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Monday, August 20, 2012

Monday Distraction

Good morning on what has already shaped up into a hectic Monday in the arid month of August.  At least arid in some parts.  I know my brother and his family in central California may have melted into a puddle of gummy human goo by now.  However, here in Middle Tennessee our unseasonably withering spring surrendered to a moderately moist, if quite warm, mid-summer.  And this past week has been a gift of cool evenings and wonderfully mild mornings.  I ain't complaining.

In that vein, Hankie Mutt and I (Hank shifted from wonder pup to mutt after exhibiting increasingly male adult dog tendencies AND chewing on the top corner of my handsome solid wood kitchen table a month or so ago) enjoyed a relaxing foray on the local walking trail.  Though I left my camera -- actually, my younger sister's loaned DSLR of which I've grown quite fond -- in the Yukon back in the parking lot, me and my Hipstamatic iPhone app bonded over trains, poison ivy (only in digital and NOT on skin) and whatever else caught my distracted fancy.  And we still logged enough miles to consider it exercise of the active kind.


 This is why one must REGULARLY exercise and mentally stimulate pets.
Especially certain breeds of active dogs who are not able to actually fulfill the requirements of their particular breed!

 Hank finds water to be QUITE stimulating!

 His mistress finds nature to be rather stimulating.

 Juniper Berries

 Hank handled the passing of a very verbose and loooong train with dignity.

 This shot was quite accidental but delightful -- my Hipstamatic app will randomly choose film/lens/flash when the phone is shaken!

 The kind of uninspired shot which occurs when a certain white-haired mutt yanks the leash when his mistress is unprepared for said yank by Hank!

 Take one: John S Lens/Freedom 13 Film/no flash

 Take Two: same/add half-flash

 Take Three: THE WINNER -- full flash.  THE shot o' the day.

 One need not travel very far at all to find reminders of the Civil War.

 I wanted to clamber up this tree and sit for awhile.  
Had to settle for a quick pic instead.
Again, the camera app chose randomly because I moved too fast.
I wanted to capture the reds in the bark.
 Birds-eye view of the fence surrounding the Civil War site.

 New redbud leaves.
 I prefer this lens and light.

 But wish they had been combined with THIS perspective.

 Bark Park: no dogs in sight . . . only this lone acorn in the mud . . . 

 . . . and this fungus in the field!

 Oh, and the garbage overflowing the small receptacle on the fence.

 Too much light but what a handsome moth: pretty eyes!

 Our unusual weather has encouraged an unusual pattern on the locust pods.
The tree looked as if it was draped in serpents.

 Every last one of these dogs was under control and mellow.

 To his credit, Hankie Mutt remained in control whilst they passed!

 Hank and I don't wander into the brush much here in Tennessee.
Poison ivy and its cousins ABOUND!

 Red berries for the red birds.
 The heavy inedible tennis-ball-green fruit of the Osage orange tree.
They have the power to crack a windshield when falling onto the road.

 Sign lichen.

 Sign above lichen.

 Underpass art with red gel half-flash.

 A mellowed mutt -- two hours later.

 Blue with a decidedly yellow cast.

Subdued blue.

 Vivid color . . . 

 . . . black & white detail.

 Another shaken-and-stirred happy photo accident.

 Au naturelle. 

 A study of greens.

******* ****** *******

My walks save me from madness at times.  I take full advantage.  Running and videos just can't compete.  Not for me, anyway.  My endorphins much prefer to kick-in step-by-step, dog-at-my-side, pixel-to-pixel.  Know thyself.  Heal thyself.  At least in part.

I leave you with one final image.  My bargain find at Ross Dress For Less.  This thrilled me to no end.  And it'll dress up my writing room shelf quite splendidly.  During an Earth Diva outing where we shop-hopped in downtown Franklin, I found myself taken with these glass human heads in a particular funky clothing boutique.  I actually wondered aloud where one might find such a thing.  And promptly forgot about it.  Until yesterday.  

For some reason, my husband and daughter were not quite as delighted with my purchase.  In fact, they seemed rather disturbed.  Oh, well.  Each to his own.




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