The Start of a Vision

Back on October 16th I posted this photo of a dead Florida Slash Pine.  For 7 years I passed this ghost of a tree and promised that someday I would bring my camera and brave traffic to capture a shot of it.  I had a plan, an ultimate image in mind, but sadly the years went by and each time I drove past the corpse of this ancient tree I found myself without camera.

Finally one day I actually drove home, got my camera, returned to where the tree was, braved crossing a very busy street and started to take photos.  Drat it All!  I had left home with my camera but failed to retrieve the photo memory card that was still embedded in my computer! 
So back home I drove.  Unlocked the door to the house, rushed into my office-den-studio-hobby-workroom, removed the memory card from my computer,  inserted it into my camera and then rushed back to where the tree, unconcerned about my trials and tribulations, was patiently waiting. 

Eventually I took several different photos from several different angles and locations, even crossed the busy street yet again in order to get photos from the backside of the tree.  That last part was not such a good idea as the vacant lot was overgrown with brush and weeds and full of sand burs.

 

I ended up with those thorny stickers on my tennis shoes, my socks, the hem of my skirt and even on the underside of my skirt . . . which I discovered uncomfortably later, when I went to sit down in the seat of my car and felt pin like jabs at the back of my knees.

But it was worth it.  I at last had the photos that for 7 long years I had yearned to capture.  I chose the one with the best angle and did some cropping and editing but I think you can see where I'm going with this.

 

Please stay tuned to see the vision I've held so dearly for over 7  years . . .





Catching Up on Catching Up

It had been standing there for many years and each time I passed its way I would tell myself; "I have got to get a picture of that before it falls down or is taken down with a chainsaw."

It is the skeletal remains of an old, Florida Slash Pine which rests on a vacant lot overgrown with weeds and brush.  Lately I've noticed the wooden skeleton listing slightly to one side.  How long would it be before someone declares it a hazard and has it taken down?

Fortunately I did, finally, get around to taking a few photos of the old  dead pine.  Unfortunately I have been too preoccupied to do any editing of this photo or, for that matter, any photo that I've downloaded in the past month or so.

The past few weeks I've been busy trying to find venues in which to sell my handcrafted jewelry.  I had several leads and went to check them out only to find that there are soooo many jewelry makers doing the same that every place is booked solid and to the point of bursting at the seams with jewelry.  Many venues have instigated limits as to the ratio of jewelers that they'll accept in a show or fair in order to prevent "over representation" of the craft.  Though disheartened I don't intend to dwell on it. 

I've also been away for the past couple of weeks.  My hubby and I decided we wanted to visit some friends that we've not seen in ages and . . . well if we see these friends why not go a little farther and visit so-and-so, and things just sort of snowballed from there. 
In the end we went through some 12 states and put over 4,600 miles on the little rental car.   We rented a Toyota Camry, it averaged about 36 miles per gallon, even at highway speeds of close to 80 mph (other than the stretch in Texas where the posted speed was 80 mph - there we were driving at about 88 and getting passed like we were sitting on a log) .

Hopefully I can get caught up on things, such as sending out thank you cards and emails and taking care of things that had to slide for the last few weeks,.  But I especially want to get around to visiting some of your wonderful blogs and try to keep my own blog fresher and more up to date. Wish me luck on that last bit.  :)