It's Been A Whole Year - I've Joined a Photo Club

I know.. I just lost my border! I'm borderless. Oh my! I must be free (don't fence me in)..........  I am happy, being close to my family. I still miss 'him' terribly. It's getting fewer and further between the memories that pop in and take me down that lane of sorrow. I try to smile, it was a perfectly happy and awesome time and, yet,  life goes on. 

 I joined a Photography Club and I am a very active member. I socialize with the group. I am enthusiastic about learning and doing all the assignments.. I go on most all the photo walks, and I have even scheduled one of our photo walks.  

I was a member of another photo club also. They are the premier photo club of Spokane.  My experience with going to several meetings and a year end social/display ... they say any ability is welcome. Well, I'm not a beginner and know more than some of them in the group, but this group is more for Pros than anything. They are quite sophisticated, or try to be. I don't know how to do that.  For as pro as they think, they aren't very organized. At least they don't answer their website emails. If a new member has a question... oh well. Signing up you're supposed to get a link to sign into the website so you can submit photos for the meetings..etc. Good luck with that! I knew the Pres. and Treasurer's email addresses, so I was able to communicate my problems. Otherwise.. I don't know how anyone could sign-up ... if they don't answer their web emails. 

Anyway, I dropped out of that club and I'm happy with our little group.  

There are several photo walks that I'll catch you up on the photos on here. 

Our first one of the year was The Finch Arboretum in the Fall.  We all showed up and I immediately lost the group I was with.  I walked over to the creek and when I turned around everyone was gone...I figured I'd meet up with them eventually.  This is the shot I took at the creek.. (there are more, but I'm posting my favorites.) 

And walking back to a little flower garden with some Fall flowers still in bloom. Of course, the bees were busy collecting honey for the cooler weather. 

Off I went to explore some of the bushes and flowering trees.  I came across an interesting bush with dark red coloring and some berries to boot! It's called Physocarpus Ninebark.  I never heard of it. But it's awesome.

I couldn't resist this Sumac. Well, at least I think this is Sumac. .. and, Oh Look!, it's my favorite flower, Cosmos in the background...

I see one of our people in our group and he's headed back home.. he says they're up around the bend......... I'll meander up that way and see if I can catch up to them. In the meantime, I've gotten caught up with the park's sprinkler system! I tried to make it look like fog....... it's more mist.. what do you think?

Meh? 

Someone was imaginative enough to place a bright leaf in line with the 'eye'....

I did not do this, it was already there, just waiting to be 'taken'. Minimalistic. 

Before I came back from the creek.. probably the reason I lost my group.. I crossed over and found a little garden area with a sweet little ornamental Maple tree.. with the sun shining right on it!!! A photographer's luck! 

And some mushrooms in the rock garden... 

Well, I decided I'd been 'missing' for quite enough time, so I photographed the trees along the way to find my people.  

Around every corner........I guess I should say 'beyond every stand of trees'...

I caught up with my friends.... 

And the Sun came out again........

Thank you,  for walking along with me today!  As you probably know,  just click on a photo and the viewer will open for you to see them a little bit bigger. 

~Ellen

Moved, Settled, Kinda Iffy

It seems I always start my posts with "It's been a really long time".  Life gets in the way.

I moved half way across the country, after living 'there' for the past 20 years. I sold all 'our' stuff, kept some stuff.. too much stuff.. to live in a one bedroom apartment. It's near my kids and grand kids. I'm happy to be back in my growing up area.  I'm closer to my birth place than I've been since I was 3! I should go and look around my Grandparents little town. The place I remember visiting when I was a kid, growing up, going through school. They were a couple hours away, but we visited them at least every summer, and sometimes for Christmas. Driving was pretty treacherous in those days, and my parents (Dad) probably only got THE day off for Christmas. Well, the place holds pleasant memories for me.  My sister and I reminisce about it whenever we're together... I see her more often now too!  

My apartment living experience was awful this winter...I moved in in October and the furnace was on the blink all winter long. I was not a happy camper or apt. dweller. They were not honest with me when I signed the lease. (are 'they' ever?)  I wondered why the husband made a big deal about saying the furnace works.. "we turned it on and it came on!"   I should have asked ' why? did you think maybe it wouldn't?'  Turns out it, sometimes, didn't come back on, after you turned it on! Sometimes? Just about every time ....and it wouldn't come on unless you turned it up passed 72, which meant it got about 75 before it cycled off... and then wouldn't come back on..  It took all winter to get it fixed, so that it works automatically the way it's supposed to.  I can even set it on 68 and it'll kick off at about 70! And come back on at ..yeah, 68!  Whach-ya-know! 

