Lightwheel # 4

Hey, that is not a wheel!  What do you mean?  You might think this photo was taken by someone who was very nervous or has problems with camera shake.  Well, it is a photo of the wheel, but it is not turning.  I simply moved the camera back and forth on a long shutter time.  It's not beautiful but it does show possibilities of what a camera can do with a little bit of light.

Be patient. When the weather gets better I go outside and do some shooting. :-)

Light Wheel 3

Once you get started with the Light Wheel it is hard  to quit because of the enormous number of possibilities.  It has nothing to do with art or originality.  It demonstrates it that I can turn the bike tire in front of an open camera lens.  Anybody can do that. 

Light Wheel # 2

I found the idea of using a spinning wheel in a photo magazine.  I claim no originality regarding the idea.  The designs are unique each time and almost impossible to duplicate.  So you may see more.  It is still to cold to go out and do other shooting.

Light Wheel # 1

Here is what you can do when it is really cold outside.  Take wheel off bicycle.  Bring to basement.  Attach Christmas lights.  Spin wheel. Open shutter.  With a little bit of time you can have lots of fun and still be warm.

Visitor at the Feeder

With fresh snow on the ground this Red Bellied Woodpecker took the easy way to find food and made a visit to our feeder.  He did not stay around very long and become very camera shy when  got close to the window.  This was shot from our dining room at noon with lots of bright sunlight.

Feeding Time

 

These immigrating Canadian Geese are not hiding their heads because they are camera shy.  They are going to where the food is as they get some nourishment from plants that grow in the waters of Half Moon Lake in Carson Park.

Beneath the Bridge

I read that sometimes diagonal lines can add dimension and interest to photos.  This is what you see when you are under the Claremont Ave Bridge over the Chippewa River in Eau Claire.

Sailboar Missing

The guy with the sail boat never showed up.  At least I hoped a sail boat would have appeared.  But not here. This is the Chippewa River in the fall.   Quiet, relaxing, place to meditate and reflect.

Amish Presence

This grabbed by attention as I was driving by.  The color was so brilliant, the contrast was so clear and the texture of the brick wall added a special touch.  This painting is on the wall of the Amish Furniture Store in Augusta, WI.

Immediately after taking this photo I turned around and this is what was right behind me.  That was an unexpected surprise. 

Inclusiveness

 

If pumpkins could talk they might say "We believe in inclusiveness in this family!":

Summer Break

Hello Faithful followers!  I am returning to my blog after a summer break.  In fact I did not take lot of pictures but was busy with other activities. Family activities, travel times, Kruse Brothers/Lovers gatherings, skin surgery, new carpeting had my attention more than adding pictures to this blog.

I learned a lot just by having the discipline to do some shooting every day.  Yes, I took some crazy photos but I learned something from each one.  Sometimes I learned what not to shoot again or change your position, or use different camera settings.   Other times I learned that has hard as I tried there was nothing that was worth shooting at.  Once in a while I find a picture that was worth taking.  Of course I have to publish the bad ones as well.  But keep looking, maybe someday you will find one of the good ones. :-)

Formal Attire

He looks like he is going to some kind of special event dressed in his formal attire.  Any time you see one of these, it is a special event.  Thanks to the Butterfly House at Beaver Creek Reserve.

Butterfly Beauty

Sometimes they fly so fast we never gat a chance to enjoy their natural beauty.   Thanks to photography and the Beaver Creek Butterfly House we get a chance to see them up close.

Taste of Elegance

This bird was proud of her attire and glad for someone to notice.  I think this is a female peacock.  This photo is also from the Summer Photo Shoot at Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls, WI

Dinner Time

I am glad I am not the one who serves the dinner.  He looks hungry and those eyes are really focused.

This picture was taken on a Summer Photo Shoot at Irvine park in Chippewa Falls, WI.  Six of us spent the evening at the zoo and tried to get photos of animals in action. 

Its hard to get really sharp photos when you have to shoot through glass and a plastic shade.  Oh well, I enjoyed being there to give it a try.

Color Change

Let's have some fun. This is the same photo I submitted yesterday only this time I edited it to show how it might have appeared if it was taken under florescent lighting.

Most of the time we ignore dandelions after the seeds have formed and are about to blow away.  But look closely and you will see intricate design that illustrates a beauty in nature contained in a useless old dandelion plant.

Dandy Exit

Remember my "Unwelcome Guest" from several days ago?  Well this dandelion is making an exit.  Before it goes it gives us one more chance to see its unique shape and design.  These seeds will be an unwelcome guest somewhere else next year.

Nest Guardian

Somewhere in the weeds below this bird was a nest that he was trying to protect.  His loud chirping is what got my attention.  The closer I got the more active he became.  After taking the picture this bird got very quiet set surveyed the area looking for more trouble.

Rainbow x 2

Following one of thunderstorms we were pleased to get a break in the clouds with some sunshine.  At that time I hustled to Fairfax Park where I could get a good view of the sky.  This is what I found.  The rainbow went from horizon to horizon but I could not capture any more than this.  I am sure an 18mm lens would have done a better job. 

