Janet Brien's photos

(+7 insets!) I so rarely work within the realm of b/w photography, even though I adore the medium. I just can't bear to lose the color on most of my pictures. However, a few years ago a friend tagged me for a photo challenge on Facebook where I had to post a week of black and whites. It was really fun to be "forced" to use b/w, so I didn't scream when I dropped the color, since the pictures had already been shared in color! (also included are the other pictures I showed in that "7-day challenge" and the full-color version of the main image) You Need This: Google Nest Hub--$49 from Walmart Right now Walmart is having an incredible sale on this cool device that you really should have. It's a gorgeous photo frame that displays slide shows of your wonderful photography and the moment we got it working, I told Steve we must get another one instantly! The size seemed a little small at first (3.5" tall x 6" wide/1024x600px) but the image quality of the screen is simply stunning and the size is fine! You do need to have your pictures uploaded to Google Photos but once there, you just point the photo frame to show images from the folder you choose and it will then show image after image that you'll really enjoy. We will have one for each of our photos so I can sit and stare at Steve's images or enjoy memories of my own!) (By the way, this clever device is also a music player, a clock with alarms, shows you the weather, recipes and news, videos and whatever else you want…it's part of the "Google Home" suite that includes endless gadgets. Finally, if you want a larger screen size, the Google Nest Hub Max is larger but the price tag will make you scream--it's $230!! EEK!) Explored on 1/23/21; highest placement #1.

Hooray for the United States!! We are finally out from under four insufferable years and finally have an ACTUAL PRESIDENT!! It's amazing!! Steve and I were so happy all day we hardly knew what to do with ourselves! We celebrated with pancakes for breakfast and steak for dinner and even the weather celebrated by being brilliantly sunny and wonderful! Both of us went on walks and Steve took Pumpkin in her travel front-pack cage and she sang her little heart out with joy! Starlink Sends a Green Light! Just to make everything even better, we got an email yesterday inviting us to join Starlink's beta program!! Steve signed up to the waiting list on the first day the beta was announced back in October and we crossed our fingers. As time passed and coverage expanded, we whimpered and hoped that maybe we'd get into their program. What is YOUR download speed? Apparently the "normal" speed for people is 100mbs. We get 1.5mbs. But hey, it's better than when we moved here, 15 year ago, when it was .5mbs. Living in rural southern Oregon has its upside--it's gorgeous and next to wilderness but we pay the price in an utterly miserable connection to the internet. Wearing a Hole in the Carpet While We Wait! It will take anywhere between two and four weeks before we get our kit. Until then, I'm just going to forget about it. Well, I'm going to try, anyway. Immediately I'm having a hard time with the glaringly slow page-loads. It's hard to continue ignoring all the things we miss out on because our internet speed is too slow. Can't watch YouTube videos without a long wait. Can't enjoy animated gifs. Can't play silly online games that require a good connection. Streaming tv shows and movies? HAHAHAHAHAHAH…um, no. Well, let's hope it's closer to 14 days and not 30!! Today's Picture It's another outrageous dahlia blossom to show my feelings about turning the page to a bright new future for the US and for us too! :D (This dahlia was photographed at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco back in 2016) Please stay safe and enjoy your day! Explored on 1/21/21; highest placement #8.

(big on black will fill your world with the peace this image provides!) It's a frosty, foggy, muddy, bone-chilling wasteland outside so I thought I'd add some warmth to the day! Here's a picture that glows with the luscious bright greens of springtime starring a lovely butterfly--a flower on the wing!--for us to enjoy. :) Tomorrow is the inauguration of a man who's actually capable of leading our country but it's hard not to feel a lot of anxiety about this otherwise fabulous day. What with promised riots and violence, the outrageous exit of the disrespectful, spoiled brat has the nation on edge. I'm doing what I can to virtually stick my head in the sand because I'd really like to let the next couple of weeks go by without a thought. Unchecked, my head reels with frightening images and leaves me feeling very off-kilter about our country and the people that make up its population. Thanks for your great comments about where you and your country are in line for a vaccine. I was fascinated to read of your experiences. Will we all get a vaccine before the growing number of mutations negate their efficacy? Let's hope so! Stay safe everyone and have a lovely day! Explored on 1/19/21; highest placement #3.

