It’s time for a little something

for Six Word Saturday and (for that little touch of purple), Life in Colour: purple

Lens-Artists Challenge #121 – Focus on the Subject

I was excited to see that the Lens-Artists challenge theme would be announced the prior week…until I saw that Patti’s theme was “Focus on the Subject.” OK. Maybe it didn’t matter that I knew in advance. 🙂 I felt marginally better when Tina said she had to ask Patti the direction she planned to go. Me? I figure as long as I can be on-topic (even if not Patti’s emphasis), I should be good to go.

“Focus” can be a noun or a verb. If you don’t literally focus (v.) on your subject, you might get something like I got here, the focus (n.) on everything other than the bird I wanted you to see.

Of course, you might also find that complete lack of focus (accidental) gives an impression that works, such as “speed” here.

The entire shot might be your focus and in focus…

…or your focus might be just what’s in front of you. Anything more would distract and cause the focus not to be on your subject. Let’s all say together, “Bokeh.”

So…if you focus (v.) on your subject, it will bee the thing that enables others to focus (v.) on your focus (n.), causing the flowering of a beautiful relationship. Ha! How could I resists when my focus (n.) is always on making a trip here as delightful an experience as possible? If it works that gives me a buzz! 🙂 Happy Saturday!

If Pinocchio were a small bird?

for Six Word Saturday

Wordless Wednesday…or is it?

Jo’s morning walk…bathing beauty

Let’s start our walk this morning in the backyard where overnight our torch cactus has lit one glorious torch. I see that there are a multitude of small buds that will soon flower as well, but for now this bloom is alone.

What I see along the canal is about the same as on any other day: fish surfacing briefly for breakfast bugs, ducks, great-tailed grackles, and lots of mourning doves, the latter flushed out of the undergrowth by my approach. However, this is a day for singular sights: the torch bloom first and then on my way home via a new street, I notice a large fountain, a fountain evidently also serving as a shower for one of the most elusive birds since our move. Who knew getting clean could be so much fun? I was astonished to be able to capture this on my phone, but don’t worry, no R-rating here!

Weekly Photo Challenge: State of mind…glass overflowing

This week, Ben’s challenge to us is to:

…let your inner world and the outside one converge in a photo.

People who know me know that I’m generally a glass-more-than-half-full person and although I can get upset, angry, down, or feel that someone has dumped my glass, I am for the most part a happy, positive person who enjoys life.  That’s why I think this photo is perfect: full of color, beauty, an example of getting all the sweetness possible from life (to use and share), and, as those I work with know, of moving quickly!

At rest

In the front desert-style yard, of my parents’ Arizona house, there’s a tree.  One of the first days I was there, I spotted a small, green bird perched on one of the very top, very small branches.  Using my telephoto lens, I got a closer look and confirmed my initial impression that this was a hummingbird.  It’s so unusual to see a hummingbird at rest that I could scarcely believe it.  Day after day, there it was, perched, if not on the same branch, on one in the general vicinity.  Our supposition was that there must be a nest hidden somewhere in that tree and even though the branches and foliage of the tree aren’t thick, I doubt a hummingbird nest is very large and I never spotted it.  Truthfully, I didn’t look all that closely, just enjoyed spotting this colorful character day after day.

I tried to identify it and my best guess is that it’s a Berylline hummingbird.  Take a look if you like and see what you think.  If you can confirm (or deny) that guess, chime right in.  Naturally, if you deny, I’d love to hear what type you think it is.  But no matter the name, it’s a little beauty shown, in this photo, with a few ruffled feathers.  Hey, we all have days when our feathers get a little ruffled.  Doesn’t make us bad birds!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Off-Season…dessert in the desert

One of our best off-season adventures was many years ago when our girls were young.  Since we home schooled them, we could go on vacation when others were in school and that’s just what we did when we met my parents at Busch Gardens, Florida.  There were hardly any people there, so we we went from ride to ride with nary a wait in line, except a small one at the water ride.  The best story, though, was when our older daughter wanted to go on a ride that she was technically to small to board.  The attendant let us on and said, “If you need me to stop it, just put up your hand.”  When her eyes started looking like those of a cartoon character, almost rolling around, I asked the woman in the next car to put up her hand (as I was holding our daughter), and the ride was stopped.

Not long ago, our younger daughter and I went to Arizona, not the thing usually done in summer.  Many people, at least retirees, were gone for the summer–snowbirds, as they’re often called.  The weather started at a “mild” 90 or so, but each day got hotter and hotter.  Yes, the dry heat is easier to endure, but, yes, it’s still hot.  On a day when the mercury climbed over 100, we visited the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix where I came across someone indulging in sweets.  No snowbird this and obviously not bothered by the heat!