My Town Friday Shoot Out- Through Glass

The theme this week is Through Glass, and I thought about it last week when hubs and I went out for a much needed relaxing date of Jazz and martinis. You can see our garlic fries through the martini glass. Otherwise I have to go through my files, been a busy week for me with work and open mics.

Not sure if this counts, but looking through a window while I waited inside, I decided it was a good shot of the outside weather and expresses the cold melting snowy conditions while in Boston for writers conference.

Right before landing in Hawaii last October, I captured Oahu Island through the plane window. 

Once again I feature food through my glass. I know, I know, not the same as a window. But wine goggles are not a bad way to see things when you need to relax from a super busy week.

Now go check out the others 'Through Glass' submissions for My Town Friday Shoot Out

FSO- The Dark Side & Something Touched

New Moon- When I came up with this theme I was having one of my moods. There's so much sweetness and light in the blogosphere that sometimes I just have enough and want to shout - come on people! NanU example Where's the other side? So tell me: where's the dark side of your town? What would you change about it if you could? Alternatively, what things in your town are simply dark? A shadowed walk under thick trees, a building made of basalt, a black cat... Show us in black & white if you like. For me, any photograph any time can be b&w, but it's not often that it occurs to me to go that route! ~NanU

I am late, but last week was things I like to touch, well I rather think of it as 'Things that touch me', like you guys. All of you are my friends once you touch me with your kind words and wonderful post! Here are three people who have touched me in many ways out on Gordon's lake house dock- Hubby (right), Adrienne (middle), and her husband on the left, Bob. We have so much fun together! They like to fish too, and 'wine' with us...

Okay now when I saw the title I felt like I was auditioning for another Star Wars Trilogy, so lets see if I cannot use some of my Georgia Okefenoke Swamp/Bog and a Florida photo to build my trailer...*evil laugh* ohhhhh ahhhhhhh haaaaaa! ~E (Gordon was not harmed in the making of this post, he still resides happily with his wife in St Augustine!)

Above in the early morning...do spirits linger around the campfire, or do they drift out, beyond the lake?

More turtles eat our bait than bass, so we venture off to find some fun on other Georgia waters...

As the spring night creeps in frogs and faint sounds of creatures lurking in the water are all that exist- along the Okefenoke swamp...

Cute and innocent looking snappers pretend to be un-interested in any passerby's as they perch- other territorial predators who hunger for a nibble we unwillingly give them...

Eerie trees dot the boggy waterway creating a backdrop or this beautiful but deadly landscape...

...and they say don't put your hands outside the boat for good reason- they also make you sign in at the office...in case you never return for your deposit...

Now this takes 'I got crabs' to a whole new level...'Attack of the Giant Killer Blue Crab' coming to cinemas soon... LOL, I had fun catching them; it was a quick lesson and boom I was pulling them up. Nasty pincher's though, and you have to grab them from behind, but I swiped this one with my rod!

Gordon showed us a good time down in Georgia and Florida (hubby has the other photos of him, as my camera died this trip). My FSO friend forgot to tell me some things pulled out of the water are soooo big, like the blue crabs...I did not leave him alone on the dock for too long. He has been known to wrestle some rather big fish in his day!

I have lots more, but I will share over time. Thanks for coming over to view my interpretation of Nanu's- The Dark Side. Go see more at the My Town Blog- Friday Shoot Outs, and share some of your photo stories...

I also share another photo and a 'Swamp Beauty' story about Okefenoke...

Friday Shoot Out- Things that make us smile!

Topic choice for April 16 by Kerry Bliss

A Picture that Makes You Smile

- The headache of taxes is now over. The seasons are changing. This week should be easy, fun and painless. Look through photos from your town and pick out JUST ONE that brings a smile to your face. Share it with us; tell us about the picture and make us smile too.

To be honest I cannot think of anything that makes me smile more than using photos I have taken with my new camera the past couple of years (yes, its still new to me)that have sat in files unused; until Kerry brilliantly suggest this theme! Chef E

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Albert Pine (English author, d.1851)

So, I hope they make you smile, like this photo I so cleverly took while amusing myself as my sweetie stands near the dam fishing, as I was writing poetry...

Or how about when I see my favorite flower (all of these are from the fall) in the fall, Orange Origami Dahlia- two kinds exist, the small, about the size of your palm, and then the large, which in the mid-west is grown for flower shows! There are the small to medium variety...

Once again my sweetie- who knows how much I love the color orange, so to entice me to go to an Airplane Museum to see the Spruce Goose, but in the end he gets a smile out of me...

...or when he has to stop at EVERY winery to taste wine as I am the DD in the relationship, but is he not so cute with his 'wine face' on...

Memories like this one, as we were fishing our way up and down New Jersey rivers near our house, and we stumble upon old places like this that make my imagination run wild. Maybe I will use this for an old west story, or poem...

