One Good Turn Deserves Another...2B Take Two

Wow...that Autumn Edit from Kim's class was so fun...I wanted to try the preset on a "not so orange" photo, compared to the one I used on my first try...

...and this leaf was magically on the windshield of the van this morning as I waited for Edster to climb in.  This is the original photo.

Then with the autumn edit preset...MAGIC!

Whatchya think???

Autumn Processing with Kim Klassen - 2B Day 31

I am writing this blog post as West Virginia gets slaughtered by Baylor...so mea culpa for any typos...and I'm not EVEN going to try the before/after mouse-over coding...

So...this is the original photo...RAW...with no edits -- straight out of the can (SOOC).

Kim took us through an autumn edit she did, and provided two Lightroom Presets from her edit.  You can see this photo already has a lot of yellow/gold tones in it.  But after a crop and running one of the Presets...

and a little tweeking...this is my final image.  I can hardly wait to try it on a less gold image....stay tuned!

And now on to the second half of the game...Lord, help me.

Silence, Serenity, and Solitude - My Friday Find

Vacation is to be stress free...but (at least for me)...in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia where the leaves are on fire...there is a tension.  It is wanting to explore and travel to see and capture everything...but also realizing that part of my renewal comes from taking time to be silent and reflective and still.  I found that today...

There are two Adirondack chairs sitting outside on the property of our two-week home...calling my name.

They sit along a small creek that sings as it flows by.  I turned off the news...filled my tote with my Bible, journal, and a book...along with my camera.  I would not wander today.  I would take advantage of the down time and seek that which my heart and being craves...and seems so elusive in my work-a-day world.

My devotional today was amazing...

When many things seem to be going wrong, trust Me.  When your life feels increasingly out of control, thank Me.  These are supernatural responses, and they can life you above your circumstances.  If you do what comes naturally in the face of difficulties, you may fall prey to negativism.  Even a few complaints can set you on a path that is a downward spiral, by darkening your perspective and mind-set.  With this attitude controlling you, complaints flow more and more readily from your mouth (and mind).  Each one moves you steadily down the slippery spiral.  The lower you go, the faster you slide; but it is still possible to apply the brakes.  Cry out to Me in My Name!  Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel.  Thank Me for everything, though this seems unnatural--even irrational.  Gradually you will begin to ascend, recovering your lost ground.  When you are back on ground level, you can face your circumstances from a humble perspective.  If you choose supernatural responses this time--trusting and thanking Me--you will experience My unfathomable Peace.

                                                                            from  Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

So I read some Bible verses and wrote some reflections in my journal.  Sometimes I forget how cathartic the physical act of writing is for me.  And I found silence and serenity in my solitude.  Then I noticed...

These leaves...one by one...occasionally...would drop on me from the tree above.  And I took photos of where they would land.

And it continued...even when I took out my book by Senator Jim Webb, Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Formed America.

One...like a butterfly...even landed on my hand.

And other things fell...

And some did not land on me or a book...

Treasures from heaven...both the leaves and the words I read...on one of the most calming, peaceful days I've had in some time.

Sometimes the FIND is worth the time it takes and the sacrifice of leaving other things behind.

And the Nominees Are...

Wow...my dear Brit friend, Viv Halliwell, nominated my blog for the Sunshine Award...how bloody kind of her!  But with the nomination comes some work on my part to get the award.  But first, a photo.

Edster and I were walking on the walking trail at Carnifex Ferry Battlefield State Park yesterday. Major trees down...huge hemlocks capsized.  Remnants of Hurricane Sandy...it hit the West Virginia mountains just before Halloween last year with horrendous winds and buckets of snow.  But there is beauty in the debris if one takes time to see...and I saw these pine cones with some amazing light.

Back to the nomination ~

I have to link up with Viv, answer her questions, then nominate 10 other bloggers...and ask them some questions...okay, let's go!

Questions (from Viv)

1 What is your favourite season ?  Are you kidding?  Autumn, of course!

2  City or country ?  Country...most definitely!

3  Do you prefer black and white or colour photography ?  Ooh, a tuffy...but I'll go with color.

4  Who do you look up to ?  My severely autistic son, Caleb...his daily courage amid unfathomable obstacles puts me to shame.

5  If you could travel anywhere where would it be?  Scotland and Northern Ireland

6   Tea or coffee ? What is your favourite beverage.  Coffee.  White chocolate mocha but at 500 calories a pop...I rarely have one.

7   Do you have a favourite place to visit ? Where is it?  WEST VIRGINIA!

8   What is your favourite recipe ? your fall back recipe ?  My great-grandmother's ice box rolls recipe.  Fall back:  French Oven Stew

9   Christmas fan ? or do you love another holiday ?  I love the Christmas season BUT my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving...full of gratitude, rarely commercialized.

10. Your favourite film ?  Are you kidding?  How can I choose?  Okay...our family's old home movies.

OK Guys

Please know that this is not a chain letter – nothing untoward will befall you should you choose not to participate. If you wish to just answer the questions I’m fine with that, too. But if you Do want to join in the fun, here are the “rules”:

1. Include the award logo in a post or on your blog.

2. Link to the person who nominated you.

3. Answer 10 questions about yourself and write 10 questions for your nominees to answer

4. Nominate 10 bloggers to receive the award. Link your nominees to the post and comment on their blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

And the nominees are:

Sarah Huizenga - Paisley Rain Boots

Sally Calligan - Day 2 Day Radishes

Cindy Swainson - My Art is Life

Roxi Hardegree - Creating Beyond the Layers

Cathy Sly - My Corner Through My Lens

Cheryl Crotty - Cheryl's World in Prose and Photographs

Carol Orbeck - LAF Custom Designs

Lisa RedWillos - Red Willow A Beauty Seeker

Joy Jordan  - Born Joy

Madelin Wolf - Madelin C. Wolf's Blog

And here are the questions:

1.  What pivotal event in your life changed you for the better?

2.  Oldies? Opera? Country? Hip Hop? Blues? Jazz? Contemporary Christian? Rat Pack? Polka? Other? (please specify)

3.  Spring or Fall?

4.  What is your favorite comfort food?

5.  What is your favorite creative activity?

6.  Looking back on your life, what era would you like to live over?

7.  Barefoot or slippers?

8.  How would you describe your home dec style?

9.  What evokes emotion in you?

10. What one thing do you want to accomplish before your life is over?

So there you have it....and GO!

Welcome October on a Texture Tuesday!!!

Linking up with Kim for another Texture Tuesday...

My photograph today comes from my vacation here in West Virginia.  I took this on Sunday up at Dolly Sods Wilderness area...with an added perfct texture by Kim Klassen...kk_jay.

Enjoy this glorious month!

A Groovy Baby Boomer Flashback

Edster, Bruno, Arthur, and I are on vacation...and I tend to keep my online presence to a minimum.  You know...kind of unplug.  Not on Facebook much...not answering much email...and definitely not poking my head into anything work related...for real!

Our tires crossed the West Virginia border on Friday.  You don't have to see the Welcome Sign...because everywhere are "signs" telling you where you are.

After a slow, lazy Saturday morning (coffee first, schemes later)...we boarded the Fabian Fun Van off to a local, annual event...The Leaf Peepers Festival...in Davis, West Virginia (population 660)...the closest town to the Canaan Valley.  Now...Canaan is not pronounced as in the promised land of the Bible...but is pronouced Ka-NANE Valley (in case you visit...you'll stick out big time if you say it wrong).

A people watcher by nature...I started clickin away with my paparazzi zoom lens.  I kept seeing these variations on a theme...

Did I step into a hippie convention by accident?

Hair...everywhere!!!

And this guy...

I found myself singing to myself ...back from the late 60s...envisioning a lava lamp and Peter Max poster.,,


I know...a pretty bizarre post...but, hey...I'm on vacation!!!

A Leaf and a Texture

A little leaf with a dash of Kim's culligan scripted texture for Texture Tuesday...

Fall in the air!