you might use this week's assignment to flex your wings and photograph some fireworks. Today is, after all, Independence Day! So LOOK UP!

Extra Credit: Include a quote along with your photo!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #130: White 06/27/2011

1. Hapzydeco

2. Freda

3. Jama

4. Karen

Okay, that's it for this week! To my friends in the U.S. I wish you a very HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! :) See, y'all next Monday!

~Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #130: White

2011-06-27T00:00:00.010-04:00

"All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a WHITE carpet is one of them."

~Erma Bombeck

EMPS #130: WHITE! NOW CLOSED!

This week, it's all about WHITE things. Snow. Mashed potatoes. Milk. Doves.WHITE Chocolate. Crisp WHITE Sheets. WHITE lace. WHITE wedding gowns. WHITE sauce. Cauliflower. You get the idea, don't you photographers? This week we will be seeking out and photographing all things... WHITE!

Extra Credit: Photograph something BLACK!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #129: Night Photography. 6/20/2011

1. Jama

2. Tina

3. Freda

4. Ellen b.

5. JR Cline

6. Karen

Okay, that's all for this week. Have a great week, I will see you next Monday!

~Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #129: Night Photography

2011-06-20T00:00:00.007-04:00

"Most glorious night, thou wert not send for slumber!"

~Lord Byron

PLEASE NOTE: If you don't see your name and link listed on the participation list, it's because you didn't leave me your information per the Assignment Guidelines. Please take a moment to read the guidelines.

EMPS #129: NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY. NOW CLOSED!
Okay photographers... time to go out and photograph the night! Any subject at night will do fine, Moon shots. Street lamps. Cities all illuminated. Neon signs. It's all good! It's time for you to show off your NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY!

Extra Credit: Show me a photo taken at dusk!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #128: Garden Creatures 06/13/2011

1. Freda

2. Jama

3. Karen

4. Carly (Hey... lookie there, I participated also!)

Very nicely done Freda, Jama and Karen! Thank you for your participation this week! It's always appreciated! Okay, see everyone next week with a new assignment. :)

-Carly

EMPS #128: Garden Creatures

2011-06-19T00:00:00.002-04:00

House, n. A hollow edifice erected for the habitation of man, rat, mouse, beetle, cockroach, fly, mosquito, flea, bacillus, and microbe.

~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

"Around a flowering tree, one finds many insects."
- Proverb from Guinea

See, I told ya I was going to participate this week! The picture above was taken this last week, naughty little grasshopper, eating my beautiful roses! The two photographs below are from my archives, but they are among some of my very favorites!

The little flowers that this lovely bug is resting on, is barely the size of a dime. So pretty though! Both the bug and the flower. I found it in Golden Gate Park.

This second photograph was taken at one of my favorite parks in San Francisco... Alamo Square Park. In that park is a smaller, secondary park devoted to shoes. Some shoes left as a memorial no doubt, others offered as mere decoration methinks. All I know is that when I am there, I feel reflective and at ease inside. I like to try to imagine the person who owned the shoes. What their story might be. Who would buy green shoes with little ladybugs on them? And for what occasion would you wear them? If you ever get to San Francisco... go see these wonderful "GARDEN CREATURES."

Okie Doke... that's my GARDEN CREATURES! Now, be sure to visit the other participants for this week's assignment! The complete list will be up tomorrow, along with an all new assignment!

-Carly

PS... The Round Robin Photo Challenges is still going strong, if you enjoy photography, be sure to give it a try. All the information can be found on the blog. (Round Robin Photo Challenges)

Round Robin Challenge: BIG

2011-06-18T00:00:00.001-04:00

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the BIG things."

-Robert Brault

RRC: BIG
Hosted By Karen

Last month, Alan and I took a cruise on the Bay. The "Escape From The Rock" cruise is a 90 minute cruise that takes you on a voyage from Pier 39, to the Golden Gate Bridge, and back around Alcatraz. It is a fantastic way to see the Golden Gate, because the ship goes under the bridge and gives you a nice perspective to see it in all it's glory! Now matter how many times I see the Golden Gate Bridge it always takes my breath away!

Here is a night shot of the bridge, taken a few years back. It was taken from the Marin side of the Golden Gate, looking back toward San Francisco.

Now for something completely different! Last year my orange tabby, Dylan, was bitten by a spider. As you can see the fang marks are quite significant! When I took my boy to see Dr. B, the doc seemed to know what kind if spider it might have been, but didn't name any one type specifically. I think he wanted to spare me the nightmares I would have probably had! Just one more reason why I appreciate Dr. B. !

There you go, that is my contribution for this outing of the Round Robin Challenge! Now, go see what everyone else has chosen for their posts! You can find the participation list HERE!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #128: Garden Creatures

2011-06-13T00:00:00.009-04:00

"On every stem, on every leaf, and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphid, or other expert whose business it was to devour that particular part."

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

EMPS #128: GARDEN CREATURES. NOW CLOSED!
Snails. Spiders. Earth worms. What do they all have in common? They are all GARDEN CREATURES! This week I want you to grab your cameras, and show me what you have lurking in your YARD or GARDEN!

Extra Credit: Share with us your favorite and your least favorite GARDEN CREATURES!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do, and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #127: FROM THE OVEN 06/06/2011

1. Jama

2. Hip Chick

I will be playing along with you this week, so look for my entry sometime around mid-week. See you next Monday with an all new Monday Photo Shoot Assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #127: From The Oven

2011-06-06T00:00:00.008-04:00

"Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity."

~Voltaire

Folks, again I want to remind you that if you don't follow the Guidelines for Submission, I can't list you on the Participation List. I don't want to leave anyone out, so please follow the guidelines, so I can continue to post the Monday Photo Shoot assignments for you.

EMPS # 127: FROM THE OVEN! NOW CLOSED!
Okay, we all have to eat... right? So lets make our meals interesting by sharing something we prepare specifically FROM THE OVEN! Breakfast Bakes. Lunchtime fare. Dinnertime deliciousness. Oh so yummy cakes and pies, are all made in the OVEN! So share it!

