Spotted

Noticed along a trail at Rasar Park in Skagit County, Washington... a spotted leaf with interesting shaped spots. Can you see the heart? 

P.S. I'm ignoring that leaves are beginning to change color. I'm keeping summer for awhile, since it took so long to get here in northwestern Washington state. 

Linking to Straight Out of the Camera
& Macro Monday

Garden delights!

I love this time of year, all the colors and textures and yummy treasures in our garden.

Our yellow zucchini is finally setting on... a few more days and we'll be eating it! So close! 

We have been munching on lettuce from our garden for two months now... it liked the cooler weather we were having. This lettuce is called flashy trout.


Linking with Straight out of the Camera, A Creative Harbor's Magical Monday, Macro Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday.

Raindrops

In our continuous rainy weather, there is always the moment it stops for a bit and the skies brighten. Taking quick advantage of the break, I venture out to the garden to discover magical scenes created by the raindrops. 

This is of one of the hostas my husband loves, with a host of jewel-like drops glistening in our slightly brighter morning. 

The rains return, leaving memories of the magical in-between. 

Sharing today with Straight out of the Camera

Magical Monday hosted by Carol at A Creative Harbor, 

Lisa's Chaos Macro Monday and 

Mellow Yellow Monday

Make Art, Not Trash

My son and I attended the RE-Store Interactive Workshop today, part of the R.A.R.E Recycled Art and Resource Expo. The RE-Store has an Art Station they created as an addition at various community events. You can use bits and pieces from the RE-Store to build something amazing. It’s most interesting and fun!

Here are our projects mostly completed. A man in progress, along with a square of rounds.

With the help of a fabulous recycle artist volunteer (who was quite creative and French and adorable), my son created Kevin, the Recycled Man. Cool, huh? 

The writing on the wall says Art Station - Spark! 

The sticker we brought home says:  Make Art, Not Trash! 

Happy Earth Day, everyone! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! 

Linking to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall

and Straight Out of the Camera

Old traps

Two rusty old traps hanging on an aged grape stake fence. 
for sale at Fine Art America

Linking to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall and 

Straight out of the Camera 

Garden Corner

Photograph of a magical corner in my garden. You can almost see the fairies...

Prints for sale at Fine Art America.

Other than watermark, this is Straight Out of the Camera. 

Also linking to Lisa's Chaos - Macro Monday

And a new meme: Magical Monday at A Creative Harbor  

English Daisies

English Daisies at the "farm", taken during one of my recent tours while visiting my husband during lunch.

They inspired me to attempt a technique by Carla Sonheim this past week. I posted my first creation here, if you're interested.

This is Straight Out of the Camera. 

Linking to Ruby Tuesday2 

Snowdrops

And I have evidence... 

I love my little snowdrops. Spring is coming, spring is coming! 

Other than watermark, these photos are Straight Out of the Camera. 

See other SOOC photos here:

At the Garden Show

Last week my husband and I joined the fabulous Garden Spot Nursery on their tour bus to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. As a group, we got in early to the display garden area, so were able to see them before the herds of people. The theme this year was A Floral Symphany.

Here are a few of our favorites from the show:

A hanging garden made from a pallet and a cool way to write on the garden wall.

Linking this to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall at mysticmissive. 

We loved this mosaic blue bird garden art! 

Music cut from non-skid material for the deck.

This antique harp was part of one display. The case itself dated back to 1893. 

Glowing flower pots... wouldn't this be fun to help light the deck at night?  

Clever! A piano bar for the deck! This was part of the container gardens display. 

One of the 100 year+ old trees displayed this year. It was just beginning to bud.  

It was a fun long day, and tiring after several hours wandering about. Luckily for us, the wonderful folks at Garden Spot gave us snacks and a glass of wine for the ride home. Now that's the way to do a tour. :)


Linking to
Writing on the Wall at mysticmissive
  Straight Out of the Camera

Message in the Clouds

I keep seeing hearts.

They are everywhere even

when I'm not looking.

I took this picture of the cloud formation at Little Squalicum beach while there with my husband this week, on a raptor excursion. (He's taking a class so we're out looking for birds a lot lately) I thought it would be a good example for one of my abstract landscapes.

It was not until I downloaded the photo and started editing that I noticed the heart in the center. I think the universe is telling me something. :)


This has not been cropped, it's straight out of the camera. I just added the watermark.


