the flutter byes

We have a lot to learn from the littles. How to stay present in the moment, to chase after butterflies, and to feel the grass on your bare feet. I treasure the heart of a child.

morning mist

Early morning mist rising over Oyster Bay Harbor. I just had this image printed on metallic paper and the length is about 36". I am very happy with the results!

what I won't do for love

This was taken the same day as the previous blog image. Getting this resulted in leg cramps filthy pants and being embarrassed in front of my own dog. 

another wet morning

I spent quite a bit of time photographing my water lilies this morning. It was steamy and muggy and pretty awful. My face dripped and my knees hurt. At one point I turned around and there was Tully sitting on the cushion of the stool while I'm sprawled out on the wet stone with my tripod forced into bizarre angles. I got so frustrated that at one point I just hovered my camera over the lily and shot without even seeing through the view finder. This is what I got, best image of the morning...

summer night

Long Island Sound on a warm summer night. I love the reflection of the sunset on the inner tidal pool.

blue allium

moist and vibrant

soft and dreamy

Same flower, different day.

The visit

She just landed on the tip of my lens, her feet flying up in the air as she skidded to a stop. Her arms outstretched presenting me with a treasure all wrapped in a golden blanket. Her enormous wings folded back from the forward thrust of her good intentions. Her enthusiasm has poured out into her colors. Her little bald head worn down from her efforts.

I will keep this gift in a special place where I can pull it out when I want to remember joy.

totally cool

Who would think of pansies in the middle of this heat wave but I found this image in my play around file and it's very cool, in lots of ways. I photographed them while crawling under a glass table and shooting straight up at them. I played around in post editing and voila, I have a group of friendly pansies looking back at me. Starlights in a purple mist.

mine not yours

So what are you having for dinner?

something soft

Sitting in my garden hugging my tripod and loving my new lens.

playtime

View out my apartment window taken with my iPad and using photo booth and thermal camera. 

bang

This looks more like peacock feathers than fireworks. We went to see them last night and I failed miserably trying to capture them, but here are a few examples.

 

sunset

Last night's sunset over looking the marsh near LI Sound. These images were taken within seven minutes of each other. I was practically in the dark on the last one. It's my favorite because I love the purples.

botanical

When I took the image of the water lilly with the bee yesterday I turned around and behind me in the shadows of the garden were these hydrangea receiving the morning's filtered light. A cool feel to a steamy day.

new lens

I just received my brand new 100mm macro L lens and I'm thrilled. I tried a few shots this morning to test it out but it's just too hot to do much else. I love it already, but I knew I would. This lovely water lilly in our pond gets lots of visitors and it's hard to capture it without someone buzzing around.

They're back!

 We have an old wooden bird house that I have had forever that hangs under the awning of our terrace. It has seen many families build a nest and bring up the baby house sparrows. The birds are not very pretty but they are so funny to watch. 

This year Brad repaired the flooring and I cleaned out the house. Within days we could see the little bits of sticks starting to come out of the door and windows. I am so happy to see them back. These are my first attempts at shooting them. My focusing is not great but I'll figure it out in time.

  

Notice the mom throwing out a curled up leaf that she apparently didn't want in there because a bug was living in it.

wahoo!

Happy 4th of July! 

This is last year's centerpiece. This year will probably feature a Mario's pizza box.

A story told

They flew at sunrise across the lake. I couldn't see who they were while I stood at the end of the dock. Maybe they were ducks, I'm not sure. Two different flocks heading in the same direction, leaving the night and going into day.

Except for the one who didn't survive. A watery runway filled with so many feathers gently floating on the surface of the lake, leaving a memory of what should have been.

The feathers were still warm and they curled into the morning sun. They barely touched the water, tips pointing upwards to the day's new sky. Their image clearly reflected in the water. Their story unfolding in the early morning mist.

tinkerbell

Grace's quote of the weekend. "If I were a fairy I would have a rainbow in my heart" She certainly puts one in ours.