Dreaming of Spring

As I've been going through pictures from last summer I am continually looking forward to warmer weather and green grass.  We've had a fairly cold winter here this year, though we haven't had much snowfall compared to past years.  Now that we're into April I'm hoping the warmer temperatures and the rain will start coming soon!

I thought I would go through and share some of my favorite pictures from last summer/fall.

This last fall my sister and my brothers and I went out on a walk through the back pasture, taking pictures and checking on the cows.  The leaves in the timber were popping with color!

The sun was setting as the cows were enjoying the lush green pasture.

 Maggie, our calf to one of our milk cows, was pretty curious as to what we were doing out in the pasture.

 Storm clouds rolling through during a nice spring day last year.

 I always look forward to the Grape Hyacinth blooming in the spring, and if you can get close enough they even smell good!

I've been experimenting with verses and quotes over photos lately.

What are you most looking forward to this spring/summer?
Leave a comment and let me know!

A Radiant Sunrise

One morning I was up early and noticed that there was a heavy dew and that the clouds held potential for a colorful sunrise.  I grabbed my camera, slipped on some shoes and headed out the door to the east to see what I could capture.  I adjusted my settings, took a couple of test shots just to be sure, and started snapping away.  In the time it took for the sun to rise I had snapped somewhere around two hundred pictures.  I also did some experimenting with the HDR settings on my camera, you can click here to see those.  The dew on the wheat added an element of uniqueness to an otherwise normal sunrise photo.                

I love the way the sun is starting to peak over the tops of the trees and illuminate the heads of wheat.

I love that this shot includes more of the sunrise, along with the little streak of fog hiding behind the row of trees to the right of the image.  

The anticipation before the sunrise of what is to come.

Do you make a point of it to get up early enough every morning to see the sunrise?  I'm not always up early enough to enjoy it, but if I am I am usually doing the morning chores so I don't always get to photograph it.  I guess there are many ways to enjoy a sunrise though!

This evening as I was working on the computer my little brother came running down the stairs hollering "Bobbi!  You're missing an awesome sunset!  It really is awesome!".  So I followed him back up the stairs to get a glimpse of the awesome sunset, it really was awesome!  I'm thinking maybe the phrase should be 'Stop and enjoy the sunset'.

Magnificent Clouds

So it's been awhile!  Almost a year since my last post. :(  Sorry about that!  We've had Internet issues and my computer has also decided to act up the last few months.  I'm still not sure if it's fixed yet....but while it's working, here are a few pictures!

These were taken during hunting trips last fall.  I like to take my camera along to see if I can capture some of the excitement!  Though it was mostly weather, a squirrel, and a few geese flying over, they didn't have time in their schedule to stop for pictures, maybe next time. ;)

I love the way this picture turned out!  If you look closely you can almost see them moving by!

Storm clouds are always my favorite!  I love the different hues in this one.

I call this one "Pink Wisps".

Over the last several weeks I've been busy in the garden pulling weeds, mulching paths, planting seeds and making raised beds.  I hope to finish mulching in between plants next week.

We've added a third garden this year!  It contains the unruly squash vines that try to take over everything.  We also added corn and a lot of melons.  This year with the corn I'm going to try planting pole beans along the rows to climb up the stalks.  I also plan on saving bean seeds from all three varieties I'm growing this year.

 Two days ago we got 2 3/4" of rain!  Hence, the blog post! ;)  I'm hoping this year will be a wetter one than last year.

I will try to post more often now that things are working again, although this might be a "rainy day" blog.

If anyone is still out there, thanks for reading!

"In the light of a King's face there is Life,

and His favor is like the clouds that

bring the Spring rains."

Proverbs 16:15

Week 24: Pink Clematis

I planted this clematis about three years ago.  The first year I don't think it bloomed at all.  The second year (last year) it had several blooms.  This year it has exploded!  There are tons of blooms all over it!  I really like Clematis and hope to get a few different colors started.  I believe this one is called Nelly Moser.  Though I may be wrong on that one.  It doesn't look anything like the picture that was on the package that I bought!

 

But I still like it anyway!

 

 

 

This picture was one of those where you think, "Hey, I wonder how it will look from this angle."  One of those times where you normally wouldn't have tried it this way.  I really like how it turned out!

This one is probably my favorite!  Sometimes I have a hard time getting the camera to focus where I want it to.  I will think I have it right, take my camera inside and unload the pictures only to find out it's not focused where I thought it was!  With this picture I wanted it focused on the white stamens in the center of the flower to help draw your eye into the picture.  It's pretty close to where I wanted it.

Have you been enjoying the summer flowers? 

Week 22: Another Old Barn

I took these pictures back in February while I was trying to get pictures of Bald Eagles.  Needless to say, the barn pictures turned out better than the Eagle ones.

 



 

 

When I edit pictures I will try editing in black-and-white to see if it looks better than the original.  With this picture, I couldn't decide which I liked better.  Though, I am leaning more toward the black-and-white version!

Which is your favorite?  Do you tend to like black-and-white or color better?

Week 14: A Stormy Pasture

This is also one of my favorites, edited with the Pioneer Woman's Photoshop Actions.  I had edited it several times before trying to lighten up the trees without making the sky too bright.  My last edit was pretty close to the way I wanted it.  Yesterday when I downloaded the actions I was trying them out on a few pictures and thought I would try it on this one.  It finished the picture up nicely!  This goes to show that the right editing can really benefit the over all feel of a picture, making the difference between a good picture and an ok picture.

To see the before edit click here and visit my Flickr page.

Week 10: A Lone Tree

This picture was taken two years ago.  It was one of those times where you decide you are going to get a picture of something that you had been driving past several times a week.  Have you ever done that? 

 I have always liked this tree, and the fact that there wasn't anything behind it.  Perfect for a silhouette-type picture.  I'm thinking about doing a four seasons collage with this tree.  Of course I will have to get the other three seasons first!

 

 

 

 

 

I turned this picture black and white because the color version just wasn't working for me.  I will still mess around with the color version and see if I can get it figured out.  If not I could always take some more!  That is until the tree dies and falls over, but in the mean time....