skip to main |
skip to sidebar
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."
-John Lubbock
RRC: Floating.
Suggested by Vicki, of the blog, Maraca.
Like my duck? I was in Golden Gate Park this past week, and saw this guy floating in the pond at the DeYoung Museum and just knew he would be perfect for this challenge. Alan thinks this would make a great painting, so, wish me luck, I think I will give this one a try!
I received an email this past week, asking if it was okay to use archived photos for the challenges. The answer is that we really want to encourage you to get out with your cameras during the 2 weeks in between challenges, and get something new, but archived photos are perfectly acceptable as well. It is best, however, if the photos used are ones that haven't been posted for a while. About 6 months or so. I have used archived photos many times, in fact the ones below are archived. I first showed the one titled "Autumn Duck" a couple years ago, while the photograph of the "Jeremiah O'Brian" was taken back in March, but has not been previously published.
"Pink Water Lily"
"White Water Lily"
"Autumn Duck"
"Great Egret""Jeremiah O'Brian"
My father worked on the restoration of the Jeremiah O'Brian after he retired. It was very special to him. I enjoy going to see it when I am in San Francisco. I can feel his spirit right with me every time I look at it. :)
So, there you have it! Now, let's go see what everyone else saw "FLOATING."
Linking List
**Welcome New Members!**
1. Vicki... Maracas
Posted! 05/17/09
2. Carly... Ellipsis
Posted!
3. Karen... Outpost Mavarin
Posted!
4. Sherrie... Sherrie's Stuff
Posted!
5. Jen... Phun With Photography
6. Linda... Linda's Window
Posted!
7. Linda... Mommy's Treasures
Posted!
8. Monica... Click Shots
Posted!
9. Butch and Angie... Snippets of Memories
Posted!
10. Molly Mavis... Visual Dialogues
Posted!
11. boliyou... endomental
Posted!
12. Alexa... Imagination Pounces
Posted!
13. Robinella... Robinella's
Posted!
14. Jama... Sweet Memories
Posted!
15. Jennifer... My Muskoka
Posted!
16. Mojo... Why? What Have You Heard?
Posted!
17. The Explorer... Las Islas Filipinas
18. Marina... Visual Chronicle
Posted!
19. ellenb... The Happy Wonderer
Posted!
20. Sandra... A Cappuccino a Day
Posted!
21. Peggy... Holmspun Fun
Posted!
22. Gattina... Keyhole Pictures
Posted!
23. Teena... It's all about me!
Posted!
"When the tides of life turn against you and the current upsets your boat, don't waste those tears on what might have been, just life on your back and float."
-Unknown
-Carly
"Impressionist Duck"
DeYoung Museum
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
May, 2009
"Cats often devise their own sets of rules that they think we should live by, and they may be quick to chastise us if we fail to adhere to these rules!"
-Margaret Reister, D.V.M.
It's time for an update about my rascals! And what rascals they are. When we first started allowing the boys to play in the backyard, Dylan would have none of it! I had to pick him up and deposit him in the yard, otherwise he would sit at the door and cry. I am sure he was still a bit traumatized from what had happened to him him early in life. When I brought him home, he was content to be inside the rest of his life, but one day he came out of his shell and discovered that that his backyard was not only safe, but held all kinds of adventure. Suddenly he was hooked on exploring with his brother, playing the "Chase Me, Chase You" game and that life is just about perfect under mommy's lemon tree. Sometimes, however, Dylan decides to go a little too far with his exploring... he wants to know what is beyond the fence.
Hendrix is a very different cat. He likes the outdoors too, but he is very happy to check in with Mom every half hour or so, and always comes when he is called. He has become the responsible one. He watches out for his brother, and if he begins to stray too far, like he did that one day, Hendrix comes to the back door, and whines in a particular way to let us know that his brother is being a rascal. When Alan, Dylan and I are asleep, Hendrix plays with his stuffed animals, very quietly, as to not disturb us. I know this because many times I have opened my eyes in the middle of the night, to see him doing just that. He is learning to be considerate of others, just like Elvis did. That makes me very happy.
