Photos by BeNotForgot

Autumn Kaleidoscope

2011-11-15T21:20:00.004-06:00

We had searched every day for a scene such as this . . . with the kaleidoscope of autumn colors reflected in the waters . . . we came upon this oasis of tranquility on the outskirts of Boston . . . we were on our way back to Texas . . . and were stopping for a visit with Mom's cousin in Lynn, Massachusetts . . . photo taken four weeks ago today . . . on the 18th day of October . . .

Everything is now different as our kaleidoscope turns.
The colors, so brilliant, the light brightly burns.
We wonder at the beauty like never before.
The dazzling colors? We want to see more!

With each gentle turn we gaze in awe.
Have the leaves always been this color in Fall?
Have the flowers of Springtime always bloomed like this?
Have my family and friends always brought me such bliss?

Every day now counts. We seek something good.
We wish for a moment that everyone could
See through our eyes the joy and delight.
The extraordinary vision into our kaleidoscope of life.

The Kaleidoscope of Life
By
Sandy Brown

OOB Pier :: Guest Post by Mom

2011-11-14T23:03:00.000-06:00

This was the morning of our last full day at Old Orchard Beach in Maine . . . taken by my Mom four weeks ago today . . . on the 17th day of October . . . all three of us walked the mile to the pier that morning . . . then walked downtown for breakfast . . . then strolled back down the streets of OOB to our beach house . . . where we spent most of the day preparing to leave Maine the next morning . . .

74 Beach Street

2011-11-13T16:56:00.003-06:00

74 Beach Street
Saco, Maine
photo taken 4 weeks ago today
on the 16th day of October

The death of Mrs. Lizzie J. Brackett, wife of Peter Brackett of Saco, occurred at her home, 74 Beach street, about 5 o'clock Tuesday night at the age of 70 years and four months, after an illness of comparatively a few hours. Mrs. Brackett, who had been one of the most active and interested women in patriotic circles, was stricken with apoplexy Monday, since which time until her death Tuesday evening her condition was most critical. She was born in Scarboro, and was the daughter of William T. and Olive J. (Goodwin) Merrill, and was the oldest of a family of 11 children. Mrs. Brackett had lived for many years in Biddeford and Saco, where she has been a prominent member of the Pythian Sisterhood, the Golden Cross. She was also a member of the Christian Advent church on Hill street. She was possessed of most generous characteristics and was a friend in time of need. Besides her husband Mrs. Brackett leaves three brothers, Daniel H., George and Fred of Pine Point, and three sisters, Mrs. Phoebe Tripp of Gorham, Mrs. Nellie Sullivan and Emma Snow of Pine Point. The funeral will be Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the late residence. Relatives and friends invited without further notice. Biddeford Daily Journal, Biddeford, York County, Maine, Wednesday Evening, July 26, 1911, Page Eight.

Nubble Light :: Guest Post by My Mom

2011-11-12T20:57:00.004-06:00

Nubble Light
York County, Maine
Photo by my Mom
taken 4 weeks ago today

Fairy Rose in Autumn

2011-11-10T19:53:00.003-06:00

A Rose Blooming Late in Autumn

Rose, fair rose! why dost thou bloom
So lonely here? The garden's drear,
And thou dost give thy sweet perfume
But to the unconscious air.
Veil, then, thy bloom, and guard thy sweets
Till the bright hours of spring,
For now thy blush no Philomela greets,
Nor at thy closing hour thy dirge will sing.

My Own World

I live in a dear little world of my own,
Where hope ever smiles and griefs never come;
And vines are enwreathing my own little bow'r,
That blossom and bud and are ever in flow'r.

When the wind whistles low and bright stars are shining,
'Mong roses and myrtles I soft lay reclining,
And phantoms of bliss around me then hover,
And, smiling, comes joy, and dimpled all over.

When the moon looks down through the leaves of the trees,
And the sweet breath of zephyr comes on the breeze,
Such whisp'rings of music steal through my bower,
As lightly it wooes the buds and the flow'r.

I dream that bright spirits from some far sphere
Have come in their love to visit me here;
My soul bursts its fetters and throws off its care,
To hold in the converse of spirits a share.

