Veggie Patch In Urbania

Thanks to my hubby's green thumb, our garden has produced a delicious variety of veggies this summer. Every year, we find that some things work better than others, only to be surprised the following gardening season with a twist to that theory.

In our northern climate, the conditions are ever changing, so we've stopped speculating about which vegetables to count on and simply grow things for the sheer pleasure and element of surprise. Here's a peek at what we've gotten so far:

foliage of the yet-to-be brussel sprouts

Dazzled By Zazzle

Over the last few months, I've been busy updating my Zazzle store. It consists mainly of blank notecards, greeting cards and prints. I've also designed a few tote bags, t-shirts, mousepads and mugs.

Designing all the products is tedious work because there are size guidelines for each of the products, so it takes a long time to produce just a few items. Nevertheless, the store continues to grow. I have plans to expand on the inspirational items as well as trying new graphic design ideas.

Lily And Friends

Photography Tip For The Weekend

One of my favourite settings on the camera is the action or 'sport' mode. It's also called 'pets and kids' on some compact cameras and usually looks like a stick figure getting ready to move.

Why?

Simple. Typically used for fast moving subjects, it adjusts the shutter speed so that you get a crisp image in spite of the movement of the subjects or the camera. It's the preferred setting for sporting events, kids' birthday parties, and bird watching. What makes it so great is that the camera shoots pictures continuously while the shutter button is pressed. Or, it will take a series of pictures (often up to five-this varies depending on the type of camera).

Fragile Flames-A Poppy Collection

Through the dancing poppies stole
A breeze most softly lulling to my soul.

~ John Keats

Good Morning Sunshine

The morning sun casts a certain light that makes my garden glow. It's not that this place isn't great any other time of the day, but when sunlight enters at a low angle and gives everything a magical touch, I'm compelled to capture it.

Even the shade garden gets a taste of sunshine bright and early every day. Dew drops sparkle, petals flutter translucent, and my heart is gladdened to be in the presence of all that magnificence.

This is my favourite place in the world. Do you have one, a place that makes you grin from ear to ear and hum happy songs? Does it make your heart soar?

Wood, Metal, Glass

This collection consists of my favourite objects around the house.  I am fascinated with wrought iron scroll patterns, wooden medallions, glass bottles, rocks, crystals, and other pretty things.  These are the first of many photos I'll be adding to the set.

Apparition

 This eerie little figure appeared in the upstairs hallway of my home. She sat waiting for me, as I turned the corner and stepped up from the final stair. I had my camera in hand, but it wasn't on, or set up for any particular shot.

Obviously, this is no ghost; it's our beautiful cat Paisley. She was sitting pretty so I took the picture without adjusting the focus. It could have made a nice, 'ordinary' picture if I had focused on her properly. And to be honest, I'm glad I didn't. I prefer this result.