:: Glimpse of My Week-- through the camera ::

A couple of months back, I'd gotten some bottles from my brother in law-- he saves his colored bottles for me. Because he knew I wanted a bottle tree. Well, I got one...but we forgot to tell him he could recycle them!

So...here they are on the porch above the swing. Honey lined them up there until we got the rods for a new tree.

This week-- we got the rods. Honey drilled a small hole in this black walnut tree that he'd cut off after it died last year.

I really like the blue and the green bottles... I'm thinking I might swap some of the bottles around between both trees and come up with a different configuration of bottles. (we've had rain...the grass is getting pretty and green again =  more mowing) 

 Not sure about the bottles with labels on them...but they are painted on...if you drove by my house, you'd think we are beer drinkers... we're not really. 

 I like bottle trees. I've seen all types of configurations. The thing about bottle trees?  They are all different! 

I don't remember if I showed this little nest in this pot. 

The plant is a succulent "Pencil Plant" ...and a little House Wren made it's nest there.
I've been playing around with my camera... 

Trying to learn more about it than just AUTO ... 

this is with the flash on. 

Since I've taken this picture the eggs have hatched...and I've not wanted to mess with them very much to get another picture. 

But, the little birds are in there and they are thriving! 

The House Wren family ...I believe are the reason we haven't had many mosquitoes near the house.  So, I try not to disturb them... I'd love for them to stay and eat all the mosquitoes they like! 

Which reminds me... 

below is a different picture of my bottles... see the baggie in the lower right corner? It is held onto the string by a HUGE BINDER CLIP... it has water inside and a penny. 

I have seen these at restaurants and then I saw it on Pinterest and it reminded me I wanted to try it. 

I DID! IT WORKS! 

It keeps the flies away. 

So between the House Wren Family and the Bag of Water... the only pests on the porch are the occasional chicken or grasshopper! 

This is a morning shot of my purslane ...it blooms in the morning. By mid day the blooms have closed. I've been reading about it and come to find out, this is edible! 

         This next flower is an Antique Petunia. 

That's what the lady called it that sold it to me. 

Surprisingly...the grasshoppers haven't eaten it. 

Neither have we, don't know if it's edible. 

Ok...except for subject matter... most of these pictures have been - eh, pretty good. 

But the other day...I was outside taking pictures and I was fiddling around with the MANUAL setting... 

Oooops! 

Not for beginners. 

I started getting pictures like this....

grainy and bad lighting. (not to mention the dogs wouldn't look at me or say cheese!) 

I've been reading the manual I downloaded trying to figure it all out. 

I had lots of settings out of whack on there. 

I finally was able to get it somewhat back to normal... 

I clicked this picture Thursday evening coming back from town. 

The sky had some weird clouds and patterns in the light going on with it.

I thought it was pretty...but still the lighting isn't right.  Even though it was evening...it didn't quite look like this. 

So... do you have a sight where you get some good photography tips? 

Any ideas about settings on your camera? 

Do you use the manual setting or do you use the Automatic setting? 

 Also:  did you see Buster?  He's getting so big now. He is the funniest thing. When he comes in the house after Honey lets him in...He comes running straight to me where ever I am...and puts his head on my knee. He waits for pets and lovin' ...like he's missed me while he was outside and couldn't wait to see me.
He's hilarious.
Trouble?  She just comes in and stands at the door of whatever room I'm in and looks at me, as if to say... "I'm back." (expressionless) She's funny too.  Seriously, her name could be Eyore :)

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. ~Psalm 1:7