When morning, bright-gemm'd, through the gray dawn is stealing,
And the slumber of birds and of flow'rs is unsealing;
When the ripple of waters runs sparkling and clear,
And fresh opens the rose in the coppice-wood near;

My spirit goes forth all joyous and bright,
While the glory of day, in its splendor of light,
Bears it onward and on through the blue vault of heav'n,
Till it joins the mild hours that herald the even.

Then softly it seeks the horizon's pale verge,
Where Venus, soft pillow'd, reclines on the surge,
And, nestling 'raid rose-tints and dew-gems till dawn,
Rises buoyant and fresh with the bright coming morn.

from
Autumn musings, and other poems
by
Elizabeth Hazard
J.B. Lippincott & co., 1874

OOB & Peaks Island :: Guest Post by My Mom

2011-11-07T17:14:00.003-06:00

Both of these photos were done by my Mom . . . four weeks ago today . . . on the 10th day of October . . . in Maine . . . she was up early most mornings . . . and this wound up being the spectacular morning for color at OOB . . . we were about a mile from the pier . . . and she walked down there to capture several really nice images, including the one above . . .

We had enjoyed our day (the 9th) at Peak's Island so much that we decided to go back again . . . this time we took sandwiches and enjoyed a casual day strolling around looking for the areas where our Elizabeth had been photographed back in the 1920s . . . we also spent time both days looking for seaglass . . . and that is what I was doing when Mom captured the above image . . . this was while we were waiting for the ferry to pick us up for the return trip to Portland . . .

Bricolage :: Sunrise, Sunset at OOB

2011-11-06T18:38:00.005-06:00

They were speaking French as they strolled past our beach house . . . the little girl reached for her Father's hand as she skipped along, her feet barely touching the ground . . . the sun was still playing hide and seek, as it tickled and teased the clouds and the water with brush-strokes from God's palette . . .

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

OK, y'all . . . this one is a double-exposure collage of two photos I took at Old Orchard Beach four weeks ago today . . . on Sunday, the 9th day of October . . . that was Columbus Day weekend . . . New England had record-breaking heat that Sunday and Monday . . . and the crowds were out at OOB . . .

This little family caught my attention early that morning before we left for a day of touring Peaks Island . . . I did not get the camera up in time to catch the little one as she looked like she was trying to fly . . . she was flapping her arms and jumping around at the water's edge . . . in this photo you can see that her father's feet are just barely in touch with solid ground . . . he was jumping around just like her! . . .

P.S. . . . the two photos included the beach shot of the little family . . . plus a photo-thru-the-telescope of the almost full moon that night . . .

Graveyard Photo Session

2011-11-05T16:49:00.003-05:00

This photo was taken four weeks ago today at the Laurel Hill Cemetery on the banks of the Saco River in York County, Maine . . . this beautiful Victorian garden cemetery is the final resting place of my maternal grandma and several of her family members . . . and it apparently a choice spot for photography sessions . . . including wedding parties! . . . I would assume the bride was planning on plenty of brilliant autumn color for her wedding photos . . . but alas, that was not to be . . . the color did not arrive in New England as scheduled during this Autumn of 2011 . . . nevertheless, we especially appreciated seeing green while away from this drought-blemished State of Texas . . .

OOB :: Guest Post by My Mom

2011-11-04T18:50:00.004-05:00

This photo was taken by my Mom . . . four weeks ago today . . . early in the morning at Old Orchard Beach in Maine . . . notice the steam rising from the ocean water? . . .

We visited two cemeteries that day . . . Eastern Cemetery in Gorham, Maine (where our Phebe is buried) . . . and Dunstan Cemetery in Cumberland County, Maine (where Phebe's parents and assorted kith 'n kin are buried) . . . and my photos from that day are mostly boring cemetery shots . . . so Mom is providing the photo for today . . . Thanks, Mom!

OOB Memories

2011-11-03T17:40:00.004-05:00

I took this photo four weeks ago today . . . on the 6th day of October . . . which was the first day we arrived at our temporary home away from home (for two weeks) at Old Orchard Beach in Maine . . . that's my Mom standing at the water's edge . . . and I am standing on the balcony of our beach house . . .

Blue Damselflies

2011-09-27T13:46:00.006-05:00

Clicking on the photo will open an online Picasa photo album containing a few more shots of these blue-colored damselflies . . . I think mayhaps I captured images of both the Common Blue Damselfly . . . as well as the Azure Damselfly . . . they were swarming around some white-flowering weeds in my yard (similar to baby's breath) . . . such a nice unexpected surprise!

