Lens-Artists Challenge #50 – Trees
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
Nelson Henderson
OH YEAH, SAYS WHO…???
I’m stretching a bit to respond to Ann-Christine’s TREES challenge this week. Having spent some time shooting a copse of trees where a number of beautiful birds have decided to locate their rookery, I’m focused on the birds within the trees rather than the trees themselves. But after all, where would the birds (or for that matter we) be without the trees in the first place?!
BIRD ON A BRANCH
“Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heavens.”
Rabindranath Tagore
Although a good friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with the birds, we are hopeful they will move on before they’ve destroyed the lovely trees they inhabit. Their chicks are no longer little – in fact the best way to identify a juvenile is to watch them being fed by their avian parents (see below). They’re testing their wings by flapping and jumping around but are not quite ready to fly. We laughed out loud at some of their antics.
LUNCHTIME IN THE TREES
“We can learn a lot from trees. They’re always grounded but never stop reaching heavenward.”
Everett Mamor
We were impressed by the number of birds and how closely they’d located their nests. Cormorants were next to anhingas, herons were nesting on the same branches as egrets -a truly integrated neighborhood! There was an amazing cacophony of sound as the chicks called to their parents and to each other across the entire rookery.
OUT ON A LIMB
“The story of the tree is written on every leaf.”
Marty Rubin
As we made our way around the rookery we marveled at how clever the birds had been in choosing their location. They’d built their nests deep in the greenery of a set of trees surrounded on one side by water and on the other by an impenetrable growth of bramble bushes. There was no way to capture them other than with a long lens. Even at 200mm, my images this week required cropping to show the details of the rookery’s inhabitants.
AMIDST THE TREES
“There’s nothing more beautiful than watching trees getting dressed up for Spring and Summer.”
Charmaine J Fordy
The rookery is located smack in the middle of an area between the third and fourth holes of one of our local golf courses. Many a ball has been lost to the pond fronting the rookery, which is also a popular areas for juvenile gators and their watchful parents. Needless to say, only a fool would try to retrieve a ball there.
LITTLE BLUE HERON
“Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
John Muir
We thoroughly enjoyed our morning with the nesting birds and their homes in the greenery. Let’s hope the area is still green when they decide it’s time to move along to their next location😊. Wherever they end up, we’ll do our best to find them. Their last rookery was only a few blocks away and was equally protected by water and densely stickered bushes – I expect nothing different next year.
NEST EXPANSION IN PROGRESS
“A forest bird never wants a cage.”
Henrik Ibsen
Hopefully Ann-Christine will forgive my “tweak” of her Trees challenge. How about you? Are you focused on the trees themselves or the wildlife that inhabits them? We look forward to seeing your interpretation whatever way you decided to go. If you’re new to our challenge, click here for instructions on joining the fun – and don’t forget your Lens-Artists tag. We hope to see you next week when Amy shares her take on the next Lens-Artists challenge.
Lens-Artists Challenge #49 – Favorite Things
“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”
Jonathan Swift
THREE AND ONE
This week we’ve been challenged to share some of our favorite things. There isn’t enough room in all of WordPress for me to cover all of my favorite things, so instead I’ve focused on only one – creating impressionist art from some of my images. Above, three beautiful little spoonbills are being observed by a long egret. Do you suppose he/she was wondering where they got those amazing pink coats? Or is he just glad he has a normal beak?
WORKING THE MARSH
“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.”
Helen Keller
On a bike ride along one of our local golf courses last week I came across a group of landscapers working in our marsh of newly summer-green hues. I had only my iPhone but with a few swipes of an impressionist brush I was perfectly happy with the resulting image. Proving once again that the best camera is the one you have with you.
MANIPULATED MAGNOLIA
“Your heart is able to see things that your eyes aren’t able to.”
Kholoud Yasser
I recently did a post in B&W highlighting this year’s incredible magnolia blossoms. Above, I’ve treated a close-up image with an impressionist brush followed by a touch of texture. I liked the way the background of blue sky became more prominent, as did the yellow center.
FUNKY FOUNTAIN
“We are limited, not by our abilities, but by our vision.”
Abhishek Kumar
The iconic Charleston Pineapple fountain above has been featured more than once on my blog, including a post about old-world Charleston here. As proof that the way an image is treated by the artist can significantly change the way it is perceived by the viewer – I’d say that the last term one might use to describe this week’s image is “old-world”! Although personally I’d be more inclined to hang the old-world version on a wall, I suspect there might be others who would prefer something more like this one. Beauty, as always, being in the eye of the beholder.
FAWNS IN THE FOREST
“I know that this world is a world of Imagination and Vision.”
William Blake
I’ll close with an image of two adorable little fawns I spotted (pun intended) last week. I was actually a bit too far away and they were too skittish for a good capture. Using textures and an impressionist tweak, the image becomes something rather dream-like versus a realistic portrait.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my take on Patti’s Favorite Things challenge. Coincidentally in addition to the impressionist editing, all of my subjects are among my favorite things as well 🙂. For the traditionalists among us, I promise to return to more realistic images next week when Ann-Christine presents us with our next opportunity. Until then wishing everyone a great week ahead.
Looking for instructions on how to join the Lens-Artists Challenge? Click here. Be sure to Tag your post ” Lens-Artists ” to appear in our WP reader section.
Lens-Artists Challenge #48 – WILD
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.”
Edward Abbey
FOCUSED
Way back in 1963, Maurice Sendak published Where The Wild Things Are to rave reviews. Since then, children everywhere have been entertained by its wonderful story and colorful pictures. For me though, “Wild Things” will forever bring to my mind our incredible African safari.
THE KING AT REST
“Wilderness without wildlife is just scenery.”
Lois Crisler
Although we visited Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe as far back as 2006, (time DOES fly doesn’t it?!), I remember every moment as if it were yesterday. Just last week, as often happens, I was asked which of our many adventures was my favorite. My answer never varies. I’ve loved every one of our journeys but Africa will always be at the top of my list. Happily, that conversation was my inspiration for this week’s challenge.
MARSH-BOUND HIPPO
“In the wilderness is the salvation of the world.”
Henry David Thoreau
There is no way to describe the emotion of seeing Africa’s creatures in their natural environment. It is truly life-changing. I struggle with the concept of zoos after seeing animals roaming free, but I know many of us would never see them if not in captivity. Still it challenges me to justify our right to confine them. We can only hope that the zoos’ visitors learn to respect and appreciate them, and to join the many who work to save them and the environments on which they, and we, depend.
FRIENDLY GREETING
“The wilderness is a place of an encounter with the creator.”
Laila Gifty Akita
I have no such challenge when it comes to Wild Game Trophy hunting. Many years ago I attended a party at the home of a friend of a friend. He was a hunter and had hung dozens of heads of these beautiful creatures on his walls as well as used their fur as rugs on his floor. I’m sure there are many who feel such practices are reasonable, but I am not among them. Tremendous progress has been made in understanding the very real emotions of our four-legged brethren. Science has proven that their methods of communication, although different than ours, are every bit as effective and at times even more sophisticated. If only we could learn to speak their language we might learn how better to co-exist on our shared planet.
ON ALERT
“Wilderness touches the heart, mind and soul of each individual in a way known only to himself.”
Michael Frome
I recently read that Botswana, which for many years disallowed elephant hunting, has passed a law allowing it on a limited basis. Although it makes me tremendously sad, there is some justification for their decision. Back when we visited, our guide told us Botswana was having a terrible time managing the growth of the herds. They had become so large they were destroying their own habitat more quickly than it could be replenished. One wonders though – obviously huge herds survived in times past without human intervention. Survival of the fittest is more than just a phrase – it is a valid description of the evolution of many species, including, one would assume, elephants.
SAUNTERING SABLE
“The wilderness needs your whole attention.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Although perhaps not as attention-getting as the big cats or elephants, many dozens of other animals in the wild are equally awe-inspiring to those of us who love nature. Take for example the sable antelope above. It was a privilege to see them on the run through the African plains. Although they are threatened by lions and other predators, they use their long horns for defense and typically emerge victorious. Prized by hunters for its beautiful coat and incredible horns, the primary threat to this species is its status as a wild game trophy. Their numbers have also diminished due to the use of insect control chemicals. Because their grazing areas are typically conducive to farming, several conservation programs now focus on providing financial incentives to farmers who adhere to conservation criteria.
LILAC BREASTED ROLLER
“There is language going on out there- the language of the wild. Roars, snorts, trumpets, squeals, whoops, and chirps all have meaning derived over eons of expression… We have yet to become fluent in the language -and music- of the wild.”
Boyd Norton
Thanks to improved post-processing software I was able to rescue the images above and below from my 2006 “rejects” bin. Together the images, along with the Norton quote, speak volumes about the beauty of the earth’s natural wilderness and its inhabitants. Perhaps we could all benefit from a better understanding of our place on the planet and the amazing creatures with whom we share it.
LEOPARD CUB
“There are places which exist in this world beyond the reach of imagination.
Daniel J. Rice
There are many ways one might choose to interpret this week’s “wild” challenge – of course wild animals, but also wildflowers, the wild blue yonder, wild about “fill in the blank”, the wild, wild west….I could go on and on. Instead I’ll turn it over to you to show us YOUR perspective on what wild means to you.
Speaking of your perspectives, last week Amy challenged us to show the 5 elements as defined in ancient China and you replied with a wonderful assortment of responses…
HAVE YOU SEEN THESE ?
- Sofia showed us the importance of considering the 5 elements together here
- Viveka took us around the world with her elements here
- Mike offered us a musical memory here
We look forward to seeing your responses to this week’s challenge. For information on joining the challenge click here. Remember to link your post here and to tag it Lens-Artists to help us find you in the WP Reader section. Be sure to tune in to Patti’s Pilotfish blog for next week’s challenge.
Lens-Artists Challenge #47 – Elements
“A great silent space holds all of nature in its embrace. It also holds you.”
Eckhart Tolle
METAL AND WATER
“If precious metals had been abundant, they would not have been precious.”
Harry Hazlitt
This week Amy has asked us to explore the fundamental elements of existence defined by ancient Chinese culture – wood, metal, fire, water and earth. Today’s science has identified somewhat more significant elements – such as the atom for example – but those might be a bit more difficult to photograph 🙂. So in response to Amy’s challenge, the image above features a double hit including both metal and water. I came across the “sculpture/Fountain/Water Distribution System” during a recent visit to Scottsdale, Arizona. While there I also captured the wood image below as I was hiking to photograph their glorious superbloom. I loved that the fallen cactus had become a vessel around which the blossoms were thriving – a testament to nature’s resilience.
WOOD RE-PURPOSED
“Wood is universally beautiful to man. It is the most humanly intimate of all materials.”
Frank Lloyd Wright
As for water, I was surprised to come across these beautiful spoonbills last week foraging in a nearby marsh. Typically they”d have left our area by now. They serve as a gentle reminder of the dependence of all living things on the availability of fresh water. As Sylvia Earle said “No water, no life.”
WATER DWELLERS
“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.”
Benjamin Franklin
I’ve previously shared several images of the beautiful rose walls of Petra in Jordan. Perhaps more amazing than the walls themselves is the glow of the canyons as they are kissed by the rays of the sun. To my eye it seems they are as if on fire as the shadows and sunlight dance across the rocky chasms. (See what I did there? 🙂)
EARTH’S FIRE, PETRA
“The earth does not belong to us. We belong to the earth.”
Marlee Matlin
The candles below are a more literal portrayal of the fire element captured during our visit to Israel this past fall. Pausing in the quiet of a church vestry one can often feel the emotions of the remembrance of loved ones lost. As we here in the U.S. celebrate Memorial Day, let it serve as a reminder of the true spirit of the day – to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and the families they’ve left behind.
MEMORIAL FIRES
“The most tangible of all visible mysteries – fire.”
Leigh Hunt
Thanks to Amy for her very unique challenge. To view her post, click here. Be sure to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you, and hopefully tune in next week for Challenge #48 right here on Travels and Trifles. Have a great week everyone.
NOTE: Thanks to Allan G. Smorra of Ohm Sweet Ohm, I was prompted to further explore the art installation in my opening image. If you’re interested, you can read more about “Copper Falls” here.
Lens-Artists Challenge #46 – Delicate
“After the storm her beauty blooms… her roots deep in her southern soil.”
Nancy B. Brewer
MAJESTIC MAGNOLIA
Here in South Carolina we are well into spring. Birds are nesting, their chicks crying aloud for the next meal. Mating alligators bellow their intentions for all the world to hear, adorable spotted fawns are being closely watched by nearby attentive does. Perhaps most impressive, our native flowers are bursting through winter’s chill, reaching out toward the warm southern sun.
PEEKING THROUGH
“Fragrant o’er all the western groves; The tall magnolia towers unshaded.”
Maria Brooks
This year the many flowering magnolia trees are clustered with more blossoms than I’ve ever seen. They began early, budding at the end of April and the first of May. The blooms are large, and the creamiest of white. Surrounded by verdant green leaves and adorned with red and yellow center seedpods, they are well known for their glorious fragrance.
SHINE A LIGHT
“Majestic flower! How purely beautiful Thou art.”
C.P. Cranch
This week I set out on my bicycle for a magnolia expedition throughout our beautiful island. (I also did manage to catch 2 sweet little fawns and some colorful roseate spoonbills but will save them for another time 😊). I’ve chosen some of my favorite images and presented them in black & white to remove any elements of distraction from the purity of the delicate blossoms. The trees are very tall so the challenge is in capturing blooms at a reasonable height, open to the light and at a peak stage of growth.
CREAMY WHITE
“And while thy breeze floats o’er thee, matchless flower, I breathe the perfume, delicate and strong.”
C.P. Cranch
While putting this post together I learned that the magnolia is one of the oldest-living flowering plants. Fossilized remains go back as far as 20 million years, and possibly as far as 100 million. They pre-dated bees and are believed to have developed as beetle pollinators. Magnolias were considered a symbol of purity in ancient China and are also used in traditional Asian medicine. Several perfume fragrances feature magnolia as a primary scent.
LAST LEGS
“Magnolia…C’est la fleur qui promèsse La perpetuité de la jeunesse.”
Marela Stancu *
To me the purity of these stunning blossoms were a perfect match for Ann-Christine’s Delicate challenge. To see the challenge in its entirety, click here. We look forward to seeing your interpretations.To see others’ responses, be sure to visit the Lens-Artists TAG in the WordPress reader.
- Translation: Magnolia…it’s the flower that promises the perpetuity of youth.
Lens-Artists Challenge #45 Street Art
“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”
Vincent Willem van Gogh
“Rebirth” by Nicole Punsler
This week Patti has invited us to share some examples of street art. I must admit I’ve been hoping for an opportunity to showcase some street murals I photographed while in California visiting friends this spring. My opening images were part of a gloriously colorful mural – one of several located in Indio, California. More well-known for its Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Indio is home to several of these works of art painted on concrete buildings throughout the downtown area. Click on the images for a slightly larger view.
Old Indio by Bijan Masoumpanah
“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.”
Camille Pissarro
In 1996, this relatively small town just outside of Palm Springs initiated a mural project. Business owners were asked to support artists’ murals depicting the city’s historical, artistic and cultural legacy. Online maps were created and made available for the various murals, which can be explored on foot or by car. It’s a great example of the mutual benefit to businesses and artists when the two work together in support of each other.
HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION by Duane Flatmo
When you think about it, 20+ years is a long time for building murals to exist. Exposed to the elements day in and day out, the murals remain beautifully detailed if somewhat faded (much like the times they represent). Despite Southern California’s harsh sun along with desert wind and sudden rainstorms, they do a wonderful job of artistic storytelling for all to see.
HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION BY DUANE FLATMO
“An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.”
Nina Simone
The murals are much, much larger than I’ve been able to include here, covering entire walls of large buildings. You can see them in their entirety on a video posted here. Although all of the murals were terrific (including my header, which captures “Moving Toward the Future” by David Oceloti Garcia), two of my personal favorites were my opening image and the much quieter one that follows. This mural (of which I’ve included only a small piece) was the most damaged by the elements. The white spots are all areas where the paint had peeled off. Despite its aging, the mural had a lovely nostalgic feel. For me it seemed what a ride through the countryside might have looked like in times gone by – perhaps even here in South Carolina.
THE HISTORY OF THE DATE INDUSTRY by CHUCK CAPLINGER
“Inspiration surrounds us, the creation is our responsibility as artists.”
Lyn Crain
Special thanks to my good friend Sharon who knew how much I’d enjoy photographing the murals and took the time to explore the area for and with me. For another, very different look at a street art installation combined with performance art , visit my previous post here.
Thanks also to all who participated in our exploration of Harmony last week and to those who continue to support our challenge each week. For more information on how to join us, click here. As always, remember to TAG your post with our Lens-Artists tag. We look forward to seeing the street art you’ve discovered – whether painted, sculpted, carved or created in ways we’ve not thought about before. 😊
Lens-Artists Challenge #44 – Harmony
“There is no true greatness in art or science without a sense of harmony.”
Albert Einstein
NATURE’S COLORS
One of the most helpful ways to improve our photography skills is to study some favorite images – both our own and those of others. Examining what draws us into an image helps us understand what is important to us and why. For me, one aspect of that study is the artist’s approach to color harmony. Colors and their relationships to one another within an image can have a definite effect on viewer reactions – often subconscious, but there just the same.
COMPLIMENTARY COLORS
“Art is a harmony of the spiritual being with the human being.”
Alan Maiccon
Back in the 1600s, Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light passes through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors. The 12 colors of his resulting wheel included primary colors red, blue and yellow, secondary colors orange, green and violet (made by combining 2 primary colors), and six tertiary colors.
THE COLOR WHEEL TODAY
Color harmony is achieved when a piece of art includes complimentary colors, typically two or three colors side-by-side on the wheel, two colors directly opposite each other on the wheel, or any color combination found in nature. It can also be used to incite different emotions in our art. Monochromatic or analogous colors (side-by-side on the wheel) create a more soothing feeling, while complementary colors (directly opposite each other on the wheel) can create drama. Allowing a single color to dominate, especially a primary color, can create a very powerful image.
THE POWER OF ONE
“He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe.”
Marcus Aurelius
Beyond color harmony, there is an entire field of study dedicated to color psychology – the belief that different colors drive specific emotional responses. Interior designers and marketing companies use it extensively. If you google “color psychology”, you’ll see many exhaustive treatises on the subject.
COOL-COLORED CRITTER
“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”
Pablo Picasso
Of course there are several other types of harmony, for example, musical, spiritual and inter-personal harmonies are all commonly known and well-studied. This is your opportunity to share your favorite harmonies. Give us your best yoga pose, or your favorite musician at work, or perhaps a happy couple arm in arm – whatever floats your boat (especially if it’s on a warm yellow/orange sunset or a cool blue sunrise 😊). Whatever you choose, please link your post to this one. Please note – we’ve had some issues with WP Pingbacks, so it’s more important than ever for you to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.
COLOR COMPLIMENTS
“Though I am often in the depths of misery, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me.”
Vincent Van Gogh
Last week Amy presented us with a wonderfully interesting challenge to illustrate the concept of Less is More.
HAVE YOU SEEN THESE ?
- David showed us some true minimalism in his response here
- Laura of Poetry Pix offered several examples of Less is More here
Hope you’ll join us next week for Challenge #45 on Patti’s Pilotfish blog.
Note: My image “Complimentary Colors” is a photograph of of a painting in Sfat, Israel. The original artist was S.Ilyayev.
Less is More – Lens-Artists Challenge #43
“To say more while saying less is the secret of being simple.”
Dejan Stojanovic
SHINE A LIGHT
Amy has challenged us to portray “less is more” in this week’s post. I’ve opened with a simple image of a beautiful lily captured during a visit to Charleston’s Magnolia Gardens earlier this month. I loved the way the light made the blossom nearly transparent, allowing the flower to stand on its own against the dark background.
LESS ROOM FOR MORE TURTLES
“Speak little. Listen more. Learn a lot.”
Anthony T. Hincks
It’s not unusual to see alligators and turtles sunning at this particular ramp in the Gardens. Somehow the creatures have found a way to peacefully co-exist. On this particular day the last turtle seemed to be thinking that if the gator would just move up a few inches he’d have a bit more room to join the party!
FLORAL SNOWBALLS
“The more you are grateful for what you have the more there is to be grateful for.”
Pravin Agarwal
Back to the Garden’s flowers, to me these hydrangeas looked like giant snowballs waiting to be thrown. In their pure whiteness (is that really a word?!) it struck me that sometimes less color means more beauty. I also thought this image would make a nice abstract but since last week was all about impressionism I’ll hold that thought for another day.
NESTING
“The more we give away, the richer we become.”
Craig Groeschel
One of my favorite things about the Gardens is the birdlife. In the spring the herons, egrets and cormorants are busy nesting, giving birth, and raising their chicks. I shot this image using an aperture setting to blur the background, allowing focus to rest on the two birds and their carefully crafted nest. I further emphasized the birds by adding a bit of light to the nest area in post processing.
SIMPLICITY
“The universe doesn’t know good or bad, only less or more.”
Pat Cadigan
Although the Garden’s flowers are magnificent, so too is its simple swamp. I can imagine the landscape must have looked much like this at the beginning of time. I particularly love the cypress trees whose roots seem to reach to earth’s very core. No floral embellishments are needed to enhance the beauty of the scene.
TINY TOURIST
“True merit is like a river – the deeper it is the less noise it makes.”
Edward Wood
At quite the opposite end of the spectrum, the image above is bursting with life and color. Full disclosure, as I was shooting the scene a young family happened to arrive at just the same time. Rather than wait for them to pass, or ask them to wait for me to finish, I asked if they’d let their young daughter add to my composition. They happily obliged and I think she adds just the right amount of “less” to the scene’s colorful “more”.
A ROSE IS A ROSE
“What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
Mother Teresa
Finally, since I began with flowers I shall close with one. This image is actually from our west coast visit earlier this month. But it was too perfect in its simplicity not to include it with a post about less being more (thank you Sharon!).
Thanks to Amy for her clever challenge this week. I hope you’ll stop here next Saturday for Challenge #44. In the meanwhile, here’s wishing you a great week ahead.
#Fuji, #Magnolia Gardens, #Charleson
Lens Artists Challenge #42 – Creativity
“Dreaming is easy. Creativity is a lot of work.”
E. Obeng-Amoako Edmonds
FACADES
This week Ann-Christine has challenged us to show some creativity. It’s been quite a while since I’ve taken an artist’s brush to my images, and a recent class reminded me of how much fun it can be. Combining that with some captures I made during our visit last week to Hudson New York, Ann-Christine has pushed me toward my attempt at artistic creativity. All of todays images were edited using Topaz, Photoshop and French Kiss Textures.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
“Genius creates from the heart.”
Elizabeth Goudge
Hudson is a fun little town in the middle of the Hudson Valley – home of the well-known Hudson River School of 19th century landscape painters. It is filled with interesting shops and excellent restaurants and offers some great people-watching. At just over two hours from NYC it has become a popular getaway for busy Manhattanites seeking the quiet of a country weekend.
My husband and I were in Hudson for a family event but while there we took advantage of several of the restaurants. Along with delicious meals, I will also admit to having eaten some amazing chocolate croissants, which are high on my list of all-time-favorite foods. I also spent time enjoying the shops and wandering the neighborhoods with my Fuji at the ready.
CRACKED GLASS
“The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt.”
Sylvia Plath
Clearly it was a very creative person (or more likely several of them) who first thought about the town’s transition from a sleepy, one-horse stop along the rail line into a go-to destination. As the process continues to be underway, there are a number of buildings around town that appeal to photographers who, like me, are drawn those that are pre-urban renewal.
LEANING LADDERS
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
Joseph Chilton Pierce
It’s a funny thing about travel – places and things one would pass without a glance become much more compelling. In fact, many of the places that drew my focus would probably be considered eyesores were they to be found in my own neighborhood.
THE DOCTOR IS OUT
“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.”
Albert Einstein
Not so the restaurant above. How creative the owners were to include the little booth in the right corner – which of course comes from Charles Shulz’s wonderful comic strip. How many times have you smiled at Lucy’s advice to poor Charlie Brown? I suppose as they say, we do get what we pay for 😊.
THREE WINDOWS AND VINES
“Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.”
Cecil B. DeMille
I was drawn to the contrast of the three red squares in the building shown above. Interestingly on closer inspection I found a sign that said the business (which may or may not have been permanently shuttered) was cigar-making. Inside the window I saw what appeared to be a tall pile of tobacco leaves. Now that trade with Cuba had been opened perhaps American cigar-makers are in danger of becoming a thing of the past.
RED GATE
“To be creative means to be in love with life.”
Osho
The red of the gates above also drew me in to the scene. While the town’s renewal is definitely under way, it’s a bit sad to think that often the character of a place is lost in the process. Happily Hudson seems, at least so far, to be preserving its character while updating its structures.
LOVING DOORKNOB
“Creativity is the only way a man can ever experience motherhood.”
Girish Kohli
So here’s to the creative among us. Those who embrace rather than fear new ideas, those who try new things without worrying about failure, those who challenge themselves to think outside the box. Here’s to Ann-Christine for challenging us to be creative, and to all of those who will respond to her challenge. We look forward to hearing all about your efforts!
Happy Passover and Happy Easter to those who celebrate, and Happy Earth Day to us all! Remember to check in next week when Amy bring us our next challenge. For more information about joining us, click here. Remember to use the Lens-artists tag to have your post appear in our Reader section.
Lens-Artists Challenge #41 – Delicious
“You are what you eat. What would YOU like to be?”
Julie Murphy
FUN WITH FOOD
Like the painter who created the wall art above, I love a good farmers’ market. It’s among my favorite activities when I travel, and it’s also a great local resource for fresh fruits and vegetables. I’ve chosen to respond to Patti’s Delicious challenge by sharing some of the foods I’ve enjoyed in recent visits to local markets.
SPICES GALORE
“I don’t think I’ll ever grow old and say, “What was I thinking eating all those fruits and vegetables?”
Nancy S. Mure
The spices in the image above were on display in a Jerusalem farmers market. No matter what one decides to cook, some wonderful spices will make the dish even more delicious.
HUMMUS GALORE
“Anyway, what is ‘beauty’ apart from the combination of the letters of ‘buy’ and ‘eat’?”
Alain Bremond-Torrent
In Tel Aviv I learned that the one or two flavors of hummus we eat here in the states are quite boring compared to those of the Israelis. Just think, Chocoboom hummus – how could THAT be bad?!
PRETTY POMEGRANATES
“Hunger gives flavor to the food.”
Amit Kalantri
Even if (like me) one is not a fan of pomegranates, it’s hard not to appreciate their beauty. The display above was a very tempting one but I decided to pass. Something about this fruit makes it one of the few I don’t enjoy. I’m definitely in the “Look don’t eat” category on this one.
OLIVES ANYONE?
“Enjoy food like that’s the only thing left in your world.”
Nikita Dudani
Olives, on the other hand, are one of my favorite foods. A good olive or two adds wonderful flavor to most any dish (except perhaps dessert 😊). I’m a big fan of Kalamata and couldn’t be happier that the oft-recommended Mediterranean Diet includes them along with olive oil as a staple.
SUNSHINE ON A STEM
“Some people just don’t have what it takes to appreciate a cookie.”
James Patterson
Sometimes market items are a feast for the eyes rather than the palate. I offer exhibit A – these beautiful sunflowers which our local farmers market provides in abundance during season.
SHAWARMA – REALLY???
“Never ask a baker what went into a pie. Just eat.”
George R.R. Martin
Let me just say I am normally a very healthy eater, although I will admit to a sweet tooth which makes it impossible to resist my husband’s chocolate chip cookies. While in Israel however, I was persuaded to try Shawarma, pictured above. It’s one of the most popular Middle Eastern street foods, normally cooked on a vertical spit and shaved while rotating. I believe the version we tried was a combination of lamb and beef although I’m not really sure. I can only tell you it was amazingly delicious – and that’s from one who very rarely eats meat. I’m happy we don’t often see it here in the U.S. as it would be very hard to resist on a regular basis!
Thanks to Patti for her delicious challenge. Now excuse me while I go fetch a snack – this post has made me hungry! Thanks to those of you who responded to last week’s Something Different challenge. We look forward to seeing your ideas about what you find delicious. Be sure to tag your responses with the Lens-Artists tag to help us all find them. If you’d like more information about our challenge and how to join us, click here.
