Let the Sunshine In...

These gorgeous sunflowers look like mini bursts of sunshine to me. I drove around last weekend looking for a field of sunflowers to take pictures of when there was a field just down the street from the house. I got brave this afternoon and pulled into the driveway to ask the homeowner if I could park and take some pictures. Tim and Sharon were quite happy to oblige. Thank you! Tim planted these sunflowers for his mother who lives with him. She enjoys looking at the birds and butterflies that they attract. Sound like really nice people to me! I may pop back in next week at a different time of day to try to see what other nice shots I can get.







I took a nice dragonfly picture today at the swamp. We stopped by my favorite 'barn' too. The sky was so pretty. I also did some sugar glass shots. I just jumped all around today on themes inbetween everything else.

The rest of today's pics are here.

I Spy Round Two

Our I Spy picture tonight has an obvious school supply theme. What do you spy?

I Spy a ?

Have you ever read one of the "I Spy" children's picture riddle books? The first time I read one, it was one of the big, hardback books. There is a list of words and sometimes pictures of items that you are supposed to be able to find in various darkly shot pictures throughout the book. I was lousy at finding the pictures. Plus, I wanted to read my kids a story not hunt for tiny objects in a photo. I wasn't sure they were for me.

Well, I've had a change of heart. First off, Joey can read the basic words now. Second, both kids delight in actually finding the objects in the pictures. Imagine Joey on my left and Johnny on my right on the love seat and us happily searching in the book I'm holding. Third, they make Level 1 reader "I Spy" books now. A little simpler for us older eyes.

We read "I Spy a Butterfly" after dinner tonight and then one thing lead to another:-) We started setting up our own I Spy style layout, and then we took pictures. The boys with their cameras and me with my camera. I got to use the tripod...woo hoo. It was a lot of fun scavenging the house for objects, arranging them, and then taking the pictures at various angles, distances, and with various lighting. You should have seen the tin foil blocking/redirecting the light coming from the lamp near the refrigerator. One of these days I'll have a real flash or flashes for my camera. Until then, there's nothing like good 'ol aluminum foil.

See what you can see in the pictures. And, if you need help, check out the homework that Joey did afterward with some of the printed picture images.

Enjoy!

Yates Mill Pond

The boys and I spent the afternoon at Yates Mill Pond (again). I carried in 4 cameras. My S3 and my SX10 and Joey's and Johnny's cameras plus two tripods. I helped Joey set up his camera for the water spill. He was a tad more interested in the skink over on the rocks, but he had fun. I tried to get a 'good' shot. I tried to get a 'different' shot. I'm not sure I succeeded, but it was fun trying. Johnny got in on the fun too shooting pics with the SX10 on Joey's tripod. He was super pleased with himself, and that was cool. After 4 waterspills, I finally relented to leave the area to Joey's delight. He was thirsty. I let them tank up at the visitor center, and then we walked the pond trail for some exercise before returning to the car. Fun time as usual.

More pics start here.