Hit Me With Your Best Shot

March 28, 2014March 28, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot — 28-MAR-2014

Yet another week has FLOWN by. I can’t believe it’s Friday already.

It was a sorta uneventful week. Unless you consider our Spring snowstorm here in the land of “this Winter will NEVER end.”

I actually was busy at work this week. And in the evenings, I’ve been crafting again. The craft of the week being sewing. I’ll share pics of the finished product here one day.

Wintry weather and that craft-project-with-deadline kept me inside most of the week. But yesterday, knowing I had a Hit Me With Your Best Shot post to do today, I decided to take my camera along on an errand.

In my opinion, none of the images I captured this week are real stand-outs. But since I’m supposed to be sharing my one best shot, and I usually share several, I feel like I have to at least choose a favorite. Here it is… a little faerie in the window of Earth, Glaze, and Fire waiting to be painted.

Earth, Glaze, and Fire is a paint-your-own pottery and fired arts studio that recently moved into a suite of shops at 92 Main Street in Old Town Warrenton. It’s the same suite of shops that houses my friend Janet’s shop, The Empty Nest.

This little line-up of trolls was in the same window. They made me smile.

Going to Janet’s shop was actually the little errand I referred to.

Janet doesn’t just sell Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and supplies. She has a vast array of other cool stuff, from vintage pieces of furniture to antique china, flowers, boot toppers, amazing flannel shirts, door handles and drawer pulls, note cards… it’s a LONG list. I absolutely love what she’s done with her store. It’s fun poking around.

While she was busy, I moseyed around her shop, capturing what I think are fun images.

I didn’t t know what sort of image I’d end up with here, but I liked this cluster of birds. Although it’s dark, I like the end result.

HMWYBS_28-Mar_4 — Waiting in the Shadows

Of course the birds aren’t real, but doesn’t it look like a bunch of birds huddled in the dark, waiting for the light of Spring to shine upon them so they can emerge?

Here’s a scene that ALWAYS makes me smile…

I just love those fat, goofy, and happy-looking chicks. I don’t decorate my house for Easter, but if I did, I’d take these two home with me. How can you not smile at them?

Speaking of Easter…

Someone gifted Janet with this amazing, light-blue, feather tree. It’s the coolest thing. It wouldn’t “go” with my decor at home, but I really like that little tree. Especially when it’s got these cute yellow peeps clipped onto it.

I was torn between my two favorite feather tree captures. To spare myself the agony of having to choose between the two, I just shared both of them.

I was experimenting with different camera settings, shooting this chandelier. Again, it’s dark, but I like the little spots of Bokeh light in the back.

It’s sort of funny that my theme for the week seems to have ended up being things that make me smile. I guess that’s my way of justifying NOT getting out to capture more substantial and/or impressive subject matter.

Although this last shot doesn’t make me smile. Okay, maybe it makes me smile a little.

Don’t you think the birds on my flag look confused as it snows again?

We may finally be done with the frozen, white stuff. There are some distant rumblings of potential snow later next week, but I’ll be away. Woo hoo! If it does snow, I’ll miss it.

I have a work trip coming up at the end of next week. I have to be at my corporate headquarters on Thursday afternoon and Friday.I’m looking forward to some face time with co-workers. There are several I haven’t met in person ever and others I saw last in January 2012. I’m excited. 🙂

I may not be doing a HMWYBS post next week. But, since I wisely decided to extend my trip through Monday to take advantage of the warmer climate and do some exploring, I should have some good images to share the week after that.

Don’t forget to visit Nancy’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot post to see what others have shared this week. This photo challenge hasn’t caught on with many folks yet, but I’m hopeful more people will participate one day. In the meantime, at least it gets me out there shooting.

March 21, 2014March 20, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot — 21-MAR-2014

I may sound whiny, but the truth is, we’ve had some CRAZY weather this year. Snow, snow, ice, and more snow. Interspersed with a teaser nice day here and there.

Last Saturday (March 15), it was sunny and pleasant with temps in the upper 60s. Sunday, a snowstorm hit. By mid-morning on Monday there were 10 inches of snow on the ground.

