Sunset Stripes

A dash of orange between the blues.
Sunsets are natures fireworks. And no two are alike.
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Exposure: 15 sec (15)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 44 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Autumn Drive

A drive into the woods to escape this everlasting political nonesense.
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 200
I am Dusy Lens and I support this post

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On Tuesday, tr3nta sent me this Kreativ Blogger award, Thank you, gracias!

I must now pick 6 things that make me happy and 6 bloggers worthy of this award.

6 things that make me happy:

1. Family and Friends
2. Photography
3. Hiking
4. Gelato
5. Traveling
6. Baseball

6 Blogs worthy of this award:

1. Vaggelis Vlahos
2. Just Roaming the Cities
3. Blognote
4. A Little Piece of Me
5. Marley
6. Monte Carlo Daily Photo

Weathered Post

Square Fence Post

Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 38 mm
ISO Speed: 200

The Yellow Truck

A walk down the road produced this find. Covered with lichen, I am left wondering about the story behind this truck. Especially so close to Halloween.

The old yellow truck

It would appear this old truck was abandoned long ago, yet it seems to have been recently moved. The corner window is too clean and there is air in the tires.

If the colors in this photo appear to be over saturated, you are correct. I used a circular polarizing filter that enhances colors to become more vivid. I wanted this truck to appear somewhat operational as it were going to make a left hand turn at any moment.

Haunting abandonment.

(HDR)

I under saturated the colors for this image slightly below what was seen in real time. I was hoping for a more haunting image of an abandoned truck. Strange though if you notice the driver's side headlight and trim ring appear brand new as compared to the passenger's side headlight. Is this truck rejuvenating like the Stephen King book? Remember his book, "Christine"?

Old Fishing Net

My Grandfather's old fishing net. The materials were purchased on one of his many trips back to Finland in the 1960's; hand made by Grandpa. It has seen many seasons of whitefish netting but is now retired.

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Exposure: 0.3 sec (3/10)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 400

Two Things Challenge - Big / Little

Little Big Dog

Portrait of Winston by Mrs. DL

There is nothing bigger than a little terrier; a little dog who's personality is that of a big dog.

Winston turned 13 this year, and has recently gone deaf. A mixed blessing. We can now say such words as walk, squirrel, car, ride, treat, going to the lake. Yet I believe he takes full advantage of not listening to our commands. He's coming along fine with hand signals. But if you know a terrier, they can be stubborn. Stubborn like me, as I'm told. ;)

Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25)

Aperture: f/7.1

Focal Length: 70 mm

ISO Speed: 200

Verticalscape

Wells Fargo Center - study in verticular heights.

Exposure: 0.02 sec (1/50)

Aperture: f/5.6

Focal Length: 160 mm

ISO Speed: 200

Block E

A summer evening on Hennepin Ave. downtown Minneapolis.

Exposure: 0.167 sec (1/6)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 33 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Train Station

Minneapolis Light Rail station at the Warehouse District stop near Hennepin Ave.
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Yesterday, I received the "Blogging Friends Forever" award from Marley , thanks Marley! I know it is impossible to take the train to the UK and thank Marley personally, and it is also impossible to take this train to deliver the award on to the others. But this is the closest photo I could find for traveling.

Now it is my turn to give the award to other deserving bloggers following these rules:
1. Only five people are allowed.

2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

Maya Photography - A Day in the Life - Maya

Birmingham Daily Photo - Virginia

D.C. Confidential - D.C. Confidential

Spatter - June

Regina in Pictures - Guy D

Quiet Bay

A walk down the road to the end of the point to catch a glimps of this quiet bay. Between the road and this bay is a tamarack bog, guaranteed to get your feet wet. If not carfeul, you'll sink to your knees. Luckily, I remained dry. Pop soaked his foot with an errant step.
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

JB at the office thought it was time for some food photos. I concur.

Saturday afternoon we prepared the dutch oven to cook a pot roast over the firepit.

The recipe I used was Byron's "Dutch Oven Pot Roast; http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-recipe-potroast.htm

Most recipes direct cooking the dutch over with charcoal. But we have plenty of wood on hand for the main heat below the fire grate. I only used charcoal on top of the oven. The trouble was a south wind at 20 MPH. More wood was needed to maintain a constant temperature, as was shifting the wood coals around to keep from over heating the oven. All in all, it was over a 3 hour cook.

