Michelle Renee Photography

Use Your Gifts

2012-02-08T09:22:00.000-05:00

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent

if no birds sang there except those that sang best.

~Henry Van Dyke

Linking up with Wild and Wonderful Wednesday, Rural Thursday and This or That Thursday.

Inspired Focus #5

2012-02-07T15:38:00.001-05:00

Today I will aspire to find the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Both of these were textured with a hint of KK's Plaster Squared and Life N Reflection's Solitude.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday, The Creative Exchange, and Your Sunday Best.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-02-05T11:03:00.032-05:00

~Whew! I can hardly believe it's already time for Ashley's scavenger hunt. Did I blink? I didn't get all the items I had hoped, so I'm fudging with footwear, and I'm pulling a few from my archives. This week's items are: strike a pose, footwear, hobby, shiny, and color me green.

{Strike A Pose}

{Footwear}

{Hobby}

I love that my daughter and I enjoy the same hobby.

{Shiny}

{Color Me Green}

If you'd like to participate in the next challenge, the items are:

Facial Feature
Shadow
Spicy
Gold
Fabric

It has been a crazy week, so I'm still behind with blog visiting. ---I promise to catch up soon!

Inspired Focus #4

2012-02-03T10:02:00.005-05:00

Today I will relish solitude.

I've had a particularly difficult week, so solitude is something I've acquainted myself with. I've been on the phone a lot with my dad as he has been tirelessly cleaning out my grandma's house. The farm that I knew and loved growing up, belongs to someone else now. It's as it should be, but it's hard sometimes to move forward when all you want to do is go back.

If I could just give her one more hug.

If we could just visit over one more cup of coffee.

If...I could just make one phone call to heaven.

I know she is in a better place---I'll just have to be okay with that.

I had heard that there were cedar waxwings nesting by the church in Tanglewood Park, so I went to take a peek. I saw some from my car window as we pulled up, but they were already gone by the time we walked up to the yard. This old cemetery caught my eye with the quaint looking headstones.

Then, this mockingbird landed on one and stayed for a long time looking off into the distance. It was as if he knew my heartache and was encouraging me not to dwell...but to move on.

For those of you dealing with loss, I understand...and my heart goes out to you. I know it will get easier as time goes on. In the meantime, [[[big hug]]].

'Tis better to have loved and lost; than never to have loved at all. ~Alfred Lord Tennyson

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-29T11:20:00.003-05:00

{Smile}

Why, yes, I do believe this little critter might be cracking a smile. :)

{Stand Alone}

This solitary robin was off in the distance watching his friends.

{Rusty}

It was probably a good thing my rambunctious cat, Rusty, wasn't visiting the park with me.

{Artificial}

This beautiful wood duck duo might look artificial, but they're real.

{Repeating Pattern}

I thought the reflection of the sunlight through the trees made an interesting pattern.

Thanks for visiting. If you'd like to play along, next week's items are:

Strike a Pose
Footwear
Hobby
Shiny
Color Me Green

And now....my favorite part, I'm off to do some much-missed blog visiting! :)

Park Day

2012-01-26T15:45:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, I went to our local duck pond for my latest photo assignment. Here are my results:

I found some splash action.

I was in awe over a male wood duck who is so beautiful he almost looks fake.

I had a secret admirer. Awwww........be still my heart.

I fell in love with pattern and repetition in the waves.

I tried to be quiet so I wouldn't awaken those still in slumber. Some days, we just need one...more...minute.

I gave myself five challenges:

Set shutter speed roughly equivalent to lens focal length for hand holding to reduce chances of camera shake.
Use selective focus instead of relying on a fixed focus point and recomposing.
Use a high shutter speed to freeze water droplets/motion.
Try to capture personality.
Pay attention to direction of light and adjust exposure compensation accordingly (+ev for darker birds/-ev for lighter ones)

I need more practice so I plan to go back, but I wanted to share my results with you before I try again. Next time, I hope to get the focus right using the scroll wheel (it's different than what I'm used to) and I want to capture more catch lights in their eyes.

A big thank you to Dee Dee for the Liebster award (it made my day!). For those of you who don't know Dee Dee, she's the one who inspired me to pick up my camera. I "met" her when I was blogging the stages of our flip house. Her photography blew me away...and I vowed I'd learn how to take better pictures every time I visited her blog. So here I am....:)

The Liebster award simply means beloved, favorite, or dearest....and it's given to those who have less than 200 followers as a way to promote their work (even though to me it's not the # of followers that matters as much as the friendships that are made along the way).

So...without further ado, I'm passing it on to Gail (she *should* be shooting for National Geographic); Deanna (if ever there was a kindred spirit in blog land, she would be it. She posts things I'm thinking---without knowing I'm thinking it!); Kimberly (Queen of getting it right in camera...so inspiring); Sara (simply stunning images...every single one); and Simone (I promise you can't visit without feeling a sense of serendipity). It was difficult selecting just five...one that I really wanted to include was Linda, but she has too many followers for the rules of the award....so just saying..."if" I could have chosen anyone...I would have also picked her. If you'd like to play along, visit Dee Dee's inspirational blog, ddzine, for the instructions. If you don't want to play along, just know I think highly of you and wanted to give you special recognition.

Last but not least, I apologize for being absent this week. I've been busy sending out billings for our business and registering my daughter for the new college she'll be attending in the fall---and lots of other nonphotography related things. I will try to catch up soon. If not today, it'll be this weekend.

Linking up with...Wild and Wonderful Wednesday, and This or That Thursday.

The Story Edition

2012-01-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

Look deep into nature and you will understand everything. ~Albert Einstein

Textures: KK's Simplicity and Sienna's Dirty Chalkboard

As part of this week's Beyond Layers assignment, we're supposed to tell our story in six words. Here's mine...

Simply...Aspiring...to Grow...and Achieve.

Enjoying Simplicity

2012-01-23T09:14:00.004-05:00

I have been wanting to try my hand at indoor still life photography, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. For our first Beyond Layers assignment, we were supposed to think...less is more, soft, simple, and light.

Here's what I came up with...

KK's Awaken, Annabelle, and February Magic

For those of you who like to see the process, here's my set up with the window to the right.

Also...

I made the light box that Gretchen mentioned in one of her recent posts. Here it is in all its cardboard glory...

Fancy, huh?

Okay...maybe not. But it works!

Notice how awful the light is outside of the box? I did that on purpose so I could test it in not-so-favorable conditions. It was after supper, probably around 7:00 p.m.

I borrowed some berries from a nearby candle holder just for the sake of trying it out. Here's my sooc light test using two 20 watt daylight bulbs (75 watt standard bulb equivalent).

It was actually a little too bright. I'm so pleased!!!

It's my new favorite thing...and is something I can work with (even at midnight!).

If you haven't made one of these yet, I highly recommend it. All you need is a box, tracing paper, tape, and poster board. I used a utility knife and a cutting board and had the whole project done in a matter of minutes.

Fun stuff...thank you, Gretchen!

