Valfal's photos

Some pink petunias growing on my back porch; I thought they looked so pretty as they bathed in light from the setting sun.

From my Brooklyn Bridge series. This iconic tower is an architectural marvel! Thank you so much for your kind words and faves, friends and visitors, they are most appreciated! :-)

Today my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting the Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace, Maryland. The lighthouse was built in 1827 where the Susquehanna River meets the tidal flow of the Chesapeake Bay. It is one of the oldest lighthouses in continuous operation on the East Coast. Fully restored, the Lighthouse and Keeper’s House are open to the public on weekends from April to October. We climbed to the top to view the light with its magnificent prism reflecting glass.

I was on my back porch enjoying the view and warm summer day when I caught sight of my cat Flame looking at me, so relaxed and beautiful in the afternoon sunlight. It was one of those times when I actually had my camera closeby and ready to capture a beautiful spontaneous moment... ~Thank you so much for your kind words and faves, and for your compliments on my dear cat. He and his sibling are the most affectionate, loving cats we have ever lived with <3

The 50 Images-Project : The last rays of sunlight captured in an antique bottle. **Thank you so much for your kind words and faves, everyone, most appreciated! :-))

A view of a marching band performing behind us as we rode in the Independence Day Parade in Havre de Grace, Maryland. This is the band of the Baltimore Ravens, the official NFL Football team of Baltimore, Maryland. They were one of the best bands playing in the parade and we count ourselves lucky to have been placed near them! *Additional photos of the car in the notes :-)

A back view of my husband Rich's VW Beetle as we prepare for riding in the Independence Day Parade in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

My husband Rich's VW Beetle all "dressed" up for riding in the Independence Day Parade in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

I was on my way home from the market when I noticed a very impressive cloud formation. However it was changing so fast that I knew I would lose my window of opportunity if I didn't take a picture immediately. So, I stopped the car and took a few shots with the phone camera. Good thing I did, because less than 5 minutes later, this amazing cloud had changed back to ordinary again. *For the best view, please look at this image enlarged on black ;-)

On our way to the Brooklyn Bridge, we walked past this garage door. For some strange reason I felt compelled to snap a shot of it; I guess there was a certain symmetry about the composition I liked. It wasn't until I processed the image that I realized there was an interesting graffiti message written on the smaller door... Thank you so much for your kind words and faves, everyone, they are most appreciated!

The 50 Images-Project : An experiment using PicMonkey's mirror processing effect on an antique glass bottle (yes, the same bottle I used for my other 5 pictures in the series). Somehow I am reminded of Salvador Dali when I look at the results, lol ;-)

A silver bracelet given to me by my husband with the inscription that was written on the 'One Ring' from the epic tale "Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien. The letters are Elvish, but the language is that of Mordor according to the wizard Gandalf the Gray. Translated, the inscription says: "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."

An equestrian riding ring at Nottingham Park, Nottingham, Pennsylania. Thank you all so very much, everyone, for your kind words and well wishes! :-))

A couple of beautiful flowers that fell off my begonia plant as I moved it. I just couldn't let them go to waste... Thank you so very much for your comments and faves, friends and visitors; most appreciated! :-))

A damselfly I found at the local park near a pond. I had never photographed one before, so there was a lot of trial and error before I captured a photo I was happy with. ~ Best seen enlarged on black ~ Thank you all so much for your kind words and faves! :-))

My cat Rusty as I found him laying behind me on the back of the sofa just now.

A lovely park at the end of the Promenade overlooking the Chesapeake Bay in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Words cannot express the deep anger and sadness I feel about the terrorist attack on the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando Florida this past weekend. Sadness over the tragic loss of innocent lives. Anger for senseless hatred and fanaticism. And a special disgust for the politicians and their synchophants who shamelessly politicize this tragedy instead of addressing the real problem: Radical Islam and its adherents. Note: When I use the term "Radical Islam" I am not talking about all Muslims; I am talking about fanatical terrorists who pervert Islam for the purpose of power and control over everyone and every culture. I stand in solidarity with the Pulse Club victims and their families, and for all victims of terror who don't make the news...because those victims could have been any one of us. www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/12/gay-nightclub-massacre-these-are-the-victims.html