June 30th

That's it.
All done.
30 days of challenges.
Some hard.
Some easy
Some definitely challenging !
I had the pleasure of giving the last challenge which I thought I should making fitting,so it was:

"The End/Final"

Open to any interpretation and surprise surprise I went into the garden.I took two that I really liked but went with this one in the end..........


My columbines ready to start seeding themselves merrily about the garden!

I would say on the whole I've enjoyed the month,I got to try a few different things which I'll play about with some more.Anyway no more photo a days for a month or so but with summer here(well sort of,if you can call it that)there will certainly be lots and lots and lots of photo opportunities ahead.

June 29th

The end is getting near! Patti's last challenge was:

"Blue"

Well I had thought I might get something at the pool but we didn't go to swimming lessons due to the not so warm weather and the rain,which also meant no blue sky either.
Not to worry Oliver to the rescue.......


I walked into the living room to see a line up of blue cars(and a blue Pokemon?) along with a line of red ones,I'm surprised their were no Lego dudes in their either since Oliver and Lego are never far apart..............perfect !

June 28th

Playing catch up again this morning with 3 posts...
Julie issued:

"black and white"

After some clarification,she just wanted a black and white photo.I've been having trouble getting in the groove so to speak with having Mum here and just being out of my routine so it was another trip into the garden and another photo of my neighbours beauty......

I think it's come out paler here on blogger......

Julie took hers in black and white, and Patti got clever and took something that was black and white to begin with :)

2 days left...........

June 27th

A challenge from me for this day and it was:

"Fresh"

A quick venture into the garden gave me this......

My pale pink peony is yet to to open and I liked the raindrops on there too,thought it looked fresher !

Patti's is here and Julie's here.

June 26th

A big fat no show !

I failed on Patti's challenge of:

"Ghetto lighting"

I'm going to try and do it in the remaining couple of days.

June 25th

Julie issued.....

"Heat"

As the challenge for yesterday and it was a case of great minds thinking a like as I too took my glass out in the heat of the day.....


Although I wasn't completely happy with it and as I was checking through the photo's from yesterday I liked this one too(looks better clicked bigger)..........


Oliver's way of beating the heat was to ask to go to the sprinkler park at Rigaud.
Patti also choose more of a way of beating the heat here.

June 24th

OK my challenge to Julie and Patti today was:

"Diptych"

Basically when two photo's can say it better than one.

This is not what I had planned but I really wasn't feeling very well yesterday and I nearly didn't take anything but guilt got the better of me and I spied this in my neighbours garden..........



Not what I had in mind at all :)

June 23rd

The challenge from Patti today was:

"Red and White"

I had 2 ideas,one was the Stop sign at the end of the road because I love the fact that out here they still say stop in English but that didn't work out as I wanted so it was planned b.......


My red and white busy lizzies hanging on my fence.........I had trouble getting a semi decent photo do to them being in a mainly shady but slightly sunny spot.......which was giving me over exposed parts.
OH well !

June 22nd

The odds where against me yesterday,I knew with the itinerary of the day I was going to pushed but I took my camera everywhere with me just in case !

Julie's challenge was:

"Back lit/silhouette"

One she rescheduled due to poor weather conditions last week.I pretty much knew a evening silhouette would be out the question(check out Patti's here)knowing where the sunsets and the fact I was eating my way overdue dinner due to swim lessons and soccer practice last night!So my brief slot was in the afternoon when the sun peeks out from behind the trees in my backyard......


Anyway the point of back lighting is too capture more detail,I was aiming for the veins of the leaves,which you can't see as clear here(even when clicked bigger) as I can on my screen.....I'm not completely happy with this but I do like the shadows created by the other leaves.

June 21st

Playing catch up from the weekend,just loaded Saturdays and now to Sundays !

My turn again and in honour of father's day I gave the subject:

"Male"

Straight forward or outside the box,didn't matter !
I had semi willing volunteers......although finding one shot where they all look OK seemed to be my main problem.Ad has the problem of always having his eyes shut,when it's one on one I have a solution but it's not so great in a group shot.



Anyway this one was my favourite and I'm glad they were some what co-ordinated because I don't think I could have pushed it to make them change !!

June 20th

I made a request to Patti for an easy one since I would be without my camera until early evening,so she gave us:

"Water"

So once Stuart was home I went out into the garden thinking I might have to do some watering to get anything but there was still leftovers from the rain on my sweet pea leaves......


One big blob of water !

June 19th

Today's challenge from Julie changed after it looked like not being the weather for it,so she suggested:

"Curve"

I had a quick wonder around the garden but didn't spot anything, unlike Patti and then as I came back in the kitchen door I spied this....


My kitchen tap,the one I hunted high and low for with our kitchen reno !

