This is another of the greeting cards I've designed using all my own photos. As I've said here before, I have no plans to market them, but did have fun designing them, and have given them occasionally as bithday cards. (They're 5"X7", card stock, blank inside, with white envelopes.) In case it's not clear (my scanner's not top knotch) those words at the bottom are "Love," and then below that, "blooms always and everywhere."

For really no other reason than ease of identification, this one is called LOVE. "Love" is on the template, as is that strip of red at the bottom. I'd have preferred not to have the strip but since I had no choice, it looks better with the words in it that I chose than blank. (The designers of the template probably figured this template was like signing "Love,..." and then the sender could fill in their name in that red strip.) What I find rather odd is that among the many, many templates available on snapfish.com (the online site I use) I could not find one with this arrangement of photo boxes, without that dang "Love" or red strip. When I groused to a friend about it, he very casually stated that I can design my own templates. Ack! I've got technology up the whazoo just dealing with my ancient computer and learning enough to choose a new system with any confidence at all when the time comes.

Ooops! That was more information than you need. So maybe just take a last glance at the flowers above. These are the sorts of beauties that pop up around our grounds regularly. They warm the cockles of my heart, even on my darkest days. Therefore, that word "Love" printed on the card and as a title is not totally inappropriate.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

Lion Dance is one of those pix I really don't think is all that interesting to anyone but me. And I'm not even sure why I am drawn enough to post this almost three year old photo today. It may very well have to do with the symbolic association of lions to the sun. Given I just now finished a post to my dreams & poetry blog with some clear sun imagery, I would not be surprised if my right brain weren't still playing around with those sorts of images.

This stand of cannas that I took this in has just been fenced off as it's by our pool and by law pools have to be totally fenced. Sigh. Guess I'll have to find some creative ways of including the white (rod iron?) fence in photos, or stick my camera between the bars (awkward!), or go through the trouble of getting inside to take unobstructed pictures of these flowers and their leaves. Unless and until, I can fool around with the many, many photos I already have of this stand of cannas.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

THE ALCHEMIST

The Alchemist (above) is a brand new edit of a nearly three year old photo. Until I tried "reversing" the colors in this shot this morning, it was just another of the many mediocre pictures I have of these amazing amaryllis blooms. I really liked the reversal effect, and then had great fun choosing the single color range I wanted and the proper crop. Of course this version hasn't had a chance to "cool" yet so I may not be as fond of it a few days from now. But here it is anyway, hot from the crucible, so to speak.

And here's another almost three year old picture. A dear friend commented on these same color blossoms as we passed by them last night after dinner, so this photo came to mind, Reveille:

The only thing I did to "Reveille" was to saturate the colors slightly, as it seemed a little pale. (Of course, I hasten to add that perception might be an indication of how my cataracts have advanced in the three years since first taking the photo.)

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

By the Light of a Dark Star is another out-sized title for a little photo. I'm afraid my older and deeper roots in poetry are exposed by how I choose names for pictures. I sit with the photo and see what it suggests to me, no matter how strange, and go from there.

I'm not sure I have yet retrieved what I feel tugging at me in the original of this old picture. Maybe I'll edit it again in the future and maybe I won't. In the meantime I share it here.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

* * * *

‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

Journey to the Center of the Earth is a big title for a little flower photo. I am always delighted to see these tiny white flowers and was tickled to get this down into the center shot. Ultimately, this old photo is not one of my better efforts. I could wish the patches of dark in the greenery were better balanced visually (i.e. the one in the lower right would ideally curve outward similarly to the one in the upper left). But I still enjoy looking into that unfurling center and pondering.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

Cathedral is another old picture. This is pretty much the way it's been since I first took and edited it October of 2010. I did do a slight change of the crop to include those top curves and both red curves at the side on the bottom, and to better center the "light" near the middle. I also sharpened it a wee bit to bring out the rain drops.

"Cathedral" also wasn't titled until today. I often feel I'm in a cathedral when out in nature, with blessings of all sort raining down. And I'd be out there more often these days only my knees just haven't been encouraging much walking and standing. Though not to be too unfair to my long suffering knees, my mood also prompts lumbering on by and leaving my camera in my shoulder bag. Which explains why I've been posting so many old photos here recently.

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****

This is just something I cobbled together recently to put up on my wall as a reminder. That's an old photo of mine from January of 2010. The quoted line "Nothing is lasting, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect..." is at the heart of the Japanese aesthetic called "wabi sabi."

NOTE: In most browsers you can click on a photo to view a larger version. And here’s the link if you wish to read an Introduction, Background, & Technical Aspects post about this blog.

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‘til next take, may you enjoy life in the ever changing light,

[aka: Patricia Kelly] **** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or photos, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”) ****