"Trees are poems that earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness."  ~Kahlil Gibran

I spent some time with ancient cottonwood trees in California, and am enjoying manipulating them.  I haven't been submitting to themes lately, but it is +Tree Tuesday ,   #treetuesday  with +Allan Cabrera, +Christina Lawrie and +Shannon S. Myers. 

Three feet of fresh snow!  Yippee!!!  It is hard to hike cross country here since we have deep hummocks, chest high fireweed and willow brush.  Enough snow smooths out the bumps and we can snow shoe over the top of it and go anywhere.  Plus the bears are sleeping!  This is a strange photo, but I like the weird shadows...  

A fleeting glimpse of something with an ephemeral nature.  I happened to pass through a dark forest just as the angle of the setting sun was perfect to send beams of light through drops of melting frost on hanging bits of dead moss.  I had about 5 minutes before the light changed.  It looked so magical, and I didn't get get the perfect focus so have been back several times at the same time of day trying to catch it again, but the moss is dry or the clouds come in.  So many things are like that; we don't usually get a second chance.

This might fit for +Photo Journal Worldwide with +andi rivarola !   I finished some of my projects (check the end of the about section in my profile for links if you are interested) but accidentally signed up for two more Coursera courses so will still have limited time here but will check in when I can, and always on Fridays!

Is anybody out there?

There are billions of planets in the Milky Way that could support life, and recent advances in planetary science have changed fundamental assumptions about the possibility of life in the universe.

I just finished a Coursera course on Astrobiology, and the odds are good!

http://www.space.com/15060-billions-habitable-alien-planets-red-dwarfs.html

This is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday   with +Irene Kato , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger , +Heiko Mahr, +Jon Beall , and +Alex Lapidus.

Happy Friday! 

They say "Don't go towards the light!", but I had to take a photo of it...

Of course this is for #alienabductionfriday , +Alien Abduction Friday with +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr and +Jon Beall .

Happy Friday!! 

More snow (and more on the way)!!  We now have 5 feet...The last storm took out the electricity and internet for a while, but the snowshoeing is wonderful!  We snowshoe 1/4 mile through this area to get out to the plowed road, and haul groceries in on a sled.  I almost always enjoy the trek, and get lots of photos on the way!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Low tide on the Turnagain Arm on the Cook Inlet near Hope, Alaska.  This is the first of many photos I will be posting from our recent road trip. This is the view from one of our free campsites, and it was very interesting to see the water come in and fill in the patterns in the sand on this beach.  We headed in this direction to see the bore tide which was supposed to create a three foot wave, but we were not in the best location when it came through!  The Turnagain arm has the largest tidal range in the US.  

“hark, now hear the sailors cry, 
smell the sea, and feel the sky 
let your soul & spirit fly, into the mystic...”  ― Van Morrison

From Friday at the beach....I wish I had stepped back a bit and included the tip of the foam, but the wind was blowing and my fingers were freezing.  Some days you just enjoy the experience and take what you can get!  

"To bring anything into your life, imagine it is already there"  - Richard Bach

From last Friday at the beach...Otters playing in the waves and lots of shorebirds.  A much needed break from snow.  It looks like we are getting a break again today, and I am heading back to the beach!  Enjoy your day!  :)

Is it Friday already?  Things are getting weirder here, and I could be caught in a time warp...I am missing a few days this week!  I might need some help from my friends at +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with +Alex Lapidus , +Heiko Mahr , +Irene Kato , +Jon Beall , +Karl Geiger Jr  and +Karl Geiger .

Happy Friday!  

More aurora borealis from Saturday night...It was a grand show!  The predictions for it have been wrong lately so we never know when it will show up, or how long it will last.  The element of surprise makes seeing it even more wonderful!  

