Abstracts & Textures Challenge

Abstracts and Textures - Challenge 

from JABlogspot

This week the challenge is to get up close 

and personal with some textures.

Went out shooting and found hedge balls to be a good target.
Turns out their also a good subject when you're talking texture.

A little Kansas wheat from a field next to our house.

This little batch of fungi along a trail in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

I like to shoot to get a different perspective on my photos.
I like the texture of the concrete leading right into the texture of the track.

I know I've used this shot before but I really like the way the pollen shows on his back!

If I Could Go Back - Thirty Word Thursday

Yarn, a big heart, and 39 grandchildren.  

If I could go back to my childhood,

I’d hug my Grandma

and tell her how much

the homemade mittens

meant to me.

Grandpa died when I was three and Grandma never had much.  But every year at Christmas she had something for everyone of her 39 grandchildren.  Mittens, pillow cases, hats, scarfs, and whatever else she could make.  I can only imagine that she felt somewhat sad that we didn't get as excited about our gifts as she wanted us to be.  It's too bad it takes growing older ourselves to understand and appreciate what she did for us.  Her sacrifice, our reward.  Wish she was here so I tell her that now I understand how nice those gifts really were.

Desaturation Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge #10 from JABlogspot we will be back to editing with the use of Desaturating!  The idea here is to subtly (or not so subtly) decrease the color in a photo for a more mellow effect.


This is a tricky challenge.  I usually spend my time trying to make colors pop instead of bringing them down a notch.

I like the way the lower saturation calls attention
to the statue on top of the Capital building.

I like how the desaturation changes the cars to an almost pastel color.

A Shining Star - More Than Thirty

I am shamelessly violating the entire premise of 30 Word Thursday.  More than one picture, over seventy words, but not near enough to really recognize the star that shines in our house.

Every star has its night to shine.

Our daughter had hers last Friday.

A second year player

she plays hard and smart

always giving her best.

A little recognition for

competing at state cross country last October

after a lot of miles and hard work to qualify.

A little more recognition for

recently competing at state debate.

She’s smart and she likes logical arguments.

Ending the evening as royalty

being selected as

Queen of Courts!

Winter Is Coming Photo Challenge

Photo Challenge #9: Winter Is Coming from Jack of all Brews

This week's challenge was to take advantage of our winter landscape and try to take some pictures relating to snow, ice, or frost.  Or for anyone living in a nicer clime, I just left it as "go take some pictures outside so we can with we were there!"

The photos I chose were from a couple of years back.

I like a good snow about once a year

and then I'm ready for springs return.

One advantage to a big snow is having your kids trapped at home!

I'm getting a little old for sledding but there were some great photo ops!!

I really liked the way the Superman logo came into focus on this shot!

Nothing like home sweet home in the middle of winter!