The end result was delicious! And thanks to Mark's Black Pot for the great tips and information cooking with dutch ovens. http://marksblackpot.blogspot.com/

Morning Commute

Light rail line downtown Minneapolis
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Two Things Challenge is Black / White

Glacial Deposit
Much of the shore is scattered with sheared rock of various sizes.

Infrared creates stark white and deep black colors. Or, anti colors. I remember learning in art class that black and white are not colors at all.

Exposure: 6 sec (6)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Craggy

Grass Tuft
Rock strewn shoreline with exposed ledgerock make up much of the lakes in northern Minnesota and Canada. These ancient formations were scoured many times by the advancing and receding glaciers. Evidence of this can be seen by the deep grooves and rounded edges on the rock outcroppings.

Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Golden Reflections

Gold Rush.
Gold offset by deep blue.

Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 30 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Red and Blue

Autumn's vibrant maple leaves.

Purple Wedge

Foshay Tower reflecting in the Campbell Mithun Tower, downtown Minneapolis.

Exposure: 0.3 sec (3/10)

Aperture: f/5.6

Focal Length: 17 mm

ISO Speed: 400

Orangerie - A Study in Abstract Leaves

No, this is not the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. A museum which I will suggest as a must see when visiting Paris. Many fine works of art are inside plus Claude Monet's Les Nympheas, (see link below).

Mrs. DL and I were on our typical weekend walk to the 'Bou for our morning coffee. Of all places, these photos were taken on the paved trail behind Super Target. We used the macro feature to get up close and tight to the subject with her Canon A710 IS point and shoot camera.

I enjoyed these orange color tones that caught my eye, reminding me of the museum we enjoyed showcasing impressionistic that we visited while in Paris last April. Again, these images can not compare with the real works of art in the museum. For some reason Orangerie popped into my head.

http://www.musee-orangerie.fr/homes/home_id24799_u1l2.htm

Jigsaw Puzzle
Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 5.8 mm

Beads
Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 5.8 mm

Bonus photo captured by Mrs. DL! Autumn colors represented. I love the yellows in this one, reminds me of Limoncello.

Limoncello Mixed With Cherry Cola

Camera: Canon PowerShot A710 IS
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 5.8 mm

Autumn Leaves

Autumn, a season of change from summer to winter. A season of vivid colors and cooler weather. A season of damp forest aromas of decaying leaves mingling and soft scents of pine as quiet echos sing across the lake. A time to reflect upon the year's memories as we prepare for long winter nights. Autumn is nature's last triumph before we descend into the dead of winter.

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Thanks to Virginia at Birmingham Alabama Daily Photo for this music inspiration.
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"AUTUMN LEAVES" (Les Feuilles Mortes)
by Jospeh Kosma and Jacques Prévert (French)/Johnny Mercer (English)
The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold.
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold.
Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song.
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall.
English Translation of Jacques Prévert’s Poem: The Dead Leaves
Oh I wish so much you would remember
those happy days when we were friends.
Life in those times was so much brighter
and the sun was hotter than today.
Dead leaves picked up by the shovelful.
You see, I have not forgotten.
Dead leaves picked up by the shovelful,
memories and regrets also,
and the North wind carries them away
into the cold night of oblivion.
You see, I have not forgotten
the song that you sang for me:
It is a song resembling us.
We lived together, the both of us,
you who loved me
and I who loved you.
But life drives apart those who love
ever so softly
without a noise
and the sea erases from the sand
the steps of lovers gone their ways.

Two Things Challenge - East / West

For this challenge, I bring you an old and a new photo.

Old

Sunrise - East

Sunrise over Fourtown Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW)

A camping/fishing trip I took with my father, Bob and Ron. A n annual spring tradition that started for me in 1978; 27 springs of camping in the wilderness, miles from modern conveniences.

This was captured with my old Nikon point and shoot 3 megapixel camera.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_Waters_Canoe_Area_Wilderness

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New

Sunset - West

The new, West. Sunset over Lake Vermilion. And shot with a DSLR and a polarizing filter.

http://www.lakevermilion.com/

Remember, Thanksgiving Comes First

(Image courtesy Thanksgiving Corner, FREE Thanksgiving wallpapers are available here as well as Christmas wallpapers.)

Autumn is upon us, then Halloween. It's that time of year again when the malls are filled with displays for the next holiday. The holiday of Christmas.

But what happened to Thanksgiving and Halloween? According the those brilliant corporate marketing agents, the Christmas season begins in August. Remember my post on August 24th? http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2008/08/2-things-challenge-hard-soft.html

Christmas displays on August 16th at Costco, a major retail store? Isn't there something inherently wrong with this? Doesn't Thanksgiving come before Christmas?

