Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: beauty

(+6 insets!) I was planning to post a picture from San Anselmo today but… I was not prepared for today's overwhelming skies! I awoke feeling very happy just as the sky was starting to lighten. Looking outside, I didn't see anything special going on and Pumpkin and I hopped in the shower. However, after I got out and checked the sky I noticed the hint of pink appearing on the edges of a few clouds. "Oh boy…" I said to Pumpkin, "I wonder if it's going to be another amazing sunrise?!" She laughed at me. Well, I never! I was happy to see that the day was lightening very slowly. This gave me time to get everything done before the skies were bursting with beauty. I skedaddled outside and none-too-soon because the sky exploded into a kaleidoscope of colors that had me swooning from the beauty of it all. My picture of the day was the pinnacle of sherbet colors silhouetted behind pine and oak trees with the edge of the Upper Table Rock on the right. As the moments passed, the show continued to develop, with pink edge-lit clouds and so many pretty shades cast upon the sky. It was wondrous. I couldn't stop taking pictures, and at one point I found myself traipsing mindlessly through a huge patch of burrs while trying to get just the right angle for a silhouette picture. I looked down. "Oh Janet…your socks…they're completely covered in burrs!" Even my shoes and laces were adorned by the pesky little sticklers. I didn't care…I COULDN'T care! There were more sunrise pictures to be taken! I finally managed to get back onto our road to return to my exercise walk but every time I got to the spot where I take my sunrise panoramas I'd need to take more pictures! It's funny how similar most of them are now that I've looked at them on the computer but I couldn't risk the chance of missing the perfect shot! The skies turned blue, the clouds became white and grey with lovely edge lighting. More pictures! The pond rock got shadows on it and reflected in our pond along with trees and puffy clouds. More pictures! I walked around our pond to see how the reflections changed…you guessed it…MORE PICTURES! Oh dear…I was so out of control today! :D In fact, as Steve and I were making lunch, I looked out and the clouds were so incredible…MORE PICTURES! *face in hands* I am but a puppet for my camera…and just now Steve let me know the skies are totally amazing...yes…MORE PICTURES! In the end, I've posted 6 insets and I hope that you all enjoy the show! I certainly did! :) I do have to say that it's really liberating to post pictures that come from my phone camera. It's easy and available, and even though the quality isn't the best since they are only .jpgs, they are just fine. I fully admit that I was a snob about pictures from a DSLR vs. a point and shoot or phone camera. Ipernity has taught me to cut it out because again and again I've seen staggeringly beautiful pictures from some of our community and guess what? NOT from DSLR. And once I admitted that non DSLR pictures can be every bit as pretty, I've been having such fun sharing these photos!! Thanks for the important lesson, I needed that whack upside the head! No Snootiness Allowed! :D Pam, I have been thinking about you today. The beauty of the skies makes me so happy and glad that I can share some of what I see with the world. I looked at your pictures to see what sky and silhouette pictures you have…oh so many! Aren't we lucky to enjoy this passion together? We can both share these visual treasures to people everywhere in the world. I'm so glad that I have met you, Pam. It's nice to be riding in this boat down the river of life with you. *HUGGGGGGS*!! Explored on 1/16/19, highest placement, #5.

