The local music scene in my neck of the woods is all about friends gathering to play in pizza houses, restaurants, and other small venues. Musicians gather to raise funds for the local food pantry and animal shelters, but of course they also gather to spread the joy of the song.
I arrived early to the performance space and was drawn to the site of the instruments … just waiting for the hands that will bring them to life.
Are you a fan of mussels? I wasn’t really sure if I was or not, but I definitely became one the other night!
If you haven’t visited Monochromia yet, and are a fan of B&W Photography, go on over for a visit!
What a treat it was to be invited to spend an evening with good friends, sharing fresh mussels and delicious belgian beer! Yum!! There are not many better ways to end the work day.
To be honest, I’ve often converted to B&W when the color and lighting of an image just weren’t right. Involvement with Monochromia has encouraged me to think sans color when I am out and about with my camera, and to actively search for images that will celebrate B&W photography. I had a feeling that mussels and beer might provide good subjects. What do you think?
It seems that people often think of B&W photography as mostly dramatic, moody, and serious, so today I wanted to show the fun. Those who know me will not be surprised by that!
Thanks so much for checking out Monochromia and if you’d like to come along for the ride…
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A week or so ago, I was able to ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway with a couple friends. It was a bright, summer day and clouds filled the sky. What a joy it is to ride along that curvy parkway, feeling the wind and the sun, and to view this incredible scenery.
We stopped at the Peaks of Otter Lodge for a short break and this time saw the clouds reflected in the water of the lake.
Clouds above. Clouds below.
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Thanks so much for stopping by today. I’m very much looking forward to my vacation, which is coming up in just 6 days!
The Chesapeake Bay. The Delaware Coast. Kentucky.
Very different destinations and different modes of transportation. There will be stories to tell and photos to share and I cannot wait. These past 9 months have not found me traveling much. It is time to get back out there!
Be sure to visit Monochromia and check out some incredible B&W Photography!
What a whirlwind week it has been, one filled with many big and small things!
The biggest and most important thing was undergoing my 15th procedure since the wreck and to finally have my smile restored! I’ve not devoted much blog space to the events of the past 9 months, and the only reason I’m doing so today is because this important event kept me from fulfilling an obligation that I committed myself to.
I’d been asked by 3 different bloggers to participate in a Blog Tour. I appreciated the invitations but knowing that I was a bit over extended and had a big case pending, I initially declined. Eventually I did agree to participate because it seemed fun, and a nice way to meet other bloggers.
The rules are simple. The invited participant composes a one-time post. 4 questions are answered and then 4 other bloggers are invited to create a post, answering those same questions.
I dutifully made a calendar note to create a post, but then … I forgot to invite others to participate!
I must apologize to Emilio for only partially fulfilling my role as participant. Please check out his post about the Virtual Blog Tour.
And since we’re talking Tours, why don’t you visit a Displaced Beachbum. She’s traveled the world and is currently touring Scotland.
Jo the Tart Queen is another blogger whose posts share delicious sounding recipes and beautiful photos from her travels.
So … the Answers to the 4 Questions in brief:
What am I currently working on? I’m continuing my growth as an amateur photographer and am so happy to have been included as one of the photographers in a new B&W Photography Blog called Monochromia. Please visit the blog and check out the great work of the participating photographers.
How does my work differ from others of its genre? I have no specific goal other than to improve and no specific subject other than what draws and attracts my eye. I do like to travel as much as I can and many of my posts are about the things I see from the road … short, local trips and longer, more adventurous ones.
Why do I write/create what I do? Simply put: It’s all about the joy, the fun, and the opportunity to be creative in a life filled with work and structure.
How does your writing/creating process work? Oh gosh … let’s see. Something draws my attention. I pull over, crawl around on the ground, climb a ladder, fence, or bed of the truck, or slide down a riverbank, and shoot and shoot and shoot. Once I get home, I just pray that something worked! I do edit but not extensively.
Thanks Emilio for inviting me to be a part of this tour!
So, why is it that my dentist can grow fields of Day Lillies, yet not one bud makes it to flower in my yard?
No kidding! The deer have eaten Every. Single. Solitary. Bud.
In 15 years, I’ve only seen ONE bud make it to bloom.
Yet on Friday, I pulled into my dentist’s office parking lot, and all I saw were thousands of lillies. Seriously! Thousands!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Makes the whole process of dental work easier 🙂
Have you visited Monochromia yet? Check it out and you’ll see some of your favorite bloggers posting some incredible B&W images!
My WordPress journey began as a chronicle of my life and travels on the bike. The bigger, planned trips, and the smaller, more spontaneous ones. As I ride along, I never know when something is going to catch my eye, and inspire me to pull over.
Sometimes I work hard to capture what I see and sometimes I get lucky and the first shot just works. Other than conversion to B&W, this image is exactly as it was when it came out of the camera.
Let me know what you think and come visit me sometime at Life on The Bike.
Once the thunder, lightning, wind, and rain are gone, there is a calmness on the lake that lures me back outside. Within minutes, my feet are in the water and the camera is in my hand.
I loved the larger view of this image because of the movement, color, and designs on the water, but I just had to crop the photo a bit so the raindrops floating along in the curve of this leaf were more visible.
The text came in on Saturday night. “Meeting at 9am for a ride to Devils Backbone Brewery. It’ll be an all dayer”
It was indeed an all dayer, with enough stops along the way to see the big perspective …
… and the small.
While the ride is the reason, this day’s destination was pretty great.
Devils Backbone Brewery, established in 2008, is an award winning craft brewpub in Virginia. There’s nothing like pulling up, all hot and dusty, knowing that inside awaits a cold beer and a delicious plate of Fish and Chips.
Quite simply, a wonderful day … on and off the bike!
If you’re in the area, be sure to stop in. Joe, that means you, too! It’s well worth the visit.
…represent so much of me.
Please checkout our new blog Monochromia. If you love B&W images, this is the blog for you!
… were made for fighting wildland fires, and I wore them while battling the flames in Idaho over 30 years ago. Now, they serve to protect me while riding the bike. They’re just boots. Worn, scarred, dusty, and bearing remnants of fire retardant still … but they are precious to me.
You were expecting Fireworks? The Stars and Stripes? Burgers and Potato Salad? While I did enjoy all of the traditions of the 4th of July, for some reason, I wasn’t moved to photograph them.
Instead, it was the simple things, on a clear, almost cloudless day, that drew my attention.
It was a day of friendship, laughter, sunshine, and celebration.
What a wonderful way to celebrate the 4th of July.
Happy Summer Everyone!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 