Hop, Jump & Leap

Celebrating the Leap Year tradition with a Hop, Jump and Leap

Racing the light

Working on panning motion images, I captured this red car racing the evening light.

Crystal Tree

This winter weary sugar maple appears dressed in fine crystal as the over night temperatures sank into the single digits. The rising sun just began to touch her limbs and soon the spell will be broken.

Blade Transport Vehicle

Super long trailer transport blades for a new wind turbine. Note that this trailer spans the distance between phone polls and the the back tires shift when the driver turns his wheel. In the distance is LaSalle Nuclear Plant. The power created from this wind farm will share same high power lines to delivery energy out of state.

Why I Love the Midwest

This is near my corner of the planet and embodies all the things that I like the most about the Midwest Illinois, U.S.A.

Like ribbons in a wind, we blend together old and new. This became tangible as new wind turbines are planted next to farms like this which still wear their antique cousins; windmills once used as well pumps to bring water up from underground rivers for livestock and home.

It’s a land that carries a need for space and respectable distance. Farms are not within shouting distance of one another, yet doors are always open for the loan of a cup of sugar or the abundance of the garden harvest.

It’s a resilient land that can overcome drought or tornados, much like the original pioneers who traveled this way over dusty trails in covered wagons. A place where whole mornings can be spent discussing rain fall and the cost of a bushel of corn over a morning’s coffee at the diner, just to be repeated again tomorrow.

It is the Heartland of America, named after the generous hand it uses to greet a strange and the dedication it shows to heritage and home. The land was cleared by families who raised barns and reared children; who often lived simple and uncomplicated lives; land and possessions passing from generation to generation, each leaving a distinct mark with their passing.

It’s an area filled with color, where the horizon holds mountains of gold and purple only during the sunset and where bands of dumpling shaped clouds dapple their shade over green fields that play a cat and mouse game with the wind. Winter brings with it moisture that replenishes the earth and summer draws up sweat that mixes back with the soil in an unbroken chain. It’s a place that holds the purest sky blues, the golden yellows of countless miles of earth warmed by the sun’s face and the greens that insure that life continues God’s promise of abundance.

We, who call this soil home, laugh easily, celebrate as a community, toil to feed the world, and respect what has gone before. We understand heritage and mourn loss. We are a people moved by the seasons but hold onto the dogged belief that time is a ribbon. A ribbon that is tied between the echoe’s of the past and the growing demands of the future. We often watch our youth stretch their wings in hope of glory in big cities, only to return with a migration sense of home when time comes to raise a family.

It is my home and it holds my heart. I have left and returned. I was born in this state and am fairly confident that my bones will rest under her blanket. This is reason my camera loves the country life, and though she strays and I dream of vacations beyond her borders; it is the place I call home.

Berries & Cream

Another five inches of snow rest delicately on top red berries in Joliet, IL. It looks like a large dollop of whipped cream on top berries.

A Little Magic

I shot a little magic today when a neighbor came to call. He just has a smile that lights the room!

Tulips & Light

This weeks theme of back lighting and bones. I brought my tulips home from the office and set them on the kitchen table. When I passed them last night, the early evening sun was streaming through the petals and leaves. Grabbed the Macro lens and the tripod to try and capture the petals, but I fell in love with the leaves instead. I liked that the base of the tulip showed.

Day 100!!

Today marks my first 100 days of Ravelry's 365 Project. It really just flew by and I've made so many great friends. Thank you for all you have taught me and all the ways you've influenced my love of photography!

Tulips on Black

I received a wonderful bunch of red hot tulips today.

Lunar Eclipse Stages 2-20-08

Images of stages of the Lunar Eclipse taken approximately 10 minutes apart and then photoshopped to combine.

Old Sign on Brick

This sign was revealed recently after the building next to it burned down. It is common in small towns to build directly against another building, and in this case burying this sign for over 30 years. It was a shock to suddenly see it one day as the old building was torn down and debris moved away. Alphabet soup!

Fridge Quilts

View of my fridge showing the February Quilt of Love.

Sandra, There Be Castles!!

I was shocked to see this castle on an country road after moaning to Sandra about the lack of them in Illinois recently. Could there be a knight in shinning armor within?




Well not a castle in the end, and still not sure about the prince either. But maybe, just maybe, if I keep looking I will find another and that one might have a prince at home.

Moon over the Pasture

This is taken into the East and the sun set behind me in the West casting a glow. This doesn't happen very often,so I took the opportunity the "Shoot the Moon"

Sunshine and Bells

It finally happened, the sun came out!! It was fridge cold, but the sun came back. Hurray!! This is the bell tower of the church and it chimed out the good news today.