Extra Credit: Tell us about the dish you photograph for this assignment, Is it your own recipe? Is it from a cookbook? Do you enjoy cooking, or do you find it a chore? Give us all the delicious details!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS#126: Rare, White, Scales 05/30/2011

1. Jama

2. Tina

3. Hip Chick

4. Karen

Thank you so much for your continued support of the EMPS. :) Have a great week, see you next Monday!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #126:Rare Whte Scales

2011-05-30T00:00:00.009-04:00

"In the time of your life, live - so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite variety and mystery of it all."

-William Saroyan

EMPS #126: RARE, WHITE, SCALES NOW CLOSED!
Let's mix things up by adding some variety to the assignment. Here you see a RARE WHITE SCALY, alligator that I photographed last year at the, California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. He is gorgeous and fun to photograph, but it's the fact of how rare he is that got me thinking. He isn't just an alligator, he is RARE, SCALY, and WHITE! So, let's take on those topics. Show us something RARE. WHITE. Or SCALY. :)

Extra Credit: Show us all three possibilities!

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #125: Garlic

2011-05-23T00:00:00.005-04:00

"What garlic is to food, insanity is to art."

- Augustus Saint-Gaudens

EMPS #125: GARLIC. NOW CLOSED!
I LOVE to cook. Sometimes I cook with GARLIC! When used in small doses, GARLIC and be very good for you. Not only does it ward off vampires, it is especially helpful to the immune system! Not everyone likes the taste, or the smell however. So, if you don't use GARLIC in cooking, no problem. Simply photograph it. You can photograph the bulb, the clove or even the blossom! If you can't even bring yourself to come that close, then you always have the option of photographing a container of ground GARLIC at the supermarket!

Extra Credit: Show us the herb you use most often in cooking.

Welcome To My Rapture Party...

2011-05-21T15:13:00.004-04:00

Matthew 24:36 – “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Welcome to my Rapture party. :) There are plenty of appetizers to enjoy. I think you will especially like the HOT WINGS! For your drinking pleasure there is an open bar... ENJOY!

NOW, LET'S PARTY!

-Carly ;)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #124: Spring Blossoms And Flowers

2011-05-16T00:00:00.008-04:00

"In the cherry blossom's shade there is no such thing as a stranger."

-Issa

Folks, before we begin I want to remind you to please read the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES before you play. It is a BIG help to me if you submit your entries per the guidelines.

EMPS #124: SPRING BLOSSOMS AND FLOWERS. NOW CLOSED!
Spring has sprung! Grab your camera and show us the BLOSSOMS and FLOWERS where you live! For this EMPS assignment, please, NO ARCHIVED photos! I want to see all new FLOWERS and BLOSSOMS for 2011! If you happen to be prone to allergies, feel free to show off the life-like plastic FLOWERS AND BLOSSOMS!

Extra Credit: Show us as many examples of the assignment as possible. In as many colors as possible!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #123: Animals 5/9/11

-Carly

Freda

Jama

Duane

JR Cline

Hip Chick

Well done everyone! I enjoyed seeing all the marvelous animals! I will be looking forward to seeing what you come up with for assignment #124! See you next week with an all new assignment!

-Carly :)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #123: Animals

2011-05-09T00:00:00.004-04:00

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

-Mahatma Ghandhi

EMPS# 123: ANIMALS. NOW CLOSED!
It's time to show some attention to ANIMALS. For this EMPS I would like you to show me some wild or exotic ANIMALS, such as this squirrel I spotted in Golden Gate Park. You might try finding an ANIMAL like this one, or maybe you have some archived photos of zoo ANIMALS, which would fit the assignment nicely as well! Birds are fine for this assignment as well!

Extra Credit: Let's also pay some attention to our pets! Show me the ANIMALS you pet!

Happiness Is...

2011-05-06T14:08:00.005-04:00

"Happiness is not the absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them."

-Unknown

I am a happy girl today. I am HAPPY. It is a nice feeling. What's making me so happy? Well, it's the little things. What little things you ask? Glad you asked...

Happiness is...

1. Text messaging with my hubby

2. Getting a recipe I created just right

3. Watching my kitties sleep the day away

4. Homemade Ice Cream

5. Reading a favorite book once again

6. Finding a cute necklace at Old Navy

7. Chocolate Covered Strawberries... they do a Type 2 Diabetic good!

8. Playing a board game with Alan

9. Having a blood glucose level of 101 after breakfast

10. The sound of the breeze through the Poplar trees outside my window

11. It's cold enough today to wear a sweater

12. My extra soft slipper socks

13. Kitty whiskers

Yep, I am happy today. :)

How about you? What makes you happy?

-Carly :)

Special Ops Enemas and The Assholes They Kill!

2011-05-02T00:13:00.007-04:00

Rest In Torment Asshole!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, PRESIDENT OBAMA! I'm kinda crushing on you right now!!!

Thank you U. S. Military! Especially the members of Special Ops! Our HEROES EVERY DAY!

"From every mountainside let freedom ring"

:)

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #122: Art Inspired

2011-05-02T00:00:00.006-04:00

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."

-Scott Adams

EMPS #122: ART INSPIRED. NOW CLOSED!
I have something a little more challenging for you this week. Choose a piece by one of your favorite artists, then take a photo based on that art work. As you see above. My photo is based on Roy Lichtenstein's "The Lamp."

Extra Credit: Write a paragraph or two about why you chose the particular art piece for the assignment.

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #121: Fire Safety

2011-04-25T00:00:00.008-04:00

"If you break your neck, if you have nothing, if your house is on fire, then you have a problem. Everything else is an inconvenience."

-Robert Fulghum

EMPS #121: FIRE SAFETY NOW CLOSED!
This week it is all about FIRE SAFETY! Show me a FIRE DETECTOR. A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. A FIRE TRUCK. A FIREMAN. You get the idea!

Extra Credit: Show me something relating to the topic of FIRE SAFETY that isn't red!

Happy Easter! :)

2011-04-24T00:00:00.001-04:00

Good Idea: Finding Easter Eggs on Easter!

Bad Idea: Finding Easter Eggs on Christmas!