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2012-01-22T09:38:00.001-05:00

It's Sunday, which means it's time for Ashley Sisk's Scavenger Hunt. This week's items are...sunset, black and white, a day in my life, four, and colorful.

{Sunset}

Solstice texture by RH West.

Granted it's not a real sunset, but it has the same warm tones. :)

{Black and White}

A page from Wuthering Heights. Thoughts that come to mind...tsk tsk Heathcliff, and oh my, Miss Catherine!

{A Day In My Life}

Every day I get the pleasure of going out to greet this gentle creature. He's a honey of a horse and such a lover boy!

{Four}

Buds, berries, new life springing forth....it all makes me so happy.

{Colorful}

Aren't you glad God decided to paint the leaves with a color palette of reds, yellows, and greens?

It was fun participating again. If you'd like to play along, next week's items are...smile, stand alone, rusty or something old, artificial, and repeating pattern.

This or That Thursday

2012-01-19T11:22:00.001-05:00

Thank you to Pareeecia and Kim Klassen for the lovely textures.

Linking up with the Creative Exchange, Wild and Wonderful Wednesday, Texture Thursday, and This or That Thursday.

BTW: Did you know that you can easily change the color of textures? You can!

Here's an example:

You can tweak it as much as you want, as long as credit still goes to the artist who created the original.

Here are the steps:
1. Open a texture.
2. Adjustment panel...hue saturation...desaturate...lighten...flatten
3. Color picker...choose color swatch (or swatches if you want more than one tone)
4. Adjustment panel...gradient map...mode (at the top)...overlay...adjust opacity.
5. Duplicate layer...change blend mode...adjust opacity...do this until you're happy with the results.
6. Flatten and save.

You can either stop there...or keep playing by adding different adjustments (levels, hue saturation, fill layer, etc.). The possibilities are endless!

Inspired Focus #3

2012-01-17T09:08:00.004-05:00

Today I will believe...when one door closes, another will open.

Lightly textured with Kim Klassen's Yesteryear and Taped Edge

Linking up with Texture Tuesday for the open edition.

Golden Crowned Kinglet

2012-01-13T18:51:00.000-05:00

Textured with Deep Lemon Fresco by French Kiss

Cropped and enlarged

SOOC

Linking up with French Kiss for the texture challenge.

Inspired Focus #2

2012-01-13T18:50:00.001-05:00

Today I will invigorate my senses with a leisurely stroll.

Linking up with McDougall Photo Blog's Fabulous Friday.

Thank you for all the comment love. I appreciate you all so much! I'm still dealing with loss, but having a focus again has made all the difference in the world. These days, I find myself smiling a little more often and a little longer. 'Wishing you a wonderful weekend where you'll truly feel cherished and invigorated!

Inspired Focus #1

2012-01-12T07:40:00.001-05:00

Since "cherish" is the word that's responsible for starting this project, that's where I'll begin.

Today I will cherish each moment spent with nature.

Linking up with the Creative Exchange, Wild and Wonderful Wednesday, and This or That Thursday.

Introducing...Inspired Focus

2012-01-12T07:39:00.002-05:00

25 words + photos inspired from those words = My new 2012 project.

The idea came to me when I came across the word cherish in the book I was reading. I thought...what a beautiful word. Why don't we use it more often?

Imagine...if you woke up and thought to yourself, "Today, I will cherish _______________."

I like the idea of that!

Before I knew it, I was jotting down similar words that I desire to use more often, and the idea of Inspired Focus was born.

Experience
Relish
Delight
Invigorate
Rejuvenate
Treasure
Inspire
Grow

I love it! I wanted a bite-sized project that I could post at random....this will be perfect for me!

The Embrace Edition (edited)

2012-01-10T07:44:00.012-05:00

Faux Winter White

I used a cropped, desaturated version of the lovely "embrace" texture on the berries.

Linking up with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday.

Our Christmas Cassie

2012-01-09T19:15:00.002-05:00

Today my kiddos started a new college semester, so I started taking down the tree. Hopefully by the end of the day, I'll have remembered all the stray decorations and have everything put away.

Pretty Boys

2012-01-06T10:21:00.009-05:00

I just discovered a new link-up party that looks like fun. It's called, This or That Thursday and it's hosted by Deb Duty.

I'm a day late, but the linky is still open so I'll participate. Do you remember how awful our horses behaved when we first got them? Now they're the best of buds!

Here's Java...he's a honey of a boy and always seems to know what I'm thinking. I swear he can see right into my soul.

Here's Lucky...the horse that's motivated by food. He has been known to devour a large round bale in only two days (and he's often the brunt of jokes since he looks pregnant!)

Truthfully, they could both stand to lose a few pounds (it's hard to know how much to supplement with the change of seasons), but I'd rather err on the heavier side than have them all skin and bones. Today starts their new diet (mine, too).

It'll be different this year only posting 2-3 times a week, but I can already tell that it'll be a good fit. Thank you for the nice welcome back. Y'all made me smile! :)

Linking up...and off to do some blog visits.

Test Kitchen Challenges

2012-01-03T08:09:00.000-05:00

I'm super excited about being part of Kim Klassen's Beyond Layers course that will be starting in a couple of weeks. In the meantime (since I'm too impatient to wait!), I joined her inspirational Test Kitchen where I've been soaking up all kinds of neat PSE tricks. One of my favorite parts of the TK are the challenges where she posts a photo for us to edit. Here are my humble attempts...

Challenge #3

My edit.

KK's Red Barn Photo.

Challenge #2

My edit.

KK's Gratitude Mug Photo.

Challenge #1

My edit.

KK's Cow Photo.

Before I leave this post, I should mention that I'll be updating it with future challenges, so I'll have all my "homework" in one place.

2012---A New Beginning

2012-01-03T08:05:00.000-05:00

With the arrival of the new year, it's time for me to finally update and revive my beloved blog.

First of all, Congrats to all my 365 friends who made it to the finish line...and to the rest of you who completed your 2011 goals.

I have missed each and every one of you!!!

Second, I still have Deanna's book packaged and ready to go from my September challenge (sorry I haven't popped in before now to get it to you....but I will send it as soon as I get your shipping info).

Finally, thank you for all the kind words, thoughts, and prayers on behalf of my family. Sorry I haven't updated since my grandma passed away. She was like a mother to me, as well as my best friend; needless to say, I've had a hard time dealing with her loss, but I know I need to start moving forward---I'm calling 2012 my year for new beginnings.

...A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time mourn and a time to dance. ~Ecclesiastes 3:4

In loving memory of Genevieve Evadne Johnson 1926-2011---dancing, with Jesus, in heaven.

Quick Update

2011-09-25T08:37:00.000-04:00

Typing from my nook. Family emergency...unplanned trip up north.
Still here...staying in MN, driving back and forth to ND to spend time with my grandma in theICU. Difficult time for my family. Please keep us in prayer. Should head back to NC later this week. Hubby is with me. Miss you all...will catch up when I'm home and have Internet again.
God bless.

Texture Tuesday

2011-09-13T10:50:00.006-04:00

This week's Texture Tuesday theme was the word, "Do" and the challenge was to use at least one layer of KK's Autumn Burst texture.