Life couldn't be more fun then it is right now with my boys. They will be 9 months old on June 2nd, and I am already looking forward to celebrating their birthdays. I am thinking it will be a Winnie The Pooh theme, or maybe Micky Mouse. We'll see. I also have to think about their costumes for Halloween. Maybe Dylan will be the clown this year, and Hendrix can be a Vampire. Don't tell Alan, but I bought Hendrix a costume last year... it's just waiting for him! LOL. I love these cats to an unreasonable level!!!
-Carly
"A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies and adopting new viewpoints."
-Wilfred Peterson
Photography is my adventure. But you know that... right? I have been a little lost since my beloved Konica Minolta Dimage Z1 met with an untimely near death on New Year's Day, at the paws of two flying monkeys known as Dylan and Hendrix. Sigh.
My awesome little camera served me well, but I had been thinking about an upgrade for years. Then, along came my Type 2 Diabetes, and Elvis's cancer, and the loss of a family member and a good friend, and it all seemed to be putting the weight of the world on my creativity. I am doing a lot better. I can think about Elvis without crying, and I can almost hear my brother-in-law Darryl saying, "Girl, get back into life, go take some pictures!"
Yeah Darryl, I know.
Yesterday, Alan and I started our garden this year, and began planning what we are both looking forward to this summer and autumn. We bought some tomato plants and some pepper plants for the vegetable garden, and I got some seed packets for my ZIN garden witch included some flower packets and some hot peppers, but the star of my garden is the beautiful Japanese Maple tree we found at Home Depot. Alan said he wanted me to always be able to have a little bit of autumn around to make me smile.
My garden is in the very early stages, I will do some updating as it takes shape.
But back to the camera.
I have found the new one for me. The Panasonic DMC FZ28. I have done my research and it has some really good user ratings, as well as CNET reviews. Costco has it for around $350.00 but Amazon has it for $75.00 less. Here is where the big decisions are made. I can get it cheaper if I want to wait for it to arrive. I can do that, but in the past, I have had some trouble returning things to Amazon. Is it worth paying the extra $75.00 in order to have a simpler return in case of a problem?
Tricky... very tricky.
The next really big photography opportunity will be in mid-October, when Alan and I are finally going to make it up to Plumas county to see the amazing turning of the leaves. It's just amazing color everywhere you look. It's far enough off, that I can do as much shopping around as I want. I don't want to run into this decision. Until I am able to make the purchase, I have my Dimage working again, thanks to a couple of rubber bands! LOL. It looks dorky as hell, but it is still taking amazing photos!
The photo you see above, was taken in 2005 with my little injured camera. It was/is a nifty little camera, but it was only 3.2 mega pixels and a 10x optical zoom. The Panasonic features 10.0 mega pixels and an 18x optical zoom. It's definitely the step up I have been longing for! I keep thinking about how much better that photo would have been with less noise in it.
It gives me something to really look forward to, but the waiting is hell!
-Carly
"My wife is always trying to get rid of me. The other day she told me to put the garbage out. I said to her I already did. She told me to go keep an eye on it."
-Rodney Dangerfield
I was out with the camera one day, looking to find something out of the ordinary to photograph. This pile of garbage looked particularly interesting to me. It just caught my interest. What do you think? Is it artistic... or not so much?
Tell me what you think!
If so, why? If not, why not?
What's your first impression?
This is your chance to play art critic.
Feel free to leave a caption. I call it, "After Lunch" but I am open to other captions. If you are feeling creative, feel free to leave your own caption for this photo in the comment thread. I will be looking forward to seeing what you come with!
UPDATE: Martha has started a new meme. I am playing along, here is the addy so you can too!
Menagerie
-Carly
"I went to the museum where they had all their heads and arms from the statues that are in all the other museums."
-Steven Wright
I took this picture with my camera's cell phone. Not too bad for a 2.1. mega pixels. LOL. Sheesh. I got up early, cleaned my camera, added some new batteries, and placed it gingerly in the camera bag. I was all set. Too bad I forgot my camera case when I left the house! Jeepers! Sheesh! It's true... after 21 you pretty much go down hill losing your memory along with your car keys. LOL. Whoever added cameras to cell phones is a brilliant, brilliant person! Anyway, the first Tuesday of each month, the DeYoung museum and the Legion of Honor are both free to the public, and last week Alan and I went. It's a great way to spend an afternoon in San Francisco! Look at what I saw...