I do enjoy the Christmas season, the lights, shows, pageantry, music and all that wholesome Christmassy feel. But I do not appriciate it in August or September. Nor do I find it cute in October or November. The Christmas season begins after Thanksgiving; at least it should.

Check out the post at Sludog http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com/2008/10/gentle-reminder-as-well-as-elucidation.html if you feel the same way. Perhaps one day this blatant comercialisation of Christmas will end.

Merry Retail Sales and Happy Corporate Earnings!

Setting Moon

As the moon sets, the stars come to life.
Exposure: 30 sec (30)
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Around the Bend

Fall color tour.

A nice autumn drive down the back roads of northern Minnesota.

Red Bloom

A touch of red along the road.

Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/9
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Golden Birch

Lakeside view.

Autumn has to be the best season of the year. The autumn colors are enhanced by the sun's low angle. The result are stunning blue skies and vivid colors. Also it helps to have a polarizing filter.

Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 17 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Grouse Hunting

Grouse hunting with a camera. This ruffed grouse has an excellent vantage point high up in this white pine. sitting by the fire pit, we watched him land on the branch.
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/6.3
Focal Length: 300 mm
ISO Speed: 100

I was able to sneak up on him as close as 30 feet away. I (digitally) shot him with my Canon 400D. We watched each other, then he flew off before I could get one last shot.
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/6.3
Focal Length: 300 mm
ISO Speed: 100

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Lately, with all the mud slinging adds of outward lies and misconceptions spewed by both the Dems and Repubs, I've felt like shooting the TV. And not with my camera, it's ruining the baseball playoffs.

I sure wish I could take more than a year off from work like the windbags have done to tout their propaganda. I'm just not going to drink their Jonestown Kool Aid. Scotch on the rocks for me; make it a triple.

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Next time around, let's keep the nonsense, er, campaign to four weeks maximum.

I am Dusty Lens and I support this post

Autmn Mist

An early autumn morning at the lake in northern Minnesota.

Waiting for the morning coffee to brew, I set out in the early morning for some photo opportunities. Not a sound, except for the birds singing their wake up calls and the gentle lap of the waves on shore.

Two Things Challenge - Solid / Pattern

Solid patterns.

Patterns of moss growing on solid granite. OK, maybe this isn't a perfect example of solid / pattern. But my 10 year old niece and I thought these "dots" of moss were pretty. They were soft too. She liked how the surrounding moss was "fuzzy" in the photo.

So there you have it, solid / pattern!

Cubicle Space

Looking into the building's reflection, I can't but help but to think of an enormous cube farm in here.
Exposure: 0.077 sec (1/13)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 300 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Golden Halo

225 South Sixth Tower

775 feet (236 m) tall with 56 floors, the second tallest tower in Minneapolis.

Exposure: 0.3 sec (3/10)

Aperture: f/5.6

Focal Length: 20 mm

ISO Speed: 200

Gold Finger

007

The Wells Fargo Center, formerly known as the Norwest Center. 774 (236 meters) tall, with 57 floors. The third tallest building in Minnesota; behind 225 South Sixth Tower and IDS Center. In 2000, it was recognized by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as one of the 100 most energy efficient buildings in the USA. (from Wikipedia).

Bolero by Pink Martini! Mrs. DL and I heard this in concert, fabulous in person. Why Bolero in this post you ask? The answer is deep in the recesses of my cranium matter. After capturing this image, I knew I had to call it Goldfinger, from the James Bond 007 movie. What's more fitting than this tune to accompany Sean Connery and Honor Blackman?

Exposure: 0.6 sec (3/5)

Aperture: f/5.6

Focal Length: 24 mm

ISO Speed: 200

Lines

Once again I have missed the deadline for Theme Day. The theme for October is "LINES" . Although I am not actively participating in the City Daily Photo Theme Day, this would have been my post had I not procrastinated.

Study in Lines

Wells Fargo Center reflected in the IDS Center
Another image I took on a photo walkabout with my neighbor MB, Just Roaming the Cities , Mr. J, Snapshutter , and Mitchster .

Peeking FoshayTower in reflection,
Reopend as the W Minneapolis hotel. The 31st floor is the outdoor observation deck. The former boardroom of Willbur Foshay on the 27th floor is now called the Prohibition sky bar; a posh lounge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foshay_tower
Thanks to my co-worker JB for pointing out my error of the wrong photo description. The reflection in the top photo is the Wells Fargo Tower, not the Foshay Tower as I posted before this edit.