Remembering “Charlotte’s Web”

“You mean you eat flies?” gasped Wilbur

“Certainly. Flies, bugs, grasshoppers, choice beetles, moths, butterflies, tasty cockroaches, gnats, midgets, daddy-long-legs, centipedes, mosquitoes, crickets – anything that is careless enough to get caught in my web. I have to live, don’t I?”

“Why, yes, of course,” said Wilbur. “Do they taste good”

“Delicious. Of course, I don’t really eat them. I drink them – drink their blood. I love blood.”

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“Fern says the animals talk to each other. Dr Dorian, do you believe animals talk?”

I never heard one say anything,” he replied. “But that proves nothing. It is quite possible that an animal has spoken to me and that I didn’t catch the remark because I wasn’t paying attention. Children pay better attention than grown-ups… Perhaps if people talked less, animals would talk more.”

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“Why did you do all this for me?” he asked. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.”

“You have been my friend,” replied Charlotte. “That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die… By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heavens knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

While wandering and exploring the gardens at Patti’s 1880 Settlement, I shot some random photos. Brian Walter, Grasp the Moment, always tells such wonderful stories about how his images were taken. And, I’m frequently at a loss for telling a good story.

However, as I was looking at these images, which at the time were totally unrelated and fairly random in nature, a theme started surfacing.

Perhaps the images we shoot CAN tell stories, even if there wasn’t a story behind the image…….

these boots NOT made for walking….

Over the past month or so, I’ve been blessed to have my blog visited by some very talented photographers who are new to me. To each of you, I say a sincere “thank you” for stopping by my little space on the web.

One of the fascinating aspects of photography and blogging is the new connections and friendships that are formed through this medium.

Here are just a few of the photographers with whom I’ve recently become acquainted:

Charles Needle

Mike Palmer Photography

Vinnie of Black Dog’s Photo

Julie McCloud

Suzanne Van Hulst

Enigma 3

My “RSS feeds” to daily updates is getting lengthy. But I love each and every blog I visit.

It is by visiting some of these blogs, as well as those I’ve featured with links on the side bar, that I receive my motivation, encouragement, inspiration…..

Thank you Friends. Your visits and friendships mean so much to me. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend.

Blessing for the Whole Day

An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Henry David Thoreau

Nothing is more beautiful than the
loveliness of the woods before sunrise.
George Washington Carver

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.
Henry David Thoreau

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.  ~Minnie Aumonier

We can learn a lot from trees:  they’re always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward.  ~Everett Mámor

A Little Doll

As I’m going through my attic in preparation for our upcoming move, I find items I’ve accumulated over the years. How does one decide what to keep, what to give to others, what to sell, and what to throw away.

Some items have sentimental value and others have potential monetary value.  Other items are no longer of use to me but might possibly be of use to others.  Junk. Sadly, I’ve got lots of that too!

This little cutie is an example of the type of item tucked away in a box.  She was forgotten and brought a smile when I stumbled upon her while sorting, tossing, and repacking.

No, I won’t get rid of her.

Some of you younger blog readers might not even know “who” she is and what makes her unique.  A link or two — The Bad Fads Museum and Kewpie Doll

While I am rediscovering some of these lost or hidden “treasures” I’m photographing some of them.  I also am using these images as an opportunity to experiment with some new Lightroom presets.

I seem to jump back and forth between Lightroom and PhotoShop.  For a little while I was spending all of my time in PhotoShop and had put Lightroom on the back burner.

Lightroom is so darn easy to use though.  And Matt’s free presets on Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips absolutely can’t be beat.

A couple of recent downloads, graciously shared by Matt Kloskowski, that I’m especially fond of are Vintage New York Look, Nostalgic Effect, and soft focus.

Now, if I could just remember where I got this cute “Little Kewpie Doll.”  I don’t think I’m old enough to have won her at a carnival.  Or am I?

The First Signs of Fall

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.
– Elizabeth Lawrence

Observing the first signs of fall on my morning walk…

Fall has crept up on me.  This morning as I walked the air felt a little more crisp, I noticed a few new colors in the leaves, and my attention focused on nature’s changes.

Where has the time gone?

Inspired by Tony Sweet

Tony Sweet. When I first began this photography adventure I bought a book. This book had the most wonderful images I believe I had ever seen. I read and re-read that book several times. The book was “Fine Art Flower Photography” by Tony Sweet.

It didn’t take long for me to discover Tony had two additional books that I could add to my personal library. “Fine Art Nature Photography” and “Water, Ice, and Fog” were quickly added to my ever expanding collection of photography books. And, it is a personal goal of mine to participate in a Tony Sweet Workshop next spring; perhaps in the Smoky Mountains. Can you tell I’m a big Tony Sweet fan?

And, it happens he is a jazz musician. Gotta love musicians who are photographers. Right?

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This “Sweet” inspired image was nearly deleted. Horrors!

Over this past weekend I’ve been trying to free up memory on my hard drive so I’ve been deleting a large number of shots. The image was taken back in the spring and I’m glad I revisited the image over this weekend.

OK, being honest, the image probably was an accident and not planned like Tony Sweet would do. But, I think this is one of those “happy accidents” and I’m glad I revisited it!

Why don’t you visit Tony’s site and see why I admire his work and get inspiration from him.

He has a new book coming out in January. Can’t wait!!!

I’m Back!

Approximately every 6 weeks to 2 months I make the six-hour drive to a very small town in rural Illinois to spend nearly a week with my elderly father.

