Saturday, July 27, 2013

:: 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 

 

9 comments:

Tombstone Livestock said...

Love bottle trees, I used rebar for my tree, different lenghts some straight, some bent, I used blue wine bottles from neighbor's winery, and another neighbor gave me 24 Budweiser Platnium blue bottles. I used some Perrier bottles around for leaves and then added several globe style solar lights as well. I need to go buy more rebar, since I have more bottles and lights still.

Art and Sand said...

Not that I don't like the other photos, but that last one is amazing.

Vicki @ lifeinmyemptynest said...

I love your bottle tree - I have not seen one put together on a tree trunk like that - you have given me a new idea!

Diane said...

Fun pics! I actually like the bottles up in the porch rafters (but who wants to climb up there for an occasional dusting??). That bird's next is incredible! Very cool! I (almost) never use my flash for that exact reason; you can fiddle with pictures on your computer after they were shot. Ever try that? I just started doing it for Etsy-- does make a diff. Buster has really grown! And funny about "Eeyore." The perfect pet name usually appears a year or two after you've owned them. We wish we would have thought of "Veruca" after the girl in Willy Wonka for Rhody because she can be such a demanding brat!

camp and cottage living said...

Pat
I like that bottle tree!
And that is an unusual sky photo-nice!
My camera has a menu button where you
can chose your own settings, but not
while you are using Auto.

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Hi everyone!
thanks for the comments on my bottle tree (they're fun!) and the photos...
I'm not getting any emails today...in fact my yahoo emails (I have 2) are both showing NO MAIL!!!
so consider this your reply...LOL.
Have a great weekend!!!

Pat

My Repurposed Life said...

great pics Patricia! I only use auto on my point and shoot. It has a LOT of settings, and sometimes I accidentally change something and it takes forever to figure it out.
funny pooches! Louie has something wrong with his tail. He won't raise it or wag it. I googled it...limp tail syndrome. He did fall while trying to get on the couch, it's been ever since that night. He looks so sad all the time. :(
hope you're having a great weekend!
gail

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Love the bottles. We too have the bag with water on the porch. I just haven't been out there enough to see if it's working. We have some in the barn too.

Revi said...

Revi was here. :)