arizona Archives - Keeping With The Times

Leaf Cutter Bees in Arizona

April 23, 2017 by Barb 8 Comments

Apparently leaf cutter bees (Megachilidae) are very common in the Sonoran Desert, especially around the urban areas of Tucson, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Phoenix. They feed on nectar from lantana flowers and cut circular segments from other leaves to make their nests.

(arizonensis)

This makes perfect sense because lantana is planted everywhere in Arizona.

In our case, these bees seem to attack the pink and yellow rose bushes across the street from us.

These poor bushes struggle to produce 1 – 3 blooms during the month of April .. and well … I simply have to honour them. Almost every leaf on the shrub has been ravaged like these:
The roses themselves seem to remain untouched …
… until they fall apart (which happens in a day or two) … so fleeting!
You might want to Google leaf cutter bees for some fascinating images of these bees in action!

Thank you for stopping by, and I just want to add that I have a special give-away coming this week so please stay tuned!

Arizona Series

November 19, 2016 by Barb 4 Comments

One more for the Arizona series… that birds’ nest, as found at a garage sale for 25 cents … priceless!

I do bring home the most (unusual) things from garage sales … most people are looking for dishes or tools … but me, I head for the birds’ nests and crumbling antlers :)

I am so thankful we’re home. As I mentioned yesterday the hubs and I were dealing with food poisoning and a long flight home late last night. What a painful day it was, but you just have to do what you just have to do, right.

It was an awful day, but here are the moments of gratitude I found within it:

Our flight wasn’t until 8:30 pm which gave us time to rest … we both napped all afternoon, between well, you know :(
Finding three seats in a row at the airport lounge and falling deeply asleep… head on hubby’s lap. I didn’t/couldn’t care what people thought.
Having someone keep asking you “how are you doing?”
I heard two other couples ask the people they were with this very same question. How are you doing? I think it’s a question we should be asking people more often … randomly.
Once on the plane, discovering that the seat beside me was empty! Again, I laid down … falling asleep. My stomach overruled the cramped space and the painful thing jabbing me in the side.
The fact that I’m nimble enough to fit within two airplane seats (lol!)
Falling into my own bed at home at 2:30 and literally going out like a light … a good sleep.
Spending Saturday on the sofa, sipping tea and nibbling toast. No one here has expectations of dinner.

Thank you for your kind comments on my last post … I’m really happy some of the stuff I post here is inspiring!

Oh, and by the way, how are you doing?

Supermoon 2016

November 14, 2016 by Barb 4 Comments

Supermoon 2016 … as observed from our balcony in Fountain Hills, Arizona on the evening of November 13th, 2016.

.
.
#NaBloPoMo

New Perspectives in Still Life Photography

April 18, 2016 by Barb 8 Comments

Being in a different climate (not to mention country) brings new perspectives and opportunities for my still life photography. If I was at home, I’d be shooting potting benches and perhaps baby bedding plants (even though it’s too early for plants, I’d be keeping them inside.)

As it is, we’ve been going to a lot of garage sales here in AZ, and there are always treasures to be found.

I like the southwestern “look” but I want it to be subtle and that’s what I was hoping to achieve in the following photo.

It was the handmade basket that sparked this image, and I’m kinda going with my “gut” without knowing how to explain my choices. I try to create vignettes that really work in my decor. Again it’s still life is real life is still life.

Of course my tall entranceway table made from an old door is the gem that’s sets the stage here. I absolutely adore it. I make use of all four sides in my photography—this time it’s the back with the beyond amazing hinges. When I set the little metal drawer on the table I was quite astounded to see how it matched the hinges!

Can you say “serendipitous”?!!

Still Life Perspectives, Keeping With the Times, Barb Brookbank

kk_Lilly preset by Kim Klassen

The little handmade pottery vases and old books just seem to fit … adding to the rustic feel.

Settings and setup:

West wall with north sidelight coming from the right
Manual mode
1/60s (on a tripod using a timer)
f7.1
ISO 500

I focused on the basket which resulted in it, and the hinge, being quite sharp. The rest of the image is slightly out of focus. I’m OK with that. I could have tried changing the f-stop but by the time I got my shot, I’d had enough and was done for the day. So I’m taking artistic licence here and declaring that this is how it’s supposed to be … although I did try a little sharpening in Lightroom.

This is for the “Gather” prompt for The Studio Online, and the “Utilitarian” prompt for the Be Still|One Year Wiser class at Learn | Kim Klassen dot com.

Fountain Hills Lake Overlook Trail

April 12, 2016 by Barb 9 Comments

It wasn’t a stellar start to a Monday. Yesterday both the hubs and I woke up a bit off … one has a cold, and two couldn’t sleep because of it.

After a stand-offish first cup of coffee, we decided to go out and make the best of the day (I mean we’re in Arizona, the skies are stunningly blue, and the temperatures are divine.)

So it was off to Mountainview Coffee to see how the new owners are doing. As it was, there were a few glitches (no internet, and they seemed to be out of all menu items.) It was also hot indoors so we picked up our cups and went and sat on the patio. Duh. Instant mood boost.

But … uh, oh. Out comes a very toxic mother/daughter duo who plunked down at the table right beside us. It was impossible to ignore them. I won’t go into detail but the daughter was treating her mother with the utmost disrespect, and the mother was on oxygen and looked like she was on death’s door. After a bit I whispered “let’s go” to the hubs who looked like he was about to say something. Oh.my.gah.

