Fog on the Divide

The mornings have been cold and foggy creating an ethereal landscape. I took these up on the watershed divide last week. (click to biggify).

Sunday Stills: The Color Green

Ed challenged us with green because many participating photographers are currently snowed in! But here in southwest Texas the Live Oaks and Junipers keep us surrounded in green during the Winter. So I decided to challenge myself in other ways of photographing green.

Those of you that follow my blog know it's a rare day you'll see a photo of me on it. So I thought I would try some self-portraits: a green-eyed lady in green glasses and green coat in front of a green mirrored sculpture on the side of our house. I've used some digital manipulation to cut the glare on the mirror and create a dream-like effect.

Perhaps I should have cleaned the mirrors first! On this last one I decided to collage in an old cotton doily. Do you like it?

For more images of green, visit Sunday Stills!

Sunday Stills: Macro

Ed suggested we shoot inside, but the sun finally came out and the landscape begged to be explored after several days of rain and cold. And with great luck, I came across a family of Earth Stars. I just love these little things.

Earth Stars are a relative of the Puffball, and belong to a group of fungi known as Gasteromycetes which means 'stomach fungi'. They have a little 'stomach' filled with spores.

Unlike any other fungus, an Earth Star can move!

When it rains the outer layer splits into many rays, looking like a star. The rays of the star act like legs to raise the stomach above and release the spores.

For more up close photos visit Sunday Stills!

Sunday Stills: The letter W

I am the white wolf, Fransciso, and I'm working on a new performance art piece I'd like to share with you.

Most of my conceptualizations involve the breaking down of barriers, namely white doors. This is my sixth installation showing my mature style. Once I realized this was a steel door, I began concentrating on the wooden frame. I'm still hopeful I can add making it through metal to my artist statement.

This white door has a lot of character. It used to belong on the back door of my former house. It was my first project when I was still a pup. Momma still remembers being on vacation and getting a call from the pet sitter who told her I was half in the house and half outside! He he. You can still see the old boards he used to cover the hole. She's saved it all these years she likes it so much. (I was kind of hoping she might hang it over the sofa).

The white lavatory used to belong in the bathroom of our current house. It's from about the same period as the door. Mom is so style conscious! Both are being repurposed for use in Chicken Coop Two at the moment. It is almost entirely built out of recycled materials.

Those lucky chickens!

Here's Kryzsztof, the white Buff Lace Poland rooster getting groomed by one of his gals. And neat photos of water on plastic in the garden from last night's rain, and water droplets.

For more images of the letter W, visit Sunday Stills!

Sunday Stills: Best Shot of 2010

Happy New Year friends! One of the best shots of the year was recently taken by my husband of me holding our first grandchild, Lily. I love how angelic she looks!

Here are some of the best shots I took in 2010. I'll leave it up to you to choose the best one!

Thanks Ed for hosting this fun challenge, I'll try to participate more this year. For more Best Shots of 2010 visit Sunday Stills. Wishing everyone a fabulous 2011!

Cookie Monster

Finley has started asking for cookies with his foot, a signal he's always used to show that he likes something. Cookies (alfalfa cubes) definitely have his stamp of approval!

I'll take that as a compliment

Yesterday I was called in at the last minute to substitute at the school. There were no more spaces where the faculty usually park, so I parked over among the high school students.

It wasn't until I was halfway home later in the day that I looked into the rear view mirror and realized my car had been decorated! (Click to biggify).

Your Hot

Bad grammar aside, I think I'll take it as a compliment. (Especially since the weather was cool!)

It's been incredibly windy, with gusts strong enough to blow large sheets of roofing tin off a stack and around the yard. After a slight frost last week, the weather has continued to be unseasonably warm but a real freeze is predicted for tonight. We tend to forget Winter does eventually arrive here in the land of Summer.

There will be plants to water in and cover, other plants needing to go from the house into the greenhouse, and chicken coops to close in with plastic. Some dry wood will need to be cut and moved into the house for the fireplace. But it's only an afternoon of work. We don't have to drain or store hoses, as it will be back up into the 70's-80's again soon.