Summit Musings

Friday Fences - New England Practical

2012-02-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

This fence was in a New England garden--in either Massachusetts or Connecticut. I took this photo on a late 1990s garden tour of the area, going all the way up into Vermont as well. We also saw White Flower Farm and Logee's Greenhouse, both well-known for catalog sales of plants for the serious gardener. This particular garden featured a series of fenced garden "rooms". I call this one New England practical for the bushel basket hanging on the fence ready to hold garden tools or clippings.

For more Friday Fences check out Life According to Jan and Jer to see who our host Janis has on the list of players.

A Romantic Watery Wednesday

2012-02-07T20:31:00.006-05:00

Since we'll celebrate Valentine's Day before the next Watery Wednesday I thought it would be good to go back to Venice for some water scenes from this most romantic city.(Bonus photo - you may be familiar with this pop art symbol of love. It's the sculpture "LOVE" by Robert Indiana and is currently on exhibit at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.)

Both natives and tourists enjoy riding through the canals of Venice in a gondola. Most gondolas are lavishly decorated in richly colored, lush fabrics for very elegant lounging with your Sweet One on your watery tour of Venice: Here's two closeups of Venetian gondoliers with their classic boater hats and striped shirts. There's a lot of friendly rivalry among the gondoliers. Who has the most romantically appointed gondola? Which boat has bragging rights in the annual gondola races?

I took this last photo of a just married young couple on the dock when we got off the ferry from Lido Beach, Venice to the mainland. The wedding party was seeing them off to the waiting cruise ship for their wedding journey--lots of music and good wishes for the bride and groom. I wish I had gotten a photo of the bride's sandals with their extravagant organza bows tied at her ankles:

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Publishers Clearing House Winner Date--"Doing" the Big Apple with an Accountant

2012-02-06T11:17:00.003-05:00

Sayre over at Sayre Smiles is hosting First Fun Monday for February. Since it's the month of LOVE, she's asked us to share stories of first dates or of dating gone right or wrong. Well, here's my story that fits in both categories, Pubishers Clearing House weekend in New York or "Faye and the Accountant Do the Big Apple". BTW, this is an oldy but goody re-posted from the past.

Around the end of the year I start noticing the commercials on TV urging us to enter the annual Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. You know, the one where the Prize Patrol van arrives at some one's house totally unexpectedly (it's the truth, I swear) with balloons, excited neighbor onlookers, and a huge check for 10 million dollars to surprise a lucky winner of grand prize that they won just by mailing in an entry form--no magazine subscription purchase required. When I see the commercial I think two things. One, there was a time when I was so financially strapped that I prayed to win the sweepstakes and entered it every year. Two, how many people actually believe that the sweepstakes is for real? Well, I don't enter anymore, but I do know someone who actually won a PCS prize, S the Accountant, my sweepstakes winner date from hell.

In the late 1970s I had just returned to the U.S. from three years of heady, exciting living and working in the West Indies. As do a lot of young people, after a spell of adventuring I wanted to come home. Home was a small college town in the Appalachian foothills where I had gone to school. I was hired by the university to run their adult education learning center. Every day I got to help adults learn to read, study for their GED high school equivalency diploma, or learn to speak English as a second language (this for foreign students or their families who were studying at the university). The work was great, the dating scene not so much.

If you're familiar with small college towns, you know that it's slim pickins' in the dating department. Most of the eligible--and desirable--men are already taken, usually by your good friends! So in the late '70s I was half-heartedly dating S, the chief accountant for the university. S was not particularly handsome (okay, I know that's shallow, but I was young!), rather boring but reliable and respected on campus. We were floundering along with the occasional dinner and movie date. Then S went big time!

He called me all excited--for S--with the news that he had just been notified by Publishers Clearinghouse that he had won a $2,700 promptness prize in that year's sweepstakes! Now I wasn't surprised that he won the promptness prize--he was, after all, an accountant. But, in addition to the prize money, he was invited to fly to New York City, along with the other winners from across the U.S., for a whirlwind publicity tour of the city. He would stay at The Plaza Hotel on 5Th Avenue, travel by limousine, dine at the greatest restaurants, see a Broadway play, tour the Publishers Clearinghouse out on Long Island and meet the CEO and employees responsible for the sweepstakes. Professional photographers would follow the winners for the whole tour.

And, he could bring a guest--me! Would I go with him IF I could be assured of having my own room? I can just imagine S making clear to the tour organizer that his guest would need her own room!! I said "Yes" because it sounded like a great adventure and I knew that S needed reinforcements. He had never flown before. I remember him clutching my hand when we lifted off at the Lexington Airport. He was very smart, but totally lacking in social skills. My job was to be his buffer and help him enjoy the trip. On reflection, I deserved more than my own room at The Plaza--I should have had combat pay!

I could tell so many stories about S the Accountant taking Manhattan, but will be selective. The best stories centered on S's wardrobe, especially a short butterscotch (you couldn't even call it a caramel) colored corduroy coat with a faux fur collar that he bought at the local Maloney's Department Store (where you could also buy furniture or a shovel). When S showed up in that coat at my house I knew that my lovely red wool coat that went so well with my shiny black hair cut al la Dorothy Hamil didn't stand a chance!

S and I got checked in the fabulous Plaza and went our separate ways to get settled in. First time I'd stayed in a place ritzy enough to have mints on the pillow and my bed turned down. Back to S's coat, though. Our first activity was to meet the other prize members in the Palm Court of the Plaza and head out to dinner. I got downstairs first and was enjoying meeting the other people. The 10M grand prize winner was a nice young couple who owned a dime/variety store in Florida. So, we're chatting along when MY date walks in the Palm Court with his tie in hand! The man does not know how to tie his tie! Believe me, his guest (me!) would have loved to help him in the privacy of his room. Instead, a couple of the guys in our party took him to the side and tied his tie. He then puts on his fine butterscotch coat. We get into our private limo for the drive to dinner--at Windows on the World Restaurant on the top of the World Trade Center. (How sad to remember that beautiful place which is no more after 9/11--it had just opened in 1976.)

When we arrive at the restaurant, the limo driver suggested that S leave his coat in the limo since we would take the same limo back to the hotel. He balked, saying that he'd just bought that coat and didn't want to lose it! Reluctantly he did take it off, but not before writing down the limo license plate number and chauffeur's name. Can you imagine the all-points bulletin that would have gone out to New York's Finest if that coat had gone missing! The next night we dined at The Four Seasons without a coat incident. This time it was a cutlery intervention that was required. Even with all the stress of helping S tread the social waters, I still remember the glittery dining room and my first taste of French chocolate mousse.

After that first day I learned to anticipate S's potential social blunders and the rest of the group accepted him for what he was--a good, smart, unsophisticated man who hadn't seen much of the world. It was great to be able to see and experience some of the best of New York in such great style. The highlight of the trip was actually touring the Publisher's Clearinghouse and meeting the employees, including the those who actually drew the winning entries--including our Florida friends--for that year's sweepstakes. So, in these hard economic times, you may want to think about entering the Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes, but think twice before agreeing to accompany a winner to New York!

P.S. Please excuse the overuse of parentheses today. I don't know why I needed so many. . .

First of the Month & Watery Wednesday - At Cherokee Park

2012-02-01T19:06:00.007-05:00

For this year's First of the Month photos I chose Louisville's Olmsted Parks, a beautiful park system designed by the Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. This month I went back to Cherokee Park to re-visit places I'd photographed in January.

For no more than ten minutes this was the way the sunrise looked on my way to the park:

The day quickly shifted to damp and misty. Here is Baringer Hill, a favorite place for people of all ages--and their dogs--to come and play. I hope to catch the hill snow-covered and covered with sledders before winter's end, but here's what it looked like today. Baringer Hill tree lace:

Cherokee Park has many gentle streams, creeks and stone bridges like this:

First of the Month: the idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 .

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Friday Fences - More Monet Inspired Gardens in New Zealand

2012-01-27T00:48:00.003-05:00

In the previous Watery Wednesday post I shared some photos of Hortensia House and garden on New Zealand's South Island. The gardener is an artist as well and is inspired by the French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet. The Wednesday post featured mostly water shots from the back lawn.

For Friday Fences, let's have a look at the front of the house. At the front entrance you walk down a graveled path to find this front fence and trellis covered with lush vines. The beautiful wood trimmed ironwork gate is fortunately open so that you can see the gardens surrounding the house:
Looking to the left through the gate you can see several seating areas where you have a good view of perennial beds full of color from hydrangeas, roses, flowering vines, and fruit trees:

To the right there are more trellises and plant beds that grow all the way to the front entrance of Hortensia House. Notice that the roof color complements the periwinkle blue of the gate and window trim:

This last photo is of the back of the house so you can see how everything is planned with an artist's eye--the house and trim color, the graceful roof line and that porch lined with flowering beds and wisteria:

For more fence photos, be sure to go to Janis' Place to link with other Friday Fence photographers.

Watery Wednesday - Monet Inspired Garden in New Zealand

2012-01-25T00:35:00.005-05:00

For this week's photography memes I'm going back to photos taken on a 2004 garden tour of New Zealand.

Hortensia House is on New Zealand's South Island near Blenheim. The gardener/owner is a Frenchwoman and artist. Her paintings and ceramics were inspired by the many flowers in her garden and by the French Impressionist Claude Monet. Hydrangeas in great variety, roses, fruit trees, and native plants blend together in this elegant garden.

Hortensia House has beautiful open windows accented with periwinkle blue that look out over intensely planted perennial beds to a graceful stream that runs through the property:

This Japanese bridge is inspired by the one at Monet's Giverny garden in France and leads to a small island:

The island has flower beds close to the gazebo--which echoes the house's architecture. Behind the gazebo are open fields:

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

New Zealand's Fantasy Landscapes

2012-01-23T01:47:00.003-05:00

This week I thought I would share some more photos from a 2004 horticultural tour of New Zealand. This country is a land of contrasting landscapes from native bush country to almost desert-like tussock grass to flower-filled formal gardens. Today's photos are from the Otari Wilton's Bush Native Botanic Garden near Wellington on the North Island of New Zealand.

The most memorable plant in this garden was the huge tree ferns, which are almost prehistoric in feeling. We were able to see the tree ferns from all vantage points. First we walked across a "tree walk" which was a bridge that crossed over the tree tops:
Next we took stairs deep into the bush for some closeup of the tree ferns like these very young fiddleheads which will become the fern fronds as they mature:
This is a grown tree fern truck with its interesting hatched or almost plaited looking bark. Notice that the fiddleheads dry as the season progresses:
As the tree matures, the older stems turn this shiny black color and the fiddleheads get thicker and darker as well:
This photo of a tree fern "umbrella" was taken from the tree walk:

Come back on Wednesday and I'll share some lovely New Zealand water scenes, both natural and man-made in the formal gardens.

Friday Fences - New Zealand Sheep Farm and Gardens

2012-01-20T00:12:00.000-05:00

This week I thought I might share some rather insignificant fences in New Zealand, whose landscapes are as varied and fabulous as the fences are common. These photos are from a 2004 garden tour of both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Today's photos were taken on the South Island. Here we're driving on the east coast of the South Pacific near Christchurch. These fences were for cattle and sheep. In the background you see the snowcaps of the Southern Alps.
To get to the farm and garden we were visiting (Waipapa Clarence Bridge) we drove through the Clarence River valley. You can still see the Southern Alps in the background. I think this whole area looks rather "Lord of the Rings", don't you?

The farmhouse was surrounded by pastures dotted with sheep as far as you could see, their movements controlled by simple fences and a whole contingent of hard-working border collies:

Here's another view of the sheep pastures and mountains that seemed to have just erupted from the earth.

This is the farmhouse that is over 100 years old. An artist owned the house and also designed the garden. Can you imagine how much enjoyment the owners must get from sitting out on this wraparound veranda enjoying the mountain views?