When we got to the car we had quite the discussion; both agreeing how terrible the whole situation was. I even used the word abuse. Perhaps elder abuse? Mother abuse? Even so, you really never know what brings people to behave so badly. We certainly don’t know their background and unless someone gets physical, I’m of the mind to let it be. Hubby is not so clear … he may have finally had to speak. What do you think? Would you have said something? I just don’t know what 5 seconds of a stranger’s (surely unwanted) advice is going to accomplish.

Anyway, onwards and upwards (literally) as we took the short 1.5 mile hike “Fountain Hills Lake Overlook Trail“. We’re so glad to have discovered this little gem! The views are spectacular …
… and yes the photos are a bit cra**y since I only had my phone and I wasn’t taking a lot of care, but lately I’ve decided that just capturing the moment is enough. And talk about moments! we ran across this Argentine Giant in full bloom (down at the Fountain). It was positively stunning, and they only bloom for a few hours! What luck for us that we ran across it. So what started out as a not-so-great day turned out to be pretty awesome. We just had to make it happen.

Be kind whenever possible.It is always possible.

Dalai Lama

Hyacinth Bulb in Glass Vase

February 3, 2016 by Barb 4 Comments

Last week I found this lovely hyacinth bulb in a glass vase (at Safeway) and was so smitten! I mean, look at those roots—I have root love!

And to keep myself accountable and in tune with my Intentions for 2016, I am pleased to tell you I purchased only one … when I really wanted at least two, since there was a white hyacinth as well (this one’s purple). But now, a week later, I’m very happy that I only bought one.

One. is. enough.

All these images were edited in Lightroom with kk_Eve, which reduced the overall saturation and upped the contrast.

This brings me to my quandary about backgrounds and reality. Here we are in sunny Arizona, our condo is light, bright, and airy. And very yellow. Most walls are varying shades of yellow and gold. Some feature walls are dark rust. It’s very Southwest, which I love in reality, but not so much in my still life photography. So when I posted these images on Instagram, I continued to desaturate them to the point of being dull (I’ll try to not be too harsh).

So began my quest to resolve this issue. It was clear I needed some kind of white background. One large enough to set behind my table, or against a wall, and I’m happy to report that with the help of my sweet hubby, it’s done! And I’ll share that story in another post.

Have a wonderful day.

Day 3 of blogging every day in February.

Mount Lemmon AZ, Ski Valley Autumn Colour

November 14, 2015 by Barb 3 Comments

Welcome to Part II of my Catalina Highway, Mount Lemmon Trip Review!

If you like, you can read part I here.

As we headed further up the Catalina Highway, we started to feel hopeful as small pockets of yellow started to peek through the pines.

These are just teasers!
And then, goodness me … yes! How amazing are these carved tree trunks! At first I was dismayed at the damage, but then I began to think otherwise, what do you think? Check out the beautiful sunlight, peeking through brilliant yellows leaves against an impossibly blue sky. Sigh.I was thrilled to see oak … I don’t have access to many of these beauties.

and then …stunning maples … . I may have gasped. At the top …It’s so beautiful!

I know, it was a serious photo dump ;) but I hope you’ve enjoyed it!

If you’re thinking of taking this trip, this may be a good place to do a bit of research: Sky Island Parkway .

Thank you for stopping by and have an awesome day!

Day 14 #nablopomo

Catalina Highway, Mount Lemmon Trip Review

November 13, 2015 by Barb 3 Comments

Today I have a review of our trip to the top of Mount Lemmon via the Catalina Highway. Armed with plenty of water, a homemade lunch, and snacks, we set out on our adventure.

The Catalina Highway, officially the General Hitchcock Highway, is the popular name for a Forest Highway and scenic route located in Pima County in southern Arizona (Wikipedia).

When we first arrived in Arizona it was early November and I wasn’t ready to let go of autumn. After a little research and much debate, we decided to make a trip to Mount Lemmon (near Tucson) rather than Oak Creek (near Sedona) to search for colour.

We weren’t sure we’d find autumn, but we’d never been to Mount Lemmon, so we decided to take the chance. It was quite a hike from our place in Fountain Hills at 172.1 miles (3 hours 28 minutes), and after a while I was feeling a little sheepish, thinking I had sent us on a wild goose chase. But not to worry. It was spectacular! The whole drive was spectacular … we love the Arizona landscape, so really, we would have enjoyed the trip whether we found autumn or not.

As we neared our destination and arrived at the park we found the Cactus Forest which “is a census-designated place in Pinal County, Arizona, United States. The population was 594 at the 2010 census (Wikipedia).”

Like I say, spectacular!
When we stopped for lunch at wonderful picnic area, I was already seeing colour … not really, but … maybe? The air was fresh, scented lightly by pines, and if you weren’t in the sun, it did get quite cool. I love that …

I have finally, after years and years of travel, started taking photos of the signs on the highway … oh my … am I the last person in the world to do this?

Mount Lemmon Hoodoo at Windy Point:

and then this … I think we’re on the right track …

I hope you’ll join me tomorrow when I share the spectacular colours we found … you won’t be disappointed!