Here are my steps:
1. "Cheated" by putting flowers in the feeding ports.
2. Did a happy dance when the hummingbirds came to investigate!!!
3. Removed the flowers from the feeders and let them eat to their hearts' content. :)
4. Did a levels adjustment to lighten the image.
5. Used the selection brush to do another levels adjustment on the flower (for some reason I have a hard time photographing red and pink flowers without them looking "off." Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?).
6. Autumn Burst/soft light 48%
7. Cracker Jack texture/multiply/I don't remember how much.
8. Layer mask to remove some of the texture from the bird and the flower
9. Added text/resized/saved for web

Also linking up with The Creative Exchange and Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-09-11T09:59:00.001-04:00

It's Sunday, which means it's time for the hunt! This week's items were: bokeh, process of elimination, remember, statues, and flying high.

I do love capturing raindrop, bokeh dots!

In the process of elimination, this SOOC photo made it to the recycle bin. But...I pulled it out, singled out a weathered flower, lightened it, and played with texture. I like the simplicity of it.

I remember---many carefree summers at my grandma's farm---running around barefoot, drinking out of a jar. Today has significant meaning; it's the anniversary of 9/11, but it's also my grandmother's 85th birthday (Happy birthday, Grandma!).

Yesterday, at our local fair, we had the opportunity to watch wooden statues being carved with chainsaws. The black bears were my favorite, but I liked this carved character, too.

These birds were flying high...just in time for me to get my final picture. :)

Thanks for visiting...I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Next week's items are:
Street Photography
From a Distance
Sunday
Liquid
Behind

Color Me Happy

2011-09-08T02:09:00.004-04:00

I don't know about you, but color always makes me happy!!!

Linking up with The Creative Exchange and Texture Thursday.

I'm excited to announce that Deanna at Snippets from Springdale participated in my September challenge and went on a photo walk yesterday. She did a fabulous job with the prompts, and gets an A for creativity (when you see "diagonal" you'll know what I mean!).

These pretty suitcases are Deanna's interpretation for "red." You can see the rest of her lovely photos here .

If you'd like to participate, the challenge is open until the end of September. ---All the info in my menu bar. :)

Reach Beyond Limits

2011-09-06T20:20:00.006-04:00

It was a thrill to see that my photo, from last week, was chosen as one of the top three (thank you, Nicolasa)!

Cracker Jack

2011-09-06T10:59:00.002-04:00

This week's Texture Tuesday challenge was to use at least one layer of KK's Cracker Jack texture. I used three. The first one was soft light at 20%, the second one was a linear burn at 57%, and the last one was another soft light at 12%. It gives it a little grunge effect.

I wasn't going to share this one, but I couldn't help myself because this little hummer, with his ruffled feathers, cracks me up. I don't think he liked our recent rainfall.

To tell you the truth, I don't like it either. We have flash flood warnings today.

The new Autumn Burst texture has an interesting look, so I wanted to try it.

Since it has so much detail near the top, I chose a photo with some white in the background.

It's different, but I kind of like it.

Linking up with the Kim Klassen Cafe for another fun Texture Tuesday. Next week's theme is the verb "do."

I'm excited that some of you are going to practice for the Photo Walk with me. You don't have to tell me which one you choose. Just post to your blog and let me know, so I can give you credit and enter you in the giveaway. :)

Photo Walk/September Challenge/Giveaway

2011-09-05T15:02:00.026-04:00

I signed up to participate in Scott Kelby's Fourth Annual Worldwide PhotoWalk (Oct. 1 & 2). I think it'll be a lot of fun. Over 14,000 people have already signed up! If you're interested in participating, click on the link for more details.

My daughter and I went on our own version of a photo walk yesterday (15 minutes in an unfamiliar place). Here are my photos:

Pattern

Color

Texture

Repetition

Architecture

Art

Nature

Random in black and white

We had fun doing this! I wish I could redo the nature shot to get a little more clarity, and I would have liked to experiment with different angles for a better architecture photo, but considering our fifteen minute time-frame, I'm happy. :)

Since I need practice with street photography, I plan to do this a few more times before the Worldwide Photo Walk. If you'd like to practice with me, choose a themed photo walk from my list, post your results in your blog, link back here, let me know, and I'll give you recognition on September 30 using one of your photos. I'll also randomly choose someone to be on the receiving end of my first giveaway: Scott Kelby's new book.

If you're game, here are the choices. :)

Photo walk #1: pattern, color, texture, repetition, architecture, art, nature, random in black and white
Photo walk #2 red, yellow, green, round, square, diagonal, unique, out of place
Photo walk #3 three photos of strangers, one animal, a vehicle, a place of business, two random photos

There aren't any rules...except to have FUN! :)

Babysitting

2011-09-03T08:13:00.009-04:00

Most of my free time has been spent babysitting these two.

I had no idea it would take this much effort to introduce a new horse into the pasture. They're fine when they're separate (they're both sweet, gentle creatures), but extremely ill-mannered when put together. There has been rearing up, biting, kicking, squealing, and lots of showing off/racing. ~sigh~ It has been quite the process because they've had to be under close supervision so they wouldn't hurt each other.

But...we've finally come to an understanding.

They realize that there won't be any extra food (besides grass) unless they get along.

Needless to say, they're putting their differences aside for the "greater good."

Now, if they'll just behave long enough so I can get some housework and blog visiting done. Between horse sitting and playing construction worker, I need a vacation.

Have a great Saturday! It's raining here, which means we won't be working outside!!! :)

Update

2011-08-29T17:37:00.125-04:00

~edited (remind me not to post when I'm exhausted)~

We bought a new horse. His name is Whole Lotta Luck, but we plan to rename him. Our other horse was called David's Doc 24; now we call him Java. If you ask me, it's much easier to say.

Here's our newest addition.

Any name ideas?

He wasn't on his best behavior when he arrived, so he's still wearing his former owner's halter. He has been better today, but he did bite Java three times. Right now, both horses have entered into "negotiations" as to who will be pasture leader.

We've had crazy weather lately: a tornado last month (on our MN trip), a tremor from the VA earthquake on Tuesday, and then winds from Hurricane Irene on Saturday (no damage...just some broken tree limbs). I'm ready for things to be "normal" for awhile.

{{{When my husband was in the navy, he learned this old adage that has a lot of merit: Red skies at night, sailors delight; red skies in morning; sailors take warning!}}} ---These were taken the night before Irene.

We've been making progress on our construction project. Most of the framing is finished. Yours truly helped with all the trusses (I have ugly bruises and a few slivers to prove it). Our neighbor, bless his heart, also came over to lend a hand. When he's here, I don't have to do as much hard labor. DeWayne, on the off chance you'll ever read this...thank you!!!

The new structure will consist of two stalls, a tack room, an overhang, and a woodshop. I'll post more pictures later.

I apologize for not visiting your blogs lately, it hasn't been my intent to be silent; things have just been incredibly busy. ---I'll try to catch up soon.

