New Beginnings

Today, I announce "New Beginnings" on my blog.  I had recently become disillusioned by Blogland, as I seemed to be attracting more spammers and scrapers than real followers.  Yes, my blog was being repeatedly copied by scrapers, as well as being linked to on numerous sites, some of which I couldn't access, due to the requirement of a login.  I reacted the only way I knew how...adding watermarks and copyright verbiage and monitoring my hits on Statcounter.  But it just seemed to be getting worse.

Blogging Blahs

My garden has been good to me.  This year promises to be the best ever.  The blog...not so much.  I do believe the passion has fizzled. 

Flexin' the Mighty Micro on Macro Monday

Today, I'm joining in on my first Macro Monday post.  I often check out the meme participants, but I've never actually posted one myself until today.   : )  Macro Mondays are hosted by Lisa's chaos.  This is one of those well-rounded memes that encompass all sorts of blog genres and photo subjects.  Pop on over to check out all the other fascinating photos.

What a Load of Crop!

Before I get into the real purpose of my post today, I have to announce that it's Tab Time here in the valley!  The Tabebuias are out and creating quite a riot of color here in this quiet Peace River town.

My Garden in a Glass Jar

I'm sure everyone has gotten glimpses this past week of that fun photography contest going on over at Gardening Gone Wild.  This month's theme is called Macro in a Mason Jar, and the idea is to get up close and personal with your photo subject by isolating it at the bottom of a glass jar.  I've seen many objects placed inside these jars with the most lovely backgrounds--some people are sooo creative!  I just can no longer resist the temptation, so I've decided to give it a go by stuffing my garden into a glass jar.

Dotting my i(so)'s and Covering my ti's

The other day, I received a book in the mail that my husband had ordered along with my new dSLR, a Nikon d7000.  The book was specifically published to go along with this camera, but it turns out it is more of a photography-class-in-a-book than a how-to-use-this-camera-book.  As a result, I am now trying to challenge myself on a creative level and attempting to figure out all of this photo terminology.

My Great Big Box of Crayons

Color is my day-long obsession, joy, and torment.

~Claude Monet

To Shoot with a dSLR

Oh, what fun I'm having with my new camera!  Some of you will probably say you can't tell the difference, but the main change for me is the speed in which the capture takes place now.  I also see far less grain in my photos.  A big difference I'm noticing, though you'll just have to take my word for it, is the size of this thing.  Wow!  This dSLR is heavier than any camera I've ever owned.  Not so great when you have arthritis in your hand.  But supposedly, this magnesium-alloy body is a good feature and makes it fairly indestructible and somewhat weather resistant.  Anyway, I am trying my very best to practice with this thing every spare minute I have.

To Feast Upon Fantastic

Stuff your eyes with wonder,

live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds.

See the world.

It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.

~Ray Bradbury 

"Happy Birthday to Me!"

"Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me,

Happy Birthday to Me-eeeee, Happy Birthday to Me." 

Out with the old...In with the new!

My garden is going out in style!  Check out my end-of-the-year photo shoot:

Burning Questions

I am taking you on a walkthrough of my garden this morning, but I'd like to send out a few probes to other bloggers/photographers while we're walkin'.  Any help in answering these burning questions would be appreciated.

200 Posts Later

Well, this is it.  My garden blog--Peace in the Valley--officially has its 200th post!   Say what?!!

Wet 'n' Wild

Three inches of rain in four days!  Woohoo!  Two days in a row with highs below 90!  How great is that!  You certainly won't hear me wishing summer away.  Surely everyone agrees that these long stretches of daylight are awesome.  I'm trying to enjoy every moment I can.  The skin-splitting, bone-throbbing, dim, dark days of winter will be with us soon enough, to be followed by a brutally hot, dry spring.  I'll take a Florida summer anyday!

Confessions of a Photo Faddist

I have a teenage son who is a very picky eater.  What makes things even tougher is that he gets caught up on these "food fads."  He absolutely loves eating a certain food for lunch everyday for two months, then suddenly won't touch it.  Never mind that I just bought a month's supply, and no one else in the house wants the stuff.  Then we're off on a new food fad.  It really drives me crazy.  Don't get me wrong, we don't spoil him.  Most nights, he must sit down and eat what the family's having for dinner.  (Though in his younger days, many a tear was shed over broccoli.)   But for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, we pretty much just grab stuff from the kitchen.

Dewdrop Distortions

In the garden this morning, I was drawn to furled foliage rising in the center of the Hawaiian ti plants.