A Hibiscus Tale

It took several attempts to get a shot of this hibiscus blossom that I was pleased with. I even went in and brought out the Nikon... so frustrated was I.

This is from the X-T1:

This is from the Nikon D700: 

(I was never happy with the washed out color of the Nikon)

This is evidence of my struggle. The problem: focus. I'm not having luck with any of my Fuji lenses. But the Nikon wasn't much better, so it must be me. Is the universe trying to tell me something?

Goodbye, July

Is it mid-summer?

Mid-July already! The days seem long and slow but the calendar pages are flipping quickly. Summer may be my least favorite season; or it may be tied with Winter for that distinction. I don't like extreme temps and I doubt that I'm alone in this. I have no trips planned until the heat eases in September/October... and the kiddies are back in school. Actually, school starts here on August 3rd! 

SoFoBoMo update... I'm working on it. I may not get there, but I'm not going to fret over it. It's too hot to fret. 

And I picked two (count 'em!) two blackberries. If I had to live off my harvest (as my grandparents did) I would surely not survive. So thankful for that.

Hot, Hot, Hot

This summer heat is killing me. Or at least melting me. 

Sunday

Sunday a.m.

Coffee & Birds

Saturday Morning

I'm having my coffee outside. The humidity isn't too awful this morning. The patio lights have come on as the sun rises through the trees, the sensor flips them on and off. There is a feral cat with two kittens roaming around the yard. They're getting braver by the minute... coming closer to check me out.

Something ate my sole ripe blackberry. I had noticed it but didn't pick it myself. Maybe I was waiting for a few more to ripen. A handful would be nice.

I have lots to do outdoors today, before it gets to a thousand degrees so I'd better finish my coffee and get started.

Oh... I had chosen a sofobomo theme but have decided to be less maudlin. Do over.

Reason

A turn signal, a tail light, a lane change... none of these should be a death sentence. Can we just start there?

Clicking for clicks' sake

With enough clicks, something is bound to... click. 

No confidence

This is why I probably won't participate in sofobomo...

Get me to the 5th

It's difficult not to look back during the holidays. We had several family reunions on July 4th. Afterwards, I would give each family a small photo album, filled with pictures from the celebration.

I think my favorite time was in 2001 when we rented a beach house in Grayton Beach, Florida. The house was three stories high and had enough room for everyone. It was a very special time. Three family members are no longer with us, so the memories are bittersweet.