Photography

[LennG]

Thanks for the heads up Jim. My darling wife would love something like that, only with the grandkids on it. I'll keep an eye open for that sale. If you hear of anything, give me a heads up.

[LennG]

Great pixs Lou. I have been to all those places, but it was when I was in the service and stationed in Germany.

That pix from Mad King Ludwigs's tower is remarkable. We went to the castle but on a tour and it was raining the day we were there, so everything was in a cloud. Great to see it again.

Funny story, we also went to Salzburg and tried to find some of the places from the Sound of Music. We went to the Abbey and from there you are able to look out at all of Salzburg. We saw the mansion that was used as the Von Trapp house, but everytime we tried to find it, we kept getting lost, so back to the Abby and restart. it took us about 3 trips before we finally found the house, not realizing it was a private house that they just used for the movie. Couldn't see anything behind those walls, but we did get to the other side of the lake where you could see the house across. The pixs that I still have of my adventures were basically taken by a brownie (we all remember brownies) and are so small, like 2x3, that even if I scanned them, they wouldn't come out well. Got to remember, I was young, and with a group of guys and pix taking wasn't the main thing on our minds. 

Thanks for bringing back some truly great memories.

[LennG]

Todays's group has no real theme, just some of my  pix that, I feel, are just great to look at and again, would make great screen savers (or calenders )

Monument Valley-- a place everyone, who ever enjoyed a western on TV or in the movies, MUST visit




At the opposite end of the country, this is in Rockport, MASS. The red structure is called Motif #1 and it is advertised as the most painted building in the world. Why, I have no idea but the entire area is a typical New England sea village and a picture postcard waiting to happen




This is the Castle Hill Lighthouse in Newport, RI




Taken thru the slats of a covered bridge in Hew Hampshire




Our kids bought us a sunset cruise around Manhattan for our anniversary--sailing under the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset




Stopping at a lake somehwere in Vermont, having lunch and saw this great pix with the sky and clouds reflecting in the water of the lake.

[ozzie]

Each one better than the last but I love the covered bridge shot, Lenn!

[LennG]

As I said before, when we traveled to Hawaii, I had a different camra and for some reason, it took smaller pix. I tried to enlarge them but they must have been taken at a minimum resolution, so they just don't hold up. I did my best on them though. The quality is no where near what I would want, but on these, I just couldn't control it.

I'm posting a few and let's see how they come out here. I'm sure several of you have been to Hawaii. Just another place where you can point a camera and you have wonderful pix.

View of Honolulu from the top of Diamond Head (which we 'hiked' up)



This is the double waterfall in Kauai-- Wailua Falls, Kauai



This is taken on the Road To Hana, at a pull off. Notice the black sand beach that are common all over Hawaii



Strolling along Wakaki Beach in Honolulu at dusk



Picture of Diamond Head in Honululu seen framed by a couple of palm trees



We went to on eof those 'touristy' luau's on a beach on Maui. After the sun set, the colors of the sky were just incredible

[ozzie]

Your Hawaii pix bring back some great memories for me, Lenn. My wife and I honeymooned in Hawaii.
We hiked up Diamond Head too!! What a great view!
The pix I took from that trip were all with a film camera. I will have to dig them out and see if there is anything worth scanning and posting.

[LennG]

Your Hawaii pix bring back some great memories for me, Lenn. My wife and I honeymooned in Hawaii.
We hiked up Diamond Head too!! What a great view!
The pix I took from that trip were all with a film camera. I will have to dig them out and see if there is anything worth scanning and posting.

We were there for a cruise and spent 6 days in Honolulu pre cruise. The cruise overnited on Maui and Kauai so we were able to do things at night and still go back to the ship at night. We rented cars in every port and hit all the highlites and many other things also. I think we are the only ones who've been to Hawaii and never set foot on a beach or went into those inviting waters. We don't beach, anywhere, even Hawaii. 
We had a ball though. In most ports, we rented convertibles, and we brought along some CD's, and, as I said, in another thread, Roy Orbison was our favorite, so here are these two 'older' people, riding around in a convertible with Roy Orbison blasting on the radio. We got many looks and lots of 'thumbs up'. We ended up forgetting to take the darn CD out of the player so we lost it there.

When we were there, I was probably using some of the early point and shoot camera going digital. Can't say for sure which one.
What a difference to modern-day digitals. They didn't have the option to increase the resolution so when you tried to blow them up they just don't hold up.

[LennG]

I have mentioned several times, that my brother lives outside Durango, Colorado. We have been 'out west' a number of times, to visit and to tour. For us 'Easterners' out west  means those amazing lands of red sand, huge mountains and glorious vistas.