Day 13 #nablopomo

Wabi Sabi Wood Table Study Part I

November 12, 2015 by Barb 9 Comments

Hello, today I have a little “wabi sabi wood table study” as well as a study of the light and how it changes in our little end-unit condo in Arizona.

When Kim posted the new prompt in The Studio | Online, I was astounded!

It was exactly what I needed … I’d been thinking I should get some shots of this wabi sabi table before we leave for home, but I hadn’t felt inspired.

Wabi Sabi Wood Table, The Studio Online, studying light, shadows, focusing on tables

kk_Lilly – photo taken at 2:00pm north and east light

Here I am, holidaying in the sunniest state, and yet feeling completely blah about taking photos … specifically still life photos—and not just blah … a bit blue … I think I miss my props :( which is silly because I’ve been gathering many wonderful items for this place as well.

Items like this sweet little Wabi Sabi Wooden Table I found last year at a garage sale for $0.50. The story is comical and fits perfectly with the new hashtag #stillswithstories I’m hosting with Kim on IG (have you checked it out?)

Anyway, after reading the prompt and listening to Kim’s inspirational video, I jumped up and started gathering a few treasures to set on my table. I’m also “studying the light” in our little condo, and I’d have to say it’s abundant … we have an end unit so we get north, west, and east light. Mostly, I prefer an east or north exposure for the cooler light and when I get a corner with both lights … well, I’m in heaven.

So, my table doesn’t have great legs ;) but what I love are the grooves along the edge. Apparently they’ve formed because the softer part of the wood has worn away over time and left the hard ridges.

So that’s where I put my focus, on the rough edge.

Camera Settings **
f4.5
1/100s
ISO 250

Wabi Sabi Table, The Studio Online, studying light, shadows, focusing on tables

kk_Chocolate – photo taken at 2:00pm north and east light

It’s dry as tinder and the top boards fall out if you don’t handle it properly … someone suggested glue, but I think I’ll just leave it and see what happens.

kk_Air

… same image, different crop …

Sweet little oak leaves from our trip to Mount Lemmon …

kk_Lilly

I’m now on a mission to capture this table in all sorts of different locations and lighting situations.

** Just wondering** do you find camera settings helpful when listed on a blog post? Does it ever influence how you shoot?

Updated Shoot Info (for Petra) thank you Petra! Your comment made me think a lot harder about my settings, and I’ve tried to answer in the order you asked ;)

I’d say, that it’s interesting to see camera settings when they are listed on a blog post, I always have a look at them, but generally I don’t find them helpful. They usually represent just part of information, don’t they? You don’t know where and how far from the scene the photographer stood, whether they had a lens hood in place and where exactly the focus was aimed, whether the flash fired and at what power, what metering the camera was set to and what kind of light there was, whether they were shooting in manual or aperture/time priority… Also, if you don’t have that particular lens, you can be sure that with your lens the conditions would be different… Yet I admit that if there is most of the above listed explained, then the data have some value. They may not be comparable with your data but they may teach you some principles. They may not give you a detailed manual but they may show you a way. Well, does it make sense, as contradictory as it seems?

~Petra~

My Camera Settings: (these setting are based on the second photo, although they are almost identical for all the shots.)
f4.5
1/100s
ISO 250

now, in answer to Petra:

I was sitting about 3 1/2 feet from the table.
focal length 38mm
no lens hood
focused directly on the edge of the table
no flash (I never use a flash)
matrix metering (now I wish I had used spot metering!)
north and east light (2:00 pm)
manual mode
18-105mm lens

Oh my … you just never know how a reader may challenge you! and in a great way – thank you once again Petra. Please feel free to challenge me some more!

Day 12 #nablopomo

Oxford Book of Garden Flowers

April 24, 2015 by Barb 14 Comments

I had some pretty special “finds” this week, and one of them was The Oxford Book of Garden Flowers … when I first saw it, I mumbled out loud, are you kidding me? Then I sheepishly looked around the store to make sure I hadn’t offended anyone … then I said it again, are you kidding me!! I quickly flipped to the front to see what they were asking for it, and $5.00 later I was walking out the door with my new treasure.

Botanical illustrations are extremely popular right now, and these old books are hard to come by (ask me how I know.) But this baby was meant to be mine! I had about 10 minutes to spare before my hubby and I were to meet friends for lunch (my other special find this week) so I picked one last antiques store and quickly walked straight to the back, scanning as I went.

In the back corner, on the top shelf, sat a handful of books … and the rest is history … .

Here my lovely ranunculus drew their last breath …

kk_oldendays

And here’s my other special “find” …

Yes! the lovely Melinda of Melinda Anderson Photography. How fun! What a sweetheart she is, and we had the most wonderful visit (lovely hubbies included). This photo just makes me smile.

Don and I had taken a spur-of-the-moment road trip to Prescott, and when we got there I texted Melinda to see if she would like to meet. I guess the stars were aligned that day, and it all came together … another serendipitous moment.

Friday Finds at Kim Klassen dot com

Wildflowers Still Life

March 24, 2015 by Barb 28 Comments

I love wildflowers, and when I saw this beautiful Globemallow growing in huge clumps in ditches and vacant lots, I couldn’t help but pick a few to play with.

Let me say that I only pick wildflowers that are abundant. I would never pick a rare or threatened species.

