Monday, June 29, 2009

SSSHHH!! I`M HIDING

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A little humor on the impossibility of hiding, when this Tomato Clown insisted on helping to move the Purple Anemone, to the front center area of the reef.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

BACK DOOR MAN

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I have a little seat near the fountain at my back door, that people drop off items periodically.
As an eclectic collector of things disposable, some have decided to donate to my collections.
I usually have no idea, who has gifted me with these items, & this one`s provenance is just as much a mystery.
There is a notation on the back of the canvas that may be a clue as to who is pictured (dada, might know) & also from who it
came to be in my possession.
On Planet Earth, an update on a header image I posted a while ago.
It was a cable wrapped with a thin vine.
The vine which grows about one foot a day, has opened into it`s flat filigrees.
Tomorrow, I`ll see if Leah wants to see one of my "Peep Show" images.
Come back & check it out.
And Please, have a great day.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

LEAH`S LEGACY

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Tonight this post is for a nice young lady with a gentle smile.
Leah if you click on this image, it will take you to all the individual ones.
Note the little wasp or bee in the image at the top right.
I decided to go see what it looked like, up close.
The red "feather" flower is a stranger in my yard & it seems like more will open.
If anybody has a clue, speak up.
I have no clue what it is.
Have a nice day.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Beth`s color

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Beth, this is not the image I had in mind, but this one just bloomed in the "Reef Garden" here.
It will be gone within hours, so I captured it for your purple fix.
It is in a concave depression in some black lava rock in one of our gardens.
Have a great day.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Scotch Broom

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This bouquet, cut up in the canyon today, is now on the dining room table.
We were in a traffic line stopped for tunnel maintenance when I jumped out to cut a few blossoms,
Before jumping back in the car, I ran to the car ahead & offered the lady in the passenger seat a little sprig of scent.


One of my clients called me for an emergency repair tonight.
She had 32 young boys from a German soccer team at her house, along with coaches & a few parents.
Before addressing the repair, I asked my client to give me the names of three of the German boys who were all in the pool at the house.
I walked out to the pool & shouted to the three named boys to exit the pool "SCHNELL".
None of the about 40 people there had ever seen me & I had told my client to stay in the house & only watch through the windows.
So here`s some crazed looking person yelling at kids in the pool to get out ASAP. I turned it into a big laugh & in fun, I did get a thorough soaking after pushing a few of the kids back into the water.
After introductions all around, the parents & coaches calmed down, having wondered if the household had been invaded by a crazed person.
That`s why my clients love me.
I can always turn a gathering into a love-in

Sunday, June 21, 2009

PEEKING PERCULA

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A little study in orange & green.
Enjoy & have a nice day.
I hopefully will have a few new shots to post tomorrow.
New, meaning stuff you may not have seen before.
These ones from today are very recent, but most probably a familiar subject.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

CHAOS THEORY

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Certain things are not so well regulated, but in nature, rules always comply with order.
This chaotic view of a Tube Anemone, shows it in turmoil, a result of capturing food, & subjugating it to it`s orders.
On Planet Earth, a few more signs of repetitive order, & a perfect example of nature in an ordered state.
That does not mean that if one was to step on this globe, they would not know chaos.
The world can be harsh in it`s teaching.
Have a great day, the last one of the weak.
Be strong & prosper, Please.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

GREEN CHROMIS

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This Green Chromis is one of a school of six cruising the reef.
They are quite difficult to shoot.
I`m feeling a little better, but will hit my normal stride soon.
Have a nice summer day, Please.

Check out some Kiwi on Planet Earth.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Agapantha

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Short post tonight.
I don`t feel up to par these past few days.
I`m fine though, no worries.
Have a nice day.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Revolution

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I`m going green today in support of our Iranian brothers & sisters who need the hope we can provide them by our support.
Have a nice day & keep some thoughts for our other planetary family members, Please.

Knot hole in a split rail fence

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It`s late & I have to get my beauty sleep.
There are more images beyond this one. I took these while on a walk today with my buddy Coconut.
Someone on Planet Earth has a question.
Have a nice day.

Friday, June 12, 2009

PLASTER PORTRAITS

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Tonight I was studying portraits & how to light them properly or better yet trying different light source direction.
When thinking of portraits one pictures umbrellas, reflectors, lights, diffusers etc..
But some portraits are done at night.
Think rock shows late night parties & so on.
So this is a little workshop in the dark I was working on tonight.
All these are long exposures (1/4 sec to 1 sec, I think) & are all lit with a small LED flashlight.
I should have expanded this exercise with different lights, but as you know, I always have half a dozen things going on at once here at my place.
I hope you enjoy my little experimentations in light & shadow.
Have a great day & I`ll see you around the bend.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