Uninvited Guest

Unwelcome but always ready to pay a visit at your place and mine.

MN Arboretum - Tulips

Here is just a sample of the thousands of tulips of all colors, shapes, and designs at the Minnesota Arboretum.  When you go plan to spend at least 2-3 hours.  Be sure to take the 3 mile drive through all parts with a variety of things to enjoy.

MN Arboretum

You can see the many shades of green and a whole lot more at  the Minnesota Arboretum.  There you will find 1100 acres of great displays of trees, shrubs, flowers, gardens and something for every season of the year.  It is worth the trip. 

Nature's Design

This dried milkweed pod endured the sun of the fall, the snow of the winter, the flood of the spring time, the wind and rain of all seasons yet still maintains a design to be appreciated.  After all of that it still catches our eye as something to be appreciated and maybe even cause us to reflect on our life.

Don't we all wish we will have some beauty left in our design after we endure the storms, the hurts, the challenges, and frustrations of our daily journey.  May it be that way for you.

Ducklings on the Way

As the river approached flood stage sticks, twigs, straw gathered in the trees near the rivers edge.  This is the place were these two ducks chose to have their nest for their future family.  I couldn't get any closer without disturbing them. 

Two days later I returned to this location and the sticks, twigs, straw, nest......and ducks were gone.  Apparently when the water level went down, so did their special place.

Gooseberry Falls

During a visit to Gooseberry Falls along the North Shore of Lake Superior I tried a very slow shutter speed to capture the nice silky appearance of falling water.  Of course this is only part of the picture but it does illustrate what can happen when we let the action take place while the shutter is open.

Here is the original picture.  After a wet spring in MN there was plenty of water over the falls.  Very different than last year when we could walk across the falls with no difficulty.

Big Falls Country Park

I visited here to get a preview of the place as a possible site for a Summer Photo Shoot for the Lake Street Digital Shooters.  But I decided it was too dangerous climbing on the rocks to get a good view of the falls.  Still looking for different location for the photo shoot .

Spring is Alive

Finally we have something better to photograph than snow.  Yes, spring is alive.  Spring is here.  Colors are emerging. and in the days ahead we will lots of color that will get into our cameras. 

These daffodils are among the first to emerge and we welcome their appearance.  Even though it was a windy day and the focus is not as sharp as one would like, we still know that spring is alive when the daffodils appear. 

Fluid Design

Remember the ink blot test when we would look at some pictures like this and try to explain what we saw?  Some believed that our descriptions would reveal something deep within our psyche.  The perceived images were to reveal something about how we feel, what we think, or how we view our life.

Well, this is not a test.  It is simply suds that have formed on river after passing the footing for the bridge.  Simply a random design created as the suds move with the movement of the water.

What images to you see?

Spingtime Beauty

This is the first flowering tree in our neighborhood and when it flowers it is a clear sign that spring is here.  The flowers do not last very long but the memory of this beauty lingers long in our minds.

I do not know what kind of tree it is but when we see the tree without the flowers we are reminded of the beauty of the spring.

Hosta Vs Rocks

Even rocks cannot stop growth of a hosta plant that showing signs of real life following the snow and cold of winter.  It is as if the plant says to the rocks, "If you don't get out of my way I will grow around you and you will be hidden by my leaves."

The persistence and power of nature is awesome.  I the plant grows in spite of the challenges.  It seeks to become what it was intended to become.  Does all in its power to overcome the difficulties.

There is a message for us in this picture.  Be the best you can be. Work around the challenges.  Seek excellence and fulfillment no matter how difficult the road may be. If a hosta  buried in rocks can do it, so can you and I.

The Art of China Painting

This plate was painted by my 93 year old mother-in- law who demonstrates that artistic talent is not limited to the young.  This "young in spirit" woman goes about china painting with great determination and resolve.

It is a long process of painting, firing, painting, firing, and more.  Each color has to be fired in, one at a time.  It all reveals artistic talent, gifted ability with paint brush, skill in choosing colors, and patient effort. 

Nice going....dear mother-in-law.

Spring

This is no way to welcome spring!  After a long winter we were ready for a change of seasons.  But along comes a winter storm with an abundance of heavy wet snow. 

The good news is the snow did not last long.  Sun and warm breezes put on back on schedule to welcome spring.  Finally!

The Brothers

Welcome to the Eau Claire Sculpture Tour. This is one of the first ones installed for this years collection  It appears on Water Street and instantly grabbed my attention.  At first glance you assume they are brothers.  They just look that way.

I know what that is like. I have three brothers.   When we are seen together everyone knows that we are brothers.  It's great to be one of the brothers.

The title of this sculpture was not installed yet.  I wonder what the artist had in mind.

Local Goose

We have two resident Canadian Geese who make Eau Clair their home for all four seasons.  They are not frightened by people in the park, even the ones that get close.   This one met me as I was driving in and even before could park, I took this picture right out the window, on Brauns Bay, Carson Park.

