Then I had some time to kill with PhotoShop sitting right up front on my computer!
Category: Uncategorized
-
November 25, 2021 – Happy Thanksgiving to ya’ll – I just had to show you what happens when I hike with iPhone in hand.
First I found this beautiful young bull protecting his herd. Then I had to step around his plop. Then I found this older plop with a mushroom growing right out of the center. Do you believe everything you see when looking a cow plops. Better yet. Do you even look at cow plops? On a rainy night, do you take your family to dinner under a cow plop mushroom? Or wear a cowboy hat made of cow plops? As you swing thru life, I hope my crazy cow plop photo art makes you laugh. ’cause a big laugh every day – or every hour – is good for your soul. -
Nov 18, 2021 – 11/21 UPDATE- Change of Seasons by Dave Cesari, and I added some photos of my thoughts and Jim’s daily life.
*********** I ADDED ANOTHER TYPE OF PHOTOGRAPHY I LOVE TO DO AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE: Photography type # 3: “ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY” OR “SURREALISM PHOTOGRAPHY”
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, This is what we had two days ago. It didn’t last and was gone by noon. Calling for more and heavier snow tonight and tomorrow. A Bluejay, a White-throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow at my feeders. The feeders all get active when it snows. Dave
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari Here are some iPhone photographs of my thoughts and Jim’s daily happening’s:
I was practicing left-hand pattern and I just turned off “base” and into “final” to land my Radio Controlled model airplane. 
Instructors took over ’cause they said my “final” was aimed for the tree 
They were worried the tree might look like this if I were left on my own for a couple of flights! But, I will get it right next time – You wait and see! 
This photo started as a photo of my 92 year old brother and wife who farmed this homestead for 70 years. I searched my memory and added a few ghosts from the past. The homestead was purchased in 1829 by our Great, Great, Great, Granddad and was farmed by Brubaker’s each generation since then – The ghost of the original house built in the 1830’s is floating in the sky. The window in the upper left of the house is the room I was born in. You can see the Brethren clothing in the other ghosts. The dress did change over time but it still is identifiable today. 
A cemetery service in the Appalachia Mountains of Pennsylvania Someone just ask me how many thousands of dollars they needed to spend to get into the joy of photography. I said: “I spend zero dollars, ’cause I like the challenge of trying to do the kind of photography I enjoy with only my iphone (and it is 5 years old).”
Here are two kinds of photography I enjoy: 1. SKY CLOUDS: 2. PEOPLE WORKING – (I have identified 20-some other kinds of photography that I enjoy) — November 21 – JUST ADDED TYPE # 3:
Type #1. iPhone – CLOUDS 
Type #2. iPhone – YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING 
Type # 2 iPhone – FAMILY TEAMS WORKING 
Photography type # 3 Surrealism photography As you swing thru life, enjoy your cell phone – not only as a phone but as a camera – then challenge yourself to photographing different kinds of photographs with it. -
Nov 18, 2021 – Change of Seasons by Dave Cesari, and I added some photos of my thoughts and Jim’s daily life.
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, This is what we had two days ago. It didn’t last and was gone by noon. Calling for more and heavier snow tonight and tomorrow. A Bluejay, a White-throated Sparrow and a Fox Sparrow at my feeders. The feeders all get active when it snows. Dave
11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari 11 20 2021 Dave Cesari Here are some iPhone photographs of my thoughts and Jim’s daily happening’s:
I was practicing left-hand pattern and I just turned off “base” and into “final” to land my Radio Controlled model airplane. Instructors took over ’cause they said my “final” was aimed for the tree They were worried the tree might look like this if I were left on my own for a couple of flights! But, I will get it right next time – You wait and see! This photo started as a photo of my 92 year old brother and wife who farmed this homestead for 70 years. I searched my memory and added a few ghosts from the past. The homestead was purchased in 1829 by our Great, Great, Great, Granddad and was farmed by Brubaker’s each generation since then – The ghost of the original house built in the 1830’s is floating in the sky. The window in the upper left of the house is the room I was born in. You can see the Brethren clothing in the other ghosts. The dress did change over time but it still is identifiable today. A cemetery service in the Appalachia Mountains of Pennsylvania Someone just ask me how many thousands of dollars they needed to spend to get into the joy of photography. I said: “I spend zero dollars, ’cause I like the challenge of trying to do the kind of photography I enjoy with only my iphone (and it is 5 years old).”
