Is it Week 6 Already? 365 Photo a Day

Another week has flown by so quickly.  Such a busy month as a mother with long President's Day weekends, science fairs, and Valentine's Day parties. I still manage do post a photo for each day of this week, unfortunately not each day. But no one is perfect.

So this last week was a view back over the last few years.  This photo of a tree trying to survive at White Sands was taken in spring of 2012. I've always loved it, but thought it might not appeal to everyone so I just left it untouched until now.

White Sands Evening 37/365

These beautiful boats can be found in Tarpon Springs, FL.  Oh how I miss the warm weather and the water. I wish I could be a snowbird.

Sponge Dock Evening 38/365

This billboard was along the road in New Mexico at the edge of a Ghost Town.  It doesn't say much but I love the clouds and the light.

Ghost Town Billboard 39/365

This is from a photo shoot a few years ago.  Pressed for time and in an unfamiliar location requested by the client I always wondered if it could have been better.  The clients loved the photos, so it was me not them.  I do think that I have defiantly improved my editing skills since then and like this image much better now.

S with her dog 40/365

I wish I could find the time to travel Route 66 again.  This photo if nearly 5 years old and taken with an older digital camera so enlarging beyond 11x14 might show some digital grain. Oh well, still a great photo.

Soulsby's Shell Station IL 41/365

I love the Folk Art of the Southwest.  These bunnies are so fun.  I have a flying pig in a similar style, and if my cats wouldn't chew on everything I would have more.

Bright Bunnies 42/365

In early summer these trees bloom in my yard.  The provide berries for the birds in fall, but this past spring we had an abundance of moths and they seemed to love these blossoms. 

Summer Moth 43/365

I hope you like them.  Not sure what next week has in store.  If the weather ever warms I have a few things my daughter and I would like to try. One of these days.


Have a wonderful week. And thanks for visiting!
Lorissa

Exciting Week 5! 365 - Photo a Day

Hello Again.
Wow! This week has flown by.  I was hoping to get a post up about the valentine's my daughter and I made for her class, but not this past week.  Maybe this weekend?
This week I had some fun and many of the photos are floral.  Last spring I took a bunch of photos of our blooming cherry tree, but just stored them away on my computer.  Finally I got to work on them. I also have a joyful portrait and some landscapes of White Sand National Monument in the mix.

This makes me smile every-time I see it!

Joy in January 30/365

I just can't help it, that happiness is infectious.

The spring theme may have be subconsciously because of the warmer weather.  I could actually go outside without a coat yesterday. These beauties are white plum blossoms.  So sweet.

Plum Blossom Pastel 31/365

Now for the Cherry Blossoms:

Pink Bee 32/365

Pink Bee Flying 33/365

Pink Spring 34/365

Spring Bee 35/365

Did I mention that there is also a bee in the photos?  They just love the cherry tree in spring.

And now for White Sands:

Evening Sand Pinks 36/365

It is the image of the perfect end to a wonderful day, and it was.

I hope you have enjoyed them all.  Come back next week for more.  Also, don't forget to check out my LJ Longfellow Fine Art Photography Etsy Shop.  I might not have them all listed, but you can always use the "You Choose" listing to get exactly the image you want for your home.

Thanks,
Lorissa

Dreaming in Spring

I dreamed of soft white blooms against a sky blue.
I dreamed of the warmth of the sun on my skin.
Dreaming in spring of things that are true.

Spring Emerges - Tulip

The days grow longer and warmer. Birds sing the songs of spring while beautiful greens, yellows and reds emerge from the ground.


I have yearned for spring for the last few months and finally it is here.



Enjoy the beauty.
Lorissa

Win - Help me find a great title? Contest

I just listed this HDR Landscape of an Alaskan Sky taken from on top of a glacier in my Fine Art Photography Etsy Shop and my LJDesignPhoto Photography shop on 1000 Markets, but in not sure what to title it. I'm really happy with the results and each time I process another HDR image I learn something new. Here I used the process to bring out the details in the clouds and sky.


I listed it as an Untitled work and now I need your help. I think coming up with a title is one of my least favorite things so I'm asking you to suggest a title a title. In just over three weeks, on April 10, I will pick my favorite and award that person $30 in credit to use in any of my stores!

To Enter:
Leave a comment below with your suggested title.
You can leave a new one each day to better your chance to win.

I will close the comments the night before around 10 PM Mountain time.
The winner will be my favorite title.
The credit will be good for 6 months and has no cash value.

Tell your friends and you could also win an ACEO.

Thanks and good luck!
Lorissa

*********UPDATE!!!***********

I extended the date of the contest to after Easter, to get everyone time to think more if they would like.

and Yes, you can enter more then once. Enter a new title once a day if you would like.

Also, help promote this contest and you could also win an ACEO and a badge to your shop or blog on my blog for a year.

Family Hiking in Canyonlands - Needles District

This past fall my husband, daughter, and I went on a little RV adventure to Canyonlands National Park in the Needles District. There is nothing much to do there except enjoy the beauty of the the area. Really, in the needles district there are no cell phone service, no showers, but a lot of trails. Backpacking, hiking, and some truly 4 wheel driving roads are the only way to explore this beauty. There are easy trails like one to an ancestral Puebloan granary and another takes you a historic cowboy line camp and prehistoric pictographs. Then there are long trails (about 60 miles of interconnected trails) to fantastic views, colorful sandstone spires, arches, and archaeological sites. The best way to explore these long trails is to go backpacking overnight with lots of water. Basically there is something in Canyonlands for every skill level and it makes a wonderful place to visit with the family.