UV Protector

2011-09-19T23:16:00.002-05:00

Bricolage :: Unidentified Tweeter

2011-09-18T22:07:00.004-05:00

Bricolage :: Cat Portrait

2011-09-17T19:49:00.003-05:00

Clicking on the oil portrait of Cisco the six-toed cat will open an online Picasa album containing the photo I created this portrait from . . . as well as a mother and daughter portrait . . . and the original photo for that image . . . I finally captured a family photo of Momma Kitty and her babies, but it is not very good . . . unfortunately, they did not give me a choice of location when they lined up for me today . . .

Happy Birthday, Riley

2011-09-16T20:20:00.003-05:00

This is Riley watching the news on TV . . . there was a story today about a puppy falling into a three foot deep crack in the backyard where it lived . . . lots of cracked yards around here, caused by the severe drought conditions here in Texas . . . anyway . . . the puppy did a lot of yelping as it was being rescued . . . and Riley ran for the TV every time he heard it . . .

Clicking on the photo will take you to an online Picasa album containing today's photos of Riley which were taken for his 4th birthday . . . he is spoiled rotten as it is . . . but he got special treatment today, including extra chicken jerky treats (he always says please and thank you) . . . and a serving of his favorite Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream . . .

Pensive Mitten Kitten

2011-09-15T18:18:00.002-05:00

Clicking on the photo will take you to an online Picasa photo album containing assorted mitten kitten photos taken today.

Lost Beauty

2011-09-14T20:39:00.004-05:00

Twilight is the loveliest time of the day,
Viewed from my open window.
One dusk the sun was a ball of fire,
Softened by thin layers of pearl.
Once opal strands stretched across the sky,
A necklace ready for the moon to wear.
Some times the world's gold is hoarded in the west,
Reflected on roofs and panes far below.
When I am not at my window at twilight
I am lonely, longing for lost beauty.

Nancy Richey Ranson

Waning Gibbous Moon

2011-09-13T21:45:00.002-05:00

Waning Gibbous Moon
97% of Full

Harvest Moon

2011-09-12T22:43:00.003-05:00

Shine on, Harvest Moon

Happy Feet!

2011-09-11T21:33:00.002-05:00

Solitaire

2011-09-10T23:33:00.002-05:00

Today I went shopping for a gift for a three-year-old . . . and while looking at all the neat toys, I picked up this one for myself . . . Bennie wore out three or four of these games . . . and the buttons are starting to get persnickety on the last one he had . . . so time to break in a new one . . .

Paris to Rockdale

2011-09-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

One hundred and one years ago . . . in September of 1910 . . . this century-old letter was mailed from Paris, France to Rockdale, Texas . . . I posted about my acquisition of these letters back in March of this year . . . and now I'm delighted to say that, as of early this a.m., digital copies of all of the letters have found their way into the hands of the descendants of the recipients of some of these missives . . .

Do the Hokey-Pokey

2011-09-08T19:32:00.005-05:00

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out;
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

FYI . . . clicking on the photo will take you to a Picasa album containing several mitten kitten photos taken today . . .

Riley Avoiding the Camera

2011-09-07T20:30:00.002-05:00

Chatterbox

2011-09-06T22:28:00.002-05:00

Good Night, Moon

2011-09-05T21:04:00.003-05:00

Thankful I am . . . for this smoke-free view of the waxing gibbous moon . . . and for the lives spared so far in those areas that did not have this clear view of the evening sky on this fiery night in Texas . . .

Pretty Lucky

2011-09-04T22:28:00.003-05:00

I just cannot resist these cute kitties . . .
this one is Lucky, the 7-toed mitten-kitten . . .

Triple Digit Heat :: Final Day?!?

2011-09-03T23:17:00.003-05:00

As of today, the weathermen are saying this is our final day of triple-digit temperatures . . . so I wanted a record of the final HOT day for the summer of 2011 . . .

Cat Eyes

2011-09-02T20:43:00.002-05:00

Bricolage :: Catch a Falling Star

2011-09-01T19:07:00.009-05:00

Catch a falling star . . .
and put it in your pocket . . .
never let it fade away . . .
Catch a falling star . . .
and put it in your pocket . . .
save it for a rainy day . . .