The gardens were formal with tightly clipped boxwood edging. The beds were crammed with primarily yellow flowering perennials accented with dramatic purple dinosaur sized spires whose names are a mystery to me.

Yes, I'll admit that the fences were not the star of this show, but I thought you may enjoy some scenes from this mythic countryside. For more fences of all kinds and the stories that go with them, be sure to visit Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer for a list of the Friday Fence players.

Watery Wednesday - Burano, Italy

2012-01-18T00:45:00.005-05:00

Recently I watched a Rick Steves European Travels episode on PBS which spotlighted Venice and some of the small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Reminded me of a 2008 trip to this most romantic Italian location, especially Burano with it's gaily painted houses and handmade lace. To get to Burano the easiest thing to do is to pick up a water bus, or vaporetti, in Venice somewhere along the Grand Canal:

From Venice you travel north on the Venetian Lagoon, enjoying views like this of grand churches, galleries, hotels and private homes.

After about 45 minutes on the vaporetti you arrive at Burano, an island of fishermen, lacemakers, and Murano glass artists. Gaily painted houses and shops sit along the narrow canals that run through the town. The houses were painted different colors so that fishermen could see their own houses from the water when out fishing.

After lunch at a delightful seafood cafe in the town square, we wandered along the canals looking for pieces of the exquisite Burano lace in small shops. We were also lucky enough to see elderly women sitting outside the shop making the lace.
Some shops also sold the beautiful jewel-colored Murano glass which is handblown in the area.

Venice is crowded with tourists and the accompanying carnival atmosphere from mid-morning to very late at night. If you are lucky enough to visit this area, I recommend that you take a break and enjoy a slower paced travel experience like on Burano.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Friday Fences - Snow Fences in Kiev, Ukraine

2012-01-13T00:07:00.001-05:00

Today we have our first significant snow and icy roads in Louisville so I thought it might be an appropriate time to show you a different kind of fence. Look closely at the lower right hand corner of this photo and you'll see a snow fence on the rooftop which is used to control the movement of snow in places with heavy snowfall. Like here in Kiev, the capital city in Ukraine. I took this photo from my apartment window in December 2001 when I spent almost a month working with farm councils in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine.

Before I retired I worked for a large farm organization, teaching leadership, board training, strategic planning, and cooperative council work. One of my most unusual work assignments was to go to Ukraine under the sponsorship of U.S. Citizen's Network for Foreign Affairs Agribusiness Volunteer Program. I worked with mostly women farmers in western Ukraine helping them to set up farm councils. They were just learning to operate privately owned farms since being under communist collective farms up until the mid-1990s.

I've written two posts about my work there and the experience of visiting Ukrainian farms, living in a remote mountain village with a local family. There's lots of on the scene photos and tales of adventures and mis-adventures if you're interested in a peek at another culture.

# 1 Ukraine Assignment

# 2 Zakarpattia Women

For other Friday Fence photos, be sure to stop by Janis' place at Life According to Jan and Jer

Watery Wednesday - Corporate Duck Pond

2012-01-11T23:20:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday evening I drove past a favorite spot in my neighborhood as the sun was beginning to set. At one of Louisville's corporate headquarters there's this small pond with a walking path all around and arched bridge spanning the pond. It is enjoyed by employees as well as people in the community who come here regularly to feed the ducks and walk around the pond, sometimes with their dogs.

Sunday was a gorgeous day with white billowy clouds as you can see reflected in the water. The sunset was a yellow glow against the clear blue sky:

The ducks were in luck today. One family came with a sack of cracked corn which everyone seemed to enjoy as a change from stale bread for dinner. I don't think these guys waited the recommended half hour after dinner to go swimming!

Another view of the pond and woodland area with a walking trail. You begin to see the sunset reflected in the water.
I'm glad that we have this little watery escape in the middle of one of Louisville's industrial parks. The ducks appreciate it too, I'm sure.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Teaser Tuesday -Spencer Quinn's Thereby Hangs a Tail & Dog On It

2012-01-10T11:03:00.003-05:00

This nose belongs to Chet, the canine half of the Little Detective Agency in Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie mysteries. As Chet describes it "We run a detective agency, me and Bernie, called the Little Detective Agency on account of Little being Bernie's last name. My name's Chet, pure and simple. Headquarters is our house on Mesquite Road, a nice place with a big tree out front, perfect for napping under, and the whole canyon easily accessible out back, if it just happens someone left the gate open. And then, up in the canyon--well, say no more."

Chet is the delightful narrator for these two mysteries. We don't learn much about him except that he has mis-matched ears, is a self-described "one hundred pounder" and chief worrier about the detective agency bringing in enough income to keep up child support for Charlie, Bernie's son and Chet's best buddy,--and repair money for the aging Porshe and dog food. Chet loves riding shot-gun when they're out on a case and welcomes the occasional perk of taste testing a new line of dog treats or sharing a donut with the local police. Chet manages to be pretty much on the case, ready to leap and take a bite out of a perp's leg if necessary. But Chet also is the first to admit that he has occasional lapses in judgment. It only takes Bernie's warning "Che-et!" to get him back on task!

I just love Chet--and so does everyone else who reads these two books. So much that I couldn't limit to just two sentences for this week's Teaser Tuesday. Instead, here's some Chet lines that made me just laugh out loud:

Adelina (potential client)looking him over when they first met: " 'He looks big. I don't recognize the breed. And what's the story with his ears?' My ears again? How rude."

Lt. Stine gives him a treat: "I took the cruller back to my seat and had some quiet time".

When he and Princess (a kidnapped show dog)were on the lam: ". . .felt a pain in my head, a kind of heavy throbbing pain. It made me want to puke, so I did."

His dislike of horses: "Totally unreliable, always twitching for no reason, but humans don't seem to get that, go on and on about how beautiful they are until I just want to trot over to one of those weird legs, the real skinny part, and give it the tiniest. . .but I would never do that, at least not again, after what happened that time at the ranch."

On self restraint during an investigation: "Something about Bernie--or any human--on hand and knees always got me going so I had to wait outside with Colonel Bob."

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host, Miz B over at Should Be Reading ,as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may by your meme. To play, just click on Miz B's link above for the simple rules.

(Image credit: Chet's Nose- Philip and Karen Smith/Getty Images)

Watery Wednesday and Winter Photos, Day 14 - Beargrass Creek

2012-01-04T09:31:00.007-05:00

I took these photos of Beargrass Creek that runs through Seneca and Cherokee Parks on a very chilly New Year's Day. These two parks are part of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, named for Frederick Law Olmsted, said to be the father of American landscape architecture. Olmsted designed our Louisville, Kentucky parks system. There are several bridges spanning Beargrass Creek. This one I thought was particularly beautiful.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

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Starting on the first day of winter, several photographer-bloggers have been posting daily photos of wintry subjects. We call the meme Two Weeks in Winter Photos. Today is the last day of the challenge. Other players:
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

Two Weeks in Winter, Day 13 ~ Snow Frosted Ivy

2012-01-03T17:21:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we had enough snow to frost the ivy. And yes, I'm busted. On January 2, I still had not cleaned the fall leaves out of the ivy bed.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating. Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 12 ~ Blue Bird of Happiness

2012-01-02T16:47:00.003-05:00

I snapped this rather out of focus bluejay--I think--on New Year's Day. Although the bossy bluejay doesn't exactly fit the traditional image of the Bluebird of Happiness, I'm taking his appearance on January 1 as a good omen for 2012. Okay?

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating. Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

First of the Month and Winter Photos, Day 11 ~ Cherokee Park

2012-01-01T20:29:00.004-05:00

I took these three photos of Baringer Hill in Cherokee Park this afternoon. Louisville, Kentucky has a great public parks system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), the father of American landscape architecture. Mr. Olmsted is most famous for designing Central and Prospect Parks in New York City. Baringer Hill is a popular playground for sledders, children and dogs and is at the summit of Cherokee Park so you can look out over the trees at all seasons of the year.

Last year for the First of the Month photography meme I focused on Kentucky skies. The idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 . Here's how it works: "The goal is to capture one thing repeatedly on the first day of each month. It can be a landscape, a person, an animal, a project; whatever your focus is fine. It can be a record of where you are each first day of the month." This year I decided to photograph Olmstead Parks here in Louisville.
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Two Weeks in Winter Photos - We are near the end of a two week winter photo challenge. However, if you'd like to join me for the remainder of this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating. Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 10 ~ Last Sunflare

2011-12-31T17:11:00.004-05:00

I've been skywatching all year and have taken countless photos of sunrises, sunsets, sunflares, and clouds over Kentucky. Captured this sunflare around 2:00 p.m. today. A pretty nice way to say goodbye to 2011. If you look closely there's a little bonus among the trees--the rising moon.

I hope it's clear skies for each of you in 2012. Well, maybe just enough clouds to make things interesting!

Friday Fences and Winter Photos, Day 9 -Shaker Village

2011-12-30T18:45:00.004-05:00

The very last seasonal decoration on gates at historic Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. The buildings in this settlement celebrate the best of Shaker design--simplicity,functional, and beautiful. I especially loved this ochre or mustard yellow building.

For more Friday Fences go to Life According to Jan and Jer .

Two Weeks in Winter Photos-If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 8 ~ Scottish Highlander

2011-12-29T15:15:00.003-05:00

Spotted this ancient Scottish Highlander at Shaker Village. No, he's not wearing black galoshes and yes, I could hear him clipping grass from over the fence. How thrilling if Colum MacKenzie's wild Highland clansmen had swooped down on a cattle raid about this time! :-)

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Kim @ Kim USA

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 7 ~ Snow Cardinal

2011-12-28T17:07:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we had the first wet snow showers of the season. Even with camera set on special "snow" function I couldn't get an in-focus image. Still, this cardinal obligingly provided a splash of color in the winter landscape.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 6 ~ Last Leaves

2011-12-27T15:40:00.002-05:00

The last leaves of autumn still hanging on this sycamore tree on December 23.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 5 ~ Rainy Stroll

2011-12-26T14:44:00.003-05:00

A rainy stroll through historic Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, Kentucky--a couple of days before Christmas.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 4 ~ Candle Glow Shaker-Style

2011-12-24T14:22:00.004-05:00

Two different wall sconces provided soft candle glow in the dining hall at historic Shakertown yesterday. Simple, functional and beautiful--that's the Shaker style.

I hope your Christmas Eve is peaceful and glowing with happiness of the holidays.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 3 ~ Simple Gifts

2011-12-23T19:48:00.003-05:00

A rainy day in the Bluegrass state. Spent the afternoon with friends at a holiday lunch at Shakertown, an historic Shaker settlement and farm at Pleasant Hill. The architecture, interior design, furnishings and the food displayed the Shaker belief in simplicity, function and beauty. Even the holiday decorations were simple and lovely.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Friday Fences - Bluegrass Horse Farm

2011-12-22T22:55:00.003-05:00

This is a thoroughbred horse farm on an historic turnpike between Lexington and Paris, Kentucky. A confession-the photo was in my archives and I don't know the photographer's name to give the credit to. However, it was so appropriate for this almost Christmas edition of Friday Fences, I just couldn't resist. Hope you enjoy this beautiful photo from Kentucky. For more fences, be sure to visit Janis for the list of players.

Happy Holidays, Everyone

Peace on Earth

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 2 ~ Morning Sky

2011-12-22T14:14:00.002-05:00

After an all-night rain, this is the very dramatic morning sky we had yesterday to usher in the winter season.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

Two Weeks in Winter Photos, Day 1 - Winter Snacks

2011-12-21T15:13:00.003-05:00

December 21 - first day of winter in our part of the world. Thought I'd challenge myself to take daily photos of wintry scenes and subjects for two weeks, like this little snacker in a tree outside my window. What's your favorite snack? Mine is probably homemade Chex Mix with extra Brazil nuts.

If you'd like to join me in this challenge, just post your daily winter snapshot for the next two weeks. Leave a comment here and I'll let everyone know you're participating.

