Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: shadow

(+11 insets!) (Please scroll down to "Today's Pictures" for image information) Trip Talk: OMG We Bought a Brand New RV, Are We Certifiable???! Yep. We did it. I am the first person to tell you that buying a new vehicle is a total waste of money because the second you drive off the lot, it's worth a lot less…and it only plummets from there. So WHY in the world would we drop such a chunk of change for a new trailer, when we know full-well that we're throwing crazy amounts of money into the wind? We did it mostly because the RV industry is notorious for hiding damage, flaws, problems and issues. It is nearly impossible to find these faults and everything that comes up must be repaired by the owner or by a shop. It's expensive and time-consuming no matter how the issue is fixed. If you buy a new RV with a good warranty, it's not our problem. It's theirs. What I haven't told you is that on our Vancouver Island trip, we suffered an extremely frightening and potentially dangerous frame failure while on the road. When we were arriving at Campbell River--exactly two weeks into our six-week trip--Steve noticed with great concern that the trailer was leaning to the left. We pulled into a Walmart parking lot to take a closer look. Crawling under the trailer revealed a badly bent frame that was so warped and crumpled that both of us thought our trip was over right there. I'll talk more about this on a later post but long story-short, a local welding shop saved the day and allowed us to continue our trip and get home safely. That being said, the underlying worry of developing more structural damage made an indelible impact that was never far from our minds. Every "travel day", where we drove from one camp spot to the next, was filled with worry and tension because we could no longer trust our trailer. We were so relieved when we finally got home without any incidents! And yet, our trailer had totally let us down. We initially thought the build-quality was good enough for at least a year of use while we wrapped our heads around long-time RV travel. Instead, we got a serious reality check about the difference between a "weekender" RV and a "full-time" RV. Thinking about what might have happened in a worst-case scenario made us realize that we needed to get away from that trailer as soon as we could. Truthfully, our plans were to upgrade to a full-time trailer within a year or two. We were going to use our Grey Wolf for at least another six months or so but our narrowly avoided disaster changed everything for us. What price do you assign to the lives of you and your family? What's that? "Priceless" is your answer? Exactly. And THAT is the real reason why we bought a new trailer. Today's Pictures Today's main picture showcases one of my favorite things to photograph: shadows. I am forever stopping to gaze dreamily at dappled shadows on trails we walk on, and leaves captivate me when I see shadows creating lovely shapes on them. As Steve and I slowly made our way along one of the many explosively colorful paths of Butchart Gardens, my eye was immediately drawn to the shadows of a fern cast upon a richly-colored peach geranium (Thanks to Neira-Dan for identifying the species!) I don't know about you, but I find it very difficult to capture nhe magical quality of shadows because I think you need to see them in person to get the diaphanous effect that's happening. I was able to capture some of what I saw, though the reality was even more spectacular! Inset 1: this is my last lucky hummingbird picture, and it's feeding on gorgeous blue penstemon blossoms. Be still my beating heart you pretty little thing! Inset 2: I used to think that "ordinary" wax begonias were so boring. These dazzling red flowers which resemble coins to me, totally vindicate themselves of a description of blasé! Inset 3: how is it that I've never realized that begonias have such incredible foliage?! I've noticed their pretty leaves in the past but Butchart Gardens knocked me to the ground. This picture is just one example of the outrageously gorgeous leaves these plants can have. The park was overflowing with countless shapes, sizes and color combinations of leaves…I couldn't believe the variety! Inset 4: what a gorgeous group of fiery orange impatiens! This group was part of a huge plot completely covered with blossoms! Inset 5: here's another picture of a punch-drunk bee pigging out on flowers and not caring at all about the huge black thing hovering so close to it! Inset 6: this enormous pair of Elephant Ears was growing within a massive planting at the Mediterranean Garden. I just love the wonderful shape and texture of the leaves! Inset 6a: I made another version of the Elephant Ears with a darker background. It's more dramatic but maybe too distracting? Which version appeals to you more? Inset 7: I think this lovely blossom must be a white begonia, as there is a crimson one in the background and there are plenty of white begonias that look just like this one! Inset 8: in addition to having a staggering garden, Butchart also has their own little harbor! In fact, half of the park is surrounded by waters from Brentwood Bay, called the Tod Inlet. This is a view of the Butchart Cove harbor through a natural window created through a thick hedge! Inset 9: this is a view of Butchart's dock. If you can believe it, the docking area that leads out to the bay is designed for the pickup and drop-off of sea plane passengers! Inset 10: this is Butchart's little fleet of cute little tour boats. They offer 45-minute ecological trips around the Tod Inlet during the summer and if lucky, passengers might get to spot sea otters and many kinds of birds and other wildlife. Pam, one of the things I most admire about you is your creativity. Seeing the shadows cast upon the begonia in the main image makes me think about you because I'm sure you would have gone crazy if you'd seen the lovely shadows on these flowers! I sure do hope that you're able to get back to the point where you can once again create the marvelous artwork that comes from your heart, because it's part of what makes you complete. Maybe you'll need to change how you do things but I have a feeling that it will be possible! *BIG HUGS FROM SOUTHERN OREGON* Explored on 10/12/19; highest placement #1.

