I may not write much, but I might. I mostly want to post pictures of where I’ve been and what I’ve done as well as some art I’ve been doing — both with software and with my hands. It won’t probably be anything very serious at all. Thanks for looking in on me again.
The two pictures I’m posting tonight are of some trees and the moon. It was so pretty this morning, and it’s warm again, although it’s going to get cold pretty soon.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.
― Helen Keller
You’ve got to love these happy flowers. They’re blooming all over now.
It’s been awhile since I posted anything. Between work (busy season), work (finishing up what I started), bowling, school and the accompanying homework, and everyday stuff, I’ve been pressed for time and energy. Bowling and school are out for the summer and all work seems to have calmed down for a little bit.
I came home for lunch today and found this flower in my driveway. It’s a weed, really, but it sure was pretty, open and full. I took a lot of pictures with a real camera before I headed into the house to eat lunch. About 40 minutes later I went back outside to head back to work. I was going to shoot a quick picture with the iPhone to show a co-worker. By that time, the flower had closed up completely.
When I got downtown, I noticed these flowers as I walked through the breezeway from the parking garage.
It’s that time of year! Finally!
Last week it was in the 70s. This weekend, it will be rainy. Yesterday it snowed. This morning, it’s like I’m in Seattle. I love it all.
TGIF!
I haven’t posted for a bit. Between a very busy day job, trying to keep up with the other job, school, bowling, and then being sick last Saturday, I’ve had a whirlwind existence lately. Tomorrow I’ll go in to work for awhile to get a head start on next week (for my comfort), take Patrón for another walk, then I’ll head to a friend’s for dinner.
I was able to go for a walk last Sunday and was saddened to see that someone had moved the weathered board so there were no more tufts of grass growing through its holes. Maybe that grass just blew away, but I doubt it. I was hoping for the grass to grow longer for a bit and be able to take another photo. I was sorry to see it no longer looked as it did. And I wondered that someone could come along and not see the artistry in that mess of old wood and clumps of grass.
Today I got homework done and that’s a relief. It was due Friday and we had a reprieve, thankfully. I was at wits end trying to figure out how I was going to get that done. What a relief. Just four more weeks, I think.
After bowling is over (two more weeks), school is over (fourish more weeks), and I’m not allowed overtime at the day job, I can take weekends and go sometimes. I’m tired of being trapped at home either having to do something — or thinking I should.
Today I downloaded a new camera app for my iPhone and I think I like it. I am disappointed with the native camera’s abilities and this app will at least make the photos look more vibrant. I’ve seen so many others’ photos from their phones and they look so good — and my phone photos kind of just suck. Anyway, the photos’ editability still isn’t great, but colors are vibrant and I am able to capture light and dark in a composition that is wildly different in tonal values. The name of the app is Pro HDR-X. It’s a toy, but a fun one.
I drove a little way up Unaweep Canyon this evening and took this picture.
This I took a little earlier on my walk on the desert. The clouds, where there’s nothing to block them, are so pretty.
After driving up Unaweep Canyon for bit, I backtracked to the Gunnison River Bluffs/Old Spanish Trail parking corral. As the sun set, I captured this. I didn’t get light adjusted properly, but even so, I thought this turned out cool. I had to wait until a hiker’s silhouette fell below the horizon. For the longest time, while the sun set lower, there was a solitary figure walking from the left to the right along the top of those hills in the background. Had I been able to zoom in on him, that might have made a nice photo, too, but with the phone, he would have just been too small for any artistic impact.
It’s been a nice quiet day and I’m ready to call it.
Happy Saturday!
For the class I attend this semester, Office Procedures, my classmates and I are each tasked with making a presentation. We’re not allowed to use Powerpoint so I believe I’ll have to do a video, then figure out how to post it to my YouTube channel. I’ve done it before, but mostly of my silly Patrón, or a montage of photos I’ve taken.