Here's the list so far:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It

A Carol for the Troops in 2011

2011-12-20T00:55:00.000-05:00

( This is a re-post from December 2009. Two years later, the draw down of troops from Iraq is finally a reality, but the Middle East still claims too many young men and women. Unfortunately, the scenes described below will still be the reality for many families in the United States.)

"The Christmas Morning Furlough" was the cover for the 1863 Harper's Weekly. As the American Civil War waged on, a Union soldier managed to get home on Christmas Day. He wraps his wife in a loving embrace while his children surround them. The Christmas tree is ready and the stockings hung, all the plans have been made--just waiting for the soldier to return home from the war, even if for a few days.

This year, almost 150 years later, a different war rages on--this one in the Middle East, not on American soil. Military families in the United States and our allied countries try to celebrate the holidays without a central family member present--a husband, wife, father, mother, son, or daughter. They try to go on with the festivities or they wait, postponing the holidays until everyone can be together.

At Campbellsville University in south central Kentucky, Matthew Hodge, a 24 year-old graduate student in the music department wrote the music and lyrics to "What is Christmas?", a tribute to American troops serving overseas while their families carry on at home. The carol was first performed at the Christmas Tapestry concert by the Campbellsville University Chamber Choir. They received a first time ever standing ovation. People were deeply touched by the heart-felt lyrics and beautiful harmonies. More so, because the carol reflected their own personal stories of absent loved ones in harm's way:

On December 9 the entire chamber choir travelled to Nashville to do a professional recording of "What is Christmas?- A Carol for the Troops. CDs are now being distributed to departing soldiers as a reminder to them that in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season families and friends left at home are thinking of them and longing for the day when the celebrations will be complete again with their presence.

Merry Christmas, Everyone. Peace on Earth.

Friday Christmas Fences

2011-12-16T00:11:00.001-05:00

This month I've been looking for fences that say "Merry Christmas!" Norton Commons is a new upscale community that I'm in every week for a pilates class. The houses are well-landscaped and tastefully decorated, so I was not surprised to see the fence at the entrance decorated with traditional evergreen swags and red bows. Personally, I think it's hard to beat this look for Christmas.

On the community square in Norton Commons this Christmas tree sales lot had been operating since just after Thanksgiving. Last week fence rows of evergreens were lined up so that shoppers could walk up and down, choosing the perfect Christmas tree. From the looks of today's lineup, business has been good at the little red-doored Santa hut.

I live in historic Middletown. In contrast-but no less festive-our Christmas tree lot is set up by the Marathon gas station on a very busy commercial street. The trees are behind wire fences and the sales are made from a little shed. At night everything is lit up with multi-colored twinkling Christmas lights.

It would be hard to resist the old-fashioned advertising "SNOWFRESH CHRISTMAS TREES"!

If you're not around for the December 23rd Friday Fences, I'll just wish you an early "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year".

Be sure to check out other Friday Fence posters at Life According to Jan and Jer .

Watery Wednesday - Eddie's Duck Pond

2011-12-14T00:11:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had errands to do that involved a drive out in the country so I took my camera along, hoping to find something interesting. The leaves are gone and winter is still a week away, but the duck pond on my friend's wooded property was still photo worthy:
On the lower side of the pond you can walk around the edges and look across to the wooded property, home to some very spoiled ducks:
There's this small evergreen point that juts out into the pond. Do you see the nesting box in the tree? Snapped this photo at just the right time to get some great reflections in the water:
On this more sheltered side of the pond there was still a skiff of ice on the water. Do you see the small hut in the trees? For spying on the ducks?

My friends were saying yesterday that their place was so beautiful in the autumn. Actually, I think early winter is hard to beat.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Holiday Decorations and English Antiques at Science Hill

2011-12-11T15:10:00.014-05:00

In late November a few old--as in long time--friends gathered at Science Hill Inn and Wakefield- Scearce Gallery for lunch and an afternoon of browsing through room after room of English antique furniture and assessories. Each room was all decked out for the holiday season--an excellent place to find some inspiration for your own holiday decorating. Science Hill started out as a girl's prepatory school in the 1800s by a Methodist minister's wife who believed that young women should learn more than the expected homekeeping skills, art and music--for example, science.

Now this historic building houses the Science Hill Inn which serves delicious southern cuisine such as shrimp and grits, Kentucky hot brown, hot water corn bread, and desserts too delicious to mention such as bread pudding laced with bourbon sauce. Other rooms are part of the Wakefield-Scearce Gallery which contains high quality English antique furniture and assessories, all for sale.

After lunch we wandered through the gallery. From the inner courtyard you can see by the architecture that this was once a dormatory. Here are views from below and above, looking very festive. I especially admired the ceiling light fixture for its simplicity and the old iron grillwork mounted on the wall:

Almost every room in the gallery has a uniquely decorated Christmas tree, including this towering beauty in the main room. Every year the tree is decorated with the same German glass ornaments, toys, and other fanciful pieces like this year's music theme (see closeup):

Then here are a few more trees that were especially pretty, like this "golden" one:Or this one decorated with , I think, English crackers:
Or this one that was decorated with fruits and shells: After the trees, the next favorite decoration would have to be wreaths: red ones with curling ribbons, a woodland wreath for a rustic door, or a classic evergreen to adorn a beautifully molded door:

Finally, a few examples of the fine English antiques and decorative assessories, like this desk and chair with a simple arrangement in green and gold:
The hearth and mantle dressed with a seasonal swag and antique fire tools:
Some fine birds for a table display:
English bone china for the holiday table:
Or my favorite, a painting of two pampered pooches:
I should have warned you that this lunch and tour took the whole afternoon. I hope you've enjoyed the holidays at Science Hill and gotten some inspiration for your own decorations.

Happy Holidays!

Friday Fences - Hanging on to Summer

2011-12-09T02:41:00.002-05:00

I took these photos in my neighborhood on December 1. The owners of this house had not gotten around to putting up a more seasonal decoration for this fanciful bench/doublewide bird houses. I'll walk by there in the next week or so to see if there's a Christmas wreath replacing the flower-decked hat.

Thought this was a very good example of a white picket fence and it goes very well with the house. I'd love to spend some time on that screened-in porch reading.

Snapped this fence closeup so you could admire the pineapple-shaped post caps. In the south U.S., the pineapple is a symbol of hospitality. That quirky bench, shade tree, and porch just invites visitors, doesn't it--especially when you don't want to say goodbye to summer.

Janis is our host for Friday Fences. Be sure to stop by her place and check out all the different fences everyone has spotted. It's funny how participating in these memes makes you take note. Just today I spotted two Christmas fences for next week.

Watery Wednesday - The Composer's View

2011-12-07T08:53:00.004-05:00

The photo above is the view of the Norwegian Sea and distant city of Bergen that the famous music composer, Edvard Grieg, would have had from Troldhaugen, his family home just outside Bergen, Norway. The little red hut is called the Composer's Hut. It sets just down a steep hill from the main house with views of the sea. Grieg is said to have retreated here to get away from the hubbub of children and house guests so that he could compose music in peace.
(Photos - Scandinavia Tour, August 2011)

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Teaser Tuesday - The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon

2011-12-06T00:51:00.003-05:00

(Spoiler alert! You may not want to read anything other than the book quotes for The Scottish Prisoner if you are still reading the first three books in Diana Gabaldon's wildly popular Outlander series: Outlander , Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager.)

It is 1760. At Helwater in England's Lake District, James Fraser, a paroled Jacobite prisoner of war, spends his days in relative peace working with horses on the Dunsany estate. He is content to be able to be close to a small son that he can not acknowledge and grieve for his wife from whom he was separated just before the battle of Culloden. Then the Irishman Tom Quinn comes to Helwater and tries to involve him in a scheme to resurrect the lost Jacobite Cause.

Meanwhile in London, Lord John Grey is enlisted by his brother Hal, Earl of Pardloe, to recover a corrupt army officer from Ireland and bring him back for court martial in London. The only problem is that the documents detailing this crime are written in "Erse", the language of the Scottish Highlanders. The one person who can help them is the Scottish prisoner, James Fraser. Will he do it in light of the complicated relationship (prisoner-jailer-friend) Fraser has with Lord John Grey?

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host, Miz B over at Should Be Reading ,as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may by your meme. To play, just click on Miz B's link above for the simple rules.

" He is still at Helwater, is he not? Will you go and ask him about Siverly?" Hal said mildly.
"No."
"No?"
"I would not piss on him was he burning in the flames of hell," Grey said politely.
One of Hal's brows flicked upward. . . "Just so," he said dryly. "The question, though, is whether Fraser might be inclined to perform a similar service for you."
"Only if he thought I might drown, " Grey said. p 22

Book description: This book is one of several off shoot stories that Gabaldon writes to expand the characters and plots of the seven books in the Outlander series. She calls it a Lord John Grey novel because it is set in the time when there was the most interaction between Lord John and Fraser. We also get more of stories of other characters, such as Fraser's young son William, who will be in all the upcoming novels. Fans of Gabaldon love all her characters and enjoy reading about them, in addition to the Jamie and Claire love story around which all the novels are written. In addition, these novels between the main Outlander books, give fans a "fix" while waiting for the next one (3-4 years) to come out!

(Photo credit: Ashness Farm, English Lake District, http://outlandishobservations.blogspot.com )

Cross & Flame

2011-12-04T11:34:00.003-05:00

This is the steeple of the United Methodist Church in my neighborhood. I enjoy seeing this symbol of--to me--religious tolerance and inclusion in these times when faith is more of a competition. Right way, wrong way, my Jesus is better than your Jesus. The simple Protestant cross and double flame is an apt symbol of the Methodist teachings and practices. I've been on "sabbatical" from formal religion for many years. If-or when-I return to a church, this will be the one I return to.

Just for fun I played around with some Photoshop special effects. Here's steeple fresco:
Here's steeple colored pencil:

First of the Month - Mistletoe Skies

2011-12-01T15:51:00.004-05:00

Now that most of the leaves have fallen in my neighborhood, I noticed that, in addition to the usual squirrels' nests, some trees also have bunches of mistletoe clinging to their bare branches. How timely for the December edition of Kentucky Skies monthly photos!

All year long I've been scanning the sky, camera in hand, in order to participate in a monthly photography meme that attracts aspiring photographers from all over. The idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 . Here's how it works: "The goal is to capture one thing repeatedly on the first day of each month. It can be a landscape, a person, an animal, a project; whatever your focus is fine. It can be a record of where you are each first day of the month." So, just in time for the holidays, here's "mistletoe skies":

I had intended to learn how to do photo mosaics before December so that I could share a year of Kentucky Skies. That's still on the to do list, so I'll just post them the old fashioned way. It's quite fun to see what was photo worthy from month to month:

November - Leaf Peeping
October - Pastel Sun Flare

September - Norwegian Skies
August - Sun Flare

July - Rocket's Red Glare
June - Great Balls of Fire

May-KY Derby Balloon Race

April - Spring Greening

March-Sycamore Sky

February- Winter Skies

January - KY Sunset

Happy Holidays to all you First of the Monthers and readers! I hope you get caught under the mistletoe some time during the season!

Watery Wednesday - More of the Leafy Creek

2011-11-30T00:32:00.002-05:00

I'm getting a lot of photo mileage out of the small creek in the park near my home. During late October and November it has been covered with multi-colored fall leaves. Until the recent rains, the water barely flowed over the rocks in the creek bed. In this photo I liked the "marbley" reflections in the shallow water.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

A Good Old Dog

2011-11-27T10:28:00.004-05:00

Hi guys, Willie here. I haven't been around on the Internet much in November, you may have noticed. Early in the month the Housemate and I spent a grand day at Bernheim Forest hiking and taking photos. I especially liked walking out over the tops of the trees on the observation walkway. Then on November 8 we did our civic duty and voted for a new governor. We decided to keep the old one, which was a good thing. Neither of the three running were much to brag about though.

