sunrise on the willamette

Okay, so this isn't a very recent picture...i've been rummaging through the archives using the new super-duper version of Picassa. Picassa isn't what I'd call a serious photo-editing software, but it does let you browse photo archives easier.

Anyway, I came across a series of pictures which I shot during my last month of living downtown. It was a really cold morning in January but the sky made it worth the frigid walk down Morrison Street.

what up holmes?

The magical late evening light and shadows.

of photography and life

So, I've never been one to be disappointed by imperfection. Heck, I've made more amoeba-shaped pizzas than round ones and still enjoyed them. It's about trying and giving it your all and letting yourself be yourself...even if that means not being perfect.

Lately, I've been rather over-critical of myself...."sweating the small stuff" as the saying goes. Who the hell am I trying to impress? Why can't I be me always? It's all about expectations. It's about how I perceive other's expectations of me. Do ya' know what I mean. Acceptance? Maybe.

I took this shot at the Portland Museum of Art without my lens hood. I thought it was a nicely composed shot...but the dang lens-flare ruined it, I thought. So, I tried to recapture the shot WITH the lens-hood. Well, when I got home and reviewed my pictures it became apparent that the first shot was better, even with the lens flare.

What this tells me is, be happy with who, how, what or wherever. Life's too fucking short to beat yourself up...enjoy. I've known this for a long while -- My High School Graphic Arts teacher, Mr. Bill Smith, would start out his classes reading Zig Zieglar's book "See you at the top". He believed in positive reinforcement and motivation. His attitude rubbed off on me, and made a positive impact on my outlook. However, I lost sight of that for a very little while.

The combination of a crappy job, moving away from my family in SoCal, and trying to "Make it" in a new city gave me a bad case of "Stinkin' thinkin'" (Zig's famous words). But I'm getting this ship back on course.

SO, this picture may have a flaw or two, but I like it just fine. And, HEY, doesn't the polarizing filter make the sky look pretty cool?

cloudy day in cathedral park

the jazz fest is nearly over for the day and the light is fading

when i remember,...

i'll let you know what these flowers are.

planted these seeds a couple months ago and totally forgot what they are. i've had them in my garden in san diego some years ago and picked up the seeds during my last trip to kew gardens in london.

the flowers are white when they open and slowly turn blue...nice, eh?

I say old chap, is that a bloomin' pumpkin in your garden?

A Double-dose of therapy...

Gardening and photography, both soothe my soul. I suppose there's some instant gratification too (in the photo, not the pumpkin).

And, yes of course, what would a garden be without zucchini. I was expecting cucumbers, but hey, when life gives you zucchini you make .... well, I'll think of something.

I'm guessing that someone in the garden-center put the wrong tag on this plant...shoulda' been lemon cucumbers.

just across the river

I keep forgetting just how close Sauvie Island is to my house. It is such a lovely bit of farmland, only 15 miles or so from downtown PDX. The Southern tip is a few miles from St. John's but you've gotta drive 5 or 6 miles up Hwy 30 to reach the bridge onto the island.

Raspberries, Strawberries and some Blueberries are ready for picking right now, and in the Fall, plenty of pumpkins to harvest.

the color of summer

The mid-point of the year has passed, warm Summer days are here. In two nights, fireworks will light the sky in celebration of America's freedom. Gladioulus and dahlias will bloom; then fade. The sun will fall below the horizon earlier and earlier each evening. In the background, trees silently wait to give their colorful display celebrating the coming of Winter.