(+3 insets!) The Vaccines are Rolling Out! Here in Oregon, the approved Covid-19 vaccine is being distributed to more and more at-risk people with each passing day. We learned that at some point there will be a mass-distribution for the general public to be given from our county fairground. As far as I can tell, it will be April/early spring before we get our shots, but who can say? Right now the vaccine is ear-marked for anyone at risk and that's fine by us. How lucky we are to be healthy and remote without the risks so many others are exposed to every day. I wonder what it's like around the world. Have you been vaccinated yet? Any idea when you'll get your first dose? In any event, we're very encouraged that, despite the problems with organizing the rollout, the approved vaccine is slowly finding its way into millions of desperately risky people! I sure do hope you're not in that group but if you are, here's hoping you are now vaccinated or will be very soon! Today's Picture This is the heart of a pastel-colored California Poppy (along with insets that show the whole stunning blossom!). These flowers are normally orange but there are hybrid colors too , including this gorgeous pale variety known as "Linen". We've tried growing the hybrid colors but with exception of the orange varieties and this kind, none have bloomed for us. Too bad, the different colors are so pretty! But in the end, who can complain about ANY California Poppy?! This one is a stunner! :) Explored on 1/17/21; highest placement #1.

Our Next RV Camping Trip is Reserved! A few days ago it occurred to me that I should visit the Oregon State Park website to see if there was anything new that we should be aware of. After all, last year many important changes seriously affected our trip. Just as we were about to start making reservations, Covid hit and the entire park system was completely shut down. The only nice thing about that was that we didn't waste umpteen hours making reservations only to have them all cancelled on us--something that outraged and disappointed countless campers who'd made plans already. For months we waited and simultaneously worried about this new virus quickly taking over the world. We'd fallen into a stupor of perpetual stand-by when Steve's sister shook our shoulders in June. She was camping in California and we should see if they'd green-lit camping again in Oregon. To our surprise, reservations had just opened up again and suddenly we had a "get out of jail free" card handed to us! Hooray! We ended up camping for months of wonderful trips, having countless fantastic adventures and avoiding Covid in the process. Reservation Windows...What a Pain! The reservation process started out with just being able to reserve up to two weeks in advance…what a royal bother that was! We were always unsure what the future would hold--would we be able to find a place to stay? There was a lot of stress and difficult searches. We ended up needing to stay at private RV "resorts" (glorified parking lots) a couple of times, but for the most part we got really lucky! After about a month or so, the reservation window was opened up to a full month ahead and that was a total relief! It was so much easier to find places to stay and knowing where we'd be for a month was fantastic! After we got home for the season, I vowed to keep an eye on Oregon's park site to make sure we were aware of anything important--and it's paid off! :D 2021 Camping Reservations are Open! As it turned out, when I visited a few days ago, they had--just that day--announced that the reservation window would be opened up to a SIX-MONTH window! Starting in TWO DAYS! Which was…YESTERDAY! So our day was spent figuring out when we'd start our trip and where we'd be afterwards. We hammered out our first excursion, which ends up being nearly three months of camping! What a relief to have it all planned out so far in advance! We're both so excited and looking forward to new adventures on the horizon! Today's Pictures What better than to share an image of glowing backlit vetch leaves and dreamy bokeh?! This is the sort of thing that makes my heart go BOOM! Perfect for how I'm feeling right now! :) And just to make it more clear, I've included a very wide panorama of one of our glorious sunrises! ENJOY! Please stay safe and good luck for getting your vaccine soon!! Explored on 1/16/21; highest placement #4.

A New Year and a New Ipernity, and Oh, What a Day… I've really missed ipernity. Even though we could comment and move our pictures around in chronological order, It just wasn't the same without being able to upload pictures. So I mostly stayed away the entire time it's been unable to update its database. I thought I had a handle on the effects of Covid on the world. In fact, getting out to go camping for an amazing three months did wonders for both of us! But then the virus went spiraling out of control, numbers skyrocketed, people became more horrible than ever and I'm right back in the depths of a very gloomy depression. Add to that the simply incredible US election year. I loathe politics. I detest Trump even more. To have this spoiled, uncivilized brat rousted from his undeserved seat of power was a beam of golden light. But of course it tripped his switch of complete and utter insanity, followed by unfathomable chaos and then an attempt to kick off a civil war…this could not actually be happening, right? What seemed like it must be some stupid Lifetime movie was actual reality, where people were getting killed and outrages were unfolding everywhere. Yesterday I discovered that ipernity was back online in regards to uploading pictures and I was overjoyed to see this! But with everything going on in the news, and wrestling with my doldrums, I just couldn't get it together to upload anything. I am posting this outrageously colorful dahlia today (photographed at San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers ) to express the fireworks of joy that I'm feeling to have our ipernity back! It symbolizes the happiness I feel about today's second impeachment of the Great Embarrassment of the US, and as a shining beacon for a better, happier year ahead. The vaccines are rolling out, a new day dawns before us and things are going to get better! WELCOME BACK IPERNITY! Here's to healing for all of us! Explored on 1/13/21; highest placement #2.

It's not cold enough for icicles today but still very chilly and rainy. Perhaps the weather is reflecting the view of the ugliness of our soon-to-be-evicted-six-year-old-spoiled-president-who-should-have-never-been. Cannot even BELIEVE the outrages and horrors of the past couple of days. It's just shocking that there are actually millions upon millions who think that fool should be in charge. I loathe politics with a passion...it's no wonder why. Originally posted on 11/20/2011 Who can resist the beauty of an icicle?!

(Originally posted 1/12/2012) [best appreciated at full size against black] Original Post: It finally SNOWED last night!!! So this morning I got my lazy a** out of bed early to hunt for some pretty shots. There was very little snow and it wasn't very spectacular, but when the sun started shining over the property, I found this image! I hope you like it!! New Comment: Although it's been cold, we haven't seen any snow except up on the hills. Plenty of rain though, and that's good! I hope everyone is holding up ok...I must admit that I've been pretty depressed lately. A new highly-contagious strain of covid, way too many stupid people ignoring rules and basic safety practices, the soaring numbers...it's just so terrible. However, I'm really happy that there are now vaccines being released! I hope they are distributed to the majority of the population soon but we aren't holding our breaths. Stay safe, warm and dry!

(originally posted in 2018 on Christmas Eve) It's Christmas Eve here in southern Oregon! If it was cold like it was a couple of days ago, snow would be falling heavily right now. Instead it's raining hard and has been since I got up at my usual crack of dawn. It's a bummer because I was hoping for a white Christmas but it's not going to happen. And, even though tomorrow will be cold enough for snow, the day will be clear so we are out of luck...phooey! Oh well! The rain clouds held back the lightening sky so it was almost dark enough for a flashlight when I stepped out for my daily walk. Splashing down the driveway I peered around for possible stray cats and dogs falling from the clouds—boy was it coming down! The noise on my umbrella was so loud that I couldn't have my usual internal conversation about thoughts for the day. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to just walk along and look through the pouring rain and into the forest and meadow. Actually, it was quite Zen. No distractions, just Being. Very peaceful. After about an hour the rain finally let up and I put my umbrella on the porch. It was light out now and the world seemed like it was happy to take a break from the relentless deluge. I listened to my podcasts and enjoyed myself. On my last lap, I was walking up our hill when I noticed an odd filament on the road. Something about it was really strange and I kneeled down to take a closer look. It looked like a 1.5-foot/45.72cm piece of really thin wire coated in a creamy brown color. "Well, that's weird..." I thought to myself. "What is that?" I wondered if Steve dropped an odd piece of wire on the road, or maybe it was a stripped root of some kind. It moved. In a combination of horror and excitement I yelled, "WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!! IT'S ALIVE!" I stared in absolute disbelief at the strange filament that was ever so slowly coiling and waving around on the road. As I stared, the weeks spent studying invertebrates in my Zoology class a zillion years ago came hurtling into my head. "WOAH!! DUDES!! IT'S A WORM!!!" I could hardly believe I was doing this, but I reached down and ever-so-gently picked it up. It was like holding the thinnest snake I'd ever handled, but I managed to sort of drape it over my fingers as I would a snake. At which point it slid off and landed on the road again. I tried again. This time it didn't slip off and I held it up to my face to get a really close look. Which was its front end? Hmm...one end was a bit squared off, and I guessed it might have actually been longer at some point because it appeared to be cut off there. The other end looked like an extremely miniature version of an earthworm's head. I exclaimed in delight, "SO COOL!" Suddenly, I had a mission. Carrying my umbrella in one hand and my bizarre wormy buddy in the other, I made my way hastily up our hill. Steve needed to see this! It will blow him away! As luck would have it, Steve was walking out to greet me as I neared the house. "STEVE! I FOUND THE WIERDEST THING EVER!! LOOK!!!" He came over and I held out my hand so he could see the strange creature. Suitably impressed and fascinated, Steve pointed out its shortened back end. We both wondered how long it might have been originally. 1.5-foot/45.72cm seemed awfully long already. Kinda creepy. I walked over to the meadow and gently placed it on the dirt. Part of me was totally grossed-out, but I was really happy to find such a strange animal on our property. I wondered what kind of worm it was. However, one thing I knew about worms is that there are a LOT of them. We're talking over a MILLION. The odds of me identifying exactly which one seemed unlikely but with that Earthworm head, I thought I might have a chance. To my great surprise, it only took about five minutes to discover what it was--a Horsehair Worm ! (And they are in the same family as Earthworms!) And, though they are normally as long as 14"/35.56cm, some be 6.5 feet/2 meters!! UGH! The good news is that adults don't eat. Only the larvae are parasitic and go after insects. Oh dear, I hope I haven't disgusted everyone! Please forgive me...wildlife of all kinds fascinates me so I hope you haven't lost your lunch on account of my unusual animal discovery! Today's picture is a minimalist snowy holiday card! A few years ago it was snowing and I set up our 100-300mm lens in our doorway and took pictures of the birds that visited our feeders. This darling is an Oregon Junco and is among my favorite birds. Did you notice how huge and fluffy it is?! AHHHHH!!! SO CUTE!!! :D Pam, I hope that this Christmas Eve finds you doing as well as can be and better than you have been doing. Every little step forward is progress, no matter how small. I hope that my healing energy finds its way to you and gives you a burst of energy! Thinking of you always! Explored on 12/25/18, highest placement, #1.