For when your troubles start multiplyin’ . . .
and they just might . . .
it’s easy to forget them without tryin’ . . .
with just a pocketful of starlight . . .

The falling star texture was created from the above photo . . .
using features in Picasa as well as Irfanview . . .

Bricolage :: Garden Trellis

2011-08-31T22:45:00.002-05:00

This background texture was created from the following photo . . .
using features in Picasa as well as IrfanView . . .

Bricolage :: Harley Davidson

2011-08-30T20:16:00.004-05:00

This texture was created from the following photo . . . which is of the dirty back window of a pickup truck that lives in the neighborhood . . . I used features in Picasa as well as IrfanView to come up with this texture . . . and part of the process involved creating a double exposure collage using a texture from playing with PSP . . . let me know if you need a higher resolution version . . . and I'll send it to you . . .

Dividing the Chores

2011-08-29T20:36:00.003-05:00

Daddy catnapping . . .

while Momma feeds the babies!

Then and Now Tripod Adapter

2011-08-28T21:10:00.004-05:00

This is my latest contraption for holding photos for the Then and Now type projects . . . these clips are mayhaps a Christmas item? . . . for clipping on tree branches? . . . and displaying Christmas cards? . . . in this photo I have it clipped onto the threads of the screw that attaches the quick release plate (from the tripod) to the bottom of my camera . . .

Family Portrait

2011-08-27T20:47:00.003-05:00

Sleepy Kitty

2011-08-26T23:09:00.002-05:00

Click on the photo to view more of the mitten kitten photos taken today.

Sizzling!

2011-08-25T20:33:00.001-05:00

Raindrops!

2011-08-24T21:43:00.003-05:00

Calico Mitten Kitten

2011-08-23T20:50:00.001-05:00

Clicking on this photo
will take you to a Picasa album
showing a few mitten kitten photos from today.

End of Record Search Pilot

2011-08-22T23:27:00.002-05:00

familysearch.org

Texas Stop Sign

2011-08-21T22:34:00.005-05:00

Here in Texas, this is known as a Texas Stop Sign . . . 'cause you can't drive by without stopping for a DQ treat . . . and for the first time since I moved here in 1989, we have a Dairy Queen in Red Oak, Texas . . . I took this photo today when I stopped by for a DQ specialty . . . I chose the Cappucino Heath Blizzard . . . sure was good! . . . the Dairy Queen in Rockdale, Texas was the hangout when I was a teenager . . . and the local Dairy Queens along the route were a frequent stop when we rode with the Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train in 1986 . . . welcome to the neighborhood, DQ!

Bricolage :: Clouds

2011-08-20T21:48:00.004-05:00

The above image was created from the following solarized photo . . .
using features in both Picasa and IrfanView . . .

National Aviation Day

2011-08-19T13:07:00.005-05:00

I dug Bennie's flying memorabilia out, looking for something to photograph for National Aviation Day (which is today) . . . not having a clue that there was a date-appropriate entry in his pilot logbook . . . and that on this date . . . the 19th day of August . . . in the year 1984 . . . Bennie flew his 1948 Beechcraft Bonanza from the airport in Cameron, Texas to the Red Bird Airport near Dallas, Texas . . . he only flew the Bonanza six more times before selling it the following year . . . I can visualize Bennie in the following verse . . . although the vehicle varies . . . sometimes it's an airplane . . . sometimes it's a racecar . . . or sometimes he's riding a horse around the meadows of Heaven . . .

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Bourjois

2011-08-18T22:31:00.003-05:00

Mitten Kitten with a Tail

2011-08-17T20:11:00.003-05:00

This is the one mitten kitten with a tail . . . the other two are bobtails . . . like their Daddy . . .

Lucky Mitten Kitten

2011-08-16T20:51:00.003-05:00

This is the mitten kitten with seven toes on one foot . . .
so I've been calling him / her Lucky . . .

Calico Mitten Kitten

2011-08-15T18:00:00.004-05:00

Their eyes are now open . . . clicking on the photo will take you to a Picasa album containing a few more photos of this calico mitten kitten . . .