SURFIN` SAFARI

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It`s early in the morning here as you can see by the clock on the front of the Safari van, even though it`s set to daylight savings time.
After a blinding sandstorm I finally arrived at the dive site where I shot this Tube Anemone & saw some terrifying undersea monsters.
You can click on this image to see the end result of what a sandstorm can do to a simple hippy style travel van.
For all of you on vacation, I hope you don`t have to go through storms of this gradient.
Have a great day in the Smokies.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

BLACK GOLD

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Since I promised a peek into a gold mine, I`m going to start with the black gold of my Marine Betta.
I believe this is the oldest fish in my family of underwater wonders.
I got him as a juvenile in 2001 I think. This fish knows my moves & I know how he moves.
I can call him out to meet people & he trusts me to not bring harm to him.
He does not trust Coconut, & will make sudden charges at him if I forget Coconut is on my arm.
He will dash out & come the closest to the tank wall he ever does, mouth agape & looking as ferocious as possible.
He is not an aggressive fish otherwise.
Beyond this image I have a few images to make AndiF`s vacation a little more pleasant & I also included a few of the growing clones from a rare Green Leather.
I think I have four clones growing now.
I did have six but a few seem to have been eaten or hidden by some unknown gourmet.

In the header & on Planet Earth, the real gold from my backyard mine, is yielding more gold dust than I could have anticipated.
In the images linked in the header, one image will show why I need to get a larger & more uniform white background cardboard.

Have a great day & AndiF & Jim, I left you a little tune in your snail mail box.
Have a pleasant vacation & to all the other people who may read this, pretend you are on vacation or otherwise also.

Monday, June 8, 2009

LITTLE WHITE BABIES

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I have no clue what these diminutive little wild flowers are, but they`re welcome in my yard all day long.
Smaller than a dime, they are proof that great things are sometimes packaged tight.
Over on Planet Earth, some brush strokes of nature from my back yard treasures.
Please check out the linked ones from the same chest.

While in the yard today, I came upon an old mine shaft & discovered that it had to have been a gold mine.
Please join me tomorrow & I`ll show you some of the gold dust that panned out from my discovery.

I`d also like to wish Andi & Jim a perfectly wonderful trip & hope you brought along the proper supplies since you are in the Smokies.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

COMING OF AGE

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This is I think a baby Agapantha, ready to meet the world.
This one`s older sister is linked to this one.
In the header, a tiny tendril slowly creeps up a co-axial cable to get better solar reception.
On Planet Earth, a pendant reflecting a product of its placement.
Silver from the earth & turquoise from the blue planet.
Please have a nice week.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

PURPLE PUZZLE

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This is the temporary location my Purple Anemone has decided to call home.
In an undersea cave where it can see into my space, yet look back to the blue expanse of it`s world, it may have wishes to join my space (fatal) but may have doubts about it`s little adventure.
I do believe it will exit this cave & go on walkabout, in it`s exploration for enlightenment.
I have a few mixed images beyond this one, to make your perceptions sharper.
Have a great day & what the heck is the theme for tomorrow on FFFFFFFFFFFFF.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

TROPICAL ZONE

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This is an image from one of my Hibiscus trees.
I have deep red ones, these pink ones & a purple & white variety, plus an occasional bloom on a yellow blooming tree.
In the header a few flowers & plants from my yard facing the ocean.
A surprise though is on Planet Earth, a trapped Sunflower.
It is inside the netted entry to the tent I have in the yard for surprise visitors who like the outdoors.
I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow, & the offerings here tonight.
I`ll have to start writing my smart-alec posts again soon. I have to stay in top form.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

FORBIDDEN ZONE

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This image is from a branching bloom of one of my rare Aloe plants. Imagine a christmas tree with all the branches strung with these lights.
That`s what the blossom looks like. This is one branch.
This image & the ones linked are from one of my forbidden zones, areas which are always full of surprises, yet which I rarely visit.
I should enter the zone more often.
May you be in a nice zone tomorrow.

Monday, June 1, 2009

LAST OF THE BIG RED BLOSSOMS

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This is the last of the big red blooms on two of my cactus plants of this species.
I`ll have to concentrate my attention on some other cactus that are soon to bloom including my tall Cereus ones that are presently blooming.
On Planet Earth a few shots of life under water.
Enjoy & I will see if I can shoot some surprises tomorrow.
I just might.

FIRST BLOOD

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This is the first bloom of the year on my tall Cereus cactus.
It`s not the nicest shot I`ve taken of these blossoms, but it did take me by surprise.
There aremany more buds, so I`ll be setting up for better vantage points when they open.
On Planet Earth, more wonders from my yards.
The fern one that seems to be in bloom, was being happily violated by an orange clock.
In the other yard you can see what a clump of California poppies looks like when allowed to grow wild.
I included a couple of little miniature wonders I found there also.
I wish you all a great week ahead.