Since ipernity's Uploading Function is Down... I'm joining the bandwagon in pushing an older picture to the front so it can be viewed. It's a shame that so many of our pictures have been buried by time, but now we have the opportunity to give them a new lease on life! :) This Picture I got my brand new Canon 5D Mk II only a couple of months before (November 2011) and with it, the same beloved 100mm 2.8L macro lens that I have glued to my current camera, the 5D Mk IV! This is a picture of the deer-proof net that we used to surround one of my garden areas. I was struck by the beauty of the frost that clings so beautifully to the plastic! My original text from 2012: Living on 26 acres means that there are endless possibilities for macro shots! I had such fun rooting around for interesting things covered in frost, and this really surprised me! I'd forgotten about the netting we used for our garden, so when I saw it, I was delighted and amazed at how cool it looked covered with frost! (you will see my old use of frame too!) Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

With a heavy heart, I dedicate this dew-drizzled rose to Bobbie Blair, a beloved friend of Steve and mine. Before me, Steve met and married Dina Blair, a dynamic, whip-smart lady who captured his heart. Not long after, Steve would meet her parents and there a dear and affectionate bond would be forged between Bobbie and Steve. Though Dina and Steve's union wasn't forever, the connection between Steve and Bobbie was rock-solid and their mother-son-close friendship lasted through the years without pause. For me, I loved to see this relationship from my vantage point. Just like family, these two exchanged regular calls and Bobbie sent cards and welcomed me to cuddle under her wing as well. How fun it was to hear Steve chattering on about the latest, his laughter filling the house, the joy of having a surrogate mom to share time with. Hospice is a word that fills me with sadness in its unspoken finality. But, it is a comfort to know that Bobbie is with her loving husband and surrounded by adoring family and friends. Bobbie will be missed by all of us. I grieve for Bobbie and her family. I grieve for my husband, whose heart is breaking. I grieve for this sweet lady, who I never met in person, but whose sweetness touched my life nonetheless. Our tears fall. Explored on 12/05/20; highest placement #1.

