fun stuff | Change Is Hard

September 24, 2026
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Another night under the stars

It’s already been a couple weeks since a friend and I traveled across the state on a late afternoon to spend some time chasing the Milky Way. The season is ending and soon we will only have memories of staring up at the dark horse while listening to Lake Michigan lap at the shore.

The dark horse, a feature of the Milky Way, is barely rising above the horizon now, and almost before it’s really dark, the horse is beginning to set. On one hand, it’s nice not to have to go out at 3 or 4 in the morning. On the other hand, the window of opportunity is really short.

*That first glimpse of Lake Michigan always quickens my heart.*

We had been meaning to get over to Lake Michigan and Little Sable lighthouse all summer. But as with every summer, time just slipped away. So when there were predictions of clear skies during a period of no moon, we hurried over to the west coast of Michigan.

*That bank of pink clouds was mesmerizing.*

It was a beautiful evening. Cool but still warm enough to swim. No bugs. Virtually no wind. Perfect. We watched the sun set. We watched the people watching the sunset.

*Every sunset is worth pausing to watch.*

And as soon as it was slightly dark we set up our tripods and cameras. The Milky Way, this late in the season, rises in the Southwest. So shooting on the west side of Michigan next to Lake Michigan, it is out over the lake. The lighthouse was close to the shore but hard to get into the same frame while standing on the beach.

*A test shot, to decide on composition. The stars aren’t in focus, but that was the least of my problems!*

I decided to climb the sand dune behind the lighthouse to get a better angle on the Milky Way. It was hard climbing the shifting sand in the dark while carrying a tripod topped with a camera. And when I got half way up the dune I realized the Milky Way was now behind the tree. (But at least you can see the dark horse!)

*The stars are better, but the tree, that I thought would be interesting is now in the way!*

Well darn. I dragged the tripod, camera and me further up the dune. But the view from there was hindered by grass and shrubs.

So I inched my way back down and compromised by being slightly up the dune, but mostly on the beach. I worked in portrait mode to get more of the Milky Way, but the dark horse was lowering into the lake and fading away in the light pollution near the horizon and out of the frame.

*Clouds on the horizon and light from maybe Chicago interfere.*

There was only about an hour to work and I realize now I should have figured out where I was going to stand before it was time to shoot! Then I wouldn’t have spent so much time climbing sand. Lesson learned.

*We lit up the lighthouse with the flashlight in our phones.*

It was a beautiful, if short, night to shoot. And after all that we even made it home by 2 a.m.! We probably should have stayed overnight and tried again the next night.

October is our last chance to try to get that dark horse, but we’ll have to find a flat view to the horizon. And then, after that, it will be a long winter. Every year I say I’m going to study more. For example I could have, if I knew how, moved that Milky Way closer to the lighthouse in post processing v.s. climbing up a sand dune. This winter I’m going to study about all the options available.

*The last image as we were walking back to the parking lot. Perhaps my favorite shot of the night.*

But that sand climb makes the experience more authentic, don’t you think?

September 13, 2026
by dawnkinster 30 Comments

Ms. Hummingbird – a study

Last week I was sitting on the deck in early evening. I heard a hummingbird chirping in the beech tree.

There she was, sitting on a branch in between beautifully lit pinkish leaves. She was backlit too.

It seemed as if she had just finished dinner and was sitting, fat and content, in the evening sun.

She spent a lot of time itching her head…

…and staring around, up and down and over there.

She fluffed her feathers and left them wide open in the warming sun.

Her tongue came and went. I wasn’t sure if she was catching insects…

…or just practicing tongue aerobics.

She peed four times while she was there. I guess that sugar water goes right through a girl.

And after perhaps 20 minutes of sitting and enjoying the evening light she took off.

I enjoyed watching her, and took over 300 images. She’s still flitting around the feeder but I expect she’ll be gone soon. I hope I get to visit with her once more before she goes.

September 9, 2026
by dawnkinster 18 Comments

Wordless Wednesday – Labor Day car show

August 31, 2026
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

Hey!

Penny here.

Mom’s super busy and she’s not paying attention to me (par for the course lately) so I figured I’d check in with you guys.

*In front of one of my gardens. Mom makes me do this every. single. morning.*

Life is going along like normal around here which is to say boring. Mom says boring can be a good thing. She says I should be glad both she and daddy are home with me all the time now.

*Sometimes mom and I hang out on the porch.*

I suppose.

*Mom tried to get me to like the pool. I did not.*

She says I’m going back to school in a week or so and I better remember all the things I know and not goof off this year. She’s says we’re both gonna learn some obedience.

*I’d rather spend time at Katie’s park. Or any park.*

Huh. It’s about time mom learned some obedience. And I stand my ground and repeat — there better be lots of treats. And the good kind too, not just kibble from my supper. She doesn’t think I know she does that. I’m a sheltie. I know everything.

*Mom and me practicing stuff at Katie’s park one evening.*

Anyway, mom’s been taking me to parks and stuff. I’m not totally ignored.

But geeze…I feel like I need a real adventure!

*After my Friday evening group walk* *at another of my parks!*

Your suggestions are truly appreciated.

*I’ll just catch a snooze while I wait for your ideas.*

Your bored tour guide, Penny.

