Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge – Small Steps

After six weeks of feeling poorly, culminating in a five-day stay at the hospital with blood clots in lungs and legs, the second time in eight years, I thought that Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge would be an appropriate place to return to posting on a regular basis.  Which way do I go from here?  Looking back, things could have been a lot worse.  Looking forward, I know that things will never be quite the same again.  Although it’s nice to anticipate trips, parties and the like, I’ve learned not to make plans too far in advance.  Too many of them have been cancelled recently.  But I do look forward to getting back to work in our garden and also finding things to photograph.  Small steps for now.  I’m beginning to understand how my mother felt as she grew older when, visiting some of her favorite places like the Chicago Botanic Garden, she would sigh, almost with relief, and say, “I never thought I would see this again.”

For more on Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2017/05/12/cees-which-way-photo-challenge-may-12-2017/

Weekly Photo Challenge – It IS Easy Being Green

This week’s Photo Challenge at The Daily Post, set for us by Michelle, points to the fact that it is easy being green, despite what some frogs may tell you.

A frog working on a spot of lawn care for the Ribbit Exhibit at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.

A green scene at the Green Bay Botanic Gardens, Wisconsin.

An interesting feature at the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota.

A lively sculpture of children playing ball at the Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In the Garden of the Gnomes at the Vander Veer Botanical Park in Davenport, Iowa.

And Allo Allo; a little tank at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post go to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/it-is-easy-being-green/

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – View From The Back, Bottom Or Underneath

This week Cee has us getting to the bottom of things for her Fun Foto Challenge. Not only that, but the back and underneath as well.  Going through the photo files I realize that although I try to take pictures from as many different angles as possible, I rarely focus specifically on the back of a subject and these days if I get down low enough to take a shot from underneath, it takes me a while to get back up again. Still, I managed to find a few BBU’s that I thought might work.

This is definitely a back & bottom shot.  The combination of underwear and wellington boots was a bonus.

Luckily I didn’t have to crouch down too far to get a shot underneath the roof of the Stumpf Belvedere which stands at the top of a hill at the Green Bay Botanic Gardens in Wisconsin.

Taking a leisurely ride in the back of a hay wagon  at Willow Springs Garden in Wausau and a rear-end view from a carriage ride at the Wade House Historic Site in Greenbush, Wisconsin.

Two views taken underneath the great Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. The first was taken from the hydro-jet ferry boat heading out to Mackinac Island and the second was captured from shore just before sunset.

Image taken at the 63rd Annual American Indian Powwow in Elk Grove Village last year. Impressive from any angle! The people, costumes, dancing, music and weather were spectacular!

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2017/03/21/cees-fun-foto-challenge-view-from-the-back-bottom-or-underneath/

 

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – View From The Side

This week Cee invites us to take a view from the side for her Fun Foto Challenge. I try to take pictures from as many different angles as possible which includes from the side.

Side view of one of the heads sculpted by Jaume Plensa, on display at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.

Two yachts racing side by side at Lake Opeka in Des Plaines.

An interesting mural on the side of a building in Lexington, Kentucky.

The side of a vintage car at Bluesmobile Cruise Night in Mount Prospect.

A side view of the great Mackinac Bridge in Michigan.

A wild turkey showing its best side at Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2017/03/14/cees-fun-foto-challenge-view-from-the-side/

Weekly Photo Challenge – Wish

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”  It’s certainly true that not everything we wish for will come true but it doesn’t stop us from trying.  And there are so many opportunities for making wishes.

A wishing tree at a Chinese Lantern Festival in the Missouri Botanic Gardens, St. Louis.

Blow out the candles on a birthday cake and make a wish, but don’t tell what it is or it will never come true.

A fancy substitute at the Cuneo Mansion in Vernon Hills; I’ve seen this described as a wishing well, although I’m sure it was never intended for that purpose.

How many times have you thrown a coin into a fountain or stood inside a fairy ring of mushrooms and made a wish?  Shown above; Buckingham Fountain in Chicago and an interesting find at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post, set for us this week by Jen H, go to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/wish/

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Looking Up At Things

Things are looking up! At least they are for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week.  Once I got started on this one, I couldn’t stop, so I’ve tried to limit myself to just a few of the images that I found in the photo files. We’ll be traveling around quite a bit for this challenge, starting with downtown Chicago.

Looking up at ‘the beehive’ atop the Metropolitan Tower on Michigan Avenue and ‘The Spearman’, one of two bronze statues standing as gatekeeper on Congress Plaza.

Looking up at a chandelier in the State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Looking up at a rather fierce-looking statue of an eagle, looking down at us at the Lee Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Looking up at the trumpeter atop the Mormon Temple in Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Looking up at George Washington on Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

Looking up at a giant lantern at the Chinese Lantern Festival in the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri.

And lastly, looking up at the trees on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

For more on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge go to https://ceenphotography.com/2017/02/28/cees-fun-foto-challenge-looking-up-at-things/

Weekly Photo Challenge – A Good Match

I’m still getting used to the new Wednesday start day for the Weekly Photo Challenge at The Daily Post so am hurrying to get this one in on time.  There were so many images that looked like A Good Match but I’ll quickly share just two that stood out in the old photo files.

What used to be known as ‘elevenses’ in our house; tea and biscuits, preferably with plenty of jam on them.  A good match.   As the name suggests, this short break from daily activities usually took place around 11am but as the years advance I find that ‘elevenses’ has slowly worked its way forward until now we appear to be enjoying this delightful repast somewhere between 8:30 and 9am.

Two people who obviously enjoyed making beautiful music together;  Violinist Oliver Colbentson and his accompanist.  A good match.

For more on The Weekly Photo Challenge go to https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/a-good-match/