The biggest challenge is to decide what to present to the class. I’ve presented HDR photography before, and that is fun. It has to be a relatively simple task since the entire presentation should take somewhere between five and ten minutes.
This morning I thought perhaps, if making a video isn’t too complicated, I might try demonstrating how to make an omelet. I also thought it would be possible to get a small burner and actually cook one in class.
Alternatively, I could demonstrate how to put drops in a dog’s eyes. The fact she does not like the process could make it that much more comical. The process includes straddling her so she can’t get away, then prying open her eye—a hair-width, if I can. I then hope some of the drops that hit her lashes ooze their way into her eye where it will do some good.
Perhaps I could show how to draw a sun. With a face.
Or change a photo to art using a filter package.
How to irritate Patrón? THAT should be pretty easy. I’ve had lots of practice.
Any ideas out there? I have until Monday to get it figured out and complete.
As irritating as it is that I don’t have any wonderful ideas, this will be fun—whatever the result. I’m excited to see what others produce.
Meanwhile, here are some close-to-the-ground photos. This is such a different perspective.
It was pretty warm on the days these were shot. It’s supposed to snow this weekend. In fact, I hear there’s supposed to be snow on the ground in the morning. I’d like that—and time to take some pictures.
Happy almost Friday!
Surely it will be winter again soon. But while it’s warm, I’ve taken advantage by getting Miss Patrón out for her walks. I think she’s slimming down, too. She and I went on a long one today and she never tired, so she’s doing better. I took these pictures yesterday, but I left the camera in the vehicle today. She got impatient with all the stopping we did yesterday. I owed her a real walk.
We walk on the desert behind the landfill. It doesn’t take a long time to get far enough out that it seems pretty remote. Yesterday, while we were walking, I saw something move in the distance. Since the landfill is not very far away, there are some pretty large ravens out there—but from a distance, I can’t really tell what I’m seeing. I’ve heard rumors of big cats, and I’ve seen wolves (or coyotes—I don’t know). So, I’m observant and cautious when I’m not sure. Since I walk alone (except for that silly dog who I believe would roll over and not help protect us), I’m not cavalier about the possibility of meeting wildlife. So, when I saw movement but couldn’t tell it was only a big bird, Patrón and I turned around. Once I got on top of a hill to look back, I saw it was actually a very large raven, dining on his catch. The pictures I took are below. While they didn’t turn out well, I’m posting them anyway. It was pretty fascinating to watch, but I about got an eye cramp waiting for that bird to move. He was pretty busy with his meal. Based on the number of times he took flight, I suspect he was trying to figure out how to transport his leftovers.
Patrón, irritated at having to sit, rolled on the ground next to me, bumped my arm, and generally made a pest of herself.
I’ve stopped, yet again, to snap a picture, and you can see she just can’t seem to believe I’ve stopped again.
And again.
I can safely say I drove her bonkers yesterday. It’s my job.
The weekend’s over. Back to work and school for me!
Have a good week!
I know I post lots of pictures of this view, but I never tire of it. Tonight again, the light reflected on these mountains illuminated them to look pink/orange, and leaving everything else in shadow. They really stand out.
Bookcliff Sunset
I have to head to work in a minute, but I took the time to snap this picture. You can’t beat a Western Colorado Sunrise for color and inspiration.
Sunrise
While it’s cold here now, I am looking through old photographs and found this one. I love how the clouds seem to fall out of the sky as sun still lights the Bookcliffs in the background.
Summer Storm
A storm moved through here today. It snowed a little, but melted almost as fast as it fell. As the weather cleared out, in the distance, the clouds hugged Mt. Garfield.
Mt. Garfield
This is the beginning of several that I will post using Topaz Labs’ Impression software. I have a trial version now but intend to buy the software. It’s nothing short of FUN! If you follow the link and then scroll down a ways, you will see a cup that you can apply all the filters to. Even that’s kind of fun. You can apply various filters, edit those filters, use different blend modes to get different effects. For fun, it’s just cool!
Mt. Garfield
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