The Stargazers Are Back!

I promise to move on to something other than lilies sometime soon. But for now, you'll have to indulge my passion for these amazing flowers.

Macroscope

I don't know if "macroscope" is a word. But I've decided that my macro lens turns my camera into one. It is when I am looking though the viewfinder that I start to see things that I (and most normal people) would never take the time to see. An example are the lines that decorate this lilly petal.

Deep Purple

We have an amazing array of lilies right now so you'll have to be patient with me. I can't resist.

Completing the Trilogy

It may seem that I am posting too many photos of the same flower, but the first two (here and here) were details. In today's photo, I move further back so you can get the "sum of the parts." More or less. . .

Sky Blue

I posted clouds yesterday so I thought I'd do the same today. These clouds are much less threatening. In fact some have looked at this photo and said they don't look real. But they really are clouds - over Tavira, a small town in southern Portugal.

Stormy Weather

Our part of the state was in a "tornado watch" yesterday when our daughter-in-law Katie called our attention to the clouds that were visible through our living room window. The bulges are evidence of turbulence but fortunately all we got was heavy rain for a while.

The Morning Commute

Deb and I were waiting to catch a train in London this summer and I was struck by this group of businessmen on the way to work. One of the things that strikes me about mass transit in big cities is that it is oddly intimate but not gregarious - like being in an elevator full of silent people who all seem to be pretending that the other people aren't present.These gentlemen seem oblivious to each other, and because they have the luxury to do so in this setting, they have each carved out their personal space.

Bedewed

Standing Tall

Shrine To Democracy?

Because one doesn't worship democracy, I'm thinking that calling Mt. Rushmore "The Shrine To Democracy" is somehow a misnomer. Plus, if we really made Mt. Rushmore into a shrine, the ACLU would be all over the possibility of blurring the lines between church and state. I think we need to confine our worship to churches, synagogues, mosques, mega-malls and Apple stores.Instead of worshipping it, I would say we "practice" democracy. Let's hope they're right when they say, "Practice makes perfect." Someday. . . .This photo, incidentally, was taken from a spot not too far from our cabin in the Black Hills.

Tourist With iPad

If you read yesterday's post, I know what you are thinking: Is this person real or is she made out of polyester and resin? Answer: She's real. This is Deb and she is sitting in the central plaza in Tavara, Portugal, checking her email on our iPad.Without trying to make it so, our iPad was often the center of attention as we traveled this summer. The fact that it had just been released in a few European countries clearly made it an object of intense interest. People in Europe and back home have asked me if it is good as the hype makes it seem and I say that "it's better. Especially the 3G version which I have."But this blog isn't about the virtues of technology, is it. . . . ?

Still Life

Deb and I were in Lisbon on the last day of our visit to Portugal when I noticed these two people pondering something off in the distance. I was immediately reminded of a famous work of art by Duane Hanson called "Tourists." And so I snapped the photo. I'll have to admit that my wife and I come closer to looking like Hanson's tourists than this Lisbon couple does, though I think my wife is much more stylish.You might be interested in knowing that Duane Hanson casts his fiberglass and resin figures from real people. Most of the people in my photos are real, too.