Round Robin Challenge: Fun, Fun, Fun + APAD: Day~10

“Give them pleasure. The same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare."


~Alfred Hitchcock

Killing two projects with one photo...


Round Robin Challenge, and Day 10 of APAD For 6 Months


Movie Review: Dark Shadows (Spoiler Alert)

The new Tim Burton film, Dark Shadows is finally here. Yes, I know it came out a week ago, and if I could have gone to see it sooner I would have, as I have been eagerly awaiting the movie's release for a long time. 40 years to be exact. So when Hollywood began doing do-overs of old movies and TV, I knew it was just a matter of time before I got to see my old friend Barnabus Collins, and the whole crazy Collins clan once again. When I was a kid, I ran home from school every day to watch Dark Shadows... who didn't? And when it was cancelled it left a huge hole in my afternoons. It was a delicious distraction from the craziness of my own family, and a nice escape from the deep heartache of watching my big brother go off to Vietnam.

Rather than thinking about my brother's absence, I plunged into all the wonderful characters of Dark Shadows. My favorite character was the witch Angelique Bouchard. Actress Lara Parker was so beautiful and glamorous to me, and her portrayal of Angelique gave me nightmares. Delicious, scary, creepy nightmares, but I always preferred them to the nightmares of my family's constant fighting, and my brother's absence. My mother fell into a deep depression after he left, and my father became quiet distant, and at times downright hostile. My sister being 10 years older than I, had her own interests, which is normal, but it left me lonely. Dark Shadows was there every day to keep me not just entertained, but served to stimulate and inspire my imagination as well. I used to wonder what it would be like to walk through the town of Collinsport, Maine. What would it be like to actually talk to Barnabus Collins. Scary? Nah... he was a good guy deep down, but he was also a tortured soul to be sure.

When I found out that Johnny Depp was to play Barnabus, I thought it was strange casting. Barnabus was a bit older, and Johnny Depp is usually a bit... well... goofy. Could he do the part justice? You bet he did! He bought a dimension to Barnabus that hadn't occurred to me before. Depp's Barnabus was indeed a bit goofy, but frankly, it was the part of Barnabus should have been there from the start. A bit of a fish out of water, his transition into modern times was a wonderful flight of fancy. The original Barnabus seemed to fit in rather easily, in fact a bit too easily. I enjoyed watching Depp's Barnabus become accustomed to life in 1972. Everything was different, music, fashion, culture, values, mode of transportation, even food had changed, but what was a vampire to do? It was time to sink or swim. And swim he did!

I kinda had to admire the modern day Barnabus for his courage. He was a man...a vampire with a mission. The marvelous choices of music from the time, kept the movie funky, while we watched Barnabus strive to fit into the new world he had found himself in. I loved the use of every piece of music, and cultural references were spot on. So, while I really thoroughly enjoyed the movie, there were things it lacked. While it did deliver some wonderfully campy thrills, and stuck fairly close to the original story, I missed some of the most quaint elements of the original. Where was Josette's theme? Her music box was a HUGE part of the original storytelling. And I would have loved to have seen the movie do more flashbacks in time, to show the great romance that was Barnabus and Josette. I think it would have been good to have seen Barnabus's dalliance with Angelique, and the heartbreak his rejection brought her. She was a woman scorned, and it would have been good to have seen why. Angelique had cursed Barnabus for a reason, and it was an all too common reason, good old fashioned heartbreak. And that is what made the whole situation so relatable. Who can't identify with heartbreak?

The rest of the movie was well cast, especially Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, but over all the actors and the characters seemed to lack the same amazing chemistry of the original cast.

So, while I enjoyed the new movie, which completely stands on it's own, I will always love the original more.

I give it **** kernels of popcorn out of ***** Seriously... go see it!

Me :)

Okie Doke, That's my posting for both the Round Robin Photo Challenge and my new project APAD For 6 Months. If you would like to join in either meme, you are more than welcome to do so. Click here to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog where you will find all you need to know about playing along. As for my project, just post a photo and come back to the comment thread of this entry with the direct link back to it. I will post your link with tomorrow's posting.


 See you tomorrow!

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 9~ Cinnamon

"Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like."