The beaches here are different every time I visit with tides, seasons, weather and clouds.  Earlier in the week biting wind was whipping frothy waves, but yesterday at sunset all was calm.  Variety is good!  There should be snow for Christmas...  :)

For +Landscape Photography #landscapephotography +Landscape Photography +Margaret Tompkins +Carra Riley +paul t beard +David Heath Williams
+Bill Wood +Jim Warthman +Ben T +jeff beddow  +Tom Hierl
+Vishal Kumar +Michael Blyde 

8,000 years ago, these symbols were chipped into the volcanic rock on the eastern side of the Sierras in California.  When I visited these petroglyphs last week I could tell right away that they were documentation of early alien encounters!  Of course this is for #alienabductionfriday  , +Alien Abduction Friday with my friends +Irene Kato , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr ,  +Heiko Mahr ,  +Jon Beall, and +Alex Lapidus .

I am back in Alaska, and am so glad it is warmer here now than when I left.  Happy Friday!  Have a wonderful weekend...  ::)

Northern lights from last night!!  I was up until 3 am watching them, but the show is worth missing sleep for.  It filled the entire sky, and was pulsing and flickering!  One of the best shows we have seen so far, and they are supposed to be back tonight.  I am tired, but happy!  

"Those less grounded in reality often soar higher because they believe they can."

Sunset at the beach from yesterday!  The waves weren't as big, but it was still beautiful.  A chilly 9 degrees F but worth every minute to be out enjoying it.  

A little northern light glow from last night!  We might see it again tonight, and maybe on Monday too... Even a little show is worth missing sleep for, and it is wonderful to be out in the crisp night air gazing at the stars.  Hope your weekend was good!

"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake"  - Thoreau 

A photo from Saturday, with a texture added for fun.  Interesting clouds passing over the sun, and flocks of birds swirling around in the wind...Very dynamic, my type of day.  

I wasn't at all moody, but this might work for +Moody Monday  #moodymonday ...   Happy Monday!  

My last involuntary space flight was a nightmare!  I was transported in a funky old ship that barely made it to the medical center.  We need to advocate for abductee's right to safe and humane transport.  Will you sign my petition?

This is obviously for +Alien Abduction Friday, #alienabductionfriday  with the wonderful +Irene Kato , +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr and +Jon Beall.  I will tag +Alex Lapidus also in case he gets internet in other sectors of the universe.

Happy Friday!  

No Regrets - I will never regret a decision to goof off and walk on the beach.  On my death bed, I will not say that I should have spent more time working, or that I should have kept a cleaner house.  I will never regret seeing too many sunsets.

I decided to quote myself today!  A wonderful day at the beach yesterday, strangely warm for November.   

This will work for +Landscape Photography with +Margaret Tompkins, +Carra Riley , +paul t beard , +David Heath Williams 

I have shared this photo before, but part of the requirement for submitting to the  #PlusOneCollection2012 is posting the submission...  

This is a three exposure HDR of the historic Kennecott Mine in one of my favorite National Parks, Wrangell St. Elias.  I only had a short time to spend there last summer, and will definitely go back!  Walking on the glacier past the mine area was a breathtaking experience.  

It isn't too late to submit an image for the Plus One Collection, the deadline is 1/16. For more info and instructions follow this link : http://plusonecollection.com/about-the-book/

This is a wonderful project with all proceeds going to provide digital cameras for underpriveledged children in Kenya.  Thanks to +Andy Lee and +Ivan Makarov for coordinating this effort!  

Today I will be shoveling snow, but Friday was a good day at the beach!  A sweet family wandered into my shot.  I love it when that happens.

Sorry I haven't been around here as much...I am working on some projects and trying to be disciplined about it.  I will probably post at least twice a week.  You might see pluses instead of comments for the next few weeks but I will stop by when I can!

My Road
Is sometimes rough
Can be lonely
Is always beautiful

For +HDR the World with +Karl Geiger Jr !

Things we leave behind - Remains of the Kennecott Mine in Wranglell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.  It was falling down, and now they are fixing it up.  The environmentalist in me wonders what the landscape looked like without the buildings but it was very cool to explore and get a glimpse of the past.

Gray days, bad clouds...I had to play with unprocessed summer photos to come up with new images this week.  Fortunately I have billions of them!  I couldn't help adding birds...  

Postcard from a water planet....Wish you were here!