Here are two kinds of photography I enjoy: 1. SKY CLOUDS: 2. PEOPLE WORKING – (I have identified 20-some other kinds of photography that I enjoy)
iPhone – CLOUDS iPhone – YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING iPhone – FAMILY TEAMS WORKING As you swing thru life, enjoy your cell phone – not only as a phone but as a camera – then challenge yourself to photographing different kinds of photographs with it. -
11 10 2021 – Featuring Dave Cesari. Then, some photos showing thoughts of mine about “Hey, whatcha doin?”
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. All take at my feeder setups here in our yard in upstate NY. Blue Jays, a male Rd-bellied Woodpecker and a White-throated Sparrow. Cold here this morning 20 degrees F. No snow here as of yet. Dave
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari 
11 09 2021 Dave Cesari Jim wrote: One could be a portrait photographer, or a landscape photographer, or a bird photographer, or just a great photographer. Well, I am not one of those. I am what I call a “Hey, whatcha doin?” photographer.
Half my time I am outside doing stuff or I am on the computer doing stuff like this blog. I took this photo to show you what I was doin right now – writing is blog! 
We sold my facility for horses, llamas, cows, etc. So, I no longer do what I did. But, when I had those animals, I was out and about a 7:00 am. Like this nose, looking for breakfast. If you ask in those days “Whatcha doin?” , this photo tells you what I was doin. I was feeding the horses breakfast! 
No animals or farm equipment now, but I have a few different toys here in Florida. 
This one is brand new – only a day or two old. Great riding bike – The problems is, it is so easy to ride I may not be getting the exercise I need. Anyway, this photo answers the question “Whatcha doin” quite often. 
Most of my photos are taken while riding my bike and looking for interesting things like this baby alligator. “Whatcha doin?” – Just riding around, the community of The Great Outdoors where we live. 
Here is an interesting one. That skinny snake was sneaking up on that little frog. I watched him for 15 minutes, positioning himself for the attack. But a car came along and ended that pursuit. I would not have answered the phone if you called during that 15 minutes to ask me “Whatcha doin?” But this poor quality snap-shot still answers the question. 
“Whatcha doin?” – I am out and about at 7:00 am (at least this morning I was) with a group of men – they fly model RC (Radio Controlled) airplanes. The fellow in the back ground is tuning a very large gasoline engine-powered plane getting it ready to take off. Moments later he enjoyed flying this plane and put on a professional quality air show. The Blue Angles and professional stunt flyers could do no better! He is great. He is one of the men trying to teach me to not crash my plane when flying a simple pattern over the run-way. I took this “Whatcha doin?”photo to help answer the question “Whatcha doin?” around 8:00 this morning. 
That is my airplane being taxied in by the instructor – “Whatcha doin?” – I was watching him and listening to him explain how I should do it! 
You know me – when it is windy, cold , and raining like it was Saturday, there is no flying – So, I played with PhotoShop making photo art. – Now you know my answer to the question “Whatcha doin?” on such a rainy day. As you swing thru life, set it as a goal to always have fun answer’s to the question “Whatcha doin?” And take some photos to show others “Whatcha doin?” -
November 1, 2021 – Featuring Gloria Brubaker, my wife the artist.
I enjoy Gloria’s art on our walls every day – it makes me happy.
She updated her Gallery, she wrote her first Book featuring her paintings, and she joined five other women in a special Holiday Exhibition. This special posting is to announce these three events.
Just to get you thinking, let me say, paintings make perfect holiday gifts for your friends & family, for stocking stuffers, for party gifts, or to keep in your “gift closet” for spur of the moment gift opportunities.
So, click to gloriabrubaker.com – It is the place to find a gift to give or a painting for your own walls.