-Jack Handy

Q. What do you call a line of rabbits walking backwards?

A. A receding hareline!

From our house to yours... HAPPY EASTER!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #120: Motivational Messages

2011-04-18T00:00:00.009-04:00

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

-George Eliot

EMPS #120: MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGES. NOW CLOSED!
Let's encourage each other, and ourselves, by sharing some MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGES with our photography. Simply choose an object, or a scene, and photograph it, then provide a MOTIVATIONAL quote to accompany it. It's good to encourage others, and this seems like a great way to do just that!

Extra Credit: Show us the photograph you choose for this assignment in black & white!

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #119: Birds

2011-04-11T00:00:00.006-04:00

"My favorite weather is bird chirping weather."

-Terri Guillemets

EMPS #119: BIRDS. NOW CLOSED!
Big BIRDS. Small BIRDS. BIRDS on a wire. BIRDS you fix for dinner. BIRDS building nests. BIRDS on fabric. BIRDS in the air. BIRDS. That's this week's assignment... BIRDS.

Extra Credit: Since the weather is warming up a bit, show me some bees!

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #118: Going Going Gone

2011-04-04T00:00:00.005-04:00

"If you are yearning for the Good Old Days, just turn off the air-conditioning."

-Griff Niblack

EMPS #118: GOING GOING GONE NOW CLOSED!
It's seems that public pay phones have all but disappeared, at least in the San Francisco area. But once in a while you can still spot one. Some of my favorite things have GONE missing in recent years. Drive-In Movie theaters. Curbside mailboxes. And soon, Saturday mail delivery might also be a thing of the past. This week I want you to show me something that's GOING, GOING, GONE!

Extra Credit: Show me something you thought was gone, but came back!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #117: Historical Places 03/28/11

Karen
Karen shows us a little bit of history pertaining to, among others, Wyatt Earp. Sometime I must go across the bay to Colma and photograph his grave site.

Jama
Jama photographed an important part of Singapore's past. It's a cautionary tale that I believe more nations should take to heart. Especially the U.S.!

Greg
Greg takes us back in time to the 18th and 19th centuries to show us two quite lovely buildings that sit in an Moravian village. Go, have a look!

Ruth
Recently, Ruth made a day trip to Sonoma, Ca, and she found a statue that chronicles the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846! She also provides us a glimpse of one of my favorite subjects, a California Mission!

I apologize for not commenting on your assignment entries this past week, but on top of all the unpacking that we are still doing, I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel a couple weeks ago and it is making my online pursuits nearly impossible. :( I will know soon if it will take surgery to restore the feeling in my thumb and hand. I will keep you posted! I did see all your entries and I really appreciated all the different perspectives!

Well done everyone! See you next Monday!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #117: Historical Places

2011-03-28T00:00:00.006-04:00

"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday."

-Pearl S. Buck

EMPS #117: HISTORICAL PLACES Now Closed!
I am a history buff! I love visiting places of HISTORICAL INTEREST. Here you see a picture of Alcatraz Island which used to be the home of Alcatraz Prison. It fascinates me, and captures my attention whenever I cross the bay, but, alas, I haven't actually been on the island there yet. Sometime I must play tourist and actually land on the THE ROCK. Now, I want to see the areas of HISTORICAL INTEREST in your area!

Extra Credit: Tell us, in a couple paragraphs, why you chose the particular PLACE OF HISTORICAL INTEREST!

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #116: Cold Beverages

2011-03-21T00:00:00.005-04:00

"Without a Coka-Cola, life would be unthinkable."

-Henry Miller
The Air-Conditioned Nightmare

** We have a couple new participants this week, so, WELCOME!

EMPS #116: COLD BEVERAGES NOW CLOSED!

Do you have a favorite COLD BEVERAGE? I sure do, my very favorite COLD BEVERAGE is Coka-COLA Classic! I don't drink it as often as I would like, because I am a type 2 diabetic, but that's ok, Diet Cherry Coka-Cola comes in as a close second! How about you? This week, grab your favorite COLD BEVERAGE, whatever it might be, and photograph it. Iced tea, milk, Iced coffee, Lemonade, vodka on the rocks, it's all good!

Extra Credit: Pepsi or Coke? Tell us why!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Don't forget to leave your name, or online handle, so I can add you to the participation list and give you a proper WELCOME! :)

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #115 Cell Phone Photos 03/14/11

1. Karen

2. Ruth

3. Jama

4. JR Cline

5. **Seedsower

6. **New Player

Great turnout this week! I am so pleased you enjoyed the assignment! That's it for now, you have your assignment and I look forward to seeing your awesome photos! See you next Monday with an all new assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #115: Cell Phone Photos

2011-03-14T00:00:00.005-04:00

"To be happy in this world, first you need a cell phone and then you need and airplane. Then you're truly wireless."

-Ted Turner

EMPS #115: CELL PHONE PHOTOS Now Closed!
Almost everybody has a CELL PHONE today, and most of them come with some pretty awesome cameras! Let's show off what our CELL PHONE cameras can do. Instead of using your usual camera, grab your CELL PHONES and take a CELL PHONE PHOTO! If by any chance you don't own a CELL PHONE with a CAMERA, then feel free to show me a PHOTO from any other source, such as an old CAMERA, or any CAMERA other then your usual one.

Extra Credit: Show us your favorite CAMERA ACCESSORIES!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #114: Mardi Gras 03/07/11

Karen

Jama

Well done Karen and Jama! :) Thank you so much for your patience! You guys are super! Now, on to our next assignment! See you next week with an all new photo challenge!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #114: Mardi Gras

2011-03-07T00:00:00.006-05:00

"Not even Katrina could stop Mardi Gras"

-Tony Scott

Hi Folks! As it turns out Alan and I didn't move after all! Actually, that's not accurate, we have moved twice in one week! I will explain fully in a post later this week, but needless to say the last couple weeks have been a HUGE ADVENTURE! Basically, last Monday was supposed to be our last day in the cottage in Berkeley. As we spent the day taking care of the final packing and cleaning, we were pretty much good to go, when the phone rang and our new landlord informed us that something had happened and he couldn't rent to us after all! It's a mess. A BIG MESS. Anyway I will share more details later, so stay tuned! In the meantime, I will be around to visit your entries per our usual schedule... I promise! Now, on to the assignment...

EMPS #114: MARDI GRAS NOW CLOSED!