Please see our new group, Pictures for Pam , we would love to have you! You may read the latest news of Pam`s recoverery here (11/9/18): www.ipernity.com/home/christine.bentley ------------------------- Yesterday began with a rough start but this morning I was happy and looking forward to my day. Just above freezing and without the odd, icy wind, I didn't bother with a second sweater and was perfectly comfortable as I stepped out into the crisp gleaming sunlight. Pausing to stretch my calves and thighs, I noticed that my neat line of little white rocks had been pushed around—perhaps by an investigative nose or beak of some sort? I had my suspicions. The most likely was mulled over in my mind while I put the displaced pebbles back on the slab with the others. Striding down our gravel road, I was soon met by the suspected critter's calling card on the drive, exactly in my path. I wrinkled my nose and stared down at the small but offensive pile. Our rural property is home to a huge variety of wildlife and one of them is a very rude—in my opinion, anyway—fox. This guy—or gal?—is bound and determined to make it known that this territory belongs to HIM and I'd better not forget it! Since I don't seem to be getting the memo, nearly every day I am faced with yet another present along my path. Mumbling amusedly under my breath, I returned the joust with one of my own. Clearly aiming for a message of "I have no respect for you!" I gave the old heave-ho to the strategically-placed berry-filled dropping with a side-of-the-shoe fling and sent the poo flying into the weeds. Sheesh. I shook my head and grinned at the reality: I have been arguing over property rights—with a FOX—for nearly 10 years now!! How ridiculous and wonderful! I couldn't help thinking about the most outrageous message left for me just a few days before. My husband walks laps on our driveway too, and just for fun, he picks up colorful rocks and tosses them in a pile next to my rock slabs. I will often change out some of my pebbles with a few he has found on his walks, but I only need 13 stones so his growing pile of many dozen sits mostly unused but appreciated. The other day I went to put a pebble in place and suddenly goggled at what I saw. The fox had left its dropping DIRECTLY ON TOP of Steve's pile of rocks!!! I spluttered! I gasped! I may have even yelled an expletive or two in disbelieving amazement! Why, that was the most blatant "F_ _ _ YOU!!" that I'd ever seen a wild animal direct at me. Or…I wondered…could it have been left for Steve specifically? After all, that pile of rocks smelled of Steve, not me. The fox merely nosed my pebbles, choosing to leave its usual present on the road for me. And also, Steve only just recently began walking up and down the drive, so perhaps the fox was trying to say, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! BEGONE!" Who knows. I decided that the best thing to do would be to just remove the message and ignore my mad desire to hunt the devil down and throttle it vigorously before letting it go with a warning of my own, "CUT IT OUT YOU DISRESPECTFUL CURR!" Turning my thoughts to my dear friend Pam, I figured she'd enjoy this tale because she has wildlife tales of her own to share. I was pleased that I already knew the picture I'd be taking for her today so after my walk, I grabbed my camera, walked up the hill beyond our house. I came to a stop at the dried army of teasel which began its formation where I stood and marched in a thick column down to our big meadow. What a formidable sight and wonderful to appreciate from seed to dried stalk, at all times of year and in any weather. Teasel never disappoints and is an outstanding photography subject for beginner and advanced alike. I had a classic image in mind, showing off several beauties with the sun behind to make them glow. Moving around here and there, I looked for background elements at the right distance to create just the right effect. Not sure of exactly what would look best, I took a couple of dozen images with various apertures and different cropping potentials. In the end, one of the first choices turned out to be my pick and not the close-ups of three I'd expected. My choice shows a hint of the massive number of teasel along with a foreground trio, and a background which shows the colorful autumn colors blended with teasel and oak bokeh. It was a wonderful surprise when I cropped this image down to size and was presented by this delightful view. I was reminded of the joy of capturing an image that I didn't consider as an outcome and was so happy I was lucky enough to get it! Hoping your day is a nice one, Pam, and know that you are in my thoughts with warm wishes headed your way in a stream of healing and affectionate virtual hugs. Explored on 11/13/18, highest placement: #36.

