You really never know what you will see

and this challenge is about learning to keep my camera with me to be ready to record the unexpected. Sitting near the docks, I caught these interesting moments:

That plane is awful low ...

Photo Challenge -- working to get back on track

Took pictures today (actually yesterday) and caught an unexpected appearance. I was taking an image called "Tree Line."

I was just amazed at such a uniform, beautiful line of trees bounding a church property in Howard County.

As I shot it from various angles and depths of field, through the lens I saw a deer.  I was so surprised I almost didn't get a good picture before it ran away.

Sometimes I forget, with all the houses, roads, and businesses, we are still very close to nature and the habitats of many forms of wild life.

Fell off the challenge wagon

Oh my, I am so upset. I wanted to get 30 days in a row of photos. But life and school got in the way. Took some photos but no time to post. Had posting time but no photo ... But the two synced today.

I call this one Space Housing. It is actually a very nice student sculpture.

BTW have been tossing clothes ... Been keeping up with the elimination challenge.

My Special Day (Photo and Elimination Challenge too)

I wasn't sure I was going to take photos today -- I had to finish up some critical things before I could leave the house and it was mid-day before I even began to consider it. And I still didn't get all the errands in. But, I did go out and my camera did too. I got some photos today that I really enjoyed.

Bird contemplation

 I saw the bird just looking around, I think trying to decide if he should catch some more sun or take a dip (and possibly a bath). It seemed worth capturing on film.

Loving the lines

I think the Choptank River Bridge has very beautiful lines. And when I can get a good angle ... I love those lines.











There were a few from last night that I want to share too ...
 

 Finally, its back to the closet for elimination.

Day 8 Photo Challenge; Day 7 Elimination

I am going to modify my challenge today. I'm not going to a photo I took, but a design I created in honor of the holiday. It is July 4th after all. It does deserve proper acknowledgement. So I took images -- one a flag photos I shot the other day and a fireworks image -- and created my expression(s) for Independence Day.

Now before these designs are unveiled, I want to share some background on my thinking. I always meet the Fourth of July with mixed feelings -- hope, despair and excitement. A strange mishegoss of emotions related to my coming birthday, my perceptions of the current state of our country/culture/society, the way the music and words of the Star-Spangled Banner still move my spirit while the Pledge of Allegiance does not, and the still apropos speech Frederick Douglass delivered in 1852 about the meaning of Independence day to the slave/Negro. Each year I look at these feelings and these things and try to reconcile and communicate them. I think these designs present it best, showing the celebration, belief that we should keep trying, and where we fall short.

Day 7 Photo Challenge; Day 6 Elimination Challenge

When I went out for my walk this morning, I left the camera in the car -- I wanted to put all my energy into the walk. Which means, that today, I saw pictures I didn't take.

The first one was the duck town hall meeting. There were at least a hundred ducks together, near the shoreline, facing out into the river where three or four in a row were facing the shore. Then as I watched, some ducks in the large body turned to face the shoreline, only some turned like voting. Then about 10 minutes later they adjourned and dispersed. It was amazing and made me chuckle out loud.

The second photo I didn't take was of the woman hiding on the sunny side of the porta-pot. As I walked out, I was moving towards the rising sun and as I passed the porta-pot out of the corner of my eye, I realized there was something, someone there. She had light brown hair, was wearing short shorts, and sitting nestled in the corner created by the pot backing up against the railing, with a suitcase in front of her and a big gulp cup by her side. After passing her four times, I came back and asked if she was okay. She said she was and asked why I thought otherwise. I told her I was just checking. But I thought it was a really odd place to be, to sit, to wait. It was strange, definitely not usual or normal.

I did get some good pictures today, more natural lines. And this one, of a grandmom and her grandchildren feeding bread to ducks in the Choptank River off Long Wharf because the seagulls were MIA. They were so cute.

