I just picked the first lemon off my semi-dwarf Meyer Lemon tree. I’m kind of amazed, because I put the tree in a container, and wasn’t sure if lemons would really grow on it. In the spring there were wonderful-smelling blossoms, then these little hard green spheres. Finally, this month they all turned yellow. The lemons are kind of small, but a slice in my cup of tea was just right. . . .
(I added a soft, off-white overlay to this image.)
Hope your week’s going well.
{carole}
Another shot of the lovely Cotswold village of Chipping Camden. See my other photo of Chipping Camden here.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
I can’t think of any other way to describe the place called Uncommon Objects in Austin, Texas. There are so many things in every inch of space you can’t even take it all in. Looking at the photos now, I’m just a little surprised at all the stuff I missed.
I thought of doing collages with these shots, but they’re so busy, you would have gone insane looking at them. 🙂
Here’s what caught my eye, or iPhone. . . .
I found these profiles just a little bit sad. There was no one left in the family who wanted them?
Hope your week’s going well so far. . . .
{carole}
“Annette looked at the geraniums, very red against the blue sky. ‘No matter how I try, I cannot find any thread of such a red. My bleeding hearts drip stuff muddy in comparison.’”
~Amy Lowell, “The Basket” in Sword Blades and Poppy Seeds
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We’re going to the East Coast for a few days, so I’ll be back next Tuesday.
{carole}
When we went to Austin before, there was a long line of food trucks on South Congress with a cupcake trailer at the end. This time, the Hey Cupcake! airstream had moved to its very own space on a corner up the block.
Complete with pink tables and umbrellas:
They even painted the cinder block fence in their colors.
The cupcakes are really good, but we were too full from lunch this time.
A giant cupcake in the clouds? Someone’s idea of heaven.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
. . .something good happens.
Flickr made some big changes recently, and several photographers left because of them. My views had gone way down and I had kind of given up on making Explore again. (The top 500 photos each day.) I also hadn’t gotten any checks from Getty Images in a while. You could say I was in a bit of a slump.
Then I uploaded a different version of the hibiscus shots on Flickr:
To my complete surprise, this shot made Explore. Its views went from zero to 25,000 over the next three days. That has never happened to me. It was weirdly wonderful to watch. The funny thing? I almost didn’t upload the photo. I thought it was all right, but nothing special.
The very same day, I got my biggest check from Getty. You just never know what’s around that corner.
Hope your week’s going well so far. . . .
{carole}
Since Rocky can no longer go downstairs by himself (he’s nearly blind and afraid) I’ve put a little dish of water in our upstairs bathroom for him to drink from. It’s actually his “travel bowl,” and not real great-looking. Recently, I spotted this in Anthropologie:
Is it not perfect for this little guy?
Yes, I’ve become one of those ridiculous people who buy cutesy things for their dogs. . . .
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
You can find the best stuff at grocery stores out here. This hibiscus plant was fairly begging me to put it in the cart. How could I resist? When I lived in California before, I got some of my best plants at the drugstore.
The pot was labeled thus:
I kind of like the creative spelling. Wasn’t sure the name of the hibiscus was actually “Spin the Bottle,” so I looked it up. Yep, that’s it.
I think it looks more like pink grapefruit.
When I lived in California before, hibiscus plants were being decimated by whiteflies. Fingers crossed, that won’t happen again.
Hope your week’s going well so far. Welcome, new subscribers!
{carole}
It’s actually the San Diego County Fair, but for decades it was Del Mar Fair, so that’s what I call it. Anyway, I’ve always wanted to photograph those pastel swing carousel things and decided to give it a go with the iPhone. No way I was lugging a DSLR around fairgrounds all day long.
First up, the “Wave Swinger” at rest:
Next, the same photo with some brightening, cross processing and desaturation for a vintage look:
Then, two Instagram versions created with the PhotoToaster app:
I deliberately rotated the image for more interest.
This time, the swings in action:
Lastly, an Instagram version with the Amaro filter:
If you ever forget what filter you used on an instagram, look up the photo on Webstagram and you’ll see the filter name in the upper right corner. Webstagram also makes it easier to view instagrams and comment, because you’re on a computer keyboard rather than that tiny iPhone keypad. I have skinny fingers, but I still make typos on the phone.
Great weekend, everyone!
{carole}
Meahwhile, back in Fredericksburg, Texas. . . .
This photo kind of says it all. Fredericksburg is a mix of vintage, cowboy, great architecture and style. The only thing missing is the German influence:
The stuff in the boutiques pretty much runs the gamut:
I believe those are cattle horns under that table.
Love those old architectural details.
This sign was outside the coolest place. Wish I could have taken photos, but we were the only customers in there. Next time. (A bit of cross processing applied here.)
There were lots of clever planters throughout, but I like this one best:
Let’s not forget the Texas pride that pervades the state. . . .
Hope your week’s going well so far.
{carole}
Pearls & Prose 