(+2 insets) (view large for super details!) So Happy ipernity is Back! Wow, that was a LONG TIME to be away from ipernity...it will be interesting to learn all of the details behind the massive shutdown. I hope all of you have been ok! Since I need to run out for a while, I'm going to post the text I had prepared for this picture and insets! YAY!!! WE'RE BACK!!! Freezing is a Big NOPE For Morning Walks! Holy cow, it's most definitely not warm outside! 26F/-3.3C is just WAY TOO COLD for me! I've drawn the line--any temperature below 30F/-1.1C and I'm not going outside. Seriously, it just takes a few minutes of exposure, even bundled up, and I'm a total popsicle! Then it takes ages to warm up again. Yes, I could dress in snow gear but then I feel like a bloated tick and instead of being able to march happily up and down the driveway, I'm shuffling along without freedom of movement. It's not so much my legs as my arms and hands which get bound up, and I cannot exercise properly when so bundled up. I guess on days like this, I'll need to hop on our orbital trainer for exercise unless I go out later if it warms up to a comfortable temperature. LOL, you may think I'm a big baby about the cold, but if you are thin and/or predisposed to getting cold extremities--which includes a huge portion of the female population--you'll know exactly how I feel! My Electric Blanket is Wonderful! By the way, you might remember that I ordered a heated blanket a few weeks back. What an absolute slice of heaven! I've never had one before and it's such a treat! My parents had a couple when I was growing up but the blankets were musty, worn out fleece and the wires inside were stiff. I remember them either not working or getting too hot and my parents threw them out at some point because they were a fire hazard. Mine is velvety soft, silvery grey and has wires inside which aren't very noticeable at all. Reviews mentioned it getting too hot for some--the control box too--so I unplug it after use, but I haven't had any problems with it. It's so cuddly and perfect that I've only allowed Steve to pet it but I can't bear to share it with him! I'm mean! :D Today's Pictures I took these frosty pictures a while back and it's wonderful to have a perfect time to post them! The main picture shows frost on some nails and charred wood from a fire a few years back. My insets include two pictures: one shows frost on the edge of a piece of metal and the other is a frost-covered stem protruding from our ice-covered seasonal pond. Take care of yourselves, everyone! It's cold, miserable, and it's a perfect opportunity to catch the flu or worse! Thank you all for the lovely comments, visits and favorites you've left for my pictures. My globe-trotting visits to your photo streams has been great fun and full of inspiration, beauty and amazing sights. Keep up the AWESOME! :) Explored on 12/03/20; highest placement #8.

(+7 insets!) (at full-size the details are super cool!) Simply Perfect There is no end to the joy I find in a leaf. One can stand at a distance and never run out of great shots brimming with colorful, leaf-filled trees. But for me, the magic is close up and personal. The minute details found in a leaf can be so amazing and astonishingly cool, don't you agree?!. With the additional effect of backlighting, a whole new level of stunning is added to the experience--nature's stained-glass windows in the shape of a leaf. As I stand staring at these incredible sights, I cannot help but feel a reverence and deep joy to see something so beautiful. Today's Pictures: the Last Medford Parking Lot Set! It took six sets to show off all of the treasures I found, but here we are! Believe it or not, there are lots of other pictures I could process too…bark textures, a wonderfully decorated bench I found, some interesting pictures of pvc pipe and other stuff. What an amazing day it was for photography!! Today's main picture is a close-up of a maple leaf, adding shadow-play to the incredible "stained-glass" appearance that backlighting can reveal. It is such fun viewing these images on my computer. Even though I can stare at a leaf "nose-close" and see every facet, that level of detail isn't immediately visible when I have my camera in front of me. I can tell the image is crisp but unless I take the time to review the image in-camera I just have to hope I captured the detail I saw "nose-close" with my lens. When I get it right, the whole room is illuminated with my smile! Today's Insets The first inset shows the main picture's entire leaf and its setting. The following three pictures show the gorgeous, shining bark from a lovely tree I found. Then I've got another picture of the crows that flew by. And finally, a pair of images that show two species of ornamental grass in their golden magnificence. :) I hope you all enjoyed this show…I had such a great time processing these pictures! Thanks for all of the marvelous comments and favorites you've left for me. I appreciate the time you take to look at my images! :) Please be careful out there and enjoy your day! Explored on 11/19/20; highest placement #8.