 ~ David Alan Harvey

Gardening gives me a good bit of happiness. Alan and I live in a small cottage, that sits on a large property. Our back yard is three times the size of the house itself, and so there is ample room to grow not just delicious vegetables, but to also grow some flowers. I have claimed an area to the side of the yard, where I have put in what will eventually be our zen garden.

It is a constant work in progress. I add a little more to it each year. To begin with I put in a Japanese maple, the leaves of which you see above. It's an easy tree to grow, and gives me a little taste of autumn with those lovely red leaves, that are actually the color of cinnamon red hot candies. It brings me a lot of happiness. I planted the maple after our friend, Paul, passed away. He was a nice man, and he was always good to us.


Surrounding the maple are my roses. I have a nice variety of peach, pink, deep red, deep lavender and two different ones that are varigated colors. One of bright yellow/bright pink, and the other one is white with soft pink around the edges. Their scent ranges from a deep spicy rose scent to a soft, slightly citrus aroma. To guard against ants and aphids, I sprinkle a lot of cinnamon between the roses, and around the edge of the Cape Cod fencing.


It's the scent of cinnamon, mixed with the scent of all the spicy roses that keeps me blissfully in autumn. When I sit in that area of the garden, I am instantly back in my favorite season, and all is right with the world. Well... almost. There is no such thing as a perfect place. A perfect garden. A perfect world. A perfect moment. A perfect season...


But when I see what I have accomplished with the roses and the tree, and I think about how lovely it all is it feels like nothing really bad could happen outside that little Cape Cod fence. It's just home to me. My safe place. And it doesn't hurt if a couple of cats, namely Dylan and Hendrix, come and sit with me. Even if Hendrix's favorite snack is rose petals. You see, he eats them like potato chips. LOL. No worries... it's all good!

~Me :)


If would like to join me on my A Photo A Day For 6 Months challenge, please feel free to do so. It's just my way of getting back into the swing of blogging regularly. Just get your photo, post it, and come back here with the direct link back to it. I will list your link with the photo for the following day. There's NO subject, just photograph what you want and share it with me.


Now, go see what yesterday's participants came up with...


Duane
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdtate/7213752826/in/photostream 


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/apadf6-8.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 8~ Doing Lunch

"Ask not what you can do for your country... ask for lunch."

~Orson Welles

Aren't they a cute? Are they just friends, or are they best friends? Do they have the economy on their mind? Well, doesn't everyone? Perhaps they are more interested in who will win the mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars. Or maybe the couldn't care less about that, but they find themselves talking for hours about the economic crisis in Greece. Maybe one speaks about how taxes are way to high, while the other one tries to reason with their friend that it's time that the 1% finally pay their share.

Maybe they are just enjoying their lunch.

Sometimes there is just nothing like setting a nice table, fixing something to eat that's really delicious and slightly decadent, and enjoying the company of someone whose really nice.

Simple. Pleasant. Elegant.

There's nothing like it.

:)

~Me

If you would like to join me in my quest to post a Photo A Day For 6 Months, please, grab your camera and post your photo! Come back here after you do, and leave me a direct link back to it. Everyone is welcome, and you don't have to post every day if you don't want. Also, there is no subject to follow, just take your photo and share what you find. It's that easy. Now, go check out what my friend Duane came up with!

Duane
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdtate/7207868088/

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 7: Sponges

“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just 'gets' me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen."

~Stephen Wright quotes

** Please Note: I am incredibly busy this week. I will be by to see and comment on all participants photos this coming weekend. Thank you so much for being patient with me... you're good friends. 

:) 


Sometimes you are the Appendix... Sometimes you are the Sponge.



Do you ever feel like a sponge? Like you just absorb all the stuff that comes your way, with or without your permission? I only have enough room for just a certain amount of information, and I tend to store it away in it's proper memory folder, but then there sits all the stupid stuff... trivia, idiotic neighbors that actively work on robbing me of my last nerve, useless every day drama that invariably tends to stalk me... like I said... STUPID STUFF. Who invented the stupid, useless, dramatic, idiotic stuff? Personally, I am thinking GOD. Yep, it's pretty much GOD'S curse and/or GIFT to us.


Follow...



You see, all the stuff that comes at us, that might seem stupid and useless at first view, but might actually work like an appendix does for a doctor. Your appendix sits there your whole life, not doing much, but there is always the chance that one day it will spasm and or rupture, so some doctor, somewhere, will get the chance to practice his or her skills as a surgeon.


