Shane is 5!

Happy Birthday Shane!     He was very happy and surprised with his first skateboard.  Taken with iPhone, Hipstamatic app.

iPhone posting

Shot in Hipstamatic, sharpened and frame added  with Perfect Photo. 

Shot with ProHDR

Here are two photos shot with my iPhone.

Bottom one was taken in Spanish Village, Balboa Park.

Rose is from my garden.  

That iPhone is so much fun, and lots of new apps to explore.

Plant shopping today

Succulent (Hipstamatic app) 

Succulent, love the symmetry.  

Plumeria 

I went "shopping" for ideas today ... time to start planning the garden and succulents and drought-tolerant plants are at the top of my list.  Water is very expensive in San Diego, I learned that 95% of our water is purchased, so while the state of California is off water restriction (the drought is over), the water companies here are asking us to continue to conserve on water use.

Today I scouted out two nurseries that deal with drought-tolerant  plants.  The plumeria was found at a nursery that specializes in "tropical" plants.  Took a few photos with the iPhone,  these were my top 3 favorites.

Surfing Madonna

There's a very controversial new work of art in Encinitas, under the railroad bridge on one of the busiest streets in town.  Apparently individuals posing as city employees (hard hats, yellow uniforms) erected the stained-glass mosaic of a surfing "Our Lady of Guadalupe."   It has been debated in city council as the city wants it removed, the majority of the community seem to want it to stay.

It's not in a great place to view it because there's just a narrow sidewalk, and when the signal changes you don't dare step backwards off the walk for fear of being hit.    It's an incredible piece of art and perfect for a surfing community.  Hopefully it'll find a good home (there are offers, apparently) and hung in a place for all to see.

The second  photo is a close up to show the detail.

San Diego Safari Park with my iPhone

I had to make a quick trip up to the Safari Park to pick up some paperwork and decided to take my morning walk there!  Using the iPhone and a new app (Pro HDR) I started shooting -- learned a lot.  I liked the one photo (above) of the cactus.   Pretty amazing app.

The B&W on the right was with the Hipstamatic app.    It's so much fun.  

Manzanar

In the 70's I read a book that made a huge impression on me. It was Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston.  She was one of the Japanese who were in internment camps -- she and her family were  at Manzanar (north of Lone Pine on Hwy 395).

Today it is a  National Historic Site and open to the public.   It was quite moving driving through the site, realizing that the Japanese who were relocated here lost everything when they moved here, then again after the war when the camp was closed and they had to relocate once again.

This monument was erected in 1943 by the Manzanar Japanese who were living here.  It was designed and built by them, and funded by a 15-cent donation from each family in the camp.  The Japanese characters read "Soul Consoling Tower."   It was, and is, considered to be a sacred place at the camp.

This week's assignment is the letter T

These T's are straight out of the camera (well some cropping needed).  I liked the little metal "hairs" above the white T.  (Eyebrows  ?)

Especially liked the metal sculptural "T" on the right.

Alphabet class is still going on ...

Finally caught up.  These are just a few of my letters I posted in class.  The Q was drawn for me by my granddaughter  -- Thanks, Ellery!    By the end of the class I'll have enough letters to do some words using all of them.   Some letters are just as show, but in this group the S was layered with a background and run through the different blend modes in Photoshop.   Enjoy!

A rose in the garden ...

It was fun wandering around all the beautiful rose bushes in the new yard at my son & dtr-in-law's house.  This was one of my favorite photos. 

Close up from the orchard

My son  & daughter-in-law just moved into a lovely home in the SF Bay area and the yard has many old, well-established fruit trees.  The orange trees are loaded with blossoms (and bees), and I couldn't resist a few photos of the blossoms.  The oranges still on the tree were picked and we had the best home-made fresh orange juice!   Thanks girls for your hard work squeezing all the oranges.  

Hi again ...

The last part of April was a busy time, lots of photography but not a lot of computer time.  I hung out with my two granddaughters up in the SF Bay area.  We visited a friend in Capitola, made a trip to the Coyota Point Museum, and lots of activities during their spring break.  I'll be posting the next few days with photos from the past week.  Hope you enjoy them!

This is Odin, one of their cats.  I loved these shots, early morning light in the kitchen, Odin seemed to be enjoying the warmth from the sun.   Do you have a favorite?