Temperatures today are supposed to be in the 60s, and we may even hit 70 on Saturday. But there’s a winter storm headed our way. Tuesday we might see more snow. Can you believe it?

Anyway… I haven’t been out much, but I did have a more interesting week than usual. My friend, Brad, visited for the weekend. We actually did a hike and picnic in Shenandoah National Park. I introduced Brad to some local Longhorns. I gave him a town tour, too. All in all it was a lovely weekend, during which I captured my shots to share for this week’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot challenge.

The first one is my favorite. I’m a sucker for blue skies.

Genetic Mutant or Unfortunate Camera Angle?

Funny, I didn’t notice the four-horned steer when I shot that picture. I didn’t even notice it when I looked at the on-screen image for the first time.

Those two never took their eyes off of us. Maybe they were on guard duty?

This amazing carpet of crocus, which has to be VERY old, amazes me every year. These images were captured on Sunday, before the snow hit. Much of the snow has melted and, I’m happy to say, a lot of the tough little flowers survived.

I can’t help but wonder just how old those flowers are. I mean, I know crocus spread, but they don’t spread that fast. And they are a bit unusual, too, which makes me think it’s an heirloom variety. I’d love to know when they were planted. The entire yard is covered. The flowers are also spreading into a neighboring yard and back behind the houses.

Locals, you can see this for yourself on the lot between 162 and 178 Main Street, across from the Mosby Museum.

That’s it for this week. Happy Spring!

March 15, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot — 14-MAR-2014

It’s been an interesting, but VERY busy week. Luckily, I was able to capture some images worthy of a Hit Me With Your Best Shot entry.

Work was intense this week, made more so by my taking Tuesday off to visit with my dear pals, Carol and Tracey. It was an unplanned opportunity to visit that I just couldn’t pass up. We each live in different states now and don’t see each other nearly as often as we’d like. Then, on Thursday evening, my friend, Brad, arrived for a weekend visit. I have declared this old friends week. Pics of Brad will hopefully be shared in my next enrty.

My favorite capture of the week is this one… sunrise over the Potomac at the Harry Nice Bridge.

It looks a bit industrial thanks to the Morgantown Generating Station. But the colors are still pretty, no?

I left Carol’s house bright and early on Wednesday so I could get back to my office for work. The sky was coming alive as I left her neighborhood, approaching the river crossing where I hoped to capture a fuller sky view.

Temperatures on Tuesday were in the mid-70s. It was lovely. My girlfriends and I sat outside and soaked up the warmth while we enjoyed each other’s company.

Since we hadn’t managed to get together for Christmas or birthdays, we exchanged gifts that afternoon. One of Carol’s gifts to Tracey was a book about American farmers. The cover really caught my eye.

Looking forward to more captures this week.

Check out Nancy’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot post to see this week’s other entries.

March 7, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot — 7-Mar-2014

Our lovely — NOT! — Winter weather continues, so I haven’t been out much. I did manage to capture a few cool images for this week’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot challenge that are share-worthy.

1_IMG_0151 — One of the two images tied for my favorite.

2_IMG_0152 — The other of the two images tied for my favorite.

3_IMG_0136 — Artsy shot of reverse frozen dog prints.

4_IMG_0141 — Frog planter with attitude.

It’s a happy looking planter when full of flowers, but he sure looks grumpy with snow on his head.

Speaking of snow… I went to shovel the front steps the other day, and all of the girls decided to “help.”

Snow removal goes REALLY slow when it’s being lifted by the mouthful. Even if there are three mouths.

So those were my captures for the week.

As for the first two shots… There were actually quite a few interesting wrastling shots, so I decided to post them as a series.

Their expressions crack me up.

If you have an extra moment, check out the other participants’ Hit Me With Your Best Shot posts, too.

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot – 21-Feb-2014

I was confused about how this Hit Me With Your Best Shot thing works. Apparently, posts are done on Fridays, NOT Thursdays. So, while I thought I was being timely last week, I actually shared my images at the last minute. Sigh…

I think I have it straight now. LOL.

Anyhoo…

Here’s my entry for Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Week 4).

