Spring Fever in October

I can't wait to get outside and take pictures of anything colorful or interesting. It's been a long hot summer and it's time to be outside amongst the plants and flowers, camera in hand, don't you think? I'm in the process of redoing my front yard after 24 years of living here and I have a meeting with a designer tomorrow to discuss the plan. Then it's off to the nursery to decide on plants and trees. Maybe I'll find some pretty flowers to photograph while I'm there. These few are from previous pictures taken.

Citra-Solv technique using National Geographic magazines learned from Robert Burridge during his Sedona workshop last Spring. Areas can be rubbed while damp to get rid of some unwanted text or dark places. Some don't turn out as colorful, but it's still fun separating the pages, not knowing what you are going to get. Even the dark pages can be changed in Photoshop for other purposes.

Fun with Photoshop. I was playing around with sections of the Chili's pepper I drew to see what I could come up with and these are a few of them.

This is one of my favorite flowers, which was taken last summer on our road trip to Oregon. I would LOVE to have these growing in my yard. The range of color is so amazing, and all on the same bush.

This was taken a few years ago in Prescott Valley. My sister has a wonderful garden that attracts many butterflies, and this was a favorite.

Duane and I had lunch at Chili's last weekend and they were having a fund-raiser for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Color in the pepper, donate a dollar minimum then they hang them all over the walls. Of course I wanted to do it, but not with the crayons at the table, so I got out a pen and started in, trying the "Zentangle" way. Very time consuming project so I brought it home to finish. I think it's done now, so we'll go back for our favorite salad.....the Quesadilla Explosion, and turn it in. In case you wonder why the center circle isn't filled in, I thought it needed to be empty, for better contrast. It was actually quite enjoyable doing this!

Speaking of grids, and I speak of them often, my friend Nancy gave me this darling birthday card recently. Two favorites in one......circles which I love AND the grid.

Close-up of grave marker. He died at such a young age. Duane wanted some better pictures for the Loftus website, and to show his father.

My Honey standing on the Four Corners monument. I passed on getting down on all fours and having MY picture taken. This is definitely the place to buy Indian jewelry if you are in the area. Duane bought me a gorgeous pair of earrings for my birthday, in addition to taking me on vacation.

More pictures from our New Mexico/Colorado trip. This is the house where Duane's father grew up, in Raton, NM. It looked vacant, but still standing after 90+ years.

Raton, NM, a cute little Bed and Breakfast.

Does this architecture count as a grid? Quite a colorful building in Gunnison, CO.

Aaaah, the Beaumont Hotel in Ouray, CO. We loved this charming little town.

Duane at his Great Grandfather's grave in Durango, CO.

Can you guess what this is? My only grid shot from our recent trip, and you know how much I LOVE them! We had stopped to have a tire checked and this one jumped out at me. I had to take a picture, and besides, I love the colors and will use them for a palette someday.

Oregon Coast 2006