p.quinn

Photo Challenge Week #36

I am so far behind with this, the final Photo Challenge post!

Yep.  The final week of the challenge.  There have been such a wide range of topics---from "Yellow" to "Dessert" and everything in between.  I think {or at least I hope!} that my skills have improved some with my camera and it was always great fun to try to come up with something {also hopefully} somewhat interesting for each topic.  Thanks, Sharon!

For Week #36, Sharon gave us the topic "Global Village".

Are you kidding me???

I got nothing here, folks.

Finally, I thought I would take a little globe and photograph it out and about around the casinos and tourist spots...as in "globe out in the village". 

What globe wouldn't want to go visit Wild Bill's grave site???

But then the weather turned cold and crappy, so I gave up on that idea.

So, in desperation, I came up with this....

 

My own little "Global Village".

 

With distant cousin Atlas thrown in for good measure. 

Here are a couple of close up shots of the big globe---it truly is a beauty.  It came out of the high school up in Lead, South Dakota.

   

They don't make 'em like that any more!  
 

 

Photo Challenge Week #35

Another week has flown by and another Photo Challenge post is upon us!

For Week #35, Sharon gave us the topic "rain, rain, go away".

Huh?

Rain?

I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

At over 4500 feet above sea level.

We don't see much rain in December.

I can show you snow.  No rain.

Anyway.

I shuffled back to some photos I took this summer at my Mom's house.  After a brief rain shower,  I had grabbed my camera to see what I could find...

 

I like how the sun was caught glinting in the drops on the back step railing.

 

Some not quite dry leaves.  I'm waiting for those bigger drops to start rolling....

 

This photo of the neighbor's flowering whatcha-ma-call-it    is my favorite by far.  Look at those drops of rain showing through the flower's petals on top and dripping off the bottom petals and bud!   You can really just about feel them.....

So there is "rain, rain, go away".

I'd like to say the same thing to our snow.

 

 

Photo Challenge Week #34

Another Friday, another photo challenge!

For week #34, Sharon provided the theme "beverage of choice".

My brain immediately came up with both the Hazelnut Caramel Java Chiller from Sonic and the Caramel Moo-Latte from Dairy Queen.  Large size, of course.

*yum*

Then, besides the fact that since I have gotten back to Deadwood I haven't been close to either place so I could get a picture of the above mentioned delights, I decided that I should really classify them as "desserts" or "treats" instead of beverages.

I drink lots of different hot teas, and as I may have mentioned once or twice, I am always up for a trip to the Starbucks in Barnes and Noble when I am home visiting my Mom.  Hazelnut lattes are a long time favorite....

But my mind then went to the beverage that I enjoy almost every day when Kitty and I relax with a good book for our Afternoon Sit.  I believe that I may also have mentioned this once or twice.....

 

Ice Java!

 

To make Ice Java correctly, one must use a Jell-o Man and Wobbly  shaker cup and exactly one dozen ice cubes.

duh. 

Everyone knows that. 

Actually, though, I think my beverage of choice {if I had to pick only one} would be this.....

 

Good old Deadwood water!

*yum* 

 

Photo Challenge Week #33

Time for this week's Photo Challenge!

I can't believe that we are so close to the end.....only six weeks to go after today!

I hope that I have shown some improvement with my camera "skills".

{This is where you *smile* and say "Oh, my!  Yes!  Yes, you have!  It is truly amazing!"}

For week #33, Sharon gave us the theme "From Ground Level"....

Interesting.

At first I thought I would be once again shooting with macro and getting up close and personal with something on the ground or in the grass.

Then all of a sudden it came to me.... 

Hey!  Wait a minute!  I am  ground level!

So off went the macro for a change and I had a little fun looking up.

Way up......

 

 

I just love the last photograph!

Probably one of my favorites....

What do you think?? 
  
 

Photo Challenge Week #32

Oh, it feels so good to be caught up with the Photo Challenge!

Of course I will get behind again when I head off to see my Mom at Christmas, but at least for now it sure is nice.....

For week #32, Sharon gave us the word "Circle".

I sure wasn't coming up with much.

Then one day while I was home visiting my Mom, I headed out for my walk, stopping to admire the flowers on the Augustana College campus as I often do.  There is a gorgeous little garden there with wild flowers, hydrangeas, snapdragons, marigolds and many other flowers of which I don't have a clue as to their identity.  Gravel paths, a bench and a gazebo make it a very enjoyable place to take a rest and enjoy the view...

 

Plopped on the wooden bench, many thoughts swirling through my head, I all of a sudden noticed the attached armrest/table...

And there were my circles!

Pretty rustic, huh?

I didn't happen to have my camera along when I saw the circles, and when I came back to get the photo, a student happened to be sitting on the grass studying.  I walked briskly into the garden, leaned down over the bench, snapped the picture and left.  I wondered how long the student waited after I left before curiosity got the better of her and she had to get up and go see what I took a picture of...... 

And what did she think when she leaned down over the bench?

For good measure, I am throwing in another "circle" photo.....

 

I just love stuff like this!

But what is it, you ask?