MARDI GRAS is this week, so put on your mask, grab some beads, and your camera, of course, and let's go to CARNIVAL! Anything associated with MARDI GRAS will work fine. Are you making a special MARDI GRAS inspired meal? Photograph it! Do you have a collection of beads from a MARDI GRAS past? Show them to us! You get the idea... lets get our party on!

Extra Credit: Title your photograph for this assignment!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #113: Ooops! 2/25/11

1. Karen

See you all next week, with an all new assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #113: Ooops

2011-02-28T00:00:00.006-05:00

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

-Mary Tyler Moore

EMPS #113: OOOPS! NOW CLOSED!
Hmmm... it would seem that the above photo is a little bit too large for this entry... OOOPS! You get the idea here, right? I am looking for some OOOPS. OOOPS are also called MISTAKES, FOLLIES, FOIBLES, AND ERRORS. All will do just fine for the purposes of this assignment. Think outside the box on this one. Go for the OOOPS!

Extra Credit: Show me something PERFECT!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

-Carly

Be Right Back...

2011-02-21T00:00:00.007-05:00

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you head is not what I meant."

-Robert McClosky

The quote for this post describes, quite accurately, how the communication between Alan and I sometimes goes. Especially as we are smack dab in the middle of the move! So, as I mentioned last week, we will be skipping the Monday Photo Shoot for this week. The new Internet connection at my new place is scheduled for Friday, the 25th, so, with fingers crossed, we will be resuming on Monday, February 28th. I have scheduled assignment #113 to publish on the 28th, and, in fact, each additional EMPS assignment for several weeks after that. I am sure all will go well with the installation, but in case there is a snag, just play amongst yourselves, and I will be back soon!

Participation List for EMPS #112: Love 02/14/11

Ruth

Freda

Greg

Jama

Karen

Vicki

The photo you see above was taken at the Berkeley Marina. It was at the end of a very hot summer day. The cool breeze off the bay can be a little piece of heaven on summer days. The bridge you see in the background is the Golden Gate Bridge. It's scenes like this I will miss the most. I am only moving about 20 minutes away, and Hayward has a shoreline to, but instead of photographing the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate, I will have to get used to photographing the San Mateo/Hayward bridge instead. :) New horizons! New photo opportunities!
See you on Monday, February 28th, with an all new assignment!

-Carly ;)

Don't forget, the Round Robin Photo Challenges and the Weekend Assignment is always looking for new participants! If you haven't played before, why don't you give it a whirl! Karen would love to have you join in!

Weekend Assignment (Karen posts a new assignment each week!)

Round Robin Photo Challenges (A new challenge posted twice a month)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #112: Love

2011-02-14T00:00:00.011-05:00

"It takes a minute to have a crush on someone; an hour to like someone and a day to love someone... but it takes a lifetime to forget someone."

-Unknown

PLEASE NOTE: WE WILL BE SKIPPING NEXT WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT. THE MONDAY PHOTO SHOOT WILL RESUME ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH! :) THERE WILL BE A PARTICIPATION LIST POSTED, SO BE SURE TO CHECK BACK FOR THE LINKS.

EMPS #112: LOVE NOW CLOSED!
Today is Valentine's Day, so why not celebrate LOVE?! Romantic LOVE is good, but if romance isn't really your thing, then other loves will do fine. That's the nice thing about Valentine's Day, it's not just about romance, it can be about other types of LOVE, such as LOVE between friends and LOVE of your children. LOVE of your pets. In fact, lets also include LOVE of your community. LOVE of your favorite movie, or even LOVE of reading or photography. Think about this assignment, and interpret as you see fit. Just show me the LOVE!

Extra Credit: Let's see the flip side, show me HATE!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #111: Walking Away 2/7/11

1. Greg

2. Ruth

3. Jama

4. Karen

It was fun to see so much enthusiasm for our last assignment! Let's keep up the good work! See you next Monday with an all new photo assignment!

-Carly

If you like the EMPS, you would also enjoy...

Round Robin Photo Challenges (Played every other Saturday)

Weekend Assignment (New assignments each week)

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #111: Walking Away

2011-02-07T00:00:00.008-05:00

"The single most powerful too for winning a negotiation is the ability to get up and walk away from the table without a deal."

-Unknown

Before we begin, I want to share with you, in case you don't already know, I am in the process of moving to a new house. Alan and I will be in full packing mode for the next several weeks. I want to apologize in advance if I don't get around to visiting your entries. I will be in the new place as of March 1st, and things will be back to normal soon after. So, please be patient with me m'dears! :)

EMPS#111: WALKING AWAY NOW CLOSED!
Easy, easy, easy! Show me someone, or something, or a group of someones, or somethings WALKING AWAY!

Extra Credit: Show me a photo of someone or something coming toward you!

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each Sunday evening at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #110: Friendship 01/31/11

Freda

Jama

Karen

Nice job! You are really inspiring me, this year, with your wonderful photography! Keep up the good work! See you next Monday with an all new assignment!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #110: Friendship

2011-01-31T00:00:00.006-05:00

"A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and excepts you just the way you are."

-Unknown

EMPS #110: FRIENDSHIPS NOW CLOSED!
Okay, folks lets celebrate the FRIENDSHIPS in our lives. So me your best friends. Animal FRIENDS. Human FRIENDS. Old FRIENDS. New FRIENDS. Sometimes I call my favorite comfy, cozy sweater my BFF, so, if you want, you can do the same. Feel free to be creative with your interpretations. It's all good.

Extra Credit: Show me 3 different types of friendships.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each week at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation for EMPS #109: Garbage 01/24/2011

Ellen

Ruth

JR Cline

Jama

Karen

Have an excellent week with the camera. I will be looking forward to your entries this week! See you back here next Monday with an all new assignment.

Hey, by any chance have you played the Round Robin Photo Challenges or the Weekend Assignment lately? If you haven't you really should be! Karen hosts them both and both are unique ways to express your creativity! Go have a look see, or better yet, join in!

Weekend Assignment

Round Robin Photo Challenges for 2/13/11 "True Colors"

-Carly

RRC: Goodbyes

2011-01-29T00:00:00.005-05:00

"Goodbye isn't painful, unless you're never going to say hello again."