August 27, 2026
by dawnkinster 28 Comments

Magic of watercolor

I’m working on watercolor cards for the Truck Safety Coalition’s annual Gala silent auction. They’ll be getting 3 sets of 5 cards. I’m almost finished with them, but I wanted the last card to be a watercolor of a fall oak leaf. I didn’t find anything online that I liked particularly, though I did find a great tutorial about how to paint an oak leaf.

I watched the tutorial but I wasn’t sure about freehand drawing something similar. Three oak leaves plus acorns. Maybe I could do it but it sure would be easier if I could trace around a real oak leaf. I looked out at the oak tree in my back yard. The limbs were way too high for me to grab a leaf.

I decided to think on it a bit and went to collect the garbage can from the curb since the truck had emptied it and moved on down the road. And there, beside the empty can was a bit of oak tree branch….complete with the top part of an acorn.

Like it was waiting for me. I smiled and gathered it up, rolled the garbage can behind me as I pondered how things work out.

After I took the picture of my prize I went back out to the front yard to see what other treasures might have blown off my neighbor’s oak. I found several leaves to show me colors…

…and another bunch of leaves attached to their twig, to show me how the stick part might look.

Oh…and this ginkgo leaf apparently traveled inside on the bottom of my shoe.

So I got to work. I copied a few of the leaves…

…and traced that onto a page of my practice book.

Then I got to painting.

So fun….

Now, if I can just do it again on the actual card.

August 26, 2026
by dawnkinster 27 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

August 25, 2026
by dawnkinster 23 Comments

Barn Hunt

When was the last time I set out on a photo shoot specifically to find barns?

It’s so long ago that I don’t remember. Sure I’ve grabbed barn images on my way to and from other places. But to go out looking for barns?

It’s been forever.

Last Sunday morning the blue sky sported fluffy white clouds as accessories and I just could not stop myself. It was physically impossible not to get into the car and start driving.

I tried to keep it reasonable. After all, gas around here is regularly over $4.00 a gallon. And I was driving a new car with low mileage that we’d like to keep low. At least for awhile.

But still…blue sky and barns. Maybe the soybeans just north of us would be turning yellow. It was a possibility given the lack of rain lately.

Blue sky and barns and yellow soybeans. Yep I could see it in my head. Would I find it in reality?

I drove for a total of three hours, slightly up north, a bit over to the west, around big country blocks, looking for the image in my brain.

I never found it, exactly. The soybeans are a persistent green, though if you squint you can sort of see a yellowish cast in small parts of the fields. Or that could just be me and wishful thinking.

I didn’t shoot any amazing barns, though I saw three really beautiful ones while I was on a busy road with nowhere to pull over. You’ll just have to conjure those up in your own minds.

But I found some pretty enough barns and experienced a few faded memories of driving these same roads years ago on other barn hunts.

It was a nice day. The sky, in the end, was the star of the show.

And I smiled at it on my drive back home. In my experience you can almost always count on the sky to come through for you, day or night when you’re out looking for something pretty.

It was a short, sweet and fun barn hunt that sort of eased the wanderlust in me. For the moment anyway. I know there are barns out there just waiting to be found. And maybe there’s one in the middle of a yellow soybean field if I get lucky and time it right.

Don’t see why that can’t happen.

July 28, 2026
by dawnkinster 30 Comments

Happening on my deck this week

This juvenile male oriole learned all about bathing this week. When I first noticed him he was standing on the edge while a little brown bird splashed around. He stared at the brown bird. I went to get my camera. By the time I got back he was in the bath too.

He seemed a bit unsure, but it didn’t take long until he was fully immersed in the experience. Literally.

*Look! I can draw a heart with my tail!*

*Oh what a wonderful feeling, oh what a wonderful day!*

*A little more tail action. I wonder if any girls are around.*

July 24, 2026
by dawnkinster 33 Comments

It’s all fun and games

This morning I was headed out the back door when I saw, directly in front of me, a deer staring back. We both had that kind of ‘deer in headlights’ look. I quickly sidestepped out of sight and walked quietly over to the living room to get my camera. And then it hit me. It was a fawn I saw. By the time I slowly and quietly slid back to the door the fawn had moved.

*Nom, nom, nom. This hydrangea is very tasty!*

I felt disappointed that I had missed the beautiful, full faced, shot. But I was also very happy.

Very happy because in early summer we had seen only one mama deer with one baby. And a few days after seeing mama with her newborn, I came across a fawn stretched out in the road as if asleep, but clearly not. I have only seen mama once since, with no baby in tow. I silently told her how sorry I was.

All summer I haven’t seen the mama deer. I assumed she had left the area to grieve alone. But this morning, here was a large fawn, so maybe our little one hadn’t been killed? And where was mama during this visit?

Oh, yes, there she is. Watchful as always.

And then the baby took off across the yard so fast I couldn’t see where he or she went. I switched windows to watch the yard. And then this happened.

*I can’t stop my happy feet from running!*

*I’ll kick up my heels and release the joy!*

*I’m just a kid, mom, don’t you remember how fun it was to be young?*

*It’s my favorite time of the year. OK, it’s my only time of the year so far in my young life…*

Such joyful running, in big loops around the backyard. Racing from behind shrubs, circling the white pine, at full speed. Over and over and over this little one danced with glee through the yard.

I shot 300+ pictures. Some of them almost in focus.

He or she kept on running. I kept on taking pictures. Until finally he (I’ve decided it’s a he) stopped behind a blue spruce and snuck a peek over near where mama stood. I think he was tuckered out. He went over to mom who had come out from behind the bush to reign in her kid.