Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #77: Favorite Photos of 2019

I had a slightly startling revelation as I was plowing through thousands of photos from 2019….and No, I don’t mean realizing that I take way, WAY too many pictures. I already knew that.

I had already picked 29 “favorite photos” before arriving at the end of February. I was exhausted trying to choose so I stopped there.

It became clear that, only on occasion do I take a photo hoping it will capture exquisite beauty or be all “artsy”. Instead, often I snap away at images that will enhance a good narrative. Good visual aids for a tale that might interest, tickle or inspire someone.

I guess I’m saying I prefer story telling over photography, which is what startled me. I might be saying that although I am an extremely visual person, and I still hate writing (see my bio), I’d rather write you a story with photos than anything else.

So here are the pictures I picked (for January and February)…with the most brief explanation an overly wordy, *unpolished writer can come up with. (*ending my sentence with a preposition…)

 

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This is the Seattle skyline, especially the Columbia tower. I took this while trying to distract myself, waiting at the Harborview Medical Center to find out about a very blue, slightly broken ankle…and yes, I took pictures of my ankle but will spare you. It was so cool to see the Tower from this perspective, having just officiated a wedding at the top a few months prior.

 

 

Next, we have a poignant plea tacked onto the neighborhood’s most beautiful old tree. The note was written by a very young environmentalist, a precocious 6 year old, when she realized they might cut down this tree in the process of building a new home across the street from hers.

The note didn’t work so I felt compelled to capture as much of the mystery and beauty of this tree’s remains as possible. I did several posts on it.

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Next, I thought I’d experiment with my new point and shoot Canon on the occasion of the Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse. I was not that disappointed given the limitations of my equipment.

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We had a ton of snow in January, a bit rare for the Seattle area. I worried about all the birds I feed all year round (mostly Crows, Hummingbirds, and a variety of seed birds). I had wondered what would happen in the snow to the Covey of Quail that visited each morning to clean up under the bird feeder, after the messy House Finches had their breakfast.

I guess I needn’t have worried…

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Throughout the last few years, I have shared about my bugs. I love photographing them (and coming up with silly captions).

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Lucy says “I know, I know…not a toy, right?” (Good Kitty.)
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Giant, Spiny Australian Leaf Bug…GIANT indeed…

 

And of course, my cats. This was Lucy’s way of comforting me while I had to stay off my feet for a while for that ankle thing.

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My favorite photo of Lucy last year though was the one at the top of the page.

You know that thing older people sometimes do, where they are frantically searching for their glasses, only to find them right there on top of their head? Well, I took this shot after a frantic 20 minute household search for Miss Lucy. She has never been outside (our neighborhood is plagued by coyotes) so when I couldn’t find her, I panicked! I called and called her and though she is normally, the sweetest, most sensitive, gentle and affectionate cat I have ever had, this photo captured something akin to disdain. A kind of judgment at my ignorance, having walked literally right under her nose probably 10 or 12 times! sigh.

 

I walk daily, and if I keep my eyes wide open, like my Dad taught me very early on, I can make the same exact walk completely different every single day. I look for anything Nature has re-arranged (since yesterday) for my personal viewing pleasure.

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This is one of my all time favorite photos…a total accident!

 

 

Thanks to the Lens Artist Photo Challenge. This was really fun…and I fear there may have to be more installments. I hope you’ll comment.

And visit more of my Blog in the future!

Happy New Year from ChosenPerspectives!

 

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #77: Favorite Photos of 2019

NEWS FLASH! Bad, bad Blog-ist loses followers due to serious neglect!

December 24, 2019

No excuses. Just a priorities thing.

Life, and all its distractions, wonderful and horrific, has simply taken over first place on the list.

But I’ll be back, I promise.

Happy Winter, and whatever holidays you happen to celebrate.

Back to regularly scheduled life now.

With Love,

ChosenPerspectives

 

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Photos with titles

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Massacre
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Innocent Victims
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Breakfast??? 

 

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Residents gone to Arizona for Winter…
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Litter!
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Homework!
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Sheesh! Get a ROOM!
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Juxtaposition….
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Wait….WHAT???
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Integration. 
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Best part of poor drainage.
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Baby Leaf on 45 year old plant!!
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No clue…but it’s the size of a large dinner plate!! Should we run away??
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ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #71: Creepy 11/10/19

Creepy, huh? I’ll show you Creepy!

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I’m sorry in advance because I know some disagree, but I find this CREEPY!

