B/W 2024 #1

“The most colorful thing in the world is black and white, it contains all colors and at the same time excludes all.”

 
~Vikrmn,

  10 Alone  

 

 I did almost no black and white photography last year, so I think this year I am going to try to do at least one b/w photo a week. This photo was taken last week, at the Stockton Rural Cemetery. I was there because cemeteries are excellent places to look for birds, and it was rainy and foggy and I was wanting to find an owl. I did not find an owl, but it was a perfect day for doing a little moody photography. This cemetery has inspired me many times, but the other day was really stunning. I promise my next black and white photo will be a little more uplifting. I wonder what it will be?

 

 

If Every Day Were Saturday And Every Month October

"I wish that ever day was Saturday,

 and every month was October."

~Charmaine J. Forde

It's A Mystery

Cat? Chicken? Or Owl?

This is the last of this particular sunset from October. It was October 25th, in the Central Valley, and it had been a glorious autumn day! Warm... almost too warm... and delicious! Alan took me out that day to search for all things autumn! Leaves, trees, birds, light. Autumn sunlight. Well, I found all those things and more! We took along some snacks, of apples and cheese. The taste of a really cold apple, on a warm autumn day is incredible! I enjoy our little getaways so much, and at the end of an almost perfect day, we were treated to this amazing fire in the sky. As we drove back home, past all the barns and vineyards of the valley, I did a series of photographs as we drove, and this picture was in the folder, ready to be posted at last. 

When I clicked on it, I noticed, for the first time, that in the right corner was a small oddly shaped object, just beyond the fence. Was it a chicken? A Cat? To tell you the truth, I am really not sure! I tried enlarging it, but I still can't say in absolute certainty what it is, but I think it might be an owl! I have been wanting to see one, and I kinda have a couple times, the problem is, when I usually spot them, we are driving past at 50 mph, it's at dusk and they are ground level. Those are not ideal conditions for spotting owls, let alone photographing them, but that is what I have to work with. Anyway, the shape seems right, but it also does if it is a cat or a chicken, so who knows? But I am leaning toward it being an owl, sitting on a piece of wood. How about you, care to guess?

#78 Leaf Of The Day

December 8th 2018

Photographed September 29th 2018

Cull Canyon

Samsung

~Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Done And Done... Almost

"You are Mr. Owl. I am Ms. Hummingbird.

 We may be from different species

 but as long as you're a bird, I'm a bird too."

~Glad Munaiseche

Let the holiday decorating begin! As of last night, I am finished with my Christmas shopping, well, almost anyway, I still have to do some stocking stuffer shopping. But I am done with the main present shopping, and done with the few new items I wanted to pick up to decorate the house with. It was some minor purchases. Candles, a swag for the fireplace, and some small stuffed animals for under the tree. As for the outside, I bought two new boxes of Christmas lights. Alan wanted to try to solar ones, so we bought them from Groupon, and I purchased some small items for the yard to make things look festive. 

We are going to put the inflatables up, and this year we will put the giant Santa plane in the yard... hopefully. We just need to figure out a few details, like where we plug it in, but it should be fine. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be the three big decorating days, and you know, I will post the progress here. The owl you see above is the only sign of Christmas in my office right now, but I am sure as we move along there will be a few more things added. I am a sucker for holiday decorating! 

:)

Have you started decorating yet?

Leaf Of The Day

December 5th 2015

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Hoot... Hoot Hoot

"You are Mr. Owl. I am Ms. Hummingbird.

 We may be from different species but as long as you're a bird,

 I'm a bird too."

~Glad Munaiseche

Isn't this owl basket adorable? I found it at Michael's for 50% off, so I purchased two of them. Right now they are sitting in the living room, on the cubby stands we bought recently at IKEA. They bring a whimsical touch to the room, but let's face it, the add that autumn flavor as well. LOL. I have been becoming a fan of owls in the last couple years or so. The new key chain I treated myself to, after purchasing my Chevy Spark, has an antique-like owl on it, and over the summer I purchased a set of owl figurines, which I thought were just too dam cute to pass up! Also on the list of new owl objects is a set of four mugs which have different colored owls sitting in a rather bare tree. Okay. Yes. I guess it's official, I am now an owl person, which kinda makes me sound like I perch in barns late at night, and hunt small rodents. LOL. How about instead we say I am an owl enthusiast!

Leaf Of The Day

 September 25th 2015

 Mood: Happy

~Me :)

52 Already?

Happy Owls
Flowerland
Albany, California
June 25th, 2014

"With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come."

~William Shakespeare

Me at 50.

It's that time again... June 29th... my birthday! Personally, I like birthdays, a lot, but it sure is strange how fast my life seems to have gone since turning 21! It is really just a blink, but when I look back over the years, I was a pretty lucky person in that blink, because I know I was loved! Alan, I love you back! And my online friends, and IN REAL LIFE friends, I love all of you as well! So it's all good! And one really great thing about being this age, I finally feel smart, and perhaps even a little wise about a few things! I wouldn't change my age for anything!

So, what does someone who is happy, and content with her life want for her birthday? Well, see, it's the little things that can make me the happiest! About a week ago, or so, one of my favorite Twitter peeps, Paul Myers (@pulmyears) posted a great photo (pretty much exactly like the one above) to his Instagram account of a set of colorful owl candles he spotted at a nursery called Flowerland. 

He filled me in on the location of the nursery, and last week I decided to pay it a little visit. Low and behold, there were the adorable candles! I decided to purchase the green one. It's got a nice autumn vibe to it, and I thought it would look really nice with my other candles on my desk. And it does. And it makes me smile. It reminds me that I am a bit older, but a bit wiser too. I am so glad he posted that photo, because if he hadn't, I would have missed out on the little green owl, and that wouldn't have been good because it was the perfect something to give myself for making it to 52!

:) 

I just hope I didn't throw off the owl's Feng shui too much!

Hello *52*... good to meet ya! :)

Mood: Happy

~Me :)