As you swing thru life, enjoy the art on your walls. Smile when you give a gift of art or as you sip your coffee and stare at the art on your walls. -
October 28,2021 – Featuring Dave Cesari who is Captain of the Wildlife Detectives – He found the perpetrator!
Detective Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Two days ago I went out to fill my feeders and found most of the set up on the ground. This morning I saw the culprit. This nice spike horn buck. He was here for 15 minutes or so then just wandered off. Dave
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 28 2021 Dave Cesari I find a lot of wildlife perpetrators while I am out and about – On Drummond I have had a spike just like Daves reach into a bird seed bucket and get the lid caught on his head and another one stole a Fourth of July banner and got it caught on his spikes. We got both of them out of their problem after a dozen attempts.
My local beaver on Drummond almost caused a car crash when he left a small tree he cut down in the middle of the road right beyond a blind curve – and the list goes on – But, I love being out and about watching and interacting with nature and helping young people learn to enjoy nature too.
Some photos I took (and made) of my out and about this weeK:
Let me start by showing this photo – beautiful color 
Gloria is doing outstanding in creating abstract art. She is getting invited into shows and, starting Nov 1, will be part of a “Six Women on-line Holiday Art Gallery”. (I will update this page with a link to their gallery on Monday). Anyway, when I am out-and-about, I see nature’s moisture and wind create abstract art in the sky each day. The art of the six women is better in one way – you can buy it – whereas you can not buy the sky, only look at it when you are out-and-about. 
Some times nature is hard to find. I love the way this turtle is camouflaged. Sort of looks like abstract art. 
Flying RC airplanes is, of course, an outdoor sport. This young teen is a pro at it. Here he is being interviewed by a company representative. It is great to be involved in an activity that gives young people this kind of experience in developing their skills not only in the sport but in the self confidence of being interviewed and filmed for the news and corporate promotions. 
—– then in demonstrating that skill without crashing the model airplane in front of the camera! 
While out and about in my community I see this sign every day – I wanted to show you how I think! “I never liked that Tenant anyway – Glad the community gave me a place to dispose of him” 
—– and finally, an angel in the sky! As you swing thru life I wish for you to be out-and-about. Stop and make every blink of your eye an image to enjoy. -
October 23, 2021 – Featuring Dave Cesari and a few photos I have seen, taken, and/or made in the last month – WOW!
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, Here are a few pictures for the blog. Temperatures are more fall like here. Endless rain over 3 inches in the last 3 days. Some fall warblers plus a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a White-throated Sparrow. The warblers are a Blackpoll Warbler and a Myrtle Warbler. Dave
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 23 2021 Dave Cesari Now I (Jim) will write: In September, I sold our place on Drummond Island, had a barn sale, packed some things for shipment to Florida, Conn, and New Jersey (daughter Heather’s and son Jim’s place), stored an unsold boat for the winter and other misanulus things for sale in the spring, helped Jim and Sue load the Conn/NJ things (including the bed I was born in) into the stock trailer which they pulled there. Their load included a 1948 Ford tractor which my dad (their granddad) bought in 1948. – They will keep it as a family heirloom along with the bed I was born in.
In October, I re-oriented myself to Florida. What great fun – it was relatively cool and dry so I got to spend a lot of time outdoors just seeing things and photographing many of them – Oh, I did start a new outdoor hobby which has challenged my old brain beyond what I ever expected. I will show you just a few photos of my outdoor adventures!:
Life is all art. The cloths you wear were created by a designer, the design on your rugs were created by an artist, how about the pattern on the plates your put your food on? The sky clouds are another pallet. As I left the Island for the last time this fall I stopped to salute our flag in front of the clouds over the marina on the way to the ferry. I think the clouds are a real piece of art for a backdrop to our flag! 
This cloud looks like it has a face to me. I saw it while biking here in TGO, Florida – I think it is beautiful abstract art! 
Still biking – The cross drawn in the sky. – Contrails, I guess. 
