Nature & More

Wildwood Park

2010-10-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Wildwood Park is located on the edge of Harrisburg. A lake, nature trails, boardwalks, & bird blinds are available to all who wish to indulge. The Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center offers educational opportunities. Garden areas provide food & shelter for birds & other wildlife. I took this shot of a great blue heron near the entrance of the park. Interestingly enough route 81 passes very near this spot. Several Canada Geese were floating on a nearby area of the lake. There are 2 other parking areas along the lake, taking one away from the busy, noisy highway. I noticed many joggers, dog walkers, & plenty of people enjoying a brief outing after a busy work day. It is a good spot for photographers since the scenery is lovely & appropriate for wildlife shooting. This was my second trip to Wildwood Park, one in the spring & this one in the fall. Truly a jewel among the busy world of city dwellers.

Across the Susquehanna

2010-10-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

Edited in Topaz Adjust...

HDR effect, not sure I like it.

Autumn Colors on Sidling Hill

2010-10-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

Around Fulton County

2010-10-17T15:55:00.001-07:00

Beautiful autumn color.

Brady

2010-10-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Some shots of my 4 year old nephew, Brady. Above is the (edited) original, below are edits from yesterday's experiments.

2010-10-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

I have taken this week off from work to do some cleaning. Having a nasty cough & flare up of arthritis in my knee was not planned! So much for the cleaning, as you can tell I am heart broken. Today was spent in PSE with a couple new plug ins. This group of images were edited with a free download from PhotoFrames 4.5. Not alot of selection, just enough not to confuse me. Chose blue for the first one because the wedding color was blue. Second frame is without color. The final two I need to give Andy credit for the photo, but all editing was mine.

I tried to download a few more from http://http//www.thecoffeeshopblog.com/. She offers some free actions I would like to try & has a wonderful blog. After trying several times I can get the action downloaded to my computer, but not into PSE folder. Suggestions anyone?

Canon 100-400 IS

2010-10-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Mid-September, after a day of shooting, I noticed black spots thru my viewfinder. Changing lens did not help! This led to a quick trip to the Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer, Willard, who demonstrated how to gently remove the spots. Crisis deverted we settled in to take some shots in his area. Andy placed Willard's Canon 100-400 IS on my camera. Pretty amazing. Quite heavy, but sure made a difference. The next couple images will show how nothing was safe from the Rebel with the BIG lens.

Proud Bull Elk

2010-10-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

Please Don't!

2010-10-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

I took this shot as we were leaving Benzette on Sunday. There seem to always be a few people who can't or won't abide by the law, or in this case, use good sense! Signs ask you to share your lunch with people not animals. A fun way of doing saying do not feed the elk! This a large & powerful WILD animal who is quietly munching on an apple in someones hand. Unfortunately he could change his attitude in seconds without notice. Should he injury a human who would be at fault? Would YOU want to be the reason an animal we enjoy viewing is terminated? In a few short weeks this same elk may walk up to another person, expecting to receive a treat, instead gets wounded or killed because a hunter is carrying a rifle not apples. Please, think about your actions.

Trip to the PA Elk Range

2010-10-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Andy & I made an all to infrequent trip to Benzette, Winslow Hill, & the PA Elk Range on Sunday. Like most elk enthusiasts, I like to get nice bull shots.......

But I don't mind a cow shot mixed in.........

or even a family portrait.

Turkeys

2010-10-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Sitting at my desk, hard at work stretching the checkbook to make ends meet, I looked up & was immediately cheered by a flock of turkeys wandering in the yard. They patiently waited while I did everything necessary to get the Rebel set up. No small task for me cause I get excited when there is wildlife around! I watched & captured for quite some time. As you see in the last shot they headed back into the small patch of woods. The large hen that seemed to be the boldest stopped to look into the woods, they all turned, came out into the yard & followed her to the neighboring field. While walking across a mowed area I was able to count 20 in this flock.

