Frosty Morning

RIP Rags

We love you and miss you, our dear kitty.

Merry Little Christmas Tree

Blizzard in Iowa

A blizzard in Iowa made for hazardous

yet beautiful conditions here last night.

We have a small pine in our front yard,

decorated with Christmas lights.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

One Fine Spring Evening

My Colorful Hollyhock

I've heard others say that

hollyhocks are hard to grow.

I haven't had that problem.

Since the year I planted the first seeds

(and learned to be patient as the plants

are small and without flowers their first year)

I've had hollyhocks take over every location

in which they were planted.

I love the variety of colors

and the wonderful height they add

to my flower beds.

I have many hollyhock photos.

This one is photoshopped version of one of

the hollyhocks from my garden last summer.

I played with the colors and liked the results.

I thought it would make a

a fun and colorful print.



The Faces of Sandy Hook

These are the faces, the victims, of the senseless

act of violence in Newtown, Connecticut on

December 14, 2012.

These are the innocent faces of twenty children,

most ages 6 and 7, and seven adults,

employees at Sandy Hook Elementary

who died trying to protect these children.

These are the people we should never forget.

These are the names we should hold dear

in our hearts.

These are the victims of a horrible tragedy.

They deserve to be remembered.

The deserve so much more.

These are the innocent.

 

(Of course, these are not my own photos. I found them wherever I could on various web sites. I merely put together the photos together into this document.)

Prayers for Sandy Hook

Winter Trees



Mourning Dove on Trellis

I love when I am able to get close enough

to wildlife to get a good shot.

I was pleased that this mourning dove

remained calm as I took the photo

last summer.

Snowy Bridge

Does anyone recognize where this was taken?

I know, I took the photo, I should know.

But I don't know.

I've forgotten.

It's got to be somewhere in central Iowa.

Regardless, I like it.

I'm ready for snow.

Bring it on!

Crystal Ball

This "crystal ball" was hanging

in our front flower bed this last summer.

I loved the way it captured and reflected

all the colors around it.

I then used Photoshop to 

give the photo a stained glass effect.

It worked out well, bringing

so many various colors

that were being captured

by my crystal ball.

Rustic Barn

I love photos of old barns,

as any of you who have spent time looking

through my blog could see by now.

This is a photo that grew on me.

I wasn't thrilled with the results at first,

but over time came to really

love and appreciate

the rustic barn,

the corn field,

and the cloudy sky.

This barn is near Ledges State Park.



Santa's Elf

I was at a community Christmas event

earlier this week and in walked this elf.

I swear he just walked out of Santa's workship.

He was dressed from head to toe

as an elf, including elf shoes, elf ears,

the whole shebang.

I took this picture, which I think

is truly adorable, and I caught his smile.

"You caught me," is all he said

before handing me a candy cane.

It was a nice Christmas event,

and this elf straight from the North Pole

made it even better.

Thanks Mr. Elf.

Cardinal

Part of photography is luck:

being in the right place

at the right time

with the right lighting

under the right conditions.

This was a lucky shot.

Everything listed above fell together

and the cardinal cooperated.

It's one of my favorite photographs

I've ever taken.

It looks very nice matted;

we have the photo hanging in our entryway.

Contact me if you'd like to buy a copy

as it'd make a very nice Christmas gift.

Sunset at High Trestle Trail Bridge

Another, but different, shot of the

High Trestle Trail Bridge. I took this as

the sun was setting and there was

light peeking through the clouds,

reflecting off the water in the

Des Moines River below.

This was taken in July of 2011,

when there was much more water

in the river than what we had

this past summer or currently.

Ledges Steps Early Fall

High Trestle Trail Bridge

High Trestle Trail Bridge

Madrid, Iowa