While outdoors biking I found this little guy crossing the road – I picked him/her up and placed him/her off the road – The road is a dumb place for a little guy like this. 
Oh, be for I placed him/her off the road I looked at the undershell, It is a piece of art that would make a great pattern for something – maybe a rug. 
See the squirrel at the base of the tree looking at the squirrel in the grass – Oops, the squirrel in grass is not a squirrel – it is a little palm branch that fell from the tree overhead. 
Oh, I forgot to tell you of my new hobby – here is my instructor & friend working on the model airplane model I flew earlier this week. 
I made this photograph to explain why my instructor was working on the airplane, in the previous photo. Fortunatly all that was required was to remove a few pine needle from the wing. The audience of a dozen or so experienced pilots said they could not figure out how I saved the plane – they wanted to shake my hand – I told them my instructor took control of the plane just milliseconds in front of the tree and saved the plane! – I had nothing to do with saving it – I only set it up for disaster and I am sure I will do that again if they want to stay and watch! 
Back to something I know a little about – biking. I enjoyed this shot because it was if I had a camera on a model airplane or drone – but I was only biking over a bridge and the deer were down by the water looking up at me. As you swing thru life enjoy enjoy the Great Outdoors – I hope these photos help explain why I spend all my free time outdoors – just to see see God’s art and things every step or peddle of the way. -
October 1, 2021 – Featuring Dave Cesari and my, Oh my! What a summer I have had – but fall is in the air – how do I know – read on – I will show you!
Dave wrote: Hi Jim, I know I haven’t sent you any pictures in a while. It is kind of the dull time of year here in upstate NY. Other than feeder birds not much around. Going through some of my files of warblers I picked out some of my favorites to send to you. The warblers are some of my favorite birds. Here are some colorful male birds from a few seasons past. A Bay-breasted Warbler, a Magnolia Warbler, a Blue-winged Warbler, twoBlack and white Warblers and two Blackburnian Warblers. Dave
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari 
10 01 2021 Dave Cesari Lets look at things that tell me it is fall here on Drummond Island – my island of nature shows millions of signs of the season in all four seasons – but, now it says fall!
The otter is fishing near shore on a cool misty morning in a bay on Lake Huron – somehow it says fall to me 
My human fishing friend is not wearing shorts and a tee-shirt – says fall to me. 
This beautiful buck has just lost it’s velvet – look at the red tone to the antlers – that says they are brand new rubbed off velvet – says fall 
Two weeks ago this little fellow had lots of spots – all gone – that says fall is now here 
Cedar trees do not have the color of the hard woods of New England – but they show and then shed a lot of seeds – only in the fall 
Look at the sky and the color of the leaves – That photo says fall to me 
Beautiful sunset sky – a little earlier, a little further south, with a dark layer of clouds overhead with beautiful snake skin pattern over the Island tree tops. It all says fall to me! Autumnal Equinox arrived on September 22, 2021! I read that after the fact. But then I already knew Fall arrived just by being outside on Drummond Island.
As you swing thru life enjoy nature in your area – bet you can find ways to tell what season it is -
Aug 30, 2021 – Featuring Dave Cesari’s almost fall in Up-State NY and the beautiful Humming BIrd
I never met anyone that did not enjoy the Humming Bird. Dave photo’s posted here are outstanding. – Enjoy!
Dave Wrote:
Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. Summer is winding down here in upstate NY. Migration is well under way color on some of the trees. Here are some pictures of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Still a few of them around but many have already left. Dave
08 30 2021 Dave Cesari 
08 30 2021 Dave Cesari 
08 30 2021 Dave Cesari 
08 30 2021 Dave Cesari 
08 30 2021 Dave Cesari Now it is my turn – I could not help myself – I just had to take a rainy day and play with PhotoShop – Would you ever hang one of these on your wall if I printed it?
Somehow this photo fell off my camera into my PhotoShop software on my computer on that rainy day! 
Then PhotoShop put this on my desktop. 