 My appendix ruptured when I was 7 years old, after a long evening of playing Monopoly with my sister, accompanied the unreasonable consumption of Planter's Salted Peanuts. Was it the the game of Monopoly? Was it spending time with my evil sister? Was it the unreasonable consumption of Planters Salted Peanuts? Or was it GOD giving someone, something to do?


Was I just the sponge?


Thoughts? Do you ever feel like a sponge? If so, Please, tell me of your own experience with being a sponge. 


Me:)
See ya tomorrow!

If you would like to join in with my project, please grab your camera and come along. Just post your photo, and come back here with a direct link back to it. There is NO daily subject, just post whatever you see that day, and share a little bit about why you decided to post that particular photo. 

JR Cline (Photo link for Day 5)
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/apadf6-5.html

JR Cline (Photo link for Day 6)
Here is my for this day. http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/apadf6-6.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 6~ Time

"To achieve greatness two things are needed, a plan, and not quite enough time."


~Leonard Bernstein

Feeling quiet. Not sad. Not mad. Not happy. Not tired. Not restless. Not content. Not Unwilling. Not Accessible. Not  distant.


Quiet.


Like a clock at 1:05 PM. 


~ Me (Hearing "La Viva Vida" by Coldplay)


Hey shutterbugs, grab your cameras and join me on my six month journey toward digital awareness. You don't have an assignment to follow, in fact I encourage you to set out on your photo quest each day for what's waiting to be seen. No preconceived notions. No expectations. Don't look for the photo... let it find you. Stay open... it will. I promise.

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 5~ Into The Blue

"Nobody can feel uncheered with a balloon."

~Winnie The Pooh

What is it about balloons? Why do they make me smile? I always feel really good in the presence of a balloon. Or is it the color blue? Blue makes me feel good also. Shrug. At the end of the day I guess it doesn't really matter. These blue balloons made me forget... for a little while. Or was it the helium that made me forget? I don't know... because... I forgot!


WINK.


~Me :)


This is day 5 of my little project of A Picture A Day For 6 Months. See, I had taken a brief break from blogging regularly, and this is my way of getting back into the swing of things. If you would like to join me, jump in any time. You don't have to follow any certain theme, just post whatever you see that day, and maybe include why it caught your eye. It's all good. If you do post a blog entry, come back here and leave a direct link back to it in the comment thread. I will include your link in the entry I post tomorrow. It's that easy.

Jr Cline
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/apadf6-4.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 4~ Inconsiderate

"Being considerate of others will take your children further in life any collage degree"


~Marian Wright Edelman

Today's Photo of the Day comes with a Word of the Day... INCONSIDERATE. Simple, common, everyday, INCONSIDERATE. So, do I have your interest? Good, here's what happened...

On Saturday, Alan and I drove down to Castro Valley to attend the annual Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade. We attend every year, because it's a nice chance to revisit, and enjoy some sunny fun time in a nice community. We got there about 15 minutes before the parade was about to begin, set up our lawn chairs, and looked toward the start of the parade route.


A few minutes later, along came a cute family of four. A mom, dad and two young boys. They didn't have chairs, so they had the choice of either sitting on the curb next to us, or standing, to view the oncoming parade. The mom and dad chose to stand. And not just stand anywhere... they decided to stand directly in front of of Alan and I and the father of two that was seated to my direct left.


The family of INCONSIDERATES (Not A Word) continued to stand directly in our view for the remainder of the parade. The family turned toward us more than once, and chose to ignore the fact that they were blocking us. If they had simply sat down on the curb, they would have had an unobstructed view of the parade, as there was no one seating to the side of them for at least 50 feet. It was just them, making a conscience effort to block the view of those to their left, whoever it might be. It just so happened that it ended up being Alan and I and the father of two.


WTF?


Seriously?


Do they want their children to grow up with the same lack of manners they have?


And to make it all just a little bit worse... the female INCONSIDERATE talked on her cell phone for most of the parade, and the male INCONSIDERATE didn't take one single picture.


Like I said... WTF?


I promise tomorrow's Photo Of The Day will be much less GRRRRR. It's just the considerate thing to do!