(+6 insets!) (view large for better detail!) :D Merely the Messenger! Can you believe all of the "winner" pictures I managed to capture on my day to town with Steve a few weeks ago?! How wonderful it is to see so many interesting and beautiful sights and be able to share them with you! I truly do feel like a mere messenger, trained over the years to record things I see to the best of my ability. I've often worried that remarking with such unbridled excitement about my pictures may make some think I am boasting or have a superior opinion about my photography. Nothing could be further from the truth! It is just my pure delight that I've learned to present these beautiful things for all of us to revere and enjoy! I only hope that my abilities continue to improve as time goes by--isn't it marvelous that photography (and processing) is a never-ending skill which one can never become "best" at? I Love This Talented, Humble Community! I personally feel that in all things, there is no excuse for grandstanding or putting on airs and taking on a superior attitude. Some of the people I most admire in the world are the massively talented, special folk who are completely humble about who they are and the amazing things they can do. That's one of the things I adore about the ipernity community…you guys are so darned talented and yet, nobody (that I am aware of, anyway!) is snobby about the jaw-dropping photography you create and share. Instead of being "holier than thou", you are happy to point out the positive, give encouragement, and help with technique--instead of burning down those around you who may be a bit further behind on this photography journey. Today's Pictures: More Fall Leaves in Medford Parking Lots! Walking around and staring up into the trees, I got many remarks from folks passing by…"Looks like you're having fun!" "What a wonderful day for photography!" and even a keen-eyed "Wow, nice camera!" which produced a blush and happy laugh from me--it's always fun to take my Canon 5D and macro lens out for a romp! Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to get proper separation between leaves and the rest of the tree? Sheesh! I spent a lot of time creeping this way and that, looking for proper opportunities. It's a lot of fun though, especially when you find a picture to take! :) My main image was one of those happy successes…a backlit maple leaf with a cool shadow and some really wonderful bokeh in the background…woot! Many pictures were just blobs of leaves without distinction. Looking at them made me wonder, "What the heck were you thinking? There's nothing here!" :D However, every picture can teach us something so I always try to glean a helpful tidbit from my many failures, though I don't always learn anything more than, "Nothing about that picture works!" Today's Insets My other pictures today include a wide variety of interesting finds! A lovely trio of droplet-sprayed leaves beginning to deteriorate, a twig of Mimosa leaves embarking on a journey of fall colors before they die, and then a picture which gave me all kinds of trouble! I'd found this wonderful group of maple leaves with cool spotty light coming through the leaves behind. I saw potential but the image straight out of the camera was busy and the separation between the subject leaves and the background wasn't distinct. I experimented with lots of ideas to draw the leaves out but nothing worked. Too boring, too dark, too contrived…It took several sessions on different days before finally I used a textured idea which hit a home run for me! In the end, this picture is exactly what I'd hoped for but it took a long time before I found a proper solution! :) The next inset isn't a fall subject except that it's a dependable beauty if you're looking for flowers in autumn! I found some rose bushes while strolling around and though the blossoms were sad and droopy, the buds were fantastic and this picture turned out really nicely, showing both the bud and some surprising bokeh behind. In the large Safeway parking lot--or was it Costco?! I don't remember!--I heard a raucous noise and looked up to see a large flock of crows flying by. I can't resist trying to take pictures of birds in flight and I was so happy to find that I'd gotten several "winners"!! I'll share my other picture in the last set--don't you feel wonderful when you capture wing detail?! WOOT! Finally, the breeze fluttered something on the ground and I found this disheveled feather, all twisted and bedraggled but still fascinating to look at. Can you believe that feathers are modified scales?! It's amazing. Anyway, it took a bit of work to coax a nice outcome--like the other picture I had trouble with, this one fought me all the way but in the end I'm happy with the result! :) Stay Safe! I know you are all doing your best to keep out of harm's way, but I cannot help but add my plea to the mix. The number of new cases these days are totally unprecedented and it's more risky than ever to be out and about. I'm glad that I'm able to manage the worry I feel for all of you and can visit ipernity without freaking out, but I am feeling a lot more anxiety lately. Take care and stay away from anyone that you can!! And finally, thanks so much for your visits, favorites and comments--you guys are the very best! I love visiting your streams too, what a great delight! *virtual hugs to all* :D Explored on 11/17/20; highest placement #1.