Then and Now

2011-08-14T16:43:00.006-05:00

Well . . . since I did not have a human helper . . . and I could not get the goats or the dog or the cats to help on this project :) . . . this photo shows the set-up I used for photographing my Then & Now photo for The Family Curator's genealogy photo challenge for World Photography Day . . . which is the 19th day of August . . . I started out with my photo holder sitting on the top tier of this little step-ladder . . . but the hot summer breezes soon taught me a lesson . . . and the photo holder toppled over . . . and I had a torn photo! . . . because of the necessity of figuring out a photo holder for this project, I had already decided to use copies instead of originals . . . so the torn photo was not a big deal . . . I wound up using my little Kodak Z1012 for this photo session . . . it frequently malfunctions (zooms in and out and powers off . . . all by itself) . . . so I have not used it in a while . . . but it worked right today . . . and it worked great for this project . . .

Bricolage :: Raindrops

2011-08-13T23:03:00.000-05:00

Branding the Brazos

2011-08-12T19:22:00.002-05:00

Well, looky over yonder . . .
wonder what those are?

[Those would be cars . . .
on IH35 at Waco, Texas!]

Texas Ranger
Waco, Texas

Sleeping Beauty

2011-08-11T22:15:00.002-05:00

Well . . . the official thermometer for Dallas only made it to 97 today . . . so the official triple digit streak is over, with only 40 days in a row (as of yesterday) . . . but look what the thermometer in the shade of my tree showed at 5 o'clock this afternoon!?! . . .

Pictures of Memory

2011-08-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

Age is a deep pool, still and clear
Winds can not ruffle it, year on year;
Never a tempest its calm can stir,
All it holds are the things that were.

Shining, far in its crystal weeps,
Pictures of memory it keeps.
Places and people now passed by,
Here they change not, they can not die.

Age is a deep pool, soundlessly
Shrining the hours that used to be,
Holding safe in its depths unstirred
Smiles long faded, long spoken word.

by
Aline Triplette Michaelis
02 December 1883 ~ 10 August 1958

as published in 1935 in
The Dallas Morning News

Main Street at 11 p.m.

2011-08-09T23:03:00.001-05:00

Bricolage :: Sun and Snow

2011-08-08T16:06:00.007-05:00

I took the photo of the fence this a.m. with the idea of creating a textured background with it . . . and then I remembered I had a snow photo from sorta the same angle . . . so I merged the two photos in the above collage . . . and then I created the following texture (which you are welcome to use) by merging my photo with a texture from playingwithbrushes . . . I then used this same texture to create a heritage collage featuring my maternal grandma . . .

Dancing with the Dawn

2011-08-07T21:20:00.003-05:00

O lovely light, that dances with the dawn
In twinkling golden slippers on the lawn.

Nancy Richey Ranson

Lucky Number Seven

2011-08-06T17:02:00.003-05:00

This mitten kitten actually has seven toes!

Mitten Kittens

2011-08-05T15:12:00.007-05:00

Two day old Mitten Kittens

Praying for Rain

2011-08-04T16:25:00.003-05:00

Dear God . . .
I don't ask for much . . .
just a little green grass . . .
if you could send us some rain . . .
and cooler temperatures . . .
it would help a lot . . .
thanks for listening . . .
with love . . .
Mandy

Bricolage :: Moon Eclipse

2011-08-03T19:27:00.003-05:00

This texture was created from the following photo of what is apparently called a concrete hoe . . . looks kinda like an eclipse of the moon to me . . . if you find a use for this texture, please do share . . .

32 days in a row and counting

2011-08-02T22:28:00.002-05:00

Our forecast for the next 7 days . . .
unfortunately, it looks like we might be breaking the 1980 record of 42 days in a row of triple-digit temperatures . . .

DFW Weather

Then and Now

2011-08-01T21:07:00.008-05:00

This is my 1st attempt at a Then and Now photo . . . I obviously have a lot of work to do to figure out this method . . . I was not going to use this, but then decided to go ahead and journal about my journey thru figuring out this process . . . I tried this with my Canon Rebel T1i . . . did not like the results . . . looks like I need a wide-angle lens (which I do not yet have) . . . and need to take the camera off the auto setting . . . this was one of two photos taken with my little pocket digital camera . . . it has a wide angle setting . . . and it automatically compensates for the depth of field . . . I just did not want to stay outside very long in that 112° heat . . . so did not mess with the whole project more than a few minutes . . . the photo of my Bennie riding Yuma was taken probably 10-15 years ago (need to find the date) . . .

