Weekly Photo Challenge: Surprise

Posted on 12/28/2012 by Laurie

Surprise! I am a day late with my weekly photo challenge entry. But I only found a suitable subject today … and given that the theme is ‘surprise’, I thought that I could be forgiven.

I have a number of Phalaenopsis Orchids all of which stopped blooming when the autumn sun started pouring in through the kitchen windows. Seeing no indication that the orchids would ever bloom again, I was starting to give up on them. However, I have great difficulty bringing myself to throw away living plants. So this afternoon I put the orchids in a sink to water and fertilize them when to my surprise I discovered new growth on several of the specimens.

Now I can hope for new blooms in the new year. Maybe someday they shall even look like this again!

Wishing you a new year filled with happiness and hope …

Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate

Posted on 12/15/2012 by Laurie

A twig of hydrangea blown loose from its branch…

Weekly Photo Challenge: Change of Seasons

Posted on 12/07/2012 by Laurie

Late Autumn – Early Winter on the Konza Prairie

For this week’s photography challenge, I headed out to the Konza Prairie after breakfast. I was captivated by this one ashen white tree. Notice also the moss colored tree just in front and to the right of it. Upon close inspection, there really were so many subtle colors to be seen.

The evergreens covered with berries reminded me of Christmas.

It was a heavy sky, but just a little too warm to snow. All that fell were a few sprinkles of cold rain.

Quite a few trees were covered with moss. It made them look bundled up for the cold.

This pair of trees seemed ready for winter to be over and it has hardly begun.

What a pleasant surprise every now and then to run into some brightly-colored berries.

But then I would look at the woods, so ominous-looking, and I was happy to head home for a cup of hot tea.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections #2

Posted on 11/30/2012 by Laurie

This is a photo that I took over the summer when the Weekly Photo Challenge theme was urban; but when I was putting that post together, I decided to focus on local architecture instead. I still like this image of a broken down car’s reflection in the window of a tattoo shop, though, so I decided to resurrect it for the reflections challenge.

Weekly Photography Challenge: Reflections #1

Posted on 11/30/2012 by Laurie

One of my projects for this past week was to put away our Thanksgiving decorations and put up our Christmas ones. I put the last ornaments on our Christmas tree just this afternoon. It is tempting to share a bunch of photos of the tree; but since it is still November, I figure that my readers will hate me in a few weeks if I go overboard so early. So here is just a peek … our tree lights reflecting in one of the living room windows.

Weekly Photography Challenge: Green

Posted on 11/16/2012 by Laurie

Nothing feels as green to me as the green of living plants. Here are a few photos from my garden that I took in warmer weather.

Weekly Photography Challenge: Renewal

Posted on 11/12/2012 by Laurie

Sitting by the fire on a chilly evening with a good book, homemade cookies and a cup of hot cocoa – don’t forget the whipped cream and cinnamon sugar.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry

Posted on 11/02/2012 by Laurie

In discussing the theme for this week’s photography challenge, a certain person – who shall remain unnamed – and I immediately got into a minor disagreement over how to represent geometry in a photo. I decided to stick to my guns and use this photo because of its emphasis on shapes, planes and angles. What do you think: Does this show geometry? Yes, that is me fishing for you to agree with me! Forgive me!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign

Posted on 10/30/2012 by Laurie

Having spent quite a bit of time raking leaves over the past few days, I found myself pontificating on the subject of leaf etiquette and how to be a good neighbor. A friend interrupted me and replied, “Being a farm-girl, the concept of raking leaves is totally foreign to me.” So in all good fun, I dedicate this series of foreign-themed photos to my friend, Carolyn.…………