Where I Stand Sunday

Time to harvest the popcorn.  I planted 'white' and 'blue'.  White was done, sad that bugs had devoured the ends.  Blue was almost done, I picked it anyway. Their shucks have been pulled back and they are laying on the trailer bed in the sun to dry a little before I hang them in the studio by their husks.

A little bit in the basket, just as I started taking photos for today.

Cleared out some mini-gourds, as well.  Most of these were from a volunteer crop.

I love how they are each a little different.  Glad it was a little overcast when I started..kept the flies at bay for awhile.  Those deer flies are still around.

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Shooting Clouds

This morning - up again - early - hey, this could become a great new beginning - tsk tsk. 

We had rain (actual downpour) yesterday afternoon and thunder and lightning over night...cooled things off just a little, and brought out my favorite friends (not) - the mosquitoes - they will carry a person away.  Clouds turn so quickly some times.  Took the one above, did a 180 - took the next one..

turned back around to look at those cool popcorn clouds and saw they had changed, but had a rainbow sticking out of the bottom.   Reminds me of the blog called Clouds 365 - Community.

Speaking of popcorn, it's almost time!  Garden went to shambles this summer...too many weeds took over while I was away and when I say weeds, I mean the only thing to get them is gloves (to handle the stickers) and a lot of sweaty work which doesn't lend itself well on these hot and mosquito ridden days...oh well, there are still cool gourds, zinnias, sunflowers and I think the popcorn will make it.

Ooo, I hear more thunder.  BTW - rock was not delivered as promised..you try to buy locally and it backfires almost every time.  Supposed to arrive this morning.  That will be a true miracle if they show up.

Where I Stand Sunday

Yesterday, I made a new pastel holder for my pochade box - to paint "plein air".  It is made out of balsa wood and glue gun and little boxes, some of which I had to make.  I chose out the minimum amount of pastels, enough to fit into these boxes.  I hope it is enough...although I know I can mix on site if needed.  I also taped 6 pieces of Wallis paper on foamcore that will fit into the 9" x 12" slots on the pochade, so I am ready to go!!  Then....there is my new (actually used) D70 Nikon, with its 300mm lens attached...what a cool thing that is!!!  Here is a closer look of my little pochade addition...








It's hinged, I will remove the little boxes of pastel and close it up. It's nice to extend the pallette holder so the pastel trays can balance on it - allowing for a little more room for pastels. It all goes on top of a really heavy duty tripod. 

And here is a photo or two that I took with the D70 and the longer lens...love it, love it, love it!!! Herman turned out grainy - why?  I have the ISO turned up to 1600...oops.  The corn is my popcorn drying in the sun...that was an experiment this season...soon we shall try popping it.  If you know me, you know that's my 'FAVE - oh right' thing!

Cashing in on the Mother Lode!!

Hey Mom and Dad, you won't believe it! My neighbor went to the movies in town last night and they gave him the leftover movie popcorn. He in turn gave it to us this morning. We are in heaven! (including dogs, they know when it is around and they swooped to the table where it was set, presented to me a while ago.) But seriously, someone who knows that I love popcorn is anyone in my family! So, should I eat it til I am sick? No. Can I freeze it? Probably not. Well, here's to a few football games or movies this weekend, where I don't have to go into the kitchen and fix some, anyway. I LOOOOVE POPCORN! One of my favorite units to teach to little kids was my "Popcorn" unit about this time of year...so here's to Popcorn!! Leave comments of how YOU like YOUR popcorn and when.