More Wedding Edits

2010-09-19T16:46:00.001-07:00

The kiss......Desaturated. SpotlightThe grooms face is shadowded by his hat. May try adding a bit of fill light.

And More Wedding

2010-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Black & white conversions of the bride & groom.

With this ring...........

Bride's necklace.

Flower Girl

2010-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

The bride's granddaughter & flower girl. Soooooo cute!

More Wedding

2010-09-14T16:57:00.001-07:00

I am slowly working through the wedding images. I really enjoy doing the postprocessing & like to add extra's like in the first shot.

Stonecipher Wedding

2010-09-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Andy & I had the honor of photographing a wedding Saturday. It was outdoors & informal which was very nice. The kids were allowed to be kids. Very cute. Of couse I love capturing the little ones. It will take several days to publish shots as I postprocess. Comments are welcome.

Guest book attendant.
Groom & his mother.

Groom, stealing a quiet minute.

Ringbearer.

Levi

2010-08-30T17:31:00.001-07:00

Couple shots of grandkid, Levi, taken at my birthday party.

More from the Sunflower Patch

2010-08-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

Played a bit with this one in Photoshop Elements 6.

Another Sunflower

2010-08-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

Just a portion of this happy flower!

I entered 11 photographs in the 2010 Fulton County Fair. There were 12 categories, judging was today. I ended up with 6 1st place, 2 2nd place, 1 3rd place, & 2 that did not place. Did not enter the black & white night time category since I am not so good with those kind of shots.

Sunflower of a Different Color

2010-08-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

A row of sunflowers caught my eye on Friday. I like the colors on this, the sky was overcast so it made a perfect background. The bee is a sweet addition.

Butterfly

2010-08-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

The camera has not been out much since the beach trip. Something mostly related to laziness! I was ask to photograph an outside wedding that will take place in a month, so decided it is time to work on my skills. Our butterfly bush & guests provided a bit of color after work.

The Flowers

2010-07-07T15:33:00.001-07:00

Beautiful flowers can be seen all over OIB. The biggest problem is the constant movement of air make it very difficult to get a good sharp shot, as seen in the first & second image. Hydrangea is a bit sturdier & is not blown around near as much. The hydrangea is plentiful & can be seen in a variety of colors, even mixed colors on the same bush.

Fun in the Sun III

2010-07-06T14:42:00.001-07:00

The Lovely Ladies......

Brianne

Alisha Taylor

Belle

More Fun in the Sun

2010-07-05T15:13:00.000-07:00

Little guys,

middle sized guys,

big guys!

Cloud

2010-07-04T11:06:00.000-07:00

Just one image today. A lovely, puffy cloud just before sunset.

Fun in the Sun

2010-07-03T12:10:00.000-07:00

A variety of OIB shots.

Anthony.
Brianne.

Oceanside.

McKenzie.

Playground Fun

2010-07-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

OIB has a nice playground for the little ones. Brady, enjoying sand on his toes.

John, probably wishing he were 3 again.

Belle nicely reminding a new friend her time is UP!

Alisa capturing the action. We had a number of camera's with us - so many that we were ask if there was a famous child present & if we were paparazzi.

"Playground Gang" Lookin' cool ladies!

Beach Birds

2010-07-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

I couldn't go on a trip & not look for birds. What appeared to be a family of purple martins were visable in a neighboring yard. The two other shots were taken on my journey to sunset beach. I very much wanted to get a good image of these graceful birds, unfortunately they were in a construction area with little room to park, even less for photography with a tripod. I had to settle with some quick shots with a smaller lens than I wanted.

Fishing Boats

2010-06-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

I liked to watch the fishing boat pass by out in the ocean. The second shot was as the boat was returning to dock on sunset Beach. I was stopped just before crossing a low wooden bridge watching, then got to thinking this boat is going to need through.....there was a little house on the bridge, the little house & a portion of the bridge moved out of the way, then went back in place for cars to pass over. Interesting!

OIB at Dusk

2010-06-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I am not much for taking photos at night, but couldn't resist trying as we were walking on the pier. The second is my favorite.