Of course this is for #alienabductionfriday  , +Alien Abduction Friday with my friends +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall , +Karl Geiger Jr and +Karl Geiger .  Check out the awesome new collage on the +Alien Abduction Friday page!

I will be boarding a plane for California in a few hours and will be away from here for a week.  It will be nice to be warm and get away from snow!.  I will catch up when I get back... Have a wonderful week!    :)

The Kenai River (in HDR) taken earlier this week.

 We had a few beautiful days before it started to rain and did a lot of hiking.  The Sockeye salmon are spawning now and the high bush cranberries are ripe so there is a lot of bear activity.  At this spot the grizzly bear was on the other side of the river, and I didn't get a good photo since I don't have a good zoom lens. Earlier in the day the bear was on the trail, but I didn't get a photo since I was too scared!  We watched The Edge before we left (thanks to +Marianne Skov Jensen !) so were already on edge.  After hiking in for a few miles, we saw a large pile of bear poop (full of berries) on the trail.  We kept going, and passed by a moose skeleton, and more bear poop, and then as we got closer to the river there were mutilated fish bodies on the trail.  After the 5th pile of fresh steaming bear poop, we wisely decided to turn around!  As we were heading back, there was a loud rustling noise in the bushes and it was a bear!!  We made a lot of noise as to not surprise it, and moved off the trail so it could pass by, gripping our tripods to use as weapons if it charged.  Thankfully it moved away, but my heart was pounding and I was so glad to get back to the parking lot.  We want to go back since the river was gorgeous, but will at least have pepper spray next time!

For +HDR the World curated by +Karl Geiger Jr  and +Landscape Photography , #landscapephotography   curated by +Margaret Tompkins , +Carra Riley, +paul t beard , +David Heath Williams , and +Bill Wood 

I found this when I was processing my photos from the high desert!  It was probably just a lone scout, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were building a base in these remote areas.  Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with my friends +Irene Kato , +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Jon Beall and +Alex Lapidus .

Happy Friday!!

Going With the Flow - Another abstract made from combining three different photos in different overlay blending modes. I am doing a lot of these lately, and having a lot of fun with it! And a quote I like:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

For +Abstract Xpression and a late entry for +AbstractArtMonday . Someday I will get my act together, or not!

Forest Lake in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge - We had some stormy days on our last trip, but it made for some interesting clouds!  The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is nearly 2 million protected acres, and there are two dirt roads we take into it to get away from crowds.  We didn't see anyone on the hiking trails when we were there, and there was no one else camping at the little lakes we like to visit.  Maybe because of the unsettled weather! There are lots of little lakes like this one, and a few canoe routes that include 30 lakes with small portages between them.  A kayak is on my wish list!  Last year this time we saw trumpeter swans, but there were none this year and not many loons or ducks.  I hope they are just late showing up, but this worries me...

I will tag this to +Moody Monday  and +Monochrome Monday, but I don't see much activity on these!  Happy Monday! 

Sea grass at sunset.  More experiments with intentional camera movement...In the warm evening light the grass looked like flames against the blue water! 

Have a wonderful weekend!

For  +Unsharp Saturday , #unsharpsaturday   with +Nathan Beaulne #icmphotography  

A sunset from last week when we still had ice for +Moody Monday , #moodymonday  with +Philip Daly and +Carole Buckwalter .

 I am feeling moody today because we are having a heat wave and my beautiful snow and ice is melting!!  Elsewhere, people who should be warm are cold.  Things are getting strange...

This would also work for #landscapephotography +Landscape Photography +Margaret Tompkins +Carra Riley +paul t beard +David Heath Williams +Bill Wood +Jim Warthman +Ben T +jeff beddow +Tom Hierl  +Vishal Kumar  +Michael Blyde  +Carolyn Lim  +Steve Gould  +Jay Gould

While I was out watching the aurora borealis this week, one of my new friends stopped by for a beer.  He ruined my shot, but at least it gave me something to post for +Alien Abduction Friday !   #alienabductionfriday   with +Alex Lapidus , +Irene Kato , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger ,   +Jon Beall   and +Heiko Mahr .  Happy Friday!  

Not a cloud in the sky...I love clouds in my landscape photos, but sometimes nature doesn't cooperate.  We only had good clouds one day on our last little trip, but it was beautiful anyway!  This is the Kenai Lake which forms the headwaters of the Kenai River which is a well known salmon fishing spot.  It is very busy on the main highway, but we found a dirt road going along one side of the lake and followed it for a while, then found the perfect private place for a picnic on the shore.  I want to go back and camp there, on a day with clouds!

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order"  - John Burroughs.

Winter brings good sunsets, a good time to go out hiking.  It will be challenging today with the cold...4 degrees F here now!  Hope your weekend has been good.  

Nothing epic, just another day in my neighborhood.  The snowshoeing has been wonderful!  

Happy Monday!  

A seascape from the Kachemak Bay near Homer Alaska since it is +Waterscape Art Wednesday #WaterscapeArtWednesday curated by +Terrill Welch and +Shawn Lewis.

This is HDR, and as you can tell, my intentions are more artistic than natural! It might make a good background for added elements in a fantasy scene, but I am still trying to decide what to add. Maybe a grand piano?

Strange Days - I was planning to post a normal beach photo today, but started playing around with it and this is how it ended up! If you want a soundtrack that fits, try Nobody Told Me by John Lennon (HD) Digitally Remastered Stereo.

I was in a time warp and missed +SurrealArtSaturday but +Mikko Tyllinen might understand.

Not everything will be okay, but some things will.  

For +HQSP Art, #hqspart   by +Rinus Bakker and +Syuzanna Avetisyan .

Floating  for +Abstract Xpression and +AbstractArtMonday .  I have been photographing bits of natural sea debris floating in the water of the harbor lately, and this is a composite of photos including one of the sun reflected in the water.  

This will be my last post for a while since I will be on a short road trip to see more of Alaska, but should be back this weekend...Have a good week!  

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with my friends +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger and +Jon Beall .

Once a year I try to paint, and this is what happens!  This was supposed to be fiddlehead ferns.  I might be a conduit for a message I am unable to translate!  

Happy Friday!!

"Real freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization." - Charles Lindbergh

On Saturday we spent over an hour watching bald eagles soaring over the Kachemak Bay.  Sometimes two of them would fly together, and then do some strange maneuvers locking talons in mid air.  They don't mate in the air, but it is a mating ritual.  I did get some photos of it, but I like this background better.  :)  Here is a link to a video that shows it:  http://birdnote.org/video/2012/07/bald-eagle-mating-ritual-sky-dancing

Happy Earth Day!  I hope you can get outside and enjoy nature, one of the best ways to celebrate.     #earthday  .

Something from a dream....Or is it a dream?  

For #alienabductionfriday, +Allienabductionfriday with +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr , and +Jon Beall .  

Happy Friday!  

This will be a post and run since we are leaving this afternoon on our next trip! This time we will be going to the interior of Alaska and plan to be near the Arctic Circle for summer solstice on June 20th when the sun never sets.

 It will be another short trip, and we plan to be back on Friday so hopefully I won't miss the aliens...  Have a wonderful week!  

"Our life expresses the result of our dominant thoughts." -Soren Kierkegaard 

I want to think positively...Things are good here, but the news is so disturbing. I want to believe that we will turn things around.  I want to believe that we will do the right thing for the environment and end suffering.  I want to have hope.  I should do more to help...

This is from a sunset at the beach over the weekend, with textures added.  

Something strange crash landed in the Kachemak Bay!  I notified the EPA but they said it wasn't a problem...Don't eat the salmon!

I better report it to  #alienabductionfriday  +Alien Abduction Friday with +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger , +Heiko Mahr and +Jon Beall .  

Happy Friday!  

"Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice"  - Robert Frost

An experiment using my Lensbaby with extension tubes for a macro of ice patterns for #lensbabythursday  with +Gloria Roldan and +AJ Schroetlin.  

Land's End - The beach at the end of the spit in Homer, Alaska.  The spit extends out 4.5 miles into the Kachemak Bay, and gets us closer to those beautiful mountains and glaciers on the other side.  We often see sea otters, various shorebirds and sometimes whales from the spit. We had two weeks with no clouds, but now the clouds are back!  It is hard to take landscape photos without clouds.  

