Category: Photo Friday

Photo Friday: reflections

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My first year of teaching I integrated a lesson on Monet to include not only art, but writing, language arts, science and math.  We studied plant structure from the roots up, and I loved it that the next time we painted still life, Ricardo drew a cutaway view allowing the observer to see what was going on below the ground!

Kadesha, I will admit, had me quite confused when she wrote about her picture one day.  She had written a paragraph and kept repeating one of the lines over and over throughout her work.  It was purely by accident that week, that I discovered her mother sang gospel songs at home to practice for the church choir.  It was a light bulb moment for me!  This knowledge allowed me to break her paragraph down into verses and there it was… a beautiful song about Monet and his gardens complete with a refrain!

My students surprised me by excelling in all areas of the lessons presented.  We drew still life, and discussed Monet’s use of small dots of paint, that when viewed from a distance, came together to  reveal the picture.  Each time we read, painted or drew, we wrote about it.  At the end of the lessons I picked the best examples from each student to depict their hard work,  which culminated in a published book.  Copies were sent home with each child, and all this was done FREE OF CHARGE!

One of my favorite pieces was done by Miss Chavez.  She had drawn a picture of herself on Monet’s bridge, and there, looking down into the water, was her  reflection among the water lilies.  I loved how she phrased the use of dabs of color into her own words in this excerpt:

“Monet used little color dots to make his pictures, and you have to stand backer to see the picture.”  Miss Chavez, Grade 1

That year, we all came away with a better understanding of color, light and reflection, and learned so much more along the way.

And, I am partial to reflections in images to this day.

~*~

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Chihuly Glass Exhibit, Cheekwood Estate, TN

PLEASE, DO CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A CLEARER IMAGE. 😉

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Photo Friday: I couldn’t help myself

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This fall has been particularly lovely.  I can’t tell you if it is only my perception of the season, or if in fact it is truly better this year, but I find that I can’t help but add just one more view…

I stand looking out my window and see that the rain has washed away the dust from the far-reaching windstorms generated in Hurricane Sandy’s fury.   This wet and overcast view enriches the fall color.  It is an enigma to me that with all the rich, warming, color of the season, I should have to bundle up to go outside, but I want an unfiltered view for my portrait.

Thus bundled and standing on the front porch I set up my camera and try to capture that warmth, saving it for this winter when it will be truly frigid and seemingly bereft of life.

Finding what I’m looking for, I capture the moment.

CLICK…

I study the treeline trying to decide on another suitable view, when suddenly the cloud cover breaks allowing a single shaft of light to fall in the center of the trees.

There in the middle of all this loveliness burns the heart of fall, and I think to myself,

“This will do.”

NOTE:  Today’s images are best viewed full size.  Please click the photos for best color and clarity.

~*~

UPDATE:  For those who can’t get enough fall color you can find plenty more from all over the US on Growing the Home Garden’s website ~  www.growingthehomegarden.com/2012/09/the-fall-color-project-2012.html

Saturday Snapshots: little miss muffet ~ revised

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This would have been Photo Friday, but other pressing matters came first.  Thank you for your patience with me as we return to our regularly scheduled programming…

~*~

Little Miss Muffet

The Lady of Farmlet

(with apologies to Mother Goose)

The Lady of Farmlet

began her chores,

of feeding her chicken and geese.

When along came a spider,

that stopped there beside her,

resting and looking at peace.

The lady of Farmlet

not wishing to harm it,

leaned closer and heard it say:

“Dear Lady of Farmlet

I mean you no harm,

I’m tired and have lost my way.”

So the lady reached down,

picked up that three-inch spider,

and rehomed it straight away!

The End

~*~

NOTICE:  When this rather large spider showed up beneath the water spout in back of the house I guess it thought it was auditioning for the part of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”   I broke it to the behemoth gently. 😉  I did not touch that Fishing Spider with my bare hands!  I coaxed it into a large can with a stick and then transported it to the back fence where, when last I saw it, it was resting comfortably in a patch of wild violets.

Want to know more about the Dolomedes tenebrosus, or Fishing Spider?  Look HERE