Benches

Benches...for some reason a lonely bench appeals to me. Maybe as I get older it just gives me a restful feeling. Maybe because it seems to be waiting patiently for someone to sit and take a quiet moment to reflect. This bench can be found in a tranquil spot at the botanical garden in Clemson. Definitely a beautiful setting to contemplate life. Benches...just a place to sit..maybe. And for that my old body is grateful too.

Spilling Over

My husband I were driving down a country road near our home last fall. We spotted this dam down in the woods and pulled over and climbed down a hill to get a look. From what we could learn later, this creek was dammed to provide water for a mill. The mill is long gone but this was a lovely spot.

Pre-spring Blossoms

The Lenten Roses in my yard are bountiful right now. They spread each year and require little care. (That is always my favorite kind of flower.) They also make a pretty picture. Spring is just days away--hopefully some nicer weather. We desperately need this rain but I do prefer a few sunny days in between. Here is another shot.

In Love

My daughter is getting married this spring (May 2) and so right now we are consumed with all the wedding plans. We did take a moment a few weeks ago to take some engagement pictures. I was trying for something that looked natural and not posed. It was hard with these two, but I think this one turned out rather nice.

Quietly Waiting

Can you tell I am ready for summer? I fished this one out of my Summer '08 folder. It was taken from the balcony of our condo at Gulf Shores, Alabama last July. I went out early one morning to relax with my cup of coffee and there were these floats serenely floating on the water. It seems they were patiently waiting for the kids who would be splashing and jumping in only a couple of hours. I really like how the light bounced off the plastic floats. This image didn't get a lot of raves on Flickr but it is one of my personal favorites. And I can't wait for swimming pool days to arrive!

Still Standing

I didn't make it to the photo shoot for my class on Sunday so I tried to get some images around my yard. I have shot image after image of this old fence post. It is just behind my husband's shop--must be left over from a pasture fence. At one time our property was part of a large farm. The texture of the wood and the rust appeals to my eye--especially in the soft late afternoon light. I have yet to capture it just as I want but this image turned out fairly well. Possibly if I put the post a bit more to the right. I was trying to get a view down the fence line, although there is very little fence left. I do like the DoF. I did use a high ISO because I didn't want to drag out my tripod so there is some noise. i"ll try for a better one on another day.

Standing Tall

I love hiking. This week-end my daughter and her fiance invited us to go along for a hike in the mountains about Pickens. They said it was a short hike. Well it was torture. It was straight up a mountain and my legs were burning like crazy. It was tough for two 50 year olds to keep up with a couple of twenty-somethings. But I did take my camera along. There was this glade of trees. Young ones--apparently this mountain had been clear cut not too many years ago. But the sun shining through the trees and the straight lines made a lovely image. This shot does not do it justice.