Creative Photography - my old friend

As much as a picture is said to be worth a thousand words, we can bring a new dimension to pictures when we share a story to go along with them. I've strived to do this with Roger's Creative Photography Contest (visit other participants HERE) and I figure this week shouldn't be any different.


Ask anyone about their most vivid childhood memories and everyone has a special moment (hopefully mostly good) that comes to mind.

One of mine involves the tree in Dad's front yard. It's been there for as long as I can remember. I'm quite saddened at the thought that by the fall I'll have to say goodbye to my old friend as it has died. 

Many upcoming winters were judged by the berries on that tree. It's been used as home base for more hide-and-seek games than I can remember. And it was my friend when I was forced to spend time in bed during my bout with chicken pox, allowing sweet feathered friends to perch on it's branches as I listened to their cheerful songs.

The most vivid of my childhood memories involving my friend the tree is one of lying in a soft and fluffy bed of freshly fallen snow under leafless branches and watching lovely lace mademoiselles flutter down from the sky. It was made all the more magical because of the Christmas lights that my father so lovingly and patiently had strung on the branches... bright colourful lights that made the snow sparkle like a priceless trove of rubies, emeralds, sapphires and canary diamonds.


I was never cold when my friend sheltered me.



I examined it closely lately and found all manner of interesting things.

Imagine my surprise when I found it was staring back at me!

Even in death it sustains life...

But it's the alien sticking out from it that gave me pause.

Which picture did you like the best?

Would you share a vivid childhood memory?

"Happiness is sharing a bowl of cherries and a book of poetry with a shade tree. He doesn't eat much and doesn't read much, but listens well and is a most gracious host."

~Astrid Alauda

Creative Photography Contest no 7

Last summer, my Chicklet and I took a trip through New York State and on our last day, as we were driving home we passed an old cemetery near the town of Peru.

We decided to stop and take a look. It wasn't anything fancy or even particularly big and ornate but I thought maybe it would be good for these old souls to have someone think of them for a bit.. As you can see from the sign, it dates back to the early 1800's.

As we walked among the old gravestones of Blockhouse cemetery, reading the names and imagining their stories, we came upon a couple of headstones that captured my imagination. The Wrangham family markers.


Thomas Wrangham was the first-born male child of Peru, NY. His first wife was Fanny.

I pictured Thomas and Fanny in my mind. He was tall and dark, with kind eyes and a mustache. Fanny was fair, with rosy cheeks that were round like small crabapples. In my mind's eye, her hair was curly.

An engraving that caught my eye was the dedication for William Wrangham who died in 1835 at the ripe old age of 100. He was buried with his wife Jennie, who was born a year before him and died... the same year as William. If that doesn't speak to the romantic in you... *sigh*

Sadly, this couple who made it past the century mark together, buried a son, George in 1807. No parent should have to bury a child.


We found this on one of the headstones... the dried up exoskeleton of a bug (I have no idea what kind of bug, sorry) ***EDITED: Charles kindly informed me, the bug is a Cicada! Thanks Charles!*** But I found it ironic that this creature would leave it's "shell" along with that of William and Jennie and the many other Wranghams interred here.

So here we go!

The first picture has very few touch-ups, I just cleaned up the colour some:




And since we were in a cemetery, I then wondered what it would have been like at night... While looking at things through night vision goggles:



In night vision, it looks like the shadow became a ghost... *insert creepy music here* Skeered yet?

Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to go visit other participants HERE in the Creative Photography Contest no 7 and please say hi to Roger, he's a cool dude.

Creative photography - Small treasure

Creative Photography Contest #6

My friend Roger has started something I wasn't sure I had the cahones to participate in, a Creative photography contest. You can get links to the other participants HERE.

I've always loved taking pictures and just over 10 years ago, my favourite subject made her way into this world.

This picture was taken several years ago in our old yard. We had set up a blanket on the lawn and Chicklet spent a portion of her day investigating the flora and fauna. I won't tell you what she's holding in those precious little hands of hers, but I can tell you ever since I can remember she's held my heart.

I made Chicklet the focal point (she's come to expect this, ya know) and softened things around her a bit. I played with the colour contrast a smidge ... and, well.. just look at it. If it bores me to gives you the step by step of how I got the picture to look this way, I expect it would bore all y'all to tears. I'm not telling you how I made Chicklet either. That's a secret! shhhhhhh! teehee!



Here's my entry, Roger...

Small Treasure

"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man."
~Rabindranath Tagore

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million."
~Walt Streightiff