~Me :)


If you would like to participate in my A Photo A Day For 6 Months project, jump right in! Post your photo, and come back here and leave me the direct link to it in the comment thread for today, and I will to your post in tomorrow's entry.


Kat
http://inmydreamssfk.blogspot.com/2012/05/dandelion.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 3~ The Egret

No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.

 ~ William Blake 

I love Egrets. The Snowy Egret is my favorite, this one is a Great Egret. Which is still pretty great, but oh those Snowy Egrets with their silly bright yellow feet... so silly... so beautiful!

~Me :)

If you would like to participate in my challenge of a photo a day for 6 months, grab your camera and jump on in. Just post your entry and then come back here with the direct link back to it. I will post your link with tomorrow's blog entry.

Kat

http://inmydreamssfk.blogspot.com/2012/05/floral-abstraction.html 

JR Cline
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/05/apadf6-2.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 2~ Gone Fishing

Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting. 

 ~Dave Barry


A few weeks back, I won 4 free tickets to the California Academy of Sciences, and Alan and I had a wonderful time. Alan loves to go fishing, which is fine, but me... not so much! LOL. This is my favorite way to go fishing, in a controlled environment, with camera in hand. Although I have to admit, Alan is an amazing cook, and his recipe for Teriyaki Shark is delicious. :) Still, I think I enjoy watching fish play and swim about. It's a happy thing.



See you tomorrow!


~Me :)



This is day two of my A Photo A Day For 6 Months. If you like the idea, please come join me and I will post a link to your photos. Just comeback here and leave a direct link in the comment thread for this entry, and I will be happy to post your link with tomorrow's APADF6 entry!

A Photo A Day For Six Months

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."

~Groucho Marx

I used to be a pretty good photographer. I know I always feel much more positive, as a person, when I have had an exhausting day with my camera. In that I am much more of a visual person, than a person of words, a perfect day for me must include my camera and a little bit of help from the muses. My friend Steven, who I spoke a little about in the previous entry, called me once... "A seeker of light." I couldn't believe someone who was as an amazing photographer as he was, would find anything remotely interesting about my photography. His friendship and advice, over the years, regarding my photography, made me a much better artist. I will miss him forever.



In the last year or so I have been dealing with some health issues, nothing serious mind you, just an under active thyroid, that, while not dangerous, has made me completely exhausted. So much so that I put my Monday Photo Shoot project on hiatus. It's been over six months since I have posted with any regularity, but the other day, when I wasn't falling asleep at 4:PM, I decided that it was time to get back into the swing of things. It was time to once again pick up my camera.


I have given myself a goal, and here's how it works. I am going to going to post one new photo a day, to this blog, for the next 6 months, just to get those creative juices flowing again. There was a time, not all that long ago, I used my camera daily, and I felt amazing while doing so. Was it the colors of the world? Was is the subjects that caught my eye? Was it the amazing freedom I felt? In truth, it was probably a little of each.


So, the photo you see above, represents my first step back into the world of photography. I took this photo last Tuesday in Golden Gate Park, in San Francisco. GGP has never let me down when it comes to finding something to photograph. From brides, to flowers, to performance artists, to the Shakespeare Garden, I have always found something in GGP to inspire my inner artist with.


Photography always makes me feel happy inside. :)


It's important to follow your bliss... right?

Does anyone want to join me? If so, grab your camera and join in. Leave the your link to your photo in the comment thread and I will post it in the entry for the next day's photo.




-Me :)

Round Robin Challenge: Flowers For Steven

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

~Clyde Campbell

**Round Robin Challenge: Flowers For Steven

 

I don't remember the exact date Steven and I became friends, it seemed like we were friends forever. He was one of those people you meet that makes you feel instantly at ease, he was one of those people who calls you friend first, not getting all hung up in whatever your earthly flaw might be. 

The first thought I remember having, after reading his first comment left on my old AOL blog Ellipsis, was... I like this person. Then I visited his blog, (sometimes) photoblog, and I remember being knocked out by his amazing talent with a camera. Just looking at his photos made me smile, just looking at his photos made me happy inside. Happy was something I really needed.

One day, in early December 2003, I got a phone call from a relative, informing me of my mother's passing. She had been gone almost 6 weeks, but my siblings had decided not to tell me. I had to hear about it through my niece, who felt I had a right to know. 

