Sky Watch - Reaching for the clouds

Several of the local fire and rescue companies were setup in the parking lot of Wal-Mart last Saturday. They had music  and refreshments; and a beautiful sky to show off the ladder truck.

Header Challenge - BUZZ

 

We planted a bunch of new flowers this year and I expected to hear many bees buzzing around the yard for Tom's header challenge. But the loudest BUZZ around our house was the sound of pole saws (a nice buzz), chain saws (louder buzz) and wood chipper (DEAFENING BUZZ) as Vince and his crew removed some dead branches and trimmed our trees. The trimming is a safety concern as well as a cosmetic one. The wood chips are donated to a local farmer who mixes them with manure and spreads the mix over his fields.

 

 

 

 

Josh goes for the high branches.

 

 

All cleaned up and ready to go.

 



Our World - More flowers

After a visit to the Carolinas, Marianne was inspired by Lynne's flowers to create anther flower bed in our yard. Most of these are perennials and will provide us a spot of color in the coming years.

 

Sky Watch - Billowing clouds

Header Challenge - Summer solstice

Kathy chose summer solstice as the theme for this week's header challenge. Our house faces north, with neighbors and trees to the west, east and north. An open farm field is to the south, so the changes in the sun's position are very noticeable this time of year. My header and next two shots show the late afternoon sun filtering through the trees from north and west of our front yard. And below are more visual signs that summer is nigh.

 

Clematis in bloom always means summer is here.

And the water lilies are blooming on Carroll Creek.

 

 The moon is higher in the sky on its nightly pass.

Our World - Flowered

Marianne said "I want lots of flowers this year!" Here are a few of the new ones. She planted the pots and I did the ones in the beds. (We still have more to plant.)

Some plants for a new bed

This whole bed was dug up and replanted. Old azaleas were moved to the back yard and new ones put here, along with some relocated and new low growing flowers. Marianne did the large pot at the end.

 

Sky Watch - After the storms

After causing damage across the mid-west of the US, three separate storms passed through the MD-DC-VA area Wednesday evening and today. Wednesday's storm gave us heavy rain and some trees down in Frederick County. The second and third storms passed to the south and east of us felling trees and power lines and one death when a tree fell on a child in Virginia. These images were taken as the sun was setting and the clouds were dispersing.

Header challenge - Roof top views

 

The City of Frederick does not have very tall buildings, hence the spires of the churches dominate the skyline. I have photographed these many times from ground level, but for this header challenge (suggested by me), I went to the top of one of the parking garages.  The spires in the header are to the west of Market Street and the ones below are to the East.
   

 

 

Our World - Graduation time

Our grandson Michael (above with his Mom and Dad) graduated from High School last weekend and we were privileged to be invited. Congratulations to Michael and we had a delightful visit with all.  

 

 

 Seniors toss their caps

Sky Watch - Orange and blue

After sunset

 

Electricity from the sky

 



Carolina blue sky  



Header Challenge - Art in black and white

 

 

Karma Kitty (at our house)

 

My Nikon D3100 does not have a direct b&w mode. My header and the Karma Kitty shots were converted to b&w with the on camera "remove color" feature. The remaining shots were converted to b&w with Photoshop Elements.

 



Artist at work (Delaplaine Art Center, Frederick)

Yard art at my brother-in-laws where we were we had a delightful visit the past few days.