(view large for even more yummy details! :D) Do you remember when you first began your adventure in photography? Remember the beginning of your journey when you knew you wanted to take good pictures but your results left you feeling frustrated and unhappy? It's a long road, isn't it? Do you remember looking online for a photography community where you might learn from those whose photography you admired? I remember all the way back, so many years ago now, when I hopped online and discovered there were photography communities where people uploaded their pictures and shared them with the world. At first it was a love-hate relationship. I would visit photo groups and individual photographer pages and see what pictures others were taking. I could only look for a few minutes before I was overwhelmed and felt so intimidated that it seemed silly to think I might be able to take pictures like all I admired. But I was determined to try, because I found a burning passion for photography that I couldn't quench and what really made my heart blaze was macro photography, where for the first time I could share with others the pictures of all the tiny things in the world I'd loved since I was a toddler. After literally hundreds of thousands of pictures and years later, I learned a thing or two! I think you'll agree: there's nothing like the feeling of capturing images that make your heart go boom. Along the way I've met a river of talented folk and communities that are both welcoming and inspiring. When I found ipernity, I knew it was the perfect online home for me and my photography. People have come and gone over the years but some of them are here to stay like me and some have become good friends to me. Just One of My Countless Inspirations— Keith Burton! ipernity is overflowing with talented, wonderful, friendly, worldly and interesting people, young and old. Years ago I met a fine fellow named Keith Burton, whose photography often surprised me because his style was so often just like mine! And yet, he often tries interesting techniques and takes brilliant pictures of subjects that never occurred to me. There's nothing like seeing a new idea from a person whose bag of tricks is similar enough that you feel inspired and not intimidated. Keith Loves Ivy…and So Do I! I love ivy! Ever since I was a kid I've loved seeing how it grows up the side of trees, all over buildings, carpeting forest floors, covering fences…that's one crazy plant! The leaves are lovely to look at and as a subject, they are brilliant! Keith loves ivy too… and boy does he know how to take fantastic pictures of it! In fact, every time I see ivy now I also think of Keith. So naturally, when I found the ivy in my picture today, I hoped my pictures would turn out so I could share them with him! I'm only posting this one today but eventually I'll put them all up. I simply had to post this because I kept telling Keith about my pictures and needed to share one before I exploded! :D Did You Know? There are at least 20 types of plants known as "Ivy"! When I think of ivy, I picture the type known as common or English ivy (Hedera helix). Within the Hedera genus there are 12-15 species which include one of my favorites pictured today. I love the shape and wonderful texture of the leaves . It was a big surprise to learn there are twenty or more types of plants known by the name "ivy", and so many of them look nothing like hedera. . Not surprisingly, almost all species known as ivy tend to be invasive and have spread around the world, choking out native plants and killing trees with their strangling ways. It's too bad because I adore these plants so much! Thank You I appreciate all of your visits, comments, stars and of course your inspiring, wonderful photography! It's been so nice spending relaxing mornings perusing your pictures and getting more inspiration for my future photography! Please stay safe and warm out there!! Explored on 11/15/20; highest placement #2.

What is it about Happy Fence Friday that's so much fun?! There's something about nabbing a picture of a fence of any type that's really hard to resist. I'm not alone, as you guys know all too well! I have to admit that when I first noticed this crazy photo day many years ago, I didn't get it. What's the deal? Who cares?! As it turns out, the subject really does merit its own special day. Those of us who love to participate in this weekly frolic know that fences--in all their zillions of iterations--can be appreciated and shown off to an almost worshipful greatness from near and far and in all conditions. And yes, it's true--any picture can be a bore if taken without care. Certainly the same can be said of a fence picture, but more often than not, fences add more interest to an image and can really be jaw-dropping to look at. How wonderful to have the excuse to take that picture or go the extra mile to produce something really special! In any event, I love seeing what everyone's come up with for their weekly offering and it's great fun to toss my picture into the pile! Hooray for Happy Fence Friday! Today's Picture: A Fence at Oregon's Champoeg State Heritage Area When Steve and I were out on our "Covid Summer" RV trip, we visited a bunch of Oregon state parks, and one of the places we visited was Champoeg ("Shampoo-ee") State Heritage Area. Turns out it's the site of the very first Oregon government, and Steve and I enjoyed visiting the various monuments and historical buildings in the area. The campground also had access to a number of wonderful trails to enjoy on foot or bicycle, including a lovely paved path that led through the forest and alongside the Willamette River. This river, Oregon's largest, was visited by the Lewis and Clark expedition and is an important waterway for shipping goods to and from the Pacific Ocean. To keep people in the campgrounds on the trails and off the plants, fencing lined this paved path in many places. The moment I saw this fence I knew there would be a host of images for me--one good look was all I needed to see! I returned the next day with my macro lens and flash, spending an hour creeping along and finding stories and images there that I hoped to share. At one point I found the leaf you see, and I burst out laughing as I stared incredulously. "WHAT THE HECK?!" I exclaimed in amazement, "How does this even happen?!" I studied the seemingly impossible way the leaf got itself so firmly stuck in the fence, shaking my head in wonder. I came to the conclusion that this leaf isn't going anywhere until it disintegrates with the passing of time. I took an assortment of pictures with and without flash and a slew of apertures too. Who knew what would look best, or if any of them would look good at all. When I looked through my pictures, this one was an instant favorite, even though the subject and background are yelling at each other for center stage. The background, with its juicy color and bokeh, form an almost stained-glass appearance. The foreground with its crazy leaf stuck in the fencing, stand out with great detail too. I think this is one of those pictures that breaks the rule of having one primary element, and I love that! What do you think? Too busy? Did I hit the mark for you? :) Anyway, I've got a pile of pictures for this fence-filled presentation but I'm still working on them. Stay tuned for more discoveries in the future! Until then, stay safe, dry, warm and comfortable on what is for us a soggy, cold and miserable day outside! Thanks for all of your visits, comments and favorites, you guys are the bestest! :) Explored on 11/13/20; highest placement #1.

