Signs of Fall

This week's Sunday Stills challenge is 'Signs of Fall'.

Being here in southern California, it's not like we really have much by way of signs of fall...not yet at least. Later on we'll have changing leaves, cooler weather, etc. But for now, the only signs of fall are... DECORATIONS!!

This hangs from our front door:

This is the wreath in the front of the house:

Inside, we have various decorations set around the house (yes that is a dvd player below, no it does not work):
Our table centerpiece, which I did not get a good photo of, contains lovely suflowers, etc.:

This would be the kitchen shelf and bulletin board, sporting autumn decorations as well:

These cute little fellas, the turkey and the scarecrow, hang around and add festivity to their corners:

And hanging on a wall is a large quilted wall hanging my mama made years ago:

My final sign of fall for y'all is my new blog makeover! I like changing my blog look based on the seasons, and autumn is one of my four favorite seasons. :)

Well, that's all I've got for now. Feel free to head over to Sunday Stills and see some more! :)

A GIVEAWAY!!

Dear sweet LeAnna is having a FALL Y'ALL GIVEWAY!!! Woohoo!

And I will get three entries for leaving a comment containing my favorite things, and a fall memory, and posting about it on my blog. So y'all go over there, feel free to enter...and if you win instead of me I'll just hate you forever.

Just kidding, of course.

I think.

Sunday Stills -- Purple

So this week's challenge is (drumroll please) The Color Purple. Which, as you may or may not happen to know, is actually my favorite color. Now the easiest place to find the color purple, at least in my photography experiences, has been nature -- in the form of flowers. Behold:

Thus, purple.

In other news, as a correction to the previous post, Manes and Tails actually doesn't start until NEXT Saturday...but what really messed me up was I checked the schedule and there was a misprint saying it started on September 2. Now that freaked me out, so I called my boss...but we actually start the 26. The current joke is that somebody was drunk when they set the type for that page. At any rate, I'm not sure I can withstand a whole 'nother WEEK of being without equine interaction, but I suppose I'll survive. Somehow.

By the way, do check out Sunday Stills and see all the other lovely posts that people have done with their amazing photography. Really puts me to shame, but I enjoy doing it anyway! :)

Equine Withdrawals

These are desperate times, folks.

It has been a month -- an entire MONTH -- since I have had any equine interaction. Now that's SAD.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms lists for 'desperate': despondent, wretched, forlorn, extreme, and precipitate (along with many others).

You know a girl's getting pretty despondent, wretched, forlorn, extreme, and precipitate when she starts making horses out of candy wrappers.

Meet Mr. Rolo.

That's 4 Rolo wrappers. I have discovered that Rolos help soothe the horsey ache. The chocolate drowns your troubles and the wrappers provide sculpturing medium.

That's skill, folks.

Thankfully for me, Manes and Tails starts again this Saturday, so I won't have to be so despondent, wretched, forlorn, extreme, and precipitate!! Woohoo!!

At which point, said Rolos help celebrate the revived hopes and give energy for continued life and vitality. Hersheys, Oreos, Reeses, Dove, Butterfinger, and Whoppers help as well. I love chocolate...woman's best friend. Especially at certain times. Comprende?

Monday Macros

OK, I know it's a bit late, but it IS still Monday, so here's my macro photos. These are of rocks and shells that I picked up while at the beach the other day.

Most of the rocks I picked up had holes worn right through them








This is one side of this rock:

And this is the other side:

Now for the shells. This big one has two holes.

I guess this is something along the lines of mother-of-pearl, maybe from a clamshell or oyster shell or something? Help me out here folks, I really don't know much about shells and marine life and whatnot.

These photos don't do justice to the brilliant colors.

I guess this is some sort of critter home.

The prettiest shell, a light lavender in the classic seashell shape. (try saying that ten times fast)

Isn't it gorgeous??!!

Somebody asked me on one of my macro posts about the cost of macro lenses. Now the camera I use most of the time is my parents' little Canon Powershot SD1000, which is nothing compared to the cameras that most of y'all use I know, but it's a real nice little camera and turns out some pretty nice quality photos with a little work. But it comes with a macro setting built in, so I have no idea about individual macro lenses. Can anybody help me out here and let me know what the typical macro lens costs? Thanks!

Sunday Stills -- Transportation

This week's Sunday Stills challenge is Transportation. And I must admit, when I first saw those words, my first thought was..."Awwww, now he shouldn't've done that..."

These photos were taken from the annual sidecar (motorcycle) rally in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. I won't even try to explain each one, just notice that there's a sidecar attached to each one. :)

These were also taken at the sidecar rally, but they don't have sidecars. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good photo of the bike my daddy and I rode to the rally (it didn't have a sidecar either).

This one was very interesting. If you look close it's actually a trike...with a padded seat. Cool, huh?
As long as we're discussing transportation, here's another mode. In the harbor we usually go to (to look at the boats - we don't own one), Tuffy is my favorite. Part of it is that she stands out in bright red from all the other white and blue boats in the dock, the ones with names like Hotel California and Isle Be Back and Captain Martini...but part of it is that she looks a bit like an old, experienced boat from a kids book...something along the lines of Scruffy the Tugboat. You know what I mean? She looks like she's been around awhile, weathered the storms, and now floats proudly.

But if I couldn't have Tuffy, I'd settle for this gorgeous little redhead -- she reminds me of a convertible Cadillac, style, comfort, and pizzaz. Need I say more?

However, it really isn't fair of Ed to limit 'transportation' to just, "Things that run on fuel and carry two or more passengers." Because there are some marvelous modes of transportation that run on fuel called hay...and prefer not to take more than one passenger, but will do so if necessary. This, folks, is my favorite mode of transportation:

Well folks, that's all for this Sunday Stills. There are plenty more of 'em over on the Sunday Stills blog though, so drop in and say howdy! :)

September 11

11 Septemer, 2001...

Folks, I ask you, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, please don't let this day go by without taking a moment to remember the tragedy, the victims, the horror of this day eight years ago. Take a moment and pray for our nation, for wisdom for our country's leader(s) as to how to go about handling these issues in the future, and, if you know our Jesus, for the Lord's soon return to take us from this world. Don't let this anniversary go by without commemoration.
Someone once said, "We will be the land of the free...as long as we are the home of the brave."

God bless America.

This was a forwarded email I received, and frankly, I agree.

We have two days left before 9-11-09.

On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies. We
do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and
it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

Action Plan:
Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America!

Patriotism is not something you wish for, it is something you make, something you do, something you are and it is something you give away.

Sunday Stills -- Rule of Thirds, and Macro Monday too

Better late than never, huh? And I'm not really late either, it's still Sunday :)

This week's challenge is to use the rule of thirds -- in other words, the main part of the photo is in just a third of it. So here's a daisy:

This one isn't nearly as 'thirded' as I would like, but for a late entry, what can I say??

And then my sweet Casey-dog.

OK, I seem to have some kind of thing about the left side...wonder why that is??

As long as I'm at it, might as well post the Macro Mondays photos too:
I decided to take a photo of the demise of a doggie biscuit. And these were the results.

:)