Indulge

"Seize the moment.  

Remember all those women on the Titanic 

who waved off the dessert cart."

                        --Erma Bombeck

Eye on You

Yes, I know, most folks claim that this face is one only a mother can love.  And, I understand that sentiment but, for a couple reasons, I am quite fond of the shot.  Why?  First, the subject is unusual, and, second, I am actually in the photo.  If possible, enlarge the image and notice in the turkey's eye a reflection that includes the snow-covered landscape and me.  More interesting than you first thought, right?

Picture and Poem

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

                         --by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake 

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Think Outside the Box

"Creativity is the power to connect 

the seemingly unconnected."

                                             --William Plomer

It's everywhere

Have you purchased a bag or two of your favorite Valentine sweet treats?  Immediately following Christmas, this stuff invaded the shelves of most retailers and tempts us each time we walk through the door.  The bright, cheery, pink and red and white packaging also gets our attention and soon we find ourselves scooping it right into our carts.  Go ahead and indulge a time or two -- just be sure in a few weeks to have a little left for your sweetie.

A January Birthday

To my sister, happy birthday and many happy returns.

"Today you are you!  That is truer than true!

There is no one alive who is you-er than you!"

                                                            --Dr. Seuss

Look to the Light

"If you are the light, 

you cast away the darkness."

                 --ManHee Lee

Home

"Home is people.  Not a place.  

If you go back there after the people are gone,

then all you can see is what is not there any more."

                                     --Robin Hobb, Fool's Fate

See Them?

Look closely.  Under the trees.  Notice the two unusual shapes among the tall trunks.

In these parts deer in residential areas is quite common, especially during the winter when they easily find food at bird feeders.  In our neighborhood we often see a pair strolling through the edge of the cornfield, drinking from the retention ponds and resting under these trees.  One early morning when my husband stepped out to get the newspaper, he heard a clippity-clop on the concrete -- these two were leisurely crossing the street.

Azaleas

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."

                                      --Henri Matisse

Frosty View

"Winter is on my head,

but eternal spring is in my heart."

                                          --Victor Hugo

Color

Mano a Mano

"I feel like I can conquer the world with one hand

when you are holding the other one."

                                     --Unknown

Like Father, Like Son

Know any of these men?  If so, then you understand why 'orange' is everywhere in the photo.  Essentially, for decades this farm family has primarily had Allis Chalmers tractors, and each year in their town's annual celebration, they proudly drive some of their fleet in the parade.  

"A farm includes the passion of the farmer's heart, the interest of the farm's customers, the biological activity in the soil,...-- it's everything touching, emanating from, and supplying that piece of landscape..."

                                             --Joel Salatin

Exterior Pattern

"Architecture is a visual art,

and the buildings speak for themselves."

                                               --Unknown

Frozen

Due to the extreme cold and recent snowfall, these parts of Iowa, along with much of the USA, have felt like living in a freezer.  This black and white image gives the viewer a taste of the harsh conditions and helps one focus on the parts of the scene that truly appear frozen.  The snow pack along with a clear sky help temperatures fall to double-digits below zero...not including the windchill.

Lovely Lines

"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us."

                                                     --Winston Churhill

Layers

"To me, photography is an art of observation.

It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place...

I've found it has little to do with the things you see

and everything to do with the way you see them."

                     --Elliott Erwitt

A Child's Eyes

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.

There are seven million."

                                        --Walt Streightiff

Winter Woods

"Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in 

the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up.

Deal with brute nature.  Be cold and hungry and weary."

                                                             --Henry David Thoreau

     

Maquoketa Mist

Maquoketa Mist by Stephanie Funke

The Maquoketa River passes through my hometown and provides a wonderful backdrop for photography, including images captured in the fog. Recently this particular shot received Honorable Mention in an online art exhibit that featured the four seasons.  To view several outstanding entries in this exhibit, visit the following site:  www.lightspacetime.com/seasons-art-exhibition-january-2015/

Leap into 2015

Happy New Year!  This photo is an inspiration as it reminds me to take time to just enjoy life, to spend time with family and friends and to sometimes laugh and play like children.  So, make a splash in the new year and have fun along the way.