-Unknown

Never say NEVER. :)

Structure vs GOODBYE

If you are like me, you will avoid change at ALL COST. You will stay in relationships that drive you crazy. Stay in homes that fall down around you. Refuse to give up cassette tapes for those newfangled CDs. Order the same damn thing at all your favorite restaurants. Refuse to throw away a ragged old moth chewed on sweater because it just seems to "get you." LOL. You will eat your meals at the same time each day. You will do your laundry on one specific day each week, for me that day would be Thursday. But you get the picture... change BAD!

I realize that I lead an overly structured life. And I realize that the paragraph above refers to structure more then it does GOODBYES, but to me, GOODBYES cause my structured world to become discombobulated. Not the end of the world, but it makes me feel like an alien until I readjust myself to accept my new circumstances. I suppose I am obsessive/compulsive, but it's in a good way I think. For example, if you invite me for dinner, I will never be late! LOL.

Hello/Goodbye...

Whatever the reason, to me, the worst of all blows to my equilibrium is GOODBYES. YEARS ago, as Mr. November was running, screaming from my life we had a conversation about GOODBYES. I told him that once I find something I put in roots. He laughed. I guess it was the mental picture of me, at 4 ft 11 having grown roots! Which would make me seem taller... right? LOL. I have to admit, I laughed too, but on the inside. I wasn't going to give up in the moment and admit that sometimes GOODBYES are really necessary. When it came to that GOODBYE, I pulled the emotion off like a band-aid. Quick and painful, but then it healed in time and now there is no scar... just the memory of someone I really loved and the time as it was.

This Next Part Will Make You Laugh...

Raise your hand if you miss the HELL out of Keith Olbermann! LOL. I watched that man faithfully each night while I fixed dinner. Oh MY GOD... how that man could seduce my ears with all that beautiful PROGRESSIVE talk and values. LOL. NOTHING TURNS ME ON LIKE TALKING POLITICAL PROGRESSIVENESS! LOL. I am teasing... somewhat... but not completely. I appreciated K.O. for the truths he shined a light on, but for one of the best elements of his show... "Fridays With Thurber." After a long week, when stuff in the world would go wrong, or something stupid would happen to me, like the time Alan fell on me, no matter what had happened, my Fridays would come to a gentle close as Keith read Thurber, and suddenly everything made sense again!

A week ago Keith made one of those band-aid GOODBYES like the one I had with Mr. November. The only difference was there was NO animosity with Mr. November, just a wish from both of us that we would find the roads we both needed to be on. Keith's was more of a F&$K Y^%$. We, the viewers, suddenly had the rug pulled out from under us. One of my friends lamented "what do I do now? I laughed to myself and replied... "I know I am lost too." LOL. "Who is going to help me fix dinner now?" Not really thinking about how much better Keith's life probably is now, just who is going to help me fix dinner. LOL. There is a selfishness in GOODBYES that can happen on both sides.

Goodbye To The Music...

In just a little over a month, I will be saying goodbye to my beloved cottage in the Berkeley hills, for a lovely little cottage 19 miles away in Hayward. I am going to miss this place. I have been here 10 years. We moved in with Elvis... the biggest GOODBYE I have ever said ... and we will be leaving with Dylan and Hendrix... my BIGGEST HELLO ever! One morning, not too long after we first moved in, I was sleeping like a baby in this cottage, when the phone rang. It was 9/11/01 at 9:08 AM. The voice on the phone was Alan telling me what had happened. I will never forget opening the back door, just off the kitchen, and hearing complete silence. No planes taking off from the Oakland airport. No dogs barking. No birds singing. Just quiet. It was surreal. Everybody in the area was glued to the TV, watching the news, and waiting to see what came next.

It was so quiet.

Late in the afternoon, of Tuesday September 11th, 2001, the silence was broken when the Ethereal Musician began playing "America" on his saxophone. It was the only sound outside.It meant a lot to us to hear him playing that song, at that particular moment. Of all the elements of living in this cottage, I will miss the Ethereal Musician the most. I have never met him, I don't even quite know from which direction the music comes from, all I know is that it did, and many times it brought me such comfort. Sometimes it made me smile, sometimes it made me cry a little, but in a good way. It's hard to say GOODBYE to that presence. Actually, it's almost impossible. I don't know what I will do. I guess I will be ok... but I will always smile when I think of him.

At least I think it's a him... could be a her... but somehow... I think it's a him.

Goodbye Little Birdies...

Saying GOODBYE to the Round Robins isn't easy either. I will miss choosing a subject for you, and getting together with Karen to see how we can make it better project for all of you. It is a project I am proud of. I am not sure if you know this, but the RRC was Karen's idea. It all came about because she was being a good friend to me. I was a little down in dumps, and she suggested a photography challenge between she and I. I took the challenge, and then she did one I suggested, and pretty soon some friends asked to join us, and the Round Robin Challenges was born! I don't remember what I said GOODBYE to in order to say HELLO to the challenges every 2 weeks, but whatever it was, it didn't matter. Something special had begun.

Sometimes HELLOS upset my equilibrium in really good ways. :)

Great... now I have Hello/Goodbye by the Beatles in my head! Sheesh I'm simple. LOL.

It's not really GOODBYE. I will still be around. I will be playing along with the challenges once in a while, and I still have the Monday Photo Shoot. If you want to play along, you are more then welcome to join in. Check out this blog each Monday morning... at exactly 12 midnight ET... for our next Monday Photo Shoot assignment. Whoops... there goes that structure stuff again!

:) Thanks for all the fun everyone... GO BE PHOTOGRAPHERS! Love ya!

Now that you have read my entry, go check out what my fellow Robins are up to! Just click on the links below!

**Welcome to our NEW PARTICIPANTS!

Carly...Ellipsis
Posted!

Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!

Monica... Shutterly Happy - The Photo Blog
Posted!

Freda... Day One
Posted!

**Kelley... Silent Serenade

**Analee... Sugar & Spice And Everything Gneiss
Posted!

Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!

Flashbulb 100w

Peg... Who Can Discover It?
Posted!

Vicki... Maraca
Posted!

Julie... Another Chance Ranch
Posted!

Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #109: Garbage Day

2011-01-24T00:00:00.005-05:00

"I've lived through the garbage, I might as well dine on caviar."

~Beverly Sills

EMPS#109: GARBAGE DAY NOW CLOSED!
Into each life, a GARBAGE DAY must come. At the moment, my GARBAGE DAY is Thursday, and it consists of rolling my receptacle down a long private driveway. But that's my experience, now I want to see yours! Big cans. Little cans. Duck shaped cans, that open their beaks when something needs to be discarded. Big industrial cans. Teeny tiny waste baskets... it's all good. So show me already! Don't be afraid to get artistic. Think outside the box. Have fun. Look at GARBAGE DAY in a new way, through your camera's lens!

Extra Credit: Sometimes we see odd items that have been discarded somewhere other then a proper garbage receptacle. Tell us, in a couple paragraphs, about the strangest thing you have ever seen or found after it had been thrown away.

Guidelines for Assignment Submission...

1.The EMPS closes each week at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #108: Sugary Goodness. 01/17/11

Ruth

Jama

Well done! Okay, see you next week!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #108: Sugary Goodness

2011-01-17T00:00:00.005-05:00

"I went to the bank and asked to borrow a cup of money. They said, 'what for?' And I said, 'I'm going to buy some sugar.'"

-Stephen Wright

EMPS #108: SUGARY GOODNESS! NOW CLOSED!
YUM... SUGARY GOODNESS! It's been a stressful week, and when I get the jitters... I bake! LOL. What is my favorite thing to bake? Why SUGARY GOODNESS of course! Most of the time I make the SUGARY GOODNESS with a sugar substitute, which, of course, still provides some SUGARY GOODNESS! But with less guilt! ;) If like me, you can't partake of refined sugar as often as you would like, feel free to show me your favorite SUGARY GOODNESS of the substituted kind. Splenda. Equal. Fructose. Sucrose. Cane Sugar. Brown Sugar. Honey. Raw Sugar. Liquid Sugar. Spun Sugar. Powdered Sugar... it's all good!

Extra Credit: Show me something SALTY that you enjoy as a snack!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each week at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Participation List for EMPS #107: Gateways 01/10/11

Freda

Jama

Greg

JR

Karen

Okay, good job everyone! Nice turnout! Have a good week! I will see you back here, next Monday, with an all new assignment!

-Carly

Glooopy Glooop Gloop

2011-01-13T15:10:00.005-05:00

"It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming."

~John Steinbeck

There is a time to rant, and a time not to rant. That's not biblical or anything, lol, it's just my personal philosophy. :) Time for balance. Nothing makes me feel quite as good as seeing beautiful creatures, doing their thing. Fishes swimming, kitty cats chasing imaginary mice. Puppy dogs running after a stick, or enjoying a swim in a pond. It's relaxing and safe to step into their world for a bit. Here you have sea creatures, which I photographed at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, just swimming about, doing sea creature things.

Beautiful. Quiet. Sea Creature pursuits.

It was a good day.

I am glad I had this in my archives to help refocus my thoughts and energy toward something a little more positive. Balance in all things.

Oh, about the title. Glooopy Glooop Gloop is the sound I imagine when I think of swimming. You know... gloooopy gloooop gloop.

:)

-Carly

Note: This was one of the things Alan and I did on our vacation last October. I will be sharing more about our vacation in the days and weeks to come. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing. Hope you enjoy the photo. :)

Poor Sarah

2011-01-12T12:30:00.010-05:00

Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

"It may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: 'Sit down and shut up,' but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out." --Sarah Palin, announcing her resignation as governor, July 3, 2009

This woman is DANGEROUS... but you already knew that. This woman is, at best, INSENSITIVE... but you already knew that. This woman doesn't understand THE WORLD... but you already knew that. This woman has NO regard for the EARTH or for LIFE... but you already knew that. This woman has ALIGNED HERSELF WITH AND GLORIFIED VIOLENCE IN ALL ASPECTS OF HER PERSONAL AND PUBLIC LIFE, but you already knew that. This woman is IRRESPONSIBLE with her WORDS AND HER ACTIONS... but you already knew that. This woman represents the very worst of the human condition... but you already knew that.

Sarah Palin truly believes that words have no meaning. Unless SHE is the one speaking. She believes that all her troubles stem from a liberal media who either misquotes her, or, in her words, commits a "blood liable" against her. As a Jewish person, I find her use of that phrase hurtful and unfortunate.

Poor Sarah... the world doesn't understand her pain. Poor Sarah... the world doesn't understand her need for attention. Poor Sarah... the world doesn't understand her.

I suppose she didn't hear that it wasn't just the "liberal media" in America who connected HER WORDS to the events of last Saturday, indeed the world's newspapers made the connection as well.

She poses for photo ops with guns. In mid November, 2008, just after she lost her bid for the vice presidency, she stood in front of a turkey being slaughtered at a turkey farm, and talked about how much fun it was to be there. On her TLC reality show, "Sarah Palin's Alaska" she clubs fish, with her young daughter, laughing the entire time she clubs them. On a different episode of her show, she is seen shooting a caribo 5 times. On a map, which she displayed on her website, she put sights over the home bases of politicians she hoped to see unseated. One of the targets was Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The map was removed from her website over the weekend, after the shooting of Giffords, and was explained away as not gun sights, but rather surveyor sights.

Wasn't it Judge Judy who said, "Don't piss down my leg and tell me it's raining."

Notice of the maps violent characteristic came up when she first displayed the map, and at NO TIME did she say it wasn't a gun sight, in fact, she tweeted a short time later: "Don't retreat, Reload." That has NOTHING TO DO WITH A SURVEYOR'S MAP. That refers to using a GUN.

It's been a few days since the shooting in Arizona, and while there has been nothing to directly tie the shooter to Sarah Palin, I stand by my original belief that HER WORDS MATTER! HER ACTIONS MATTER. IF SHE CONTINUES GLORIFYING VIOLENCE IT WILL SPEAK TO THOSE WHO FOLLOW HER BLINDLY AND SOMEONE WILL ACT OUT AGAINST ANOTHER IN HER NAME. It WILL happen. And she still won't hold any responsibility, because she HIDES behind that.

