Here’s looking at you kid.
Plastic baby toy. Kind of scary up close.
Cee’s black and white photo challenge: Plastic
Tag Archives: Photography
WordPress Photo Challenge: Chaos
New York City can be pretty chaotic. It’s a city that can chew you up and spit you out, and by the end of my ten day stay last July I was exhausted.
Near the end of our visit we rode the Staten Island Ferry over to the island and back. It was a relaxing trip, and I expected to get some nice night shots of the city.
But the vibration from the huge engine deep within the ship caused everything on board to vibrate too. Including me and my camera. So versions of this is what I got.
I was disappointed, but didn’t delete all the blurry images. Some of them were kind of cool and I figured I’d find a use for them. And even if I didn’t, looking at these reminds me of the boat trip across the warm night water, of the floor vibrating beneath my feet, the rails shaking under my hand, the lights shimmering along the shore.
And I think this particular shot provides a beautiful and impressionistic image of the chaos that is New York City.
It’s early in this challenge, but here are a few of my favorite chaos entries so far.
You have time to play along, this challenge continues until next Friday. Look around. I bet each one of you has a bit of chaos in your life! Show it to us, it might reduce it to fun for a moment.
And that’s worth a lot.
Staten Island orange.
When the future is uncertain
Autumn light catches color.
I suppose the future is uncertain for everyone, after all tomorrow is not promised. But when you’re 101 the future is even less certain.
I wonder what that feels like.
We grow up looking forward into forever. When we’re five we can’t wait until we’re 10, excited by those double digits. And then we want to be sixteen so that we can drive a car and eighteen so we can vote, and twenty-one so we can legally celebrate with a beer.
Golden glow tinged with red.
And the future stretches out forever into the horizon.
Then suddenly you’re closing in on one hundred, then a hundred and one, and you’ve outlived most of your siblings, many of your friends. Your only child. And you remember the smallest details about the century just past, the events, the places you’ve lived, the places you’ve left. So many people that are now gone.
Purple focus.
You don’t see so well now, you’re uncertain who is entering your space, and family and friends announce themselves and you smile and nod, glad of the company, the time to talk, to tell some of the stories, some of the things you have stored in your mind.
You know time is passing, that your body is becoming more frail, that a fall will likely cause you to lose the last bits of independence you enjoy now. You’re careful. Still, it is inevitable.
Early morning light shimmers.
And when you fall you hesitate to push the button for help. You know it will mean leaving your home behind, perhaps for the last time. You’ll be leaving all that is familiar and under your control.
You know you’ll no longer be able to make all the decisions, that you’ll have to live somewhere else. Somewhere different and less private with less privileges and fewer friends near.
Lonely.
But you push the button.
And now things are being sorted out and you wish you could go home but that’s probably not an option. And the future looks different than you wished it could be but maybe that doesn’t matter so much anymore.
Maybe you’ll be fine for the time you have left no matter where you end up, as long as your friends and family still come to visit and you all get to tell the stories of the old days and remember the good times.
Standing proud.
Maybe you’ll be fine. Because no mater the length of time allotted your future still stretches into the horizon.
Note: Many of you have read and care about Aunt V. She’s in a rehab center now and things are being sorted out.
She’s being brave, but change is hard.
Pink. A favorite color.
Wordless Wednesday
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Fall – it’s my favorite time of the year
Exploring the village of Milford.
Katie here. Boy oh boy oh boy. My mama has been feeling guilty because I haven’t had school for two weeks and I never get to do anything fun. So she’s been taking me out on adventures, mostly consisting of walking through the woods, but I’m not complaining cause that’s one of my most funnest things to do!
Yesterday she said she had a special place to investigate and did I want to go on a ride? Well sure mama! I always want to go on a ride!
We ended up in Milford, a little town a few miles south of where I live. Mama saw this giant pumpkin when she was driving through the town last week and she thought it looked perfect for a “Princess in the Fall” photo shoot.
Did you say TREATS mama??
What do you think? Was this perfect or what? Except for the cars going by right behind mama’s back that needed watching. And the people walking by on the sidewalk; most of whom, might I add, stopped to watch. People don’t get to see a Princess very often so I was the center of attention. Anyway, I kept watching all this stuff and not looking at my mama at all until she hollered “TREATS!” and then my head snapped right back around to stare at her. Two ladies on the sidewalk started to laugh but I didn’t care. I smiled for my mama and got my treat!
Sometimes I have to be reminded that I’m working.
After we did the great pumpkin shoot we wandered around downtown Milford. Everyone we met wanted to pet me and I let them. For a little bit. But really, I am a Princess and I have things to do people! If you don’t have a treat for me then I only have a few moments for you.
Can we eat here mama?
Mama did make me sit in front of a few other cute fall settings outside stores. I didn’t get to go inside any, even though I walked confidently up to several doors. Mama just said ‘not today sweetie” as if that was going to stop me from searching for treats! I’m sure if she had let me go inside I’d have found people more than willing to give me something good.
I was too busy sniffing to notice this guy. Mama said he was cute.
Anyway, after we had sniffed out everything interesting in Milford mama took me out to Kensington, the big park just south of Milford. It’s mama’s favorite place to go so I figured I could humor her and sit around in the leaves for a little bit.
Hurry up mama, I want my treat!