For +Landscape Photography  with +Margaret Tompkins , +Carra Riley , +paul t beard , +Ke Zeng , and +David Heath Williams .      and +LandscapeArtTuesday with +Christina Deubel .  I haven't been tagging things to themes much lately...I guess I get lazy!  But this one also fits for +HDR the World with +Karl Geiger Jr .

I am having fun playing with textures and overlays, and since this has a TREE in it I might as well share it for #treetuesday  , +Tree Tuesday  with +Allan Cabrera , +Christina Lawrie , +Shannon S. Myers , +Kim Troutman and +Ralph Mendoza .

We were out at 3 am watching the Aurora Borealis and saw this!!  Of course I need to report it to  +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with my friends +Irene Kato, +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Jon Beall and +Alex Lapidus !


Happy Friday!  ::)

A little Aurora Borealis - This was a surprise...It wasn't predicted, and yesterday was dark and cloudy.  Around midnight the clouds were gone and a glow appeared in the north.  It wasn't the best and brightest aurora with the moonlight, but the waves of light were rippling and it filled the entire sky.  This was taken at 3am after a 1/4 mile hike in my pajamas by flashlight to find a different view of it.  It was wonderful to be out in the still night watching the stars and the ribbons of light moving overhead while I waited for the long exposures.  You can see Orion in this shot!  It was still going at 4am, but that is when I quit watching.  Nature is so amazing!  I need a nap.

One of my first digital drawings, currently on display in the hallway of the infamous Red Lounge on Venus for #alienabductionfriday . Our curator +Irene Kato might even recognize it!

Some Earthlings don't understand my work, but at least it is popular with the Gargonian miners on Titan. I am submitting a proposal to decorate inside the drawers in the unisex powder room of the intergalactic space bar, so wish me luck!

Also for +PaintIt Club and +Arty Dropout, and of course #owcbn and #gplusaliennation .

“Fly without wings; 
Dream with open eyes; 
See in darkness.”   -   Dejan Stojanovic

Last week it was snowing, and now we have no clouds!  The frustrations of a landscape photographer...While I wait for good clouds, I am playing with old photos and this is a composite with a texture layer.  Hope you are having a good week!

A scary shadow monster for #treetuesday , +Tree Tuesday with +Allan Cabrera , +Shannon S. Myers , +Christina Lawrie and +Ralph Mendoza.

Another one from my California trip! 

Strange phenomenon seen in the sky over the Kachemak Bay for #alienabductionfriday  with +Irene Kato and #owcbn  and #gplusaliennation  .  There was a glowing orb hovering over the water, then this burst of light as it disappeared.  It could have been an intergalactic fishing tender, but maybe they have been working with some of our large aquatic species on how to save the earth from our shortsighted exploitation... 

We are heading out on another trip tomorrow, this time to Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Valdez.   I will be back in a week, hopefully with more photos of Alaska!  

Something wicked this way comes....Happy Halloween!  

Best of luck to those on the east coast who are recovering from the storm.  I hope everyone is safe!

This might work for #halloweentown , +Halloween Town  with +lane langmade , +Shantha Marie Fountain , +Gene Bowker  and +Brad Buckmaster  #halloween  

*Special Alert for #alienabductionfriday * and +Irene Kato: The aliens have apparently taken over the communication systems in Alaska!! My radio is static, my phone doesn't work and there is no TV!! (Maybe because I don't have cable..). Good thing I still have the internet to send in this report!

Happy Friday!! ::::)

#GplusAlienNation #OWCBN

To another year of creative experiments, colorful sunsets, exploration, wild beauty, natural magic, mental challenges, good books, weird dreams, alien madness, gypsy music, art, laughter, love and friendship...Not necessarily in that order!  

Happy New Year!! 