The bright orange flowers of Globemallow sway gently on tall stalks, and as we drove by, I swear they were waving at me … pick me … pick me … I’m sure I heard it …

Wildflowers also bring to mind something Kim wrote in The Studio Online about her experience with ranunculus.

kk_within

kk_chocolate

I can’t reprint her story, but let me just say that wildflowers are not intimidating.

They’re understated, and many times you have to look close to see their gorgeousness. I also love that they’re seasonal (usually). Where I come from, I’m not going to be finding any purple vetch in the middle of winter — and that would make this Light and Airy Wildflower Bouquet a rare and beautiful thing, wouldn’t you say? I included some some tips on how to care for wildflowers in that post if you want to take a peek. They are more delicate than you might think.

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

California Poppies in Arizona

March 18, 2015 by Barb 4 Comments

Hello, and welcome to “app” happy wednesday #36 where today I’m sharing my California Poppies! and I have it from the best sources that I am right about what these are!

If you’re new to the party, this is a link-up to share your photos edited with “apps” of any kind! Let me stress there are no rules!! Just join the fun and share any kind of artsy creation.

It’s that time of year when we make the trek to Arizona. Yes it’s spring at home, and it’s wonderful, but it’s also a great time for us to get away and enjoy some sunshine.

As we were driving through the Kingman area, there were thousands of poppies filling ditches and even fields. It was a glorious sight but unfortunately I couldn’t get a great photo because it was too bright out. So, I simply picked a handful, set them in a coffee cup full of water, and brought them to our condo were I quickly styled and took photos (they were falling apart as I was working – so delicate!)

VSCO:

So that’s it for me today (on holidays!). Now, let’s see what you’ve been up to!

Use any “app” you like and perhaps explain how you used it. Did you use just one? Did you use several?
Simply create some art. Post it on your blog or Flickr or wherever you are uploading your work, and then come back here and link it up!
Visit a few friends to see what they are up to and perhaps learn some fabulous new tips and techniques.
Link back with a text link or use the “app” happy wednesday button which you will find at the bottom of this post.
Each party will start at 5:00 am on Wednesdays and will stay open until the following Sunday at midnight.

*sorry … this series is closed

This Wabi Sabi Wooden Table

November 4, 2014 by Barb 21 Comments

This wabi sabi wooden table … oh my … there is a story behind it … but first I’m going to concentrate on the assignment at hand.

For day 12 of the Start to Finish class, we were to experiment with “shooting wide”, something that I’m not in the habit of doing. I’m always so critical of my space when I see it in photos.

This image was taken in our Arizona home and it does look bare. Truth be told, my homes are bare and that’s the way I like them. So why be ashamed?

Here the windows are not pretty. They’re standard aluminum frames with no drapes or curtains to hide them. We do have a simple roll-down blind for privacy at night.

So even though it seems there is not a lot going on here, it’s real. This is what you would see if you walked into our bedroom, but then you would be pulled over to look out the huge window and would be astonished to see a clear, unobstructed view of the Four Peaks Mountains … so. very. dreamy. this wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

This is about as wabi sabi as it gets …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

I have to be careful how I move this table since the boards are ready to fall apart …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

… and are as dry as tinder …

wabi sabi wooden table, vintage find, start to finish

So here’s the story. We were out and about last Saturday, driving around and checking out garage sales. I’d already purchased a few items such as rusty blackened cookie sheets, blackened pizza pans, and old ripped cloths. I was having a blast but I did feel a bit sheepish. I mean, not everyone gets it right?

When I came across this table, my heart started to pound. I’d promised hubby I wouldn’t bring home any (more) furniture. OMG … what to do? So then it started … “Barb, it’s just more stuff” “there’s no place to put it” “what are you going to do with it” “it probably has bugs”…

The guy who was having the sale walked over and said “you can take it for fifty cents”. OMG. Oh no … I was in for it … but my sweet hubby picked it up and started to carry it over to the car and as he walked away I could hear him mumbling “well, I guess we could always use it for firewood.”

With a huge smile on my face I handed over fifty cents. The rest is history.

Friday Finds at kimklassen.com

Upper Antelope Canyon

May 15, 2014 by Barb 13 Comments

When I first saw photos of Antelope Canyon a few years ago I was thunderstruck. Was there really such a place? It looked surreal, magical, heavenly. As it turns out “Antelope Canyon is the most visited and most photographed canyon in the American Southwest. It is located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona.” (Wikipedia)

And as usual I never considered that I may go there some day but after a series of fortunate events (the main one being that we bought a place in Arizona to get away from our harsh long winters) there I was. Living a dream.

The following photo is my bucket list shot and I didn’t even see it until I got home and uploaded everything to my computer. I caught a sunlight shaft! It wasn’t even on my radar because we weren’t at the canyon at the right time.

Granted, it is not THE sunbeam in the second room that occurs when the sun is directly overhead between the months of March and September. But I will take it. Some people go there specifically to catch that one shot and leave horribly disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Not me. I was in awe from the moment we got there. I really did not have any expectations. The light is low and the tour we were on did not allow for tripods. Yes I admit it. I set my camera on auto and took almost 500 shots, hoping to get something, anything.

antelope canyon, keeping with the times

I’ve taken a long time to post this because I haven’t quite figured out how to process Antelope Canyon photos and I wanted them to be perfect … but if I leave it any longer, I won’t get around to just telling my story.