Okay, this one is for my sweetie (he suggested this photo for you today), and you who came over here and put up with my silly sense of humor...I found my favorite section in a local restaurant...the Whining for attention section...*rimshot drum set here*

Thanks for joining us this week for our Friday Shoot Out theme!

Dust off your photo files and join us each week here at our MckLiny site...

Muse Monday 18- A Place to Meditate

Springs Dragonfly

Moving about, camouflaged by dancing leaves
a voyeur soul, on fussy winds they ride
backdrop of timeless color, their secret life along riverside,
back road trails, front yard garden, grandmothers screen door entry
softly in, comes morning light- drifts across landscapes
early morning drips, dew filled tires, lazy afternoons,
a world comes alive, but so still they wait; until a reason to fly
get close enough, lay down your head, hear their quiet

© E Stelling, 10/18/08

Friday Shoot Out- Bokeh

Bokeh by T-

In photography, bokeh is the blur, or the æsthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or (derived from Japanese word "boke", meaning 'blur') - In photography, refers to the creative use of lens blur as a composition.

I took the opportunity to use this in my food photography- like the Mineolla Oranges in the background, used in the fruit cakes...

...as well as last nights open mic, and some familir Easter treats. My 'Peeps' help me in my endeavors.

Some of the open mic friends were curious about using this 'blur' technique, so I used their beers as an example...

Then they caught the 'blur' camera bug...I almost never got my camera back!

I just think this photo was too cool, how the colors came out, and it looks like a cardboard version of me is walking the street out there!

Those poor 'Peeps' were the butt of jokes all night long...

...and then my 'Peeps' caught the Open Mic bug!

I was so tired when I got home in the wee early hours, my 'Peeps' help me put up the post for Friday!

Thanks for joining our Friday Shoot Out MckLinky, click on this link to join us!

Disclaimer- Only a few 'Peeps' were harmed sacrificed gave up their sugar existence in the making of this post...

Friday Shoot Out- Wrought Iron

This weeks theme was chosen by JarieLyn- Wrought Iron

Wrought Iron is one of my favorite architectural aspects of buildings, homes, and especially historical homes and bridges, and not my little ruse of getting you over here was funny right? Can you picture me in irons?

Do not please, I am a good girl!

The mixture of stone and wrought iron, even if it is not 'real' wrought iron as they made it long ago...

A closer look...Imagine Victorian dressed people walking along this bridge as they take in the sunshine along the water way, and walking through the park at the top...

The many farms that surround us have iron fencing, and I like to go visit the local producers of cheese and meats...I get to say hello the animals!

City boy keeps his distance from the farm animals, he is gazing as they call for attention. More fences shots...

Well looks like this is going to be short- An unusual thing for me, but I cannot find my wrought iron photos in my archives, so Thank You  for joining me for this weeks theme, and go check out the other

My Team Blogger Shoot Out

Friday Shoot Out- Circles

Circles

Doughnuts, tires, plums, and spots,drops of water, polka dots.
Cat’s eyes, toad’s skin, pearls and pebbles, a golden ring, fawn’s back,
Dalmatian paw, windows, wheels, an old buzz saw, traffic circles, prayer circles,
crop circles, semicircles, winner’s circles, running in circles, breathing in circles.

These will all do just fine too.

Sit in your chair and take one shot

Or go outside and take a lot.

Have fun! - Kerry

I hope you did not come hungry, because you know I will give you more than you might be able to bite off!

Round Raw Cocao and Date Brownies filled with Carob chips presented in my glass collection that has square bases, but round Ipswich Cut Designs that sit in my glass cases...

Round grapes, from bad eating you might escape, but honestly, how can you resist my hot molten chocolate round molded cake with caramel drizzle on my artistic square plate...

Much of my equipment is round, different colors shapes and sizes, and ingredients can be found...

If you venture out beyond my Princeton kitchens, other cultures can be found- low, wicker tables, called mesabs, surrounded by stools that are both round...

You can have fun and eat Ethiopian food with with your fingers, and with no motherly 'no no's ringing in your ears that linger...

A chef friend to whom I admire, Scott Anderson is not unapproachable, but real... Has so cleverly added a round artistic seal to his menu's. He stands out in his creative endeavors in our restaurant field...

Outside of trying new foods, cooking, exploring ingredient inspiration is to visit local wine stores with bottle, glasses that have lots of circle inspiration...they come from around the globe, which in turn is also a circle that brings us all together here on this project, Friday Shoot Out Infinity...

I finally got some pictures scanned of my kids when they were little...Ane was well rounded, and loved her social 'circle'...but my son, Aaron was shy, and when he was born, my dad's mother called him 'little round head'. She said he looked just like my father when he was born, and still does to this day! He also liked country music and we used to dance in a circle together doing the two step... He also has a round buckle on!

This is something that is circle in shapes, layer to layer, also your body it will inflate (forgive my weakness, I do not support nor advise fast food eating, but Big Macs just appear in my car?), and to the next photo you will relate...

