Autumn Leaves: water droplets

It has been like Indian Summer here lately. And apparently with Indian Summer comes the trappings of summer, warm weather, sunshine... and wind. Yes, there was a tornado warning here yesterday. Oh, Indian Summer.

Anyway, in my travels of sidewalk tourism I have photographed many leaves, and trees, and tree bark (and even the occasional squirrel). And every once in a while (since I am a sidewalk tourist in the morning) I see dew on fallen leaves. There's something about water droplets that is just intriguing.

On a completely unrelated note - my collection "autumnal mood" made the front page of Artfire on Tuesday - whoo-hoo! You can check it out here.

Autumn Leaves

Stephen Colbert has "Better Know a District" and in order to keep things relevant and timely, this will likely be the first of many many installments of "Autumn Leaves."

I have apparently taken to photographing the fall leaves as a seasonal hobby. So, when autumn rolls around, the daily question generally becomes: to drive into town and wander around and take pictures / or not? It partially depends on the weather, and the rest is up to my personal whims.

Either way, regardless of how regularly I get out and do it, I always end up with hundreds of pictures.

So, this is the first installment of a potentially endless series of Autumn Leaves

Outside: Queen Anne's Lace + bokeh

It was actually a very cold day in March sometime last year, or maybe two years ago? Who knows... Anyway, it was on a frigid day in March when I was standing on the edge of a half frozen pond in the dreary light of the morning when I finally figured out how to properly use the settings on my digital camera. Yes, I know, what better conditions than freezing air, a pond at the bottom of a steep hill, my dew soaked shoes and pant legs, and my freezing gloved fingers to finally just stand there and try every setting on the camera? Nothing ever happens on a calm, balmy afternoon in May, no.

Since that day, and even prior to that day, I have taken many many many pictures. And while I knew this before — you can take a picture of almost anything and create an image that looks good or interesting or is engaging. It's just that back in the olden days you literally paid by the image, one segment of film at a time. Other than recharging the batteries and always having to reset the time & date, my how convenient this new technology is!

Of course, even after you figure one thing out, there will always be other things to learn or experience. One of the things I find particularly visually entertaining about photography is "bokeh." I suppose, since figuring out the macro option, it's my current new favorite *thing.*

So, since summer is winding down — and man, I will not miss those 90˚F days — it was time for one last go round with the Queen Anne's Lace, this time with bokeh.

Hopefully, your summer is winding down in a pleasant fashion.

As always, if you're an 'etsian' (or even if you're not) I invite you to check out my treasuries
here or here, respectively. And if you are an etsian, and you like to make treasuries and would like to participate in the Serendipity Treasury Challenge, then check it out on this blog.

please excuse my vacation...

Please excuse my absence, technically, I am on vacation. It's been a while, so I'm really rusty at this vacation thing. I seem to have spent the first day of my vacation cleaning the bedroom and the office / living room...

This did, however, prompt me to actually print out some of my own artwork for myself, and finish off some paintings and actually hang them on the wall. It's been a very long time since the artwork in the bedroom has changed.

Anyway, one of the last things I did on my way home from work was take some pictures of some flowers in a field by the highway. I admit that I don't know what kind of flowers these are. But, hey, there was a bee hanging out. It's always a challenge to try to focus the camera and get the shot before the bee moves on...

Whether you're at work or at home, I hope you all enjoy your week.
Oh, and since June 21st has already passed us by, which means that I am a year older, it also means it is officially summer. So, enjoy your summer!

Outside: forsythia in bloom

So it's raining and gloomy outside right now. I suppose those are the "April Showers." Eventually those should yield some "May flowers." But in the mean time the bushes in the yard are moving ahead with spring. This year the forsythia had a nice showing of flowers.

Anyway, before the rain started I snapped some shots:

Hopefully your plants & flowers are enjoying the unusually warm weather.

Outside: red-winged blackbirds in the marsh

I live out in the country, so I drive through the country quite frequently. There's a lot of farmland around here. In fact, there's a farm field on the other side of the backyard. And just across the highway there's a fen.

Anyway, I have a full time job and work many miles away from where I live. This means driving through a lot of farmland on my way too and from work. There are many different routes to my job, and there are many different things to see on the way to or from work.

One of those things is a pond. I actually stopped there with the thought of photographing the swans who happened to be hanging out in the water. But I ended up spending more time focusing on the flock of red-winged blackbirds hanging around in the cattails in the marsh in front of the pond.

Red-winged blackbirds are a surreal bunch. I heard someone describe their call as sounding like "aliens." It's quite an experience of sight and sound. This is what one bird sounds like (click). Now imagine that multiplied by 10. It's like a sublime symphony.

I hope you go out and enjoy the harbingers of spring!

Outside: ready for spring

Spring is beginning. I have spotted some harbingers out and about. I saw the first spring crocus just yesterday. I'm ready for spring. I'm ready for the weather to warm. I'm ready for the plants to bud. I'm ready for the birds to return...

And I anticipate the opportunity to go out and about and photograph the spring sights.

In the meantime, these are some shots from springs of yore.

Eventually, most of these will be available in my etsy shop: sarahknight
This friday (03-19-2010) you can check out my interview on Liz Ware's Blog : )

and thanks to INDIE Pretty, for featuring my "spring clean print" on her blog : )

Outside: summer roadside flora

Photos taken out and about,
because sometimes you see something and just have to stop...