Vintage

There was a lineup of three old cars in the parking lot of a local establishment.  Who doesn't like to see a glimpse of the past so lovingly preserved?  I took several photos but liked this one because of the sun rays.  I suppose serious photographers would take exception but I bumped up the color and sharpened it a bit and thought it looked great.  But you don't have to like it.

Marigold

While we were waiting in Dinosaur for our sandwiches to be made I went outside and found lots of blooming flowers.  These marigolds were especially pretty so out came the camera.  Our online blending class this week show how to use Photoshop filters in blending and the flowers were perfect for using the"glowing edges" filter.  I didn't just stop there, of course, but it was a great starting poiont that really made the flowers pop.  We have just one more lesson and it's about how to use what we've learned.  My head is swimming and there's still stuff I want to try but I'll be sorry to have this class end.  It has been fun and interesting and I think my brain is better off for having had to do some thinking.

A Little Jaunt

We had another little jaunt this week and went to Dinosaur for lunch.  That's going about 20 miles west and then about 70 miles north and another 20 miles from Rangely to Dinosaur.  There was a second reason for this craziness--we wanted to say hello to camera club friends who own a little sandwich/ice cream/espresso shop in Dinosaur.  More about that later.

This is a view of the bookcliffs through which we passed on our way north.  They run east and west from Grand Junction to Green River, 120 miles more or less.  Although I don't really consider them "mountains," (they look more like mesas to me)  they are said to be the only mountain range in the US that runs east and west.

It was a good excuse to take another break from the purging and packing.

Windmills

I'm a big fan of windmills and they always get my attention.  This photo was taken on a recent trip to Glade Park and when we approached the house, only two windmills were visible.  Then as we got closer, they seemed to be everywhere!  I have no idea if they are functional or just for fun but the collection REALLY got my attention.  I counted at least eight.

More Fruit

While checking out the yard I also noticed that pears survived the late freezes.  This little guy will eventually turn down from the weight of the fruit and, of course, get plump and turn yellow.  The birds don't seem to care for pears which is nice but we put a net over the tree to be 100% safe.  Pears are also self-pruning and some of them fall off the tree on their own.  No need to think them out.

Eastern Utah

This view is south of Moab heading north.  It was actually taken in late February, late afternoon hours.  The formations are amazing in their color, layering and shape and the mountain provides a nice background.  Utah has some amazing geological formations.

Sure Sign of Spring

A daffodils in bloom is the first sign of spring in my yard.  On Wednesday last week I checked and there was one daffodil in bloom.  The very next day I checked again and there were 7 in bloom!  My rule is, the garden gets to keep the first bloom but the rest are up for grabs and I can bring them inside.  So we enjoyed five daffodils on our Easter dinner table.  Nice!

T-Shirt

Although personally I go for a plain t-shirt, I have to admire the art and clever text on the other shirts that I see.  This one struck me as particularly funny.  It was in a shop in Ouray CO.  Unfortunately we have way too many search and rescue missions in our part of the world so it can't hurt to have these little reminders for people.

Ouray's Main Street

I chose a couple of photos to provide a sense of the essence of the small community of Ouray, Colorado.  It is rightly referred to as "The Switzerland of America" because it is nestled at the base of towering mountains.  It is also quaint and has maintained the historic buildings on Main Street.  It depends on tourism to survive and I think it's a great place to visit.  They are the gateway for a variety of scenic Jeep trips in the summer months and they host an ice climbing event in the winter.  There's always a reason to visit.

Birthday Lunch

Lunch for my birthday outing to Ouray was at O'Brien's Pub, recommended by one of the local business owners (figure you can't go wrong with a local recommendation).  I had spinach and mushroom soup and a corned beef sandwich which had cole slow built in rather than sauerkraut.  Both were excellent and I'd have lunch there again without hesitation.  John had a cup of stew and a half turkey and bacon sandwich and he liked that, too.  There was no room for dessert.  Prices were reasonable and service was great and, no, I'm not a part owner nor do I have any vested financial interest.  It was just a good, fun place to eat.

Birthday Breakfast

Before we headed to Ouray for my birthday outing we stopped at the downtown Dreamcafe for breakfast.  I'm sure I was drawn to that coconut chocolate tea when I noticed the word "decadent" in the name.  And the cream-filled crepes with strawberries and banana seemed to be decadent enough to complement the tea.  Excellent way to start a birthday; it only comes once a year!

A Birthday Outing

My husband and I took a trip about 100 miles south to Ouray on my birthday.  One of our goals was to relax in the hot springs pool.  As you 
can see, there weren't many sharing the pool with us which was an added benefit.  I spent my 
time on this end of the pool where the water

was the warmest, 170 degrees.  The sun was shining and it was nice to look up at those towering mountain peaks.

Nearby was a small pond where large goldfish thrived.  They shared the pond with a number of turtles.  I felt like the Pied Piper as I walked along the edge of the pond and all those fish followed me.  I didn't even have any food for them.  I'll have to plan better next time since food is available at the pool.

Roll Out The Barrel

No winery is worth much without it's barrels.  Impressive how perfectly they were stacked and how many there were.

Shiny and Bright

One of the first things you notice when you go behind the scenes at the Meadery Of The Rockies are these big, bright, shiny barrels.  It's the last stop for the mead before it is bottled.

There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere and elves must come during the night do do all the polishing.  (I didn't ask.)

Newest Member of My Crafting Family

I've mentioned that I got a new electronic cutter and here's the proof.  It's a sleek, modern-looking item and it does wonders.  I was perhaps a little over-confident having owned another brand of cutter   but I didn't hesitate to contact the online support department when I ran into a difficulty.  And there is an excellent formum full of helpful information, too.  I still have a lot to learn and try but all in good time.  We are already good friends (I refer to the machine, not the support people or forum folks).  

The Lasl of the Flowers

This is the last of the flower photos.  I can pretty much guarantee it because the flowers are no longer looking so spiffy.  This is a closeup of the center of one of the flowers and I touched it up with the "poster edge" filter in Photoshop Elements.  If I were a fiber artist, I'd try to duplicate the look in a wall hanging.  Isn't it amazing that nature can produce such a wonder?!

More Flower Study

Although I have a fancy Canon Rebel camera, the flower photos I've been showing were taken with the little Canon Powershot that I carry in my purse.  It goes to show that you don't have to have an expensive camera to get some interesting photos.

Know what I did to this one in Photoshop?  Almost nothing.  I liked the softness and thought the light was just right so I resized it and that was about it.