Out Back

I don’t remember having such a colorful fall in Fayetteville. I guess that is the payoff of having such a hot summer. We’ve had great weather lately and wonderful colors. We have some bright reds in the front yard. Didn’t have to drive to the mountains to get these colors, they are right out back. The first shot is looking up from our Blue Bird House. The second one, is that little helper I can’t go outside without – Bailey. Chester was wandering around the yard, probably looking for some dirt to lay in while the cat is sneaking off the deck to explore the yard.

Japanese Maple on the left and Poplar on the right

My Outside and Weekend Shadow

I just realized I haven’t posted in quite a while. I was doing so good and then poof too much to do. I’m on the road right now in DC and Armywife is over at Cauzie’s house in Maryland. FlxFlyer is watching over his grand dogs and grand cat.

The Airman is doing great out in Utah – surviving the snow. Mr. Mechanic is loving the supervisor role and Pepper is doing great at the hospital. Poochiegirl and FlxFlyer are about to celebrate their 53rd Anniversary – love to you mom and dad.

I need to get to bed. Hope everyone has a great week.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills Vanishing Point

Here is my stab at vanishing points, not a whole lot of inspiration on this one. I’m sure there are much better shots at Sunday Stills.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Macro Monday 3 October 2011

Keeping the theme of water droplets made this a semi easy Macro Monday shot. Still working the little details but getting more consistent results gave me these shots. This was done in total darkness. Using a 4 second exposure at F18 and hand holding the flash set at 1/4. Focus with the lights on, leave it in manual and using a shutter release or 10 second delay with the camera mounted on my tripod made this come together. Lights out, hit the release and squeeze some water drops out with one hand and use the other to hit the manual release on the flash.

Dont’ forget to biggify the pictures by clicking on them.

Splash

Ripple in the Water

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills Water Droplets

Sunday Stills Challenge was Water Droplets.

It just so happened that it rained almost everyday while we were in the mountains, so I managed a couple of shots of droplets.

This is an experiment and took some time and I’m still not satisfied with it. You do have to bigify it to see it better.

Water Droplets Falling

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Macro Monday

A spider hiding on the butterfly bush for Macro Monday.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills The First Signs of Fall

I can’t believe it has been almost 3 months since I last posted. It was a hot summer, busy with work and travel. A trip to Utah by Regular Guy and Armywife to visit the returning Airman from his deployment. Promotions and moving for Mr. Mechanic and Pepper. The Sunday Stills challenge this week (thanks Linda) fit nicely into our travel/family plans. The Airman came to see us, so we all headed out to Boone, North Carolina. The Grandparents (Poochiegirl and FlxFlyer) even came out for a couple of days. Pepper couldn’t make it but we thought of her often and bought some stuff for her.

Fall is in the air out in the mountains of North Carolina. College football on Saturday (Appalachian State won!) leaves beginning their annual change of colors, chimpmunks taking every raw peanut you throw their way back to their home for winter. We had deer come through the yard, Sugar Gliders (Flying Squirrels) leaping from a tree right in front of the deck we sat on every night like clockwork, Pileated Woodpeckers flying by and even heard a raccoon scuffle one night. Mr. Mechanic even heard an owl last night (he is kind of a night owl anyway and heard it around 1:30am.

The trip was almost soured by a chest cold I brought with me and quickly passed off to Armywife and quite a bit of rain. Today we went on a venture through Banner Elk, Seven Devils, Linville, around Grandfather Mountain, Over the Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopped in Blowing Rock and had dinner at Woodland’s BBQ (very simple and very good). We capped the night off with a few games on the Wii.

First up, may favorite – a little pond in Banner Elk caught my eye as we drove into town. Actually the red leaves with the red building did.

Shots two and three were was also from Banner Elk, a Pumpkin Patch set up along the road.


Last up, one of the chipmunks waiting for his peanut to be thrown.

Keep A Smile On Your Face, I’ll do my best to not go so long between posts again.

Sunday Stills – The Letter F

Nothing says the letter F like a Frisbee. Of course you need a willing participant.

Bailey LOVES Frisbee time.

To see more of the Letter F, go to Sunday Stills.
Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills – Patriotism and the 4th of July

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Law of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation.

We hold these truths to be self evident…

Patriotism and the 4th of July is the Sunday Stills theme this week. I’ve selected a few from the archives.

Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Sunday Stills Birds and Bees

Happy Father’s Day.

Sunday Stills Challenge this week was the birds and the bees. This could prove interesting depending on your take. I’ll go with the G rated version. Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Cone Flower

Blue Bird

Blue Birds

Sunday Stills – Yellow

Sunday Stills this week the challenge was Yellow. Here are my shots. With no fanfare. Keep A Smile On Your Face.

Bi-Plane

Along the North Carolina/Virginia Border I-95