Sunrise - July 4, 2011 (Looking West)

Generally, the western sky isn't what gets our attention at sunrise. But on this morning, from one of my favorite locations in South the Dakota, what I saw when I looked west was worth capturing.If you knew what to look for in this photo, you would be able to find Harney Peak, which is the highest peak in the US east of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Rushmore is also visible on the far right.I'll show you the view east tomorrow.

Happy 4th of July!

This beautiful creation was served for dessert for our 2nd of July dinner. My mother-in-law made it but no one wanted to wait two days. It's made from jello, whipped cream and fruit. I used to look forward to the 4th because of the fire works but now it's the jello dessert, which has become a tradition

Sparglji

AKA Asparagus. As photographed at a street market in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Collage - Slovenian Wooden Boats

You've seen most of these before but I was playing with an iPad app called Diptic and kind of liked this collection.

Attention To Details

For the sake of variety, how about another shot from the bridal series I did of my son and daughter-in-law a few weeks ago?

Before Sunrise

We spent one night of our recent trip to Slovenia near a pristine mountain lake called Bohinj (pronounced Bo-heen). I got up early to capture a sunrise and blue morning sky over what I hoped to be a mirror smooth lake. I got a smooth lake but fog instead of sunrise. I also found the lake (which doesn't allow motorized vehicles) generally devoid of activity.I did find one person out rowing one of the traditional, locally made wooden boats. Whether he was fishing, getting his morning exercise or going somewhere I'll never know. But his presence does help this photo.

Portrait of the Artist With A Grey Beard

Once a year (when I'm traveling in Europe) I quit shaving for a week or two. And then I take a self portrait. Narcissism? I don't think so. Rembrandt did 90 self-portraits. And I'm certainly no Rembrandt.

Elemental

The Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers spent considerable time pondering the nature of the universe. One, whose name was Empedocles, said simply that everything can be reduced to four elements: air, earth, fire and water.Of all of these, my camera is most often drawn to the latter. Maybe that's why I return again and again to Iron Creek when I am in the Black Hills. I was just out walking along the creek when I found this photo. I figured I had enough of Iron Creek, though it's not often that the rocks are wet and the creek is running high so late in June.Canon 5DII 2.5s f/11.0 ISO200 32mm

Rigadoon

It was a beautiful day for sailing yesterday. This boat is Rigadoon, owned by Dan and Pam Cronin of Pierrie, SD. This is the same boat posted yesterday, incidentally. Pam was at the top of the mast replacing something called the windex, which helps a sailor judge the wind. If you look towards the top of the mast in this photo, you can see it working perfectly.

Up the Mast

A minor repair is never simple at the top of a 30 foot mast.

Rain Clouds

Snow In Berlin?

I think it may snow on rare occasions in Berlin, Germany. But if you own a Brandenburg Gate snow globe, you can make it snow whenever you want. I wonder if they sell Great Pyramid snow globes in Egypt? I'm wondering if they even know what snow is in Egypt. . .