Our guide pointed out the bear. Can you see it?

antelope canyon, keeping with the times

_DSC8645-Edit-copy

Caution: photo dump …

antelope canyon, arizona, keeping with the times

_DSC8558-copy

_DSC8587-Edit-copy

_DSC8647-Edit-copy

_DSC8623-copy

_DSC8556-copy

_DSC8569-copy

I must say it reminds me of those pictures of baby ultrasounds … a womb … no metaphors here, just an observation.

_DSC8592-copy

antelope canyon, arizona, keeping with the times

_DSC8633-copy

_DSC8633-copy-2

These are not people I know – I just wanted to demonstrate what it really looks like in there! There are many, many tourists and you usually have to shoot straight up to get an image with no one in it.

_DSC8708-copy

After about a 20 minute ride bouncing along a dry, sandy, riverbed we arrived (along with hundreds of others).

antelope canyon, arizona, keeping with the times

You cannot visit the canyon on your own, you have to sign up for a tour. We went with Antelope Canyon Tours and they were fantastic! We thought it might be frustrating and chaotic, but no, these people were all business “chop” “chop” which is the only way to handle the hoards.

I stumbled across this great article at Gary Hart Photography and he describes the experience far better than I ever could in a hundred years. It’s a must-read if you are planning to go (I wish I had). Thank you, Gary Hart if you are reading this …

Texture Tuesday: Heavenly Hydrangea

April 29, 2014 by Barb 34 Comments

Today I have two treasures to share with you. First up is the Ball Jar, found while browsing antique stores in Prescott, AZ with three of my blogging friends: Melinda, Terri, and Barbara.

It was Terri who alerted us to the jars. She collects them and even knows the dates they were manufactured according to the typeface used for the logo. I figure this one was made sometime between 1910 – 1923.

Hydrangea in Ball Jar, Texture Tuesday

Second up is the hydrangea. It was so dreamy I couldn’t decide whether I liked it in the Ball jar, or just a plain old white vase, so I went crazy and posted both versions today.

Hydrangea White Vase, Texture Tuesday

Hydrangea, Texture Tuesday

Hydrangea White Vase, Texture Tuesday

Tomorrow I’ll be posting my Waterlogue version and what I did to get the results I wanted.

BTW, don’t forget that “app” happy wednesday is tomorrow and I really hope to see you there! It’s a fun place to share your photos edited with apps and maybe learn a few tips and tricks from fellow bloggers.

Check it out here: “app” happy wednesday.

Have a wonderful day!

kk_berrily (LR Preset)

kk_sybil texture on Soft Light

Friday Finds

April 25, 2014 by Barb 22 Comments

This week I found myself on the way back to Arizona (waiting for our flight which was 3 hours late). We had driven to AZ a couple of weeks prior and then flew home to celebrate Easter with our family. Then we flew back to AZ and in a couple weeks we’ll be driving back home. Make sense?

2014-04-21-16.11

I took a photo of this (tree) before we went back home for Easter…

Friday Finds, Arizona

… and look at it now! Just over a week later! Where did that come from?

Friday Finds

Things move fast in the desert!

Friday Finds, Arizona

This Saguaro was kind enough to dip down low so I could see it up close.

Friday Finds, Arizona Saguaro, Friday Finds

Now, I debated as to whether or not I should include this one. It’s some kind of weird (scary?) growth on a big old Saguaro… hmmm… shiver…

Saguaro, Friday Finds

So that’s been my week. I’ve found that the heat has zapped my energy and I haven’t even taken my camera out. Thank goodness for my phone!

How was your week? I hope it was a good one!

Arizona in Instagram

April 12, 2014 by Barb 12 Comments

Homeward bound … this late flight got us home safely and we were in bed by 2:30 am. We’re glad to be home, but are not impressed with the snow banks that greeted us …

Arizona in Instagram

When we left Arizona, the temperature was 35C (95F). The Palo Verde trees were blooming their little (big) hearts out!

Arizona in Instagram

I love these Fairy Dusters. I caught this using my Olloclip.

IMG_9365-copy

The desert is bursting with blooms!

IMG_9489-copy

And the greenhouses are packed with fresh new succulents.

IMG_9694-copy

The amazing Agave!

IMG_9516-copy

IMG_9507-copy So today is a “get back into the old routine” kind of day, and a nap is certainly not out of the question.

Have a happy Saturday!

Cactus? Tarantula? Both?

April 7, 2014 by Barb 9 Comments

We were just strolling along, enjoying the scenery, minding our own business. Suddenly I spied a monster… eek! what is this?!!

As I crept close to it with my phone, I felt a tad uneasy. I was pretty sure it was simply a cactus buy oh. my. word. it looked like a tarantula that got stuck going in … .

I posted this shot on Instagram and I got mixed reactions. Some people were pretty dismayed, but others were suitably impressed.

One poor lady wanted desperately to “un-see” it … I kept watching my followers to see if anyone would abandon me, but so far, that hasn’t happened.

old man cactus

There was a lot of discussion as to what type of cactus it is, but so far, no conclusions.

old man cactus

I have a good lead on one idea, but not everyone agrees.

old man cactus

… aacckk … keep back …

old man cactus

Is nature not incredible!!? It almost seems like this plant is trying to look fearsome to keep predators away.

