Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt - 4th post

* cloud watch - find a shape *

This particular prompt deserved more than just one picture. I spent hours looking at clouds trying to see some sort of shape. I spent a whole week looking, but nothing! My neck became sore and I became frustrated. You'd think the clouds would cooperate with me! Finally, finally I saw a shape. I saw Santa's profile. It was on a particularly hot day, so I know winter was on my mind! In case you need a little help finding Santa, I've added the following picture with tags.

Another good thing that came out of searching for this prompt, was a lot of sky pictures; mornings, afternoons, fluffy clouds, dark clouds, silver linings, and sunsets. I'll share a few of those with you and instead of my words I've added a few quotes about clouds.

"Up at dawn, the dewy freshness of the hour, the morning rapture of the birds, the daily miracle of sunrise, set her heart in tune, and gave her nature's most healing balm."
~ Louisa May Alcott

"Clouds blaze brilliant colors in a sky on fire."

~ Terri Guillemets

"Dark clouds become heaven's flowers when kissed by light."

~ Rabindranath Tagore

"Behind the clouds is the sun still shining."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"You must not blame me, if I do talk to the clouds..."

~ Henry David Thoreau

"How sweet to be a cloud
floating in the blue."
~ A. A. Milne

"Peace is seeing the sunset and knowing who to thank."
~ author unknown

"Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty."
~ John Ruskin

* * * * *

I hope you've enjoyed a look at August skies in Arkansas. If you have time spend a little time looking up enjoying the beauty of the skies. Just don't hurt your neck!

Have a wonderful weekend!

And a fun Labor Day for those in the USA!

Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt #3

I'm trying not to be too overly excited, but summer is slowly coming to an end. I thought I'd better post some more finds for the Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt, before summer is officially over.

* visit a garden or greenhouse - find something yellow *

The center of this pretty Crepe Myrtle blossom is filled with yellow pollen. Sneeze, sneeze!

* go on a nature hike - find five different leaves *

So many greens, so many shapes.

* visit a flea market - find something rusty *

Jars and jar lids remind me of my childhood when mom canned fresh fruits and vegetables from her garden. It was a hot job; one that I never had any desire to try!

* capture a "ball" game - think outside the box *

We live near a country golf course, so you never know when you'll find a golf ball laying around. This one is out of the game and stuck in the mud!

* play in the rain - find some puddle reflections *

The only puddles around my house after a rain are mud puddles in the gravel driveway. I saw this reflection of trees, clouds, and electric lines and thought it made a nice abstract photo.

* take the stairs - find wooden stairs *

These are some of my favorite stairs. They lead to a beautiful view of the Arkansas River.

I should finish the scavenger hunt this week, hopefully I can get them all posted!

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt #2

My Summertime Photography Scaventer Hunt is coming along rather nicely. I've enjoyed the challenge through these hot months that usually find me indoors way too much!! Some of the prompts take a little more searching and thinking to find, but if it were too easy, I'd get bored. Here's a few more "finds" for you to enjoy.

* explore a park - find a bench *

Benches are one of my favorite things to take pictures of. I love the styles, the colors, and the shapes. Sections of tree trunks were used to build this bench. A little rough, but still a place to rest in the shade.

* water in motion - get some motion blur *

I'm not a real big fan of water motion blur. I like to see it flowing naturally. This swift water comes from a lake spillway.

The fast moving water and large rocks makes it a great place to learn kayaking. Another man was teaching this young man to kayak. The rapid water doesn't go far before it settles into a shallow creek.

* travel a country road - find a barn *

My husband and I had traveled to the southern part of the state for a funeral. On our way home I asked if we could take a more country route as I needed a picture of a barn. This was the only barn I could take a picture of. Most are too far off the road. This one was too close to the road, but I managed to squeeze most of it in the picture, plus two little calves.

* go birdwatching - find a bird on a wire *

I'm glad we don't have to follow the prompts exactly! I didn't find just one bird, I found four on the line, one landing, and one flying away.

* find a working pay phone *

I only know of one pay phone in this area that still works. It's at the visitor center at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. I haven't use one of these in a long time! Instead of the twenty-five  cents it used to cost, it now cost fifty cents.

The days are getting hotter and the humidity higher. The hottest days of this summer may be coming the first part of next week. Maybe I'll just take the advice in the following quote!

"Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and

have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars.

To sit on a branch and study the clouds."

~Regina Brett~

Happy Summer Days to You!!