August 31/11

Our friends have an apple orchard and I was driving by it today and just had to stop to take a picture.  Here in SW Ontario the apple season is just starting and the trees are loaded!!  There is nothing better than a fresh apple off of a tree.  Can't wait to stop at their barn where they sell apples to the public.  When apple season begins you know that summer is nearing it's end :(

Apple Season

August 30/11

I know this is another flower picture, but I just had to show you these hydrangeas.  The cool thing is that they are white all summer and then as soon as it starts to get cool at night they change to this awesome lime green.  I bring them in my house each year for a pop of colour.  And they dry beautifully, staying the same lime colour when they dry.  Just pop them in a vase and leave them.  No need to hang upside down or anything like that.  They are one of my favourite flowers.  Oh...and it's called a snowball hydrangea.  Just cut them back each fall to the ground and they come back in the spring!!

A Pop of Colour

August 29/11

It's been a really busy day today, so just a quick post of a picture I took at work.  We have lots of yellow daisies on our walking path.  I love them against the blue sky.

Against the Sky

August 28/11

The beauty in nature is always amazing to me.  No matter where you look, no matter what season, no matter what country, there is always something, somewhere, that can bring happiness and peacefulness.
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.  Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.  The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."  ~John Muir 

 

August 27/11

We had a great day today...played golf with 6 of our wonderful friends and came back to our house for Chinese food.  I haven't played golf in quite a while and I am playing in a Fire Department Tournament in September.  I thought I should go out and hit a few balls, and I was right...definitely needed the practice!!  It's so nice to get together with friends and have such a relaxing day.  Will have to do it again soon :)

Golfing with Friends

August 26/11

So I found the coolest blog the other day called Selfie Magic.  It's all about taking shots of yourself!  What better way to get pictures that you and others will appreciate in the future.  It's true that when you are the one taking the pictures, there are not many(or any) shots of you...I have so many trip pictures where I have to explain that yes I was on that trip as well!!  Anyway, check the site out at http://selfiemagic.com/.  Very interesting site.  And here is MY picture for August.

August 2011

August 25/11

There was a huge storm last night...high winds, lots of rain and tornado warnings.  I know a lot of people probably got shots of the lightning, but I was too scared!!  I took a picture this morning of the leftover raindrops on the top of my car.  It's not as dramatic as lightning shots but I really like the colours.

August 24/11

My son in law found these old wood fruit baskets at the property he bought.  I'm not sure how old they are but I love anything antique!  Apparently years ago the previous owner had a fruit stand at the property.  I tried to look up the name on the basket, but couldn't find any information...I'm going to keep looking though.

A story behind everything...

August 23/11

I love white birch trees...my favourite.  Especially in the winter, they look amazing against the white snow. I liked the way the bark was peeling in this picture.
Something new I'm also doing is I've also decided to start putting my name on my pictures.  I figure if I take them, I should take credit for it!!

Bark

August 22/11

So I decided to play with my SB 600 flash today.  It really does make your pictures crisper and clearer.  I have so much to learn about it...
I love teddy bears...not that I'm a big collector of them or anything... but certain ones just draw me to them. This little guy sits in my window in my craft room with one of my favourite pins on him.

Favourite things...

August 21/11

This picture was taken at the old Waterford Train Station.  It's no longer used as a station, but I love the architecture on it.  I remember this station as a kid, running and playing around it.  Mark & I actually looked into buying this a couple of years ago. We would have loved to have been able to move it and transform it into a home.  That didn't happen but it's still in the back of my mind...

Possibilities

August 20/11

I love pictures where the focus is on what is closest to you...like the wire in this fence.  And focusing on something that you would think would not be that interesting... I just like the way it looks.

Wire Fence

August 19/11

I received this guy as a wedding gift 14 years ago from a dear friend.  She has since moved to Vancouver, but he sits on top of my cupboards and every time I look at him he reminds me of Diane.  It was such a unique gift from a very unique person.  She is one of the most personable and kind persons I have met.  When I first moved to this small town many years ago with my 2 small children, she was the first person (other than family) to call me and invite me out.  It's nice to have a daily reminder of her as I don't see her that often anymore...

Little Lamb

August 18/11

I went outside today and found Gizzmo sunbathing.  He looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself.  Just relaxing....

Basking in the Sun

August 17/11

I have no idea what kind of flower/weed this is.  But what I like about it is, it reminds me of crazy hair.  Or a little alien or something.  Crazy hair has made me laugh my entire life.  Anytime I see anyone, whether it is a baby, a grown man or woman, and they have messed up hair I just have to laugh.  I could just picture this flower with a pair of sunglasses on.  Which is in fact what I am going to do....what do you think?