Yep, I’ll sit pretty as long as I got a treat after each pose. Really mama, you don’t expect me to just sit there and let you snap away do you? After each click of the camera I expect to be paid, so I get up and walk right up to her to demand payment. I know what a camera lens sounds like when a picture has been taken. You can’t fool me!
This tree is pretty mama. But I’m beautiful.
We didn’t stay a real long time cause mama is a wimp and didn’t bring gloves. Geeze. I didn’t have gloves either and I was fine. She is just disorganized. You know how mama is. She gets all excited about taking pictures and forgets to bring provisions. Good thing she didn’t forget the treats this time! I would have gone on strike! And then where would she have been?
She’d have been up the park without a dog, that’s where! Hahahahahahahaha.
Ahem.
I digress.
We walked a lot and eventually I told my mama that was enough. I mean, really, how many pictures of me does she need? She already has about a gazillion billion. I told her I needed my lunch and a nap.
I need a nap!
So she loaded me back into my chariot and we headed home to my daddy and lunch. It’s hard to get good help, but I think I struck it lucky when I got my mama. She’s hard at work planning our next adventure now.
I’ll let you know how it turns out.
You going to buy me a watch mama?
Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: Nature
Coneflower seedpod
Cee wanted to see some nature, so here’s some from the garden now that summer is over. I already miss the colorful blossoms, but the birds will love it like this throughout our long cold winter.
Wordless Wednesday
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Walktober
Time to go for a walk!
It was a beautiful Monday morning when I drove to my favorite park, intent on capturing my “Walktober.” Every year I do Robin’s walk, and every year I think I want to do it out at Kensington Metro Park. But this was the first year I actually got out there.
Let’s start out here, shall we?
Have a seat. It was so beautiful that I couldn’t stop capturing images. And then how could I choose only a few? So this is going to get kind of long. You can skim if you want, or take your time and meander along with me.
Whatcha doing lady?
That’s the benefit of heading out on a Walktober….there’s no real definition and you get to do whatever suites you best.
So here we go.
Back in the woods the trees were still mostly green, but there was a bit of red if you looked.
Standing out in all that green.
On the entire walk the sun and I were racing each other; big puffy clouds kept obstructing the light. I’d see an image and get all set up and then the sun would go under a cloud.
So I’d wait.
A touch of sunlight made things glow.
Inevitably the sun would peak out again, though sometimes only for a moment. I had to act fast.
Golden light.
Along the way there was a lot of detail to notice too. Like this fungus on the ends of a tree that had fallen…
Orange woodland ruffles.
…and the first of the bittersweet berries beginning to ripen.
Berries glow.
This is the park where the little birds like to be fed. And even though there are signs not to feed the wildlife it’s hard to resist when they fly down and hover in front of your face hopefully.
What did you bring me lady?
This time I got really lucky. I’ve had chickadees, titmice and woodpeckers land on my hand before, but never a nuthatch. They’ve always hovered around, wanting to get something, but a little too scared. Not today!
I decided to trust you!
At one point I dropped the rest of the seed in my hand onto the path and walked away. The little birds flew in to finish it off. Out of the corner of my eye I saw this guy swoop up to a branch overhead.
Looks like dinner down there!
“Oh no you don’t,” I said. I marched myself right back there and waited until the little birds finished off the seed. Disappointed, Mr. Hawk flew off to find lunch somewhere else. Darned if I was going to present my birds to him for a meal!
A little way further up the path I came upon a clearing.
Inviting place to sit and think.
This land was donated to the park by the estate of George and Virginia Danz in 1997. It was the site of their summer cabin. It’s just beautiful and I sent them up a silent thank you.
It was such a beautiful day for a walk. As I came to intersections on the path I always took the one that sent me further away from the parking lot. I didn’t want to stop!
Pretty no matter which way I went!
The path wandered in and out of the woods, along wetlands, and groves of ceder. The sun poked it’s way into the deep reaches of the woods. The birds sang. I didn’t see anyone else out there until I got back almost to the parking lot.
Enticing me to go further.
It just kept getting better and better.
Red pops.
I’m sure there’s a story about this old farm implement that was sitting way out there. All of this land used to be farm so maybe this was from the original owners. Or maybe it was put there to tell a story. Guess we’ll have to come up with one on our own.
Lost in the woods.
There was something fun no matter where I looked.
You looking at me?
Eventually I had to stop, so I headed back toward the car. Of course there was one last photo…and then another…
More color across the way.
…and when I finally got back to the parking lot these two guys were waiting for me. Silly birds, they’re supposed to be heading south by now.
Is it time to leave already?
But I’m glad I got to see them up close and wish them safe travels.
I had such a wonderful time on this year’s Walktober. Thank you Robin for organizing this every year! You make me get out and take a walk!
Peachy.
And for all of you readers out there, there’s still time for you to go on your own Walktober. Take a walk. Urban. Country. Somewhere in between. Take a few pictures (you don’t have to go overboard like I did!!!) and link to Robin’s blog, or just comment in her blog, and she’ll organize it all at the end. The timeframe is from October 15 through the 23rd, with blog posts due by October 25. But she’ll stretch the timing for you if you need a few more days.
I’d love to see what you see in your worlds as you walk! Share with us!
Golden.
Wordless Wednesday
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Change Is Hard 