Day 375

Tonight, we went to see two houses (side by side) that were at the top of the list of Tacky Lights houses. My favorite lighted things are of course, the plants.

There were large lights on this bush. This light was tucked between the branches, giving them a beautiful glow.

One of the trees wrapped with lights

Another tree wrapped with lights and a look at why these houses were voted at the most lit.

A tropical plant with lights

A tree with lights

Day 362

Since our camellia bush was the reason I started this project, I wanted to include it in the last week of the project. These were taken at dusk.

Day 357

Though the weather is getting colder, there are still a few flowers alive.

This large azalea bush is by the entrance to our neighborhood.

I noticed this tree, though bare of most leaves, still had a few flowers blooming on it's limbs.

Day 351

The cold weather is setting in, but these hardly azaleas are still alive.

Day 338

We headed to dinner as the sun was setting. I was hoping to get some photos of the sunset, but we arrived as the sunset was ending.

Day 331

Today, we headed to the Philadelphia Zoo. We've been to Philadelphia many times, but never to the zoo.

While waiting for the trolley to pick us up, I saw this monarch butterfly in Logan Square.

While at the zoo, I found this butterfly and some plants in bloom. I took photos of the zoo animals too, but of course those don't fit the "natural resident" rule I created when I started this project.

Day 325

Today, we went to our friends' house for a band rehearsal. They have these neat bushes along the road, so I snapped a few quick photos before heading back to my house with a bandmate. While riding in the car, I noticed the beauty of the evening sky.

Day 317

We had planned on going to Busch Gardens or the Norfolk Zoo (Virginia Zoological Park), but the rain dashed those plans. Still, we wanted crab legs, to get out of the house and ice cream. So, we drove to  Hampton, Va...well mostly because of the crab legs from Joe's Crab Shack. There isn't one of those in Richmond.

The restaurant is beside a Bass Pro Shop, which has water lilies and roses outside it.

Back at home, there were more mushrooms. The wet weather has breed them quickly and in many varieties. Unfortunately the mini cluster ones that sprang up smell disgusting when they rot. I need to get rid of those. The rest are fine.

Day 300

Since today is the 300th day of this project, I thought I would do a big post. Today, we had rain again. I went outside while the rain stopped, to photograph the wet leaves and flowers. My camera fogged up immediately due to the temperature change. I lightly rubbed the lens, to dissipate the water faster. This helped with focusing, but distorted the backgrounds in ripples. Sort of magical looking.

Japanese Maple leaves

 I tried to focus on the large rain drop, but the camera focused on the leaves behind it instead.

Black Eyed Susan

Azalea

This rose like flower was laying on an flipped planter and partially submerged in water.

More rose like flowers

Day 265

We went to lunch at Mi Hacenda. They have beautiful roses there, so I brought my camera along.

At home, I noticed this ant on a camellia leaf.

New camellia leaves are sprouting.

Ferns on the hill

Day 261

Today Kit and I were in Northern Va visiting our best friend Katie for the weekend.

There are rose bushes in front of her apartment.

Later in the day, we went to her in-iaw's house because it was her sister-in-law's birthday. The Trans grow lots of fruits and herbs.

Grapes

Grape leaves

This was growing beside the mint leaves.

Mint

Day 221 - Photo Effects

I wanted to play with more photo effects, but with a brighter colored photo of a rose. I used Picnic for these.

First I played with manipulating the shape, high lighting and shading while still keeping it pink and green.

Then, I decided to change the colors.