"In response to those who say to stop dreaming and face reality, I say keep
dreaming and make reality."  ~Kristian Kan

I am busy chasing another dream... After our last trip to different areas of Alaska, we impulsively decided to put our house in Homer up for sale and try to move to Talkeetna, which is a small town closer to those wonderful dirt roads and wild areas we traveled through.  Homer and the Kenai Peninsula are beautiful, but we have been here two years and have explored much of it and are ready to see other parts of Alaska.  I used to call myself a semi-nomadic back road traveler, and I guess that still fits!  I will still be around here when I can, just less while we are in transition.  Our property might not sell, but we have to keep chasing our dreams!  

Happy Sunday!  

"When you consider things like the stars, our affairs don't seem to matter very much, do they?"  - Virginia Woolf

I was inspired by +Allan Colton to try some night photography, but mine doesn't turn out the same!  Oh well, at least I have something to share with +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  and my friends +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger and +Jon Beall.

Happy Friday!  

More of the aurora borealis, as promised! This is from last Thursday, which was my favorite night because we could see purple tones. We had three nights of this wonderful light show last week. There is no way to really capture how amazing it was to see these streaming lights filling most of the sky, but maybe you can imagine it!

+Sky Sunday - Photography Theme and +Zen Sunday

Another one from my Strange Days album, since this is what my mind feels like this morning! And a song to go with it : The Doors - Strange days (with lyrics)

Enjoy your day, especially if it is strange!

Beyond Tomorrow for +SurrealArtSaturday with +Mikko Tyllinen. And a quote I like:

"We could have saved the earth but we were too damned cheap" -Kurt Vonnegut

Thanks to +Karl Geiger for giving me some full moons to play with... Have a good weekend!

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey."
- Fitzhugh Mullan

Since I have been sharing road trip photos, I might as well include the road!  This is part of the Denali Highway with views of the Alaska range.  This part looked like the Sierras to me, but with spruce trees.  We passed many small lakes, some with wild swans...Beautiful and very peaceful! 

I intended to take a nice photo of the mountains for Mountain Monday, but when I zoomed in there was a UFO crash landing in my shot!  Oh well, it will work for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  , with +Alex Lapidus, +Irene Kato, +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger, +Heiko Mahr , and +Jon Beall .

Happy Friday!!  

This is what happens when clouds come in during an aurora borealis show!  Eventually the clouds blocked it out entirely.  

If you want to see some excellent aurora shots, check out +Helge Korneliussen from Norway.  I would like to get something different in the foreground, but the mountains are to the south and the lights are in the north....

Happy Monday!

The view from Bear Mountain, a sweet hiking trail in the Kenai Wildlife Refuge.  There were no cars in the parking lot, probably because the rangers posted a flier at the trail head warning that bears had been spotted.  We didn't see a bear, just droppings, and the view at the top was fabulous!  Too bad it was in the middle of the day...I want to go back next summer when I am not shooting into the sun!  

Nuclear Sunset for #postapocalypticworld  with +Mathew Hanley .  Straight from my nightmares...

I don't usually make two posts in one day, but don't want to miss the deadline for this theme.  I can't pass up a chance to play around with Photoshop!  

Meadow circles?? Kind of like crop circles...When I go outside in the morning, there are three or more large circles where the vegetation has been flattened.  Could these be left by the landing of alien spaceships?  Also, the broccoli in my vegetable garden is missing!  They might be rading my garden for food to feed the abducted humans...This is a mystery for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  and our fabulous curator +Irene Kato .    Happy Friday!!

Extraterrestrial Teenagers on a Joyride in the Family Saucer - For #aliendabductionfriday with +Irene Kato!! They probably got into the Alien Ale...

Something fun to do with the full moon shots I took last weekend. I love Fridays...

Be sure to check out the streams of +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr and +Heiko Mahr for some creative alien madness!

A UHO (Unidentified Hovering Object) spotted over the Kachemak Bay...I better report this to +Alien Abduction Friday.  It looks like a planet, with a smaller one below it.  A bad day to forget my zoom lens....Any idea what this could be?

#alienabductionfriday  , with +Alex Lapidus with help from +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger (possibly abducted), +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall and of course +Irene Kato . 

I posted this before listening to the news...I decided to remove my Happy Friday since it sure doesn't feel happy now.  These are strange times.