(+5 insets!) Hello everyone! I hope that this autumn season has been colorful and full of beautiful pictures for you. Last year at this time I was deep inside a hole of gloom, the reaction to a summer RV trip with a series of hellacious problems. Autumn photography was the last thing on my mind…I wouldn't even go on my morning walks up and down the driveway! But this year I'm bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, full of creativity and feeling wonderful! It's been great to experience this beautiful season through my lens again. Although I could ask to go on a fall photo drive, I haven't yet and I don't know if I'll get around to it. Why ever not??! Well, my experiment of showing the season by photographing fall colors in our city's parking lots has been so successful that one day's photography has yielded dozens of "winner" images to present. The fact is, pictures taken must be viewed, evaluated and processed, and there are only so many hours in one day. I have bloated folders to go through from our incredible and happy 3-month RV trip around Oregon on this Covid summer and it may be a better choice to work on those pictures instead of taking more. That seems wise to me! Today's Pictures Here, then, is set #4 of 6, of fall beauty in Medford parking lots! My main picture is a gorgeous burnt-orange maple leaf I found lying on the cement. It has such lovely details that I decided to make it my literal star of the day. Set in a square format, a darkened background with some texture and a vignette heightened the outrageous color of the leaf. The insets turned out successfully too…the first shows the edge of a curling leaf festooned with a refracted droplet. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I'd captured a detailed little gnat next to a pair of bokeh spotlights, woo hoo! Next is yet another pair of gingko leaves that look like golden ballerinas dancing against the blue sky. After that picture is an image that evokes the feeling of autumn's warmth with a pair of orange maple leaves against a branch and leaves all around. Following that is a refracted droplet on colorful, droplet-covered leaves and plenty of bokeh to enjoy. And finally, I spied this decorous leaf amidst a tree still green and merely considering the implication of fall. I couldn't help taking a picture and hope you love the colors and texture as much as I do! :) I hope all of you have a warm, dry and comfortable day! Let us all do what we can to dial down the tension of the current wave of covid cases that are sweeping the world right now. Take care of yourselves, please!! And finally, thanks for your visits and comments, favorites and of course, your delightful sense of community. Great photography and info on your pages, people! Keep up the AWESOME!! :) Explored on 11/12/20; highest placement #3.

(+5 insets!) Holy Toledo it's cold out there! At a mind-numbing 24°F/-4.44°C, I just couldn't handle more than 10 minutes outside this morning! After two laps up and down the driveway, I had to abandon my walk, yike-yike back inside and cling gratefully to the Monitor Heater God for warmth. For a person who's always crying about getting frozen paws, you'd think they were the reason I had to call it quits, but no! Truth is, if my face gets so cold that it hurts, I just can't stand it! How about you? What makes you abandon an adventure out in the cold? It's Monday morning and I'm back to my Fall Beauty in Medford Parking Lots series! Welcome to set 3 of 6! Hope you're not too bored of this subject…I adore this time of year with its dramatic colors and changing scenery. Today's Pictures When we arrived at the grocery store parking lot, we hopped out and Steve told me to have fun with my photography as he turned to go inside. Heh…right off the bat my eyes were riveted to a short plant that was covered with outrageous red leaves. The sun blazed through them, lighting them up into leaf-shaped stained glass windows, complete with beautiful details and marvelous shadows. My main picture celebrates just one of the glorious leaf clusters and is enhanced by bokeh created from the sun reflecting off parked cars beyond. Insets include a natural-framed leafy scene, another grand view of gingko leaves, a glowing seed pod hanging like an autumn ornament, a red maple leaf catching the sun as it lay on a lawn, and finally, a black and white view of a droplet-covered leaf in the shape of a heart! ENJOY!! Thanks everyone, for your visits, comments, and favorites! Thanks too, for posting such a wonderful array of images for me to visit. It's a joy to stop by and say hello! :D Stay safe out there! Explored on 11/10/20; highest placement #1.