In the Pink - Daily Photo 97/365

The past couple weeks I've been thinking a lot about this Daily Photo Project.  It's hard to believe that we're 97 days into 2011 already, but I wouldn't have noticed that if I'd not been pursuing this project.

This project has been a struggle and I'm only about 25% into it.  For someone like me, to whom creativity doesn't come easily, I find myself toying with dropping the project...every single day.

But I don't want to be a quitter.

So what is good about this project?

Discipline would have to be the first thing on the "good" list.

My technical skills with my camera are improving.

It's forcing me to venture out each day and to look at things, really look at things, in order to see their photographic potential.

Part of me is frustrated because it seems that I'm drawn to the same thing every day for a week or two, then I move on to something different.

Today though, it's not so frustrating.  Why?

Because what I'm drawn to are the amazingly beautiful evidences of spring - new life - and it should be capture me every day.  It should be just as breath-taking today as it was yesterday.

The beauty doesn't fade, it just changes into a different beauty.  And if it's something that doesn't change I still want to catch my breath when I see it.  The beauty of God's creation is impossible for me to articulate and the day that it no longer captures me is a sad day.

So if you find yourself bored with my pictures thinking to yourself, "that again?" maybe it's time to stop and shake off the trappings of the everyday and and once again bask in the newness of each day that God has given us. 

Into the Sun - Daily Photo 96/365

Today I put the dark filter on my lens and went out into the sun.

My intention was to capture the sunlight filtering through the petals of the dogwood blossoms.

The filter prevented the sunlight from blowing out the whites

Even the red tips - that are best seen from the back of the blossom - are more vivid.

Do you think I overdid it?

The tree from a distance - a bucolic (is that the right word?) scene.

The remnants of storm clean-up

Bark-covered tree downed in the storm.

After the Storm - Daily Photo 95/365

Yesterday's storm did some damage in the neighborhood.  The fragile bradford pear trees are often casualties of wind storms.  Our neighbor had half of her bradford pear tree split off and landed on her deck.  No damage to the house though.

Here's what was left standing. 

But there is beauty after the storm.

The dogwood trees have begun to blossom.

 Beautiful salmon-pink.

 The blossom tends to face up, like it's cupping the sunshine.

 Another tree is blossoming - I don't know what it is, do you?

The pink against the vivid blue sky is gorgeous.

You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til It's Gone - Daily Photo 94/365

Yesterday was an interesting day.  Last Saturday they were already predicting bad storms for our area for Monday but I didn't get concerned.  After all, they've been wrong before and the only thing to do is prepare for the worst, not worry.

Yesterday (Monday) morning I had to go to the other side of town.  The side of town that always seems to "enjoy" the worst weather in town.  Thankfully I got home just before the rains moved in.

This is an unedited pic (as are the next two pictures) from yesterday, I wanted you to see how dark it was in the early afternoon.

I was able to put in a couple hours of work before my appointment but when I got home the plan was to put in another three or four hours.

Around 2:00 p.m. I noticed that it was getting darker and I heard some thunder rumbling in the distance. 

My intention was to finish what I'd started then shut down my computer (not on wifi).  As is usual with intentions, it didn't work out.

Candles were lit everywhere around the house. 

Suddenly there was a loud crack of thunder - I actually jumped! - then everything shut down.  The power toyed with me by returning then shutting down a couple times before it got serious and shut down completely.

The wind began blowing with terrific force but I couldn't see any funnel clouds.  The rain was coming down so densely that it was difficult to see across the street - and it was not falling straight down.

We ended up being without power for more than six hours.  In the scheme of things that is NOTHING!  We experienced no wind or rain damage.  I was safe in my house and by the time my DH had to drive home from work the worst of the storm was over.

I learned that it's smart to have UNscented candles for this kind of emergency.  Phew!  The scents were heavy in the air and making me sick to my stomach. 

I have to admit to being surprised at how handcuffed I felt without electricity.  If it wasn't for being able to connect with the outside world with my phone I think perhaps I wouldn't have handled the isolation with much grace.