On Week #25 of this photo challenge, I showed a wonderful mailbox located in an "old money" neighborhood in my hometown.  Several of these homes built in the 1920s and 30s still have stone horse tethers out by the front curb.  Most are rather tall, but this particular tether is very short and I notice it every time I walk by....

 

Could it be for the children's pony?

Very nifty, whatever the reason. 
 

 

Photo Challenge Week #31

Don't collapse! 

{Although I think I might....}

This post will catch me up to date  on Sharon's Photo Challenge!!!

Oh!  The very thought is mind boggling!

The word for Week #31 was "Dessert".

Such a good word.  One of my favorites.

I was going to have no problem with this photo......

You see, it was the Saturday of the Belle Fourche flea market and I had it all planned to visit Edith's booth, load up with goodies, photograph them, and, then, well, you know....start eating.

But then I ended up being sick in bed.

No flea market!

No Edith!!!

Arg!

But Roger, being the sweetie he is, was able to go to the flea market for me!

Alas!  Edith was already out of her world famous caramel rolls by the time Roger got there.

So I had to "settle" for this.......

 

The best apple pie I have had in years! 

Maybe my entire life.

With the same great presentation on soggy paper plates as her caramel rolls, Edith once again proved that you can't judge a book by its cover. 

Or pastry by the type of plate it's served on, as the case may be.

Edith, you rock!

Perhaps this isn't the time to mention the Almond/Poppy Seed, Rhubarb and Pumpkin breads that Roger also brought home for me lest you get the idea that I am a real pig.....

 

Oink.  

Photo Challenge Week #30

OOOO!  I am so close to being caught up with Sharon's Photo Challenge that I can almost taste  it!!!

Which reminds me.....the word for week #31 is dessert........

But that is jumping ahead of myself. 

Anyway.

For week #30, the word is "New".

Oh.  Have I mentioned that I am a tight a$$? 

My vehicle is from 1993, I have to wind my watch, and I'm sure that some of my clothes would be old enough to vote.  Other than shoes and underwear, I don't buy too much new. 

Except beads and magazines of course.

Well, duh.

I hardly ever buy a book new unless it is something that I figure I will keep for a good long time....

 

I think you know what I mean.

While I love my trips to Barnes and Noble {I think it has something to do with the British magazines and Starbucks}, I love to haunt flea markets, garage sales and used book shops even more.  I carry a long list and pretty much eventually find almost every title that I am looking for.

It may take awhile, but that is half the fun.

But for some reason I went a little crazy recently. 

{Recently?}

Just look!

 

New books!

A whole stack!

It's like Christmas! 

WooHoo!

I had been looking for "The Friday Night Knitting Club"  in used for ages with no luck, so I finally decided to splurge and buy it new....  While I was at it, why not get "Comfort Food", too??  Well, then the bottom two books had been highly recommended (thanks, Sharon!) and I'd had no luck finding them used either, so I might as well go ahead....   And the other two??  They just looked very interesting.

New books!

Can't wait to dig in!

That is if I can push my stack{s} of used books aside..................

 

Photo Challenge Week #29

Here we go with tonight's series of posts!  Can it be that tomorrow I will really be caught up with Sharon's Photo Challenge?!?!?

While holding my breath on that thought, for week #29 we had the word "garden" which was oh-so-very close to week #28's word "flowers". 

But what the heck.

First I'll give you my Mom's garden.  We always had a wonderful garden while I was growing up---a wide variety of vegetables and flowers.  Over the years it has dwindled and this year with my Mom's health also dwindling, it was pretty much an all volunteer effort.  Whatever came up had free rein and it appeared that petunias and tomatoes were it...

 

A lonely little tomato in a petunia patch?

 

Ah, but it was nice to be able to go out and pick a little something for dinner most every night!

Now for a huge contrast, I will skip across town to the wonderful gardens at McKennan Park.  Mom and I had a picnic lunch and then strolled around admiring flowers and grounds that were still vibrant in the fall sun.

 

From wonderful what-the-heck-are-these???

 

to stunning roses, the McKennan Park flower gardens were awesome!  Many weddings take place there and it sure is easy to see why....

 

The fall colors were glowing!

 

Until next year...........  

 

 

 

Photo Challenge Week #28

And I'm off on post two for this evening!

Sharon gave Week #28 the topic of "Flowers". 

Luckily, I was at my Mom's then because she has a bunch at her home, and Sioux Falls has some very beautiful parks.  We spent time on several gorgeous fall afternoons out scouting for "flowers".....

 

I don't know what these are, and my Mom has forgotten, but they seem to really make a hit with winged crowd.

Did you notice the bee off to the left, or were you too busy looking at the Monarch??

Makes you wonder which is prettier.....

 

The flower?

 

Or the butterfly?

Now for some really beeautiful flowers....

{sorry.  couldn't help myself there.}

 

The last photo is my favorite.

How cool is that?
 

 

 

   

 

Photo Challenge Week #27

Well, I had a few sick days.

Did ya miss me?

Hopefully I am now back on track to make two posts per night and get caught up on Sharon's Photo Challenge  by Tuesday of this week.....

We shall see.

For Week #27, our word was "Spiral".

This one was easy.

 

Phone cords.

Remember them?