Frankly I haven't been feeling that great lately. My hip is killing me and it gets harder and harder to get up off the floor. And there's other problems that I've forbidden the Housemate to discuss on this blog or Facebook. The worst problem is that I can no longer get up on the bed at night. And if you've never slept on the floor, you wouldn't understand how tough this is. Some nights I just wandered through the house clicking my toenails on the floor so people would know I'm not happy sleeping on a pallet by the Housemate's bed. Then yesterday look what she brought home--because I am a Good Old Dog, after all!

Man o Man! I could tell this was going to be great. Once I got used to the slight wobble, just settled in for some serious sleeping--and snoring. Best night's sleep I've had in a long time. I highly recommend one of these orthopedic beds to any of you who have Good Old Dogs.

Friday Fences - Old Codgers

2011-11-25T04:00:00.003-05:00

Here you have the two old codgers, Willie and Cooper the yellow lab, taking part in a daily ritual. Willie is 15 + and Cooper is probably 13 years old. Every day on our walks through the park they look for each other. When Cooper spies us even from far across the park he runs to his back fence and waits for us. They run up and down the fence together, pausing to chat or have a little leg-lifting contest. I have no idea what they have to talk about. Maybe their golf game, politics, or their prostate? Whatever, they look forward to these visits and I love to watch them.

Now, even though Janis ,our host for Friday Fences, is in charge of the Day 2 Thanksgiving feast, she's still ready to see some new fences. When you've done your Black Friday shopping and had some leftovers from yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner, be sure and stop by her place for the list of players. She may even offer you a piece of pie!

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T09:39:00.002-05:00

A lot to be thankful for today-health, home, nature's beauty,and good friends. Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog friends. I appreciate and enjoy you so much.

Watery Wednesday - Leafy Creek, Part II

2011-11-22T20:24:00.003-05:00

These two photos of the leaf-strewn creek are just a sampling of autumn as displayed in the small park where Willie and I walk almost every day. We've had lots of rain this week and so most of the leaves have fallen and turned brown. Still, I'll have these colorful photos to remind me of how beautiful fall can be in Kentucky.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'm grateful to share this wonderful hobby of photography will all of you.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Friday Fences and Barn Quilts

2011-11-17T19:43:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I made a long and very rainy trip from Louisville to far eastern Kentucky to visit my 90 year old Aunt Draxie who lives independently on a farm in the mountains. In the summer she raises a huge garden, canning and freezing the excess for the winter. In the winter she quilts. Yesterday she was working on a crib quilt for the newest great grandchild, using old feedsacks and working by hand.

Quilting has always been both a necessity and art form in rural Kentucky, providing both warmth and beauty for the home. Young girls learned to quilt from the women in the family using scraps of fabric to make fanciful designs with names like Wedding Ring, Trip Around the World, Drunkard's Path and Little Dutch Girl. Many children--myself included--remember playing under the quilt frame that was bolted to the ceiling and then lowered after the housework was done so that the women could sit around the frame and quilt.

A few years ago, Kentucky and several adjoining states worked through their state art councils to start a Barn Quilt Project where barns in the rural areas had quilt designs painted on them to commemorate this important art form. On the Mountain Parkway that runs into eastern Kentucky you can spot many of these colorful barns in the distance as you drive alone. I saw around ten yesterday including this one of a Bowtie Quilt.

I decided to use this photo for Friday Fences because of the typical farm fencing as well. Blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to see many other interesting fences.

Watery Wednesday - Leafy Creek

2011-11-15T23:26:00.003-05:00

Fall leaves floating in the park creek--such variety. I used the "vivid" mode on my camera for shooting and got this amazing blue sky reflection. This reminds me of a high-end decorator fabric.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Bella and Edward's Twilight Moon

2011-11-15T10:04:00.002-05:00

Can you hear the wolves?

November Waning Moon

2011-11-13T14:10:00.003-05:00

From my growing collection of moon photos taken in November alone. These two photos of the waning moon were taken at the same time--around 8 a.m. The moon was a pale round in the sky almost hidden among the tree branches. I did a bit of photoshopping to pull out different hues and, in the first photo I sharpened the image to bring out the lichens on the tree branches.

November has been a great month to try for some decent shots of the autumn moon. Almost every day I've been scanning the skies for photo opportunities. Here's my challenge though: my camera (new!) is a Canon PowerShot SX130 IS, 12 megapixel. It's great for day to day and travel photography, but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do good night shots? I use the low light setting, aim for just after sunset or early morning, try to keep a steady hand to minimize camera movement, and limit zoom. I get some interesting effects, but not the closeup shots of the moon that I'm going for.

Do any of you more experienced photographers have some recommendations for me--other than buying a more powerful camera? :-) I would really appreciate your frank critiques and advice!
_____________________________________

Black Lace Moon - posted November 14

I've been regularly posting a weekly series of practice photos on Facebook, each focused on a different subject. This week it's November Moons. Thought I'd squeeze "black lace moon" in this post since we're talking about improving nightime photography.

Friday Fences - Science Hill Inn

2011-11-10T20:17:00.004-05:00

Friday Fences is a great way to meet creative photographers from all over. The meme is hosted by my blog buddy Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to check out other fence photos and stories.

This is the iron fence that runs in front of the Sceince Hill Inn and Wakefield Scearce Gallery in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Science Hill has an interesting history, especially for educators. In 1825 Julia Ann Hieronymus married a young Methodist minister and settled in Louisville. She was a teacher who was determined to provide girls with a broader education beyond homekeeping, entertainment, painting and music which was thought to be sufficient for girls from "good" families of the time. In particular she wanted to teach her students about science. So, she opened a girl's preparatory school, first class had 20 students. That school was in operation for around 100 years.

Now the very elegant southern building houses a fine restaurant, Science Hill Inn, and Wakefield Scearce Gallery, which specializes in British Antiques. During the holiday time between Thanksgiving and Christmas this especially a wonderful place to visit. You can have lunch in the inn featuring the best southern cuisine. Then spend the afternoon going through room after room (used to be the school dormitory) of British antiques, each room fully decorated around a certain theme.

A group of my friends will be going there for a pre-Thanksgiving lunch. Already know I'll be ordering the Shrimp and Grits. If you're still looking for a new Thanksgiving or Christmas dish, here is the Science Hill Inn recipe:

Cheesy Grits:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole and set aside.

In a large pan add 1 tsp. salt to 4 cups of water and bring to boil over high heat. Slowly stir in 1 cup instant grits and cook until the grits thicken and take on a pudding-like texture, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup butter, 4 oz. mild grated cheddar cheese, 6 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat 3 eggs and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream together just until the eggs are thoroughly mixed. Stir into grits mixture.

Pour into casserole and bake 45 minutes.

Shrimp Gravy:

In a large sauce pan melt 4 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add 1 medium chopped onion and cook until edges are slightly brown. Add 1 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp, 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence seasoning, 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning and 4 tbsp. butter. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring constantly, to create a gravy-like sauce, until shrimp is an even shade of white. This will take about 5-10 minutes.

Pour shrimp gravy over grits. Garnish with 4 strips crisp bacon, crumbled, and 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley. Serve with lemon wedges. Don't skip the lemon as it is needed to make the shrimp pop and brighten the richness of the whole dish.

Serves 4.

Watery Wednesday - Autumn Color Experiments

2011-11-09T00:05:00.001-05:00

Like many of you I've been busy over the last few weeks trying to capture the wonderful colors of autumn. In a good weather year the colors need very little help from fancy camera setting to show off glorious colors of yellow, orange, red, and blue--and all the ranges of each color. I'm a beginning photographer who is working with a new camera as well. So, I've been experimenting.

In the top photo of this little creek in a local park, I used "auto" setting. The result was a rather muted feel, but quite pleasing. In the bottom photo I set the camera on "vivid" and wow! The camera picked up all range of colors not visible with the naked eye. I like both, but probably lean more to the natural setting. What do you think?

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Willie Voted, Then Insisted on a Shower

2011-11-08T16:14:00.005-05:00

Today is election day in Kentucky. We're voting for governor and other cabinet officials. Here Willie is at his voting precinct getting ready to do his civic duty. His new BFF is a University of Kentucky Wildcats fan we know. Not sure how he planned to vote. Willie is too polite to talk politics with someone he just met.

Immediately after voting Willie insisted on stopping at Feeder's Supply for a shower:

It has been that kind of a campaign--lackluster and lacking in vision and focus on both sides. Petty. And to think that today is the official start of the 2012 U.S. Presidential campaign. I look at our options so far and long for Hillary. However, she would need to get her good hairstyle back and get her eyebrows re-shaped. Neither is good. :-) I still think she would have made a strong President.

Meanwhile, I'm going to start studying my Constitution--I think there will be many attempts to mess with it in this election cycle.

Dreamsicle Sky

2011-11-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

Remember Dreamsicles or Creamsicles? Those old-fashioned ice cream bars with a thin orange sherbet crust covering vanilla ice cream or the Dairy Queen version where the two are swirled together in one bar? That's what I thought of this morning when I looked out at the sky around 7:30 a.m. On this second day of daylight savings time realized that I may need to wake up earlier to capture the sunrise. But, it's worth it, don't you think?

Friday Fences - Canopy Walkway in Bernheim Forest

2011-11-03T22:21:00.004-04:00

Earlier this week before the rain and cold weather came into the area, I spent a glorious sunny afternoon walking through Bernheim Forest capturing some great fall color. Willie came along to keep me company and stretch his old legs. This walkway that you see above stretches out over the forest tree canopy. It's five feet above the trees and when you get to where Willie is standing you can see for miles--trees still blazing with autumn colors and bright blue skies.

I admired this beautiful and sturdy fence on the walkway. And appreciated how stable it is, especially since exposed heights give me the willies. Here are a couple of shots looking down over the walkway:

Friday Fences is a new meme hosted by my good blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to sign up or check out the fences shared by other players.

Watery Wednesday - Lake Views in Bernheim Forest

2011-11-02T18:17:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I loaded up dog and camera and headed south on I-65 for an afternoon of leaf peeping in Bernheim Forest about 30 minutes from downtown Louisville. As you drive into the forest preserve there's a beautiful lake that is still showing some incredible fall color. It was hard to narrow down to a favorite shot so here are a couple more views:

After leaving the lake area I heading up into the forest. The drive up was a riot of fall color. Once in the forest, Willie and I walked some of the tree trails and captured the sun dappled foliage up close. We then ended our Bernheim experience with a walk out an observation deck that juts over the tree canopy. The canopy walkway rises 5 feet above the trees so you can actually look down into the treetops and also see to great distances where fall-colored trees meet a blue sky at the horizon.

Here's just one view. If you'd like to see more, just scroll down to the previous post, dated November 1.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

First of the Month - Leaf Peeping in Bernheim Forest

2011-11-01T22:48:00.005-04:00

This afternoon Willie and I headed out to Bernheim Forest about 40 minutes south of Louisville looking for autumn color before it was too late. This view was our reward. At the crest of the forest there is a long walkway and observation deck that juts out over the forest canopy. Not only can you look down into the forest growth, but you can also get these distant views on a clear day like today. Willie volunteered to go first on the canopy walkway. He's saying "Don't look down, don't look down. . ."

All year long I've been scanning Kentucky skies, camera in hand, in order to participate in a monthly photography meme that attracts aspiring photographers from all over. The idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 . Here's how it works: "The goal is to capture one thing repeatedly on the first day of each month. It can be a landscape, a person, an animal, a project; whatever your focus is fine. It can be a record of where you are each first day of the month." I decided to photograph Kentucky skies.

