Photowalk Around The Block...

Tonight was one of those nights when the outside begs you to leave the four walls, floor, and ceiling that surround you and enter a world of earth and sky. It was beautiful outside so we decided to take a walk around our cul-de-sac street. 

I also decided to bring along my camera.

The walk became a photowalk.

I anticipated seeing brilliant flowers and hopefully, equally stunning skies. I also anticipated our cat coming along on the walk with my wife and me. I did not anticipate a couple of girls on bikes seeing the cat and making him their best friend. I thought our cat would run away terrified from them, but he stayed and made their evening even more fun.

I walked up the driveway that used to by mine and said "hello" to our neighbor's aging Weimaraner--sweet, sweet dog. And our tour ended with incredible views of a cloud-filled late spring sky. We are so blessed to live where we do. Yes, we don't have ocean beaches or dance clubs that are open all night, or European cities with centuries-old buildings, but to me, our little lot at the end of our cul-de-sac is heaven.

A Walk Around The Block...

Since we're staying home this July 4th, I could not take pictures of distant lands, or of my toes in sand while ocean waves lap on. Nope. So tonight I went outside with my camera and snapped a few pictures to see what I could see.

I know that you might not be as interested in what I saw, but part of the reason I keep a daily blog is to chronicle things that happen in my life, where I live, and the people with whom I share my life. These are the most important things to me. When I see these pictures sometime in the future, I will remember how life was for my and the family the day before Independence Day, 2016.

I started at my neighbor's and took pictures of some flowers and their dog. I then went to my yard, and finally my kids came out. Naturally I had to photograph them. I know there's suffering in the world. Evil, though many deny its existence, is real and lives in the hearts of many. But for tonight, in my little cul-de-sac of the world, my life is good, it's very good. I hope all of your celebrating tomorrow will have a safe and wonderful day!

Taking Pictures...Of Flowers

What is it about flowers that make us want to look at them? I say "what makes us" but what I really mean is "what makes me," and I say "look at them" but what I really mean is "photograph them." In this digital age, I could take a thousand pictures a day (and sometimes it feels like I do...). 

This morning as I waited to get into the building where I work, I took out my camera and snapped a few shows of these cute little purple flowers. I have no idea what they are, but they were beautiful, of course.

On Monday I could have taken reams of pictures of the flowers at the cemetery. I did get one that I felt best captured the spirit of the day.

Then a few weeks ago when the irises were in bloom, I got some pictures of our purple flowers after it had rained.

There's just something about seeing a flower in bloom. We're drawn like bees. And as long as the flowers continue to be captivating and I have a camera, I'll probably be captivating their images.

Family Gardens...

For Father's Day we visited my wife's parents. Luckily for us, they only live about a mile away. Since both my parents have gone, it's nice having family so close, especially since they're the only grandparents my children have left.

 

We're grateful for them for many other reasons as well. 

If you know my mother-in-law, you know she loves to tend her gardens, flower gardens, vegetable gardens and other gardens of various kinds. It was such a nice day outside, I snapped a lot of pictures. We then went inside and I took a few pictures as well.

 

I also tried taking a few pictures inside. The light was low so I had a very slow shutter speed, hence the blurs. But that's okay because it captures what I did today with the people that mean the most to me in all the world. We didn't stay too long, but long enough to enjoy each other's company along with ice cream and homemade sugar cookies.

 

A fine way to celebrate my day.

When You've Got Nothing...There's Always Flowers

There's an old saying that says, if you want to sell something, you can't miss (or, it's tougher to "miss"...) if you use baby animals and kids in your ad. I don't know who said it, but I think it's stood the test of time.

So, what does that have to do with flowers?

It's the time of year when all those plans you think died during the winter resurrect and begin to look beautiful. And if I don't find something interesting to photograph while at work, I will walk around our property and try and get an interesting shot for my Pic Of The Day.

 

Yesterday, while snapping some pictures of the local fauna, I thought that if I needed a subject on which to write a blog post, I could just throw together a collection of flower photographs.

Ta-da! Flowers! 

 

Personally, I think flowers could sell stuff. Well, maybe baby flowers...

Or maybe throw in a chicken, just to shake things up a bit.

Some Random Photos Of Flowers And Sunsets...

Today was one of those days where I didn't know if I was going to shoot any good pictures. On a day like today, I go to work (now it's dark when I catch my morning bus...), stay in the office for a 10-hour shift, come home on the bus, then do some writing. Sometimes interesting pictures happen along the way. Other times I've got to go find them.

For lunch I bought a burrito at the Taco Cart on the corner. I stopped by a beautiful garden that's close by and I snapped some shots. It was overcast so I wasn't sure how the lighting would be. Plus, there's so many bees buzzing around which makes me not want to linger. 

Overcast skies oftentimes leads to incredible sunsets. Tonight's was localized, but it was nice. So, on a day when I didn't know if I would find anything to shoot, I think it turned out pretty good.