Busy Being 3

2010-06-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

My nephew, Brady.

Thinking.....

Digging.....
Sharing.....

Exploring.....

Laughing.

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

2010-06-27T10:53:00.001-07:00

Just spent a week at Ocean Isle Beach with my sister, sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews, brother, & brother-in-law. We have shared this week for the 3rd year & totally enjoy it. Sadly, Mom wasn't feeling well enough to join us. Sister, Joyce, stayed with her to monitor. Next year, Mom! Ummm.... you too, Joyce. Even after 2 days of driving 10 hrs I am ready to go back. I have so many images to share, but thought we'd start simple with a sunset & some waves.

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Fledging Photographer

2010-06-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Nine year old granddaughter, Trinity, took this shot with my Canon Rebel. Just some very basic post-processing done. Excellent job, I think.

Always Alert

2010-06-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

Take notice the alertness & the readiness to flee. Thankfully, the movement in the trees was another whitetail.

A Peaceful Evening

2010-06-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening, Andy & I made a trip to one of our favorite places. Away from traffic, listening to birds sing & crickets chirp. Enjoying nature at it's finest. Whitetail deer wander into the field willing to pose for pictures. An area of clover helped lure them in & provided the perfect backdrop as well as munching for the whitetail.

Flowers & More Flowers

2010-06-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

Just can't get enough of the glorious flowers on display this time of the year.

Yellow Iris

2010-05-26T17:16:00.001-07:00

A couple more favorites from Saturday.

More PhotoShop Element Magic

2010-05-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

Some tools from PSE then a bit of Topaz Adjust an image can go from this.........

........to this in minutes. I am wondering if the back ground in this one needs evened out, hummm.

Silly Thoughts

2010-05-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes as I edit pictures my thoughts turn silly. Can you imagine this handsome fellow asking which pose shows his best side? Time to put Elements to bed!

Feathered Families

2010-05-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

Another trip to Hagerstown found us at City Park, dodging rain drops, to check out the new waterfowl families.

A New family in Cito

2010-05-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Ducklings hatched at the pond down the road from my house. So, I am seeing lots of fluffy yellow photo ops.
I don't think Mom duck wants a portrait of the new family.
Awwwww, MOM, do I have too?

Safe at last! Guess I'll try again tomarrow!

Cardinals

2010-05-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

This finally give me a decent image of a female cardinal for my collection.

The brilliant red of the males seems to glow as I watch out my back window.

More Elements Magic

2010-05-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

From this.....................

..........................to this

From this.......................

........................to this

My Neighbor's Iris

2010-05-16T16:47:00.001-07:00

For several days I have admired the iris beside my neighbor's house. Went out this evening for some images. This is one that I came up with.

Swans

2010-05-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Took these at City Park in Hagerstown about a week ago.

A Portrait of a Blue Jay

2010-04-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

More From the Birdfeeder

2010-04-28T14:54:00.000-07:00

A common grackle, googly eyes & pretty colors

and a chipmunk with his own little underground network to bring him out directly under the feeder.

At The Birdfeeder

2010-04-27T16:44:00.000-07:00

I have noticed an increase in activity at the birdfeeder over the past couple weeks by our feathered friends and.............

our furry ones!

Tiny Pink Bouquets

2010-04-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Took this shot yesterday. I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it reminds me of tiny bouquets of pink flowers. I am at training in State College for 3 days this week. Unfortunately I cannot find much to capture around the conference center. Don't know if I'll feel braver tomarrow & venture out into the area or not.

More of Spring's Sweet Scents

2010-04-19T17:04:00.001-07:00

Lilies of the Valley......a favorite of my Mom's.

Wisteria, one of my favorites. The chapel where Andy & I got married was decorated with this bloom (artificial, of course).

Lilac

2010-04-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

Nothing says spring like the intoxicating scent of lilacs.