June 18th

Yesterday my challenge to Patti and Julie was :

"White"

Well I nearly failed at my own challenge.
With mum here I had no chance to get outside before the rain started,we were out a good chunk of the day and then I nearly forgot to take something at all !
So last minute in the pouring rain I ran outside saw my first peony open,even if it was looking sorry for it's self head down from all the rain,I took 3 shots and hoped for the best.It's a little over exposed on the top but oh well !

Not really what I wanted but it's white....

June 17th

Back for a second time today !

So Patti challenged us today to photograph:

"A row of similar colourful things"

I was stumped for a while,as I've had so much to do today and not a lot of thinking time.I tried books on the bookshelf,Oliver's toys on his shelf but nothing excited me.
Then I was tiding up my scrap space and it hit me......


My boxes of buttons,more than one row I'm afraid Patti but they are just so pretty looking all those rows of buttons!!
Can't wait to see what Julie had in mind,if she can remember where she saw it !

June 16th

A little late with this one,Julie's challenge yesterday was:

"Food"

Well,we all met up for a little scrapbook shopping and lunch.Which meant our sushi arrived and we all got out our cameras !! So not to be left since Patti and Julie showed their lunch,I have to show my lunchtime shot too....


Then because I thought we would all end up with a sushi shot I took a picture of the frittata I main for dinner,fresh out from under the grill(broiler).....


Now I need to get thinking about todays.........

June 15th

My challenge to Patti and Julie today was:

"A self portrait"

I told them they were allowed to change it to black and white if they wanted because,well sometimes we look better in black and white :)

I hate having my picture taken and I thought setting this challenge would be a good thing to try and do but it didn't work out like that!
I couldn't find the tripod,so that ruled out one thing I wanted to try.
My arms aren't long enough to hold it out in front of me !
Then we had a huge thunderstorm which meant it was dark as hell for a few hours.
So I ended up using the mirror and liked this one the best.I found it hard to actually get the focus on me and not the camera,with not using the view finder,so I ended up with plenty of blurry ones......


I much prefer being behind the camera so decided this was most fitting for my self portrait :)

June 14th

Patti's challenge today was:

"A night shot with moving lights"

Mmmm,I knew I wouldn't be anywhere in a car in the evening and I have nothing with lighting that moves in the garden(Stuart suggested the fire flies.....but since it was raining last night I didn't think that would be very successful and the fact I'd be eaten alive by mosquitoes !!)

So I ended up with this,only one light but it is moving..........


A candle,moving from the draft of the open door !

June 13th

Wow,Julie gave us a real challenging one today !

" A picture with the subject in focus with a blurry background or a blurry subject and a focused background."

I was aiming on giving this a go this summer,the whole panning thing,at the lake,because I had read an article about it recently.I'm glad I got the chance to try it out here first because it takes patience and practice :)
I tried it an the baseball game this afternoon but had no luck.So tried again with the boys on their bikes,although it was getting a little dark.I had read it was best to have a fairly undistracting background so I thought out on the street would be the best idea.

There's certainly room for vast improvement but I'm fairly happy with my first attempt ........

I think I need to be a little further away and maybe the fact I'd already had a glass of wine didn't help with holding the camera still !!

Patti's moving water is here .

June 12th

It was back to me for the challenge today and it was:

"small"

Open to any interpretation :)
My boys have been interested in this project and have often given me suggestions,none of which I've taken up........until today.
Adam came in saying look what Oliver's doing on the front,it sort of fits small.......


Watch out Mr Lego guy,there's a giant rock monster behind you !!
The Lego dude is my 'small' for today.
I love Patti's comparisons and wondering what Julie will do ?

June 11th

The challenge today from Patti was:

"A sign with no words.....but you know what it means"

I had to think about it,we have the fire hydrants signs and I thought of those as the hydrants themselves in our town are painted and I thought that might make an interesting shot but it didn't ! It did for Julie though :)

I did remember we have this sign right before the little lake......


It's actually 2 for one as there's another sign there too.
Not the angle I wanted but there's a great big ugly orange diversion sign plonked next to it.So not the most exciting shot but I remember them having to put up those signs a couple of years ago as the ducks were constantly crossing the road !

Patti went green for hers.

June 10th

OK,so for today Julie's challenge was:

"girlie,frilly,feminine"

Mmmmmmmmm,I don't live in a girlie house and I don't consider myself particularly girlie either except when it comes to throwing or spiders !
I don't know any little girls I could go visit so I decided my best bet was to head out into the garden.I was going to take a shot of my pink columbines but sadly the rain has put an end to those so no frilly pink flowers there.
So I ended up with this......


What could be more girlie than a pink heart :)

Lots of things but that's all I've got.

June 9th

So my challenge for today's photo was:

"Routine"

I had a few ideas,my scruffy trainers kicked off by the door,since they have become something I put on almost daily.Then there was the boys coming back from the mailbox since this is their daily routine after they get off the bus.Then while I was sitting here on the computer I spied the regular visitor to my deck........