Please see our new group, Pictures for Pam , we would love to have you! You may read the latest news of Pam`s recoverery here (11/9/18): www.ipernity.com/home/christine.bentley ------------------------- A heaviness of heart greeted me this morning and the familiar disinterest in doing anything swirled about me, pulling me down into the usual gloom of the past months. Wrestling with this specter, I shrugged my shoulders in determination to overcome my low spirits. And so I got ready for my daily walk like usual, but today I really piled on the garments, annoyed by the cold that continued to bite into me every day now. Tee-shirt topped by thermal long-sleeve, then my very warm, fluffy sweater and of course my trusty, pill-covered blue fleece. The final touch of gloves, scarf, and hat, sweaters zipped up tight, conjured thoughts of "A Christmas Story"…perhaps I wasn't so armored that I would fall over like little Randy, but the amusing image forced me to crack a grin. Progress. I stepped out the door. I was met by a bracing wind today which totally surprised me. Our mornings are almost invariably still until the sun was quite high in the sky and I wondered what this tree-rattling weather meant for the days ahead. Though it was nearly 34 today and warmer by 8 very discernable degrees, the gusting wind laughed at me with a knowledge that it would feel even colder. So it did, but happily, my bundling had worked and I was quite comfortable for once! In fact, I actually grew so warm after a few laps that I was forced to remove my hat, scarf, blue sweater AND my gloves! What a change!! Thank goodness, because I was really tired of returning home with ice-cubes for feet, face, hands and leg surfaces. Tackling my low spirits took some doing and as you must know, it's very hard to be creative when feeling down. But as I walked, I forced myself to look for things that Pam might like. My blue mood had me questioning everything. "I have taken pictures of everything I see a thousand times. I've posted pictures of this, that and those things too. Nobody cares about my stupid pictures. I'm wasting my time." On and on it went…and I just kept looking and tossing my negative feelings aside as I was able. Heading into my fourth lap, I bent down and neatly placed a white pebble on the other rock slab, arranging it in a growing line of stones while the pile of rocks on the other side slowly diminished. Next to the rock slabs was my smart phone and headphones and I picked them up. I love to occupy my walks with a podcast or story, it's such a nice way to experience a book or radio show. It also passes the time nicely, distracting me from the relentless drudgery of walking up and down my driveway a baker's dozen every day. Turning to continue my walk, I returned to the Larry Niven story, "Dream Park," and was quickly immersed in the clever Westworld-like yarn. I noticed that my mood was improving, and I was able to finally see some things that Pam might think were cool. Noticing a familiar rust-colored weed that stood bracing itself against the wind, I was reminded of what I used to call it, "Indian Tobacco." I now know that it's actually called "Curly Dock," but it's hard to remember after a lifetime of calling it something else. Without stopping to look closer, I knew this would make a very nice picture for Pam to see! When I was finished with my walk, I got my camera and made my way back to the Curly Dock. It was a good choice for today because, despite the wind, I knew I'd be able to get some good macros. The stalk is fairly rigid and I'd surely get some shots in between the gusts. At a glance, Curly Dock is an unusual, interesting plant with its deep ruddy color and texture. However, the visual prize of this plant can only be seen at a nose-close distance, and so I busied myself taking many pictures to ensure that at least one would come out crisp and detailed. Experience has taught me that wind and even just a badly-timed breeze will ruin your pictures, so it's best to take lots at various distances, apertures and angles. In the end, I tossed about 15 duds, saved a few, but the image I'm sharing for Pam was just what I was hoping for! Detail, clarity and good lighting show off Curly Dock's wonderful clusters of seed-and-calyx. Aren't they wonderful to see? :) Pam, I know you will appreciate this image of tiny treasures, and wouldn't it be fun to be momentarily very small so that we could gaze up at these lovely forms, hand-in-hand and staring transfixed? Nature brims with countless wonderful sights like this and I'm so glad that you love these hidden treats as much as I do! Feel better soon! :) Explored on 11/12/18, highest position: #29