The thing is.. The furnace I regulate is the furnace that provides heat to 2 other apartments. Yeah, the thermostat I use is the thermostat for the other apartments.  I felt really bad when the furnace hadn't been on all night and it was really cold in the morning and I couldn't get the furnace to kick in.......... took 45 minutes sometimes to get it to kick in. I was usually up before the kid next door got up to get ready for work.... At first we thought it was the Thermostat. Put a new one in.. the furnace guy actually said it probably wasn't the thermostat.. but he put one in anyway. He took a look at the furnace and said he'd have to order a part... it could take a while to get it.  The first part came in and it was broken! So, waited another while for that one.. then the furnace wouldn't kick in at all, so another guy came and said it was a different part than the one that was on order.. so they ordered a different part. In the meantime, they showed me how to get the furnace to turn on, by poking some wires on the furnace, which was actually easier than turning off and on the thermostat over and over and waiting to see if the furnace kicked on.  Anyway, that part finally came and they put 'er in and they got 'er done. It's fixed! Just in time for those chilly mornings in the Spring ! 

I had troubles with flooding last winter too.  Every time the temperature went up and snow started melting, the run off from the snow would gather on my porch area.. water was up to the wall and  almost under my door by the time they came and set up a sump pump.. I had to call them several times to do that all winter. 

They told me they were going to put in a French Drain this summer... I'm not holding my breath. But, I bet they will be raising my rent/lease come time to re-sign. I think I have reason to object.  

Hmmm, they never give me a receipt for my rent I pay. I guess my bank check is my receipt, but I'm beginning to think I have slum lords.. they own something like 80 properties they rent out. Do as little as possible and blame the tenant.  They have complained to me that some of the tenants don't pay their rent........ blah blah blah and how much money they've lost.  Sounds to me like making excuses is their way.. Oh and they are Christian people!  ha ha ha ha ha ha  so sorry for those of you who are real Christians. I certainly don't like hypocrites! 

On a happier note, my Granddaughter is graduating from High School today. I made a couple of fruit salads she wanted for her party afterwards. That makes me happy that they think my 'stuff' is good! Or maybe it's just that they don't have to make it... I don't care.  I am included.  

My Children are awesome. They are fun and light hearted. I love their friends. I love being around them. I'm so happy being back with my side of the family.  They make up for this crappy apartment I live in! LOL  

OK.. I live in this crappy apartment because it's one I could afford and was open (being renovated), when I went looking. (I am very fortunate to have lived with my sister, while looking and waiting for an apt. for 2 1/2 months)  I couldn't afford most apartments.  Rent has skyrocketed over C-19, and I know how homeless people got that way.  I am just a little more lucky than they are. I didn't want to live in the city, and I found this place just 15 miles from the city and 30minutes from my daughter, and 45 mintues from my sister. The other daughter lives 6 hrs away. But it's better than 2000 miles away! 

I like my life. I like living alone. I like my photography club. I'm glad I'm back.  

I'm HOME again. 

Photo Sunday - Tree

I'm submitting 'trees' ..... lots of them.  Those little twin trees are perfect for Christmas! 

Somewhere around Burgdorf, Idaho.  The stream is a hot spring. 

It's REALLY been a long time..........

WE had a blog.. Our Place Lar 'n El ...  we haven't been WE since May 29, 2021.  Lar past away.  He had Diabetic complications and a stroke in May 2018 sent him to a rest home.   I had to sell the farm and pay down our profits so that he could get Medical Assistance.  We did not have long term insurance. 

He's at peace now. Wish I were/I miss him. 

I sold our other properties and  moved back to the Northwest on 4th of July weekend 2022. I picked a great weekend to travel 2000 miles! We had traveled it a time or two to visit my family over the years, so I knew the way and I had fun taking my time through the northern states to Southern Idaho to visit one daughter and then to search for an apt and settle in another state and visit with more family. 

I'm almost settled! I moved from a 3 story 2 generation farm house to a 1 bedroom apartment.........everything isn't fitting.  I sold all our furniture except a full size bed and a little cabinet.  The rest was stuff, and clothes! I didn't know I had so much clothes.. I had two large boxes of coats alone. I had taken much to Good Will before I left.. A LOT went. Evidently, not enough! LOL Oh my.  But there is reason to my keeping... I also lost 75lbs and I have several size changes. I'm keeping them .. just in case!  I kept all my skinny clothes from 2002... they fit now! Yep, I also rent a small storage unit for all my clothes/seasonal clothes and stuff that doesn't fit in my apartment. I wonder every time I open a box, why I kept that or why do I need 5 windchimes ?  There's no storage.  The Landlady let me use the basement for my Christmas Decorations/Tree storage!  So, 

I've been buying furniture as I unpack. Gotta put all those nic nacs somewhere!  I've been in my apt since Oct 1st. As I unpack boxes, I keep the essentials and put the rest in plastic bins/lids to store in my storage unit. Someday, I can have a 'sale' or give it to my kids/grandkids. I"m buying cabinets as I unpack and can afford the furniture. So, it's taking a while to unpack. 

Another thing is getting rid of those boxes and paper wrapping.. Styrofoam packaging from furniture boxes! I have a big bin for recyclables, all the boxes and paper, but my garbage bin is small and I have to put styrofoam in that.. I have bags of plastics setting around waiting for room to stuff in my garbage bin once a week.  The recyclables are only picked up twice a month! I'm not used to recycling. I had to research and bring myself up on what to put in the big bin as opposed to the little bin.  I had it backwards the first day... fortunately, I figured it out before the trucks came to haul it away. whew! 

