Thursday, March 21, 2013

More Characters Welcome!



Every year I tag along with Jeff who attends a variety of car shows.  (Judging shows, and restoring and showing muscle cars are his hobbies.)  I find watching people much more fun than car watching, and I often find that the women are more interesting than the men.  In anticipation of a car show we will attend in Las Vegas this weekend, here are some interesting women I photographed at previous shows.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Characters Welcome Today

This 'character' was sitting in front of a busy sidewalk in a park in New Zealand.  It was fun to watch the pedestrians do a double take when they caught a glimpse of him.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

March Desktop Image

FAMILY TIME

We've spent the last two weeks in southern Utah and Arizona, visiting friends, children and grandchildren, RZR riding on the sand dunes, watching our grandson's soccer tournament, having picnics, more RZR riding and enjoying beautiful spring weather, (which is why I have been MIA here.)  We have now returned home to winter weather.  It has been a long winter, but I know that spring in northern Utah is just around the corner and well worth the wait.  It is a glorious time of year and I can't wait to photograph the spring flowers we have in abundance.

Here is what I will be looking at on my Desktop for the remainder of March.  Feel free to CLICK HERE, to download to your desktop.  Share with family and friends but please don't use for commercial purposes.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

THIS KISS, THIS KISS! (No. 5)

Some fancy editing gives this kissing photo a unique look.

Monday, February 11, 2013

THIS KISS, THIS KISS! (No. 5)

I edited this with a soft focus for a dreamy look to match the moment.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

THIS KISS, THIS KISS! (No. 4)

Lens flare seems to be in vogue right now.  I remember throwing out a photo if I accidentally caught some flare.  I can't decide if I like it or not! But I do like this photo of my son and his new bride taken several years ago.  (P.S.  The first 'kissing' photo is of another son.)

Saturday, February 9, 2013

THIS KISS, THIS KISS (No. 3)

There is a lavender farm not too far from where I live, and it is a very popular photo spot when the lavender is in full bloom.  
(I edited this to make it look more like a painting.)

Friday, February 8, 2013

THIS KISS, THIS KISS! (No. 2)

So Soft and Sweet!  Veils over faces create a dreamy look.

THIS KISS, THIS KISS, unstoppable!

For the week before Valentine's Day I am going to post a favorite 'kissing' photo each day.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

February Desktop Image

 
Take time this month to light up the lives of those around you.  Visit a sick neighbor, call your mother, volunteer, donate to your favorite charity, smile at a stranger (not in a creepy way - haha).  And above all, tell those people most precious to you, how much you love and appreciate them.  The magic is that in doing so, the love will be returned and your own burdens will be lighter.

This is my February Desktop Image for you to download and enjoy.  Click HERE then right click for a version that will fit your computer screen.  It should not be blurry or pixelated.  Let me know if you need help.  Feel free to share with friends, but please do not use for commercial purposes.

Now go light up someone's life!

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Permanently Parked!

This was taken in the small town of Springdale, just outside Zion National Park.   I love how the colors of this old car mimic the muted, earthy colors of this winter red rock landscape. 

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Balloons in Mesquite, Nevada


 Nice to see these colorful balloons in winter. 

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Pretending It's Not Winter!

Casa Blanca
This is a good example of a photo that could be misleading.  You might think I'm enjoying the warm breezes of a tropical paradise, when in reality, I am a short 4 hour drive south of the miserably freezing cold winter weather where I live.  I took this photo this morning in front of the Casa Blanca resort in Mesquite, Nevada, just across the Utah-Nevada border and about an hour drive from Las Vegas.  Although not sun tanning weather, at around 60 degrees F., it is definitely a pleasant break from winter.  We have escaped for about a week and are enjoying every minute.   

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Enduring Winter

The hope of Spring helps us to endure the hardships of Winter

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Lake Powell Fun

I don't usually post family photos on this blog, (I have a family blog for that), but I'm going to make an exception today.  Since I've recently posted several 'landscape' or 'beauty' photos of Lake Powell,  I want you to know this is not what Lake Powell really is to me.  For me it is all about family fun and a lifetime of family memories, and has nothing to do with looking for the perfect photo op.  So here is a representation of our REAL Lake Powell experience:

Tubing tops the list of family fun at Lake Powell.
Then comes jet skiing, wake boarding, water sliding and swimming.
Next we have games, boating and exploring....
 caves, arches, slot canyons, rock cliffs.
And there's always time for a little fishing, cliff jumping for the brave ones....and even some doggy fun.

I haven't mentioned several other VERY important activities like, eating, reading, and napping.  Well that is a pretty good representation of how we spend about 12 days of our summer.  This precious time with our family is the highlight of our year!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Tranquility Interrupted at Lake Powell!


It is not uncommon for a storm front to race through, even on a sunny, warm day, bringing heavy rain, wind, thunder and lightening.  When our children were young and we couldn't afford a houseboat we would camp on the shore and over the years endured numerous storms.  (I can't believe I did that!)  Now we watch from the comfort of the houseboat where we stay warm and dry, and when we are tired of watching the storm, we play games or read or eat, (usually all three),  until it passes and we can go back to our water sports or other activities.  This day we watched from the front of the houseboat as numerous streams appeared in a matter of minutes.  If we were up in one of the many canyons, we would be looking at waterfalls cascading off the rock cliffs.

I walked around to the back of the houseboat and this was what I saw.  This is probably one of the most dramatic skies I think I have ever seen, from the almost black, dense storm clouds to the bright blue sky.  Hard to believe that within a few hours, we were all back out sun tanning and jet skiing.

For Diane and others who may not be familiar with Lake Powell, here is a bit of information.  Lake Powell is the second largest man made resevoiur in the United States and straddles the border between Utah and Arizona. It was formed after construction of the Glen Canyon Dam which restricted the Colorado River.  It is a vast body of water with hundreds of miles of shoreline creating many inlets and water filled red rock canyons creating stark but beautiful desert vistas.   It is a major vacation spot and around 2 million people visit every year.  It is a mecca for those loving water sports including boating, water skiing, tubing, wake boarding, cliff diving, etc.  The best way to enjoy Lake Powell is on a houseboat.  Traveling around the lake you can see amazing red rock formations, rock arches, prehistoric Indian carvings and dwellings, etc.  During the summer months the water is as warm as bath water, and the lake is so vast that you never feel crowded.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Lake Powell Tranquility - 3



Lake Powell Sunsets are GLORIOUS!  I can sit back and relax on the houseboat, lemonade and Cheetos in hand with camera on my lap, and enjoy a show like this almost every evening!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Lake Powell Tranquility - 2

Lazy Daze and Sunny Daze (name of the houseboat)

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Lake Powell Tranquility - 1

Often times the sun hits ripples in the lake in a way that creates these beautiful ribbons of color reflecting the red and orange rock and the blue sky, which is pretty much the color palette found at Lake Powell.  Almost mesmerizing watching these ripples move softly across the lake.