Feeding the ducks, 'cause the gulls won't show

Of course, something I have noticed, over the last week while visiting our shoreline and waterways everyday, is that I haven't seen ANY seagulls. Ducks and even a heron today, crows, sparrows, but no seagulls. Very strange, especially at Long Wharf and Great Marsh. Just saying ...

Okay, for elimination ... what goes today? I guess I will search the closets -- some clothing item(s).

Day 6 Photo Challenge, Day 5 Elimination Challenge

I should be ashamed of myself, taking so long to post the results from yesterday, but "see, what had happened was," (LOL) I got everything ready and got distracted. When I got back to the computer, I turned it off and went to bed. When I remembered that I hadn't posted my challenge information, I decided I wasn't getting back up to turn on the computer, so ... here we are.

I'm going to start with the elimination challenge today. I tossed out old phone books, from as long as five years ago. Now, for the record, it was only two books and if you have seen the phone books from this area, you know they are very thin. The reason they are so old is that I simply don't like phone books and most years refuse to let them leave them at my house. So, out the old ones go.

I took a lot of photos today. I can't recall any that I didn't take. So there isn't anything for that category. But here is what I did take.

Fish at School

 As I was sitting by the river, I noticed this disturbance in the waves, that was moving towards me. In the sunshine I could not make out what it was ... I squinted and leaned, trying to get closer, but it looked like a bunch of tiny black dots. I thought perhaps it was a bunch of baby eels or some tiny minnows, but I couldn't be sure. So, I used my camera, which at times can be better than binoculars or a telescope. When I was able to look at the photo, full size, I was amazed at what was really there. Fish, big fish, swimming along together near the surface.

Hideaway Motel for Birds

I wandered under the bridge -- looking for lines. I love taking pictures of lines. But I looked up as I walked under and there they were, comfy, cozy in the little hole, preparing to head out to their next destination.

Day 5 Photo Challenge, Day 4 Elimination Challenge

I carried the camera around with me today and it was fun. But again, there is only one photo that I didn't take -- the selfie of me when I finished getting my license renewed. I think, more than normal, I regret that today. The license photo is okay, but nothing I can get a copy of, so without the selfie, that particular moment in time has been lost. Oh well, I took every other picture and really need to decide on those rules because I took some wonderful stuff today that I want to share. But I can only pick one (well, I might give you two).

I took this photo as I walked the bridge this morning. I took it as a symbol of all the trash and debris people leave on the fishing pier. It is really disappointing that so many people come there to enjoy it, but won't take their trash with them when they leave. The bridge is littered with paper, broken and discarded fishing wire, cups, cans, plastic, just anything you can think of. But this was a symbol.

Debris

Because it's a symbol, I thought the title should make that connection. Also, this was probably one of the more graphic pieces of debris on the bridge.

The fish is asking, "Couldn't you have ended this some other way?"

Here's another photos of one of the extreme ends of the trash and mess left on the fishing pier. This one, however, contains evidence. I thought of naming it Proof or Evidence, but made a different decision.

Forensics

Oh yeah, what did I discard. My old driver's license. Okay, so I took the easy way out today, but I ran out of time doing other stuff. But it was something.

Day 4 Photo Challenge; Day 3 Elimination Challenge

Today the camera was with me all day. There were no photos I didn't take. That was interesting. There are some photos that I would like to show, so I am going to have to evaluate the rules a little and decide how to handle it. Do I want to be able to use them on other days ...? Have to decide.
I noticed the flag again this morning. I stopped to take more photos of it. In the morning light, it looks different, not lonely and abandoned as it did at dusk, but strong and resilient. Then it caught a breeze and looked proud and defiant.
So the photo today is the flag again ...

Resilient, Defiant

Now, what to toss away today? There is so much to choose from that I am having a hard time picking one thing. It's too soon to fail at this challenge ... not already. Oh, I know, the defunct iPod. Wait, not ready. I have to wipe it first of any personal information. No time to make the deadline. I know, a shirt I no longer wear. Out it goes. Phew, made it through another day on this one.

