Editor's Pick

A few of my recent gallery additions over at BetterPhoto.com have been awarded the Editor's Pick. This image, titled "Tattered" is among the award winners.



I like this one because, although it looks at first glance as though it's been processed to be color on black & white, it hasn't. (Notice the green growing on the deck railing on which the flower is perched.) This is just out of the camera.

Also, I like it because it seemed the perfect metaphor for so much of life.

I found the bloom fallen, beneath the green leaves and stems of the day lily...laying on the rocks below. I noticed right away how scarred the flower had become from its fall and it's time spent on the jagged, rough rocks. Yet, it still seemed to me a thing of beauty. Rather than tossing it aside, I decided to photograph it.

As it turns out, it has a delicate strength which gives it a depth of beauty not as easily visible on more "perfect" blooms.

I really like it. I hope you do too!

Slightly Abstract

A couple more photos of the day lilies. These are a bit closer and slightly more abstract.

A study in orange.....



A study in shape.....

What's In Your Backyard?

Here's what's blooming in mine today!

Something yellow . . .



Some oranges . . .



And burnt orange too!




And one last artsy one for the road........

Quiet Holiday

This Fourth of July holiday was unusually quiet for our household.

Typically we are just beginning our family vacation right about this time of year to take full advantage of dh's extra paid time off for the holiday. We've postponed our vacation this year due to summer driver's ed.

Here's a patriotic collage I put together for the magazine. It's made of pictures from our vacation to Philly a few years ago.




We used this for the Parting Shot in the July issue.

Fort Dodge had a nice fireworks display on Friday. We watched from D's office downtown. I could get used to air conditioned, bug-free fireworks displays!

I started in on mitten #2 for the state fair. It's coming along quicker as I'm developing a bit of "muscle memory" in my left hand with the Continental technique.

I found out also that I'm a winner on the Romancing The Yarn blog! They're doing an "Endless Summer Giveaway" and all you have to do is send an email to be entered! These ladies are the best! If you haven't visited their site, the link is on the right side of this blog. Can't wait to see what yarn I've won!

Happy Knitting and Shooting!