Your Sunday Best ~ #10

As I drove into my driveway this week I noticed the neighbor's peach blossoms which were so much pinker than mine, and gave a brief thought to asking if I could photograph their tree.

Got on my work cloths to do some more "spring cleaning' in the backyard and noticed my own peach tree!  What had been pale, soft pink blossoms the week before were now a bright pink.  

The tree from a distance almost looked variegated, and I realized as the blossoms age, they became darker in color!  Can't imagine why I'd never noticed that before . . . .

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes."  Unknown

Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Arranged

The Weekly Photo Challenge is our interpretation of arranged  . . .

Photo Art Friday ~ March 30 - April 1

Bonnie at Pixel Dust Photo Art has given us two option for her challenge this week; a piece featuring our interpretation of a path or a road or the showcasing any piece of photo art.

"As One Door Closes, Another Opens"/pdpa texture Antique Farewell

"Everything is Illuminated"/pdpa texture Everything is Illuminated

"There Are No Barriers to My Good"/pdpa texture "Holy Grunge"

My path is in the  knowledge that there is a greater power that has only my best interest at heart; faith and belief in the knowledge that there are no obstacles my higher power can't resolve.

“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Texture Thursday

I know the photos below are about as interesting as mud but there is a reason for posting the tight little buds on my split leaf lilac . . . 'cause I love them and can hardly wait for them to bloom.

The split leaf lilac is light and airy, does not grow very large, and while they act as a screen, they doesn't act as a barrier.  I planted two at the edge of the parking apron and they are a joy to me.

I love standing at my kitchen sink and looking at the bushes out window;

marvelous in bloom and lovely when not in bloom!  

Split Leaf Lilac in Bloom

Santa Fe was at one time called the "City of Lilacs"; things change and many of the old lilacs are no longer here.  And while I may only have two "split leaf" lilacs, I am surrounded by more traditional lilacs planted throughout the yard, and they will soon be in bloom too!

"Still grows the vivacious lilac a generation after the door and lintel and the sill are gone, unfolding its sweet-scented flowers each spring, . . ." Henry David Thoreau

Three Muses Challenge - SPRING

The Three Muses Challenge this week is SPRING and I am definitely into spring, even if the weather isn't!  

While partially in jest, spring hasn't truly arrived in "mountain desert country".  We are just beginning to see signs of spring as the early flowering fruit trees start to blossom and the soft spring green of the perennials push up to grab their spot in the sun!

The Colors of Spring
 (Rendered photo of a butterfly on apricot blossoms.)

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."  Charles Dickens

Texture Tuesday ~ pink eDition.

Kim Klassen's March 27 Texture Tuesday theme this week is pink.

KK's "Storm"

KK's "Stamped Softly"

KK's "Be Still"

It's a good thing the peach tree started to bloom, 'cause if it hadn't, I may have found myself sitting out Kim's pink eDition!

“The very pink of perfection.”   Oliver Goldsmith

post no bill! texture challenge

Nancy Donaldson at all pulped out has created eight new spectacular textures from photographing billboards and has invited us play with her!

I have had a couple of weeks to play, and had a pile of rendered photos to make my decision from; this morning I saw that my dwarf, red leaf peach was starting to pop and much like the apricots, I loaded up my camera with photos of the additional signs of spring!   Chose to go with the newly rendered peach blossom photos, except for SkyScape . . .

Peach Blossoms I/Billboard Textures 1 & 7 with Gradient Map

Peach Blossoms II/Billboard textures 6 & 3, with color fill

SkyScape/Billboard textures 2 & 3 with levels adjustment

Nancy is a multifaceted artist; not only in photography and photo rendering, but also encaustic, jewelry, the woven arts and paper making and is very generous in sharing her love of the arts! 

"Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Instagram

For various reasons when I upgrade my smartphone, while intrigued with the iPhone, I made the decision to stick with Android.

AND I'm not disappointed, I love my RAZR, and many of the camera apps that are available for the iPhone are also available for Android, EXCEPT "Instagram"! Now don't get me wrong, I have tons of other camera apps for my RAZR . . . but I want Instagram!

Last week the developers of Instagram announced they will "soon release" Instagram for the Android market and I am soooo excited!  I signed up to beta test the application and can hardly wait to hear from the developers!

Polaroid app: taken with the RAZR camera

HDR app: taken with the RAZR camera

Now . . . does that mean I'll use my phone camera any more than I do now, which isn't very much, or am I excited because I will have access to something that was unavailable to me  . . . guess I'll just have to wait and see!

"You can't always get what you want . . . "  Rolling Stones