It’s February in Central Virginia, which usually means cold, snowy, wet, gray weather. This past weekend we were treated to two unseasonably warm days.

On Saturday, we went to Culpeper, but I forgot my camera. On Sunday, I took my motorcycle out for a spin. The plan was to stop and take pictures. I stopped once. But, after that, I was enjoying the ride so much, I didn’t stop again. And now the cold has returned.

So, even though none of these shots are particularly noteworthy, they’re something. The first is my favorite.

Little Georgetown Church

Heflin’s Store

It was quite nice at that location. All I could hear were a few birds singing, cows lowing in the distance, and the wind in the trees. Ahhhh.

According to the Fauquier Historical Society…

In the village of Little Georgetown stands a stone house known as Helflin’s Store. Built in 1845 by stonemason John Fry, and known originally as Stover’s Store, it functioned as a general store for the local farming community and for travelers and traders along the Thoroughfare Gap Road. Charles and Abraham Stover’s gristmill was located half a mile east of the structure, but only ruins remain. With the establishment of the Manassas Gap Railroad at Broad Run Station in 1852, the store’s business intensified. In 1884, Henry Newlon Brawner, a former cavalryman under Col. Mosby who had been stationed in the area during the Civil War, acquired the Stover Store and changed its name to his own. He sold the business to Edgar W. Heflin in 1899. The general store remained in operation until the 1970’s. It has recently been restored by Mr. and Mrs. John Hazel.

With temps in the high 60s and the roads free of snow and ice, I just had to ride. I should have more pics to share next week.

And now it’s cold again. It was 12 F when I got up this morning.

I think I need to organize a Come On Spring dance. Or something.

February 20, 2014February 20, 2014

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Several years ago, over a period of months, I participated in a weekly photo challenge, You Capture. It was a fun way to force myself to do something I enjoy, but don’t always have time for.

You Capture was very successful, but it became too difficult for Beth, the host blogger, to manage. Nothing against Beth. She’s a lovely lady, but she also happens to be an entrepreneur AND mother of four. So she has absolutely no spare time.

I met some really cool people during my You Capture days, one of whom is Beth’s Mom, Mary.

Mary reached out to me recently by e-mail, saying…

Long time no speak right? I visit your site sometimes but I just haven’t been a good commenter. I have however missed checking in with you regularly. I go back to the days of You Capture when we all shared pictures and comments and stories and I really miss it.

Know what? I miss it, too. Which means I was really tickled when Mary went on in her e-mail to say…

Although Beth hasn’t started You Capture in the same way where it’s open to everybody, one of the participants is trying to get a photo challenge going. This is only her second week, but so far I’m the only one who’s joined. Others have posted pictures on Facebook, but it’s not the same. Anyway, when I think of the people I miss the most from the You Capture days, you’re right at the top. You’re such an interesting writer and gifted photographer! So I thought I’d send you the link to Nancy’s photo challenge in the hopes that you might join in.

I was touched that she remembered me. AND, her e-mail just happened to coincide with the arrival of a brand-new camera lens. So I decided to join. Here’s my entry for the week.

My Favorite Shot

Folks who know me, know I have a story for everything. That image hangs in a group on Caroline Street in Olde Town Fredericksburg, Virginia. It appears there is or has been an art movement in Fredericksburg — MOREart!. I don’t know if the smallish mural pictured is part of that or not. I will have to investigate further.

Other Images I Want to Share

Photography is art. It’s taken me a while to realize that good photography doesn’t have to mean perfect images. My images don’t always have to be completely in focus. They don’t have to be technically brilliant, i.e., perfect lighting, strong composition, sharp, etc., they just have to please me. I’m not trying to make a living here, I’m just trying to capture images I enjoy.

I like Immortalizing little moments that mean something to me. Here are some of my other favorite captures.

The first two images were also captured in Fredericksburg with my old lens.

All of the images that follow were captured with my new lens, a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens.

snowmelt — Snowmelt (it was 60 degrees here yesterday!)

That’s it for me this week. I hope you enjoyed my captures.

Visit Nancy’s blog to see the other entries.

Thanks for hosting this, Bacardi Mama.