Flower Art Friday - The Sweet Scent of the Lilac

This is my 2nd post for Friday, May 4th.  If you are here to view, PAF (Photo Art Friday) please scroll down one post.

LeAnne (LeAnne's Photos) recently started a new Meme called, Flower Art Friday and I wanted to join in again as I love flowers and taking photo's of them.

Here is my entry for this week:

I hope you'll pop on over and check out the other entries and enjoy the beauty of flowers.

Photo Art Friday - May 4, 2012

Hi! - Hey are you ready to be "wowed" by some awesome Photo Art? - Well if you are head on over to Bonnie's blog, Pixel Dust Photo Art and enjoy all the great Photo Art.

This week we were given the option of "any piece of Photo art" or,
showcase a piece of photo art that references, in even the most oblique way, the title of one of your favorite books - any kind of book - within the bounds of good taste, of course.


Well let me tell you that was a tricky theme to handle. After some creative thinking though I came up with an idea for the book I had in mind and here is the result.
 
 

Just in case you can't figure out what the Title of the Book is that I based my piece off of perhaps this final edit will clue you in...
 

 
I have long been a huge fan of the Book and Movie, "Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell.
When I decided to try and recreate the title I struggled with how I could come up with something that was artistic.  The only thing at the time I could think of was something to do with the (Wind) and other then blowing leaves or dandelions blowing in the wind I couldn't think of anything. 
Finally I remembered that I had a great Sunset photo that I liked and thought that it would work well along with a clock image (representing the passing of time) fleeting like the wind.  Are you following me here?
So I cropped the photo below, enhanced it using PicMonkey,  Added one of Bonnie's textures (kkkkaty inspired)   and an overlay of a portion of a GWTW poster that I have hanging in my office/computer room.  The poster is titled, "Gone With The Wind" and is by Walter Rockwood Ferris II, it's extremely hard to find out much information about his work but apparently he did several different posters like the one below all depicting cars at a Drive-In Movie with various movies playing.  I love this poster because 1st the Movie in mine is one of my all time favorite movies and books and 2nd because the license plate on the car in front of the screen is dated 1956 which just happens to be the year I was born.  How cool is that! 
 
The clock is subtle in the piece but I think it works well.  The fiery looking trees reminds me of the Burning of Atlanta in the Movie and also the scene where Scarlett is standing in the garden at sunset holding a bunch of radishes in the air and states, "As Long as God is my Witness, I'll never be Hungry again.!" - I thought about using radishes for the piece but that was a bit to obscure I think!
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Grandma's Glasses

Well today started out fairly normal....

Then I went to put my glasses on so I could walk Coleen to school and said glasses were no where to be found.

Normally every night before I go to bed I put them in the drawer of the nightstand on my side of the bed.

I look in the drawer and, no glasses.

I search the bathroom thinking that I may have put them on when I got up and left them on the counter when I took my shower.  No glasses.  So I ask Coleen if she's seen them. "No Grandma."
So then I think well maybe I left them in my Office last night and forgot to bring them into the bedroom when I went to bed.  I hurry in to see if the glasses are there, no glasses to be found.  Of course I don't see well without my glasses so I'm having a hard time finding them.

Coleen is getting nervous and asks, "Grandma, are you getting frustrated?"
Yes, Yes I am.  I can't see without my glasses."
I call my mom and she comes over to help locate the missing glasses.
We look under the bed with the flashlight thinking that maybe the cats knocked them off the nightstand and drug them under the bed.  Nope, no glasses.  It's getting later and Coleen needs to get to school so I'm thinking I may have to walk her without my glasses.

Coleen:  "Grandma,  Who's going to call the school and tell them that my Grandma can't find her glasses?"

I'm thinking, "No One because who wants people thinking that I'm some crazy old Grandma who can't remember where she put her glasses!"

Finally I remember that I took them off after watching a televsion show and I recall putting them in a drawer of the nightstand like I normally do.  So I open the bottom drawer (where I NEVER put my glasses) and what do you know, that's where they were!  All is right now in Grandma's world and Coleen makes it to school on time, just as the bell is ringing for everyone to head to their classes.

Whew....what a morning!

"Whatever" Wednesday - The Bug Edition

Warning....there are creepy crawly photo's here so if you hate bugs don't look!


We'll start out easy with a bug that shouldn't scare anyone.

Armadillidiidae

 I've always called them, Roly-Poly Bugs and some people call them Pill Bugs...whatever you call them they seem pretty harmless and this is one of Coleen's all time favorite bugs.

Next Up,  Mosquito Hawk or Crane Fly

I really like the shimmer of their wings.

How about a "Stink Beetle"  This poor guy had gone belly-up so I uprighted him, snapped a few photos and he ambled off.  I love the wonderful purple color on this bug, look at those eyes and that pincher mouth.  Creepy!

Box Elder Bug:  We have these all over the place.  In fact earlier this spring when this photo was taken there were hundreds of them crawling up and down the tree in my mom's front yard.  They are a real pest but they make for interesting bug photos!

Katydid:  Coleen spotted this bug last year on my mom's porch one night.  We took a bunch of photo's, sadly I found the bug the next morning lying on the porch dead.

Lastly I give you a Cut Worm  - I hate these things.  They eat our plants.  I was out taking night shots of flowers one night and discovered this when I view the photo's.  It was dark so I had no idea this was on the flower until I saw the photo.  Eww.......

Hopefully I haven't totally "grossed" you out. - See you again next week, I promise the photo's won't be bugs!

Happy May Day

For as long as I can remember I've been giving my Mom a May Day flower.  The object is to try and surprise the person by ringing their doorbell and running away before they catch you.  By now my mom knows it's me leaving the flowers but we still have fun with the running and hiding.

Now the tradition is being carried on by my daughter and granddaughter as well.

I received a nice Hollyhock plant this morning from them.
I gave my mom some Begonia plants.

We went shopping for plants yesterday (in the cold and wind) and I purchased some Gerbera Daisies, this is one of them.  They were planted this morning and I thought I would share it with you.

Have a wonderful day!