In other news, I want to give a shoutout to my good blogging friend, Linda, who finished her Project 365!!! If you have time, please stop by to congratulate her and check out some of her fabulous photos.

Summer Delights

2011-08-26T08:12:00.005-04:00

Gentle Breezes
Bird Song
Butterflies
Sunshine
Sweet Tea
Lazy Days
Flower Gardening
Home Grown Fruits and Veggies
Good Books
Flip Flops
Long Walks
Outdoor Barbecues
Nature Photography
Motorcycle Trips
Visits to the Beach
Dandelion Chains
Fresh Mown Grass
Watermelon
Rainbows
Family Fun
Concerts in the Park
Sun-kissed Cheeks

Hummers

2011-08-24T12:50:00.005-04:00

~Peek A Boo~

Wishing all of you a beautiful and blessed day!

Linking up with Outdoor Wednesday and The Creative Exchange.

Texture Tuesday

2011-08-23T15:59:00.001-04:00

This week's theme is Back to School.

Plan A was to take a picture of the insane amount of textbooks my kids have to lug around to their college classes. Plan B was to take a picture of the microscopes and books that I'll be selling since we graduated from homeschooling. Plan C was to photograph a gas pump since my kids have conflicting schedules and that's where all our money will be going. Plan D is what I ended up going with since I never got around to Plan A, B, or C. :)

I don't remember the exact steps I took, but the textures I used were Kim Klassen's canvasback, serendipity, and stained linen.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday.

Daydreaming

2011-08-22T00:21:00.000-04:00

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-08-21T12:56:00.009-04:00

Geometry in Nature.

Differet Brushes for Different Brushstrokes.

Plant Particles Hanging By A Thread

Hummingbird Collage (I love my hummers)

Dewdrops On The Dotted Line

Next week's items are:
Old and New
Night Photography
Music
Cheesy
Sun

Thanks for visiting...I hope you all have a great week!

Makeup

2011-08-19T12:50:00.004-04:00

Is it just me...or does this mourning dove look like it's wearing blue eye shadow and pink toenail polish?

Here's my SOOC version.

Since I have more time now that my kids are back to classes, I thought it would be a good idea for me to learn and practice photo editing. Here are my steps:

Used the healing brush to clean the metal.
Zoomed in and cropped.
Used the selection tool to select the eye, then switched to levels and lightened it a bit to make it stand out. I've done that twice now...I ♥ that trick!
Added my watermark and resized it for the web. Since it's heavily cropped, I resized it larger than I normally would (600w instead of 300w) to lessen the blur factor after uploading.

If you have any editing tips and tricks for me, I'm all ears! :)

Linking up with:

Horsing Around

2011-08-18T21:53:00.001-04:00

Sometimes it's fun to just set the camera to automatic without worrying about settings. That's what I did yesterday when it was my daughter's turn to go riding. I know there are many things wrong with these pictures, but that's okay. I like them anyway because of the memories. :)

Pretty Boy

2011-08-16T16:18:00.022-04:00

Here he is...the reason for all the extra work around here (hubby's belated b-day gift).

We've only had him for a day, and we already love him to pieces. He's a 5 year old, registered quarter horse, with a good disposition. He's a people lover...a follower...and eager to please. He saddles well and he tries to understand basic riding commands. When he doesn't quite get it, we nudge him along until he figures out what we want him to do. He has barbed wire scars all over his face and body; other than that, I think he's beautiful.

I'm not sure what I've appreciated more...enjoying our new horse, or knowing that hubby and his brother are having fun together. His brother leaves on Thursday, so they're making the most of the time they have left (yesterday it was all horse stuff, today it's motorcycles).

Dot Com

2011-08-14T13:34:00.002-04:00

This juvenile bluebird came to visit us before we picked up hubby's brother from the airport on Friday. Isn't it sweet? It was such a cooperative fellow. It perched long enough for me to get my camera, switch lenses, and then it turned its head and posed so I could get its profile. ---If only it were always that easy...

Btw: Thanks for all your nice comments about my new blog design. I'm really happy with how it turned out. Also...I took the plunge and switched to a custom domain. Instead of happeningshome.blogspot, my new url will be michellereneesphotos.com. You should automatically be redirected. If not, please (pretty please) update your feed settings so you'll still be able to find me. :)

Dashboard→Add/Manage→Add→Copy and paste michellereneesphotos.com into the bar→Save.

I'm hoping to catch up with blog visits today. Life has been a little crazy with all changes we've been making (we finished the fence, set the posts for the barn, bought a horse, we have company, and our kids start back to college tomorrow). As soon as things settle down, I'll be back to visiting often and posting more regularly.

Tongue Twister

2011-08-11T12:37:00.003-04:00

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood? ---Say that three times, fast, without tripping. :)

Too easy?

How about this one? A big black bug-bit a big black bear-and made the big black bear-bleed blood. Okay, fess up...could you do it? Without Looking? :)

Alrighty...onto the photo. I was trying to do something similar to what I did with this photo back in June.

I didn't quite accomplish what I was going for, but it's close enough for a quick attempt (we're getting ready for company. My brother-in-law is coming to cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then he's going to lend a hand building our new woodshop/horse barn---I'll share pictures and details in a future post).

Here's the texture recipe:
Step one: Kim Klassen's Stained Linen, 50% normal blend.
Step two: Layer mask, removed 90% of the texture from the woodchuck and tree.
Step three: Stained Linen, 20% soft light.

Linking up with Texture Tuesday (Kim Klassen Cafe) and Texture Thursday (The Daily Wyatt).

Under Construction (Happenings@Home)

2011-08-09T16:36:00.015-04:00

These photos were taken July 5th when my son was mixing concrete for the footings of our new fence.

There are lots of changes happening around here....fence building, barn planning, school starting (college for my kiddos), company coming, etc. Since it seems to be a season for new beginnings, I thought I'd make some changes here as well. I'll give my blog a new look and a new title; nothing fancy....just my name. Thanks for your notes about jumping back into the project (I did consider it). At first, I was really disappointed that I missed a day, but then the more I thought about it, the more I felt relieved because now that I'm done, I'll have time to learn and progress at my own pace. I think, ultimately, the change will be good for me.

Okay...here goes with the blog makeover. I'm not very computer savvy so this might be interesting. :)

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-08-07T07:51:00.005-04:00

It's wonderful to be back home participating in the hunt again. I barely pulled this one off, but I enjoyed the challenge. The items were: seeing double/two, whatever, sweet, space, and bright.

Seeing Double/Two. How about a duo of butterflies?

Whatever. It's fun to take pictures of whatever catches your eye (I'm not sure why, but there's something about this tangled mess that I like).

Sweet. Sugar water is the beverage of choice for our hummingbird guests.

Space. I'd prefer to have more space between myself and this snake!

.
Bright. Sunflower yellow is so vivid and cheerful.

Thanks for visiting...I hope you all have a wonderful week!

If you'd like to participate in the next hunt, the items are:

Against the Light
Frame Within a Frame
Best Part of Your Day
Buttons
Ink

Long Overdue Update

2011-08-06T20:53:00.007-04:00

Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers on behalf of my family. I can't even begin to tell you how much they were appreciated.