Wildflower

2010-04-14T15:59:00.001-07:00

We found lots of this beautiful wildflower on Sundays outing.

More Blossoms

2010-04-12T13:28:00.000-07:00

More of the spring blossoms we found on yesterday's journey.

Big Cove Tannery's Redbud

2010-04-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

I anxiously await, every spring, for the redbud to blossom. The trees start with a bit of mauve tint on the branches. Then shortly thereafter the blossoms follow. A recent article in Pennsylvania Game News reported that Big Cove Tannery, very near my house, has one of the highest concentrations of redbud in Pennsylvania. This morning Andy & I took a drive through the area this morning. Lovely clouds of color line the roadway & dot the forest. Of course the Rebels went along, but for once I wanted to look more than click!

Spring Blossoms & Allergies

2010-04-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Not sure what type of flower this is. I just thought it was pretty. A serious attack of spring allergies is keeping me from some gorgeous blossom & budding tree shots. My favorite, the redbud is just beginning to bloom, I sure don't want to miss those!

Footbridge

2010-04-05T16:51:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post this evening showing a bit of scenery from City Park. Post processed with Topaz Adjust.

Balanced Duck

2010-04-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

I watched this duck for quite awhile to be sure he didn't have another leg tucked under there! Excellent balance!

Swan

2010-04-03T15:12:00.001-07:00

I love to see the swans gracefully floating on the lake at Hagerstown City Park. I watched this one for quite some time to get a couple shots of him resting ont his tiny island. A bit of blown white, but other wise I find both pleasing.

Hope you have a lovely Easter however you celebrate.

Magnolia Blooms

2010-04-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent much of the day finding Easter basket goodies. My treat after finishing was a trip to Hagerstown City Park. Hopes were that the magnolia tree would be blooming, swans would be swimming, ducks & geese a plenty, all waiting for a photo session. I was not disappointed. The magnolia tree was in bud with a full bloom every here & there. Breathtaking! A lovely ending to a busy day.
The waterfowl images didn't go so well on such a bright day, but that's a story for another day.

Feathered Friends

2010-03-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

Went back in to the files about a month for todays post. The first is a tufted titmouse, a favorite at my bird feeder. The second is resident Canada geese at Middlecreek Wildlife Restoriation Area. Both were treated with Topaz Adjust.

Grandkids

2010-03-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

Madyson is doing what little girls do well............................make noise!

This had to the highlight of Madyson's day, "driving" the ambulance.

Trinity requested this shot be black & white & have a vignette. Turned out well, I think. She has expressed an interest in photography, actually took a good one of the baby with mine, as heavy as it was with external flash added. I gave her my first digital camera, a small Fuji, only 3 mp, but a starting place.

Baby #2 - The Birthday Princess

2010-03-29T16:35:00.001-07:00

Miley & Mom, Krystal at Miley's first birthday party.

The cake.
More cake!

Oh my! that was fun! Priceless mother & daughter expressions.

Baby #1

2010-03-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

Continued from yesterday...............meet Cabela.

Bear, Babies, & Grandkids

2010-03-27T16:07:00.001-07:00

First I want to say after limited camera action over the winter months, today was a winner. We started late this morning with local Wildlife Conservation Officer, Kevin Mountz assisted by deputies Ashley & Andy, processing a bear estimated to weight 400-450#. This afternoon took us to a 1 year old's birthday party. The birthday girl's brand new baby cousin attended. The party was at the local firehall, which lead to an equipment tour for Trinity & Madyson. My total was image count neared 300. Bears, babies, & grandkids...it doesn't get any better!

So lets start with bear shots. Shooting was difficult mostly due to the bright sunshine today, especially when that brightness was behind my shots. As usual, some were good & some not so good As mentioned, this guy was a bruiser. He was at his low weight after winter's rest, it is likely to will gain 100-150# by next winter. Because of his size the officer's had to process him at the head of the trap rather than on the ground. They could not remove him from the trap after he was tranquilized, let alone put him back in to be driven to his new location. The reason he had was to be relocated was because he was tearing down a shed that contained sunflower seed for the birds & had consumed a large bag of the seeds. Processing, consisting of estimated weight (by measurement), a tooth removal to age him, eye ointment, ear tags are placed on each ear for tracking purposes, & a quick all over check, provides data for PGC biologists to study the beautiful creatures.