Lucerne Part II - the Mountains

2011-10-30T10:15:00.008-04:00

Last week I shared some photos of "watery" Lucerne, Switzerland--the centuries old wooden Chapel Bridge over the River Reuss, Lake Lucerne, street life, and the moving Lion Monument. Couldn't leave this part of Switzerland without a trip up Mount Pilatus (so named because local legend has it that Pontius Pilate is buried on this mountain). At the top of Mount Pilatus the elevation is 7,000 ft. And from there, if the fog cooperates even a little, here's the view you'll get of the snow-capped Jungfrau and Eiger peaks of the Swiss Alps:

Getting to the summit of Mount Pilatus requires several modes of transportation, each more thrilling than the last. From Lucerne we took the tour bus up the mountain to the Alpnahstad which translates loosely to "place where you get on a four person ski or chair lift" and skim up the mountain overlooking Lake Lucerne. From the ski lift you could see Swiss huts, farms, and alpine forests:About halfway up the mountain (4,000 ft.) we transferred to aerial gondolas that zipped you up the now rocky slopes on cables--quite thrilling to be suspended in mid-air on the side of the Swiss Alps! Here we are about to get onto terra firma of the summit:This is the Mount Pilatus viewing point. From here you can actually hike up even further to see the distant mountain peaks:

The day we were on Mount Pilates we were treated to an impromptu concert of Swiss Alpine horns. Very beautiful.To get down from the summit, we rode the cogwheel railway, so close to the mountain that we could see alpine plants and even some flowers through the open windows of the cable car:Then we finished the day with a cruise of Lake Lucerne, getting to see Mount Pilatus from below:

So, there you have a tour that required a bus, chairlift, aerial gondola, cogwheel railway and lake cruise boat! But the sights and sounds were worth it. Here's a sample of an alps horn performance in closing:

Friday Fences - Locust Grove Split Rail

2011-10-28T08:37:00.000-04:00

Locust Grove is a late 1700s historic home and farm within the city limits of Louisville, Kentucky. I was out there earlier in the fall to check out their annual antiques market and get some photos of the grounds. Stretching along the road side of the farm is the most amazing split rail fence. When Janis started the Friday Fences meme knew I wanted to get some photos of this fence when fall was in full swing.

The fence begins up near the side entrance in a little grove. The amazing thing about this fence is how different it looks from various perspectives.

Friday Fences is a new meme hosted by my good blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to sign up or check out the fences shared by other players.

Watery Wednesday - Bridges, Mountain Dogs and Lion of Lucerne

2011-10-26T00:53:00.001-04:00

This week I'm scrolling back though some travel photos for Watery Wednesday posts. Hope you enjoy these water scenes from a September 2008 tour of Switzerland. This is the Chapel Bridge which spans the Reuss River in the center of Lucerne. Built in 1333, it is the oldest covered wooden bridge in Europe and the oldest surviving truss bridge in the world.

When you walk across the bridge you can enjoy paintings from the 17th century on the bridge gables. At this time of the year the bridge was decked out with blooming annual flowers. I can just imagine that it is a magical place in the winter when the river is frozen. This area was quite lively with tourists and city residents enjoying the open air cafes along the river, Lake Lucerne, and the distant mountains. The Swiss flag is proudly flown over many buildings.
I took many photos on this trip but--no surprise--this beautiful Bernese Mountain dog in one of the riverfront cafes was a favorite. The only thing that would have been better would be to see a whole litter of puppies like this one!

The most profound experience in Lucerne was seeing the Lion of Lucerne Monument. This stone sculpture was carved in a former sandstone quarry on the city's outskirts in the 1820s. The dying lion honors the Swiss Guards who perished defending King Louis XVI in 1792 in the French Revolution.

Mark Twain's words on seeing this sculpture: "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."

If you have time, come back tomorrow and I'll take you on a hair raising trip by ski lift and cable car up to the top of Mt. Pilatus, in the clouds overlooking some of Europe's highest mountain peaks.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Monday Morning Sunrise in 15 Minutes

2011-10-24T11:40:00.002-04:00

I had to head out early this morning before coffee to go by the hospital for some lab work. In order to avoid the commute traffic, decided to go the backroads which gave me a different view of the sunrise. Usually I'm watching the sky through the trees beyond my deck. The first colors were looking promising so I grabbed my camera as I dashed out the door. Am I glad I did! Here's the kaleidoscope that Monday morning commuters got to enjoy in literally 15 minutes:

First, there was this bare tree silhouetted against deep blue skies and pale yellow along the horizon.
Next, I spotted pale blue, pink, and lilac.
And then things get even more dramatic with deep purple-blue, melon, and gold streaking.

And then I had to pull off the road for this shot--perfect blazing orange sun and sky against the dark horizon.
And finally this shot taken from the hospital parking lot 15 minutes later-soft pastels behind bare trees.
So, the moral of this story is if you have to get out of bed too early on a Monday morning, hope that this will be your reward--and that you remember your camera!

First Frost

2011-10-22T12:42:00.003-04:00

These photos of frost on fall leaves and grass were taken at 8:30 a.m. October 22. According to Dick Frymire, folklore weather forecaster, here's what was predicted: "Give or take two days--Oct. 20 light frost." So far, so good, Dick with your 2011-12 winter predictions. Every year we look forward to the release of winter weather forecasts based on Frymire's readings from his ancient maple tree. Other forecasters rely on the color and striping of woolly worms, the number of foggy mornings in August, the shape of persimmon seed hearts, thickness of drying corn husks, the nut gathering habits of squirrels, and of course The Old Farmer's Almanac (80% accuracy). All this wisdom, plus the National Weather Service science, predicts that we will have a snowy Thanksgiving and Christmas with some extra icy cold days throughout January. Oh, and don't be surprised if there's another tornado season the end of February and early March. Just to mess with the forecasters, both folk and scientific.

So the next significant weather is, according to Frymire, going to be a killing frost on November 18. Just time to wash the outside windows, plant spring bulbs, get up the leaves, and decide whether you want to sweep up after that huge Boston fern all winter or just spend $10 on a new one in the spring!

Friday Fences - Horse Farms of Kentucky

2011-10-21T00:25:00.003-04:00

When you travel through the central or Bluegrass Region (so named for the dark green grass that is commonly grown here--mature grass has a blue bloom spire) these dark brown or white painted wooden fences surround the thoroughbred horse farms where Kentucky Derby winners are bred and raised. This particular farm is on scenic Route 60 between Frankfort and Versailles. And yes, that's a horse barn not a fine home!

Friday Fences is a new meme hosted by my good blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to sign up or check out the fences shared by other players.

Watery Wednesday - Venice

2011-10-19T01:17:00.002-04:00

Canals of Venice --photo taken from the Rialto Bridge (September 2008)

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Dog a Day Photos. Scandinavian-Style

2011-10-17T10:35:00.014-04:00

I think I should be nearing the end of sharing the almost 1,500 photos I took on a recent trip to Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. So far I've written posts about views from hotel rooms, gardens, painted houses, children, water scenery, old churches,art, and royal bling. However, no trip account would be complete without the "Dog a Day" photo collection. Whenever I travel am always on the lookout for dogs to photograph. Partly, I miss Willie, but also just plain love dogs and seeing them with their owners in different countries. On this trip, other tour members noticed my obsession with photographing dogs and became my "dog spotters." Here are some of my favorites (usually not great photos because you know that dogs and children are famously on the move--but a delight, nevertheless):

This is "Wild Thing" out for his afternoon stroll through Vatta, a small village on Lake Vattern in southern Sweden:

This is a young German hound, hiding behind his owner's knees at Sofiero Slott (former summer home of Swedish king and his princess)in Helsingborg, southern Sweden:

In Copenhagen at the Glyptotek Museum I spotted "The Prince Imperial with His Dog Nero", a sculpture by Carpeaux:

In the ballroom of Frederiksborg Palace(housing the Denmark Museum of Natural History of paintings and decorative arts from the 1500s to present day) on the island of North Zealand (about an hour from Copenhagen)there were several Italian tapestries on the walls, featuring court dogs:

Vigeland Park in Oslo, an exuberant celebration of the cycle of life in sculpture, was enjoyed by the Norwegians and their dogs as well as tourists:

After Oslo we headed north through higher elevations of Norway, boarding the Flam Railway for a trip past waterfalls, ravines, and sheer cliffs. People in Norway were very active and healthy-looking. Even the dogs, like this border collie got in on the act in an evening stroll along the lake at our hotel in Flam:

This little guy hiked with its owner to the Briksdal Glacier near Loen, Norway (I enjoyed getting off the bus, trains, and ferries myself and hiking in cool, rainy weather to see the scenery up close):

This is "Ferry Annie" enjoying her ride across the Geiranger Fjord:

This handsome guy has musical interests. He's visiting the home of composer Edvard Grieg just outside Bergen, Norway(first photo is the Composer's Hut where Grieg escaped from his wife and children to write):

And finally, the best Dog a Day Photo of all--Willie in his favorite spot the day after I got home from trip. He was very glad to be rescued from the vet kennel by his friend Janice and get back to his home:

Friday Fences - Dry Stone Fences of Kentucky

2011-10-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

This dry stone fence is on a thoroughbred horse farm in the central part of Kentucky--or better known as the Bluegrass Region. Stone fences, many of them over a hundred years old, are quite common in Kentucky and were first built by Scots-Irish immigrants to the state. The fences, sometimes called walls, get the name "dry stone" because they are built with no mortar, using limestone rocks and boulders collected from land cleared for agriculture. The fences are built from the ground up,usually in two courses side by side to get the sufficient strength. Stacks of rock are joined with longer flattish rocks that span two stacks. Gaps in the course are "chunked" with smaller rocks. Here's a closeup:

Friday Fences is a new meme hosted by my good blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to sign up or check out the fences shared by other players.

Watery Wednesday and Some Thoughts on Solo Travel

2011-10-12T00:24:00.002-04:00

Beautiful sunset on the waters of the North Sea - photo taken from my cabin on an overnight NFDS Seaways ferry cruise between Copenhagen and Oslo.

I remember this evening quite vividly from my late August tour of Scandinavia. It was mid-point of a two week tour and I had chosen, as usual, to travel alone but as part of a tour group. Usually this is the best of both worlds. During the day you're with other congenial people experiencing the different countries and cultures. And then at night you have private time to read and re-group which is essential for an introvert.

However, on this tour I began to wonder if I was getting too old to make these ambitious trips without a travel partner. I suppose I was just lonely and getting tired of each day figuring out how to gracefully join other couples for meals and conversation about what we were experiencing. And, I was feeling cut off from things back home because, for some reason, I couldn't sign on to e-mail, blogs, or facebook. I worried about how Willie was faring at the vet and if my elderly sister was okay. And then to cap it all, Hurricane Irene was moving along the east coast of the U.S. and I worried that the Dulles airport in D.C. might need to close and delay my flight home, stranding me in Norway. Without internet access couldn't figure out how to make alternate travel plans.

I remember thinking that my mood was as dark as the waters outside my cabin window and it was a sleepless night. But then, morning came. My fellow travelers invited me to join them for breakfast and to sit with them out on deck as we cruised up the narrows of the Oslo Fjord and disembarked from the ferry in Oslo without any problems. They loaned me their smart phones to check google news about Hurricane Irene. They even shared cold and cough medicines! My spirits lifted right away and I was eager for the last leg of the journey, the majestic mountains and waters of Norway.

Now, over a month since I returned home, I no longer think that I'm not capable of traveling alone any more. I'm thinking of eastern Europe and, especially, Russia. Maybe a river cruise where I won't have to be constantly packing and unpacking and figuring out how door keys and shower faucets work. And for sure, I'll have my own electronic toys instead of just an ancient cell phone. Alice Steinbach said it best in her book Without Reservations, The Travels of an Independent Woman: "I decided to take a chance and temporarily jump ship, so to speak, from the life I'd fashioned for myself." That's what solo travel is all about--getting out of your comfort zone and making some memories that will last a lifetime, even if it's not always the most comfortable thing to do.