Yep,here's chippie gathering his daily seeds.That's his routine,collecting the seeds or eating my petals,every single day ! His paws/hands are blurry because you should see the speed he whips off the tails of those things.

I had to sneak him into one of the challenges :)

June 8th

I'm back on track (posted the previous days below this one) and thinking with a busy day ahead I'll go with this shot I took this morning after perusing my garden after my run,took a bunch of shots and then my warning battery low sign came on!

Patti's challenge today is:

"Looking down in the insect world.....any bug will do !"

Do bees count as bugs ? If not I have a ant shot too !
I'm not fond of them so they count in my book and I must say I got as close as I dared with this one but it was busy having a clean so I thought it would stay still for a while......


It looks better clicked bigger,you can see all his fluffy detail,I love his sticking out hairy leg !

You can see Julie's creepy crawly here and a hard working bee from Patti.

June 7th

Sunday and we were back to Julie's choice which was:

"Reflection"

I'm thinking I'm going to be at the lake all that water,should be perfect.....the weather had other ideas.
We woke up to cloudy with rain and a choppy non reflective lake !Of course not enough rain to give puddles.
It briefly stopped and we took a walk up to the sand pit as we call it where there is always a pool of water and the boys try and catch frogs.......


I actually got a better reflection shot but I liked this one the best as it showed the boys more.

Seems it wasn't a great reflection day back in Quebec either although Julie caught a wonderful blossoming bush and Patti made use of her glass table.

June 6th

Saturday's challenge from me was:

"Looking Up"

Open to however you wanted to interpret it.....I'm repeating that because I played with the meaning of looking up !
We were at our friends cottage and the day started off really cloudy and I spent an unsuccessful morning looking up.The sun came out and we went for a walk and I took lots and lots of looking up through the trees type pictures,none of which really thrilled me.
Then as the afternoon drew on I caught Ol climbing on the steps from the dock and captured him 'looking up' at me.........


Sorry this face won over a bunch of leaf shots :)

Julie's is here and Patti's here .

June 5th

The challenge today from Patti was:

"A full shot of texture"

I was a little pushed for time today so had an idea and went with it,no messing about !!
It looks better clicked bigger.

5/30

An old maple tree in the front yard who's bark is peeling and shedding all over the grass !

Patti's is here and Julie's here.

June 4th

Julie's Challenge today was:

"Extreme close up"

Immediately I thought of all the lovely things in my garden and was torn between a close up of a blossom in my neighbours garden(bordering mine !) and a dandelion head waiting to fly off and populate.Then an hour or so ago I spied Ad catching some sun with a book and thought this one fit the bill better......

4/30

....and kept in with my effort of including us all in my pictures.
Look at that blue sky,maybe summer is here at last.......

Julie took one of Jack and Patti and I had a great minds moment again !

June 3rd

My turn for a challenge yesterday and it was:

"Number(s)"

I took a picture of my house number that I was happy with but then when Ol was getting ready for soccer and I saw the number on his back,I thought I'd see if I could snap something else I liked better.

I did.......last time I did this challenge,in April,it was all about my garden,this month I want to try (challenges permitting) to include some pictures of us as well.

3/30

I had a few I like but went with the one with a little movement in it.

You can see Patti's here and Julie's here.

June 2nd

Patti's challenge for today:
"A bird in flight"

Well first all the birds decided to leave the general vicinity of my garden every time I ventured outside !
When they did enter they flew off as if the hawk was circling !

Miss P it was a challenge but a good one.............not sure you'll let me have mine :)

2/30



The wings are moving which is an indication of flight.......yes?

You can see Julie's here and Patti's here.

June 1st

OK well I was holding off,just in case the sun decided to show it's face for some lovely evening light but it didn't :(

Julie's challenge for today was:
"A landscape photo with a dominant forefront image"

It was a challenge !
I didn't want a really blurry background shot but was finding it hard to get common ground.
Also as I was getting it ready to upload I had a panic that by landscape she also meant horizontal.....I hope not as mine isn't !!

1/30 (should click bigger)

Looking through the branches of the maple in the front garden up the street,using the lens hood as a frame.......it's all very green !

You can find Patti's here and Julie's here.

A photo a day

It's a new month and I'm back with one photo a day for the month of June.

I'm doing this fun challenge with Patti again but also we've roped in Julie too.
Since Patti and I enjoyed our weekend challenges last time we thought we'd have a word/challenge for everyday this month...should be interesting !
So we've picked 10 each.....we don't know them until the night before because a certain someone thought they might be tempted to cheat if they knew them all in advance !!
So I'll be posting them as regularly as I can here.

Back later with today's challenge photo.