Please see our new group, Pictures for Pam , we would love to have you! You may read the latest news of Pam`s recoverery here (11/9/18): www.ipernity.com/home/christine.bentley ------------------------- I began my day with an unfamiliar lightness of heart, and a grin tugging at the sides of my mouth as I stepped outside into the biting cold of this lovely sunny day. I'd bundled up in my bedraggled but favorite blue sweater, knitted brown scarf and its matching scarf, but decided on a heavier pair of gloves today. It was time for my thicker, soft black suede ones to replace the lighter duty nylon ones I'd been wearing to this point. Looking at the thermometer I cringed..."26.5 degrees?! WOW!" I thought it was interesting that I'd donned my heavier gloves without knowing just how cold it was today. The temperature had been inching downwards in the past week and it was definitely getting quite cold. In fact, I've been needing a warm shower to warm up after my walks, because no matter how much heat I'd generated during my brisk 1.25 hr walk, my extremities could not keep up with the frigid temperatures. That's cold. I stretched my legs for a few minutes and then headed down the drive, taking a look at my pile of white rocks as I passed by. To keep track of my "laps", I have 13 little white pebbles that I move from one large stone slab to another as I progress. I learned long ago that I am apt to forget the exact number because my mind is distracted by my thoughts or by the story or podcast that I am listening to. With my pebbles, I am free to let my mind wander without needing to wonder about the number of laps I have walked. Making my way down our uneven, gravel road that leads to a chain-locked metal gate, the road beyond ferries an infrequent stream of vehicles back and forth from the secluded hills beyond to the small but growing towns of Medford, Grants Pass, Ashland and White City. I hate the noise of the cars and trucks, but though there is more traffic now than when we first moved here about 10 years ago, it's still very tolerable and not a constant din by any means. I noticed that there wasn't much frost today despite the cold, which I thought was interesting, since it's been quite frosty on previous days. My breath filled the air with clouds of dragon's vapor as I trooped down to turn-round at the gate and head back up the hill. Thoughts of Pam filled my mind and I hoped that she was doing ok. I smiled again from ear to ear this time, filled with the effervescent delight of an excited child. My eyes had snapped open once again and as I had hoped, my plan was working--and so quickly too! By picking up my camera again, and taking pictures of images that made me want to share them with my friend, I'd awakened my creative eye again. Suddenly I was thinking about light and shadow, contrast and shapes, interesting sights that invariably showed themselves to me like beacons amidst the drab, dry scenery around me. Yesterday's photo turned out as I'd hoped and I was tickled that, even though I hadn't taken pictures for quite some time, my abilities were truly like that of riding a bike. How fortunate I am to be able to pick up my camera and take pictures that please me, even after a long break! :) After a few laps, I approached our gate and I noticed some lines on the metal. Looking very closely, I could see a very fine filigree of frost, so delicate that the mere touch of the sun would melt this beautiful etching. I exclaimed out lout how lovely and unusual this subtle frost was, and thought about trying to get a picture. I could see that the sun was making its way upwards and rays of brilliant light were about to touch the gate. Yes, I would get my camera, but no, I doubted I would get that picture, even if I ran all the way up to the house and back. That special sight would likely be just for my eyes today, but I was so grateful that I noticed, for the memory of that delicate filigree would stay with me. Grabbing my camera at the end of my lap, I returned to the gate, but I could see halfway down the hill that the sun had indeed lit up the slate-grey pipes and I would not see any frost there when I arrived. No matter--because I believe that things are meant to be, and it was for me to have my camera with me, but frost on the gate was not my subject for the day. I did confirm what I already knew--the perfectly dry gate hid any signs that a fairy's wand had touched the bars in the early hours. Heading up the hill, camera in hand now, I opened my eyes with the alertness of a hunting cat. I looked for that sparkle of light, a silhouette that caught my eye, the magic of early sunbeams passing through the leaves and casting warm light upon everything it touched. I saw a few leaves that got my attention, but gazing through my camera lens, could see they were not quite right. Then I saw a leaf suspended on some weeds, and though it was not lit up by the sun, I knew that if I walked around off the road and to the other side, that leaf might very well explode into an image of nature's stained glass. My face beamed as I made my way around, and sunk down to take the picture that you see here. As luck--or meant-to-be--would have it, that leaf was suspended on weeds that were just far away enough from the grass and weeds nearby to give me the most gorgeous bokeh in the background. Lovely separation without any need to remove anything from the background! In fact, this image is about 99% Straight Out of the Camera! How lucky is that?! :) Pam, I hope that you like your picture today, it was a wonderful find and because of you, I have once again found my light. Loving you muchly and thinking of you so frequently! May this day find you feeling better than the day before my dear! Explored on 11/10/18, highest placement #54.

