Author: -N-

Outside St. George, Utah

Red rock formations are stunning. Utah is filled with them, with Bryce and Zion National Parks presenting stunning examples of not only the rocks, but arches and canyons.

Driving through Utah is a trip into a wonderful land, brimming with natural beauty besides the red rocks – the Great Salt Lake, mountains, ranch land, forests, and so much that it is hard to even begin to describe. Add to that, it holds a special place in American history as it is where the persecuted Mormons (Church of Latter Day Saints) found sanctuary.

Back in the 80s, I drove through St. George, Utah, when I returned to California to live.  Just a few years back,  we visited on a family road trip – it was far bigger than I remember, but just as beautiful.

Our Daily Bread

I have been in a funk about photography – bad weather is my excuse about not getting out. Laziness is more the reality. And, a total lack of inspiration. We all go through these funks, but it gets exciting when interest picks up again, often with fresh eyes and thoughts.

I started the Instax Printer Project to just get me to do things. Hiking is really what gets me oot-and-aboot to make pictures. On the other hand, it can be a challenge, and a pleasure, to photograph the mundane. Bread and butter is mundane, but homemade rye bread and butter is a different story! I made some yesterday, and managed not to gobble it down just out of the oven.

Oh, yum!

Porridge in the Morning

In the US porridge is known as oat meal. Depending on your word preference, call it as you will. I know one mother who calls it porridge so her kids will eat it – they won’t eat meal. As a child, I had no idea what Goldilocks and the three bears were eating and I wondered about it for years.

Today, my breakfast with a bit of yogurt and raisins – a daily dish for the most part!

A Bit of Snow

Where I live there isn’t a very big likelihood of snow. At higher elevations, yes, but here in coastal California, 800 feet isn’t gonna get it.

So, I dream.

I’ve lived in some places with stunning countryside, such as rural Illinois, upstate New York, in the Rockies of Colorado. Snow was beautiful and thrilling. As a kid, it’s a wonderland, but I remember my mother would always kvetch about all the little mittens, the snowsuits, the boots, the scarves, the this and that to get a herd of kids dressed to play – and then ten minutes later, they are all back in the house.

Poor Ma!

Landscape Quickie with One Brush

In keeping with yesterday’s quickies, today I present you with another timed study. This time I used only one brush to do everything. It was a 3/4 inch flat brush, rather stiff, and not able to hold a lot of water. It’s always a challenge to do a timed study, but also more challenging when one brush is used for everything.

Oops! I did you a fine line brush for some things, like the trees in the middle left, the windows in the buildings, and some of the grasses in the foreground. However, the flat brush did produce everything else, even the tree trunks. Practice like this is a lot of fun.