Round Robin Challenge: Americana

Noun:  Americana.     <u`meri'kanuh> Any artifact (such as books or furniture or art) that is distinctive of America.

I am currently rejoicing in the return of my youngest son from Iraq.  He is home on R&R, and I know the difficulty it will be to let go of him as he boards another aircraft that returns him to rejoin the troops he left behind.  So, for the moment, ANYTHING red, white and blue and a splash of yellow represent "Americana" to me.   Our men and women have been doing it for centuries, building a strong American culture for the rest of us.  Our American flag, how significant, and bold!   Thank you Cosette of Pandora's Bazaar  for bringing us this weeks challenge:  Americana.  

  My husband served in Iraq over a year ago.  He had tickets to the ProBowl, but deployed before the big game.  In this picture above, my two sons and my brother made a "banner" in hopes of being seen by my husband during the halftime (our service members got to see the game, but unfortunately, my husband did not)  The son in the middle of banner is my son currently serving in Iraq.   My brother lost the blue marker, so if you look closer, you will see the stars are actually the blue colored plastic from an AAFES bag!

The base, Schofield Barracks, found all sorts of way for families and friends to show support.  I signed a ribbon and tacked it on a display board at Clothing Sales.  I was tickled when my husband returned and the board was displayed in the front of the store.  OF COURSE I hauled him over and made sure he saw the ribbon I signed for him! 

This was taken at the Arizona Memorial, where many of our servicemembers lost their lives to defend our country.  Words are wasted here at Pearl Harbor, Silence is welcomed. 

   

  

These last two captures are fun ways of displaying our red, white and blue (with a splash of yellow!)  Please view the main Round Robin Challenge page to view the rest of the Robins as they display their interpretations of  "Americana"

Round Robin Challenge: Flower Power

Flower Power.  NOW WE'RE TALKING! I don't exactly possess green thumbs, but I love growing flowers as well as putting fresh cut flower arrangements around the house.  I especially love photographing flowers.   Flowers are like little kittens, you just can't get enough of them!  I tried really hard to limit my collective selection to FOUR pictures, but ... well, narrowed it down to 16 pictures in FOUR collages.  BE VERY PROUD OF ME!  (Please click on each collection to read the names of each bloom)

This first collection are from deep in my archives ... lily from Arkansas; very unusual pod-like blooms from Diamond Head Crater; plumerias, a common flower used for making leis; and prickly pear cactus flowers from New Mexico.   

This second collection is an african violet I managed to keep alive over three years; then a tiger lily with (freshly pulled out of the ground .. roots and all) wild daisies; a camera-shy peony from my side garden; and a close-up of the same tiger lily.

I called these exotics, but I should have called them tropics. The first plant is very interesting.  I almost missed it because it was green.  It's a jade plant.  Very nice.  The rest are orchids found in Hawaii.  The first one, I couldn't find a name, I call them the smiley face orchids.  Pictured on top are vandas, very popular on the islands, and the last orchid I can't even pronounce.

This last collection are just some very favorites.  Both roses were photographed in Canada earlier this month.  The pink hibiscus we found at the Big Island airport, and the yellow hibiscus was a find in Waikiki.

Special mahalo goes to Renee of TCS2 for this awesome challenge!  Please visit the rest of the ROBIN entries found on the comment list at  Round Robin Challenge

Infinite.

          I am infinitely happy today; I just received a telephone call from my youngest son saying he will be leaving for Kuwait on July 4th, and returning to the great USA for two weeks on R&R !!!  My mood made me think of this photograph.  It was taken somewhere along the Natchez Trace Parkway mid-summer 2005.  I had taken it in hopes of entering it in a kodak national photo contest, but I was never satisfied with the way it printed.  Although it made it's way to my "reject" folder, I still love it. 

Round Robin Challenge: Emotions

I'm not exactly sure what this niece of mine is thinking, though more than likely she is thinking how much she adores the Aunty taking the picture.  This is my favorite summertime picture or Turtle, and someway or another, I was going to make it fit into any RRC I could! 
            
Check out the other entries for EMOTIONS   @  
The Round Robin Photo Challenges: Round Robin Challenge: Emotions

Life just got a whole lot Bigger!

"Grab your camera and SNAP Baby SNAP" is exactly what I did.  Not knowing if it would flutter away quickly or not, I snapped like nobody's business!  This Robin Moth displayed itself nearby my barn for the remainder of the day, but alas, the following day was gone.  It may look puny here, but it's wing span is between six and seven inches, making it North America's largest moth. 

My husband found this beauty, but was kind enough to let me hog the camera and take credit for displaying this chance sighting.

Round Robin Challenge: Reflection

Reflections ... Round Robin Challenge

Round Robin Challenge.  YAY!!!  This one really grabbed me ... I knew immediately that I was in!!!  Reflection photography excites me the most, thanks   Cheryl, a.k.a. BoiseLadie, for this great challenge.  I have three shots for this selection, well four ... okay!  I have five, but heaps more in archives!!!  Thank me for my self control.
This first one, is possibly my "first ever" reflection photograph, and one that has spurred on the excitement ever since.  Ducks at a man-made pond at our nations capitol.  This particular picture was taken just after my very first photography class, and today I can see some techniques paying off..  Trust me, the pictures did get better after a time.

Here is a photograph that just HAPPENED the day after the challenge was announced.  I went out to get a photograph of the apple tree in full bloom before the wind knocked off most of the blossoms. Mysteriously, yet perfectly timed, a clean window appeared.

This third photograph is my favorite reflection photo taken in at Indian River in Theresa, NY this past autumn. 

Here is an attempt at skillfully capturing a dragonfly before it notices and flies away.

 I was totally honoured when my niece called me up asking me to do her university graduation photographs.  We loved how these came out!

  Please visit Round Robin Challenge for a list of the other participating photo journalists!

The Beauty of Imperfections

               
I found this wonderously weathered dragonfly living out it's peaceful life in this serene setting along the Natchez Trace Parkway.  Summer 2005