Easter Greetings

 

Love always involves responsibility, and love

always involves sacrifice.

And we do not really love Christ unless we are

prepared to face his task and to take up his cross.

William Barclay

We had our Easter Dinner with our boys and their wives and baby Kenzington yesterday as they were having dinner with the in-laws today.   My husband had just been discharged from hospital and it was nice to have a meal together again.  Good Friday had me setting the table and then I began to take a few pictures as I went along.  It ended up being a little still life project.  Life is like that as just when you start of do something you get a little side tracked and off you go in another direction.

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Have a blessed Easter.

What if?

 

The beauty of using an editing software program is the ability to ask yourself…What would happen if I pushed this button or I made this colour look like that.   Sometimes happy results occur and then I have to stop and ask myself how did I do that.   I had bought a bouquet of flowers at the beginning of the week and I intended to photograph them but then life got in the way.   Today, I could see that many of the flowers looked done but the chrysanthemums were doing okay so I did some playing.  Once the photographing is done though I know they need editing.  Since changing over last year from photographing in mostly jpeg I made the brave move to only raw format.  I know that every photograph needs editing then.   I am enjoying the experience of what the various programs can do. 

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Hope you have a wonderful week.

 

In the Round

 

Last Saturday I attended one of the largest garden Shows in North America.  Canada Blooms is an event I look forward to at the end of each winter, as despite what the weather is outside, it is always blooming inside with garden upon garden of flowers, shrubs and trees all forced into bloom for a two week period.   I was attracted to this plexiglass design in one of the garden pools. 

In another garden was a set of three balls to give some landscape interest to the front garden. It may not be for everyone but it is an idea. 

Just to add my own stamp on the whole round theme I thought I would participate  at Photo Art Friday with Bonnie who wanted us to try a selfie this week.  I inserted my headshot into the garden ball and added a Pixel Dust Photo Art texture called Rose Dust.  Hope the designer doesn’t mind a little artistic license. 

I am joining Mary for Thursday’s Inspirations where the theme is round.

We have been snowy periods to the opening of spring but I did see a chipmunk at one of the feeders yesterday so the season must be here.

A New Arrival

 

It seemed like it took for ever but much to the delight of all, our first granddaughter arrived.  Mom and Dad had picked the name of Kenzington (Kenzi for short) from the beginning. It seems like a big name for such a wee girl but she will grow into it.  Mom and Dad are over the moon except for her fussy times at night.  We remember that don’t we?   She has her nights and days mixed up.  I went to visit last week and just wanted to hold her the whole time.  As many of you with grandchildren can attest it is the best of times.

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.  Have a great week.  This week ushers in  spring of 2013 but we will have snow for the beginning of it. 

My First Book

 

I watched several videos with Scott Kelby talking about the fact that on the way home in the plane from any of his trips he makes a book of his best photos and has it printed.   He explains in detail how he does it in his Lightroom 4 book that is now in pieces because I have used it so often.   I decided to do my own book using the template in the Lightroom program from Blurb to make my first book about my garden in 2012.   It took me a few weeks of choosing the photos and then editing and resizing them and deciding what photo would go on any page etc.  but finally I had it the way I wanted it and then just sent it to Blurb for printing.  In about three weeks I had my first published book in my hands.  I was very happy with the quality of the book that I will do another one soon.  

To me a book is a necessity.   I have several of them on the go at any one time.  I may be reading a novel but I have gardening mags and photography books piled up to look at daily.  At the moment I just finished Tottering in my Garden that was loaned to me by one of the ladies in my horticulture group.   It was based in and around the Toronto area so I could relate. The other is one that I quickly picked from the new books at the library to occupy me while I visit my husband in hospital.   The cup is a favourite coffee mug.   I have added two textures from Bonnie’s Pixel Dust Photo Art collection: Sibelle and Dropcloth. 

I am joining Mary for Thursday Inspiration where the theme this week is book/s and Bonnie for PhotoArtFriday where she encourages us to let our inner artist out every week.   I hope that you are having a great week.   We are still anxiously awaiting the birth of our first granddaughter who seems reluctant to enter into this cold weather.  Can you blame her! Mommy is quite anxious as are the rest of the family.  

A Tulip Collage for Mosaic Monday

 

I have been searching through my last years photos for spring like photos.  Tulips are always a good choice for a collage as they come in so many pretty colours.  I chose just three today and used a story board by Rita at TheCoffeeShopBlog. 

I am joining Mary today for Mosaic Monday.   Have a great week.

February’s Last Snow Fall

 

This morning we woke up to a winter wonderland with every tree and shrub branch just loaded with white fluffy snow.  I ventured out as far as the deck to get a few shots of the backyard.  The obelisk in the round garden was the photo I chose for today’s themes.  I added a preset of black and white from lightroom and then in photoshop I added Pixel Dust Photo Art’s texture of antique me.  I thought it gave an old world feel to the photo.

I will be joining ThursdaysatDearLittleRedHouse where the theme is architecture today and Photo Art Friday where the theme this week is vintage.

Have a great day.

Tulips for Sybil

 

If you were following the latest series of Downton Abbey you will remember that the youngest daughter Sybil died.  It was so sad.   I used Kim’s texture Sybil on some pink and white tulips that I have sitting on my coffee table. 

I am joining Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen Café.   Have a wonderful day.

Jump on Spring 2013

 

On Saturday I attended the kick off to the spring season at the Toronto Botanical Gardens.  Many gardening groups and Ontario Horticulture Societies had tables in the big floral hall for asking questions and finding out how to join up with any of them.  It was nice to meet folks you had not seen in a while. There were also garden demonstrations, garden speakers and a flower show.  I went out on one of the  walks through the garden tours with Horticulture Director Paul Zammit.  I was surprised by the shrubs with colour and colourful berries. 

I am joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.   Have a great week.

White Muskokas on Lake Simcoe

 

A few weeks ago I was on my way home along Lakeshore Drive in Keswick,Ontario from a visit at  my Dad’s nursing home.  I had my camera in the car and took some pictures along the way.  These three muskoka chairs were sitting on a dock and the white against the white ice and snow of the lake was interesting to me.  I suppose on a warmish sunny day in winter you might venture over to sit on one with a coffee.  I processed the photo in lightroom with a black and white preset that I liked.

 

This is the same photo with a texture added called Golden Globe by PixelDustPhotoArt.   I thought it added a little interest to the three chairs.

I am posting today for the first time to a new meme on DearLittleRedHouse called Little Red House Thursdays.  The theme this week is white.  

I am also posting to PhotoArtFriday at PixelDustPhotoArt where the theme this week is connection.  The chairs are connected to the dock but also there is a connection to summer on the lake too.

Backyard Inspiration

 

I was unable to download Bonnie theme texture for today so I used two of her previous textures Inspiration and brown rice paper to show you what makes me smile in the morning.  When I open the curtains to the new day I usually see some birds having their breakfast on the feeders.  This winter we have been visited frequently by Redpolls, a bird that does not usually overwinter here but come when food is scarce in their own territories.  It is a treat for us that they visit.

I am sorry that I have been absent lately but my husband was taken for emergency surgery to a hospital in Toronto last week and I have been making my way there each day to see him. He is to be brought back to our local hospital this evening and I am glad of that.  On top of that I spent the last two days in bed with the flu.  I hope that you are having a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

I am joining Photo Art Friday at Pixel Dust Photo Art.