The photo collages (created in Picasa) above and below show the same photo of Bennie riding Yuma . . . and a photo from February of 2010 showing the same pasture across the street from my house . . . in an apparent attempt to help us think cool thoughts, the news guys keep showing video from the Super Bowl Snow Storm of February 2011 . . . so I drug out my snow photos from the year before . . . think snow!

One thing is for sure . . . creating a Then and Now photo in Picasa is a lot easier (and cooler!) than actually doing the photo outside . . . if anyone has any hints on doing these Then and Now photos, I would like to hear them . . . and FYI . . . the weatherman just said that it is still 103° in Dallas as of 9:41 p.m.!

Triple Digit Heat 30 Straight Days

2011-07-31T19:05:00.003-05:00

This photo shows the temperature in my yard just before 7 p.m. tonight . . . 108° . . . here in Dallas we are now at 30 straight days of triple-digit heat . . . this is officially the 2nd longest heat wave on record . . . the record of 42 days straight occurred in 1980 when they had a total of 69 days when the temperature reached 100+ . . .

Rainbows and Butterflies

2011-07-30T19:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday, Gini . . .
I wish you . . .
rainbows and butterflies
wallflowers and starry skies
and dreams that aren’t afraid to come true
sunsets and autumn leaves
snowfall and make believe . . .

adapted from lyrics by
Billy Swan

P.S. I know it's a day early . . .
but the photo-op happened a day early . . .
and the lyrics just seemed to fit!

Doodlebug

2011-07-29T21:32:00.004-05:00

Doodlebug / Antlion

Look in the lower left corner . . . they are creepy looking little creatures . . . this doodlebug was working hard going in circles in his sand pit . . . this was the best image I caught of him . . . most just showed him throwing sand . . . keep in mind that these little critters are smaller than the size of a pencil eraser . . . a doodlebug excavates its pit by using its oval-shaped abdomen as a plow and its flat head as a shovel for flicking sand upward. It circles backward through the sand and repeatedly flicks sand upward, raising its head above the soil surface. . . .

Bricolage :: Blooming Butterflies

2011-07-28T22:37:00.005-05:00

I have a tree I call my butterfly tree . . . because every year the butterflies literally just seem to come out of the bark of this tree . . . and it's been blooming butterflies lately . . . hence all the butterfly photos . . .

Bricolage :: Bible Page

2011-07-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

Clicking on this photo will take you to an altered version of this image of a page from an early 20th century Bible . . . altered using Picasa and IrfanView as well as a texture from playingwithpsp . . . please do let me know if you come up with a good use for it . . .

Butterfly

2011-07-26T18:13:00.001-05:00

Bricolage :: Stained Glass Butterfly

2011-07-25T16:16:00.003-05:00

The above stained glass image
was created from the following photo,
using features in Picasa as well as IrfanView . . .

Happy Birthday, Aunt Susie

2011-07-24T19:16:00.004-05:00

Bricolage :: Palomino

2011-07-23T23:03:00.000-05:00

Clicking on this altered image will take you to another altered image from the same photo session with my palomino friend . . . please do let me know if you use this texture for a project . . . I would like to see what you do with it . . .

Bad Day at the Grooming Salon

2011-07-22T22:31:00.004-05:00

Bad haircut . . . and razor burn . . .
and Riley ain't happy with me . . .

Bricolage :: Flowers for Mothers

2011-07-21T15:52:00.010-05:00

Dedicated to anyone missing their Mother today

You scattered beauty as the rose sheds leaves,
My mother, as you journeyed down life's ways.
You wove love's tapestry, as moonlight weaves
Rare shadow-patterns through a silver haze.
You lifted sorrows from the burdened mind,
And comforted the weary and distressed;
With gentle understanding, helpful, kind,
You brought the pain-wracked ease, the weary rest.

And now that you are gone, no monument
Of massive stone, however deftly carved,
Could fittingly portray the strength you lent
The sick and desolate and beauty-starved.
Remembering, I'll plant a thousand flowers
To banish suffering through countless hours.

