Blog Archives
Weekly Photo Challenge: ESCAPE!
In a new post created specifically for this challenge, share a picture that means ESCAPE to you.
Ready, Set, Run … GEESE ON THE LOOSE!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern
In a new post specifically created for this challenge, share a picture which means PATTERN to you!
Weekly Photo Challenge: From Above
Find a subject and instead of taking a picture from in front of, at an angle, to the side, or from behind, take it directly from above!
In a new post specifically created for this challenge, share a picture which means FROM ABOVE to you!
COOL CLEAR WATER – FROM ABOVE!
For today’s photo I recreated an image I accidentally created one day during last year’s overly warm summer. I wanted a nice cool drink and I had forgotten to fill the ice water bottle in the fridge. So I put a glass of water in the freezer to chill. Unfortunately, I got involved with another project and when I took the glass out of the freezer I discovered a layer of ice on top of the water. Not recommended for fine crystal glassware. I used my thick plastic summer drink glass.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Culture
SHARE A PHOTO THAT MEANS CULTURE TO YOU!
Ok, so what is CULTURE? I could probably fill this page with all the recorded definitions of culture and still not give you a common definition on which we would all agree.
I guess for me culture is sharing and learning about all best that man has achieved … past, present and future. But to show it in one photograph? IMPOSSIBLE! But there is one item I alway visit the Saint Louis Art Museum. It’s a Chinese sculpture of a horse probably dating back to an era when man had just domesticated the beast. I think that qualifies as culture.
This is my most recent photo of the sculpture that I made two days ago.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Up
In a new post specifically created for this challenge, share a picture which means UP to you!
UP! FROM UNDER THE ARCH
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial – Saint Louis, MO
It is the nation’s tallest national monument at 630 feet.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Change
1943
In a new post created for this challenge, share a picture that says CHANGE.
I confess, I did not take this photo. My mother took it, and I was the subject of the photo. Along with a bunch of sundry chickens. To me, this photo represents CHANGE. A change to a world that none of us could possibly even imagine.
The picture was shot on the standard camera of the era. 
In black and white! On an expensive roll of film! My mom must have though this picture was something special, because you didn’t waste a single shot on a roll of film. And when the pictures were picked up from the corner drugstore, they took their place in one of those old black paper albums … held in place with those little gummed-back corners.
Boy, have things changed since then!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Color
Sometimes, Mother Nature supplies all the color you could possible want.
Tropical Orchids – Missouri Botanical Garden 2013
Photo © Arele 2013
WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: A Day In My Life
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CONFIRMED CURMUDGEON AND HIS CANINE COMPANION! A multi-photo challenge with captions.
The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is jump out of bed … turn the heat on … and jump back in bed until the house warms up. My faithful canine companion jumps back in bed behind me and we both get in a few more winks.
Once the house is warm, I start a cup of coffee.
Then I let Mlle. Renee out to tend to her morning duties.
Breakfast is next with a calendar puzzle to solve while I eat.
I always pour the left over 2% milk in Renee’s bowl next to her IAMS.
I also put a little something out for our feathered friends.
Friday is grocery day, so I headed to the corner MetroBus stop.
And watched a couple of pigeons watch me.
Riding the Metro is a great way to get in some reading.
That is, when I’m not checking out St. Louis classic architecture.
I also considered potential lunch spots on my trip.
Behold my stupidmarket!
Because I had a lot of chores at home, I decided to pass on lunch and picked up a sandwich at the store’s deli counter. The overstuffed, N.Y. style, hot pastrami sandwich from Carl’s was pretty tempting until I realized that it was Passover and they would be using grocery rye instead of rye from the Jewish Bakery.
While waiting for my return bus, I noticed that the trees along the street were starting to bud.
To give you an idea of the size of the city of Saint Louis, I shot this photo from the bus when we crossed the street that marks the border line. This view shows the entire city from west to east … meaning the Mississippi River. Of course, the city runs along the Mississippi for a much longer distance going from north to south.
Once I got home and unloaded the groceries, I took Renee for our daily constitutional.
I swear she actually watches the walk/don’t walk so she knows when to cross.
Heading home to take care of housekeeping chores.
LAUNDRY! How does an old curmudgeon know when it’s time to do laundry?
When he discovers only two pairs of socks and underwear left in the drawer.
While the laundry was washing …
I went out into the yard to do some yard chores. Renee looks bored.
It was Recycling Collection Day and I had to bring in the dumpster. Renee always has to go along with when I take out or bring in the containers. She runs alongside of me carrying her ball or an old milk bottle. Guess she thinks she’s doing her part.
I also noticed that despite Sunday’s foot and a half of snow the spring bulbs were sprouting.
And this was the last bit of snow left in the yard.
What would you expect when the temp hits 70?
Then I went back in the house to pick up all the toys Renee always drags out, before I started vacuuming, dusting, washing dishes, and baking fish for dinner.
THAT’S MY LIFE …
AND WELCOME TO IT!
Oh, one other thing…
I found this little guy hopping down the bunny trail that goes through the yard!
NOTE: All photos can be enlarged to full size by clicking on them.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Future Tense
In a new post created for this challenge, share a picture that says FUTURE TENSE.
WILD VIOLETS
Promise of SPRING to come.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Lunchtime
In a new post created for this challenge, share a picture that says LUNCHTIME.
Think of “lunchtime” as a theme, there are lots of places you can take it:
Show us what you actually had for lunch.
Show us what went into your lunch — a stunningly saturated pile of red radishes at the farmer’s market, or the process by which you construct the Ultimate Turkey Sandwich.
Show us what a mealtime is like at your house. Who’s there? What are they doing?
Show us a photo of someone truly enraptured by what they’re eating and capture the deep satisfaction of an enjoyable meal.
If you don’t have time for lunch or eat on the run, show us that.
Show us your favorite place to sit while you eat lunch, or your favorite place to prepare food.
Capture a candid photo of the guy behind the counter of your favorite greasy spoon.
DEFINITELY NOT THIS …
BUT MORE LIKE THIS …
AND PRESENTED LIKE THIS …
No, I’m not Jewish … but I am addicted to WHOLE WHEAT MATZOS especially when served as PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY MATZOS! Even though I use jam instead of jelly. And red plum, not grape, is my jam of choice. The first thing I buy every Passover season the first thing I buy is a couple of boxes of matzos. You can’t miss them, they’re always displayed in a high traffic area. And you know they have to be fresh for Passover.
I also like to use a matzo as a thin crust personal pizza. Just spread it with pizza sauce, cheese and the toppings of your choice. Definitely, not KOSHER, but what do Gentiles know? They know matzos are an innovative kitchen ingredient for lunch and other matzo munching times of the day.
... a somewhat unknown or perhaps imaginary actor, writer, director, producer, photographer, friend, brother, uncle and all round good fellow that you really should get to know because he lives with that most glamorous fourpaw Mademoiselle Renee. (Mlle. Renee for short)