Comparing the officers gloved hands to the bear paw & head gives a size idea. Not sure where the blood streaks came from on the trap. This guy was not harmed, even the bit of dentistry was quick & easy. By this time this bear should be happily exploring his new home......or maybe plotting to return, only time will tell.

Reflections

2010-03-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

Both of these images are from our trip to the Waynesboro Reservoir last Saturday. Darkness was rapidly approaching, but I decided to take some shots anyhow. Lost Andy @ that point...an unlicensed fisherman or 2 draws his attention pretty quickly! The reflections in the water were amazing. The first image is a mirror of surrounding trees & even some of the day's lovely sky. The second reflects trees & the Canada goose. Our trip that day reminds me how fortunate I am to live in an area so rich with history & natures beauty.

Ahhhhhhhhh.......................

2010-03-24T16:19:00.001-07:00

........SPRING!

Yesterday's Power

2010-03-23T19:06:00.001-07:00

The images above show different views & post processing treatments of the waterwheel located in downtown Chambersburg. A lovely bit of history.

Red, White, & Blue

2010-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

I love seeing colorful flags flying in the breeze. We need to keep this one flying higher & brighter than all the rest!

Horses & "Topaz Adjust"

2010-03-21T13:47:00.001-07:00

Andy & I spent the later afternoon hours in Chambersburg yesterday capturing images of a waterfall & an old waterwheel. After getting something to eat, we ventured to South Mountain, & the Waynesboro Reservoir. It was getting pretty dark til then, but I got a couple interesting Canada goose shots. While driving out of town a couple draft horses that I have had my eye on were near enough to capture. Magnificent animals! I understand I missed a treat when they pulled a sleigh after one of our snowstorms. Anyhow, I want to share a couple of those images today. Before I do that, I wanted to mention that a Photoshop plug in, Topaz Adjust, has caught my fancy. Photography or graphics? A bit of both? All three of these images have been "adjusted".

Wild Turkeys

2009-11-18T15:18:00.001-08:00

Wild turkey shots from a recent outing. Not the best, the days was heavily overcast, but how often does one get this close to one of these, let alone three. Good luck guys, hope you avoid the roaster on Thanksgiving!

Old Piece of Farm Equipment

2009-11-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

I am not sure what this is but I thought I'd try a couple images. The first has a sepia treatment. Not so sure about that version...it suits the feel of the shot but the piece of equipment seems lost.

This one is desaturated...like it much better.

Cardinal Detail

2009-11-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

This is from a group of cardinal images I felt were very unsatisfactory. The day was grey & dull. The shots were blah, but detail caught my eye. So, I began playing around in PhotoShop Elements & came up with this. Not sure how, or if I could do it again, but I like it!

Grasses & Sunset

2009-11-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

As we stocked pheasants for the second time, daylight was fading fast. I didn't make much of an attempt to photograph the birds, but I could not help noticing the lacy grasses silhouetted against the colors of sunset.

Bright Spot of Color on a Dreary Day

2009-11-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

Whitetale Time

2009-11-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

For one reason or another I have neglected this tiny corner of my life for a couple weeks. That does not mean capturing of images has stopped & I have plenty to share. During a recent photo shoot with Andy & a friend I found myself, again, observing & capturing whitetail deer. My male counterparts focus on the rut occurring this time of the year. In a more "girly" version, I like the deer because they are beautiful & graceful animals anytime of the year. Following with the Canon Rebel has allowed me to observe natural changes in the herd. Spring & summer bring the young, coats are light & not so heavy. Later summer & fall is time to capture stages of antler growth, the rub to remove velvet, & finally beautiful new antlers. As daylight begins to shorten, a darker, heavier winter coat appears. Then the rut, allowing the lovely creatures to, next spring, begin the cycle all over again.

