Macro Monday --- It's been Too Long!

It's been way too long since I participated in Macro Monday and I have missed everyone! So, as I try to get back on track, I was going through some macro shots I took in my aunt and uncle's garden last month. They have such a beautiful back yard and the early spring day was perfect for getting some shots of new life.

I just love this close up of baby pine cones!

And how about these Bleeding Hearts. So unusual!

The apple blossoms were fully opened with a few more waiting their turn.

The whole apple tree was so pretty!

My aunt's favorites are Hastas and she puts new ones in every year. I love the variegated leaves.

Every leaf has it's own design.

I've been taking more photos lately. Spring and summer are so much more fun for photo shoots!

It's good to be back! Now to explore every one's blogs!

Macro Monday --- Moulting Goldfinches

I've been a baaaad blogger lately, especially over here with my favorite photographers. Cardmaking has taken up a lot of my time during the winter months, so Made For Keeps has gotten more attention. I even did a post on The Family Branson last weekend.

Now that spring is here my photo mojo is reawakening. We don't have leaves on the trees yet but many of the flowering trees have displayed their short-lived glory.

I love the Bradford Pear trees and Branson seems to have the largest stand of Bradfords anywhere! Now the redbuds are, well, red! Actually, they look more purple to me, but I'm not going to get hung up on semantics when the tree is so pretty.

But I have to say that the dogwoods are my favorites. They are loners, sprouting up in forested areas and roadsides one tree at a time. Then, before the oaks and black walnuts are covered with leaves, the dogwoods' delicate pink flowers draw attention. An angelic figure in the winter-bare woods, one will actually glow in the moonlight.

Then there are the birds of spring! It's like family coming home when I see the robins and red-winged blackbirds, indigo buntings and hummingbirds at their feeders. Even though the goldfinches are here during the winter, the males are in their plain brown feathers, looking like the females. But now they are moulting, revealing once again the bright yellow feathers that make them look like sun beams darting through the trees. Here are some photos of their transformation. I could never get this close to them, so I used my 400mm zoom from the deck.

It's Macro Monday over at Lisa's Chaos, though I am a bit late. Hopefully, I will be back more often with new and improved photos! Thanks for stopping by! For really awesome macros jog over to Lisa's place and check out the photos from others from all around the world --- add your own, too!

Macro Monday --- Sea Creatures

It has been a while since I posted anything for Macro Monday, but I have some fun close-ups of deep sea creatures. A couple of weeks ago I was in Virginia to spend some time with my son before he shipped out for five months. One of the places we toured was the Virginia Aquarium. I love aquariums --- I don't like being on or in the ocean, but the undersea creatures fascinate me.
Some of these animals are very funny looking, like this guy. He must be very narrow-minded!

Then there are those that love to be pampered. It looks like Scott is scratching a serious itch on this sea turtle.
"Aaaaahh! Thanks, man!"
There are the incredibly gorgeous --- albeit venomous --- lion fish.

I never noticed the beautiful aqua colors on their fins.

From the exotically beautiful to the powerfully dangerous....

.... and the silliness!

The manta ray pool is always full of graceful, playful creatures. Some seemed to be trying to climb out!

This manta was actually as iridescent as the photo shows. So pretty!

Scott seems to make friends everywhere he goes! He was having quite a conversation with this old guy.... glub glub glub.

Do you have some close up views of your world? Join us over at Lisa's Chaos for Macro Monday!

Macro Monday --- Happy Valentine's Day

I've been absent from Macro Monday lately, but have a very simple one for everybody this week.........

Happy Valentine's Day!

Macro Monday

A few weeks ago Jientje at Heaven In Belgium posted some beautiful photos of Bruges, Belgium. I told her in a comment about how special Bruges is to me, but not because I have ever been there. When I was 16 years old, and in high school art class, I did an oil painting of a photo I had found of a canal bridge in Bruges. This painting was instrumental in forming the artist in me. I did several oil paintings after that, but none for the past 30 years.

When I saw Jientje's photos of Bruges I realized what a charming and beautiful city it is. Maybe I'll get there someday. Those photos have been on my mind since I saw them and my painting is in my living room. So for this week's Macro Monday I am posting my own tribute to Bruges. Thank you Jientje, for your wonderful tour of Bruges.

These are macros of different areas of the painting:

And here is the painting:

If you love to see the world close up, join us in Macro Monday, founded by the Maestra of Macro Lisa. Many wonderful photographers from around the world link up here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Macro Monday --- Delicious Lighthouses

For Macro Monday this week I chose photos of dishes that are very special to us. I have a passion for lighthouses: books, photos, home decor, and, of course, the real ones. So when I saw these dishes displayed on a dining room table at a Penney's home store I just had to get a set. I went to housewares but they didn't have any more and wouldn't be getting them in again. I was more disappointed than you can imagine. But, not giving up that easily, I asked if I could buy the set on display. Well, the very nice associate didn't see why not; they could put another set of dishes out. So she checked with her manager and she came back with good news and bad news. The bad news was that they no longer had the original carton, but no problem, they would carefully wrap the pieces for us. The good news was that we could have the set for $20.00! Original price was $100.00! The only thing I like better than these dishes is the bargain!

There are four place settings and each one is of a different lighthouse. All the dinner plates, luncheon plates, bowls, and mugs are handpainted so there are slight variations. I don't use them often, but they are on display for me to enjoy.

Salt and pepper shakers I found later.

Join us for Macro Monday by visiting Lisa's Chaos for details. It's great fun and we have participants from all over the world!

Macro Monday --- Grandcat Smokey

When my son was deployed to Iraq in 2006 we "adopted" his cat Smokey for the year he was gone. We were living in Arizona at the time. Then a year ago we took her into our new home in Missouri while her "dad" relocated and had sea duties. She will be with us for the next year.

Smokey has traveled by plane twice, cross country by car once, and many other short trips. She is the only cat I've ever had that is so laid back and adaptive that she actually used her potty box in a small tent at the side of the road!

We love her a lot and know we will give her back to Scott, reluctantly. But we also know he misses her a lot and it seems that no matter how long it has been since she has seen him, she knows who her "dad" is. When he sent us a throw for Christmas she climbed into the box before I had it unpacked and has adopted the throw as her own, rolling on it to make sure her scent is firmly embedded!

It took a long time but she and the three little Shih Tzus are co-existing quite nicely. I think when she goes back to Scott he will need to get her a playmate. She is often sitting in her most regal pose and tolerates the camera well. So today she is my Macro Monday model.