During our visit we hiked a few of the shorter trails, along with a small section of the larger trail called the Squaw Flat Loop that was near the campgrounds. They do tell you that the longer trails are especially rough and require negotiating steep passes with drop-offs, narrow spots, or ladders, but we thought we would be safe close to the campground on a short loop between the two. LOL - We were so wrong. I didn't take my camera, because we thought we were going on a flat trail with not much to spot but cactus and lizards. The trail looped around and up and over the formation that sat right behind our campsite. It was amazingly beautiful, but I was a little worried as we were walking on the top of the sandstone structure with only five feet of rock between drops off on each side. The rock rose in a way that made it difficlut to judge what might come next and we kept just pushing ahead thinking it would be easier then turning back. We "scrambled" a lot and I even tore a large hole in my jeans from shuffling over the rock with my daughter in my arms. The photo above shows the formation we hiked over. It was just the lower part on the left, but we walked on the top of that and came down the steep slopes and sandstone rims to get back to the campground with a 4 year old in tow. Looking back it was beautiful, but I don't think I would have taken a 4 year old up there to hike if I had known. She did wonderfully though and it is a memory and accomplishment I don't' think she will ever forget.

The next day we hiked the Slickrock Trail. This is the longest of the short trails and is about 2.4 miles round trip. It was listed as having uneven surfaces, viewpoints, and sometimes bighorn sheep. We didn't see many sheep that day, but lots of beautiful views. This is actually a great trail for kids. Enough "scrambling" over the rocks to satisfy them (really very little for those who have long adult legs) and a few shady places to stop and rest when needed.

The panoramas from my blog post Hiking at Canyonlands National Park were taken while we were on this hike, but I thought I would share some more personal photos that show my hubby and daughter actually hiking.





As you can see they have the trail marked with cairns (small rock piles) which really helps you not get lost when the trail is mostly sandstone. Though, we did get off trail a couple of times and had to go back to the last cairn we were at and then scout around for the next.

The viewpoints were well marked. One you had to go out on a long thin rock formation that had a major drop off on both sides. This was the one viewpoint we didn't go all the way out to (because we had enough of our heart popping out of our chests the day before with our four year old so close to the edge of drop offs). Then, once we thought we found the view point:

Only to find this sign at the bottom once we figure out the way down:


You can actually see the sign in the last photo. I thought it seemed kind of a funny place to have the sign laying, but it worked and we found our way.

While this isn't the Grand Canyon, it is just as beautiful and a lot less crowded. It is a place that everyone should try to visit at least once.

Thanks for letting me share this adventure with you.
Lorissa

PS. I thought about being Wordless today for "Wordless Wednesday" but decided I had to much to share with these photos. Maybe next week.

My Poor Cherry Tree

Oh the fun of learning to take care of new things.

I've never had and ornamental cherry tree until this last year and it is one of the reasons we loved the house when we saw it. Last year when we first look at the house as potential buyers the tree was in full bloom and looked so beautiful. This year we were looking forward to enjoying it's beautiful blooms daily, but unfortunately it hardly bloomed this year.

The main reason, I believe, was the two late snows we had while the buds were just coming out. After the second snow most of the small unopened flowers just started to fall off the tree. While I got some lovely shots of early blossoms with snow on them, we never got to enjoy the tree in full bloom.

Not all the blooms fell off before flowering, and up until yesterday it still had a patch of flowers here and there. Here are some photos of it's last flowers.

Purple Iris - Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Little Humming Birds

Check out my etsy store for my newest item, a set of 5 Humming bird Note cards. This series was taken over a couple of weeks. It was a thrill to watch the babies grow and finally fly away. We have lots of birds visit our feeders, but humming birds are my favorite.


Each card has information on the back, a little bit about hummingbirds and/or the time it was taken. They are made with acid free card stock. The cards are 5x7 folded with a 4x6 size photo and blank inside. I sign each card (but not the photo) and can be easily framed.

Back But Not Settled

I'm Back.
The family is moved. Most of the boxes unpacked. Schedules are starting to fall into place. Daughter is well. And things are starting to feel normal again.
I do not recommend moving to anyone. No matter how fun you try to make it, no matter how prepared you think you are, the upheaval of your life is a momentous event that disrupts everything. I am so relieved it is over.
I thought I would share one funny moment from the moved. My DH (that's darling husband) suck this sticker on my daughter's pull-up (a pack we purchased solely for conveyance during the move, but since has become her favorite item of clothing, ugg) and I just had to get a snap shot.

Our new house is wonderful. We hope to have our daughter grow up here and to grow old here. We live just far away enough from the city and in a community with wonderful amenities and lots of open spaces. The education system is wonderful and there are lots of activities to entertain both children and adults.
While settling in we met some of our neighbors. The first ones we met were in the tree just outside of our living room windows. They had just started a family of their own and I couldn't resist getting a photograph (that is available now in my etsy store) with my zoom lens.
The baby humming birds are just peaking out of their small nest. I'd never seen a humming bird nest before, so at first I wasn't sure what it was. What a joy to discover that it was a precious family of humming birds.

With things getting back to normal I 'm hoping that my posting will to. The plan is to post twice a week. Monday or Tuesday will be focused on Route 66 and a second one will be random. I could be an interview, an opinion on art or an article on art, a new photo, or just some random thought. I'm also thinking of having a giveaway soon to celebrate the end of chaos, so keep checking back.