I like lines.

Day 3 Photo Challenge

There were a lot of photo opportunities today. This morning on my walk, I missed the first good photo because I couldn't get my camera together in time. There was an older gentleman, with a cane looped acoss his arm, taking a picture of the sail over the visitor's center. I was going to get a photo of him taking a photo. But he was done before I was ready.

Then there was a lady on the bridge headed to the porta-potty, staggering. She was in pain from a bad back that was exacerbated from sleeping on the bridge overnight with her husband, who came here to fish off the pier. I thought about a photo of her walking and then one of her in her top-of-the-line chair on the bridge.

I thought of grabbing a selfie when I finished setting my hair, with all the curlers still in, but nixed it. Of course, when the curlers come out, I will probably revisit this again.

I went out to take photos and did take a few of the bridge and the carnival from across the water, but the selected photo, below, was found as I sat on the front step, enjoying the last few moments of daylight.

Abandoned Patriotism

I am still trying to decide what to call this one. The flag was put up in front of an abandoned school building about a month ago, to give the impression that progress was taking place with the building.

This evening, it was gently moving in a very slight breeze, but seemed so lost and forgotten there. That's it, Abandoned Patriotism.

I really like this photo, a lot.

Possession offloaded today: an old pair of ankle boots.

Day two pic ... Day one delete

Today the picture interrupted my walk because I had never seen anything like it before except in books or on tv. A stingray was pulled from the Choptank River. The fisherman was from Glen Burnie and said that he saw a school of them keeping away the fish.

It was a little sad but also amazing. The fisherman said he was throwing it back but wanted a picture with it. 

Pics I didn't take were of my dog. He looks so cute after his hair cut but so different. My dog trimming skills leave something to be desired ... So thought I shouldn't advertise it.

I tossed out a pair of slippers filled with styrofoam balls. I never use them. First item trashed.

Day 1 of 30

A few months ago, I was listening to a playlist of TED Talks and come across one featuring Matt Cutts, expousing the virtues of trying something new for 30 days. The first time I heard it, I was inspired to try it. I did something simple -- go to bed every night by 10:30 p.m.-- and while hard at first, by the end, I was doing it with little trouble and the sense of accomplishment uplifted my spirit.

A few days ago I heard the talk again and remembered how much fun I had with my challenge. Decided to start another one and over the last few days tried to figure out what it would be. Finally decided on a picture a day for 30 days, with a twist ... also talking about the pictures I didn't take.
So, for day one, here is the photo I took:

Rear Wheels

I'm not sure what attracted me to this image, but I turned my head to check for traffic while waiting at the stop sign and there it was. Which is why it isn't a great image -- trying to sneak it with my cell phone at that distance ...

I liked the circles and the lines. I like the image of the bikes stacked, same kind of bikes, all in a row. I think I liked what it symbolizes -- "in our family we bike together." (I say family because these were all parked there before 8 am in the morning.)

Now for the images I didn't take. I was out for a walk this morning, and the sun shining, making its way high into the sky over the Choptank River, was captivating. I have lots of those pictures with a better camera, so while I didn't photograph it, I still looked at it a while, enjoying the individual points of light glistening off the water and the warmth of the sun on my face (oh and wondering if I am going to have raccoon eyes because of my sunglasses).

Also on my walk I saw a bird chasing a squirrel. The squirrel headed up the trunk of the tree and the bird cut it off at the pass. The squirrel headed down and across the pavement and the bird tried to land on its head. The squirrel doubled-back towards the tree and the bird turned around to give chase. I didn't take that one because I was too amazed to take my eyes off it and because a still on the phone camera wouldn't do. I would need a video to do it justice and didn't think I could get it together in time.

Finally, I walked past some people fishing and on a couple of the poles, little bells were mounted to ring if something tugged on the line. That was interesting in itself, I'd never seen that before. But then, one started ringing and the fisherman, who was manning another line, rushed over, but it had stopped ringing.

That was Day 1.