365 Alternates

I found these droplet-covered sporophytes a few months ago when wandering around our lower forest.

I remember taking this picture on the second day of this project! I couldn't decide which acorn picture I wanted to use for my 365 but finally picked the image below. It reminds me of a diamond-encrusted crown! :)

This is an alternate image for my 365 project. I had a hard time deciding which to choose, so I've included this one for you to see as well! :) I would be interested to know which of the two pictures you prefer!

In my attempts to capture a picture of a snowflake, I saw that water droplets had frozen on the hood of my blue Ford Focus. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures because I thought this might look interesting and pretty!

This is an alternate to my 365 pick of the day. I really love how this turned out and I think the gills are so defined and interesting to look at, but in the end, the frost and dreamy bokeh in the first shot seem a bit stronger. Do you have a preference? Quintus Horatius Flaccus (8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. Wikipedia: Horace

This is an alternate to my 365 pick. It symbolizes a frozen tear for the loss of Vivian Brown, who was the beloved twin of Marion Brown, San Francisco icons. Lord Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet and a leading figure in the Romantic movement. He is regarded as one of the greatest British poets and remains widely read and influential. Wikipedia: Lord Byron

This is an alternate to my 365 pick. It shows the offering of a frozen tear by a colony of moss sporophytes, symbolizing the loss of Vivian Brown, who was the beloved twin of Marion Brown, San Francisco icons. François-Marie Arouet (21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778), known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state. Voltaire was a versatile writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. He was an outspoken advocate, despite strict censorship laws with harsh penalties for those who broke them. As a satirical polemicist, he frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day. Wikipedia: Voltaire

This is another fun picture I took today! Tiny frozen bubbles!

This is another picture I got today on this beautiful, frosty morning! :) It's the stem of a teasel plant! James Russell Lowell (February 22, 1819 – August 12, 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets who rivaled the popularity of British poets. These poets usually used conventional forms and meters in their poetry, making them suitable for families entertaining at their fireside. Wikipedia: James Russell Lowell

I was on my way back to the house after getting my foggy tree shots when I heard tiny happy squeals and yelling, so I froze and turned to look. Charging over the moss the through forests of twigs and grass ran three little munchkins, covered with morning frost! I couldn't resist a giggle when two of them caught the third and they tickled her while she laughed in a chorus of tiny tinkling bells. They immediately stood and looked my way and I got their picture. Quick as a flash they burst into giggles and bounded away, sliding down an icy boulder and off into the trees! Yay for mushroom fairies! :) Michael Dolan, born June 21, 1965, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, is an American theatre and film actor, director and educator. Wikipedia: Michael Dolan

Zoe, our Boxer, took her tennis ball on our walk yesterday but she dropped it at the edge of the pond and it rolled out onto the ice. You should have seen Zoe's face! Her expression said it all: "Bummer." (Happily, she has lots of other balls, so not all is lost!)

Pine needles tipped with frost!

I got many pictures of rose hips in our front yard, this one is my favorite because it looks like a star! :) William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Wikipedia: William Shakespeare

I was so happy with the bokeh in this shot and the beautiful detail of the frost on the sprouting leaf on the left, but the right one is slightly out of focus. :(

This was the first leaf I found which got my attention with its sharply defined crystal edging. William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was a leading American politician from the 1890s until his death. With his deep, commanding voice and wide travels, he was one of the best known orators and lecturers of the era. Because of his faith in the wisdom of the common people, he was called "The Great Commoner." Wikipedia: William Jennings Bryan

As I walked around our smaller meadow, looking for frosty leaves, I heard some geese flying nearby, and looked up while I listened to their wonderful calling. It's such a beautiful sound to hear a flock of geese overhead. This isn't the greatest picture, but it is a special moment for me to capture, smiling with contentment while they flew by. This is one of the joys of living here in the countryside of southern Oregon! :) Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. Wikipedia: Nathaniel Hawthorne

The first thing I saw this morning was the fog in the valley, making the Upper Table Rock look like an island. As the frost melts and turns into vapor, it will become so foggy that we won't see the fence to the next property! Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, PC, DL, FRS, Hon. RA (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British politician, best known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, he served as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55). A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. He is the only British prime minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature and was the first person to be made an Honorary Citizen of the United States. Wikipedia: Winston Churchill