Anyway, I have already shown a few pixs from Monument Valley, but I thought I would show a few others from different places we have been.

Arches National Park





from the Painted Dessert National Park



You heard the line from the song, Purple Mountains Magesty, well this is what they were talking about, at sunset, a part of the Rockies



Another, lesser seen part of Monument Valley


shpts, I just can't seem to get enough of

I know I have posted some of these shots a few times, but I just can't seem to get enough of

[LennG]

Taken a pause for a few days, but I still have some more pix to post, if we are still interested.

Let's try some flowers today, as I have loads of them. Again, I mentioned before, we visit this place in Shelbourne, MASS, where they have this old trolley bridge that isn't used anymore, so they converted it into what they call 'The Bridge of Flowers'', as it is all flowers, trees and shrubs that is maintained every day. There are some of the best displays of outdoor flowers we have ever seen and every time we go, there are new and more amazing flwoers to see. And whatever time of year you visit, you will get different flowers as certain flowers bloom at different times of the year. It is a very small town not far off of INT 91 in the upper west hand corner of Mass, about 15 minutes from the Vermont border. Even if you don't like to take pix it is a wonderful little place to just wander in, sit for a while and just marvel at nature and flowers.

The Bridge of Flowers





Some of the amazing flowers





A flower opening up to full bloom

[ozzie]

Still interested?? You bet I am!
As usual, Great shots, Lenn. Love that the bridge has been "repurposed" like that. That must be a beautiful place to spens sometime.
What was the time frame for that yellow beauty opening up?

[LennG]

Still interested?? You bet I am!
As usual, Great shots, Lenn. Love that the bridge has been "repurposed" like that. That must be a beautiful place to spens sometime.
What was the time frame for that yellow beauty opening up?

LOu

There were many such flowers on the bridge so I just took different shots of them in that order. I have about 6 from true bud till complete flower but this group made the point.

As for the Bridge, it is maintained by volunteers, who, at certain times of the day, will sit and answer horiculture questions for you, about these flowers, or any that you may have questions on. The Bridge is free to visit but they do have a 'collection box' if you wish to contribute to its maintenance

PS. If anyone ever wants to visit, as I said it is a small town, many 3 main blocks of shops etc, but when we go we ALWAYS stop at the pharmacy where they have a real old time soda fountain, with some of the best ice cream around and pretty cheap also. Right in the middle of main street.   

[LennG]

Saturdays I usually have a lot of time to go thru some pix and post them.

Today's group are some interesting animals, insects, or whatever, I have encountered in my travels, or running loose thru my home 

We went to a turtle farm and saw Ike (I think that was his name)



Look close and see it



We were in Bar Harbor Maine, and in certain spots the tide goes out and you can walk on the sea floor, where we discovered a star fish



I ahve no idea what this is or where I got it, but he/she is cute?????



This may not be the best pix, but on our last trip to Alaska, we were driving and saw these moose, a mother and her cub. I used my 300MM lense and was able to get some good enough shots. You know they scare easily and don't pose for pix. It is rare to see them like this.



Also in Maine, we passed by this lobster farm and saw  Maisy (I love to name my subjects)

[ozzie]

That Mantis picture is just incredible!
I had a very similar pic ture to the lizard you posted. We had a little guy on our fence who would puff out his throat like that every 5 steps or so. It was funny to watch. He would scurry about 5 or 10 steps, stop and puff out his throat, wait a few seconds, look around then and repeat the process....all the way down the length of the backyard.
Here are a couple of birds/critters I have captured on film..










This little bugger got in the house and we found him hiding between the blinds

[LennG]

Great shots Lou. I especially love the one of the bird about to peck/eat some of the flower he is resting on. You can see his little mouth about to 'go for it'   

[LennG]

So time for the Front Porch to get back to what it always was, a great place to just stop in a while and chat about all those friendly issues.

So where are we with pixs. I have give you all time to digest some of the past ones, but there is always time for new ones. Let me dip into my basket and see what pops out.

Today let's try some more puzzle boxes or just a few things I thought, in my travels, might make a sort of quirky pix. I have posted some similar ones before, but I take a lot of pix of certain things (shells, stones, leaves) that they are all over my travels. Hope you enjoy.

This is a shot of ropes usd for lobster traps and buoys




On Cape Cod in the middle of winter, snow on these lobster buoys




My ever famous jigsaw puzzle assorted rocks on a beach shot




And let's not forget those broken shells that also make a great puzzle shot




Don't know why but I am facinated by the way water makes designs on a beach.




And my last one, see if you can figure out what these are