The autumn of the year also brings about the long awaited hunting season in PA & surrounding areas. I have hunted in the past, but joke about taking food, hot tea, a book, & a blanket, enjoying the silent wooded areas of Penns Woods. Never shot a deer (or even at one), never intend to do so. My husband & sons are avid hunters. I have no problems with that. There was a time in my life venison played a very important part in my growing family's diet. I am thankful. It is the careless so called hunter, out at night, capturing the largest "rack" using a bright spotlight, that draws my scorn, or the baited areas that draw the animals under a tree stand for an easy shot. Really I am not sure what got me on this track. Maybe because my husband is heavily involved in protecting our wildlife at this time of the year, or maybe, it was the review of an image of a beautiful buck with a large wound on his back likely placed there by a poacher!

This young buck is one of my favorite whitetail to observe.

This spike must be practicing his hide from the hunter skills. How do you say lie down in deer language?

A fully grown male.

The wounded.

The Magic of Photoshop Elements

2009-10-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

With no desire to do anything useful this evening I decided to play around with a few images in PSE. Started with some gorgeous fall colors & ended with some fun abstracts.

Levi's Pumpkin

2009-10-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

More Gold

2009-10-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

I thought this was interesting with the sun in the maple tree & also brightening colors down the road.

Golden Glow

2009-10-25T16:07:00.001-07:00

Autumn Scenery

2009-10-24T07:44:00.001-07:00

Photo Challenge

2009-10-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

It's the time of the year for the PA Game Commission to stock pheasants for hunters & in hopes of re-establishing the birds in their natural habitat. I like to go along with Andy on this task. Besides it's another chance to capture some images. Wellll......................not easy! The birds are fast! Much faster than anything I ever "shot" before.

Not sure why I was focused on the feather not the hen.

Best way to get a shot. Beautiful, isn't he?

Ready?

Go! Wait for me!

Freedom!

Snow Scenery

2009-10-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

A couple more snowy images from yesterday morning.

YIKES!!!

2009-10-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

Quite a pile of wet snow crowded the fall colors on the mountains near my house last night! Melted quickly when the sun came out.

A Break from a Cold, Wet Day

2009-10-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

A memory from Ocean Isle Beach.

Elk Silhouettes

2009-10-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

Capturing this elk at the top of a hill gave an opportunity to produce one of my favorite types of image, the silhouette. The magic of PSE makes this process very easy. The shadows needed to be darkened & the intensity of the sky increased.

Pretty much the same process to start this one, then I cloned out the bush & cloned in some of the hill top to keep the horizon even.

The final one was a mistake. Somehow I ended up "dumping" a bucket full of black over the image. Turned out kinda cool, I thought. (Although I am glad there is an undo switch!)

The Pennsylvania Elk Range

2009-10-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

The last leg of last Sunday's roadtrip took us north to the Pennsylvania Wilds. Autumn was making its self know, displaying wonderful colors. We seemed to arrive with perfect timing since the elk were out & about enjoying the evening feed.

This guy was hanging out in a field of several cows doing his best to extend the rut one more day. This one, as you can see, wears the PA Game Commission tracking collar. This shot was taken in the town of Benezette. Looks to me like he must have a headache. Must be tiresome carrying that head dress around for months!

A full tummy then to the top of the hill for a rest.
This is the first elk we seen that day. It is obvious he is in a yard, but what you can't see is a group of people on the porch throwing apples. I fear for the animal when humans "forget" they are wild.