I don't know where to begin, so I guess I'll just jump in.

Grandma is home...recovering (an answer to many prayers).

Only 1/3 of her heart is functioning, but she's an "over comer." She'll be okay.

There's never a dull moment with MN weather. While we were there, we experienced a tornado (July 20) that took down 20+ trees around the yard and more from the woods. Here's one of many that went down.

We woke up to trees falling on the roof and large branches blowing past the windows.

I was sleeping in the upstairs bedroom, Grandma was asleep near the window in the picture, and my kids were downstairs. It took years for my grandparents to grow those trees; within a matter of minutes the whole landscape changed. It made for an eventful morning with lots of visitors checking up on us to make sure we were okay (the sheriff, the fire department, neighbors, people driving by, a news reporter---it was non-stop all day). I'll spare you the rest of the pictures; there are many. There was a lot of damage, but it could have been worse. ---I'm very thankful nobody got hurt.

I had to venture to Hallock, MN, to pick up Grandma's prescriptions, and I found this interesting old truck stranded in a field. I thought it summed up the post-storm flooding rather well.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip because it reminds me of my grandpa. He hung those Christmas lights years ago and nobody has had the heart to take them down. They were just ordinary lights when he was alive, now they hold special meaning. It's interesting how time changes things.

I kept up with my 365 the whole time I was gone, but then I failed once I got back home (Sorry, everyone. I really did give it my best shot). I've been home for a week now, but I've had lots of eye trouble in my right eye (iritis, broken blood vessels, and light sensitivity) so I've been avoiding the computer screen until now. Even though I didn't meet my goal, I don't want to throw in the towel completely; I'm out of the project, but I plan to still post pics and take part in challenges. I actually started putting together items for tomorrow's scavenger hunt, but I don't know if I'll be able to pull if off yet or not. I found space on the side of the road today, but I still need two more items, whatever and bright. We'll see what happens.

I'm hoping to do all my blog visiting tomorrow. A big thank you for being there for me through this. I was "wowed" when I saw my dashboard---you're all so thoughtful and kind!

I'm Off

2011-07-09T23:39:00.001-04:00

Midnight probably isn't the best time to set out on a 27 hour drive, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. Things don't look good, so I've decided to get up there as soon as I can. I'm bringing my kids with me so we can take turns driving.

(((Hugs to all of you and thank you for your prayers)))

#190 Dragonflies

2011-07-09T14:38:00.008-04:00

Sorry for the emotional post yesterday. I hadn't intended to write all that, but I was an emotional wreck and that's what happened. I've decided to wait and help her once she's released from the hospital. I'll let you know before I go.

Thanks for the prayers...and for being there (((hugs))). I appreciate it.

Heart Sick

2011-07-08T14:28:00.004-04:00

I apologize for not posting regularly. My grandma has been sick and my heart just hasn't been in the project. I've taken pictures; I just haven't felt like posting.

On Wednesday, my grandma had another heart attack. The last time that happened, she was in the hospital for six weeks, then she went to live with my dad for two years before coming to live with us again. After nine months of being in NC, she received a blessing (the miracle of going off dialysis). We always said that she'd be able to go back home to the farm to live on her own again....and home she went (a little too soon for my liking, but once that dialysis catheter was removed, she was determined and nothing was going to stop her---not even a MN blizzard!). It turned out to be the best thing that happened because she started to blossom again. She started to drive, she became active in church and senior citizen's groups, she was "grandma" again (minus her still broken heart from losing my grandpa). I'm just sick over this. She has been through so much....now this.

#187 I'm not a person who cries easily, but I've been a blurry, teary mess since I got the news.

#188 My emotions are all tangled up not knowing when to make the trip.

Wisdom tells me to wait so I can help her when she gets released (and maybe bring her back here again). My heart tells me I should already be up at the hospital with her in case it's the last time I'll ever get to spend time with her. I don't know what to do. I'm physically sick over this.

#189 I feel trapped living so far away.

I'm going...I just don't know when.

Please pray for my family...especially my grandma. Besides my husband and kids, she's my dearest friend.

185/186 Fireworks

2011-07-05T23:58:00.001-04:00

These kind of look like fireworks:

Oooh...ahhh.

The grand finale, perhaps?

Okay, maybe that's a stretch. How about a sparkler instead?

#184 Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-07-03T12:11:00.002-04:00

It's Sunday...which means it's time for the hunt! This week's items are: pop of color, crossing thresholds, x-ray, toy, hidden or farm.

Pop of Color

Crossing Thresholds (from my archives). Every now and then, we'll find our two year old sweetie on the sofa because we let her get away with it as a puppy!

PSE X-ray

Toy.

Farm

Next week's items are:

Things that look like a letter of the alphabet
Weather
Bling
Tangled
Dark

Have a wonderful weekend (and Fourth of July)!

#183 Abstract

2011-07-03T12:08:00.001-04:00

Fireworks without a tripod!

Sorry I didn't get this posted last night (it was late when we got home).

#182 Simplicity

2011-07-01T17:26:00.005-04:00

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. -Henry David Thoreau

Linking up with The Creative Exchange and Fabulous Friday.

#181 Field Daisies

2011-06-30T23:25:00.001-04:00

#180 Stormy Weather

2011-06-29T21:21:00.004-04:00

Last night we lost electricity during a thunderstorm, so we ate supper and played board games by candle light (FYI: It was Miss Scarlet, in the library, with the knife).

It made for an interesting and eventful evening. :)

I had a phone call when I took the pics, so I know the composition is off, but there's something about it that I like.

Here it is again with some heartfelt text.

Our power was off for two and a half hours (I kept walking into rooms flipping the light switches out of habit. A couple times, I was holding a candle when I did it. Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this!!!).

The "bokeh dots" from the above pics came from candles in the living room where our neighbor was visiting with hubby.

If I could go back in time, I'd recompose the shot, and I'd experiment with aperture and zoom to create larger "dots" to give it more of an atmospheric effect.

Finally, I'm getting to today's picture (if you're still reading this, you get a medal). I woke up this morning to find out that the storm (along with our trampoline) did this...

Lovely, huh? :(

I used packaging tape to hold the rest of the window together until it gets replaced tomorrow ($350....ouch!).

On a much happier note, I'm starting to get more familiar with my camera. Here's what I've accomplished so far:

Indoor/outdoor white balance test- In both tests, I liked the cloudy setting the best.
ISO test- Let me just say...I ♥ my new toy!!!! I can finally take pictures indoors!!!!!!! :D
Auto vs. Manual Focus. Focusing is still a challenge for me; it's much different than using my point and shoot.
Familiarizing myself with the lenses- I'm in love with the dof that can be achieved with this machine!!!
Lots of trial and error (mostly error!). :)
Much...much...joy!!!