He might have been wondering, "What are you doing  here so early in the morning?"  Or maybe the determined look in his eye reflects his hope that I have some food to hand him.  He did seem agreeable to pose for a picture, but shortly after that he walked away disappointed.

Last year we were gifted with a great set of photogenic goslings.  I hope the same will happen this year.

Charlie

This is Charlie.  When he looks at you he stares deep into your soul.  Or maybe he is just wondering what I am going to do with a camera in his face.  He may be wondering, "Is this photo necessary?  Do you really know what you are doing?  Is this really worth my time?"

Even when he is questioning the purpose of all this, he is still cooperative and doesn't make fun of what I am trying to do.

Thank you Charlie. 

Amazing Stitches

All it takes is two needles, yarn, and a skilled pair of hands and something beautiful like this can be created.  You would think this demands the focused attention from the person doing the knitting but I have known persons who can knit and still participate in a meeting or carry on a good conversation with friends. 

The women of our church make items like this and call it a lap robe to provide extra warmth during some time of recovery from an illness or time in the hospital.  This one was given to me following my time in the hospital last summer.  Now it sits on the davenport adding color and decoration to mi office at home.

"For All the World to See"

This is a traveling display now available at the Chippewa Valley Museum that shows the power of the camera in the civil rights movement.  Photos, video clips, posters, newspaper pictures all demonstrate how images from any of these sources revealed the urgent need for the civil rights movement to get the message out.

You will find the display informative and surprising as you discover the power of an image to initiate change in the heart of a nation.  It is worth a visit.  The display is here until the last week of May and then on to another museum.

Whistling Swans

We found these in a field near Augusta.  The snow has melted enough for them to find some food as they head north for the summer.  Here we have integration.... whistling swans and Canadian Geese traveling together.  Maybe we all could learn something from them.

I am behind in uploading some of my pictures and will try to get caught up in the next few days.  I missed a few days in the Picture a Day Project but am still trying to get out there taking pictures.

65th Anniversery

Congratulations to two really fine people who celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary. John and Dorothy Wreford were honored by their family and friends at a reception on Sunday afternoon. 

In many ways they are role models for all of us as they have demonstrated the real value of lasting relationships and get better as time goes on. 

Patience

I am not the only one tired of winter and eager for spring.  This woman is a symbol of patience as she is waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the season to change.  Just like all the rest of us.  She waits in Phoenix Park on the spot where the Farmers Market will be displaying their products.

Notice how the snow has melted around her feet as she patiently waits.

Celebrate Easter

Celebrate the Good News of Easter!!

Daisy Delight

Sure beats looking snow. No this is not growing in our back yard but it still a symbol of things to come.  In the mean time we will still buy some at the grocery store for table centerpieces and more.  Not a great blossom, not a  great picture but still it is easy on the eyes until more color arrives.

It was so refreshing to see some real color, I had to photograph it and share it with you.

Wood Carvers

Electric Icicles

Did you ever wonder what an icicle would like if it became a reflector of light?  Well, I guess you probably never wondered about that and don't have passionate desire for the answer.    Neither do I, except I am tired of taking pictures of snow.  In as much as this whole endeavor is a learning experience I thought I would try something different.

These icicles are hanging in the window of our family room.  Staying inside the whole time, I put the camera on a tripod...shooting out the closed window...and then had Tim use his red flashlight to put light on the icicles.   Here is the result.  This is only a test to prepare for another electric icicle photo tomorrow night with better and more creative design.  Stay tuned to see what happens with that one.

Snow Owl - Part 3

What a great way to use the snow.  Give it  some shape.  Make it interesting. Add to the sculptures of Eau Claire.  Celebrate that we have art being created while we watch.

Keep you eyes open and be watching for the launching of  new EC business.  I am not  sure but I get the impression a logo might be that of an owl.  Maybe this owl.  Could it be the owl is a sign of wisdom and they the new endeavor will provide an opportunity for others to be wise also?  If the owl becomes a local symbol, remember, you saw it here first.

 

Real Owl

This is another kind of owl....a screech owl.  This one snuck into our garage while my son took his dog out for a walk.  The owl made himself present not only by sight but by sound.  His screeching even attracted the attention of our neighbor.  All of this happened about 5:00 AM.

Now is time for full disclosure.  I did not take this picture. My son did.  That is pretty cool!  Maybe he should start a blog.  Oh  yes, he has that and more at www.tdkruse.com 

Snow Owl - Part 2

The creation process continues.  Katie continues with her project.  Every day it is looking more like an owl than the day before.  We affirm her dedication to this project.  Stop by Phoenix Park to see the creation.  This time I beat the LT (newspaper) for such a picture.

Photo learning:  It is really difficult to take a picture of a white snow owl against a gray ski that is almost the same color.  Maybe I should have used a flash.  If I get time on Sunday I will stop by to see the finished product.  Then I will try to use flash.