Want to see some more "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Teaser Tuesday - Hornet Flight, A Tale of the Danish Resistence WW II

2011-10-10T19:14:00.005-04:00

This is the Hornet Moth, a single engine biplane that was used in espionage for England in the early part of World War II. In Ken Follett's Hornet Flight, Churchill was losing one British bomber after another in flights across the North Sea to strike northern Germany. At that same time--1941--just across the North Sea in Denmark, German occupation of this small country was becoming more threatening. As in other European countries, local government officials tried to appease, and in some cases collaborate with, the Nazi occupiers, putting many Danish people in danger of losing property and even their lives. A quiet resistence movement soon began operation in Denmark with everyday citizens attempting to sabotage the Germans. Hornet Flight is the story of one part of the Danish Resistence.

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host, Miz B over at Should Be Reading ,as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may by your meme. To play, just click on Miz B's link above for the simple rules.

Horent Flight
by Ken Follett

" Would you mind making a drawing of that radio equipment you were describing to me earlier?" Poul's tone was casual, but his body was stiff with tension.

Harald had wondered whether that subject would come up again. "Sure." pp. 108-9

Book description from cover: It is June 1941, and the war is not going well for England. Somehow the German's are anticipating the RAF's flight paths and shooting down British bombers with impunity. Meanwhile, across the North Sea, 18 year old Harald Olufsen takes a shortcut on the German-occupied Danish island of Sande and discovers an astonishing sight. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows he must tell someone. And when he learns the truth , it will fall upon him to deliver word to England--except that he has no way to get there. He has only an old derelict Hornet Moth biplane rusting away in as ruined church--a plane so decrepit that it is unlikely ever to get off the ground--even if Harold knew how to fly it.

Sunday Morning Trifecta

2011-10-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ah-h-h! Willie, Gabaldon and the Sunday Courier-Journal.

Fall Chores

2011-10-08T08:18:00.002-04:00

Last week the Courier-Journal printed its annual article on folk lore weather predictions for the upcoming winter based on tree readings, woolly worms, foggy mornings, squirrels' nut gathering habits, thickness of corn shucks, and even persimmon seeds. According to the old sages, we can expect some weather doozys this year, starting with a light frost on October 20. Time to think about those fall chores now in this mellow fall weather if you don't want to be looking out dirty windows, being #20 on the furnace repair list when that first frost comes, or waiting for AAA when the car won't start on that first cold morning.

I was checking out a couple of favorite blogs recently like Homespun Living and ran across this "Mother-of-All" Fall Cleaning Checklist. Pretty handy. Now I'm almost positive that I won't be checking my spices for expiration dates or polishing the silver for the holidays, but I'll definitely wash the windows inside and out and schedule a car and furnace inspection. If you want to work on this checklist while the weather is still mild, go to the Homespun Living blog to find the link to print off your very own copy of the MOA Fall Cleaning Checklist and tick some of these things off this weekend.

Friday Fences - A Swedish Garden

2011-10-07T04:00:00.000-04:00

Strangely enough, this rather homely vegetable garden fence is on the grounds of a rather grand family estate in southern Sweden, Lofstad Slott. I think this is a variation of wattle fencing where supple branches are woven together to make different fence designs.

And then a bonus photo of this small cottage to the left of the garden. The red paint is quite typical of southern Sweden because the paint is made from local minerals like iron oxide.

Friday Fences is a new meme hosted by my good blog friend Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer . Go there to sign up or check out the fences shared by other players.

Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 14 - "Favorites"

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Well, here we are at the end of this autumn photo challenge. We began on September 23, the first day of autumn--blogger/photographers and visitors--and end 14 days later. The challenge for this meme was to look at the world around you and try to capture with your camera the sights, smells, and feel of a new season, each day a different subject. The last subject is "favorites"--share a photo that you've taken in the past two weeks that you really like. Here's mine: I call this "sky static". It was taken around 8:00 a.m when Willie and I were walking out to the newspaper box. I looked up at the sky and it was clear blue. Then these streamer clouds started crisscrossing each other. And then a plane flew over, leaving a strong jet trail. Yes, lots of "static" happening in the sky so I ran back in the house and grabbed the camera, despite Willie's protests at being rushed!

Now it's not a great photo, but I'm stilling making it my favorite because of what it illustrates about being an amateur photographer. That's learning to look at your environment and being ready to capture a moment in time in a photo.

A few months ago I participated in a 30 Day Good Photos Challenge, but got in on it late. Had to really search around to find all the subjects. So, I'll give you our two weeks of subjects in case any of your readers would enjoy the challenge.

1- First Signs 2- Autumn Flowers 3- Autumn Fruits

4- Soup Weather 5- Fall Decorations 6- Fall Reflections in Water

7- Harvest Moon 8- Fall Fun 9- Early Fall Landscapes

10- Nature Closeups 11- Autumn Sunlight 12- Autumn Walk

13- Fall Colors 14- Favorite Early Fall Photo

______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 13 - "Fall Colors"

2011-10-05T05:00:00.001-04:00

Yes, unlike some of the other photographers who are doing this challenge with me, I could share a picture of some already dressed for fall trees--in yellow, orange, red, golden-brown. However. . .
Yep! It's also time to make that all-important choice of fall colors in nail polish. Starting on the left, my neutral is going to be Essie's Over the Knee. In the middle, I chose OPI's Chocolate Moose for orange tone. And, when I need something pinky, will wear Essie's Lady Like. These colors hit the mark right off because I used my little selection secret. You know how colors may look good in the bottle or dabbed on a piece of white paper? Don't buy from that! Instead, put a piece of cello tape on your hand and paint on that. Guaranteed best way to match your skin tones. And since we're sharing beauty secrets, did you know that the best place to test a lipstick color is on the pad of your finger because it's most like your natural lip color?

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below.

Also, since tomorrow's photo is the last in our two week challenge, thought you might like to have the subject earlier so you can look through photo archives for a "most favorite."

October 6, Day 14 Subject (the end of 2 Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--thanks for playing and visiting) - "Your Favorite Early Autumn Photo"
______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 12 - "A Sycamore Walk"

2011-10-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

I had planned to walk a different route for today's photos, but Monday acted like Monday all day. So, ended up in the three parks where Willie and I normally walk. This park has about a half dozen full grown sycamore trees, which are lovely in the fall so decided to concentrate on them.

Here the white trunk of a healthy specimen stands out among the still-green foliage:

When the sunlight hits the branches of a sycamore they just sparkle:

A closeup of sycamore trunk with its shedding bark:

And finally, one perfect leaf--looks like it's cut from a rich golden-brown leather:

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

October 5, Day 13 Subject - "Fall Colors"

October 6, Day 14 Subject (the end of 2 Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--thanks for playing and visiting) - "Your Favorite Early Autumn Photo"
______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 11 - "Sunlight"

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-04:00

Some days in autumn are just golden, as in these two photos.

I shot this around 8:00 a.m. from the deck in back of my house, my normal spot to catch the sunrise:
This photo was around mid-day. Just loved the way the light filtered down through the autumn colored leaves on this flowering dogwood. I wasn't lying on my back to take this photo, but it was awkward to get in the right position, hold Willie's leash and the camera steady!

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

October 4, Day 12 Subject - "Autumn Walk"

October 5, Day 13 Subject - "Fall Colors"

October 6, Day 14 Subject (the end of 2 Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--thanks for playing and visiting) - "Your Favorite Early Autumn Photo"
______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 10 - "Nature Closeups"

2011-10-02T12:11:00.008-04:00

Here are a few closeups of early fall that I've seen just in neighborhood rambles. I still haven't totally figured out the "macro" setting on my camera yet. Picked up some photography magazines last week with a couple of in-depth articles on shooting "macro", one going beyond flowers and bugs! Stay focused here for some evidence of progress. :-)

An "elf house" in neighbor's pin oak tree:

Next year's southern magnolia bloom:

Seedpod of black-eyed susans:

Hydrangea bloom almost ready for cutting, if you want to dry for winter bouquets:

Shedding sycamore tree bark:

And finally, lovely red fruits--I don't know the tree. Leaves look like a flowering dogwood, but I'm not sure because the dogwood "berries" grow closer to the branch w/o hanging in clusters from stems like in this photo. Anyone solve the mystery?

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

October 3, Day 11 Subject - "Autumn Sunlight"

First of the Month - Pastel Sun Flare

2011-10-01T13:20:00.002-04:00

Pastel Sun Flare - photo taken at 10 a.m. today. Last night was the coldest we've had this season and this morning the sky was clear blue with these white clouds. The sun was shining just as "white". I aimed the camera straight into the sun and picked up these soft pastel rays. Note: this is not recommended as the glare is very hard on your eyes. I tried to turn my head to the side and squint.

All year long I've been scanning Kentucky skies, camera in hand, in order to participate in a monthly photography meme that attracts aspiring photographers from all over. The idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 . Here's how it works: "The goal is to capture one thing repeatedly on the first day of each month. It can be a landscape, a person, an animal, a project; whatever your focus is fine. It can be a record of where you are each first day of the month." I decided to photograph Kentucky skies.

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 9 - "Early Fall Landscapes"

2011-10-01T05:00:00.001-04:00

In Kentucky we haven't had the first cool weather to start the changes in leaf colors--at least until this weekend. Still, when you look closely there are promises of autumn color and texture in the landscape: Here, the camera picked up only a hint of fall color:

And then, voila! With a little photoshop magic, there's even more signs of fall. Although, I'm not sure I've even seen this shade of blue in the sky. I think it works though, in a painterly way:

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

October 2, Day 10 Subject - "Nature Closeups"

October 3, Day 11 Subject - "Autumn Sunlight"

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 8 - "Fall Fun"

2011-09-30T10:54:00.004-04:00

This week thousands will converge on Old Louisville for the annual St. James Art Fair with over 700 artists--in all media--exhibiting and selling their works. It used to be my idea of fall fun to spend the first weekend in October with some friends on St. James Court checking out new and returning favorite artists:
However, for the past two years I've passed on this mega event in favor of a much more peaceful art event--the Locust Grove Fall Antiques Market. Last weekend I grabbed my camera and set out alone to enjoy the afternoon at this historic (family of Lewis and Clark) farm on the edge of downtown Louisville. The gardens and surrounding fields were just beginning to promise fall and the antique booths were set up in a locust grove near the home. Here's a sampling of what I saw:
A long view of the Locust Grove home through the gardens.

A painter from New Zealand working on a watercolor of Locust Grove. People were fascinated by his work and stopped to watch him and ask questions.

This is the old home and the entrance to the market.
Several views of the booths. This year I bought old flour sack tea towels. Last year I found a school slate bound with leather stripping from late 1800s and old books, including Ben Franklin's autobiography.

And finally, a nice view of the Locust Grove grounds. Everything was still green, but you could feel fall in the air and know that in just a few weeks this same view would be in shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown.

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

October 1, Day 9 Subject - "Early Fall Landscapes"

October 2, Day 10 Subject - "Nature Closeups"

October 3, Day 11 Subject - "Autumn Sunlight"

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 7 - "Harvest Moon"

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

This photo could be titled "Blue Moon of Kentucky". It's a best effort at moon photography. Over the past couple of weeks we've had some wonderful round harvest moons. I've tried several settings and read through a couple of tutorials without great effect. Apparently to get a good moon shot you have to have something more than a point and shoot camera. And be aiming it at just the right time--when it first appears and there's still enough light so that other things--like trees, mountains, water show up as well. Moon photography is going to require some further study. In the meantime, be on the lookout for harvest moons in your area and snap away!

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

September 30, Day 8 Subject - "Fall Fun"

October 1, Day 9 Subject - "Early Fall Landscapes"

October 2, Day 10 Subject - "Nature Closeups"

October 3, Day 11 Subject - "Autumn Sunlight"

______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Autumn Photo Challenge, Day 6 "Fall Reflections in Water"

2011-09-28T05:00:00.002-04:00

After several months of almost no rainfall the little creek in the park where Willie and I stroll each day was almost dry. Now, with the beginning of fall, the water is running again. I was able to capture a few reflections in the water that give hints of the season.

