Morning in the country



This mornings sunrise

Living out in the country has it's advantages and it's drawbacks; while I get to view wonderful wonderful scenery and sunrises like these, it also means having a persnickety Internet.  My cell service is a little on the erratic side, too.  If we are lucky we get one bar.  It's not unusual to go outside and see a neighbor outside on their porch trying to get better reception.  Personally I think the view is worth it although it sometimes keeps me from posting and just plain being on the Internet.

Rise and shine

My second problem with posting recently is the little understood or acknowledged problem with Fibromyalsia.  One of the theories of what Fibromyalsia is; is that it is a problem with the bodies electrical system.  In one of the books I've read on Fibromyalsia talks about how one lady complained to her doctor about how she seemed to affect the lighting around her.  Her doctor dismissed it as her imagination till her left the office right after her and saw the street light dim as she walked under it.  Apparently people who have this disease also have problems with electronic watches and computers.  Personally I have gone through 4 watches in 7 weeks, had the lights lights dim in the bathroom, and had and still have freaky, flaky computer problems.  The last has been a really big problem in this last week- sometimes I can get the Internet, sometimes not and this is over and above the Internet problems from living in the boonies- sometimes I can't open any of my programs.  Grrrr....



I hope you

Enjoy

this country morning as much as I did.

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Movement- Thematic Photography #180



Homing in

This weeks theme for Carmi's writteninc is Movement.  Even though the skateboarders I posted a couple of days ago where my first concentrated effort on capturing action shots; in going through my photos I saw that I had indeed captured some movement in my photos.  These shots were mostly accidental in their capture.  This bird is a good example; I was shooting birds at the feeder on my front porch and just happened to click the shutter at the right time.

Jogging ponytail

 This photo was another case of being in the right place.  We used to have joggers who would use our sub-division and it's cul-de-sacs as a track to run on.  I was outside taking photos when this jogger ran by with her ponytail swinging as she jogged.  I liked watching the ponytail and snapped this shot.

Blowing in the wind

This photo was on purpose.  I had been out walking the dog on this blustery day and decided to try to capture the movement of the wind in the leaves.  I set my camera on the my tripod so the branches would be clear and steady; I then slowed down my shutter speed.  I really liked the results.  Instead of a crisp capture of a moment in time; I think I was able to capture the essence of the wind.

For more interpretations on this theme go to writteninc.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺



Serendipity-Looking back

Sunset in July

Every cloud has a silver lining or in this case a colorful one.  Just because I am down and out with a broken foot does not mean that I can't find something to enjoy.  In this case I am going back through some of my older photographs and editing them.  This is turning out to be a delightful activity for me.  I am finding new favorites and am enjoying seeing some of the progress I have made as a photographer.  Even with this broken foot there is Serendipity if I but choose to find and follow it.

Early Morning Light

I am using the theme of Glow from Carmi's WrittenInc to show off some of my photos that I am editing.

Explosion of fall colors

Hope you

Enjoy

this as much as I have

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Life as I see it

"but maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be."

Don Quixote from Man of LaMancha

Even though I really like the movie and story of 

Don Quixote, the Man of LaMancha, and his madness that refuses to let him see anything but the good and how he managed to change lives because of it; there are times when it helps to see life as is it.  This is how I'm going to see life for the next month or so, with my feet up and in a walking boot.  I broke my foot yesterday.  It was a stress fracture.  It seems that in spite of the fact that I have been feeling better and doing more than I have been able to do for quite awhile; I need to keep in mind that my body is still fragile.  Sometimes it helps to keep in mind the realities of your life so you can take care of yourself and not get hurt.  However in spite of my setback I still believe that you should concentrate on how life should be, can be or is going to be.  Because of this belief I'm going to show you photos I took Wednesday when I was feeling good.  I arrived early for a doctor's visit and so I went to the walking park at the hospital. Where I went for a walk and to take pictures

It is a pretty little park, that is a delight to visit.  I like going there when I have a doctors appointment at the hospital.  It always lifts my spirits to see this kind of beauty next to a place of healing. This is the park where I took the photo that I edited and turned into my avatar.