Linking with Cheryl at Writing on the Wall and Straight Out of the Camera.

Not on the wall

Not "on the wall", but the small mountain landscape canvas on the table is my piece for the Allied Arts of Whatcom County Members Show, on display through January 28th.


While it may not be on the wall, it IS on display. :)  Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll being in the Traveling Art Show this year again.


Oh, the top piece (yellow background) above mine was created by my friend Cheryl. She's at mysticmissive where I'm joining Writing on the Wall.


Linking to Straight Out of the Camera.

On the Wall

A form of Writing On the Wall... 

at Village Green in Fairhaven, where I spent the day at Resolutions: a Mini-workshop event hosted by Village Books, my favorite local independent bookstore. Met a variety of fun folks who also ventured out on this chilly, wet day. What a great start to the new year! 


Interestingly, a "writing on the wall"  experience I had during the workshops had to do with people who move in and out of my life. At the first class I bumped into and chatted with a lady I was thinking about just yesterday. I hadn't seen her for several months.  Coincidence? Hmmm...  :)




Other than the water mark, this is Straight Out of the Camera . If you see a raindrop, pretend it's not there. :)


Linking to Ruby Tuesday

Welcome to the New Year

Canvas of rose clouds

painted by the rising sun

welcomes a new year!

The beauty of a sunrise says good bye to the old year, 

and welcomes a new year filled with hope. 

This is Straight Out of the Camera
Simply Silver Sunday Photo Challenge

Gingerbread Walls

My son won a Gingerbread House kit at the Cascade Vocational Services work party last weekend. He spent this afternoon doing construction and decorating of said tree. Luckily the house came pre-assembled, so the major work was getting the tree together. 

 The master architect at work... 

The finished project. 

 Merry Christmas! 

Linking to Cheryl's Writing on the Wall
This is Straight Out of the Camera

Colorful

 Another favorite tree from our visit to Skagit Gardens Nursery in Mount Vernon, decorated with colorful gardening tools and gloves and watering cans. 

And a cool garden ornament frog. 

I can see a heart in the swirls, but maybe I'm just fanciful. :)

A colorful frog.

Wouldn't you be fun to see

on my Christmas tree? 

 I love to create a haiku to go with my photos, and invite you to come back to visit on Wednesday's, when I host Hump Day Haiku. And perhaps you'll share a haiku you have written. 

I thank you for stopping by and wish you a Peaceful Holiday Season!

This photo is Straight Out Of the Camera.

Linking to Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday and Ruby Tuesday


And of course linking to Guest Heart Thursday! 

Terracotta

Terracotta pots

patiently awaiting spring.

Colorful display. 

Rows of clay pots at a local nursery patiently await the spring planting season. 

Other than adding the watermark, this photo is Straight Out Of the Camera.

Linking to Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday

Flicker

On a frosty morning, the flicker comes to call

Mr. Flicker usually pecks at the side of the trees (or house) and scratches through the undergrowth for bugs, so it's a treat to see him "hanging out" at the feeder. This frosty morning he stayed quite a while, hogging the space. The smaller birds were a bit disgruntled, other than the chickadees who flitted to the other side of the feeder not minding he was there. 

Not the best picture, as it was taken through the sliding glass door (the birds refuse to hold still if I try to open the door, silly things!)

Joining Cheryl's "Writing on the Wall" over at mysticmissive.blogspot.com/

This photo is Straight Out Of the Camera

Masterpiece

fast approaching clouds

quickly changes sun lit skies

leaves a masterpiece

A late fall sunset from my front porch. I so enjoy having a treeline view from our yard. So much more appealing than man made messes, don't you think?

Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday

Autumn Color

Peaceful morning walk

admiring autumn colors

A beauty in red

Trees in full color at Memorial Park in Bellingham. I love it when the leaves are all over the ground, and rustle as you walk through them.

Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday

  Ruby Tuesday

Brown and Yellow Leaves

 

I went looking for fall color from the big old trees at the cemetery today, and came across this beautiful tree.  While wandering about getting close up shots, a funny shaped leaf caught my eye...

I've never seen brown mushrooms quite this these before. They were all over in the grass, mixed in with the yellow and brown leaves.

It's serendipity!

Among the brown and yellow leaves 

 a random mushroom heart

And this is straight out of the camera - for Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday

Also linking to Lisa's Chaos-Macro Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday,