Weekly Photo Challenge: Forward

Moving Forward Through Storms, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)

>>:::<<
the snow will still fall
paths and journeys will shift
moving forward
>>:::<<

This is a combined photo and doodle image, which I worked on this morning in the warmth of my home and surrounded outside by one of a few snowstorms we are receiving this week.  Also, this blog, which includes my explorations and experiments with photography, digital manipulations, doodling, haiku, etc., was created in 2011 as a therapeutic way for me to move forward in the midst of many developing health issues and chronic pain.

Here is a larger version of the doodle.  I created it on my iPad using the Paper by 53 and ArtStudio apps.  Before moving forward with more doodling recently, my attempts consisted of very bad stick figure drawings.  🙂

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This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge
is to share a picture that says FORWARD to you.

 Linking up with:
PHOTO ART FRIDAY
TEXTURE TUESDAY
(kk textures used: edith and sybil)

“L” Challenge: Little Lola

Little Lola, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  Click on photo to enlarge.

>>:::<<
we are all unique
beauty of diversity
is not to be judged
>>:::<<

Meet Little Lola…

…that’s what we named this female house finch…no particular reason other than the name popped into hubby’s head and I liked it.  Her little tuft of feathers on top of her head seems permanent and distinguishes her from the rest of the female finches that visit.  Also, while the other finches were busy savoring sunflower seeds from one of the feeders, she was checking out the peanuts, and even seemed to be guarding them.  Perhaps she’s a free spirit.  Lola is different, but still lovely.  When we see this tuft, we know that it’s Lola visiting us.

Lola is my little representation of diversity…in that both beauty and strength exist with diversity.

 “Civilization is the encouragement of differences.”
~ Gandhi

“I think… if it is true that
there are as many minds as there
are heads, then there are as many
kinds of love as there are hearts.”
~ Leo Tolstoy

“H” Challenge: Happiness Is…

Nature Comes To You, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  Click on photo to enlarge.

>>:::<<

Happiness is…

…when nature comes to you!

>>:::<<

Have you ever experienced a welcome approach from nature’s critters when you’re not even trying to approach them?  Serendipity!

When the fawns were first making their appearance last month, which is the usual time they are born here, I selected a spot in our backyard where I could sit with my camera and zoom lens, and hopefully get some photos.  Unexpectedly, two sibling fawns that were only a few days old started walking towards me.  I didn’t try to approach them; I didn’t extend my hand out to them; I just stayed in my spot taking photos.

One fawn seemed very curious about this two-legged creature with a funny box in front of her face, and came in for a much closer look.  Inquisitive Bambi came so close to me that my camera couldn’t focus in for a photo!  Now how often does that happen!  (Usually my problem is that they are too far away to get a good photo.)  She/he was just over a meter (four feet) away from me.  The other sibling maintained more distance and came as close as about three meters away.

I find the same thing with some of the birds in our yard, especially the hummingbirds, chickadees and scrub jays.  When we don’t try to approach them, they come closer to us.  Some of the hummingbirds get close enough for me to capture a photo with a macro lens…and just a few days ago, hubby and I were on our back deck talking when a chickadee landed on his shoulder!  I wish I had my camera with me at that time!

Happiness Is…

Skyline Sunset, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)
Linking up with Rural Thursday.
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…a summer sunset picnic high in the mountains!

A couple of weeks ago, hubby and I took a drive up a popular mountain trail in northern Utah, USA named Skyline Drive to have a sunset picnic and capture some sunset photos.  This trail is a 24-mile rocky dirt road located along the beautiful Wasatch Range mountains between Bountiful, Utah, and Farmington, Utah.  The starting altitude is about 4,550 feet and climbs to about 9,200 feet.  Along the way, you can see great mountain scenery, forests and spectacular views of the Great Salt Lake.  We started this trail on the Bountiful side and were at the very top of this trail when we took the photo above.  It was quite windy at the peak that day, making it difficult to hold the camera and tripod steady, but we still got some nice photos.  (Bountiful is Utah’s second settlement after Salt Lake City, which is the state’s capital.)

This post is also for Island Traveler’s theme this week of Weekly Image of Life: Breathtaking.

If you happen to have an image or posting with your own interpretation of “Happiness Is…”, feel free to include the link in the comments below.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Close

Closeness, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (Click on image to enlarge).
Linking up with Camera Critters and Macro Monday.

Here is another close-up photo from the ladybird world.  How does the saying go?…oh yeah…”two’s company, three’s a crowd!”
My response when I saw this was…”REALLY??!!??!!”

Happiness Is…

Hummingbird Peek-a-boo, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on photo to enlarge)
Linking up with Nature Notes and Rural Thursday.
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…playing peek-a-boo with a hummingbird!

I am submitting this photo for the weekly photography challenge at the Digital Photography School website.  The theme for this week is “movement” (the hummingbird wing represents movement).

If you happen to have an image or posting with your own interpretation of “Happiness Is…”, feel free to include the link in the comments below.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unfocused

Unfocused, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (Click on image to enlarge).
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I am still learning.
               ~~Michelangelo

There is certainly no shortage of out-of-focus photos I’ve taken.  Few have been intentional, most have been unintentional.  This one is unintentional, and you can see where the camera focus was for this photo (right).  The unfocused birds are a Great Blue Heron and a Seagull.  The reflection in the water of the birds are also unfocused.

This is another photo taken a few weeks ago at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Other postings from this bird refuge:

• M! Challenge: Migration, etc.
• N! Challenge: Nature, Nuisance, etc.
• Weekly Photo Challenge: Together

Other interpretations for this week’s challenge:

• WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge
• windagainstcurrent.com
• 50yearproject.wordpress.com
• ruthbaileyart.wordpress.com

Q! Challenge: Quick and Quote

Quick, a photo by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (Click on image to enlarge).

…
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
~Lao Tzu

This insect was too quick for me to capture a shot of it in flight.  That was my intent.  The two shots above were taken back-to-back during continuous shooting, and I thought I had captured what I wanted.  Nature may not have been in a hurry, but I wasn’t quick enough with my camera.  Oh well, maybe next time.

Does anyone know the name of this insect?  I’ve been calling it an unspotted ladybug because I can’t find what it is.  It is about twice the size of any ladybug I’ve seen.

This post is for the “Q” Challenge by Frizztext (“Q” is for Quick and Quote)

Etegami – Celebrate

Etegami – Celebrate, a photomanipulation by Fergiemoto on Flickr.  (click on image to enlarge)
Also linking up with Illustration Friday and Texture Tuesday

“True friends and family will hold your hand in a hurricane to keep you from drifting away”.  ~ Fergiemoto

I came up with this quote and image yesterday, and coincidentally, Frizztext posted a cute story today about sea otters that hold each other’s hands while they’re sleeping to prevent the loved one from drifting away.  Check it out.