By the time the power came back on I was already in bed so that's why yesterday's photos are being posted today.

J & K, I now have a new appreciation for your plight and I'm so glad that you were able to get a generator to offset your frequent power outages.

Told You So - Daily Photo 93/365

This is the place to be in spring time.

The blossoming trees against a backdrop of a vivid blue sky are awe-inspiring.

Then there are these.  The double-blossoms on our tree.

Perhaps it's not polite to say "I told you so," but I did say that we'd be seeing a lot of pink this week and it started yesterday evening.

But today, oh today, amazing.

The color.  The texture.  The beauty.

Happy Birthday DH - Daily Photo 92/365

Today's post isn't about photographic quality, it's about heart.
It's a day early but today was the celebration for my DH's 60th birthday. 

His birthday is always cause for celebration because twelve years ago was almost his last one.

Morbid?  No.  Just very aware of God's generosity in giving us these added years.

Our daughter always thinks of the most unique gifts.  This year she listed "60 Things I Love About My Dad" then put them into five frames.
(I asked the DH for permission to take pictures of the gift and use them for my Daily Photos.)

The cropping is close and they're enlarged so that they are as legible as possible.
This is a beautiful tribute from a daughter to a father.

Cloudy with a Chance of Pranks - Daily Photo 91/365

This post is a day late but these are still shots from yesterday.  I was just too tired to sit at the computer yesterday evening and process then post the images.

The Amazing Ones I & II were over yesterday to help me do some things around the house.

They make everyday tasks easier and more fun.

Then, just as we'd finished, Mommy called.  She needed to run an errand so I asked if she'd bring Amazing One III and Amazing One IV over too. 

That allowed Mommy to run her errand quickly - she even took her time & browsed but was back much too soon.

I knew that being around Amazing One I and Amazing One II yesterday was living dangerously.  They're expert pranksters and as we all know, yesterday was an official holiday for pranksters.

Tonight is the birthday party for my DH and I warned the Amazing Ones that JH would be here and he is King of the Pranksters so watch out, he won't care that today isn't April Fools Day.

So they're plotting.  They want to have a prank all set up and ready so they can dethrone the king.

They tried to employ my help but I refused, this is their prank.  Besides I don't want to put myself in JH's sights.  Nope, I don't live that dangerously.

Hope -- Daily Photo 90/365

Where did March go?

For that matter, where did spring go?

It's cold and wet, like winter.

But I have hope.

Spring ALWAYS follows winter.

Procrastination - Daily Photo 89/365

This was a last-minute kind of day.  I purposely put off today's photo until the last available daylight.

It was't because I wanted to experiment with lighting techniques.

It was pure procrastination.

I have to admit that this daily-photo project is getting old and I'm only on day 89!  But a commitment is a commitment.

When one isn't of a creative bent inspiration is hard to come by.

Perhaps part of the problem is that I'm easily bored.  It seems that I take pictures of the same thing over and over and over...you get the idea.

The good news is that I'm supposed to do a session with a young family - each one of them is photogenic! - in the next few weeks, so I'll be able to post some portrait work.

That will make for a nice change.

My Neighborhood - Daily Photo 88/365

This seen makes me want to sit on the bench and just breathe in all of the wonderful scents of spring...but then I remember that I'd be breathing in pollen as well.  The joys of allergies {{{sigh}}}.

 Everytime I drive home I pass this scene and for at least two years I've wanted to stop and snap a few images.  So today I did just that.

 In the autumn, when the leaves have turned to a variety of vivid colors this view is breath-taking.

The forsythia is beautiful draped over the brick wall.

 Even in a desaturated & weathered image it's a rather bucolic scene.

 Just imagine leaves a bright yellow and red...

 Pine needles have their own beauty.

 Don't fence me in...

 A lone petal from a bradford pear blossom.

 Sorry, I'm pathetic when it comes to identifying plants, bushes & trees so all I can tell you is that this tree was beautiful today.

 The bradford pear blossoms are falling like snow they're congregating in the curb.