 

 

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Definitely not as creepy as THIS however. (3 months absent from our mountain home and look what grows! Gross and CREEPY!)

 

 

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And this one, you might only get if you knew how absolutely sweet and loving my grandson is…

 

Many will find my bugs Creepy but I have fallen in love. I know, quite hypocritical, given my distaste of their distance relative at the top, eh?

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And I have been posting a lot lately about this Fungi Village growing right outside my bedroom window…Freaks me right out!!! I swear they are creeping closer and closer every day!

But today was the creepiest by far!

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I’m starting to see faces on some of them!

CREEPY!

 

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #71: Creepy

Pull up a Seat Challenge 10/25/19

I’ve been saving photos for this challenge for a while so here goes:

One of my favorite places to Pull up a Seat (if I can’t be right next to the Pacific Ocean) is on my sister’s porch….especially at, but not limited to, sunrise. Nothing like having your morning coffee on this porch in the early summer.

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Deck Garden 3

But then there are benches all over their property for sitting and becoming one with Nature…

Or you can be like Ola, the Wonder Dog, and plant yourself on one of the bridges over the pond between the house and the gardens and green house. (Although this might be better titled “Pull up a BED“.)

Ola, still on duty

 

Ah, but the memories of me with my grandsons pretend-fishing off these bridges…Maybe that’s my favorite.

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I love seeing where other species choose to Pull up a Seat.

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Then there’s our friend Mark who has a very boring selection of where to Pull up a Seat

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At our Mountain Retreat, someone has chosen to Pull up a Precarious Seat, but for very good reason!

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They were putting in a new glass roof over our other favorite place to Pull up a Seat…our Porch Swing!

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It looks out over a beautiful valley.

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I always hate when this time comes each year when the porch seat gets tied up to make room for firewood…

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Then I just remember all the different butts that have planted themselves here.

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Father/son moment

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Three Brothers

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Then there were two…

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And I know James is not looking forward to being just one…

But he’ll have so many memories to savor…pulling up this particular seat!

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Pull up a Seat Photo Challenge 2019-Week 42

A Photo a Week Challenge: Signs 10/17/19

(Scroll to the bottom and hit play if you’d like music while you browse my SIGNS!)

I love Signs. I take pictures of signs all over the country. Some are funny, some thought provoking, some are informational, and some are great just to prove you were there!

We spend a lot of time in Natchez, Mississippi. Wonderful old signs with history lessons everywhere.

 

 

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Antebellum home called Edelweiss. James played here as a kid. Now owned by author Greg Isles
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On the wall at Edelweiss. (Read the top part!)

Mississippi may be lacking in some things but HUMOR is not one of them.

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Best Tamales anywhere!!

And these are also in front of Fat Mama’s Hot Tamales!

 

 

I love a sign that makes me laugh out loud…

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Then there are pretty signs

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Or mind-blowing signs…..

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I couldn’t believe we were finally here!

 

 

Or signs that cause a double take…say WHAT now???

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Back ups2 for missing picture folder 251

 

 

But my favorite sign is in my neighbors front yard!

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Thanks  for coming along. Hope you enjoyed the tour.

 

Background Music!!!

 

SIGNS by  Five Man Electrical Band

Lyrics:
And the sign said “Long-haired freaky people need not apply” So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said “You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you’ll do” So I took off my hat, I said “Imagine that. Huh! Me workin’ for you!”
Whoa-oh-oh Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
And the sign said anybody caught trespassin’ would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house, “Hey! What gives you the right?”
“To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in” “If God was here he’d tell you to your face, Man, you’re some kinda sinner”
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? Now, hey you, mister, can’t you read? You’ve got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat You can’t even watch, no you can’t eat You ain’t supposed to be here The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside Ugh! [Lead Guitar]
And the sign said, “Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray” But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all, I didn’t have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign I said, “Thank you, Lord, for thinkin’ ’bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine.” Wooo!
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign? Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Sign Sign, sign
Re-released in 1971 on the A-side, “Signs” reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

 

 

 

A Photo a Week Challenge: Signs

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #66: Filling the Frame 10/10/19

These first two shots make me long for Summer again. Wasn’t that just yesterday???

 

 

 

But my favorite Filling the Frame are these. Just a little pile of Lucy parts!

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And this last was an accident. I wish I could have really focused on the web.

Some weird combination of sun behind me or something. I just couldn’t quite get it!

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Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #66: Filling the Frame