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.

Snow Owl

Someday this will be a "Snow Owl" only this one will not fly.  Instead it might become the logo of a new business starting in EC.   You can find this new sculpture in Phoenix Park and maybe by Friday it will be completed.  At least that is the hope Katie Wolff has.  This will be one way to launch  a new endeavor.  She says she is co-founder, designer, idea-maker for this emerging enterprise.  I don' t know the name of the company but the word, "Cleverowl" is in her email address.  Watch for the owl logo emerge in EC.  Good luck Katie.

Blue Angel

This poor angel was supposed to be a Christmas decoration but now was cold, frozen to the ground and had just been hit with 7 inches of snow.  No this blue angel does not fly but is waiting for spring to come so his owner return the angel back to the warm, dry comfortable basement.

Photo learning:   make sure you allow for more light.  Otherwise you get "blue angels".

Picture of a Picture

Jackie and I went to Wausau to meet some friends for lunch and after that we went to the Leigh Yawkey Art Museum.  Here we saw a permanent collection of paintings done by Owen Gromme.  We have always had an appreciation for his work and have one of his prints hanging in our home.  It was great to see his original paintings and discover how life-like they look and how stunning they are.  He grew up on the shores or Lake Winnebago and spent over 40 years overseeing the museum in Milwaukee.  His true love was painting birds in Wisconsin-type settings.

The picture above is one of the 43 that were on display.  Yes, several included paintings of the "snow owls" but not the painting that has received the most recognition.

It is worth the trip to Wausau to see this display.  At the same place there was a collection of paper sculpture art that goes beyond one's imagination.

Winter on Steriods

Sure I would like to complain about the challenges of winter when my mailbox was almost buried after our street was plowed.  But, then I realize how lucky we are when we compare our so called challenges with others who have endured several serious winter storms and hurricanes.  So no more complaining.  I  promise to go out there and take more pictures of what is happening, even if it includes more snow.

Photo learning....when photographing snow don't trust your camera's standard settings.  Add up to two more "stops" to your camera settings.

Snow Shadows

I am trying something different today.  Usually I get images of clearly identifiable objects that you know what it is when you see it.  I saw this on the ski trails at Lowes Creek County Park.  It was simply shadows on the snow with the tree providing the shadow.

When I saw this I envisioned a painting that looked like this hanging in a museum or art studio.  So I took the picture.   If we keep looking we may find many designs created by nature that can be enjoyed.

Sleeping Orchard

It looked so quiet.  It appeared there was nothing happening.  No one was around.  It was cold and private.  There was no sign of activity.  There were no tracks in the snow, no snow mobile path.  It was a very peaceful scene.  Everything was very subdued.  No evidence of action.

Yet we know something was happening.  This was an orchard in its resting mode.  While it appears nothing is happening we know that nature is at work in the regeneration process to create and promote new growth and eventually fruit for all of us.

I wish I had found this scene earlier in the day to improve the lighting, on the other hand this is the best I could do.

Lowes Creek Bridge

Yes, it is another bridge.  You are getting the idea that I am fascinated by bridges.  A bridge is a structure that helps you get from place to another or makes it possible for you to go over something you don't want to go through.  But this bridge is different. It  provides a horizontal view of how it is made.  The inner structure is reveled to you as you go over it.  It cannot hide how it is made. The shadow reveals the details so you can see what makes a bridge a bridge.

Normally we never think about how a bridge is made.  On this bridge you see it.