Time to Paint the Fence

I took my camera outside to look for a photograph, and went down to the street where the mailbox is.  It was then that I noticed the fence post right next to the mailbox.  And the first thing I noticed was that the fence was badly in need of paint.  Then the trick was to show this, AND  to play with the composition, and the balance to make it as interesting as possible.  A lot of work ahead for me this Spring.

Crocus

This is one of several Crocus that have finally emerged from the ground in the garden next to the house.  What's crazy is how late they are this year.  My memory may not be right, but I *think* I have seen Crocus much earlier in the season in other years.  Maybe even poking through the snow in February?  And they are only buds at this point, not fully in bloom  as they usually are.  I guess it is all about the really cold winter we had.  I will keep an eye on them, and look for another photo when they bloom. 

The Picture I DIDN'T Take...

I went to get a haircut today.  Actually, I got them all cut...   har de har, har...  Anyhow, I go to a nice hair salon called Lucia's.  It is always full of women, and just me, and I am OK with that.  While I was waiting on the couch, a beautiful 4-year old girl, with gorgeous curly hair came over to this table and started leafing through a magazine.  What a great shot there was, right in front of me.  But photograph a young girl who I don't know?  No way!  Maybe years ago, but not now.  I wasn't even tempted to try and take a shot.  So instead, I did this photograph of the girl's lunch that her mom brought for her to eat.  Maybe an interesting shot, but it doesn't hold a candle to the portrait you will never see.

Shapes

I was pulling into the driveway late in the afternoon today, and I spotted this dead plant where it was left so I could take it out for the garbage pickup.  The plant is dead, of course and I think that was the attraction to me, because the structure of the plant is so visible. It is not as if it is a beautiful structure, but the overall effect is of something reaching up.  I think that's what caught my eye.  And since the background is one of the white doors of the garage the structure of the plant stands out.  I do like the additional complexity because the garage doors have a pattern as well.

The Kitty in the Sunlight

The kitties are always interesting.  I was sitting in my chair in the living room, eating a sandwich for lunch, and drinking my tea.  Then I noticed that one of the kitties was watching me.  I am not sure why, but I was eating a turkey sandwich.  Kitties have sensitive noses.  Or maybe she was just hanging out and looking around.  I reached for my toy camera, worried that they can decide to move, and I was hoping she stayed in place, just for a few seconds longer.  She did.  Click.

The Abstract Landscape

I was examining the patterns of the bark on the sycamore trees that line the sidewalk down at the harbor.  Really interesting patterns and colors at this time of year.  So I photographed a number of tree trunks, looking for an interesting pattern.  When I was all done, there was something not quite right and I wasn't sure what it was.  I decided to rotate one of the images so that it was horizontal, and it began to look more like a landscape.  To me.  Because I am desperate...   :-)

Half-Full or Half-Empty?

Or, is the cup just half?  This is interesting...  We have owned some of these cups for years.  The other night I made a cup of tea, and then happened to notice that there was tea all over the countertop.  What?  I looked more closely and saw a hairline crack down the front of the cup, so I knew the cup was toast.  After dumping the tea I pulled on both  sides of the cup, and it came apart, just like this.  Usually when a cup breaks, it ends up in tiny pieces.  This looked so different, and so unusual, that I decided to photograph it.  It is amazing to see the cup this way, and to see the gentle curve of the breaks. I think this is interesting in a puzzling kind of way - "What is going on here?"  I love puzzles.