Needless to say, I opened up my blog, and opened a vein of pain. I blogged about what it felt like to find out that way. I had no real idea anyone would really notice, I was new to blogging and the last thing I had on my mind was whether or not anyone would read what I wrote. But Steven did. He read what I wrote, and understood the pain I was in.

He contacted a friend of mine who also blogged, and asked her to check in on me. Someone cared. Someone I barely knew... cared. Someone who I barely knew, took the time to make sure I was okay. That single, solitary gesture might seem like a small thing, but it wasn't to me. It was a first gesture of friendship. It was more than my own flesh and blood did for me.

I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders that night. I felt like my life had been touched by someone  extraordinary... and come to find out... it really had been. I had somehow made a friend, and along with it, I also found a mentor. Steven had an amazing gift of the visual. His blog was a daily feast for the eyes. Steven's floral photography was beautiful, but he also enjoyed other subjects, especially critters and cats, and his cat Pickle in particular.

Steven and I shared a love of photography, and a love of cats. His cat Pickle, made Internet friends with my cat Elvis. One of my favorite memories was our cats debating over who should be elected president in 2008. Elvis was supporting Hillary Clinton, while Pickle was rooting for Obama. LOL. Both cats had their own guest entries on our blogs, and when all was said and done, they shook paws and remained best buddies... as all mature cats do.

:)

A short time later that year, a few weeks before the presidential election, my Elvis succumbed to cancer. Pickle, who was over 14 years old, was also in poor health, and Steven and I shared in what was to be the inevitable future. We celebrated out cats lives, and the happiness they brought us, and we grieved together when we lost them. 

Weep.

I found out about Steven's death, by accident a couple months ago. As I read the online memorial once, twice, three, four times, I hoped somehow it wasn't true. I read it over and over, hoping the content would somehow change. It didn't. The realization that Steven was gone was finally beginning to become reality. I thought about what our last conversation might have been. 

I remember he had decided to take a short break from blogging, after Pickle's death, to kinda regroup and catch his breath. I remember him telling me that he needed the time off, but it wouldn't be for long because he enjoyed sharing his photography too much to stay away too long.

Days, months and finally years went by. I thought of him, and where he might be. I considered calling him, but decided not to. I felt like if he wanted to talk he knew he could call anytime. Somehow it felt like it should be his decision. I sent a couple emails to tell him how much we all missed him, but there was no reply. Finally I decided to let it go. Sometimes people stop blogging, for many reasons, so I felt like if he wanted to share his plans... he would. 

Weep.

Even sitting here right now, I know in my head I will never see his fun little smile at the bottom of one of my blog entries again, but in my heart... well...  

Weep.

Sometimes you meet someone in life, and you wonder how in this great big world you ever got to be so blessed. Steven was one of those people. 

Goodbye my friend. I will miss you always. Think of you often. And smile when I do. :-)

-Carly

 **If you knew Steven, and would like to share your own memories of him, there is still plenty of time to participate. Simply click the link at the beginning of this entry to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog, where you can find all the details and links to other participants.

Round Robin Challenge: Back To The Egg

"Love and Eggs are best when they are fresh."

-Russian Proverb

RRC: Back To The Egg

The incredible edible egg. What would like be without eggs? No eggs... no cake. Wait! That's not true. Okay... no eggs... no quiche! Wait... that's not true either. Tofu has been standing in for eggs for quite some time now. How about no eggs... no ice cream. No, there is such a thing as egg less ice creams. Well, it guess it's been true for a long time, there are lots of substitutions for eggs in recipes, and most of the time it's pretty tasty to, but so far NO ONE has been able to come up with a substitution for one of my favorite midnight snacks... a hard boiled egg with a dash of sea salt on top. Simple. Delicious. 90 calories. YUM!

And now for a little humor...

"That's what I get for putting all my eggs in one bastard."

-Dorothy Parker

Wasn't she great with words?

-Me :)


There is still time to get in on this Round Robin Challenge, just click the link at the top to be redirected to the official Round Robin blog! You can also find a list of other participants of this challenge!

Happy Valentine's Day 2012

Many are the stars I see, but in my eye no star like thee.

~English Saying


Tell someone you LOVE them today. It does a heart good!

:)

Hmmm...Something Seems To Be Missing

"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!

"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

"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

"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

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

"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

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