Jewels of my Knitting Bag

These beautiful knitting needles stand out from all the rest, just like jewels in my knitting bag. They are the Harmony Wood Interchangeable Needle Tips from Knitpicks. Do they knit better than any good wooden needle? Probably not. But do I feel like a princess surrounded with jewels when I use them? Yup, sure do!! Who said a diamond is a knitter’s best friend? Into every life some “Bling” must fall!

Quilt Love

Looking for patterns this week, I went to my quilt stash for inspiration. I do small quilts to hang on the side of my refrigerator to represent each new season or holiday. This is about to be hung for March in honor of St. Patrick's Day. My antique Singer treadle machine stores several pieces that aren't in use.

Country Road

I'm sure you are begining to sense that I live in farm country and have a thing for old barns. This old corn crib and shed sit high on a bluff and are surrounded by giant old oak trees (which didn't loose all their leaves in the fall). It doesn't look like this barn has stored any grain for years. Even empty, they have a homey quality I like. Morris, IL

Geese at sunset

There are those magical moments when you thank God you were in the right place at the right time and had your camera. This was one of them. Heading home this evening, I spied a few geese coming in as the sun was getting ready to go down. I parked under their path and watched the show unfold over the next half hour, as wave after wave of geese began to stream my way, I'm sure well over a thousand flew by. All those dark bands are more geese coming. I rarely upload large images, but I thought you might like seeing this one in its full glory. If you look deep you will see row after row of Canadian Geese stretching back toward the sunset. As you can see, the sun set with a blaze.

Wall of Hearts

"Have A Heart" theme shot. Waiting in line for coffee this morning, I finally spied my hearts. With the sun out for the first time in days, the tree cast a wall of hearts across the back of the building (Roll over image for note). Had I not been looking for hearts, I think I would have seen chickens! LOL

Wild Thing looks for his Princess

Well, it was a very quiet day at the office, and I started looking for things to photograph to pass the time. I found this "Wild Thing" stuffed pillow and added a bow tie and funny glasses. Before I knew it I'd gotten completely carried away. Hope I gave you something to giggle over at least.

Solar Yard Light

The snow finally melted enough for my small solar garden lights to recharge today. They cast the most unusually pattern on the ground at night from the cut glass globes . This is not the sharpest image due to being handheld and -2 degrees outside but it does look like sun rays don't you think?.

Steak - Farm Boy Style

When you live on a farm in the Midwest, you've probably grown one thing for sure... A Farm Boy!! They are uniquely different then city raised kids in several ways, especially when it come to food. They eat big and grow big. This might look like a healthy meal until you realize it's doesn't show the potatoes, bread and dessert that follows. If none of this makes sense to you, then head for your Little House of the Prairie books by Laura Wilder. It's all true.

iTrapped - Self Portrait

Apple replaced my iPhone on Saturday after the sunspot damage to my camera. So, my little camera is back up and running I came across this idea on flicker from another iPhone user, and thought it would work well for this week's project to shoot myself and my camera. It's supposed to look like I'm actually trapped inside the phone, pushing against the glass to get out. My daughters helped by shooting me inside a store window at the mall with the camera phone. (They turned all shades of green watching me push my nose, chin and hands up hard to the glass store front.) I edited the background out at home and then sent it back to the phone for this photo.

Grand ole' Ladies

Buildings theme. This town is filled with great old Victorian beauties. They are preserved finally and have been brought back to single family homes. After the depression is was common to split them into as many as 5 apartments because the economy made it impossible for any one person to handle the upkeep. After years of effort, the Cathedral Historic Preservation group has begun to see the fruits of their efforts. These homes have become prime real estate again, and the interior and exteriors lovingly restored. Note: the buildings are nice and straight, the distortion was caused by my fish eye lens. The advantage of the lens is that I could stand on the sidewalk, and get several houses into the shot. Disadvantage is strong distortion of angles close up.

Photoshop Conversation Hearts

Here is my extra credit "Add Paint" for this weeks challenge. I flipped all the hearts backwards and shot them on top of one of my sweaters. I spent a lot of time this morning adding all the text to see what a bag of Valentines Conversation Hearts might look like if they were produced for knitters of ravelry.

Umbrella

Started the day in the rain..... Leaving the day in snow. They say 8-10 inches, so I'm off to find out who "They" are. Because I hope they are wrong!

Rain puddles swimming with color

I didn't think I'd have a chance for a photo today, but as I was driving out of town, this caught my eye. Moral of the story: look up, then down, then all around.

Foggy Gazebo

I shot this last night on the way home. Just after dusk and still heavy fog.

Lighthouse

Silos

Shoot a Shadow Saturday

Lines - Bridge