Shivers…

Anyone have any ideas?

Friday Finds: Waterlogue Sunflowers

April 4, 2014 by Barb 16 Comments

Good Friday morning! I can’t believe how fast the weeks go (and how I’m struggling to get posts published).

Good Heavens! I’m on holidays surrounded by sun and warmth and flowers and trees. You’d think I’d be brimming with inspiration. Not.

I only just brought out my big camera (after a week) and I haven’t taken any photos. So once again I turn to Instagram.
Waterlogue Sunflowers

I found these lovely sunflowers at Trader Joe’s, set them in a vase on my old weathered Mexican table, took a quick photo with my phone, and called it a day.

Waterlogue Sunflowers

Can you believe I forgot to put water in the vase? I was pretty puzzled when I got up the next morning to find my flowers drooped over and looking pretty sad. Now that’s just weird.

Anyway, today I want to find my mojo. I’ll let you know if I find it …

No, I Didn’t Drop Off The Edge of the Earth

March 29, 2014 by Barb 13 Comments

arizona

Although I must admit it feels like it…

I’m just getting back on my feet after a marathon drive from Central Alberta to Fountain Hills, AZ. Yes, I know many people have done it – but knowing that only helped a tad. On Day 1 we traveled 1250 km (12 hours) to Idaho Falls where we spent a rather restless night. Leaving early the next morning we buckled down and drove 1500 km (15.5 hours). I was almost delirious by the time we drove up to our little condo. But spare a moment for the poor guy who did all the driving – hubby is pretty amazing… he drove, I watched the road and chattered to keep him company (and I am NOT a chatterer) so I did my duty too. On top of everything else, hubby had a MAN cold… and you know what I mean by that… I’ve never seen someone sneeze so much in my life.

But what amazing and beautiful country we drove through; Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Utah, a tip of Arizona, Nevada, and then Arizona again. Sadly, I didn’t get any photos – only drive-by shootings that are blurry and uninteresting … there was just no time whatsoever.

I’m not afraid of endless plains, or mountainous passes, but I have to say that I was terrified as we navigated through Las Vegas – one wrong move and off into the wild unknown we would have gone (it’s a huge fear of mine to take a wrong turn in a city) but of course hubby drove through like he’d done it a hundred times.

Anyway, we’re here! Yay!

This is our neighbor’s rosemary bush which I furtively snip pieces of as I walk by…

rosemary-copy

a walk after dinner…

az-grass-copy cactus-copy cactus-flower-copy arizona

… and then we fell into bed.

Today is a new day and I’m off to unpack my camera!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen

March 4, 2014 by Barb 24 Comments

Hover your cursor over this image to see the “before” photo.

I think I may have become so accustomed to playing with iPhoneography that it has spilled over into my TT creations. I’m also working on a tiny laptop with questionable monitor colours. So I guess I’m asking you to forgive me if my image looks a bit, shall we say, different today.

Oh good heavens! I need to get over it – I’m just having fun! We’ve been suffering through dangerously cold temperatures with ghastly wind chills on top of it, so if I want to go a bit wild on my Tucson doors, I guess that’s what I have to do.

When I added Kim’s “cherishedscripted” texture with the “Hue” blend mode, something magical happened. Hover your cursor over the image to see the “before” photo and you’ll see what I mean.

Here’s the texture I used:

kk_cherishscripted-example

I also ran a couple Photoshop filters to simultaneously sharpen and blur the photo.

I know spring is around the corner, at least that’s what the calendar tells me. And that’s what the stores are telling me too. They are overflowing with colourful capris, and t-shirts, and light jackets, and I’d be lying if I said I had resisted the urge to pick up a “few” new things … it’s a form of dreaming, I guess.

So what about you? Are you caught in the vise grip of winter too? or are you enjoying spring? Do tell!

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

There’s a New App in Town

February 14, 2014 by Barb 23 Comments

And it’s taking Instagram by storm! It’s an app that takes your photo and turns it into a watercolour.

Now, I personally think they look fantastic – especially on Instagram in the tiny view, but they look pretty good in larger sizes as well. So here are some images I created in #waterlogue:

barrie viejo

red-wall-waterlogue

tulipswatercolour

barrio viejo

clay-pot-waterlogue-copy

Tiny pieces of art! Way to much fun!

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day everyone!

The Doors of Barrio Viejo

February 11, 2014 by Barb 25 Comments

barrio viejo

This is one of the images I took while on our photo walk in the Barrio Viejo, Tucson. I liked how the green window frame and the green leaves on the tree had some of the same tones; almost neon. I also liked the way the tree was creating a frame across the top of the building and drawing the eye in.

I’m contemplating having this put on canvas and then hanging it in our little kitchen. The tiles on the counter are this same blue, with some rusts and greens and reds – sounds perfect! Hope I follow through!

I’m a bit out of the loop – I see TT is about love this week so here’s my nod to love…

barrio viejo

kk_seriousmagic on the top photo

Texture Tuesday at Kim Klassen dot com

Butterfly Wonderland, Arizona

February 10, 2014 by Barb 11 Comments

Last week I visited the Butterfly Wonderland in Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, with the “ladies”.

Whoa! I didn’t know where to start. There were hundreds of these beauties flitting around, landing anywhere they pleased, including on my head. They weren’t shy, that’s for sure.