Madyson at City Park

2009-10-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

I am off all this week & had promised Madyson we would go somewhere one day so she could sit in her "pretty pink car seat". We went to city park in Hagerstown to feed the waterfowl & to take pictures. A goose nipped her, that took care of any feeding for her...I finished. The geese are every bit as tall as she is, I doubt that I could be convinced to feed anything my height, especially the way they grabbed. (Andy tried to fed the geese & ducks corn during one visit - they had no clue what it was. Definitely city dwellers!) She picked some roses, then wanted to find the playground, since we were in a park there had to be one. So we ventured to the other side of the park. One can not image the positions a 3 year old can manage on swings! She climbed what could be climbed & ran everywhere. I ask her to sit on a wall so I could take a "nice picture" of her. It took some time & many shots to climb the steps & try sitting anywhere one could sit...except the wall. Finally she found the perfect spot & sit for 1 shot. Then immediately was back to movement! Didn't get the shots I had thought about, but sure got some fun ones on a fun afternoon.

"Sit still & smile, please". Gotta love those little teeth.

There were ladders & ramps leading to the slides, of course she chose this route!

Windmills

2009-10-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is an unusual post for me. Most of my photography attempts focus on nature, animals, or kids. But, for some reason, these things seem to fascinate me! Maybe it's the graceful movement, or maybe a "take me to your leader" kind of thing. Anyway, these are on top the mountain along the Lincoln Highway in Somerset County. Some are under construction & some are operational.

Flight 93 Memorial

2009-10-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today's images are from the Flight 93 Memorial. No words or explanations needed.

Youth Field Day Collage

2009-10-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

Each year after YFD I try to put together a collage for the Fulton County Pistol & Rifle Club, who host the event. This is what I come up with or 2009.

Fall Flowers

2009-10-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

A couple more flower captures from the gardens of the Country Cupboard Best Western in Lewisburg, PA. This time focusing on fall beauties.

Last Day of Training Flowers

2009-10-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

The last day of training this week remained windy, but would die down on occasion enough, that with patience, I was able to capture some images. Here are a couple favorites.

Disappointment

2009-09-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

I am in Lewisburg, PA for a couple days training for my job. Having been here in the past I remembered the lovely gardens surrounding the place & was so looking foreward to some quality photography time with some of my favorite subjects. Wellll...won't you know the wind just won't stop. I was able to catch a few shots just after arrival last evening, but the wind blew enough to mess with my focus. This evening was even worse! Tomarrow finishes my training, then 2 1/2 hours home. Glad to return home, but sure disappointed in my picture opportunities.

This rose wasn't too awfully bad, so I softened it up for a bit of romance.

A stream wanders around the garden, lots of lovely shades of green line the edges.

Youth Field Day, Trinity, & Mady

2009-09-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today turned out to be much busier than anticipated. My plans were to spend some time catching up on image editing, but that didn't happen. Decided to post a few quick shots from YFD 2009. If the participant seem familiar & is in all the pictures it's because Trinity was old enough to participate this year. Hard to turn the camera on another child when my grand kids are present!

Image #1 shows DWCO Bob Strait "suiting Trinity up" for some .22 practice. Little did he know she has a pink .22 & is already a pro.

Some black powder action.

Big gun, little kid. One shot with the shotgun was enough. It kicked!! Trinity is prepared to take part in youth hunts this fall. Don't tell the local PGC officers, but she says she can fill her tag & her Dad's too! The florescent orange vest was her door prize that day.

Mady attended too. Never to young to watch. At the archery station, every time bows were laid down to gather shot arrows she had to pet that deer.

Mady is modeling safe hunting apparel & holding a retriever training bird.

Autumn Color

2009-09-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

From time to time my work takes me to the local hospital/nursing home combination to complete assessments. About 2 years ago a new building was built to house both facilities. The construction took place in a donated field near town. When landscaping was completed unpaved ground was put into meadow restoration instead of the usual formal setting. A controversial move, to say the least, many don't like it. I, for one love it! This is something I would like to do in my backyard (front too, but between my husband & father-in-law it ain't gonna happen). I have enjoyed the various wildflowers blooming at the medical center all summer, of course the Rebel was usually with me but I never had time for a shot. Now, autumn displays are taking over. Beautiful! It was time to do some images. The trees are lovely - Japanese Maples, I believe. Bright spots of reds & oranges surround the parking lot. The lovely flowers add spots of happiness in a meadow browning up, preparing for cold & snow.

Youth Field Day, Bright Sun, & Man's Best Friend

2009-09-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Annual Youth Field Day was held this past Saturday at the Fulton County Pistol & Rifle Club. As I explained last year various stations dealing with outdoor activities are set up, many of the stations include hands on training. Two new stations were added this year. Pine Creek Kennels demonstrated retrievers. Local wildlife photographers & bloggers "County Captures" & "Pennsylvania Wildlife Photographer" shared skills on how to get a good shot without the use of a firearm.

Weather-wise it was the perfect day. Comfortable temps, brilliant blue skies, bright sunshine. For my photography, not so good. The shadows were quite dark & the brights were very bright. I used a neutral density 4x filter, but have read the circular polarizer may have done a better job. I did end up with many nice images which I will share another day. Looking at the images in this post you can see some of the problems.

The weimaraner, in my opinion, is an absolutely gorgeous animal. This one is quite young and still learning the perfect point. As you see in the second image she has the retrieving down pretty well. The black lab is a favorite retriever & happily shared his skills. The final shot is an Irish setter who, as you can see, is an old pro.

Pennsylvania Turnpike

2009-09-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

There is a portion of the old Pennsylvania Turnpike located in Bedford & Fulton Counties that can make an interesting afternoon visit. Entrance is by foot or on bicycle. Much of the highway remains, although the center strip & sides are grown up with grasses & small trees. A wide area, located @ the eastern end of this strip, leaves no reminder of the Howard Johnson Restaurant that served hungry travelers. Two tunnels bored thru the mountains back in 1942 remain, a short distance apart & open for passage. As I looked around I tried to imagine the many trips to my Grandmom's house on the turnpike. The roadway appears to be so narrow, the tunnels scare the daylight out of me just thinking we had to have passed tractor trailers in the confined areas (of course, I don't like the modern, well lit tunnels with 2 lanes in each direction). The current trip through the old tunnels can be cold & certainly dark, especially in the longer of the 2. If memory serves me correctly, they were poorly lit back in the day. It saddened me that the tunnels, inside & out, are decorated with graffiti. It was interesting to come upon a young photographer friend using the graffiti & ruin of the tunnels as a back drop for his models. Not my kind of photography, but his shots are excellent & the area serves as an appropriate background for his work.

I am sharing a few images from my day, that I felt turned out pretty well. Sorry, no pretty girls or cute drummers!

I found this tree facinating. How hard it must be holding on to life rooted on a bit of soil & rock.

The graffiti

Young Firefighters

2009-09-18T16:07:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday evening the local fire company burnt a house near where I live. My husband has been a member of the fire company for many years. Currently he volunteers with the fire police & assisted with traffic control for the evening. The Rebel & I went along to see what we could capture. One of it's functions was to provide hands on training for the next generation of firefighters. As I watched the young men & women (high school age) manage this fire, of course the more seasoned firefighters were near by & assisted. I was quite impressed. From start to finish they worked extremely hard. From my vantage point I could hear some of the orders shouted by the chief & noticed how quickly the youngsters acted. Too often we hear & see how much damage our young folks do, never acknowledge their strengths.

As far as the photography, I learned flames photograph beautifully. Could I do it again? Never on an unplanned structure fire. Far too many emotions ran through my mind as I watched. I knew the house was empty & had been for awhile. The owner had stripped everything he wanted....but a house was on fire! I have begun to edit the images, I have that same feeling that something horrible happened.

They Are Back

2009-09-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

The gold finches that so brilliantly decorated my backyard are returning to the feeders. Families are raised & it's tme to prepare for cold weather. As I look at the images posted here I can't help noticing how calm & composed the females appear compared to the scruffy males who are losing those lovely, bright feathers.

Flowers of the Field

2009-09-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Wild flowers in any season have always caught my eye. Those above share the field with whitetail deer.