July 6, 2010

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A REAL 5 Volcano Day

Not only did I see all five, but I shot all five - all from Sherrard Point, at the top of Larch Mountain, OR. Want to see all five? I'll just bore you with these two... Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. I couldn't resist stepping off the path, as I do sometimes. Not sure what it is when I get a camera in my hand, but I'm always in search of the right shot. Stepping off the path proved to be a really bad idea, as I ended up on a very loose-rock steep cliff. Let's just say I almost sacrificed myself to the five volcanoes, and never got the shot. On my way out, on the path I saw two men with tripods, fancy cameras and lenses. I exchanged a few words with them, and the one man said "it's more fun taking the photos than it is looking at them." I couldn't have agreed more, and just wandered down the path giggling to myself.





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July 5, 2010

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Ain't no Bull

He's got some horns... wouldn't want to get in his way! I'm still trying to get used to the zoom lens. The thing I like about it, is that I can be driving through the country (as in this case), and just stop when I see something off in the distance, zoom in, and shoot. Of course this has to take place rather quickly so that I don't hold up traffic, or cause an accident! In this shot, I didn't get him focused, or for whatever reason, he's a bit blurred. Even though the lens has image stabilization, it is pretty tricky to handle and hold steady. A tripod would be the best way to handle this lens, is what I'm finding out. But I've been having fun experimenting with hand held!

July 4, 2010

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Mini Castle

I don't really have a story for this, other than I have passed by it so many times and have wondered what this miniature castle is doing next to the railroad tracks. As it turns out, I got a closer look today - there are more than this one miniature - there was another one, on what appears to be a multi-million dollar estate on the other side of the railroad tracks. The property was for sale. Wonder if the miniatures are included?

July 3, 2010

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Vista House

View of vista house from the Portland Women's Forum lookout. It finally stopped raining, so I took a ride down the gorge. Seems everyone else had the same idea. I shot this same scene almost 7 months ago. I couldn't resist trying it again with the new lens in a different season. Standing there takes your breath away no matter which season!

July 2, 2010

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It's Not all Roses

Been back only a few days and I'm already slacking on my postings! It's been raining here for the past two days - imagine that... rain in the Northwest... Haven't really wanted to bring the camera equipment out in the rain. It seems to have stopped for the time being, and they are promising sunshine for a while!

My neighbor Sheila was kind enough to let me photograph her beautiful flowers and roses in her yard. She really has a green thumb when it comes to her flowers, and her yard is an endless garden of blossoms and vibrant colors!

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June 30, 2010

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A Five-Volcano Day

Yes, my first day back in the 'Couve couldn't be any more beautiful than today. It was so clear that you could see all of the volcanic peaks in the Cascades (from a particular vantage point). I saw a few of them today, as I drove around drinking in the beauty of the landscape, and the perfect weather. These are the animals that I've missed, who live up the hill from me. I had to dodge a few deer today driving around in the hills. These guys are pretty tame - they live in a sanctuary, and they are not shy or scared.

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June 29, 2010

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En-route

A travel day today - next posting will be from the west coast :)

June 28, 2010

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Winch and Bokeh

This shot, SOOC, was one from the other night sailing when practicing with the new lens. My camera is packed and ready to take off tomorrow for home in the Pacific Northwest, so I will have to share some older shots until I reach my destination.

June 27, 2010

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The Herb Thief

That new zoom lens really allows me to get close to the animals! Well, this little guy has been hanging around the back yard lately. I think he's a cute little guy, but today I went to check on my herbs, and all my parsley and cilantro were gone - like completely gone - not dead and shriveled, but sheered off as if someone cut them at the stems. Could this little bugger be the culprit? He didn't take the basil, although there were some bites taken from some of the leaves. I don't know much about groundhogs and their diets, but he looks guilty :)

June 26, 2010

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Sailing toward the Birthday Cake

My wonderful husband surprised me with a bon voyage present yesterday - a new Canon telephoto zoom 70-300 f 4-5.6. Let me tell you how I've longed for a zoom lens, and now I will be able to photograph wildlife.

I took it with me sailing last night to test it out. It was difficult to use the big lens on a moving boat, but I was able to pull off a few hand-held shots and experiment a little with it. This was another sailboat off in the distance. The power plant behind it with the smokestacks we refer to as the "birthday cake" when we use it as a landmark for navigation. Makes me chuckle... :)

June 25, 2010

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Goodnight Frog Town

Another shot that I really wish to try with the tripod and a nice long shutter speed, but for now - hand held.

The kind doctors and nurses have given me a reprieve for 6 weeks. I am leaving Toledo for now and returning for a visit to my home in the Pacific Northwest. I will spend the next several weeks reuniting with my friends, the beautiful land that I have missed so much, and a small sliver of my old life before I left. I don't know what lies ahead after my 6 weeks is over, only more testing and scans will tell the story. But for now, I am going to reclaim a piece of my soul - and live like I used to live, before this disease took over my life. I will spend my hours hiking, walking the white sand of the Pacific Coast, drinking craft beers, admiring edgy art, eating Mexican food, traveling to British Columbia to the mountains, hike some more... most of all, I will be taking pictures of all of it. I don't want to miss a moment of this precious time. Stay tuned for a shift in longitude, latitude and attitude :)

June 24, 2010

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The Skyway

I have been wanting to shoot this bridge - especially at night when it is lit. I met some friends downtown for happy hour and dinner and managed to get the bridge at twilight. I really want to use my tripod for a timed night shot on this, but no tripod this time, just hand held.