At first I was using my 55-200mm lens but it didn’t take me long to figure out that all I needed was my 18-105mm, and at times, my 40mm f2.8. Butterfly Wonderland, AZ

I wanted to get this fella with his wings open, but that was near to impossible. It’s too bad because they were the most gorgeous bright blue, but every time it landed, it closed it’s wings. Still pretty, though!

_DSC7061-copy

butterfly-copy

butterfly1-copy

butterfly2-copy

butterfly3-copy

butterfly4-copy

butterfly7-copy

butterfly8-copy

butterfly9-copy

butterfly10-copy

butterfly11-copy

butterfly12-copy

When we finished at the Butterfly house, we all went for lunch at Mimi’s and enjoyed about an hour and a half of eating and talking (pretty much nonstop). How fun! Just like we’ve known each other for years.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Monday!

10 Things I Love about Arizona

February 9, 2014 by Barb 10 Comments

Since this is the month of love, I thought I’d make a list of 10 things I love about Arizona. cactus love

cactus love1

Of course the warm temperatures would be at the top of the list.
How clean the roads are, and how at night the lane reflectors create a beautiful pattern which is almost mesmerizing.
Cactus.
The fact that we’re on holidays when we’re here.
The colours; rich golds, and rusts, and burgundies. The blue skies, the red sunsets.
Attractions like the Desert Botanical Gardens, Butterfly Wonderland, and the zoo.
The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tortilla Flats. Next on my list: Antelope Canyon.
That hubby can golf whenever he wants.
Shopping.
Eating out. We’ve eaten at so many fabulous places! Sassi, White Chocolate Grill, Blue Adobe, The Cove Trattoria, Davanti Enoteca, Lons, oh my, it’s almost embarrassing!
Meeting wonderful blogging friends in real life. Oh, that’s eleven, oops!

So there you have it! I could list many more, but this will do for today.

But in case I sound ungrateful, when I get home, I’ll make a list of what I love about home. Because I do love my home.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

The Doors of Barrio Viejo in Tucson

February 7, 2014 by Barb 15 Comments

On Wednesday I joined the ladies for a day of photographing the beautiful doors and windows in the Barrio Viejo in Tucson. What a magnificent photo opportunity! Everywhere I looked there were colours and textures and shadows and light, all coming together in hundreds of different ways. Already I know I need to go back there because I’m quite sure that I could take ten photos of this wall and come up with something new every time. Something I didn’t notice, or that wasn’t even there (like shifting sunlight and shadows).

Tucson barrio viejo

If I had to pick a favourite, it would be this door. I didn’t get the photo that I wanted, so there you go – I have to return …

Tucson barrio viejo

Just look at that texture!

Tucson barrio viejo

Just look at that Deanna!

Tucson barrio viejo

I loved this one for some reason …

Tucson barrio viejo

Oh, and this … I love this …

Tucson barrio viejo

But look at this little cutie! what? the cat? or Terri?

Tucson barrio viejo

Is it not an amazing world we live in? When I started blogging over 3 years ago, did I know where it would take me? Did I anticipate I would find myself in Tucson with 5 other women photographing doors and windows and cats? Ummm, that would be a resounding no … .

But there I was, and from the moment we all happily greeted each other in the parking lot to the moment we said our sad good-byes I was marveling at this incredible turn of events.

If not for blogging I would never have found Deanna S, Teri P, Barbara H, Barbara C, and Cindy C; a group of women who share not only a passion for photography, but a passion for life and a passion for sharing that life with others. We shared what lenses and cameras we prefer, what editing programs we use, and little tidbits and insights into our own lives.

There have been times in my life where I felt like flotsam and jetsam (true story, I even said it). But definitely not for many years since I discovered the world of photography, and Photoshop, and blogging. So if you’re feeling at a loss, find a passion and find the kindred souls that share that same passion. Take chances. Follow dreams. You never know where it will take you.

Photographing Desert Finds with my Phone

February 3, 2014 by Barb 10 Comments

desert-botanical-garden

flowers-greenhouse-az

succulent

desert-botanical

car-red-wheels-az

As I’ve probably said a hundred times, I love using my phone camera and I love Instagram. At the end of the day, I look through my album, pick a few photos to play around with, upload them, then spend some time looking at all the images posted by the people I follow. I love all the mini pieces of art, some are fun, some are ordinary, and some are absolutely stunning.

If I hadn’t been participating in the #red prompt with Focusing on Life, I believe I may have walked by this VW without even seeing it! Well, I might have noticed it, but not appreciated it as much as it deserved, know what I mean? That’s what a camera will do, it focuses attention. I never leave the house without it.

Hope you have a wonderful Monday, I’m off to see what I can see!

Meeting Blogging Friends in Real Life

February 1, 2014 by Barb 22 Comments

The long awaited day had finally arrived – the day I was going to meet some blogging friends in real life. The plan was to meet at the Botanical Gardens at 9:30.

When I woke up yesterday at 5:00 a.m. I was so restless. I slipped out of bed, crept downstairs, started the coffee, and picked up my camera, checking for the 10th time to make sure that the battery was charged and that I did indeed remember to put the memory card back into it.

All of this because I was meeting up with Deanna of Snippets from Springdale, Terri Porter of Photographically Speaking, and Barbara Hurst of Barbara Hurst Photography. Deanna and Terri also write for the collaborative blog Focusing on Life.