Sarah Palin is a COWARD... but you already knew that.

Now, imagine AMERICA in the hands of a COWARD.

"Dr. Laura: don't retreat...reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence "isn't American,not fair")" --Sarah Palin, in a Twitter message coming to the defense of Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the talk radio host who apologized and decided to retire from her highly-rated program after using the N-word on the air 11 times in 5 minutes, Aug. 18, 2010

Poor Sarah Palin... so misunderstood. Poor Charles Manson... so misunderstood. Poor Jim Jones... so misunderstood. Poor David Koresh... so misunderstood. Poor Marshall Applewhite... so misunderstood. Poor Hitler... so misunderstood. Poor Jim Crow.... so misunderstood.

Sarah Palin had a REAL opportunity to bring intelligent thought and dialog to the country. She could have admitted her words had consequence. She could have made the decision to no longer bring images of violence and hatred to the forefront of American politics, and vow to never do that again. Instead she chose the path self pity, ignorance, and justification.

If you do nothing else today, please look up the meaning of "Blood Libel."

-Carly

World Media Reacts To Arizona Shootings

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #107: Gateways

2011-01-10T00:00:00.007-05:00

"He who wants to do good knocks at the gate; he who loves finds the gate open."

-Rabindranath Tagore

EMPS #107: GATEWAYS NOW CLOSED!
Okay folks, simple concept here. Show me some GATEWAYS! Feel free to think outside the box, or the GATEWAY as the case may be. If you photograph your favorite GATE that's cool, but you might also photograph your GATEWAY computer if, like me, you just happen to own one. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Extra Credit: Tell us a little something about the GATEWAY you chose for this assignment. One or two paragraphs is good. As for my GATEWAY, well, that is the GATEWAY to the Shakespeare Garden in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each week at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the EMPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Assignment Participants for EMPS #106: Whatcha Been Up To? 01/03/11

Greg

Jama

Karen

JR Cline

Have fun this week with your photography! I will see you next Monday with an all new assignment!

-Carly

The Acts Of COWARDS!

2011-01-08T15:44:00.005-05:00

Sarah Palin removed this graphic from her website today, after the tragic shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D - AZ) at a Safeway store in Tucson Arizona. I am here to tell you, I won't be forgetting this act of terrorism, which was not only encouraged, but suggested by Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin, and those who suggest violence against others, have NO PLACE IN SOCIETY! She needs to be held LEGALLY accountable for this!

Consider joining me in asking our leaders to declare SARAHPAC a terrorist organization!

-Carly

Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot #106: Whatcha Been Up To?

2011-01-03T00:00:00.004-05:00

"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach people."

-Confucius

EMPS#106: Whatcha Been Up To? NOW CLOSED!
Welcome Back folks! It's been a while since we last shared our photography with each other, so let's get acquainted again... shall we? It's an easy assignment for our first one of 2011! Simply show me what you have been up to, in terms of your photography, since we last shared an assignment last September.

Extra Credit: Show us the one picture you felt you could have done better with.

As before, there are a few things to keep in mind about participating in the EMPS, so please read the guidelines for participation below!

Guidelines for Assignment Submissions...

1.The EMPS closes each week at 9:00 PM (ET). No submissions will be accepted after that time.

2. Submit your entry by getting your photo, uploading it to you blog or website, and then comeback here and leave me your link in the comment thread. PLEASE REMEMBER... THE LINK YOU LEAVE MUST GO BACK TO AN ENTRY WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THIS WEEK'S ASSIGNMENT! A general link to your site will not do and will not be added to the list of those participating the following Monday. HYPERLINKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED!

3. Please be sure to provide a link back to the assignment in your submission, so your readers can find the assignment and join us. Everyone is welcome to play along!

4. Please keep in mind that the image you submit for the MPS assignment, must be your own original photography. NO LIFTING!

Please Note: I have set aside two days during the week for visiting your submissions. Thursday and Sunday, so look for me then!

Okie Doke. That's all there is to it. I will be looking forward to seeing your first submissions of 2011.

Please Note: Folks, I am planning on keeping my options open, in regards to the Monday Photo Shoot. It will be offered on a week by week basis. If enthusiasm for participating in the MPS has waned then we will close it for good. Either way, please feel NO pressure to participate. We all need to follow our bliss, and I will understand if you have found other horizons. :) It's all good! :)

-Carly

Happy New Year! 2011

2011-01-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

"We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it's first page is New Year's Day."

- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! :)

Don't forget, the Monday Photo Shoot returns this Monday! Everyone is invited to play along, hope to see you, and your awesome creativity, in the new year!

Have a wonderful, safe and prosperous 2011!

-Carly

Happy Holidays :)

2010-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

"As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is."

-Eric Sevareid

For your holiday viewing enjoyment...

From our house to yours...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

-Carly, Alan, Dylan and Hendrix :)

Welcome To Winter! And Hey, Look... An Eclipse!

2010-12-21T03:56:00.004-05:00

"Love awoke one winter's night
And wander'd through the snowbound land,
And calling to beasts and birds
Bid them his message understand.

And from the forest all wild things
That crept or flew obeyed love's call,
And learned from him the golden words
Of brotherhood for one and all."

- Author Unknown

The lunar eclipse was beautiful, but the air was a little too cold for me. But I had to try, because after all, how often does a full lunar eclipse happen to fall on a winter solstice? Well, the last one was almost 400 years ago! Cold be damned... I just couldn't let the chance pass to photograph this event! My camera would never forgive me! It was cold, and it had been raining quite hard earlier in the evening, but right about the start of the eclipse the clouds receded and the sky became crystal clear! I ignored the pain in my hands and concentrated on the beauty in the sky above me. It was totally worth it, and I got a couple nice shots from my poor broken camera, so I am a happy girl. I just wish I could have photographed the entire event. Still, it kinda makes me smile to think that when I lie down tonight, it will still be going on just above my head. And to think, by one estimate I read yesterday, as many as a billion people around the world could possibly viewing it with me. Cool, very cool!

Welcome to Winter, December 21st, 2010!

-Carly

Weekend Assignment #346 Holiday Shopper

2010-11-28T20:10:00.004-05:00

"I like my money right where I can see it, hanging in my closet."

-Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) Sex And The City

Weekend Assignment #346: Holiday Shopper

Ack! The holiday shopping season is upon us! What is your shopping strategy for this time of year?Do you spread out your shopping over weeks and months, or try to get it all done at once? Do you mostly shop online or in person? How heavily, if at all, do you rely on gift cards, gift certificates or plain old fashioned cash and checks?

Extra Credit: Do you enjoy shopping Friday and after-Christmas sales?

-Karen Funk Blocher (Mavarin)

Holiday shopping... all I can say is... YES, YES, YES! But let me explain. Alan and I have a lot of traditions around the holidays. We begin the "Holiday Season" in September, as the first day of autumn starts our holiday season. We have lots of stuff going on, most of which includes some form of shopping. October has our wedding anniversary, the seasonal opening of Apple Hill, The turning of the leaves in Plumas County, Family Day, which is our own made up holiday, and of course, Halloween. If it is an election year, you can find us, at some point, buying campaign buttons to add to our collections. November is a bit more laid back, but then Thanksgiving quickly comes upon us, and with it comes... BEAUTIFUL... MAGNIFICENT... CHILLY... SPARKLY... EXCITING... BLACK FRIDAY! Not really a holiday, but celebrated in our house as if it were Christmas itself.

Shopping plays a role in all these events, but only to a small degree. We have little traditions when it comes to shopping that keeps it all fun, but doesn't take away from the meaning of the season. Take Apple Hill for instance. You could spend a fortune there, between all the different farms and specialty goods they have. YIKES! Alan and I have discovered the very best of the place, such as Rainbow Orchards and their AMAZING Apple Cider donuts. We go there for the donuts, and maybe some fresh apple cider, but keep our heads when it comes to buying all the crafts and goods. It's an amazing time of year, and if you don't keep your wits about you, it could get crazy.

Black Friday, which I believe is the "official" shopping start of the holiday season is a big deal in our house. We don't do much shopping that day, but we do people watch! We begin the day in Union Square, in San Francisco, and after enjoying a Mocha for Alan and a Hot Chocolate for me, we walk the square, then its down to Maiden Lane. It's gorgeous this time of year, from the decorations, to the wonderful street performers singing opera. It's a unique time to be in San Francisco, and something we don't miss, come rain or come shine. After we enjoy the square, we head home for Thanksgiving dinner... part 2... then it's up the hill into Tilden Park to the carousel, to enjoy the Christmas Fantasy in the Woods.

The Carousel has a dozen or so lighted Christmas trees, with amazingly beautiful Christmas ornaments for sale. All of them more than reasonable, and all of them sweet and sentimental. Alan and I always give each other an ornament from the carousel each year for Christmas. It's one of our main gifts. Our little tree is now covered in Christmas memories. All bought from the Tilden Carousel Christmas In The Woods. Each one of those ornaments remind us of the fun we have there, or the fun of watching a child laughing or a little old couple cuddle, while holiday music plays and lights twinkle. It's special. It's the only time I really enjoy holiday music. I always balk when some dismal person insists that the holidays have become too commercial. They are only as commercial as you allow them to be. You know? It's pretty much up to you how you want to feel about things! You can choose to walk around cynical, or you can start your own holiday traditions and take a walk in the light! It's up to you!

The only other shopping tradition we have, is to purchase an Advent calender on Black Friday. We usually get that in Union Square.With the exception of the Advent calender and the special ornaments, I don't schedule my shopping, but I do look for bargains for what I plan to buy. It just makes life simpler. I do love to go out and walk around the crazy shoppers, while feeling perfectly at ease with my shopping style. It's fun to feel like the sane one once in a while! ;)

Karen, I hope you don't mind if I make this WA a bit of a pictorial. I just think the pictures complete the story...

Union Square Christmas Tree...

Mocha and Hot Chocolate...

Maiden Lane...

Maiden Lane Performer...

Xanadu Gallery (Building Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright)

Tilden Park Christmas Tree...

Tilden Carousel...

A Really Lovely Ornament...

Extra Credit: Yep... but then you already read that didn't you! LOL :)

Happy Holidays Everyone!

-Carly

Happy Thanksgiving 2010 :)

2010-11-25T00:00:00.004-05:00

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to charity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.

~ Melody Beattie

It's a beautiful Thanksgiving day here in California. Alan and I are together, and we are having a ball with out two little guys. I am making a big Thanksgiving feast today, but first Alan and I are going to cuddle up and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He has had to work every Thanksgiving for the last 8 years, but this year he decided to take the day off. Can you guess what I am most thankful for this year?

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know my oven died the day before yesterday! YIKES! There was some concern that the part that was needed to fix it wouldn't be available in time, but it did happen to come in and now it's back to it's old reliable self again, and Thanksgiving is indeed back on! Can you guess what I am thankful for this year?

Jennifer Grey won season 11 of Dancing With The Stars! I have been a big fan of hers for years! It was really nice to see a woman, about my age, win the competition. She is a talented lady, and I must say, I admire her for a lot of reasons. She is a good role model for ladies my age. Hey, don't look so surprised, it's true, even ladies my age look for role models. Can you guess what I am thankful for this year?

In November, Californians went the polls and turned California a lovely shade of BLUE. I like to call it CLEAR SKY BLUE. :) Can you guess what I am thankful for?

It took California a little longer this year, then it has in other years, to start showing it's autumn colors, but it kicked in just in time for Thanksgiving! It's really cold right now in the Bay Area, but it's GORGEOUS! The leaves are in bloom! LOL. Alan and I are going to go out, after lunch, and do some leaf picking. I have some projects all lined up for them, to keep me busy on rainy days. I am going to back an autumn leaf bed tray, and maybe some platters. I love autumn! Can you guess what I am thankful for?

If you would like to share what you are most thankful for, please feel free to share it with me in the comment thread. I would love to hear about what makes you happy!

Don't forget, The Monday Photo Shoot will be returning on Monday, January 3rd 2011! I will be looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful photography when resume the photo shoot project! I hope you will be able to join us! Be sure to check back here for holiday updates between now and New Years! Can you guess what I am thankful for?

FROM OUR HOUSE TO YOURS...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

:)

-Carly