Bright

I don't know what kind of flowers these are.  The town has them planted at Paper Goods Pond.  I took the photo with the Lensbaby Muse using the single glass optic.  This has a general softening effect on the photo.  I haven't decided if I like it or not for flowers (or "smellies," as some would have it!) One the one hand, I do like the way the diffusion makes the color dominant over detail.  On the other, detail is part of what makes a flower exquisite.  But, to me, the important thing is playing (or experimenting, if one wanted to be all formal about it.)

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Lensbaby Muse, single glass optic

Round

The chives have bloomed with round clusters of blossoms nodding on their slender stalks. 

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Lensbaby Muse, 4x macro lens

My Favorite Spot

I think it will come as no surprise that it is Paper Goods Pond.  It's been a hectic weekend.  We were away visiting friends in Delaware.  We left on Saturday, drove home today, then this evening had dinner for our son, his lovely new lady friend, her sister and their parents, who are visiting from Taiwan.  It's all been truly delightful, but when it was all over, it was soothing to take a stroll down to this ever peaceful place.  Due to the darkness, the original photo was quite grainy.  I used the Water Paper filter in PSE to soften the grain into a prettier texture. 

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: PSE

X-Factor

A side from the Xs in the signs, there's a certain X-factor weirdness in the sequence: EXIT, NOT AN EXIT, Please Walk In. 

Camera: iPhone 42 Processing: PhotoToaster

Texture

Kids can entertain themselves anywhere if they are separated from the electronic umbilical cords.  When we took granddude Aidan camping and he whined that he was bored, I told him, "This is camping and this is outdoors.  You have to find ways to play."  Next thing you know, he's engrossed in a construction project in the sand of the road down to the pond.  What I like about this picture is the play of the late afternoon light.

Camera: iPhone 4s    Processing: PSE

Kitchen/Luscious

Dinner tonight: lemon-tarragon chicken.  Here are some of the fresh ingredients.  The tarragon is from our herb garden. 

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: PSE

Maturity/Discovery

Our good friend, John, teaches our granddude how to fish.  John considers Aidan to be his honorary granddude--his family and ours have become fused--and he is passing on to him some of his skills.  This was at a kids' fishing derby that John runs at his hunting and fishing club.  Aidan ended up catching his limit of three trout. What with that and camping with us there the night before (bonfire, s'mores, and Granddad's pancakes in the morning), he had an exhilarating weekend.

Camera iPhone 4s

Nature: Little

We took granddude Aidan camping last night, then to a fishing derby in the morning.  He's a very gentle kid.  I know, when I caught this tiny toad and put it into his hands, that he'd handle it gently.  He set it down in some dried leaves where it would be well camouflaged.  I love this picture of him because it shows his tender nature, but the scrape on his knee is all about being a kid in the summer. 

Camera: iPhone 4s

Relaxation

To me, there is nothing quite as relaxing as settling in for a good read.  Looks like this guy, absorbed in his newspaper at Berlin-Peck Library,  feels that way, too. 

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: PSE

Overcast

It was raining at Paper Goods Pond, but the geese didn't mind.

Inviting/Peaceful

This was my first submission to the A Day in the World site (aday.org).  It's the hands of two of my "sisters", fellow members of the Bible Babes, a women's Bible study that has been meeting every Tuesday for the past 12 years.  We begin session with prayer.

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Tamron 18-270 lens  Processing: PSE

Work/Travel

Heading home from work on the Washington Metro.

Camera: iPhone 4s  Processing: PerfectlyClear, Dynamic Light, PhotoToaster. 

Humor/Boy

My younger granddude, Craig, thinks that I am pretty funny. 

Urban/Metro

Metro Station, Washington DC

Sky High

Planes were coming in every few minutes over the Lincoln Memorial, but this one was particularly low.  I converted it to B&W because it brought out the play of light and shadow in the sky. 

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Tamron 18-270 lens  Processing: PSE

Urban/Massive

Since the Washington Monument is closed due to earthquake damage, the best place to catch a vista of DC is from the bell tower of the Old Post Office (something we were told by a random office worker who seemed to take a liking to us as we were bent over our map trying to figure out where the You Are Here arrow would be.)  I had to take this through a pretty greasy window with my iPhone; the best way to hide the smudges and reflections was to add a few effects with PSE. 

Humor/Landmark

It seems that most of DC was either repairing earthquake damage or reconstructing in one way or another.  One of the biggest disappointments was that the Reflecting Pool that is supposed to create an iconic image of the Lincoln Memorial had become (IF you found the right angle and pointed your camera/phone into the interstices of the chain link fence) a Reflecting Puddle.

Camera: iPhone 4S  Processing: Instagram

Remember/Emotions

I knew that seeing the Vietnam Memorial would be moving--I did not know how much it would hurt.

Camera: Canon EOS T3, Tamron 18-270 lens  Processing: PSE