Oranges are also round like the color of my bike; its tires take on that shape. With it beautiful places for inspiration are found, as well as shrinking my body that is also very round!

While on my journey this week, and to that round sandwich I also was a bit weak. Busy with work, starting a new leg of my business, and also a little secret I will share... I have to prepare for a video, a call I got requesting this get done for a casting call on a well known cooking show, but at this moment can only say cross your fingers for me...later on, not to jinx it I will let you all know...

The sign says it all, we appreciate that you visit us each and every one!

Go see what other circle objects have been found at My Town Blogger- Friday Shoot Out (You can also join!)

FSO- Up/Down Your Town

Everyone is so good, so creative in their interpretations of our weekly topics that I almost was lazy and didn't write anything about it. This topic was originally suggested by Sara Lulu but because she no longer participates, I couldn't ask her to write something for us and I liked the suggestion so much I just took it as ours.
So here goes my ideas on this topic for our towns ....

Look down at your feet, at the surface where they walk. Look back, back the way they came and where they go.

Look up, above your head. What can you see? How is it protected? What lights your days and your nights, on the path that you walk?

This topic brings so much to mind I will probably have trouble settling on one thing - just this week I have noticed designs in the tiles in the front of stores, floors that are wood and some that are bare concrete - designs are so distinctively Brasil - we'll see you on Friday. -GingerV

Okay, you guys are used to my artistic sense of adventure and interpretation. I got asked to video an very lovely and talented singer/songwriter Flora Newberry. She teaches music as a prestigious school in downtown Princeton. She needed a video for her father's 70th birthday, since all the siblings were sending that to him this year. I said "It's sunny outside lets go to one of my favorite spots. I just wrote a poem about it, and I always felt Princeton Battlefield Monument would make a great back drop for my directorial debut one day.

Ha! We get there and the sun is gone, and we are very very cold, but the show must go on! I used it for my 'Look Up, Look Down' theme as well.

Here is my perspective with sound- sung by Flora Newberry...




You know how tomatoes go, you look on the ground and figure this is a good spot to plant them. Then before you know it your looking up at a beautiful plant, then you want to eat'em!


Home Grown Tomatoes Song Written by Guy Clark, but popularized through singing by John Denver- Video directed and filmed by E Stelling (always wanted to see that somewhere)...


Thank you for stopping by and you can go check out more My Town Friday Shoot Out Members...

FSO- Birds

Whilst visiting some of the town bloggers, I had noticed that photographing birds in the garden was a popular pastime so my first thought was to suggest a subject of garden birds. But then I realised that not everyone has the equipment to photograph the real things. That made me look out for alternatives and I noticed sculptures, posters, little models and various other things with birds on them so I hope that your town will prove equally productive and am really looking forward to seeing your birds (real or otherwise). All the best, Scriptor Senex

[My son's city team bird]

When I saw we were going to keep our eye out for birds, I found myself sheltered in my son's drafty and cool apartment right after a snow storm blew me into town last week. I thought surely even the birds are tucked all warm into their nests, so how in the world would I be able to take some decent shots.

Even I forgot about how we can stretch and interpret our themes into some creative output for the members. My St. Louis boy said "Mom, you are in the land of the Cardinals, and I have this jacket on, so bring on the camera"!

St. Louis boy and I went to see Avatar yesterday. I kept reading Mark's snippets about the movie over the course of  this week, and decided before he gave away the story we would go and see it for ourselves. Yes, I illegally took an IPhone photo of the rather odd alien bird flying across the screen. So squint and you can make it out. I am out on just how great it was...

This takes me to the good looking St. Louis boy, and his beautiful bird escort! Notice they are supporting some hot new 3D glasses. Think they can make a savvy fashion statement if they leave the theater this way...uh, I do not think so, but it was good for a laugh!

Now the snow had begun to melt and we took a nice drive, taking care of so many errands and tasks that had been put off, and what did we see, but a tree full of birds. Again you will have to squint...my IPhone does not have a zoom app...

This is the shadow of a bird of prey (below). One that places the fear of 'Ever After' Love in the hearts of girls all over St. Louis! If they happen to fall under his spell...

Ha! My son begrudgingly helped me with my bird post, by allowing his hands to form this creatures shadow on a mound of melting snow...after a few tries I finally got a shot, and with assistance from photoshop we both are hoping you feel it looks as though an eagle proudly displaying his wing span in glory atop a snowy mountain...or at least in this mothers heart...

Thanks for joining me for my 'Bird' post this week, and go check out the many others on this 'MckLinky' site...

My Town Blogger Friday Shoot Out- Birds

Here is one last photo from my archives and actually taken in New Jersey! I took last year during Easter. Food blogs have contest all throughout the year, and I entered this into a 'My Peeps' food post, and you can see my 'Roman Peeps' are protecting their plate of Italian Sun dried tomato Farro, food of the Roman troops... The head Peep is holding a very sharp (and possibly lethal) screw I found in the package of Farro I brought back from Italy the year before... Birds of a tasty kind...