Frozen Tundra

After a week of temperatures below freezing, the sun finally made an appearance to start the big thaw. I grabbed my camera and took a drive. I headed away from town and toward the Kentucky River. The shot above is from the property of a summer camp I worked at in college. It looked like it had been dipped in crystal. It was beautiful, but  I think I prefer the days I spent there running around in my bikini down by the lake and pool! 

 

Stopped by a horse farm you might remember from some Fall pics. I posted previously. What a difference a season makes!

And another farm:

 

I was less than a mile from the river so I braved the twists and turns and made it to the Valley View Ferry. A huge shout-out to the ferry operators who offered a ride and even an opportunity to drive the ferry. It was a little cold, but the ride across the river was an unexpected treat. 

Ice Storm-2010

This week we were treated(?) to a winter storm complete with snow, sleet and freezing rain. The ice accumulation in my area was somewhere between a quarter to a half an inch. While I am not a fan of the cold at all, the storm did force us to slow down a bit during this often hurried season. We are enjoying more time spent around the warmth and glow of the fireplace, skating on the driveway, and marveling at nature's creations.

I am looking forward to the sun coming out. From previous ice storms, I remember how the neighborhood would shimmer like a thousand prisms when the sun would hit the  melting ice. The ice encapsulates everything and makes even the most mundane objects look interesting. Mother Nature can turn a trash can into instant art like in the photo above.  The ice magnifies the beauty and acts as nature's jewelry.

 

It brings out textures and colors that usually go unnoticed once the fall leaves have passed and our thoughts turn to the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I can't say that I hope the ice sticks around, but I am trying to appreciate the beauty in it while it is here.

"Let those who go outside be solitary,
stifle the heart and see how this unknown and brittle world, 

unreal and legendary,
was filmed in crystal for the mind alone."

Stopping By Woods

 

Although the snow was still falling too much to be out taking pictures, I grabbed my camera and went for a drive. It was too icy to get far, but I managed to find a couple of winter escapes close to home.

 The place below reminded me of a Robert Frost poem:

   

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

  

Hard to believe that photo was taken right off a busy road. Luckily the sound of the birds chirping as they swooped in for the winter berries drowned out most of the traffic noise. I was a muddy, frozen and soaked mess by the time I arrived home, but walking this peaceful path in the virgin snow was well worth it.

 

...The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Filmstrip template and tutorial

So you have taken all those Christmas photos trying to get that perfect one for the Christmas card. Here's something fun you can do with some of those leftover shots.

Download a negative or filmstrip template. There are a ton of free ones available like this one from UneekResources. 

Just click on the download link on the right side of the page. Here is the process I used:

1. Open filmstrip template in photoshop.
2. Open a photo you wish to use in the template. Select all and copy
3. On template, use the rectangle tool to select the window you want to use.
4. Under edit-go to paste-paste into. You might have to use free transform to adjust the size to show in the window if you didn't crop them smaller.
5. Repeat for the other windows in the template.
6.Flatten and save as a jpg.

You can find a more detailed tutorial at flyingsamphoto.com

This is great to do with outtakes or those silly faces shots. :D

Kings Gardens

We had snowflakes here in the Bluegrass this morning, so I thought everyone could use a little shot of warmth and color. I took these on a trip to King's Gardens Garden Center. We stop by every year to see the giant inflatable pumpkin and to check out the Fall displays. They have a huge selection of gourds. I am always amazed at all of the unlimited shapes and colors Mother Nature provides.

I love this shape. They had some painted with little aprons and faces. The kids loved them.