Weekly Photo Challenge: Renewal
The Weekly Photo Challenge: Renewal.
Autumn offers no crocuses or tiny redbud blooms on trees. I thought of library books and contracts, being signed up for a team. Commitment.
Everything is preparing for dormancy, dropping beautiful gold and orange leaves in gutters like crazy. There is a sense of approaching winter, the urge to cocoon, make soup. And then the temperature is in the 60s and predicted 70 for Sunday. One day you are making up your bed with flannel sheets, boiling water for tea, making chili or soup. The next day you are ripping off your sweater and sporting a cotton T. The fluctuations feel strange and off.
As I left school, this is what I saw…
The fresh pine cones dangling for the pine trees branches, bobbing in the wind and the late day sunlight shining right on them said renewal to me.
Everything has been focused on the vibrant palette of the deciduous trees but look at this magnificent coniferous tree!
Red Pears by Candlelight
This winter will be the winter of photography by candlelight. I mean you have to have a plan. Try something new. Challenge yourself. The early darkness seems a good opportunity to light candles and experiment with low light. Bought some red pears. They don’t look red in this photo but my goal is to not manipulate the images. Find the right white balance. Not going to poach these orbs in wine or make a pear tart. I’ll pack them in my lunch bag for school and slurp their refreshing juice at the end of my lunchtime – hurriedly before period 8 starts.
Will be doing some more candlelight images and dm looking for some human volunteers for portraits by candlelight, right in my dining room.
Bumper by the Side of the Road
You know there is a story behind this city scene, late afternoon. I took a different route.
All the leaves are down and the sky is gray
I heard a loud machine sound out my bedroom window this morning. No school today. I shot this right through the screen and glass and need to pull the storm windows down. It was a vehicle with a strong leaf blower. Hmmmm. The tree muncher arrived later to chew up a few branches that fell on the park across the street.
Autumn Postcard from Guernsey County Seat – Cambridge Ohio
I’ve been told some of my photographs look like postcards. I don’t think that is a good thing when they tell me but I don’t mind. I like postcards.
Another view from the National Road- along Route 40. Have you ever seen a Cambridge Glass Turkey?
Cambridge is best known for Cambridge Glass
and the museum The National Museum of Cambridge Glass is located on 9th Street in Cambridge, Ohio.
Open April thru December
Wednesday – Saturday 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sunday: Noon – 4:00 pm
Closed Easter & July 4th
Additional appointments or tour groups by appointment.
Laura has a Mumkin on her Front Porch
When I visited last week in Columbus, Laura had a Mumkin on her front porch. (James,too)
A pumpkin decoration with the top off and filled with a chrysanthemum plant. Do they have mumkins where you live? It was new to me. I guess you could turn it around after Halloween for Thanksgiving time so the Jack-o-Lantern face is in the back. I thought it was cheerful.
When I googled the word Mumkin, I came up with a totally different definition from the Urban Dictionary.
Anyway it was cute and the mums were all still buds. Maybe it has since bloomed. I will have to ask. What will they think of next?
Brother and Sister Waiting for Brother and Sister
Waiting for the school bus at the end of the day. You can hear it round the corner. My sister sat on the curb with Maura and Murphy- Super Jack was ready for action. November afternoon with the grandchildren. It is going to be hard to leave and return to normal life.
There were chores to accomplish today, debrief from the weekend celebration. Got J off to Omaha before breakfast. We returned the layer separators to the cake baker’s place. The lost engraved forks were found in the kitchen of the Athenauem where the reception was held. Tomorrow the wedding dress to the cleaners in the morning. Visiting with Matthew before he returns to Croatia. La and James are on their honeymoon! Thanks for all the wonderful comments and notes. It was nice to share the wedding excitement with my blog followers.
Painted Brick and Autumn Vine
Don’t understand why people paint brick. But the peeling paint I found in the back alley was a great background for the autumn vine.
Like an artist's palatte, just waiting for me to find it.
Mt. Washington Tower and the Full Moon
On Shiloh Street there is a 350 foot tower. Here is a piece of it and the full moon from the impromptu Tuesday night shoot.
Just last year I was on the hunt for Inflatable Turkeys. To me this is much more dramatic.
Guess this will be the Thanksgiving post. Handheld, RB, no tripod. Propped camera on the side of a telephone pole.
Reminds me of a Cape Canaveral image.
Red Leaf’s Shadow
Late afternoon sunlight on a red leaf as it blew across the walk in front of school. Unaltered photo. A true crimson red.
if you wait long enough, the wind blows leaves across the concrete.
Count the Crows
At four o’clock the crows gather near Hillcrest Street. This is just one tree of many where they roost. I was waiting for Steve to pick me up at school. Their cawing sounds are loud and remind one of the movie The Birds. This is a color photo.