(+10 insets!) As I mentioned yesterday, Steve and I spent the night in our house--not our RV--because our "gray tank" is full and we can't use the sinks until we go to one of the nearby RV tank dumps. The break was nice but both of us really missed our cozy RV and would have slept there if it made sense. What a great sign though, that things are going to work out for us! Even Pumpkin was fussy because she loves that we're always right there when we're in the RV! When I went for my walk today I was amazed at all of the mushrooms that had popped up in the meadow and alongside the driveway. It was an overcast, dewy day and I knew that rain was forecast for the next week so I grabbed my camera to take pictures before it started pouring. Happily I beat the rain and I also managed to get some real winners! Can't wait to share them but that isn't today! Why? It's time to post my Happy Fence Friday picture for tomorrow!! My pictures today are also the next installment of our trip to Provence, France, starting with Nice. The main image is a lovely latticed fence that we walked past on our first morning. We were on the way to a nearby grocery store to get supplies and this beautiful fence captured my attention. What's not to love about this awesome fence?! I was totally smitten and how lucky to get a picture without anyone in view! You will also find the next set of 10 insets showing some of our adventures that day--there will be about 3 more sets of Nice when I'm done. (You may notice that some images have a lot of process filtering because they were taken in stealth mode and turned out blurry but were fantastic for artistic creativity.) Here's more information about each PiP: PiP #1: We walked into Old Nice and wandered up Rossetti Street. At the top was a staircase and as we paused to look up, I saw our shadows on the wall! Shadow selfies for the win! :) PiP #2: This is a view of the Jules Eynaudi Steps, which lead up to a cemetery and castle above, as well as an incredible view of Old Nice and the sea beyond. PiP #3: This plaque commemorates Jules Eynaudi, writer and poet who lived and died in Nice (1871-1948). His most famous work is his "Dictionnaire de la langue niçoise". By his writings, by the associations he created, his whole life was devoted to the defense of the Nice culture. (text from A Walking Tour of the Streets & Monuments of Nice ) PiP #4: Halfway up the steps is this lovely sculpture, which I believe is St. Mary holding baby you-know-who (There is a cathedral named as such nearby) PiP #5: This is the view down Rossetti hill from the top of the stairs. PiP #6: A road from the Jules Eynaudi Steps exits onto a road which meanders around the hill and opens up to incredible views of Old Nice and the sea beyond. PiP #7: Steve and I discovered that in France, dogs are treated even better than in the US! These beloved companions are absolutely everywhere! It was fun to get pictures of some of the folks walking their dogs and I really enjoyed this pair trotting along with their best biped pal--the boxer in the background was a wonderful bonus! PiP #8: We saw lots of fun things in the windows of businesses we strolled past. This electric bike was made to look like a vintage relic and we just loved its old-time charm! PiP #9: In Nice, people commonly used a large variety of transportation other than cars, busses, bike and motorcycles. These push-scooters were very commonly used by teens and adults. Coming from San Francisco, it was a rare sight to see anyone other than a kid on one of these. PiP #10: As we were making our way back to our Air BnB apartment, we stopped to admire this beautifully lit Palace of Justice. This tan Neoclassical building dominates the Old Town square that holds its name. Its many steps lead up to the entrance for Nice's law courts. Pam, I enjoyed reading about your grape hyacinths--they really are so easy to keep and safe from varmints. Gophers and squirrels eat all of our bulbs too, boo! And finally, it is nice that you got to visit Peggy several times…something to look forward to in the future I hope!!! I thought it would be fun to look up "Friends" on your stream and what do you know? A picture of Peggy ! :) How sweet and wonderful. Ipernity has been such a wealth to us for friends and community. How lucky we are. And what a fantastic picture of Peggy! :) *MANY HUGS FROM SOUTHERN OREGON* :) Explored on 4/5/19, highest placement, #2.