My Mother
by
Nancy Richey Ranson

Clicking on today's photo will reveal a textured background image created from this photo of dried flowers preserved from my Bennie's memorial service in April of 2010 . . . which, along with a texture from Shadowhouse Creations, was used to create a double-exposure collage in Picasa . . . and was then texturized using IrvanView . . . please do let me know if you use this for a project . . . I would like to see what ideas you come up . . .

Home at Last

2011-07-20T20:49:00.002-05:00

In remembrance
of
Elfriede

Texas Iced Tea

2011-07-19T19:31:00.002-05:00

Lost Photo :: Hink of Sanford, Maine

2011-07-18T16:35:00.006-05:00

Do you know me?
Photographer :: C.R. Smith
Location :: Sanford, Maine
Name on Back :: C. Hink

And the temperature is . . .

2011-07-17T18:46:00.002-05:00

Bricolage :: Devil's Pincushion Memories

2011-07-16T15:02:00.004-05:00

Memories curve inward
like grey spines
on Devil's Pincusions.

They sit like cacti,
low and round
in red clay.

Ordinary blotches
in brown grass
among prickly pears

Memories hold
deep green and rose pink
traces of color,

Sky-full Texas sunsets
lingering late
across orange plains.

Until stars pierce
blue twilight
and a full moon rises.

Dorothy Lee Hansen

The two textured backgrounds were created from this photo . . . using features in Picasa as well as IrfanView . . . I think they have kind of a southwest flavor . . . please do let me know if you come up with a good use for them . . .

Bricolage :: Whirlwinds

2011-07-15T22:49:00.008-05:00

If they should bury me apart from you,
Who loved you well through years too brief for love;--
Whose parting then was marked by pain and rue--
If they should think my heart unconscious of
Deep grief, or my mute body all unknowing
Because so powerless to guide their feet
To your bright hill where desert winds are blowing,
Aroma-fraught from fields, remote and sweet;

If then some fragment of your earthly form
Should drift atop the mound that marked your place,
And view afar a sand-filled, spiral storm,
It would discover in that cloud my face.
Your dust, Beloved, would rise and dance with glee,
Another whirlwind, cognizant of me.

Nancy Richey Ranson

The textured whirlwind image was created from the really boring photo of tonight's Full Buck Moon . . . using features in the free programs, Picasa and IrfanView . . . please do share with me if you use this for something . . . I would like to see what ideas you come up with . . .

Drowsietown

2011-07-14T19:47:00.003-05:00

O, so drowsy! In a daze
Sweating ’mid the golden haze.

Robert Buchanan
(1841–1901)

2003 SIMS Summer Jubilee

2011-07-13T19:04:00.003-05:00

On this date in 2003 . . . Sunday, the 13th day of July . . .
Bennie Everhart (1948-2010)
wins the SIMS Summer Jubilee in Cleveland, Texas . . .

Bricolage :: Beribboned

2011-07-12T23:03:00.003-05:00

No photo ideas again today . . .
so here's another texturized photo for use as a background for a digital collage . . .

Keepers of the Queens Crown

2011-07-11T17:34:00.003-05:00

Clicking on the photo will take you to a Picasa album
showing several bee photos captured about 1 p.m. today . . .
while Jake & Mandy were mowing the yard!

Cloud Angel

2011-07-10T21:35:00.004-05:00

Can you see the angel? . . .

head is upper right . . . robe flows down to the lower left . . .
notice the feathery / lacy edges of the wings . . .

Rainbows in a Bottle

2011-07-09T21:41:00.004-05:00

Happy Anniversary, Bob & Betty

2011-07-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

Robert E. Henry
(1905~1976)
married
Elizabeth Marilla Smith
(1912~1932)
in
Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts
on
Monday, the 8th of July 1929

aka Bob & Betty
they are my maternal grandparents

Naptime Buddies

2011-07-07T18:43:00.003-05:00

Carolina Wren

2011-07-06T19:20:00.001-05:00

Bricolage :: Tattered Toy

2011-07-05T20:55:00.010-05:00

This is Riley's favorite toy . . . and it is in need of mending (and washing!) . . . the inset photo on the following contact sheet is an out-of-focus shot of Riley doing what I call his death shake with this poor little lamb . . . during this activity the lamb usually winds up half-way across the room . . . because Riley thinks it's fun to let it go flying . . . and then wait for me to retrieve it for him . . .