Enjoy

♥♥♥Johnina♥♥♥

BTW: The DVD of the movie Man of LaMancha is available through Amazon; just go to the Amazon search button on the top right of this blog and type in Man of LaMancha.  It always amazes me at all the things you can find there.

Growth of a photographer

Ready,set .....

Photography has given me many benefits.  I now see the beauty and wonder of the world through my camera lens.  This helps lift my spirits and has gotten me through some pretty tough times.  But it has also helped in my personal growth.

 Today between Physical therapy and two doctors appointments, I had some time to spend so I went to the local city park.  I intended to just take photos of the grounds, which I did, but while I was there I happened to see these two young men out on the Skateboard Park.

  When I first started taking photos, I took pictures around my house due to my shyness.  I learned to overcome that shyness and started to take photos in the nieghborhood.  I graduated from that to taking pictures from my car.  Then on to taking photos in the city and in stangers yards.  I started meeting and talking to total strangers and I found this delightful.  However I had not introduced myself as a photographer until today.

  Today when I saw these young men, I saw an oppurtunity to practice some action shots.  So I introduced myself (something I had not done before) and asked if they minded if I practiced my Photography skills on them.  They were delighted.

  After I was finished I gave them one of my info cards and told them about my blog.  They were excited about being included on my blog and having thier skateboarding on the web.  I hope they do indeed check out my blog and maybe leave a comment.

Photography has changed my life: enriching it in so many ways.   I have grown in many ways not just in skills, but on a very personal level.  I  am expanding my world and enjoying life on an entirely different level. And just like I have learned to see the beauty in the world I photograph, I now see myself in new ways .  

ENJOY

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Bad Dogs and Leash Laws

This critter is the main reason why I have been missing from the web for the last week or so.  I live out in the county where there is no leash law.  Dogs are allowed to roam as they please.  They are only required to have a collar and rabies tags.  My neighbor got a puppy about a year ago and sometimes lets him loose.  Consequently there are times when I walk out my door only to get this greeting.  This was taken while I am still on my front porch. This photo was also taken last fall and the dog is now bigger and meaner.

Anyway about a little over a week ago I checked for the dog (something I don't feel like I should have to do) and since he was nowhere to be seen and the owner's car was not there; I went outside with my dog, Rascal. Rascal was a proper puppy and on a leash. Unfortunately this dog and another of the neighbors dogs came around the side of the house and came after Rascal and me; both of them barking and growling.  I was able to control my dog as he was on a leash, but in doing so I wrenched my arms and shoulder, sprained my knee and sprained my fingers.  I was able to keep my dog from getting hurt, however Tom had to come out to chase the dogs away.  He heard the dogs and came to my rescue, for which I was very grateful.  I ended up in the ER from all the jerking around (I only had strains and muscle pulls but by the next day I felt like I'd been beat all over.  I hurt all over.  This also caused a fibromyalsia flare which just added to the pain.  I was unable to lift my laptop, set it on my lap or type without pain so no blogging, no facebook and little visiting of other blogs.

Spalding county used to be made up of farms and houses on acrages where the lack of leash laws made sense.  This is no longer the case.  I guess I am going to have to get politically active and try to get the county commissioners to change the leash laws.  I now have a couple of movies of the dog (the photo is one frame from one of them) and medical bills to show them.  Wish me luck.

Johnina  

Abstract Photography Contest



My Abstract Art Contest entry on MyShutterSpace

I belong to MyShutterSpace a great photo sharing site- my favorite.  Last sunday I decided to enter the contest in the Abstract photography group (they have a wide variety of groups to join).   The contest was to photograph a common household object but to focus in on the color and texture, so I searched for something interesting to photograph.  I found my knife set in its butcher block holder; took lots of pics from different angles and different lighting.  Got one I really liked and then inverted the colors to come up with the above photo.  Some of the other photos are below.

Abstract Knives

It always amazes me what a difference the lighting makes in shadows and even in the coloring; which shows up in these photos.

BTW: I got second place; there was not many entries but; hey, second place is still second place.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