Turbulent (One Word Photo Challenge-Tsunami)

tsunami

Tsunami Haiku (Turbulent)

Tsunami rising
Powerful waves of water
Ocean covers land

Meeting JNW’s One Word Photo Challenge-Tsunami demanded creativity since I (thankfully) have no direct experience with the topic. Looking through my photos, I decided that storm clouds look a bit like ocean waves. So, I cropped and flipped the photo upside-down, which I thought added to the illusion. Adding a clarity filter made the “waves” seem more ominous. Adding the tattered frame element seemed to be a fitting finishing touch to my interpretation of a powerful, turbulent tsunami.

Mother Nature As Muse

Delicate Dogwood

I am amazed by nature. This spring, I took picture after picture of flowering trees. I have already posted photos of flowering plum trees and cherry blossom trees.

This dogwood tree is in my backyard and I was in awe of the dogwood blossoms that filled the tree branches. I was inspired to try to capture the delicate beauty of a single flower in a photograph. The petals are now long gone but the image remains.

*posted in response to the daily post weekly photo challenge:
Muse

I am also entering this photo, taken from a distance using the zoom lens of my Nikon CoolPix S9900 camera, into Lucile’s Photo Rehab Clinic.

Refreshing Hurricane (One Word Photo Challenge-Hurricane)

Refreshing Hurricane

When I visited New Orleans years ago, one of my first tourist stops was Pat O’Brien’s Bar in the French Quarter. I needed to drink a famous Hurricane cocktail during my stay.

As I understand it, the Hurricane was invented by Pat O’Brien in the 1940’s. Due to difficulty importing Scotch during WWII, the bar owner bought 50 extra cases of rum. The Hurricane, a rum and passion fruit drink, was a refreshing beverage born of the stock. The drink was served in a classic hurricane glass.

I don’t remember if I got a souvenir glass with the Pat O’Brien’s logo. If I did, I no longer have it. These glasses are from local bars in my town, including one called Macado’s.

This is my entry for JNW’s One Word Photo Challenge.. I wonder if anyone else took this take on the challenge. I’ll have to take a look! Cheers!

Jelly Bean Rainbow

Jelly Beans

I love jelly beans! Rainbows of color and flavor bring a smile to my face.

These are “gourmet” jelly beans with flavors like pear, peach, lemonade, jalapeño, toasted marshmallow, coffee, blueberry, grape and sour cherry. You can even mix the flavors for a taste sensation like fruit smoothie which adds a vanilla jelly bean to fruit flavored beans. Or, make a blueberry muffin by combining one buttered popcorn with two blueberry beans. Or, taste happy hour with margarita, piña colada or strawberry daiquiri jelly beans! Enjoy!

*posted in response to the daily post weekly photo challenge:
ROY G. BIV

Flags (One Word Photo Challenge-Windy)

Stars and Stripes

*posted in response to JNW’s One Word Photo Challenge-Windy

I love the sight and sound of flags waving in the wind. These flags are special to me because they are symbols of my country, America, and my State, Virginia. I also love that this photo, taken in my hometown last fall, shows the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. Together, all these elements represent home to me.

Here are a few interesting flag facts. There are six American flags on the moon! There is low gravity on the moon, so special flagpoles extending across the top of the flags had to be used to make it look like the flags were waving in the wind. I have read that over time the red, white and blue has likely faded to white. While that fact is a bit disappointing to me, white flags may signal peace. I found it interesting that America’s Apollo 11 mission astronauts placed a plaque on the moon that reads as follows:

Here Men From The Planet Earth
First Stepped Foot Upon The Moon
July 1969, A.D.
We Came In Peace For All Mankind

Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. (Astronauts)
Richard Nixon (President, The United States Of America)

Country Market-The Changing Seasons 06

Line up

Full Cart

Crowded House

Summer, Summer, Summertime! It’s a heat wave in June with temperatures in the 90’s. Lots of colorful plants are displayed outside of the Country Market greenhouse this month, enticing customers to stop in for a closer look.

The sensory overload is intoxicating. Warm sunlight, fragrant aromas and vibrant visions drive shoppers to give in to the urge to buy and grow plants.

Few could resist the temptation. Could you?

This is my sixth installment for Cardinal Guzman’s Monthly Photo Challenge. We are to post 5-20 pictures each month at a nearby location to showcase the changing of seasons and hone our photography skills. You should check out his photos and the links that he posts to other entries you may also enjoy viewing. You can see my previous galleries by clicking on the Changing Seasons header at the top of this page.

What? It’s Off-Season

What?

Since it is June and winter is long gone, I should have packed away my gloves. Instead, I left them out and they became a siren call to my pup, Pal.

Pal is a funny boy. He is lavished with attention but has recently learned he can get even more with his antics. He has started going from room to room and then walking by us with a treasure, like a sock or scarf or oven mitt or even a pair of pants carried by one pant leg with the other dragging behind. He doesn’t try to hide his behavior. He slowly walks by, shifting his gaze to make sure he has been noticed. He knows how to get a reaction.

I want to be mad, but he is just so funny that I laugh instead. Pal is a clown. He knows we will go over to him and sternly tell him to “put it down.” This will go on until he releases his grip or is bribed with a treat.

I know…I know…I am not a dog whisperer! I know not to reward his behavior. At least I have him shake my hand before he gets his snack.

Recently, my winter glove was his treasure of choice. He seemed to be thinking, “What? You don’t need this. It’s off-season.” Lesson learned…by me!

*posted in response to the weekly photo challenge: Off-Season

Slippery When Wet (One Word Photo Challenge-Wet)

Wet

Slippery Haiku (Wet)

The damp reflection
cautions slippery when wet
as the rain falls down

*This companion piece to Raindrops on the Rail is posted in response to JNW’s One Word Photo Challenge-Wet.

Vivid Blooms

Vivid Azaleas

Azaleas showcase the vivid colors of nature, drawing my eye to bright pinks, greens and whites. My eyes widen at the glorious vision of beauty right outside my door. I know the burst of color is fleeting, so I never tire of the sight. Isn’t nature grand?

*Posted in response to the daily post prompt:
Vivid

Land Locked (One Word Photo Challenge-Dry)

Land Locked

Land Locked (Parched)

Like a boat out of water…dry.
Craving a chance to float.

(posted for JNW’s One Word Photo Challenge-Dry. )