#179 Summer

2011-06-28T22:13:00.002-04:00

Linking up with:

#178 Hummingbird Moth

2011-06-27T22:39:00.002-04:00

Happiness is when I'm in the garden and my picture of the day comes to me. :)

Linking up with:

#177 Sunday's Pics

2011-06-26T23:06:00.002-04:00

Crepe Myrtle

Baby sparrow.

This morning, all four sparrows were waiting near the nest for the mama and papa to bring them grasshoppers and other delicacies. Tonight, when we got home from town, I only spotted one bird left in the tree. I don't know if the others were tucked away in the nest or if they already found their wings.

Watching these little birds has been such a joy and a good reminder that success doesn't always come without failure; the key is to keep getting up and trying again...no matter how many times it takes.

#176 Rescue Mission

2011-06-25T23:59:00.024-04:00

We watched four baby sparrows fall from their nest and waddle around testing their immature wings.

Since they couldn't fly yet, and we didn't want them to be an easy snack for our cat, we scooped them up and put them back into their nest. :)

Linking up a day early with Your Sunday Best.

#175 New Camera

2011-06-24T21:34:00.008-04:00

Meet my new sidekick! :)

Lens #1

Lens #2

Here are some test photos:

1. Spikes of Speedwell from my flower garden (I was experimenting with focus and dof).

#2. The cropped version of a resting sparrow (I wanted to see the pixel quality).

The original photo (uncropped!!!)

Oh, yeah. I'm happy!!!!!!!

To be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing. Sometimes I can get the camera to focus, other times I can't. But...it's a good problem to have. I'm going to start reading the owner's manual tonight. :)

#174 Vanishing Blueberry

2011-06-23T23:58:00.010-04:00

The last ripe blueberry on our bush. We'll have to wait awhile for the rest because they're still green.

Thanks for your kind comments yesterday. I am so excited for tomorrow to get here because that's when my new toy should arrive!

In the meantime, I've been reading about all the functions and settings from that book I posted yesterday. I liked it so much, I visited the author's blog (which is something I rarely do). Here are some of her posts on food photography and food styling. I love that she shares her setups and explains how she does things. Even better, she's working on a new book called Food Photography From Snapshots to Great Shots. It'll be released in August (and it's on my wish list!). If you have a minute, I highly recommend checking out her blog....I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Edited to include better links. Also this post was written this morning (a few minutes after midnight), so I posted it so it would show up for Thursday. :)

#173 News

2011-06-22T20:59:00.005-04:00

It was windy when I took today's picture.

I've been busy, but I've managed to squeeze in time for a little shopping. Would you like to know what I was shopping for? ---I'll give you a hint. :)

It requires a padded camera bag with lens dividers!

And...a new book!

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am!!!

I ordered the camera and the lenses online, and I already got the confirmation email that is has been shipped!

How will I ever be able to wait until it gets here???

In just a few days, I'll have my very own DSLR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    ---I get giddy just thinking about it!   :D

#171 and #172

2011-06-21T21:55:00.005-04:00

Here's a quick post just to catch up.

Yesterday...a white breasted nuthatch.

Today...more tomatoes starting in the veggie garden.

Sorry, I haven't been blog visiting in the last few days (I've hardly been home).

#170 Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-06-19T10:45:00.020-04:00

It's time for the hunt! This week's items were emotion, from a flower's point of view, natural frame, letters, and bliss.

Emotion...pictures of spiders usually trigger emotions. :)

From a Flower's Point of View...A bee coming up for breath before going back in for more nectar.

Natural Frame...please pretend that the sky is a brilliant blue and the other colors are right in this picture.

Letters...the sentiments of sweethearts carved into a tree.

Bliss...Snacking on sun-ripened fruit while I'm out with my camera.

Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful Father's Day!!!

Next week's items are:
Windows/doors
Eyelashes
Paint
Leaf Veins
Faceless Portrait

Again...thanks to everyone for your camera advice. I think I've narrowed it down between the Canon 60D and the Nikon D7000. For those of you who missed that post, I'd love to have your input, too. What camera do you use, which lenses do you prefer, and what do you recommend for nature photography? ---I have my pencil and paper ready! :)

#169 Deer

2011-06-18T21:36:00.004-04:00

I found this guy checking out our garden...

As far as I'm concerned, he can have it...it's too much work!

#168 Snoozing

2011-06-17T22:13:00.008-04:00

This is what I want to be doing...

(I know my settings were off...I was playing around with my ISO earlier today, and I forgot to put it back).

Thanks for the camera talk yesterday...I really appreciate your input. Thanks also to Gretchen for solving the wheel bug mystery for me. :)

#167 Creepy

2011-06-16T19:02:00.005-04:00

I have no idea what kind of bug this is, but it creeps me out every time I see it.

Do you know what it is?

I often find them, near the edge of the woods, in clusters like this (photo taken May 19).

Also: I'm doing some research on DSLRs. What kind of camera do you use, and what do you recommend for nature photography and close-ups? Right now, I'm leaning towards the Canon 60D, but I'm open to all makes and models.

Here's my wish list:

No camera delay like my Canon Powershot SX110...whatever it is, it has to be FAST!
Self-timer and remote.
The capability to fire off several consecutive shots
An incredible zoom for capturing birds and macros (any specific lens recommendations?).
Image stabilization (IS and VR are the same thing, right?)
ISO clarity (are certain cameras better than others?)
Different file formats (I've heard good things about RAW, so I'd like to try it).

#166 Wing Action

2011-06-15T18:26:00.006-04:00

What fun to photograph these little gems!!!

This one is taking a bow.

And...this one improvised and found a clever way to perch.

Here's my setup (and a little glimpse of the new garden).

Here are the steps I took:

Used a tripod to avoid camera shake.
Reduced the competition by removing the other feeder.
Cheated by putting a twig in the opposite feeding port so they'd have to eat in front of the camera.
Adjusted my ISO to 200 and experimented with shutter speeds from 800-1200.
Focused on the feeder, instead of the hummers (otherwise it's too hard to get them in focus).
Enjoyed every minute!!!

#165 Texture Tuesday

2011-06-14T10:32:00.003-04:00

For this texture, I used two layer's of Kim Klassen's Stained Linen. The first one at 46% opacity for the entire image, then I erased the texture from the hummingbird and feeder and added the second texture at 11%.

I filled the sugar-water feeders and watered the flowers. Now, I'm going to bring my coffee and camera outside to see if I can catch some wing action!

Linking up with: Texture Tuesday and Sweet Shot Tuesday.

#164 Refreshing

2011-06-13T22:09:00.005-04:00

There's nothing like a thirst-quenching, ice-cold, glass of lemonade on a hot day.

Especially after spending all day in the sun, planting a hummingbird garden.

I'm exhausted, sunburned, and glad to be FINISHED!!! :)

Here's a sneak peek at one of the new plants (if you look close, you can see teeny, tiny water droplets).

And...I couldn't resist snapping a picture while I was giving a much needed shower to the flowers.

Linking up with the refreshing theme for the Crazy Days of Summer.