Please see our new group, Pictures for Pam , we would love to have you! You may read the latest news of Pam`s recoverery here (11/9/18): www.ipernity.com/home/christine.bentley ------------------------- Every morning I walk up and down our gravel driveway for an hour and 15 minutes to invigorate me and to get my exercise too. I do a lot of thinking while I make my way up and down the 20-30% grade, and lately, I've been thinking about Pam Johnson . We were lucky enough to meet on ipernity years ago and struck up a very warm friendship based on our love of photography, nature and animals. She's hit a rough spot and is working to recover, and I've been sending my healing energy her way. As I've walked up and down, I cannot help but see the lovely terrain of my rural property and every time I see something especially pretty, I think about Pam and wish that she could see the lovely gift presented to me. It struck me...maybe I help both of us at the same time. You see, I've been in a creative black hole for a long time. My first thought of sending Pam a picture was struck down by my lack of interest in lifting a creative finger. But then I thought to myself, "You know...you're never going to get your fire back until you take the first step. And wouldn't it be nice to show that you're thinking about Pam by showing her what made you think of her?" And so it occurred to me that I could create a photography project that would hopefully help us both. This is day one, and I present the image that struck me first: the glowing lanterns from the empty seed pods of a weed. I especially love to find sights like this, which show the beauty of an otherwise dreary landscape. All you need to do is open your eyes and see the brown, dead fields in a new way. Suddenly the number of wonderful images burst forth, and you have the joy of seeing them all, where you were blind to them just a moment before. I hope that you like the pictures I'll be posting for you, Pam! And at the same time, let us hope that I will rekindle my love of photography again, finding the beauty in things missed by most. :) *big hugs from your friend in Oregon*

A few years ago Steve and I went to Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon, to take autumn pictures. It would be my last photo walk in Oregon with my SX-30 super zoom camera. It was on this day that I put my foot down and insisted on a DSLR like Steve's 5D Mk1. It took me a while to truly understand two things: 1) I had outgrown my nice but inferior camera and 2) you basically need to have a DSLR with a proper lens if you want awesome bokeh, among other things. Still, I got some good pictures with my super zoom, and here's one I thought turned out nicely! :)

They may be weeds, and they are hated by most gardeners, but dandilions are really quite lovely when viewed up close! :) I took this picture not a very long time ago, three months, but I think it is ok to share as an archive picture!

As kids, a favorite thing we all used to do was finding dandelion seed heads, making a wish, and blowing the seeds off into with wind. Now that we are adults, have you ever stopped to take a close look at these? Such delicate details, such a perfect design for floating on the wind to far-flung destinations. Such an elegant fom. And, as you can see here, just a pair of seed "parachutes" left on a seedhead gives you a chance to see that the fluffy ball to the right is made up of about 100 individual seeds, which are connected to their wind-catching parachutes. Be sure to click on this image to get a bigger view! :)

Using a macro lens reveals a fascinating new perspective, and will often surprise you with these fresh views. How common, boring and ugly dandilions are...to most people, anyway. Detested, yanked out, and scorned, these enemies to the lawn perfectionist are actually quite beautiful, when seen through a macro lens. I quickly fell in love with these flowers, and all others which make these seedheads of parachutes. This was a picture I took in May of 2012, to show how exquisitely perfect these lovely seedheads truly are. Explored on January 10, 2012. Highest placement, #10.

The day after Halloween 2012, Steve and I went to Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon to take pictures. This was a very pivitol day in my life as a photographer. Comparing the pictures I took with my Canon SX30 Super Zoom camera to Steve's Canon 5D yet again made me so upset that I finally had enough. I could see that no matter how hard I tried, I would not get the quality of image I saw with Steve's camera, and so on this day in 2012, I put my foot down. I demanded we purchase a SLR for me. A week later I had my precious Canon 5D Mk II, and the rest is history! This was one of the pictures I took that day. I have 22 pictures in that folder, and looking them over, I can see that they aren't the same quality as a 5D. But they are still very nice pictures and my technique was fine! :) Thank you all so very much for the overwhelming response to my return to ipernity with a new project! I am so touched!! You are all so amazing and wonderful!! *big hugs all around* A big thanks to Heidiho for letting me know that 2016 has 366 days because of Leap Year!! HOORAY!!

