Monochrome Weekly: Wraith

Maybe I should have saved this one for Halloween. The "wraith" is a moth on my patio door at night, but I don't know what the white orb is. The flash did not fire.

It actually photographed more as a golden sepia, but I like this spooky grey, grainy effect that happened when I completely desaturated the shot and boosted the contrast. ( I hope that's not cheating. I'm new here.)

For more photos in black and white, check out the meme at The Monochrome Weekly.

Shadow Shots: Living in Her Shadow

Click the logo to visit Harriet's place for more Shadow Shots:

The Cat on the Mat

The life of a cat
Contented and fat
A fur bearing beanbag
Adorning a doormat

No errands to do
No worrying, too
Surrounded by people
Who live to serve you

Every day spent
Doing just as you choose
Chasing computer mice
Chewing on shoes
An enjoyable dinner
Topped off by a snooze

Ah yes, I could dig it
A life as a cat
When reincarnated
I want to be that

Aw, Scrap

Kathy at Flamingo Feathers nominated me for this cool award -- Thanks, Kathy! Everybody now, step on over to her place and have a look around. It's a cozy, friendly corner of the blogosphere, and she always has the welcome mat out for newcomers.

This comes with rules, as all awards do:

1. Thank the person who nominated you - check.

2. Copy the logo into your blog - check.

3. Link to the person who nominated you - check.

4. Name ten things about yourself that people might find interesting. Uh oh. Well ... In a previous life, the results of a poll I wrote for a mutual fund site were quoted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. No by-line, of course, but still. I think y'all know everything else.

5. Nominate ten bloggers for the award and let them know about it in their comments.

And that would be all of you! If you covet that badge, baby, hereby swear that you are indeed a purveyor of Honest Scrap, Whole Scrap, and Nothing But the Scrap, then snag that logo and flaunt it.

Ruby Tuesday: Morning Dew

I don't know what kind of grass this is, but I love the way it collects dew. Actually, quite a few of the grasses have seed heads in various shades of pink. It's something you don't really see unless you're looking for it.

For more Ruby Tuesday finds check out Mary's place, The Work of the Poet.

Monochrome Monday: Greenman

For more photos, check out the meme at The Monochrome Weekly.

Shadow Shots: I See You

Click the logo to visit Harriet's place for more Shadow Shots:

Round Robins: Birds

Fight or flight: In the foreground, hummingbirds squabble over landing rights at the feeder. Those spots in air in the background are a huge flock of some kind of dark bird that is apparently migrating south.

Birds are among my favorite creatures, but photographing them is not one of my strengths.

We certainly have enjoyed this second feeder. It sticks to the kitchen window with a suction cup, so the birds are inches away from us when we wash dishes. As many as six at a time will zoom around it, each trying to chase away the others between sips. They empty the whole thing every day.

Curious little things, aren't they?

* Click photos for great big closeups.

For more birds, be sure to stop by this time at the Round Robins Photo Challenge.

Ruby Tuesday: Beach Glass

A bottle full of sunlight and sand, including a few bright bits of ruby. What better way to preserve a little of the beach for the long winter to come?

For more Ruby Tuesday finds check out Mary's place, The Work of the Poet.

Monochrome Monday: Shell

My first entry in Monochrome Monday.

For more photos, check out the meme at The Monochrome Weekly.

Shadow Shots: Follow the Rainbow

The prism effect is from sunlight shining through my hummingbird feeder onto the kitchen countertop. As luck would have it, a stray herd of cherries got curious about all the colors and crept out of the shadows to investigate.

Click the logo to visit Harriet's place for more Shadow Shots:

ExpressJet to Hell, Now Boarding at Gate 13

47 trapped on 'nightmare' flight to the Twin Cities

What, AGAIN?

Yet another airline horror story of passengers held captive on a delayed plane. Wasn't there a passengers' bill of rights thing some time ago? Whatever happened to that?

An airline takes you somewhere you didn't want to go and forces you to stay in a metal tube overnight with overflowing sewage and screaming babies and it's acceptable business practice. If, say, your crazy neighbor does it, it's kidnapping and unlawful confinement. The only difference is that the airline makes you pay for the experience.

* Updated 8-11-09
About that Passenger Bill of Rights. We still don't have one, but a bill has been introduced. To help change things, contact your congressperson and reference the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights Act of 2009.

* Library of Congress: Read the actual bill
* Washington Watch: Follow progress of H.R. 624
* Govtrack.us: Follow progress of S.213

And check out this website to see why we need it:
Coalition for an Airline Passenger's Bill of Rights

Mooses Come Walking

Heard this on Prairie Home Companion this morning. Thought I'd share the fun.

Photo Hunt: Low

Remember when you were a kid, lying on your stomach in the summer grass? There was a whole other planet down there, a busy, buzzing place invisible from above. Remember how fascinated you were?

Well, I never grew out of it. And now that I live where neighbors can't see me, I am prone to frequent prostration before the wonders of that world.

It's a lot harder now to get back up, though.






For the lowdown on this week's PhotoHunt, click over to Tnchick's place: PhotoHunt.

Company's Coming. Again.

Obama's back in town. For the fifth time in 15 months. And as much as I love the guy, I gotta say it: WTF?

Nobody really knows what he's coming for, other than to "talk about the economy."
Newsflash: It still sucks.

Maybe he just wants to let us know he's still working on it. That's nice, but is it worth the cost of flying in the whole White House dog and pony show?

If he just wants to touch base, then Dude. Send a postcard.

*Update August 5, 2009: The trip was to announce a stimulus grant of $2.4B for building components for hybrid cars. That's to be split between 25 states. It's an honorable endeavor and a step in the right direction, though it is unclear how much it will help northern Indiana, where the unemployment rate is brushing up against 20 percent. Every little bit helps. But again ... a special broadcast to a big-screen TV would have done just as well and would have cost us all a whole heckuva lot less.

Time in a Bottle

Want to see something awesome? Check out these art glass artifacts by artist Tim Tate. Go to Timtateglass.com > upper nav bar, 2008 > Slide Show.

The artist uses tiny video screens and sometimes speakers to capture the essence of common things of our time, things that will soon be no more. Then he stoppers them up for safekeeping in gorgeous glass bottles. They're like flasks full of magic.

No pictures here, because that would be infringing copyrights, a deed for scoundrels and evil-doers. You'll just have to click the links. I think you'll be glad you did.

* A Tiny Digital Arts Revolution, Encased in Glass from National Public Radio
* Tim Tate website

Peek Under Queen Anne's Skirt

The tiny flower shadows of this Queen Anne's Lace seem to be inside the stems, don't they? The effect reminded me of old-fashioned bubble lights on childhood Christmas trees.

Thanks, everyone, for all the well-wishes last week!

Click the logo to visit Harriet's place for more Shadow Shots: