My son sent me a photo to show the snow in their back yard and tell me that most of Conn had temps in the single digits. I modified his photo to help him think about summer, or better yet, to think about purchasing a home in sunny TGO.  (I think you will know which one I modified.)

My son’s original

JEB – 1/20/2024 – My sales pitch for Florida!

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Go ahead, tell the world why you love each place that you live.

I was ask if the person in the middle of my painting I posted yesterday was me – No, here are the three iPhone photos I used to make the PhotoShop painting. The mushrooms were photograhed between the Church and Spartana. The man in the middle was the man with the Fire Engine golf cart at the Christmas Parade – we were clowning around photographing each other. Sandy and Betty were showing off the Nature Center cart. Here is how I did it: I lifted the three people and placed them on the Mushroom photo. Then I composed the photo art piece I wanted. Then I Painted the photo art piece. All done with the tools of PhotoShop. It was, maybe three hours work – oops play. I spent most of my time trying to get a composition I liked. Balance, impact, lines, contrast, focus of attention. I wanted Sandy to be the focus, while not excluding the rest of the photo from the viewer’s attention. My final photo art image is the one I posted yesterday.

JEB – 01 18 2024

JEB – 01 18 2024

JEB – 01 18 2024

JEB – 01 18 2024

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Find a hobby to play with – it will enrich your life – I read that in the news paper yesterday!

Freud said: Engaging in pretend play can be a fun and healthy way for adults to exercise their creativity & relieve stress. So I thought I would pretend I saw people standing under the mushroom. As I painted in Photoshop, I payed close attention to composition. But, since I was just playing, please do not be critical – Haha.

JEB – 01 18 2024

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Pretend you are 5 years old and playing around with crayon and paper.

DAVE WROTE:  Jim, I forgot to send this shot of a Bluejay in that last e-mail I sent so here it is.  Dave

Glad he remembered – It is a great Bluejay photo.  You should be able to scroll down now and see previous postings from his previous e-mails.

01 17 2024 Dave Cesari

I WROTE: Hey photo people – think how the phone camera has changed our lives.  My family communicates with photos almost every day – often several time a day. For example, here are four I pulled from our texting this week.  For us who live far apart and often spend summers traveling – photography is now a normal part of our family association.

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Think about using photographs to enhance your family associations.

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, Here are some pictures for the blog. We finally got some snow here in upstate NY. The ground is well covered. Snowing off and on most of the day. The feeders get very busy when it is snowing. Here are a few shots. A Carolina Wren showed up at the suet feeder today. They are not normally here in the winter. Plus Cardinals, Bluejays, a White-throated Sparrow, and a Starling. We also had lots of Juncos and Goldfinches.  Dave

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

01 16 2024 Dave Cesari

From my posting yesterday:

I love the nature I see from TGO’s streets. Two days ago the sunset was beautiful – I was on my bike near Doggy World – Me and the dogs looked west! Prior to that I was on Windsong and saw a hawk sitting on a street light post – it was quietly communicating, using body movements, with a second hawk on another light post. I heard no sounds. I made this iPhone photo to show you the sunset and the hawk:

JEB 1/14/2024

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – If possible, bike or walk the streets of TGO – or – better yet, in your home area. Share phone camera shots of the nature you see.

Love the nature I see from TGO’s streets. Two days ago the sunset was beautiful – I was on my bike near Doggy World – Me and the dogs looked west! Prior to that I was on Windsong and saw a hawk sitting on a street light post – it was quietly communicating, using body movements, with a second hawk on another light post. I heard no sounds. I made this iPhone photo to show you the sunset and the hawk:

JEB 1/14/2024

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – If possible, bike or walk the streets of TGO – or – better yet, in your home area. Share phone camera shots of the nature you see.

Here are some photos from my enjoyment of street photography of nature in Morris Township, New Jersey in August 2023: #1. A view from Aug 8, #2. Then around Aug 14, #3. Then a close up I did to create an abstract piece of photo-art (The number is not shown on the piece of art).

JEB August 8, 2023

JEB August 14, 2023 -See nature’s evoluiton from August 8,2023

JEB Aug 8, 2023 Photo-art

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Find an item to observe the evolution of natural growth and then let your mind create art just for you.

Street photography does not have to be done on the street, in nature, or include people. In Baer’s furniture store I shot this expensive Console and then did a macro shot – all with my iPhone.

JEB August 2022 The interesting Console

JEB August 2022 – The Macro art

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Meditate, then open your eyes and find an item to let your mind create art just for you.

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim,  Here are a few shots for the blog. A snowy last night and this morning here in upstate  NY. Shots of woodpeckers at our feeders and a few shots around the   yard. A Downy, a Hairy and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.   Dave

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

On the Nature Trail.

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Try to learn new things to do with your iPhone – I am trying to lean what I can do with iPhone video to share – like in the above video

DAVE WROTE: Hi Jim, You can say what you want about your phone camera but I will stick with my hi-end Nikon and Sony cameras and lenses. Here are a few shots for the blog. A snowy last night and this morning here in upstate  NY. Shots of woodpeckers at our feeders and a few shots around the   yard. A Downy, a Hairy and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.   Dave

I WROTE:  Hey, Dave, your comment made me smile. I (& we the viewers) really appreciate the photos you share with us. We are sure they could only be produced through your photographic skill and patients to get the shot, your knowledge/enjoyment of birds & their environment, AND of course your cameras and lenses.  We are glad you will stick with your hi-end Nikon and Sony cameras and lenses.

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

01 08 2024 Dave Cesari

After being restricted by my Doctor from my normal long bike rides, I was telling my family about the shorter ride I took last evening.  Of course I only had my iPhone with me.

Hey you guys, Look what I saw!

AS YOU SWING THROUGH LIFE – Come to this Blog often – I will try to make it worth your while.