january

Photo of the month - January  martha of Perception has come up with another wonderful photo challenge idea.  "Here's the idea -- on or about the last day of the month, we can post our favorite photo that we've taken each month. There's no theme, no rules. Just post your favorite photo and leave a link to it here in the comment section. I'll post the links to all who participate here the first Sunday following the end of the month. There's no time limits to when you post, but if you want your link on the entry for other participants to see (and hopefully visit) please post before 6am on that Sunday following the end of the month. That's it!"

here's mine....taken on our trip to n georgia new year's weekend.

if you're interested in playing along, click on link above.  the more the merrier!

the rain, the park and other things

monica of Midnight Conversations has started another photo challenge and it sounds like fun!  "The idea is to get or take a photograph that you think would/could represent the title of the song.  If you want EXTRA KUDOS you can read the lyrics (click on the song title) and try to get/take a photograph that you feel would depict the meaning of the song.  The songs: The Rain, the Park and Other Things. 

Hair (which they did a single but, it's also from the soundtrack Hair)"

well, i'm just posting a photo that reflects one of the topics in first song title.  this is spring park in tuscumbia, al....where i went as a kid...took my kids....and now my grandkids are enjoying this beautiful park. 

to play along, check out Sunday Song (photo) Shoot.

landmarks

Carly of the blog Ellipsis has suggested landmarks. " Again, let's take an opportunity to show off our hometowns. I live in the Bay Area, so I have no real shortage of recognizable landmarks, so what I would do is try to show those landmarks in an interesting lighting circumstance, such as a sunset, or under special lighting conditions. But I want to see other places, and the landmarks that make those places so special. A beautifully designed building, an incredible bridge, or a monument of some sort, or maybe even an unusual road sign. It's all good!"

this is the renaissance tower.  at 300 feet high, it's alabama's tallest tourist attraction. it underwent many unsuccessful changes since it's construction in 1991, and it was only after the marriott acquired it that it appears to have found lasting success. there is a restaurant at the top which rotates 360 degrees every 75 minutes and overlooks the tennessee river and wilson dam.

    

wilson dam was named for president woodrow wilson and it's construction began during ww I to supply electricity for the making of explosives at two federally operated nitrate plants in muscle shoals. it  was later acquired by tva (tennessee valley authority) and continues generating our electricity today.  it was declared a national historic landmark in 1966.  up until 9/11, visitors could access the locks to observe wildlife on the islands in the lake, and watch barges and other water vessels come and go...i really miss those days.  doesn't appear that they will ever open the dam up to the public again.  :(  this photo was taken from the tower restaurant.

to view other entries, check out The Round Robin Photo Challenges.

monday photo shoot

Karen of Outpost Mavarin presents us with

New Monday Photo Shoot #4: Show us something in the sky. It can be clouds or colors or birds or planes or planets or flying pigs - anything at all, really, just as long as it's visually interesting.

not a great photo...but these geese were so comical looking, i had to share it.

                          

to view other participants, please check out Outpost Mâvarin: Monday Photo Shoot: Look! Up in the Sky!

my hometown

   The theme for this week's challenge will be Hometown, suggested by Donna.   Select a photo that best represents "Hometown"  This could be something you love about where you live, either your hometown, home state, country....anything that shows your home.  It is your interpretation of "Hometown" or "Home"

after several attempts....i just wasn't able to get out and shoot any new pix of my hometown, so i had to resort to my archives.  these were taken in the fall of 2006.  although i now live 50 miles east, i will always consider florence, alabama my home town.  an important and historically rich part of our town is the university of north alabama...a beautiful campus and home of the ncaa division II football national championship lions (93, 94, and 95) and boast the only live lion mascots in the country living on campus, leo and una. pictured below is willingham hall.

there are beautiful victorian houses along the main street of our historical district, some of which have been converted into bed and breakfast inns.

  

florence is located in the nw corner of the state on the tennessee river.  fishing, boating, skiing, sailing are favorite activities.

our beautiful downtown wilson park hosts many annual events. here are some renaisannce faire belly dancers.

and many shops and restaurants can be found along the tree lined streets of downtown.