Here blue skies are mirrored in the water, along with the first fallen leaves:

Here I used the watercolor application in photoshop to give the same photo the look of a watercolor painting:
This a quieter part of the creek where fall leaves and branches float in the water:

And then here's the watercolor version:

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

September 29, Day 7 Subject - "Harvest Moon"

September 30, Day 8 Subject - "Fall Fun"

October 1, Day 9 Subject - "Early Fall Landscapes"

October 2, Day 10 Subject - "Nature Closeups"

October 3, Day 11 Subject - "Autumn Sunlight"

______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

_________________________________

Thought I'd make this post do double duty as a Watery Wednesday entry.

Want to see some more dramatic "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Autumn Photo Challenge Day 5 - "Fall Decorations"

2011-09-27T00:38:00.001-04:00

Of all the seasons to decorate my home, fall is most appealing for me. There's the abundance of nature from brightly colored leaves to sturdy flowers to the last harvests from gardens and fields. Fall is also a time to pull out much loved antiques and primitives and let them shine with fall colors.

On Sunday I spent a few hours at an outdoor antiques fair at Locust Grove, an historical farm, home and meeting facility just outside downtown Louisville. Here are just a few ideas for fall decorations that I wanted to bring home:

This hand-molded trough would look perfect with a few herbs that needed to come inside before the first frost:

This old tin basket would look great on the hearth filled with a variety of gourds, pumpkins, leaves and berries:

Or, how about this brown speckled ironware bowl filled with mini pumpkins?

I could find a spot by the front door for this old wooden box holding a russet mum:

Usually I'm not in favor of large inflatables in the yard, but I thought these large metal sun flowers and pumpkins were quite whimsical:

This lovely green bottle/vase filled with a few burgundy/rust dried flowers and berries would be perfect on a side table or buffet:

And finally the surprise and my favorite idea--this loose bouquet of blooming field weeds, including goldenrod, ironweed (or maybe wild ageratum?) and pearly white. I'd risk sneezing for a day or two to enjoy this:

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

September 28, Day 6 Subject - "Fall Reflections in Water"

September 29, Day 7 Subject - "Harvest Moon"

September 30, Day 8 Subject - "Fall Fun"

______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge - Day 4 "Soup Weather"

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-04:00

September 26, Day 4 Subject - "Soup Weather"

This Taco Soup recipe has an interesting
origin. I first had it from a lunch buffet set up on a flatbed truck in the middle of an Arkansas rice field during September harvest. At that time I was working in leadership training for a large farm organization. A couple of colleagues and I took about 15 young farmers on a tour of some major farming operations in southeastern U.S. We saw cat fish farming in Mississippi, cotton and beef operations in Tennessee, and rice production in Arkansas. Our Kentucky farmers were hosted by a group of rice farmers out in their fields at harvest time. Taco soup was on the menu. If you like all things taco, you'll like this soup. Here's the recipe:

Taco Soup

In a large saucepan, brown 1/2 lb. ground beef and 1 medium chopped onion. Add the following,undrained: 15 oz. can chili beans(or ranch style), 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, 11 oz. can shoepeg corn, 10 oz. can tomatoes and green chiles, 1 oz. pkg. dry ranch style dressing mix, 1.25 oz. pkg. dry taco seasoning mix, 6 cups of water, and 1 cup cooked brown or white rice. Bring to boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer on low for about 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla or taco chips. And, if you want to gild the lily, add a dollop of sour cream, chopped avocado, and cilantro. Yum! (Note: previously people asked about the "shoepeg" corn. It's white with kernels that look like pegs or small baby teeth! Comes either canned or frozen.)

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below. Also, since some of the photo subjects may take a bit of planning thought I'd give you a few of them ahead of time.

September 27, Day 5 Subject - "Fall Decorations"

September 28, Day 6 Subject - "Fall Reflections in Water"

September 29, Day 7 Subject - "Harvest Moon"

September 30, Day 8 Subject - "Fall Fun"

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Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge - Day 3 "Autumn Fruits"

2011-09-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

September 25 Day 3 Subject - "Autumn Fruits"

This is the Honeycrisp apple and I was so excited to walk into our local market and see them piled up in the bin a week ago. The Honeycrisps have a short season, only available from mid-September through October. Like anything that doesn't last long, you really appreciate them while they last. These apples wouldn't win a beauty contest, but the taste is just delightful--clean, sweet, and almost icy crunch. And the Honeycrisp cider is equally delicious.

Re photo - I played a bit with Photoshop special effects, this one to make it look as though the apple was painted with watercolors using a dry brush. Fun.

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below.

September 26, Day 4 Subject - "Soup Weather"

______________________
Here are today's possible players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge - Day 2 "Autumn Flowers"

2011-09-24T05:00:00.004-04:00

September 24, Day 2 Autumn Photo Challenge - "Autumn Flowers"

By this time of the year most of our flowers are beginning to look a bit tired or have disappeared altogether. Not so for the aptly named sedum Autumn Joy. In the summer you get these succulent pale green mounds capped with an almost cauliflower-like bloom. Then with the first cool weather and a bit of rain the "cauliflower" turns into a beautiful bloom cluster that ranges from a purple-pink to the rich burgundy of this photo.

If you'd like to participate in the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge--and I hope you do--it's simple. Just grab your camera and take a photo of your interpretation of the day's subject. Post on your blog and then leave me a comment so I can visit you and include your link on the player's list below.

September 25 - Day 3 Subject "Autumn Fruits"

______________________
Here are today's players:

Pamela @ The Dust Will Wait
Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge - Day 1 "First Signs"

2011-09-23T05:00:00.003-04:00

Recently I completed a 30 day good photos challenge where one blogger selected daily subjects or techniques which would challenge our abilities to take better pictures. This exercise was very beneficial for a novice photographer like myself. I was learning to use a new camera with the goal of taking better travel photos. So, for an entire month I faithfully posted a photo which was my personal take on the assigned subject whether it be sunrises or sun flares.

September 23rd is the beginning of autumn so, to celebrate this most gorgeous time of the year, I thought it would be fun to host the Two Weeks in Autumn Photo Challenge. Look around you as you go about your daily lives the next two weeks and see if you can capture the magic of autumn with your camera.

September 23, Day 1 "First Signs" -- Maple tree leaves just beginning to turn in the neighborhood.

Check back here daily to see my photo of the day's subject and get your topic for the following day. Let me know in the comments if you're participating so I can visit you and steer other readers to your site.

September 24, Day 2 Subject "Autumn Flowers"

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Today's players:

Janis @ As Jan Sees It
Joangee @ Musings n Waffle

Borgund Stave Church - Norway's Oldest

2011-09-22T00:11:00.007-04:00

A highlight of my recent Scandinavian tour would have to be the Borgund Stave Church in Norway's northern fjordlands. Amazingly, the timber for the Borgund church was felled during the winter of 1180 and the Viking-influenced building was constructed soon afterwards. The design and construction was modeled after traditional ship building methods in that part of the world.

A "stave" is the upright timber that forms the framework of the church. The construction has survived all these years because the staves were set in stone. The church roof is capped with Viking-inspired dragon heads, much like ships. The dragon's heads provided drainage and ornamentation:

Here's a closeup of the roof shingles which were tarred to prevent rot (the church was undergoing some preservation when we visited, which is why there's scaffolding in the photos):

The interior of the church is quite small--probably holds about 30-40 people. It is still used today for small ceremonies like christenings and weddings. The staves are held together by large pincer beams. The stave framework was probably assembled on the ground and then raised with poles:

Here's a closeup of the church interior. The diagonal cross braces are named for St. Andrew who was crucified on a diagonal cross. The only source of light is the upper port holes, reminiscent of a ship. If you look up on the inside of the church, the exposed ribs remind you of an inverted ship:

The pulpit is from 1550s. There would not have been a pulpit in Catholic (medieval) times:

The medieval stone altar was painted in the mid-1600s to depict Christ's crucifixion:

The churchyard gravestones and markers were just as interesting as the church itself. Many stones and markers were hundreds of years old. Up until the beginnings of the 19th century it was common to bury the dead under the church floor until the practice was banned. Stillborn infants or babies that died before being baptised could not be buried in the consecrated ground of the churchyard. Tiny coffins are still placed under the floor in modern times.

Some closeups of the most unusual stones and markers:

Some stones were moss and lichen-covered which added to the ancient feel of the churchyard.

Finally, here's an example of a living thatched roof cottage on the church grounds.

On this trip I saw several castles and fine mansions. None were as interesting in illustrating the Norwegian culture as the Borgund Stave Church.

Almost Fall - Full Moons, Blazing Sunrises & Spiced Cider

2011-09-16T11:21:00.005-04:00

In just one week it will be the official start of fall. However, here in Kentucky we've been getting some promises of cooler weather already like this morning's starting temp of around 51 degrees. So, never mind those days earlier in the week when it was just plain hot and summery. I think it's time to do some fall things:

Like trying to get a good photo of the brilliant harvest moon--which is no easy feat for a novice photographer. This is a best effort, using my Canon SX130 IS set in "low light" mode:

Then this morning at 7:15 a.m. the sky was a blazing red for about 10 minutes. Just time to grab the camera, set it on "super vivid" and get this shot of the sun coming up behind the trees. What's the old saying--"Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." Hope that means we'll have rain before long--good reading weather.

Finally, yesterday I was in our local Paul's Fruit Market and spotted the first apple cider from Huber's Orchard & Winery. That, along with the cool temps this morning, called for making spiced apple cider. It's easy. Just simmer 1/2 gal. of cider with the juice and peel of a lemon and orange, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 T whole cloves about 30 minutes--or until the house smells delicious. Enjoy hot with your favorite book or movie.
Keep your camera handy and be on the lookout for signs of fall. It's just around the corner.

Gardens - Scandinavian Style

2011-09-12T12:30:00.007-04:00

Early one morning the last week in August our tour bus left the hotel in Loen, Norway in time for us to see frost on the roadside fields! And then there was still snow on the lower mountains left over from last winter. To say the growing season is short would be an understatement. Still, we did see some exuberant plantings all over Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

The most extensive garden that we toured was at Sofiero Slott (castle, I think) in southern Sweden. This castle was the summer home of King Gustaf VI Adolf and a young Crown Princess Margaret (one of Victoria and Albert's many descendants). Gustaf and Margaret lived here as a young couple in the early 1900s and quickly filled the castle with five small children in their 20 year marriage. Margaret died when pregnant with their sixth child. Both she and the king were very interested in botany and gardening and established an extensive garden at Sofiero:

This is the young Princess Margareta:

Sofiero is now a public attraction, gifted to the people of Helsingborg by the king. People enjoy the gardens, public concerts, art exhibitions, and the castle restaurant. The day we toured workers were setting up tents and decorating for a big event. Still, we were able to enjoying the garden closeup. This gatherer was going through the gardens with her basket looking for inspiration:

The chrsysanthemun beds were at the height of bloom:

Hollyhocks were trained on wires to make separate garden rooms:

This was a long view of an elaborate ornamental and functional vegetable plot (used in the castle restaurant, probably--we had lovely asparagus for lunch and I saw the asparagus ferns):

Here are a couple of closeups of artichokes, first the globe:

And then the bloom:

How about some black kale?

I saw several varieties of fruit, grown both as trees, like these plums:

And then this beautiful espaliered apple:

Finally, at the end of the season, it all ends up in the cleanup bin (reminded me of those paintings of dead fowl):

In Oslo, I saw this late season planting of annuals at Vigeland Park among all the sculptures:

And finally, a different garden experience could be had at Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, which is probably more amusement park than public garden. This shot was taken after dinner in the park:
So, the Scandinavians may have to garden fast, but the result is worth the effort, wouldn't you agree?

9.11.01

2011-09-11T00:05:00.001-04:00

This was the New York skyline on September 1, 2001. I was in New York for a reunion with some old friends and we were on a Circle Line tour out to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty when my friend got this fateful shot.