I'm in a small town in the mountains.   I visit my kids and g-kids, I also have a G-g-child and one on the way.... I am blessed.  We all (my kids and their families) just got together to celebrate our Birthdays... there is several of us that were born in the same month... two on the same day!   Remarkable! Or weird, or something. My Mother was born in the same month too!  hmmm....

I'm here, healing.........  Lots of snow to shovel and brush off my car! oof da! 

Our World Tuesday - May 31

This is the last Our World Tuesday photo for May!  I think it should be special, but I'll have to go look.......... 
OK, I found this relic in someone's pasture along the road. That was back in 2015, it no longer sits there. I hope someone bought it to restore to when it was brand new. 

For you Firetruck buffs, it's an International about late 1930s. 

PhotoSunday - Skyscraper

The PhotoSunday challenge this week is Skyscraper. There are no skyscrapers here on the prairie, but I imagine this is as close to a skyscraper as I can come.

This is a Grain Elevator, we also have Silos... they're different, but alike! ;)

Skywatch Friday - Sunrise on the Prairie

It's the last Skywatch Friday of May 2016!  Here are my submits... I took these last weekend, while at our country farm planting the garden. A cup of coffee and out the door at Sunup. Quiet 'click' sounds of my camera shutter calls to a pheasant that stirs awake a turkey.. then a distrubed buck snort and a variety of beautiful bird songs.... 

click the photos to view larger

Have a beautiful day.....

Our World Tuesday

Our World Tuesday has an ongoing link up for whatever is happening in YOUR WORLD to share. It's early May, so I'm sharing some almost opened Lilacs.

Photo Sunday Challenge - Rose

This weeks photo challenge at Photo Sunday is 'Rose'

A Wild Rose by the edge of a woods.

For SkyWatch Friday

This is for SkyWatch Friday  for the end of July...   a nice dark stormy sky.

30mm Prime lens, Aperture Priority Mode,  f/4, 1/750sec, ISO 100

I use a fast shutter speed because everything I take is hand held and the wind was blowing pretty hard that day.  Earlier, I had been taking close up photos of wild flowers around the farm and while getting ready for supper, I saw the clouds form for a storm... I ran out to snap off a few.  No Post Processing, just the jpg strait out of camera.  I might lighten it a bit, but just a touch.

Or maybe not, I like it dark. It conveys the atmosphere at that moment.

 

Photo Sunday - Star

My STAR for Photo Sunday

 A metalic starfish at an empty wading pool.

Metallic

For PhotoSunday the theme is Metallic.

Photo Sunday challenge is HOUSE

This week for Photo Sunday Challenge is House.   I have a few.... as usual, just click on the photo to see a larger view.

An old farm house that has seen better days.

Another old farm house that is barely standing and trees taking over.

A cabin at Itasca State Park in a rainy Spring day.

PhotoSunday ~ Weekly Photo Challenge: Orange

The Weekly PhotoSunday Challenge is Orange this week.  I'm a little late, but this is my offering.

Saying "Goodbye" to The Round Robin Photo Challenge

The last challenge for the Round Robin Photo Challenge is : Goodbye . Even though I was just an occasional submitter, starting with 'The Far Side Of Fifty Photos', I will miss the challenges and good natured exchange of comments.
I enjoyed every minute of it..........Good Luck in all that you do.

My 'Goodbye' photos:

The Round Robin Photo Challenge- About The Weather

The Round Robin Photo Challenge is all About The Weather.
We had a break in our weather so we ventured out and saw some sites in a farmer's field.

Photo Sunday - Slant

The Photo Sunday challenge this week is Slant.  My photo is one I took last summer.

Dandilions... on a slant

As always just click the photo for a larger view.

Sunday Stills: The Color Brown

The days are getting longer and warmer, so more 'brown' spots are popping through the snow drifts...
Here are my submissions for 'Brown' for the Sunday Stills challenge.

We had a nice day last week up above freezing. It provided a chance to get out and walk around the woods on our farm.   It was pretty slow going, since the snow was still deep. 

A dead oak leaf melting into the snow.

Walking up on the old cabin..

 around the corner ....

around to the front...











and looking back..  

 

As usual, to view them larger just click on the photo.

The Round Robin Photo Challenge: HOT STUFF

HOT STUFF is the latest theme for The Round Robin Photo Challenges.

Our step-daughter and husband got us some little gifts for Valentines Day.  This is what Lar got.  And he was delighted. WE will use them, you betcha.  The dried Red peppers are from our garden.

HOT STUFF!

As always, click on the thumbnail to get the larger view. 

I got a chocolate Rose and a Valentine box of  Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

Sunday Stills: Barns in Black & White

It's Barns in black and white this week in Sunday Stills challenge..........

I happen to love taking photos of old barns and farms.  In fact their Latin proper name is  "Barnicus Dilapidus".
These started out in color and I've enhanced them to bring out their character.  I'm sorry I did not get a chance to get out and take recent photos, these are some archived photos from the past.  uh, no pun intended.

Go on over there at Sunday Stills. The group is growing leaps and bounds.