Edited to add: I just found out that my photo from last week was chosen for the top five! I'm humbled and honored. :)

#163 Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-06-12T12:30:00.004-04:00

It's Sunday, which means it's time for my favorite weekly theme...Ashley Sisk's Scavenger Hunt! This week's items are: long exposure, shapes, green, fruit, and childhood memory.

Long Exposure...light writing.

Shapes...circles from our crepe myrtle.

Green...Ruby Throated Hummingbird.

Fruit...Belle of Georgia Peach.

Childhood Memory...Bubbles...

...lots of bubbles!

Thanks for visiting! :)

If you'd like to participate in next week's hunt, the items are:

Emotion
From a flower's point of view
Natural frame
Letters
Bliss

#162 Yesterday's Pics

2011-06-12T12:27:00.002-04:00

Here's a statue from downtown Charlotte.

And...a window reflection.

I'll be back later to post today's pics, then I'll play blog catch up tonight. :)

#161 Bird List

2011-06-10T22:33:00.005-04:00

Today's visitors:

Robins
Cardinals
Goldfinches
Purple Finches
Mourning Doves
Mockingbird
Indigo Bunting
Brown Headed Cowbird
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Sparrows
Ruby Throated Hummingbirds

Our hummingbird feeder stays very active. Now, when I fill it up, they perch and start drinking before I can hang it on the hook. I'm hoping to have someone else bring it out, so I can be ready with my camera. :)

#160 Pockets

2011-06-09T23:07:00.005-04:00

I always check the pockets before starting a load of laundry.

Today, I found a few pennies.

And...a jackpot of construction nails.

Veggie Garden Tour

2011-06-08T19:17:00.003-04:00

#158 and #159

Thanks for all your nice comments the other day. I still haven't planted the flowers, but I've made some progress in our vegetable garden.

The sprinklers are going.

The salsa row is seeing some action.

Lots of yummy garden treats have started.

The cilantro is getting welcome visitors that eat other unwanted pests.

Which is good because I found insect eggs and hungry beetles on some of the leaves.

The zucchini, squash, and cucumber plants are thriving (a little too much!).

If you live close by, you're welcome to help yourself to lots of these (so are your friends, relatives, and anyone else you can think of)!

The radishes are fire-alarm hot like our weather (today was another scorching 96 degrees).

The potatoes are all different sizes. I don't know what's under there until I start digging.

The corn is knee high in some places and taller in others.

My apologies for the length of this post. I know it has more pictures than usual, but I thought you might like to see why I didn't post yesterday---I was busy harvesting, weeding, and recovering from the heat!

#157 Flowers

2011-06-06T10:05:00.002-04:00

I'm starting a little flower garden in my backyard. I set the plants out and gave them water because I was too busy to plant the flowers right away. When I came back, they were loaded with bees.

Any idea how to plant them without getting stung?

Linking up with Macro Monday and Crazy Days of Summer Photo Challenge.

#156 Scripture Sunday

2011-06-05T20:58:00.004-04:00

Linking up with Today's Flowers and Scripture and a Snapshot.

#155 Toad

2011-06-04T20:53:00.011-04:00

We've been gone all day, so I'm improvising with pictures from last night.

The poor creature has a face only a mother could love.

Doesn't it look like Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars?

Linking up with Camera Critters.

#154 Ruby Throated

2011-06-03T15:05:00.006-04:00

I've been enjoying my backyard visitors.

Same pose...different bird.

In flight snack (one part sugar dissolved in four parts water).

The Mr.

The Mrs.

Linking up with:

My blog is still one of the many that's broken. I haven't forgotten about you, it's just harder to leave comments than it used to be. Has anyone heard anything about a fix (other than switching to Google Chrome)? The last update I know about was posted on May 24th. ---Is there another site that has more recent news?

#153 Gerbera Daisy

2011-06-02T23:59:00.002-04:00

#152 Fixer Upper

2011-06-01T16:05:00.013-04:00

We looked at a couple investment properties this morning. House #1 had a lot to offer:

Interesting scrollwork

Alien plant life

Flutes

An ancient lantern

Its very own useless nail

And...a robot.

The house needs a lot of TLC, but we're thinking about buying it.

House #2 was a complete surprise because it wasn't listed on the MLS sheet. It comes with House #1, and it has an interesting design.

But...it already has an occupant that doesn't plan to move anytime soon.

And...I'm pretty sure it thought we were trespassing.

We're going back tonight to take a look at the attic and crawlspace. I sure hope we don't find more of its relatives inside.

I'll let you know if we get the house, otherwise I won't bore you with the details. If we do get it, I'll open our House Changers blog again to chronicle the changes. For those of you who enjoy stuff like that, be sure to visit Dee Dee and tell her I said, "hi." She's the talented lady who inspired me to want to take better pictures (although you wouldn't know it from my hurried snapshots lately). Her family is currently working on a fabulous fixer upper called The Provision. Here's one of her recent posts that you might enjoy.

#151 Sunshine

2011-05-31T22:22:00.002-04:00

It got up to 100 degrees today. I had planned to do yard work, but it was too hot to be outdoors baking in the sun. Instead, I took my daughter to the theater to watch Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides. I have to admit....watching Captain Jack Sparrow was much more fun than pulling weeds.

Thanks for all your kind notes. Things have been a little crazy at our house lately so I haven't been blog visiting, but I should be able to catch up with all of you tomorrow.

#149 and #150

2011-05-30T14:37:00.005-04:00

Hubby and I went on a motorcycle trip yesterday.

I took lots of pictures, but I thought this one was the most fitting because the road quickly disappearing under our feet reminded me of how fast the years have flown by.

It seems like just yesterday when I took these pictures:

But...actually it was today. My scanner is broken, so I snapped pictures of these photos in order to share them with you.

Enjoy every minute with your kids. It goes fast!

#148 2011 Graduation

2011-05-29T11:55:00.009-04:00

Yesterday was a big day for our family. After twelve years of homeschooling, our youngest graduated with NCHE. It was a beautiful ceremony (over 200 graduates split between two auditoriums).

Austin came from one side of the stage with a rose to present to me, we came from the other side of the stage with his diploma, we met in the middle to exchange hugs and gifts, then off we went in separate directions to watch the process unfold over and over again.

Congratulations, Austin, we're so proud of you!

Sorry, kiddo...no more algebra equations, dissections, or chemistry formulas at the table.

I'm outta here!

Little brother with big sister.

The graduate with mom and dad.

One more...just because I won't get to do this again until after college graduation.

We were out celebrating last night, so I didn't get this posted. I'll be back later with today's pictures.

#147 Butterfly

2011-05-27T13:11:00.005-04:00

#146 Today in Pictures

2011-05-26T23:21:00.017-04:00

College registration was this morning, then job hunting, then to the water to enjoy summer vacation. Any day near the water, is a good day!

#145 Lurking

2011-05-25T12:48:00.007-04:00

Here are my pictures for today:

A beetle raising up the corner of a leaf.

And...a blue dragonfly.

Also: If you haven't heard from me in the last two days, it's because I'm still not able to leave comments. Here's the latest update from the Blogger Team. I'm sure the issue will be resolved soon. In the meantime, I'll continue to visit your blogs and practice the art of remaining silent. ---Enjoy it while it lasts! :)

#144 Texture

2011-05-24T09:55:00.001-04:00

Look who came to visit me!