                           

to view other participants, check out Community Photo Challenge-Hometown.  thanks to Donna, for a great photo challenge topic.

black and white

Krissy's JLand Photo Shoot #126 

"Our subject this week is:  Black and White

You may interpret this subject any way you like.  You may want to photograph a black and white scene.  Or for those of you who would like, you may want to convert a shot from color to greyscale or black and white." 

i decided to do one of each.

to play along and/or view other participants check out JLand Photo Shoot #126.

the letter 't'

 JLand Photo Shoot #125:  Our subject this week is:

The letter "T"... begins with T or find an object resembling the letter.

view other participants here:  JLand Photo Shoot #125

railroads

   it's time once again for The Round Robin Photo Challenges...... 

"Woo Woo...that's right... our very first challenge of the year is "Railroads!" Trains take us here, trains take us there, and they are darn photogenic while doing so. Have you taken the "A" train lately? How about the subway? Do you have a nifty steam train in your favorite park or recreational area? How about a train of historical significance nearby? Even if the only train you connect with is Thomas The Tank Engine, it can be photographed for this challenge. Anything Railroad related counts!"

trains and railroads have always held a fascination for me...something about that lonely whistle in the distance and dark of night....watching them speed by laden with cargo...i've even been a passenger on trains a couple of times in my life.  trains appeal to young and old alike and you'll often find the opportunity to jump on board in parks and zoos....

some become famous landmarks....here is the chattanooga choo choo

often old depots are used for other purposes ...the one below now hosts the n. alabma veterans meetings.

there was much ado over this old railroad bridge before it was converted into a pedestrian walkway over the tennessee river....nice stroll to view wonderful sunsets, or maybe ya just wanna fish....

and finally.....wooo....wooo....here goes another one into the night....

to view other round robins, click here

new community photo challenge

many of us were saddened when the monday photo shoots came to an end.  so i was really excited when invited to join Vicki,  Marie, and Martha as hosts for the new AOL Community Photo Challenge.  just a few days into this venture and we've had wonderful participation!  the first topic selected aptly fits the first challenge for this new journal..."BEGINNINGS"

here's mine.  :)

                                       a new life ....

                                                 parenthood ....

                                  and lives changed forever!!  :)

to view other participants or make an entry, check out  Beginnings

closeups

krissy of Sometimes I Think brings us photo shoot #124.  The subject this week is:  a close up and may be interpreted however we want.  :)  here are mine.

  

      plant tendril

 

    onion and carrots (cooking in crockpot)                                                        

      coke fizz

      pine cone

colorful

Outpost Mâvarin: Monday Photo Shoot:  New Monday Photo Shoot #2: Show us something colorful. I don't mean a little colorful, or just one color. Let's see something that has three or more colors in it, something just about guaranteed to provoke the reaction, "Wow! That's really colorful!"

here are a couple of recent shots....

 chattanooga zoo

Christmas lights in the smokies taken from moving van

and a couple of older pix

smoky mountain sunrise

 southwest kansas

alpine helen

our little get-away over new year weekend.....to north georgia

             we stayed in this terrific b & b that had a most wonderful german restaurant...

the pretty town of helen, ga, still had their Christmas decorations up.  i loved that big tree with the huge ornaments.

        you could take a nice horse and buggy ride and browse the many wonderful shops

there were several german restaurants in town, but you had a selection of good ole american fare as well.

                  most of the motels and business had a definite german flair.

      we saw our first snowfall of the year while there...it made everything even prettier...

                                        

                       but the highlight of the trip was our trek on new years day to anna ruby falls. 

"new"

it's been quite a while since i've posted an entry...for different reasons, but a big part of it is this time of year is so bleak and it's hard to find something to shoot...but, i'm baaack.....and just in time for a new Photo Hunt  ...val of  There is a Season  is hosting the photo hunt once again and the  subject this week is:  "New"

appropriate as we are beginning a new year.  the first day of this new year was spent making a short trek to see a new place for hubby and me...anna ruby falls in unicoi georgia state park.  they were beautiful....

                   

                   

i had thought there might not be much of a falls due to georgia's severe  drought this summer, but the two creeks, curtis and york, were alive and well and successfully flowing, forming the impressive anna ruby falls.  the falls merged forming smith creek that flowed on down the mountain of unicoi park. what a beautiful day!

                  

                  

                         HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!  :)