I remember looking at all the wonderful backlit photos of immigrants on the upper level of the reception center of Ellis Island-faces from all over the world filled with hopes and dreams on coming to America.

Ten days later the New York skyline changed with one hateful strike--and so did we all.

Scandinavian Art

2011-09-10T07:39:00.004-04:00

On this tour of Scandinavia I expected to see mostly Viking-inspired art. What a surprise at the variety!

Rag and Bone with Blanket by Welsh artish Laura Ford - on a Stockholm street corner. Ford Uses Beatrix Potter characters like Tod the Fox to depict social issues such as homelessness in this sculpture.

Part of a "Cocktail Couture" ceramics exhibit by Swedish artist Agneta Spangburg in the garden of Sofiero in Helsingborg, the summer digs of Swedish royalty.

This joyful dancing woman is one of over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland depicting all stages of human life and emotion. All the sculptures are in Vigeland Park in the center of Oslo.

These beautiful bas relief nudes are on the columns down a long hallway in Stockholm's city hall and just outside the Blue Hall where the Nobel Prize is awarded annually. If our Congress saw something this beautiful every day, do you think it would improve its attitude?

Open courtyard of the Glyptotek Art Gallery in Copenhagen. "Beer money" from the founder of the Carlsberg Brewery provided this gift to the Danish people and visitors to the city. I spent an afternoon here learning about Danish painters and visiting old friends Monet, Sisley and Pissarro.

Stay tuned for some Viking stuff!

Gaily Painted Houses & Polkagris in Sweden

2011-09-09T07:43:00.005-04:00

The tour bus stopped in Vatta, a small village overlooking Lake Vattern in southern Sweden, to let us check out the polkagris candy shop (more on that later). I headed into the village to stretch my legs and get these photos:

This "Falu" red is the most popular color for Swedish country houses and cottages. Used for centuries on wooden houses when people couldn't afford brick. The color comes from its copper, iron, and zinc additives.

After red, this mustardy yellow is the next popular color, especially on stucco.

Neat red-tile roof cottage with Lake Vattern for a view. European style of parking in front of house.

Wow! These colors say vacation home. Plenty of high windows to see the lake and bold contrast trim.

Loved the small neat cottage with wild garden, lake views, and red tiled roof.

Now about polkagris. Here's the candymaking shop in Vatta where our tour bus stopped to let us satisfy our sweet tooth with this century old Swedish candy.

Polkagris is named for the twisting polka dance because the ropes of red and white spun sugar are twisted together to make the candy canes. "Gris" is Swedish for "pig" and Swedes often add this to a name to be funny. Here's the many varieties of polkagris. Incidentally, it's pronounced like "polka grease" in English. . .

I didn't try it because it didn't come chocolate covered! Besides, enjoyed getting photos of typical Swedish homes instead.

Watery Wednesday - In Scandinavia

2011-09-07T10:26:00.003-04:00

For about 15 days in August and early September I was able to photograph and experience water in many forms on a trip to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Here's some of my most fortunate shots--some a little shaky as they were taken on the move from the tour bus window:

Lake Vattern in Southern Sweden near Malmo. Farmland with red barn/houses ran right into the lake. I thought of Det. Kurt Wallander when driving through this part of Sweden. He was always having to go to Malmo to chase down criminals!

This photo was taken early one rainy morning on the Nordfjord near Loen in Norway. The chalky green color of the water is caused by "glacial flour"(ground rock)that runs into the water. Loved the many birches growing in Scandinavia.

Briksdal Glacier in Norway. We took a "troll" car up from the base of the mountain past waterfalls, rocky outcroppings, tumbling streams, and forests. Then hiked the last leg to the toe of the glacier. Great to see plants, lichen-covered rocks and trees, and moss banks up close.

Norway has many waterfalls that come down the mountains and ravines and spill into the lakes and fjords. This one was on the Geirangerfjord.

One of the many different streams that you see in Scandinavia, some filled with salmon. This one had its own little waterfall.

Want to see some more dramatic "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

Rooms with a View - Scandinavian Style

2011-09-05T09:48:00.008-04:00

Sometimes when you travel alone the hotel rooms you get are not the greatest--often overlooking the parking lot or mechanicals. That's even with paying a hefty single supplement. However, in my tour of Sweden, Denmark and Norway I lucked out at each hotel with these lovely views:

Stockholm, Sweden - the Stadshuset(City Hall) on King's Island serves as a city landmark during the day. It is the site of Stockholm's city government in its Viking-inspired Council Chambers and also hosts the annual Nobel Prize ceremony in it's Blue Room. At night it turns magical when the Tre Kroner (Three Crowns) symbol atop the tower is lit with blue and gold.

Toftaholm Manor, southern Sweden - this family-owned lakeside inn was especially beautiful when the mustardy-yellow color was lit both from inside and out at night.

Copenhagen, Denmark - we had waterfront views of the older parts of the city and could see a variety of small boats sailing past day and night.

Ferry/ship cruise between Denmark and Norway - this is the view from my cabin window as we made our way through the narrows of the Oslo Fjord to Oslo.

Flamsbrygga Hotel, smack in the middle of northern Norway's mountains, waterfalls, ravines and sheer cliffs. Reached by the high elevation Flam Railway.

Hotel Alexandra in Loen, Norway. Set amidst towering mountains on the waters of the Nordfjord, my view was of the lakeside gardens. One afternoon I enjoyed watching some children playing with a white fur ball of a puppy--all were very excited!

Bergen, Norway - my view was especially lovely at night with the harbor lights and red-roofed houses on the hills of Bergen.

Finally, after 15 days away from home and Willie the pit bull, I was very happy to see this view out my plane window as we were close to landing in Louisville!
Best view of all!!!

First of the Month - Norwegian Skies

2011-09-04T16:12:00.004-04:00

All year long I've been scanning Kentucky skies, camera in hand, in order to participate in a monthly photography meme that attracts aspiring photographers from all over. The idea is that we look at our surroundings and record the changes from month to month. The host for this meme is Jan at Murrieta 365 . Here's how it works: "The goal is to capture one thing repeatedly on the first day of each month. It can be a landscape, a person, an animal, a project; whatever your focus is fine. It can be a record of where you are each first day of the month." I decided to photograph Kentucky skies.

However, on September 1 I was in Norway so here you have an Norwegian sky instead. This photo was taken from our tour motor coach on the way to Lavik and just captures much of the magic of the fjordlands--the brilliant blue sky reflected in the clear fjord, a cascading waterfall down a distant mountain. I was also able to get a shot of a typical Norwegian grass-roofed hytte (cabin or cottage) in the foreground. The hyttes are used for camping or other outdoor activities in the mountains or along the coasts by nature-loving Norwegians.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane - Louisville to Stockholm

2011-08-20T05:00:00.000-04:00

Early this morning I'm starting the first leg of a rather long flight. It's Louisville to Chicago O'Hare. Late tomorrow afternoon get on a Scandinavian Air flight to Stockholm. If all goes well will land at Stockholm Arlanda Airport early Sunday morning. Let's hope I'm not too jet-lagged to figure out the right taxi to get to my hotel. If that's successful, I'll put myself in the hands of a Tauck tour director for the next 2+ weeks.

I'll be off the grid during that time, but will look forward to catching up with everyone when I return on Labor Day weekend.

"Vill du dansa med mig?" Swedish for "Will you dance with me?" I know, I know--should have figure out how to ask "Where is the toilet?", but not as much fun.

A Perfect Summer Morning - Nanny & Rose

2011-08-18T08:43:00.002-04:00

This morning the thunder is rolling overhead, temps are cool enough to turn the AC off and open the windows. It reminds me of this much loved painting, Nanny and Rose. The oil was done by American painter Scott Prior in the mid-80s. "Nanny" is the artist Nanny Vonnegut and Prior's wife. She is also the daughter of novelist Kurt Vonnegut. "Rose" is the golden of course, named for her gorgeous color perhaps? I always thought it was the other way around.

What makes this a perfect summer morning? Well, there's the screened in porch, hot beverage, weather cool enough to enjoy that plaid flannel robe. And, of course, a great companion at her feet. Many years ago I had a wonderful golden, Dan, who had the same beautiful red coat as Rose. No better companion could be wanted.

Back in the late 80s, my friend and officemate Kittyhawk had this painting up in our office. When I retired a few years ago she e-mailed me this picture as a reminder of what retirement would be like. How accurate she was!

Watery Wednesday - In the Middle of a Dry Spell

2011-08-17T12:28:00.005-04:00

It had been a long, dry summer in Kentucky. In the little creek that runs through the park there is just enough water to reflect blue skies and foliage.

Want to see some more dramatic "watery" photography? Click here for the players.

What to Pack for Scandinavia Tour?

2011-08-16T08:31:00.008-04:00

In just a few days I'm leaving on a jet plane for a Scandinavian tour. Have made most of my what to pack decisions--four pairs of black pants, comfortable--I hope--walking shoes, and a new raincoat with generous hood for shelter against all the rain I see in the long range weather forecasts for Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Now I can concentrate on the most important items, other than my camera and plenty of batteries. That's reading material:

Legacy --the inside scoop on Elizabeth Tudor, girl to woman

The Leopard --last of a series of Det. Harry Hole mysteries set in Oslo. I'll be able to walk Harry's city beat.

Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark--travel memoir of Scandinavia written by Mary Wollstonecraft, England's Gloria Steinham, in late 1700s.

The Voyager --must always take an old friend with you on a trip for when homesickness hits. For me, it's Jamie and Claire's adventures.

Planning a trip and learning about where you'll visit is a big part of the pleasure of traveling. Packing is not! Well, except for deciding what books will take up a good portion of your 50 lb. baggage limit.

Good Photos Challenge Bonus Shot - Avatar

2011-08-15T12:31:00.002-04:00

30 Day Good Photos Challenge, Bonus Shot - Avatar

After finishing the 30 day good photos challenge yesterday it seems strange to not be posting a daily photo here. So, thought I'd sneak in one bonus shot. One photography trick that I wanted to learn this past month was how to create a personal avatar--no luck. I found tutorials for turning my pic into a character from the movie Avatar or the wildly popular Japanese anime. Not what I was looking for. My avatar would be a variation of the Russian/Ukrainian folk art nesting dolls. To me, they represent a life or personality that is multi-layered and always having something new to uncover. What would your avatar be?

These dolls belong to my sister. I bought them for her at a street market in Kiev, Ukraine when I was there working with the country's farm women's councils in 2001. The market was just across the street from this wedding cake of church - St. Andrews Orthodox.

Good Photos Challenge Day 30 - Night Sky

2011-08-14T00:23:00.003-04:00

30 Day Good Photos Challenge, Day 30 Subject - Night Sky

Around dark this evening a fierce rainstorm blew through the area. After things calmed down, I happened to look out and saw this lovely full moon that was shaded for a few minutes by dark clouds. Here are two of my best shots of the night sky.

The 30 days of this photos challenge have flown by. I have enjoyed looking at my world each day to find the daily subject and, along the way, learn some new photography techniques. I'm anxious to get back to writing posts here, but will do some more photo challenges in September.

Good Photos Challenge Day 29 - Shoes

2011-08-13T06:50:00.003-04:00

30 Day Good Photos Challenge, Day 29 Subject - Shoes

My shoes are boring black. Willie's, however, are much more interesting like these genuine Alaskan Iditarod booties, a gift from his Aunt Jane and Uncle Robert. They enjoy traveling in Alaska during the dog racing season. They've been volunteer workers at different points in the races, helping with recordkeeping, feeding the dogs and mushers. Here they're at an Iditarod training camp.

Good Photos Challenge Day 28 - Flowers

2011-08-12T07:47:00.002-04:00

30 Day Good Photos Challenge, Day 28 Subject - Flowers

In the middle of August most flowers, like us, are showing the effects of heat, humidity and drought. But not the sturdy old-fashioned Rose of Sharon blooms, like this lovely one I saw in the park.