(+3 insets!) Ugh…so tired… My ever-cheerful feathery alarm started going off this morning with a happy "PEEP!" and blearily I reached over to grab my clock…"Please say 5:30…please say 5:30…" I blinked and hoped what I saw was wrong: 6:55. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! *whimper* I had the worst time sleeping last night, and it all had to do with photography. Specifically the next theme for Macro Monday, which is "Perfume Bottle." See, I don't wear perfume. I don't mind a slight hint of something natural smelling like vanilla, but that's about it. Thus, I don't have anything like that in my house. When I went to sleep last night, I couldn't stop thinking about where I'd get a bottle…Dollar store?...Thrift store?...Garage Sale?...Heck, any store would do, it's the bottle that I want so I should find something easily. Then I was thinking about alternatives. Couldn't I use any bottle and fill it with my own perfume recipe? Technically that would be a perfume bottle! Ooooooh…don't we have some super cool crystal salt and pepper shakers? What a neat idea! I wonder what box they are in…hmmm… I wandered around our garage in my mind, mentally opening boxes and peering inside. Then I began thinking about the concept of creating my own perfume…it could be any color…it could be sparkly…maybe the bottle could have something in there too like marbles or something… I lay awake for what seemed like all night thinking about all the possibilities…there were so many interesting ideas to consider… When I tried to shut my mind down, I'd soon begin thinking about another part of the challenge…oh dear… "PEEP-PEEP!" and "BURBLE-BURBLE-BURBLE!" I pictured Pumpkin cheeping with her eyes closed, her darling little body vibrating with every sound and I couldn't help but smile and drag myself out of bed. "Good morning little girl! Oh how I love you!" And so the day began! As it happened, I wasn't as exhausted as I thought I'd be, hooray! I've spent the morning and afternoon appreciating photography from my wonderful and talented contacts and anyone who's left me a comment on my picture from yesterday. How nice. And Steve's coming along with the deck project so it's been a super day for both of us! Today's picture is finally back on track, and it's from our trip down south to San Anselmo. Nathalie has a couple of lemon trees and I couldn't resist the beautiful light on them. I am sharing another inset too! (I'm also including two morning panoramas from the other day showing the lovely light as the sun comes over the hill. You'll see the dramatic change as the sun rises! Also, you'll see our gigantic relic of a bulldozer in our field...it's a many-ton lawn ornament at the moment as it doesn't run!) Pam, I sure do hope that you're able to get a good night's sleep. I have often had trouble with this, unlike my husband who can look at the bed and fall asleep. It's always taken me time to relax and drift off, no matter the methods I've used. Some work better than others, some don't work after a while, some have never worked! What about you? Are you an "easy sleeper"? I sure hope so. All of us need as much rest as we can get, the healing powers are so important! Thinking of you every day my dear!! Explored on 1/17/19, highest placement, #4.

5 more pictures in notes above ! :) Sometimes picture opportunities present themselves when you're not even thinking about photography! This morning I went downstairs into the kitchen and as I glanced out the window, I noticed the sunlight streaming in, bouncing off a cabinet and landing on one of our pumpkins. It was shining past our parrot's perch that we have attached to the window and casting a very cool, curved shadow over the pumpkin's surface. "Oooooo, LOOK AT THAT!!" I said to myself, and as I appreciated the light and shadow, it suddenly occurred to me that this was not an opportunity that would last forever because even as I looked, clouds moved over and past the sun, changing the intensity of the shadow. I ran for my camera an took pictures from different angles, and then a thick cloud caused the shadow to diminish and leave only a diffused light glowing on the surface. I looked at the different pictures and picked out my favorite image with the shadow, and my favorite with just a diffused light. What I love most about this pair of pictures is that the situation was totally unplanned. The pumpkins were sitting in that position from the night before when I pushed them out of the way for dinner preparation. Louis Pasteur (December 27, 1822 – September 28, 1895) was a French chemist and microbiologist who is well known for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation and pasteurization. He is remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases, and his discoveries have saved countless lives ever since. He reduced mortality from puerperal fever, and created the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax. His medical discoveries provided direct support for the germ theory of disease and its application in clinical medicine. He is best known to the general public for his invention of the technique of treating milk and wine to stop bacterial contamination, a process now called pasteurization. He is regarded as one of the three main founders of bacteriology, together with Ferdinand Cohn and Robert Koch, and is popularly known as the "father of microbiology". Wikipedia: Louis Pasteur Explored on November 4, 2013. Highest placement, page 7.

1 picture above in a note! :) Here is the other version where a cloud was in front of the sun and created a diffused light. I would love to know what your opinion is...personally, I love the one with the shadow because the light and shadow are very interesting, but I also really like the warmth of this one. Any thoughts? :)

[best appreciated at full size against black] Here we have a blade of grass, heading for the sky, with a shining droplet clinging to one side. Against the dirt is its curved shadow...there are a couple of indents in the dirt, making the shadow appear to have hair, and it looks as if an odd little person is peering curiously back at the blade of grass! This image was taken in February, 2012.

I discovered this lovely pale mushroom one day on the way back to my house after taking a walk along our ridgetop. It was hiding under some branches and twigs but was so pretty that I was happy to take the time to clean up the area for a pretty picture!

I remember taking this picture on the second day of this project! I couldn't decide which acorn picture I wanted to use for my 365 but finally picked the image below. It reminds me of a diamond-encrusted crown! :)