First Snow - At least the first snow that I have proof of!  +Rob Patterson wanted a snow photo, so here is one from yesterday, with a texture layer added since it looked gray and bleak.  It snowed more last night, and it will be beautiful when the sun comes out again.  We have three inches!

A wave from a beach near Homer Alaska taken yesterday, and some Mermen music to go with it 
The Mermen - With No Definite Future and no Purpose... (1995)

We get some wonderful waves in the winter, almost like California but a bit colder.  It was around 15 degrees F with ice forming and slush in the water. Despite the cold, a beautiful day at the beach!  

Finally, irrefutable proof of aliens in Alaskan!  An unaltered photo of a space craft on Skyline Drive near Homer.  You can trust me, right?  

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday  #alienabductionfriday  with +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall   and +Irene Kato .

Happy Friday!  

Just one of the scenes I witnessed this week!  Sorry I haven't been around much...Things are getting crazy around here.     

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with my friends +Irene Kato , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall and +Alex Lapidus.

Happy Friday!!

Two aliens in a snow storm!  You can see them, can't you?  Not the best photo...They stopped by on Christmas eve for some spiced rum!  

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday   with +Alex Lapidus, +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger , +Jon Beall , +Heiko Mahr  and +Irene Kato .

Happy Friday!  

This will be a post and run, since the sun is shining and we are going on another little camping trip to get away from the house selling madness!  I will be back again on Friday.   

This photo was taken on Denali Hwy. on our last trip.  I still haven't gone through all the pictures!  I almost look forward to being snowed in so I can catch up...

Have a wonderful week!

"There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew."  - Marshall McLuhan

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  with my friends +Irene Kato ,  +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall and +Alex Lapidus .    (I will also tag +Rob Patterson since he is interested in Photoshop little planets!)  

Happy Friday!!  

A photographic abstract using 4 different photos with natural and industrial elements for +Abstract Xpression with +Alexius Jørgensen.

"The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colours, which at every succeeding moment it presents to you are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts." - James Allen the author of As A Man Thinketh (1902)

Open spaces wide enough for dreams
Dirt trails leading nowhere
The sound of silence, the voice of the wind.

The high desert on the eastern side of the Sierras is one of my favorite places to visit, and I can't wait to go back and spend more time there.  A week was not enough!

The Russian church and cemetery at Nikiski Alaska taken on a little road trip last week. There are quite a few Russian communities in our area, and we see the women in long colorful dresses and head scarves shopping and even on the beach. It seems like they would have a traditional lifestyle, but are usually driving large SUVs and using cell phones! An interesting mix.

for +Monochrome Monday with +Manuel Votta #monochronemonday and +Moody Monday with +Philip Daly and +Carole Buckwalter.

"Wilderness is not a luxury, but a necessity of human spirit"  - Edward Abbey

Another trip photo!  I loved the clouds coming over the top of the mountains....  Enjoy your day! 

Of course this is for #alienabductionfriday  curated by the wonderful +Irene Kato !   There was some speculation among the #gplusaliennation  that I was abducted last week, and I just laughed it off...Then I found this image in my camera!!  Now I am not sure....

Happy Friday!  

Documentation of a mass abduction in Homer Alaska for +Alien Abduction Friday, #alienabductionfriday , with +Alex Lapidus, +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr, +Heiko Mahr, +Jon Beall, and +Irene Kato !

I ran after taking this shot, and am glad I have proof because no one remembers a thing about it!  Happy Friday.....

Playing with fire,  and a song to go with it: 
The Rolling Stones- Play With Fire -HQ

Cremora does burn, and adding sawdust makes things interesting!  It is good to have an empty snow field for these experiments.   Happy Monday!

A photo of the Kachemak bay from yesterday (in HDR with a few tweaks....I can't seem to help it!). We are having stormy weather, and I feel sorry for all those tourists camping on the spit in the rain. Hope you are having a good weekend!

