Rattlesnake Reflections II

The curves, the lines, the colors, the way the light was hitting, and the wonderful abstract feel.... I love these tight crops.

Reflections at Rattlesnake

I love this time of year, when the water out at Rattlesnake Lake is so low that all the old forest stumps are revealed. Late in the day, when the wind has died down and the light is right, the reflections are to die for, and I can shoot until the light is too low to get anything decent.
This shot became so abstract with the sun hitting the water, turning everything white--I loved the idea of the stump and the reflection floating in mid-air.

I love pulling in on the stump and tightening up on the reflection, so that it becomes even more abstract. You'll probably see more of these this week, since this has been my only outing, and I love this kind of stuff anyway! (Unless I dig through the back files for some old reflections, that is...)

Market Colors--heating up

Had a chance to get down the the Market a couple of weekends ago, and had a blast looking at the harvest of fruits and veggies. I am always amazed at the bounty at the end of the summer and into fall, and all the colors that nature provides for us--especially the HOT colors!!

What a combo---plums and grapes. I love the blue-y blush on the plums, and the way they contrast with the grapes. Can't you just taste the juicy goodness of these??

I love the Fuji apples--their colors are so soft and demure and maidenly--almost a blush. Nothing bold about them, nothing flaunting their wonderful taste. A crate full of Fujis sits at the market and draws people to them with the delicate colors and shades and delectable fragrances...

Those peppers absolutely sizzled, even the green ones! They were more chartreuse than yellow!

Auuugh!

Even the plants realize when the cooler weather signals the slugs to make their last ditch forays before the cold weather hits..... I laughed out loud when I saw how this leaf had been chewed and worn. Talk about faces in strange places!!

Play That (not so) Funky Music (really) White Boy (opus 2)

An open-air concert at the local Farmers' Market--a little bit of everything. A cappella--these four were very, very good.

Play That Funky Music White Boy (opus 1)

A street group at Pike's Place Market down in Seattle..man, were these guys GOOD!!!!

Center Abstracts

End of the Season--Market Blooms

Gotta love the flower sellers at the Farmers' Market!
Can you believe the colors of these dahlias? They were so drenched--so peachy and delicious...

Another rainbow of zinnias I couldn't pass up. I think zinnias are the happiest flowers around.

These zinnias were yes, lime green. The color was amazing!

End of the Season colors

For some reason, I hear Elton John singing "Tiny Dancer" when I look at this.....
I love the end of the season coloring on these hydrangeas. They are a lovely soft lavender during the summer, and turn these delicious colors in the fall.

Couldn't resist this guy. Do you think this is where the fashion term 'wasp-waisted' came from?

End of Summer

Got a chance to get out for a couple of hours last Saturday and went to the Farmers Market and ended up at Beaver Lake Park. This old place on the other side of the lake just looked like the end of summer, all closed up and the canoe pulled up on the beach, and the memories of kids swimming and splashing hiding in the reflections.
It was a perfect day---blue skies, soft white clouds, and the lake was like glass.

The old lodge has been kept up, and just has so much charm, tucked in amongst the Doug firs.

The totem pole is in pretty good shape, too. I wish I knew what all the totems symbolized. I love the bird on the top; it's probably an eagle by the shape of the beak. The designs on the undersides on the wings are really neat.

If it was Monday, it must've been macro

I'm only able to get out in the yard right around the house in small snatches of time lately, so most of what I can do is macro. Not that I'm complaining! :-)

Celebrate the rain

We've been having some wonderful Indian Summer days, but every once and a while we get some rain; a portent of what's ahead... might as well embrace it and get ready for the 6+ months of wetness!
Caught a couple of wonderful flares yesterday morning after the early shower had passed.

I loved the fact that the grass was so heavily laden with droplets. I love all the different sized droplets, too.

Symmetrical Architecture

I love succulents, and their balanced symmetry. It never fails to amaze me how perfectly arranged the leaves are, and how they unfold so evenly.

Black and white just seems to intensify the structure and shape and emphasize the abstractedness of the design.

Thanks for all the well wishes and good thoughts and prayers for Rick. He is home after 2+ weeks in ICU. A couple of new twists, but we dodged a big bullet and a difficult consequence, so we are happy and willing to adapt to the new changes. I will post when I can as I find time --lots of new things to learn how to do!!

It's starting to look like fall

Took a little time the other morning before going into the hospital to spend the day with Rick to go to the Botanic Garden and "fill my bucket". Amazing what even 15 minutes in a garden can do for me. I love the fall colors that are starting to come on. The combinations of the asters and the black-eyed susans always say "autumn" in my book.

I couldn't resist the back-lighting with the early sun washing across these

I always love the combo of sun shining through Japanese maple leaves against blue sky. Such a wonderful cheery combination!

The decorative grasses always evoke thoughts of prairie, MidWest, and harvest (when I don't think of the deer eating them)

Hydrangea heads aging against a weather-stained fence...

And grapes in an overhead arbor, used to provide shade

Tie-Dyed Variety

I love this dahlia. Don't know the name of it, but all these blooms were on the same plant. Lots of variety in color, shading, and variegation. Nature is so wonderful!