Then PhotoShop oil painted it 
Then PhotoShop twirled it 
Then PhotoShop painted the twirl 
Then PhotoShop went out unto open rain and wind swept Lake Huron At least I did not get bored during those 24 hours of rain. If you missed my posting two days ago on human communications as seen in street photography – click “Older posts” below
As you swing thru life enjoy nature as Dave Cesari does when he shows us his photos – let his photos inspire us to get out, pause, and study nature – in short – enjoy the world around us! -
Aug 28, 2021 – Street Photography & Communications – Oh my – Sounds boring. – But, please read on:
Communication is an interesting subject to ponder. What do people talk about when they meet on the street and how do they talk? Posture, gestures, and environment are really a part of their communication. Even if the listener is not watching the talker might point. We are human and we use posture, gestures, and environment to make our point.
Street Photography is photographing people that are communicating via posture, gestures, and environment since my Street Photos do not carry sound. Street Photography is photographically telling a story of what people are communicating.
While on a walk yesterday, as on most walks, I had my camera with me. I try to record communication stories I trigger or just plain see. A few of those photos follow for your enjoyment:
Before getting out of my own lawn, this little fawn allowed me to walk right up to it – This photo is showing how the deer communicated to me – His pose and demeanor say “I am not afraid – Some humans feed me apples – Do you have an apple for me?” 
Communication as we humans do sometimes- ” We Point.”
With the outboard running, I doubt that these guys really hear each other – they are communicating with gestures – finger pointing.
On the left, Linda is ignoring the talker on the right as she baits her hook. The talker is communicating with his hands but no one is listening to his hands. The story I wanted my photo to communicate is that even when no one is watching we humans gesture like animals do to communicate. 
In the upper left, that is Ivan heading for the fishing ground with a father and son as fishing clients. He does not know it but he is communicating with Jim on the cycle. See Jim watching. Jim is not an experienced fisherman like Ivan. Ivan is communicating to Jim where the fish are just by the route his boat is taking. 
These two fun folks from Buffalo live on the “Emerald Isle”, a 43 foot sailing home They came ashore with 2 foldable bikes and communicated with me. They expressed delight in having a local guide tell them about local biking roads. Opps, upon return to the dingy, the motor would not start – I saw communication here without a word being spoken so I snapped this photo. It says that “The motor will not start.” by showing that the dingy motor is up, he is rowing, and she is navigating”. 
I posted this photo because there is communication here – Linda always has that Sea Gull sitting on her fishing boat. That communicates to me that Linda feeds him all of her used bait. I also know when Linda is not getting any fish activity. That is when the time between Linda having used bait is too long for Gully and he hops down on the boat seat near her. Therefore, I see lots of communication in this photo 
This photo communicates to me. It says vacation in this Fort Drummond rented boat is fun – be friendly to that man on the road taking our picture. It communicates to me “Happiness.” Of course much more is communicated – The lady in the middle is the careful one with life vest on. The lady in front is worried about too much sun with long sleeves and sun glasses and I think she was not quite aware of the casual dress and hair code on Drummond. The man driving the boat says this sure is a lot more fun than the desk I sat at while working yesterday. 
I see communication here as Ivan fills his charter boat’s fuel tank preparing for yet another trip to the fishing spot. Ivan is a man who loves his job better than any person could love his/her job. Ivan is Sturgeon Bay Caharter’s Captain – he is the best. He loves his clients too. Because I know Ivan, this photo communicates to me what I think is on Ivan’s mind as my shutter snapped this photo. You might want to study his face and see what you think his face communicates. 
With the Sturgeon Bay Charter boat in the back ground, I ask you, do you see anticipation for the fishing trip communicated by this father son team – Ivan’s clients. 
This photo communicates to me. This young son of Fort Drummond Marina has a lot of responsible. In right hand an electric drill and a bucket of screws to attach boards with proper spacing and solid attachment to the understructure. To me, his body posture and focused eyes communicate pure confidence. This young man communicated to me that he knows he is already a trusted valuable part of the family business. As you swing thru life and look at a scene that you know I might want to photograph. Try to think about what the scene communicates if I did snap it as a photograph. I hope that thinking will help you appreciate life a little more via your communication with the scene.