Before the Storm - I wanted to post a totally normal photo today to balance out all the alien madness that will surely ensue tomorrow!! This is in HDR, of course, and was taken at the beach this week. I can't find a theme to submit it to, I am always on the wrong day! I know what I will be submitting to tomorrow though...Enjoy your day!

Another photo of the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet from our Kenai Peninsula road trip last week.  I climbed up a hill to get a good view...  I have the maps out and am planning our next trip heading towards Denali.  We might leave next week if the weather is good!   

A UFO (Unidentified Floating Object) spotted off the coast of Alaska for +Alien Abduction Friday !  They said to watch the skies, but what about the seas?

#alienabductionfriday   with +Irene Kato (lost in space), +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger , +Heiko Mahr  and +Jon Beall 

Happy Friday!!  :::)

Since my last abduction, this is what I see when I close my eyes.  Is that bad?

B-52's Planet Clair

Of course this is for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday   with the wonderful +Irene Kato , +Alex Lapidus , +Heiko Mahr , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Karl Geiger Jr and +Jon Beall .

Happy Friday!!!  

The Best Show in Town!
Coming Soon to a Sky Near You...
I Can't Wait to See it Again!

And the admission is FREE!  Be sure to look up...  

Something weird in the woods for +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday   with +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall and +Irene Kato.

I could tell the story, but some things are better left to the imagination!  Happy Friday!  

Bishop's Beach for +LandscapeArtTuesday and +Sea Tuesday. There is still at lot of snow around our house up on the ridge, and it is not very attractive in this stage so the best photos are to be had at the beach. I am trying to shoot some backgrounds that can be used later in photo manipulation, so will be going back again today. Nice to have an excuse to spend time walking at the beach....This one is in HDR, as you can probably tell, and my intentions with it were more artistic than realistic!

Enjoy your day!

I wasn't going to post today, feeling lazy on a warm (for Alaska) Sunday afternoon...I have been working on this image, and it fits the mood.  Here is some music to go with it:
Janis Joplin - Summertime 1968

Kenai Lake with clouds, from our last trip.  This is the same spot I took a photo in summer without a cloud in the sky...A very different look!  We found a special free and private camping spot on this beach, perfect since there is also a creek and forest to explore.  The blue of this lake and the Kenai river is from glacial melt and it really is this color.  We ended up heading home because of the storm, but I enjoyed practicing some long exposure photos of the little creek flowing into the lake before we left.  This is long exposure and HDR, just for fun.  For +HDR the World with +Karl Geiger Jr  and +Landscape Photography , #landscapephotography  .

A Hyperwarp Thought Transference Continuum  (or a photomanipulation of Christmas lights).... whichever you prefer!  Pick the first one, it is more fun.  

For +Alien Abduction Friday  #alienabductionfriday with +Alex Lapidus , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr , +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall and of course +Irene Kato 

Happy Friday!!
 

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were, but without it we go nowhere.”  - Carl Sagan

The sun shining through frost, taken with my Lensbaby.  We are having weirdly warm weather for Alaska, and days of bright sun but at least there is frost on the car windows in the morning!  One of my favorite things to shoot.  

"The belief that one's own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous of all delusions."  - Paul Watzlawick 

My reality is askew today!  Good thing it is +Alien Abduction Friday , #alienabductionfriday  so I can get help from my friends including curators +Irene Kato,  +Heiko Mahr , +Jon Beall , +Karl Geiger , +Karl Geiger Jr and +Alex Lapidus .  

ʎɐpıɹF ʎddɐH !!

Some surreal reflections for +SurrealArtSaturday with +Mikko Tyllinen!  I have been fascinated by the distorted reflections as we move through the harbor in our little boat. Soon we will pull it out of the water for the season, but hopefully  we can take it out again today since the sun is shining...  Have a wonderful weekend!

Waiting for sunset and capturing wave shadows...The processing could be a result of listening to too much Theremin music!  Gene has already mastered it, but I should really stick to hand drums...

Some winter sun glow through a tree I like to visit (with textures added).  On these short winter days, every beam hitting my face is precious.

Last night we finally got a few inches of snow!  The landscape is transformed, and I can't wait to get out and take photos of it.  Happy Monday!!