2 other rose pictures from today above in notes! This is the same rose from my Picture of the Day, but this time showing some of the roses behind in bokeh! The Rose In Medicine and Food: Many countries use rose products as medicine or food. Rose water is often used in the Middle East and Asia as an ingredient in cooking. Rose syrup, made from the petals, is often used for marshmallows and scones in Western countries. In medicine, rose hips are a useful source of vitamin C. The hips or fruit of the rose are made into tea to be taken orally. Some parts of roses have been used to relieve stomach problems and cancer.

This beautiful blossom was hiding behind another bush and brings up a good piece of advice: when you're looking for subjects to photograph, be sure to explore the entire area, even where you don't think there will be anything special. This rose was near the ground behind a larger bush and I would have never seen it if I hadn't explored! Yesterday's Pick of the Day was around the side of a building, and what a shame it would have been to have missed it! Keep your eyes open, look around with the eyes of a child, and you will find the most wonderful surprises! The Meaning of a Yellow Rose, from the Rose Experts : Yellow roses are beautifully scented and cheerful flowers, famous for symbolising friendship, joy, congratulations and get well wishes. Unlike pink, red and white roses that originate from Britain, the yellow versions derive from the Middle East and were only first noted in the 18th century. Since that time the flowers have cross bred and formed hybrids, creating stronger shades of yellow over time. Another side effect of this cross-fertilisation has been the beautiful scent that yellow roses are now synonymous with. Yellow as a colour has, throughout history, been related to the sunlight and warmth. It has also become associated with cheerfulness and rejuvenation as these colours of flowers are seen to 'brighten the room. Roses as a species of flower are also symbolically linked to love,kindness and emotion. Thus, yellow roses represent a mixed combination of the two, as they are usually linked to ideas of cheerfulness, warmth and caring. In contrast to the exclusively romantic meanings attributed to pink and red roses, the yellow rose can be a symbol of platonic or familial love and sends a message of caring and affection towards the recipient. They are usually sent in a gesture of goodwill, and have also been given in acknowledgement of good fortune, happiness and congratulations. If you know someone who is feeling down, unwell or you simply just want to brighten up someone's day, then yellow roses are the perfect choice; perhaps like no other flower, yellow roses are sure to put a smile on their face.

Photographed on the Rogue Gorge Trail, near Union Creek, Southern Oregon

These crocuses are so stuffed together that it's really hard to get a picture of one without all the others crowding into the frame. I was going to dig up the bulbs and separate them this past fall but I wasn't positive where they were and I didn't want to risk damaging any of them. So after they're done blooming and the leaves fade, I'll dig them all up, and spread them out! :)

I was going to pass this picture by but I kept going back to it. Something about the soft focus all over except for just a bit on the bud reminds of a watercolor painting. I hope you like it! :)

This morning I woke up very early and started thinking about the lovely crocuses which I noticed in the garden two days ago. I knew I'd be taking pictures of them today, and I also knew that if I got my lazy butt out of bed, I could get pictures of frost on them before it melted! So I tiptoed downstairs, bundled up and went out into the garden. To my delight, the crocus still had some unmelted frost on some of them, and on the others, beautiful beads of water. YAY! :) (By the way, this was the 3rd Flower of Spring last year too! :D) Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II. His work is noted for its stylistic elegance and poetic fantasy. Giraudoux's dominant theme is the relationship between man and woman—or in some cases, between man and some unattainable ideal. Wikipedia: Jean Giraudoux Explored on Flickr on February 21, 2013. Highest position: #311.

Our lower forest has two different areas. One area is more open and lets in much more light. The other part is darker and stays wetter, and thus, is a haven for mushrooms! As I was walking around one day, I looked down and discovered a whole colony of beautiful white mushrooms growing up through the fallen leaves. This one was about 1/2 an inch tall! :)

You never know what you'll find when you walk quietly in a meadow. On a wet and rainy morning, you might just find a mushroom enjoying the beautiful day and thinking about the words of great philosophers. I heard him whispter this as I quietly took my picture and passed by, "Wisdom begins in wonder." ~ Socrates By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :) (I've been very busy with my current graphic design project but I'm planning to visit as many of you as I can today!)