Today – My topic was mushrooms as I did my bike ride: (I’ll show you two views of one mushroom)
What did I do all day? biked/exercised, cleaned house, to DMV to update license. I Have CDL and they require answers to questions every now and then, got Grandma snapper fish for dinner — I had leftover pork! – we played a few holes of golf –that is it so far.
You know, I was thinking about what I said the other day — I like to go out search for one target topic to photograph — I said the target could be smart dogs, dumb dogs, mushrooms, birds, garbage, leaves that are not green,….. what ever .
Max, I know, years ago was looking for license plates from every state. — think he got them. My brother looks for clocks. I have a neighbor that looks for rocks. These later folks are collectors rather than photographers. But you see, Max did not have to steal/buy the plates, just photographed them. — much less expensive that way, and not all, but most photo targets are legal.
Grandma just came in and told me of an article she read about older folks, I think as old as nursing homes, — but any way — they lived longer and were happier if they lived a life with the excitement of a passion. I think she was telling me that her wonderful passion with the arts is a good thing — Now, I am sure you grandkids knew that it is a good thing — Each of you were taught, taken to see, and/or received finished products of her passions in fiber arts, oil painting, watercolor painting, — and yes live stage performances.
So I went back thru some of my photo archives to see what some of my targets of the day were (called TODs ) — I have a short attention span for my passions – not a life time like Grandma (Oh, I just rationalized me — I have a life time passion for passions!). anyway, I will pass along 1 photo from some of my photo targets – maybe they will trigger a thought in your mind!
1. How ’bout paintings on walls, railroad cars, billboards….
2. You know I do clouds. How about food:
3. How ’bout fountains: (or fountain pens) oops I tweaked this one a little:
4. I run a photo club in our community and we often do field trips for one target topic — sometimes Grandma goes along — here is one of her selections when the target was – feathers
5. The end – many opportunities to search out things that are “Over the hill” – Grandma says, take a self portrait — I made that up!
6. These seeds could be the end or the beginning
7. Faces is a fun target:
You got the idea! — Rest assured, I do have thousands of Photos in many different target topics — Before I go, here is one from Grandma’s photo club shoot – target = doors:
Or how about a target of Decals/Bumper stickers:
Or last but not least target “Patterns”
Now I go — My Target is Read and Sleep!
TGO (The Great Outdoors)is the name of our community here in Titusville, Fl. And I love the outdoors – this morning at 8 am I went on the golf course and played a few holes by myself – and of course took numerous photos of the outdoors that I love so much. No horses though! Perla would love this golf course pasture.
Now the Hidden Lakes thing – where in the world do you think the That name came from? Simple, there are 2 lakes which this section of homes is built around – So, Joe suggested the developer call it Twin Lakes — of course that was rejected by the God of town name in the State Town Naming office in the capital building. Uhdaunted, the developer told Joe to call it “Hidden Lakes” – “How so?” Said Joe? “Oh, to keep down the gator population we hid a few lake under houses – Jim’s house is hiding one – there are a few others – now, you know how Hidden Lakes got it’s name. Again, I say, go research your town and see how it got it’s name.
Horse behavior is best understood from the view that horses are prey animals with a well-developed flight instinct. Their first response to a threat is to flee.
Perla is the Icelandic Breed – they are a pure breed because it is said that since the Vikings brought horses to Iceland – no other horse came into Iceland – For generations, this “Viking Horse” was used for every type of work and entertainment from draft to riding to companion to being a war horse to food – yes if a horse had a bad trait,such as too flighty, it was culled from the herd and used as food. The result is a breed, selectivley bred, that is more docile, smarter, and more trusting of its human partners then many other breeds – I am biased I know – but Perla is the best of the best!! Never the less, Perla is still a flight animal and will run when scared — I must be careful. A few years ago, in Texas, my horse, scared by my hat being blowed off, ran right over me. I wore an arm cast and leg brace for weeks to prove it. But, I love to see Perla run – look at the photo of an Icelandic “Tolting” above — is that not a beautiful sight! Oh, what is tolt, u say? “tolt?” is one of the Icelandic’s gaits – about the speed of a trot, but perfectly smooth – perfect for my old bones – and let me tell you I am learning how to comminicate to Perla that I want her to Tolt – it is a fun exercise – when we communicate clearly, we are a real team. Love it
Do you think I really trained this grasshopper? I got it to do what I wanted it to do- I wanted it to sit there while I photographed it. I was riding bike on St Johns trail yesterday when I saw this guy sitting in the road — got off the bike – took out my iPhone – walked back to Mr/Ms grasshopper – naturally it hopped away. Say I to me — open road is scary to GRASSHOPPER – every time I got near – even if my shadow got near, it hopped away – could not get a photo – Say I to myself “I have here a tiny flight animal” It needs some grass to protect it, then it will trust me- so, I got a clump of grass and set it where I thought the next hop would be – lo and behold – it was – Mr/Ms hopper landed on it and it allowed me to take many photos – even if the iPhone was only inches away from it. Did I train it or just convince it that it was safe and it was ok to just sit there for the photo shoot?
Told you one of my jobs was to convince the builder that he wanted to solve our wate problem – we have taken the first steps with success. Technique here is a little different – I think the flight here is to run toward success (money (in case you did not know, home builders love money), builder reputation, respect ) – still working on this one. I am convinced I can not train him but I know I will find a way to convince him that he wants to solve my water problem — at mostly his expense.
Hey Grandkids, did you smile as you handled today’s challenges? I tried to smile as I handled mine — was not easy! – but, I did it!