"Minuteman"
By Robert Arneson
"Corridor Pin, Blue"
by Claes Oldenburg
:)
Do you have a favorite museum? How about a favorite work of art? Do you take photos with your cell phone? Do you have a backup camera that you always have with you? Tell me everything!
-Carly
"There is a hunger to see the human presence acted out. As long as that remains, people will find a way to do theater."
-Zelda Fichandler
EMPS #37: THEATERS. NOW CLOSED!
There are a couple of big movies out this week and next, so I thought it might just be a good time to focus on one of the coolest things about the upcoming season of summer... going to the THEATER! If you are going to the movies this week, grab your camera and show me your favorite movie house. Maybe you prefer stage productions to movies... ok... show me where go to see a good play! Be it community THEATER or Broadway, it's all good! Do you have a historic THEATER in your town, if so, show it to us! Playbills are good. Children's stage productions are just super. If it is THEATER related, I will be thrilled to see it! THEATERS tend to have rich, wonderful pasts, do a little Google search, you never know what tidbit you might find out about your local THEATER.
Extra Credit: Show me a movie or play poster from outside the THEATER.
**Please Read**
You have until next Sunday evening at 9:00 PM ET to get your photo, post it to your blog, journal or website, and comeback here with the direct link. Please remember, it must be the direct link, specific to this week's photo shoot assignment. No hyperlinks will be added to the Linking List. Also, it would be super if you could add a link back here to this entry, so other folks can find the assignment and play along!
Linking List for EMPS#36: A WALK IN THE PARK 05/04/09
NOW CLOSED!
1. Suzanne takes us on a visit of Wait Park, in Oregon. Cool name for a park methinks. :)
2. Karen shows us Reid Park, "The Central Park of Tucson."
3. Jama's favorite park is Bishan park in Singapore. Go look. It's amazing!
4. Greg photographed a beautiful sunset along the Blue Ridge Beltway. It's a stunning, rich landscape.
5. Connie shows us a park that was purchased by a local Lion's Club in recent years. Plenty of space for fun and frolic!
Very nice pictures of parks! I am all set to get on my walking shoes and head up to Tilden park here in Berkeley! Thanks folks, for the inspiration!
:)
Go be photographers. I will see you next Monday with a brand photo shoot assignment!
-Carly
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."
-Oprah Winfrey
I am really tired. :) It has been a very long, very enjoyable weekend. :) Alan and I take the second weekend in May off each year, not so much for Mother's Day, but for all the fun things to do around the Bay Area. Starting with the annual Chili Cook-off at the Rowell Ranch in Castro Valley, which takes place the night before the Rodeo parade on Saturday. On Saturday evening we grab something yummy, like a pizza or chicken, and head across the bay into Marin County to get a front row seat for the fireworks at the end of the KFOG Kaboom concert! It's a fun weekend. I look forward to it each year, and I know Alan enjoys having a little time to just take a deep breath and relax a bit. He deserves it!
:)
Take a look a what we have been up to...
Alan liked the chili made by Eden Medical Center the best. They got all his votes!
Miss Rowell Ranch Rodeo, Brittany Voss.
Yummy Eats!
Alameda County Supervisor, Nate Miley.
Silly Clown! :)
Cowboys!
The theme of this year's parade was, "Back To The Future." It was interesting to see not one, not two, but 5 Deloreans!
And there is more planned for this week! Right now I am off to make a pitcher of lemonade, and gather the picnic basket together. We are going bike riding later. Fun, fun, fun! Staycations ROCK!
This our official kickoff to the summer. How about you? When does summer officially begin for you? Is it when the season begins on the calendar? Is it Memorial Day weekend? What regional festivals do you enjoy attending?
-Carly
"Pink Water Lily"
"White Water Lily"
"Autumn Duck"
"Great Egret"