Original:

I named it "The Heart Attack" for obvious reasons.   I know snakes have their purpose and the black ones aren't harmful...but I still don't like them.   I especially don't like when they're within 5' of me!!!! Having said that, I thought it would be a good practice subject for adding texture (simple, straight lines!).

This week's challenge from the Kim Klassen Cafe was to use at least one layer of  her Yesteryear texture. I used two.    Here's what I did:

Step one: Yesteryear →100% opacity (to completely cover the awful background)
Step two: Layer Mask → Brushed the snake so it was visible.
Step three: Another layer of Yesteryear → 12% opacity (since there was so much texture in the background, I just wanted a hint of it on the snake)
Step four: Text → Watermark → Resized for web

It was easy to do! I can't wait to try it again with a better subject.   :)

Linking up with Texture Tuesday.

I should also mention that this picture was taken last Monday. I'll take pics today to keep up with my 365, but I'm posting this instead.

#143 Macro Monday

2011-05-23T15:35:00.001-04:00

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive. ~Eleonora Duse

Linking up with Macro Monday.

#142 Sunday's Scripture

2011-05-22T12:14:00.005-04:00

Linking up with... Scripture & a Snapshot and Say Hi Sunday.

#141 Nature Friends

2011-05-21T20:40:00.002-04:00

Today, I'm linking up with Camera Critters.

I just got home, so I'll catch up with all your happenings tomorrow.

#140 Blue and Yellow

2011-05-20T16:28:00.014-04:00

I didn't get out for a photo hunt as I had hoped, but I did manage to find some color in my yard.

Here's a pretty bluebird (I wish I had been close enough to fill the frame).

Lately, I've seen several indigo buntings. I'd like to get a "good" picture!!! I've captured many, just not any that I want to share. :)

Here's another bachelor button from our field of blue.

I love those flowers!

And...a bright, yellow flower that will be gone after I mow.

There's nothing better than sunshine after a rain. We've had lots of rain lately---but the good kind of rain, where it showers for awhile, then the sun peeks through.

'Hope you all have a wonderful day. Today, I'm linking up with:

#139 Trying Texture

2011-05-19T14:49:00.001-04:00

I need to get out there and capture some vivid color (reds, pinks, purples, anything vibrant)! In the meantime, here's some more spring green (which is still MUCH BETTER than winter gray, right?)

Here's my SOOC photo: I liked the simplicity of it for my second attempt at adding texture.

Poor little guy looked like he was hanging on for dear life; almost as if he was scared to spread his wings and fly.

Here's my edited version:

I used Kim Klassen's LightPaper3 Texture and I added some soft light and one of my favorite Bible verses.

Please critique away! I'd love to hear what you think so I can learn and get better.

Also...a big thank you to all my blogging buddies who continually encourage and support me through the ups and downs of this 365 journey. I honestly don't think I'd still be doing this project if it wasn't for you. ---Thank you for that! :)

Linking up with:

#138 Water Droplets

2011-05-18T16:25:00.015-04:00

What is it about water droplets that make them so much fun to capture?

This one is my favorite.

It was suspended in air by a single strand of delicate webbing.

While I was near the privet, I noticed several droplets clinging to the petals.

I also found a bee and got stung! ~grumble grumble~

Today I'm linking up with: Outdoor Wednesday and Watery Wednesday.

My goal for this week is to mix it up a little by participating in a different theme every day. Then, next week, I'll be back to my normal routine.

#137 Fruit Trees

2011-05-17T13:32:00.004-04:00

I thought this was fitting for Sweet Shot Tuesday, since my pics are of "sweet things."

It won't be long now before our cherries and peaches will be ripe enough to eat.

Yum...I can't wait!!!

And finally...the last photos to complete the fruit tree progressions that were started awhile ago:

Cherry Tree Progression (click for earlier photos).

Peach Tree Progression (click for earlier photos)

The fruit is in all different stages, some are almost mature and some are just starting. Isn't it neat how God thought of everything and made the trees so they'll keep bearing fruit, instead of being over and done with all at once?

As soon as the blueberries are ready, I'll have another progression to share.

#136 Bugs

2011-05-16T13:27:00.001-04:00

Linking up with Macro Monday

#135 Sunday

2011-05-15T22:26:00.001-04:00

The privet is in full bloom.

And...so are the blackberries.

'Hope you all had a good weekend!

#134 Bird Watching

2011-05-14T19:57:00.004-04:00

Naughty, naughty cat.

Don't worry...no birds were harmed during the making of this blog post.

By the way, if you're looking for a good movie to watch at the theater, there's a new animated production from the creators of Ice Age called Rio. It's about a domesticated blue macaw that never learned to fly. We saw it yesterday; I liked it so much I wanted a rewind button so I could watch it again. :)

#133 Birthday Girl

2011-05-13T11:44:00.009-04:00

Someone turned nineteen today!

I couldn't be more proud of my daughter. She has turned into a remarkable young lady and a good friend. I need practice with portraits and with converting to black and white---I know I didn't do her justice with this photo, but it was a special day so I wanted to share.

I'm glad Blogger is working again! :)

#131 Wings

2011-05-12T21:25:00.000-04:00

Big changes are happening around here. In a couple of weeks my son will graduate from high school, which means our homeschool will come to a close forever. Things will be different around here for sure. Also...my daughter finished the college semester and took her final exams yesterday so now she's off looking for summer employment.

I'm feeling nostalgic today; partly because of my sons's upcoming graduation, and partly because my daughter will turn nineteen on Friday. I'm happy to see my kids grow and find their wings, but I'm also a little sad because time goes much too fast.

I'm posting this a day late because last night was stormy and my Internet was glitchy and wouldn't cooperate.

#132 Look What I Found...

2011-05-12T21:17:00.000-04:00

Baby ducks!!! Aren't they adorable?

I also found some murky water... with a brave turtle for swimming in it!

#130 Thought for Today

2011-05-10T23:16:00.005-04:00

The difference between success and failure is determination.
-Richmond Wilson

Whatever your goals, I hope you'll keep on keeping on until you achieve them!

It's another late night (11:20 p.m). I'll do my blog visiting in the morning.

#129 Webs

2011-05-09T14:27:00.000-04:00

#128 Scavenger Hunt Sunday

2011-05-08T10:38:00.014-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there.

This week's items were: sooc, sprouting, isn't it ironic, lazy, and smells like spring.

SOOC. I call these "water diamonds."

I enjoy capturing them.

Sprouting. Brand new leaves (taken April 6, 2011).

Isn't it Ironic...how even a simple silhoutte can be interesting?

Lazy. Miss Kitty can't be bothered until after her nap.

Smells Like Spring. The sweet, heavenly scent of Japanese honeysuckle.

Thanks for visiting!

If you'd like to participate in next week's hunt, the items are:
Give Me Flowers
Visual Contrast
Friendship
Before and After
Dark