I don’t know why I was so nervous. As soon as I met each one of them, I felt like I already knew them. The talking started, and didn’t end until we straggled out of the Gardens at about 2:30.

the-ladies-copy

What an incredible experience!

These are women who share two of my passions; blogging and photography and they “get” me, and I “get” them! I can’t think of a single person at home that I can say the same thing of (except for my daughter of course, who also blogs, as well as my other daughter who introduced me to digital photography and of course my hubby who supports everything I do).

The Chihuly in the Gardens Exhibit is on right now and this fabulous creation was the first thing we saw.

_DSC6570-copy

Then this …

_DSC6581-copy

and this …

_DSC6690-copy

_DSC6736-copy

_DSC6691-copy

_DSC6665-copy

_DSC6633-copy

It’s truly a stunning collection to behold. Magical.

_DSC6747-copy

And of course the plants and wildlife are beyond fascinating …

_DSC6770-copy

_DSC6775-copy

_DSC6688-copy

_DSC6742-copy

_DSC6573-copy

_DSC6725-copy

_DSC6654-copy

_DSC6608-copy

_DSC6593-copy

So now I can’t wait until Tuesday when we are all getting together again to meet at the Butterfly Wonderland. And then again on Wednesday in Tucson!

I’m feeling pretty grateful to have these ladies who inspire me not only here in Arizona, but every day on their blogs where they share their stunning photos and interesting tidbits of their lives.

Boyce Arboretum, AZ

November 3, 2013 by Barb 12 Comments

For the past week we’ve been spending some time at our little get-away in Arizona. It’s very relaxing here; we eat, we sleep, we tour around a bit, hubby golfs, I play with my camera.

On Friday we visited the beautiful 323 acre Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior. We spent over two hours exploring the desert and all the amazing plants and creatures that call it home.

I don’t know what this plant is, but it was a magnet to butterflies – there were dozens of them flitting around it and I was pretty lucky to capture three of them sitting still for a moment. I think they’re monarchs… but please correct me if I’m wrong! Did you notice the bees?

Update! TexWisGirl said she thinks these are Queen butterflies and I believe she is correct. Upon closer inspection, not only are these darker but they also have some spots on their bodies which I do not see in a Monarch. Thank you TexWisGirl!

barb brookbank, butterfly, photography, photoshop

It turned out to be quite the nice little hike (where some of us hid in the shade every chance we got).

Boyce-Arboretum

Beautiful cactus, beautiful light…

Barrel-Cactus

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Pier One Inspired Tablescape

April 28, 2013 by Barb 9 Comments

On one of our last days in Arizona, hubby decided he wanted to go check out a golf superstore and look what we came home with…

Pier One Inspired Tablescape

Should I feel guilty?

pier one

It just so happened that there was a Pier One across the parking lot and I thought it would be the perfect place to spend an hour or so.

When I entered the store, the salesclerk asked me what brought me in. I started to say “well, my husband is over shopping at the…” when she put up her hand and said “say no more!” and we both had a little chuckle.

Pier One Tablescape

I started out simply admiring the beautiful displays and began to wonder what it was that made them so amazing (apart from the delicious dishes). I spent 15 minutes just staring at all the different table settings, thinking, thinking.

Then I realized that it was the layering! Tablecloths, placemats, chargers, large plates, medium plates, small plates. And the serviettes! I had never thought of putting two serviettes in one holder. An “aha” moment…

pier one

The wheels were turning. I already had a set of white dishes so I could have a little fun here! All I needed to find were a couple of small plates with some white in them. These blue, white, gold, and green ones were just the ticket! I love green so I rummaged around and found two wicker placemats that I really liked–perfect! Of course everything in the store is coordinated so it wasn’t difficult to find two different types of serviettes, and some pretty holders. pier one tablescape

Do you like my wildflowers and my target vase? So simple, but so perfect.

pier one tablescape

I love these colours…

pier one tablescape

If you didn’t see the tour of our “little get-away” in Arizona, check it out here.

Hubby didn’t get his golf clubs. But no worries… he’s going to get them here at home. He said he was just getting ideas. :)

The Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Simplicity

April 25, 2013 by Barb 8 Comments

picsplay, desert marigold, kim klassen, texture

As I have said before “I need flowers”. However, our holidays are quickly coming to an end and I didn’t want to spend any money on a bouquet that I was going to have to either give away, or (heaven forbid!) throw away. So off I went in search of wildflowers. These charming Desert Marigolds are growing on the roadsides all over Fountain Hills and I didn’t think it would be a problem if I snipped a few and brought them in to grace our humble abode.

This morning I set them on the little antique chest that has become our coffee table. I love it’s rough texture and peeling paint and the fact that at a certain time the sun streams in and hits it on the corner, creating a perfect sunbeam. No fake Photoshop sunbeam here (although I am not above that).

I snapped the photo with my iPhone and took it into #PicsPlay where I added a filter and the text. Then I added one layer of kk_subtlyyours by Kim Klassen.

Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Thursday!! Yes, yes, I’m late to the party! :)

My apologies for re-posting this… there were some error messages with the first one and I’m trying to figure out what it was. Thanks so much for your patience. I saved all the comments from the previous post (I treasure and appreciate all of them).