June 23, 2010

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More from UofM

Yes, another cheat (cheat referring to posting a photo that I did not take on this day). This another from Saturday. Lately I find myself not feeling well enough to get out and shoot. I feel guilty about it, and a bit frustrated as I think it would be better for my soul if I did get out... A little more strength every day

June 20, 2010

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Monochrome Arches

More architecture from the University of Michigan campus - (yes, from yesterday - cheat) :)

June 19, 2010

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Campus Silhouette

My husband took me to Ann Arbor yesterday for a nice dinner and a walk around town and the U of M campus. Posting a bit late, but my mouse needs a battery and I don't love using the laptop track pad.

OK, so maybe my excuses go deeper than the mouse. For now, I will share this image and nothing more...

This Monochrome concept came from Aileni and Dragonstar at The Monochrome Weekend. Click on the link for other black and white images.

June 16, 2010

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Evolve

I suppose these cement blocks spell it out!

June 14, 2010

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Responsible

This "warning" on the gas pump caught my attention at a BP station. The irony of it made me chuckle a little - in a shake my head kind of way. It's shameful really. Then it made me angry, and then sad. It's a difficult situation to process. It causes me much heartburn every day, as I worry about the environment. What sort of things do you feel when you see these words?

June 13, 2010

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Chrome!

The fun thing about bike week is all the visual fun - between the custom rides, the people, each as unique as the bikes they choose to ride. Here is a sample of one of those custom bikes with lots of chrome and reflection!

June 12, 2010

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Day at the Bay

The Round House - one of the most notorious places on South Bass Island, Lake Erie (otherwise known as Put-in-Bay). The Round House practically epitomizes this island. I have tied one on more than once in this bar over the years, and have had some pretty wild times on this island. I haven't been here in years since living on the west coast, and coming back was fun, but I quickly realized that I wasn't ready for the obnoxiousness of the crowds. Not only was it "bike week," but it was the finish destination of the Mills Race. My husband raced in this overnight race. I figured I'd go meet up with him, give him a ride back home, and check out the old stomping grounds. Sailors and bikers... it was quite a mix.

June 11, 2010

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Spiraling Stair

A spiraling metal staircase from the ground to the roof! The textures and the shadows caught my eye as I was carefully descending.

This Monochrome concept came from Aileni at The Monochrome Weekend

June 9, 2010

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Ships Passing

This was worth posting, even though it's a shot taken from the other night. The barge was coming through the shipping channel as we were approaching the light house. You don't get to see that every day! The angle was perfect to capture the shipping channel in action!!

June 8, 2010

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Toledo Harbor Light

Went for an evening sail last night - just got around to processing the photos. One of my favorite places to sail is the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse. First lit in 1904, the harbor light is still an active navigational aid in the shipping channel. The lighthouse is all automated, but there is said to be a phantom keeper who beckons to mariners from one of the upper windows.

June 7, 2010

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Did you ever...

feel like the back end of a garbage truck? I shot this from the car driving behind it, so not the best photo in the world, but it reflected perfectly the way that I'm feeling today. Annoying sinus headache, aggravated that I am still in a holding pattern between treatments, yet still tethered to the hospital. Tired and weak all the time... Yup, I feel like this thing looks... and it stinks!

June 6, 2010

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Roses on the Fence

Some floral goodness from the Toledo Botanical Garden.

June 5, 2010

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Don't worry 'bout a thing....

'cuz every little thing, gonna be alright! Crucial 4:20 reggae music at the club last night. Not enough light, used my 50mm knowing that there would be a little motion blur with a slower shutter speed, most shots taken blind with the camera anchored on my leg for stability. But then, perhaps the randomness and blurriness of the shots reflect the essence of the band and the evening :)

June 4, 2010

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"Watching for the Wind"

A water sculpture at the Toledo Botanical Gardens, this abstract represents the movement of sailboats; they change direction and list with the wind. In the early evening sun, the sculptures were reflecting beautifully in the pond, and this image is my contribution to "Weekend Reflections."

*This reflection is inspired by Weekend Reflections thanks to James at Newtown Area Photo. Click on the link to see other wonderful reflection shots!

June 3, 2010

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Tiny Geese

This had to be the cutest thing I've seen all day.

For the past few weeks I've been watching the robin's nest in the tree outside the front door. I tried to photograph them, but couldn't get close enough. I didn't want to move branches to get a clean shot because I didn't want to upset the mama, or scare the babies. There were four of them. I'd watch them every day - the rituals of their feedings, mama protecting them, sheltering them from storms. It's amazing how fast they grow! They left their nest today. I will miss them, but they looked strong and ready.

June 1, 2010

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Basil Bonus!

Here is my herb garden! The basil is looking tasty. The cilantro... hmmmm; not doing as well.

How about a recipe today? This basil pesto recipe is from Ina Garten, "The Barefoot Contessa." I have not made this pesto recipe yet, but it will be the one I try when I start picking these leaves. If anyone out there tries it, let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
• 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups good olive oil
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Notes: Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out.

To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.