There were more but as I approaced the tree some flew away!
Most People Don’t Like Them (2 images)
Squirrels! They ransack bird feeders. Had one in the fireplace the month of July a few years back. Steve had to take it down the street and he wore oven mitts and a parka in July, carrying a cage. Neighbors must have gotten a look. I am sure it ran right back to our house after he released it in the park. Some call them rats with bushy tails and they are from the order of rodentia. Their beady eyes dart about. But just look at where they live! The colors in person were even more alive. Fred Peterson, President of the Pittsburgh Poetry Society read a poem at Maker’s Mark about the delicacy at the family table- squirrel brains. Not part of my cultural upbringing so totally unappetizing to me. When Laura moved to an apartment in college, one of the housemates had one as a pet. This was a tree worth driving around the block. This is an unretouched photo taken on a glorious autumn afternoon. Closeup of nest- scroll down for second image
Seems a strong wind would undo the squirrel nest.
Wish I knew how high this branch is but taller than a third floor of a house.
Silvery Skyline
Can someone explain the building the jail (the four red brick structures) on the Monongahela River Front?
Arlington Avenue view of the city on the way home from school.
Autumn Through the Art Room Windows
Walking into the room this morning I saw the oak tree catch the morning sun, reflect it onto the art room tables. Warm fire aglow. A stunning welcome to the beginning of the work day. I dialed the combination to get the camera out of my locker.
Autumn colors at their peak, through the art room windows.
Cathedral of Learning and School
It’s dark in the morning on the way to school and you know how I like to shoot at red lights. Saw the Cathedral peeking through the driveway as I looked to the left out the driver’s window. Then when I got to school in Arlington the sun was coming up and I could see the Cathedral in the distance. The school buses lined up, waiting to let the children get off to go inside for breakfast.
CMU Crosswalk- Autumn Afternoon
When Steve drives I have so much fun taking pictures. It was magnificent light through the colored leaves, the students crossing Forbes Ave. We were driving down Morewood and there was the sinking sun making the leaves vibrant. Too bad the windshield wasn’t clean!
A perfect October afternoon. If only this weather could stay!
A Bowl of Minestrone
A chill in the air, the leaves start to turn. October 4th is a good day. My DIL was born. She would rather eat a bowl of soup than a piece of cake. Happy Birthday Erika ! I watched my friend Roberta make this pot of minestrone Friday night. Fragrant, nourishing, delicious. We all ate a bowl and had some Hearth Bread from Whole Foods and it was a great kickoff for the beginning of soup season. I photographed it on my kitchen table in one of my mother’s bowls. The recipe is from The Best Recipe Cookbook by the editors of COOK’S ILLUSTRATED. Follow the recipe to the letter and you will be surprised. It is a different method and has no garlic unless you add it in the pesto or Rosemary mixture at the end. The key to the recipe success is the real Parmesan Cheese Rind.
To DIL- Happy Birthday Erika. Soup Season has Begun! I will make some when I visit. Love you, MIL
2 small leek washed thoroughly, white and light green sliced thin crosswise
2 medium carrots peeled and cut small dice
2 small onions peeled and small dice
2 medium celery stalks trimmed and cut small dice
1 medium russet potato peeled and medium dice
1 medium zucchini trimmed and medium dice
3 c stemmed spinach leaves cut in thin strips
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped
1 Parmesan cheese rind about 5×2 inches
1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed, added last 5 minutes
ground black pepper
at end add 1/4 c basil pesto or 1 T rosemary mixed with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and extra- virgin olive oil
Bring vegetables tomatoes and 8 cups of water, cheese rind and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a big soup kettle or pot.
Reduce hear to medium low simmer uncovered, stir occasionally,until vegetables are tender but still hold their shape about an hour.
Add beans and cook just until heated through about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Remove and discard cheese rind. Stir in pesto or Rosemary mixture if desired and adjust seasonings adding pepper or more salt if necessary. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.
If you want to add pasta be sure to cook separately, drain and put in soup bowl, then ladle soup over it so it doesn’t suck up all the broth.
Dry Cleaning & the Bicycle Man
I love it when Steve drives. We were headed to the Squirrel Cage Cafe for the Fish Special.
Autumn Tree, Anna called it a Tomato Tree, JB says Persimmon,Sand HIll Berry Farm
Autumn Tree at Sand Hill Berry Farm
Sand Hill Berry Farm Cider Press- Bushels of Apples- October Sunday-Mt. Pleasant, PA
Red Currants and Red Raspberries their specialty, not to mention the gooseberries to make jam. Raspberry pies, and free raspberry sundaes. We roasted hot dogs over a fire, and marshmallows to make smores. Autumn color in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania is hard to beat. The barn was filled with the smell of apples.
Apples wait to be pressed into cider.
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