Using features from both Picasa and IrfanView (free programs), I created multiple background textures from a cropped area of that out-of-focus photo . . . clicking on the contact sheet will take you to a Picasa album containing each of the background textures shown on this collage . . . please do let me know if you use one of these textures for a project . . . I like to see what ideas others come up with . . .

These Boots are Made for Riding

2011-07-04T16:11:00.002-05:00

These are the boots I'm wearing in > THIS < photo . . .

Waiting for Supper

2011-07-03T18:18:00.003-05:00

Cordless Mower

2011-07-02T14:50:00.003-05:00

I am currently researching cordless (battery-powered) mowers . . . so if you have a love / hate affair with a cordless mower, I would love to hear comments . . . in the meantime . . . this a.m. I staked Jake in the middle of the front yard (non-fenced area) . . . and put Mandy on a long leash that was not tied to anything . . . and they ate until they were bored with eating . . . will repeat as necessary :) . . .

Summertime in Texas

2011-07-01T19:22:00.000-05:00

And the temperature today . . .
at 7:22 pm . . . is . . .

Morning Sun

2011-06-30T11:03:00.002-05:00

Today I wove a pattern in the sun
Embroidered memories with threads of gold
And always where you came into the weave
I tied a knot and prayed that it would hold.

Nancy Richey Ranson

Bricolage :: Pink Blossoms

2011-06-29T11:03:00.003-05:00

The flower images used here started out as the following slightly out-of-focus photo of the blooms on another weed on my property . . . I'm not sure if it is tie vine . . . or bindweed . . . or wild morning glory . . . or what! . . . anyway . . .

I opened the above image in IrfanView . . . and applied the oil painting effect . . . and then the rock effect . . . and that yielded the following image . . .

The next one is cropped from the above image . . .

as is this one . . .

The verse on the collage . . . which was created in Picasa . . . is from a little book of poetry called Texas Evening . . . by Nancy Richey Ranson . . . who was Poet Laureate of Texas from 1941 'til 1943 . . .

Bricolage :: Scherenschnitte Angel

2011-06-28T20:49:00.005-05:00

This rusty tin angel stands guard in my living room / computer room . . .

I took this close-up of one of her wings . . . and opened it in IrfanView . . . and flipped it and saved it . . . horizontally and vertically . . . to create four copies that were actually mirror images of each other . . . then back in Picasa, I created a 5x7 grid collage using those four copies . . . and then created a double-exposure collage using one of the textures from playingwithbrushes and the collage I just created . . . then played with the saturation and sharpness . . . and came up with the following scherenschnitte image, suitable for use in a vintage family history collage . . .

I will be loading a 1600x1143 version on my facebook page . . . or send me a note if you would like a larger copy . . .

Bricolage :: Little Yellow Flower

2011-06-27T17:39:00.003-05:00

Above is my boring photo for today . . . so I used Picasa to create a double exposure collage using another one of the fantastic textures from playingwithbrushes . . . and that gave me the following image . . .

And then I took the collage made from today's boring photo . . . and used the collage I created from yesterday's boring photo . . . and using the grid feature in Picasa, I came up with the following display of today's boring photo . . .

I know I'm straying more than a little bit off-topic for the typical photo-a-day project . . . but even I'm getting bored with my photos . . . so I'm just trying to get myself inspired again . . .

Bricolage :: Vintage Blouse

2011-06-26T19:39:00.004-05:00

The above image is the photo I took for today . . . it shows a section of a vintage blouse purchased years ago in a little shop in Biddeford, Maine . . . boring . . . but look what happened when I created a multiple exposure collage in Picasa using the above photo . . . plus > THIS < texture from playingwithbrushes . . . did a little editing in IrfanView as well as in Picasa . . . and voilà! . . . another background suitable for a vintage family history collage . . .

Bricolage :: Fairy Rose

2011-06-25T21:13:00.006-05:00

OK . . . I cheated on this one . . . again . . . the subject was a plate of dried roses . . . and this is cropped from one of several photos I was not happy with . . . then I applied the rock effect in IrfanView . . . and then applied the sharpen effect in Picasa . . . the plan is to use this in one of my heritage collages for displaying my family history . . .

Nighty-Night

2011-06-24T23:29:00.003-05:00

Eeyore's Favorite Food

2011-06-23T20:03:00.003-05:00