Usually I spend the visit doing mundane, but necessary, chores for him such as doing his laundry, cleaning out the refrigerator, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. He has learned, however, that I simply have to get a little photography time in; usually initiated by the two of us taking a quiet drive through the country side.

This last visit we found ourselves needing to deviate our routine with an unusual amount of time getting bids from contractors to repair storm damage to his home, leaving NO time for our charming little drives and my photography.

So, what’s a gal to do? Walk across the street to a neighbor’s yard, as well as explore interesting vignettes in the garden of my cousin’s neighbors, that’s what.

These shots aren’t particularly stunning by any means. They are more like nice snapshots than artful images. That’s what seems to happen when I shoot with other people around me or when I am rushed. I had too many people surrounding me when I was shooting these. Too many people saying “Why don’t you shoot this?” or “Let’s see what you just shot.”

Perhaps that’s the “take away” message for today’s post. Photography shouldn’t be rushed.

The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. ~Hanna Rion

It is good to be alone in a garden at dawn or dark so that all its shy presences may haunt you and possess you in a reverie of suspended thought. ~James Douglas, Down Shoe Lane

Fortunately (at least for my personal needs) I was able to capture a couple of more “artful” images. These are the kind of images I enjoy working on. Trying to focus on lines, shapes, colors, texture, etc rather than just a representational snapshot of an image.

I’ve missed my daily dose of inspiration that I get by visiting my ever increasing number of favorite blogs and photo forums. When I’m in Illinois I don’t have easy Internet access.

But, enough of that…..I’m back! And I can’t wait to get back “with it!”

Oh No! More Roses?

I just keep finding more photos that I want to process and share from my visit to the special garden. I haven’t even begun to process some of the other flowers. I’m still working on roses.

Typically I am more of a “wildflower girl” and not all that fond of roses. But in this breathtaking setting, the roses just sparkled and shined, as if they were the “stars of the show.”

It didn’t matter if they were pink, peach, tea roses, or miniature roses. Each was a jewel. (You know, thinking back….I don’t think Mary had any red roses. Is that possible?)

Elegance and charm presided over each path and garden bed. The rose bed. The shade garden. The perennial bed. The cutting garden.

Please bear with me as I make an awkward transition. I need to switch gears momentarily and I can’t think of a clever way to do so.

I have an announcement for local readers of the blog.

Have you ever –

• wished you could get together with other local photographers to “talk shop?’
• wished you could learn more about photography by attending informative presentations?
• wished you get constructive feedback and comments on your photos?
• wished you could learn new tips and techniques to improve your photos or the processing of those photos?
• wished you could go on photo outings with other photographers?
• wished you could share what you know about photography with others?

Now you CAN fulfill those wishes (and perhaps even more) by joining a new group that is organizing in the Paducah/Purchase Area.

Take note of the who, what, when, and where’s.

WHO: Any person interested in photography (all skill levels welcome)

WHAT: A BRAND NEW Photography Group/Club (official name TBD)

WHEN: Organizational meeting Monday Sept 15th at 7:00 pm

(Meetings thereafter will be on the first Monday evening of each month.)

WHERE: McCracken County Public Library – Community Room, second floor

555 Washington Street
Paducah, KY 42003

Contact person: Sue Henry -
sue_henry(at)comcast.net

And….since I have started to have many regular visitors to this blog, I feel I should tell you that I will be “out of pocket” for approximately a week. I more than likely won’t be commenting on YOUR blogs or updating this blog. So, please….don’t forget about me! I’ll be back!!!

In the mean time, let’s keep looking for, and capturing, the beauty that surrounds us!

Pink Roses

A profusion of pink roses bending ragged in the rain speaks to me of all gentleness and its enduring.

William Carlos Williams

A life with love will have some thorns, but a life without love will have no roses.

Unknown

Do not watch the petals fall from the rose with sadness, know that, like life, things sometimes must fade, before they can bloom again.

Unknown

The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart.

Unknown

An acquaintance who lives within a short walk from my home invited me to photograph her garden. I spent the better part of two hours there this morning. Wandering through her garden was pure pleasure and delight. The grass and flowers were still wet from the morning dew as well as the morning watering. The sun was just rising and everything was fresh and inviting. The temperature was just a little crisp which made the outing even more pleasant.

As photographers often do, I leaned, twisted, turned and sat on the wet grass…all in hopes of capturing even just a glimpse of the beauty of the magnificent garden.

This entry features only the pink roses. Her garden contained many, many more breath taking beauties. Perhaps I will post some other treasures from “Mary’s Garden.”

Thank you Mary, for allowing me to escape into a kinder, gentler world for a few hours today. Sigh…..

The Guest Photographer

(Please visit the previous post to understand just WHO this guest photographer is!)

You asked to see some of his photos. So here they are!

It’s interesting to look at the world from a four year olds perspective.

I simply hadn’t stopped to think what a room would look like when you’re four and probably about three feet tall.

Things that interest and fascinate a four year old are often taken for-granted by an adult.

Creative angles and unusual perspectives come very easy to a four year old. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt some of us to “free ourselves up” again….think like a four year old from time to time.

We had the “horizontal vs vertical” discussion….

My grandson’s very, very favorite place to visit when he comes to our house. The library has an endless supply of DVD’s, cool computers, and very friendly staff.

We took pictures of each other; shared laughs and giggles together; and generally had a good time. And, maybe learned from each other.

In case you don’t know, being a grandparent is simply GRAND!

(Thanks to our “guest photographer” for allowing me to post his pictures on my blog!)