August 16/11

While taking a walk today I came across these wild grapes.  I love the mixture of the green and ripe grapes in the bunch.  What does it say about me when all I can think of is a nice glass of red wine when I see grapes? Hmmmm...

Wild Grapes

August 15/11

When I drive by a field like this I just have to stop and take a picture.  It was the  height and lines in this picture that I liked.  The sky wasn't too bad either :)  Just looking at that sky makes me think how small we humans really are...

Height & Lines

August 14/11

I've said before, that taking pictures is great but it's also fun to change some of them up a bit with post processing.  This picture is the middle of a chandelier we have in our house that I have applied a "heat map" process to.  You can make something look completely different than it really is.  I love the way it turned out!!

Playing with Pictures

August 13/11

I took this picture this morning while we were sitting having our coffee.  The sun was hitting this spiders web in just that right way that it gave the web an iridescent  look.  This also reminds me of the phrase by Sir Walter Scott “Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive”.

A Tangled Web

August 12/11

This old birdhouse is at my mom's.  When I saw it, it reminded me of the old stone houses that used to be built.  Or I even thought (and this gives you a glimpse into my thought process), that this is probably what Hansel & Gretel's cottage looked like. Nonetheless, I loved the texture and look of the old birdhouse...

Old Cottage Birdhouse

August 11/11

Well I took some pictures today but none that I really liked.  So I'm posting one I took during our few days at Long Point.  This is Long Point Beach and it is one of the nicest beaches around.  When you sit at it, (we sit with our chairs in the water), you honestly feel like you are looking out over an ocean.  It's just so relaxing and calming to be by water...

Long Point Beach

August 10/11

Every day I drive by this TeePee.  It is at the Kanata Native Cultural Society.  "Kanata is a Mohawk word meaning "Village" or "Community" and it stands for keeping American Native Arts and Traditions Alive. This society is a non-Profit organization and its mandate is sovereignty through the arts".  
I'm sure a lot of you remember making teepees as a kid...this is an original one!!

TeePee

August 9/11

I've only in the past few years bought ferns for my outside gardens.  A good friend of mine has them in her gardens which are absolutely beautiful.  I always thought they had to be in the shade and were hard to take care of.  But honestly, they are so easy!!  As long as you water them everyday, they can be in full sun and are such a great addition to your plantings.  I love the way they look whether they are hanging or in pots.  So easy and they last right into fall.  I buy them every year now...

Boston Ferns

August 8/11

Meet "Princess"...such a cute little dog.  She belongs to our friends Aleesha & Jeremy.  Princess is a mix of a Jack Russell and Pug.  She is so small but fits her name perfectly.

Also today is a special day...24 years ago today I had my beautiful daughter Ashley.  Love you Ash!! I would have posted a picture of her, but she hates any picture of herself and I was pretty sure she wouldn't let me. The card I posted yesterday was for her :))

Princess

August 7/11

Today is my last day of holidays...and it has been a great week!  It has also given me some time to make some of my homemade cards, another hobby that I enjoy so much.  Here is a card I made today... There are so many kinds of love you will feel in your life, love for family, love for your significant other, love for others.  All so different, yet all so imperative in our lives.  I'm fortunate to be able to have and reciprocate all these kinds of love...

Let me count the ways...

August 6/11

I have to post one more picture from our cottage trip.  I went for a walk in the morning and saw this tree covered in plastic shovels.  The tree was in front of a cute little cottage.  What a cool idea.  It just looked so original and I'm sure their guests would never miss this cottage!

Plastic Shovels

August 5/11

I love old cottages...they have so much character.  I just had to take this picture of old tins in the cottage window.  We had a great time and can't wait to go back...

Character

August 4/11

We were at the beach all day yesterday and I have the sunburn to prove it...ouch.  I used sunscreen but just spent too much time in the sun.  I love this picture of a little girl with a wide brimmed hat on.  Children are just the best subjects for pictures!!

August 3/11

Just a quick picture today...off to a cottage for a couple of days where there is no internet.  I won't have a post tomorrow but on Friday I will post my Thursday's picture.  Today's picture again shows how you can get great depth of field.  I love how you can put the focus on the flowers and have the background blurred.
See you on Friday!!

Outside...

August 2/11

This is a Cana Lily that a friend from work gave to me.  I planted the bulbs in a pot instead of the ground, and they look so tropical by the pool!!  I've never had one flower before, so when I saw it today I just had to take a picture..I love them!!

So tropical....

August 1/11

I took this picture today because the colours caught my attention.  Just an old red tractor sitting in the greens of bushes.  The way the sun was hitting the leaves was cool too...

Red Tractor